nwaFoodie

Packing food for a hotel stay.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Dec 2016 21:35:00 +0000

I am a big believer in packing food when traveling and not only because you’ll save money. To me the biggest benefit is knowing that you won't be eating tons of sodium, fats, and unpronounceable ingredients. Unless you have access to fancy farm-to-table establishments that boasts pure ingredients… but then I will have to refer you back to the "save money" benefit.

This isn’t the first time this subject has come up. Once I shared a helpful list of packing kitchen essentials for a cabin getaway. Another time it was a conversation about travel snacks.

A few weeks ago my dear friend Kris posed a question on Facebook. “ Does anyone have any meal ideas that are easy to fix in a hotel room with ingredients that do not have to stay cold? The easier the better.”

The answers poured in. Salads packed in a mason jar, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, summer sausage, baked potato bar in a slow cooker, crackers and fruit in a cup, avocado topped with tuna, and instant soups.

My turn.

IF ALL YOU HAVE IS A PORTABLE COOLER.

Make sure you have a Ziploc bag filled with ice and wrapped in a towel to catch the drips. Or, invest in a Yeti cooler and keep everything cooler, longer.

Please the crowd as you whip up guacamole and chips. Technically these don’t need to even be refrigerated. Bring avocados, salsa, onions, and tomatoes.

Make hummus. Sure, you can buy the pre-made stuff and keep in your cooler or bring along a pouch or two of Bush’s Hummus Made Easy, chickpeas, and whip them up using a Nutri-Bullet.

Smoothies make great travel companions. Whip out that Nutri-Bullet again and pack it full of healthy goodies and antioxidants.

Why not prepare a plate of caprese salad? There is no reason why mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar can’t come along on your trip.

Avocado toasts for the win! Bring along a nice baguette, mashed up an avocado and drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, and red pepper flakes!

IF YOUR HOTEL ROOM HAS A MINI FRIDGE.

This increases your packing options and the sky is (mostly) the limit.

Line out a sliced meats, cheeses, olive, and pickle tray. Perfect for snacking and TV watching.

Want something a little more substantial? Roll out some Reuben Rollups.

Homemade potato salad will help fill that “I need some comfort food” urge. Extra credit if you do mashed cauliflower salad.

At some point you will want a salad. Pack a head of lettuce and blue cheese and viola, you’ll have a simple no-fuss wedge salad.

Want something to fill that void between meals? Try a beet and yogurt salad using the handy olive oil and balsamic vinegar you packed for the caprese salad.

IF YOU DECIDE TO PACK A SLOW COOKER.

Now we’re talking. One of the challenges of a hotel room without a microwave is that you may crave something hot and toasty. A slow cooker will help fill that void.

Pack eggs, cheese, and grated potatoes and prep the night before, set on low for eight hours. Wake up to breakfast in bed.

If you haven’t already discovered Reynolds’ slow cooker liners, you’ll want them. Basically line your slow cooker and when you are finished eating… toss the liner away. No cleanup needed.

Slow cook your favorite nacho sauce. That way it is always ready for when a nacho-eating craving hits.

Potato bar time! Use the slow cooker liners to place the potatoes in and slow cook and another bag for chili or nacho sauce. Or both.

Go bold with beef ribs. Why not? Tucks some potatoes and carrots in there while you are at it.

IF YOUR HOTEL ROOM HAS A MICROWAVE.

Best-case scenario. 9 times out 10 if the room has a microwave, it also has a refrigerator. Or, do what we did and buy an inexpensive microwave and bring it with you. Ours cost $25 at Walmart and we store it in our basement in between travels.

Pack along a pre-made frittata. Good enough for breakfast or any meal of the day.

Pack along breakfast sausages to go with your frittata.

Go nacho crazy. Precooked chicken, cottage cheese, tomatoes, avocados, and the works can now be achieved.

Ditto quesadillas.

Wraps can heated to bring out the yum factor. Try a chili steak and rice wrap for a complete meal.

Have any favorites that you'd like to share?

Happy travels.

Eat well, my friends.

Lyndi

Riceland, a year in review.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 18:08:00 +0000

“And roots, if they are to bear fruits, must be kept well in the soil of the land.”

So are the wise words of Pearl S. Buck, author of The Good Earth. If I remember correctly, this is one of my sisters’ favorite Pearl S. Buck novels. While I wasn’t really into fictional stories, if they leaned on the side of history I was interested. It wasn’t until we checked out that old reel projector from the library and watched the black and white movie with Yul Brynnr that I was hooked. We watched that movie over and over again until it was time to check it back in… and it hooked me… deeply.

I still vividly remember when my mother would solemnly re-enact the words in her deep Yul-like voice, “Don’t sell the land.” It was a life lesson taught about when times are good and crops are plentiful it is easy to farm off the land. Then those inevitable years come along when water is scarce; disease takes root, or general hard times and poor health take their turns. Hang in there. Hang in there. Hang in there.

I am proud to create sponsored recipes for Riceland Foods, a farmer-owned agricultural marketing coop and the world’s largest miller and marketer of rice. Yes, you heard that right… the WORLD’S LARGEST! And based here in little ol’ Arkansas, since 1921. Generations after generation of Riceland farmers have produced fine quality rice.

Here’s a little virtual tour from the past year. Riceland rice is available, well… pretty much everywhere and online. You’ll find their premium rice either under the Riceland brand name or private label.

Cheesy scrambled egg and brown rice breakfast bowl – January 2016

Quick and Easy rice porridge - January 2016

Tex-Mex burrito bowl – February 2016

Chicken Pot Pie – February 2016

Rice and leek stuffed sole – February 2016

Rice apple crisp – April 2016

Better than Boston baked beans – May 2016

Chili steak and rice wrap – May 2016

Dad’s best barbecue chicken – May 2016

Kabobs over yellow Riceland rice – May 2016

Ranch rice cheeseball – May 2016

Rice and black-eyed pea salad – May 2016

Baked chicken Marsala and rice casserole – August 2016

Ground beef stroganoff – September 2016

Broccoli and cheese rice cakes – October 2016

Spicy chicken and saffron rice one-pot – November 2016

(teaser! Post coming soon!) Beef and rice empanadas – December 2016

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

De Nigris vinegars, a year in review.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 14:59:00 +0000

Organic first cold press extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed butter, and high quality vinegars are my three mainstays in the kitchen. These items always have extra stock tucked away just in case I go on an exuberant cooking frenzy and therefore they never run out. In fact, I shudder at the thought. While I am not brand-loyal to any particular EVOO (Braggs is moving up as a contender)... Kerrygold butters and De Nigris vinegars are my besties.

I feel very blessed to create sponsored recipes for the De Nigris family, a third generation Italian vinegar company based in Naples and founded in 1889. Their balsamic vinegars are made the traditional way in Modena. Best part? Family is their heart and soul.

Here’s a little virtual tour from the past year. Some of the vinegars are available at Walmart stores across America, Allen’s in Bella Vista, and of course, online!

Morning-start apple cider vinegar drink – January 2016

The traditional balsamic vinegars of Modena – February 2016

Caprese pasta salad – May 2016

Grilled bacon wrapped chicken thighs with fig condiment spray – June 2016

Caprese-inspired Italian chicken salad – July 2016

A complete barbecue chicken meal in a foil pocket – August 2016

Bourbon and white peach shrub cocktail – October 2016

Chicken and potato salad stuffed deviled eggs – November 2016

Pea and cauliflower salad – December 2016

(teaser - posting soon!) Mayonnaise with a hint of apple cider vinegar – December 2016

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

I blinked and then nwafoodie turned seven years old.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 19:32:00 +0000

I am sitting here in the darkness of my home office, perfectly still and shaking my head in slow mo. How did seven years go by so fast? Okay, I’m not – technically – sitting perfectly still since my fingers are flying on the keyboard… trying desperately to keep up with my racing thoughts.

Seven years of hitting ‘publish’ and hoping that someone will read, enjoy, and learn a thing or two as I learn a thing or two.

As I scrolled through thousands and thousands of my iPhotos pictures, trying to find just-the-right-one to accompany this post, my gaze lingered on this pile of firewood that Dennis and I split (thank you gas-powered log splitter) years ago.

It visually-describes EXACTLY how I feel about nwafoodie turning seven.

I remember the enthusiasm I felt - mixed with nervousness - when the tree company arrived and removed seventeen massive and severely diseased trees from our woodsy front yard. I knew they had to go in order for the others to survive. One by one they fell and the crew trimmed up the branches and left the timbers for us to manage. Weekend after weekend and night after night and months after months Dennis and I kept working at the huge pile until finally all that was left was neatly stacked rows of green firewood and bark-debris to haul away. Our future fuel would be there, waiting for us. All we had to do was let it mature.

That is how nwafoodie has been for me.

There have been bouts of enthusiasm, energy, and over-zealous posting. Also months of sitting there, not doing much other than waiting for the time to fire it up again. There were times where I keep the coals going strong and did not let the fire die out. And, because of the abundance overload of our woodpile, oftentimes it has been a source of fuel for friends and families at the occasional bonfire or when someone hasn’t had the means to gather their own firewood.

Lately it’s been cold, waiting, begging, and urging me to stir things up.

But let me tell you this………… every single day that I drive down my driveway and I see that magnificent pile of stacked firewood………. It fills me with happiness, pride, and eagerness so severe that it literally kills me that I have not been able to post often the past months.

Yet.

I know it is there. Waiting patiently for me to come back, pick up a log, and stir up the coals once again.

Thank you for patiently sticking with me.

It’s been a grateful seven years…. and I am looking forward to the next seven (and then some).

Thank you, my friends.

Lyndi

Top 10 Northwest Arkansas food blogs you should be reading in 2016.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 21:33:00 +0000

This is my sixth annual post that highlights the top 10 Northwest Arkansas food blogs. It seems as soon as I hit "publish", immediately someone says, “hey Lyndi, why isn’t nwafoodie listed in the top 10?”

The answer is pretty simple… you’re already reading nwafoodie! I love you for coming back again and again and cozying up on the virtual couch with me.

This year we have some oldies-but-goodies on the list and some newbies sprinkled in. Have a blogger that you’d like to share? Share in a comment.

Drumroll please.

The Stiers Aesthetic – Jonathan took a brief blogging hiatus over the summer yet stunned us this week with a gorgeous new site upgrade. As if he needed one? Would you guys think it weird if I just copied his site format?

Euna Maes – This blog is an accessory to the Springdale kitchen store that is an accessory to her TV show. Amy is everywhere these days and if you want to get up close and personal, you’ll enjoy her Instagram Stories… and her cream cheese pumpkin bread.

The Sparkle Kitchen – Jonathan’s not the only one with a site upgrade this year. Check out Jamie's new site do-over. She is knocking it out of the park with recipes that are anything but the ordinary.

Helen’s Table – You all know her as the creator of My Brother’s Salsa... now let’s all know Helen as someone who creates fabulous recipes beyond the salsa jar.

Ozarkansasfresh – Technically, this site is a collaboration between KUAF and edible Ozarkansas, but I’m still shuffling it in with the top 10 blogs because you seriously need to put this on your radar. Chef Dorothy Hall highlights local, fresh, and deeeelicious.

Natalie Creates – I am so proud of Natalie and the lifestyle empire she is creating. She and her husband own Freckled Hen Farmhouse, an online general store (and B&M in Fayetteville) with kitchen gadgets, foods stuffs, and inspiration. Her blog will pull you in like a warm comfy blankie.

The Food Adventuress – This one is never coming off my list. And every year I say the same thing… I just wish Beth would post more often because her storytelling leaves you wanting more and more.

The Whole Cook – Oh Christina. She’s adorable. So is her lifestyle blog, peppered and seasoned with all things food.

Our Everyday Dinners – If you’re not already reading Amy’s blog, may I introduce you? Amy’s keeps her mission clear… weeknight meals that are quick and easy.

10.

Dining with Debbie – f you ever want to know how to cook ANYTHING… just browse Debbie's site. She’s probably already posted three variations of it. And scheming of #4.

That's the list. I hope you enjoy getting to know these fine foodie friends.

Thanks for your support of nwafoodie! Here’s to 2017!

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Water popsicles are da bomb… because kids don’t lie.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 22:14:00 +0000

You can’t make kids pretend to like something just for the camera… especially if that photo shoot is for more than fifteen minutes… in the heat… and what you are making them pretend to like is a plain ol’ water popsicle.

The six-to-eighteen year old kid in me also loved these plain ol’ water popsicles too. But that’s another story… one that I wrote about over on the Mountain Valley Spring Water’s blog (sponsored post). It’s a good story, I promise.

To whet your appetite and squelch your disbelief… sometimes you’ve just got to let the pictures tell the story.

My nieces were clearly distracted with the task at hand.

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

What’s your passion? Let’s get you a megaphone so you can shout it out to the world.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Aug 2016 20:54:00 +0000

In 2009, I attended a Minds of Mom (MOM) conference presented by Walmart and the entire day’s focus was all about bloggers. Mine was a last minute invite, one of those “hey, Lyndi, we’ve got an extra seat at this conference-thingy, you wanna’ come?” Always the one to jump on any conference-thingys, I jumped in my coworker’s car and arrived at a destination that would change my life.

I had entered the world of influencers.

“What is the magical world?” I remembered uttering those words out-loud to no one in particular. My head was spinning, twirling as blogger after blogger stood up and talked about their passions.

I wanted in.

Later that week I was having lunch with my friend Jason and he casually remarked, “hey, Lyndi, I’m following you on twitter. I had no idea you were such a foodie.”

I had never thought about it, honestly. Or, at least put it in those words. You see, my twitter handle those days was @lakebrittany, because, well I lived on Lake Brittany. Seemed logical at the time. And, like any proper and logically-minded gal I right then and there decided that my blog should have the word “foodie” in it. One of the speakers at the conference had a blog named nwadeals (now called Passion for Savings – Hi Heather!) and once again the logic kicked in. This blog was born. My passion had a voice.

So, I have to ask…

Where are you?

What is your story?

What is going to be your story?

What is your passion?

Let’s get you a megaphone so you can shout it out to the world!

You’re in luck.

But time is running out.

Come join hundreds of influencers, wanna-be influencers, and brands at the Megaphone Summit influencer conference on September 9-11 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Foodie Friday keynote is Patricia Barnes (owner of Sister Shubert dinner rolls). She will talk life, gifts, legacy and rolls. Chef Matt McClure from The Hive in Bentonville will talk local food and cook up delicious treats for us.

Megaphone Summit keynote is Peg Fitzpatrick (author of The Art of Social with Guy Kawasaki). She will talk about how she turned her passion into a thriving social media career (and you can too!).

Soapbox Insights + Influence (where I work!) is the presenting sponsor of the conference!

Join us?

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Gimme time, gimme sweet little time.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 17:52:00 +0000

Ugh.

I’ve been behaving badly lately.

Been eating-out almost every day for lunch. While Dennis makes me breakfast and has it waiting for me in the car as I leave each morning (love you), I am doing absolutely nothing to help out (unless you count prepping the coffee the night before). Dinner is a crapshoot as we are eating around 9pm every evening. Which means we are staying up late, watching tv because our tummies are still wide-awake.

I hate watching tv.

At night.

With a full tummy.

Before you get worried, don’t. Everything is going great in life and we aren’t trying to fill a void or anything like that. It’s just that… well… I’ve gotten in a rut. My taste buds are enjoying the taste sugar, salt, fat and it’s begging me to keep fueling its fire.

Ever get in a rut like this?

I’m a planner. A get-rid-of-chaos-clutter-distractions kind of gal but let’s face it. We’re all human. Some seem super-human but I’m not one of them. For me, if I am going to pursue a healthy and wholesome lifestyle, I need to plan and manage my time to get back on track. This morning I had time management on my mind while writing a blog post for my company’s website. I talked about focusing on what matters, cutting through the clutter, and the simple fact that time management helps you not waste time. It re-energized me.

Okay, right now. I’m declaring it. Yes, in front of everyone!

Ready…

I am getting back into the time management game.

This is happening!

Prep breakfast as much as possible the night before.

Snacks don’t need to be over-complicated to be satisfying.

Outsmart the what’s-for-dinner dilemma by keeping key ingredients on hand.

Hellooooo Wednesday night Grocery Night.

Dinner guests? All it takes is a wee bit of thinking ahead.

Hold me accountable… please?

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

This chili steak and rice wrap is a meal in the palm of your hand.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 10 Jul 2016 18:15:00 +0000

Raise your hand if you are spending hours in a hot kitchen these days either cooking or baking.

No?

You’re not either?

I so get you.

Let’s face it. These summer days are long and we want to be a starring role outside, not slaving away in the kitchen. We are eating on the go or kicking back. There isn’t much in between, right?

Enter stage left.

This chili steak and rice wrap.

It’s a meal that fits in the palm of your hand and gives you permission to get messy with your food. My Arkansas friends at Riceland Foods has tons of delicious rice-based recipes on their website and years of cookbook traditions. They sponsored a nwafoodie post to recreate one of their recipes: Riceland's Chili Steak and Rice Wrap.

And yes... it does tastes as good as it looks!

Wrap on.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Celebrate my country tis of thee with a red, white, and blue cocktail.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 19:50:00 +0000

When I was in sixth grade, a traveling opera company came to the Brookfield Middle School in Cary, North Carolina to perform for the student body. Several weeks before their arrival, an open casting was scheduled for students to audition for a part in the production. By all means, it wasn’t a large role, more of a background chorus... yet little ol’ me just focused on the fact that there was a chance to perform on stage and I was enthralled. The song we had to perform was ‘My Country Tis of Thee’ and the notes were just too high to reach so I scrapped the whole idea. This was before the days where we knew we could just “make it our own” and play around with the pitch to match our tone. Then again, the audition was for an opera so alto-voice-Lyndi most likely would have never made it. To this day, I love that song and will butcher the high notes like a pro! Singing is an attitude, right? When you sing a patriotic song you just HAVE to sing it with gusto!

As you are singing along today with friends, neighbors, loved ones, or your faithful old hound dog, remember to keep things happy and hopeful. We live in a beautiful land where there still are the freedoms that our founding fathers declared for us. What a blessing to live in the U.S.A.!

Of course, I cannot just chat with you and not recommend a food or drink. It just wouldn’t be right. It only seems appropriate and extremely patriotic to introduce you to a recent (sponsored) cocktail I created for The Mountain Valley Water company based out of Hot Springs and the gorgeous Ouachita Mountains of Southern Arkansas. While they do compensate me for these creations, anytime they reach out to me and ask for a recipe using their spring or sparkling waters, I jump at the chance! What’s not to love about crisp pure American spring water?

Here is recipe for the MVS red, white, and blue cocktail that is vodka based with patriotic-colored ice cubes. Today is day to have some fun with your drinks!

Happy birthday, America!

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Five Foodie Finds for Friday :: Euna Maes.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 18:58:00 +0000

You guys!

Today’s foodie finds are more than just five adorable and wish-list products, they are tied to a lovely story about a granddaughter and her beloved grandmother, Euna Mae.

Local NWA gal, Amy Nelson Hannon, opened an heirloom kitchen and home goods store in Springdale about two years ago. She named it after her grandma to preserve the memories, traditions, and creations she inspired. You see it in her online shop, in her cute little storefront, and all over her social media accounts. These five finds are what I would buy right now at ShopEunaMaes, today (if I could!).

1. bamboo and wire tiered basket

2. Euna Mae's chow chow (two jars)

3. classic rolling pin in Euna Mae's signature blue!

4. porcelain enamel baking sheet

5. jadeite juicer-reamer

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

7 tips on hosting a multi-family taco night.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Jun 2016 17:15:00 +0000

Well hi there.

Enjoying the beautiful weather today? I told you that it was going to get sunnier.

On days like these it is only natural that you’ll want to pick up the phone, facebook message, or text a loved one and make plans to meet up. You can either head out to one of the newest hopping joints around town, get all complicated-like with a full-blown dining experience, or keep it simple. You know which one I will pick, don’t you? Keeping it simple should be the name of this blog! Although, I believe that the more we experiment and try new things, those things that used to seem complicated end up becoming… well, simple.

So you decided to have friends, neighbors, or family over tonight. Great! The first question you will inevitably be asked is, “what can I bring?”

If you are like me, I often stumble on my answer. When it is last minute I don’t want to have them running around town to come up with a side dish, nor do I want them to spend a lot of money. After all, I invited them. They shouldn’t have to feel like they invited me. Right?

One meal theme that lends well to a multitude of guests pitching in without breaking the bank or killing too much time is a multi-family taco night. I was browsing the Arkansas Women Bloggers website this morning and came across I guest post I wrote back in February that I failed to share with you. I shared seve tips on how to host a multi-family taco night.

To whet your appetite (ha!), here are the seven tips.

1. Identify your foodies.

2. Moms.

3. Veggie prep.

4. Beef.

5. Margaritas.

6. Chips and dips.

7. The tortilla station.

Curious to know what those seven tips actually mean? Margaritas, chips and dip and pretty easy to figure out. But “identify your foodies” and “moms” – curious to know how they play a part in this dinner party?

I would tell you, however that would deny you the pleasure of jumping over to the Arkansas Women Bloggers website to read the rest of the story… and spending a few minutes browsing the website. I am proud to be a part of a blogging community that is passionate, active, and encouraging all at the same time. They are my friends and I am thrilled to introduce you to them.

Click here for the 7 tips on hosting a multi-family taco night.

Happy hosting.

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Five Foodie Finds for Friday :: Freckled Hen Farmhouse.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 16:46:00 +0000

Hello and happy Friday!

It is dark and storm-cloudy this morning and I.am.loving.it! Bright sunshiny skies are right around the corner so if you are into that, you’re welcome for the weather report.

You know how I love traipsing all over the internet’s crooks and crannies to bring you foodie finds on Fridays. I get even more excited when I can share you bounty that resides in our very own back yard of Northwest Arkansas. This week’s feature is all things Freckled Hen Farmhouse. Natalie (of Natalie Creates fame) and her husband are proprietors of an online home provisions and farm supply store that houses adorable home and garden items that match their own lifestyle brand. Bonus… since their store is ecommerce, everyone can jump in and shop to their hearts content!

1.blue plaid ceramic scoop

2.wooden egg tray

3. vintage glass preserve jar 8.5 fl oz

4. ozark stout ale mustard

5. reusable food wrap 3 pack

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Today is a great day for Better-Than-Boston baked beans.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 May 2016 14:02:00 +0000

This post contains a link to sponsored content written in partnership with Riceland Foods, the world’s largest miller and marketer of rice and grown by famers in Arkansas and Missouri. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s still early in the morning and I hear the sound of kids playing outside. If I strain my neck and look out my office window to the left, I see two barefoot kids running around in my neighbor’s backyard. Not a care in the world. Today is a day of possibilities for them, I imagine. No thoughts to all the shoulds that should get done today or the chores that are always beckoning. Dennis is enjoying the great benefits of a day off… sleeping in. Me? Well, I have this thing about quiet dark mornings and nothing much is better than having a silent office to myself where I can write and just chill.

A bass boat skims by and I wonder if today is the day when the ski boats rip open and shrilling laughter fills the air? If so, summer officially starts to today and not in June.

For the first time since forever, we don’t have any set-in-stone Memorial Day plans. I suspect that once Dennis wakes up and we sit on the back porch sipping our coffee and talking about the day, we will start making phone calls and arranging our own boat day with the family. I’m usually pretty organized with planning family events so this is new for me. Are you a planner? Do you have big plans for today with family and friends?

What do you do when you don’t have any plans but want to have a quintessential summer grilling day? You go shopping! Either in your pantry, your fridge, your freezer, or at the closest store where you can get in-and-out and get on with your day!

May I suggest keeping it simple? Grill burgers with a side of baked beans and coleslaw and chips and dips for the nibblies? Wait, skip the coleslaw. Coleslaw really needs to be made the night before to perfectly meld all the flavors. You don’t want amateur coleslaw. Potato salad for the win! You can boil the potatoes and bake the beans inside while you visit with family and friends outside by the grill.

Here’s a simple and delicious recipe for baked beans that I rifted on from a Riceland recipe. It’s called Better-Than-Baked beans and I think it is better using vegetarian beans and turkey bacon. Then all your guests can eat it and no one is left out!

Better-Than-Baked beans recipe

Actually, you can make your day even easier by skipping the potato salad. This baked bean recipe is stoked full of rice and so now you have carbs handled and your meal is complete!

Yea, You!

Happy day ahead.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Picnics are meant for slowing down.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 23 May 2016 03:18:00 +0000

Disclosure: I was hired by Mountain Valley Spring Water in Hot Springs to promote the awesome tasting spring waters from Arkansas. I was compensated on the link post noted below. All thoughts and opinions are my own, of course.

Today was a perfect weather day.

It started off a bit on the chilly side and as I woke up to meet the day I slipped on comfy sweats and a tee shirt. As the day ebbed on and we ran errands, I quickly released it was time for shorts and flip-flops. Summer is coming and she is ready to make residency.

Whenever I encounter perfect days such as today, when the slight breezes and half-sunshiney and half-shady days beg me to put up a hammock, I am reminded that life is meant for slowing down whenever we can. To really LIVE. Pick a flower, enjoy a long conversation, and just get your feet wet.

Does it seem to you that is all I talk about these days? Slowing down, enjoying life, and stopping to smell the flowers. Either I am getting way old before my time, or I think that life is just begging us to embrace it. I think I will go with choice #2! Yes, definitely #2!

Picnics.

Picnics are on my mind. Are they on yours, too?

I love a picnic.

They don’t have to be formal. They can be and that’s okay. Informality is pretty rocking, too. Tonight we picnicked on the boat at sunset with leftover frittatas from this morning’s breakfast, a few crackers, and a very limely gin and tonic. See, picnics don’t have to be all about cute baskets, complicated side dishes, and heavy expectations. Impromptu makes the best picnics.

If you need a little push in the picnic-planning department, hop on over to the Mountain Valley Spring Water blog for a recent post I guested on related to picnics. I shared five essentials when it comes to picnics. They are simple and straight-forward and well, a little bit of my philosophy of life shines through. I am really excited about writing for Mountain Valley Springs, an Arkansas company that has bottled delicious tasting spring water for more than 145 years.

Check out my list of five essentials for a family picnic and see if you agree. Maybe I missed a few here or there or maybe you agree with all of them. Who knows? All I know that I raise my (water) glass to picnics and wish you a merry week and to the joy of slowing down.

Happy picnicking, my friend.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Uplifting the mood in my dining room.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:40:00 +0000

Our homes are our sanctuaries, our get-away-from-it-all spots, and our quiet refuge. At least, that is something we aspire to, isn’t it?

After my dad died, I started unpacking. Metaphorically and physically. You see, we were still living in boxes, waiting for that “one day” when work would slow down, when everything was decorated, remodeled, or just whatever. My home was minimal in décor and the kitchen was all but devoid of any personality.

Slowly, personal items made their way to countertops, on the bookshelf, and on the walls. And I decided that I would start buying flowers.

At first I placed flowers in the master bathroom. Then, slowly they made their way to the guest bathroom and the kitchen. I figured out which flowers lasted the longest in order to get the most bang (and buck) until one day I realized that the small investment in our home was well worth it. Flowers uplifted the mood of our home.

As the years have passed, fresh flowers grace my guest bath and dining room every day and it makes us happy and I think it makes visitors happy too. I still reach for the ones that last the longest but every once in a while something will catch my eye.

Isn’t this tulip gorgeous?

It’s called a “Queensland” tulip and it arrived from my friends at Stargazer Barn, an online flower farm whose mission is to inspire pleasure in everyday life. Tulips and peonies will always be my forever-favorite flowers and when this one arrived with its fringed pale edges, I was spellbound. They quickly became the centerpiece in the dining room.

I am so glad that we started the tradition of keeping fresh flowers in our dining room.

What traditions are you incorporating in your homes, your kitchens, your dining and living areas that make it feel more homey and inviting?

Tell, tell.

Happy mood lifting.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

In case you wondered, I received the Queensland tulips from Stargazer Barn as a part of a free six-month subscription service. I am having fun seeing what new flowers and goodies will arrive each month!

“STIR. My broken brain and the meals that brought me home” book release + giveaway.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 17:40:00 +0000

{Randomizer.org picked #1, Kaylin as the winner of a copy of STIR. Congrats, Kaylin!}

Stir.

Such a quiet and simple word that says so much.

A quick internet search reveals the nuances of the word stir. An act of mixing food or drink with a spoon or other implement. To move or cause to move slightly. Rise or wake from sleep. Leave or go out of a place. Begin or cause to begin to be active or to develop. Arouse strong feelings in someone. Prompt a feeling or memory or inspire the imagination.

Stir is the perfect word to choose for this book title.

Today is the paperback release of Jessica Fechtor’s 2015 award-winning inspirational memoir, Stir - My Broken brain and the meals that brought me home. Somehow I missed the original book release a year ago even though I follow her blog, sweetamandine.

I can only imagine how a brain aneurism would be life changing. To wake up to a perfectly normal day with nothing but blue skies ahead. And just like that, snap, everything changes.

At 28, Jessica suffered a brain aneurysm and life, as she knew it, changed instantly. Happily married to the best-friend-who-she-never-imagined-to-fall-in-love-with yet everyone-else-knew-they-were-perfect-for-each-other, Jessica slowly but surely began her miraculous recovery by rediscovering the restorative power of cooking and baking and the connection that food has with who we are at our inner core. This is, essentially, a love story about food and its depth will surprise and delight you.

Lest you think that reading a book about someone with a brain aneurysm is horribly depressing, this book is nothing but upbeat and lovely and hopeful. Jessica not once considers herself a victim but rather takes the time while bedridden and recovering as a time to deeply observe her life. The love story about food unfolds as she realizes that who she is, who we are, is often connected to food memories and to our loved ones. Erase all the madness and folly of life and it comes down to the simplest pleasures of life: a family-loved roasted chicken, matzo ball soup, and that goofy smile that you give someone because you are utterly happy to just be with them… and alive.

If you are wondering how “meals that brought me home” actually helped her broken brain, I was wondering the same thing when Penguin House asked me to read this book and share my thoughts about it. I almost said no thank you and was poised to move the email request into a delete folder. Instead, I paused and decided otherwise and am so glad that I did.

I absolutely loved this book and I know that many of you will feel the same way, too.

At one point, while Jessica was in the hospital and the anesthesia was wearing off, her dad said something so beautiful that I felt my own breath catch and tears well up. “I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I wish I’d had you sooner so I could know you for longer.”

Love.

During her last days in the hospital, Jessica made lists. While she had no appetite, she knew she would one day and she wanted to be ready. She was determined to coax herself back to the table with what she used to like to eat with the hopes that her normal self would show up. She would use the simplest of tasks in the kitchen to retrain her body. As she grew stronger and stronger, the simple tasks would turn into more complex ones and she slowly but surely worked her way up to entertaining and hosting. And regaining her life. Focusing on others instead of her illness. “You cook for one. A fried egg and toast, a potato with cottage cheese, a single artichoke, steamed. Baking on the other hand? I don’t care how big your sweet tooth is, you can’t eat all those cookies alone. You bake to share.”

You know that feeling with a book hits you in that certain special way? Perhaps it is because of where you are in life at the very moment, almost as if the book had chosen you? When you are ready to drop the insignificant, the clutter in life, and just enjoy every moment as much as possible?

This is that book.

I loved this book. I loved that it was deep without being heavy, happy without being sappy, and full of recipes that weren’t even her own. I loved that it was peppered throughout with stories of family and friends that were full of love and support.

Sounds like something you would like to read?

I have one free copy from the publisher to giveaway!

Leave me a comment, preferably with your twitter, blog name or something to make it easy for me to contact you if you win.

Comment question: Which foods evoke the strongest memories for you?

Contest ends on next Tuesday, April 12^th at midnight (CDT). I will pick a winner via randomizer on Wednesday, April 13^th.

No purchase necessary to enter. Contest void where prohibited. Contest open to US residents only.

Happy reading. May you also fall in love with this story, as I did.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Five Foodie Finds for Friday, March 25th.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 23:30:00 +0000

Hi there.

If you stumbled upon my instagram or facebook feed last week, you would have quickly surmised, “hey Lyndi, you aren’t in (Ar)kansas anymore.” The hustle and bustle of NYC is in stark contrast to the quiet valleys and hills of the Ozarks back home and our I-wanna-be-like-a-big-city-but-we-aren't rush hour on Hwy 49. Before I settle back to home sweet home, I want to share a few treasures from the Big Apple that are right at our fingertips. No cab fare needed.

Brooklynese Cawffee tray. Every trip to the city is worth a quick five-minute browse in the Fish Eddy store located within a few blocks of the flatiron building. This jumbled storefront is full of whimsy and one-of-a-kind vintage NYC restaurant serve ware. This cawffee tray comes out whenever guests arrive at my doorsteps and the coffeepot goes on the stove.

Albergian fig jam. Speaking of the flatiron district, no tourist should go without visiting Eataly, the large block-wide building filled with fish, pasta, gelato, espresso, produce, meats, books, and accessories with an emphasis on all things Italy. Also, throw in a half dozen restaurants and you can spend hours here. Dennis and I make it our first stop in the city to stock up on bottled waters and goodies for the room, such as this delicious fig jam and fruits. Ends up being much cheaper (and healthier!) than eating out constantly.

Teak stirrer set. Keeping it within the neighborhood, one of my favorite places to pop in for a meal is the ABC Kitchen restaurant at ABC Home, virtually across the street from Fish Eddys and blocks away from Eataly. While waiting for a seat to open up at the restaurant, go downstairs to check out the artisan kitchen goodies and handmade treats that make a house a home. While most of the time my checkbook tells me to keep browsing and skip the hefty price tags, this time I splurged on these little teak coffee stirrers. A perfect addition to that cawffee tray.

Small 7-inch tongs. Priced at just $1.50 each, these little tongs are one of my favorite discoveries in the city! I buy them for friends and family and I keep a handful in my kitchen drawer. Tiny, yet still a powerhouse. Snagged from J.B. Prince, located on the 6^th floor of non-interesting building in Murray Hill with a non-descript lobby ithat houses only an elevator and that sinking feeling that you may be entering a super-scary place when DING! The elevator opens and viola, and bright and beautiful showroom full of goodies. This is where the chefs go.

Dozen bagels. New York City isn’t New York City without bagels. Now you can have them delivered to your door from the oldest still-standing appetizing store (since 1914) in Manhattan. Want the authentic cream cheese and lox, too? Yeah, they gottem.

Happy (virtual) Big Apple shopping.

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

Sometimes it is just better to cut up a whole chicken.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Mar 2016 17:58:00 +0000

My sister-in-law Alicia gets icked-out by food with a bone in it. I wonder what that would feel like if you were a butcher? Or a fish-monger. Or a chef. Then again, if you had that particular aversion you would not want to be any of those things. It would be like going to med school if you fainted at the sight of blood.

Not goin’ do it.

We ate a lot of chicken backs when we were a kid. They were plentiful and economical and that little nested oyster spot was my absolute favorite part. It is funny what you remember. Why can’t I remember any other parts and pieces?

The first time I remember cutting up a whole chicken was during Food Lab at college. This class was a companion class to Nutrition 101 and therefore it must have been Food Lab 101. The memories are sketchy at this point. What I DO remember is cutting up that chicken and being surprised how easy it was, how inexpensive it was to do it this way, and all the “leftovers” parts and pieces that were perfect for chicken soup!

If you have ever been intimidated by cutting up a whole chicken, don’t be. It really is quite simple.

Back in August I wrote a how-to piece for the Grassroots Cooperative here in Northwest Arkansas. They sell quality local whole chickens and other pasture-raised meats and work with local farmers to serve local folks.

Next time you find yourself ready to tackle that whole chicken, bookmark my how-to. I think you will be surprised how easy it is and wonder why you never did it before!

Gotta run… shhh… don’t tell Alicia that boneless chicken breasts used to have a bone in it!

Happy cutting.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

In praise of comfy-cozy.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 12 Feb 2016 19:55:00 +0000

For many of us, we wake up and it is dark. We drive home and it is dark. We go to bed and it is dark. Early morning arrives again and the alarm sings its morning wake-up song as our eyes adjust to the fact that another day begins. Coffee, prayer, study, breakfast, more coffee, shower, take the dog out, feed the cat, pause to look at the beauty of the sky above, more coffee, slip out of the bathrobe and into the clothes to face the day. Think that is a lot for the early morning? Okay, now add your touch such as attending to the kiddos, the husband or the wife’s routines, and don’t forget that ever-pressing temptation to check all the social media channels and email accounts before heading out the door.

We’ve got to slow down.

Breathe.

Pause to look up at the beauty of the sky above.

Below.

And all around us.

When life decides to increase the number of demands on your dance card, decompression time is critical. For some that means eating more carbohydrates or sugary temptations to make the happy feelings wash over you. For others, that means more time at the gym or hitting the streets listening to the pound, pound, pound of your sneakers tapping the pavement as streets and sidewalks turn into miles upon miles.

For me, when I start to feeling like there is too much running-to-and-fro, I start making beach-time a higher priority. Beach time simply means… down time. That comfy feeling when you are on vacation, listening to the waves hit the sand, and the happy feeling remember that you haven’t got a care in the world other than making sure you reveal in every single second.

Beach time for me means sitting on the back porch with Dennis or hanging out with family. It means going for a boat ride, kayak, or paddle board stroll or just letting my fingers softly trail the water while sitting on the docks edge and watching the ripples fade.

Beach time in the winter can be quite the challenge. For me it means that I have create that comfy-cozy feeling inside. Candles, fresh flowers, a crackling fireplace, and a special treat or drink can do the trick.

How do you decompress?

How do you beach time?

Do you brave the cool weather, the wind, and the shorter days?

How do you create comfy-cozy?

About a year or two ago we started buying fresh flowers for the guest bathroom and kitchen to add a touch to the cozy ambiance. It has made such a huge difference to us.

When my friends at P. Allen Smith and StargazerBarn started sending me a monthly collection of flowers and goodies, I hadn’t realized how a statement flower arrangement could add so much depth to my living room. Nothing says “cuddle up and get comfortable” that cozy room with a loved one, a puppy, mood lighting, gorgeous and unbelievably fragrant lilies, a mug of coffee, and a sweet treat.

Makes me super happy.

If you are curious, this Stargazer Barn collection is called “Gazing Gift Collection” and includes a dozen Starfighter lilies (a second generation of the original Stargazer) with Beargrass for teture and depth, bean-to-bar chocolate from Dick Taylor, and Lacey’s Toffee wafers. The Barn School notes said that the lilies would go through various stages of opening and blooming and they weren’t kidding! A week and half later they are still going strong and relocated them to the dining room to keep me company during a cooking binge.

If you are interested in this collection, it is called “Gazing Gift Collection” and it retails for $89.99 with free hipping through February 29^th if you use the code “flowerkiss” at checkout.

Happy cozy time.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

The joy of setting a table.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 20:50:00 +0000

I love setting the dining room table. Like a good outfit, layering brings out the best and adds personality. I like to think of it as telling a story. If you want a casual meal, the table setting should reflect it. Want something formal? Bring out the silver candlesticks. Want to encourage conversation? Scattered candles, fresh flowers, and conversation pieces do the trick.

As a child, it seemed like I “set the table” more often than I do now. I wonder why. Collections of tablecloths, candleholders, serving trays, linen napkins and specialty dinnerware are housed in well-organized tub upon tub. Frequent antique mall shopping only adds to the collection. Yet I rarely venture into the storage room to retrieve them. Yes, life as an adult is definitely more cramped than a young child who yearns to make everything special and old-fashioned (as I used to say it). But doesn’t setting a table actually set a mood? Think about Thanksgiving and the decorations that go into the table setting. Think about a special date or anniversary dinner at your favorite restaurant where the lights are dimmed and candles on a table cast a magical glow. Ahhh… now you see what I am saying, don’t you.

While my personal goal is to get back to basics of joyfully setting a table, perhaps focusing on a new habit is a good start. Okay, I’ll say it. Friday nights will be the (re)start of my joyfully setting the table. I am curious, is this a habit that interests you, too?

For the next six months, I already have help and a push to jump-start my habit. My friends at P.Allen Smith and stargazerbarn.com are sending me a monthly subscription to Star Gazer Barn collections of flowers, chocolates, cookies wine or a combination of these products.

Last week my first shipment arrived with…

Tulips, my favorite flowers!

Dick Taylor craft chocolate, one of the few bean-to-bar chocolate makers in the country. In fact, the latest February issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine selects this chocolate as one of their editors’ picks!

Tulip eau de parfum trio of Mandarin Peony, lemon sugar, and coconut. I used these to scent my fake flower that I usually set the table with. Somehow it made it a touch better.

Lastly, the collection included a detailed Barn School sheet talking specifically about the Ile De France Tulips that I received. I knew that since P.Allen Smith is partner with Star Gazern Barn that the flowers and collection would be top quality. They only sell American grown flowers (they grow themselves), are “veriflora certified,” and are members of the Slow Flowers movement. Quality.

It was fun setting my dining table and incorporating my collection of old bells with the newness of fresh tulips and the metal vase.

I look forward to using and reusing this collection for as long as the tulip and chocolate lasts… while the vase and parfums will have a much longer lifecycle.

If you are interested in this collection, it is called “Sensory Seduction” and it retails for $89.99 + $14 shipping. Shipping is free through February 29^th if you use the code “flowerkiss” at checkout.

Hope you enjoy!

Happy table setting.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

Top 10 Northwest Arkansas food blogs of 2015.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 19:09:00 +0000

Hello friends!

Today is the day I get to share my absolute favorite annual post… the top 10 local food bloggers that I think you should be reading. Are you already reading these?

Some make my list every year and are a constant source of inspiration. I am happy to say that this year there are three new ones that were not on my radar screen a year ago and I am glad to get to know them.

Most of all, thank YOU for taking the time to read, comment, and share nwafoodie this past year! Here’s to 2016.

Drum roll….

The Stiers Aesthetic. Jonathan’s lifestyle blog is barely two years old and sparkles like a top-notch magazine. He brings his design eye into the kitchen and inspires me to hide the paper napkins. This local dude was named one of Better Homes & Garden’s top 10 Baking Blogs in 2015. Nicely done! Check out this post when Jonathan hosted friends for an amazing harvest celebration. Outdoors.

Euna Maes. Amy’s blog is tribute to her beloved late grandmother, Euna Maes. Her kitchen boutique shop in Springdale is wildly popular and starting on Monday, Amy will have her own daily cooking show, Cooking Today, on KNWA! Kudos, Amy!

The Food Adventuress. Beth. Beth. Beth. Tell us more stories! Beth digs in shares food experiences that go beyond the recipe. Her love of the food adventure is getting passed on to her daughters and it is fun to watch them all bloom before our eyes.

Our Everyday Dinners. Amy makes dinner easy. Browse her site whenever you need to battle the “what do I make for dinner tonight” blues. Dinner, checkmate.

Recipe Doodle. Ceri is the real-deal entertainer and boy is she recipe prolific! Not only does she post practically every day… her posts sometimes have two and three recipes within it. #howdoesshedoit

Dining with Debbie. Debbie is the slow cooker queen. And the baking queen. The smoking queen. The cook-from-scratch queen. The everything related to cooking and baking queen.

The Sparkle Kitchen. Jamie’s dishes are out of the ordinary. Why have regular chili when you can have buttermilk squash chili or sweet potato/black bean/lentil chili? Her recipe for cheddar cheese “cauliflower” biscuits sounds like I need to make them today or tomorrow.

Born2CookInspired. Sheila’s site covers the gamut of foods: grilling, entertaining, smoking, gardening, and she even gives cooking classes.

One World Plate. Peter steps out of the ordinary with themes of Korean, vegetarian, ginger, garam marsala, and ginger that quickly let you know that this is a food blog of exploration.

10.

NWAeats. Not technically a food blog. NWAeats is an off-shoot of the Little Rock publication, RockCity Eats. My bloggy friend Sarah writes about the Northwest Arkansas food scene, which keeps me up to date on all the foodie news in the area. Worth adding to your bookmark.

There you have it. Are any of these new to you?

Eat well, my friends. Eat well.

Lyndi

My interview with Cilantro, A Cooks Shop, based in Nova Scotia and Atlanta Canada.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 22:28:00 +0000

I am a sucker for an interview.

The more creative the questions are, the more delightful the conversation. “Bravo, Bravo,” I squeal inwardly as I silently applaud a question that seems to appear from left field. To me it is just as much fun to read/hear the questions as waiting for the answers. I don’t care if it is a sappy online poll, a riveting 60 Minutes interview, or someone revealing their quirky side in their twitter profile, I just love a good interview.

Perhaps that is why whenever I am approached for a podcast or an online interview, I jump on it. What kind of questions will they ask? Will I stumble with a response? Will I have any idea what they are talking about? Will I ramble on and on and on and completely forget the original question? Argh, it is like an awesome adrenaline rush! Give me more!

Slow down, Lyndi.

Breathe. Breathe.

I was recently interviewed by Cilantro, A Cooks Shop as part of their Expert Interview program. This family owned-and-operated cookware, bakeware, and kitchenware retail store is based in Nova Scotia. Their online store is a massively awesome site that carries kitchen essentials, local artisanal Nova Scotian and Canadian made products, as well as international bakeware, cookware, and kitchenware brands. Right up our alley, right?

The interview questions were actually quite a challenge.

Breathe, Lyndi. Breathe.

I had to gulp hard and put on my big-girl pants to sensibly answer them. Questions were posed related to digital foodie tools, global cooking implements, high tech appliance design, and a general probe into what a foodie is looking for nowadays. What an adrenaline rush!

Click here to read the interview and let me know what you think!

Happy browsing.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi

The perfect refreshing mocktail.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 04:55:00 +0000

Content sponsored by #denigris1889

Have you ever watched one of those old movies where the main heart-throb walks into his office/den/sunken living room and mixes himself a cocktail and wonder, “what is he making, how does he know what to make, and why don’t I have a sunken living room?”

Through the years we have been slowly and steadily stocking the liquor cabinet with bar essentials, gadgets, and whatnots. It is just a matter of time before that moment will come when someone will drop by to visit and I will be able to make him or her their signature drink. I would invent it on the fly! Imagine how special they will feel!

Slowly. Surely. Practice makes perfect and I’ve been on a cocktail kick lately so that magical day is bound to come soon. I blame it on the fireplace. It really knows how to set the mood.

Tonight I wanted to create something a little special. Not a mixed drink. I wanted something with a little kick and also was super refreshing. Usually that means a squirt of lime or something bitter or citrusy. I rolled up my imaginary sleeves, perused my cabinets, and shuffled around in my whatnot box. Paper straws! Club soda! Simple

Syrup! Balsamic vinegar!

Wait. What?

Balsamic vinegar? In a mocktail, cocktail-wanna-be?

Yes! Balsamic vinegar is the perfect bar compliment. Think about all the drinks that are out there with bitters added. Think about the purpose of lime and citrus in a drink. They add bitterness, right? Bitterness balances out sweet. Simple Syrup is the ying to the balsamic yang.

This really is the perfect refreshing mocktail. All the ingredients are probably already in your cupboard. Now all you need is a really cute paper straw.

THE PERFECT REFRESHING MOCKTAIL

Makes one tall 8oz refreshing drink or two double old fashions

Ingredients

8 ounces Club Soda

1 teaspoon Simple Syrup

3 dashes of DeNigris White Eagle Balsamic Vinegar

crushed ice

Instructions

Fill glass with club soda, simple syrup, and balsamic vinegar.

Add enough crushed ice to fill your glass and stir.

Add paper straw and sit back and relax. Ahhhh…. Refreshing!

Happy sipping.

Eat well, my friends.

Lyndi

A refreshing cranberry wine spritzer.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 27 Nov 2015 16:21:00 +0000

I hope it was full of love and gratefulness and anticipation for the year ahead and all of its possibilities.

We gathered as a family and filled our tummies and hearts. We all also shared this refreshing cranberry wine spritzer as a pre-dinner cocktail. It was a huge hit and will definitely become a repeat.

In fact, why not join me in the repeat today?

All you need is cranberry juice, muscato wine, lemon juice, crushed ice, and Mountain Valley Spring sparkling water. They are the ones in the bright green glass and have been around since 1871. Based and bottled from Hot Springs, Arkansas… it is local to us and simply refreshing to all the other 49 states! I buy mine at Ozark Natural Foods in Fayettevile in bulk.

Want the recipe? It’s posted today on Mountain Valley Spring’s blog (#sponsored).

Happy refreshing.

Eat well, my friend. Eat well.

Lyndi