Keurig Vue Giveaway!

Mom Powered Media presents a Keurig Vue V700 Giveaway!

Prize Sponsored by American Family

The perfect way to warm you up just in time for the cold weather to come!

US Only - Ends October 29, 2012 @ 11:59pm EST

 

Hosted by: Mom to Bed by 8, Powered by Mom, Real Mom Reviews & Baby Cost Cutters

Special thanks to our lovely co-hosts: Moms Living Thrifty , For Him and My Family, Chant3llo's Blog, A Night Owl, Coupon Pro Blog, 1 Hour Giveaways & ABC Laughs

It’s free to join American Family and if you sign up to join them through this event you will also receive a free e-book filled with Fall Harvest recipes to complement your coffee with your new Keurig! One can never have enough recipes for fall! 

EARN BONUS POINTS FOR THE GIVEAWAY just for signing up for the the awesome e-book!

About the Keurig Vue V700 {$229 Retail Value}

The Keurig® Vue® V700 Brewing System gives you total control to brew your way: stronger, bigger, hotter and with more choices than ever before. With an interactive Touchscreen and revolutionary new Custom Brew Technology™ Vue® ensures every beverage is brewed to perfection, giving you perfect results – every cup, every time. 8 brew sizes, removable 74oz water reservoir and your choices are nearly limitless. In addition to coffee, tea, hot cocoa and iced beverages, Vue® brews delicious café and specialty beverages as well. This product is BPA free. Now you can fully customize your cup of coffee, tea, hot cocoa, iced beverage, specialty or café beverage to brew what you love, the way you love it – every time! Now for the fun go and enter the giveaway on the rafflecopter below for this awesome Keurig Vue V700 brewing system for the chance to enjoy some warm and toasty moments compliments of this prize. Remember you can earn more points if you sign up for the American Family Harvest Recipes E-book! Please remember to only claim the entries you’ve actually followed through on as we will verify entries. Anyone who claims entries they did not follow through on will have all entries disqualified and may be disqualified from future events. Thanks for keeping it fair for everyone! Open to US residents 18 years of age and over only.

Who wouldn't LOVE to have a Keurig? This is such a neat coffee brewing system and so easy and convenient to use!

Now go & enter and GOOD LUCK!

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*Disclosure- I received no compensation for this publication and all opinions are 100% my own and my differ from those of your own. Cristi's Reviews is not responsible for a sponsor who does not fulfill prize shipments.

Hear Me by Kyle Sherman Review & Giveaway

There is nothing more uplifting than a worship cd.  I was excited to learn of an opportunity to not only review Kyle Sherman's new worship CD Hear Me, but to also be able to give one away to one lucky reader as well!

I really have enjoyed this cd. It is very mellow and Sherman has a lovely, soothing voice- something I very much enjoy in worship music especially. This cd would be a great album to put on when you need to clear your head, want to listen to something uplifting or even on the way to church to get you in the groove of things! I think Kyle Sherman is very talented and I love that he is a fellow Texan. I particularly liked track number 5 All Things New (Hallelujah) and track number 8 One True Friend, although I would listen again to any song on Hear Me again.


Album Bio:

Fort Worth-based songer-songwriter Kyle Sherman recently signed on as the flagship artist to brand new label RayLynn Records, an opportunity that presented itself during a time period when a record deal wasn't even on his radar.

"It's crazy how God works," Kyle says. "Five years ago, I pushed pretty hard to do my own thing as a singer-songwriter, but every well I approached would dry up. It clearly wasn't the right time." So Kyle continued on a path of leading worship, taking a full-time role as worship leader at Lifechurch.TV's Forth Worth campus under the leadership of renowned pastor/author Craig Groeschel.

Just 3 years later Kyle made it back to Nashville, pouring his heart into a microphone at Sony studio with veteran producer and country singer-songwriter Mark Collie making his first album. God is faithful. Hear Me, the result of those sessions, is an eclectic and authentic mix of rootsy, southern soul.


Hear Me will be released on October 9.

For my information on Kyle Sherman or Hear Me check out his website and Youtube channel
Enter below via the Rafflecopter for your chance to win a copy of the CD!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of the cd mentioned above in hopes that I might mention it on my blog. All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

Book Lovers Limited Edition Cravebox Review

When Cravebox first mentioned that they would be doing limited edition boxes, I really hoped that they would do a box that somehow involved a novel! I was so happy to see recently that there was going to be a book lover's box and I was ecstatic to discover that I would be one of the lucky ones to receive one. I was unsure of what they might include in the box, even though they post hints for the boxes on both Twitter and Facebook where I follow them, so this one was definitely a complete surprise to me! The novel included was How I Came to Sparkle by Kaya McLaren. I have never heard of the book or the author, but the cover and the plot synopsis definitely intrigued me. I have already read a little bit of it and it seems like a really good, albeit kind of heart wrenching story. Of course, the book retails for $13.73 (on Amazon.com) so already the box is worth more than the cost ($11 in this case)

There were a few other things included in the box- A bag Crum Creek's soy nut trail mix, a full size bag of Natural Vine's red licorice- which I MUST say is the BEST licorice I have ever tasted and I am usually not a fan. The taste was just so sweet yet tangy and I love that it has all natural ingredients! My kids enjoyed them with me. My poor husband, who is the biggest licorice fan in the house, did not get a single one, they were gone by the time he got home, something that often happens when you have 3 kids and one bag of treats! haha! There was also a neat bracelet included in the bag. The point of the bracelet  which has the word gratitude spelled out on it in beads, is that each day you take the time to be greatful for 10 things. I think it is an awesome idea. Another cool thing is that they suggest you use the packaging for a bookmark, which has come in handy to keep my place in How I Came to Sparkle Again!

I think this was a great box overall. I would love to see Cravebox include more book lovers boxes in the future!

*Disclaimer- I was not compensated in any way for this review. All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

Glade Expressions Collection Review

My Pineapple & Mangosteen Oil Diffuser
in the guest bathroom

There is just something so inviting about a nice smelling house. I love having people over for parties and get togethers and I want them to feel like my house is warm, cozy and inviting. I always have some kind of scented something going at all times in my house. That's why I was excited to get an invite from Bzzagent to try the new Glade Expressions fragrance mists and oil diffusers. I knew right away that I would want to try the Fuji Apple and Cardamom Spice scent, it just sounded like the perfect scent for fall. Unfortunately for me, it seems everyone else thought so as well and got to them first! I couldn't find that scent anywhere anywhere. I settled for Cotton & Italian Mandarin for the fragrance mist and Pineapple & Mangosteen for the oil diffuser and if I am being honest, I was a little weary that I wouldn't like either one. My husband also thought they sounded like odd combos. I got home and sprayed the Cotton & Italian Mandarin Spray immediately and fell in love. It is a scent like any other spray I have ever had and believe me, I have had quite a few! I love that it has a clean smell (which makes me feel more motivated to actually clean the house! haha) but it also has that small touch of citrus that gives it a unique flair. This will most likely be my go to scent in this collection- although I do still want to try the apple and cardamom if I can ever find it!! I put the oil diffuser in my downstairs bathroom and really liked the way it ended up smelling too. I look the wood like appearance of this particular diffuser holder and loved the tropical feel of it. It is definitely strong on the pineapple, so you would probably would need to be a fan of the smell of pineapple to appreciate this one. The scent in these diffusers is awesome, it is strong, but not overpowering. I have had mine going for about 3 weeks now and the scent is just now starting to give out (they are meant to last 30 days and I say that is pretty spot on.) I loved the diffuser so much, I went back and bought another one for my kids bathroom upstairs. I got Lavender & Juniper Berry. It is also another great scent. I don't think there is a bad scent in this collection! I will definitely continue to use Glade Expressions! Best of all, they are completely affordable! I have not seen the oil diffuser cost more than $8 and have seen it on sale several different times at Target. The sprays are just a few bucks and go a long way, so both products are definitely the price you pay for them. I would highly recommend Glade Expressions to anyone who likes their home to smell amazing!!

*Disclaimer- I received complimentary products for Glade Expressions via Bzzagent in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to render a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

500 Best Quinoa Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury- Cookbook review

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has received a lot of attention in the last few years. People that want to add more healthy grains to their diet, or just have a different sort of flavor definitely want to try quinoa. It is known as one of nature's superfood powerhouses! I first discovered it on the shelf at my local Sprouts. By far the coolest thing about quinoa is it's versatility. You can use it for nearly anything from a replacement for rice to a gluten free flour for baked goods. It's flavor is a bit on the nutty side and it comes in several different forms- seeds, flakes or flour. Quinoa is a fantastic grain for vegans, vegetarian, flexitarians and anyone affected by a gluten intolerance.

Quinoa is popular for it's massive amounts of protein- it includes all of the essential amino acids humans need. It is also naturally gluten free, which makes it a great option for people with Celiac Disease or gluten or wheat sensitivities. Something that I find really interesting about quinoa is that it is being hailed as a food of the future- because of it's hardiness and high yield, it is being considered a possible relief crop for battling famine and malnutrition. This coupled along with the fact that it can be grown in almost any condition makes me think that it definitely might be a future key player in fighting hunger.

I have been using quinoa pretty regularly for the past year or so, but was getting kind of bored with my stand by recipes, so I was super excited to come across Camilla V Saulsbury's 500 Best Quinoa Recipes. There are recipes in every category imaginable and it is a great cookbook for quinoa lovers or novices alike. The beginning of the book is devoted to teaching about the different forms of quinoa and different things you can do with it. I love that this book came with some instruction because although quinoa has been a staple in my house for a while, I am always looking for new things to do in the kitchen, so the more I learn about quinoa's versatility the better for my family and the more variety that is in our menu.

We have tried several recipes out of this book over the past few weeks and have enjoyed most everything we have had! Here are some of our families favorites:

Andean Hash
Quinoa Cashew Power Balls
Quinoa Pilaf
Black Bean Quinoa Chipotle Chili
Cinnamon Raisin Cookies
Quinoa Almond Butter Blondies (although I used peanut butter...they were still delicious!)


Here are a few recipes from the book:

Black Bean Quinoa Chipotle Chili (page 184)

No one will ask, “Where’s the beef?” when sampling this incredibly delicious vegetarian dish. Simmering hearty black beans and quinoa with onions, garlic, herbs and spices creates a wonderfully complex chili that’s finished with fresh lime and topped off with tangy yogurt and an assortment of fresh flourishes.

Tip
If using the larger 19-oz (540 mL) cans of beans, you may want to add up to 1⁄2 cup (125 mL) vegetable broth or water to thin the chili.

Storage Tip
Store the cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave using the Defrost function. Warm chili in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.

2 tsp vegetable oil 10 mL
2 cups chopped onions 500 mL
4 cloves garlic, minced 4
3 tbsp chili powder 45 mL
11⁄2 tbsp ground cumin 22 mL
2 tsp dried oregano 10 mL
11⁄2 tsp chipotle chile powder 7 mL
3 cans (each 14 to 19 oz/398 to 540 mL) 3
black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup quinoa, rinsed 250 mL
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) crushed tomatoes 1
3 cups ready-to-use reduced-sodium vegetable 750 mL
or chicken broth (GF, if needed)
1 tbsp finely grated lime zest 15 mL
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 60 mL
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup plain Greek yogurt 250 mL
Suggested Accompaniments:
Fresh cilantro leaves
Chopped green onions
Chopped radishes
Crumbled queso fresco

1. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano and chipotle chile powder; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
2. In a small bowl, coarsely mash one-third of the beans with a potato masher or fork. Stir mashed beans, whole beans, quinoa, tomatoes and broth into the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, for about 30 minutes to blend the flavors. Stir in lime zest and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve topped with yogurt and any of the suggested accompaniments, as desired.

Makes 8 servings

Excerpted from 500 Best Quinoa Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Photos by Colin Erricson. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

My twin 3 year old boys were asking for second helpings of the chili. It was a big hit at our house. It was also very filling, like the description above says, you won't even miss the meat!

Quinoa Almond Butter Blondies (page 482)

The brownie has legions of loyal fans, but the blondie has equally steadfast enthusiasts. The reasons are clearer than ever with this quinoa interpretation: a chewy, nutty butterscotch bar, enriched with cashew butter and highly transportable to boot.

Tip
Other natural nut or seed butters, such as peanut, almond or sunflower, or tahini, may be used in place of the cashew butter.

Storage Tip
Store the cooled blondies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C)
• 8-inch (20 cm) square metal baking pan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray

11⁄4 cups quinoa flour 300 mL
1 tsp baking powder (GF, if needed) 5 mL
1⁄2 tsp fine sea salt 2 mL
1⁄2 cup unsweetened natural almond butter 125 mL
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened 60 mL
1 cup natural cane sugar or packed light brown 250 mL
sugar
1⁄2 cup brown rice syrup or pure maple syrup 125 mL
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (GF, if needed) 5 mL

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together quinoa flour, baking powder and salt.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat almond butter and butter until fluffy. Beat in sugar and brown rice syrup until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just blended.
3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 16 squares.

Makes 16 blondies

Excerpted from 500 Best Quinoa Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca Photos by Colin Erricson. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. These were so delicious. I love the fact that I can have dessert that isn't too terrible for me and it still tastes really good!!

About the Author: Camilla Saulsbury is a food writer, recipe developer, cooking instructor and fitness trainer! She has been featured on the Food Network, in the New York Times, and on Today and QVC and is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She also holds a Ph.D. in sociology from Indian University with a specialization in food studies.
Purchase your own copy of 500 Best Quinoa Recipes!

*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of this book via Robert Rose Publishing. I was not required to render a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson- Book Review/Blog Tour

About the book:

When pampered Jacqueline Abington plans to secretly marry the family gardener, she asks his sister to take her place on the much anticipated maiden voyage of the Titanic. Tessa Bowen hails from a poor corner of London but has been granted the opportunity of a lifetime- a ticket to sail to America aboard a famed vessel. But there's a catch: she must assume Jaqueline's identity. For the first time in her life, Tessa stays in luxurious quarters, dresses in elegant gowns, and dines with prestigious people. Then a wealthy American man takes an interest in her, and Tessa struggles to keep up the ruse as she begins falling for him. When tragedy strikes, the game is up, and the two women's lives are changed forever.


My thoughts: When I read the plot synopsis above, I KNEW I would have to take part in the Queen of the Waves tour. I have never read a fictional novel that took place aboard the Titanic and this one sounded quite intriguing to me. I love that we got to know the characters pretty well before they even stepped foot on the ship, it made me feel like I really knew these people who were aboard this magnificent ship. What I really loved about this novel were Thompson's great descriptions of the people on the Titanic and the descriptive words used to describe the ship itself. I could easily imagine it in my head and almost felt like I was there myself. I found that there were several interesting relationships to follow in this story which is mostly what held my attention and I also was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen to all of these characters I had come to love when the disaster did finally strike. I read this novel in two days. I could not put it down. I would recommend it to anyone even the least bit interested in historical romance, you will not be disappointed!


See what other bloggers are saying about Queen of the Waves!

Get your own copy of Queen of the Waves!

About the author:

Award-winning author Janice Thompson, who also writes under the name Janice Hanna, has published nearly eighty books for the Christian market, crossing genre lines to write cozy mysteries, historicals, romances, nonfiction books, devotionals, children's books and more.

She formerly served as vice president of the Christian Authors Network and was named the 2008 Mentor of the Year by the American Christian Fiction Writers. Thompson lives in Spring, Texas, near her for grown daughters and grandchildren. She leads a rich life with her family, a host of writing friends and two mischievous dachshunds.

Connect with Janice Thompson on Facebook

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Connect with Janice Thompson on her Website

Celebrate with Janice by entering to win a Kindle Fire!

 

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A Kindle Fire
• Where the Trail Ends by Melanie Dobson
• Queen of the Waves by Janice Thompson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 17th. Winner will be announced at the American Tapestries Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/18. Connect with authors Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson for an evening of book chat, trivia and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and a Book Club Prize Pack to be won (10 copies for your book club or small group)!

So grab your copy of Queen of the Waves and Where the Trail Ends and join Janice Thompson and Melanie Dobson on the evening of the October 18th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 18th!

*Disclaimer- I received a complimentary copy of the book in order to conduct this review, however all opinions stated are 100% my own

September KLUTCHclub Review

I always look forward to getting a KLUTCHclub box in the mail. It is always packed full of so many awesome goodies and I love the that they are geared toward health and wellness. For September's box, they veered more on the wellness side of things with a spa theme. My favorite thing abotu KLUTCHclub that you don't get in other subscription boxes is that they tell you every single item you will be getting for the month before the box ships! I saw right away that Dream Water was going to be one of the items and I knew I would need this box because I have been wanting to try that and there were several other things in the box that I was interested in as well!

Soothing Music CD from Sequoia Records

Zenify Drink

Natural Vitality's Natural Calm Magnesium Powder

Dream Water Sleep Aid & Natural Relaxer. WORKS
LIKE A CHARM!!!!!

Cremo Company's Women's shaving crea,

E-boost natural energy drink powder

Taylor's of Harrogate Tea

EcoTrak Fitness Whole Food Bar. Umm, I think I
could eat one of these every day. YUM!

Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques Lip Gloss in Winterberry

Anatomy Naturals Dead Sea Mud Mask

$50 gift card to Zeel.com


There was also a $50 gift card to iTrain.com, but there were so many things in this box, I somehow managed to miss getting a picture of it!

As you can see from even just the 2 gift cards, this box is worth WELL over the actual $16 you pay for it. The very cool thing about KLUTCHclub is that the boxes are consistently worth over $100 and there is usually a good amount of full sized products. I always find at least a few new things that I love in my KLUTCHclub box!

Since today is October 1, a new box is available and it looks ridiculously awesome. The theme for this month's box is "Surviving the Holidays" and looks like another home run! If you are not a KLUTCHclub member yet, you are truly missing out! You can choose to buy your boxes 1 month at a time for $18 per month, buy a subscription for 3 months for $17 per month or join for a year's worth of boxes for $16 per month!

If you are a guy reading this thinking "okay, but some of this stuff is kinda girlie!" Good news! Last month KLUTCHclub introduced a KLUTCHclub Man box, designed specifically with you in mind!

Head on over the KLUTCHclub today and start receiving your boxes, always filled to the top, always with new, great products to try!

Disclaimer- I was not compensated in any way for this review nor did I receive any free products. All opinions stated are 100% my own.