Using Color to Empower your Life

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/using-color-to-empower-your-life.html

9-essential-oils-with-huge-health-benefits

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/9-essential-oils-with-huge-health-benefits.html

Frost your stay on Valentines Day (or any other romantic getaway )

Accessorize Your Stay

It is all about the details, or in this case, the accessories.  Select the accessory that will make your stay unforgettable and we’ll take care of the details.




Chocolate Covered Strawberries$15
Hand dipped, made to order.



Artisan chocolates $20

Box of handmade chocolates.



Strawberries & Bubbly $55
Hand dipped Chocolate covered Strawberries and a bottle of sparkling wine .



Artisan Chocolates & Wine $50

Box of artisan chocolates with a bottle of wine. You can even specify if red or white wine.



Cheese Cake for Tw0**$30
Small cake made to order.

Romantic Trio $125

Chocolate covered Strawberries, a bottle of sparkling wine, and a special arrangement of flowers.



Picnic Lunch Basket for Two **$50

Variety of sandwiches, decadent cookies, fresh fruit & litre of sparkling water. 
Packed in a Farm picnic basket complete with flatware, drinking glasses, 
table linens and blanket.



Picnic Lunch Basket for Two with Wine**$70



Picnic Snack Basket for Two** $45

Assorted cheeses, baguette, fruit, sweets and a litre of sparkling water. 
Packed in a Farm picnic basket complete with flatware, drinking glasses, 
table linens and blanket.


Picnic Snack Basket for Two with Wine** $65



Flowers: Dozen Roses $70 Seasonal bouquet $60

If you would like a special arrangement of flowers in your room upon arrival or for someone who is 
checking into the B&B, we can arrange these for you.
Please send us an e-mail or give us a call 
and let us know what you’re thinking… we’ll take care of the details. 
Since your request is special and our presentations are custom, please make contact with us
72 hours (3 days) in advance of the arrival date. Thank you!

Beautiful Design

Source: Uploaded by user via Kristin on Pinterest

Healthy Popsicle

Source: tumblr.com via Cody on Pinterest

A delicious chocolate cake with a healthy secret.

The best part about this cake is that it’s totally budget-friendly. It’s basically beans, eggs, and cocoa. That gives you no excuse to not try it, ya hear?
Healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake
Adapted from a recipe at LowCarbFriends

Makes a 9″ one layer cake

Ingredients:
1-15 ounce can of unseasoned black beans
OR 1 1/2 cup cooked beans, any color
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter OR unrefined coconut oil
3/4 cup erythritol + 1/2 teaspoon pure stevia extract
OR 1/2 cup honey + 1 teaspoon pure stevia extract
OR 1 1/4 cup Splenda (using Splenda is not recommended)
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon water (omit if using honey)

Mint Chocolate variation:
2 teaspoons mint extract (in place of 2 teaspoons vanilla)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9″ cake pan with extra virgin olive oil cooking spray, or just grease it with a thin layer of butter. Dust cocoa all over the inside of the pan, tapping to evenly distribute. Cut a round of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pan, then spray the parchment lightly.

Drain and rinse beans in a strainer or colander. Shake off excess water. Place beans, 3 of the eggs, vanilla, stevia (if using) and salt into blender. Blend on high until beans are completely liquefied. No lumps! Whisk together cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat butter with sweetener (erythritol or honey) until light and fluffy. Add remaining two eggs, beating for a minute after each addition. Pour bean batter into egg mixture and mix. Finally, stir in cocoa powder and water (if using), and beat the batter on high for one minute, until smooth. Scrape batter into pan and smooth the top. Grip pan firmly by the edges and rap it on the counter a few times to pop any air bubbles.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Cake is done with the top is rounded and firm to the touch. After 10 minutes, turn out cake from pan, and flip over again on to a cooling rack. Let cool until cake reaches room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap or with cake dome (I use an overturned plastic chip bowl). For BEST flavor, let cake sit over night. I promise this cake will not have a hint of beaniness after letting it sit for eight hours! If you are stacking this cake, level the top with a long serrated knife, shaving off layers until it is flat and even. Frost immediately before serving
~57.6g net carbs for the whole cake using erythritol/stevia.
~5.7g net carbs per 1/10th
~125.6g net carbs for the whole cake using honey/stevia.
~12.56g net carbs per 1/10th

Healthy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Makes enough to thickly cover one layer, or fill and frost a halved stacked layer

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted organic butter, softened, OR 7 tablespoons nonhydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon erythritol, powdered, OR 1/4 cup xylitol, powdered
5-6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons half and half OR coconut milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Good-tasting pure stevia extract, to taste

Optional addition for a glossy finish:
1 fresh organic egg yolk

Preparation:
Cream the butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Powder erythritol or xylitol in a coffee grinder or Magic Bullet for a minute or two, until extremely fine in texture (reminiscent of powdered sugar). Let sweetener settle in grinder before opening the top. Stir powdered sweetener into butter with a spatula, then beat until smooth. Slowly blend in the cocoa powder (unless you want to redecorate your kitchen), vanilla, and sea salt. Beat in the half and half and egg yolk, if using. Add stevia, starting with 1/16 teaspoon. You’ll probably use less than 1/4 teaspoon. Just keep tasting and adjust sweetness to your liking.

~7g net carbs for the frosting, using erythritol

What a funny idea – don’t eat hot dogs but still like the idea

Source: forum.bodybuilding.com via Jordan on Pinterest

54% OFF Romanic 2 day Package King Room – Pay only $199 instead of $430

We are glad to offer you our Special Deal for the end of December!
The sale is on for ONLY 1 week (25.Dec.2011 to 31.Dec.2011)
BUY the VOUCHER (or 2) and use it at a convenient time during the next year.
Voucher valid for 12 months.
Our Policy applies.Includes 2 nights for 2 at the Abadin Bed & Breakfast.
Special Romantic Package includes:
Bottle of wine, dark hand made chocolates,
coffee, tea, & hot chocolate,
access to the pool (in the summer months),
free WiFi, movie and book access,
delicious breakfast,
30% discount voucher to use on your next stay.
Reservations required and subject to availability.
Abadin B&B policy applies or ticket subject to forfeiture.
Max 2 per person. Max 4 as gifts.
Tax not included.
Expires: December 28

White – Silver Christmas Holiday Decoration at the Abadin B&B

Is there a way to get it all right? – How to run a successful B&B!

Even though my husband and I have some 20+ years of experience combined in the accommodation industry, this is a completely different ball game.
As much as we were convinced that we would be well prepared to build up a B&B from scratch and run it successfully, we still had to learn a few things along the way.
One thing was that family homes in North America are not built with the intention of making bedrooms soundproofed. When we were almost done with renovations we decided last minute to rip perfectly fine walls apart to insulate in-between with soundproofing insulation, as well as to put up soundproof drywall.
With all of our rooms equipped with 40” flat screen TVs, finding a good sound insulation was an unavoidable necessity, especially since we cater to people who are looking for a romantic and private escape from home and kids. Quiet and peacefulness is very important!
We are determined to go the whole mile and, in addition to everything else already in place, will be getting soundproofed doors put in.
That, I would say, will be the icing on our soundproofing cake

While doing research about running a B&B, I read over and over that TVs should be just a thing for common rooms and that it wouldn’t make much sense to install them in each guest room.
After almost 5 months into the B&B business I have to say that we made the right decision by NOT following this suggestion. One of our biggest selling points is that we equipped every bedroom with a big TV, PLUS a DVD player, and offer a DVD library, which guests can access for free.
Guests really appreciate being able to relax in the comfort of their private room and watch TV or a movie.
Coming from a hotel business, we found that guests always asked about TVs and what kinds of channels we provided. So we just assumed that whatever hotel guests demand couldn’t be wrong for B&B guests, and we were right.
Also thinking about my own needs and likes – a big and good quality TV with lots of channels was always one of my preferred amenities that I expected to find in a hotel room.

One thing I did not think was such a big deal turned out to be one of the most important aspects. Guests just can’t live without – a good breakfast.
Growing up in Europe – Germany to be precise – breakfast is important but not as grand as the warm North American first meal of each day. Germans typically have some bread with jam, cheese or cold-cuts (something most of our Canadian guest think is totally gross). My husband and I had wanted to offer only an expanded continental breakfast but felt basically right from the start that it would not go over too well with our guests.
And I should add here: our daughter told us so! She, as well as our son-in-law, said that a great breakfast was something they would pay very much attention to when going to a B&B.

So let’s list things in a short form here in conclusion.

What we learned or did right:
1.Every guest room should have a great TV
2.Rooms have to be as soundproofed as possible
3.The breakfast should be special.

The next little write-up will be about our needs as innkeepers.