Baby it's Cold outside.

there are SO many things i LOVE about this time of year.

Family,

Friends,

cuddling,

movies,

music....

but there is one thing that i don't care for,

and that's the COLD!

unless i'm skiing down the mountain,

i prefer to stay cuddled up on the couch with my family while it's cold outside.

That's why this year,

i am LOVING my THRIVE!

i haven't been to the grocery store for 15 days now.

can you believe it??

not only have i stayed warm,

i've saved money (on gas and groceries)

yep...even though i get groceries at my door...we're still spending LESS!

we've had fruits and veggies EVERYDAY!

home-cooked, heart-warming meals.

and i've had so much time to enjoy all those things i love

without too much time in the kitchen or at the store.

If you want to learn more about the Q contact me.

marcispratt@gmail.com

it has been the best GIFT to our family this season!

Did you know?

Did you know we have Freeze Dried Cheese??

You better believe we do!

(with a 20 year shelf life i might add!)

Twice Baked Potatoes

2 c. THRIVE potato chunks

2 tsp THRIVE chopped onion

1/4 c. THRIVE bacon TVP

1 c. THRIVE cheddar cheese, rehydrated and divided

1/2 c. THRIVE instant milk, prepared

1/2 c. THRIVE sour cream, prepared

2-3 tbsp butter

salt and pepper to taste

rehydrate and cook potatoes by placing them in to boiling water. add 1 tsp of salt and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and mash the potatoes, then add the other ingredients and whip together until creamy. Place mixture into large dish and top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden brown. Makes 4-6 servings.

we had this with dinner last night.

SO good.

give it a try.

FREE Shipping...

As a Platinum Q Member you can recieve Q-pons each month!

Check out the December Q-pon

The Apple Slices are delish....it's true.

But FREE shipping** is Awesome!

**anyone can benefit from this FREE shipping through me.

if you'd like to learn more about the Q CLUB contanct me today.

Featured

My blog was featured over HERE along with a fabulous Granola Recipe.

Check it out!

and don't forget tomorrow is the LAST day for the

Thanksgiving Sale!

I know i'll be stocking up.

click here to see the SALE prices and contact me to get your order in!

marcispratt@gmail.com

435.770.5548

the snow won't stop me....

i took a vacation to Nevada with my family this week.

(it was SO fun!)

but guess what was waiting for me when i got home??

The new THRIVE foods!

remember these.?

well, they are Just as YUMMY as i thought they would be!

and since snow was also waiting for me,

i'm excited that i can have tomatoes in the winter!

the next several months of winter will fly by with some homemade salsa in the fridge!

i LOVE...(Part 1)

I was recently asked, "what do you think is Essential that i order?"

The truth is, it's ALL Essential!

we all need food.

we all need a food supply.

but it did make me think of the products that i've recently grown to LOVE.

So if you are getting ready to order your very first Q, or you're hoping to get an extra order in before Christmas...Maybe my list will help!

Chopped Chicken.

It's no surprise that I love the chicken.

This has rescued dinner so many times this month.

No more thawing, chopping, cooking, etc.

(okay, so maybe we still have fresh chicken once in a while...but i'm beginning to wonder why.)

Butter Powder.

Right now the butter at my favorite Grocery Store is $5.00 a box.

seriously.

Butter Powder to the rescue!

I use it in ALL my baking. cornbread. cookies. bread.

....remember those recipes that call for softened butter....remember how you can never get it just right...

it's either too soft, or rock hard, or melted..

not anymore!

Onions.

Every recipe is better with onions. let's face it.

However, onions used to be my nemesis for two reasons.

i was either,

1. rushing to the store to get one more,

or

2. throwing them out because they went bad before i could use them.

not anymore.

now, i only buy enough fresh for the recipes i KNOW i will use that week

and then i turn to thrive for the rest of my week.

i LOVE the chopped onions!

Strawberries.

let's just say, my morning would not be complete without a handful of strawberries on my cereal.

mmmmm.

What do you LOVE? what can you not go without??

This is REAL.

I don't know about you, but i certainly wouldn't eat that "other" stuff!

i like when my green vegetable are actually GREEN!

That's what i LOVE about THRIVE.

it's not "emergency food"...it's everyDAY food!

*pictures from Kirsten Browning

who doesn't LOVE new stuff??

Thrive just came out with NEW foods!

Freeze-dried Applesauce

(can i get a woo woo!)

Freeze-dried Red seedless Grapes

(heaven!)

Freeze-dried Green Bell Peppers!!

(it keeps getting better...)

Freeze-dried Tomatoes

(oh baby!)

and

Freeze-dried Zucchini Chunks!

take a minute and just think about how much easier cooking could be.

{silence}

wouldn't that be amazing??

the winner!

Remember the contest that was suppose to end Oct 30th?

well, i sort of got busy and forgot to do the drawing.

but no worries,

we got 'er done today!

and the winner is....

Nicole Norris

contact me and you can pick your prize!

(one can of food...your choice!)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Happy Halloween!!

I started a tradition way back when. chicken noodle soup before trick-or-treating! it was always something we looked forward too, but it took a long time!

now that the kids are older and the day is crazy busy, i was about to opt for a frozen pizza for dinner. but the hubby gave me the ol' "you're going to break tradition?" with the saddest looking face.

so i caved.

but i'm a lot smarter this time around.

Thrive cooked chopped chicken

Thrive celery

Thrive onions

Thrive carrots

Thrive potato chunks

and some frozen grandma noodles.

oh baby!

it was SO good.

took me a total of 18 minutes

(instead of the usual hour, and mostly cause we were waiting on the rolls to warm up!)

saved some time, filled some bellies, had a fabulous night!

Enjoy your halloween candy tonight!

Discontinued THRIVE Products

We are excited to announce that in early November Shelf Reliance® will be releasing five new THRIVE™ products. Our new products are sure to add more variety and convenience to your Home Store. The three new veggies are some of our most frequently requested items, and the new fruit products are sure to become a family favorite. The new THRIVE Fruits and Veggies will be here soon, so now you have even more reasons to love THRIVE!

As we prepare to release our five new products, we will also be discontinuing several of our dehydrated products. The items listed below will be discontinued as of January 2012. If you would like to purchase these products, please complete your order before December 31, 2011. We will only be able to fulfill orders while supplies last. If you have any questions about new or existing orders, please contact our customer service department at(877) 743-5373.

· Dehydrated Banana Chips
· Dehydrated Pineapple
· Dehydrated Mixed Bell Peppers
· Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes

Effective immediately, we had to discontinue THRIVE Mandarin Oranges. Unfortunately, an unstable crop production has affected our supply of mandarin oranges so we need to discontinue it immediately to secure orders already placed. We are investigating options to see if can bring this back at a future date, and we will keep you informed on any such developments.

Please stay turned to learn more about the 5 new fruits and veggies that will be available this November. Thank you for your continuous support and confidence.

Sincerely,

The Shelf Reliance Team

can't wait.

did you know, your THRIVE freeze-dried fruits and vegetables can be used to make delicious homemade baby food that is free from harmful preservatives? all you gotta do is rehydrate the product as directed on the can and puree in a blender or food processor. you can then freeze the pureed fruits and vegetables in ice cube trays for serving sizes and store in freezer bags until ready to use. can't wait to do this with my little guy. perhaps we'll start next week!

How does freeze drying work?

THRIVE products are all natural, so naturally they are good for you! they begin with the freshest foods, so you can expect the highest quality. then they clean and slice them before they are flash-frozen. the temperature drops to -50 degrees and the air pressure drops, pulling out 98% of the moisture in the food, while still maintaining the texture, taste, color and nutrition. the food is then sealed in a double coated can to ensure freshness. this processes allows for a much longer shelf life and better tasting, more nutritional outcome!

tis the season.

there's nothing like a good bowl of apple crisp this time of year.

and this recipe did not disappoint.

Apple Crisp

4 c. THRIVE apple chips

2-3 c. THRIVE apple drink

1/2 raisins

3/4 c. THRIVE brown sugar

1/2 c. THRIVE white flour

1/2 c. THRIVE quick oats

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

8 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1. in large bowl, cover apple chips and raisins with warm water or apple drink. let sit 5-10 minutes until softened and rehydrated. drain.

2. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Make a crumble by combining brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly.

4. Divide apple mixture evenly between 4 individual, buttered ramekins or oven-proof baking dishes. Sprinkle crumble over the apple mixture in each dish.

5. Bake for 25 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Top each bowl with a scoop of ice cream or whipped topping.

*this time i used fresh apples (tis the season) and left out the raisins.

watch the cooking demo here.

Salsa...one of my staples!

Q day.

this is my kind of grocery shopping. slippers, leggings and food at the door! love it!

the Q allows you to sit back, relax, and let Thrive foods come to you. You can easily set up your monthly shipments so you can build your own supply of yummy thrive foods at your own pace and budget. it's so easy,

contact me to learn more.

marcispratt@gmail.com

I am so excited about this unique opportunity that i have recently begun. Becoming a Shelf Reliance Consultant! This opportunity allows me to help people worldwide become self reliant, financially independent, and better prepared for the future!

To kick start this new adventure I'm doing a contest!

you will be entered to win a FREE can of THRIVE food!!

here's what you have to do...

1. be a follower on this blog by clicking "join this site." on the right side.

2. encourage your friends to join the site, and leave a comment showing me where you did this. (Facebook, twitter, blogger etc.)

3. read "my story" (on the right) just cause you'll understand me better :)

The contest will end October 30!

(my birthday!!)

I will announce the winner on this blog!

(i will ship anywhere in the US, including Hawaii and Alaska)

Breakfast is Served.

when was the last time you had a fruit smoothie for breakfast?

(and we're not talking about the McCafe from McDonalds)

When was the last time said smoothie only took 8 minutes?

(realistically.)

You're gonna love this one!

and you can have it year-round!!

Berry Smoothie

2 Tablespoons THRIVE peach drink, dry

1 cup water

1/2 cup THRIVE peach slices

1/2 cup THRIVE Blackberries

1 1/2 cups ice cubes

1/4 cup THRIVE instant milk, dry

*recipe from THRIVE cookbook

have you tried the brownies?

they are that good.

my new best friend.

these pineapple chunks are my new best friend.

i knew i loved them as a snack.

let's face it,

i steal a handful everyday.

but i rehydrated them and put them on sweet and sour meatballs.

oh baby.

you gotta try this!

click here for an easy recipe.

"tastes just like costa vida mom!"

when my four year old told me that my thrive quesadillas tasted "just like costa vida", it told me two things....

1. we eat at costa vida too much

2. thrive is dang good!

Quick and Easy Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 c. Thrive Taco TVP, divided

1 1/4 boiling water

1 tbsp Cooking oil

6 six inch flour tortillas

4 1/2 c shredded cheese, divided

rehydrate TVP in boiling water. Heat oil in medium-sized pan over medium-low heat. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 c. cheese.

Add 1/4 c. of the reconstituted taco TVP over the cheese and top with another 1/4 c. of cheese. Cover with another tortilla and cook for 2-3 minutes of until golden brown. Flip the quesadilla over and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

yum!

thriving nations

I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Ghana, Africa with my husband last year. It was my first time visiting a third world country. I was shocked by the things I witnessed while there. But being a Health Major, it was the eating habits that surprised me the most. Everyday is a battle for food. Where to get it, what to get, and when to eat it. On average, African families eat one meal a day. They fill their bellies with as much FuFu (a dough made of cassava and plantains) and soup as they can. It's the same for the children. I realized rather quickly that I am blessed beyond measure. Not only for the country in which i live, but for the bounty of food I have. That is why I LOVE the Thriving Nations program from Shelf Reliance. This beautiful program is designed to help those growing nations receive the food that they need. Not only is the food provided to malnourished children, they are also educating parents on proper farming techniques to help them become more self reliant. 5% of all sales of the Thrive food line are donated to this deserving program. just one more reason to love Thrive!

French Toast

you know the drill....it's early, you're running late and the kids want french toast before school. you decide you have just enough time to squeeze in a batch so you say "YES" out loud. (before looking in the fridge) turns out.....no eggs.

this was me two days ago.

thrive to the rescue!

They turned out fantastic. and even a little faster than regular french toast.

3 Tbsp Thrive Whole eggs

6 Tbsp water

whisk together and dip in your bread

heat for 2 minutes per side.

wah-lah!

now everyone's happy!

Congo Bars

there are two kinds of people.

those who order desert,

and those who order an appetizer.

i prefer appetizers myself.

but i was wishing for something sweet the other night and found this recipe from Thrive.

Congo Bars

2 c. Thrive brown sugar

2/3 c. oil

3 Tbsp Thrive whole egg powder

6 Tbsp water

2 3/4 c. Thrive white flour

1/2 tsp Thrive iodized salt

2 1/2 tsp Thrive baking powder

chocolate chips (optional)

mix well, add chocolate chips to taste.

spread dough into a greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes.

makes 16-20 bars

it was really yummy!

Party, Party, Who likes to Party?

call me today to book your party for October!

space is limited!

Marci Pratt

marcispratt@gmail.com

435.770.5548

Why Shelf Reliance?

I've always had a passion for healthy eating! Unfortunately many things have always gotten in the way of my own family eating right. time....money....time.... and so on. When I was first introduced to Shelf Reliance in the fall of 2009 I thought, "yuck! food storage? no thanks." and didn't even taste anything. Today I regret that.

I went to school at Utah State University to study Community Health. I loved my nutrition courses and it became my goal to get families eating healthier. Eating right is not only about eliminating high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and many other diseases, eating right simply improves life. As i'm sure you can all attest, you just feel better! I created two different programs while studying at USU. First, "Weigh it Out", was designed to help parents weigh out the barriers vs the benefits of eating healthy. My second program was called, "Eat the Rainbow". This was designed for children. I took the program to a local school and encouraged children to eat all the colors of the rainbow everyday! They were able to taste many fruits and vegetables that were new to them. In both programs I saw success. Everyone had a desire to eat better. Everyone saw the benefits! However, they weren't doing it. Even when I evaluated my own family....I wasn't doing it.

No matter what I did in teaching Health and Nutrition, I couldn't eliminate two constant barriers for anyone, including myself. Time and Money. I spent hours researching time-saving tips for preparing healthier meals, and money-saving ideas. But in the end, it was a lot of work, and it was going to cost more money. period. I figured that when I became rich and famous (cause we all plan on that someday, right?) I would make healthy meals for my family!

It wasn't until my own family was experiencing some tough financial times that I pulled out the THRIVE food that had been gifted to us as a Christmas present. At the time, that Christmas present was a fun joke, but I now consider it my greatest gift.

The first thing I opened was THRIVE mixed bell peppers. Right away I knew I was going to go through the can pretty fast. They smelled divine! I was soon incorporating THRIVE into almost every meal. My four-year-old was begging for it for snacks. We quickly signed up for the Q program and started receiving freeze-dried food at our door. It didn't take long to feel the blessing of having our own Home Store. It's convenience and nutrition wrapped in one little can. win...win!

I now go to the grocery store less, spend less, and eat better! Some times I can't even believe I can say that. But it's true, it's really possible! and as if that's not good enough, I also have a food supply in my house with a 25 year shelf life. I used to believe that food storage was strictly for a natural disaster of some sort. It's silly really, because the truth is that the most common disasters happen in the walls of our own home....lost job, illness, etc. I have stopped waiting for the world to end, and I'm eating the yummy, nutritious food NOW!