This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Carton Smart for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

With the holiday season upon us we’re busy preparing food for celebrations with friends and family, as well as seeing to the everyday family meals that keep us going during this busy time of year.  A well-stocked pantry makes it much easier to throw together a meal in a hurry. 

When stocking your pantry, Become Carton Smart with Tetra Pak cartons!  They are made of 70% paper, a renewable resource, from selectively harvested, re-grown trees that are FSC-certified (Forest Stewardship Council) using 1/3 of the packaging compared to cans.  That makes them nice and eat to stack in your cabinets using less space.

Not only are you saving space, but you’re also helping the environment.  They are recyclabe and result in 60% less landfill waste than cans.  And you can also minimize food waste because cartons are re-closable so you can use what you need in your recipe and save the rest for later.

I recently received products from Pacific Foods, all packages in Tetra Pak cartons, to use in my holiday cooking.  I decided to swap out my usual canned pumpkin in these super easy muffins with the Pacific Foods Organic Pumpkin Puree.  This recipe is so easy and yummy!

Easy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

Yellow Cake Mix
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 carton Pacific Foods Organic Pumpkin Puree

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 12-muffin tin or fill with cupcake papers.  Place cake mix in a large bowl.  Add spices and stir to distribute.  Add in pumpkin and stir until well blended.  (If it appears too thick, add a few tablespoons of water.)  Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For more info on how to Become Carton Smart, you can Tweet @CartonSmart and Follow #CartonSmart on Pinterest.

What ideas do YOU have for being #CartonSmart this holiday season?

Mother’s Day will soon be upon us.  Show Mom (or another special mother in your life) how much you REALLY care by making her something delicious.

To honor the woman who passed her culinary skills down to him, celebrity chef and author Rocco DiSpirito created this easy, low-calorie recipe, perfect for Mother’s Day brunch . Rocco’s Vanilla-Ricotta Stuffed Crepes With Orange-Maple Syrup are only 108 calories per portion (compared to the typical 300 calories). So not only are they yummy, they’re guilt-free!

This recipe features  Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Low-fat Vanilla.  The Coffee-mate Natural Bliss line of products are made with only a few simple ingredients: milk, cream, sugar and natural flavor.  I’m very excited that they have added the Low-fat Vanilla flavor because my husband loves Coffee-mate Natural Bliss in his morning coffee, but also prefers low-fat options.  Now he can have the best of both worlds!

Vanilla-Ricotta Stuffed Crepes With Orange-Maple Syrup

6 Tbsp. Coffee-mate Natural Bliss Low-fat Vanilla
4 tsp. egg white powder
8 oz. light ricotta cheese
1 navel orange, 1/2 tsp. of zest removed with fine grater, then peeled
1/2 cup calorie-free pancake syrup
Olive oil cooking spray
4 sprigs fresh mint (about 8 leaves), torn into small pieces

PREHEAT the oven to 350˚ F. Pour all but 2 teaspoons of the Natural Bliss in a small mixing bowl and whisk in the egg white powder until fully dissolved; set aside. In another bowl mix the ricotta cheese with the remaining 2 teaspoons of Natural Bliss and 1/4 teaspoon of the orange zest; set aside. With a sharp paring knife, cut the sections of orange flesh out from the white membrane that encases them in the orange. Place the orange sections, remaining 1/4 teaspoon orange zest and the pancake syrup in small microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until the mixture simmers, about 2 minutes. Carefully remove the plastic wrap on one side to vent but keep warm and set aside.

SPRAY a 10-inch nonstick skillet for 1 second with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Pour one-fourth of the Natural Bliss and egg powder mixture into the warm pan and swirl the mixture so it forms a thin even layer on the bottom of the pan. Put it over the heat until you can see browning at the edges, about 20 seconds, and then place in the oven and bake about 30 seconds or until it has fully cooked. Pull the crepe out of the pan, cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and set aside. Repeat these steps to make 3 additional crepes.

PLACE a dollop of the ricotta mixture in the center of each crepe and spread it out evenly over the crepes. Fold crepes in half and then in half again and place one crepe each on four plates. Spoon the warm orange syrup over each crepe and garnish with mint leaves.

Per serving: 108 calories, 3.9 fat (2g sat, 0g mono, 0g poly), 17mg cholesterol, 157mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 1g fiber, 8g protein

This delicious recipe can be eaten as a breakfast cereal or as a snack.  You can also add dried fruit to the recipe, just toss it in during the last 10 minutes of baking time. This recipe makes a LOT (approximately 5 quarts) so feel free to halve the recipe.

6 C. uncooked oatmeal
3 C. untoasted wheat germ
1 C. grated coconut
1 C. sliced almonds
1/2 lb dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp. vanilla
1 C. sesame or sunflower seeds (or 1/2 C. each)
1 1/4 C. safflower oil
2/3 C. water

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir all ingredients together. Bake in a large shallow pan for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes.

This is an easy granola recipe that makes a yummy breakfast. You can also eat it as a snack or as a topping for your yogurt or ice cream.

1/3 cup molasses
2 Tbsp canola oil (or vegetable oil)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups rolled oats (NOT quick oats)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together molasses oil, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Add in oats, coconut and pecans, stirring until well coated. Spread in an even layer on a cookie sheet with rim/jelly roll pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occassionally, or until lightly browned. DO NOT overcook. Set pan on a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.