Favorite Things January 2024

Favorite Things: Products I love

Low-carb Hearts of Palm Pasta and Hearts of Palm Rice

These 2 new products were a revelation to me. Each with 1 ingredient (the tender inner core of the palm tree), Hearts of Palm Rice and Hearts of Palm Pasta may change your eating habits, or help you adhere to a lower-carbohydrate diet (7 g carbs per serving). Hearts of palm has a mild flavor that some people think is reminiscent of an artichoke, but the tender texture is like rice or noodles. It’s already cooked, so use it like you would cooked rice or pasta — heat, put on your topping or sauce, and eat! I’m thinking Pad Thai, p’sketti and meatballs, pasta salad, noodle veggie skillet. No preservatives, gluten-free, vegan-friendly, and a pretty good source of fiber, too. You’ll find them in the produce section of your market (probably on an under-bin shelf; ask the produce person if you can’t find it).  

Dignity Raw Coconut Oil

This high-quality, raw coconut oil is not only good for baking and cooking, but consider it for other uses, such as…

• • a makeup remover! Use a teaspoon, and massage with clean fingers over your face to remove your makeup. Wash as usual.
  • use as a lip balm or nail cuticle softener
  • label remover! Use coconut oil and baking soda to remove that sticky residue left by jar labels. Simply soak the jar as usual, scrape off the label, and then rub a paste of coconut oil and baking soda onto the jar to get the last of the goo off.
  • a spoonful in your morning smoothie, or replace the oil in your homemade granola with coconut oil, or use it in your Bullet coffee!

Dignity Coconut Oil {affiliate link} is also ethically sourced, and aims to disrupt the corrupt, exploitative coconut industry. Their production plant is built in a rural community in the Philippines so they can provide jobs and transform the community by supporting people who are susceptible to sex trafficking and slavery (look up copra slavery).  The company’s central purpose is the radical transformation of the community around it, to lift them out of cycles of poverty that make them vulnerable to modern-day slavery. They’re also mindful of sustainability, so they use 100% of the coconut, using the oil, milk and water, but also the ground-up shells that can be used to create renewable plastics, the peat is used to condition soil, and the outer husk is woven into erosion control blankets. Jobs created: more than 200 men and women at the plant, and over 300 coconut farmers, affecting more than 2,000 people in the community. It’s a different, better way of doing business. It’s about $20 on Amazon {affiliate link}. 

Oatsome Overnight Oats

There’s a new Organic Overnight Oats {affiliate link} from the Oatsome brand, and I’m here for it! The mix includes chia, flax, hemp seeds and oat milk powder, so you just need to add water. Top with nuts, fruit and whatever other treats you like on top of your overnight oats (coconut? chocolate chips? I won’t tell). I like to make my overnight oats in a pint jar and put the lid on for refrigeration. But you could also make a larger quantity, and spoon it out into a bowl in the morning…suit yourself. This new variety joins the BetterBody Foods family of Oatsome Organic Quick Oats and Oatsome Organic Rolled Oats. I use oats of all kinds a lot in baking (try my Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies or Honey Nut Granola  or my Scotch Tea Cookies). Available at Amazon and Walmart/Walmart.com.

No-added-sugar candy bar

What tastes exactly like a Snicker’s bar, but has no added sugar? The Rhea candy bar from Choc Zero. {affiliate link} It’s a keto candy bar with caramel, peanuts, nougat and is covered with milk chocolate. It’s gluten-free, soy-free, non-gmo, and has no artificial sweeteners (such as erythritol), AND it’s high in fiber, which keeps you full longer; 190 calories per bar. I seriously doubted this would be good, but I was so very wrong, because it is delicious! (Note: I am not a fan of the after-taste of Stevia, and this has no Stevia, so we’re good on that front.)
 

New favorite measuring cup

This OXO 2-cup glass measuring cup {affiliate link} is my new go-to. I grab it most often to melt a stick of butter in the microwave (see the butter inside there?), or to whisk up a little salad dressing. Of course it also handily measures my milk for the overnight oats, water for that batch of lemonade, and any manner of other liquids. My husband uses it to reheat his coffee that he has stored in the refrig. It’s a workhorse! Find it on Amazon here. 

Favorite gadget for slice-and-bake cookies

I didn’t know I needed this OXO Slice and Bake Cookie Maker {affiliate link} until I tried it, and now that I have, it is essential in a cookie-baking kitchen! This allows you to roll the icebox cookie dough into 2 logs (there are 2 mats included), rest the dough log on the side of the mat with raised markings, wrap up the mats and chill. When you unroll the dough, you’ll see gentle perforations that guide you where to cut to make perfectly portioned cookies. Built-in guides on each side of the mat indicate where to put the dough to make 1.5-inch, 1.75-inch or 2-inch diameter cookies. Pop the end caps on to compress and seal the dough and store the dough in the rolled mats in the refrigerator or freezer. (I often put one roll in the refrig for same-day baking and one in the freezer to bake off later.) It’s a genius tool! All pieces are dishwasher safe, although I have chosen so far to wash by hand.   

Favorite canvas tote bag

My new favorite canvas tote bag by Xplorermaps features art and history on a map of my favorite place! This Santa Catalina Island tote spoke to me, for the fond memories it holds of summertime camp with my family, but you might like some other island or state, national park or even an international destination. Chose the one that resonates with YOU! The map is detailed, and you’ll find cities, geographical features, labeled creatures that inhabit the area, and details like rivers, topography and other points of interest, all hand-drawn, illustrated and painted. It’s utterly charming. It’s a
The tote by @xplorermaps is a stylish way to hold groceries, farmers market finds, beach towels, or to travel with. Sizing is ample (18” wide by 15” tall) and of course it is reusable, which matters a great deal these days. Every time I’ve used it, I get nice comments, and it starts conversations. They’re about $20-$25-ish on Amazon {affiliate link} and from the Xplorermaps site. You could even get a bag as the “wrapping” into which to put other presents!

Favorite slippers on the planet!

I bought the dog slippers, and immediately fell in love with them after wearing for a day, so went back onto LandEnd.com and ordered the toucan pair of slippers. Two pair is not too many when they’re this cute! Last time I looked, they had 5 varieties left, and they were $20, on sale. Recommend immediate whimsical purchase!

Favorite Things: Recipe crushes this month

I try all sorts of recipes from around the Internet, from cookbooks, magazines, pamphlets, emailed newsletters and told to me by friends and neighbors. This is what I have recently loved:

Marinated Red Onions from NoCrumbsLeft. Use these on a sandwich or burger, to jazz up scrambled eggs, salads, tacos, sheet pan meals, or anything! Once the onions are gone, use the oil as a marinade or in salad dressings or a dip for bread.  Love this!

Pea Soup Andersen’s, a nearly 100-year-old restaurant in Buellton, Calif. suddenly closed this month, and a beloved institution is no more. Travelers driving up and down the state can no longer stop for a bowl of beloved split pea soup to break up their driving day. Luckily, I have their original recipe, so you can easily make it at home.

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Flourless Caramel Oat Cookies (Gluten-Free)