Fermented Berries

There is a huge trend of fermented foods right now and for good reason. Fermented foods have increased vitamins and enzymes, they are easier to digest, and the increase of good bacteria in your gut can help your immune system.

Cultured berries are one of the easiest fermented foods to make.  They are so good on so many things and they are a great way to add probiotic foods into your family's diet.

You can use any berries, except strawberries. Strawberries just do not ferment well as they are too acidic. I use frozen mixed berries, but single variety, or fresh, is fine too. Be sure to rinse and remove any leaves or stems.

A couple caveats before you begin. First, do not skip placing a bowl under the jar. If you fill your jar too full (which I almost always do) it will bubble over. It's nothing to worry about unless you don't have something under your jar! Second, the culture starter you use is entirely up to you. If you would like to use whey, you'll need to add 2 tbsp of whey instead of the 1/2 tsp starter. Finally, fermentation happens faster the warmer it is. Ideally these would take 48 hours in a 70 degree (F) room. Do not leave for more than 48 hours as due to the high sugar content of fruit, it will become alcoholic. Now that we have that all out of the way, let's get on to the recipe.

Fermented Berries Makes 1 pint. (This recipe is based on one from Nourishing Traditions) Ingredients: 2 cups berries (any variety except strawberries) 2 tbsp honey 1/2 tsp starter culture mixed with a tbsp warm water 1/4 tsp sea salt filtered water

Directions: Place berries in a wide mouth pint canning jar. In a small cup, mix starter culture, tbsp warm water, honey, and sea salt. Pour mixture over berries. Press down berries with glass weight. Add filtered water, if necessary, leaving 1 inch of headspace.Make sure berries are completely covered with liquid. Cover jar with a fermenting lid, place jar in a bowl, and leave at room temp for 1-2 days. Cover with regular lid and store in refrigerator. Use within 2 months.

                 Seriously, how cute is this little star blueberry!

Teacup Cupcakes

Little girls and tea parties, need I say more? If you've got a pretty princess in your house, chances are you've hosted a few tea parties. They may have been for teddy bears and dolls, but a tea party is a tea party, am I right?! Top on the list for every tea party is the food but very few little guests find the traditional tea time delectables very palatable, nor do they enjoy actual tea. So why not skip the fancy foods and tea (and clean up**) and serve something that's everything all in one? With that in mind I give you teacup cupcakes!

To create these delightful little wonders you need only cupcakes and candy canes.

Simply break off half the straight part of the candy cane, unwrap the rest, and slide in to each cupcake at an angle, near the top edge, until the hook reaches the bottom of the cupcake. Easy as that, you have a perfect little teacup handle. All that's left is to decorate and ENJOY!

**When your guests eat their tea cups it means you don't have to wash any!

When in Walmart

When in Walmart ALWAYS walk down the magazine aisle, you'll never be disappointed!

SHEBA Meaty Tender Sticks Review

Sometimes a picture speaks louder than words, but I'll still share my review anyway! Clearly my cat enjoyed these but he had a super hard time eating them and gagged on them when he did manage to get a chuck bit off. I ended up having to cut it into small pieces so he could eat it with out risk of cleaning up the treat post cat tummy visit. So for me having to cut up the treat is an instant no to ever buying these in stick form but if they ever do these in bite size pieces I would definitely consider.

I received all products complimentary from Influenster.

The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.

Yummi Pouch Wet Dry Bag Review

We got the chance to review Yummi Pouch's new Cloth Storage Wet and Dry Bag. We have the Everything Bag in spunky chevron. The colors are bright boy/neutral colors and the chevron print is really cute. The bag is sturdy and holds a lot. It's very good sized so you can pack a lot in. The waterproofing is fine to keep dampness in, but the seams are exposed so do not expect to hold actual wet in (it will leak if there are liquids inside the bag). The zipper was a bit stiff the first few uses but seems to move a lot easier after a few runs back and forth. The bag folds up small to tuck in a pocket for a just in case bag tucked into your diaper bag.

Overall it's a really good bag.

**I received complimentary product in exchange for my honest opinion.**