Monday, March 31, 2014

Importance of Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Mazola Corn Oil


Let me first start off with a confession- I’m not much of a cook and my family eats out entirely too much.  I joined Allrecipes.com in hopes that it would force me out of my comfort zone of eating out and into the kitchen.   My boyfriend has cholesterol issues and I’m overweight.  I don’t want our son to grow up with our issues and bad habits.  Unfortunately, we are not teaching him anything different with our current habits.  Getting Heart-Healthy and changing our lifestyles is VERY important to me.  I want my son to grow and thrive with great eating habits.  I don’t want him to be afraid to try something new.
 
 
 
This month I was lucky enough to work with the people at Mazola and their Heart Healthy Mazola® program.  They are on a mission to let people know the Importance of a Heart Healthy Lifestyle.   I have learned SO much from this campaign and will continue to use their corn oil product in the future.
Did you know that Corn Oil is the Cholesterol lowering Champ!?!  Neither did I!  It has been shown that Corn Oil lowered LDL cholesterol by 10.9 percent compared to extra virgin oil oil’s 3.5 percent reduction!  That my friends, is a big difference! Cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death in the United States.  Why not take ANY step you can to get that heart healthy!? Mazola has been a high-quality, trustworthy brand since 1911. 
You can learn more about the healthy benefits of cooking with Mazola on their website http://www.mazola.com/healthandwellness.aspx
Another thing I was worried about is taste.  Mazola Corn Oil is cholesterol free and 100% pure with no additives, so the natural flavor of your favorite foods comes through.
Check out the recipes I tried!

Pork Carnitas with Cilantro Tomatillo Sauce
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pork-carnitas-with-cilantro-tomatillo-sauce/detail.aspx          

 


This was definitely my favorite!  My boyfriend keeps asking when we are going to make it again.   I made it with hot chile powder because that was all that we had in the pantry.  Next time I’ll make it with regular chili powder so Baby V can have some!  It was a little too spicy for him. I had never used tomatillos before.  They are a little bitter but the flavors really meshed.  It was more of a pico de gallo than a sauce, but we were totally ok with that.  We are huge pico fans.  I actually made more of the pico the next day for a gathering I was going to. I highly recommend you try this recipe!
Sweet and Spicy Salmon with Grapefruit Salsa (pictures to come)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-and-spicy-salmon-with-grapefruit-salsa/detail.aspx

We don’t really eat a lot of fish in our house.  My dad prepares amazing fish dishes and we love them.  It’s just not something I’ve gotten the hang of yet.  I enjoyed this dish, but I’m the only grapefruit fan in the house.  I might have to try it again with oranges or something a little sweeter than the grapefruit.   I failed to get good pictures of this recipe L  But I will update the blog with them as soon as I make it again.

Here are a bunch of links so you can check out Mazola, Allrecipes.com, and My Ramblings and Reviews!  Thanks so much for reading!







I am an Allrecipes Allstar brand ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on My Ramblings and Reviews. The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Alesha from My Ramblings and Reviews. To learn more about the Allrecipes Allstars program visit, Allrecipes Allstars


 
 
 
 
 


 

Friday, March 14, 2014

It’s National Pi Day! Edwards Desserts Review and GIVEAWAY!


It’s National Pi Day!  Edwards Desserts Review and GIVEAWAY!
 
 

From Edwards:

Just in time for National Pi Day, the makers of Edwards® desserts are introducing New York Style Cheesecake to their whole-pie lineup, giving families nationwide a little taste of the big city.

Schwan’s Consumer Brands, Inc., is unveiling Edwards® New York Style Cheesecake whole premium pie on National Pi Day, typically celebrated for the mathematical symbol p (approximately 3.14, or the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter) — but for Edwards® desserts — it’s all about “P.I.E.” A perfect thaw-and-serve dessert option for the entire family, the new whole pie is made with real cream cheese and baked in a graham cracker crust.

“Our single-serve New York Style Cheesecake Singles are the No. 1 selling single-serve cheesecake in the marketplace, so it made perfect sense to add it to our premium whole-pie lineup,” said Bob Waldron, president of Schwan’s Consumer Brands. “Edwards® New York Style Cheesecake offers a delicious and authentic New York-style treat in whole-pie form, fit for a large group to enjoy.”

Edwards® New York Style Cheesecake whole premium pie can be found in freezer aisles at local grocers and retails for $8.49 a package.  


From My Ramblings and Reviews:

 

I was so excited to be chosen to celebrate National Pi day with Edwards Desserts!  I received 3 free dessert coupons and a little wooden scale of New York City in return for my honest review of their dessert products! 





We took our free coupons to Wal-mart and bought the Boston Cream Pie, the Hershey’s Special Dark Crème Pie, and the Key Lime Pie.



We took the Boston Cream Pie and the Hershey’s Special Dark Crème Pie to a family dinner and everyone LOVED them!  Not only were they fantastic – there was no cooking involved.  We bought the pies and defrosted them in the refridgerator!  It doesn’t get easier than that!



I put the pies out after dinner and didn’t say anything to anyone about them being a test product.  It took about 2 minutes before people in the family were asking who brought the pies.  They were a HUGE hit – as you can see in the picture below.  The Boston Cream eventually went also, when people came back for SECONDS!  


You may be asking what happened to the Key Lime Pie?!?  WELL, I’m saving that to enjoy with my family on Pi Day!

I am now a huge fan of Edwards Desserts and plan on purchasing them in the future.  You can’t go wrong with the price, the ease of preparation (there is no preparation!), and the amazing taste!

Please Visit Edwards Desserts and let them know I sent you!

Edwards Dessert Website http://www.EdwardsDesserts.com

Edwards Dessert Facebook https://www.facebook.com/edwardsdesserts.

Win an Edwards Dessert!  3 Winners!

 



***Disclosure: My Ramblings and Reviews received the coupons for the Edwards Desserts for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  I have not received any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  Prize fulfillment and shipping will be handled by Edwards***

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Nuby’s No-Spill Nickelodeon Printed Flip-It Cup Review and GIVEAWAY!


A little information from Nuby:

·         No-Spill™ Nickelodeon™ Printed Flip-it™

·         Step 3: Straw Drinking

·         12 months +

·         10oz / 300ml

·         No-Spill™

·         Fun Nickelodeon™ prints

·         A seamless transition to true straw drinking

·         Encourages natural drinking action & oral development

·         Perfect for on the go drinking

·         BPA FREE

 

Available at these retailers:

·          www.BuyBabyDirect.com

·          www.amazon.com

·          www.dollargeneral.com

·          Tuesday Morning
 
·          DD's Discounts
 
 

***I RECEIVED THE PRODUCT FROM NUBY FOR FREE BUT MY OPINIONS AND VIEWS ARE MY OWN***

 

From My Ramblings and Reviews:
 
 
We received the Nuby No-Spill Nickelodeon Printed Flip-It Cup in the Sponge Bob print.  It is a bright and fun design.  My son immediately wanted to use it.  After a quick wash it was his new favorite!  He loves to drink out of straws but I’m not a big fan of the mess he makes when he’s drinking out of a regular cup with a straw.  This is a great alternative!
 
Our main problem these days is that he thinks he can tip ANY cup back to drink it – even Styrofoam cups with lids from restaurants!  What a mess he can make! He did have a problem when we first opened the cup continually tipping the cup back to drink (see picture below) but he QUICKLY got the hang of it!  I guess if you are thirsty enough you figure it out! J
 
 
 
I am a big fan of this cup.  I love that you can hide the straw away to keep it from getting dirty.  Nothing like pulling a cup out of your purse that has attracted every bit of dirt and dust!  That is not a problem with the flip-it lid/straw.  LOVE THAT!
 

 

It is also the perfect size for my son.  Some of the cups are so big and bulky – not the Flip-it!  It’s easy for him to hold and fits in his wagon cup holder! He loves the bright colors and Sponge Bob design.  He’s never watched Sponge Bob – but he gets a kick out of his smiling face on his cup!
  
Check out Nuby!

 
Win your very own Nickelodeon Printed Flip-It Cup!   
***Disclosure: My Ramblings and Reviews received the Nuby Fish No-Spill Nickelodeon Printed Flip-It Cup for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  I have not received any compensation for hosting this giveaway.  Prize fulfillment and shipping will be handled by Nuby USA***