Mardi Gras which literally translated means “Fat Tuesday,” is the celebration that marks the culmination of the period between Christmas and Lent.

Annually on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, it’s a tradition that is viewed as a “last hurrah” before the six-weeks of abstinence associated with Lent.
Mardi Gras has transcended religious connections to become a national celebration highlighted by the food and drink indigenous to New Orleans.
Even if you can’t get to the Big Easy, you can celebrate in style with great recipes from Franks RedHot Sauce.
There’s a national petition online to get Mardi Gras declared a national holiday. Sign the petition here

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Your neighborhood Dunkin Donuts has a new, limited-time breakfast choice: the Waffle Breakfast Sandwich, a sweet-savory, oven-toasted sandwich of cherrywood smoked bacon, scrambled eggs and American cheese between two mapley waffles.
I tried The Waffle Breakfast Sandwich this week. It is big, hearty, and yummy. I liked the combination of maple in the waffle with the smoky bacon.

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In this year of saving money and cutting back, consider curling up with your honey and a cheesy Valentine.

Papa John’s is making heart-shaped pizzas. The a thin crust pizza comes piled high with your sweeties’ favorite topping, along with an order of Chocolate Pastry Delights for $14.99, or two one-topping heart-shaped pizzas for $19.99.
It is available through Sunday, Feb. 15 at participating restaurants nationwide.

Balance Pure Fuit & Nut Energy bars are fudgy, and very satisfying.
Each bar has 9 grams of protein, and the cherry pecan bar has 190 calories.
The 1.58 oz. gluten-free bar has a big cherry pecan taste and chewy texture.

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Muir Gen Organics has added zip to its organic canned soups with three new flavors: Chicken Tortilla, Chicken Gumbo and Beef Barley.
Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup combines tender organic chicken, green peppers, onions, black beans and spices.
Chicken Gumbo combines bell peppers, rice, celery, and okra, seasoned with Creole spices for a little heat.
Beef Barley has chunks of organic, roasted beef with celery, peas, tomatoes and corn.

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Fizz Ed is a slender, brightly colored can of sparkling fruit juice that might get your kid to give up sugary soda. It is available in:
Red Raspberry
Orange Mango
Pomegranate Cherry and
Green Apple
It has no high fructose corn syrup or weird, artificial ingredients sodas often contain. Fizz Ed is 70% fruit juices and 30% sparkling water. No added sugar.
We really liked raspberry a LOT, but the others are good, too. Green apple is very refreshing, and less sweet than conventional soda.
It is even sold in schools where soda is banned for obesity and health reasons. An 8.4-oz. can (pomegranate cherry) has 90 calories.

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I tried Heritage Palm Sugar from Bali recently.
I didn’t know anything about palm sugar, but after researching, I can share that is is made from nectar in Bali’s coconut palm trees.
The juice from flower spikes is kettle boiled over an open fire (which gives the sugar a slight smokiness).
It has a low glycemic index (35, compared with table sugar which is 65) has has more nutrients, like magnesium and potassium.
The palm sugar I tried is from William Bounds, best known for pepper mills.

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Boursin is a soft, creamy, imported cheese, perfect for holiday entertaining.
The spreadable cheese is originally from France, where it was called gournay.
It comes in flavors including black pepper, garlic and herb, and shallot and chive.
Now, for the holidays, the company is offering two special flavors: fig, raisin and nut, and apple, cranberry and cinnamon.

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http://www.flatoutbread.com/http://www.flatoutbread.com/A co-worker gave me a multi-grain Flatout wrap to try. 100 calories, 8 net carbs (17 total carbs), 8 grams of fiber, no trans fat. These make a yummy guilt-free wrap sandwich or super-flat pizza crust. The contain 114 mg. Omega-3 fatty acids per serving, and are made with 100% stone-gound whole wheat. The package hold 6 low fat wraps (2.5 grams of fat per wrap)

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From Nov. 27 to Dec. 26, Hershey’s is offering a special contest.
Chocolate lovers can win one of 30 grand prize of $1,000, or 300 first prizes of $100.
Prizes are pre-paid Hershey’s Bliss debit cards.
One grand prize and 10 first prizes will be awarded daily during the promotion.
For official rules and to enter (you’ll need a UPS code from any flavor of Hershey’s Bliss candies) visit hersheysbliss.com during the contest dates. Good luck.

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