FREE Online Yoga, Photo, Cooking, Knitting Classes + More

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Super exciting news for anyone who loves online classes, family-friendly crafts, DIY, fitness and any other sort of hobby or self-improvement. The people from Craftsy have expanded their already amazing selection of online classes to include even MORE categories and interests. They’ve changed the name to Blueprint.

They’ve got every kind of class and project you can imaging. Check out a couple of their pet photography classes and learn to take better pics of your fur kids and human kiddos!

I’m especially looking forward to trying their yoga classes since I LOVE doing yoga but don’t like the schedule at our local places that offer it. That’s one of the great things about online classes…they work on your schedule, not the other way around.

Right now you can watch ALL their classes for FREE with a 7 Day Free Trial at BluePrint. 24/7 on any device.

Start your FREE 7 Day Bluprint Trial! Dive into thousands of hours of expert taught videos.

World-class experts, guidance for all skill levels, and learning that fits your lifestyle — whether you have two minutes or two hours.

Click HERE to view all classes and try them free for one week.

Gift Idea + Giveaway: Instant Pot 7-in-1 Programmable Pressure Cooker

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Looking for a great last minute gift idea for the foodie on your holiday shopping list?  The Instant Pot is one of the most wished for holiday gifts, and one of my favorite things! I’ve had mine for 3 years now, and still rave about it to everyone I know. I gave my parents one for Christmas and now they are hooked, too!

If you want to cut straight to the chase, you can check out some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes, hacks and cooking tips I’ve pinned to my Pinterest Board: I Love My Instant Pot.

About Instant Pot

If you haven’t already heard about the Instant Pot, it’s a programmable electric pressure cooker that takes the place of 7 kitchen appliances/cooking functions. It’s a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer. Not only is it super versatile, but it also let’s you prepare healthy, tasty dishes up to 70% faster. It’s great for parties and entertaining since it keeps food warm for hours.

Where to Buy an Instant Pot

If you’re wondering where to buy an Instant Pot, I recommend Amazon.com. I got mine on sale HERE and as new models come out, the previous version usually becomes a great bargain. You’ll also spot Gold Box deals on Instant Pot from time to time as well as Black Friday and Cyber Week deals. With Amazon Prime Shipping, there is still time to get one before Christmas!

Instant Pot Giveaway

Want a chance to WIN an Instant Pot? Enter our giveaway! The giveaway is open worldwide and if winner is outside of the United States, they will receive the cash equivalent of $100 via Paypal.

Use the contest widget below to enter for a chance to WIN an Instant Pot 7 In 1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker. Giveaway ends at 11:59pm ET on 12/19.

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Instant Pot Review + Tips, Hacks and Giveaway

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The Instant Pot is one of my favorite things! I’ve had mine for 2 years now, and still rave about it to everyone I know. I gave my parents one for Christmas and now they are hooked, too!

If you want to cut straight to the chase, you can check out some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes, hacks and cooking tips I’ve pinned to my Pinterest Board: I Love My Instant Pot.

What’s an Instant Pot

If you haven’t already heard about the Instant Pot, it’s a programmable electric pressure cooker that takes the place of 7 kitchen appliances/cooking functions. It’s a Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer. Not only is it super versatile, but it also let’s you prepare healthy, tasty dishes up to 70% faster. It’s great for parties and entertaining since it keeps food warm for hours.

Instant Pot Bone Broth and Stew for Pets and People

In addition to cooking for your human family members, you can also use the Instant Pot to cook for your dog! Making bone broth is super easy in the Instant Pot and I usually make several batches each month and always make a batch with NO onions or garlic so that it’s safe for Daisy. I also make dog-friendly stew to store in the freezer in small portions for Daisy. Her favorite is a fish and sweet potato stew but I like to experiment.

How to Store Broth, Stew and Batch Cooking

I find the easiest way to freeze and store bone broth, stew and soup in small portions is using these Square Silicone Molds. Each tray holds 8 4oz cubes so portions are pre-measured when I want to pop a few out of the freezer to use them. I learned this tip from Michelle Tam at Nom Nom Paleo. She’s got amazing Instant Pot Recipes and Tips on her blog!

Easy to Peel Hard-Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

Another of my favorite IP tricks is making hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot. Although it’s not really much faster than other methods, the pressure makes them way easier to peel than any other way I’ve tried. I use this method as my guide but usually put them in a bowl of ice and water to chill them quickly as soon as they are done cooking.

Getting Started with Instant Pot

There are SO many things I make in my Instant Pot: steamed beets, carnitas, “baked” sweet potatoes, short ribs, corned beef & cabbage, shredded chicken…you can even make cheesecake although I haven’t tried that one yet!

If you don’t know where to get started, LifeHacker has done a list of The First 7 Things You Should Make With a New Instant Pot.

You can also join the Official Instant Pot Community Group on Facebook. You’ll connect with all kinds of IP Fanatics and real people sharing Instant Pot recipes, ideas tips and solutions.

In addition to what’s on my Pinterest board, these are some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes and resources:

 

Got a dad or hubby who loves to cook? The Instant Pot makes a GREAT Father’s Day gift idea!

Where to Buy an Instant Pot

If you’re wondering where to buy an Instant Pot, I recommend Amazon.com. I got mine on sale HERE and as new models come out, the previous version usually becomes a great bargain. You’ll also spot Gold Box deals on Instant Pot from time to time as well as Black Friday and Cyber Week deals.

Instant Pot Giveaway

Want a chance to WIN an Instant Pot? Enter our giveaway!

Use the contest widget below to enter for a chance to WIN an Instant Pot 7 In 1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, 6 Quart. $99 value.
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Balance by bistroMD: Healthy Meals Delivered To Your Door (Because Pet Parents Should Eat Well Too!)

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Ever feel like you take better care of your fur kids than you do of yourself? You’re not alone! Whether you are too busy, or just tired of adulting, home food delivery has become a popular alternative to cooking. Woof Woof Papa and I love to cook but often get tired of meal planning, shopping and the prep-work that goes into making healthy meals. And our schedules mean that we don’t always have time to cook and eat at the same time. Sometimes it just seems easier to grab takeout or order delivery, and that isn’t the healthiest or most economical way to eat.

We were recently invited to try the meals from Balance by bistroMD. It’s the first meal delivery service to offer chef-prepared meals a-la-carte, without the constraint of minimums, memberships, or recurring orders. The top-rated diet delivery and weight loss program, bistroMD, created this subscription-free service to provide healthy meals with convenience and flexibility.

Balance by bistroMD fits health-conscious lifestyles, whether you’re trying to lose weight, adhere to a specialty diet such as gluten free, or just want to eat healthy without the struggle. When we went to their website to place our first order, we were impressed with the wide variety of over 100 meals and snacks available, and prices start at just $5.95.

The ordering process is super easy…the only hard part was deciding which meals to get, because they all looked so good! To narrow down the choices, you can filter meals by diet type, including Low Sodium, Heart Healthy, Gluten Free, Diabetic Meals and other options. We ordered a few breakfast items, because we are trying to do better at not skipping breakfast. And we also ordered a variety of lunches and dinners, too. Everything arrived within a few days, shipped in an insulated cooler packed with dry ice. Even though the box sat out on our porch in the South Florida heat for most of the morning, all the meals were still frozen when I unpacked everything.

In addition to doing the cooking and delivering your meals straight to your door, the folks at Balance by bistroMD also send the instructions and info you need to make the most of your food delivery. For example, although you can microwave the meals straight from the freezer, they recommend you move your upcoming day of meals to the fridge the night before to thaw for more even reheating. They also suggest that you place your entree on a plate because visualization is an important part of dining.

This was my attempt to plate the Ham and Cheese Frittata. It came with a side of peaches with a tasty whole grain granola crumble. I added avocado slices because I cannot go a day without eating avocado! Although I can see the logic in their suggestion to plate the meals to make the dining experience more enjoyable, most times we opted for convenience over aesthetics, and just ate our meals straight out of the BPA-free microwavable trays they came in. Less dishes to wash!

Overall, we were impressed with our order and happy to have a week of no meal planning or prep. The nice thing about the service is that there is no commitment or subscription required. You can order when you feel like you need a break from cooking, or need a little extra help with eating healthy. It’s also a thoughtful gift for a friend or family member, and would be great as a Housewarming present or Mother’s Day gift, too!

Balance by bistroMD Coupon Code

Right now is a great time to try it because you can get 20% OFF with Balance by bistroMD coupon code: SAVE20 at checkout. You also get Free Shipping on orders of $99+. Head on over to balance.bistromd.com to learn more about how it works and try it for yourself. Less time spent cooking means more time (and energy) to play with the fur kids!

Tips, Kits and Tools To Make Your Own Dog Treats

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Tips, Tricks and Tools for DIY Dog Treats

Every want to learn how to make your own dog treats? Whether you are concerned about controlling the ingredients, looking for more frugal alternatives to store-bought treats, or just like to make stuff, here are several fun deals on cookbooks, tools and kits we’ve rounded up to help you get started on making your own DIY dog treats:

Make Your Own Dog Treats:

Be sure to visit Coupaw.com for more great Pet DIY plus Home Goods and Gifts for Pet Lovers!