Wendigo Hunting M&M's Trail Mix | Supernatural

Welcome to another Supernatural Thursday, in which I share recipes inspired by the show Supernatural. This week I'm heading way back to a time before our boys voices were deep and husky, and the hunt to find their dad had only just begun. Season 1, Episode 2 (Wendigo) finds Sam and Dean posing as park rangers in order to look into the disappearance of campers in the woods at Blackwater Ridge in Colorado...thinking that perhaps John may have been there.

Homemade Smoky Ranch Corn Nuts | Shaun of the Dead

Today's installment of In the Kitchen with Zombie Fiction features the zombie film that started it all for me, Shaun of the Dead. It kicked off my love affair with the fabulously funny and clever due that is Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, but also my appreciation for zombie stories that don't necessarily center around the zombies, but rather, the people trying to stay human.

If by some chance you haven't seen Shaun of the Dead, go ahead and watch it...I'll wait.

Spiced Almond Popcorn Snack Mix | #CelebrateAlmonds

I’ve partnered with California Almonds to bring you this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

Almonds and popcorn and seeds—oh my! These three things may just be my ultimate snacking trifecta. They are all easy to pack in my purse or bag when I'm on-the-go, as well as for when I feel a between-meals snack attack coming on. So combining the three might just be one of the smartest things I've done lately.

Herbed Almond Encrusted Goat Cheese Bites | #CelebrateAlmonds

I’ve partnered with California Almonds to bring you this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

It's been awhile since I've talked about a food holiday, but since February has the honor of being American Heart Month, National Snacking Month, and Almond Month (not to mention Almond Day falls on the 16th), I thought it would be fun to combine all three by sharing a few almond recipes with you throughout the month.

Green Beans with Sesame Dressing (Ingen no goma-ae) | #JapaneseHomeCooking

I used to believe that Japanese was somewhat of an elusive entity to me; it existed, but just beyond my realm of understanding. I've made a few Japanese recipes over the years, almost always something very basic. But here's the thing I've started to realize—Japanese cooking isn't as out of reach as it sometimes seems.

Like anything, a solid knowledge and skill base builds a foundation and unclouds vision. That's what (Iron) Chef Masaharu Morimoto offers up in his new cookbook, Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking. While admitting that this book does not, and could not, contain "every dish in the Japanese grandmother's repertoire", it does feature ones that he whip up in your kitchen if he could...his favorites.

"Z Weed" Munchies Mix | Z Nation

Welcome to another edition of "In the kitchen with Zombie Fiction"! In honor of tonight's season 3 premiere, I'm sharing a recipe inspired by the hilarious Syfy series Z Nation. I hear a lot of people hating on Z Nation, calling it a TWD ripoff. I'm pretty sure that none of those people have actually ever watched it, because (and if you know me, you know I'm a diehard TWD fan) they are wildly different, similar only in that they are both zombie shows.

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.

Satisfy Hunger On-the-Go with Ready, Snack, Go!

Thank you Smithfield for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own.

I've come to the conclusion that life is never going to slow down. I used to think "next week" or "next month" I'll have a little down time. Then I blink and it's next year. As the kids get older, our schedules only get fuller, so instead of fighting it, I've decided to embrace it. In the midst of all the madness, I've found that's it's really easy to eat mindlessly. Unfortunately mindless eating usually doesn't satisfy or nourish, so I swiftly wind up feeling more exhausted than I did before I ate.

Tropical Trail Mix

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sunsweet Growers. All opinions are 100% mine.

When I'm looking for an easy on-the-go snacking option, more often than not I will grab some dried fruit and nuts. I love the contrast of intensely concentrated sweet and juicy fruit alongside the crunchy, salty nuts. Not only is it a simple fix, it's also a nutritious fix. But the best part is that by throwing a few kinds of fruits and nuts together, you have a completely customized trail mix that can be stored in a jar on your pantry shelf and poured into a baggie or container when you need a fast snack.

Sunsweet recently launched a couple of new dried fruit flavors to complement their Philippine Tropicals line of dried fruit. Sourced from unique micro climates that have ideal growing conditions, these sweet, succulent dried fruits let you experience a burst of the tropics with each bite. Hey, if I can't be in the tropics, at least the tropics can be in my mouth.