I am continually on a search for new products. 

I have found a new one that I enjoy and I am especially delighted to share it with you.

I sometimes get these "whacky" craving! This time it's been for "peach tea"! Go figure—I never drank it before. So, I went of a mission to find something to put into my water that would deliver that peachy taste. I found one that was really "peachy". It's Mi0, liquid water enhancer. It comes in several flavors including Sweet Tea, Fruit Punch, Berry Pomegranate, Mango Peach (and my favorite) Peach Tea.

Another reason I like Mi0 that it comes in a small squeeze bottle. Although, the first time I "squeezed" it, it squirted all over the place. Make sure you aim it directly and carefully into the container of water. I had a "peach tea" stain on my hand for a day or two! This container lets you adjust the amount of flavor and sweetness you like and it's really flavorful. And with no calories, 0h, it's a go! 

Go...get some! Yes, you can! Mi0...it's a go!

I recently found Rice River Farms Calico Blend of whole grain blends of rice including, wild, brown, and red rice and also includes wheat berries.

I love this blend, and especially wheat berries. Wheat berries are actually the wheat seed and are very nutritious as well as full of fiber and protein.

Wheat Berries are small seeds that swell during cooking. So make sure they are done and have reached they full "swelling" potential before eating them.  You might want to keep this dish for maintenance meals. It's very easy to cook, that's the best part.  

A serving of 1/4-cup of wheat berries contains 139 calories. Wheat berries expand when you cook them and are quite filling; making them a good choice. Each 1/4-cup of wheat berries also contains over 5 g of hunger-busting fiber -- a healthy way to fill up our little pouch!

For more recipes with wheat berries, look under the recipe section. 

Available at Fresh Market.

This is no small matter....

...if you're looking for a great substiture for "jelly or jam."

I found a great one... baby food, Just one teaspoon or even a tablespoon does the trick.  

Peach is my favorite.

One whole jar has 70 calories, 0 fat, 15 carbs,  10 sugars, and 1 protein 

You can even try it in your protein shake or use as a glaze for grilled chicken or pork.  You might try it with the new chicken recipe under the "recipes" section as a substitute for the apricot jam. What about adding a little to vanilla pudding for a new flavor! 

Or even try it with cottage cheese! 

Check out other flavors such as apricot or apple...

Just remember to check the sugar content and adjust your serving size. 

Liquid Stevia offers a new taste in sweetness. Stevia is a natural plant based sweetener, and is a more natural alternative to artificial sweeteners.  

Sweet Leaf liquid Stevia comes in a variety of different flavors such as apricot and orange and you can find it at local health food grocers. 

It can be enjoyed in any liquid beverage or recipe, I've enjoyed it as a new flavor in water as well as decaf tea and coffees. 

Check it out! 

You can also find Stevia plants at the local nursery. Just like other plants such as peppermint, it's leaves are are great for that sweet alternative after a meal or anytime fresher breath is in order.

Fresher breathe is sometimes the sweeter alternative we need to help resist the temptation to nibble. So when it's inconvenient to brush, get a Stevia Leaf or add a little liquid sweetener to your day. 

Are you tired of the same old dry chicken? Try something new, thanks to McCormick spices and salt blends. 

One of my family's favorite meals is baked chicken and it's so easy to make. The chicken is slow cooked for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours in the oven, or you could use your slow cooker or microwave.

Although, I must admit one of my kitchen (secrets), which is not really a secret, is the Stoneware Baking Bowl and Lid from Pampered Chef. It really makes a great meal. The chicken cooks to a golden brown and so moist. I also have the deep dish baker that becomes a lid. I recommend both.

Some of Pampered Chef stoneware baking bowls are small enough to fit into the microwave and large enough for a chicken. I was shocked to be able to do the same recipe in just 30 minutes, and still be brown and tender. (My older bowl is small enough to fit into my microwave). I think the new one is called a Deep Covered Baker, and it doesn't have the same lid as the older bowl with the flat baking lid. 

Believe me it's the best ever. Pamper Chef stoneware is great and affordable. They start out a little rough in texture and a light color and become well seasoned with use and take on a brown patina. The browner the bowl the better it cooks. And the lid (on some of them) becomes a roasting bowl as well, so you can turn it over it and the lid holds your veggies at the same time. The lid and the bowl are interchangeable, top and bottom. I prefer the chicken in the bowl part with the flat baker lid on top.

Clean up is a breeze because just like a seasoned cast iron skillet, you don't use soap, just hot water. And yes, it's safe! And clean up is just almost as easy as the cooking.

Baking a chicken slowly leaves it moist and bariatric friendly and it's so easy you won't believe it.

Here's how I do it:

Preheat your oven to 325 or 350 degrees. Wash a whole chicken and pat dry. 

The simplest recipe is just to add salt and pepper. Yep, that's it. 

You can also experiment with different spices, which is what I like to do. I have tried stuffing the chicken with lemon halves, which is nice. I have tried various chicken rubs and spices, too, but my recent favorite is something I had in my kitchen that I used to flavor vegetables, especially green beans, McCormick Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt. Oh, yum! 

I did coat the chicken with a little olive oil before hand, just enough so that the spices stick to the chicken. I started the chicken about 3:00 in the afternoon, if I put it into a conventional oven. And I don't have to think about it until dinner....well, actually that's not true, the aroma will remind you soon enough that dinner is going to be fabulous!

My meals are really much simpler now, just add a green vegetable and one starchy one and you have a fast, easy, deliciously, and memorable meal.