Holliday Gift Set {Give Away} of Route 66 BBQ Sauces from Season's Harvest

image courtesy flikr

Are you looking for a great gift for the hard to shop for man in your life? Does your husband, dad or favorite uncle love BBQ chicken, steaks, wings, pulled pork or brats? Well have I got a last minute treat for you. Season's Harvest has a huge variety of amazing sauces and dips that will add zing and big flavor to your next grilling session.

Their gift sets come beautifully packaged and would make a very special and unique Christmas gift for any and all of the men (or women ;) on your list. Season's Harvest sent me a gift box of their Route 66 Legend BBQ sauces to trial. I am from the South West and so the spicy and smokey  flavors in these sauces were right up my alley.



Why I love Season's Harvest.

"Our products contain no preservatives, additives, High Fructose Corn Syrup, chemicals or extra water to fill the container and thus dilute flavor. You pay for only the natural ingredients in each recipe . . . just fabulous know how, fresh, natural ingredients in recipes learned and handed down from one generation to another."

We especially loved these two sauces. They were so thick and fresh tasting, nothing like the few other jarred varieties I've had. As soon as we popped open the lid on the jars our mouths were watering from the smell of the spices.

 Rich and Bold

Their newest barbecue sauce is an authentic Carolina mustard / vinegar sauce that is ideal for chicken and pork with just the right amount of zest. 

Excellent for pulled pork sandwiches served on a grilled or toasted bun. A wonderful marinade as well. While our High Country Barbecue Sauce is a great companion with pork, it can be used superbly with chicken.

 Deep South BBQ Sauce

Ideal for shellfish, poultry, pork, and even beef. Cajun flavors are captured in the backwater bayous of long-ago Louisana. Sultry, sizzling flavor spoken in a delightful Creole accent. 

While our Deep South sauce was prepared to be a tasty and just a bit spicy sauce indigenous of the heart of the South, its haunting flavor has come to be used in so many other ways. Its old- time flavors will spark the creativity of cooks at home. Currently Deep South is still the second most reordered sauce (and fat free using all natural ingredients).

So fire up the grill and put some spice in your life! It's been the coldest days of the year here in Phoenix so I could use some heat from Season Harvest's Spicy with Heat Sauce on some BBQ'd Chicken. 

image courtesy flikr

Please be sure to visit Season's Harvest online and check out all of their other products and gift sets like salsa's, olives and salad dressings. 

The give away is for 1 Route 66 Legend BBQ Sauces Gift Set a $49 value.

Don't want to wait? Season's Harvest is offering 50% off ALL Gift Sets right now! 

Support small business in your gift giving this year and remember, all of their products are all natural and don't contain HFC or additives!

Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

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Apple Cider & Pomegranate Popsicles {and a Give Away}

These naturally sweetened popsicles are a perfect early fall treat. We are loving the cooler weather here in The Valley of the Sun (by cooler I mean in the 90's) and sitting out on the back patio with one of these popsicles is a special after school treat for the boys. Little miss thinks that "Popsicles are the World's greatest of all foods ever!" I'll have to agree with her on this one.

With the overload of sweets and candy that seem to be everywhere in late October I am especially happy to give these to my kiddos for a special treat. Apple cider and pomegranate have lots of vitamins and antioxidants to fuel the bod.

I really loved the combination of sweet, spiced apple cider and 

mouth puckering tart pomegranate in these.

Zoko sent me one of their pop makers to trial and I gotta say, I'm very impressed! Not only can you pour just about any combination of flavors and ingredients in the Zoku including yogurts, fresh fruit and nuts and have a cold, sweet treat in less than 10 minutes but they don't come out freezer burned and rock hard like the popsicles I've made in the past. Totally cool.... get it....cool?  O.K. fine 80's humor aside these popsicles rock! ;}

Love the cute, modern design! What color would you choose?

Next on my list? Chocolate pops! Thanks goodness these freeze super fast for those last minute chocolate emergencies!

photo source: Kid Crave

You Will Need

1 cup vanilla almond milk (helps the pops to not be like an ice cube in texture)
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons real maple syrup (not the artificially flavored kind)
1/2 teaspoon real vanilla
dash of cinnamon
1/2 cup pomegranate juice

Pour the pomegranate into the Zoku maker and let sit 5-6 minutes
Blend the remaining ingredients in a blender till combined.
Using a small funnel, pour the apple mixture into the Zoku, on top of the now frozen pomegranate juice.
Wait another 5-6 minutes and watch as they freeze in front of your eyes on your countertop!

Give Away is for 1 triple Zoku pop maker (they also come in single and duo) in the color of your choice, a $49.95 value.
Winners must live in USA or Canada





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Sweet and Smokey Slow Cooked Garbanzo Beans on Flax Seed Crepes and a Set of Spices and Flavored Salt from Gourmet Nut Give Away!

Nothing beats a slow cooked dish that makes your mouth water from the sweet and smokey flavors wafting through your home all day. And when the flavors have soaked into your slowly cooked chicken and garbanzo beans and you can finally spoon the contents from your slow cooker and place them in a super healthy, simple home made wrap, you are basically giddy with joy. Pure bliss I tell you.

Sure you could throw the onion into the slow cooker and cook it all day with the rest of the stuff, but I have a strange affection for searing my onions until they are beautifully browned.  I could eat them by the spoonful that way.

The fine people from Gourmet Nut sent me a nice goodie box filled with their trail mixes, power snacks  and some pink and smoked sea salts to try. They also sent me some of their different spices/rubs to hang out with. We were more than eager to try out the Coffee Steak Rub on our T-Bones and I massaged my fillet Mignon with the Sweet and Smokey Steak Rub.


Mouth watering, sweet Heaven coming from our grill.



I was quickly addicted to the Sweet and Smokey rub and had to come up with a weekday dish other than steak which we only eat on rare occasion. So when I saw these tacos using smoked paprika over at Family Style Food I immediately knew what I had to do.

Crazy simple and insanely delicious, even picky eaters 2 and 4 loved these!  You can easily make these vegetarian/vegan by omitting the chicken but I knew my little guys would be more willing to eat them with just a bit of chicken in them.

Gourmet Nut is going to give away a Set of their spices and flavored salts to not one but THREE lucky Simply Healthy Family readers!

Please visit Gourmet Nut and tell me which spices or salts are your fav and what you would make with them! This isn't mandatory but I am interested at all of the possibilities with their range of 

salts and spices!

serves    6          Time |   prep  15   cook  8 hours    

ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped white onion

½-1 of a jalapeno pepper, seeds and veins removed, minced

1 1/2 cups dry garbanzo beans 

2 chicken thighs, bone in

4 cups chicken broth, veggie broth or water

1 tablespoon Gourmet Nut Sweet and Smokey steak rub

1 teaspoon salt

Optional Garnishes:

cilantro

avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

1 ripe tomato, sliced

Arugula greens

shredded sharp cheddar cheese

instructions

1. rinse and drain dried garbanzo beans. soak garbanzo beans overnight in plenty of water, this step is important.
2. in the morning drain the garbanzo beans and add to your slow cooker along with broth or water, salt and sweet and smokey spice. add bone in chicken thighs. cook on low setting for 8-10 hours till beans are soft. do not lift lid during this time.
3. make tortillas, recipe below.
4. when beans are done, sauté onion in olive oil over high heat till browned, add jalapeno and cook 2 more minutes.
5. Using a fork, shred the chicken off the bone and stir into beans, discard bones and skin.
6. spoon mixture onto tortillas, top with onion and garnishes.

notes: This is easily converted to a vegetarian meal by omitting the chicken. Also, in a pinch you can use canned garbanzo beans (chick peas)

Recipe adapted from  Wheat Belly Cookbook

MAKES   4 wraps       time   15 minutes

Flax seed Wraps

1/3 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

pinch of salt

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing the pan

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs

1. In a small bowl, mix together the flax meal, baking powder, onion powder, paprika and salt. Stir in coconut oil. Beat in the water and eggs until blended.
2. Heat a small, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add a bit of oil to lightly coat the pan. Pour in a small amount of the batter to just thinly coat the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until small bubbles form on the top and you can easily get a rubber spatula under the wrap. 
3. Carefully, flip the wrap over using a rubber spatula. Cook and additional minute. Remove from heat, repeat. 

notes: I suggest making a big batch of these and refrigerating or freezing them. They will keep in the fridge for several days and can be used in place of tortillas or as a sandwich wrap. 

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Chiarezza Parfait and a giveaway!

More often than not these days I have negative zero interest in preparing breakfast at all, especially one that takes any sort of preparation. I've been sticking to my Shakeology concoctions on the days I work but like a variety in my diet and a sit down breakfast on my days off.






Chiarezza sent me some of their cereals to review and I couldn't be more impressed. Not only was it delicious, it's as simple to prepare as heating some of my almond vanilla milk, pouring a bit of the cereal into the bowl, stir, wait, eat. Perfect.


The bits of Organic dried fruit gave it the perfect amount of sweetness and the texture was surprisingly thick and creamy. Chia seeds expand the longer you let them sit in liquid and so the consistency is up to you. Any liquid will do, water or your favorite milk product. I like coconut milk, almond milk and hemp milk.

Add some fresh fruit and you have a beautiful and healthy breakfast to fuel you for hours.

A completely revolutionary way to have cereal, Chiarezza’s all Organic cereal is an exceptional way to start your day. It is free of so many unnecessary filler ingredients. After you eat this, you’ll never go back to eating “regular old” cereal again.

The base is made from all Organic dried fruits and seeds so you start your day like a Superstar without crashing like yesterday’s one hit wonder.

Chiarezza is giving away a full size bag of their Forbidden Fruit cereal to one lucky

Simply Healthy Family fan. 

You can eat this completely raw by adding cold water, or you can add hot water or milk (whichever kind you like). Each pouch contains 8 servings. If you’re wondering how that can be, it’s because the ingredients are filling and powerful. The chia seeds will expand and it’s ready in 5-7 minutes after adding liquid.

Raw. Wheat Free. Dairy Free. Tree nut free. Peanut free. Dairy Free. Egg. Free. Soy Free.

Ingredients: Organic chia seeds, organic hemp seeds, organic mango, organic buckwheat, organic banana flakes, organic goji berries. 

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Albion Fit Give Away! What's your inspiration?

Inspiration. It's a big word. It can mean so many different things to different people. It can be a person, a place or a state of mind. What exactly does it mean to you? What do you aspire to be?  To do?
To become? We all have different goals, hopes, dreams and on the flip side, distractions, obstacles and difficulties. What is your inspiration? Your aspiration?


When you were a child maybe you dreamed of being picked first to play on the kickball (or tether ball in my case)  team. Maybe you wanted to be popular. Be fastest, strongest, have the coolest clothes. Maybe you hoped for unity in your family, peace in your life, consistency and security. Not to be picked on. To have a best friend. Did someone inspire you to want to become a dancer, a teacher, a writer,  a rock star ;)





Now that you are an adult your aspirations and goals most likely have changed. Maybe the are simpler, maybe they are more complex. Do you hope to pay off debt? Save for retirement? Be a more fit and healthier you. It's funny the things we worried about as a child, a teenager and young adult as apposed to what we worry about and dream of now. The things we took for granted then and what we hold near and dear now.


I suppose I took health and fitness for granted when I was a teenager. Well, more like I had no clue what being healthy and fit was at all. I thought that if I ate a can of Chef Boy R D (is that how you spell it?) for lunch and that was all  I ate that day then I was golden. All that mattered to me was not hitting 120lbs which was  not healthy for my 5' 7" frame.  {I had a boyfriend in the Marines who jokingly called me fat}


Then I started having kids..... and kept having them ;} I had my first son at age 19 and after that, the weight came off pretty easily. I actually had time to go to the gym and looking back I was in pretty good shape even though I weighed closer to 150lbs  instead of 120 and at the time thought I was fat. Looking back I was actually in great shape, again with the taking things for granted.



Fast forward 18 years later....... wow, 18 years... and tack on another 25-30 lbs. and a whole lot less energy and spunk and I have come to a point in my life where I am in desperation to get back into shape. To get into the very best shape of my life. That is my goal.

 I need it.

 Feeling good about myself again and being healthy for my kids is my inspiration. My drive. It keeps me sane.



What inspires me? My children's energy. My very energetic and triathlon loving younger sister, Rachel, my new group of friends doing the "Drop a Dress Size in 30 Days" program with me on Facebook. Going to Nordstrom Rack and trying on cute clothes and then refusing to buy them until I can look good in them. Boy am I saving money! ;}

What inspires me to actually get off my butt and work out? Well comfortable and cute work out clothes totally help! You've gotta look cute while working out right?  Right!

Albion's super cute tennis clothing reminds me that I've been telling myself for 2 years now that

 I want to start playing again!

 And their swim suits? ADORABLE! 

Lucky you, Albion Fit is giving away a $50 Gift Certificate to 

one lucky Simply Healthy Family fan!

Wooop!

To enter:
Only available to residents of the U.S. (sorry to my peeps abroad)
Can not have won an Albion Fit give away in the last 6 months.

Please visit Albion Fit and tell me what your favorite piece is.

Also, Albion Fit is offering $20 off any purchase of $50 or more for 
Simply Healthy Family readers!
Just use the code: simplyhealthy20 at checkout. 

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Got Time for a Quickie? A post people....... Great Give Away and a Wonderful New site.

First, I just wanted to remind you all that tomorrow is the last chance to enter for the case of Alaskan Salmon. An entire case! Honestly, it was really good stuff. Pure Alaskan Salmon's site says that it is sold retail at Whole Foods so since we've already managed to devour the case they sent us I guess I'm going to have to trek on over to the nearest Whole Foods near our home.

Enter here and please spread the word if you will. tweet tweet.

Also, I find it interesting that my blog is finally getting a little bit of attention lately. Just a little, I'm sure I won't let it go to my head, no worries. I am so excited to have been invited to be a contributor at a newly launched site called Bliss.com by Glam Media. I love that this space is dedicated to total healthy living and well being. Eating Well and Fitness articles as well as Mind, Spirit and Body, Self Empowerment and more. Do head over and say hi!

I have to leave you with this random, fun photo I found while surfing the web.

xo



Mother's Day Give Away and Coconut-Strawberry Smoothies

I'm feeling very crafty lately. Which would seem pretty odd if you knew me in real life. I've become, in the words of my MIL 'domesticated'. Crafts weren't what she was referring to when she told me that, but I always found the term... annoying  interesting for some reason. Alas, it's true. I spend my 'free' time flipping happily through cookbooks and magazines, I like to bake now for crying out loud and I've started doing crafts which I swore I'd never do, who has the time for that? Oh, and to top it off,  I even purchased my very own sewing machine recently! shhhhhh  You'll ruin my rep. Oh who am I kidding, the kids put a screeching halt to any dignified or interesting style that I had long ago. Totally worth it, the darlings. ;)

Which brings me to Mother's Day, the most important day of the year. ;)  Does anyone actually read the preface of a blog post titled 'Give Away'? I saw some yarn wreaths on the web a month or so ago and thought, 'Hey, I could totally do that!' They are super cute and add a touch of 'domesticed flair' to your front door. So I made one for me (of course) you know, just to see if they were cute enough to give as gifts. I also made one for my MIL and step-mom; another annoying term, I always associate it with the negative for some reason. My mom lives with us so she doesn't get one ;) We usually go out for lunch by ourselves on Mother's Day.

They turned out really cute and I love how soft and pretty they are. The felt flowers are just adorable don't you think? They are just perfect on a front door for Spring time. They'd also be cute in a laundry/sewing room which is were my step mom, Brenda is putting hers. You can doll them up by adding little birds & eggs or some empty thread spindles (is that what they're called?) or whatever you'd like. There are great tutorials like this one here if you'd like to make your own. She used a straw type wreath to wrap the yarn around. I used a cheap-o Styrofoam one on sale at the craft store. Did I mention that these sell on etsy for $40-$60?!!
It cost me about $12 to make 2 of them! I did get everything on sale, but stuff like this is usually always on sale.


I'm giving away one yellow yarn wreath to a  lucky reader in honor of Mother's Day. I wish I had posted this sooner for those of you who would have liked to give it as a gift but I honestly thought Mother's Day was towards the end of May. {where did I put my 'mommy brain' disclaimer stamp?....} 

The wreath itself  I'm giving away will be yellow but the winner can choose any combination of the following colors of felt in up to 5 flowers arranged how you like:  Teal, Burgundy, Cream, Petal Pink, Grey and Tan.

To Enter: Leave me a comment telling me what you'd like for Mother's Day.

sorry, this one's open to U.S. residents only.
You must be a follower of this blog. The follow button is on the right hand side. Leave me a comment telling me you follow.

+1 more entry: Follow by RSS or email and leave a separate comment.

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+1 more entry: Add me as a friend on FaceBook and leave a separate comment.

+2 more entries: Tweet or post about this giveaway on facebook and leave me a comment. Share buttons are right below this post.

Give Away Ends Friday, May 6th!

For those of you who are still with me I really wanted to share this fabulously refreshing drink with you!
Honestly, it's my favorite pick me up drink and is so yummy. Coconut water is the key to this instant feel good drink. Coconut water is loaded with minerals and electrolytes that work instantly to refresh your tired body and mind. I don't know how I ever lived without it. The thought of a cold Pomigranate-Coconut drink pulls me out of bed in the morning because I know I will feel instantly energized and ready to tackle get 4 kids up and fed and ready for the day. Most days I just don't have time to sit and sip on the 3 cups of coffee that used to get me slowly moving.

My kids love this smoothie made with coconut water. My teenager is the only one who won't drink coconut water by itself because he stubbornly insists that Gatorade is where it's at. I won't buy Gatorade so he'll come around eventually! I wish he would drink it, Coconut water is is a million times better as a 'sports drink' IMHO. The electrolytes are derived right from nature and it's what your body wants needs.


For the Coconut-Strawberry Smoothie:

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
3 cups chilled coconut water (Trader Joe's and Costco are cheapest)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
if using fresh strawberries, throw in a cup of crushed ice.

Optional: 1/2 a banana, 1-2,  1" pieces frozen orange peel, 1 tablespoon flax meal


Blend all ingredients together on high speed until completely blended. Enjoy!

If you like my blog I'd really appreciate if you had the time to vote for me on

babble's Top Mom blogs

All you have to do is click the link above then on page 3 click  like button for me, Gwen.

Thank you so much!

Have a happy Day!

Only a few days left to enter to win a set of drapes of your choice from CurtainWorks!

Just a reminder to enter below to win a pair of drapes for your home. Just in time for Spring re-decorating! Remember, they are eco-friendly made from 100% recycled materials. Check out my previous post to enter and for details!

Also, if you have an extra minute I would really appreciate your vote at babble.com to be on their list of

Top Mommy Bloggers. Wouldn't it be nice to see some new faces on these lists? ;)  The link is on the right hand side of my blog just under my smiling face. ;)

Thanks everyone!

Give Away in Honor of Earth Day: A set of your choice of curtains made from 100% recycled products!

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer, I've been doing some Spring cleaning, organizing and re-decorating. It's definitely time to update my heavy, dark curtains in my front room. It's been on my 'To Do List' for quite some time now but I've always hesitated to purchase a second set of curtains. Partly because they are expensive and partly in an effort to be more conscience of the impact all this 'stuff' around the house has on the environment.

Have you seen the movie WALL-E? The little futuristic robot that is left behind on a barren and depleted Earth collecting piles and piles of trash and junk left behind by humans who have now escaped into space. Who knows if that could happen someday, but the thought of all the stuff we collect and waste pokes at me when buying new things that aren't of necessity.

So needless to say I was very excited to find this Eco-conscience company that sells curtains made from 100% recycled products. Very cool. I received a set of these Caress Voile Sheer panels and they are just a beautiful breath of fresh air for my front room.

In honor of Earth Day,

Curtainworks is generously offering to send a set of 

curtains of your choice to one lucky winner!
Make sure you visit their site to see more beautiful choices.

 

CURTAINWORKS INTRODUCES NEW WINDOW COVERING MADE WITH

REPREVE® RECYCLED FIBERS

 Consumers interested in decorating their homes in ways that reduce environmental impact now have a stylish alternative in window treatments.  This spring, Curtainworks is introducing the Caress Voile Sheer, a fashionable and affordable new window treatment featuring REPREVE® fibers made from 100% recycled materials, including used plastic beverage bottles.

“The Caress Voile Sheer is both beautiful and versatile, providing numerous design options from casual to dramatic, and is suitable for use in many rooms.”

The Caress Voile Sheer offers many benefits, including:

·         Rod pocket construction

·         Semi-sheer look that maintains privacy while still letting light in

·         Color assortment includes gold, ivory and white for a wide array of design possibilities

·         Offered in five lengths ranging from 63 – 120 inches; with a width of 59 inches

·         Made from 55% REPREVE® Polyester/45% polyester; on average, one panel saves seven 16 oz. plastic bottles from a landfill

To Enter: You must be a follower of Simply Healthy Family. The follow button is on the right hand side of this blog. If you're already a follower leave a comment saying hi. If your a new follower leave a comment and a link to your blog if you'd like so I can stop by and say hi! Please make sure your comments link back to an email address or provide one so that I can notify you if you win!

Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry telling!

+1 more comment:  by subscribing via RSS or e-mail to Simply Healthy Family's feeds. and leave a comment telling me you did.

+1 more comment: Follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment telling me you did.

+1 more comment: Share this giveaway! Sharing buttons are right below this post. Just leave a comment telling me how you shared.

Giveaway closes:  Friday, May 6th. The winner will be contacted via e-mail and announced the following day.



Good Luck!