This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.

We’re in the midst of summer and I’m here for it! This summer has been full of backyard adventures and lots of creativity in the kitchen. All this experimenting led to finding lots of great and awesome new products to add some delicious & yummy goodness to our patio dining! I’m excited to share a few of my favorite tasty summer outdoor eats products that we’ve been loving lately!

I was introduced to these new favorites thanks to the team at Babbleboxx! I’ve worked with them a ton in the last few years and they’ve introduced my family to some of our favorite things. This Outdoor Eats curated box was full of so many fabulous products and when put all together, created a delicious simple summer meal for the entire family:

Spicy Sweet & Sour Vegetarian Meatballs (and dessert with SMASHCRISPY and the coolest ice cream bowls – pun intended)!

For these meatballs, I switched it up with a plant-based option: Pure Farmland Plant-Based Meatballs. While I’m not vegetarian, I do try to be mindful of our meat consumption and love experimenting with plant-based meat alternatives. Pure Farmland has a ton of different plant-based options, from burgers, to crumbles, to breakfast patties and meatballs. Pure Farmland’s gluten and dairy-free products are made with complete soy protein and most importantly, they taste great! These meatballs cook up great with fabulous flavor and I love drizzling my spicy sweet and sour on them over white rice with fresh garden vegetables!

I love how they are really focused on being more sustainable, conservation (every time you purchase a Pure Farmland product, the brand donates the cost of protecting one square foot of farmland through its ongoing partnership with American Farmland Trust) and also support amazing programs, like the Pure Growth Project. Pure Growth project is an initiative and grant program that supports community gardens in neighborhoods throughout the country and preserves the essential farmland where America’s food is grown. Community gardens and access to healthy and fresh food is so important for community health and through the Pure Growth Project, grants will be awarded to eligible community farms, gardens, and nonprofit organizations.

This sweet and sour sauce is so simple to make with just a few simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry. I love serving it on these meatballs, but it’s great for dipping too! I love spice, so I added some red pepper flakes and ginger to this sauce to give it a little kick and amplify the flavors! This vegetarian spicy sweet and sour meatball dish will be one that everyone enjoys – even meat eaters! Another bonus: less than 30 minute meal!

To start, you have to use a premium and full-flavored ketchup. Red Gold® Tomato Ketchup is one of the new products we tried and I’m super impressed by the bold flavor. Red Gold ketchup is gluten free, vegan, and has no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives and adds such a tangy flavor to meals. Whether using it for the base of this sauce, for dipping fries or topping burgers, the true tomato flavor shines through. Red Gold is another great company that focuses on sustainability and also gives back to their communities (a portion of the proceeds from each purchase goes to educational scholarships that help provide support to the families of our American heroes who have fallen or been disabled while serving our nation)

Spicy Sweet & Sour Sauce

Great for meatballs, tempeh or drizzling on vegetables.
Prep Time 1 minute
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients
  

  • 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup pineapple juice
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp water

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients except cornstarch and water to pan over medium heat.
  • Heat thoroughly until boiling, stirring often. Lower to simmer.
  • Mix water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly mix into sweet and sour mix stirring well and often. Cook for 5 minutes until thickened.

Let’s not forget dessert: Ice Cream! Technically, I’m not really going to tell you about ice cream, but the actual ice cream bowl. BOWLZ ice cream bowls have double walled, vacuum sealed, stainless steel construction, and a ForeverBond® thermal coating to provide you with an amazing insulated bowl where cold stays cold! Whether you’re enjoying ice cream, smoothies or acai bowls, these bowls lock in coldness for the ultimate chilled sweet treat enjoyment. Definitely a must for those hot summer nights! Now here’s the fun (mess-free) part:

You can turn the ice cream bowl upside down with ice cream in it and it’ll stay in the bowl! My kids had so much fun with this and I’m all about that mess-free life.

You can GetBOWLZ for 32% off by using this exclusive link!

Up your sweet treat game by keeping your pantry loaded with SMASHCRISPY DIPPED from SMASHMALLOW! Crispy rice treats are my favorite and these ones take it up a whole ‘nother level! Crispy, gooey marshmallow rice treats are dipped in chocolaty goodness for an indulgent twist on the original! They’re made in a peanut-free facility, dairy-free, non-GMO, gluten-free and high fructose corn syrup free (they use cane sugar) – nothing artificial – which makes them a great option for most families. I love chopping them up and adding them on top of my ice cream when I’m really looking for a decadent treat!

You can find them at select Kroger banner stores nationwide (search for your local store here).


Have you been cooking and experimenting with new foods this summer?

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