Q-Pon Cooking: September 2015: Sweet Corn -- Easy Spanish Rice

I wanted to make some Chubby Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos for my family's dinner the pay period, and pondered a recipe I could serve with those.  I generally try to stay within a similar "theme" for dinners, so if I make something that sounds sort of Mexican...  Well, I work on having something else Hispanic.  I'm maybe a bit crazy ;).

So I remembered a recipe on the #10 can of THRIVE Mixed Bell Peppers for Easy Spanish Rice that sounded -- well -- easy!  And then it turned out that this recipe called for THRIVE Sweet Corn, the Q-Pon item for September!  So that was a bonus!

The recipe is super easy, and I was able to throw it all together while having 5 kids ages 8 and under in my house (one of them 2 1/2 months old and 2 of them 2 year olds!).  I call that a winner if I can be successful with a dish under those circumstances :).

I used the recipe to start, but added many more THRIVE ingredients than the original recipe called for, ergo I had to play with the water a little bit and didn't keep an accurate measurement.  But I'd say I added around 3 cups of water total.

EASY SPANISH RICE
1/4 cup THRIVE Mixed Bell Peppers
2 tablespoons THRIVE Chopped Onions
1 teaspoon THRIVE Chicken Bouillon
3 cups water
1 cup THRIVE Sweet Corn (Q-Pon item this month -- contact me!)
1/2 cup Salsa
1 1/2 cup THRIVE Instant White Rice

Add all ingredients except rice to medium saucepan and cook 10 minutes, finally bringing to a boil.  Add rice and cover.  Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.  *Optional, add shredded cheddar cheese and stir.  (I didn't do this initially, but when I had leftovers, I added some cheese and thought it was wonderful with the cheese!)

This was super easy to throw together, as I said.  A great side dish!  The THRIVE Sweet Corn will be the Q-Pon item for all of September.  If you have a Q, simply add the corn to your next Q shipment!  If not, contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com and I'll help you get the great price on this very popular -- and delicious -- THRIVE Life product!

Happy THRIVEing!

A Meal By Mail

I have a dear friend in Alabama who recently had a sweet baby girl.  With all my heart, I wish I was closer so I could go over and take dinner for her family.  I know how fun it can be to have a newborn and still have to prepare dinners for a hungry family!  I know it takes a while for the whole family to adjust to the newest little member.  And so, when dinners were brought to our home just a couple months ago, we were so very grateful.  I wanted so very much to offer my sweet friend the same thing.  But I live in Washington -- and it's not super convenient to drive to Alabama to deliver a meal ;). 

But once again, THRIVE Life came to the rescue!  It occurred to me that I do have a way to offer my friend a meal for her family that would be very quick and easy to prepare.  Literally just add water!!!  So this morning, I prepped a whole meal for her family and shipped it off in the mail -- all using THRIVE!  I posted some pictures of it to my Facebook business page ("THRIVEing with Hila," if you're interested in following me!) and had a request that I share the recipes.  So here they are, the recipes I used for a meal by mail for my dear friend!

VEGETARIAN TACO SOUP  (original recipe posted here, but I changed some measurements)
 1/2 cup THRIVE Instant Black Beans
1/4 cup THRIVE Taco TVP
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons THRIVE Sweet Corn
3 tablespoons THRIVE Chili Peppers
1/4 cup THRIVE Tomato Powder
2 tablespoons THRIVE Chopped Onions
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon ranch dressing mix

Bring 4 cups water to boil.  Add contents of bag and simmer 15 minutes.  Add additional water to your preference.


GOLDEN CORNBREAD (this is a THRIVE Life recipe)
1 cup THRIVE Cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour*
2/3 cup white sugar*
1/2 cup THRIVE Butter Powder
2 tablespoons THRIVE Whole Egg Powder
2 tablespoons THRIVE Nonfat Powdered Milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put contents of bag into a medium mixing bowl.  Add 1 1/2 cups water and stir (or whisk) until well blended and lumps are gone.  Pour into a greased 8x8 pan.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to set 15 to 20 minutes before serving.


SUMMER (BERRY) LEMONADE (recipe from the can of Summer Lemonade)
1 cup sugar*
2 tablespoons THRIVE Summer Lemonade
berries of your choice (I included THRIVE Strawberry Slices and THRIVE Raspberries)

Mix contents of larger bag with 2 quarts (8 cups) water.  Chill.  Add berries of your choice to individual servings.

*Denotes other ingredients available through THRIVE Life.

All of these things can be done in jars as well.  In fact, we will be making the Golden Cornbread at our upcoming jar meal event in September!  So if you're interested in attending, let me know so I can get you the details!  The cornbread is awesome, by the way...  My family had it with chili on Friday (the chili recipe will also be available at the jar meal event in September!).

I noted in the instructions to them that I recommend these be used within a month, since they are not vacuum sealed.  At the jar meal events, we do vacuum seal the jars and that means they are good for 5 years!

I am truly excited I found a way to get a meal to my friend.  She is an amazing woman and we have a friendship I treasure beyond words.  And I hope this dinner makes at least one of these days with a new little miracle just a little bit easier -- and yummy to boot!

If you'd like to know more about this and how you can get all these great ingredients, contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com or visit my website:  www.thriveingNilla.thrivelife.com/THRIVEingNilla.

Happy THRIVEing!

Lactation Cookies

Many of my friends know from when we had our first baby that I had issues with milk supply when trying to breast-feed our little girl.  We ended up having to use mostly formula, and I would breast-feed whatever my body could supply.  Though not the way I'd hoped things would go for us, it was the way things went; and I learned to live with it and be grateful for the blessing of being able to feed my child, even if it wasn't the way I'd always imagined it being.

Fast-forward a couple years and we have just had our baby boy!  Knowing it was highly likely I still wouldn't produce enough milk to sustain my baby's life without supplementing with formula, we were more prepared this time.  But still, I have decided to try a variety of things to increase my milk supply.  A friend of mine told me about lactation cookies, so I went and looked them up!  And then I made some -- with the help of THRIVE!

These cookies are actually not too bad, but the brewer's yeast certainly has a taste that cannot be completely masked.  I'm not sure if they are officially working, but I have been eating them anyway :).  And since I used my THRIVE ingredients to make them, I thought I'd share them here!  This is where I got the original recipe, but below is the recipe as I made it.

LACTATION COOKIES

2 Tbsp. flaxseed
4 Tbsp. water
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 THRIVE eggs (2 tablespoons THRIVE Whole Eggs + 4 tablespoons water)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. Brewer’s Yeast
3 cups THRIVE quick oats
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

 

Cream together the butter and sugars.  Add eggs one at a time and mix well.  Add flaxseed and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, combine together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, Brewer's Yeast, and oats.  Add to the butter mixture 1/2 cup at a time.

Once the dough is mixed together well, add chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake 8 to 10 minutes (mine took 8). sdfasd

Jar Meal: Apple Pie Oatmeal

This Thursday I am doing a Make and Take Jar Meal class for my sweet friend Megan!  She's so awesome and she's so excited about THRIVE Life that she wants all her guests to have some THRIVE Life deliciousness to take home and enjoy -- hence the Apple Pie Oatmeal in a jar for every party guest :)! 

So this morning, my toddler and I tried it out!  And it is amazing!  My toddler asked for "more...more!"  And, considering she usually leaves her store-bought cereals to soak up milk and go soggy and go to waste, I was totally impressed that she at all of her oatmeal and wanted more! 

Being that I'm only 3 weeks away from my due date, I am definitely planning on making variations of this recipe to keep in my cabinet for easy to fix breakfasts after we have a new little bundle in our home (and I have less sleep in my body :)).  Definitely going to try doing it with bananas and cinnamon; strawberries and vanilla powder; peaches, etc.!  So versatile!

APPLE PIE OATMEAL
1 cup THRIVE Quick Oats
2 tablespoons THRIVE Instant Milk
1/4 cup brown sugar*
1/2 cup  THRIVE Granny Smith Apples, crushed/broken (about 5 to 6 apple slices)
2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice

For the jar:  Layer ingredients in a pint-size jar, beginning with oats.

To prepare in microwave:  Place contents of jar in microwave-safe bowl (a larger one) and add 1 2/3 cups water.  Microwave on high 2 to 2 1/2 minutes in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval.  Add more water slowly to reach desired consistency.  Add milk as necessary to thin/cool after oatmeal is cooked.

To prepare on stove top:  Add contents of jar to 1 3/4 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, adding water as necessary.  Add milk as necessary to thin/cool after oatmeal is cooked.

*Denotes other ingredients available through THRIVE Life.

This is 2 servings in the pint-size jar; but you can half the recipe (in a jelly jar) and have single-serve breakfasts!  Which would be totally awesome to take to work with you -- or send with your husband ;)!

I may have used too small of a bowl in the microwave...  And I may have had a little mess to clean up!  But it was so worth it!

I'm so excited about jar meals and how THRIVE Life can help me have easy and fast meals on hand like this oatmeal!  And I'm definitely glad for it as I prepare to make-ahead a bunch of meals (both breakfast and dinner!) to help us as we transition from a family of 3 to a family of 4!!!

Would you like to be able to make your own jar meals?  I can help you out!  Just contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com or visit my website at www.thrivelife.com/THRIVEingNilla!

Happy THRIVEing!

*This is not my original recipe.  I got it from a jar meal cookbook available through my THRIVE Life team!

Meals in a Jar Open House Sneak Peek!

Some of you are aware that my friend and I will be holding a Meals in a Jar Open House at the end of the month!  There are going to be some fabulous "jar meals" there, and you won't want to miss out on the opportunity to see what THRIVE Life can do to simplify your life on the crazy busy days!  We will be vacuum sealing these jars, making them shelf-stable for 5 years!  That's just awesome!


One of the meals attendees can make is my Italian Bowtie Pasta! It includes the following THRIVE Life ingredients:

THRIVE Sausage Crumbles
THRIVE Vegetarian Chicken Bouillon
THRIVE Chopped Onions
THRIVE Tomato Powder
THRIVE Rainbow Farfalle Pasta

A few other dried herbs finish off the delicious meal in a jar (oregano, thyme, and basil), and oila!  You'll have a quick and easy go-to meal that is way healthier than going through a drive-thru -- and cheaper too!  This particular meal is $9 a jar, and will make 8 1-cup servings -- which comes to only $1.13 per serving!

So if you're interested in trying out this meal in a jar -- or one of the others we'll have available for you to make, stop by the Sunn Fjord Condominiums Clubhouse on March 31st between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. and make one to take home! 

Contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com if you need directions or more information!

Raspberry Sauce/Filling

Yesterday I had some extra kiddos coming over early in the morning.  One of them is only 8 months old, so he wasn't going to be caring too much about pancakes for breakfast...  But the other is 4, and then my toddler is almost 2.  So I figured I'd make a "special" breakfast.  Particularly because my husband likes to tease me about my cast iron pancake puff pan (the as seen on TV! one) that I have used only a very few times, yet continue to move around with me from home to home.  Well, here's the thing:  my dad got it for me many years ago, because he thought I would like it.  I'm kind of a sentimental person, so I hold on to things like that.  Plus, it is super cute!  And I just know my kiddos will appreciate the fun of having pancake puffs in the years ahead. 

But I decided it was a good time to make pancake puffs, since I'd have an older kid over at breakfast time.  And then I started thinking about how much fun it would be to actually fill the puffs (the pan comes with gadgets to help you add pizazz!  And one of those gadgets is a syringe type thing) with something yummy!  And I thought of my THRIVE Raspberries, and the recipe on the #10 can of THRIVE Raspberries for Raspberry Sauce.  So I decided to give it a try!

I will confess straight up that this did not go entirely as I hoped.  I was playing around with the recipe on kind-of short notice.  I decided to cut back on the water in the original recipe to hopefully make a thicker sauce which would do the trick.  Well, it really didn't quite.  It wasn't gel-like enough.  Which means I have learned I need to do some more research.  However, it was still a really fun experience, and the sauce just soaked into the pancake puffs and still made them delicious anyway!  So I'm still posting this and then I will hone the technique and post again when I've had 100% success!

I started out by making my pancake puffs with my THRIVE 10-Grain Pancake Mix (which was just pancake mix and water).  We love this stuff!  I also made up a few regular pancakes with the batter, since it wasn't vital that I have puffs ;). 

While making the pancakes, I started the Raspberry filling.  Here is the way I did it (which was basically cut the original recipe in half, except I significantly decreased the water):

RASPBERRY SAUCE/FILLING
1 cups THRIVE Raspberries
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons white sugar*
1/2 tablespoon honey*
1/2 teaspoon THRIVE Pure Vanilla Powder
1/8 teaspoon salt*
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Boil all ingredients in a saucepan until slightly thickened and syrupy (only I was trying to get it very thick, so I boiled longer).  Place sauce in a strainer over a bowl and push through, leaving only the seeds in the strainer.  Discard seeds.  Cover and refrigerate sauce before serving over desserts.  (Well, I actually used mine right away, which probably didn't help the lack of thickness!  Also, I didn't spend a lot of time on the straining.  I got a lot of sauce out for injecting into the puffs, but left the rest in the strainer with the seeds, and then spread it on my pancakes -- still yummy!)

I tried to get a close-up of the puffs so you could see the filling/sauce squeezing out a bit ;).

Cornmeal Cookies

Some days I just get in a baking mood.  And then I need to either freeze or give away what I bake.  Because I have an insatiable sweet tooth! 

When I became a consultant with THRIVE Life, one of the awesome things included in the consultant kit was the THRIVE Cookbook.  I love cookbooks.  So I have spent much time flipping through the pages of this cookbook, thinking about all the things I want to try.  One of those things that grabbed my interest right away was cornmeal cookies!  I'd never heard of putting cornmeal in cookies.  I was intrigued and knew I wanted to give them a go. 

So I did!

I shared them with one of my sweet customers, and she said it is one of the best cookies she has ever tasted.  If you don't like lemon, you'll want to steer clear.  But otherwise, these are a delicious treat!  And I even threw in an extra little something yummy :)!

CORNMEAL COOKIES
3/4 cup butter, softened (I used 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup THRIVE Butter Powder + 2 tablespoons water)
3/4 cup white sugar*
1 tablespoon THRIVE Whole Egg Powder (plus 2 tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup THRIVE Cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder*
1/4 teaspoon salt*
1 1/2 cups white flour*
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins -- I used cranberries)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips (optional -- these were my addition)

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Mix in he egg, water, and lemon extract.  Mix well.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and flour.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and combine.  Stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips (if desired).

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookie bottoms are lightly browned.  Let cookies cook for 2 minutes on baking sheet before placing them on a cooling rack.

*Denotes other ingredients available through THRIVE Life.

These are yummy and just a different spin on a cookie!  Loved trying them out -- and love my THRIVE Cookbook!

Speaking of becoming a consultant...  There is seriously no better time than now if you have ever considered becoming one!  THRIVE Life has just revamped their Consultant Kits and restructured everything.  It's amazing!  Enough that I sort of wish I was just now signing up ;).  Except for all the fun I've already been having as I've built up my own home store!!!  So if you have any questions about being a THRIVE Life Consultant and want to know more, contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com!  I'd love to tell you why I love what I am doing!

Make-Ahead Golden Cornbread!

I've mentioned on other personal blogs before that our family tries to keep meal prep to a minimum on Sundays.  And this past Sunday, THRIVE Life helped me do just that with some make-ahead cornbread!  Because I had all the ingredients on hand -- and they were all dry ingredients! -- I made my cornbread mix Saturday night, put it in an airtight container, and just added water on Sunday!

The results?

Delicious!

GOLDEN CORNBREAD
1 cup THRIVE Cornmeal
2/3 cup white sugar*
1 cup white flour*
1/2 cup THRIVE Butter Powder
2 tablespoons powdered milk*
2 tablespoons THRIVE Whole Egg Powder
1 teaspoon baking powder*
1/2 teaspoon salt*
1 1/2 cup water (to add when ready to prepare)

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.

To prepare:  Preheat oven to 375.  Grease an 8x8 baking pan.  Add 1 1/2 cups water to dry ingredients and whisk together until batter is smooth.  Pour into greased pan.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes.  Allow to cool 15 minutes before serving.

*Denotes other ingredients available through THRIVE Life.

This cornbread was delicious!  I love that it can be prepared ahead of time and all I have to do is add water!  This makes for a great gift -- just add a pound of THRIVE Express Hearty Chili with Beans!  It's also great for once-a-month cooking, though I would recommend having it sealed pretty well in that case.  And even if you just know you're going to have a busy day the next day and you want your meal to be hassle-free, this is a great option for a side dish!  Prep it early and have it waiting for water, baking and eating!

Below is a picture of the mix I made Saturday night.  I just put the lid on that bowl and let it sit and wait for me until Sunday evening :).

And here's a close-up of the deliciousness!

Would you love to have ingredients on-hand to make your own mixes?  THRIVE is full of those handy ingredients!  Contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com and I'll help you get what you need!

Cooking with the Q-Pon: 10 Grain Pancake Mix: Peach-Raspberry Cobbler

I know it's officially October, and there is a new Q-Pon item for the month (which you can find on the October Specials Flyer)...  But I haven't gotten my Q for October yet, so I'll do one more Cooking with the Q-Pon post with September's Q-Pon Item: the 10 Grain Pancake Mix!

Plus, it was officially made in September, since it was featured as dessert at Marvelous Monday Meals!  So it still counts ;).

I found the recipe at the new THRIVE Life recipe site!  The original recipe can be found here.  I adapted it a little and used raspberries instead of sweet cherries :).  It was yummy the first day, served up with ice cream.  But I think it tasted even better the next day, once the flavors all blended even more.  So delicious!

PEACH-RASPBERRY COBBLER
Filling:
3 cups THRIVE Peach Slices
1/2 cup THRIVE Raspberries
1/2 cup brown sugar*
1/4 cup THRIVE Powdered Butter
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water

Cake:
3/4 cup THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix
1/3 cup sugar*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder*
1/4 teaspoon salt*
1 tablespoon THRIVE Instant Milk
3 tablespoons THRIVE Butter Powder
1 1/2 teaspoons THRIVE Pure Vanilla Extract Powder
1 tablespoon THRIVE Whole Egg Powder
1/3 cup water

Streusel:
1/4 cup THRIVE Butter Powder
1/4 cup brown sugar*
1/4 cup oats*
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Pour into a greased 9x9 dish. For cake, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until combined. Spread batter on top of filling.

For streusel, cut butter into remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined. Sprinkle streusel on top of cake batter.

 Bake at 400°F for 18–22 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.

*Denotes ingredients also available through THRIVE Life.

This cobbler is delicious!  I'm really glad I took it for Marvelous Monday Meals dessert, because it was a hit!  And I think it's so awesome how versatile the 10 Grain Pancake Mix is!  And, though it looks like a lot, the recipe is actually quite quick and simple!  I'll definitely make it again!

Remember:  THRIVE Pure Vanilla Extract Powder, like all the THRIVE Seasonings, are only available through consultants, so contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com to order yours!!

Cooking With the Q-Pon: 10 Grain Pancake Mix: Ultimate Chicken Fingers

I have made these chicken fingers for many years now.  The original recipe can be found here.  My friend Donna shared that recipe with me back in 2004 or 2005, and it's definitely yummy!

So today, I decided to try it out with my THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix! 

Definitely yummy -- and healthier, because I got 10 Grains!  (And so did my husband and toddler :)).

I love the versatility of this 10 Grain Pancake Mix!

These chicken fingers are always tasty and moist.  I've made them many times and have never been disappointed.  Today I just thought I'd try them out with my THRIVE!  I was pleased with the results :).

So here's the recipe as I made it today:

ULTIMATE CHICKEN FINGERS (a la THRIVE)
2/3 cup THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 pounds chicken breasts sliced into strips (or use chicken tenderloins)
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray.

Mix THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix, cheese, salt and paprika in a large bowl. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix mixture and coat.  Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.  (I usually cook mine a little longer, because I'm obsessive about cooked chicken!)

We served this up with a salad and mashed sweet potatoes!

If you want to grab your THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix at the awesome Q price, you only have a week left!  So contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com to place your order today!

Happy THRIVEing! 

Cooking with the Q-Pon!: 10 Grain Pancake Mix: Sausage Cheese PopUms

THRIVE Life 10 Grain Pancake Mix isn't just for awesomely delicious and healthy pancakes!  I recently used them in Sausage Cheese PopUms -- and were they ever yum!

This recipe can be used as an appetizer, a snack, a lunch, a brunch, and even a breakfast!  Very versatile!!!

I also loved how fast these came together!  I spent 10 minutes hands-on with this recipe -- and most of that was spooning the batter into the mini muffin tins!  Not having to cook meat is a real time-saver!  You can choose to make bigger muffins and it would take less time.  But I chose to follow the recipe and make the mini-muffins.  Just because, sometimes, mini muffins are fun!

I found this recipe on the awesome new THRIVE Life Recipe site, but I made a few change to accommodate what I had on-hand!  Here's the recipe as I made it:

SAUSAGE CHEESE POPUMS
1 cup THRIVE Sausage Crumbles
1 cup hot water
1 cup THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix
3 tablespoons THRIVE Butter Powder (plus 2 tablespoons water)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Put THRIVE Sausage Crumbles into a small mixing bowl. Add hot water, stir and let sit 10 minutes.

Put THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix into medium mixing bowl. Add THRIVE Putter Powder plus 2 tablespoons water.  Mix with your hands until crumbly.  Add cheese to mixture and toss to coat. 

Add the sausage AND the water to the pancake mixture and gently stir until moistened. Scoop into well-greased mini muffin pan that has been sprayed with Butter Spray. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown and done in the middle (mine took 17 minutes).  Yield: about 28 mini muffins

I took these for lunch at a friend's house and we liked them.  They were moist and delicious.  And super easy!

There's only a couple weeks left to get the 10 Grain Pancake Mix at Q-Pon price!  So contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com to get it! -- or any of the other awesome time-saving foods!

Happy THRIVEing!

Cooking with the Q-Pon!: 10 Grain Pancake Mix

This month, 10 Grain Pancake Mix is the Q-Pon item!!  We happen to love pancakes in our household.  In fact, they are a Sunday morning tradition!  Plus I had heard this pancake mix is delicious!  So I knew I wanted to grab a couple cans at this great price this month and I added them to my Q!

I received my Q order for September this week, and I decided to start cooking!  And sharing :). 

The first recipe I tried is the recipe on the can!  Which means I just cooked up some delicious and nutritious pancakes for my toddler and myself!

1 cup THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix
2/3 cup water

Mix both ingredients in a large bowl until smooth; do not over-mix.  Cook pancakes a couple minutes on each side.  Don't pat the pancake when you flip it the first time.

The grains in this delicious mix are finely ground, making for a smooth pancake batter.  And I love that we got whole grain wheat, rye, oats, corn soy beans, barley, brown rice, millet, and flax seed!

Another added bonus is that the shelf-life on this pancake mix is 3 years unopened, making it a great addition to your home store of food!

You don't want to miss the opportunity to enjoy a healthy, delicious breakfast with THRIVE 10 Grain Pancake Mix at a great price, so contact me at THRIVEingNilla@gmail.com before September is over and place your order!

THRIVE-Vamped Pancakes!

I mentioned the other day that we had brinner:  breakfast for dinner :).  As part of that meal, I made some THRIVE-Vamped Pancakes!  It was super easy, and I loved that I was getting so much extra goodness in my meal.

So much so that I whipped up a batch of those last night to go with all of our leftovers.  My nieces were over for dinner, so they got some extra whole grain too!

Here's what I did:

2 cups pancake mix  (I used Krusteas because it's all-inclusive)
3 tablespoons THRIVE 9-Grain Cracked Cereal
1 1/2 cups water

Whisk all together and cook pancakes according to package directions (or according to how you usually make pancakes).

This was so easy to do, because all I did was add some pre-mixed grains to my pancake mix and make it a batter!  Perfect for busy mornings too!  And you end up getting hard red wheat, hard white wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, millet, hulled buckwheat, and flax seed! 

Happy THRIVEing!!!