Coffee!  Of course, it's gluten free.  However, sometimes people ask, so I wanted to throw it out there! :)

I love me some coffee!  I've enjoyed coffee for many years, but it's become quite a treasure since becoming a parent (can I get an AMEN?!?!!)!

What's in Grass Fed Coffee

Recently I had the opportunity to try Grass Fed Coffee.  I'm a huge fan of grass fed beef, so I was intrigued to see what this product had to offer.  Here's the key ingredients:

• organic, fair trade cold brew coffee
• German grass fed butter
• distilled MCT coconut oil
• organic chicory

I've made butter coffee before and I love grabbing a Starbucks double shot when I'm out driving for awhile, so I wondered if this would be a mix of the two.  Whenever I tried butter in coffee I always also added cream because it just wasn't quite what I was looking for.  The creaminess was lacking.  I've heard I should have blended it with coconut oil and then it would have been better.  Maybe next time.  In the meantime, I had Grass Fed Coffee to try.

Man you guys, this coffee did not disappoint.  It was so smooth and light without tasting weak.  I am NOT a fan of bitter coffee, nor am I a fan of weak coffee and this was neither.  Goodness, I never realized I was a coffee snob, til writing this post! Ha!  Anywho, this stuff was awesome!  Seriously so tasty.  It was like a double shot but better.  More smooth, less sweet.  It's sweetened with xylitol so there's just a slight hint of sweetness, which I like.  I would say if you like the fru-fru super sweet frapps, this may not be your thing.  However, the taste is so smooth you might be surprised.

Grass Fed Coffee

The can says to shake it well, and I thought I did until I opened it and began to drink!  I should have shook it vigorously, and then shook it again!  After my first drink I noticed there was butter on the sides of the can.  Shoot!  And I wasn't home yet...so I waited until I drove home to finish the drink.  Once home I used a straw to scrape down the sides of the can and finish the rest.  Tasty tasty!  Like one of those drinks where you have to remind yourself it has caffeine so you don't just guzzle it all day like water.

Overall I'd say this product is going to be a HUGE hit!  I sure can't wait to get some more.  I felt a little selfish drinking it while my husband was at work, so I better buy some for him to try too! :)

How you can help/join the craze...

Right now they're at the tail end of their kickstarter campaign, so if you'd like to help support them and preorder some Grass Fed Coffee, you can click this link and join the party!  The kickstarter ends on Monday, so hurry over!!

*Also, one final note...I LOVE the transparency they have on their website.  Just take a peruse of their FAQ page and you'll be impressed to see how they address every single ingredient listed in their product.  I, myself, was a little disappointed to see carrageenan in the ingredients list as I've heard mixed things about it, but they address that.  I'd have to do more research, but they said the form of carrageenan they use is a safer alternative and the only way to keep the butter, oil and coffee all nice and mixed together.

Good luck Grass Fed Coffee!  We wish you all the success!

Summer may be winding down as kids and teachers have gone back to school, but that doesn't mean the fun of summer has to be over.

Well, maybe a little.  I mean, we can't just continue to stay home because we want to. :) 

BUT, we can definitely still enjoy some of the great flavors as we sit by the pool or BBQ this weekend.  Maybe even a little treat for yourselves tonight?  I say, go for it! 

As I've shared before, I'm loving the joys of Pinterest.  It's completely addicting (at least for me).  Have you been sucked into the world of pinning yet?  If not, let me know and I'd be more than happy to send you an invite. :)  If not, that's ok too.  But, you may find some of these pins I'm about to share just too enticing!

In honor of summer, I wanted to share some refreshing treats with you today. 

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First up we have, peach popsicles.
Gluten free AND refined sugar free!  Yum!

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Next, a fun blueberry, basil lemon water.
This may sound a little different, but check out the the ingredient list.  Simple and delicious!

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Another icy treat.  This time, blackberry frozen yogurt. 
Added bonus for this one is that it only has three ingredients.

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Lastly, I just couldn't resist adding this one for all you margarita lovers.  Watermelon Margarita.
I'm sure this will be a BBQ favorite for many of you!

***NOTE:  As always, double check any ingredients you are using to insure they are gluten free.

Enjoy!  As always, we'd love to hear of you've tried any of these or if you have a different, favorite refreshing treat for the summer.

Goodbye Starbucks and hello homemade goodness!
I love a nice cup of iced coffee on a warm summer day, but who wants to pay the price for Starbucks, much less brave this exhaustive heat to go pick it up (Bakersfield is currently over 100)!

I found the perfect solution with Coffee Mate's new product! Their new line of Natural Bliss creamers is delicious! Hmm, I've found I use that word a lot on here...guess I just keep writing about products I love! I'll have to think about foods I've tried that I didn't like and add those reviews to our blog.

Anyway, as I was saying, Coffee Mate's Natural Bliss is awesome! I chose the vanilla flavor and love it. What makes it so great is it's made with just nonfat milk, heavy cream, sugar and natural flavor. That's it! And it's gluten free! Also, for all you calorie counters, it's only 35 calories a serving.


Here's How To Make It
What I did was fill my glass with ice, add 1/2 a glass of coffee (my choice, Trader Joes Organic Shade Grown Ethiopian Medium Dark Roast), 1-2 T creamer, and about 1/4 cup milk (just enough to fill the glass).

Let me tell you, this combination is about as close to that yummy Starbucks flavor as they come. Whether you like a hint of sugar, like me, or want to pile on the sweetness (you could always use all creamer and no added milk) this is sure to be a tasty way to enjoy that morning cup of Joe!

Coffee Mate also has caramel and sweet cream flavors.

Try it out, tell us what you think! Share your best iced coffee or tea ideas!

Check out this tasty Odwalla superfruit smoothie at your nearest Lassen's, Fresh and Easy, or local grocery store.

This is an awesome choice to try next time you're out and about and of course, thirsty! :)
Delicious!

For a quick and easy gluten free breakfast, how about a fruit smoothie?
Smoothies are something I've been striving to perfect for awhile. While it's easy to make a smoothie, you're not always guaranteed a tasty treat. We've bought our fair share of protein powders that when added to the smoothie destroy all possibilities of wanting to finish your glass. Today, however, we enjoyed a great breakfast!
The protein powder used is Tera's Whey organic bourbon vanilla. It is made with stevia rather than sugar, which is important to my doctor who very eloquently says, "Sugar is the enemy!" :-) Seriously, he does! Anyway, when mixed into a smoothie this protein powder is delicious.
The smoothie: (all ingredients are organic)
1 scoop protein powder
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 cup frozen raspberries
3/4-1 cup milk
Splash of orange juice
Simply place everything in a blender and blend for about a minute.


Enjoy!!