Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Revealing our Gluten Free Fall Box!!!

October 6, 2016 by Mary 2 Comments

We’re so excited!! Some of you have asked for this and now we have it! A box full of completely gluten free products! In this box we have delicious items you can eat right away as well as clever recipes coming your way to use the product differently, capitalizing on their gluten free attribute. All of the products are tested by me and my team before they can even make it into the box, so we make sure they’re super delicious and good for you.

Take a look at this awesome video put together by our very talented team.

And if you didn’t buy a box, we still have a few left that you can purchase here. Remember the holidays are coming and this makes a great gift!! And of course, for every box purchased, you’ll be helping us in our fight against worldwide hunger through our partnership with Feed The Children. We believe that no one should go hungry. Don’t you?

MOM’s POPPED LOTUS SEEDS – poppedlotus.com

Their founder was first introduced to the deliciousness of popped lotus seeds as a child when his mother gave them to him as an afternoon snack. After rediscovering his childhood treat, he decided not to keep this amazing snack food to himself. By improving upon what his mother gave him as a child, he now offers popped lotus seeds in a variety of flavors that can help you feel healthier while exploring a non-traditional snack.

Sea Salt Simple and salty, this tasty snack delivers a crunch that is sure to satisfy. Made with few ingredients – just sea salt and purified butter. MOM’s Lotus Seeds are a healthy and delicious snack the whole family can enjoy.

NUTS OVER FISH – nutsoverfish.com

Nuts Over Fish encourages all people to improve their overall well-being by creating products which support a healthy lifestyle. They promise their products will always be all natural, gluten free, cholesterol free, trans fat free, with no preservatives or additives because they believe in a healthy diet. They are proud to be a New Hampshire small business, manufacturing and producing their products locally.

Cashew Nut Topping They use an unbleached, natural bag as an ultimate barrier protection against light, moisture and oxygen. When you open the package you will immediately smell the distinctive nutty aroma of cashews. The nuts are ground with orange peel, cumin, coriander and curry.

POURfect – pourfectbowl.com

POURfect products were invented and designed when owner Randy Kaas lost his sight in 2001. He has been in the kitchen utensil business since 1978, and was inspired by the TV show, The French Chef starring Julia Child. The need for a mixing bowl that wouldn’t spill when you couldn’t see what you were doing was recognized. POURfect Products solve common cooking problems, making your life easier, less messy, and more enjoyable.

Pourfect Beaker Dishwasher and microwave-safe, their beaker has a flat edge spout that assures no drips. Features gull wings that eliminates spilling of ingredients and has a comfort grip that fits naturally in hand.

PS SEASONING & SPICES – psseasoning.com

For almost 60 years, four generations of the Hanni family have been dedicated to mastering the craft of seasoning. Today PS Seasoning & Spices carries on old-world flavors and celebrates traditions of the past while also creating new products and blends to meet modern day demands.

Blueberry Mix Get the flavor of bright, plump blueberries in a gluten free mix. Packed with deliciously tart blueberries, make stacks of fluffy pancakes for the perfect breakfast or brunch. Whether you’re living gluten free or just looking for a great mix, these pancakes are for you. Want something a little different? Also try this mix in a waffle! Serve with fresh blueberries and sprinkle with powder sugar for a breakfast that’s simply delightful.

SUPERSEEDZ – superseedz.com

SuperSeedz are no-shell, and dry-roasted in small batches. Never oil-roasted and never “spray flavored.” Instead, every super seed is seasoned to perfection and dry roasted to lock in the unmistakable flavors and addictive light crunch. Just like Kathie, ‘the seed queen’ made them in her skillet for her kids to eat a healthy snack. They have 8 flavors.

Maple Sugar & Sea Salt Each seed is seasoned with 100% pure maple sugar and unrefined sea salt. An oh-so-indulgent sweet and savory snack, yet packed with protein and other nutrients.

Summer 2016 MARY’s secret ingredients box revealed

July 17, 2016 by Mary 3 Comments

Summer breeze – makes me feel fine…

Summer is BBQ’s and frosty cocktails and salads with crunchy things on top. New seasonings to spice up your grill to add to the fun!

We’ve got it all here in the 2016 MARY’s secret ingredients summer box!! So if you didn’t get yours, here’s what you missed. (And you can still get one here as we have just a few left.) All products are taste tested, with recipes created and specially crafted by yours truly using each product. (This is my favorite part of the job!) The products span the pond as you can see here in this adorable video our talented team of designers put together. Please take a minute and watch.

And now for more in-depth descriptions:

CARRIE MAE’S KITCHEN

Carrie Mae’s Kitchen specializes in uniquely flavored gourmet crackers called Crunchy Strips, which are made with all natural ingredients. All crackers are handmade with tender loving care; hence the company’s slogan – Made from the heart to feed your soul.

Carrie Mae herself hand made each one of these crunchy strips and then drove them up from North Carolina to our warehouse in NJ to make the due date for the box. This woman is determined and dedicated to her delicious and healthy craft, she’s bound to become a huge success.

Chia Seeds Crunchy Strips
Chia Seeds Crunchy Strips are not only delicious, but these tiny chia seeds pack on some good health benefits as well. Chia seeds are a “whole grain” food, and are among the most nutritious foods on the planet. They are loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and various micronutrients. These crackers are a delightful little crunch of goodness combined with just the right amount of sweet.

CHEF’S CUT

Chef’s Cut Real Jerky was created by Chef Blair Swiler and Dennis Riedel. Blair has been smoking meats his entire life; a tradition passed along from his father. Today the vision to change the jerky world has resulted in the best tasting, highest quality jerky on the market. They use only premium cuts of steak and white breast meat and always hand-cut each piece, using only the finest real ingredients – just like you would find at your favorite steak house. Chef’s Cut Real Jerky is the jerky you’ve always wanted. It’s Jerky Done Right. Dig In.

Honey Barbecue Chicken Jerky
What’s the result of combining a blend of spices, honey granules, and a touch of molasses? The best tasting chicken jerky on the market – barbecue grill not included. Chef’s Cut is healthy, high in protein, low in fat and great-tasting, making it the perfect alternative to the standard high-fat, high-calorie snacking fare.

ENGLISH PROVENDER

At The English Provender Company they have a real passion for food, that is evident in the quality and flavor of every product they create. They believe in keeping it simple. Their products have clean, all-natural, premium ingredients and are packaged in attractive glass jars to retain optimum quality and taste.

Caramelized Red Onion Chutney
Elevates burgers, sandwiches, sausages, and meatloaf. Delicious with cheese and crackers and cold cuts. Adds richness to sauces. The secret ingredient in moist, savory cheese muffins.
Luxury Lemon Curd Spread
Delicious spread on warm toast, pancakes, scones and muffins. Dessert topping for ice-cream and cake. Helpful consumer serving suggestions on lid. A soft creamy spread with a yummy bright sweet flavor.

GUSTUS VITAE

Gustus Vitae is a Californian crafter of authentic, artisan seasoning blends and gourmet finishing salts. Using locally harvested California sea salt and herbs and spices, their all natural, certified non-GMO ingredients are blended in small batches, before being packed by hand in their unique magnetic tins. They started in Venice Beach Farmer’s Market and remain driven by the same value:Quality Above All.

Taste of Provence
An exquisite blend of fragrant, fresh, and herbal flavors, the Taste of Provence brings the flavors of the French countryside to your kitchen. Crumble onto olives, goat cheeses, roasted vegetables, or sprinkle on seared seafood or grilled poultry. Add a couple of pinches of the Taste of Provence to a bowl of tomato or pumpkin soup for a wonderfully warm
and minty flavor with beautiful color contrast throughout the dish.

JOSEPH JOSEPH

Founded in 2003 by twin brothers Anthony and Richard, Joseph Joseph specializes in creating design-led products for the kitchen and home with a strong emphasis on form, functionality and quality. As one of the fastest growing companies in the worldwide homewares market, the brand has earned global recognition for its multi-award winning designs.

Rotary Peeler
Made from high-quality stainless steel, Rotary Peeler™’s three blades are razor-sharp and are housed in a tough case that takes up very little space in your drawer. Simply select the desired blade – standard, serrated or julienne – by rotating the unit’s brushed metal hub. The Rotary Peeler™ makes short work of even the toughest fruit or vegetable skin and the design also includes a potato-eye remover. The case can be opened for easy cleaning.

SABATINO TARTUFI

Sabatino Tartufi is the world’s largest truffle manufacturer. For over 100 years, they have been cultivating and distributing the highest quality Italian truffles. They offer a range of truffle products, such as truffle honey, truffle salt, and truffle oils. The blend of their modern technologies and traditional recipes create the ultimate truffle experience.

Truffle Zest
Truffles are one of the most expensive foods in the world. We bring you this highly praised ingredient into our revolutionary truffle seasoning. This truffle powder is packed with flavor, and can be added to everything, such as pasta, pizza, rice, potatoes, salads, and anything else that needs a dash of zest! It is gluten free, non GMO, allergen free and contains no MSG.

Please remember, always cook with LOVE and your food will taste better!

Our fall box ships on September 25th. Order one now before we sell out.

Makes a great gift! 🙂

MARY’s secret ingredients spring 2016 subscription box

April 16, 2016 by Mary 5 Comments

Our MARY’s secret ingredients spring 2016 subscription box shipped early last week to amazing RAVE reviews!!! This box is so very special with fantastic products supporting terrific causes. As you know, with the box we support Feed The Children, the global organization dedicated to providing aid to children and fighting the hunger epidemic.

And also included in this great seasonal box are two other items supporting important causes. 100 Cups A Day supports clean water solutions starting with the state of Guanajuato, Mexico and The Tea Spot donates ten percent of its sales in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs.

Here is our unboxing video!

Read about all of these products in more detail below. As always, I created some scrumptious new recipes using each one, which will be posted on this site over the next two weeks

This box is so special, as we are not only inspiring you with healthy new products to help you make awesome LOVE inspired food but you are also supporting all of these great initiatives when you buy a box.

As a special offering, we have made up more of these subscription boxes so you can still go to maryssecretingredients.com and buy a box for $34.00. That price includes shipping anywhere in the continental US. This is quite a good deal since the box is worth over $55.00!

Mother’s Day is coming – this makes a great gift!

100 Cups A Day

100 Cups A Day is an organization dedicated to the physical and spiritual well-being of water, founded by sculptor and ceramic artist Natalie Blake. Natalie is awesome!! Each cup is hand-thrown in porcelain by Natalie and her assistant Kyle in her studio in Brattleboro, Vermont, with all proceeds going to Caminos de Agua – an organization working to innovate and implement open source solutions to sustainable, safe, clean drinking water in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico and globally.

100 Cups

For this spring box, Natalie has crafted a special edition symbolic cup. “The simplest vessel gifting the simplest need. Drink 100 cups of water and become aware of water in your life.”

Joseph Joseph

Founded in 2003 by twin brothers Anthony and Richard, Joseph Joseph specialises in creating design-led products for the
kitchen and home with a strong emphasis on form, functionality and quality. As one of the fastest growing companies in the worldwide homewares market, the brand has earned global recognition for its multi-award-winning designs.

Rocker 100 – Stainless Steel Garlic Crusher

By using downward pressure and a ‘rocking’ motion, this stylish, stainless steel tool crushes garlic cloves quickly and easily by forcing the pieces up through its mesh holes, leaving your hands free of garlic odour. Simply use the Rocker™ 100 to crush your garlic, then spoon or scrape it from the curved press with ease to add to your cooking. Rocker™ 100 is easy to clean under running water but is also dishwasher safe. A game-changing kitchen gadget that will revolutionise your garlic crushing!

Just Jan’s

It was December 2011; a decades long career in the film industry was coming to an end and Jan was looking for a new endeavor. One day while delivering a batch of fig spread to a friend, Jan had a chance encounter with a food industry veteran. Word had gotten out about this film producer’s fig spread, and he wanted to know if it was as good as he had heard. Jan ran home, got what was left of the spread, and met him at a coffee shop so he could taste it. After tasting it, he said “This is better than anything on the market. Would you consider doing this for a living?” The rest is history. Today, Just Jan’s can be found in the Four Seasons San Francisco & Westlake, and at select gourmet retailers across the country.

Just Jan’s Tangerine Marmalade

Just Jan’s Tangerine Marmalade, is a unique twist on traditional Orange Marmalade. Our Tangerine Marmalade is all natural and lower in sugar, allowing the bright citrus flavor of tangerine to shine through. Brighten up your morning toast, or try it in your evening cocktail.

Savory Choice

Located in Northern California, Savory Choice offers a full range of premium broth concentrates. They have been making news around the country because they deliver broths that taste good enough for chefs to call their own. Their clean label products contain no MSG, or HVP, and they’re naturally gluten free with zero trans fats.

Veggie Authentic Pho:

Made with traditional flavors and aromatics, infused in a rich broth, this Pho contains no artificial flavors or coloring added and is made with natural ingredients. Add your choice of protein or veggies, cooked rice noodles and garnish with your choice of condiments to create the perfect pho dish in minutes. Each stick pouch of liquid broth concentrate is reconstituted with 2 cups (16 oz) of hot water. Savor the homemade flavor!

Sir Kensington’s

Launched by Scott Norton and Mark Ramadan in 2010, Sir Kensington’s offers award-winning lines of ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard. I met Scott just last week – super nice guy!!

Sir Kensington’s strives to create products recognized as both healthy and uncompromisingly delicious by using only-the-best ingredients such as Certified Humane eggs and whole tomatoes.

Sir Kensington’s Dijonnaise

Sir Kensington’s Dijonnaise is the perfect blend of mayonnaise and mustard. With slightly spicy notes of their propriety mustard mix, paired with smooth and tangy Classic Mayonnaise, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Enjoy with your favorite sandwich, or as a crust on seared fish.

The Tea Spot

The Tea Spot is a leading producer of handcrafted whole leaf teas and the creator of Steepware®—innovative tools that make the premium tea experience effortless and accessible. The company was founded in 2004 by Maria Uspenski, a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of leaf tea during her recovery. Her message is simple and powerful: tea in its freshest form renders premium flavor, unmatched health benefits, and is eco-friendly. Through their 10% Pledge, the company donates ten percent of sales in-kind to cancer and community wellness programs

Meditative Mind Sachets

These premium sachets contain a soothing white tea blend to sharpen the mind and arouse the senses. Rosebuds are known to ease nervous tension and have a calming effect. The exotic floral scent of night–blooming jasmine is used as an anti-depressant in herbal medicine. This combination works together to enhance the light, subtle flavor of the white peony tea leaf base – creating the perfect remedy for a stressful day.

Our spring box is awesome!! Last week to order.

March 27, 2016 by Mary 10 Comments

First of all, Happy Easter! May you be blessed with new beginnings, all good things, sunshine on rainy days and flowers of all colors!!

I want to tell you that for our spring MARY’s secret ingredients box, we are waiting for a very special item so we are set to ship on April 5th. This is a remarkable box.

To give you an idea, with the products in this box, you can make a meal like this, in just 20 minutes. Seriously. And it’s seriously delicious!

Dijon Mayonaise sauce on steamed sugar snap peas.

This incredible product sauces up any vegetable – takes it from “every day” to a company meal!

You know, food is the new medicine. Actually food and herbs are the old medicine, new again, in vogue again. I got sick with a flu this past week on Tuesday night and got rid of it in a day by drinking green and turmeric tea, very hot, with lots of honey, vegetable broth soup with lots of vegetables, bowls of fresh fruit and lots of sleep – did the trick! I was back on my feet on Thursday. But I think that’s also because I eat healthy all the time so I don’t often get as sick in the first place and can rebound quicker. And I take a lot of Vitamin D-3.

My husband was sick with the flu first, but for three whole days! He does not take the vitamin D-3.

Back to the box. This box is so incredible, if you haven’t ordered it, you must. You really must because it is so good and it is doing so much good. First off, it’s got incredible things – the box is worth over $56.00! And with the code 25OFF, you can buy the box for only $25.50. And all of the products in the box, as always, are all natural, good for you, kind of things. They all enable you to turn ordinary meals into extraordinary!

So not only are you getting a “steal”, you‘ll be doing a great deal because this box, as every one of our boxes gives back to Feed The Children, and through 100 Cups A Day, fights for clean water and through another partner, gives back to cancer research. It’s a total win-win all around!

Little yellow cups on a log at the water's edge.

Here’s a peak at these beautiful little handmade cups – great for sake or tea – reminding you of the importance of clean water for everyone.

Heck, you should buy two boxes – one for you and one as a gift. It makes a great hostess gift.

So order one today. You only have this week left before they ship. Remember, I email you custom recipes using each ingredient after you receive the box so you never have to worry about how to use a certain product. You’ll be able to make great meals like this super easily.

And if you buy a year’s subscription, only $108.00, you’re also eligible for the golden ticket item, this amazing 4” really sharp serrated knife that has this cool elevated rest, so the blade never has to touch the counter. There are only 10 of these and you must be a full year M club member to be eligible as only 10 random M club members will be chosen to receive this awesome knife by Joseph Joseph.

Wishing you the best day! Celebrate spring and cook with LOVE!

And the MARY’s secret ingredients full year subscription winner is…

February 27, 2016 by Mary 2 Comments

Congratulations to Marilyn Scarboro! You’ve won a years subscription to MARY’s secret ingredients. That’s 4 seasonal boxes and the first box of 2016, the spring box, will begin mailing on March 25th.

I know you’re just going to LOVE the spring box. I can’t give too much away, but I will say that the next box has some of my favorite ingredients we’ve had so far plus an extra special handmade surprise!

If you didn’t win, don’t worry, there will be other chances. In fact, this coming Friday, March 4, at 1 pm EST, MARY’s secret ingredients is hosting a Twitter party! We will be giving away 3 spring boxes then. And I will be there to answer all cooking questions. We’re sure to have a lively discussion as we always do. You have to RSVP to win a box. You can enter here.

This is what all of our surprise subscription boxes looked like last year. Full of new gourmet ingredients you’ve probably never heard of but you need to know about. I test all of the products before any of them are allowed in the box. None of them have any unpronounceable ingredients – in other words, no preservatives, no chemicals, no hydrogenated oils. I create recipes using each product and email them directly to you. We have a lot more fun things planned for this year as we’re always challenging ourselves as to how we can inspire your healthy cooking even more, so stay tuned!

We provide items that can easily turn a ho-hum dinner into one fit for company. For example, take a look at this Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Nutraw Pistachio Crust recipe, a totally new way to use a raw bar and an ingenious way to provide a crispy crust on chicken for gluten-intolerant folks. It’s delicious no matter what!

And for our latest announcement, go here to become a new M Club member and buy a full year subscription (4 seasonal boxes) for only $108.00 including shipping plus, all of the other additional perks. Very soon, our MSI Community Cookbook will be available, but only for M Club members.

And remember, every purchase helps in our partnership with Feed The Children. We believe no one should go hungry. Together, let’s wipe hunger off of the face of the earth! YES!!

My Gift to YOU in the Name of LOVE!

February 10, 2016 by Mary Leave a Comment

Our day is coming – on Sunday – St. Valentine’s Day! The day we celebrate LOVE in all ways. And as a gift to you, I’d like to offer a full year subscription to MARY’s secret ingredients to one lucky reader, as long as you live in the continental US. That’s 4 seasonal boxes of gourmet, healthy products and one handy kitchen tool, you’ve probably never heard of but you need to know about.

Each box has only “MARY-approved” products. I test every one to make sure it’s great, tasty and never has any unpronounceable ingredients. Some products have been turned down and we’ve helped the manufacturer make adjustments and then they’ve gone back in the box.

This was our winter box. Full of sweets and spices and everything nice!

The spring box mails on March 25th. The contents of each box are a surprise to you! We have so much fun searching for new, unique items that will inspire your home cooking and delight your family and friends. Remember, good cooks never lack friends!

Here’s what you need to do to enter – follow the prompts in this entry form. There are 7 ways to enter on the various social media channels and you can enter seven times! Spread the word and tell all your friends – the more the merrier!

LOVE – the secret ingredient Valentine's Day Giveaway

You may want to give this as a gift for Valentine’s Day. If that is the case, right click and save this certificate to print out.

Good luck to everyone and have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

With LOVE, Mary