The Gift of Wellness for Christmas!

I'm so excited that I can hardly stand it! Hubby surprised me by playing Santa this Christmas and presented me and himself each with a certificate for New Balance hiking boots! YAY!!!!!

So the day after Christmas (Boxing Day) we went out and purchased our new boots. We have happy feet right now! I can't say enough good things these New Balance boots/shoes. The fit and comfort is amazing (no, I'm not getting paid for the endorsement).

Now, you may ask, "Why are you so excited about hiking shoes????"

To answer that question, I will quote the certificate I received:

"This certificate is good for 1 (one) pair of comfortable
hiking shoes to be purchased after Christmas. Why? To get in condition for our
hikes in 2008."

We're going to be doing a lot of outdoor walks and hikes over the next 7-8 months to train for a hike that we want to do at Lassen Volcanic National Park next summer. I'm so happy! You have NO idea! Not only will I get to go hiking with my camera in tow, but I will be accompanied by my best friend and the love of my life. It is a Christmas dream come true.

Is This Frozen Yogurt Really Nonfat....mmmm?

If you have a soft serve ice cream / yogurt maker like the Cuisinart Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker and you prefer a smooth, sweet, "ice creamy" style frozen yogurt, you can't go wrong with the Colombo line of frozen yogurt mixes, like their Royal Raspberry Nonfat frozen yogurt mix. The taste is subtle raspberry and not tart in the least - more like a fine vanilla soft serve yogurt, rich and not too sweet.

When we purchased the Cuisinart in the summer we tried a sampling of recipes that came with the machine, but non have come remotely close to the Colombo mix that we purchased. Preparation couldn't be easier...none of that pesky measuring or pre-mixing, all you have to do is defrost the mix for 36-72 hours in the fridge before use, shake well and pour into your yogurt maker and then wait while your machine does the churning and freezing, then dispense and enjoy.

I know what you must be thinking because I thought the same thing...you know, about it being December and not really a month when us here in North America crave the chilly attributes of frozen yogurt, but even though it's 52 outside it's 72 inside and why not enjoy a bit of summer in the first few days of winter?

But you deserve fair warning: Colombo yogurt mix isn't found in your grocery freezer case, nor is it found in your big box warehouse store. You'll have to order it from your local restaurant supply outlet, probably with a 1 case minimum. The case we purchased has 6-1/2 gallons containers and comes frozen. If stored frozen, they are good for 12 months, but I don't think they'll last that long around here.

Here's the skinny:
Serving size: 1/2 cup (prepared)
calories: 100
fat: 0 g (zero, zilch, nada, naught)
fiber: 0 g
sugars: 18 g
protein: 4 g
calcium: 10% DV
cholesterol: <5 mg

Fantasy Fudge for the Holidays

There are just a few things that say "Christmas" to me. I think this is the case with most people. Those things can be varied and obscure, but are often rooted in tradition, nostalgia, and fond memories. Over the next few days, I'm going to attempt to write about a few of the things that make Christmas truly Christmas-y for me simply because of the nostalgia with which they are imbued in my mind.

Ever since I can remember, there were two things that my mom made especially for Christmas--homemade fudge and English toffee. The whole process of making candy absolutely fascinated me through my childhood. When I was old enough, maybe 8 years old, Mom let me help out instead of just watch. I was usually responsible for stirring because keeping the sugar and butter mixture stirring constantly was critical as it heated to the temperature desired for either soft ball (fudge) or hard crack (toffee).

Mom's fudge recipe is no secret. It's the recipe that Kraft has been printing on its jars of Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme (an essential ingredient in fudge) for eons . The recipe is "officially" called "Fantasy Fudge". I didn't know that until I was an adult. All I knew was that Mom's fudge was the best! There wasn't any other kind of fudge from any fancy candy shop that could rival it and still have yet to find one. And the funny thing is that it's a Kraft recipe!

Now, even though I am very health-conscious and a big proponent of nutritious and healthy eating I must say that there are some foods that fall into a "special" category reserved for nostalgic "comfort foods" that are made as part of a family tradition. Those foods should be celebrated. I can account for the calories somehow, but darned if I'm going to feel guilty for carrying on a family tradition that makes Christmas feel right to me.

So without further adieu, here is the recipe straight off the Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme jar sitting here on my desk:

Fantasy Fudge
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks butter or margarine--go with the butter)
1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
1 1/2 pkg. (12 squares) Baker's Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7 oz.) Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1 cup chopped walnuts (or leave them out if you have an allergy like Hubby does)
1 tsp. vanilla

Line 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Place sugar, butter and evaporated milke in large heavy saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234ºF (soft ball), stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme, stir until completely melted. Add walnuts (if desired) and vanilla; mix well.

Pour immediately into prepared pan; spread to form even layer in pan. Let stand at room temperature 4 hours or until completely cooled; cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature. Makes 3 lb. or 40 servings, about two squares each.

Variation - Classic Fantasy Fudge (the way Mom always made it)
Prepare recipe as directed, using 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) margarine and substituting 1 pkg. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips for the chopped BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate and a 13x9-inch baking pan for the 9-inch square pan.

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories 170
Total fat 8 g
Saturated fat 4 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrate 25 g
Dietary fiber 1 g
Sugars 23 g
Protein 1 g
Vitamin A 2 %DV
Vitamin C 0 %DV
Calcium 0 %DV
Iron 2 %DV

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A Free Way to Track Nutrition Online That Isn't Just a Diet

For a year and a half now, I've been searching for an efficient and economical way to track nutrition (not just calories) in electronic form. Aside from building my own cumbersome and stand-alone spreadsheet in Excel, I wasn't finding anything to my liking. As a member of WeightWatchers for that year and a half, I utilized their proprietary tool but it only tracked WeightWatchers points and cost me a pretty penny. What to do? What to do?

The answer came in a humble little unobstrusive email from my MyPoints service that lets me earn points for clicking on buttons in emails they generate for advertisers. One such email came through for SparkPeople.com that touted it was a free service to help people track nutrition, go on a diet, and/or adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Free Calorie Counter at SparkPeople.com

It all sounded too good to be true. Boy, was I wrong!

SparkPeople is part of the new phenomenon of "Web 2.0" which includes websites that are free for the user and rely on other income (i.e., advertising) to pay the bills. The other aspect of SparkPeople that makes it "Web 2.0" is that it is interactive with its sophisticated tracking tools, grows as its users provide nutritional information to their amazingly comprehensive nutrition databse, and essentially offers an online community for health-conscious individuals. Technology is an amazing thing when visionary developers take it and create something as wonderful as SparkPeople.

SparkPeople lets me do all of the following (for FREE):

• track my nutrition (not just calories but EVERYTHING)
• track my daily water intake
• set nutritional goals for myself
• track my fitness activities
• set fitness goals for myself
• read valuable health related articles
• view valuable health related videos (I recently watched one about the common cold that was very helpful while I was battling one)
• join communities of individuals (called SparkTeams) that have similar interests and needs as I do
• get emails including recipes, health articles, tips, etc.

That's just scratching the surface! I highly recommend going over there and trying it out (I'm even providing a button below). And don't let the word "diet" deter you--it's so much more than that!

NOTE: Neither the writer of Rosehaven Cottage is receiving NO COMPENSATION for writing this or for any reader utilizing the link button provided.

We have a wonderful new distinction!

We are so pleased to announce that Rosehaven Cottage has been invited to be a Featured Publisher on foodbuzz--an online community for foodies!

Of course we graciously accepted the invitation and can finally make the announcement now that everything has been finalized.

We are so excited to be a part of this new foodie community and hope that many of our regular readers will take the opportunity to "buzz" on over to FoodBuzz and check it out!