Lightlife – Products Worth Reviewing and Giveaway

I’ve been a vegetarian for a very long time and for me it was fairly easy to become one. For others, not so easy. Especially if they’re used to the taste of meat and seafood. Sometimes the transition into vegetarianism can be eased into with the help of food that are flavored and textured like real meat. You still get the protein and minerals of meat, but with the nutrition and ethical notion of plant-based ingredients. One company that makes really delicious meat alternatives is Lightlife. Lightlife has been making delicious soy-based food for over 30 years and I’m pretty sure you’ll find a product that you’ll love and eat on a regular basis.

Lightlife began over 30 years ago with a belief that, “what you eat is stronly connected to how you feel and how you live your life”. Therefore, they make foods that sustain a healthier “you” and a healthier planet. I personally believe in that philosophy as well because the right kind of food is so important to your overall health. Since I stopped eating meat many years ago, my body felt lighter, cleaner, and my digestive health has greatly improved. I don’t necessarily need to get my protein or iron from meat and as most vegetarians will tell you, eating a balanced diet of fresh vegetables, fruits, and foods filled with protein can trump any non-vegetarian meal, any day. Now you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy Lightlife foods. No – their meals are so scrumptious and flavorful you won’t even notice that they’re soy-based.

So why is soy such a popular meat-alternative? Because soy is a complete protein and it contains fiber, iron, and Omega-3 fatty acids along with other important nutrients. Soy is filling, it’s easy to cook and eat with, and you can use soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and soymilk in virtually any recipe. Soy has also been found to reduce the risk of certain cancers and heart disease and as a high quality plant protein, it contributes to a healthier lifestyle when eaten regularly. Lightlife’s products contain soy as their main ingredient along with other ingredients like wheat gluten, spices, and rice flour. None of their products contain any animal ingredients so it’s safe for vegans as well.

Currently Lightlife’s line of products are hot dogs, deli meat, ground meat, tempeh, chicken cutlets, burgers, and chili. I personally enjoy their ground meat and their deli meat because the ground meat can be used in spaghetti, to make as burgers, or a stir-fry. Their deli meat make excellent and ultra delicious sandwiches – my son can’t get enough of their Smart Deli Bologna. Their recipes for their soy-based food are really tasty and flavorful. If I had to cook everything from scratch, I’m not sure if I can imitate their flavors and varieties. But since Lightlife provides dishes that I can just heat up and enjoy, I don’t have to worry about cooking from scratch all the time (well, at least not for me anyways).

 

Lightlife foods are low in fat, cholesterol-free, and provides at least 2 grams of protein in each serving. Some of their products contain more protein, so there’s an abundance of choices to choose from. I’ve been eating Lightlife foods for quite some time now and I’m so glad that they are constantly making new recipes and varieties. When Lightlife sent me their newest Smart Wings in Honey BBQ and Buffalo, I was super delighted. I hadn’t tried their Smart Wings in those particular flavors before and they seemed like good flavors to try for any occassion. The Smart Wings in Honey BBQ was my favorite as it was sweet and tangy at the same time and the “wings” itself has a really nice texture to them. I know what real chicken tastes like since I wasn’t always a vegetarian and if you’re into the texture thing, then you won’t be disappointed with Lightlife’s Smart Wings. The texture is moist and soft yet not chewy and hard. And it’s so easy to make them – just pop them into the microwave or saute them in a sauce pan for a couple of minutes. The Buffalo flavor had quite a kick to it as most buffalo-style wings should be, except it still had a bit of sweetness to it so you’re not overwhelmed by the fiery taste of the cayenne pepper which is their main ingredient.

As it’s popular to use wings as an appetizer, whether it’s honey barbeque or buffalo-style, I really enjoyed it as part of a sandwich. Of course it was great alone with a dipping sauce, but when used in a sandwich, you can add all sorts of condiments into the sandwich to really make it your own style and flavor. I tried my Smart Wings Honey BBQ as a hamburger with toasted sesame buns, homemade coleslaw, and some light all-natural mayonnaise and it was a fulfilling, satisfying, delicious meal.

Lightlife uses real and natural ingredients and they do not contain any preservatives. They have such a wonderful assortment of products to choose from and they’re suitable for any age. Lightlife believes that vegetable protein is truly a healthier option and it’s also ethical. Veggie protein is no longer just a “fad”. In fact, it seems that you can find some sort of meat alternative in restaurants around the country.  And Lightlife as a company also believes in giving back to the community. They donate at least 5% of their net profits to charities that support causes of human dignity, the environment and good health. For more info on their charitable endeavors, please visit: http://www.lightlife.com/giving.jsp.

As a believer of high quality, vegetable protein, Lightlife has also kindly offered 2 LUCKY readers of Happymomblogger a chance to try their food. You can choose either their Smart Wings or any of their other delicious varieties. The 2 winners will receive 2 FREE product coupons each so it’s up to the winners on what they wish to try. So how do you win these coupons? Read below to find out!

Here’s how to enter in the Lightlife giveaway:

MANDATORY ENTRY:

#1 entry – “Like” Lightlife on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lightlife  and write on their wall that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger: http://www.happymomblogger.wordpress.com/. Please put Happymomblogger as the heading.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES: 

#2 entry – Become a follower: https://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the Lightlife giveaway. Become a follower of Lightlife: http://twitter.com/#!/Lightlife and “Tweet” that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger.

#3 entry – Visit http://www.lightlife.com/ and tell me what flavor/variety you would like to try.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter as many times as you like but you MUST enter in the Mandatory entry to qualify. The more you enter, the more chances your name will be drawn.  You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box.

Contest Start Date: September 19, 2011

Contest End Date: October 3, 2011 – CONTEST CLOSED. WINNER WILL BE SELECTED.

Only 2 winners will be chosen at random and I –  will post the winners names on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products. 

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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