Month: January 2016

Ever heard of that saying, “a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”? Well, I don’t know if that’s entirely true, but I do know that the way to a healthier heart is with healthier food choices. The best way to start living a healthier lifestyle is to choose to eat healthier and consciously choose to purchase products that are good for our body.

For the month of February, I have chosen to feature a giveaway on healthy food choices and what better time than during Valentine’s Day? Whether you celebrate this day or not, it is a rather good excuse to give your loved ones something extra special and delicious. We all want to eat delicious foods so why not make them healthy as well?

Now when it comes to convenience and cooking, it’s always nice to find something that tastes like it’s made from scratch and yet easy enough to just heat up on a moment’s whim. This giveaway features Boulder Organic Foods (http://boulderorganicfoods.com/) and the company has kindly offered 3 lucky readers of Happymomblogger the opportunity to win 3 FREE product coupons to try their premium organic soup. Those who have not tried Boulder Organic Soups are missing out because when we first tasted the various soups, we were all pretty amazed at how delicious they were. I usually prefer to make soup from scratch but I have no doubt that Boulder Organic Soups have become my new favorite heat-and-eat soups.

Boulder Organic Foods (http://boulderorganicfoods.com/) makes organic soup that are as fresh as if you made them yourself. They are easily found in the refrigerated section of your local grocery store and natural grocery stores. These soups are quite unique in flavor with amazing varieties such as Golden Quinoa and Kale, Red Lentil Dahl Soup, Tuscan White Bean Soup, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Chicken Vegetable Chili, and Roasted Tomato Basil Soup. My favorites are the Golden Quinoa and Kale Soup and Red Lentil Dahl Soup. The Golden Quinoa and Kale Soup had an abundance of delectable quinoa and thinly sliced kale. The Red Lentil Dahl Soup had just a tiny bit of spice to it and a smooth sweetened stew-like base. Both were very distinct and flavorful in tastes. Boulder Organic Soups come in convenient 16oz. or 24oz. containers so they would be great for a light lunch or dinner or more filling with bread and a salad. The 24oz. of course would be perfect for that Valentine’s Day meal you’re planning next month.

All of Boulder Organic Foods soups are made with natural and organically grown ingredients and vegetables picked at the peak of freshness. They are made in small batches in their own facility’s kitchens and are certified organic, certified gluten-free and non-GMO verified. Their containers are BPA-free and easily recyclable and reusable. I don’t recommend heating soup in plastic containers regardless of the materials used because frankly, soup just taste better heated in a pot or in a bowl. No preservatives, fillers, or artificial ingredients are ever used so you know that you’re getting the real stuff here.

So for this Valentine’s Day, or even just because you want your loved ones to enjoy some incredibly delicious gourmet soups, enter the Boulder Organic Foods giveaway and you’ll probably end up loving their soup just as much as I do.

So how do you win these free product coupons? Read below to find out! The prize is 3 FREE product coupons for 3 winners each.

Here’s how to enter the Boulder Organic Foods giveaway:

ENTRIES:

#1 entry – “Like” Boulder Organic Foods on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boulderorganic/ 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 Boulder Organic Foods giveaway. Become a follower of Boulder Organic Foods: https://twitter.com/BoulderOrganic and “Tweet” that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Tell me which soup you’d most like to try : http://boulderorganicfoods.com/

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

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. Only 1 contestant per household please. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prize. Any violation of the rules will deem your entry as disqualified. Happymomblogger is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged prizes but will do the best to ensure your prize gets there. In  the event the winner can not be contacted within 3 days of email sent then another winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law.

Contest Start Date: January 28, 2016

Contest End Date: February 5, 2016

3 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.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

Have you ever walked down the aisles of a supermarket and tried to avert your eyes (and your children’s eyes) to all the sugary, artificial beverages lined throughout the shelves? Those enticing, colorful, and oftentimes deceitful little drinks know how to attract tired moms and screaming kids into buying their products. You may find a few that are actually not as harmful, but to truly give your children a beverage that is delicious and healthy, you’d have to do a bit of research.

When my son isn’t drinking water, I occasionally give him juice that is more water than juice. Not that juice is all that bad, but they still have a great amount of sugar even if it’s in natural form. When you’re looking to cut down on the overall sugar intake in your child’s life, then limiting sweet beverages is a great way to start.

I was approached by True Drinks to try AquaBall, a natural, no sugar, no artificial colors or flavors beverage designed for thirsty kids in mind. It’s slightly sweetened with Stevia, so depending on your preferences in taste, Stevia could be something you love or that you’d have to get used to. My son loves the taste of Stevia and I like the fact that it has only a tiny sweetened taste without the sugar or calorie contents. AquaBalls are simply water enhanced with added vitamins, slightly sweetened with Stevia, and flavored with natural fruit essence. All of the four flavors have zero calories, very low sodium content, and contains a good amount of vitamins and minerals. Because growing children don’t always get enough necessary vitamins and minerals, AquaBall includes them in their proprietary beverages.

AquaBall comes in a cool round packaging made from recyclable plastic so you can easily recycle the bottles as you do your water. And with four very distinct designs, your kids can choose between Berry Frost featuring the adorable Frozen characters; Fruit Punch, featuring Disney’s iconic princesses; Grape, featuring the powerful and popular Avengers superheroes; and Orange, featuring classic Mickey Mouse and friends. So far we have tried the Grape and Orange flavors and my son seems to enjoy the Grape flavor more.

The week of January 18 – 22 was known as National Sugar Awareness Week where Americans were urged to reduce their overall sugar intake to less than 10% of their calorie consumption. I know how hard it can be for many people, but all it takes is a few simple steps. I would suggest taking a look inside your fridge and your food pantries. Do you see a lot of sugary beverages? If so, remove all of them or if your self-control is on hiatus, keep only a couple around. Then, put notes everywhere and especially on your fridge door to DRINK WATER. Now, for the kids, definitely try to reduce their sugary beverage intake. If your kids only drink water, then that’s perfect. But if they’re getting too used to sweetened beverages including milk, then switch those beverages out with something that doesn’t contain a lot of sugar. AquaBall has challenged me along with a few other bloggers to switch out the sweet beverages in my house. Luckily we don’t have much to start with so it was pretty easy to stock some AquaBall water in our fridge. We were also tasked to make recipes using AquaBall and this is what I came up with:

Pomegranate Orange Bubbly:

Try this with the kids. They’ll absolutely love the orange flavored beverage with some crunchy pomegranate seeds at the bottom of the cup! And it gives them an extra dose of Vitamin C.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup AquaBall Orange Water

!/2 cup 100% Orange Juice

1 teaspoon Pomegranate seeds

Mix AquaBall and orange juice until well blended. Add Pomegranate seeds and ice.

Sugar awareness should be an ongoing thing with for our kids.  Let’s all try to eliminate as much sugar in our lives as possible, especially for children so that they can learn the importance of eating healthy.

 

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.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

 

If there was a miracle pill that eliminated or even reduced the amounts of flu and colds we get every year, I wish they’d invent it quick. But reality points us to the fact that it’s human nature to get ill, even with a few sniffles and coughs here and there.

As a mom, it’s disheartening to see my son get sick, even when it’s just the sneezes and coughs. I doubt there’s anyone who enjoys getting a cold but I for one try to prevent the sneaky cold from turning into full on flu whenever possible.

Cold and flu season is already upon us and some of us may already have tried these remedies and prevention methods. Below, I’ve put together some tips as well as tried and tested products that we have been using throughout the years.

• Ginger Root. One of the oldest and true remedies used for centuries, ginger root is known for prevention and cure of certain ailments. When using fresh ginger roots, ginger can alleviate stomach problems, fight off colds, prevent certain colds from starting, and help with digestion. It is a natural antioxidant and tastes great mixed with honey and brown sugar. Try to use fresh ginger roots as they are most natural and potent. Mix sliced or shredded ginger root in hot water with some honey. If possible, drink ginger root tonic without any sweetener but using honey can also include the health benefits of honey.
• Water. Drink plenty of water every day to clean out your system and during colds and flu. Water is a natural way of clearing out toxins in our body as well as giving our blood a boost in fighting off the bad stuff. If you don’t like the taste of normal water, drink hot green tea or add some lemon and honey into your hot water.
• Citrus tonic. We all know by now that Vitamin C is great for practically everything in our lives. However, because Vitamin C is processed within our body rather quickly, it’s important to have lots of it throughout the cold and flu season. Just be sure to mix citrus fruits (such as lemon and oranges) with warm or hot water as warm water also soothes the throat, loosens phlegm, and calms the achy muscles.
• Natural herbs including thyme, olive leaf, and anise. Certain herbs prevent illnesses from acting up as well as reducing the effects. Many times these herbs can be used on a daily basis and natural medicinal products blended by professionals are safe to take on a regular basis. Certain companies who we have used for many years are: Boiron Children’s Chestal Cold & Cough (http://www.boironusa.com/products/childrens-chestal-cold-cough/).  Boiron Chestal Cough. Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex (http://www.barleans.com/olive-leaf-complex). And Nordic Naturals (http://www.nordicnaturals.com/).
• Vitamins. I have found that taking just multi-vitamins don’t really target specific areas of needs we are looking for. I have come to rely mostly on single types of vitamins and minerals as they have stronger amounts of dosages and also your body isn’t trying to assimilate a great assortment of vitamins and minerals found in multi-vitamins. Mulit’s are great for all-around health and immunity, but I believe when you’re looking to target certain treatments, it’s best to  find the right single vitamin or supplement for your body.
• Rest and meditation. I can’t say enough about how important rest is. Even I, who don’t get enough of it, suffer from shortage of much needed rest. The recommended amount of sleep for adults is around 6 hours. For kids the amounts can range between 9-13 hours depending on the age and need. When you’re sick, take little naps throughout the day. Meditation helps relieve the stress and problems we deal with on a daily basis. Even if you meditate for 20 minutes a couple times a week, you can feel a significant difference in your mood and sleep patterns.
• Exercise. Perhaps one of the best mood lifters ever invented. Exercising, including walking and any type of cardiovascular movements can help pump your heart and muscles. Don’t do anything strenuous and exercise as often as possible. Try calming and healing exercises such as Taichi and Yoga as they incorporate breathing and relaxation in their forms.

Try out these tips and methods suggested above. When you’ve found something healthy that works for you, don’t be afraid to learn a bit more about how to improve your health and life. Most importantly, if you’re trying something new to treat an illness or prevent one, take it slowly and do your own research. Every body works differently but if you’re diligent in protecting yours, then you’ll have less problems later in life.

Wishing you a healthy winter season!

 

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.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm