Introducing the Genesis Gem

This is a compensated post

It's a fact of life that the older generation has a harder time with new technology.  That's not always true, of course, but it definitely applies to my parents! They still think their CD player is the coolest doohickey ever, and only in the past 2 or 3 years have they been comfortable talking and texting on their cell phones (although my siblings and I have a hard time convincing them to keep the darned things turned on!).  My parents aren't getting any younger, and as they age it might become even more difficult for them to deal with complicated hi-tech devices.

Genesis is developing a great solution for family members who want to stay connected with technology but don't want the hassle and stress of learning about a whole bunch of features they don't want to use:  the Genesis Gem.  This all-new Genesis Phone has got to be the simplest cell phone ever: just two buttons, one for selecting who to dial, and one for dialing.  For such a simple phone, it has a lot of features:

* Speed dial so your family member can easily call his or her loved ones
* 24/7 emergency center so help for your family member is available anytime
* GPS tracking so you and the emergency center can find your family member at any time
* Reminder system so your family member never has to forget important things like taking medicine
* Runs on the Sprint Network 

Doesn't that sound like the perfect way to help you, your family member and caregiver(s) save time, reduce stress and maintain peace of mind?  Or does it?  The makers of Genesis Gem want to know!  make sure they're building a product that meets the needs and wants of their customers, so if you have any thoughts or opinions about what features the Genesis Gem should have, contact them via their website, or leave a comment here!

Genesis is currently in development, and to to insure that Genesis is truly built for the crowd, by the crowd, they are undertaking a participative crowdfunding campaign. They have made Genesis units available on a pre-sale basis to secure the funds needed for development and production. The Gems are available for pre-sale at the price of $149 per unit. Their website also has a “donate” feature where anyone can donate whatever amount they’d like and all donated funds will be pooled to provide Genesis Gems to parents or caregivers that can’t afford to purchase the unit on their own.



Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Product features (in italics) are listed on the Genesis Gem website. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Ditch the Chips and Snack on Sincerely Nuts

I received a sample for review

When it comes to snacking, you can't beat nuts.  They're high in protein, good fats, fiber, potassium and vitamins.  They taste great, and they fill you up easily so you can go from one meal to the next without feeling hungry.

There are so many great varieties of nuts to enjoy, and you can find practically all of them at online retailer Sincerely Nuts.   They sell everything from popular favorites like cashews and walnuts, to more exotic varieties like pignolias and brazil nuts, along with seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, etc..), dried fruit (apricots, bananas, pineapples, dates, etc..).  Sincerely Nuts prepares their nuts in a variety of ways, including roasted and salted, roasted and unsalted, flavored (i.e. garlic, spicy, etc..), blanched, raw and more.  Most of the nuts and seeds are sold in 1, 5 and 25 pound bags.  This is what the 1-lb bag looks like:

Yup, Sincerely Nuts made my day by sending me a bag of pistachio nuts to try.  I happen to ADORE pistachios, so they were preaching to the crowd -- but I wasn't prepared for how good they were.  I tried their garlic-flavored pistachios, and they are soooooo gooooood. They are garlicky and not too salty. It tastes like they used real garlic, not a bottle of garlic powder from the local supermarket.   More importantly (especially when you are dealing with an online company), these nuts are really fresh and crunchy, not stale and flat.   Seriously, I could sit and eat them all day long.  It's a good thing I have to shell them first, because if I could pop them straight into my mouth, I probably would sit and eat them all day long!

If you are looking for a gourmet gift or a healthy snack for yourself, definitely check out Sincerely Nuts.  I guess you could say I am sincerely nuts about Sincerely Nuts!


About Sincerely Nuts

SincerlyNuts.com is the online destination for premium nuts, dried fruit, seeds chocolate & snacks delivered right to your door at the lowest prices around. One of our most popular products is everyone’s favorite nut, pistachios! With warm weather approaching, kick the chips to the curb and indulge in a healthy alternative like nutrient packed pistachios! At Sincerely Nuts we have a wide variety of flavors to satisfy any of your cravings including roasted, salted, jalapeno, garlic, chili lemon, hickory, salt & pepper. Each delicious flavor comes in a variety of sizes ranging from 1LB bag to 25LB case.

Some great attributes of pistachios include:
· Spice up dull recipes in need of a flavorful boost!
· Help keep you full longer with 6gm of protein per serving
· Provides 3 grams of dietary fiber, or about 12% of the daily value per serving.
· 100mg of omega-3s per ounce which helps reduce bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol
· Rich source of vitamin B6 which is essential to make the protein in your red blood cells



Disclosure:  I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by Sincerely Nuts. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Peet's Coffee Anniversary Blend 2013

I received a review sample

Can you believe it, Peet's Coffee & Tea is turning 47 this year!  To celebrate 47 years of great coffee, they have created a special 2013 Anniversary Blend with coffee beans especially sourced from Ethiopia, Colombia and Java.  Peet's sent us a sample and Alfie, our family coffee drinker, says it's really good!

More info about the 2013 Anniversary Blend
The 2013 edition of Peet’s Anniversary Blend celebrates spectacular coffees and the taster’s art of blending. This blend combines the finest flowery and citrusy-sweet coffees from Ethiopia with the clean, delicately fruited coffee from the Americas and a note of deep-bodied Java. The result is a vibrant cup to enliven your everyday.

Taste isn't the only thing extraordinary about this blend. A percentage of proceeds from sales of the Anniversary Blend 2013 will go to Ethiopia’s Kidane Mehret Students Self-Help Association (KIMSSA), empowering underprivileged kids with the food and education they need. For every Anniversary Blend coffee, Anniversary Breakfast Blend tea, or Steamers beverage purchase, Peet’s will contribute 5% of the proceeds to KIMSSA (up to $25,000).

Peet's Anniversary Blend 2013 is available in all Peet’s retail outlets ($15.95 per pound), in grocery stores nationwide (12-ounce bags, $9.99-$11.99) and online at www.peets.com through May 7, 2013.


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by Peet's. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Inform and Educate your kids with News-O-Matic kids' news reader

Every morning at 7AM, Alfie turns on the TV in our bedroom and we wake up to CBS Morning News' "Your World in 90 Seconds".  It's a nice way to wake up and catch up on what's been happening around the world while we were asleep!  For the past 6 months or so, 3Po and Jammy have been joining us in bed for our morning news ritual.  I love being able to cuddle with my 9 year olds, even if it's just for 10 minutes, and as an added benefit, they're learning about current affairs.

My kids are definitely interested in what's going on in the world, so I was delighted to hear that Press4Kids has launched a news app that's just for kids!  News-O-Matic brings current events, sports, science and more to your iPad in a kid-friendly format so kids can make a habit of reading and becoming informed citizens.  News-O-Matic reminds me of kids' news magazines like Time For Kids or NatGeo for Kids, but for the iPad.  It has five daily news stories, so kids aren't overwhelmed by too much info.  It has fun games to play. Kids can even rate stories, chat with editors and share their opinions, so it becomes interactive and social, much like the news reader apps for grownups!

More about News-O-Matic
Press4Kids (P4K) just launched its first publication, News-O-Matic, an educational news app that coversbreaking news, sports, science and much more in an accessible and kid-friendly way!

Targeted to kids ages 7-10, News-O-Matic is a week day newspaper application which includesfive daily news stories, detailed images, videos, illustrations, maps, timelines and games. P4K’s objective is to inspire a generation of childrento become habitual news readers and well-informed global citizens.

News-O-Matic gives children the opportunity to explore the latest current events through the app, while also giving them a voice to express their views. Children can interact with the Editor-in-Chief by rating stories, drawing pictures, asking questions or expressing opinions about current topics in the “News Room” section of the app.

Created by a skilled team—including child experts, designers and entrepreneurs—News-O-Matic aims to transform the news experience for children in a safe, interactive environment while encouraging them to become knowledgeable, productive members of society.

Disclosure: I received a goody bag from Press4Kids as a thank-you for posting this information. Product information (in italics) is provided by Press4Kids via Child's Play Communications. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Make music with Mibblio

3Po and Jammy have always loved tinkering with music.  Even when all we had was a 10-key electronic keyboard glued to a board book (I'm not even sure if those notes were in tune), they loved playing it and making their own songs.  Fast-forward several years later, to 2013; the boys have been taking piano lessons for a little over 18 months, and they still like making their own tunes.  Now that they know a bit more about notes, chords and key signatures, their little compositions sound more like real tunes!

Nowadays, young kids don't need to rely on toy keyboards to get a start on their musical discoveries, thanks to the iPad!  Music making apps like Nota, Pianist Pro, Piano and others let iPad owners play their favorite songs and make music of their own.

One great new music app for kids that has come out is Mibblio.  It combines music making with an interactive songbook, and it's a lot of fun!   Mibblio has a library of story-songs (available to purchase) featuring your child's favorites like Wheels on the Bus and On Top of Spaghetti.  Your child can play the songs, read the lyrics, look at the pictures and touch a variety of icons that make musical sounds to accompany the song!

Mibblio is free to download, and you get one free Mibblet to start with (we chose "On Top of Spaghetti").  Kids can do any number of things to accompany the song -- they can touch the tambourine icon to make tambourine songs, swipe the harp icon to make harp sounds, or touch the keyboard to play notes.  You can set the keyboard to play notes with different kinds of sounds -- piano, guitar, violin, xylophone, accordion and more.  If your child likes music, you should definitely check out Mibblio.

More about the app
Mibblio is the first interactive musical/storybook app of its kind. With an intuitive design, Mibblio is easy to use and creates a world where children can read, sing, learn and play music all at the same time!

Inside Mibblio is a world of beautiful mibblets - illustrated story-songs that invite children to read, sing and jam while understanding the layers of developing music. Targeted to children ages 3-8, kids can listen to and build upon a song while simultaneously having fun and improving reading skills.

A mix of classic songs such as “On Top of Spaghetti” and “The Wheels on the Bus” alongside new, instant classics like “Monkey Jamboree,” are written, illustrated, sung and performed by accomplished artists such as Grammy-nominated mandolinist, Andy Statman and Grammy-winning drummer Marty Beller.

Now parents can watch and listen as children understand the layers of developing music and learn the basics of creating a song, while simultaneously improving reading skills.


href="http://vimeo.com/57854053">Mibblio: A
Musical Book App for Kids from Mibblio on Vimeo


Disclosure: Mibblio is providing me with an iTunes gift card as a thank-you for posting this information. Product information (in italics) is provided by Mibblio, via Child's Play Communications. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Selecting the perfect prom dress

Senior prom! Don't judge the hair, it was the 90's :)

Prom season is here, and all across the country, teens are obsessing about what to wear!  I remember my own prom heydays.  Finding the right dress was a real challenge, especially since the internet wasn't around to help!  Fortunately, promgoers nowadays have LightInTheBox.com, to help them -- they have beautiful made-to-measure special occasion dresses, and you don't have to dip into your kids' college tuition to pay for them!

With the plethora of choices available online, the biggest problem is figuring out which dress out of hundreds is The One.  LightInTheBox.com can help with that too -- they have come up with 5 Helpful Hints To Help Women Select The Right Dress to Flatter Their Figures!  Check them out and start shopping:

First off, you’ve got to “Size Up the Situation” and figure out what parts of your body you like to accentuate (remember mom always said “accentuate the positive”), and be honest about what areas you may wish to remain anonymous to the general public (not for public viewing). Once you’ve identified the above, here are some helpful hints:

Hint 1: Dark Colors & Prints - Remember that darker colors recede, making your silhouette appear smaller, and loud prints attract attention and can sometimes make you look bigger – you need to decide what effect makes you feel more confident – and then work it girlfriend!

Hint 2: Cup Runneth Over? - Cleavage can be sexy, if it’s kept in control and supported properly (Snooky, are you listening? Get those girls under control!). The right neckline (halter, V-Neck, strapless) and cut of the dress can enhance this area while still maintaining a look of class and sophistication.

Hint 3: Never Been Busted? – Don’t sweat the small stuff (get it)! Instead, look for dresses that have embellishments, ruffles and appliques at the chest which can add volume and create the illusion of a larger bust (think Judy Bloom, “we must, we must, we must increase our busts”).

Hint 4: Create some curves – Looking for a more hour-glass, bootylicious figure, you can make your own curves by choosing a dress with a peplum skirt, belt, or empire cut waist that creates more definition at the waist (that’s right, move over Kardashian sisters!).

Hint 5: If you’ve got them, flaunt them – Were you blessed with long, lean legs? Have you been swinging that Kettle Bell around for months toning your arms and shoulders? Nothing shows more confidence that sharing the assets you are most proud of – think mini-lengths or strapless dresses baby!


Disclosure: LightInTheBox.com is sending me a dress from their collection. Tips (in italics) were provided by LightInTheBox.com.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Snugg iPad 2 Case Cover and Flip Stand

I received a review sample from Snugg

For most people, an iPad is a big investment.  It's a piece of electronic equipment that gets a lot of hands-on use, especially when it's in a household with kids!  Grubby little fingers are always touching the screen, and clumsy little hands are always carrying it places, scratching, banging, and heaven forbid, dropping!  And kids aren't the only culprits; grownups can be just as guilty.

So it makes sense to protect your iPad with a good quality cover -- and when it comes to covers, they don't get any better than the ones made by Snugg. Snugg cases are the biggest seller in the USA and Amazon best sellers in the USA, UK, Germany, France and Japan. They supply custom branded cases to Cadillac, GMC and the CIA as well as celebrities and other big companies. They sent me their iPad 2 Case Cover and Flip Stand to review, and I think it's the perfect example of good quality at a great price.

The Pea's iPad case has become quite grubby, so I requested a review sample in a bright, girlish pink (it comes in 10 colors). Since it's leather, it will be much easier to clean than a cloth or suede cover, but it looks so much more elegant than a plastic cover.

The iPad slides easily into its protective case and is held very securely with a velcro tab.  The cover flips over to protect the iPad's screen and locks in place magnetically (I love that feature!).

There are gaps in the leather in all the right places for the power switch, volume switch, home button, front camera and rear camera.  I really like the camera holes because it means you don't have to take the case off in order to take a photo!

The case features a pen holder loop at the top, which is really convenient -- but note that only a very slim pen or pencil will be able to fit, which is not so convenient.

The case also acts as a reading pedestal/stand, with two different viewing angles.

To hold the stand in place, you slip the lid into a cut-out flap on the back of the case. The flap doesn't seem to be reinforced, so I'm wondering whether the lid will be able to stay in place or slip out (which will cause the stand to collapse) once the leather softens. For now, at least, it works great.

The Snugg iPad 2 Case Cover and Flip Stand sells for $49.99, but right now it's on sale for $34.99 at the Snugg online store, and $29.99 on Amazon!  What a steal!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Discover your Social Media Strength Factor with HireInfluence

This is a compensated post.

If you're interested in quantifying and keeping track of your social media influence, check out HireInfluence, which launched early this month.  Yes, there are other sites that measure social media influence, but only HireInfluence uses their measure (known as Strength Factor) to help you connect with companies that are looking to work with social media influencers like you!

It's easy to set up your HireInfluence profile -- I completed my HireInfluence profile in about 5 minutes --  just log in with your Twitter account and input a few key pieces of data like the industries you have worked in, number of years experience in sales/marketing/advertising, languages spoken, etc.. You can also connect your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, and I highly recommend you do so because it really helps increase your Strength Factor.  The number of years you have worked in sales/marketing/advertising also has a big impact on your Strength Factor (which unfortunately is actually a disadvantage for popular bloggers and social media mavens who have not worked in this field before).

Once you set up your profile, your Strength Factor is calculated and displayed in your profile.  Here's a sample profile:

You can use the information in your HireInfluence report to build brand relationships and approach companies you’d like to work with. Even better, those brands and companies can find you easily as well!




About HireInfluence:
As the first social media platform that goes beyond an influencer score by gauging real, impactful influence with quantified results, HireInfluence will change the game on who is considered "influential" and how companies approach marketing campaigns.

For consumers, HireInfluence is a platform that allows them to showcase their abilities, be discovered by companies looking for advocates and validate their social ability – showing a true social footprint.
For companies, by giving a 360-degree view of an individual's social media and work history, HireInfluence allows companies to quickly research and immediately identify the most impactful brand and product advocates for a marketing campaign or do a "social media background check" on a candidate.

"Other platforms simply score influence, but HireInfluence has created the gold standard in identifying and engaging marketing professionals. Nowhere else can a business instantly find impactful, influential advocates based on its specific search criteria," said Jason Pampell , HireInfluence CEO and Founder. "From hiring advocates for a campaign to filling a permanent position, companies want to be sure that who they make an investment in will deliver, and HireInfluence has taken the criteria that companies need to make that decision and built a platform around it."

Some of the capabilities and highlights of the HireInfluence interface include:

• Search – A search engine that gives businesses unprecedented search criteria options to strategically identify and leverage "Networking Superstars" in their target market or industry.
• Proprietary Score – A "Strength Factor" score based on real influence, to include the level of impact the influencer has via each social channel, as well as real work experience within specific industries.
• Social analyzing – A first-to-market aggregation and validation of the results, to include demographics of friends and followers, location of influence, key words used and engaged vs. fake followers, to name a few.
• Star Rating – Each person's profile has a star rating given by other companies as well as rankings against other Networkers to "recruit with confidence."
• Social Media Background Check - Printed profile for a sales or promotional employment opportunity.

Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card
To sweeten the deal, HireInfluence is giving away 3 $100 Amazon gift cards to 3 random people who activate their profiles between now and March 25th!




Disclosure: I am being compensated for this post in the form of an Amazon gift card.. Product information (in italics) is provided by the featured company/product. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Introducing new Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer

I received a product sample from Vaseline

During the winter, my skin gets dry.  Like old crone dry.  Like parched, cracked earth dry.  But I've never been a good girl about moisturizing regularly.  You'd think that after I discovered Vaseline Aloe Fresh lotion a couple of years ago, I'd do it more often.  It's still my favorite all-over body lotion because it absorbs so easily and feels so light on my skin.  In fact, I do love slathering my legs and arms with Vaseline Aloe Fresh at night, when I'm relaxing on the sofa and watching TV.  But in the morning, I never seem to have time to rub everything in!

Maybe that will change now that there's new Vaseline Spray & Go Moisturizer:

Gone are the days of skipping your moisturizer and rushing out the door. Now, it’s easy to moisturize every day with a lotion that is fast to apply and quick to absorb. For fast, full body coverage, simply apply the lotion using the product’s signature application method - the “Up, Switch, Down, Rub.” Spray up one side of the body, switch hands, sprays down the other side of the body, and then rub in. The lotion absorbs in 10 seconds or less with a few quick rubs!

Vaseline sent me a couple of bottles of Spray & Go to try out (they have 3 kinds: Aloe Fresh, Total Moisture and Cocoa Radiant, they sent me the first 2), and it's true, the lotion does absorb more  quickly.  That might be because the lotion has a thinner consistency, and the spray makes it easier to cover a large area with a thin layer of lotion, rather than pumping a huge glop in one area and then spreading it out.  The way it comes out of the bottle reminds me of a spray-on tanning lotion:

Unlike suntan lotion, this doesn't feel greasy or sticky AT ALL.  All you're left with is softness!  My favorite is definitely the Aloe Fresh.  Just like Vaseline's regular Aloe Fresh lotion, it leaves your skin feeling cool and fresh, and it's light yet leaves your skin feeling nice and soft.

I was a bit hesitant to use the spray, because I've heard spray-ons can be flammable -- but this product does not use chemicals to produce the pressure to spray the lotion out, only compressed air.  I would still be careful with using this around kids, and avoid spraying anything on your face, because you or your child might end up breathing in the ingredients.

I'm not planning on giving up my regular Vaseline Aloe Fresh lotion: I enjoy my long, leisurely sofa moisturizing sessions, even though I don't do it daily.  But I could definitely see myself using the Spray & Go moisturizer after my daily shower: it's quick and convenient, and certainly leaves my skin feeling great.



Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by Vaseline. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Snugg iPad 2 Ultra Slim Bluetooth Keyboard Case

I received a review sample from Snugg.

Much as I love my iPad, typing out emails, notes, even Tweets or Facebook status updates, can be a downright pain.  I learned to touch type when I was a teenager, so it can be incredibly frustrating to go from a full keyboard to painstakingly typing out one key at a time.  So I knew I'd have to get an iPad keyboard eventually -- the problem was choosing from all the brands and models available.

Fortunately, Snugg solved the problem for me by sending me a Snugg iPad 2 Ultra Slim Bluetooth Keyboard Case to review.  Snugg cases are the biggest seller in the USA and Amazon best sellers in the USA, UK, Germany, France and Japan. They supply custom branded cases to Cadillac, GMC and the CIA as well as celebrities and other big companies.  I can see why Snugg is such a popular brand -- this keyboard is the perfect example of good quality at a great price.

This keyboard really lives up to it's name: Ultra Slim.  It's about as slim as the iPad itself, and extremely lightweight.  The metal finish is very similar to the back of the iPad (please note: the blue case in the photo does not come with the keyboard, I bought it separately).

Your iPad rests in a slim groove built into the keypad, at just the right tilt angle.

Connecting your iPad to the keyboard couldn't be easier.  Just go to you iPad settings and turn on Bluetooth.  Then turn on your Snugg keyboard (the switch is on the front right side of the unit) and press the "Connect" button.  Go back to your iPad and you should see the Snugg keyboard device available to connect.  Click "Connect" on your iPad, and that's it!

The keys are nice and springy, but very small.  My hands feel a bit cramped, being so close together, and I have trouble hitting the spacebar correctly.  Alfie has a lot of trouble with the Z and A keys.   It's definitely not as easy to type on as I would have thought, but given enough time I might get used to it.  A couple of things I really like about the keyboard are the special keys for

When you're done typing, you can take your iPad out of the groove, flip it over and clip it onto the keyboard -- that's right, it doubles as a protective case!  However, snapping the iPad onto the keyboard is not easy, so I don't recommend this keyboard as an everyday case.  You'd lose your mind with all the clipping and unclipping!   And because it's such a small, cramped keyboard, I wouldn't use it around the house regularly either -- but I think it's perfect for travel.

I would definitely recommend taking this keyboard along with your iPad to conferences or meetings or other situations where you'll be taking extensive notes.  It would also be great to take on vacation instead of a laptop -- the iPad and keyboard combined are so small and lightweight.  You could use the iPad by itself when you're reading books by the pool, and use it with the keyboard in your hotel room when you're composing emails and updating your Facebook page :)

You can purchase the keyboard case on the Snugg online store or purchase on Amazon. Check it out!


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Golden Grain Hidden Veggie Pasta review and giveaway

I received a review sample from Golden Grain

Whether you have a picky eater who doesn't like anything except pasta and butter, or you just want to pack more nutrition into your family's meals, you are going to LOVE Golden Grain's new Hidden Veggie Pasta.  It's semolina pasta made with real veggies (dried sweet corn, dried carrot and dried squash) so it provides 1/2 cup of vegetables (1 serving of veggies) per 4-ounce serving of pasta.  Here's the good news: it looks, cooks and tastes just like regular pasta!

Golden Grain sent me samples of their Penne, Elbow macaroni and Spaghetti, and I will definitely be looking for these at the supermarket.  My family can't tell the difference between this and regular pasta.  Unlike whole wheat pasta, which has a nutty taste, Golden Grain Hidden Veggie Pasta tastes just like regular pasta. Unlike whole wheat pasta, it cooks up in about the same amount of time as regular pasta (7-9 minutes for the penne and macaroni, and 6-7 minutes for spaghetti, versus 10-15 minutes for whole wheat pasta).

This is one of those products that make you think, Why has nobody thought of this before??.  It's a godsend for parents with picky kids!  The veggies are already in the pasta, so you can serve your picky eater some mac-and-cheese and feel good that he's getting a serving of veggies.  If you sneak in some cauliflower puree or sweet potato puree into the sauce, you pack even more of a punch.  We had mac-and-cheese last night, made with Hidden Veggie Twisted Elbows and a cheese sauce that contains half a head of cauliflower.   No picky kid would turn their nose up at that!

Fortunately, we're past the stage where I have to force or fool my kids into eating vegetables, but I'm never going to pass up the chance to make our pasta dishes healthier.  Now we can indulge in spaghetti carbonara or macaroni and cheese and still feel good that we're getting some veggies.  Our healthier pasta dishes will become even healthier with Hidden Veggie Pasta -- when it comes to veggies, you can't have too many of them!

Win a year's supply of Hidden Veggie Pasta
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a year's supply of pasta (consisting of 24 coupons for 1 free package of Golden Grain Hidden Veggie up to $1.99 maximum retail value. Readers most likely to find Hidden Veggie on their grocery shelves reside in the following cities and surrounding areas: San Francisco, Sacramento, OAHU, Seattle and Portland).

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for getting your child to eat more veggies.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Golden Grain Hidden Veggie pasta giveaway http://ow.ly/jkud5

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds You could win a year's supply of Golden Grain Hidden Veggie pasta! Enter by April 7 at http://ow.ly/jkud5

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on April 7, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on April 8 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Introducing New Post Sesame Street Cereal

We all know that Cookie Monster's favorite C word is Cookie, but these days he's singing a different tune: Cookie now understands that Cookies are a Sometime Food.  For everyday snacks and meals, Cookie Monster can look to a different kind of C: Cereal! Post Cereals is introducing Sesame Street Cereals called C is for Cereal.  It comes in 2 flavors:  A is for Apple, and B is for Banana.

Here's why infants and toddlers will love this cereal:

* The box features two of the most beloved Sesame Street characters, Elmo (on the apple flavor) and Cookie Monster (on the banana flavor) in front, as well as fun activities on the back.  Kids will love looking at the box while they eat their breakfast!

* The cereal itself comes in fun X and O shapes. Who doesn't love a cereal that you can use to play tic-tac-toe with?

* You can just catch a hint of banana and apple flavor.  It's almost more of a fruity smell than a taste, it's so subtle.  Kids who are used to sugary or flavored cereals will find it bland, but that's why it's a great first food for infants and toddlers -- you can teach your child from the start that not everything that's yummy has to be sweet.

Here's why parents will love this cereal:

* The cereal is easy to chew (or gum, if your toddler doesn't have all his teeth yet!), so the risk of choking is minimized.

* The cereal is made with oats and corn, with very little sugar, and is fortified with iron and zinc.  A 3/4 cup serving (recommended size for kids under age 4) contains 20 grams of whole grain, 110 calories and 1 gram of sugar.


I'm so glad Sesame Street is being choosy about which products their characters endorse.  This is the perfect kind of cereal for Elmo and Cookie Monster to be eating -- high in whole grains and low in sugar.   Let's face it, if Elmo and Cookie Monster are eating it, you can bet your toddler will eat it!  I'm giving Sesame Street Cereal an A for Awesome!


Disclosure:I received a product sample from Post.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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PROBAR Bolt Organic Energy Chews Review and Giveaway

Ah, to be young again!  I look at my kids, see them run and play for hours, slide, fall, get up and do it all over again, then go to bed and wake up with as much energy as they did the day before.

I keep them well fueled with good food, lots of water and lots of rest, but there are days when they need to go on overdrive.  For example, last weekend, when 3Po and Jammy played 2 soccer games per day for 3 days (their regular soccer practice plus a weekend tournament).  The weather was hot and sunny, and we could literally see them wilting before our eyes.  They literally run themselves to the ground, so on game days we let them have energy chews to give them that extra boost.

PROBAR recently sent me a box of their new PROBAR Bolt Energy Chews, and I told 3Po and Jammy they could have them at half time of every game.  Something must have clicked, because their team fought their way to the finals and to a second-place finish!  The kids really like them because they look and taste like gummy candy, and I really like them because they're organic, and they keep my kids going.

About Bolt
Ready, set, Bolt! These organic chews step up your game right when you need it. They're packed to power you from morning workouts to race days. Plus, they're loaded with electrolytes, B vitamins, antioxidants and complex carbs for fast fuel-ups that last through the home stretch.

Bolt comes in 4 flavors:  Berry Blast, Orange, Raspberry and Strawberry.  All of them taste great, but we're reluctant to let the boys have the Berry Blast and the Raspberry, because they contain caffeine from Yerba Mate (as far as I can tell, the Orange and Strawberry flavors do not contain caffeine).

I kept the Berry Blast and Raspberry flavors for myself, and I pop a couple of cubes in my mouth every Sunday after my weekly long run.  One serving is 5 cubes, and each pack has 10 cubes or two servings, but since my runs only last 45 minutes or so, my energy levels aren't really depleted.   However, the next time I do a 10k or a half-marathon, I'm definitely packing some Bolt chews to help me get through the course!

Win a box of PROBAR snacks
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a box of PROBAR Bolt Organic Energy Chews!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which PROBAR snack you would most like to try.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the PROBAR http://ow.ly/jelec

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds You could win a box of your favorite PROBAR snacks from @theprobar! Enter by April 2 at http://ow.ly/jelec

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on April 2, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on April 3 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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