Little Secrets
No artificial ingredients, flavors, or colors. No corn syrup. No diggity. No doubt.
Little Secrets are often described as the healthier version of the M&M. With no artificial anything, Little Secrets are “knock-your-socks-off” delicious bite sized candy coated chocolate bits. Crunch through the bright candy shell and taste what real candy is: rich, sweet, and crunchy all at the same time. Read more 
Green Pea Guacamole
I always love a side of guacamole with everything. ~Erin Heatherton
Rich, creamy guacamole made from a perfectly ripe avocado is the perfect topping for a veggie burger or toast, as a sandwich spread, or as a dip with tortilla chips or crackers. But if you want to ramp up the nutrition without compromising on flavor, consider making Green Pea Guacamole – an equally rich, thick, and flavorful side dish that is made with both avocado and fresh green peas. Read more
Gelato Fiasco: Vegan Options
Inspired by Italy. Perfected in Maine.
With summertime around the corner, Italy’s version of ice cream – gelato – is a refreshing alternative on hot summer days. With an emphasis on texture and flavor: gelato has a softer texture (than ice cream) that allows the flavor to come through more strongly. Although most gelato contains milk (as opposed to cream), Gelato Fiasco offers four (4) dairy-free options: Dark Chocolate Noir Sorbetto, Ripe Mango Sorbetto, Raspberry Truffle Sorbetto, and Banana Stracciatella. Read more
The Third Plate
The Third Plate is one of those books that fall into the category of “if I read only one book this year, I need to read this.” Written by Dan Barber, the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill, a restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village and Blue Hill at Stone Barns, also a restaurant located within the Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture (a four season farm and education center) in Pocantico Hills, New York, The Third Plate is one of the most comprehensive and interesting books linking chefs to suppliers to farmers and producers to seed breeders. Sounds dry? It isn’t. In fact, the book is a page turner. Think Anthony Boudain:Parts Unknown meets Michael Pollan for a four course meal after absorbing the Farmer’s Almanac and telling everyone else in the restaurant about all the magnificent places they’ve visited, the food they’ve tasted, and how that food was grown. Read more
Where Does $1 to Vita Nova, Inc. Go?
Vita Nova, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization based in West Palm Beach, Florida that operates three (3) programs to help youths 18-25 years old transition to independence. The three programs include:
- Vita Nova Village: A residential (apartment) program that has a capacity of 29 young adults who age out of foster care yet still need assistance with life skills, education, employment, and counseling.
- Independent Living Services: A program funded by the State of Florida to help young adults (16-25 years old) learn the skills and resources they will need to become independent adults.
- The Oasis Center: Provides a quick connection to work, housing, and healthcare assistance with county providers for young adults who didn’t come out of the foster care system or qualify for the Independent Living Services program.
Chocolate Covered Blood Orange Slices (DIY)
Necessity is the mother of invention.
EHChocolatier of Somerville, Massachusetts made a decadent treat called Blood Orange & Chocolate but ran out just before Valentine’s Day after being named one of the best chocolatiers in the country. Desperate for more of these treats, the only way was to make them myself.
I could have bought blood oranges, sliced and dehydrated the pieces but instead I placed an order with Simple & Crisp – a Seattle, Washington-based company that specializes in dried fruit crisps with a cracker-like texture – for a few boxes of their Blood Orange Dried Fruit Crisps. Read more
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