{Chai, French Vanilla}

I told you all in this tea happy post how I got three sample of Twinings Tea to try back in late October and shared how I just adored the Honeybush, Mandarin & Orange tea!

My second cup was the Chai, French Vanilla.

It was chai flavored.  It was vanilla flavored.  It was also overwhelmingly sweet and as if someone had dumped waaaay too much real vanilla into the batch.  Honestly, I thought I'd love it and here I hated it.  And it makes me soooo sad to admit that. =(
The description says it is a "fine black tea perfectly balanced with the flavours of vanilla and savoury spices of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and ginger".  It did taste like "chai" however I'm afraid that it just did not stand up to Stash's Chai Spice tea (which is the only hot chai {tea} I've liked).  The chai flavors seemed more bitter and not the powerful blast of perfectly balanced flavors of Chai Spice or even Oregon Chai Tea Latte concentrate (my very favorite!).  I was sadly disappointed about that.
Even more so though, I was heartbroken over this vanilla catastrophe.  I love vanilla.  I put it in every baked treat and breakfast waffle, pancake, and every muffin.  I even add extra!  But this tea soooo vanilla-ey, sweet and bitter at the same time, I couldn't even drink the whole cup.  I didn't like it plain, nor with cream/milk.  It was really just plain awful. =(

So.  Now that I've said horrid things about it and you'll now never try it or Twinings Tea....  Can I just stand by my first Twinings tea, the Honeybush Citrus one and say that they've at least made ONE tea that I love!  And for that, I'm not giving up on Twinings yet! =)

{Honeybush, Mandarin, & Orange}

A month or two before Alex arrived I saw an offer online for three free samples of Twinings Tea, and I ordered them! They arrived the week he was born, so it took me awhile before I remembered to try them... er um, one! =)
Here's my review of {African Honeybush, Mandarin, and Orange herbal tea}!
First, I wanted to try at least one of their herbal teas even though I'm not a big herbal fan.  And this one sounded interesting. =)
It did not disappoint me and axtually proved it self in deliciousness! It has a strong citrus flavor (mandarin and orange give that slightly away right?!) but it is a spicy, exoctic citrus!  Warm and refreshing. It's a happy kind of tea, and I'm hoping I can order a whole box soon! ;)

Now... to try the other two: Chai French Vanilla, and Lady Grey Tea! Can't wait!!!

You can check it out here if you want to try some yourself =) Yum!

{Bakto: Part 1}

I am over the moon excited about trying these "sweet brown" flavorings!  I first read about them I think over at Gwen's Nest (gwens-nest.com) but honestly I don't remember exactly where! =}  I do know that wherever I got the tip it was from a Trim Healthy Mama and she said that Pearl approved of them, so that's pretty cool too! =)

So.  Bakto Flavorings.  =)  The sweet brown package came with 6 flavors, 1 oz. each of vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, coffee, chocolate, and ginger.  The one I am most excited to try, tomorrow in the FSF (aka "Fat Stripping Frappa" from Trim Healthy Mama or aka as the f-drink from my husband =) ..... is .... the caramel!  Seth loves caramel Big Train coffees (and a local coffee shop, Hotshots, makes the best I've ever had!) and the first few times I made this frappa for him he'd ask me for "that coffee drink" or "that milkshake drink".  I finally laughed and said, "Baby, it does NOT have coffee in it, nor is it a milkshake!  Does it remind you of Hotshots big trains?"  Well, yes, apparently it does (and it truly is similar some days; still perfecting how to make it "perfect". Tight-lipped-lol)!  And now tomorrow when he asks for it I'll be able to surprise him with a caramel one!  Or, at least, that's my hope! =)
{sweet brown}
Okay, now for confession time.  I did already try two flavorings out tonight!  But, they were sort of trials ;) Hehe!
I made the THM "choco pudding" (book pg. 366), except for half batch I only put in vanilla and caramel flavorings (it was pretty good; altho' needed more caramel) and the other half-batch I used Hershey's dark chocolate cocoa powder with the coffee flavor.  Alas, it was good but also quite bitter!  So definitely not enough stevia/sweetener in that one! =)  Seth liked it though.  Lol, but my guy doesn't mind a bit of bitter/dark chocolate! ;)

Now.... if you like to bake.  If you like flavors.  If you are interested in Trim Healthy Mama.  If you like something other than ....chocolate (which is me!*).  If you like trying out new things.  Then, you certainly need to check out the list of options over on Amazon or Bakto Flavors!  Not only do they sell them in sets of 6, one ounce each, but also in bottles of 4 oz.  There are gift set options and specialty vanillas and herbs and spices and vinegars and yes... over 40 flavors to choose from!  Pretty cool stuff =)

So the question tonight is: given the chance, which flavors would you like trying?!??! =)
{citrus}{floral}
{and many more!}

*Note:  Not sure if that little wayside comment of mine made sense, so here's the explanation.  I do like chocolate, very much, but usually mixed with other things.  For example, my favorite kind of ice cream (Blue Bunny's Bunny Tracks) has chocolate, but it is actually a vanilla ice cream filled  with chocolate and peanut butter pieces!  YUM!   Given the option I would always choose chocolate chip cookies instead of double chocolate (choc) chip cookies (unless of course the double chocolate ones looked better!!! =)  Also, I was reading on the facebook Trim Healthy Mama forum of all these women ranting and raving over all the delicious chocolate desserts and chocolate drinks/frappas/etc.  And finally I told Seth, 'I'm so tired of hearing about chocolate!  If that's the only option (or berry) THM offers for healthy desserts I am NOT giving up my favorite sweets!"  Lol.  Well, lo and behold, there are other options according to the THM-ers....  flavorings, like Bakto's! =)  Whew.  I was really starting to get worried.  (wink, lol=)
By the way, once I've tested all mine out I'll hopefully be able to give even a better review! After this introduction they better not fail! =)
Oh. And "P.S.".... I have not said anything about giving up my favorite sweets entirely!  Just want ya'll to know, especially with October and Christmas/New Years' coming up!!!  ;)

{April Showers bring May.... Flowers and a Crazy n Good Life!}

My little, pretty regular, not-even-that-busy life has been absolutely crazy and busy the past month!!!  I think every day has ran away from me before I can catch up! =D
What with going through tubs and TUBS of kids clothes, things, adult clothing, stuff, books, closets, more stuff, etc.... for a multi-friends yard sale and then having to hand mark every article AND then some how try to organize all the stuff (read that: children's clothes! =) I am keeping and store it all..... and having my dear husband Seth finish up the most incredible but very full, intense and busy semester of college (how does 20 upper division credits and working part-time two jobs sound?!?!?  Yeah!  He's amazing and thank God for His grace!  I.really.do.every.day!!!) ...and then don't forget 2nd trimester is in full swing now (whew, so glad for renewed "second trimester" energy and for daily liquid iron!!!), and then a ridiculous, crazy 8-10hour trip with two little people the morning after Seth's last exam... but boy! was it fun getting away and seeing family and hanging out with my sister, brother-in-law and two other special little people/cousins for some extra days and slowly making our way home as we realized we didn't need to be in a hurry to go anywhere and could finally just enjoy being together as a family with no deadlines, no schedules, no pressing needs, no nothings..... awwww, I cannot tell you how much this blessed my heart!  That was the first ever (for an after spring semester break- four years worth!!!) because usually Seth is already having to prep and leave for a forest service summer job an hour-and-half away.... like I said, I am thanking the Lord so much for His grace this year.  He.knew.we.needed.that!  Knew we needed something different this year!  And has provided for that (even though some of that "providing" was tough and very crazy/insane according to some family members =)!  Surely HIS WAYS and THOUGHTS ARE NOT OURS! =)


Soooo.... I am really hoping that if I can just keep the camera batteries charged and that this summer speeds by a little slower than normal (I think we're off to a good start so far, hehe =), I am really hoping and planning on being able to blog a lot in the next several months!  I have new recipes to share.... some old favorites, some Gluten-Free ones, a few new Trim Healthy Mama favorites, and hopefully .... some fun summer-time recipes!  'Cause who doesn't love yummy, delicious summer food?!?!?  =)

'Til the next recipe and quiet moment.....   ;)

{How to be Lovely}

I just had to post this video/song because I think most of us women and young girls want to be lovely.  We long, even if only buried way deep down,  to be beautiful and called lovely and pretty by our husband, loved ones, and friends.  When I saw this tonight when watching Funny Face {starring Aubrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson} I thought... this is one of the biggest keys to being lovely and charming and beautiful!  {Of course, I really think the first thing is having a relationship with Jesus and Him being your savior, God, and friend!} Anyways, I just had to post for you to remember as you clean your house, and wash the laundry, and cook dinner and prepare meals and baby bottles and wash another stack of dishes.... because we can ALL be lovely, even if just our families see and know, if we're doing this! (check out the lyrics too =)