For Foodie fans, Give a Card from Restaurant.com

FTC: I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Thanks to Restaurant.com, the nation's largest dining deals site, you can surprise someone with fun ways to save when it comes to dining.  I have personally enjoyed using Restaurant.com.  Love the different options  you can get from using this site. Who wouldn't love a gift card that involves dinner or lunch?

 This holiday season, Restaurant.com has handpicked delicious dining experiences and gift ideas for every budget and compiled them into an exclusive Restaurant.com Holiday Gift Guide!   Simply pair any Restaurant.com Gift Card with any of these gift bundle ideas below for the ultimate dining experience and holiday treat:

1. The Movie Buff: For the movie-quoting, obsessed friend, surprise them with two tickets to a movie on their must-see “Oscar” list and a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card. Enjoy a night of appetizers and plot-dissecting debates! Ready to splurge? Stop at the concession stand for some candy, drinks, and a jumbo popcorn to share!

2. The Workaholic: To help someone on your list find much needed tranquility, pair a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card with soothing bath salts, lavender mist, and a face mask to create an affordable, at-home spa treatment. Ready to splurge? Add a spa gift card and make Dinner reservations for a nice, relaxing evening post-massage.

3. The Romantic: Add some romance into your holiday with a $50 Restaurant.com Gift Card, bouquet of roses, some irresistible chocolate covered strawberries, and a candlelit dinner for two. Ready to splurge? Pick up some bubbly on the way home for a classy touch.

4. The Theatre Lover: Add some dramatic flair to the holidays with two tickets to their must-see show and end the evening with our $100 Restaurant.com Gift Card - perfect for dinner and dessert. Ready to splurge? Buy them a memento from the show and two drinks during intermission!

Be sure to check out Specials by Restaurant.com for more shopping ideas!  Also enter the Sweepstakes Giveaway Details where Five (5) lucky Facebook fans will have a chance to win one of  http://thedish.restaurant.com/holiday-bundle-up-giveaway the gifts featured in our gift guide every Wednesday until December 18, 2013.   Check the following to connect with Restaurant.com socially: Twitter : https://www.twitter.com/Restaurant_com, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcom

Blog post: http://thedish.restaurant.com

FTC:I received a Restaurant.com gift card for the purpose of this review. This post was made possible by Mom Spark Media. Thoughts are my own.

Chili's Million Flatbread Giveaway

Join the Chili's email club to get your free full-size flatbread, and you'll also get the latest happening and exclusive offers. Chili's is giving away one million of their NEW freshly-baked flatbreads. Loaded with signature toppings on a crispy crust, it's a taste not to be missed. Claim your free flatbread* before they're gone and get to your local Chili's!

Recipe: Minestrone Soup

A bowl of soup goes a long way during winter.  A bowl of soup warms up the heart and soul.  My hubby asked me to make his favorite soup: Minestrone, especially if I can get it close to the Olive Garden version.  Not sure what goes in the soup, I did see this tasty recipe the Olive Garden Minestrone Soup.  My recipe is an adapted version of this soup because who has every single ingredient available in their home?  For sure not my home.

Prep: 15 min.  (I like to prepare the ingredients before actually cooking.

Cook: 50 min., depending on consistency

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2-4 T Olive Oil (we are usually generous)
• 2 c of seasoned hamburger 
• 1/2 c minced onion
• 1/4 c chopped zucchini
• 1/4 c green beans
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 4 cups of Swanson chicken broth low sodium
• 1 can red kidney beans, drained
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1/2 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 2 T dried parsley
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 dried basil
• 1 1/2 cup of boiling water
• 1 cup of  shell pasta

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a pot.  Saute the onions, carrots, zucchini, green beans, garlic, and the seasoned hamburger for about 5 minutes.  Add the Chicken broth, drained tomatoes, beans, spices and hot water. Bring soup to a boil.  

Once boiled, simmer for 25 minutes, with lid on top of pot.  Add pasta, and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until desired consistency.  

Let me just say my hubby and son loved the soup.  My 9 year old son loved the veggies in the soup!  I am so excited. My hubby isn't the only one who can cook around here. ;)

As we say in Arabic: "Sahtain"  (Bon Appetit).

Nikon Review and Decorating

Back in November,  my hubby bought me a Nikon DSLR 3000.  I have been playing around with it, buying accessories such as other lenses, light box, external flashlight etc.  At night, I have been studying different blogs and reading as much as I can about photography, where I pin information on my Photography board.  I am even contemplating taking a photography class at the local community college during the summer.

This weekend I was at my brother and sister-in-law's apartment.  And yes.  I took my Nikon with me.  I took random shots of their place.  (First time I have been there, and I knew they had great decorating tastes. My brother and his artistic talent, and my sister-in-law's great taste--can you guess the results?)

My brother and his wife made us dinner and desert. Overall, we were spoiled by those two! They win brownie points.  They made stuffed grape leaves.  STUFFED. GRAPE. LEAVES.  Proves we are special because these are literally made by hand--piece by piece.  There as also an Arabic rice dish called "Uzi" and Fattoush salad. Desert: Strawberry Shortcake! Yum!    Here are some pictures I took:

Take a look at some of the fabulous decorations that I took with my Nikon:

                                                   Love this chair!  It is waaaay better in person.

Worthwhile Trip: Shatila and Al Ameer Restaurant

Part I:

This weekend, my family and I visited family in Dearborn,MI. It was great to see family after three long years. Time flies.

If you love to experience different cultures, then it is a must- to visit Dearborn, Michigan. There you will experience the Arabic cultures--from food to dress. We went to Shatila, an Arabic bakery that specializes in Baklava, cookies, smoothies, pastries, and more. All were delicious.

Decoration inside Shatila

Fruit Smoothie

Chocolate Cake

After we went grocery for Arabic foods, we decided to eat at Al Ameer Restaurant, also in Dearborn, MI. As we walked in the restaurant, we see Arabic decorative theme as well as hearing Arabic music to the tune of Abdel Halim Hafez, a classical Egyptian singer. Our Arab waiter recommended his favorites of Al Ameer in details.  We ended up ordering Tabouleh, the Ameer Platter, and Buffalo Chicken Wings.  The food wasn't for for 3 people, it was probably more like 6-8 people.  We ended up taking the rest to go, as we left to Chicago.

Al Ameer Platter

Tabouleh

Buffalo Chicken Wings

If you like to experience new cultures, I highly recommend that you go to Dearborn, Michigan to experience the Arabic culture. You will experience the food, music, shows.  You name it.   You will not be disappointed.

The Salad That Takes Your Breath Away

Normally, I don't talk about how much I love food. I don't think about food. I look at food as something we need in order to live. Except when it comes to hubby's salad.

Something about hubby's salad.

I am not the only one who thinks that way. I mean other family members will eat hubby's salad. Once when I was posting, my mom says come to the table to some salad. I had said when I am finished, read here to find out what happened.

Hubby's salad recipe:
1 serving

1 tomato
1/2 jalapeño pepper
1/2 green onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 baby cucumber (very important)
1 Tlb spoon of olive oil
Sea salt for taste

Finely chop the tomato, cucumber, jalapeño, garlic, green onion all at once. The finer the ingredients are chopped, the tastier they become. Add a pinch of sea salt your mixture, so the can soak through giving you the juice of the mixture. Mix everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl , and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

This salad tastes great with French bread and a slice of fresh Mozzarella cheese.

Sahtain or Bon Appetite!

Guest Post: Five Ways to Save When You Buy Organic

by

Stephanie Nelson

1. Compare organics' prices at your local stores:  Check out the store brands in the organic department and compare prices between stores to find the best deals.  Most supermarkets have store brand organic items, Whole Foods has an extensive line of store brand items, and even wholesale clubs have organic produce and grocery items. Store brand organic items' prices may be no more expensive than name brand conventional items.

2. Learn the “Clean 15” and the “Dirty Dozen.” The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit public health advocacy group, provides a free Pesticides in Produce Shopping Guide (ewg.org). Download the list or the app to see which items contain the least and the most pesticide residue. I stretch my dollar by selectively purchasing organic versions of the “Clean 15” such as onions, avocados, sweet corn, asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, watermelon and purchase conventional versions of the “Dirty Dozen.”

3. Shop the bulk Department. Stores provide containers and let you scoop out the perfect amount of an item that you desire to purchase. Look for organic beans, teas, grains, flour, oatmeal, or spices to buy this way and you are less likely to waste food. Don’t assume every item in bulk is cheaper, bring your calculator and compare prices by the ounce or pound to pre-packed items.

4. Use Coupons. Start with the “Grocery Coupon Database” at CouponMom.com as a guide by searching for the term “organic.” Pick up in-store coupon booklets, such as Whole Foods' booklet or print the coupons from the Whole Foods website. Check out manufacturers websites. We found printable coupons at more than 50 organic online sites. Earth Day is soon, so be on the lookout for “Go Organic for Earth Day” coupon booklets in stores.

5. Grow your own savings. Nothing beats the price – and the taste- of a tomato you harvest from your own backyard or even your deck. Short on space? Purchase cheap plant containers at garage sales or flea markets. You can also make your own container out of old buckets, jars, plastic trash containers, ceramic pots, or other cleaned containers you have around the home. Growing staples like lettuce, tomatoes, peppers and herbs can provide the most bang for your buck.

Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom. Her web site,  www.CouponMom.com,  has 6 million members, and she is established as the nation’s top expert in couponing across the country. She has been called ‘”the rock star of the recession” by the Washington Post and her book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, is a New York Times best seller.

Related articles

• 5 Tips for Using Coupons (faithfulprovisions.com)
• How To Save Money On Groceries (boomerandecho.com)
• Save Money with Not So Extreme Couponing (themogulmom.com)

National Salad Month: Healthy Recipes from Wellspring

Photo credit: 5WPR

This month, Wellspring Camps, the leading weight loss organization for young adults and families across the U.S. has come up with a few healthy salad recipes for National Salad Month this May!  We all know how important it is to keep our kids and families eating healthy, but Wellspring has made it easy with these delicious salads that the whole family will enjoy!

• White Bean Salad: A tasteful mix of seasoned white beans and peppers that is only 77 calories and 0.3 grams of fat
• Grilled Asparagus & Sweet Pepper Salad: A colorful delicious dish with only 64.2 Calories, and 0.78 grams of fat
• Egg Salad: Everyone enjoys egg salad, and this recipe will keep you guilt free with only 30 calories and 0.6 grams of fat

Keeping your family happy and health is important, and at Wellspring, they make is easy to enjoy a delicious meal without the guilt!  This May for Salad month, try these healthy salads, or visit the Wellspring website for more delicious recipes!

White Bean Salad

Serves 7
Serving Size:  1/2 cup

1-15 oz can navy or cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 oz Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp Scallions, sliced
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together.  For the best flavor, let salad sit in refrigerator for an hour.

Calories:  77
Fat:  0.3g

Grilled Asparagus & Sweet Pepper Salad

servings – (4)

Ingredients
1 pound of fresh asparagus spears
1 medium orange bell pepper
1 small or medium red onion
1 lemon
1 lime
1 orange
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard

Method:

·         preheat grill to 375 degrees

·         prepare vegetables for grilling by trimming off rough ends of asparagus, cutting the pepper in half and removing the seeds, and slicing the onion.

·         grill asparagus for only 2 or three minutes. (you still want it crunchy).continue grilling the onion and the pepper until they are flavored but still crunchy. place in refrigerator to cool down.

·         zest the lemon, lime, and orange and set aside.

·         squeeze juice from the lemon, lime, and orange and set aside.

·         combine vinegar ,dijon mustard, salt, pepper, citrus juices.

·         chop the onion and pepper then cut the asparagus into thirds.

·         combine dijon vinaigrette, citrus zest, and vegetables, then toss until evenly coated.

64.25 Calories
3.18 grams Protein
.78 grams Fat

Egg Salad

Ingredients

8 ounces Egg Beaters
2 ounces Fat Free Mayonnaise
1/8 tsp White Pepper
½ tsp Red Wine Vinegar

Method:

1.        Scramble egg beaters according to package directions

2.        Cool eggs for 30 minutes

3.        Combine egg beaters, FF Mayonnaise, white pepper, and red wine vinegar.

Yield: 5 – 2 ounce servings

Nutritional Information:

30 Kcalories
4 grams Protein
.06 grams Fat
2.75 grams Carbs.

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*FTC disclosure: Part of the MyBlogSpark campaign.*