Just in time for warmer weather, May’s shipment from The Republic of Tea that I received to review as an Enlightenment TEAm blogger, featured four of their refreshing line of iced teas. What makes their iced tea stand out from the rest is The Republic of Tea’s new collection of Large Iced Tea Pouches! These premium, all-natural and certified gluten free iced tea bags are perfectly portioned for easy to steep, healthy tea to help you make the perfect iced tea pitcher every time. These innovative teas allow for safe steeping and, when done, can even be added to compost or soil to make gardens happy.

Here’s what I received this month:

• GINGER PEACH BLACK ICED TEA – This fresh and flavorful black tea offers the lushness of a juicy peach seasoned with the tingle of spicy ginger.

• HIBISCUS SANGRIA HERBAL ICED TEA – Inspired by traditional Spanish sangria, this delightful, caffeine-free herbal blend infuses tangy, premium Nigerian hibiscus flowers with a bounty of fruit.

• LIMÓN BLACK ICED TEA – A Kosher-certified blend of fine black tea from three Rainforest Alliance Certified tea gardens creates a base with classic, full-bodied flavor. Black limón (dried lime from Guatemala) is added for a refreshingly tart, citrus accent.

• WATERMELON MINT BLACK ICED TEA – This black tea captures the essence of summer with the natural, fresh sweetness of sun-ripened watermelon finished with a touch of cool peppermint. This one was my favorite and was especially yummy with Republic of Tea’s special Agave Nectar.

If you purchase one tin of The Republic of Tea’s new Large Iced Tea Pouches between Tuesday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 28 you will receive one complimentary bottle of agave nectar – the ideal all-natural iced tea sweetener (limit one per customer). Just use the promo code – #ICEDTEA6 – at checkout.

How to make iced tea

Read The Republic of Tea’s article on How To Make Iced Tea for brewing tips. Or watch this video!

Do you make iced tea from scratch during the summer months?

Sip and Refresh with The Republic of Tea’s Large Pouch Iced Teas {freebie code} #tea #SipbySpip is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Dealing with a sweet tooth is hard when you're trying to eat healthy or lose weight. However, if you’re diabetic, it’s a matter of life and death when it comes to managing your intake of candy and other sweet treats. According to Werther’s Originals Sugar Free Satisfaction Survey of 1,000 adults with diabetes, 66% of them found it hard to change their diet and avoid sugary treats. In fact, 39% of the survey respondents said that their enjoyment of eating sweets had taken a hit since they began watching their sugar intake.

That’s why I signed up to try out Werther's Original Sugar Free candies and share my experience with my diabetic and sugar free readers. Werther’s Originals Sugar Free caramels are made with the sugar alternative Isomalt and the sweetener Acesulfame-K. (If you’re concerned about artificial sweeteners, Acesulfame-K is considered safe by both the US FDA and the equivalent agency in the EU.) These sugar free candies have zero sugar carbs (3g of total carbs) and only  8 calories per candy, 40% less than Werther’s Original caramels.

Does Werther’s Originals Sugar Free pass the taste test?

To give the sugar free candies a test drive, Werther’s sent me a lovely box filled with a cute branded candy dish, Werther’s original coupons, an information booklet, and samples of all their sugar free flavors – Caramel Apple, Caramel Coffee, Caramel Cinnamon, and Classic. I wanted to see if they tasted as good as the regular Werther’s Originals. I’ve tried sugar free candies, mints, and cough drops before, and often they’re pretty awful. It’s not fun being sugar free, so I was keeping my fingers crossed that Werther’s had it figured out.

My family and I tried out all the varieties of Werther’s Originals Sugar Free, and frankly we can’t tell the difference between regular Werther’s Originals and the sugar free ones. Score! (My favorite was the Caramel Coffee.) One thing I did notice is that I was able to stop eating Werther’s Originals Sugar Free caramels after just a couple of candies. I cannot do that with regular Werther’s candies, so that’s a really, really good thing especially since Isomalt can cause tummy distress like gas and diarrhea when eaten in large quantities. (That’s because the body treats it like fiber.)

You can purchase Werther’s Originals Sugar Free at CVS, Target, Publix, Rite Aid, Kroger, Walmart, and other stores near you.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Safely indulging with Werther’s Original Sugar Free candies #WerthersSugarFree is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This month I was excited to receive The Republic of Tea’s line of premium Be Active teas to try out and review. They’re made with organic green rooibos tea from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms. When I had to give up green and black tea for a year due to my food sensitivities, I became a big fan of red rooibos (pronounced roy-boss) tea, which is grown in South Africa. According to Wikipedia, green rooibos is unoxidized and produced similar to the way green tea is made. Compared to red rooibos, green rooibos has a malty and slightly glass flavor. I find it has a mild brown rice taste to it, too.

After trying The Republic of Tea’s Be Active teas, I’m now a fan of green rooibos, too! These five herbal blends (with no caffeine!) are designed for people with active lifestyles so that they can steep, ice and enjoy on them on the go.

• Get Active (Herb Tea for Endurance) offers smooth and aromatic, flavor notes of vanilla that are accented by the tangy citrus of holy basil and natural orange flavor. This tea helps increase energy, stamina, endurance and promotes resistance to stress while antioxidants help protect from free radicals. Ideal for power walks, golf and light workouts.
• Get Limber (Herb Tea for Flexibility) offers bright and fruity notes with a hint of spice, lemongrass, orange peel and pineapple flavors. This tea helps to reduce joint swelling and inflammation, enables mobility and helps the body adapt to physical stresses that can cause pain. Ideal for pilates, tennis, yoga, and plyometrics.
• Get Burning (Herb Tea for Metabolism) offers the tangy sweetness of Sea Buckthorn with the spiciness of zingy chili pepper, cinnamon and ginger. This tea assists in accelerating metabolism, enhances caloric burn rate and fat oxidation and helps strengthen stamina and endurance. Ideal for cardio, boot camps, running, weights and spinning. This was my favorite of all the Be Active teas I tried!
• Get Hydrated (Herb Tea for Refreshment) offers citrus notes of fruity hibiscus, black limon (dried lime) and black currant. This tea helps boost levels of rehydration and refreshment and is full of antioxidants and electrolytes. Ideal for hiking, surfing, bikram yoga and running.
• Get Restored (Herb Tea for Recovery) offers notes of caramel and coconut sweetened by dates. This tea, abundant in antioxidants, helps recovery by rebalancing acidity, increasing oxygenation and helps protect from toxin absorption. Ideal after any physical activity and/or at the end of the day.

My favorite Be Active tea was Get Burning for the taste. I also liked Get Restored, which was perfect for drinking after a visit to my kinesiologist, Dr. Paul, who told me to drink lots of water or herbal tea to flush the toxins released during his treatment on my shoulder.

Try The Republic of Tea’s Be Active teas and get a free sports bottle!

If you’re interested in trying out The Republic of Tea’s line of premium Be Active teas, use the promo code #BEACTIVE6 (with or without the #) to receive a complimentary Be Active sports bottle with one tin, refill or bulk bag purchase of Be Active tea.  Note that there’s a limit of one sports bottle per customer.

The promo code is good from Sunday, April 14, 2013 to Sunday, April 21, 2013 so act soon!

Be Active with The Republic of Tea line of green rooibos teas #SipbySip #tea is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

As a part of my work with the Udi’s Gluten Free Community, I try to serve as your go to source about Udi’s Gluten Free new products. One new offering that got me really excited was their new gluten free plain tortillas. One of the foods I really missed when I first started eating gluten free were tortillas. (Since I was eating corn free for a while, I couldn’t eat those either!) I’m sure many of you – especially those with gluten free kids – feel the same way since tortillas are something many of us eat regularly. I couldn’t image having any sort of Mexican style dishes from quesadillas to taco night without them!

About Udi’s Gluten Free Plain Tortillas

Udi’s Gluten Free’s tortillas come in two sizes – small and large. Also, you may have to search in the refrigerator or freezer section of your store to find them, as they need to be refrigerated. I learned the hard way and had them out on the counter for a week when they started getting moldy.

As far as taste and texture goes, I like them a little better than the brown rice tortillas I usually purchase. They’re less chewy, especially if I cook them in the microwave for 10 seconds before making a wrap with them. Unfortunately, the tortillas are a bit fragile and tear easily, but this is true of other gluten free tortillas I’ve tried. So make sure to store them perfectly flat in the refrigerator. If you don’t, they’ll tear in the package.

The reason I gave you that warning because I didn’t store them flat, and had a package of broken tortillas that were useless for making breakfast egg wraps or hummus and arugula rollups. So I decided to make lemonade with lemons, or in this case, nachos with torn Udi’s Gluten Free tortillas!

Quick and Easy Gluten Free Nachos

This is a great way to use up leftovers from taco night or an easy party dish to make for your gluten free guests.

Ingredients;

• cooking spray
• 3 large or 5 small Udi’s Gluten Free Plain Tortillas, torn into bite sized pieces (or enough to line your oven safe dish)
• your favorite healthy nacho toppings – low fat Mexican style grated cheese, chunks of queso fresco, salsa, olives, leftover fajita beef, chicken or pepper stir fry, diced onions and tomatoes, no fat refried beans, etc. Get creative!

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Spray an oven save dish with cooking spray. (I used a glass pie plate.)
3. Line dish with torn pieces of Udi’s Gluten Free Plain Tortillas.
4. Place dish on highest rack of the oven and cook for 10 minutes until the tortilla pieces start to get a little bit brown and crispy.
5. Remove dish from oven. Cover tortilla with your favorite nacho toppings.
6. Place dish back in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Quick and Easy Nachos with Udi’s Gluten Free Plain Tortillas! #glutenfree #gfcommunity is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I met the Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices team when I was at Food Blog South earlier this year. Now I’ve known about Gourmet Garden for years having seen the tubes in the herb section of the produce aisle at my grocery store. However – true confession time – I’d never used their product! So I was thrilled when they sent me a full set of 11 Gourmet Garden tubes to try out.

I’m so glad they did because I now ADORE Gourmet Garden for so many reasons. Here are a few:

• Eliminates waste – Ever buy a bunch of cilantro only to use a small portion and have the rest turn into a science experiment at the bottom of your vegetable drawer? Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices last up to three months in your refrigerator.
• Easy to use – When you’re rushing to get dinner on the table, it’s so easy to squeeze a bit of garlic or basil into a measuring spoon to add to whatever you’re making. There’s no need to get the cutting board out and spend time mincing fresh herbs and spices. When cooking, use Gourmet Garden just like fresh. So if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh dill, measure 1 teaspoon of Gourmet Garden Dill.
• Makes cooking fun – I’ve been having such a fun time experimenting with Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices. I’ve squeeze some into eggs, spaghetti sauce, chili, fajitas and more. Recently, I’ve used Gourmet Garden in Shrimp Puttanesca with Quinoa, Healthy Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken and Ranch Sliders, Spaghetti with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce, and Taco Soup, too!
• Delicious – Made with organically grown herbs, Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices are harvested and simply washed, chopped, blended and packed fresh into squeezable tubes. They’re refrigerated (never heated or dried) so they retain their fabulous flavor, aroma and color. My kids love using Gourmet Garden, too! I’ve caught both of them squeezing Gourmet Garden Cilantro on their pork tacos. Try it! It’s soooo gooood.

For more information about Gourmet Garden, check out the Gourmet Garden website and connect with them on Facebook.

Win a set of 11 Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices Tubes!

From now on I’ll be keeping a set of Gourmet Garden in my refrigerator. I’m convinced that you’d do the same if you only had a chance to try them, which is why I’m giving a way a soft-sided cooler with 11 Gourmet Garden tubes (value $55). Since they have to be refrigerated, please do not enter the giveaway unless you can receive an express shipment. They’re happy to send it to your home, workplace, or to a friend, relative or neighbor’s home.

Gourmet Garden Herbs and Spices giveaway {$55 value} is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This month I received the entire family of The Republic of Tea’s U-Matcha line as an Enlightenment TEAm blogger. Matcha powder contains fine-ground Japanese green tea leaves, which is what is used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. What’s really special about matcha tea is that you can use it in cooking as well as drinking it. I’ve used matcha powder in smoothies, drank it in lattes, and even had it in baked goods and desserts.

The Republic of Tea U-Matcha family of teas

• U-Matcha Natural – contains tender, shade-grown green tea leaves that have been ground to a fine powder creating a rich balance of flavors. This matcha tea is ideal for blending with water for sipping or for cooking.
• U-Matcha Yuzu – this tea blends fine matcha powder with yuzu for a citrus flavor. This matcha tea makes a bright addition to mixed drinks, spice rubs and sweet desserts.
• U-Matcha Ginger – blends fine matcha powder with ginger. This matcha tea boasts a spicy kick and wakes up the flavors of miso soups, stir-fry and other savory dishes.
• U-Matcha Roasted Rice – blends fine matcha powder with roasted rice to create a nutty finish of flavor. This matcha tea provides warm nuances for sweet baked goods, savory dishes, shakes and lattes.

The Matcha Madness promo code – free matcha frother!

When ordering U-Matcha tea through The Republic of Tea website, use “#MATCHA6” (no quote marks, but use the #) to receive a complimentary electric matcha frother with any order of U-Matcha Tea from The Republic of Tea. This promo begins March 22, 2013 (today!) and is effective until March 29, 2013. While you’re shopping, check out all of their other matcha tools to make the perfect cup.

Cooking with U-Matcha

You can find several recipes on The Republic of Tea website for using U-Matcha in a variety of dishes and drinks. Here are a couple more:

U-Matcha Aioli

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 cup light or no fat mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons U-Matcha tea
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Directions:

1. Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Enjoy as a sandwich spread or as an accompaniment to fish, chicken or roasted vegetables.

U-Matcha Salt

Mix 1 part U-Matcha tea with 2 parts fine sea salt. Goes great with:

• popcorn
• mixed nuts
• roasted vegetables
• chicken, fish or stir-fry dishes
• butter
• mayonnaise
• eggs

This also makes a nice homemade gift idea for friends and relatives who love to cook. Place the salt in a small canning jar and include a cute label along with a pretty ribbon.

Experience Matcha Madness with The Republic of Tea #SipbySip #tea is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I’ve been packing lunches for my kids for over eight years now, so I’ve become an expert in what they like to bring to school for lunch. Both kids like a combination of sweet and savory. The main savory lunchbox item are sandwiches on whole wheat bread with a little mustard – turkey bologna for Lucie and a ham, roast beef or pastrami for Nathan. (However, if Nathan has had his braces tightened, he like bringing a thermos of hot butternut squash soup.) Another savory item is cheese. Nathan likes low fat smoked string cheese and Lucie has low fat “Laughing Cow” cheese.

Packing sweet things in their lunchboxes are a must both kids, of course. Frozen low fat yogurt tubes, dried fruit bars, and even clementine oranges are always eaten and never thrown out. I always make sure to pack a drink, too, either a juice box (usually leftovers from a party or camping trip) or a bottle of water.

My kids’ favorite sweet lunchbox item are fruit cups, especially DOLE® Fruit Parfaits, which have a tendency to disappear before I have a chance to pack them in their lunchboxes. In fact, I’ve been including them in their lunches ever since I attended the Dole Blogger Summit back in 2010. Since we’re big fans, I was thrilled that DOLE sent me some of their DOLE® Fruit Parfaits  to review and share with you.

A healthy sweet treat

What I especially like about DOLE Fruit Parfaits is that they’re a healthy sweet treat that you can feel pretty good about packing in your kids’ lunch on occasion. (I consider them a treat, not an everyday food item.) My kids love them because of the smooth layer of deliciously light-tasting crème. And I like them because they contain real fruit. DOLE Fruit Parfaits contain all natural fruit and are rich in Vitamin C. They’re also low fat, cholesterol free and very low in sodium. They’re also super convenient to pack for afterschool snacks on the way to sports or dance practice – just bring a spoon!

There’s also three different kinds so they kids don’t get bored with the same flavors. (Their favorite is Peaches and Crème.):

• Pineapple and Crème
• Apples and Crème
• Peaches and Crème

DOLE Fruit Parfaits also affordable as the suggested retail price is $2.79/per package of four – cheaper and healthier than getting an ice cream at school. (Yes my kids’ cafeterias still sell ice cream. Sigh.) You can find DOLE Fruit Parfaits in the canned fruit section at your grocery store.

For more information, go to dole.com. You can also connect with DOLE on Facebook and on Twitter.

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Disclaimer: I’m part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and DOLE partnered in support of this campaign. DOLE compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

How to pack the perfect lunchbox #DoleParfaitEscape is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Are you familiar with YoCrunch™ yogurt? Well, they’ve come out with Yopa!™, authentic nonfat Greek yogurt that’s packaged with a healthy crunch from either granola, dark chocolate or toasted almonds. Yopa! sent me a few coupons to try out their Greek yogurt and share my opinion with you. I thought this would be a great way for my family to try out a new Greek yogurt brand, especially since my husband starts out his day with Greek yogurt, a side of granola and some fruit. I’m also trying to get my kids to eat more yogurt, especially my daughter who doesn’t like drinking milk.

We tried the blueberry, strawberry and the black cherry with granola and the vanilla with almonds. Unfortunately, my grocery store didn’t have the vanilla with dark chocolate chips, but I’ll be on the lookout for that one for sure!

I liked that Yopa! had everything packaged and ready to go, which makes my husband’s day a little easier since he often takes his breakfast to work. It was very easy to undo the lid and foil and mix the yogurt and granola together, especially since they allowed extra room in the cup for you to add the granola or nuts, without spilling when stirring it. I found Yopa! to be delicious and the texture perfect – creamy and thick. (My husband agreed.) I also liked having the extra crunch from the granola along with the real fruit, as did my kids.

The Yopa! difference

Yopa! stands out from the rest of the Greek yogurt crowd because they’re committed to producing the best yogurt by using farm-fresh, regionally-sourced milk from dairies close to where they make it. Also, it takes four gallons of milk to make one gallon of Yopa! yogurt, but they think you’re worth it.

Then Yopa! adds real vanilla or fruit to their authentic, strained Greek yogurt. In addition, they pair each flavor with either whole grain granola, toasted Blue Diamond almonds, or dark chocolate, for a delicious balance of yogurt, flavors and toppings with a nice combination of crunchy and creamy. Yopa! is a “Balance Perfected” way to start your day! And it makes a great afternoon or after school snack, too.

Yopa! comes in the following flavors:

• Blueberries & Granola – real blueberries and nine whole grain granola
• Strawberries & Granola – real strawberries and nine whole grain granola
• Black Cherries & Granola – real black cherries and nine whole grain granola
• Peach & Granola – real peaches and nine whole grain granola
• Vanilla & Almonds – rich vanilla and toasted almonds
• Vanilla & Chocolate – rich vanilla and dark chocolate chips

You can buy individual cups or four-packs of each flavor. Yopa! comes in a 3.5 and 5.3 ounce sizes.

The benefits of Yopa! Greek yogurt

Yopa! is a great source of protein. The 3.5 ounce cups contain at least 16% of the recommended daily allowance of protein, while the 5.3 ounce cups contain at least 26% of the recommended daily allowance.

Other benefits of Yopa! are:

• Good source of calcium
• 0g of cholesterol and trans fat
• Made with 5 cultures and 3 probiotics
• No preservatives or artificial colors (and only one product has artificial flavor – vanillin)
• Vegetarian
• Kosher certifie

Take the Yopa! Taste Challenge

Speaking of balance, gold medalist Gabby Douglas is an expert, and she's challenging you to take the Yopa! Taste Challenge where you can win a variety of prizes, including $10,000! Just "like" Yopa! on Facebook for a chance to win and to grab a coupon for $.50 (or more!) off one cup of Yopa! Authentic Greek Yogurt.

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Disclaimer: I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Yopa! Greek Yogurt – a balanced way to start the day #YopaYogurt is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

One of the biggest joys of becoming a mom was learning that my children make me laugh, especially my daughter, Lucie. Besides being artistic, cute and super smart, Lucie has a hidden talent – she’s a ham. She does a great Honey Boo Boo impersonation and can make her tummy roll like a belly dancer’s. She’s also good at making our dog, Nellie, leap high in the air to get a treat. (Leaping is Nellie’s hidden talent, along with sneaking chips.) She even dances with the dog, even though Nellie doesn’t like it all that much.

Her antics crack me up. I’m sure it’s only because I’m her mom, but I find great joy in these hidden talents of hers!

Green Giant’s hidden talent

The folks at Green Giant have a hidden talent, too! Their giant surprise is that they’ve brought the goodness of vegetables into their new Veggie Snack Chips!

Green Giant sent me their two new chip varieties to try out – Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips and Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips. Both are tasty and a snack you shouldn’t feel too guilty about indulging in (in moderation, of course.) Unfortunately, some of the ingredients of the tortilla chips were things I avoid, like whey due to my food sensitivities, and hydrogenated soybean oil, which I feel isn’t all that healthy even if there’s 2% or less of it in the snack. (You can see the nutritional information on Green Giant's Facebook page on the Veggie Snack Chips tab.)

However, I was really excited when I looked over the ingredient list on the bag of Green Giant’s Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips. Even though they’re not certified to be gluten free, the ingredients seem to be free of the stuff. (If you’re very sensitive to gluten or have celiacs, you should assume that the chips are manufactured on machinery that is exposed to gluten-containing foods. Better to be safe than sorry!)

Green Giant’s Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips contain: whole grain corn flour, sunflower oil, dried sweet potatoes, rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, whole grain buckwheat flour and 2% or less of refiner’s syrup, maltodextrin, sugar, salt, buckwheat fiber, dried honey, and two ingredients to preserve freshness – sodium acid pyrophosaphate and tetra sodium pyrophosphate. Sure some of the ingredients aren’t what you’d use in your kitchen, but it’s a SNACK CHIP, not a salad! If you want a super healthy snack, have some fruit or a green monster smoothie instead.

In addition, Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips (6g fat per 28g serving) have 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips (10g fat per 28g serving). So, if you’re jonesing for chips or want to serve a healthier chip at your next party, Green Giant’s Veggie Snack Chips are a good alternative.

Find even more of the Giant's favorite surprise talents at the Green Giant YouTube channel and learn more about their Veggie Snack Chips on the Green Giant's Facebook page.

What are your hidden talents?

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Disclaimer: Thank you to The Green Giant™ for being a sponsor. Show the Giant your surprise talent at www.facebook.com/greengiant.

Finding joy in my family’s hidden talents #AGiantSurprise is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Most folks know it’s important incorporate vegetables in our diets, but trying to get kids (and their picky parents) to eat them can be a chore! That’s why I’m a big advocate for cooking with tomato sauce and diced tomatoes from cans. First, Hunt’s tomatoes are full of antioxidants like lycopene. Second, they’re super convenient to use, especially when you have to get a meal on the table in half an hour. That’s why I’m working with Hunt’s during American Hearth Month to introduce you to their Signature Recipe Collection^™ and show you why Hunt’s is a delicious, convenient and healthy tomato brand with which to cook.

But before I tell you about the Hunt’s tomato difference, could you take a minute to fill out a quick survey about tomatoes? Thanks!

The Hunt’s tomato difference – FlashSteam®

Hunt's uses FlashSteam^® to peel their diced, whole, stewed, and crushed tomatoes. Other tomato brands use chemicals to peel theirs. Hunt’s also harvests their tomatoes at the peak of freshness. And all of their diced, whole, stewed, and crushed tomatoes go from farm to can in just a matter of hours. Not only does that lock in flavor and nutrition, it makes for great tasting tomatoes, too.

Rediscovering Hunt’s products

Now I’ve always known that Hunt’s made tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, but I had no idea about their diced fire roasted tomatoes. Or that their diced tomatoes came with seasoning already added like their basil, garlic and oregano variety that comes with or without salt. I also recently discovered that you can now get Hunt’s tomato sauce in Tetra Pak boxes, which comes in handy when you’re making up a big batch of spaghetti sauce.

Just more ways to get those heart healthy Hunt’s tomato products into your cooking!

Hunt’s Signature Recipe Collection

For American Heart Month, I’ll be sharing a few healthy recipes from Hunt’s Signature Recipe Collection. I picked ones that are perfect busy nights when you don’t have a lot of time, are family friendly, and can easily be adapted for parties and casual entertaining.

Here’s what I’ll be cooking up this month:

• Hunt's® Crispy Breaded Tilapia
• Hunt's® Fire-Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup
• Hunt's® Shrimp and Rice Skillet
• Hunt's® Easy Gazpacho

What recipe would you make from Hunt’s Signature Recipe Collection?

Take a quick survey

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Disclosure: I’ve been compensated by Hunt’s for my time and efforts on their behalf. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Heart healthy cooking with Hunt’s tomatoes #HuntsRecipes is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!