Terrapin Ridge Farms Review and Giveaway
February 28, 2013

Terrapin Ridge Farms Review and Giveaway

Terrapin Ridge Farms is a company that makes all kinds of sauces, spreads, dips and dressings. They are gourmet sauces like the kinds that you find in cute specialty shops. For my review, I was sent some different sauces including sweet red onion white balsamic dressing, Thai chili aioli, strawberry honey mustard pretzel dip, bacon & chive dip, chipotle aioli and creamy Italian white balsamic dressing. I was excited to try out these condiments because my family loves all kinds of sauces. The first one that I tried was the sweet red onion white balsamic dressing.  My husband and I had this over a romaine salad with green peppers and almonds.  We really liked the dressing. It was a good mix of savory and sweet and had a mild onion flavor. I think that this would also be tasty on a sandwich, in a wrap or in a pasta salad. We also tried the strawberry honey mustard pretzel dip which of course, tastes good on pretzels! I like it one the Pretzel Crisps flat pretzels. I plan to

360 Cookware Review + Stir Fry Recipe
February 27, 2013

360 Cookware Review + Stir Fry Recipe

360 Cookware is a cookware company that specializes in vapor cooking. What does that mean? That you have to use little to no oil or other fat to cook your food in. The food is cooked using minimal water and cooks with vapor heat. For my review, I was sent the 2 piece stainless steel cookware set. This set retails for $299.95. It comes with a 1 quart saucepan with cover and a 3.5 quart saute pan with cover. When I received these products, I could not wait to try them. I cook almost everyday and could not wait to try a new-to-me style of cooking. The biggest selling point is that you do not have to use oil. Many times when cooking vegetables, oil or something similar is necessary to prevent the food from sticking to the pan. 360 Cookware allows you to cook without oil and still get delicious food. See my recipe below using 360 cookware.  Something important that is recommended with this cookware is that you need to watch the instructional video and follow recipes carefully

Carrington Farms Review
February 27, 2013

Carrington Farms Review

Flax and chia seeds seem to be some of the biggest buzzwords the past few years. However, they are not just a trend but are actually very nutritious and can help us to meet some of our nutrient needs. Carrington Farms sent me some of their flax chia blend along with their portable flax paks.  The flax and chia blend packs a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. They are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber which helps with digestion and bowel regularity.  Since I really do not like fish which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, I like to use flax and chia seeds to get my omega-3 fatty acids in. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial in reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke and reduce symptoms of joint pain and hypertension. My favorite uses for chia and flax seeds are the following. -Mixed into oatmeal each morning. -Thrown into baked goods. Did you know that ground flax can be used in place of eggs? -Mixed into yogurt These Carrington Farms pro

Lisa Leonard Review and Giveaway
February 26, 2013

Lisa Leonard Review and Giveaway

Lisa Leonard is a designer of jewelry and home decor items. I saw her work on another blog and became intrigued. She sells necklaces, bracelets and earrings. The home decor items include personalized items such as a customized plate with names and a wedding date on it. For my review, I was sent a pewter apple wall hanging. When I was going through the items that this company sold and saw this, I knew that that was what I wanted. My husband Troy is a new science teacher and I thought that this apple would be adorable for his classroom. He really likes the apple and it is good quality. This apple retails for $42.00. It is made pewter. I can't wait for Troy to put this in his classroom! These personalized items would make a great gift for anybody! Giveaway   The giveaway will be for this Gold Wildflower necklace from Lisa Leonard designs to one lucky reader  (a $48 value!). a Rafflecopter giveaway

Merlot Skincare Review and Giveaway
February 25, 2013

Merlot Skincare Review and Giveaway

Skincare products made with wine? Sign me up! I recently found this Merlot skincare line online and became interested in trying it. My parents make their own wine and now grow their own grapes which is what interested me in this line. For my review, I was sent a moisturizer for men, cleanser, moisturizer and a 3-in-1 cleanser, toner and treatments. The first product that I tried was the First Crush 3-in-1 cleanser. I washed my face with it and was happy with the results. My skin is fairly clear but I do get some acne on occasion.  I love that it is a 3-in-1 and saves time and money from having to use multiple products. The moisturizer was my other favorite product. It is moisturizing without being too sticky. It has a faint scent but not very strong. It contains red grape seed polyphenols which are antioxidants that help combat the aging process. My normal blush went on nicely after using this product. These products contain natural grape seed antioxidants. They are free

OCJ Apparel Review
February 24, 2013

OCJ Apparel Review

I find it hard to find a good pair of skinny jeans that fits well but does not stretch out at the end of the day. I recently was sent a pair of OCJ Apparel jeans to review that fit me great! For my review, I was sent the Winged Skinny jeans in deep indigo. These jeans retail for $127.00. OCJ Apparel specializes in college sports teams jeans. These jeans have a University of Michigan theme which gold and blue on the back pocket. They would be fun to wear to a game! These jeans are so incredibly soft and are such good quality. I am very impressed with them! I have worn these jeans twice so far and was impressed that they did not stretch out at all which many jeans do. They do run a size big so I ordered a size smaller and they fit great. They are longer than most jeans which is great because you can wear them with heels and they will be long enough. I have been wearing them with flat boots because here in Michigan, it is too cold to be wearing heels. They work well with high

The Republic of Tea Review
February 23, 2013

The Republic of Tea Review

The Republic of Tea Reviews I recently joined The Republic of Tea Enlightenment TEA blogger program. Since I love tea so much, I was invited to try some of The Republic of Tea's teas monthly for the next 6 months!!! I hope you like reading tea reviews because I have some great ones coming up. Republic of Tea Reviews The Republic of Tea Peach Black Tea • The Ginger Peach Black Tea , our most popular peach tea, offers the sweet lushness of a fancy peach seasoned with the tingle of spicy ginger.  This tea had a stronger ginger flavor than I was expecting but it was tasty. It has a fresh peach flavor and definitely provides that spicy flavor ginger does. I often drink a ginger tea before bed but this one is nice because it is not decaffeinated and provides a boost of caffeine. The Republic of Tea Green Tea •The delicate tea that is The People’s Green Tea is celebrated for its refreshing, smooth flavor packed into every one of these green tea bags.  I enjoyed the sim

Cut 'n Clean Greens Kale Strata
February 22, 2013

Cut 'n Clean Greens Kale Strata

I have been wanting to make a strata for the last couple of years but never got around to it until now. I found a recipe and took ideas from it and made it my own. I was sent a big box of greens from Cut 'n Clean Greens to try out. I've done a review of their greens before and loved them! I love to throw greens into almost any type of savory recipe. Some of the products that I was sent include: kale, beet greens and swiss chard. With many of the greens that I was sent, I simply cooked them up with some garlic and ate them on the side of different meals. Veggie and rye mix before the eggs were added Baked and ready to eat!  I created this strata for breakfast this Saturday. It was a hit with my husband and I and now he has some tasty leftovers for the week! Cut 'n Clean Greens Kale Strata Ingredients: 1/2 loaf whole wheat rye bread, cut into bite sized chunks 2 cups Cut 'n Clean Greens chopped kale 1 1/2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped 5 eggs

Western Bagel Review
February 21, 2013

Western Bagel Review

I love trying new foods and this one is no exception. I had first tried Western Bagel alternative bagels about 3 years and loved them. They were good sized and filling like a regular bagel but had less calories. I loved this because bagels can often have up to 400 calories and are actually 4 bread servings. Here is my Western Bagel alternative bagels review. Western Bagel Review This time, I was sent some new-to-me Western Bagel products to try. I was sent the Perfect 10 bagels which really impressed me. They have 10 grams of carbohydrates (really they have 19 grams but subtracted 9 due to 9 grams of fiber). These bagels have flax seeds, wheat bran, sesame seeds, oat flakes and millet seeds in it. They also have 18 grams of protein and only 140 calories per bagel! These are nice and chewy and taste great toasted or plain. I like to have peanut butter or margarine on mine. A package of these is only $3.00 for 6 bagels which I find to be very reasonable for such a special produc

Twitter Driscoll's Berries Giveaway
February 20, 2013

Twitter Driscoll's Berries Giveaway

According to the American Heart Association , eating berries including strawberries and blueberries may cut heart attack risk in women. Not only are berries rich in antioxidants but they also contain many beneficial vitamins, minerals and fiber. Berries are one of my favorite foods, especially raspberries. They are delicious and nutritious. I am working with Driscoll's Berries to bring you a giveaway through Twitter. You must Tweet me an answer to win. Giveaway starts Wednesday February 20th and ends on Friday February 22nd at midnight. Here are the tweets to respond to: Look for these tweets at the start of the giveaway to enter. 1) A heart healthy vitamin found in raspberries is __? Tell me @driscollsberry 4 a chance 2win free berries! #HeartHealth bit.ly/WCRaHU 2) How many calories are in a cup of raspberries? Answer me @driscollsberry 4 a chance 2 win free berries! #HeartHealth bit.ly/VLvpHq 3) What is your favorite way to eat berries? My favorite are @driscoll

Black Bean Brownies
February 19, 2013

Black Bean Brownies

Before you question these brownies being made with black beans and whole wheat flour, you have to try them. They do not taste like a healthier dessert at all and are very tasty. My husband and mom really enjoyed them as well. I was recently sent an assortment of new products available at Whole Foods. Some of these products included cocoa powder. I recently saw a recipe for black bean brownies that caught my eye so I decided to use this CocoaWell unsweetened 70% cocoa powder to make brownies. Brownie batter  Black Bean Brownies Ingredients: 1 3/4 cup cooked black beans (or one 15 ounce can, rinsed and drained) 1/4 cup margarine or butter 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips 1 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 4 eggs 2 cups whole wheat flour 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons CocoaWell 70% cocoa powder (plus some for dusting pan) 1 teaspoon baking powder Directions: 1. Spray 2 pie pans (or a 9x13 pan) with nonstick spray and dust w

Beanilla Review and Giveaway
February 19, 2013

Beanilla Review and Giveaway

Beanilla is a local to-me Michigan company that makes all things vanilla. They sell vanilla beans, paste, powder, syrup, extract, sugar, salt, etc. The main thing that got my attention about this company is how nearby they are! I love trying out Michigan products to help promote my own state. Beanilla Review For my review, I was sent some vanilla beans, vanilla extract and vanilla paste. The first thing that I did was make some banana protein pancakes  with the vanilla extract. It gave the pancakes a wonderful flavor. I was surprised about how well I could actually taste the vanilla. What is the Best Quality Vanilla?   The company started in 2005 and aims to bring us high quality vanilla products. They use vanilla that is very fresh to give a strong and delicious flavor. Vanilla paste is a new-to-me product. Here are some suggested uses for it: use vanilla bean paste's thicker viscosity to flavor cakes, puddings, cookies, custards, icing, frosting's, whipped cream, ice

Vega Plant Nutrition Review
February 18, 2013

Vega Plant Nutrition Review

  Vega is a company that makes different nutritional shakes, smoothies, savi seeds and bars. They make a variety of plant based whole foods. For my review, I was sent a variety of their products to try. There were two products that I especially enjoyed. The chocolate covered savi seeds were great. What is a savi seed? They are similar to a nut. They are full of omega 3 fatty acids and are a complete protein. I really liked these! They are nutty and very filling. A small portion of the chocolate covered savi seeds were only 170 calories which is pretty good! They have 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. I like they they are full of protein which helped to fill me up for my mid-morning snack.  The other product that I really enjoyed was the Vega vibrancy bar. They are made of mostly raw and sprouted superfoods. Main ingredients include sprouted buckwheat, almonds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and saviseeds. They come in three different flavors: chocolate decadence, berry bli

Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese with Ham
February 17, 2013

Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese with Ham

I was recently sent some Essential Eating sprouted pasta and hot cereal to try. I had some ham on hand and had been having a craving for macaroni and cheese so I created this delicious, healthy macaroni and cheese recipe. I used the Essential Eating sprouted 100% whole grain elbow pasta. To start this recipe, I cooked up the pasta. What I noticed about this is that it is much darker in color than other whole grain pastas which I did not mind. Also, the noodles are bigger than other elbow noodles. Since this flour is sprouted, it is thought to digest easier than other whole grains. One serving of this pasta has 57 grams of whole grains which is 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance. One serving of this pasta contain 170 calories, 7 grams of fiver and 9 grams of protein which is amazing for pasta!! I love the extra boost of fiber and protein. Yogurt Macaroni and Cheese with Ham Ingredients: 1 16 ounce box of whole grain elbow pasta (I used Essential Eating sprouted elbow

Whole-Wheat Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower
February 16, 2013

Whole-Wheat Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower

As you all know, I love to cook and create new recipes. I created this buffalo cauliflower for my family to have for the Superbowl. They absolutely loved it and I had to share it with you. It is very low in fat and quite low in calories. Try it! Breaded Buffalo Cauliflower  Ingredients: 1 medium to large sized head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup water 1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce 1 tablespoon butter Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Mix whole wheat flour and water together well. 3. Toss cauliflower in flour mixture and stir until coated. 4. Transfer cauliflower to a cookie sheet that is lightly sprayed with pan coating spray. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes until cauliflower breading is crispy. 6. Melt butter and combine with hot sauce. 7. Take cauliflower out of the oven and pour hot sauce mixture over it. 8. Bake for 5 to 8 more minutes. Serve immediately! This

Top 5 High Fiber Foods
February 15, 2013

Top 5 High Fiber Foods

I recently wrote a post for Spry about high fiber foods and Sunsweet prunes! Check it out.  Read here about the Top 5 High Fiber Foods . Also, Sunsweet is giving away $1000! Enter here for your chance to win a grand.   Thank you to Sunsweet for being a sponsor. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective . All opinions expressed here are my own.

Animae Mix Review and Giveaway
February 15, 2013

Animae Mix Review and Giveaway

I am proud to introduce to you Animae Mix which is a snack mix created by registered dietitian Marlene Most. As a dietitian, I think it is awesome that another fellow RD created her own product! Animae Mix is a dried fruit, nut, granola snack mix. They come in three different flavors: almond blueberry, pecan cranberry and macadamia mango. When I received these products, I opened up all three to try. They just looked so good! The macadamia mango has pieces of dried mango in it. It it semi sweet snack mix that has a bit of ginger flavor in it. I enjoyed this a lot. Nuts provide some healthy fat and protein.   My favorite mix by far is the pecan cranberry. It is so good!! The pecan cranberry combo is so tasty and addictive. I could not stop sticking my hand into this bag. It is a perfect mix of salty and sweet. The pecans are covered in a sprinkle of cinnamon. I highly recommend this delicious mix.  Giveaway The giveaway will be for three bags of Animae Mix. a Rafflecop

$200 Have it Your Way Giveaway
February 15, 2013

$200 Have it Your Way Giveaway

Welcome to the Bloggy $200 Have It Your Way Giveaway! This wonderful event is brought to you by Jenn’s Blah Blah Blog , Happy Home and Family and Pink Ninja Media ! Co-Hosts Capris Coupons , What’s Up Giveaway , Stay a Stay at Home Mom , Pink Ninja Blogger , Simply Shawn N Jenn , Moms Vacation Spots , Reel Mama , Mom To Grandma , My Four Little’s , and My Life In Shades of Gray . I know we could all use an extra $200! This is a great giveaway to try to win. About the Giveaway: One lucky winner will get ANYTHING they want valued up to $200! You got it if you win get anything you want and we will order it for you. Kindle, Gift Cards, Paypal Cash, Gas Cards, Toys for the Kids, Handbag for Mom, Jewelry, ANYTHING ! This fabulous giveaway will begin on 2/16/13 at 12:01am EST and run until 03/17/13 at 11:59pm EST. Must be 18+ to enter Giveaway is open WORLDWIDE! Special thanks to Emperola.com for helping Jenn's Blah Blah Blog make this event possible: Emperola.com

Rocky Mountain Popcorn Review and Giveaway
February 14, 2013

Rocky Mountain Popcorn Review and Giveaway

Rocky Mountain Popcorn company makes all different flavors of popcorn. I was sent a variety including jalapeno, southwest cheddar, butter and cinnamon sugar. The first one that I opened was the cinnamon sugar. I could not resist the uncommon flavor. It was a perfect mix of salty and sweet. This bag disappeared way too fast! A serving of this popcorn which is 3/4 cup is 150 calories. The butter one was my husband and I's other favorite. He wanted to make fresh popcorn so that it would be hot but we did not have any. We opened up this bag of Rocky Mountain Popcorn and heated it in the microwave for one minute. It turned out really well! Just like movie theater popcorn. Two cups of this popcorn clocks in at 170 calories. This popcorn is definitely an indulgent treat which is good to be enjoyed in moderation. It is not a very low calorie popcorn but is very tasty. It is trans fat free which is great because many bagged popcorn brands contain trans fat. Giveaway The giv

Ultimate Flora Probiotics Giveaway
February 13, 2013

Ultimate Flora Probiotics Giveaway

Probiotics are quite a popular buzzword these days. What are probiotics? Do you need to take them? Probiotics are the "good" kind of bacteria. It helps with digestion and protects us from toxins. When the bacteria in our digestive tract is imbalanced, we can have digestive disturbances. By taking a probiotic supplement, we can add the good bacteria back into our bodies which helps with digestion. Personally, I take probiotic supplements anytime that I have to take antibiotics. Antibiotics kill the good and bad bacteria in the body and by taking these supplements, I am helping put the good bacteria into my body. Also, probiotics support urinary tract health and help to balance yeast. I think that they can be beneficial for people to take these. Ask your physician before taking this supplement.  Ultimate Flora is a line of probiotic supplements. It is developed by ReNew Life which is a line of supplements that I have tried before and liked. Ultimate Flora is high-pot