The lucky winner of my CrazyDog T-shirt giveaway is #3 AmandaSue! Congratulations! I'll be e-mailing you shortly in order to get your contact information to send to CrazyDog T-shirts. Thank you to everyone who entered.
Edited to add: Because Amanda recently won another CrazyDog T-shirt giveaway, the new winner is #4 Karen!
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This blog is written by a graduate of Iowa State University (undergrad) and the University of Illinois (graduate). While this new full-time worker is far from perfect, she is trying to follow a healthy and environmentally-conscious lifestyle. Within these pages you will find various product reviews, giveaways, recipes, pictures, and musings about this blogger's adventures in exercise and daily living.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Merry Christmas!
I want to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas! It's a day late because I was at my grandparents' house yesterday, and they do not have Internet access. It was nice to be "unplugged" for awhile, but I can't stay away from my e-mail or Facebook for too long :-).
I've been taking quite a few pictures of the beautiful winter scenery lately, and I will be adding some new pics to my photo blog: http://ashleymphotos.weebly.com/. I'll also post a couple at the end of this post for your convenience. I truly love a white Christmas, but at the same time I'm really looking forward to spring when I can start biking and running in comfort outside again :-).
Also, don't forget to enter my CrazyDog T-shirt Giveaway that ends tonight at midnight! If you do miss it though, don't worry becuase I'll be hosting a couple more giveaways soon.
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I've been taking quite a few pictures of the beautiful winter scenery lately, and I will be adding some new pics to my photo blog: http://ashleymphotos.weebly.com/. I'll also post a couple at the end of this post for your convenience. I truly love a white Christmas, but at the same time I'm really looking forward to spring when I can start biking and running in comfort outside again :-).
Also, don't forget to enter my CrazyDog T-shirt Giveaway that ends tonight at midnight! If you do miss it though, don't worry becuase I'll be hosting a couple more giveaways soon.
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Thursday, December 16, 2010
Crazydogtshirts.com Review and Giveaway
I was recently given the opportunity to review a t-shirt from Crazydogtshirts.com. They have such a fun collection that includes funny t-shirts, 80s t-shirts, as well as custom t-shirts! It was hard picking a t-shirt from such a wide collection, but I ended up deciding on the Womens Dunder Mifflin t-shirt since I'm a big fan of The Office :-). Here it is:
It is a quality t-shirt and, like most of their shirts, it can be a conversation starter :-). The shirts are also reasonably priced, especially if you take advantage of their $6.99 Daily T-shirt Special. The only minor problem I had was that I thought the blue color was going to be lighter, as in the picture on the website here.
Now one of you has a chance to win a CrazyDog t-shirt of your own! Here are the specs:
Giveaway: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will end on December 26, 2010 (a post Christmas gift). The winner will be picked via random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning e-mail to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts! Also, the winner cannot have won a shirt from CrazyDog or have been sent a shirt for promotional purposes in the last 90 days or own a blog of their own.
Mandatory Entry: Go to Crazydogtshirts.com and leave a comment with which t-shirt you'd most like to get. Please leave your e-mail address with your comment.
Extra Entries (leave one comment for each): Become a fan of CrazyDog T-shirts on Facebook.
Post a comment on the Facebook page stating what your favorite tee is or asking a question about the shirts.
"Like" or "Share" one of the products on the website. The buttons for these are on all product detail pages, above the main image.
Best of luck!!
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Saturday, December 11, 2010
FitDeck Exercise Playing Cards Review
Have you ever seen FitDeck exercise playing cards? If not, I'm about to introduce you to them :-). The following information comes from the website http://fitdeck.com/.
"FitDeck is a unique deck of 56 playing cards containing illustrations and instructions describing over 50 different exercises, stretches, and movements. These ‘no-equipment’ FitDecks contain exercises that require only your bodyweight to perform. ‘FitDeck Bodyweight’ is our flagship product in this popular series of ‘no-equipment’ FitDecks."
I think FitDeck is a great option for people without a gym membership, those who want to work out at home, people who travel a lot and want to stay fit on the road, or people who simply want to change up the regular routine. There is literally a FitDeck for anyone whether you want to exercise with or without equipment.
I was lucky enough to be sent a complimentary FitDeck Yoga and FitDeck Bodyweight to review. Here they are:
"FitDeck is a unique deck of 56 playing cards containing illustrations and instructions describing over 50 different exercises, stretches, and movements. These ‘no-equipment’ FitDecks contain exercises that require only your bodyweight to perform. ‘FitDeck Bodyweight’ is our flagship product in this popular series of ‘no-equipment’ FitDecks."
I think FitDeck is a great option for people without a gym membership, those who want to work out at home, people who travel a lot and want to stay fit on the road, or people who simply want to change up the regular routine. There is literally a FitDeck for anyone whether you want to exercise with or without equipment.
I was lucky enough to be sent a complimentary FitDeck Yoga and FitDeck Bodyweight to review. Here they are:
10 of 10 for both! I really am impressed with these two sets. I like how both do not require equipment, for even though I do have some free weights, I like to switch up my exercise routines. I'll also definitely be bringing these with me on trips - they are so convenient! The number of cards is great too, for it truly allows you to create full workout. The exercises are explained well, and I especially like how the yoga cards, for instance, are color coded according to whether they are standing, twisting, balance, etc. poses.
All in all, I think FitDecks are a very handy product and would make a great (and fairly economical) gift :-).
And I don't know about you, but the month of December is just flying by for me. It's going to be the new year before I know it... and then a new semester! At least this semester is almost done :-).
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Thursday, December 2, 2010
Winner of the Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs Prize Pack Giveaway
Thank you so much to everyone who entered my Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs Prize Pack Giveaway. I must also thank General Mills for providing me with the information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.
And now... the moment you've been waiting for... the lucky number according to the random.org generator is... #6 Monet! If you haven't checked out this lovely lady's blog, then you are missing out on some great recipes, pictures, and stories. You can see her latest posts here! I promise you'll love it :-).
As for me, I'm just trying to get all of my papers and projects finished before the end of the semester. This is definitely one of the busiest times of the year for me. I handle it by making sure I take a little time out each day to do something I truly enjoy, such as running, listening to music, or watching funny videos on YouTube. For instance, just a couple of days ago, I came across this rendition of "White and Nerdy" created by some fellow UIUC students. On a slightly more serious note, I came across this video of "Secrets" by One Republic also created by UIUC students. I especially liked how I could recognize the backdrops to both videos.
Have any of you ever searched for YouTube videos created locally?
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And now... the moment you've been waiting for... the lucky number according to the random.org generator is... #6 Monet! If you haven't checked out this lovely lady's blog, then you are missing out on some great recipes, pictures, and stories. You can see her latest posts here! I promise you'll love it :-).
As for me, I'm just trying to get all of my papers and projects finished before the end of the semester. This is definitely one of the busiest times of the year for me. I handle it by making sure I take a little time out each day to do something I truly enjoy, such as running, listening to music, or watching funny videos on YouTube. For instance, just a couple of days ago, I came across this rendition of "White and Nerdy" created by some fellow UIUC students. On a slightly more serious note, I came across this video of "Secrets" by One Republic also created by UIUC students. I especially liked how I could recognize the backdrops to both videos.
Have any of you ever searched for YouTube videos created locally?
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Ryders Eyewear Giveaway Winner!
And the lucky winner of my Ryders Eyewear Giveaway is.... #6 according to the fabulous random.org generator! That means that meeyeehere will be sporting new VTX sunglasses soon :-).
Thank you so much to everyone else who entered the giveaway! Don't worry if you didn't win, there will be more giveaways in the near future :-).
By the way, did any of you brave the crowds and go shopping on Black Friday? I've done it before, but I was actually able to skip the madness this year and get some awesome deals online instead, such as this external hard drive from Walmart to backup all of my digital photos, music, and other files.
I'd love to write more now, but I've only got 2 weeks left in the semester and it's crunch time! Thanksgiving break was nice, but I'm looking forward to my winter break even more.
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Thank you so much to everyone else who entered the giveaway! Don't worry if you didn't win, there will be more giveaways in the near future :-).
By the way, did any of you brave the crowds and go shopping on Black Friday? I've done it before, but I was actually able to skip the madness this year and get some awesome deals online instead, such as this external hard drive from Walmart to backup all of my digital photos, music, and other files.
I'd love to write more now, but I've only got 2 weeks left in the semester and it's crunch time! Thanksgiving break was nice, but I'm looking forward to my winter break even more.
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Thursday, November 25, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm going to take this time to state the 10 things I am most grateful for in my life:
I'm also thankful that I can host giveaways and bring a little joy to others' lives :-). I have two giveaways going on right now here and here!
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- God - He's there for me even when I'm not aware
- Family and friends - the people I can turn to in joy or sadness
- Health - the ability to run and be active without much pain
- University of Illinois - an excellent school
- Champaign-Urbana - a fabulous place to live
- Technology - iPod, laptop, digital camera... I couldn't live without them
- Healthy and delicious food - to nourish my body
- Books - the knowledge and stories they contain is priceless
- Music - it can bring me to my feet in dance or simply soothe my soul
- Internet - Facebook, Blogger, Skype, YouTube... these are some of my favorite things :-)
I'm also thankful that I can host giveaways and bring a little joy to others' lives :-). I have two giveaways going on right now here and here!
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Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Progresso Panko Bread Crumbs Prize Pack Giveaway
My participation in MyBlogSpark certainly has its perks :-). I was recently sent a package that contained a package of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs and Michael Chiarello's Bottega cookbook! I haven't used the bread crumbs yet, but this is the recipe I'm looking forward to using them with. I wanted to get this giveaway posted sooner rather than later, so you'll just have to wait to see how my recipe turns out and if I actually follow the recipe 'as is'.
Here is what is included in the prize pack:
Chef Michael Chiarello is "known for his emphasis on creating delicious dishes with fresh, premium ingredients, uses panko as his go-to bread crumb for a crunch that won’t quit. An Emmy-award winning TV chef and cookbook author, Chef Chiarello is the tastemaker behind Bottega Napa Valley Restaurant, NapaStyle and Chiarello Family Vineyards, and appears on The Cooking Channel and Top Chef Masters only on Bravo." (MyBlogSpark)
Giveaway: This giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will end on December 1, 2010. The winner will be picked via random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
Become a follower of my blog.
Best of luck to you all!
*General Mills provided me with the information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark.
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Saturday, November 13, 2010
Ryders Eyewear Giveaway!
I told you this was coming :-). I reviewed a pair of red VTX sunglasses from Ryders Eyewear earlier this week here, and now one of you is going to have a chance to win a red pair for yourself!
Giveaway: Ryders Eyewear is going to provide one of my readers with a red pair of VTX sunglasses. This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and will end on November 27, 2010. The winner will be picked via random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Mandatory Entry: Submit a photo (by e-mailing me at got2run06 at yahoo.com of your current sunglasses that need to be replaced because they're beat-up, ugly, etc. OR visit the Ryders Eyewear site and mention another model you are interested in. Please include your e-mail address with your entry so I can contact you if you win.
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
Become a follower of my blog.
Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by saying, "In need of a new pair of sunglasses? Ryders eyewear giveaway by @cygirl88 here: http://tinyurl.com/28k3u68"
Best of luck to you all! I look forward to your entries, especially if you send me some pictures :-).
P.S. I've added some more photos to my photo blog here: http://ashleymphotos.weebly.com/photos.html
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Giveaway: Ryders Eyewear is going to provide one of my readers with a red pair of VTX sunglasses. This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and will end on November 27, 2010. The winner will be picked via random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond to the winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Mandatory Entry: Submit a photo (by e-mailing me at got2run06 at yahoo.com of your current sunglasses that need to be replaced because they're beat-up, ugly, etc. OR visit the Ryders Eyewear site and mention another model you are interested in. Please include your e-mail address with your entry so I can contact you if you win.
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
Become a follower of my blog.
Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway by saying, "In need of a new pair of sunglasses? Ryders eyewear giveaway by @cygirl88 here: http://tinyurl.com/28k3u68"
Best of luck to you all! I look forward to your entries, especially if you send me some pictures :-).
P.S. I've added some more photos to my photo blog here: http://ashleymphotos.weebly.com/photos.html
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Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Ryders Eyewear review
A new week and a new review for you :-). This time I was sent a complimentary pair of sunglasses from Ryders eyewear. They offer a great selection of sunglasses and even some goggles. Here is the pair I was sent:
VTX sunglasses: 10 of 10! These glasses are stylish, very comfortable, and they wrap around my eyes so as to eliminate any glare from the sun at my side. The case is very sturdy, and the interchangeable lens mean that this can be my go-to pair of sunglasses for just about anything, but especially exercise such as running and biking where you really need some quality glasses that won't slip.
Guess what?! One lucky reader will be winning a red pair of the VTX sunglasses like I received... but you'll have to stay tuned for the giveaway details :-).
I don't know about you all, but Illinois has been having some very unseasonably warm weather. It was sunny and in the 70s today! I went on a 1.5 hr. bike ride (with my VTX sunglasses of course) and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Have a great week everyone!
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VTX sunglasses: 10 of 10! These glasses are stylish, very comfortable, and they wrap around my eyes so as to eliminate any glare from the sun at my side. The case is very sturdy, and the interchangeable lens mean that this can be my go-to pair of sunglasses for just about anything, but especially exercise such as running and biking where you really need some quality glasses that won't slip.
Guess what?! One lucky reader will be winning a red pair of the VTX sunglasses like I received... but you'll have to stay tuned for the giveaway details :-).
I don't know about you all, but Illinois has been having some very unseasonably warm weather. It was sunny and in the 70s today! I went on a 1.5 hr. bike ride (with my VTX sunglasses of course) and thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Have a great week everyone!
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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Jay Robb Protein Powder Review
Last month, I reviewed Jay Robb's JayBar here. Now I'm reviewing his protein powders, which I was sent along with the bars to review. Jay Robb offers both whey protein isolate and egg white protein powders. Here are some facts about Jay Robb whey protein isolate:
I was sent the following flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pina Colada, Tropical Dreamsicle (the last two flavors are only available in whey protein isolate).
Vanilla (whey): 9.5 of 10. Great vanilla flavor. It mixed in with milk quite nicely and was great with oatmeal (as seen above).
Vanilla (egg white): 9 of 10. Very nice taste again, though it seemed like this powder was harder to stir in.
- From Grass Fed Cows Not Treated With rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone)
- Now with 25 Grams Protein Per Serving!
- Mixes with a blender or Shaker Bottle
- No Fat, No Cholesterol
- No Sugar
- No Aspartame
- No Artificial Sweeteners or Colors
- Made With Stevia
- No Casein
- No MSG
- No Gluten
I was sent the following flavors: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Pina Colada, Tropical Dreamsicle (the last two flavors are only available in whey protein isolate).
Vanilla (whey): 9.5 of 10. Great vanilla flavor. It mixed in with milk quite nicely and was great with oatmeal (as seen above).
Vanilla (egg white): 9 of 10. Very nice taste again, though it seemed like this powder was harder to stir in.
Strawberry (whey): 9.5 of 10. Smooth, strong flavor that blended well and was quite foamy! I appreciated that it wasn't pink because I hate artificial colors.
Strawberry (egg white): 9 of 10. A stronger strawberry flavor, but it didn't blend as well.
Chocolate (whey): 10 of 10. Wonderful chocolate flavor. It mixed up quite well in my blender and came out nice and foamy :-).
Chocolate (egg white): 8.5 of 10. The chocolate flavor wasn't as strong as I would have liked and it didn't blend as well.
Tropical Dreamsicle (whey): 9.5 of 10. Very nice tropical flavor with orange and some other tropical fruits thrown in. It was unique, but not overwhelmingly so.
Pina Colada (whey): 10 of 10. I mixed it with milk, and it tasted just like I'd imagine a pina colada would taste like! Delicious!
Overall, I enjoyed the whey protein isolate flavors better. They were easier to mix into liquids and didn't have clumps like the egg white protein powder sometimes had.
Look at this awesome tank top I was sent with my samples!! I love it! Thank you Jay Robb :-).
I won't be able to blog until next week now because I have a lot of class work and projects. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and weekend though!
If you're looking for a smile, check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAibh3SqRUo&feature=related
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Friday, October 29, 2010
Book Publishing Company: Luscious Vegan Desserts
Book Publishing Company is doing an online promotion called, "Luscious Vegan Desserts"!
Click here to enter to win a free dessert book or buy one! I was sent a review copy of More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally. It has a great collection of dairy and egg-free recipes ranging from cookies and puddings to smoothies. The first chapter detailed the essential ingredients and equipment for a "nondairy, egg-free baker's dessert kitchen." This was VERY helpful! My only complaint about the actual recipes was that they didn't have nutrition facts. The recipe I decided to try out first was the Virtuous Vanilla Cake. Of course, you may know by now that I have trouble following recipes, so here is a link to my modified version. I can't help it - I don't like being constrained :-).
I was quite impressed! The cake turned out kind of spongy and similar to a pound cake in texture. I loved the vanilla flavor and the sweetness level was perfect for me. I do regret not using coconut oil in place of the canola oil though. I used olive oil since that is what I had on hand. It worked out just fine, but it would have been neat to see how coconut oil would have worked :-).
Yay for cake that's full of wonderful ingredients!
Have a fabulous Halloween weekend!
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Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Kettle Almond Butter Review
Hello! You all know I love nut butters :-). Kettle generously sent me a jar of their Almond Butter to review, pictured below:
9 of 10. This nut butter had a very nice consistency, but I must say the flavor wasn't what I was expecting... It was tasty, but just didn't compare with peanut butter like I thought it might. It worked well with bananas, apples, and especially carrots if you can believe it ;-).
Coming up will be a cookbook review courtesy of Book Publishing Company. They are currently promoting their cookbooks for vegan desserts. Check it out here! You can even enter to win a free dessert book!
I'm looking forward to Halloween... are you?
Boo!
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Saturday, October 23, 2010
Zevia Giveaway Winner and my New Website
Thank you everyone who entered my Zevia giveaway sponsored by Zevia. Random.org declared #5 the winner! Congrats ManoloMandi! I'll be e-mailing you soon!
I recently made some homemade spaghetti sauce with homemade stewed tomatoes (courtesy of my mom!). In order to transform the stewed tomatoes into a sauce, I added a can of tomato paste, green peppers, onions, garlic, basil, Mrs. Dash original seasoning, some salsa and a bit of salt. Here is the final result:
Also, in case you're interested, I just created a new website where I'll be posting my nature photography. Here it is: http://ashleymphotos.weebly.com/. I hope you like it :-). There's not a whole lot on it yet, but every image, even the header, is mine. I'll gradually be adding more.
Hope you're all having a nice, relaxing weekend!
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Don't forget to enter my Zevia giveaway!
Hello everyone! Today, I'm just going to share a few random notes with you :-).
There's still time to enter my Zevia giveaway here!
CSN Stores is having a sale on their cookware now, so you may want to check it out here.
Penny Pincher Gazette is a site for coupons and recipes that I enjoy.
This is a fun site I found with videos from 1860-2010! It's a fun way to waste a little time while gaining some perspective on life in the past.
I absolutely LOVE Recipe Puppy, an ingredient based recipe search engine.
I'll end this post by filling you in on my current exercise schedule. Biking has been my means of transportation to class and work this fall. Unfortunately that won't last much longer since winter is fast approaching. I also go on about 2 longer bike rides each week for an hour each. I haven't been running much lately... perhaps 4 miles a week... I am lifting weights or using my kettlebell 2-3 times per week though :-). As the weather gets colder, I'll be heading to the gym in order to use the indoor track and elliptical. I'll do more running then since I will no longer be able to bike.
I hope everyone's hump day went well ;-).
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There's still time to enter my Zevia giveaway here!
CSN Stores is having a sale on their cookware now, so you may want to check it out here.
Penny Pincher Gazette is a site for coupons and recipes that I enjoy.
This is a fun site I found with videos from 1860-2010! It's a fun way to waste a little time while gaining some perspective on life in the past.
I absolutely LOVE Recipe Puppy, an ingredient based recipe search engine.
I'll end this post by filling you in on my current exercise schedule. Biking has been my means of transportation to class and work this fall. Unfortunately that won't last much longer since winter is fast approaching. I also go on about 2 longer bike rides each week for an hour each. I haven't been running much lately... perhaps 4 miles a week... I am lifting weights or using my kettlebell 2-3 times per week though :-). As the weather gets colder, I'll be heading to the gym in order to use the indoor track and elliptical. I'll do more running then since I will no longer be able to bike.
I hope everyone's hump day went well ;-).
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Jay Robb Review and CSN Stores Giveaway Winner
Jay Robb Products sent me a complimentary package of their protein bars and powder to review! This brand is definitely popular around the blogosphere, and I am excited to share my own experiences of it with all of you :-). I'll review the protein bars on this post and the powders later. Here is what Jay Robb has to say about his JayBars:
"I've raised the bar on bars and created the JayBAR—a great tasting high protein bar made with organic ingredients. JayBars are formulated without sugar, corn syrup, casein, artificial sweeteners, maltitol, acesulfame-K, evaporated cane juice, aspartame, or sucralose!"
Who exactly is Jay Robb? He is "a clinical nutritionist with over three decades of experience as a professional in his field. He is the CEO of Jay Robb Enterprises Inc.—a Southern California corporation founded in 1988 and known for producing the best-tasting protein powders on the planet. Jay Robb products and books are sold in over 10,000 health food stores, grocery stores, doctors’ offices, nutrition centers, and gyms across the nation." Find out more here! Jay Robb even has an eNewsletter called JayTalk you can subscribe to here :-).
Now for my review:
Almond Energy Bar: 9.5 of 10. Quite sweet with a great fig and raisin combo flavor. The YAMMIT Energy Nuggets were fabulous :-). The almonds made a wonderful addition. I consider this bar to be a 'souped-up' Larabar.
NOW for the $45 CSN Stores Giveaway Winner! Thank you everyone who entered and thank you CSN Stores for allowing me to host this generous giveaway. Only one could win though, and Random.org declared lucky #7 the winner, which is Katie M. Congrats!! CSN Stores should be sending you an e-mail soon :-).
Have a great weekend everyone!
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"I've raised the bar on bars and created the JayBAR—a great tasting high protein bar made with organic ingredients. JayBars are formulated without sugar, corn syrup, casein, artificial sweeteners, maltitol, acesulfame-K, evaporated cane juice, aspartame, or sucralose!"
Who exactly is Jay Robb? He is "a clinical nutritionist with over three decades of experience as a professional in his field. He is the CEO of Jay Robb Enterprises Inc.—a Southern California corporation founded in 1988 and known for producing the best-tasting protein powders on the planet. Jay Robb products and books are sold in over 10,000 health food stores, grocery stores, doctors’ offices, nutrition centers, and gyms across the nation." Find out more here! Jay Robb even has an eNewsletter called JayTalk you can subscribe to here :-).
Now for my review:
Cashew Coconut: 9 of 10. Tasty, creamy, smooth (other than the crunchy whey protein crisps), and very rich! It was actually a little too rich for me. The bar was sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. I love the ingredients too. This is not your standard protein bar.
Fudge Brownie: 10 of 10. A very sweet chocolate treat that is loaded with protein. I love how thick and dense it is - quite substantial.
Peanut Butter: 9 of 10. This bar was a little greasy on the outside, and it had a rich, deep flavor. It was just sweet enough to make for satisfying treat, and it had a nice peanut butter flavor (though not the best I've experienced).
Almond Energy Bar: 9.5 of 10. Quite sweet with a great fig and raisin combo flavor. The YAMMIT Energy Nuggets were fabulous :-). The almonds made a wonderful addition. I consider this bar to be a 'souped-up' Larabar.
Overall, these bars are quite nice. They are pricey too though! You get what you pay for though, and if you're looking for a quality protein bar that you don't have to make on your own, then this would be a good purchase. AND... if you're so inclined to make a purchase, here is a discount that Jay Robb has extended to you all:
Have a great weekend everyone!
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Friday, October 8, 2010
Zevia Review and Giveaway!
Yep, you read that right - another giveaway! Zevia recently received some great publicity courtesy of Oprah. Zevia was on the O list in the September 2010 issue of The Oprah Magazine here. Zevia must be good then, right?! Well, here were my thoughts in February 2010! Here are the flavors that Zevia generously sent me this time:
I was excited to see that I was sent Dr. Zevia because I didn't get to try that flavor during my first review. It is definitely a great addition to their line up and quite similar to Dr. Pepper. Zevia makes for a refreshing treat, and I must say I enjoyed them more this time around... perhaps I'm less picky?
So what exactly makes Zevia so great? Well, "ZEVIA is the first all natural zero calorie soda. With only pure ingredients, ZEVIA contains none of the chemically processed artificial sugar substitutes, artificial flavors or artificial colors found in other diet sodas. ZEVIA is all-natural, has zero calories, zero net carbs, zero fat, and little or no sodium (depending on flavor)." You can find out more on their website here!
Giveaway: Zevia has graciously offered to give away one mixed six pack of Zevia to one of my readers. This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and it will end on October 22, 2010. The winner will be picked via random.org. and will have 48 hours to respond to winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
Become a follower of my blog.
Good luck! Don't forget my CSN Stores giveaway that's still going on here!
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Monday, October 4, 2010
$45 CSN Stores Giveaway!
Here it is - a major giveaway that CSN Stores is allowing me to host! This is great because YOU decide what you win! One of my readers is going to receive a $45 gift code to use at CSN Stores!
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and it will end on October 15, 2010. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Mandatory Entry: Leave me a comment telling me how you would spend $45 at CSN Stores. Please include your e-mail address too.
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to the post.
Become a follower of my blog.
This giveaway is open to U.S. Residents and it will end on October 15, 2010. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning email to claim their prize or another winner will be drawn. Make sure you leave a valid e-mail address in your posts!
Mandatory Entry: Leave me a comment telling me how you would spend $45 at CSN Stores. Please include your e-mail address too.
Extra Entries (leave 1 comment for each): Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to the post.
Become a follower of my blog.
That's it! I will be posting more product reviews soon :-). As for my life, classes are busy, but going well. I'm LOVING the Autumn weather and am hoping Winter holds off for awhile. Also, my basil plant made a come back! I wonder how long it will last??
Take care!
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Friday, October 1, 2010
CSN Stores giveaway coming soon!
I'm spreading the wealth with my wonderful readers! CSN Stores is generously offering one of my readers a $45 gift code to their stores! Are you interested in dining sets? If so, they have a nice selection for you :-). Otherwise, they have many more items to choose from! Stay tuned for giveaway details!
I went on a nice bike ride this evening and took some pictures around town. Unfortunately dusk is not a great time for taking pictures... but I'll share some with you anyway :-).
I hope you all have a relaxing weekend!
FYI: This past week was Banned Books Week. Here is a list of challenged and banned books in 2009-2010. I say, just say no to banned books!
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I went on a nice bike ride this evening and took some pictures around town. Unfortunately dusk is not a great time for taking pictures... but I'll share some with you anyway :-).
I hope you all have a relaxing weekend!
FYI: This past week was Banned Books Week. Here is a list of challenged and banned books in 2009-2010. I say, just say no to banned books!
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Sunday, September 26, 2010
Vitalicious makes DELICIOUS products
I can finally say I have tried VitaTops! Vitalicious sent me a wonderful (and complimentary!) assortment of their goodies to review. Their VitaTops truly are 'deliciously convenient,' and at only 100 calories each, how can you go wrong? They are low-fat, fortified with vitamins and minerals, made with whole grains, and provide 5-6g fiber.
Here are some of the VitaTops I was sent:
Apple Crumb: 9 of 10. Strong apple flavor and a great crumb topping. I loved the apple chunks inside :-). Nice texture and perfect sweetness. It was good right out of the freezer as a cool treat on a hot day. A tasty way to get your vitamins!
Triple Chocolate Chunk: 9.5 of 10. Yay for chocolate! This flavor is quite sweet and makes for a great dessert. The chocolate chunks are fabulous. I also enjoyed the soft and chewy texture.
CranBran: 8.5 of 10. The cranberry flavor was great, but not as strong as I would have liked. Very hearty and filling with an oaty texture. It does taste 'healthy' :-).
Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip: 10 of 10. Wow - this is really fudgy! The PB chips are a perfect addition. My only complaint is that the chips were concentrated in the center rather than being spread out. Still, this was a great treat that I thoroughly enjoyed!
VitaTops are a tasty low-cal treat. Granted, they do have a lot of ingredients, but at least they don't use preservatives or artificial ingredients. They're a great alternative to some other packaged foods, and I'd say they're perfectly fine in moderation.
I'll be doing reviews of the other flavors soon, but now I must work on a paper that's due tomorrow morning! Time to hit the keyboard... in Microsoft Word rather than Blogger ;-).
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Here are some of the VitaTops I was sent:
Triple Chocolate Chunk: 9.5 of 10. Yay for chocolate! This flavor is quite sweet and makes for a great dessert. The chocolate chunks are fabulous. I also enjoyed the soft and chewy texture.
CranBran: 8.5 of 10. The cranberry flavor was great, but not as strong as I would have liked. Very hearty and filling with an oaty texture. It does taste 'healthy' :-).
Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip: 10 of 10. Wow - this is really fudgy! The PB chips are a perfect addition. My only complaint is that the chips were concentrated in the center rather than being spread out. Still, this was a great treat that I thoroughly enjoyed!
VitaTops are a tasty low-cal treat. Granted, they do have a lot of ingredients, but at least they don't use preservatives or artificial ingredients. They're a great alternative to some other packaged foods, and I'd say they're perfectly fine in moderation.
I'll be doing reviews of the other flavors soon, but now I must work on a paper that's due tomorrow morning! Time to hit the keyboard... in Microsoft Word rather than Blogger ;-).
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Thursday, September 23, 2010
Last of the Chobani
Homework or blog? Tonight it is blog... and then homework. Tonight I'm going to finish up my reviews of the Chobani yogurt I was sent... a hard job, but someone's got to do it ;-). Here is my first review.
Strawberry: 10 of 10! Smooth, thick, and creamy. A very strong and natural strawberry flavor. It's also pretty sweet, but only 19g of sugar, which is pretty good as far as flavored yogurts go!
Peach: 10 of 10. Just peachy ;-). I loved the little peach chunks blended with the amazing greek yogurt base. Raw sunflower seeds make a nice topper too.
Nothing beats good greek yogurt, and Chobani definitely delivers.
Vitalicious reviews will be coming up next!
Enjoy the upcoming weekend everyone! I'm hoping to be able to take some time to see Elephant, a free performance at the University of Illinois. This performance is part of The Unreliable Bestiary, "an ark of stories about animals, our relationships with them, and the worlds they inhabit." You can learn more here: http://unreliablebestiary.org/about.php.
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