Purple Potatoes: 5 Surprising Benefits

The other day I ran into some purple potatoes for the first time and were they absolutely scrumptious… since then I’ve been totally hooked. So that got me curious…are they actually better for me than white and yellow potatoes? Come to find out …. yeah!!! They are, here are 5 surprising Benefits about eating purple potatoes, besides the fact they look super cool.

😍 Purple potatoes are packed with antioxidants, have a blueish black skin and stay brilliantly purple after cooking, and have more POTASSIUM than bananas.
👉 Purple is better for BLOOD SUGAR with a Glycemic Index of 77 versus yellow potatoes has a GI of 81, and white potatoes have a GI of 93. Because of their high polyphenol count, it may reduce the absorption of carbs into your system.
💖 Purple potatoes have 3x the ANTIOXIDANT (anthocyanins) activity than white and yellow potatoes. Which can help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.
👀 May reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure as the polyphenols and antioxidants found in purple potatoes helps relax the arterial blood vessels.
✨ Purple potatoes like all potatoes contain resistant starch. This start is resistant to digestion doesn’t go into the bloodstream the way regular starch does. And your gut biotics love this kind of starch to keep you healthy.

I love them steamed…Drizzled with a little Original Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils, and I even make extra to keep in the fridge to have as a snack during the day.
How do you eat your Purple Potatoes?

p.s Here’s another way we can help you.🎅Grab a 6 pack of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive oil and get $10 FLAT RATE shippingfor all your Holiday Givingwww.VigoaCuisine.com

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After Gallbladder Surgery, Can I Still Eat Fat?

“Can I still eat fat after I have my gallbladder removed?” or “I can’t have olive oil because I don’t have a gallbladder.” These are just a couple of questions we have heard when it comes to eating fat and not having a gallbladder.

So what’s the answer? Yes and No. Geez Louise…can’t anything be simple now days 😉

Here’s the deal. 20% of people over 65 and 10% of all adults have gallstones. Just because you have gallstones that don’t mean you’ll have to have gallbladder removal surgery,  many people don’t even realize they have them. They aren’t a problem for everyone. But, over half a million people in the U.S to end up having their gallbladders removed each year. And, because the gallbladder is involved in helping us digest our food, many people are under the impression they can’t eat fat anymore.

Actually, most people think that after they have their gallbladder removed they can’t eat any kind of fat… period.

Why do they think that?

Because the last time they went out to eat at a restaurant and had some cheese and pepperoni pizza or went out for fettuccine alfredo…they spent more time in the bathroom than they did at the table!

Here’s the thing.

The gallbladder collects the bile that is produced by the liver. Then it holds the bile there and concentrates it until you eat something fatty and need it to help with digestion. So when you eat a super heavy meal with damaged oils like canola, soybean oils that are usually used with restaurant type meals containing saturated and trans fats, your bile can break it up because it’s been concentrated in your gallbladder.

But… If you no longer have a gallbladder, your liver still secretes the bile it just doesn’t have the gallbladder to send it to for storage and concentration. So when you eat a heavy meal, and one that is full of processed fats, the “diluted” version of bile will have a harder time digesting all the fat.

So, what’s the good news? 😃 (there’s gotta be a pony in here somewhere) Well the good news is you can still eat fat. But…(there’s always gotta be a but!) you need to focus on good fats. By good fat I don’t mean mmmh good hamburger and bacon grease fat. I mean healthy monounsaturated fats.

There isn’t a strict diet to follow after gallbladder removal surgery but there are helpful guidelines. The website Healthline has a great article of foods to avoid and include. Here is a short version of that list. You can get the full article with the link below

Heavy Fat and Processed Foods to Avoid

• steak or high-fat cuts of red meat
• beef, whole or ground
• pork
• bacon
• lunch meats, such as bologna and salami
• sausage
• lamb

Dairy products

Try to avoid or limit your consumption of:

• milk, especially whole
• full-fat yogurt
• full-fat cheese
• butter
• lard
• sour cream
• ice cream
• whipped cream
• sauces or gravies made with cream

Processed foods

Processed foods often contain a lot of additional fat and sugar. This makes them last longer, but they’re also hard to digest and don’t offer much nutrition.

Try to stay away from:

• pie
• cake
• cookies
• cinnamon rolls
• sugary cereals
• white or other processed breads
• foods cooked in vegetable or hydrogenated oils

BUT WAIT THERE’S GOOD NEWS…. THERE IS FOOD THAT’S GOING TO AGREE WITH YOU!

• beans
• lentils
• peas
• raw nuts (not roasted in oils), such as almonds, walnuts, and cashews
• raw seeds, such as hemp, chia, and poppy seeds
• sprouted grains, nuts, and seeds
• fruits and vegetables

• chicken breast (remember no fried chicken, sauteeing in a bit of olive oil is easier on digestion)
• turkey
• salmon
• trout
• herring
• white fish like cod and halibut
• legumes
• tofu

Healthy fats

(For the entire list)

All hope is not lost! You can eat lots of good stuff and yes you can even eat olive oil as well as avocado and coconut oil.

You can also have fish oil as well as flaxoil and smaller amounts of olive oil.

These fats tend to agree more than vegetable oils and animal fats. Remember your body will need time to adjust to it’s new way of processing the fat so be patient and don’t overdo. Foods that tend to be naturally lower in fat (3mg and under) tend to be easier to digest.

The nice thing about Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil is that it’s so concentrated with flavor from the Garlic and Herbs and Spices that you need a smaller serving to add all the zippy do da to your dish and still get all the oh yeeeahhh flavor without the work and worry.

Thank you again for all your questions. Keep them coming. If you have a health question we can help with, just leave it in the comments or shoot us a quick email.

Thank you and until next time,

Splash up a storm!

Miriam and Kristi

Miriam@vigoacuisine.com

p.s

Whenever you’re ready here’s two more ways we can help you.

FREE SHIPPING  Grab a 4 pack of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com 

or 10.00 Flat Rate Shipping for a 6 pack on www.vigoacuisine.com 

p.p.s

If you are interested in learning more about the health benefits of different foods for different health concerns. Check out our new bundle pack on Etsy, it has our 3rd book There’s No Food in Your Food, a bottle of Canary Island Olive OIl and professional dispenser as well as a starter pack of recipes.

Reducing Heart Disease with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Good beautiful morning from Sunny Winter Haven Florida. As teaching chefs, many of our students ask questions about extra virgin olive oil and the health benefits associated with daily use, especially for people concerned about heart health. Most people don’t know there are two types of high blood pressure. So, I’d say it’s really good for all of us to keep a close watch over our favorite red ticker 🙂 So  One such concern is the health benefits associated with using olive oil on everything. (Miriam and I always say, “Splash it on Everything.”)

According to studies, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an excellent fat for daily use. A great story written by the Olive Oil Times says, “After analyzing thirty years of data, the research team concluded that eating more than a half tablespoon of olive oil per day could lower the risk of a heart attack by 20 percent, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by 15 percent and lower the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 21 percent.

Here’s the thing.

It’s super easy to get loaded up on saturated fats that are hard on the heart. Many pre-made foods are loaded with unhealthy fats. There’s a big difference from the saturated fat you get from a  dinner of grass-fed beef and the saturated fat you get from a hotdog. All processed meats will be much higher in saturated fat than the meat in its original form. For example, a chicken breast vs chicken deli slices.

Here’s the good news! Olive oil is great on everything and full of monounsaturated fat that is super duper for your heart. So here’s to the good news! Grab your grass-fed beef and cook up some burgers and serve on a big salad drizzled with Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil… and you got yourself a lip-smackingly delicious meal.

 

What do you use your Extra Virgin Olive Oil on every day?

Talk soon,

Kristi Linebaugh & Miriam Vigoa

www.vigoacuisine.com

p.s

We are offering Free Shipping of 4 packs of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oils. Every purchase comes with a starter pack of recipes. Free Shipping on 4 packs is on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

If you are interested in learning more about fighting inflammation with food, you may enjoy our 3rd book, There’s No Food in Your Food. We now offer it in a starter pack with a dispenser and bottle of Original Canary Island Garlic and Herb Olive Oil.

 

 

 

 

How to Enjoy Stress

Good Beautiful Day to You! If no one has told you today that they love you, let me be the first! I Love you, you are precious, there is none other than you that has your, thoughts and ideas and unique ability to express them. Let’s not let that goldmine of hope buried in your soul, escape the daylight! Let’s share it with each other 🙂

Today, real quick I want to talk about enjoying stress, sounds ludicrous (thank God for spell check!) But there really is a way to enjoy stress and I’ll share with you a few ways here. I’ve been seeing a lot of stress around us with all the Covid 19 area that we’re experiencing and it’s easy to swim in a sea of stress instead of relaxing on the beach, that’s for sure.

I think back of a time when I experienced a sudden onset of stress. Many of you may know that Miriam and I are teaching chefs and travel the country doing live events. To be able to do that we need to pull a trailer behind us (thank God Miriam is a great trailer driver!) and we take the trailer everywhere. Well, one such trip we were in the mountains of Vermont. We had a destination, we had a map an address and had spoken to the person earlier that we were going to see. They said it would take no time to get there and that the directions we had were perfect.  So off we went…

Well the direction giver had no idea we had a trailer, and why should we volunteer? Needless to say, the road went almost straight up, okay not exactly but it was enough that I had to lean forward in my seat to not freak out😉  AND the road got narrower and narrower….curiouser and curiouser…the boulders got closer and closer to the car and we weaved through the road, which turned into a path. Many times Miriam had to back up and reposition the car to keep from scratching the car and getting the trailer stuck on a rock or tree limb. I was hanging my head out the window as we moved inch by inch sometimes as close as a 1/2 inch from the rocks, I held my breath (like that helped!) Hearts pounding and palms sweating we continued to move forward.

 

WHY would we keep going on a path that was so difficult? BECAUSE it would have been worse to try and turn around! We had to keep going forward. Here’s the thing. We knew that eventually, we would get there. Because everyone else had made it through safely. We had someone on the other end waiting for us that had made it through, so we personally knew it was possible.

So, what did we do? We focused on the very present precious moment. We focused all our energy and creativity on maneuvering through the twists and turns as they presented themselves. We kept breathing and stayed right where we were, slowly, and let me tell you it was slow….We kept moving forward. Eventually, we started laughing at the craziness of the situation as oncoming cars started waving and encouraging us that we were doing a great job! Even a couple nice locals jumped out of their trucks and covered our blind spots so people wouldn’t come around too fast.

You see, no matter what that road threw at us, we were taken care of. No matter how many branches I had to reach out and hold away from the windshield and no matter how many times Miriam had to tweak her steering around the boulders… we made it…alive! The best part is the person waiting on the other side was super impressed we got through there with a trailer!!!! LOL Then they told us of a little longer way to go down but much easier… with a trailer🤣

What I see now is how important it was to let that stress help us focus on the task at hand and in the background rest on the fact that it is possible to get through, lots of other people get through here every day and their truck didn’t end up in the tree! So today as you encounter your own boulder in the road, remember, there is always a way to get around it, over it, or squeeze next to it…you might have to hold your breath. But you’ll make it through… we always do! And shuckydern, it’s gonna make a great story later! Do you have a boulder story? Share it in the comments

Take good care,

Kristi Linebaugh

Miriam Vigoa

http://www.vigoacuisine.com

p.s Grab your free shipping on 4 packs of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil http://www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com

Tacos, Ttttttacos, Tacooooos!!

Tacos are the perfect food. Really, think about it. Easy meal check, weeknight meal check, kid-friendly meal check,  healthy meal check. That ticks all the boxes if you ask me 🙂 With everyone staying home and working and watching kids and dogs and cats and making sure nobody gets within a mile and half of the ranch… it’s all exhausting. I’d say that calls for some quick easy and delish meals.

What do you think?

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

Many people think tacos have to be corn tortilla either hard or soft. But sometimes ya just don’t have the corn in the casa 😉 so ya gotta make due. So if all you have is flour tortillas, make this into a taco that is cleverly disguised as a burrito  😉

• 1 1/2 lbs of cod  or other white fish
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tablespoons of Original Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil
• 1 lime in wedges
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• red cabbage or romaine
• This picture has scallions but you don’t really need them.

When I make my fish tacos I only use the Canary Island Olive Oil and leave out the paprika but, it’s good either way. This pic also has a bit of cheese on top but if you’re dairy-free like me, just leave it off.

Okay, onward and upward. Heat grill to 375-400 and rub the fish down with the Canary Island Olive Oil and sprinkle on paprika, if you prefer you could use a chili pepper if you really want a zippidy do dah kinda flavor. Grill for 3-5 minutes per side. (May be easier to grill inside of foil to keep all the good juice inside.)  Remove from grill when finished and let sit. Squeeze the lime over the top, usually one wedge lime per piece.

Mango Salsa

This is super easy. I just cut up a mango and dice it up. If you’ve never seen the super-easy way to get the mango out of its skin. You’ll like this video 

I have to admit, I usually have to buy more mango than I’m gonna use, because well, well, because I eat them before I can get them to the taco!! Okay, I said it… so get 3 just in case.

• 1 mango diced
• 1 raw jalapeno diced, wear gloves and take the seeds out (if you don’t have a jalapeno, skip it or add a little pepper flakes
• 1/4 sweet onion diced
• 1 whole Roma tomato diced
• a 3 finger pinch of cilantro chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil

Stir and let sit out, if you are eating relatively soon after making salsa, I find it has more flavor when it’s not ice-cold from the fridge.

Take your tortillas and throw them on the warm grill after you’ve cooked your fish, just enough to help them soften a bit. Layer fish on a tortilla, top with mango salsa, and shredded romaine lettuce. If you have a bit of tomato left to add on top with a little drizzle of the Lime Canary Island Olive Oil…. Deelish

Be sure and save me a bite!

Talk soon, Miriam and Kristi

p.s

Remember for a limited time we are Buying Your Shipping on 4 packs of Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil. You can order on Etsy direct http://www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com or call in your order 18632897263.

Splash up a storm!

Strength in times of Change

Good beautiful morning! I am sitting on my porch with a cup of hot tea watching the lawnmower man zip around the yard in his yellow rain jacket. He’s hunched over a little probably to keep the old rain from running down his chin into his shirt and soaking his chest.

As I sit here on the dry porch thinking of all my tasks for the day and watching the “neighborhood” eat her breakfast, it dawned on me.

We are all in the same space experiencing the same moment in time but our experience of this very moment is completely different. I’m sipping hot tea and clicking away in my phone writing to you. The cats happily munching away and the lawnmower man has now zipped on around the corner, not letting a cold rainy day stop him from doing what he needs to do.

Here’s the thing. We’re all in this moment together. Doing what we do. Going about life as usual. Yes the lawnmower man isn’t enjoying his hunkered down cold position and yes he’s probably driving faster than usual and he may even be cussing. Or he may be laughing, there’s no way I can know. Because I’m on the porch with the cat, doing what we do every morning.

Lawnmower man is getting on with business. Even though it’s miserable and raining (quite hard in fact) he hasn’t slowed down. He hasn’t parked under the portico, he isn’t stomping around and pitching a fit. He’s doing like Elvis, Takin Care of Business. That’s my lesson I learned today. We’re all in it together, but for some it’s super uncomfortable, some it’s down right horrifying, some it’s a time of growing and transforming. I choose to grow through this instead of simply go through this. I’m gonna do my best, thank yiu Lawnmower man! Here’s to doing what we do and doing it the best we’ve ever done! Don’t give up, just zip up, put your head down and face that rain! Yes we’re gonna get wet, yes it’s gonna be cold, yes we may even curse a bit, but we’re gonna get it done! Because that’s what we do! We’re in business to serve our customers and bring them value and make their lives easier! So let’s do it!

What’s your lawnmower man inspiration?

#marketing #entrepreneurmindset #digitalmarketer #business #beofservice #lawnmmowermanstory

P.s

Here’s another way we can help you. Whenever youre ready were buying your shipping for you. When you buy a 4 pack of #canaryislandoliveoil on

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Bonus+ for a limited time every purchase comes with a starter pack of recipes…fast, easy, delish…just Shake, Splash & Eat!

Finding Meaning in Crisis: And How Not to Throw Yourself a Pity Party

This ain’t my first rodeo, I’ve seen good times and bad times. Or as my Dad would say, “Some days are just gooder than other days.”

I like that thought, there’s a better feeling in those words. That’s what it’s really about, for me. It’s so easy to let ourselves drop off the side of the abyss while idly looking into the darkness. When I spend too much time contemplating the sadness it’s harder and herder to let the spark of creativity ignight new ideas, concepts and strategies for my business and my life.

Yes it’s hard right now, but it’s spelled..
N. O. W not F.O.R.E.V.E.R. that’s a big difference in my mind.

If you are in business for yourself and have heavy on the projections and the planning suddenly all the plans go to zip and the cash flow goes to nada and panic begins to grip your heart and squeeze it till your ears ring….well that’s the time you know you need to step back from the abyss.

Simple solution… but it’s a choice. It’s not a one and done choice it’s a day by day sometimes minute by minute choice.

But here’s the thing.

There’s fear in the abyss but it’s only as scary as you make it. When life comes down to the basic elements, there’s so many more things to be grateful for than to be afraid of.

There’s a new light dawning everyday we are all in it together. We will always have new ideas and solutions as well as opportunities to find meaning in crisis.

I choose to use this time for reflection and redirection. For learning new skills taking some classes and repositioning our business to flurish in the new environment. I also choose to spend time on the phone and facetime with the most important parts of my life. The people whom I love and who love me. I am so grateful to have this time for new connection.

Be safe out there!

What do you choose to be grateful for today?

Kristi Linebaugh

http://www.vigoacuisine.com

Which “Type” of High Blood Pressure Do You Have?

What is high blood pressure? Which high blood pressure do you have? And, how did you get it? We hear all the time our students tell us that high blood pressure runs in the family so they can’t do anything about it. They feel destined to take pills for the rest of their life. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

We aren’t doctors we are chefs. But we are passionate about helping you feel better. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are two types of high blood pressure. One called primary (essential) hypertension and secondary hypertension.

I would wager a bet not a lot of people know that! I figured high blood pressure was high blood pressure, period. In an article from Mayo Clinic they state that Primary hypertension, “For most adults, there’s no identifiable cause of high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure, called primary (essential) hypertension, tends to develop gradually over many years.”

A gradual rise in blood pressure can be associated with age, race, family history, smoking, drinking, not exercising, stress and other relate factors. When it comes to the age question, I know I grew up thinking only older people get high blood pressure, grandma and grandpa type folks. But that’s not true. High blood pressure doesn’t care how old you are, I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure in middle school.

Next, we go to secondary hypertension. The Mayo Clinic article described secondary hypertension like this. “Some people have high blood pressure caused by an underlying condition. This type of high blood pressure, called secondary hypertension, tends to appear suddenly and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension. Various conditions and medications can lead to secondary hypertension, including:

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Kidney problems
• Adrenal gland tumors
• Thyroid problems
• Certain defects you’re born with (congenital) in blood vessels
• Certain medications, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over-the-counter pain relievers, and some prescription drugs
• Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines”

Which makes me wonder. How many people really have secondary hypertension? And if by eliminating the medications, drugs and other underlying problems their blood pressure would correct itself? It’s worth asking your doctor which type of hypertension you have. Who knew birth control pills and over the counter sinus remedies could be the culprit?

Growing up I figured high blood pressure was just from salt. We’ve all seen the “super salter” at the table layering on the salt over their food. But who knew how much sodium you already get without adding any. Lord knows there’s enough salt in all the manufactured foods out there without adding any on our own. I love this article from Mayo, “How to Tame Your Salt Habit.”

Well, I hope this tip of the day will help you on your journey.  Be sure to ask your doctor what over the counter meds or prescriptions you may be taking that could be having a negative impact on your blood pressure.

Stay well and choose today to be happy joyous and free.

Talk soon,

Kristi and Miriam

http://www.vigoacuisine.com

 

 

 

Symptoms of Diabetes, Is Your Child at Risk?

Seems like a crazy question, are you or your child at risk for diabetes? Why are we talking about diabetes, don’t we make olive oil? We do make seasoned olive oils, but our real passion is using those oils to help people live healthier lives. And diabetes prevention and care is one of those passions. One of our main questions we ask our students, “Do you get overwhelmed with all the confusing labels and weird names for ingredients?”

You’re not alone. We travel the U.S doing cooking classes and always hear the same concerns, “What is all the junk in the food?” If you can’t pronounce it you probably shouldn’t eat it! Well the AMA is trying to make life a little easier when it comes to our health and sugar.

The American Medical Association has adopted a policy to make consumers more aware of sugars that are being added to food by manufacturers and are urging the FDA to make the “front of pack warning labels” a priority for foods with high levels of added sugars.

The American Medical Association is also seeking the FDA put limits on the amount of added sugars that would be allowed in food that makes health claims or is promoting their food as having nutritional benefits.

This is great news for everyone who is fighting to not become a diabetic or who are already struggling with their blood sugar. November is National Diabetes Awareness month, most people have no idea how much of an epidemic diabetes is in the U.S

According to the CDC, “More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a new report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report finds that as of 2015, 30.3 million Americans – 9.4 percent of the U.S. population –have diabetes. Another 84.1 million have prediabetes, a condition that if not treated often leads to type 2 diabetes within five years.”

9.4% is almost 10% of the Population of America! I had no idea but back when this study was done 2015, who knows what the stats are now. But back then Diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S

1 in 4 adults living with diabetes doesn’t even know they have it. “Diabetes is a serious disease that can often be managed through physical activity, diet, and the appropriate use of insulin and other medications to control blood sugar levels. People with diabetes are at increased risk of serious health complications including premature death, vision loss, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and amputation of toes, feet, or legs.” -ADA

It’s so important the entire family is watching their sugar intake as we are seeing an extreme onset of adult diabetes now occurring in children. According to Mayo Clinic, it is important to manage your child’s diabetes as left untreated will have lasting health effects or possibly end up being life-threatening.

Do you or your child have the symptoms of diabetes? According to the American Diabetes Association, some symptoms may be mild at first and can go undetected.

Diabetes Symptoms

“The following symptoms of diabetes are typical. However, some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed.

Common symptoms of diabetes:

• Urinating often
• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry – even though you are eating
• Extreme fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
• Weight loss – even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Weight loss in Children is less common for (type2)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

Early detection and treatment of diabetes can decrease the risk of developing complications of diabetes.

Please help spread the word as diabetes caught early enough is reversible and small changes in your diet and exercise have seen the reverse of diabetes. Even losing 10-15 lbs if you are 200 lbs could reverse diabetes. Get tested today.

If going to your doctor is inconvenient I have used a company called Life Line screenings they come to communities across the U.S and offer glucose testing right on site, a simple finger prick and you got your facts.

Let’s all help each other live longer healthier lives. One day at a time, One bite at a time

Take good care,

Kristi Linebaugh

p.s Whenever you’re ready, here’s another way we can help you. We are an approved vendor for the American Diabetes Association for our seasoned olive oils Canary Island Garlic Herb Olive Oil. We have zero sugar and the sodium is almost classified salt-free. We are having our holiday shipping revving up if you would like to try some of our seasonings or give some away to a friend who is struggling with their sugar.

You can grab a 4 pack and get Free Shipping on www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com or for larger orders Get 10.00 Flat Rate shipping on 6 bottles or Free Shipping on a case of www.vigoacuisine.com

Check out the American Diabetes Association Food Tips

October 2018 Fall Family Events Near Me Tampa Bay

We are just coming back from our Northern shows and boy are we freeeeezing. I had two pairs of sweatpants a pair of leggings and a pair of jeans on… all at the same time! I had on so many jackets I had to walk with my arms out, like one of those kids bundled up to play in the snow.. except there wasn’t any snow! We are in Kentucky right now but I wanted to share a few upcoming events in Florida. This coming weekend we will be at an Art Festival near you in Mount Dora. October 27th-28th 9-5pm It’s a super-duper show with over 400 Art and Crafters we are on the main street Donnelly in front of the Village Coffee Pot shop, how convenient! Will you make it out to the show?

It’s getting chillier yes even here in Florida we are having to pull out our winter… socks! Okay so we all know Florida has a fall season it’s just very quick and if you sneeze and close your eyes you just may miss it! October is full of fun family events here in the Tampa Bay area whether you are in for a Scary-O’-ween or more of a cruising with the kids anti-creepy type of venue, we’ve got ya covered.

Florida Aquarium   Halloween and they are hosting their yearly Guppieween. October 27-28th, 1-5p.m They let loose with wild animals, princesses and ghosts roam about freely among the 8,000 plants and animals native to Florida. It’s a safe Halloween event and sure to include lots of candy scavenger hunts and of course their famous underwater pumpkin carving! Grab the kids and spend a fun-filled time at the Florida Aquarium. A really awesome event at Guppieween is Sensory Guppieween for children with sensory differences. There will be a low lighting and less stressful morning of fun trick or treating and meet and greet with Tango the Aquariums sea turtle mascot. The hours for Sensory Guppieween are earlier so check the times for tickets.

Creatures of the Night at Lowry Park Zoo is back again this year better than ever for a night of family fun! Friday and Saturday nights in October. It is even spookier this year than last with lots of ghouls for everyone! All new this year scare areas and Medusa lots of startling surprises but no worries for the kids, no gore or horror will be there just lots of fun frights, we even invite you to dress up with us. Grab your insider tips here

For those wanting a more hands-on approach for the kids this Halloween check out the non-profit animal sanctuary Horse Power, they are having their annual Fall Festival it will be so much fun, with pony rides live music hayrides and games for the whole family. Help a good cause and have a good time at the same time! If you want your kids to learn about animals and being kind and helping those that need help, this is a wonderful opportunity for your kids to see kindness in action. We often want our children to be kind to each other and sometimes forget how important it is to teach them to be kind and gentle with the animals.

For those of us that have enjoyed the fall hayrides and all their prickliness and pumpkin patches and corn mazes, this festival is just for you. Pass those memories on to your children at Hunsader Farms Pumpkin Festival. Truly something for all family fun events seekers. There is shopping available with a craft show loads of entertainment and ice cream and rock wall climbing and train rides and face painting and scarecrow display, motorcycle races, and BMX stunts, Bello Nock and magician… woo I’m exhausted already!

In the mood for a relaxing scary night out? How about a good movie in the park, suitable for older kids and teens, bring a blanket picnic goodies and low back chairs and pillows for the kids and kick back and watch the movie, nice since we don’t expect any snow! There will be popcorn and drinks for sale but no alcoholic beverages will be permitted, well-behaved dogs are allowed, that should be good entertainment! Who doesn’t like to snuggle with the pup?

This, of course, is by no means a full list of all the good and wonderful stuff you can do with the kids this October in Tampa Bay but I have a sneaky suspicion it’s a good start! Whatever you decide to do with the family whether you do a good old fashioned trick or treat or go to a local church for a trunk or treat. Please enjoy the Halloween candy responsibly, we all know that we’re gonna sneak into the treat sacks after the kids are unconscious from candy consumption! Remember, don’t let them look through it before they go to bed, because you know they take inventory and will notice stuff that’s missing!!

Here’s to a safe and fun October 2018 take good care,

Kristi Linebaugh

p.s

Here’s another way we can help you. After you eat all that good Halloween candy and you decide to “Health” it up a bit and would like to check out our seasoned olive oils, You can check us out on Etsy. www.vigoacuisine.etsy.com  we’d love to see you!  We were recently featured on NPR Wisconsin (National Public Radio) for creating a food product that is safe for families with multiple health concerns and allergies. See you soon 🙂