The Ultimate Juicer - Making Healthy Snacks at Home

Making healthier choices everyday is sometimes a struggle for moms! We’re always on the go, have so little extra time and we often prioritize ourselves last. I’m always looking for tools and hacks that can help me indulge in the things I love the most, but that are simple and easy to use. I was so excited to get my hands on a Hurom juicer. I’ve heard so many amazing things about the machine and I couldn’t wait to experience it first hand!

I’ve heard that they are easy to clean, can make juices, smoothies AND ice cream (certain models) and they are absolutely gorgeous (so no need to try to hide it in a drawer when you’re not using it). They come in the most gorgeous colors, from rose gold to silver to black, so you’re guaranteed to find a model that fits in perfectly with your home’s style!

I tried the Hurom HZ Slow Juicer. It’s Hurom’s top-of-the-line juicer, made in stainless steel. It has a patented Slow Squeeze Technology that mimics that motion of a hand squeezing juice, so you’re guaranteed to have fresh juice that remains in its most natural state (and therefore packed with all the nutrients that you want your juice to have)! This juicer has all the bells and whistles that you would expect from a top-of-the-line juicer, such as a control lever and a fine and coarse strainer that allow you to control the amount of pulp in your juice, as well as parts that are made from quality materials. You feel it the minute you start to unbox it - the pieces are sturdy, heavy and able to withstand daily use (because it’s so amazing you’ll want to use it every day)!

One thing I noticed immediately, was how the pulp that came out of the machine was dry! I have a cheaper brand of juicer and I always feel like I’m wasting fruits and veggies because the pulp is wet, fleshy and filled with wasted juice! This is a problem I didn’t have with my Hurom!

As a busy mom on the go, one of my favorite features is how easy it was to clean. Other juicers that I have tried leak on my floor, take SO long to disassemble and wash and take forever to dry. The top fo this juicer detaches easily from the base, so it can be put in the sink, there is no leaking while you carry it, it comes apart in under 1 minute, and can be washed just as quickly! I major bonus was that is came with a drying rack so that I don’t have wet pieces all over my counter!

The Hurom HZ Slow Juicer works on everything you can imagine! Fruits, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, nuts and soybeans to create nutritious cold-pressed juices, milk, tofu, and more. I decided to try it out and make a juice and then ice cream! fruits, cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, nuts and soybeans to create nutritious cold-pressed juices, milk, tofu, and more. I still can’t decide which I preferred! I made a delicious peach juice and added some sparkling water for an extra refreshing summer drink!

I added some sparkling water to my peach juice and it was DELICIOUS!

My juice was so delicious that I decided to make an ice cream smoothie bowl next! All you need is yogurt and frozen fruit! You’ll see below how incredible my smoothie bowl turned out! My final verdict? 10/10. This machine literally does it ALL. Smoothies, ice cream and slow pressed juice - there’s no reason to ever own another machine. It’s such good quality, so easy to clean and use, and the bonus is that it’s gorgeous too! Click here to visit Hurom’s website and check out the rest of their juicers!

Can you believe I made this with a juicer?

The Coffee Maker of My Dreams

When I heard that Keurig had come out with a new coffee maker, I was intrigued. I am OBSESSED with my Keurig already for a few reasons and couldn’t imagine what they did to make it better! I can make my favourite blend of coffee at home, from Starbucks to Tim Hortons to Van Houte, at a fraction of the cost, it’s simple to use, easy to clean and looks great on my counter top. I didn’t think it could get better… until I received the Keurig K-Café Coffee, Latte & Cappuccino Maker.

The Keurig K-Café coffee maker has all the benefits of my original Keurig plus SO MUCH MORE.

Ready?

With the K-Café coffee maker, you can make cappuccinos and lattes! Yes. You read that correctly. A Keurig coffee maker that allows you to make your own Starbucks latte at home. There is a frother on the side of the maker that is so easy to use, you could basically do it with your eyes closed. You add the milk to the appropriate measuring line (cappuccino or latte) and press the button on the front. It even has a “cold” button which keeps your milk cold for your cold drinks!

That brings me to my next fave feature: it perfectly makes iced drinks! Now that summer is here, who doesn’t want an iced latte? Chose your fave blend, froth the milk with the “cold” setting, add a glass of ice and press the “latte” button on the top of the coffee maker and that’s it! A perfect, made at home iced latte that doesn’t cost $7 and doesn’t require me to clean a million pieces in a complicated machine!

For all you die hard black coffee fans aka sleep deprived moms, the K-Café coffee maker has got your back! On top of the cold drinks and milk frother (which should be enough to convince you that this coffee maker is the best), you can choose from 4 different cup sizes for your coffee, there is “strong” button to add more of bold taste to your regular cup of coffee and a “shot” button for the perfect latte and cappuccino or for those mornings when you have no time to enjoy a coffee but Need. That. Caffeine. Oh… or if you just enjoy espresso style coffee. #momlife

There are a few other added features that I think are super cool (but nothing beats the milk frother for me):

• Auto-off function when the coffee maker is idol for 2 hours so it saves your mom brain from wondering if you turned it off.

• A feature where you can turn on the coffee maker, add your pod and walk away and it will brew your coffee as soon as it is ready (with my old coffee maker I used to have to turn it on, wait for it to be ready and then insert the pod). No more wasted time!

Lastly, in case you weren’t aware, you can actually use regular ground coffee in your Keurig by purchasing  one of their reusable pods! So if your fave brew doesn’t already come in a K-cup, no problem! There’s also a huge selection of Tea and Hot Chocolate Pods on the Keurig site that you can order and have delivered right to your door!

Be the Hostess With the Mostest Thanks to TABASCO® Sauces

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FlavorYourWorld #CollectiveBias 

Your friends will be lining up for game day when you decide to spice up your appetizers this year with TABASCO® Sauces. I’m sharing my drool worthy Cheese Dip, Guacamole and Bean Salsa recipes with an added twist: the TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce, Chipotle Pepper Sauce and Green Jalapeño Sauce. They can all be found in the “Sauces” aisle at your local Walmart near the other condiments.

The TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce is made with only 3 ingredients: aged red peppers, salt and distilled vinegar. It can be used in almost any dish and adds a kick of spice that your guests will obsess over! I used it in all 3 of my recipes and it’s a staple in my kitchen, but depending on the type of spice or flavor you want to add to your dishes, you can substitute it for the other 2 as well! You can also leave the bottles out for your guests to add as they please to their food.

Game Day Spicy Bean Salsa

You can make this salsa as chunky or as smooth as you want! Depending on the consistency you’re looking for, you can add the beans and tomatoes to a blender before adding the rest of the ingredients. We love foods with an aded kick of flavor so we were super generous with the TABASCO® Sauce.

1. Add 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained to a bowl. (You can add to a food processor and chop or blend depending on the consistency you want your salsa to be!)

2. Add 3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced (for a chunky sauce) OR add to the same food processor as the beans and blend.

3. 1 small onion diced

4. 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

5. 1 tbs lime juice

6. 2 tbs TABASCO® Sauce of your choice (I recommend the Pepper Sauce or Chipotle Pepper Sauce!)

Kicker Cheese Dip

Surprise your gameday guests with this fun twist on a classic cheese dip! You can mix in the TABASCO® Sauce while making it, drizzle it on top (OR BOTH!).

1. In a medium sauce pan, warm over medium heat 3 tbs of butter and 2 tbs of flour

2. Add 1 cup of milk, while stirring constantly

3. Add 1 cup of shredding sharp cheddar cheese

4. Continue to stir and mix until fully melted

5. Add in 1 tbs of TABASCO® Sauce (the flavor of your choice!)

6. Top with chopped chives

7. Optional: Drizzle TABASCO® Sauce on top of the dish once ready to serve (I recommend the Green Jalapeño Sauce)

Creamy Kick Off Guacamole

For a creamy guacamole add all the ingredients to a blender! For a chunkier guacamole, follow the recipe below!

1. Add 4 ripe guacamoles to a bowl (KEEP THE PITS!)

2. Add the juice from 1/2 lime

3. Add 1 large tomato diced

4. Add 1 large onion diced

5. Add 1/4 cup of cilantro chopped

6. Add 1 tbs of TABASCO® Sauce (I recommend the Chipotle Pepper Sauce or the Green Jalapeño Sauce)

I would love to hear how you use the 3 TABASCO® Sauces in your recipes! Comment below so that I can give them a try. Don’t forget to visit the link below (click on the image!) to earn CASH BACK on your purchase of TABASCO® Sauces at Walmart! #FlavorYourWorld #CollectiveBias

White Chocolate and Pecan Scones with Hamilton Beach's Professional 14 Cup Dicing Food Processor

This weekend I busted out the ULTIMATE tool: the Hamilton Beach® Professional 14 Cup Dicing Food Processor and got baking with a good friend of mine :). If you've been looking for the perfect gift idea for Mother's Day.... look no further! This machine does it all: it dices, slices, shreds, kneads, chops, mixes and purees. Seems too good to be true... right? Well I put it to the test with homemade scones - and spoiler alert: they were DELICIOUS, so easy to make because of Hamilton Beach's food processor, and took under 30 mins from start to finish!

Hamilton Beach's Professional 14 cup dicing food processor

My fave feature of Hamilton Beach's Professional 14 Cup Dicing Food Processor is that it's really quiet... much quieter than the others out there. It also comes with a super practical storage box to keep all the accessories organized which means no searching through my mess of a kitchen drawer to find them! But the best... the blades, bowl and lid are all dishwasher safe #mom win. It would made a great gift for Mother's Day... or for yourself :).  This recipe, from start to finish, took 30 mins thanks to this food processor that can do it all! 

What you'll need to make the most delicious White Chocolate and Pecan Scone Recipe (taken and slightly adapted from geniuskitchen.com)

Ingredients:
2 cups flower
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup salted butter
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces white chocolate
3/4 cup pecans

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut up butter into cubes and put in the freezer! (this will help your scones stay fluffy and airy)

• Add pecans and white chocolate to Hamilton Beach's Professional 14 Cup Dicing Food Processor with the slicing blade attachment - Use pulse feature until the chocolate is in chunks and the pecans are chopped. Remove and add to bowl on the side.

• Remove the slicing blade and add the kneading plastic blade
• Add in flower, baking powder and pulse until mixed
• Add frozen butter cubes and pulse until blended. Do not over mix. You want the mixture to remain lumpy and the butter cubes to be intact. 
• In a small bowl, mix together the milk, egg, and vanilla and add to the flower mixture - pulsing again until mixed. 
• Add the white chocolate and pecans and mix again until evenly distributed. **You want the mixture to remain lumpy (like the picture below... it will ensure airy and fluffy scones!!! DO NOT over mix.)

• Remove mixture and knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is approx 1.5 inches thick.
• Cut into desired shapes!

• Bake scones for 11-15 minutes - or until lightly browned on top! 

These scones are sure to please anyone you have over for Mother's Day brunch! They were so easy to make thanks to Hamilton Beach's Professional 14 Cup Dicing Food Processor! I can't think of a better Mother's Day gift than this! It's a must have in every kitchen!