May 2016 – Craving Happy

Baking Mixes GALORE (and more)

Published on May 31, 2016May 31, 2016 by Hannah1 Comment

Silver Fern Brand contacted me and asked if I wanted to try out a new line of baking mixes…and in what world could I possibly turn that down?

A photo posted by Hannah (@craving_happy) on May 18, 2016 at 1:56pm PDT

This brand is not the typical Pillsbury or Duncan Hines. I got blueberry muffin, german chocolate brownie, and chocolate chip cookie baking mixes–all sweetened with a proprietary, low glycemic natural sweetener called Kakato, a blend of monk fruit extract, Stevia sweetener and prebiotic fiber. I also got bags of caramel corn, kettle corn, sweet jalapeño cheddar, and movie theatre style popcorn. Most of their baked goods are made with algal flour (instead of wheat flour), which makes them allergen-free, GMO-free, gluten free, and trans-fat free. This also makes them high in fiber and protein, and low in net carbs. So for everyone who reads that list and automatically thinks they must be taste-free too, WRONG 😉

We had family in town this past weekend so I decided to make the blueberry muffins for breakfast. The longest part of the prep was waiting for the oven to heat up, and the muffins came out looking beautifully golden-brown.

My cousin tried one (he is not one to hide his opinion) and he loved it! He is pre-diabetic and this was the perfect breakfast option that everyone could enjoy.

My dad is addicted to Skinny Pop and my mom loves her Cracker Jacks (only on rare occasions…) so the caramel corn and movie theatre popcorn were big winners in our house! I was a big fan of the unique sweet jalapeño cheddar flavor–just a little bit of spice!

I’m a big fan of healthy alternative-type products and this brand is certainly one to look out for! The popcorn also makes a great #strangebutgood topping to smoothie bowls or just about anything really! (Props to Sprint 2 the Table for the popcorn topping idea!)

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post, but it still reflects my honest, unbiased opinions on the products.

Arctic Zero (Reviews+Giveaway!)

Published on May 17, 2016May 16, 2016 by Hannah4 Comments

So I was lucky enough to receive a package of the new Arctic Zero flavors from the amazing Angelica and her team. Of course, I had to sample them all so my dad and I sat down and tried some of every pint! We have analyzed the data and what follows is our official report.

A photo posted by Hannah (@craving_happy) on May 11, 2016 at 8:47pm PDT

In full disclosure, my dad is a die-hard chocolate fan and I need a strong flavor to be pleased so we are a bit biased. So here are all the pints, lined up and ready for ~~judgment~~ tasting.

A photo posted by Hannah (@craving_happy) on May 15, 2016 at 8:11pm PDT

Snickerdoodle Dandy:

We liked this flavor! My dad is not a huge cinnamon fan, but he still enjoyed it! I LOVED it–the chunks were amazing and tasted like little bites of snickerdoodle dough heaven.

2. Banana Pudding: I don’t have a great photo for this one, but keep an eye out for future instagram shots of it! We liked this flavor alright, but neither of us are huge on banana so that could explain it. It was creamy and reminded me a little of banana laffy taffy in color!

3. Poppin’ Pomegranate: We liked this one overall, but was not a fan-favorite! The pomegranate flavor was nice and refreshing, but it wasn’t one to write home about!

A photo posted by Hannah (@craving_happy) on May 16, 2016 at 7:29am PDT

5. Brownie Blast: My dad just wanted more and more of this flavor! The was super rich and decadent and the added brownie chunks AND chocolate chips were certainly a hit with both of us. I am currently dreaming of plopping a nice scoop on top of a hot dessert (I’m thinking mugcake..or even pancakes!) and letting the chocolate chips get all melty.

Sorry for the blurry quality, we can’t be tamed around chocolate…

6. Cake Batter: I LOVE this flavor. Old Arctic Zero flavors sometimes fell a bit short, but this one is alllll there. Even my dad was surprised by how much it tasted like cake batter! This one is definitely my second favorite (following a tie between brownie blast and snickerdoodle dandy).

A photo posted by Hannah (@craving_happy) on May 6, 2016 at 7:51pm PDT

For your chance to win your very own pint, simply pop over to my instagram and enter by 05/22/16. (Open to US only). For an additional entry, comment below with which flavor you most want to try! FIVE winners will get a coupon for a free pint of any flavor!

Moving Means #Strangebutgood Eats…

Published on May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 by Hannah2 Comments

I have to give a shoutout to the amazing ladies behind Stuft Mama and Sprint 2 the Table! These women have encouraged me to try new, weird food combos with reckless abandon and truly let the freak flag fly. Life is too short to worry about what other people think–at least when it comes to your own personal decisions and habits.

Anyone who knows me knows that I hate waste. Any kind of waste…which makes it hard when you are moving and still have a ton of half-empty condiment jars and weird leftover ingredients. I recently had to move out of my dorm for summer (YAY!) and was faced with quite a few challenges 😉

Here are some of the best (weirdest) combinations I came up with and let them serve as a testament that you should do what you want, try what you want, and constantly experiment in life.

Many friends asked for the recipe when I posted the hopeful batter…but this is great evidence that creating new recipes is not always successful, although it is always fun!

Sweggs! Aka the beloved sweet eggs..may not be uncommon on instagram, but certainly a #strangbutgood mix

This was perfection. Sea salt caramel Enlightened bar dipped in hot espresso made with Leaner Creamer (coconut oil based powdered creamer)

I tend to save things I am excited about for a “special occasion,” which sometimes never comes. This is good for things like retirement, but when it comes to most other things in life it can take away from just living joyfully in the present moment. Anyone who is the same knows that moving gets even harder when you have saved everything (hint: it just becomes more STUFF TO MOVE).

A big old salad topped with sauerkraut and mustard galore (finishing off the containers..)

So there you have it, a ton of #strangebutgood eats to prevent waste while moving! In all honesty, who really needs an excuse to eat weird food combos? YOU DO YOU. What’s your favorite “strange” combination?