Evanger's Dog Food & Dog Treats Review

Evanger's is the ONLY family-owned and operated pet food cannery in the United States.
They make in my opinion the best Dog & Cat foods and Treats out there.
I used to make a lot of my dogs treats homemade& food, until I was introduced to Evanger's a few years ago.
I felt that they should eat what I eat, plus if you can't read the ingredients on the package
should you really be feeding it to them?
Making my own pet food and treats was time consuming and I was still worried they weren't getting the proper nutrition they needed. I was so happy to be introduced to Evanger's. When you purchase and open a can of Evanger's dog or cat food you will see what i'm talking about. 
I feel Evanger's Dog and Cat food is "People Food for Pets".

Every evening I mix 1/4 of a cup of Evanger's canned dog food into Jacky & Molly's dry dog food and yes the dry food is also from Evager's. I also add a small amount of water to make more of a "sauce" and to soften the dry food. Jacky is a Shih Tzu & has little crocked teeth, so we always soften her food to help her chew it up better. 
My girls know when it's dinner time. I am pretty sure they can smell the awesome canned food they are about to receive. They stand in the kitchen as I prepare their evening meal waiting for me to set it down. I even make a small bowl for Duncan or big orange cat. He loves all Evanger's canned dog foods (he thinks he's a dog). 
What you see on the can's image is what you get. For instance, the can of Whole Chicken thighs is just that, Whole Chicken Thighs, nothing more. Even soft edible bones included. ALL MADE IN THE USA. 
If you are looking for a healthy food for your pets, you just found it. Once you feed your pet's
​Evanger's Brand foods you will never switch.
My pets are my life, so I make sure they have something healthy and good for them, Evanger's helps me do this. 

​Whole Chicken Thighs – packed by hand!Twin whole chicken thighs* are 100% chicken meat. This innovative supplement is every dog's delight. Beneficial for dogs with Diabetes.
(Contains bones - not recommended for small dogs.)
I felt even though there is the small bones in the Whole Chicken Thighs it's still fine for my dogs, the bones are SUPER soft, I had no concern my dogs would have an issue with them, but please check yourself. There are so many other choices that this might not be for your dog. 
My girls LOVE this chicken mixed in their food.
Whats in the can: INGREDIENTS:
Whole Chicken Thighs, Chicken Broth.

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Braised Beef Chunks with Gravy – packed by hand!
A hearty dinner of tender chunks of beef with market fresh vegetables of peas and carrots together with nutritious gravy.

Whats in the can: INGREDIENTS:
Beef, Beef Broth, Carrots, Peas, Potatoes, Vitamins {Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Thiamine Mononitrate (Source of Vitamin B1), Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Source of Vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (Source of Vitamin B2), Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin D2 Supplement}, Minerals {Zinc Sulfate, Iron Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Selenium Yeast, Potassium Iodide}.

Molly my Mini Dachshund picks out her peas and carrots, sets them next to her bowl and eats them at the end.
​It's so adorable. 

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Chicken with Brown Rice Dry Dog Food   Nutritionally Complete & Balanced: Evanger's Chicken & Rice Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food profiles for ALL Life Stages. The 33 and 4.4 pound bags are now available in this formula. The 16.5 pound bag will transition in June. Whats in the bag: INGREDIENTS: Chicken, Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat [preserved with Mixed Tocopherols], Oatmeal, Dried Egg, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Dried Kelp, Cranberries, Blueberries, Potassium Chloride, PLUS added Vitamins & Minerals This is the food my dogs have been eating for over 2 years. They love it, I love the list of ingredients & that it's made in the USA.

Evanger's also makes some wonderful natural dog treats my girls love. 

Raw Gently Dried Beef Liver Because of the palatability and wholesomeness of these treats, they are excellent for finicky pets or pets with food sensitivities, as well as for use as a training reward or food mixer. My little Jacky loves these, Molly not as much, but she will eat them. Jacky doesn't like all treats, or more her tummy doesn't like them. Certain treats make her sick so we are very picky about what we give her. The Evanger's Dried Beef Livers are perfect for her.   What's in the package: INGREDIENTS: Beef Liver. Nothing more.

Grain Free Pheasant with Fruits & VegetablesThese semi-moist Jerky Treats can be fed as a snack, between meals, or during training. Jacky my Shih Tzu can't eat these or any of the Evanger's Jerky Treats, I can tell she likes them but they don't like her. For some reason they stick to the roof of her mouth and she looks scared trying to get them off. So I no longer give any of the Jerky Treats to her. I still allow Molly to have these, but I don't regularly purchase them.  What's in the bag: INGREDIENTS: Natural Pheasant, Potato Flour, Dried Chicory Root, Gelatin, Palm Glycerin, Dried Cultured Skim Milk, Fruits and Vegetables (Blueberries, Cranberries, Carrots, Peas), Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Oil of Garlic, Mixed Tocopherols (Vitamin E).

You can buy Evanger's Online or at a store near you, click the links below to purchase. 

Purchase ONLINE

Find a Store near You

Pheasant and Whitefish Dry Food Nutritionally Complete & Balanced: Evanger’s Pheasant & Whitefish Dry Cat Food meets the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles for ALL Life Stages. This is the ONLY Evanger's Cat Food product my cats have tried. They have been eating this for about a year now and love it. I ran out not too long ago and didn't have time to pick up a new bag at my local pet food store till the following day so I grabbed a small bag of a different brand food from the grocery store, my cats would not touch the food, they waited almost 24 hours to eat dry food, instead they both had the Whole Chicken Thighs Canned Dog Food till I purchased a new bag the next afternoon.

Since 1935, Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Company, Inc. has been the finest natural pet food company in the United States. Our founder, Fred Evanger, bred, exhibited, and championed his Great Danes in international kennel clubs. He was a fervent believer that his dogs’ health and the health of their offspring were dependent on wholesome, nutritious food, and strongly advocated that this was the key to his success in the show ring. Mr. Evanger built a canning factory at his kennels so that he could make a quality pet food, free of harmful additives or preservatives;, that was superior enough for his champions. Over 76 years later, we know that Fred Evanger was a man ahead of his time.

​What the Professionals Have Known for 75 Years!
​
There is no question that Fred Evanger accomplished his objective back in 1935. Evanger’s Dog & Cat Food Co. grew into a regional, then national, success story as word of the quality ingredients and manufacturing processes spread to breeders of show and sports dogs, veterinarians, boarding kennels, and feed stores. Evanger’s has always supported the independent marketplace and you can find our quality pet foods in independent pet food retailers close to you; just click on our store locator!
Seventy-six years later, Evanger’s expanded pet food line is manufactured on the original site, following the same tradition of uncompromising quality in delicious meals for dogs and cats. Evanger’s remains a family-owned and operated company and continues to be as innovative today as Mr. Evanger was when he first started making pet food. In 2003, Evanger’s was the first pet food company to create a food that was packed by hand instead of machine by putting whole pieces of fresh meat and vegetables into the cans. This innovative process started another new trend in pet food, and we call it, “People Food for Pets ™.”

GloryBee Honey Review & Giveaway

GloryBee is a family owned business that sells some wonderful honey products:
GloryBee was started in 1975 in the garage of Dick and Pat Turanski. To this day we remain family-owned and operated in Eugene Oregon, and pour our passion for honey into every jar. At GloryBee we strongly believe in the healthful benefits of honey and give our guarantee that our honey is all natural, 100% pure, and the highest quality. However you use it, you are sure to love the great taste and all-natural sweetness of GloryBee. Most of our honey varieties come from right here in the Pacific Northwest and are produced by small local beekeepers. Our imported organic honey is purchased from cooperatives of small beekeepers who are very concerned about the treatment of their bees and the quality of the honey.

I use a lot of honey in my every day cooking and baking. Also in my batches of Kombochu. 
It's a everyday staple in my home. Whenever something needs a sweetener I use honey. 
My new favorite brand is GloryBee, not because I am hosting a review for them, because their honey is some of the best I have ever tried. It has the purest, sweetest honey taste I have ever tried. It's the best!

Above is the 3 GloryBee products I received.

Organic Raw Honey ~ Clover Blossom A raw, certified organic honey that meets European standards for bee pollen content. Because of the unique way our honey is handled, it retains the bee pollen normally lost during processing. Our raw honey is never heated over 115f and is only strained, never filtered. Produced from organically farmed clover fields and made in hives kept without the use of antibiotics, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. Clover Blossom is my favorite for things like toast with honey, peanut butter & honey sandwich, hot tea, corn bread or anything I want a not so sweet wonderful honey taste on.

I use the Organic Raw Honey Fair Trade to make this wonderful Honey & Chipotle Vinaigrette. It's an excellent dressing with a small kick of chipotle. We use it almost every night so I made a fresh bottle every Monday.

This Southwest Salad is excellent with the homemade Honey & Chipotle Vinagerette Dressing made from GloryBee Organic Raw Honey Fair Trade. How to make this yummy dressing: 6 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1/4 cup GloryBee Organic Raw Honey Fair Trade, 3/4 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped

​Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or mini food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

GloryBee Organic Raw Honey Fair Trade GloryBee's raw fair trade honey is purchased from beekeeper-run cooperatives in South America. The honey is made from native wildflowers and is certified organic and fair trade. The flavor is light and mild, with a hint of spice. Excellent for the above recipe & more.

Raw Organic Tropical Blossom Honey ​ Organic tropical blossom honey is harvested in remote tropical regions around the world. Supporting these rainforest farmers helps ensure the preservation of these lands. This high quality organic honey is a very flavorful, multi-floral honey. It is perfect for all types of baking and beverages and tastes wonderful right from the jar. This is excellent in hot or cold green tea. I also use this in all my baking. This honey is very flavorful and wonderful.

You can't go wrong with any of GloryBee's honey products. 
This doesn't compare to the honey you can buy at your local store. 
Trust me once you try GloryBee's honey you will never go back to any other brand. 
It's so pure, organic and tastes great.
A must try product in every kitchen. 

Buy GloryBee Products Online Here

or Find a Store Near You

One lucky Simple Side of Life viewer will win GloryBee honey products, (Glorybee's choice) Enter below to win, good luck everyone. 

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Get your kids Hooked on Vegetables this summer and fall ~ Garden Lites Review & Coupon Giveaway

Garden Lites is my go to snack and sometimes breakfast. 
I am a veggie nut, so no need to get me hooked. 
I have two grown boys that are both veggie lovers, one more than the other. 
When my youngest was young and we would be grocery shopping he would grab veggies out of the cart and eat them. 
Luckily I never had to worry about my kids eating veggies. 
But I know lots of parents have that issue. 
Garden Lites has done an excellent job at putting veggies into yummy treats. 

Delicious veggies are the first ingredient in everything we make!

Back To School is Super-Healthy
With Garden Lites Muffins, Bites and Superfood Veggie Cakes
 
Veggie-Rich & Gluten-Free Foods Now More Convenient than Ever!
 
JAMAICA, NY (June, 2016) – Back to School is the perfect time to keep the kids on track by offering wholesome – yet always delicious - choices in their lunch box. Every school day is another opportunity for parents to pack some veggie-rich, nutritional and convenient foods in their kids’ backpack,
from Garden Lites, the delicious vegetable company.
 
Garden Lites is proud to honor all of their customers who choose a healthy lifestyle, including those who are gluten-free—whether they suffer from Celiac Disease that impacts over 3 million Americans, or simply choose a wheat free diet for other reasons. Garden Lites aims to satisfy these customers’ needs with an entire range of delicious gluten-free foods for anyone making gluten-free choices, whether they have Celiac or just prefer gluten-free!
School lunch has never been so decadently wholesome,
with Garden Lites muffins, bites and newly launched Superfood Veggie Cakes.

For the first time, Garden Lites Superfood Veggie Cakes are now available at Costco locations throughout the nation.  Superfood Veggie Cakes represent a tremendous leap forward in snacking by combining heart-healthy veggies like carrots, kale, and red bell peppers in a tasty recipe that the whole family can enjoy.

​Available in the refrigerated section, Garden Lites Superfood Veggie Cakes are delicious, vegetarian and only 100 calories! The first and main ingredient in every Garden Lites product is always a vegetable, and the Superfood Veggie Cakes are no exception, packed with seven delicious vegetable ingredients. Superfood Veggie Cakes are perfect for healthy snacking on-the-go, or also as a quick side dish at home to go along perfectly with any meal. It’s never been easier to eat seven vegetables at once.

​Perfectly packaged for your child’s lunchbox are Garden Lites muffins, delicious, filling treats in which the first, and main ingredient is always a vegetable! With just the right amount of sweetness and flavor, these muffins are great for breakfast, lunch, dessert or anytime snack. All varieties are gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy free, Kosher Parve, low in calories and a great source of fiber with 3g of fiber, and 5g of whole grains.  These two ounce muffins are individually wrapped making them great for portability. They can be heated up in the microwave in only 35 seconds or can also be enjoyed at room temperature which is especially great for on-the-go snacking.  Best of all, busy parents can pack the muffins in their children’s lunchbox in the morning, and by lunchtime, they will be perfectly room temperature and ready to be enjoyed!

For a savory school snack or meal, Garden Lites Broccoli & Brown Rice Bites are perfectly portable! The kids are busy in class, and everyone is on-the-go, which makes these bites a great snack to bring to school. With 6 grams of protein, 2 grams of fiber, and 5 grams of whole grains per serving, you'll enjoy this fresh flavor and stay full longer. Eating veggies has never been easier or more delicious. Enjoy this savory, healthy snack on-the-go, with the filling fiber-rich Garden Lites Broccoli & Brown Rice Bites, which have only 130 calories in a serving of four.

Above is all the yummy muffins Garden Lites has. Each are packed full or fruits & veggies. 
Perfect for in a hurry morning breakfast on the go or lunches. Not just for kids. I love all of the muffins especially the Veggie Bites Broccoli & Brown Rice. 

Bakes and Souffles are excellent side dishes. I eat them as a whole meal for lunch. I have no favorite since I like them all. but the one
​I eat the most often is the Roasted Vegetable Souffle.
It's delicious and fills me up till dinner time. 

Superfood Veggie Cakes are the BEST. You can get these at Costco in the 12 pack.
Perfect for lunches or on the go breakfast. 

FIND A STORE NEAR YOU that sells GARDEN LITES

Enter below to win a coupon for a free Garden Lites product of your choice. (make sure they sell them where you live)

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Meduri World Delights Review, Giveaway & Discount Code $10 off any $49 order with offer code WEB6SS the offer is good until December 1, 2016.

Meduri World Delights makes some wonderful dried fruits. 
By far this is the BEST dried fruit I have ever had. 
Every weekend my boyfriend and I do something outdoors
hiking, kayaking, swimming at a waterfall or lake or jet skiing
We always take snacks that are good for you, filling and nutritious. 
Meduri World Delights dried fruit is my new go to snack and the
Strawberry Rhubarb Bites is my favorite. 

Meduri World Delights is the largest makers of fine dried fruit in Oregon, but you may of not have heard of them. That's because they haven’t offered their unique, luscious “delights” to the public until recently.
(And the response has been overwhelming.)
For many years, their family has traveled the world to select the highest quality fruit at their peak of juicy ripeness. Mandarin oranges from orchards in China. Morello cherries from Eastern Europe. Peaches and blackberries from Chile. Lingonberries from Scandinavia. Pink Lady apples from the Pacific Northwest.
They prepare them using their own Meduri method that carefully captures each fruit’s best flavor and texture.

Cinnamon Fuji Apples & Kayaking

Our “Recipe”We select the finest fruit picked at its most flavorful from orchards around the world. Then we prepare each variety on our Oregon farm using our unique Meduri method, as we have for many years.
We place each variety separately in special shallow trays, in small batches, just as you would at home. This way, we can capture the distinctive flavor and texture of each fruit in every piece. (And we check each piece twice before it carries our family name.)
To some of our fruits, we add other natural fruit flavors to create unusual treats like our Razzcherries® (cherries infused with natural berry juice) and Coconut/Chili/Lime Spiced Diced Granny Smith apples. We use only the finest, natural ingredients, with no preservatives, to create the most luscious "delights" you’ve ever tasted. Like our rich chocolate fruit truffles and our moist, gourmet granola Delights – all ready to enjoy or to share. And our many fruits and mixes make creative additions to salads, muffins, entrees, desserts, and snacks.

$10 off any $49 order with offer code WEB6SS the offer is good until December 1, 2016.

Cinnamon Fuji Apples
These were my second favorite dried fruit. 
They are so moist, so fresh and so refreshing. It's like biting into a fresh apple with a slight cinnamon coating. DELICIOUS!
We enjoyed these while kayaking a few weeks ago. 

The Fuji apple has a very unique history. Originally from Japan, it is a cross between the Red Delicious and Ralls Janet, which, by the way, is an antique variety that dates all the way back in Thomas Jefferson. Known as Tohoku apples, in Japan, this variety was first established in 1939. It wasn't until the early 1960s, that they were introduced to America with a new name.

Known for a superb juicy-sweet flavor, we've added a touch cinnamon to make a very special Meduri exclusive. This all-natural dried fruit is a long time customer favorite. If you love apples and cinnamon, you absolutely must try these

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​MANDARIN ORANGE SLICES
I have never had a dried orange till now. These are wonderful. Hoestly if you weren't eating these oranges out of a bag you would hardly know they are dried. They are still very moist & juicy. If you let them sit in your mouth for a second it's like they come back to life. EXCELLENT another top favorite from Meduri World Delights. 
Mandarin Orange Slices get a bad rep in the USA. Mostly because they are often seen swimming in sugary syrup. That's not the case with our Mandarin Orange Slices, which are harvested and then gently dried. As such, the natural flavor is given a chance to shine.

Because they've been prepared in small batches in the Meduri method, this all-natural dried fruit is bursting with a light, fresh sweetness. Our Mandarin Orange Slices add a complexity to snacks and muffins, as well as a delicate, sweet note to salads. You won't find Mandarin Orange Slices like this anywhere but Meduri World Delights.

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DOUBLE RED GRAPEFRUIT SLICES
I keep these on my desk at work. I only eat 2-3 a day. They are my afternoon snack to keep me going till the end of my work day. Sort of tart, tangy and sweet all in one bite, and very good. 
If you think choosing grapefruit is a hit or miss gamble, hoping for sweetness but getting too much tartness, you must try our grapefruit slices. Every bite is consistently sweet and juicy with red grapefruit flavor.

Our exceptional variety comes from the only two major grapefruit growing areas in Mexico. They're picked at their ripest, then prepared in small batches to maintain their distinctive taste.
Unique, delicious and healthful with no added preservatives. Now enjoy juicy grapefruit anywhere — without the mess.

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BLUEBERRIESFruits originating in the Americas are limited; the blueberry is one fruit that truly is native. The earliest settlers sought out this highly valued berry. They found blueberries to be so versatile that they added it to a wide range of foods and health remedies. Healthy, delicious and filled with antioxidants, the blueberry is a real super fruit.

Though July is National Blueberry Month (the blueberry harvest peaks in July), you can enjoy these Meduri all-natural dried fruit treats in December or any time. We've prepared them with special care, in a way that captures their distinctive flavor. Use Meduri blueberries to enhance cakes, snacks, cereals, or use them as the settlers once did, in soups and stews. With Meduri World Delights, these tasty blueberries are always in season.

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STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB BITES
I could eat a package of these each day all day long. They are delicious. Like a piece of candy but better. I love the taste, texture and smell of these small bites of heaven. 
Two classic flavors come together to create something new, delicious and only from Meduri. 

Our chewy Rhubarb Bites are artfully infused with the sweetness of Camerosa strawberries for that one heavenly bite. The perfect balance of springtime sweet and tart. It's like strawberry rhubarb pie in bite-size chewy morsels, available whenever you wish and without the hassle of a fork!

Enjoy our Strawberry-Rhubarb Bites alone as a tangy, delicious snack. Create your own unique trail mix with nuts, or add them to your granola for an additional pop of all-natural dried fruit flavor.

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No matter what bag of dried fruit I opened I was delighted with the scent and taste.
They all smell so fresh and taste like they were just picked.
​This is by far the best dried fruit company around. 
If all fruit was always this fresh and flavorful I think more people would eat more fruit.
Meduri does a wonderful job at finding some of the freshest best tasting fruit to dry. 

Enter below to win one small bag of Meduri World Delights dried fruit (my choice) Good Luck Everyone. 

$10 off any $49 order with offer code WEB6SS the offer is good until December 1, 2016.

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NeoCell Collagen +C Pomegranate Liquid Review & Giveaway

NeoCell is a wonderful company that sells wonderful products to keep your body
looking and feeling beautiful. 

NeoCell is the #1 collagen brand in the world and a leader in the field of nutritional science.
​While they have grown considerably over the years, one thing has never changed – their commitment to finding the most innovative and effective nutraceutical supplements.

The founders goal was to create products that allowed people to live younger, longer lives with abundant energy and wellbeing. And so Neocell was born, as a family-owned, research oriented business committed to introducing the world to a premium quality collagen-based supplement line.

I was so happy to get a chance to try Collagen +C Pomegranate Liquid - 16 fl oz ​
I have been taking it every day for 3 weeks now. 
The pomegranate liquid has a wonderful pomegranate taste. I take the recommended One Tablespoon in the morning. I not only love the taste, I love the fact that it actually works. 
This product is both 
Non-GMO + Gluten Free

After just the first week of use I noticed my hair was looking stronger and had more bounce to it.
I had done noting different to my daily routine except adding the Collagen +C Pomegranate Liquid. 
It states it will help you get:
Radiant and resilient skin
Thicker hair and stronger nails
Provides building blocks for collagen synthesis
Healthy and strong ligaments and tendons
Potent antioxidant
My main goal is to help strengthen my ligaments and tendons. 

​Elixir for Youthful Vitality and Vigor:
Collagen+C™ Pomegranate Liquid is a youth enhancing elixir that combines the potent antioxidants Pomegranate, Green Tea, Elderberry and Cranberry with the anti-aging benefits of Collagen+C™ in a delicious liquid form. Ionic Minerals are added for further absorption benefits and the blend is sweetened with low glycemic index Agave nectar. This complex formulation makes for an easy-to-take, revitalizing anti-aging supplement.
Collagen+C™ Pomegranate Liquid:
Pomegranate's ellagic acid and green tea polyphenols (EGCG) provide a strong combination of antioxidants for protection against free radical damage. With the absorption benefits of ionic minerals, Collagen+C™ Pomegranate Liquid provides the latest in total body health.

Collagen Type 1&3: The Body's Key Structural Protein
Collagen supplementation is one of the most fundamental things a person can do to prevent premature aging and promote youthful vitality. Understanding Collagen begins with knowing that it is truly the glue that holds the body together, and it is the building block for all our body's major systems. Although abundant in our youth, the body's natural Collagen production typically slows at a rate of 1.5% per year after the age of 25. As this collagen production slows, the collagen fibers in the body become brittle and begin to break down resulting in many of the tell tale signs of aging, such as loose, flaccid skin, wrinkles, ligament and tendons injuries and osteoarthritis. NeoCell's Collagen+C™ utilizes Collagen Types 1&3, the main collagen constituents in the skin, hair, nails, ligaments and tendons.
Collagen+C™ uses an advanced enzymatic hydrolyzation process to break the large collagen molecules into small molecular weight peptides that are both bioavailable and bioactive in the body.*
The delicious, youth-enhancing elixir Collagen+C™ Pomegranate Liquid is a synergistic blend of Super Collagen™ peptides, Antioxidants and Ionic Minerals.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Enter below for your chance to win
NeoCell Collagen +C Pomegranate 

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Garden Of Life mykind Organics Vitamin C Spray ~ 5 Winners

Garden of Life’s commitment to health goes beyond offering some of the most effective nutritional products in the world. They are interested in building relationships with people to help them transform their lives to attain extraordinary health. By combining the best of nature and science, the Garden of Life brand offers a path to healthy living with premium products that are supported by education and innovation.

mykind Organics Certified Organic Whole Food Vitamin C (Organic Spray) is designed to deliver Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Vitamin C from real food in an easy-to-use liquid form. A daily dose of five sprays provides 100% of the daily value ofvitamin C without any artificial ingredients or chemical preservatives—just wholesome organic food with a delicious cherry-tangerine & orange-tangerine taste with organic stevia.

Thesemykind Organics Vitamin C sprays have been such a simple way for me to ensure that I am getting my daily dose ofvitamin C. Of course I try to eat tons of fruit but who really eats enough EVERY day. I can't always carry around oranges and juice tends to have so much unwanted sugar.  All you need if 5 sprays of this and you will have your full daily dose of vitamin C. It taste delicious and has no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives.  This is also a super simple way to get your kids to take their vitamins. Sometimes kids hate taking pills and/or have trouble swallowing such large vitamins so this spray takes the struggle and the pain out of all of that. Getting your daily dose of vitamin C will support your immune system and promotes skin and tissue health so get your daily dose with this awesome Garden of Life mykind organics vitamin C spray.

Garden of Life mykind Organics also has other awesome sprays including Vitamin B-12 and Vitamin D3. ​ These sprays are extremely affordable and you can buy then directly from the Garden of Life Website  SHOP NOW Also look for them in a store near you using the store locator on their website.

STORE LOCATOR

                                                                       GIVEAWAY!!!!
5 (Five) lucky Simple Side of Life readers will win Vitamin C Spray so make sure to follow Garden of Life on as many social media pages as possible and tweet daily for extra entry points.

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Peanut Butter & Co Review & Giveaway

​Peanut Butter & Co all started in a cozy little shop in Greenwich Village NYC, famous for making the world's greatest peanut butter sandwiches. Now their ten varieties of all natural peanut butter are available at over 10,000 stores throughout the US & Canada, and are even sold as far away as the UK, Japan, and Hong Kong.

Peanut Butter & Co. is dedicated to bringing you the most delicious all-natural peanut butter in the world. They never use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or high fructose corn syrup, and all of their products are made with 100% USA-grown peanuts!

Smooth Operator is made from peanuts blended with a pinch of salt and cane sugar for a touch of sweetness. They have also added a little bit of palm fruit oil to keep the peanut oil from separating so there's no fussing or spending time stirring the oils back in.

Crunch Time is like the Smooth Operator, a pinch of salt, a touch of cane sugar and a little bit of palm oil except Crunch Time has an even layer of crunch for those of you that love a crunch PB&J. It's also amazing for baking, like in some delicious peanut butter cookies with a sprinkle of sugar of top of the cookie. YUMMMY!!!

Mighty Maple is peanut butter blended with yummy maple syrup for a delicious spread that is great spread on bananas, drizzled on ice cream or poured over waffles. It's great as a quick, protein packed, breakfast spread.

​The Heat Is On is a peanut butter that is blended with fiery spices like cayenne pepper and chili powder for a delicious spread that is great on celery as a snack or as an ingredient in your favorite chili. Try it in satays, stir-frys, curries, barbecue sauce, buffalo wings or soup.

Old Fashioned Smooth is a great tasting, all-natural peanut butter made with a special blend of perfectly roasted peanuts and just a tiny bit of salt. Old Fashioned Smooth is a natural peanut butter, which means that we don't add any other oils or sugar to it. Old Fashioned Crunchy is chock full of chopped peanuts, it's a tasty way to add flavor and texture to celery sticks, oatmeal, toast, ice cream, and more.

​With both of these Old Fashioned spreads if the natural peanut oil starts to separate, just stir it back in. This peanut butter may be a little softer than some other varieties you've tried. The shelf life is 6 months after opening, if stored in a cool, dry place. No need to refrigerate, but it will help keep the oil from separating if you stick it in the fridge after you stir it up.

This line of peanut butter is like no other. Peanut Butter & Co. really knows how to do it to it when it comes to peanut butter. When I see these flavors at the store I am overwhelmed by which one to get. 

White Chocolate Wonderful is peanut butter blended with sweet white chocolate,

Dark Chocolate Dreams is peanut butter that is blended with rich dark chocolate.

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl is peanut butter blended with cinnamon and raisins. This is excellent for dipping fruits in.

​The Bee's Knees is peanut butter blended with scrumptious honey. It's great as a quick, protein packed, breakfast spread. Melt it over pancakes, spread it on waffles, add it to smoothies, or eat it straight from the jar.

Peanut Butter & Co. sent me a free product coupon to pick any flavor peanut butter I wanted. I have been wanting to try The Bee's Knees for months and months now and so I finally picked up a jar of it. If there are two things in life I love they are peanut butter and honey. Peanut Butter is an excellent way to get your protein and nothing beats covering a delicious piece of peanut butter bread with a gooey layer of honey. I eat this snack almost daily and I'm always struggling to squeeze the honey out of the bear or bottle. Then I eat it over the sink most of the time because it gets so sticky and drippy. You have to eat each bite quickly

before the honey starts to drip off the bread. LOL The struggle is real. Well The Bee's Knees peanut butter blended with honey saves you all of that fuss, all of that mess and there's no battling to get the honey to come out of the bottle. The delicious honey is already mixed in. It is heaven. I was a little skeptical that it would have enough honey flavor but it totally does. The Bee's Knees truly is The Bee's Knees, I promise you will love it.

 You can find Peanut Butter & Co. products at a store near you. Make sure to check different locations for different flavors. I found that depending on which store I went to they sold a different variety. You can user the product locator on the Peanut Butter & Co. website to find your local shop: http://ilovepeanutbutter.com/pages/store-finder

Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter is also available from a number of online retailers (some of which ship globally) including:Amazon.comVitacost.comiHerb.comLucky VitaminSoap.comPangea Boxed.comHealthy Food Supplies Ltd (global)
You can also purchase every kind of Peanut Butter & Co. product you can think of directly from their website: 

SHOP NOW

                                GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

One lucky Simple Side of Life reader with win their own FREE PRODUCT COUPON. The winner can pick any flavor they would like to try. Good luck, make sure you followPeanut Butter & Co on as many social media pages as possible and tweet daily for added entry points.

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VeraClean Hand Soap & Hand Lotion ~ Review & Giveaway

VeraClean sells some WONDERFUL cleaning products that are 100% Natural & Colorful
I got to try Bleu de France hand soap & hand lotion. 
As you can see we have used quite a bit of the hand soap. I have used the hand lotion to but obviously not as much. My boyfriend and I am both hand cleaning fanatics. Since we wash our hands a lot we are always looking for a good quality product
that won't dry out our hands and is natural.  
I think we finally found it. 
VeraClean is the natural choice for cleaning. 

VeraClean sells a wide range of cleaning products from household cleaners, hand lotions, hand soaps, multi surface cleaners, dish soaps, concentrated cleaners and sponge erasers.
​Each month I will be reviewing a cleaning product from VeraClean for you to learn about. Every review will have a winner so you will all get a better chance of winning something from them. But don't wait, check out their website today, so far I am super happy with the hand soap & had lotion. They aren't harsh at all on your hands and have a pleasant smell. You might find exactly what your looking for to make your home clean the natural way. 

VeraClean’s Bleu de France Hand Lotion begins with a sweet almond oil base, nourishing shea butter, and a unique blend of natural essential oils to create a nourishing and all natural balm for your hands. VeraClean’s non-greasy formula is naturally infused with the perfect blend soothing lavender oil, stimulating rosemary leaf oil, and fresh bergamot. Proudly made in Colorado, USA. 11.5oz
INGREDIENTS: Purified Water, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol (and) Polysorbate 60, Stearic Acid, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Mixed Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Tapioca Starch, Glycerin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Phenoxyethanol (and) Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Bergamot Oil

ALL VeraClean's products are made in Colorado, USA. 
This is a huge seller to me.

This lotion leaves your hands silky smooth. Perfect for after washing dishes. 
I really like the bottles size and shape. It fits perfect on my kitchen counter and the
blue goes good with my kitchen colors. 

VeraClean has 11 scents of Hand Lotion to choose from:
Portland Mist Hand Lotion ~ Mocha Mint Hand Lotion ~ Pink Posy Hand Lotion
 Pink Grapefruit Hand Lotion ~ Lavender Lily Hand Lotion ~ Orange Lavang Hand Lotion 
Quality Tyme Hand Lotion ~ Paradise Cove Hand Lotion ~ Granny Smith Hand Lotion 
Vintage Sage Hand Lotion ~ Bleu de France Hand Lotion

Each $16 for a 11.5 fl oz bottle

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Before I move onto the hand cleaner I want to tell you about VeraClean. If your lucky enough to live in Colorado check out their website, they don't just sell natural cleaning products, they actually do house cleaning.
​Get a quote online HERE if you live there. 

The story behind VeraClean and VeraClean products:Kimberly Jones, founder of VeraClean, has always had a penchant for cleanliness. And though her children don’t always appreciate her passion for the pristine, her clients absolutely love it!
VeraClean began in 2009 when Kimberly Jones, full-time homemaker and mother of four, combined her love for cleaning and passion to own a business. Kimberly grabbed a mop, and a bucket of supplies, and started her own house cleaning business. Over the next few years, VeraClean would prove to be a success as Kimberly strategically partnered with with business dynamo, Bryan Welton, Jr. With efforts focused on trusted customer service and unbeatable cleaning, VeraClean opened their first office in Centennial, Colorado, in 2010.
For years, Kimberly tried dozens of house cleaning chemicals.  She began with products that got the job done, but not without also doing a number on her eyes, airways, and skin. She began her search for natural cleaning products that not only produced effective results, but were also affordable.  In the spring of 2012, Kimberly began researching and formulating her private blend of cleaning products. She wanted cleaning products that were packed full of essential oils, natural cleaning surfactants and citrus citrates. She envisioned cleaning products that were natural and beautiful, without the use of synthetic fragrances and colors. Knowing that these products would be used in the homes they cleaned, she wanted them to be safe, not only for household surfaces, but also for kids, pets and the employees that would be using them on a daily basis.   By fall 2012, VeraClean had introduced their natural cleaning products to thousands of homes throughout Denver.
After 18 months of proven success and phenomenal client reviews, VeraClean is bottling their natural formulations and introducing a private line of cleaning products to the retail market.  VeraClean’s natural cleaners deliver considerable cleaning power without adding harmful toxins such as bleach, ammonia, triclosan, artificial fragrances, unnecessary optical brighteners and synthetic preservatives. We’re not afraid to list our ingredients right on the label, because there’s nothing to hide. Packed with the safest and purest ingredients, our cleaning products are guaranteed to deliver amazing cleaning results, at minimal cost to consumers.
VeraClean is devoted to upholding high standards of natural cleaning, however we also understand the need for flexibility in order for our products to appeal to retail customers and the current market. We promise to deliver and guarantee quality cleaning products. Additionally, VeraClean will be presenting new products in Spring of 2015 to add to it’s brand. These include liquid hand soaps, liquid dish soaps, hand lotions and various multi-surface cleaners. .  All products are in compliance with federal and state regulations.

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VeraClean’s Bleu de France Hand Soap features Vitamin B-5, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber), Persea Gratissima (Avocado), and Mangifer Indica (Mango), along with a unique blend of natural essential oils to create a nourishing and all natural cleaner for your hands. Naturally infused with the perfect blend soothing lavender oil, stimulating rosemary leaf oil, and fresh bergamot. Proudly made in Colorado, USA. 11.5 oz
INGREDIENTS: Purified Water, Sodium (C14-16) Olefin Sulfonate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Panthenol (Vitamin B-5), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Fruit Extract, Mangifer Indica (Mango) Fruit Extract, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Lavender Oil, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Bergamot Oil

I love everything about this hand soap. 
The smell is wonderful, just light and pleasant. 
The bottle size, color and shape all look perfect in my kitchen. 
It's not harsh on my hands and cleans them perfectly. 

VeraClean has 11 scents of Hand Soap to choose from:
Portland Mist Hand Lotion ~ Mocha Mint Hand Lotion ~ Pink Posy Hand Lotion 
 Pink Grapefruit Hand Lotion ~ Lavender Lily Hand Lotion ~ Orange Lavang Hand Lotion 
Quality Tyme Hand Lotion ~ Paradise Cove Hand Lotion ~ Granny Smith Hand Lotion 
Vintage Sage Hand Lotion ~ Bleu de France Hand Lotion

Each $16 for a 11.5 fl oz bottle

Enter below to win the above Hand Soap & Hand Lotion from VeraClean.... Good Luck Everyone!

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FIT Organic Household Supplies Review

FIT Organic provides a unique approach to cleaning your home. Unlike other so-called "Natural" brands, FIT Organic products contain NO SYNTHETIC DETERGENTS and NO ARTIFICIAL SURFACTANTS of any kind. 
FIT Organic is different!  They make organic soaps the way it was done over a hundred years ago.  They start with only certified organic plant-based oils and mix them together with natural minerals to create their unique formulas.

​They go way beyond just "Natural" - all of their products are CERTIFIED USDA ORGANIC by the prestigious Oregon Tilth Company (OTCO).  This means you can safely use their products knowing you aren't exposing yourself or your loved ones to harmful chemicals, as well as preventing more polluting chemicals from entering our environment.

FIT Organic is, also proudly a cruelty-free company, that is, they conduct no animal testing what-so-ever. They also use non-GMO ingredients for all of their products. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) has reviewed all of their certified USDA organic cleaning products, and they have received an "A" report card!

They not only promise the organic certification, they also promise their products will clean well! FIT Organic promises the best of both worlds: best in class cleaning, while also being certified USDA Organic.

I received an amazing variety of FIT Organic products to try. I was so excited to be able to test this product out for myself. I received liquid Laundry Detergent, Hand/Dish Soap, Laundry & Carpet Stain Remover, Fruit & Vegetable Wash and a bottle of their Lime, Calcium & Rust Remover.

Fit liquid Laundry Detergent seriously cleans your clothes. I personally have used a lot of different organic, pure and free, clean and clear yada yada yada type detergents and more often then not they do not work or my clothes don't come out smelling clean and I have to add fabric softeners and run them through again so they don't smell dingy. Fit Organic really works! I can wash my sweaty, dirty, icky clothes and they come out smelling clean. The Fit Organic detergent I am using doesn't have a scent but the clothes smell clean. There is no stinky residue or left over smell of my last workout. Some times detergents that have too much scent infused in them can make me sneeze or irritate my skin, leaving me itchy or rashy. Fit Organic is clean, it is free of perfumes, dyes, and harsh chemicals, so it’s gentle on skin as well as fabrics. You can purchase it in fresh lemongrass tangerine, free

and clear and also a baby detergent. These detergents come in 100oz bottles and sell for about $15.99 which is an excellent price compared to other brands.

Fit Organic Laundry & carpet stain remover works wonders at getting those little stains out. I can't even count the amount of stains I remove from t-shirts in particular. Those little grease drops that land on the front of your shirt that fall from the last thing you ate and leave that forever reminder that you should has worn a bib. LOL Fit Organic stain remover takes those right out. Just spray and let sit for a few minutes, then toss into the wash and those tiny stains are gone for good.....or until your next meal at least. You can also use this to spray on your carpets to remove yucky stains left by you kids, party guests or in my home, mostly by my pets. I spray this on whatever disgusting filth was left for me on my carpets and rug and then steam clean it right up. Magic, I love this spray, it keeps my home looking as if I didn't have a house full of wild animals and clumsy family & friends.

I have also used a number of lime, calcium and rust removers that don't work so of course I was skeptical when I saw this bottle. It was the first thing I put to the test. I looked around at what I could try it out on and found that my kitchen sink sprayer was dingy and icky. I followed the directions and soaked it in a small bowl of Fit Organic lime, calcium & rust remover. I let it sit for maybe 10-15 minutes and then pulled it out,

​wiped it off with a sponge and it actually truly cleaned it. I was in shock. I find myself trying to find things to use it on now.....what can I clean....will it work on this? Will it work on that? Yep, yep it does. It also works in your washing machine. You know how your washer gets that funky smell that you just can't seem to get out? Then all your clothes kind of take on that same scent so you try to over power it with fabric softener? Well Fit Organic lime, calcium & rust remover will help you with that too. Just add it directly to your washer. Don't put it in the soap thingy just put it right into the drum part and run a regular cycle with no detergent.

Fit Organic Fruit & Vegetable wash has been a blessing in my home. I have a beautiful garden, gardening is a passion of mine and this year we are already harvesting daily so knowing I can wash my fresh veggies with a wash that is pure, natural, organic and clean makes me feel safe and proud to serve my veggies to everyone. Once I cut them from the plants I bring them straight inside and spray them with the wash. I let it kind of sit on the veggies and then scrub it off and rinse it under the water. This way I can feel secure putting the veggies so that anyone who grabs them out to cook them can do so without the hassle of cleaning them. Fit Organic also makes a duel hand/dish soap that is ever so gentle on your hands. It comes in a cool little foam pump bottle and is sold in free & clear and the delicious lemongrass tangerine scent. I love that is serves both purposes so there is no need to have multiple bottles piled up on my sink.

Fit Organic makes a TON of products so check them out, try them out and visit their website and social media pages for more info. Not only can you get them at a store local to you but you can also buy them directly from the website. SHOP NOW Stay up to date with the latest Fit Organic info by following them on these social media outlets:

famous Dave's SMALL BATCH SHAMPOO organic peppermint Review

famous Dave's has an excellent new shampoo that my hair LOVES. 
It's called SMALL BATCH SHAMPOO organic peppermint and its a seriously awesome shampoo that makes your hair not only smell wonderful but also feel so silky soft. 

“KEEP IT COOL” Peppermint Shampoo? When Famous Dave decided that he wanted to expand his world famous line of self care products to include hair care, he wasn’t going to just throw some basic run-of-the-mill shampoo out into the beauty world. There are enough of those out there! He wanted to create a product that was so much more, and would help you keep so much more of your precious hair. Let’s face it, age brings a number of unwelcome changes and hair loss happens to be a big one for the majority of us. So Dave set out to find a solution–and the result is our new shampoo that promotes hair retention and healthy hair growth–you get to “KEEP IT” OK, But what’s the deal with the “COOL”? Dave has added peppermint to his formulation, which invigorates your hair and scalp with a cooling sensation–can’t you already feel the tingles? BUT what makes this shampoo so special? I haven’t convinced you yet? KEEP IT COOL is truly the best because it is organic and natural–REALLY! Several other shampoos on the market make this claim but it simply is not true. STOP LOOKING for the best, most natural shampoo out there, your search is over. KEEP IT COOL is the shampoo for you. And, as always, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed! Keep It Cool Small Batch Shampoo is designed to gently clean your hair and scalp while promoting hair retention and growth. Our PH balanced formula utilizes the restorative and strengthening properties of Organic Argan Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Biotin, and Keratin. Peppermint is added to offer a truly invigorating and therapeutic experience! Keep It Cool is free from harsh chemicals, color safe and safe for all hair types.

ORGANIC AND NATURAL SHAMPOO 
FOR MEN AND WOMEN
⌘100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: If it isn’t everything 
I’ve said, send it back and We’ll refund your purchase price.

⌘100% PURE ORGANIC ARGAN OIL, 100% ORGANIC ALOE, TEA TREE OIL, BIOTIN, KERATIN, AVOCADO, B2, B5, AND B12

⌘NATURAL HAIR CARE FOR MEN & WOMEN: Famous Dave’s does not use the perfumes, floral, and powdery scents that most other brands use.

⌘SAFE FOR ALL HAIR TYPES: Our PH balanced shampoo is free from harsh chemicals and safe for all hair types.

⌘PRIDE AND CARE: We take tremendous pride in our formulations. If it is not right, it is OUR FAULT.

This shampoo really is great. 
The peppermint smell is so soothing and makes your head tingle. 
Your hair will feel so clean when you rinse it out. I don't even need conditioner half the time. My hair is super soft and smooth. My boyfriend uses this shampoo too and really likes it. 
It's packed full of 100% PURE ORGANIC ARGAN OIL, 100% ORGANIC ALOE, TEA TREE OIL, BIOTIN, KERATIN, AVOCADO, B2, B5, AND B12, all good for your hair items. 

Right now famous Dave's has GREAT dealing going on.........

​***FREE TANNER PROMOTION!*** ​ SPECIAL: Buy our new shampoo and receive a FREE 4 ounce bottle of Famous Dave’s Moisture Tan (a $16 value) Please note that the free tanner will be automatically added. CLICK HERE TO ORDER

TheEpicenter.com MRE Turkey Tetrazzini Review & Giveaway

TheEpicenter.com has over 20 Years' Experience in the Preparedness Industry! They offer a large inventory of MRE Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) and Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Foods, and just about everything else you may need for your Emergency and Disaster Preparedness, Camping, and Outdoor Recreation supply needs.

They are an authorized dealer and reseller of top rated emergency food products, all manufactured and produced in the USA. They also offer highly rated Water Filters and Water Purification products, Outdoor / Emergency Stoves, car and workplace Emergency 72-Hour Kits, best-selling Fuel Storage Treatment products, and much, much more.
​
TheEpicenter.com is your one-stop source and a trusted supplier of emergency food and preparedness supplies. We are here for you! For over 20 years now, their vast inventory of product offerings help you prepare for any emergency situation or natural disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, or flood, or for your outdoor recreation activities like camping, backpacking, hiking, hunting, fishing, and biking. Their goal is to bring you the best prices and the best customer service experience possible.

Long Range Patrol Rations Originally developed in 1964 for Vietnam Special Operations Troops, the LRP is the longest running U.S. military ration still in existence today. Long Range Patrol Ration entrees aren't just like freeze-dried foods — they are freeze-dried foods. They offer a long shelf life, typically lasting for at least 10 years and probably much longer, making them reliable, ready, and waiting for you whenever you need them. LRPs are an extremely desirable long term survival food. LRRPs offer good-tasting, high-energy breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner options that provide tasty, high-protein meals that take up very little space or effort. Because they are lightweight, compact, and easy to store and prepare, Lurps appeal not only to survivalists and the emergency-preparedness minded, but also have captured the interes of backpackers, campers,  RV & motorcycle travelers, and others as well.

The people at TheEpicenter.com sent me one of these Mountain House Freeze Dried Turkey Tetrazzini pouches to try for myself. It is compact and super light weight....perfect for backpacking and long hikes. These are also excellent to keep in your emergency kit. I live in California so we are always prepared for earthquakes. These LRPs are high in protein and a delicious source of nutrients that your body needs. It is simple, quick and taste amazing. All you need is boiling water and your are ready to get cooking. Just cut the top of the bag off and pour your 2 cups of boiling water directly into the food pouch. Roll the top over to seal it and let it sit for 10 minutes. You can eat directly from the bag so it makes it easy when  ​you are on backpacking trip because there's no need to pack bowls or plates. All you need is a spork and a pot for boiling your water in.

One pouch is one serving but my man and I split it in half so we could each try it. The half that I ate filled me up. I was totally surprised how delicious this turned out to be. It is creamy with veggies and noodles. There a bites of yummy turkey and it is seasoned with just the right amount of herbs and spices.  ​TURKEY TETRAZZINI# Servings: 1 pouch.  Calories: 610 Fat Cal: 180 Total Fat: 21g Cholest: 80mg Sodium: 1590mg Carbs: 59mg Protein: 36g Vitamin A: 20% Vitamin C: 40% Calcium: 50% ​Iron: 20%

​With 36 grams of protein this meal will fill you with the energy you need to hike long trails and explore the world without needing to carry a ton of jerky and food weight. Trust me you will love this product. It's just what you need after a long day on the trails. TheEpicenter.com has everything you need for those long hiking trips, camping trips and emergency supply kits.  From MREs to camping stoves and first aid kits TheEpicenter.com has it and at an excellent price. They carry all the brands you want when camping and more so save your time driving from store to store and check out TheEpicenter.com and get all your supplies at once. They ship out quickly, within 1-2 days so no long wait to get what you need for your next trip.

                                                              GIVEAWAY!!!

TheEpicenter.com is giving away the same thing I received to one very lucky Simple Side of Life reader......one Turkey Tetrazzini pouch to pack in your camp gear so good luck and tweet daily for extra entry points. 

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Oh Snap! Pickling Co. Review & Giveaway (5 Winners)

​Oh Snap! Pickling Co. is changing the way people think about pickles. Sure, they’re still cute, green, and incredibly delicious. But now,pickles are fresher, with no added brine (no messy pickle juice), and available in convenient, single-serve individually wrapped packaging. Oh Snap! does pickles. And, they do them oh so well!

​< GONE DILLY Fresh Whole Kosher Dill Pickle: This is the classic dill flavor loved by kids and well just about everyone. These fresh, individually wrapped, whole kosher dill pickles make on-the-go snacking more fun and easier than ever. > HOTTIE Whole Hot N' Spicy Pickle: Give your pickle a snappy roundhouse kick. The individually wrapped pickle is mildly spicy, providing a smooth and zesty heat that serves as a wake up call to your ordinary day

I received an awesome package ofOh Snap! Pickling Co. products. I got to try a few of each item they sell and I am loving them all. If you know me then you know I am a HUGEpickle fanatic. There is nothing better than ajuicy delicious snack that hasNO CALORIES!! Oh Snap! Pickling Co. takes all the mess and fuss out of eating pickles without loosing any of the juicy goodness.

​I have also been loving these Dilly Bites on my sandwiches. My man is a spicy kind of guy so he prefers the Hottie Bites on his sandwich. These pouches are so cool, we just grab out a few of the slices and lay them in our sandwiches and we are good to go. I roll the tops of the bags up and put them in a snack bag to keep them fresh for next time. Add these Dilly Bites and Hottie Bites to anything you love pickles on or anything you want to add a juicy crunch to. A ton of flavor and no calories or added guilt. I'm one of those people that love crunch in my sandwich but I need to watch what I eat so instead of putting chips in my sandwiches I just stack on the Dilly Bites. Oh Snap!! It is delicious and healthy!!!!   :)

Oh Snap! Pickling Co. makes these awesome pre-sliced bags of pickles. They are super convenient to snack on. These are seriously perfect for packing in your kids lunch or in your purse. You can toss one in your gym bag for an after workout pick me up. I work outside in my art shop and get hungry throughout the day. I like having a snack that isn't messy because I can't just wash my hands easily. Oh Snap! Dilly Bites have made my life a snap because now I can work, keep the bag of bites open and just poke my fork in to take a single bite. I don't have to slice it up or get my hands messy.

Oh Snap! Gone Dilly! Fresh Whole Kosher Dill Pickles and Hottie! Whole hot n' spicy pickles are also an incredible pouch pickle. I love these because there is no brine to pour out before you eat it. You just tear open the top of the pouch, push the pickle up and take a bite. Yummmmy!!! 

One of my favorite snacks is kind of a strange one but it's sooooo good and also great to serve at parties. You can put a toothpick in each round and people can grab them up to munch on while they chat with other party goers.  You take a tortilla and smear a decent layer of cream cheese across the entire thing. I love cream cheese so I tend to go a little heavy on it. Next you put a layer of any type of meat you prefer over the cream cheese. I like to mix it up so I use deli sliced chicken, sliced turkey or on this day I used salami. The next thing you

add is abig juicy whole pickle. My Oh Snap! Gone Dilly was perfect for me and the Oh Snap! Hottie is perfect for the more spicy people. Once you get your Oh Snap! Whole pickle on the tortilla you roll the tortilla up around the delicious pickle and then slice it into whatever size you choose. If you want to serve this to others you can place toothpicks into the wrap to hold it together as well as sort of space out where you want to slice. Then they can grab it off the plate by the toothpick and they are all set to snack

I love these little bites of heaven so I recommend you give them a try. Oh Snap! Gone Dilly made this super simple to make. You can bring these ingredients camping, pop them in the cooler and serve the kids and your friends a refreshing treat.

Look for Oh Snap! Pickle Co. pickles pouches at a store near you. Check out your local Target, Walmart, Albertson's, Food Lion and more.

                                                                   GIVEAWAY!!!!

Oh Snap! Pickle Co. gave me free product coupons to giveaway to our lucky Simple Side of Life readers. We will have 5 (five) winners. Each winner will receive 2 (two) Free Product coupons! Good luck! Follow Oh Snap! on all their social media pages and don't forget to tweet daily for extra entries!!

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Santa Cruz Organic & Green Moms Review & Giveaway

Santa Cruz Organic sells some of the YUMMIEST organic products out there. 
I have been using Santa Cruz Organic in my home for a few years now and haven't tried something I didn't like. 
ALL are so natural, so tasty and packed for of good for you items. 
Santa Cruz Organic Agua Fresca's are now my MUST HAVE refreshing drink. 

Moms Meet sent me a bottle of Santa Cruz Organic Agua Fresca Mango Passionfruit to try. I must admit I drank the whole bottle in one day.  I did share one glass, but the rest was all mine. I am now a daily drinker of all three Agua Fresca flavors. Pomegranate, Grapefruit or Mango Passionfruit, with the Mango Passionfruit being my all time favorite. 
I am normally just a green tea and water drinker. I have nothing else. Until I was offered a a bottle of Santa Cruz Organic AWESOME Agua Fresca. 
First this come in a glass bottle, you don't see many beverages in glass bottles anymore. If you walk down the juice isle it's mostly plastic. When I see products in glass I always seem to gravitate to them. There is something abut juice being stored in plastic that turns me off. Maybe that's why I never really drank juice. 

Made by blending organic fruit juice and fruit juice concentrate, sugar, a splash of lemon juice, and other ingredients, these delightfully distinctive drinks are reminiscent of the Agua Frescas that have long been popular throughout Central America and the Caribbean. Now, Santa Cruz Organic® makes it easy for you to enjoy an
Agua Fresca at home—the perfect way to Keep on Cruzin' through your day!

Only 60 calories per cup, light and refreshing... a wonderful morning juice or afternoon relaxing juice in a cup full of ice. You can even freeze it in a freezer mold and make
yummy organic fruit juice ice pops. 

Santa Cruz Organic also has some Lemonades that are also WONDERFUL. I have been buying some of these for a very long time. I don't drink them often since lemonades upset my stomach but
I do buy/drink them from time to time anyways. 
My favorite is the Cherry Lemonade, it's a yummy blend of sweet cherries and tart lemons.
Served in a tall glass of ice this is so refreshing. 

Our Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades have long been a favorite summertime treat.  Try ourCherry, Peach, Mango, Raspberry, Strawberry, and Original Lemonade beverages today!
Like all Santa Cruz Organic products, Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are certified organic in accordance with the United States Department of Agriculture's organic regulations.  Bearing the official USDA Organic seal,Santa Cruz Organic® Lemonades are guaranteed to be organic, from the ingredients through the recipe-batching process, and into the bottle.  This assures product integrity and supports efforts for environmental responsibility.

Santa Cruz Organics started back in 1972... 

About Santa Cruz Organic.... As a pioneer organic brand, Santa Cruz Organic® was the first company to offer customers a wide range of organic, 100 percent juices and blends. We were also the first juice processor to use all organic fruit. As a company, we believe nature itself is the truest form of art, and our goal is to infuse the beauty of nature's process into everything we do … from harvest to the bottle on your table.
Santa Cruz Organic® currently offers more than 50 organic items ranging from organic fruit juices and lemonades to organic fruit sauces, chocolate syrups, peanut butters and fruit spreads available nationwide. It's who we are. It’s what we do. And more importantly, it's what we love.

Another great Santa Cruz Organic product that I eat daily as a snack is the wonderful Apple Sauce pouches. 
At home I buy this apple sauce in the glass jar, it comes in numerous added fruit flavors. But on the go, hiking and kayaking I always take a Apple Sauce pouch. Each pouch contains 3.2 oz Apple Sauce with no added colors, 100% Daily Value Vitamin C & Gluten Free. Only 45 calories, makes this a perfect snack for kids and adults. You can take these pouches anywhere, lunches, on the go, car rides, hiking.... etc. 

The Santa Cruz Organic® brand has taken applesauce to a new level with its line of organic fruit sauces. The base for all flavors is created by grinding certified USDA organic apples into a smooth, saucy blend. Additions like cinnamon and spices or pureed organic fruits such as apricots and peaches, make for complex and lively flavors.
Each 4-ounce sauce cup provides 100% RDI* of Vitamin C - perfect for kids' lunch boxes. See for yourself why the Santa Cruz Organic brand has received numerous awards and accolades for these outstanding fruit sauces.
Since the Santa Cruz Organic brand doesn't add sugar to these sauces, pure enjoyment is all you get.

Where to Buy

All of my local stores sell Santa Cruz Organics products, but to find one near you click above they have a great find products near you section to their website. 

If your looking for something good for you and your family, not too sweet and just delicious give Santa Cruz Organic a try, you will be happy you did. 
Enter below, one lucky Simple Side of Life viewer will win a coupon to try a Santa Cruz Organic juice of your choice. 
Thanks to Moms Meet. 
Good Luck Everyone. 

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Kaytee Pet Products Rat Cage Review

For over 140 years, KAYTEE has dedicated its resources to the increased understanding of our natural surroundings and the animals that call it home.

Providing the highest quality foods & services for people's enjoyment of birds & other pets. Kaytee is an industry leader and one of the largest marketers and producers of food for pet birds, wild birds, and small animals. Kaytee has a strong history of developing innovative new products, such as the Exact line of pet bird and small animal food.

Whether you are just beginning or are looking to expand your knowledge, the Kaytee family of Nutritionists, Veterinarians, Behaviorists, and Enthusiasts work together to insure that your pet ownership experience is a successful one!

I love Kaytee products, I have purchased an unknown amount of them. I have had a ton of rats, mice, hamsters and rabbits in my life and at the moment I have narrowed it down to 5 rats. (Well.... and a snake and 4 dogs.)  I love my rats and try my best to give them a happy life. Kaytee makes tons of yummy snacks and food options that I buy on the regular. I have also used a ton of different brand water bottles and have struggled more than you would think. Some bottles just drip/leak all over the bedding and some bottles won't drip when you want them to. The poor rats get no water when trying to drink. With Kaytee brand water bottles I know for sure that the bedding stays dry and my rats are getting water. My rats are family to me so I want to best for them and Kaytee helps me provide the best. I have 3 girls, Sheri Moon (solid black), Peppermint Patty (Naked Dumbo) and Curly Sue (Curly Dumbo). They live together in one cage. Then I have two boys, Rob Z and lil Roblet (both hooded). These two guys live in their new Kaytee Rat Home that Kaytee provided me. They LOVE it!! I love it!!!

Rob Z and lil Roblet are super happy in their new home, they love to sleep underneath the overhang. I even put a tiny home in there with them but they flipped it over and still just slept under the overhang so that tells me that the cage provides my guys with a safe haven. A place they can tuck away and cozy up. They run up and down their little ladder to eat. I like the solid ladder because it is very easy to keep clean and I know their feet won't slip through.

The Kaytee Rat Home cage is sooooo easy to assemble and take apart. I completely take it apart every time I clean the bedding out. It's light weight and snap together design makes it a cinch to pop it apart, put it in the tub, shower or outside by the hose and wash it off. I wash EVERYTHING, I don't just change the bedding. I actually scrub every piece with soap, dry it and then add new bedding.  The food bowl just sits inside of the pre-cut hole in the plastic. I think it's a great feature having the food dish upstairs and out of the bedding. My girls cage is much different and their feeder bowl hangs low in the cage. It sits on top of the bedding and the ladies are always, always kicking bedding into the food. It's tough to keep clean. Having the nifty bowl in the upstairs of the Kaytee Rat Home prevent this problem entirely. Being able to set the food bowl into the plastic hole keeps the dish from tipping over and spilling food everywhere. Having a secure bowl that's unable to spill saves me a ton of money in rat food. It truly limits the waste.

This Kaytee Rat Home is a total of 5 pieces including a food bowl. The little level that holds the food bowl snaps onto the wire on the cage so you can choose how high or low you want it to be. The ladder has two simple snaps that attach it to the upper level.  The cage has a deep base so it holds bedding inside better than some other wire cages I have had in the past. I love the deep base for that because it minimizes needing to sweep up around the cage. Glass cages/fish tanks prevent this issue but what I don't like about using fish tanks is the major lack of air circulation and also the heavy weight of the tank makes it tough to clean and move around.  The Kaytee Rat Home cage area has 6 wire tongues that slip into grooves/slots in the lip of the base. I tried to show it in the picture on the left. There are two on each side and one on each end. The end ones have clips that latch tight over the base lip to keep the cage in place.

The wire is chew proof. My rats have nibbled on spots but they left no damage other than color change. They nibbled a lil white off but the wire holds strong. The cage has a large door that is easy to open and closes securely just by tucking into the wire so there's no fussing with complicated latches and it has a wide enough opening to get in there and grab your pet out. My Rob Z likes to just come out and climb around but lil Roblet is on the shy side so I find the wide opening makes it easy for me to get him out for snuggle time and cage cleaning. I need to get a second one of these Kaytee Rat Homes for the girls now.

Kaytee makes every product your can think of for all your small pet needs. Check out the Kaytee website and pick something up for your furry friends.

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Make sure you follow Kaytee on all their social media pages to keep up to date with their latest products and share pictures of your furry and feathered family member enjoying their Kaytee products.

Vinyldisorder.com Review & Giveaway

Vinyldisorder.com is the site to go to for ALL your Vinyl Decal needs. 
​From custom decals, car decals, band music stickers,  sports stickers, dirt bike & sports stickers, banner, vehicle lettering, boat lettering, business decorations, website decals, automotive decals and graphics. 
You can spend hours in their site just looking at endless possibilities for decals. 
I had the hardest time picking out what I wanted to review (so many cool choices), but when I came across the motivational decal I picked I knew it was the perfect one for me. 

Vinyldisorder.com makes the decals when you order them.
They can make your decal small to very large and from just one to large quantities, depending on your needs. 
I have bought other decals from other companies, not one is hanging in my house today. Reason, the quality was horrible.... it mainly started with the putting up process, the decals from other companies would pretty much break and stick to other parts before I even got it on my wall. 
BUT, with vinyldisorder.com's decal I had NO problems. 
Just read the enclosed directions before attempting to hang it up.

My wall before installing the vinyldisorder.com wall decal. I cleaned the wall with rubbing alcohol & allowed it to dry before applying my decal.

Image #2: Vinydaldisorder.com decal up on the wall. I had to step back, make sure it was straight, then apply pressure to the paper to start the process of transferring the letters to my wall. I should really start by saying........The first thing to do after you receive your new die-cut decal is to inspect the surface you're going to put it on. Clean the surface thoroughly, making sure to remove any dust, dirt or grime. This will help ensure proper adhesion.

Next, smooth out your decal either by hand or with a squeegee ( I had no wrinkles in mine), a simple, inexpensive tool available from Vinyl Disorder, to remove any wrinkles or ridges. Even if your decal has been crushed in transit, you'll be surprised at how it
will reform back into shape with a little care from you.

Image #2: Now, put your decal in place. It's a good idea to take measurements, if you want to exactly center your die-cut decal. That will mean using a tape measure to ensure equal distances of the decal's edges from the sides, top and bottom of the surface you're applying it to. Of course, you don't necessarily have to center your decal - although most people do. You can go for your own unique, offbeat look by positioning your decal off center, if you like.

​Then, remove the backing from your decal. Press it firmly against the surface you wish to apply it to. Use your hands or a squeegee to remove any wrinkles or small bumps so that the decal lies as flat as possible against the surface. ( as you will see in my video I did not have a squeegee so I used the next best thing =) a wooden spoon, lol yes in my brain at that time I thought the spoon was the next best thing, but hey it worked ) I have VERY textured walls, so I had to a harder time getting each letter to stay on my wall. Watch my video to see how easy it was even with the texture on my wall. I just had to take my time & occasionally go back and push down a letter.

Above & Below Pictures is my Finished Vinyl Installation. Sorry the bottom picture isn't the best, for some reason no matter how many times I took this picture my camera didn't want to turn out very clear. I love the way the vinyl turned out, regardless of how bad the camera took a picture.

I am so happy with my wall decal. It's very motivational.
Plus it turned out great. 

I stated above that in the video, but for some reason I am not able to upload the video to this review. So I will keep trying, in the meantime,
​check outVinyldisorder.com they do all the below:

Such a cool site, you really can spends hours looking at all the cool possibilities. 
Enter below one viewer will win a 15" decal (No specialty vinyl) of your choice. 
Good Luck Everyone. 

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Garden of Life mykind Organics Vitamin Review & Giveaway (5 Winners USA & Canada)

​Finally, it’s here—a whole food multi from real, nutritious foods that’s Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and is specifically formulated in a once-daily dose for the needs of women: mykind Organics Women’s Once Daily. Made from over 30 powdered organic fruits, vegetables and herbs, mykind Organics Women’s Once Daily offers 19 vitamins and minerals with 15 greater than 100% Daily Value (DV), including great levels of B vitamins for radiant skin and nails. It also provides vitamin B-12 in methylcobalamin form—a highly absorbable, active, natural form of B-12, like the B-12 in the body. Women’s Once Daily also delivers vegan D3 from lichen for immune support and 2mg of iron for blood support. Women’s Once Daily is made from real organic whole food, including lemons, annatto, amla berry, holy basil and many more—providing perfect support for your demanding lifestyle—all in just one organic tablet daily.

Garden of Life gave me the pleasure of trying vitamins from the myKind organics line. They offer and entire line of amazing vegan vitamins. I picked the ones best suited for me. I received a bottle of Women's Once Daily Whole Food Multivitamin Vegan Tablets.  I took these for 30 days and I felt better, I even had more energy. I try to eat right but lets face it, none of us are perfect and we don't always get every vitamin we need daily from what we eat.  I learned a lot about these vitamins and how they came about and it makes me feel confident in this brand. I swear I have stared at the zillion brands of vitamins when I'm at the store. How do I pick one, what's the difference, does it really matter from brand to brand, how do I know what's best? I'm not a nutritionist or a Dr. so, seriously.....how am I supposed to choose? Price? Pretty picture on the bottle? It's confusing. What I do know is that I want to take one vitamin a day. I don't want 10 bottles of this and that on the counter. ​

​When I started reading about this particular vitamin line and how it came about I realized the differences and what makes a quality vitamin. We all know and love Alicia Silverstone. I grew up watching her movies. She's a beautiful mother, fit and smart. She is vegan and looks amazing. She eats like we all dream we would, cautious of everything that is put into our bodies. She tries to get all of her daily nutrients through eating the right foods but realized when she was pregnant that this might be tough and there are always those busy days when you might be lacking something. When she became pregnant it was presented to her that she take a prenatal vitamin since she will be eating and sharing nutrients for two now. Due to the fact that she is so aware of what she consumes she ran into the problem of learning that mostvitamins contain chemical synthetic binders and fillers. She also noticed that those vitamins claiming to be "natural" are filled with GMO's, include artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners, and so on.

These vitamins that contain all of this junk, IMO (in my opinion) are just cutting corners. Binders and fillers are the glues to speed up the production process because they help keep vitamins from sticking to the production equipment and can be used for aesthetic reasons such as color, shape and sheen. The cheap chemicals commonly used are often hydrolyzed, fractionated stearates and other undesirable synthetics. In addition to these additives being unnatural and unhealthy, many have not been adequately studied or even labeled correctly . Alicia, thankfully.... decided to team up withGarden of Life and make vitamins for not just pregnant women but for everyone. Garden of Life is an amazing company with standout sustainability initiatives and the leaders in Certified USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified nutrition. Together, they created mykind Organics, an entirely new kind of multi that is Certified USDA organic, non-GMO-verified and free of synthetic binders and fillers. ​ YAY!!

Now instead of staring at the zillions of vitamins on the store shelf I just reach for my Garden of Life mykind Organics women's once daily. I think if we are going to spend so much time, energy and money feeding our bodies healthy foods and working out so hard we should make sure ourvitamins are not sabotaging us. ​

Garden of Life mykind Organics has a huge line of vitamins. There is truly something for everyone in your family.

You can purchase Garden of Life mykind Organics products directly from Garden of Life website.

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                                                              GIVEAWAY!!!!
Garden of Life will be giving a bottle of vitamins to 5 (five) lucky Simple Side of Life readers. Good Luck and don't forget to tweet daily for extra entry points. 

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Intelligent Blends ~ Muad's Coffee Review & Giveaway

Intelligent Blends sells coffee pods for way less than you will find anywhere. There are so many to choose from too, not just coffee, they also have tea's. 
Like most of you know I don't drink coffee, so Intelligent Blends sent me a case of Maud's Organic English Breakfast Tea Pods along with a sample box of other tea's. I have been drinking one of these every morning, usually cold but some mornings hot and I think they are delicious. 

FACTORY DIRECT SINGLE-SERVE PODS MORE THAN A STORE, THEY ARE A SINGLE-SERVE FACTORY! Intelligent Blends is a Factory Direct Store offering a great selection of Gourmet Coffee & Tea in Recyclable pods at amazingly low prices. As low as 39¢ per cup with Free Shipping on All Orders!  At the Intelligent Blends factory they make
premier single-serve beverages for brands across the US and abroad.
Since they've been successfully producing millions of single-serve pods for dozens of coffee roasters and brands since 2012 they decided to make some of our own! _Their mission is to create premium gourmet pods and save you money by offering it direct from factory to your door. They are constantly roasting and producing Fresh Coffee & Tea Pods to supply the growing community of customers on a monthly basis so you always get the best, freshest coffee & tea they have to offer! Maud's Righteous Blends is their first featured brand. 

If this is your first time trying Intelligent Blends coffee & tea brand? You can purchase their Sample Packs. 
They have a Tea & Coffee Sample Pack. For $4.99 & $5.99 you get a pack of 8 pods in a variety of flavors. This is a good way to try before you buy a whole box. 

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet Coffees by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet Medium & Dark Roast Coffees by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet Flavored & Light Roast Coffees by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet Organic Teas by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Premium teas are expertly blended and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet French Roast Coffee by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Maud's Righteous Blends "French Kiss" French Roast is some of the best bold roasted coffee we've ever tasted in pods! This coffee roasted to a perfect dark brown bean and has delicious burnt undertones. A wonderful bold cup that's flavorful, shiny with oil and has a diminished acidity. Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Gourmet Decaf Coffee by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $4.99 for processing & handling. Maud's Righteous Blends "Mellow Mood Decaf" Medium Roast is some of the best decaf coffee we've ever tasted! This cup of coffee is nuanced with a syrupy sweet berry acidity and finishes with a full, chocolaty body. Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted and nitrogen sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

Enjoy a Sample 8-Pack of Organic, Single-Origin, Fair-Trade certified Coffee by our 5th Generation Roastmaster. Pay only $5.99 for processing & handling. Maud's Righteous Blends Single-Origin, Organic Variety Pack contains 4 Incredible Blends of Organic coffee from some of the best coffee growing regions around the world! Premier Pods – 30% More Coffee In Each Pod! 100% Organic, Single-Origin, Fair-Trade™ certified coffee beans. New Recyclable black pods. Limited Supply!

Prepared with real apple and sweetened with cinnamon, it strikes a soothing balance between sweet and tart with a touch of spice. Made from All Natural ingredients and nitrogen sealed in our advanced recyclable 2.0 compatible generic pods (non branded). Cheers to enjoying a fresh cup of warm Apple Cider during this holiday season!

For $39 you get 100 tea pods, yes 100 of them. If you want auto delivery you save 2.5%, auto delivery would be nice if you want to keep receiving the wonderful cups of tea or coffee and want to make sure
you always have them on hand. 
Maud's Righteous Blends "Royally Good English Breakfast" Tea now available in our Recyclable Pods. This authentic blend of Assam, Ceylon, Kenyan teas is full-bodied, robust and rich, designed to be smooth alone or to go well with milk and sugar. Prepare to embark on a royally rich experience!

This cup of tea is delicious hot or cold. I usually brew it over ice with some almond milk and a little bit of honey. It's good without sweetener too. It's also good hot but I am more of a cold tea
​drinker, especially at this time of the year. 

• ENGLISH BREAKFAST BLEND, BLACK TEA | RECYCLABLE ECO PODS!
• USDA ORGANIC CERTIFIED, KOSHER CERTIFIED
• COMPATIBLE WITH ALL KEURIG® & K CUP® BREWERS INCLUDING "2.0"

Intelligent Blends has a Rewards Program that helps you save money
with a money back program. 
Join their customer rewards program and get Beans that you can spend now in their shop or save for a later purchase.

100 beans are worth $1

Register~Join our reward program and get 50 Beans
Loyalty~Spend one dollar (USD) in our store and get 2 Beans
Refer A Friend~Invite a friend and get 10 Beans for each dollar (USD) they spend
Facebook Like~Like our Facebook page and get 10 Beans
Birthday~Stay with us until your next birthday and get 50 Beans

~ If you would like to join & start ordering your own pods please pm me I will send you a referral code ~ 

When I first got a pod coffee maker I wondered what will happen when everyone gets one of these things and throws out all the pods everyday. Millions of people drink coffee, that's allot of pods. I was noticing at work my boss drinks 6-9 pods of coffee  per day, that's just one person. Could you pic all the pods that are in the landfill and they don't compose. Then I read about Intelligent Blends pods, they are recyclable. To me that was the selling point. I now only order Intelligent Blends for my boss and myself. Not only are they recyclable but they taste GREAT. 

The Recycling Story:

With an estimated 20+ billion pods to be consumed in 2015, the industry needs Eco-Friendly Solutions that offer all of the advantages of being in single-serve capsules without any of the wasteful byproducts. Intelligent Blends is proud to offer our Award-Winning #5 Recyclable Pods to clients who promote sustainability. An innovation in the single-serve coffee and beverage market, the team at Intelligent Blends is passionate about positively impacting the environment one cup at a time. Our Recyclable pods are comprised of an advanced proprietary blend of #5 Recyclable Polypropylene along with other eco-friendly materials, producing a capsule with an moisture/oxygen barrier that is up to 10x less permeable than typical Polysteyne cups. Traditional pods are not recyclable.
Recyclable Capsules Offer a Superior Moisture Barrier

While both traditional plastic pods made from polystyrene (PS) and recyclable pods made from polypropylene (PP) include EVOH as an effective moisture/oxygen barrier, our recyclable PP cups boast 10x the moisture barrier of PS cups. ACTUAL (WVTR) DATA – Polystyrene (PS) = 0.0111 g / package / day | Polypropylene (PP) = 0.0019 g / package / day.

Our Commitment to Sustainability
Committed to developing sustainable solutions in the single-serve market, Intelligent Blends is staying on the cutting-edge actively working with companies all over the world to research and develop innovative single-serve packaging products that will continue to positively impact the environment. Recyclable pods are just the beginning. As part of our commitment, we proudly offer our innovative Recyclable single-serve capsules at no extra cost. Since introducing our “Eco Pods” in March of 2014, we’ve packed millions cups for Brands and Roasters all over the United States and abroad.

1. COST – Provide an equal cost alternative for a superior Recyclable produce.
2. QUALITY – Provide a solution that improves the quality of the product and/or extends shelf life.
3. SUSTAINABILITY – A solution that is more sustainable with substantially lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
4. RECYCLABILITY – Potential to recycle both externally and even closed loop.

---

An EXCELLENT cup of Coffee or Tea in a Recyclable Pod

What more could you ask for. 

ENTER BELOW to win a 100 count box of: Maud's Righteous Blends "Tall Dark & Handsome" Dark Roast is a gentle, heavy bodied coffee with silky texture, sweet aroma and flavor rich with notes of toasted nuts. Our most popular dark roast blend! Premium 100% Arabica coffee beans are expertly batch-roasted by our 5th Generation Roastmaster then sealed into our advanced Recyclable pods.

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Joshua Tree Coffee Company Review & Giveaway (2 winners)

Joshua Tree Coffee Company was born out of the desire to offer not only a locally roasted coffee to the community, but most importantly to make locally roasted organic coffee available. Coffee is the third most heavily sprayed crop in the world after cotton and tobacco and the most heavily sprayed food crop. There are 25 million farmers producing 13 billion pounds of coffee annually that are often using DDT like banned pesticides and not wearing any kind of safety equipment - no Tyvek suits, no respirators, no dust masks. This means women in there sun dresses with tanks strapped to their back and no protective equipment (and men as well of course) are spraying the hundreds of billions of gallons of pesticides used on coffee crops. In the US recently a young boy named Carlos was born missing limbs to a mother who sprayed pesticides on a tomato farm in North Carolina. The organization looked into it and said they couldn’t refute the link between the mother’s exposure and her child’s deformities and changed safety protocol. This happened in the US to a farmer who had protective equipment and safety procedures of any kind. Many farmers in developing nations that grow coffee have none of the relevant educational resources, equipment and procedures to be safe.

So, from day one roasting 2 pounds at a time out of their home kitchen their focus has been roasting specialty grade organic coffee and educating as to the importance of organic. After roasting 17,000 pounds, two pounds at a time, they managed to get their roastery/coffee bar open and their Loring Smart Roaster, which represents the only significant reinvention of the coffee roaster ever (in the history of commercial roasters being produced which is 150+ years).Joshua Tree coffee prints labels locally, hand cut them on a vintage 1930’s paper cutter, hand

label, and hand fill bags. They have repeatedly made their commitment to creating jobs and bettering the community public and plan to stay focused on that as we grow. They are planning a 10,000 sq ft facility in the future with 4,000 sq ft dedicated to cafe space where we’ll offer all organic locally grown food, gluten-free beer produced in house, organic pastries and of course every imaginable specialty coffee beverage. They plan to have a local menu with special pricing (at or very near cost) to making eating organic affordable for everyone, and at least one entire wall of the cafe dedicated to portraits of farmers with bios of how pesticides and or unfair wages or workplace conditions affected them in their industry. Every time someone makes the choice to buy organic coffee of any kind they are voting with their dollar and helping to save at least some of 25 million farmers from having their health destroyed. They have low overhead and while we are business savvy, the goal of the company is to make the world a better place vs just increase revenue.

​They also use all compostable materials in the cafe, and grass fed organic milk which cost $10 a gallon vs $1.80 a gallon for standard subsidized, homogenized, ultra-pasteurized milk. Most of their customers probably don’t even realize there’s a difference. Joshua Tree Coffee knows who and what their dollars support though. They are planning on starting charities to raise awareness or advocate organic and Rain Forest Alliance certification and help with providing important rights and services to coffee farms after their new facility is up and running and sustainable.

Joshua Tree Coffee Company has exceptional coffee. I had the pleasure of trying all 5 of their delicious coffee blends. The First Roast - Medium Dark, Espresso - Dark, Breakfast Bliss- Medium, Mellow Ethiopian - Light and Delicious Decaf - Medium.

This coffee is like drinking a warm cup of heaven first thing in the morning. I am currently drinking The First Roast, Joshua Tee Coffee Companies Medium- Dark Blend. The beans are beautiful....they are super fresh and glisten with oils. When you open the bag the rich aroma takes over your senses.

The First Roast is a lovely darker roast with absolutely no bitter after taste. For me it is a perfect blend of Colombian, Guatemalan, and Ethiopian beans each with a carefully developed custom roast profile. The Columbian beans provide a deep bottom end, the Guatemalan a solid second note, and the Ethiopian the shine, sparkle, and brightness. This is a perfect blend for coffee lovers all around the world. ​

​The Espresso Dark is another favorite in my house. My man drinks this blend every day and occasionally I steal a cup or two but I know how much he loves it so I try to limit myself. LOL I'm such a sweetheart ;) He prefers to brew it in the french press so all of the delicious oils stay in each cup of coffee we enjoy.  Like our popular First Roast, our Espresso is a blend of Colombian, Guatemalan and Ethiopian beans. We've toned down the brightness a bit to make it perfect for pulling savory shots or making a dark delicious cup.

< Breakfast Bliss ~ The answer for those who love a mellow medium roast to start the day (or anytime of course ) or who find theirMellow Ethiopian a bit bright, or The First Roast a bit bold, this blend of Colombian and Guatemalan roasted to perfection is quite simply put - Not too dark, not too light, just right > Mellow Ethiopian ~ They took the bright, exotic bean from the The First Roast, roasted it lightly to

​perfection . . . and voila! Their Mellow Ethiopian was born. Sweet with light body and great for tea lovers, or long time coffee drinkers looking for a single origin adventure. Tip: While sweeter, this light roast is also a little sharper. An instant favorite for many.

Joshua Tree Coffee Co. Delicious Decaf is just that..... delicious. I love having a quality bag of decaf in my cupboard. Sometimes in the evening after a filling dinner I like to enjoy a cup of coffee without staying up the rest of the night. I also like to serve coffee after holiday dinners with dessert. This Delicious Decaf has the incredible flavor you desire without the buzz of a regular cup of coffee. The Delicious Decaf is truly unrivaled. Unlike many decafs that are chemically processed and dull and flavorless, this Delicious Decaf is decaffeinated using the Mountain Water Process which uses glacier water to naturally remove 99.9% of the caffeine but none of the deliciousness. Easily the best you'll ever have! This is found by many to be easily dark enough to be well suited for use as an decaf espresso.

Joshua Tree Coffee Co packages their coffee in an awesome resealable bag. I think this is sooooo much cooler and convenient than those bags that you have to roll and then hope that little sticky strip sticks. Instead of digging for a rubber band that fits around your bag so you can try to close it up again or going into the office to find the tape roll all you need to do is lock it down....seal it up with this handy zipper seal and your coffee will stay as fresh as the day you opened it. ​                              I love that!!!

Joshua Tree Coffee comes in 3 size options. You can purchase a half pound for $8, a full pound for $14 or you can buy four pounds for $50. 

If you are like me and can't imagine the thought of running out of coffee then I recommend taking advantage of the Joshua Tree Coffee Co. Subscribe and Save program. You will save 10% and you don't need to worry about going to the store of waking up and realizing there is no coffee. You can choose delivery every seven days, fourteen days or once a month. Awesome!!! Have your favorite coffee delivered to your door. You can cancel or adjust your plan any time you wish. I love the idea of having coffee delivered to me.

You can purchase your Joshua Tree Coffee directly from the website:            

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​Or maybe you are lucky enough to be able to stop by their coffee shop either because you live close or maybe you are on vacation....61738 Twentynine Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA 92252

Make sure you follow Joshua Tree Coffee Co on facebook to stay up to date with the latest news.

                                                              GIVEAWAY!!!!!!
Joshua Tree Coffee is being incredibly generous and giving away 2 (two) pounds of coffee to 2 (two) very lucky Simple Side of Life readers. Good Luck and don't forget to tweet daily for extra entry points.

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Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata & Dolcedi' Review & Giveaway

Rigoni di Asiago is a family-owned company from Italy that produces delicious, organically farmed jam, honey and chocolate spreads. The Rigoni family lives in the Altopiano di Asiago, a mountain plateau in North Italy famous for its sunny climate, meadows and woodlands. In this tiny corner of paradise where man still lives in direct contact with nature, honey and jam making are long-standing traditions and, as a natural consequence, the Rigoni family has mastered these crafts. One family, one business.

​Nocciolata organic hazelnut cocoa spread with milk is so delicious. It is a spreadable cream of cocoa and hazelnuts with ingredients that are all organic. There are a million and one ways to use this. I have enjoyed going out to my garden and picking fresh strawberries and swirling the tips in my Nocciolata spread. Yummy!! It adds a creamy chocolate flavor to my juicy berries. I have also had those after dinner cravings where I must, must have something sweet so I grab a cookie from the pantry and then spread a layer ofNocciolata across the top of it to add more tasty goodness to my treat.

Nocciolata Cinnamon Tortillas ​In the morning for a breakfast treat on the weekends my man makes tasty cinnamon tortillas. He warms the tortilla in a pan on the stove with a bit of butter and kind of toasts the tortilla a bit. Once the tortilla is warm he smears a layer of Nocciolata all over the tortilla and then rolls it up.  After it's all rolled up he plates it and sprinkles a generous amount of cinnamon sugar over the top.   It's fantastic and a winner with the kids. Nocciolata Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk is organic, non-GMO, Kosher certified, and gluten free.

Unlike other brands that use palm oil (high in saturated fat and whose cultivation devastates the environment) Nicciolata is made with environmentally-responsible cold-pressed sunflower oil. It also contains far less sugar than other brands and is free from hydrogenated fats.

There are so many delicious recipes on theRigoni de Asiago website and even more on the facebook page. There are a few different social media pages that you can follow for recipes. Check out the facebook, pinterest and twitter pages that are dedicated to Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk for ideas like, waffles, cookies, drinks, dipping, spreading and drizzling ideas.

​Many sweeteners on the market are chemically processed or nutritionally void, while others have bitter aftertastes or spike our blood sugar. Dolcedì’ is a new, all-natural liquid sweetener that’s made from the concentrate and filtered sugar extracted from 100% organic apples and is a low-glycemic alternative to sugar and other sweeteners. Dolcedi' has25% fewer calories than table sugar. It is certified USDA organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and STAR-KOSHER.

I was able to try the Dolcedi' sweetener and I think it's pretty cool. You can use it like you would use sugar. It melts better and quicker into liquid than sugar. Especially cold drinks. You can put it in hot coffee and teas to sweeten them. I used it in cold tea because sometimes when I use regular granulated sugar it's tough to mix. The granulated sugar tends to sink to the bottom of the glass or container and takes a while to dissolve. This Dolcedi' sweetener just swirls right into my teas so I have instant sweet teas.

​ ​Dolcedì’ can be used any way you would use traditional table sugar or honey and in the same proportions; one teaspoon of sugar (4g) equals one teaspoon of Dolcedì’ (4g). Its neutral flavor enhances the taste of food and drinks without altering them. Dolcedì’ is also highly soluble in both cold and hot drinks and can be enjoyed with pancakes, on yogurt, in fruit salad, and in baking.

You can use Dolcedi' to sweeten your lemonade or homemade popsicles. You can use it to bake your next batch of chocolate chip cookies. The Rigoni di Asiago website has endless recipe ideas and so does the social media pages. Check out these social media pages for recipes that use the enter Rigoni do Asiago product line.

You can also use their Instagram page for ideas: ​https://www.instagram.com/rigoniasiagousa/

To find Rigoni di Asiago in a store near you, use the product locator that is provided on their website:  ​https://rigonidiasiago-usa.com/find-a-store/

If you can't find these delicious products near you don't panic. You can order them on amazon.com and have them shipped directly to your door. ​http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=rigoni%20di%20asiago&sprefix=rigon%2Caps

​                                                                         GIVEAWAY!!!

The amazing people atRigoni di Asiago are super generous and offering one lucky Simple Side of Life reader the chance to win the same two products I got to try. Good luck and don't forget to tweet daily for extra points.

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Strauss Meats Review & $$ off Coupons

The Strauss family is committed to raising the very best meats — ethically raised, family farmed and masterly butchered. They are driven by a strong ethical commitment to improve the welfare of their animals, and the environment for our children’s future. Their community of farmers and butchers are dedicated to making a difference – good for the animals, good for the Earth, and good for you.

I have always been a huge animal lover and being raised in Nor-Cal I have also always been aware of where my food comes from as well as how it's raised. At one point I was even a vegetarian due my concern for animal welfare. I have been eating meats again for years and have found that there are meat companies such as Strauss Meats that also have a concern for the animals quality of life. I really, really love Strauss Meats because of this as well as the delicious cuts of meat and varieties they have to offer.

Strauss is an exceptional leader in providing sustainable and humanely raised meats—a passion driven by their own families’ personal commitment to living a natural, sustainable, and organic lifestyle. They work with like-minded family farmers and ranchers who are committed to raising their animals with the same passion and ethical standards. Their commitment to the welfare of our animals extends throughout the processing phase. Working with renowned animal-welfare advocate Dr. Temple Grandin and Dr. Kurt Vogel, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, they have implemented even higher standards of care in their facility. These improvements minimize stress, increase comfort and improve the safe handling of their calves. ​

​I was able to go to my local Whole Foods and find a handful of Strauss Free Raised Veal products. I had never had veal until then and I really enjoyed it. The difference between Strauss Free Raised Veal and any other veal is their calves are free raised and live their lives as nature intends. Their calves have unlimited access to mother’s milk, free of antibiotics and growth hormones and are always free to roam on natural open pastures alongside mother and herd. They never experience the stresses of industrial farming.

Strauss Meats website is really cool. They have an entire recipe section that you can click on. Once you get to their recipe page you can choose from the "collection" drop down menu, appetizers & sides, celebrity chefs, comfort foods, holiday meals, make mom smile, quick & easy, summer grilling, weeknight meals. You can also choose your type of protein, beef, veal or lamb .......then pick your cut and chef.

One of the meat cuts we picked was Free Raised Veal scallopini/cultlets. The meat was super tender and easy to cut.

First we chopped up the Free Raised Veal into bite sized squares and added butter to the pan. Once the pan is hot, just cook Free Raised Veal until lightly browned. Be careful not to over cook it. If you do cook it too long the veal can become tough. Cook up your noodles in a different pot so they are finished at the same time as your Free Raised Veal.  We also cooked some spinach and bacon to add to the dish. After everything is cooked we made a sauce.

It's a rich and creamy lemon sauce. Here is what we put together to make the sauce:
​
1/3 stick butter
1 cup milk or heavy cream
lemon pepper to flavor
2 tbsp flour to thicken sauce (optional)

The free raised veal is so tasty, so soft and tender. It was the first time I have ever had veal and I truly loved it. I am a huge fan of Strauss Meats now and forever. I'm so glad my local Whole Foods carries this brand. 

The last step was to just toss everything together and warm to your liking. Then serve it up in a bowl. I swear it is so delicious. I ate the leftovers cold the next day. Yummy!!!

The second Strauss Meat product we picked up from Whole Foods was the Free Raised Veal Chorizo. This Chorizo is perfect for tacos, bean dips, nachos and so much more. If you have never had chorizo before, it has a bit of spice to it and can be used in recipes kind of like a ground beef. 

We made breakfast out of our Strauss Chorizo and added it to our scrambled eggs. Then we put it in a tortilla, topped it with cheese and I added sour cream because I love sour cream on anything I can have it on. We rolled them up and ate them as breakfast burritos. They are amazing!! I can't wait to have them again.

You can find Strauss Meats at a store near you using the product locator on their website.  ​http://straussbrands.com/where-to-buy Just type in your zip code and it will bring up a list of stores. 

If you would like a money saving coupon for your next Strauss Meats purchase all you need to do is visit them on facebook and post a recipe that you would cook using your Strauss Meat AND mention you read my Simple Side of Life review.

You can also find Strauss Meats on Instagram: ​https://www.instagram.com/straussmeats/