Sunday, June 30, 2013

Banana-Almond Bread with Bacon


Oh yeah, you read that right - Banana-Almond Bread with Bacon. One of my new favorites! I made this quick bread for the whole family. The bananas were for the kiddos, the sliced almonds for myself and the bacon for the Mister. It was a great hit at our home, vanishing within a couple days.


I am guest posting this recipe over at Anyonita Nibbles - check it out and then poke around Anyonita's site, there is some good cookin' going on over there!


Have a good week!! :)

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Chicken Fry Skewers with Smoky Citrus Dipping Sauce #ChickenFryTime

To create a quick chicken dinner for my kiddos, as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias® and Tyson, I made Chicken Fry Skewers using Tyson Homestyle Chicken Fries. All opinions are 100% my own. #ChickenFryTime #cbias


Have you ever noticed that although the days of summer are longer, it seems there is so much packed into the days that there still isn't enough hours of sunlight for everything? It seems that I am all too often wishing that I had more hours in the day to get everything done - so this summer I have vowed to make our family's meals quick to cook and easy to prep to help alleviate that feeling. We need more time for running through sprinklers, exploring bugs in plants and creating chalk mosaics on sidewalks - those are the things that summers are made out of!

My kids love chicken nuggets. I am talking L-O-V-E. So when I saw Tyson Homestyle Chicken Fries, I knew my kids would go crazy for them. They are basically chicken nuggets in the shape of fries. Not only are they perfect for little fingers to grab and for dipping, they are also a quick chicken dinner - which is what I am aiming for these next few months. 

Since we spend most of our summer evenings outside, next to the fire pit, I decided to skewer up the Chicken Fries and let the kids have at cooking their own dinner. The Chicken Fries are fully-cooked, so no need to fret about the kiddos getting salmonella. Skewering the chicken was so easy; just let the Chicken Fries defrost and insert skewers. I put them in the fridge, on a plate, until we were ready to heat them up over open fire.


I also made a dipping sauce for the kids to dip their Chicken Fry Skewers in, an easy-to-make sauce that doesn't require the food processor. The Smoky Citrus Dipping Sauce screams summertime to me - from the in-season citrus fruits used to the smoky flavor that reminds me of BBQ'ing. Soy sauce and sesame oil are also included, giving the sauce an Asian flair. Delicious!!

Smoky Citrus Dipping Sauce
(PRINTABLE RECIPE)
Ingredients
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
Directions
1. Whisk all ingredients together, chill for at least 20 minutes before serving.


I measured out the ingredients and had Bubba mix them all together. He is not always interested in helping out in the kitchen, but when he is - I am all about it!! At the tender age of 4 he has already mastered cracking eggs and using the can opener, two things that still make me hold my breath every time he does them.


After I skewered up the Chicken Fries and Bubba helped make the Smoky Citrus Dipping Sauce - the boys took to the outdoors. These kids are insane when it comes to playing outside - they do not care that it is over 100 degrees with no breeze, if it's time to play - it's time to play! One thing I have noticed about when they play hard in the summertime is that they will eat like teenagers when they are done playing. Yes, my 2 & 4 year old will eat like ravenous beasts before hitting the shower and crashing down for the night. It amazes me every time.

When it is that hot our county puts a ban on any uncovered fires - so no fire pit on this night. Bummer! Instead I fired up the little BBQ and laid the skewers on the grate. It was way too hot for my sons to stand by the BBQ and roast their own Chicken Fries, so instead they played nearby while entertaining me with their crazy antics. I love those kids. :)


The Chicken Fry Skewers took hardly any time to heat up - about 5 minutes total. These would be great for a quick appetizer to a grilled meal due to their fast heat time. I served the skewers and dipping sauce alongside fresh fruit and an all-natural Edamame Salad - both of which I found at Sam's Club. I posted my shopping trip on Google+, if you want to check out my shopping journey!


My kiddos sat on the sidewalk, in the shade, and enjoyed their quick chicken dinner. You can always tell how good a meal is by the amount of talking done during meal time. There was nothing. Just silence. Haha, I love it! (Yes, my kids eating everything I cook makes me giggle with excitement!)

And let's be honest - how awesome is the novelty of having Chicken Fries on skewers?


For more information on Tyson Homestyle Chicken Fries, check out Tyson's website at http://www.tyson.com. They also have a twitter account to follow and a facebook page to LIKE. Soon, on Tyson's Facebook Page, you will be able to enter for a chance to win free Sixs Flag tickets for a family vacation. Now that sounds like fun!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Tasty Tuesdays #16 and A Dozen Delicious Desserts

Hey y'all!! It's time for Tasty Tuesdays and we want to see what awesome food has been coming out of your kitchen. Anything goes this week - sweet, savory, baked or grilled. We want to see it all. :)

Why link up to Tasty Tuesdays?
All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure; we pin every post you share with us and comment on each one too! Also, all Tasty Tuesdays featured bloggers get followed on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, G+ and Google Friend Connect! 

Here are A Dozen Delicious Desserts from last week's party!

Friday, June 21, 2013

Monsters University Popcorn Mix with Juicy Juice #MUJuice

To celebrate the release of Monsters University, as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias® and Nestle, I made a Monsters University Popcorn Mix using Juicy Juice Fruitifuls #MUJuice #cbias


To get my kiddos ready for the release of Monsters University, we had an afternoon filled with Monsters, Inc. themed fun - including a Monster Popcorn Mix, Monsters University-branded Juicy Juice healthy drinks, Monsters University toys and, of course, we watched Monsters, Inc.- for the umpteenth time. ;)

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tasty Tuesdays #15 & 9 Recipes You'll Love

After a month of co-hosting Tasty Tuesdays, I found myself sad at the thought of not partying with all of you every week. So - I am sticking around a little bit longer. :) *Happy Dance

Last week we ended up having 137 entries to Tasty Tuesdays - you guys ROCK!! It was extremely hard to pick only 9 favorites - but we did. Check them out!

LAST WEEK'S FEATURES

1. Chocolate Covered Bacon from Nat's Adventures in Baking
2. Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting from Sandi's Allergy Free Recipes
3. Hazelnut and Chocolate Chip Cookies from Cupcakery
4. Homemade Pan Release for Baking from Scrumptilicious
5. Pink Fluff Fruit Salad from Dessert Now, Dinner Later
6. Brownie Pancakes from Creme de la Crumb
7. Chocolate Banana Cupcakes from Unusually Lovely
8. Bacon and Egg Tacos from From Everyday to Gourmet
9. Barbecue Macaroni Salad from Six Sisters Stuff

Check out these delicious posts & pin and/or share what you like!

If you have stopped by Tasty Tuesdays before, you already know the lovely Anyonita from Anyonita Nibbles. If this is your first time, make sure you hop over to her site to check out some incredible recipes and foodie awesomeness. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest & the current love of my life, Instagram. She just posted a recipe for Tortilla-Wrapped Fiesta Mexican Burgers that are already on my menu for next week. Go show her some love!!

There are also a few new co-hosts that are pretty freakin' marvelous - please allow me to share, in no particular order...

First, Chandra from The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen. I have drooled over her site many a times - she has awesome recipes like this Wicked Chicken. It's been pinned over 1200 times, go check it out!


Second, Tara from Organized SAHM. Her site is full of recipes, meal plans and tips for everyday life. I saw these Stuffed Jalapenos on her site and I can't wait to try them this grilling season!


Third, is Kristin from Dizzy Busy and Hungry. She has two teenage sons and a blog-full of recipes that pleases them - I am taking tips from this woman! ;) I saw this Crockpot Cheeseburger on Kristin's site and can't wait to try it.


And last, but certainly not least, is Shea from Dixie Chik Cooks. How is it possible that I want to eat everything on her site? One of my very favorites is her Mango Pico de Gallo Burger with Habanero Cheese Sauce and Guacamole. *Drool


Go show them all some love with comments, shares and follows!

Now on to the linky party!!

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Here are a couple suggestions before we get started:
1. Follow Anyonita Nibbles, Hungry Harps, The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen, Organized SAHM, Dizzy Busy and Hungry, and Dixie Chik Cooks socially - and we will all do the same!
2. Visit the link before yours and leave a comment letting them know you found them at Tasty Tuesdays. Share the love!!
3. Spread the word about Tasty Tuesdays - grab a button and share it on your blog!
4. Link up recipes only - no giveaways or promos, please.
5. As a participant, you acknowledge that photos from the post you link may be distributed as a part of the Tasty Tuesdays Feature and/or across Anyonita Nibbles social media platforms. If this is the case, all photos will be credited back to your sites and posts and credit will be given

Let's get this party started!! :)


Monday, June 17, 2013

Healthier Hot Wings & the Save Mart 350

To celebrate tailgating at the Save Mart 350, as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias® and Save Mart, I made some tasty Healthier Hot Wings using ingredients from my local Save Mart Supermarket. #FreshFinds #cbias


My husband and I LOVE tailgating - seriously, what is more fun than friends, food & an awesome sporting event? Not much.

An upcoming event where there is sure to be a lot of tailgating going on is the Save Mart 350. If you have not heard of the Save Mart 350 before, it is a NASCAR race at the Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, CA on June 23rd. I wish we were going - it would be great to smell all the awesome foods being eaten by all the tailgaters before the race and then head to the track and smell the brake dust and rubber. However, we have 4 kids under 4 - so there are no NASCAR races for us anytime in the near future.:(

Although we weren't going to be headed for the races in Sonoma this year, I still wanted to whip up some of our favorite tailgating munchies - Hot Wings!! I raced headed to my local Save Mart Supermarket for the ingredients I needed, it just wouldn't have felt right shopping anywhere else to celebrate the Save Mart 350. ;)


How cool is that display?? Here is the deal - if you are a NASCAR fan and you have a Save Mart Supermarket nearby, you want to go check it out! There is NASCAR-themed merchandise and decorations all over the store. They even changed the aisle markers to read "Pit Stop #", so awesome!! It made it so much fun to shop there, especially for my "tailgating" items.


While shopping, I was inspired to make our usual Hot Wings a bit more heart-healthy. Save Mart has so many healthy choices, fresh finds and even organic sections on certain aisles - it was easy to find ingredients for Healthier Hot Wings.

Wait, NASCAR and a Heart Healthy Recipe?? Why yes, because the longer we live - the more races we can see. :)

I posted pictures from my shopping trip at Save Mart on my Google+ albums. Check out all the fun stuff I found!!


My normal Hot Wings are deep-fried and then slathered up in sauce - but for these Healthier Hot Wings I skipped the deep fryer altogether. Instead, I fired up the bbq. Our small one,the one we would use for tailgating, not the big propane one. My husband got a kick out of that. :)

I was worried about the crunch that would be sacrificed by grilling the wings instead of frying them. However, they still had a crunch to them and the flavor was still amazing. Plus, knowing that the wings we were eating did not have a high amount of fat or cholesterol also made them taste better. Seriously. Arterty-clogging jokes are funny - but the real thing is no laughing matter.

Not only are they delicious, they are so easy to make! Just grill and sauce them up, serve with a dipping sauce and watch them be devoured. No messy oil to clean up, plus you get to enjoy the outdoors a little. :)


Healthier Hot Wings
Ingredients
3lbs chicken wings - Save Mart sells chicken wings in Black Pepper Sauce that are perfect if you like an extra kick to your wings
1 cup Wing Sauce of your choice - I used Frank's Red Hot Wings Sauce & The Pepper Plant Chipotle Sauce
Directions
1. Heat up bbq to medium-high
2. Grill chicken wings until golden brown - about 15 minutes total
3. Place chicken wings in large bowl and pour sauce over the top. Mix until all chicken is evenly coated in sauce.
4. Serve with dipping sauce - like Brianna's All Natural Classic Buttermilk Ranch I found at Save Mart!!

For more information on Save Mart, you can also find them facebook, twitter and pinterest!

Friday, June 14, 2013

Green Tea & Lime Yogurt Bars


This post is going to be short & sweet - kinda like these Green Tea & Lime Yogurt Bars. ;)


One of my very best friends and his wife are having a baby shower this weekend and I have been very busy getting my gift together. I will share it next week - after it is given to them. Can't wait!!


These popsicles are light and refreshing. Plus, my kids love them - which means they can be used for bribing kids to nap, clean up, etc. Yes, I bribe my kids. I am actually thinking about starting up another blog just to write about my parenting failures. haha


Hope you all have a good weekend! 

Mine will be full of smiles and tears of happiness for my friend, his wife and their little miracle baby. :)


Green Tea & Lime Yogurt Bars
(PRINTABLE RECIPE)
makes 6 bars
Ingredients
1 cup non-fat Yogurt
1 cup strongly brewed Green Tea
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup powder sugar
Directions
1. Fully mix all ingredients together until smooth
2. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze until solid

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Tasty Tuesdays #14

Hey y'all!! It's time for Tasty Tuesdays and we want to see what awesome food has been coming out of your kitchen. Anything goes this week - sweet, savory, baked or grilled. We want to see it all. :)

Why link up to Tasty Tuesdays?
All Tasty Tuesdays participants get guaranteed Pinterest exposure; we pin every post you share with us and comment on each one too! Also, all Tasty Tuesdays featured bloggers get followed on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, G+ and Google Friend Connect! 

Last week's theme of Man Food was a hit and we have 16 awesome, manly features. I plan on making a couple of these for Father's Day this upcoming weekend!


2. Honey Beer Cake from Nat's Adventures in Baking
3. Homemade Twix Bars from Something Sweet
4. Gooey Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies from Mess Makes Food
5. Mustache Oreos from Twigg Studios
6. Monster Cookies from Living Better Together
7. Bacon Parmesan Shortbread Crackers from From Everyday to Gourmet
8. Bacon Kettle Corn from Give Peas a Chance
9. Homemade Soft Oreo Cookies from I Dig Pinterest and I Did it Too
10. Breakfast Burger Supreme from Hungry Harps
11. Chicken Philly Cheesesteaks from Domestic Bliss Squared
12. Seared Steak with Red Wine Sauce from Sarah Cooks the Books
13. Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich from Cooking with Curls
14. Manga Pico de Gallo Burger from Dixie Chik Cooks
15. Chocolate Covered Bacon from Circus Berry
16. Bloody Mary from Turnips 2 Tangerines

Check out these delicious posts & pin and/or share what you like!

Tasty Tuesdays is hosted by the wonderful Anyonita at Anyonita Nibbles. Make sure you go check out her site - it is packed full of wonderful recipes and culinary information! You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest & my newest addiction, Instagram. She just posted a recipe for Salted Caramel Swirl Applesauce Brownies, that I must try - every word in the name sounds good to me!

The other co-host this week is Holly from Mess Makes Food - so go see what she is whipping up too! She just recently posted a recipe for Easy Beer Bread Recipe that my husband would just love! :)

Now on to the linky party!!

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Here are a couple suggestions before we get started:
1. Follow Anyonita Nibbles, Mess Makes Food and Hungry Harps socially - and we will all do the same!
2. Visit the link before yours and leave a comment letting them know you found them at Tasty Tuesdays. Share the love!!
3. Spread the word about Tasty Tuesdays - grab a button and share it on your blog!
4. Link up recipes only - no giveaways or promos, please.
5. As a participant, you acknowledge that photos from the post you link may be distributed as a part of the Tasty Tuesdays Feature and/or across Anyonita Nibbles social media platforms. If this is the case, all photos will be credited back to your sites and posts and credit will be given

Let's get this party started!! :)


Monday, June 10, 2013

Tropical Creamsicles with Chocolate Flakes & Everyday Dairy

To celebrate June Dairy Month, as part of a sponsored post for Collective Bias® and Neptune Retail, I made Tropical Creamsicles with Chocolate Flakes using Klondike Bars & Simply Orange Juice. #EverydayDairy #cbias


 With how much dairy our family consumes, I often joke with my husband about our need to buy a cow. And I am not just talking about milk - we are frequent & loyal customers to most things dairy at our grocery store.

To show you what I mean, here is a picture of my grocery cart from a recent shopping trip...


I wasn't exaggerating, this is serious business.

My kiddos dairy intake is very important to me - the calcium is essential for building strong bones and also decreases their risk of bone fractures. If they are anything like their high-adrenaline-lovin' Daddy, extreme sports are in their future and I want to minimize the amount of visits to the ER for broken bones! Also, by ensuring they are receiving enough calcium right now - we are reducing their risk for osteoporosis in the future. Good stuff!

Of course, the calcium that dairy foods provide are not just good for our little ones - it is also imperative for us adults. Calcium helps blood to clot and keeps our muscles and nerves working properly. If we do not consume enough calcium, the body will start taking calcium from our bones to keep the appropriate amount needed in our blood. Just thinking about not having enough calcium freaks me out.

My family could just drink milk, eat yogurt or eat cheese to get our daily doses of calcium - but I like to stay a little more creative than that. For example, these Tropical Creamsicles with Chocolate Flakes may seem like just another cold, sweet, treat - but both the ice cream and orange juice have calcium. You are probably starting to see how that is something that excites me. :)


Besides the taste,the best thing about the Tropical Creamsicles with Chocolate Flakes was how easy they were to make. Just 2 crushed Klondike Bars, 1/2 cup of Simply Orange with Pineapple and 1 mashed banana, along with a popsicle mold, are all that is needed to make these delicious treats! Just put the ingredients in a bowl, mix or whip until ice cream is melted and there are no chunks left. Pour into popsicle molds and place in freezer until solid.


Easy Peazy - and the kids LOVED them!!


Another awesome way for my husband and I to get some added calcium to our diets is by doing a 50/50 mix of milk and Simply Orange in our morning protein shakes. An 8oz glass of orange juice has 50mg more of calcium than an 8oz glass of non-fat milk (which is what we drink) - so I am actually adding more calcium than what would be with just milk!! I also add 2 tablespoons of greek yogurt, which is not only a great source of calcium but it's also loaded with protein.


And although it's not creative, a classic grilled cheese sandwich can't go unmentioned - especially when it's made with Kraft Singles. Talk about taking me back to my childhood! I loved eating Kraft Singles by the slice. To this day I can remember them being on the top shelf of my Grandma's refrigerator door and needing her to get them for me. My kids aren't huge cheese-eaters, but they will gobble up a grilled cheese sandwich.


Since I am sharing all this dairy love, I should also tell you about the current Safeway (& affiliate stores) promotion on dairy products. Through July 2nd, 2013, if you spend $15 in qualifying dairy products, you will receive a $5 voucher to be used at checkout during your next shopping trip. There is a pretty big selection of qualifying products - it took me no time to get to $15! (I posted my shopping trip on Google+ if you want to check out what other goodies I found!) All items that will count toward the $15 have a little tag under the price, so it's real easy to spot them. :)


If you are interested in learning more about Safeway and/or the current June Dairy Month promotion, please check out their site (http://www.safeway.com), follow them on twitter (http://www.twitter.com/safeway) and/or LIKE them on facebook(https://www.facebook.com/Safeway). They also have an awesome site called Every Day Dairy (http://everydaydairy.com/)that is loaded with recipes that use dairy products. And I can't fail to mention Safeway's Pinterest boards (http://pinterest.com/safeway) that are full of recipes of all sorts. If you have the time, check them out!! 

While you do that, I will be here making sure my kids are getting their fill of calcium - starting with a cup of Simply Orange. :)

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Tasty Tuesdays #13 - We Want Your Man Food!!

I can't belive that this is my 4th week of co-hosting Tasty Tuesdays! The month has gone by so fast and I have met so many wonderful bloggers and readers along the way. Recipe link up are not only good for finding new dishes to cook - they are also great for meeting the blogging community - writers and readers alike. I have had a blast this past month and hope to co-host with Anyonita Nibbles again in the very near future!!

Alright, enough of all that sweet & sappy stuff - let's get to partying!! :)

This week is all about honoring all the Daddies out there - so we want to see your Man Food Recipes! I am loving this theme and can't wait to see all of the link ups.

Last week's theme, Let Them Eat Cake, had nine beautiful features...


1. White Chocolate Mud Cake with a Layer of Strawberry Cheesecake from Something Sweet
2. Vanilla Chai Tea Cake from Mess Makes Food
3. Concessions Stand Cake from Cupcakery
4. How to Make Cake Pops from Beela Bakes
5. Watermelon Margarita Cupcakes from Cooking with Curls
6. NoBake Nutella Cheesecake from Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
7. Fluffy Angel Food Cake from Nap-Time Creations
8. Mini Red Velvet Cake from Baking in Pyjamas
9. Maine Blueberry Cheesecakes from Living Better Together

Check out these delicious posts & pin and/or share what you like!

Tasty Tuesdays is put on by the wonderful Anyonita at Anyonita Nibbles. Make sure you go check out her site - it is packed full of wonderful recipes and culinary information! You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest & my newest addiction, Instagram. She just posted a recipe for Tilda Veggie Fried Rice with Chicken Candy, that I seriously need in my life.

The other co-host this week is Holly from Mess Makes Food - so go see what she is whipping up too! She just recently posted a recipe for Fresh Strawberry and Lemon Yoghurt Cake that is a must-try for this summer. :)

Now on to the linky party!!

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Here are a couple suggestions before we get started:
1. Follow Anyonita Nibbles, Mess Makes Food and Hungry Harps socially - and we will all do the same!
2. Visit the link before yours and leave a comment letting them know you found them at Tasty Tuesdays. Share the love!!
3. Spread the word about Tasty Tuesdays - grab a button and share it on your blog!
4. Link up recipes only - no giveaways or promos, please.
5. As a participant, you acknowledge that photos from the post you link may be distributed as a part of the Tasty Tuesdays Feature and/or across Anyonita Nibbles social media platforms. If this is the case, all photos will be credited back to your sites and posts and credit will be given

Let's get this party started!! And remember, it's all about the Man Food this week. :)


Monday, June 3, 2013

JavaHook - Review and Giveaway

Disclosure: JavaHook provided Hungry Harps with complementary JavaHooks for this product review and giveaway. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.


One day I went grocery shopping and was delighted to see a coffee kiosk right by the front door. It's one of those machines that brews a fresh cup of coffee to order, nothing spectacular - but a dose of caffeine nonetheless. I have been faithful to that little coffee machine since that day. However, me and those cups of coffees have had our tiffs. You see, my grocery store doesn't have cup holders on/in the cart - so if you want this coffee that is offered by the front door, you will be carrying it the whole time you shop. Yes, I did this regularly. No, results were not good. I have spilled coffee (fail), ran my cart into shelves (fail) and not been able to get out of people's way because the cart was too heavy for one hand to turn and move (fail and borderline rude).

So you can imagine the excitement that overcame me when I first heard of the JavaHook. It was like somebody made a product just for me.

Check out this quick video to see what the JavaHook is all about!



Pretty cool, huh?

I have to be honest, I was a little afraid at first that the JavaHook was not going to be strong enough to hold my small coffee. I was walking very slowly through the store - but got more comfortable as I continued shopping. By the end of my shopping trip, I wasn't even thinking about the JavaHook anymore - I was too focused on shopping. The JavaHook held my coffee, without spilling it all the way out to my car - even over those bumpies they put on the ground near the front doors of stores.

My trusty, Fresh Green JavaHook has a permanent place in my purse now and will be used as faithfully as that coffee kiosk!


Besides Fresh Green, JavaHook also comes in Pink Flambe, Tangerine Tango, French Roast and Driftwood. I also want to point out that JavaHooks are made in the USA and have custom branding available.

Right now you can order 4 JavaHooks (it's never to early to think about the holidays!) from the JavaHook website and receive free shipping! I am a fool for free shipping - it's one of my biggest weaknesses. :)


Without any further ado - the giveaway!!

We have 3 JavaHooks up for grabs! I wish all the entrants good luck and can't wait to hear what the winners think about the JavaHook. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SodaStream Review

Disclosure: SodaStream provided Hungry Harps with a complementary home soda maker and SodaMix flavors for this product review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own.


I had recently written off soda. No longer were the days of chugging down cans full of fructose corn syrup and/or aspartame - I am trying for a healthier life here y'all! To be honest, it was not easy, as soda had been in my life for pretty much as long as I could remember. But I did it - and no longer craved the bubbly goodness. Until now. Oh, darn you SodaStream!! ;)


SodaStream is a producer of home soda makers. That's right - making soda from home. All you need is tap water, the SodaStream machine and a SodaMix flavor and under a minute you can have a fresh bubbly beverage to enjoy over ice. They really make it too easy. :)

I couldn't wait to try it out!

The machine I received, the SodaStream Genesis (Seltzer Starter Kit), came with a SodaMix Taste Sampler. I couldn't wait to try all the different flavors - especially the root beer & orange, those are my kiddos favorite flavors that they have not enjoyed since our ban on sodas.


On the SodaMix Taste Sampler box there is a QR Code that takes you to their SodaMix site that features over 50 different flavors. The huge variety is one of the features that sold me on SodaStream - I don't need to worry about getting bored of the same few flavors. Some fun ones that caught my eye were:

Apple Mango
Cherry Cola
Cream Soda
Country Time Lemonade
Crystal Light Fruit Punch
Energy Drink (comparable to Red Bull)
Fountain Mist (comparable to Mountain Dew)
Ginger Ale
Grape
Kool-Aid Cherry
Sparkling Naturals Orange-Pineapple and
Wildberry Lemongrass

That was only to name a few - and then SodaStream also has SodaMix variety packs available. I am thirsty now just thinking about all those delicious flavors!!


The major selling point on all of those flavors - they contain NO high fructose corn syrup and NO aspartame. Yep, I was completely sold at this point.


I had heard from several friends and a few reviews that it was quick and easy to make soda using the SodaStream machine - I was so excited to give it a try! It only takes 3 simple steps: Fill, Fizz and Flavor.


The directions were right on top when I opened the SodaStream box - perfect! Although I would love to not read directions, I have learned it's the best way to go!


My favorite kind of directions are the ones with lots of pictures. Perfect!


My first task was to put together the SodaStream Genesis, since it comes unassembled. Good news is that there were only three pieces - a base, a top and the Carbonator.

The Carbonator is a CO2 canister that gives the soda it's fizz. When the Carbonator runs out, I can take it into a SodaStream retailer and exchange it for a new one - only paying for the amount of gas, not the canister. I had no idea, but stores such as Walmart, Sears, Macy's and Staples are SodaStream retailers.

You can check on their Empty Carbonator Info page to see where your local retailer is!


So, I got my new SodaStream Genesis put together, filled up one of the two SodaStream Carbonating Bottles, and got to soda making!!

All I had to do was screw the bottle into the machine, tap the button on top 3 times until I heard a loud buzz. The loud buzz means that the CO2 is being put into the water - and soda water is being made! 3 buzzes gives the perfect amount of fizz for most of the SodaMix drinks - if you want more fizz, just press the button more times for a couple extra buzzes. Easy peasy!


After I was done making my soda water, the next step was to add some SodaMix flavor. I chose the Cola flavor - it's Naturally Flavored and I thought it be perfect to start off our soda making adventures with a classic flavor.

Just add a capful...


I then poured myself a fresh glass of Cola Soda, over ice and with a lemon wedge. It was fizzy and bubbly. Perfectly awesome.


So, I am back to drinking soda - but in a totally different way. No more cans & bottles to waste, no more high fructose corn syrup, no more aspartame - just some tap water and SodaMix flavoring. My kiddos get to enjoy Root Beer and Orange flavored soda once again too, a special treat that they absolutely love.


I can't wait to make some homemade beverages using soda from the SodaStream machine - both alcoholic and not. With so many flavors - the combinations and mix-ins we could add are endless. I am looking forward to sharing some of our creations, especially to help cool off in these upcoming summer months!