Happy, Healthy Hive + Buzz on #Zarbees Vitamin Drink Mix

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

This is my hive. A husband of almost 25 years and three teenage boys – can you believe it?!

Even though my children aren’t babies anymore, their health and well-being (as well as my own) is still my number one priority. The busy schedules I help them juggle which includes academics, sports and music combined with my own overloaded agenda of work, athletic endeavors and domestic duties don’t allow for any downtime – let alone spare time for an of us being sick!

Zarbee's Naturals keeps me healthy and well and ready to workout!

Zarbee’s Naturals helps keep me healthy, well and ready to workout!

But, being so busy can make you sick, or at least leave you feeling fatigued and run down. Since I am mindful about the foods I offer my family and personally keep a primarily clean diet, it makes sense that I’ve always been wary of overusing over-the-counter medications. I’d rather take natural, preventative measures that rely on popping pills at every ache or sniffle.

That’s why I was excited to discover Zarbee’s Naturals, a product line of delicious vitamin drink mixes created by Dr. Zak Zarbock. When Dr. Zarbock, a parent himself, couldn’t find effective, chemical-free solutions to keep the whole family healthy, he created his own products using handpicked natural, safe and wholesome ingredients. With Zarbee’s Naturals, it’s easy to find happiness in all that soothes!

Zarbee’s Naturals come in six tasty, all-natural flavors, specially formulated proprietary blends sweetened with honey and other wholesome ingredients – there are no drugs or alcohol of any kind and all products are gluten-free. Depending on the blend, Zarbee’s Naturals can be mixed with hot or cold water and is safe to use daily to help meet any nutritional gaps in your diet. You can find Zarbee’s Naturals exclusively at Target on the cough aisle – and now, through the end of September, their products are on sale for $4 off.

The Apple Spice flavored Zarbee’s Naturals Antioxidant Blend with Honey is so soothing before bed.

Antioxidant Support with Honey – Apple Spice: This high potency antioxidant formula contains essential vitamins, minerals and selenium and is sweetened with honey. Enjoy this blend hot.
Immune Support Drink Mix – Citrus Spice: This blend helps support a healthy immune system and features elderberry extract and dark honey. Packed with vitamins A, C, E, selenium and zinc, this mix is best served hot.
Invigorating Drink Mix – Lemon Ginger: Get a boost of energy with this blend featuring green tea, ginger, and guarana seed for natural alertness. Full of vitamins B2, B6 and B12, this mix can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Calming Drink Mix – Lemon Mint: Enjoy a bit of tranquility and calm with this blend brimming with chamomile and honey. Passion flower offers natural relaxation while the vitamin boost features A, C, D, E, and B-Complex. May be served hot or cold.
Multivitamin with Prebiotic – Orange: This blend helps to support a healthy digestive system and contains essential vitamins A, C, D, E, B1, B2 and more. Best served cold.
Multivitamin with Antioxidant – Mixed Berry: This antioxidant rich blend features 12 essential vitamins plus selenium to help support optimal health. Serve cold.

I’m drinking Zarbee’s Naturals on a daily basis to help keep me well, rocking through my workouts and ready to take care of my family. When I’m feeling great, it’s just easier to keep my family feeling great! And, speaking of keeping a family feeling great – I’ve put together this care package to send to my oldest son who just left for college. I think the Invigorating blend will be great for all those study sessions and the Immune Support blend will keep his body’s defenses up during a naturally stressful transition time. Remember to come back on September 10th to check out my follow up post about Zarbee’s Naturals and how awesome it is to shop at Target — first pump, thumbs up, agreed?! #DrinkForYourself #Zarbees #madetomatter

When I take care of ME, my whole hive stays happy! #DrinkForYourself @zarbees Immune Support Mixes #ad

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Have you found ways to simplify or lower the stress of the family’s back-to-school schedule? Do you find your “hive” getting sick or catching colds easier during the fall season – what are your natural remedies? Please share in the comments – XOXO, Jennifer

This post was sponsored by Zarbee’s Naturals via Sverve. However, all editorial content reflects my own honest opinion about the products.

Eat Clean – Better Food Starts with Simple Ingredients

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Let’s get real. Even as fitness aficionado, it’s not easy, nor realistically possible, to eat clean and healthy 100 percent of the time. But, the mindset that it’s just fine to eat clean 80 percent of the time and the other 20% doesn’t matter at all, rubs me a little the wrong way. Yet, it’s so popular – the “80/20 Principle” is pervasive all over the Internets, Twitter, Instagram, other social media and even t-shirts!

The other 20 percent DOES matter – it’s 1/5 of your daily consumption! Do you drive your car with reckless abandon 20 percent of the time? Do you only balance your bank account 80 percent of the time? While, I think it’s fine to treat yourself to more indulgent foods as part of a healthy lifestyle that includes plenty of exercise, it’s still important to make sure those treats are made with better ingredients – whole foods or unprocessed (or very minimally processed) foods, as much as possible. Dark chocolate is a favorite treat of mine, as is ice cream with whole food ingredients. If you do break and eat freaky foods like Velveeta queso and Diet Mountain Dew (like I did on my recent beach trip), don’t freak and throw out the baby with the bathwater– just get back on track at your next meal. When I’m really being conscience of what I’m eating on a regular basis, even these little wobbles don’t add up to anywhere near 20 percent.

Sunrise yoga handstand fueled by BETTER FOOD!

Sunrise yoga fueled by BETTER FOOD!

Eating better makes you feel better, and when you feel better you have energy to conquer your goals — for me, that’s new yoga poses, obstacle course races, marathon running and more. Better food starts with simple, fresh ingredients free of artificial preservatives, sweeteners, colors and flavors and other nasty stuff that requires a chemistry degree to pronounce – that’s why I love to work with organizations like the Texas Beef Council, the National Watermelon Promotion Board and Litehouse Foods. Recently I found out that Panera Bread is tidying up their already pretty darn clean menu. I’ve always enjoyed stopping into this casual spot for a quick meal after the gym, with the kids for a healthier lunch, and even to pick up salads to-go for a busy weeknight dinner.

Panera has always been a more mindful solution than grabbing burgers and fries at a drive-through, they are known for seasonal ingredients, whole grains and well-balanced plates (would you like an apple with your sandwich?!). Also, I’ve always appreciated the transparency about each menu item’s calorie count and nutritional information. Well, the good just got better and most menu items including salads and dressing are made without artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and preservatives. The company created a No-No List including chemicals, additives, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial trans fats, etc. (more than 150 ingredients in total) and is currently in the process of removing all of these from their offerings by the end of 2016. I’ve put all the no-no ingredients in a graphic for you to print out or pin.

Yesterday, I enjoyed a Strawberry Poppy Seed and Chicken Salad for lunch – it was really too pretty to eat, but I did! It was topped with chicken raised without antibiotics, romaine, fresh strawberries, blueberries and pineapple, mandarin oranges and pecans with fat-free poppy seed dressing with no preservatives or funky stuff.

The entire full-sized salad has just 350 calories and yet 29 grams protein – now that’s a lean and mean deal! They have lots of other equally delicious and nutritious options like the new Power Kale and Chicken Caesar topped with handmade Parmesan crisps.

#EatClean Better food starts with simple, fresh ingredients! @PaneraBread #PaneraGoodness #CLblogger #spon

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What do you think about the “80/20 Rule” ? Have you ever been to Panera? What is your favorite menu item to order?

{Slow Cooker} Sugar Free Peach Sauce

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

Using a slow cooker in the dogs of summer? Normally I associate this appliance with winter and making stews and pot roasts. But, in an effort to keep from heating up my kitchen further during this 100+ degree heatwave, so it makes perfect sense to me! I think you’ll love this Sugar-Free Peach Sauce recipe that is super easy to whip up in the crock pot, is deliciously aromatic as the spices mingle together – and it’s a great way to take advantage of a bumper crop of summer peaches.

If you REALLY have a windfall of fresh peaches that you can’t eat up before overripening, then check out my How To Freeze Peaches.

If you don’t have fresh peaches, feel free to swap in frozen peach slices (store bought or home packed) – it’s a pretty forgiving recipe. It is my experience that the store-bought peaches need the higher range of Stevia listed in the recipe.

Enjoy this healthy fruit sauce either warm or cold by the bowl full– and also used as a topping on yogurt, waffles, protein pancakes and in smoothies. It is also great to pack up into a small container and send in your child’s lunchbox. Instead of eating a processed sugary treat, peaches make an excellent source natural carbohydrates for quick brain and body energy – plus, you get the extra benefits of fiber, potassium, vitamin C.

Sugar Free Peach Sauce in #slowcooker Eat by the spoon or on ice cream!

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Do you have a summery recipe for the slow cooker? Or, just a peach recipe that will tempt me? Please share in the comments below — XOXO, Jennifer

Slow Cooker Sugar Free Peach Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 5 mins

This sugar-free peach sauce makes a summery topping for ice cream, pancakes, and yogurt -- or just eat by the spoonful. An easy slow cooker recipe.

Course: Breakfast, Condiment, Dessert, Fruit

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Ingredients

5 pounds peeled, pitted and sliced peaches (or substitute frozen slices)
6 - 12 packets small packets stevia or 1 ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia (to taste)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions

Blanch, peel and pit peaches; cut into slices. Or, if using frozen (easiest method), partially thaw in microwave. Place fresh or thawed frozen peaches in the food processor and process until flesh is getting smooth, but still slightly chunky. Pour peaches into slow cooker set on LOW for 6 - 8 hours, stirring a couple times during the day. After 8 hours, stir in lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger. Sever warm or cool. May be stored in the refrigerator for 5 days or freezer up to 6 months.

Hatch Salmon Cakes Recipe + More Green Chile Fish Dinners

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

It’s that time of year – Hatch Green Chile Season! I’m sure I’ll have several new recipe creations to share with you, but let me start off the Hatch love fest with three delicious dinner ideas using fish and Hatch green chile. The first is a brand new recipe of mine – Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute! If you have dietary needs, this recipe is Paleo friendly, gluten-free, dairy free and low carb.

Hatch Salmon Patties with Zucchini and Tomatoes makes a southwestern-inspired summer dinner.

There are fire-roasted Hatch chiles in the patties and also a delicious sauce stirred into the veggie saute. I’ve made Hatch sauces from scratch before, but the Green Chile Anytime Sauce from Stubbs BBQ Sauces was awesome and had all that familiar flavor of Hatch, lime and garlic – it’s quite spicy, which my husband and I love! It’s perfect for a sauce, marinade or dip! I was sent bottles of the Anytime Sauces to experiment with, and I love them — check out their entire line of Anytime Sauces that also includes Sweet Black Pepper and Texas Sriracha versions. Yeehaw!

Enjoy some heart-healthy fish and the flavors of the southwest with this easy-to-make, one-dish dinner.

I can’t help but blog about Hatch Green Chiles all I can each year during their short August to early September season. These Hatch salmon cakes aren’t the first time I’ve paired up fish with the chile pepper – my Hatch Green Chile Trout is a personal favorite for quick-to-fix, one skillet meals (I keep a stash of roasted chiles in the freezer at all times).

Tilapia Green Chile Nachos with Stubbs BBQ Green Chile Anytime Sauce

Stubbs BBQ has lots of Hatch Chile recipes on their site using the Stubbs Hatch Anytime Sauce. Up next in my Hatch Queue are the Green Chile Tilapia Nachos!

Don’t feel like fish? Check out some of the award-winning recipes I’ve hatched up in years past like Hatch Green Chile Chicken Cheesecake and Hot Mess Hatch Green Chile Burgers on Squash “Buns”.

The next recipe I NEED to make is this one for Green Chile Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

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Ortega chopped green chiles are fire roasted and packed while still tender for the fullest flavor These delicious mild green chiles come ready to eat out of the can Fire roasted diced chiles have a mild, spicy taste that adds a little heat to any mea… read more

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Amazon Grocery, Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles, Mild, 4 Oz

(as of July 1, 2026 14:09 GMT -05:00 – )

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Are you a Hatch Green Chile fan? Please share your Hatch love in the comments below – XOXO, Jennifer

Hatch Green Chile Salmon Cakes with Summer Veggie Saute

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

12 mins

Total Time

27 mins

Spice up a healthy fish dinner with the amazing flavor of Hatch green chiles and get out of your salmon rut!

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Southwestern

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup fresh wild salmon, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup minced roasted, peeled and seeded hatch green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large eggg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons almond meal divided
4 tablespoons olive oil divided
1 1/2 pounds zucchini, sliced into 1/3” discs and quartered
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup Stubbs Everyday Hatch Green Chile Sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Instructions

In medium bowl, mix together salmon, chiles, green onions, salt and pepper until combined. Next stir in egg and ¼ cup of almond meal.
Form salmon mixture into four 1-inch thick patties; sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons almond meal over each patty, lightly pat down. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-heat. Cook patties in hot oil until golden and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer patties to paper towels to cool off a bit while cooking veggies.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in same skillet. Add zucchini and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes or until starting to soften, but not getting soggy. Add halved tomatoes and continue to cook, stirring, for another 1 minutes. Add hatch green chile sauce and stir for a few more minutes until heated. Stir in 2 tablespoons of green onions.
To serve, place mound of veggies on plate and top with salmon cake. Drizzle with additional Hatch sauce if desired.

DIY Popcorn Shakin’ Cups – Mess Free Mix-ins – Pop Secret Popcorn

Posted on August 9, 2015 by Jennifer FIsher

The end of summer is especially bittersweet this year, not just because our leisure time is coming to an end (well, the kiddos’ respite anyway), but my oldest is heading off to college. Yup, that’s right – this mama bear is letting go of a cub and even with my stoic sensibilities, I’m getting a little choked up just typing out the words. With the Big Boy literally leaving the den in 10 days, our family movie nights seem even more special this summer.

Movie night is a great excuse to hang out together (an increasing rarity in the teenage years), have some laughs, engage in some invaluable pre and post movie discussions – and, naturally, share some yummy Pop Secret popcorn and sensible snacks together!

Now, over these last 18 years of watching movies with my kids, I’ve learned a several things. First, my lone female vote in a house with four male people means I don’t have a say in what we watch – we’ve made the natural boy progression from non-princess Disney productions to action and shoot-em-up flicks. Not a lot of romantic comedies and historical fiction in the DVR queue – of all the guy movies we watch, I like the superhero stuff best – that’s why I’m pretty pumped to have just watched the 2005 version of “Fantastic Four” in preparations for the reboot coming to theaters. By the way, if you Buy any 3 Pop-Secret items between 7/31 – 8/31 and get a Free ticket to the Fantastic Four movie (up to $5) while supplies last

The second important thing I’ve learned is that no matter the age, boys are just messy – and this includes my husband to a degree. Sharing one big bowl of popcorn means crushed kernels left all over the floor and greasy finger being wiped off on the couch. Hello, napkin? And, of course there will always be a bit of sibling squabbling over who gets to hold the bowl, who’s hogging all the food and exactly what toppings are put on the popcorn. To resolve these irritating movie-time issues, I came up with this a great popcorn-eating hack that will rock your socks off – Popcorn Shakin’ Cups!

These Popcorn Shakin’ Cups allow 1) everyone to have their own portion of popcorn, 2) customizable “mix ins” to be added and neatly shaken up to combine, and 3) the popcorn to be eaten straight from the lid opening to mouth (meaning no messy fingers)! Yes, I know – GENIUS!

It’s easy to put together your own Popcorn Shakin’ Cups -purchase tall, clear plastic cups (mine are 20-ounce but I’ve seen them larger) and domed lids (usually found at an industry or party warehouse or sweet talk your convenience store for some shake/slurpee lids). Next fill with popcorn and your favorite mix-ins – I did almonds and chocolate chips, but Parmesan cheese and garlic salt, or cinnamon sugar and pecans are other yummy popcorn ideas. Add a cute label if you like –and that’s it! Eat, enjoy and toss – no clean up! Great for a party!

I picked up my mom-of-teenage-boys-sized haul of Pop Secret at Walmart – I got the Sea Salt flavor for movie night plus an extra box of the Pop Secret 100 Calorie Pop 94% Fat Free Kettle Corn for me to keep on hand for sensible snacking in the afternoon. Also, note to self – perhaps I should buy Pop Secret popcorn flavors by the cart full because a variety of boxes would be great to slip into oldest son’s college care packages since he has a dorm microwave.

DIY mess-free Popcorn Shakin’ Cups for family movie night – genius! @popsecret #pmedia #pop4Fantastic4 #ad

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Have you seen any good movies this summer? What is your favorite popcorn flavor or mix-in?

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group® and Pop Secret, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #pop4Fantastic4 http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV

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Author Archives: Jennifer FIsher

Happy, Healthy Hive + Buzz on #Zarbees Vitamin Drink Mix

Eat Clean – Better Food Starts with Simple Ingredients

{Slow Cooker} Sugar Free Peach Sauce

Hatch Salmon Cakes Recipe + More Green Chile Fish Dinners

Ortega Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles, Mild, 7 oz

Amazon Grocery, Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles, Mild, 4 Oz

Ortega Fire Roasted Diced Green Chiles, Mild, 4 oz

DIY Popcorn Shakin’ Cups – Mess Free Mix-ins – Pop Secret Popcorn