Wednesday, September 23, 2015

Johnsonville sampling through @Crowdtap #SausageFamily #sponsored @jvillesausage

Disclosure: I am a member of the Crowdtap Johnsonville Sausage program and Johnsonville® sent me coupons to review this product.



I was excited to try a new product from Johnsonville because I have had great experiences with their products in the past. My whole family has always been Johnsonville fans...mom swears by their sausages for weekend breakfasts and busy nights. 


There's nothing like breakfast for dinner....it's always fun! The company has always stood for quality products. Now they just made it all even easier with several varieties of Johnsonville Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage.


I picked up the Johnsonville Fully Cooked Breakfast Sausage in the Turkey variety.  The whole family loved them. They were juicy and flavorful...it was a fast change from the usual wait for them to cook we often have in the weekend. 


My one thing I really wish Johnsonville would do is have some of their products be organic. That would be so great...I would eat them even more often. Especially now since they cook up in the grill pan or microwave in a minute! 

I know Johnsonville products are widely available at my favorite grocery stores here in the mid-Atlantic. I found them at my local Stop & Shop.  Let me know how these Johnsonville Fully Cooked Sausages go over with your family.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Weeknight dinner idea: Sunnyside Tortilla Veggie Wrap


Once again, driving around and this idea for Sunnyside Tortilla Veggie Wraps popped into my head as a quick dinner which you could mostly prep ahead. Mix 'n match your veggies to what you have. I was too tired to do more but you could add vegetarian or turkey sausage, grilled chicken, shrimp or even meat to amp up the protein for everyone or just select guests. Sometimes I do that based on our diet needs since hunky hubby is a vegetarian (sigh...more work but I 💗 him and he does do a lot of the cooking!)


I sautéed up 2 chopped cloves of garlic in olive oil then I added 1 chopped onion. After another two minutes I added some chopped red and yellow sweet peppers. Add more for a larger group. Chopped cherry tomatoes would also be good to add to the mix or zucchini I think. 


Meanwhile, I grilled up a block of organic tofu that I had sliced the long way into four pieces. I like to grill it because it gets a bit crispy on the sides and builds a good texture. I grill about 15 minutes each slide on medium in a grill pan on the stove until each side is golden brown. Let cool a minute then slice into one-inch pieces. 

Add the tofu to the almost finished grilled veggies. Heat up a frying pan and cook sunny-side up or broken cooked yolks or scrambled...your preference) one egg per serving/per person. 


Heat up large or small tortillas...I use whole wheat ones. If you are cutting carbs you can use Romaine leaves instead of tortillas. Drop you preferred style of cooked egg in, add your grilled veggies and top with salsa and or hot sauce. I love my Sriracha but you enjoy any way you like. 


Vanilla Bean Powder for cooking and baking #SunnyDay


We all use vanilla in various forms for cooking and baking but do we know really what it is? What IS Vanilla Bean? Vanilla bean refers to the dried seed pod of the vanilla plant. It is actually a tropical fruit of Vanilla planifolia, a species of vanilla orchid in genus Orchidadeae.  Vanilla beans are high in the compound vanillin that is responsible for that speciall vanilla taste and scent. Sunny Day Ground Vanilla Bean is a dark brown, sun-dried, pure and premium product. There are no post-extraction vanilla beans used.


You can do so much with Ground Vanilla Bean in the kitchen. It gives desserts and baking goods that rich and creamy flavour. You can use this as a substitute for vanilla extract in many recipes. Vanilla is truly the perfect option to enrich the taste of you morning coffee. Add a teaspoon to your ground coffee before brewing and enjoy. 

Think about the holidays coming up fast. You can use ground vanilla bean in DIY gifts and Christmas presents. It makes a wonderful aromatherapy remedy. It can be used in home-made bug repellents against mosquitoes to keep you bite free all summer long. .

Vanilla is often used in cosmetics due to its pleasant scent and antioxidant contents that help fight off free radicals. Vanilla possesses anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe inflamed areas of the skin.


Sunny Day Organics Ground Vanilla Bean has many benefits. Vanilla Bean is high in many minerals such like potassium, iron, manganese and copper. Potassium is important for cell and body fluids that help control blood pressure and hear rate.Iron is important for red blood cell production. Manganese and copper are co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme. According to USDA, vanilla bean is in the top 10 antioxidant foods. It even has Antibacterial and relaxing properties.


This product is organically grown, there are no chemicals used and it is obtained from small farms in Indonesia at fair trade prices, which makes it really clean and pure food.

 http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LM8XFY2

You can pick up Sunny Day Organic Vanilla Bean Powder on Amazon for easy shopping anytime.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pm8c9e24f0ea7a805fb9bdf7f0d93c7e9e

Monday, September 21, 2015

Zahler Whey Protein Meal Replacement Powderhelps me go-go-go all day long! #zahlerwheyprotein



I work out 6-7 days a week for 1-2 hours a day to stay in shape. That is the reality when you are 40+...I am not interested in the alternative of larger sized clothes and a muffin top. Forget it, sister. How do you manage to feed your body and keep it all healthy? I add in a protein shake each day. I recently tried Reach Whey Protein in Vanilla. It comes in a bunch of flavors  including Chocolate, Vanilla, Cookies and Cream, Cappuccino and Strawberry. I like Vanilla because I can make it what I want by mixing in various ingredients like fruits or peanut butter powder for example. 
This whey protein blends smoothly with my usual mixture of frozen fruit, ice, Greek yogurt and skim organic milk. It tastes smooth and natural. Reach, is part of Zahlers active nutrition line. The company shared that it restores energy and eliminates hunger.  It does help you to eat better, exercise harder and do more because you are not hungry.  Hee-hee it really does let you REACH for your goals, then you REACH a little further. 
The word protein is derived from the Greek word Proteios, meaning Primary. It is truly a key to a good diet. Protein is essential to practically every part of the body, from hair and skin to muscle and tissue. Whey protein is popular among individuals who have specific fitness goals, like athletes and bodybuilders. A few reasons, whey protein has a fast absorption rate. This means that not only does it help build muscle, but it also helps repair muscle right after a workout. Whey is a complete protein too. What that means is that it provides all the nine essential amino acids necessary for the function of the body. You can find Zahler Whey Protein on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.