Meatless Mondays ~A MorningStar Farms Review

Our family recently made the decision to eat healthier. One of the things we wanted to try out was to eat less meat. Problem is trying new foods isn't always easy when you have two young ones in the house, especially when they are picky eaters.
When I received the opportunity to try out Morning Star Farms products, as a BzzAgent, I admit I was highly skeptical. I never thought something that wasn't real meat could not only taste good but be filling. Still who am I to pass up an opportunity to try something new?

So we went to the store and all decided on::

I bought some sweet potatoes, some whole wheat hamburger buns, and went home to prepare us lunch.
I grilled the burgers, made some homemade sweet potato fries, and dished up our plates.
At first everyone was completely silent as they took their first bites. I was almost afraid to take my first bite, but as soon as I did I had an explosion of taste in my mouth. Everyone else started exclaiming how good they were. Even my 2 year old who doesn't usually eat much hamburger was loving his.
Not only were they delicious, but they had a really good texture I wasn't expecting at all. I expected something that would fall apart, but not in a good way. These held together really well, and were also surprisingly filling. We liked them so much we are going to start incorporating Morning Star Farms products into our menu at least once weekly. After all they have so many other products besides this, and we are eager to see how those taste.
They are very affordable and for 4 veggie burgers the retail cost was under five dollars. Calories are also very low which helps out if you are on a diet. Definitely affordable on a budget, and enough to feed a family of four. I guess I really did learn with this product not to judge something before giving it a chance.

If you want to learn more about MorningStar Farms brand check out their website and learn even more about their amazing products!


Disclaimer: I received the above mentioned product for free as a BzzAgent in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.

1st Step Pro Wellness B12 Complex Review and more!

If you're anything like me, you're always tired. I mean it, let's be totally honest here...when we lead such busy hectic lives we are ALWAYS tired, exhausted, or feel like we are running on fumes by mid-day. And I get tired of depending on cup after cup of coffee. Coffee isn't healthy to consume in large amounts due to all the caffeine, sugar, etc. I love coffee but there's a difference between drinking it for the pleasure of the taste versus needing it to boost your energy. I for one don't like to depend on coffee just for the sole purpose of boosting my energy.
I have tried a couple other energy boosting products in the past, but I'm very careful and conscious of what I put into my body so I don't drink the usual energy drinks. I'm just not into the downward spiraling crash that is inevitable when you drink those drinks. I mean sure it helps for a few hours, but what if you need a longer boost than that?
So I was pretty excited when I was contacted by a company to try a Liquid Vitamin B12 Complex that is stimulant free & caffeine free. It's called 1st Step Pro-Wellness.
They use fruit juices such as natural cherry, mango, papaya, and passion fruit that is derived directly from orchards on U.S. soil.
It not only helps boost energy, but provides wellness benefits because it contains B-12, B-9, and B-6 vitamins. The B complex helps with metabolism, the nervous system, eyes, muscles, vital organs, hair, and skin.

I was sent two bottles to try. One Cherry Charge flavor and one Tropical Blend. Both tasted pleasantly (and surprisingly well. I mean let's face it, with these types of products we don't expect much in taste, but I actually quite liked the taste of each flavor! It wasn't bitter but rather sweet and natural tasting, and I haven't had such a pleasant experience with the taste of other leading brands. I must admit the taste was quite exceptional, especially compared to other leading energy drinks/shots.

I drank one bottle one morning and it seemed like I had energy all day throughout. There was no crash and burn, and it just felt as if my energy was boosted in a natural manner and not like being sucked into a tornado.
The second bottle I drank half in the middle of the day when I was lagging behind on chores, errands, and the kids were being especially rowdy. The rest I put in the refrigerator and drank the rest the next day when I felt as if I was lagging behind. I love how it works instantly but doesn't make you feel like you're getting one sudden jolt all at once. It lasts for quite a while, and I had absolutely no adverse effects from drinking it. There was no headaches, dizziness, nothing. I actually felt energized throughout the day and did not feel as if I needed to always be on the go, but rather a natural energy. I could do chores, errands, etc and sit down, play, and relax with my kiddos when I wasn't doing chores. I felt more alert in a natural way, but no jitters. I was really impressed.

Here are some interesting facts aside from what I already mentioned::

• 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS B-12 Complex does not contain caffeine, niacin, or artificial flavorings. 
• 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS B-12 Complex is gluten free and 100% vegetarian.
• For more than 10 years, 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS brand has been the nutritional brand of choice by more than 330 collegiate and pro sports teams, as well as countless elite female and male athletes because it works. 
• According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2011 edition, long-term supplementation of daily oral vitamin B12 and B9 promotes improvement in cognitive function.
• 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS Vitamin B-12 Complex can be used as both a vitamin supplement and an energy enhancement. Take vitamin B-12 once daily as you start your day, or take a dose whenever you need an extra energy boost to keep going. Take vitamin B-12 everyday for energy and cognitive wellness benefits.
• 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS offers a variety of vitamins and supplements designed for women to promote healthy nutrition, muscles, bones, joints, heart and weight.

As a busy mom who is always on the go I can first-hand recommend this product to women everywhere. Whether you are a stay at home mom, working mom, or just busy woman in general this is one product that boosts your energy in a healthy way. Compared to other leading brands like 5 hour energy I have tried in the past I am sold on 1st Step Pro-Wellness. 5 hour energy is sweet but a tad bitter on some of the flavors, and 1st Step is very sweet and pleasant to drink. It's even designed especially for women! Can't get much better than that! Except for the fact that it has natural flavorings and uses natural vitamins to enhance energy!

1st Step PRO-WELLNESS products are available nationwide at Walgreens, Bi Lo, Publix, Kroger and more than 2,000 independent retailers.

******Click HERE for a $4.00 off coupon!******

You can read more about the 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS products by visiting their website.
And you don't even have to take just my word for it, there are some great testimonials for you to read if you want to see others reactions to this great product.

There is also a FACEBOOK CONTEST for a Great Taste Challenge, hosted by 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS. The grand prize is one year supply of B-12, 1st Step PRO-WELLNESS swag and a gift card to Walgreens! Contest ends on November 19th, 2012. And with the coupon I listed above you can try the B12 complex at very little cost to you! So go ahead and enter in the Great Taste Challenge. You could win some amazing products! And if you could do me a little courtesy of leaving a comment saying you heard about the Great Taste Challenge through Mommy's Musings on the-edge-of-the-sky.blogspot.com I would greatly appreciate it.

You can also connect with 1st Step Pro-Wellness via the following::

Facebook

Twitter

Google+

Blog

Disclaimer: I was provided with 2 bottles of 1st Step Pro-Wellness B12 complex for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

When Someone You Love Is Suffering From a Chronic Illness Virtual Book Tour

Glad you could join me today! Today I am participating in the Virtual Book Tour through Nurture Your Books to promote Tamara McClintock Greenberg's book When Someone You Love Has a Chronic Illness.

::My Thoughts::
It can be emotionally, psychologically, and even physically draining when someone you love is diagnosed with a chronic illness. I have been through it 3 major times myself.
My grandmother suffered from cancer and died right before I hit my teen years, my mother in law suffered from cancer and passed away a couple years ago, and now my mother has been diagnosed with cervical cancer and Lupis. It's very taxing on us and we all take different approaches to dealing with our grief and concern. Some of us pray, some push the thoughts away and try to forget about it, and some of us do everything we can to learn about the illness and try to encourage our loved ones to fight it. But the one thing remains that we all have in common: our loved ones still have the illness so it really doesn't change a thing.
The author writes in a very understanding, easy to understand, engaging way. I felt as if I was sitting at the kitchen table sharing a cup of tea with her talking about things. She talks about how to deal with doctors, coping with a loved one's pain, dealing with loss, talking about illness, getting support, addressing denial, post traumatic stress disorder, living longer, among many other topics.
This book was a bit difficult for me to read at times because it doesn't sugar coat anything. Sometimes when we are told the nitty gritty it scares us, but instead of scaring me this book helped me deal with many topics I have struggled with.
When your loved ones are going through an illness your emotions often go misunderstood by others and sometimes yourself. This is a perfect book to help deal with that. We can't change a chronic illness no matter how much we may want to try. What we can do is deal with it as it comes, and support our loved ones.
The author teaches how to care for yourself as well as caring for your loved ones.
Considering that the author, Tamara McClintock Greenburg, is a licensed clinical psychologist makes me trust her insight all the more.
I recommend this book to anyone who has a loved one suffering from a chronic illness. Even the strongest of us who think we need no help or insight on subjects such as this can use a little extra wisdom on the subject. There is even a coping checklist at the end of each chapter which I found to be very helpful.

Published by: Cedar Fort Publishing
Publication Date: February 2012
Recommended Age: Any
Format(s): eBook, Trade Paperback
ISBN 13: 9781599559391
Number of pages: 176

Purchase this book @ Barnes & Noble,  Amazon.com,  Amazon.co.uk,  Amazon.ca







To check out the other blog tour links and read their thoughts you can click here






Visit the author's website to learn more
You can also follow Tamara McClintock Greenberg on Facebook, Twitter, PsychCentral, The Huffington Post, and Psychology Today.










Disclaimer: I received this book from Nurture Your Books in exchange for review. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions expressed are solely my own.