The Nutritionist Reviews

June 30, 2013

Madox Jewelry Review and Giveaway

I was recently contacted by a company called Madox Jewelry to review their store. They sell jewelry, clothing, watches, handbags and accessories. For my review, I chose the Le Vertige dress in red and black. I loved the picture on the model so after seeing that, I wanted the dress for myself. The dress is $44. It is from Greece. I love the top of the dress but did not like the bottom. It is a suede type of material which I thought was odd for a summery dress. I wish that the bottom of the dress was cotton. The dress is good quality and fits me well. Here are my other favorite pieces of clothing from Madox Jewelry: I enjoyed reviewing Madox Jewelry products and would recommend them for moderate priced clothing, accessories and jewelry.  Giveaway The giveaway will be for a $50 gift certificate to Madox Jewelry to one lucky reader. Giveaway will end on my favorite date of the year- July 11th- my wedding anniversary!

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June 29, 2013

A Day at the Lexington Beach

A couple of weeks ago, Troy and I stopped at a beach near Lexington, MI on the way to my parents farm. It is not as beautiful of a beach as Fennville where we used to live but it is relaxing. These are some of the pictures from the day: It was a nice afternoon at the beach with the puppies!

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June 28, 2013

Maille Mustard Review

I love mustard and love trying new kinds of mustards. I think that it is a versatile, low-calorie condiment that gives food a lot of flavor. I was recently contacted to try Maille mustards and review them on the blog. I was sent the dijon original, old style whole grain and honey dijon mustards to try.  Maille Mustard Review La Maison Maille has been around for 265 years making mustard and is served in France. The first mustard that I tried was the old style whole grain mustard. I ended up loving this! It was pretty mild and flavorful. I liked the little whole grain mustard seeds. This would be perfect on a sandwich or a hot pretzel. In fact, I recently went the new Whole Foods Detroit (which is awesome by the way) and they have these huge pretzel rolls for only $.50. I bought one and enjoyed it toasted with this mustard. Use Dijon mustard in this delicious vinaigrette The Best Dijon Mustard I am also a lover of dijon mustard. My favorite way to use dijon mustard is to roast veg

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June 27, 2013

A Dietitian's Opinion on Artificial Sweeteners

As a dietitian, I often get asked about my opinion on artificial sweeteners. There are many different studies out there currently and the effects of artificial sweeteners are not completely known. There have been ideas that consuming artificial sweeteners may be linked to cancer, weight gain and other health problems. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, it is their position that people can safely consume sweeteners as part of a healthy diet. The Food and Drug Administration generally recognizes these sweeteners as safe as well. These artificial sweeteners are tested many ways including toxicology in animals and determining the side effects related to consuming these sweeteners.  My opinion, however, has changed drastically in the last 5 years or so on these sweeteners. Back in college, I used artificial sweeteners often. I wanted to cut calories and thought that this was a good way to do so. It started with about half a packet of sweetener and gradually increased t

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June 26, 2013

Cobb Hill Shoe Review

I am on my feet a lot each day at work. On average, I work 9 hours per day and need to have comfortable shoes. I found Cobb Hill shoes which come in all different kinds of styles of shoes and knew that I had to try them. For my review, I chose the Esme shoes in black. They fit true to size. These shoes retail for $84.99. They are made of full grain leather and have an Ethyl Vinyl Acetate foam footbed for cushioning. They are super cushy which is awesome for comfort. They are very lightweight and I think they are great for summer with all of the tiny holes to keep your feet cool. Along with black, they also come in several shades of tan which would be nice too since they are all neutral colors. I think that these are very cute along with being functional. I can wear them with almost any work outfit including a dress, skirt or dress pants. These shoes seem to be great quality as well. Cobb Hill has many different styles of comfortable shoes to choose from. You can purchas

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June 26, 2013

Raw Organic Whey Protein Smoothies + Giveaway

If you follow my blog Facebook , you know that I recently got a huge box of plums for only $2 reduced at my favorite produce market. I was recently sent some Raw Organic Whey protein to review on my blog and I made 2 delicious smoothies this weekend using this protein. It is USDA certified organic and does not contain the bovine growth hormone. There are no preservatives, sweeteners or fillers- just organic whey protein. The protein does not have a specific flavor and I tried it and it does not taste like much. This is perfect in my book because it adds protein to your food without changing the taste. You can add any flavors you like and this whey protein blends right in. A serving is 5 tablespoons for about 100 calories and 20 grams of protein. A lot of times, I have trouble digesting whey protein but that was not the case with this Raw Organic Whey protein powder. I felt great all day after eating it. I absolutely love this protein powder and how it blends right into my smoo

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June 25, 2013

Nuttzo Nut Butter Review and Giveaway

I have been wanting to try Nuttzo nut butter since before I started blogging over 3 years ago. Many bloggers swear by it and I was super excited when I was contacted to try some. NuttZo is a line of 7 nut and seed butter blends, made from 100% organic ingredients and contain no added sugars or oils. Unlike single nut or seed butters, NuttZo is a complete protein in itself, providing 50% of your daily recommended value of Omega 3's. It includes chia seeds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Flax and Almonds. For my review, I was sent a jar of the creamy Nuttzo , crunchy Nuttzo and chocolate Nuttzo. I love all kinds of nut butters and always enjoy trying new kinds. My favorite is the crunchy Nuttzo. It contains good sized chunks of all different kinds of nuts. It is very rich and creamy. The flavor of this nut butter was very tasty and I enjoyed all of the different flavors of nuts mixed together. Now I will be honest with you, the reason that I did not try this nut butter in the past

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June 24, 2013

The Balance Plate Review and Giveaway

As a dietitian, I am always looking for new foods, tools and tricks to help people get healthy. I found The Balance Plate and knew that it would be a great tool. I was sent a couple of Balance Plates for my review. One of the keys to weight loss and maintenance is portion control. According to The Balance Plate, Americans often underestimate how many calories they are eating each day by about 25%. People are also choosing unhealthy foods to eat in the wrong portion sizes. These plates are designed to help consumers to lead a well balanced lifestyle and diet. The Balance Plate helps to control portion sizes through these 5 principles: portion, proportion, variety, balance and moderation. The Balance Plate above is based on the MyPlate program created by the USDA. It focuses on making your plate 1/4 grains (making at least half of your grains whole-grains), 1/4 lean protein and 1/2 produce. By using this plate, it helps us to be mindful of correct portion sizes and also reminds

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June 23, 2013

Kodiak Cakes Review

Kodiak Cakes Review New review of Kodiak Cakes mixes- 2019! I was recently contacted by Kodiak Cakes to try their pancake and waffle mixes. I have seen these on blogs for years and was excited to try them myself. I was sent the buttermilk and honey and the whole wheat, oat and honey mixes. I'm excited to share this Kodiak Cakes review with you today! One Sunday morning, I made some of the Kodiak Cakes whole wheat, oat and honey pancakes for my husband and I. I served them alongside some turkey sausages. The pancakes turned out very well! They were slightly sweet and flavorful. They did not turn out super fluffy but I did not mind that. I topped mine with peanut butter which was delicious as it melted on the pancakes. All you have to do is add water so they are very easy to make. My favorite thing about these mixes is that they are a whole grain pancake mix which most pancake mixes are not. Are Kodiak Cakes Healthy? Yes, Kodiak Cakes are a nutritious pancake option! T

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June 22, 2013

Vitalicious Vitatops Review

I have tried Vitalicious products in the past and have always enjoyed them. Vitatops are low-calorie muffin tops that come in all different flavors. They are only 100 calories, taste indulgent, but are really guilt-free. Some of the flavors of Vitatops are: banana nut, chocolate mint, pumpkin spice, apple crumb, banana fudge, bluebran, golden corn, triple chocolate chunk and deep chocolate. As you can see, there are many fun flavors to try. They make a great 100 calorie snack. These are low-calorie and make a low-fat dessert. Besides the obvious way of eating these plain, these are my favorite ways to eat them: -Any of the chocolate Vitatops with a smear of peanut butter on them -Apple crumb Vitatop crumbled over a plain Greek yogurt -Golden corn eaten instead of cornbread -Bluebran crumbled on top of a thick berry smoothie Each of these muffin tops are actually quite filling considering that they are only 100 calories. Each muffin has 100 calories, 2 grams of fat,

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June 21, 2013

Beauty Stop Online Review

Beauty Stop Online is a website that sells all kinds of beauty products. I had a fun time looking through all the brands and products that they had. For my review, I chose to review the Tweezerman Eyelash Curler and the Fake Bake Self Tanner. I am naturally very pale and like having a bit of color. Of course tanning is not good for you so this is the next best option. This Fake Bake Self Tanner comes out chocolate brown (don't let it intimidate you) but rubs in very light. Within a short period of time, you start to get a nice glow. It is not orange and does not streak. This tanner is on sale on Beauty Stop Online for $18.99 for a 2 ounce tube. This product is also good for anti-aging. Tweezerman brand has been around for a long time and makes quality, long lasting products. I like this eyelash curler that I was sent which curls my lashes nicely. According to Beauty Stop Online, this is the best selling eyelash curler of all time. You can purchase t

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June 20, 2013

Kona Kase Review and Giveaway

I first reviewed a Kona Kase back in January and loved it. It is a company that sends a monthly subscription to snacks and athletic fuel. I started running again a few months ago and sometimes, need some extra nutrition to meet my needs after a hard workout. This month's box came with some neat foods including: - Cranberry Soyjoy bar - I like this bar as a simple carbohydrate fuel. one small bar is 140 calories and I think that this is good about an hour before a workout. The cranberries are sweet- not tangy. - Wild Squirrel Chocolate Sunflower Seed Almond Butter - This nut butter has some small chunks of sunflower seeds in it which is tasty. I like this eaten plain or on some sort of toast. - Kind Bar - Kind bars are packed full of nutrition without much sugar. This one is very tasty. I like Kind bars for after a workout when you need some extra protein. - GU - I have actually never tried GU but will try it if I do an extra long run on a hot day for some quick energy.

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June 19, 2013

Pura Vida Bracelets Review and Giveaway

I love fun, simple jewelry. I recently found Pura Vida which is a company that sells all kinds of bracelets. For my review, I chose 4 bracelets that I really liked to review. My husband was in a fraternity when we met and we a big part of our relationship when we were first dating. Even though I was never in the frat, it was a special part of my life too. The blue and yellow Pura Vida bracelet is a sigma chi bracelet and I love it. This bracelet retails for only $5. I was also sent a bracelet with a cross on it and two with feathers on them. I have always loved feather jewelry. These are very pretty. I chose the cream and candy apple red. The feather is gold plated and the bracelet retails for $20. Here is some information about the bracelets: The phrase “Pura Vida” (pu·ra vi·da) means pure life in Spanish. Enjoying life slowly, celebrating good fortune and not taking anything for granted embodies the Pura Vida Lifestyle. It's about being free and living life to

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June 18, 2013

How I Make Money Blogging

I love to read posts where bloggers give information on how they make money blogging. I thought that today I would share some of my tips for making money blogging. Feel free to check out these sites which have been beneficial to me. I wanted to note that I do not make a lot of money from my blog. I blog mostly because I enjoy it and it brings me a lot of great opportunities. Some people are able to make a large income from blogging but so far, I have not been able to do that. The money that I do earn is side money for fun things. 1. SocialSpark SocialSpark is a site that allows you to write sponsored posts on all different topics. If the company is interested in you writing about their product, you will receive a lead in your email. You can accept the amount of money that the post is offering or send in a counteroffer to try to get more money. If the company is interested, you will receive an email giving you usually 3 days to write the post. This site is very simple to use and I

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June 17, 2013

Easy Canvas Prints Giveaway

I have worked with Easy Canvas Prints a few times and can honestly say that I love their canvases. I have 2 16x20 canvases in my living room from them which look great along with a couple others that are in my newly redone room. They are good quality, affordable and the picture comes out very clear. I was recently sent the canvas of the grapes seen above which I love. It is a picture that I took at my parent's farm 2 years ago (last year there were no grapes due to the crazy weather). It came out great quality and is going to look nice in my house. Giveaway Easy Canvas Prints is going to be giving away an 8 x10 canvas for you to create whichever picture you want for your home. Enter in the Rafflecopter form below. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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June 17, 2013

Win a $250 Naked Juice Gift Basket!

Remember my recipe last week for my Almond Strawberry Spinach Smoothie ? Well, the Naked Power Garden sweepstakes is going on now where you can win a $250 Naked Juice gift basket just by voting for a recipe and pinning it. Please vote for my recipe for my Almond Strawberry Spinach Smoothie. It takes two seconds! The contest ends 6/27/13. No purchase necessary. Check out the Glam Power Up Pinterest board with tons of great recipes using the Power Garden juices. Today is the perfect day to make this smoothie! It is National Drink Your Veggies Day. This smoothie has spinach and veggies in the Naked juice. A great way to get your veggies in without even tasting them. Power Garden is Naked Juice’s new veggie drink lineup with 1lb. of veggies in every bottle*. With delicious flavors that only Naked could blend, Power Garden offers one of the easiest ways to get your daily servings of veggies and fruits, along with good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals. Learn more at htt

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June 16, 2013

Summer in Michigan

Happy Father's Day Dad!! I love my dad : ) ________________________________________________________________ Summer is always so fun! The weather is nice, there is a ton to do, I love it! Here are some of the fun things that I have been up to this summer so far. This picture is from when we went to see my brother's new place in Paris, MI. We took a canoe and my dad was in a nearby kayak (which totally flipped over!!). I had never been canoeing before and enjoyed it. The river has a strong current so we barely had to paddle. Detroit Hoedown! We got to see Emerson Drive and Craig Morgan I ran my first race in 6 years...and won!! Crazy husband My parent's 27th wedding anniversary- we took a boat cruise with dinner and dancing. It was great. The last time we took a picture in this spot was 5 years ago right before we got engaged <3 p=""> My sister and I at the Detroit American Heart Association walk/run at Ford

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