When you’re looking to buy a sweet treat for a lucky recipient, dark chocolate is a great bet. One ounce of this decadent goodie provides only 150 calories as well as heart healthy flavonols.
Scharffen Berger Baker’s Basket contains the following items: Three 9.7oz home baking bars in 62% Cacao Semisweet, 70% Cacao Bittersweet, and 99% Cacao Unsweetened chocolate, 6 oz of our Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder, 8 oz of our Sweetened Cocoa Powder, 6 oz of Cacao Nibs (roasted cacao beans), and a jar of *Bittersweet Ganache (*only item that’s not heart healthy).
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Tea of the Month Club","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_02.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "273", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Republic of Tea; Tea of the Month Club
Web site: www.republicoftea.com
Telephone: 800-298-4832
Price: $105 (6 month’s) $200 (12 months)
Tea is naturally calorie free and sipping a hot, low-cal beverage is a great way to stave off extra calories when you’re looking to eat out of pure boredom. Plus, these teas are so flavorful, there’s no need to add sugar or honey.
This slimming gift also offers medicinal qualities. For example, chamomile helps alleviate cramps, ginger helps minimize nausea and black and green tea are packed with antioxidants that enhance overall health.
About the club: Once each month, a new tea will be shipped to the recipient of your gift (consumers have the choice of either full-leaf tea or tea bags). The first shipment includes: the tea for that month, a complimentary 16-oz ceramic teapot and a card with the Year of Tea calendar and brewing instructions.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Red Wine of the Month Club ","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_03.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "173", "173", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: California Reds ‘Wine of the Month Club
Web site: www.californiareds.com
Telephone: 800-948-3903
Price: $44.95 & $94.95 / month
A glass of wine is a smart, low calorie cocktail at about 120 calories per 5 ounces. Plus, in moderation and as part of an overall healthy diet (up to one glass/day for women and up to 2 glasses/day for men), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
Resveratrol is a key antioxidant found specifically in red wine – and red wines made in cool climates have the greatest amount of resveratrol. All wines from California Reds Wine of the Month Club are from the cool Napa Valley region.
Club Options: 3, 6 or 12 months:
• “Dynamic Duo” - 2 different bottles of hard-to-find California red wines each month plus fact-filled newsletter - $44.95/month
• “Ultimate Reds” - 3 different bottles of award-winning Napa Valley red wines each month(more expensive bottles than Duo) plus fact-filled newsletter $94.95/month
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Aerogarden – Indoor Soil-free Garden","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_04.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "287", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: AeroGarden
Web site: www.aerogrow.com
Telephone: 800-476-9669
Price: $149.95
Off the plant and into the pot. What could be fresher than that? Give the gift of local, fresh produce year-round with The AeroGarden, the world’s first indoor smart garden (meaning it let’s you know when it needs water, food, etc.). This garden grows fresh vegetables, herbs and flowers right on your kitchen counter all year round without the use of pesticides, dirt, weeds or mess. Because it uses NASA proven aeroponics -- that's air and water - it grows incredibly fast, so you can harvest in as little as 28 days. Grow salad greens, gourmet herbs, cherry tomatoes, chili peppers, petunias, and more. The AeroGarden can be found at retailers nationwide such as Linens ‘n Things, JC Penney’s, Bed Bath & Beyond.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Spice Up Your Life","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_05.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "216", "423", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: tsp Spices
Web site: www.tspspices.com
Price: $42.00
Great flavor is always a good gift. What better way to wish someone a healthy holiday than with an elegant collection of organic spices. Great for cutting calories and adding flavors throughout the year.
This company offers three different sets (green, spice and sweet), each set contains six pretty tins filled with organic spices in pre-measured, one-teaspoon packets (12 packets in each tin). The packets are fun to use, and the designer tins look great in any kitchen.
About the three spice sets:
1. Spice Basics: One tin each of mild chile pepper, coriander, cumin, fennel seeds, ginger, turmeric – all organic.
2. Sweet Basics: One tin each of allspice, anise seed, cardamom cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg – all organic. Great for baking – but great for cutting calories and adding flavors all through the year.
3. Green Basics: Six essential herbs: basil, dill weed, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, thyme – all organic.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Pressure Cooker","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_06.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "273", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Fagor Pressure Cooker from Sur La Table
Web site: www.surlatable.com
Telephone: 800-243-0852
Price: $139.95
Pressure cooking is great for people who are trying to make healthier choices when it comes to their diet as you can get great results using little to no fat/oil. You can cook vegetables, chicken, lean cuts of meat – just about anything. Pressure cooking also encourages a healthy diet as it allows you to prepare food at home in a fraction of the time – can reduce cooing time by about 70% -- so there’s no excuse for heading for the drive-thru on your way home from work!
Pressure cookers can be used on any domestic stovetop including gas, electric or ceramic models.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","GiftyBox – Adventure Experience","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_prod/TODAY_12gifts_071209/071209_gifts_07bbb.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "141", "400", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: GiftyBox
Web site: www.giftybox.com
Telephone: 888-SOGIFTY (888-764-4389)
Price: $89.00
The ultimate action gift! Giftybox is the first “Choose Your Adventure” gift. You (the gift giver) choose the theme, they (the recipient) choose the experience. The Giftybox comes with an all-inclusive gift pass and a nationwide guidebook listing all the experiences to choose from. There are no additional fees to worry about, and you are free to choose any of the experiences in the Giftybox.
This company also offers a “Spa and Well-Being” gift box – one for men ($79) and one for women ($79)
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Garmin GPS – for Hiking, Camping and Geocaching","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_08.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "273", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Garmin GPS eTrex
Web site: www.garmin.com
Telephone: 800-800-1020
Price: $299
For many people, exercise becomes more appealing with high-tech gadgets. Garmin's eTrex Vista is a perfect gift for the outdoor lover! It’s a great gadget for hiking, camping and geocaching. What’s geocaching? Combining technology with the great outdoors, geocaching is a high-tech version of treasure hunting. Geocachers seek out hidden treasures utilizing GPS coordinates posted on the internet by those hiding the cache. Using a Garmin(r) GPS unit, they then trek out into the backwoods or urban jungles to find the hiding spot of the cache. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. If the visitor takes something out of the cache, they are asked to leave something in return. For some, the biggest reward is the thrill of the search and the discovery of a plaace that they have never been.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Yoga Mats","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_09.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "194", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Eco Align Ultra Yoga Mat
Web site: www.lululemon.com
Telephone: 877-263-9300
Price: $37.00
Yoga is all the rage – it encourages deep breathing and stretching – and lululemon.com, provides one-stop shopping. These mats are made of TPE (thermal plastic elastomer), a non-toxic alternative to a conventional mats, which contain no latex or rubber. They’re colorful – plus, their lightweight and spongy cushioning helps support your knees and wrists
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Gym Bags","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_10.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "273", "194", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Podium Gym Bag
Web site: www.lululemon.com
Telephone: 877-263-9300
Price: $68.00
Gift: Lulu Gym Bag
Web site: www.lululemon.com
Telephone: 877-263-9300
Price: $78.00
The gift which encourages \"burning calories rather than eating calories\"! Functional, fun gym bags – comes in multiple colors and holds up to 50 pounds.
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Snowshoes","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_11.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "232", "214", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Tubbs Snowshoes
Web site: www.tubbssnowshoes.com
Price: $239.00
If your gift recipient loves the snow – snowshoes can be a fantastic idea! It’s great fun and exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels….bonus, you burn about 500 calories per hour while having a blast.
Tubbs, the market leader in snowshoes, has introduced the all new Couloir Series. The Couloir features lighter weight frames, improved binding rotation, heel lift and an enhanced crampon system. Available in three sizes: 25\", 30\" and 36\"
";
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i++] = new Array("","Sleds","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Interactives/_production/071209_gifts_12.hmedium.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "220", "220", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
TODAY_12gifts_071209[i-1].body = "Gift: Hammerhead Sled
Web site: www.rei.com
Telephone: 800-426-4840
Price: $299.00
Fun and exercise for the entire family! Hammerhead takes the snow sled into the 21st century with modern styling, materials, engineering and improved performance and safety. It’s lightweight at only 9.7 lbs and you can cherry it up with a myriad of accessories such as headlights, mirrors, backrest, reflector tape, and more.
PLUS: *Thanks to the hike back up the hill after each ride, you’ll burn about 400 calories per hour!
"; // END editorial data