Monday, February 29, 2016

Three of the Yummiest and Best Caramel Popcorn Brands

My Top Picks in Gourmet Caramel Popcorn 2016


I was first introduced to caramel popcorn in a Cracker Jacks box when I was around 8 or 9. It was delicious and I was hooked forever.

Ever since then, I have been enamored with finding the best caramel popcorn brands. While there are dozens of awesome caramel popcorn brands, the following three are, in my opinion, the yummiest.

Great caramel popcorn combines sweetness and saltiness to perfection. Each popcorn piece is drenched with the right amount of sticky, sweet caramel, making it the ideal go-to snack anytime. Where some caramel popcorn brands combine other flavors, others stick close to the classics. The upcoming three handpicked brands are must-tries for anyone with a sweet tooth like mine, and maybe a few good childhood memories with a food focus.

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Popcornopolis Gourmet Caramel Corn

I love that these caramel popcorn bags are divided into individual portions.

Perfect for kids or movie-goers, this gourmet caramel corn packs a wallop of decadent flavors with the crunch of fresh popcorn that makes us salivate. Talk about love at first bite.

The popcorn is covered in caramel for the perfect sticky-sweet treat to satisfy your taste buds.

10 ounces is the ideal serving size for one person, but you (like me) might be tempted to eat all 6 of these bags. Tummy-ache city, but worth it. Ha!

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Werther’s Original Caramel Popcorn

Werther’s has translated their famous caramel hard candies into a bag of yummy caramel popcorn.

There are several flavors, but this one is classic caramel.

The caramel is smooth and buttery with a touch of salt—the ideal popcorn topping.

There are 6 ounces in this single bag, and you can divide these into different snack time treats.

I prefer snagging a bag to munch on during a Netflix movie night with my family.

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Dylan’s Candy Bar Popcorn – Chocolate Caramel Crunch

This caramel popcorn has been drizzled with chocolate—just like you might get at a carnival or circus.

The popcorn is fresh and airy, complete with a lightweight crunch that comes from layers of delicious, delicate caramel. The very definition of yumminess, for sure.

Plus, the little box is so cute, like classic Cracker Jacks but way better.

This caramel and chocolate popcorn is also great when tossed together with a few peanuts and pretzels.

Think trail mix but homemade and loaded with flavor.

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Here are some more tips on the best of gourmet caramel corn for this year:


Wednesday, January 27, 2016

3 Organic Coffee Beans that Provide a Natural Energy Boost

While I am not one to head over to Starbucks every morning of the week, I am the type to have a fresh pot of coffee on automatic brew to wake me up on work days.

I recently took an interest on where my coffee beans came from, which led me to the fact that most instant coffees are packed with additives. I prefer natural, and grind-your-own is the way to go.

From extensive research into what tastes best without the additives, I handpicked three among the best organic coffee beans. These coffee beans are great for a natural energy boost without the withdrawal that comes from false caffeine additives.

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Cameron’s Organic Whole Bean French Roast Coffee

Handcrafted since 1978, these coffee beans are great for people who appreciate bolder, darker brews to get their kick-start in the morning.

Coming from Arabica coffee bean farms from all over the world, these beans are roasted in small batches to give them each an organic pop of strong goodness.

The taste is sharp, tangy, and slightly bittersweet—sans chemicals, pesticides, or herbicides.


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Mocha Java Whole Bean Coffee – The Bean Coffee Company

As much as I love coffee, I am a bigger fan of dark chocolate.

Mocha Java is the perfect coffee for chocolate lovers because there are sweet overtones of dark cocoa with bittersweet undertones of Arabica coffee beans.

Of course, as with most organic coffee beans, these are roasted in small batches to preserve the naturally bold, smooth flavors.

This medium roast is loaded with natural antioxidants, great for giving you a boost of energy. The whole brew is rich and pleasant with an awesome, fresh scent that wakes you right up in the a.m.

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CafĂ© Don Pablo Gourmet Organic Coffee – Subtle Earth Organic

I have Goldilocks moments when it comes to coffee -- light roast is too subtle, medium roast is okay, but dark roast is the absolute best.  Or, in the words of the fairy tale blonde herself, “just right.”

These organic coffee beans are rich and deep in bold, strong flavors with fresh aromas to match.

I have been known to chew on one of these coffee beans for a quick pick-me-up, but trust me, they are best ground into the usual breakfast brew.

I also love how each bag of these organic coffee beans come with a list of how-to instructions for making the perfect cup of coffee.

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Here is a video "shortie" of 2016's top picks in organic coffee beans - enjoy!  =)



Thursday, January 14, 2016

Is There Such a Thing as a Healthy Snack that's Actually Good?

Rightfully so - people get downright sick of "eating healthy" sometimes due to the fact that some or all of the foods they are eating are a little or more on the bland side.

How come?  Well - I guess maybe (MAYBE) it's a bit tougher to get creative on how to make healthy foods yummy - at least compared to the faster foods options.

However - there ARE some really wonderful snacks that can be had with a bit of creativity - I was happy to find this article:

Here's What Real Healthy People Actually Snack On

I hope you find it helpful too! =)

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Goodies - Good for the Soul vs Good for the Body

I think everyone MUST have a passion for at least one treat or goody that could be called a "no-no."  In regard to whether or not they are "healthy," there are a couple of viewpoints to consider.

#1 Viewpoint:  Here is the first one, and the one that (per my observation) is more dominant over the other:  "Goodies are bad for you."  (That is perhaps for lack of better wording.)

To elaborate - these are the foods and/or drinks that are talked about by some sort of respected authority as being unhealthy.  To be more specific - they're yummy, but considered unhealthy, and possibly proven to have negative effects on the body - especially when taken on a regular basis.  These are the foods/drinks that people make new year's resolutions about - the ones not to take, eat, drink, etc.  Usually people resolve to not indulge in them, do anyway and then spend time and energy feeling guilty about it.

#2 Viewpoint:  "Too much deprivation is bad for you."  This could also be stated, "Having goodies once is a while is actually good for you."  Again - to be specific here - we are talking about foods and drinks that are well-known as having unhealthy properties to them.  What I have found - and what I have gotten agreement on from my doctor and nutritionist - is this:  If someone is generally eating healthy and living a healthy lifestyle, their bodies and minds will be able to easily handle some no-no's once in a while.

Please understand - I am NOT saying that eating pizza every day is great because it makes you happy.  That's kind of like saying that there is nothing wrong with a McDonalds McDouble with Cheese - especially ten of them or whatever.  =)

But - it's also not a good thing to go through life forcing him or herself to never have their favorite "naughty" foods.  That's just no fun at all, and without going into great detail I will say this - it's healthier to do it once in a while than not to do it at all.

That's all I have to say 'bout that.

Have a fabulistic day!