Milk with cereal, eggs and toast, COOKIES, pizza- there are few things that make a better end-note to a meal. The Mister thinks it’s disgusting. I think it’s glorious.

When I was contacted by Good Karma foods to give their new flax milk a try, I jumped at the chance. With each variety boasting 1200 mg of omega -3s, I was excited for yet another way to get my flax on. A study published in the 2006 issue of the American Journal of Cardiology stated that sources of plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids, which include flaxseed and flaxseed oil, had remarkable cardio-protective effects. It was recommended that consumption of these food sources should be increased to decrease cardiovascular disease risk. Now I don’t know about you, but crumbling flax seeds on my oatmeal or morning cereal just doesn’t do it for this girl.

Enter: flax milk.

Dairy free, gluten free, soy free, tree nut free – this milk is pretty much safe for any tummy. But is it delicious? I was ready to find out.

I tried each of the flavors – unsweetened, original and vanilla. The thing that immediately got my attention was the texture. I was afraid it might be a bit gritty tasting (I was prepared to choke down some flax seeds), but it was actually pretty smooth! I will say that it was definitely different from my standard organic skim milk. The consistency was much thinner, if that makes sense – like watered down milk. For a girl that likes creamy goodness, that was a bit of a let down.

But compared to soy and almond milk, I actually preferred this flax-filled liquid. If you are looking for something to taste just like regular milk — you aren’t going to get it. That’s like saying you want a fat free donut to taste the same as those fried in oil. CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY if you have uncovered this miracle food.

But for those of you who can’t digest dairy or are looking to add omega-3s to your diet, this is a great option for you. While I don’t think I would enjoy drinking a glass of this straight-up, I could easily see incorporating flax milk into my coffee, oatmeal, bowls of cereal, smoothies, etc. Flavor-wise, I think the unsweetened version tasted the most similar to regular milk. I personally thought the vanilla was way too sweet, but could see how it would be a great addition in a smoothie or something sweet.

I’m a sucker for flavored varieties, and it’s rare that I find a cup of plain coffee that doesn’t require my “doctoring” process. Some of my faves include Donut House, Panera and Dunkin Donuts. While I love my fancy Starbucks drinks, their regular coffee tastes like battery acid.

So when I saw the big announcement, I was intrigued. The Blonde Roast promised a “lighter-bodied” alternative to Starbucks’ other blends.

This past weekend, on one of our many drives-without-a-destination — i.e. Bean’s nap — I had the Mister stop so I could give it a try.

Verdict? Drinkable!

That may not sound like a glowing review, but for me, that’s all I look for in a coffee. Coffee that tastes like…coffee! And doesn’t put hair on my chest. Smooth, mellow and light, this blend is one of my new favorites.

Is it better than Dunkin? Definitely not for the price — but there are also less Dunkins than Starbucks and it’s comforting to know that I can find a good cup of coffee within any 5 mile radius

Have you tried the Blonde roast? What did you think?

So I know that I was rambling on about enjoying one holiday at a time last week, but something happened.

Maybe it was the Christmas Carols, the decorations on my street and cooler weather, but something tells me this guy had something to do with it…

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Skinny Peppermint Mocha

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice.

Move over pumpkin, there’s a new gal in town.

You should know that I’m not the biggest mint fan. But this latte? It’s Christmas in a cup, I tell you, Christmas in a cup. A chocolatey, creamy cup sent straight from the Christmas Angels.

Did I mention that a tall is only 100 calories?

Amen.

To my new co-workers, I apologize in advance for all the Christmas carols I’ll be humming today. Because it certainly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Don’t forget to enter in the Shabby Apple Jewelry Giveaway !

Each post enters me to win an 8-day trip to Greece, and at the end of this post, I have included details on how readers can enter the same competition and hopefully join me eat my weight in Baklava.

“Good living.”

What comes to mind?

Family, friends, good food, a comfy couch, a warm blanket, laughter, a roaring fire, homemade apple pie, family dinners, the great outdoors, family vacations, an ice cream sundae, a walk in the park, afternoon picnics, stargazing, holding hands with the man I love.

While many of those elements revolve around people — family, friends, loved ones — you may notice that there is another constant that should not be overlooked — food.

Food is what brings people together — it’s the backdrop for all family occasions, holidays and celebrations. A birthday without cake? Not OK. A Christmas without cookies? How dare you go there. A 4th of July without a burger or hot dog? Now that’s just un-American. So while the focus should certainly remain on the people and the memories in the making, good food is mandatory.

With my Dad’s Birthday just around the corner, I want to do my part to make it special. Having recently shifted his focus with “healthy eating,” my Dad has lost more than 50 pounds this year. Incredible! I am so proud of him, In fact, I’ll say it again — my Dad has lost more than 50 pounds this year. I hope you are clapping. Through healthy activity and good food choices, he’s been able to maintain his loss and we’re all so proud of him.

But just because he’s adopted healthier habits doesn’t mean (gasp) that he won’t be enjoying his fair share of Birthday cake. The horror!

But instead of the trans fat-laden grocery store variety, I’m thinking I’ll whip up one of my favorites— Yogurt Marmalade Cake

You’ll need:

• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 cup (heaping) Plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, such as FAGE
• 1 cup Sugar (or sugar substitute if you want to lighten things up)
• 3/4 cups egg-substitute
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 whole Zest Of Lemon
• ½ cups Canola Oil

Glaze

• 1/4 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt (like FAGE)
• 1/2 cups prepared marmalade (I used apricot, but I’m sure anything would be delish!)

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of yogurt, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and canola oil until just combined. In a larger bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the wet ingredients and mix until combined (don’t overbeat).

Coat a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and pour batter into pan. Bake for 45 minutes.

Allow cake to cool slightly and remove from pan.

Meanwhile, add marmalade to a saucepan on low heat and stir until melted. Next add the 1/4 cups yogurt and remove from heat. Stir to combine and pour on top of the cake, allowing the gooey goodness to pool along the sides. Serve warm.

Good Living never tasted so delicious.

 What does Good Living mean to YOU?

As part of the Foodbuzz Featured Publisher program, I have been entered for the chance to win a trip to Greece courtesy of FAGE. You too can enter to win one of three trips to Greece by entering the FAGE Plain Extraordinary Greek Getaway here: http://www.fageusa.com/community/fage-greek-getaway

So when Playhouse Square contacted me and asked if I’d be interested in attending this year’s Jump Back Ball as a blogger partner, I nearly squealed with delight.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, Jump Back Ball is merely the hottest party of the year in Cleveland! Boasting sell-out crowds for the past six years, PlayhouseSquare Partners strive to create an atmosphere that takes the idea of a benefit to the next level. Guests come early and leave late – there is no other event like it.

Jump Back Ball 2012 will be on February 25, 2012 at PlayhouseSquare with the theme: “Through the Looking Glass”, which is based on Alice in Wonderland.

Why am I telling you about a February event now? Easy. Because on November 3rd at Market Garden Brewery (1947 West 25th Street in Cleveland), you’ll have your first opportunity to purchase tickets at the Ticket Kickoff Happy Hour.  From 6-8pm, enjoy complimentary appetizers, drink specials, prizes and the best deal on Jump Back Ball tickets. 

Tickets will be $130 at the Kickoff. The next morning, the ticket price goes up to $150 when they go on sale online. $20 is a lot of lattes

It’s also PlayhouseSquare’s largest fundraiser with the partially tax-deductible ticket supporting the theatre’s non-profit mission, so you can feel good and party at the same time!

***Disclosure: I was asked by Playhouse Square to be an official Jump Back Ball blogger. In exchange for blogging about Jump Back Ball and events leading up to it, I will receive 2 tickets to Jump Back Ball. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Thank you, Mama, for giving up your Saturday so that I could have a date with my husband. Our marriage thanks you.

Inspired by the rustic simplicity of Italian cuisine, Chef Paul Minnillo offers rustic Italian food to his new culinary venture in Cleveland, Ohio. From Flour’s larder, he creates his own house-cured meats, hand-crafted artisanal cheeses, pastas, neopolitan wood-fired pizzas and rustic Italian specialities. Flour seeks the freshest locally raised and homegrown products harvested at their seasonal peak.

Sounds lovely, no?

Wait till you see the food.

But first — check out the interior! I felt sexier simply walking in.

And trust me, I need all the help I can get.

After perusing the menu, I decided to start with the asparagus, while the Mister settled on the meatball skewer.

Seasoned with Parmesan and garlic chips, these asparagus spears were some of the best I’ve eaten.

And the Mister was quite pleased with his selection — so fun to eat!

Knowing I’d have to sample a dessert (and likely much of the Mister’s dish), I chose the lighter route with the ohio honey crisp apple salad, featuring
spiced almonds+smoked blue cheese (I subbed for mozzerella)+crisp prosciutto+aged balsamic.

It did not disappoint. The salty prosciutto was perfectly balanced with the sweet apple + almonds and the mozzarella rounded out the dish with a creamy finish. I am going to try and re-create this at home – delicious!

Luckily, the Mister’s pizza was portioned appropriately — meaning, more than enough for me to snag a few pieces.

flour isn’t kidding when they say their pizza is the real deal. Baked to perfection and wood fired, the crust was thin, but still doughy and soft — just the way I like it!

For dessert, we went with the waitress’ recommendation — apple crisp.

My only regret is that we didn’t order two — and that I saved the last bite for the Mister — now if that isn’t love, I’m not sure I know what is…

Thank you, flour, for making me look sexier for my husband and providing us with deliciousness. We’ll be back.

Clevelanders – Have you been to flour? Non-Clevelanders – what dish looks tastiest to you?

So when I saw this segment on the news this morning, my ears perked up.

Always looking to share the wealth, I’ve highlighted my favorite tips below…

(The Golden Rule). Never ever pay with cash or a credit card. Use a REGISTERED Starbucks Card! Starbucks Cards are free. It takes 10 seconds to register one online. A registered Starbucks card can save you up to $1.20 on a drink by giving you free flavor shots, like vanilla or hazelnut, and also giving you free modifiers, like milk, which would otherwise cost you 60 cents. The Starbucks Card, which works the same as cash, also gets you every 15th drink free.

Easy on the ice, please. Starbucks will overload every drink you order with Ice. In fact, a “light ice” medium size beverage is almost equal to a large iced drink. Order the smaller drink, but ask your barista for light ice. It’s just as cold, but you’re not wasting your cash on cube filler.

“Make friends with the free condiments!” You can easily save yourself a dollar almost every time by doing a few seconds of dirty work yourself. Instead of getting a latté, order two shots of espresso and then pour in your own milk. It’s waiting for you right there on the condiment stand and cheaper if you do it yourself. Also, the Starbucks condiment bar has free cinnamon, vanilla and mocha powder. Save yourself the cash — and calories — and flavor the drink yourself rather than paying for a Starbucks flavor shot.

Get short. It’s not listed on the menu, but you can order a short-sized beverage instead of the tall. Yes, it’s a little smaller, but chances are, it will satisfy you and for the folks going to Starbucks twice a day, this is a way to save on at least one of your visits.

Bring your own cup! It will save you 10 cents, which may seem like nothing, but in addition to benefitting the environment, there are savings over time. (My favorite travel mug)

Split a Venti. Starbucks does not charge for cups. If you go with a friend and you both want banana-chocolate smoothies, order a Venti and split it into two tall cups or two cups of your own. You’ll be saving $2.50 a visit, which adds up quickly if you car pool with someone or have a regular Starbucks partner that appreciates the same drink you do.

Stay in the store! A customer comes into the store, buys a cup of coffee with cash and then leaves, comes back an hour later and buys another cup. Considering you can enjoy free net access at Starbucks, just sit there for the hour and work on your laptop or smartphone. Register your Starbucks Card, stay in-store and the refills are free.

Consider a Misto. For many of the regular latté drinkers that can’t live without a latté, expand your horizons. Although a Café Misto has a little more milk than a latté, it is $2.85 for a Venti, while a latte is $3.90. Considering the drink might taste almost the same to you, or you might like it better, the $1.05 savings per beverage is significant, especially every day.

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What are your coffee money saving tips?

It’s not a popular word nowadays, is it? With everyone seeking individuality and customized products, it’s not uncommon to hear that someone stops liking a particular band or even restaurant because it’s gone mainstream. I guess people don’t like others liking what they like?

I’ve never really understood that one. Shouldn’t you be happy the band you like is having success? Who cares if it’s not with the right people? And who exactly are the right people, again? Can’t we just all share our good taste for things? No need to be a hoarder!

Are some of you wondering how this relates to pumpkin? You are reading this post hoping to get to the pumpkiny goodness and I’m blabbing on and on about the term “mainstream.” Don’t worry young grasshoppers, we’ll get there.

I’m not shy about my love for pumpkin. And I’m also fairly open about my love of cream cheese. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that around this time of year, I start stalking my favorite bagel joints. Not only for their pumpkin bagels, but their pumpkin cream cheese, as well. But what new mama (can I keep saying that? I mean, Bean is 7 months old) has time to make an additional stop to pick up cream cheese?

Sure it sounds easy, people, but it falls to the bottom of the priority list when dealing with a babe.

So I’m sure you can imagine my delight when this was spotted this weekend at the grocery store.

Meet pumpkin cream cheese, mainstreamed. Oh how I love you, mass production.

Especially when combined with chocolate.

Oh yea.

Limited edition? Does cream cheese freeze well? Totally not joking. Seriously — give me answers!

 What other “mainstreaming” instances have benefited you? Do you like pumpkin cream cheese?

I also may or may not have a countdown started on when Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Lattes are available. But despite my daily wishes for a money tree, I’m still not made of gold and daily lattes might prove to be a bit… excessive.

I’ve mentioned my love for the Keurig, as well, no? Ah yes, of course I have.

I’m sure you can imagine my delight when I spotted this at Giant Eagle this past weekend…

Green Mountain Coffee – Pumpkin Spice K-cups

Let the heavens rejoice.

If 3rd degree burns weren’t a threat. I’d take a bath in this coffee every day. In fact, the burns might just be worth it. With a splash of milk and a bit of sweetener, this coffee rivals Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Lattes. And did I mention that my k-cup concoction is practically calorie-free?

If you need me, I’ll be researching treatment of 3rd degree burns because that bath is so happening.

What are your favorite coffee flavors for fall?

Consider this my proclamation to you all that it is one of my favorite restaurants ever. Home of many birthday dinners and celebratory occasions, the Blue Canyon has a cozy and inviting atmosphere, much like an upscale, rustic retreat – and its food is even better. I’ve never met a dish I didn’t love.

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The Mister and I have shared so many incredible dinners, laughs and conversations at Blue Canyon - in fact, we first talked about getting married “one day” over lunch on the restaurant’s beautiful patio!

So you can imagine my excitement when I learned the owner and chef, Brandt Evans was opening a new restaurant in downtown Cleveland.

From the website:

“Pure Life.” Not just words, but a philosophy. Chef Brandt Evans is proud to offer his latest vision – Pura Vida Restaurant, located in downtown Cleveland, on Public Square. Pura Vida offers a unique and inspired atmosphere serving dishes that Chef Evans says “live for today.” Chef Evans uses the finest and freshest local ingredients from a myriad of trusted sources – many of which are exclusive to Pura Vida.

The Mister and I met my dad, my brother and his girlfriend for dinner before an Indians game earlier this summer.

I could immediately tell that Pura Vida was going to be a bit different from Blue Canyon.

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So modern and sleek! The lighting changed colors with the music, creating new ambiances with each fade in/out.

After enjoying a delicious summer salad featuring fresh berries, goat cheese and sunflower seed brittle, I realized I forgot to snap a photo.

Luckily, I still had my main course to capture.

One of the most innovative dishes I’ve had to date, what you see here is a “jar.”

Duh.

Let me elaborate. Pura Vida offers several jar selections, which are served with grilled bread. Each jar is layered with different ingredients, creating the perfect combination of flavors and forming a unique “spread” to enjoy with the grilled bread. I chose the bbq tofu & vegan chorizo jar, which was also layered with grilled scallion pesto and roasted tomatoes.

It is a new goal of mine to sample every single jar that pura vida has to offer. This was so fun to eat and incredibly delicious.

So while pura vida looked sleeker and more trendy than Blue Canyon, they certainly have one major thing in common — mind-blowing food.

Now if only I could make up my mind on where to celebrate my next big occasion…

Take a look at Pura Vida’s extensive menu, what would you have ordered? What jar should I try next? IAnd how can I con the Mister to take me there for breakfast one morning this week?