Pretty Pictures

First, I'd like to remind you all that I have a great Fiber One Giveaway going on right now.  It closes on June 30, so don't forget to enter if you haven't yet! 

I've also been having some fun with my camera lately.  Summer is definitely one of my favorite seasons for taking pictures.  The abundance and variety of flowers is especially amazing.  Below are a few of my recent pictures.  I hope you like them!

I hope everyone had a good weekend!  I sure did :-).  I went on a 70 mile bike ride in the countryside with a friend.  My farthest previous ride was 65 miles.

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Fiber One Giveaway

I am happy to announce another giveaway for everyone to take part in!  But first, to set the stage....

I was recently chosen to receive a Fiber One Dietary Guidelines gift pack from General Mills through My Blog Spark, and it contained some delicious varieties of Fiber One cereal.  As many of you likely know, fiber is an important part of our diet.  The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans say people should consume 25-38 grams of fiber daily, and that the average American consumes only 15 grams.  Incorporating fiber into your diet doesn't have to be hard.  Alongside fruits and veggies, you can enjoy Fiber One cereals that offer at least 30 percent of the Daily Value per serving. (Some Fiber One cereals offer more than 50 percent!)

As for my favorite Fiber One cereal, I'm going to have to go with the Raisin Bran Clusters®.  Yum!  Below are the other varieties:

Now one of you has the chance to receive a Fiber One Dietary Guidelines gift pack just like me!  This giveaway will be open to U.S. residents and will end on June 30, 2011. 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 email address in your posts!


Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment stating whether you think you get enough fiber in your diet, and how you might try to incorporate more if you think you're lacking.  Leave your email address too please!

Extra Entries: Become a new follower of my blog. (1 entry)

Link to this giveaway in one of your blog posts and comment below with a link to that blog post. (1 entry)


Thanks for entering and good luck!

Disclosure: General Mills provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark.

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Baked Oatmeal Bars

Today I've got a recipe to share!  Granola bars are a favorite of mine, and I was looking through some bloggers' recipes and found a promising one from Kath Eats Real Food for Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars.  I tweaked the recipe a bit to give it my own spin and came up with Ashley's Baked Oatmeal Bars:

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/8 c. honey
1/2 c. raisins
1 1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 egg

Directions
Mix dry and wet ingredients separately and then combine. Pour mixture into parchment lined baking pan and cook for 30 min. at 350 degrees.  Cut into bars and store in refrigerator or freezer.

The bars were quite tasty, but not very sweet.  Next time I make them I'll add some applesauce and more honey.  Here's the final product:

Do any of you have a favorite granola bar recipe? 

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Sunwarrior Protein Powder Review

Is it really June already?!  Summer is going to fly by!  I thought I would have more time to blog, but unfortunately that is not the case, but I do have a post for you today.  I was sent some complimentary Sunwarrior Protein Powder packets for review, and they are pictured below.   I find Sunwarrior Protein to be quite unique in that it is 100% raw vegan, 83% pure protein, hypoallergenic, non-GMO, gluten free, and has a complete amino acid profile among other things. 

I'd give all of the flavors (vanilla, chocolate, and natural) an 8 out of 10.  I mixed each with milk in a blender, but the end product still had a somewhat floury and gritty texture.  The actual taste for each was good, and I also liked the nutrition facts and ingredients.  I just wish the powder didn't create a fine, floury tecture since I really like smoother drinks. 

I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!  This is the perfect exercise season, and so far I'm taking full advantage of that fact by running or biking every day.

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