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  Sponsored News - Carrying drinks conveniently and discreetly remains a challenge, but the latest design from Genie Bags can grant the wish of anyone looking to carry and tap into the drink of your choice while on the go.

The "T-Bag" is a new patent-pending tea, water (or other beverage) - dispensing backpack. It's easy to use, effective, refillable and discreet; just lift the flap, open the spout, and quench your thirst at will. The backpack is available in camouflage or khaki in a durable nylon fabric that complements a range of casual outfits appropriate for a vast variety of activities. The straps are designed to be easy to adjust and comfortable to wear. The target audience for the T-Bag includes college students, athletes on the go, busy moms, and friends meeting to catch up.

The T-Bag joins the Genie Bags product line of elegant and functional beverage-carrier handbags: Cosmo, NY Nights, and Pinot. Each holds the beverage of your choice in a safe, durable, stylish carrier.

The unique design of the T-Bags allows for a discreet, stylish and practical transport vehicle for any beverage to a concert, sports event, movie theater, or anywhere else where it might be convenient or otherwise difficult to bring your drink of choice.

The line of T-Bags and Genie Bags were the invention of entrepreneur Beth Walters, a consummate designer with a flair for innovation and design and a desire for instant gratification when it comes to accessing her beverage of choice. Her motivation: a desire to combine necessity and convenience while maintaining class and dignity. But the added value of the Genie Bags line includes the potential for significant cost savings. The money you save can add up by bringing your own 2-liters of liquid to an event instead of paying a marked-up drink price set by the venue, and you don't have to wait for a waiter.

Another benefit that comes with buying a Genie Bag: supporting a worthy cause. A portion of all sales of Genie Bags goes to help support disabled veterans and others in need through a partnership between Genie Bags and the Gift of Health Foundation.

For more details and product information, visit geniebags.com or contact sales@geniebags.com.

Backpack Offers Instant Drink Discreetly At the Push of a Button
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 Sponsored News - Choosing a healthy lunch doesn't have to be boring or a day-to-day challenge. In fact, there are plenty of tasty and healthier substitutions you can make to your favorite meals when eating out or packing a lunch, such as adding more fresh fruits and vegetables and reducing refined grain products such as white bread and sugary foods. And losing just a few pounds can help reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

"The American Diabetes Association is committed to raising awareness and celebrating healthy choices. When it comes to any meal, if you are living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, making the healthy choice is probably at the forefront of your mind, but it's not always the easy choice. Remember that healthy choices for people with diabetes are the same as for everyone else: choose more vegetables, especially leafy greens, lean protein sources and whole grains in place of processed refined grains whenever you can," says Sacha Uelmen, RDN, CDE, Director, Nutrition at the American Diabetes Association.

Making better choices at lunch is a great place to start. And even small changes can help.

So check out these healthy swaps below:

* Caesar Salad. The traditional salad contains romaine lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese and Caesar dressing. Make a healthier salad by asking for the dressing on the side and use it sparingly. Add more veggies to your salad to increase vitamins and minerals, including dark, leafy greens, such as kale or spinach, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, or onions instead of croutons. Go light on the cheese or skip it altogether. Some restaurants now offer kale Caesar salad.

* Pizza. Two slices of pizza with extra cheese sounds delicious, but it can be high in saturated fat and calories. A better option is to have one slice of regular cheese pizza with veggie toppings and a side salad or two small slices of thin crust pizza with a side salad. And what about soda? Try sparkling water or still water with lemon instead.

* Italian sub. Choosing a sandwich with fries and a soda or sweet tea might satisfy a craving, but it's also a lunch that is packed with calories. Try a grilled chicken breast or turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread or wrap and add plenty of veggies. Replace regular mayo with avocado, hummus, or light mayonnaise and ask for half the cheese. Add fresh fruit or a small salad in place of the fries. And swap out the soda or sweet tea for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea with a splash of lime.

Take the stress out of making these choices on your own and consider a structured meal plan like Nutrisystem D, which provides pre-portioned meals to help manage diabetes and keep healthy eating on track at every meal.

For more information, visit www.nutrisystem.com.

Three Simple Swaps for a Healthier Lunch
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 Visitors to North Texas who stay in Plano have easy access to all of the Dallas-Fort Worth area's cultural, athletic, and entertainment options. But this global metropolis is also a destination in its own right, combining metropolitan flare with vintage charm for the ideal weekend trip.

Here's what you'll need for a fantastic weekend in Plano.

Stay. Consider the Renaissance Dallas at Plano Legacy West, with its "cowboy meets Samurai" décor and rooftop pool and cabanas, for extra pampering.

Are you looking for something truly outrageous? For one night only, take over Southfork Ranch, the set of the TV show "Dallas." A private tour of the mansion and a steak dinner appropriate for J.R. Ewing are included in the package. (If you choose one of these options,

Take a sip and savor it. Plano boasts more restaurants per capita than New York or San Francisco and a highly diverse dining scene, with over 1,000 restaurants.

Legacy Hall, a European-style dining hall located just steps from the Renaissance at Legacy West, allows visitors to enjoy a wide range of delectable dishes all under one roof, frequently with live music.

You'll find everything from Japanese robata at Ebesu and pub fare at The Fillmore to artisan pizza at Urban Crust and tacos at its sibling restaurant, Urban Rio, along the brick-lined streets of Plano's quaint, historic Downtown Arts District.

Granite Park's Boardwalk is another entertaining "restaurant row," featuring everything from burgers to English high tea.

Shopping, Seeing, and Doing With four major pedestrian-friendly shopping zones,

The luxury Shops at Willow Bend feature a diverse selection of retailers, including Neiman-Marcus. They also have a unique family attraction, one of only five Crayola Experiences in the country.

Shoppers may enjoy colorful murals, a farmer's market, and outdoor concerts on the sidewalks of small downtown Plano, which are lined with lovely art galleries and unique boutiques like Lyla's and La Foofaraw.




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 -It's been said that risotto waits for no one. And perhaps that is true if you want it fresh, but now you can turn leftover risotto into a show-stopping special meal. While you enjoy a delightful creamy risotto for dinner, the question remains; what do you do with the leftovers?

As delicious as it is freshly made, it doesn't reheat well. To the rescue, arancini, those delicious Italian fried rice balls, crispy on the outside and inside creamy risotto filled with velvety melted cheese centers.

Arancini originated in Sicily around the 10th century, but have become so popular today that the word "arancini" was recently added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.

Not only are arancini delicious, but they can be made large or small to serve as a main dish or an appetizer, plus they can be made ahead of time and fried right before serving.

See for yourself what all the fuss is about with this arancini recipe, which is provided by the maker of RiceSelect Arborio, the number one selling Arborio in the U.S.

Arancini

* 1 tablespoon olive oil

* 1 small onion, finely chopped

* 2 clove garlic, crushed

* 1 cup uncooked RiceSelect Arborio rice

* 3 cups heated chicken stock

* 2 ounces finely chopped prosciutto or ham

* Salt and pepper to taste

* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

* 1 egg, beaten

* 1 egg

* 1 tablespoon milk

* 4 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 cup seasoned panko (or bread crumbs)

* Vegetable oil for deep frying

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring until onion is soft but not browned.

Add rice; cook stirring for 2 minutes. Stir in ? cup stock; continue cooking and stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring & cooking until all the stock has been absorbed. Stir in prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. Transfer risotto to a bowl, and allow to cool; if time allows, chill for an hour in refrigerator.

Stir 1 beaten egg into risotto. In a small bowl, whisk together remaining egg and milk. Roll 2 tablespoons of risotto into a ball. Press a piece of mozzarella cheese into the center; roll to enclose. Coat lightly with flour, dip into the egg mixture; roll in Panko to coat. Refrigerate for 10 minutes (or overnight).

Heat oil for frying in a deep fryer or deep saucepan to 350 degrees F. Fry rice balls in small batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with warm marinara sauce.

For more information on this and other mouth-watering recipes, visit www.riceselect.com.

Two Meals in One: Arborio Rice, Perfect for Risotto & Arancini
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  While America may not appear to have the kind of hunger that is pervasive in other countries, that's not to say it doesn't exist.

Hunger remains a concern for millions of Americans, and for people who are "food insecure," the average reported need for food has increased, based on data from Map the Meal Gap 2017, a new report released by Feeding America, a non-profit hunger-relief organization.

The report describes the cost of food and food insecurity in communities across the United States.

Food insecurity is defined by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all members of a household.

According to the USDA, the number of Americans identified as food insecure decreased from 50 million in 2009 to 42 million in 2015. Still, Map the Meal Gap finds that the individuals who are food insecure report needing an average of nearly $530 more per person in 2015 to afford enough food, representing a 13 percent increase since 2008.

"This is grim news," says Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America, in a statement. "It is disheartening to realize that millions of hardworking, low-income Americans are finding it increasingly difficult to feed themselves and their families at the same time that our economy is showing many signs of improvement, including a substantial decline in the number of people who are unemployed."

The online version of the report features an interactive map, and key data points include estimates of the number of food-insecure individuals at the community level, the percentage of these individuals who may or may not qualify for federal nutrition programs, such as SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, as well as information about average cost of a meal in these areas.

Consider this: According to the report, even states such as North Dakota, where the rate of child food insecurity is lowest, 1 in 11 children are estimated to live in food-insecure households. In addition, food insecurity tends to be more common in rural areas versus urban areas.

"Feeding America is particularly concerned about children who struggle with hunger because of the devastating and sometimes life-long consequences caused by lack of adequate nutrition," Ms. Aviv says. "Children are our most vulnerable citizens."

The report uses data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as food price data and analysis from the information company Nielsen, a global provider of information and insights.

The study was supported by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation, Conagra Brands Foundation, and Nielsen.

Visit feedingamerica.org for more information about hunger, local member food banks, and opportunities to help.

 

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  From family gatherings to cookie exchanges, the holiday season is delicious--and can do a number on a typically balanced diet. Whether you want to curb your appetite to avoid over-indulging in tempting treats or need fuel ahead of your holiday shopping marathon, here are some smart-snacking suggestions to make this holiday season your healthiest yet.

* Happy Trail(s) Mix: To keep you energized on the go, keep homemade trail mix handy. It's a great source of vitamins, fiber and healthy fats that provides a boost of energy so you can shop without dropping. Customize it with your favorite ingredients and toss in some cranberries and pistachios for a festive touch.

* Pack in the Protein: Every family has traditional holiday recipes, and many serve as sides to the main course. Whether your family's go-to main dish is ham, turkey or even turducken, the holidays are the time to savor the foods you seldom take the time to dish up throughout the year. While you're anxiously waiting for the big meal, try subbing small portions of protein to keep your blood sugar in check. Bite-size offerings, such as meat snacks, are the perfect grab-and-go option and will rev up your metabolism, while supplying you with lasting energy.

But be careful to avoid meat snacks high in sodium and sugar. A great healthy option is Deli Snackers from Land O'Frost, a baked meat snack made from high-quality, oven-roasted meats. This convenient and flavorful choice offers more than 10 grams of nourishing protein per serving with less than 400 mg of sodium, making it the perfect treat to meet your healthy-eating goals.

* Festive Fiber: To prevent the mid-afternoon stomach grumble, use a muffin tin to make a batch of portion-controlled oatmeal cups --a healthy and delicious snack that can be enjoyed any time of the day. Oatmeal, which is high in fiber, will keep you satiated before dinner, and adding natural ingredients such as pure maple sugar and cinnamon will healthily satisfy your sweet tooth so you don't reach for a sugary pastry or any of the other filler foods overflowing from the kitchen.

So why wait until New Year's Eve to start your resolutions? Get a kick-start this holiday season and try out any of these nutritious snacks without sacrificing the festivities.

For coupons and more guilt-free recipe ideas for the holidays, visit www.landomoms.com

Avoid the Seasonal Splurge with Healthy Protein Snacks
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  It's the time of year to unpack the crockpots, pull out your team colors, and break out that Sunday football attire because football season is back!

As autumn approaches and school is back in session, many families start to gear up for those weekends of tailgating. If you're looking for some creative ways to wow your tailgate attendees or throw an awesome football party, follow these tips that are sure to be a hit.

 

* Celebrate National Tailgating Day: The first Saturday of September is recognized as National Tailgating Day. From team colors to face paint and a spread of the best finger foods, watching your favorite team dominate and showing team spirit has never been easier. Consider adding a lean protein to any dish to keep those tailgaters energized all day. By using a crock pot for turkey chili or buffalo chicken dip, transporting food is mess- and hassle-free.

* Sunday Football Snacks: NFL football season is around the corner and that calls for viewing parties filled with family and friends. Make your family room couch the go-to Sunday headquarters with football party food for everyone. Weather permitting, dust off the grill and pile up the charcoal because no party is complete without meat. Barbecue Chicken, Spicy Buffalo Wings or even Teriyaki Pulled Pork all cook well over a flame.

If you're looking to step away from the grill, consider using Sub Sandwich Kits from Land O'Frost. The Sandwich Sub Kits make 6 to 10 sandwiches and come in five different flavors, including Smoked Ham & Oven-Roasted Turkey, Italian-Style, Honey Ham & Honey Smoked Turkey, Primo Italiano and Black Forest Ham & Turkey.

For a savory taste to last the whole game, make your own favorite sub sandwich.

* Step Up Your Sweet Side Dishes: Take care of your sweet tooth by filling up bowls with honey-roasted cashews, M&M's or yogurt-dipped raisins to satisfy all those sugary cravings.

To get creative, try baking desserts in football form. Some crowd favorites include cookies and cream football cheese ball, cream-filled chocolate donuts, football-shaped cookies, or football s'mores brownie batter dip.

With these go-to tips, your next tailgate is sure to be a success -- And may the best team win.

For coupons and more information about recipe ideas for the whole family, visit http://www.landomoms.com/recipes.

 

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