Numi Cardamom Pu'erh Tea

My friend A.J. and I go way back. We met over food and she was the first person to tell me about cardamom, a wonderfully aromatic and exotic spice originally from South India, now grown in Guatemala, is a little citrusy, a bit spicy with hints of nutmeg. I add it to my french toast (don't tell anyone!). I couldn't wait to try the tea from Amazon Vine program.
Of all the teas I have drunk in my life, Numi Cardamom Pu'erh Tea is a deep rich chocolatey brown. If the tea bag is out, you might mistake it for coffee, except for the amazing aroma! I sweetened mine with a little raw agave syrup and it was glorious! It packs a little kick too. So if you find yourself in the middle of an after noon slump, Numi Cardamom Pu'erh might be a great tea for you! One box contains 16 individually wrapped tea bags. Opening one of them releases a fragrance that's like going on a mini vacation to some far away place.
I'm having a cup right now in honor of my friend A.J. Numi Cardamom Pu'erh Tea is a tasty treat for ones who are looking for coffee or power drink alternatives.

Schroder

Schroeder opens with a young man making a change for the better, at least in his mind. I couldn't wait to start the book, wondering what anyone is thinking when they begin to change identities. My questions are how long did they do it and get away with it? They are of course answered in this highly entertaining tale by Amity Gauge. At times I laughed out loud, marvel at the way the character went full bore forward with his idealistic plan. With summer just around the corner (even though March has barely stepped through the door) you will definitely want to put this one on your summer reading list. It's serious with out being heavy, light-hearted, self-deprecating and droll, with flashes of grandiosity, but Gauge pulls it off in elegant style. I'm already looking for what else she's written.


I was given this book for free from the Amazon Vine Program in exchange for my honest opinion .

Nature's Bounty Vanilla Protein Shake Mix

Nature’s Bounty Protein Shake  Vanilla is loaded with vitamins, prebiotics and probiotics and is sweetened with Stevia. It does also contain some milk and soy ingredients, and is suitable for vegetarians. 

I've mixed it with water and soy milk with great results. It could easily be used with almond or rice milk. When mixed with water, it is a little lighter, and still tasty if you are watching calories. 

I feel great taking Nature’s Bounty Protein Shake knowing I am doing something positive for myself. It supports digestive health, hair, nails and skin health and immune health. 

Having used this is a meal replacement some mornings and most often as a midday boost, I'll tell you it makes me feel energized and focused as I go through my day. It also helps with establishing a fitness regimen as I do not feel drained or exhausted at the end of the day like I used to. 

When my schedule turns hectic, I mix Nature’s Bounty Protein Shake in a shaker and take it with me and enjoy it as I have opportunity. 

The vanilla flavor is rich and tasty when mixed with soy milk, even the plain. I recommend this to health conscious women on the go as well as anyone wanting to make positive changes in their lifestyle.

Sensa Chews Fabulous Chocolate Fudge

I used to carry protein bars as midday snacks in my purse and have, at various times,stuck these 220 calorie meal replacements in my desk drawers and glove box. Over time, these little meals throughout the day had blossomed into endless bouts of eating. Sitting at a desk all day was taking its toll: my waist had become the muffin top. I wanted to make changes. If I left the snacks at home, I felt ravenously hungry and only thought of the candy machine in the next office.
SENSA CHEWS appealed to me because each one of them is the size of a wrapped piece of candy, and looks like one and they come in Chocolate Fudge. I eat one with an 8 ounce cup of hot tea and I genuinely feel full; this tides me over as long as two hours. With one piece of fruit as my midday snack I can last up to three hours. I have taken two of the chews in a day with no side effects (maltitol sometimes causes excessive bathroom usage…)  and the SENSA CHEWS CHOCOLATE FUDGE flavor is satisfying enough that I don’t find myself tearing my desk apart looking for some long forgotten crumb or quarters for the vending machine. You can’t go wrong with only a 15 calorie investment.
My belly has been reigned in and I feel better about having some control over my diet. I usually eat a light breakfast and a healthy meal at dinner and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I recommend this to anyone who is serious about changing their eating habits.

I COULD HAVE HAD A V-8 Energy Shot

 V8 Energy Shot contains 50 calories, caffeine equal to a cup of coffee and nine fruit and vegetable juices that makes this  a delicious blend of powerful energy. The 2.5 oz bottle is packed with flavor and it gave me a lift that served me through a cloudy, mid-week slump. They pack easily in brief case or purse and need no refrigeration. They’re a tasty alternative to coffee, soda or sugary energy drinks. If you're asking for a boost without the crash this might be the delicious answer. 

Natures Bounty Protein Powder Chocolate

Like you, after the first of the year, I re-evaluated my life and determined to make some changes. I wanted first to get healthier and get out of the habit of all day snacking. I work at a 925 for a 6 hour stretch and get one 15 minute break. Nature's Bounty Protein Shake Mix is enough to get me through the last leg of my day. I used one scoop with water and it's light but still very tasty. I made it with soy milk and it tasted like chocolate pudding! I am not even a big fan of chocolate and I loved it! Two scoops it 120 calories and with soy milk, I could use it to replace a midday meal.

Nature's Bounty Protein Shake Mix is packed with vitamins and minerals and is the perfect blend for female vegans and vegetarians.   makes me feel great all day. I've been eating less, just not feeling the need to constantly eat. I never feel that blazing hunger that makes me lose all perspective. When I start to feel hungry, I have already planned for my light snack, or meal.

I recommend this to anyone who loves chocolate drinks, wants to feel great and is trying to improve their health.

Mookeys: In a City Near You?

MOOKEYS by MORGAN R. BRAMLET is a walk down the what-if? path. Have you ever wondered what might happen if we could purchase genetically engineered pets? How perfect would they be, if they had all the best features anyone could ever ask for and could talk? Imagine that. Talking pets. Would you be the first among your friends to own one?

Engage with Morgan R. Bramlet as he explores this line of thought through his fictional novel, Mookeys. I found the book fascinating with a little science that was not over my head, a little too believable, and placed in 21st century United States, with an amazingly real scenario: a journalist receives one to take home to his family.

I fell under the spell of the story and let it unfold. I intended to read a few pages a day over the Christmas holidays. But the hook of this story embedded itself in my backbone, on which I lay for hours, too curious about the next event to put the book down.
 When I reached nearly the last plot twist of the book, the turn was so unexpected I had to take a moment to consider what I had just read. I almost put the book down. After careful thought, I decided to see where it would go. Glad I did. I commend the author on how he left the door ajar for future stories. Not sure if there’s anywhere left to go, but this author’s imagination challenges predictability. Check into it if you like sci-fi.

Just an FYI I recently acquired Bramlet’s book: Gargoyles. Stay tuned for that review by month’s end!

How Do You Become Unstoppable?

I had seen Nick Vujicic (pronounced Voo-yi-chich) on You Tube before I found out about his book.  But once I saw it, it was on my mind for days until it showed up.
All of us have had or will eventually have challenges that will threaten to completely undo us. Loss of loved ones, loss of job, an unforeseen event. We come to a cross roads where a decision must be made: to be crushed, limp along or become unstoppable. UNSTOPPABLE is the newest book by Nick a man born with no arms or legs who used the challenges of his own life to encourage others.

It is at times laugh-out-loud funny, and other parts had me in tears. He addresses many difficulties facing many people today including personal crises, bullying, self-destructive thoughts, emotions and addictions as well as relationship issues. Along with his unswerving belief  that God made each of us unique and for a purpose, ha share  amazing personal tales of faith in action. Not only that, Nick has been a speaker around the world, and has brought back incredible stories  of others from his journeys.

Nick lives a full and interesting life which has included scuba diving, surfing and most recently, marriage. If you or someone you know needs a shot in the arm, needs a hopeful reminder about who is in control, this book could be exactly what you’re looking for. Are you ready to be UNSTOPPABLE?

 "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah Illustrated

 Olga and Aleksey Ivanov beautifully illustrated this one-song book Hanukkah oh Hanukkah!
  It's light and fun and festive entertainment for the little ones. The first page is a sheet of
music, and a modern family is depicted enjoying the holiday. Hanukkah oh Hanukkah! is
about as long as the song, but the illustrations are wonderful.
WARNING: One illustration isn't Kosher.





This book was given to me free by the Amazon Vine Review Program in exchange for my honest opinion.

All The Benefits

I received Jarrow Formula PhosphOmega Fish Oil from the Amazon Vine Program. Even though the soft gels appear to be large, if I tipped my head back while taking them, they were easy to swallow and didn’t get stuck in my throat. The label recommends taking them with food. There was no discernible aftertaste,  and none of the “fish burps” I’ve hear people talk about with other products. My husband occasionally suffers from inflammation in his chest muscles and this relieved it considerably to the point that he didn’t have to take pain medication. We like the product because my husband and I don’t really eat much fish and this is an easy way to get all the benefits. Because the price is so great, I intend to be a regular buyer of these myself!

Dead on Arrival

Unfortunately, my Primula Tempo Coffee Press arrived from the Amazon Vine Program broken. Furthermore, it is my observation that it was intentionally packaged broken in the original box, as the glass carafe was intact, as were the package box and shipping box. My husband called the number on the box to see if it could be exchanged.
They recommended that it be exchanged where it was purchased. When he explained it had been shipped from Amazon, he was shuffled to others until he was told the head of the department would call. (Online buyers beware!) It's been less than a day, so maybe they will. I will revise to let you know if they did.
We were very disappointed since we were so looking forward to sharing this pot of coffee with several people during the holidays for a well rounded review. Shame, too, because we dearly love coffee. But so far, I am sincerely concerned about the PLASTIC LID on this press which was in shards, interestingly, and not the glass. Unless we are able to obtain another, I can't recommend this to anyone.
Is Epoca intentionally shipping broken products? As a point of reference, Amazon cannot reship this Primula French Press, as they are out and we have heard positively from Epoca and await their response to the email explaining our position.
So far, both Amazon and Epoca have been very quick to respond to email. (Buyer, this is good news!) But I should add that while I have been given credit for this review, Amazon has pulled it from their site. Hopefully, Epoca will entertain ideas of a review. Keeping you posted.

Goal Zero 90401 Rockout Speaker Crystal Clarity

My husband and I love camping. I am somewhat addicted to my music as several super close friends will attest, and never go anywhere without it. My desire to share music while traveling has become a bit of a challenge ever since the epic road trip West last summer. It isn’t always feasible to share my tunes, so I’ve tried using some of the smaller portable speakers.
I could live with some of the options out there, but I could live without them just as well. The last thing wanted is a speaker that needs electric after just a few hours. Nor did I want speakers that required electric to run. I found a cheap speaker set that folded into a ball. The trouble was, the music coming out of it sounded a little too tinny.
I ordered GOAL ZERO 90401 Rockout Speaker from the Amazon Vine program and couldn’t wait for it to arrive. Ever since trying out the Goal Zero 19010 Guide 10 Plus Small Adventure Kit, I have fallen totally in love with solar products. The solar panels from earlier this year also charge this unit.
We plugged in our mp3 player and hoped to be surprised. The sound coming out of them was excellent. My husband noted they really didn’t have much bass, but so surprised were we by the clarity of the midrange sound, I stopped everything to write this review. Even with an mp3 player turned up full volume, we experienced absolutely no distortion.
I have become fond of Goal Zero products. They are built for use, rugged and durable. It’s equipped with shock cords to that you can hang the unit, wear it from a belt, loop it on a bike stem all while enjoying amazing sound quality. It zips open to hold your player, and comes with an adapter to recharge from a USB port. Even better, the speakers will last up to 25 hours (some reports say 40 hours) on a single charge and a much closer match to the battery life of my player.
If you love music as much as I do, and like to share it with others, I can’t say enough about this unit. It is worth the price for the quality.

Have You Checked Your Pulse?

Are you FULLY ALIVE? I had to admit I’d stalled a little. I had just survived one of the most brutal years of my life. I had reached the other side of it, happier but exhausted. My low physical activity job left me psychologically tired at the end of each and every day. I had even gained weight.

KEN DAVIS’ book, FULLY ALIVE caught my attention “A Journey that Will Change Your Life.”  I’d heard Ken Davis on Christian radio stations off and on for years. He offered short snippets of encouragement each day. I wanted some of that.

Ken talks about his life and reaching a goal he didn't want: being overweight, often battling depression and out of breath.  His journey involved setting new goals and breaking those goals into hard but obtainable steps forward. He reminded me that anything worth having is worth going for. It was how I had ended up on the other side of such a tough year. I had realized that my life was nose-diving and I needed to make a change. I had changed, but I still wasn't the best version of myself.

Change is exhilarating, disconcerting and sometimes exhausting. What I needed now, was encouragement and new goals. FULLY ALIVE is packed with tales  and vignettes from the life of Ken, his friends and acquaintances that motivated me. He covers something that I have known for a while but his book was the proof I needed. I hit a major milestone in my life a few years ago. On that day, I said I wanted the next same number of decades to be more exciting than the first. So far, it has been. But with this book as a reminder, I not only believe it will continue to be, but I hope to exceed my wildest imagination.

 If you're someone who needs a jump-start, who feels like there’s more out there to experience, that if there’s one more drop of life to be had don’t want to miss out, I recommend this book.

I am a member of the Amazon Vine program. I received no monetary compensation for my opinions. A copy of the book was provided for me to read, in exchange for my honest opinions of the book.

South Beach to the Rescue!

South Beach Fiber Bar

A lot of mornings I get about midway before I start feeling like a little “noshie” and start hunting for  a snack. South Beach Fiber Bar to the rescue! Amazon Vine sent me a box of Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars.  Each box contains 5 which is the right fit for my work week. Each individually wrapped bar is 120 calories of delicious, chocolatey yumminess. With 9 grams of fiber  per bar, that’s over three times the average slice of bread! Add to that, the chewy granola sits on a dark chocolate bar bed. I love these! I couldn’t eat an entire chocolate bar with no guilt, but these allow me my guilty pleasure at only –did I already say this?--120 calories! For some reason, I didn’t get a headache from these the way I do with other chocolate products, even though they do contain a bit of sugar(6 gm) which I normally shy away from.

They are packable in a coat pocket, a lunch bag, purse, brief case or your desk drawer. They are well balanced and satisfying, in that they don’t leave me craving more. I would recommend these if you tolerate sugar, wheat and nuts well.