Seagan Eating Resource and Cookbook Review + Maple Almond Butter Caramel Corn Recipe

Seagan = A Seafood + Vegan Diet

One thing that I've toyed with over the years is following a pescetarian diet (basically a vegetarian who eats fish and seafood). I could probably be loyal to it if it weren't for my love of bacon. I'd miss steak and carnitas, too. But I think I could swing it if I tried. But a seagan diet takes it one step further by eliminating all animal food sources except fish and seafood. Bacon is one thing, but take away my cheese and you'll be inviting fisticuffs.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Thank you to Meijer for sending me a box of essential health products to kick-start my health, fitness, and diet goals in the new year! All opinions shared in this post are my own.

Well friends, we are officially into the third week of 2016. I meant to share this post with you in the first week, but this year started off very rough for my family. It's not something that I'm ready to talk about yet, but I will be soon. So, I apologize for starting the year a couple of weeks late.

Tell me, did you make any resolutions or set any goals for yourself this year? I've never been big on resolutions, since any I set seemed like things I should always be striving for anyway. So, I tend to call them goals instead. But really, I guess they're just the same thing—changes, improvements, and things I want to accomplish going forward. One foot in front of the other seemed like a good place to start recently.

Gluten-Free Chia Seed Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

I don't know much about gluten-free baking. It's one of those "one day I should figure this out" kind of things...I just haven't figured out which day yet. So, when Carrington Farms asked me if I'd be interested in sharing their delicious and healthy cookie recipe that also happens to be gluten-free, I thought it was something I should try out for myself first (and then share the results with you if I liked it).

Guess what? I liked it. I liked it alot, actually. I stayed pretty true to their recipe, which can be found on the back of the current packaging for their chia seeds, I did add a little salt to the recipe (as I do 99% of the time in sweet baked goods) because it enhances the flavors. Their recipe calls for optional chocolate chips, which I considered leaving out entirely since I'm not usually one to add chocolate to my peanut butter cookies...but I figured I was already adding oats and chia seeds, so why not give it a go. But I also wanted to try them without, so I added mini chocolate chips to half of the batch.

Whole Wheat Peanut Crackers inspired by The Terminal

I first (and last) watched The Terminal all the way back in 2004, when it was just released. I remembered liking it, but I hadn't really thought much about it since. Then Evelyne came along as this month's Food 'n Flix host, and challenged (invited) us to watch it, draw inspiration, and head into the kitchen. But as things always seem to go, when I went to check it out from the library, they didn't have it. Like—at all; system-wide! It wasn't on Netflix, either. Of course this only happens to me when I proscrastinate. And procrastinator just so happens to be in my unwritten job description. So, I ordered it from Amazon.

It's the story of Viktor Navorski (played by Tom Hanks), a man without a country—temporarily, at least. As his plane lands at JFK, he is pulled aside by security and informed that a war has broken out in his homeland (invented for this movie), Krakozhia. The United States no longer recognizes it as a country, therefore, they cannot accept his passport (and subsequently confiscate it). And without a passport, they can't allow him onto US soil. So, they give him some food vouchers and a phone card, and encourage him to wait it out in the International terminal.

Well, there's a language barrier, and Viktor is a bit dazed and confused by the turn of events. Let's just say that he winds up staying in the airport terminal for longer than anybody expected. He makes it his temporary home. He works. He makes friends. He goes on a date. He enters the heart of people living normal lives around him. People root for him; well, all but one...Frank Dixon (played by the amazing Stanley Tucci, who I believe has been in about 7 of our food 'n flix movie picks!). But you'll have to watch to find out why!

Peanut Butter Apple Raisin Waffles w/ Chia Seeds

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of National Peanut Board. All opinions are 100% mine.

In celebration of Better Breakfast Month, I'm bringing something both nutritious and delicious to the table today. Packed with protein, fiber, and fruit, these waffles are inspired by one of my family's favorite snacks - crisp apples slices with a shmear of peanut butter and a smattering of plump raisins, or as we like to call them—ants on a raft. They're crisp on the outside and moist on the inside, plus they aren't too sweet (which makes them the perfect vehicle for a drizzle of pure maple syrup).

I'm excited to be partnering with the National Peanut Board today to highlight Peanut Butter for Breakfast! Now, I grew up with the old adage "breakfast is the most important meal of the day", a belief that I've passed on to my own children. Many people may think that's just something parents say to get their kids to eat breakfast, but it's based on good fact—especially if your breakfast includes a high amount of protein. Studies show that people who enjoyed a breakfast that included at least 35 grams of protein felt fuller, had fewer cravings, and even ate fewer high-calorie snacks later in the day. Starting the day by eating breakfast is also associated with weight loss and maintenance.

Adding peanut butter to your breakfast is a fantastic (and easy) way to get that protein into your morning meal. Even if you're in a hurry (and I know this from experience), it's simple to toast a slice of bread, and then spread it with peanut butter. Another quick and easy idea is to swirl it into some yogurt, with a palmful of chopped peanuts and some banana slices (even a few mini chocolate chips).

Secret Ingredient Sliders

While you'll never hear me complain about a simple, delicious steak thrown on the grill or in a sizzling hot skillet, there are so many other speedy solutions. Case-in-point, these sliders. The majority of the time it takes to make them is in the oven; aside from that, it's only a matter of mixing up a few ingredients.

Now, you may notice that they contain a secret ingredient - so please, go into this meal-making venture with an open mind. And assuming you don't have any family or friends with a nut allergy, try sliding the finished product in front of them at dinner time and have them try to guess what the secret ingredient is. A few sly palates may detect it, but most will be left guessing.

I've been making these sliders for over four years, all thanks to another blogger. This blogger no longer has a blog, but these are based on a recipe shared once by her brother-in-law. So, you may have guessed the ingredient by now; I gave a little hint above, or maybe you scrolled down and saw the photo. But for those who weren't really paying that close attention, it's peanut butter!

Flourless Peanut Butter Bacon Cookies

So, a few days ago I mentioned that I'll be taking part in a bacon hijinks, a celebration of all that is bacon, otherwise known as Bacon Month! My goal is to share at least two recipes that highlight bacon each week. I thought I'd start with dessert. Afterall, one can make the argument that with bacon in it, it's sort of like eating breakfast.

Since my childhood, warm peanut butter cookies fresh from the oven have been a favorite of mine. I've always loved making them...rolling the dough into balls, cross-hatching them with a fork, biting into the warm, tender cookie and washing it down with some cold milk. Mmmm!

Although I really do prefer a peanut butter cookie made with flour, I'm always amazed by how quickly the flourless variety like the one I'm sharing today (or this one) come together. I find that the thing with flourless cookies are, they have a bit more of a sandy texture, and they fall apart quicker (storing well for less time) than their with-flour counterparts.

Cold Peanut Noodles

It's about that time of year again. The time when just the thought of how hot it is makes you start to sweat. Days are spent splashing in the pool, lounging on the beach, playing in the hose, manning the grill, and sprawling out in front of the air conditioner vents. Kitchens are often dashed into and out of as quickly as possible. Anything to beat the heat.

Yes, during the dog days of summer, it's important to have a bunch of recipes under your belt that are good served cold. Sure, they may require a bit of time in the kitchen - but it's minimal. Get in there, cook up a quick dish or two, then throw it into the fridge for later. You know, so you can go run through the sprinkler to cool back off.

These noodles are technically a side dish that goes great at a picnic, barbecue, potluck, or any summer dinner. But I'm not going to deny eating them as a meal, too. Heck, if you have some leftover chicken, shred it up and toss it in. I bet shrimp, or maybe even some chunks of pork, would be good, too.

Salted Peanut Swirl Peanut Butter Ice Cream inspired by Salt Peanuts by The Quintet

This is a music-inspired post, so it only seems right to give you the option of listening to music that inspired it while you read through and see the photos.  This ice cream was inspired by the song Salt Peanuts as performed by The Quintet (Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell, Max Roach, & Charlie Mingus).  I hope you'll click play before moving on!

I first received The Quintet's album Jazz at Massey Hall by mistake.  Twice.  Back in the day, I used to belong to those music clubs that would send you cassette tapes, and eventually cd's through the mail.  I would start one up and receive my ten free albums (or something like that), and then fulfill my requirement...maybe buy a couple extra here and there...and then cancel my subscription.