Welcome to Monday Mingle!

Monday Mingle Questions for 2012
Monday Mingle Instructions
Previous Monday Mingles.

Current questions

1. Do you subscribe to any magazines? Which ones? Do you actually read them?
2. If you had to have a rat or a snake for a pet, which would you choose?
3. What is your favorite sound to fall asleep to?

My answers in written form (again) this week. I will try my best to record a video next week!
1. I subscribe to Lucky magazine which I love. I also love People, but buy it kind of randomly. I rarely have time to sit down and actually read magazines these days.
2. Ewwww. Ummmm. A rat I guess? Blech. Who thought of this question?
3. My favorite sound to fall asleep to would be the rain. There is nothing like that sound to make one feel snuggly and cozy

NOTE: If you link your Monday Mingle, make sure you comment on other mingles.  It’s just a nice thing to do  Also, don’t forget to check back later in the week, as some people post throughout the week.

If you have a home party business, make sure you check out Monday Mingle Business Edition at Party Plan Divas!

THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY LINKY, OR A LINKY TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS! PLEASE ONLY USE THIS LINKY IF YOU HAVE POSTED A MONDAY MINGLE ON YOUR BLOG! Thank you.

And this one is just too cute for words. I got such a kick out of them diving in – this looks like synchronized swimming to me:

Mama duck finally brought them up to our lawn, and it was so cute. They make this little squeaking noise and they are very busy. I’m not sure where papa duck was – geez. When they headed back to the water, we enjoyed the little “plopping” sounds as they jumped in.

The following day we were surprised yet again. A different mama duck appeared with about 12 teeny tiny babies. The ducklings were little bitty round fuzz balls. I did get a couple of pictures, but unfortunately they are on my camera and I think I left the cord at the other house *sigh*.

We are still waiting for Vlad and Vera Wing’s babies to be born. Those are our geese friends

I am so in love with our lake house, and watching the wildlife is so entertaining. It’s always hard to come back to this house

Welcome to Monday Mingle!

Monday Mingle Questions for 2012
Monday Mingle Instructions
Previous Monday Mingles.

Current questions

1. Do you have a birthmark?
2. What was your favorite game to play at recess?
3. What restaurant do you wish would come to your city/town?

My answers in written form this week (and I apologize for the really late Mingle post!)

1. I do have a birthmark! It’s on the underside of the top of my left arm. It’s just a small light brown splotch.
2. My favorite game to play at recess was always Four Square (is that what it’s called?) and Two Square. I was pretty good at it and had some special moves
3. As far as chain restaurants, I wish Olive Garden would come to our city. I don’t necessarily mean for good Italian food, but I do enjoy their meals (and LOVE their salad). If I was choosing a restaurant that wasn’t a popular chain, I would choose a good German restaurant.

NOTE: If you link your Monday Mingle, make sure you comment on other mingles.  It’s just a nice thing to do  Also, don’t forget to check back later in the week, as some people post throughout the week.

If you have a home party business, make sure you check out Monday Mingle Business Edition at Party Plan Divas!

THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY LINKY, OR A LINKY TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS! PLEASE ONLY USE THIS LINKY IF YOU HAVE POSTED A MONDAY MINGLE ON YOUR BLOG! Thank you.

We have an extensive love for chocolate in our family. My husband is the biggest chocolate fan you’ll ever know. He was more excited than I was to be able to review REAL Belgian chocolate. Here’s a brief introduction about Guylian’s amazing chocolate.

Guylian “ultra-indulgent” luxurious chocolate seashells are 100% pure, silky smooth, dark and white Belgian Chocolate and are filled with rich, decadent creamy chocolate praline truffle. The original signature truffle recipe is still made in small-batch copper kettles exclusively by Guylian’s Master Chocolatiers in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. The chocolates are imported from Belgium to ensure wonderful quality, taste and a true chocolate experience.

Guylian Belgian Chocolates was founded by Guy Foubert. He made homemade chocolate truffles in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. In 1958, Guy married Liliane, together they started a small chocolate company. They combined their names to get Guylian. Sounds like a bit of a love story to me, all that chocolate must have helped too! Now their chocolate is sold in over 100 countries. They still make their chocolate in small-batch copper kettles in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium. Guy’s signature chocolate truffle recipe has been unchanged for more than 50 years and is made with 100% pure cocoa butter.

Now onto the delicious details! First let me say that when they send you a sample its no small package! I was blown away with 9 bars/boxes of chocolate. Then came the best part: Opening them!  I started with the chocolate truffles. The chocolate looked beautiful, I’ve never seen chocolate displayed so wonderfully. Adorable little seahorses and shells, I thought for a second that I couldn’t eat a cute little sea horse. Ok, ok that second was gone, now onto the yummy part. The chocolate was soft on the inside, and smooth. It tasted like an amazing blend of chocolatey goodness. I couldn’t stop with just one! Each truffle is made with the finest chocolate with a unique blend of hazelnut preline filling. The quality is Guylian’s top priority, making sure every batch is perfect. To ensure each chocolate maintains its deliciousness Guylian uses a fast quality assurance delivery system. Mine was delivered in a cooler with an ice pack!

Next my husband tried the 54% dark chocolate bar.  He loved it, he thought is was the best dark chocolate he had ever had. He said it was different from other dark chocolate because it didn’t have a harsh bite to it like most do. Guylian makes two chocolate bars one dark and one milk chocolate. Both of them have no sugar added and Guylian writes that they are “suitable for diabetes!”

I would love to bake a chocolate cake with some of Guylian’s chocolate bars. It would be a chocolate masterpiece! You can purchase Guylian Chocolate at many local retailers, I found out Fresh Market sells them. They don’t sell their chocolate online so click here to find your nearest location.

THE GIVEAWAY:

One winner will receive Guylian Chocolate Prize Pack which includes:
One – 22 piece box of Guylian Artisanal Belgian Original Chocolate Truffles
Two – 6 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box
Four – 2 piece Original Chocolate Truffle Box

***NOTE: DO NOT STUMBLE GIVEAWAYS!***

REQUIRED ENTRY: Tell me in a comment if you have ever tried Guylian Belgian Chocolates before.

TWITTER AND FACEBOOK OPTIONS:

• If you like Guylian on Facebook and/or follow @Guylian_Chocs on Twitter- 1 entry each
• Fan Eighty MPH Mom on Facebook (leave your name or first initial and last name) – 1 entry
• Post/share this giveaway on your Facebook page (leave link in comment) – 1 entry
• Follow @EightyMPHMom on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using the phrase below – 1 entry daily:

MISC. OPTIONS:

• Follow Love Katydid on Google Friend Connect and/or @lovekatydid on Twitter – 1 entry each
• Sign up for the Guylian newsletter – 2 entries
• Subscribe to Eighty MPH Mom via email (MAKE SURE you verify!) and/or RSS feed (reader) - 1 entry each
• Join me on Zurker! – 1 entry
• Take the quick Eighty MPH Mom Survey!
• Add my NEW button to your blog
• Comment on a recent post post {from the past month} non-giveaway post (up to three) – 1 entry each

Although I always try to stick to somewhat healthy snacks, this time of the year (right before summer), I am even more inspired to not only be healthy, but to fit into my favorite shorts!  I was invited to take the “Healthy Snacking Challenge” where I would substitute Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop popcorn for my usual snacks. Well, this sounded pretty easy, as I already love popcorn!

Not all popcorn brands taste the same though.  Believe me, I have tried just about every variety and brand available.  I love the butter flavored popcorn but some of them are disgustingly greasy.  Another thing that I dislike about some popcorn is that when popped, instead of being “big”, the popped corn is so tiny and “shriveled”.  Yuck.  The best kind of popcorn? Big kernels that pop into light and fluffy popcorn.  That is where Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn has many other brands beat.

I love eating snacks that I don’t have to feel guilty about. Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop contains only 100 calories per six cups, and it is 94% fat free. I love that I don’t have to sacrifice flavor when trying to snack healthy. Orville Redenbacher’s Whole Grain SmartPop popcorn is a good source of fiber, and contains no trans-fat. Now THAT is something to be happy about.

There are so many snacking choices available these days, and I am just thrilled that I don’t have to feel guilty anymore. Previously I would snack on cheese and crackers usually (not terrible, but not incredibly healthy either). Cookies are typically the snack I would run to when was craving something sweet. Since I have discovered Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop Kettle Corn, I don’t feel deprived and I actually prefer it over sweet snacks that contain loads of sugar and calories.

This was a really fun and easy challenge.  I thought I might miss my usual snacks a bit more, but I really don’t.  Of course other favorite snacks are fine in moderation, but if I’m not missing them, then I am not eating them!  I also feel good when I offer healthy snacks for my family.  SmartPop will definitely be a staple in our home from now on.

Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop popcorn is also available in mini bags too – which are perfect when you just want a little snack. If you are craving something sweet and healthy, you might try SmartPop Kettle Corn (also available in mini bags!). This is one of my favorite sweet snacks!

Here is something fun for you! When you visit the Orville Redenbacher’s Facebook page, you can play a fun game called Pop Cam! You will use your webcam (don’t worry, you won’t be recorded), to catch imaginary popcorn out of the air! My friends and I used to try this when we were teens, and I was pretty good if I do say so myself!  Of course we didn’t have the internet back then, but if we did, I could totally see us trying the Pop Cam game!

Don’t forget to get your $1.00 off SmartPop coupon while you are there too!

THE GIVEAWAY:

Ten (10) winners will receive a box of Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop Popcorn!

***NOTE: DO NOT STUMBLE GIVEAWAYS!***

REQUIRED ENTRY: Tell me in a comment why you love popcorn/why you are looking forward to trying Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop?

TWITTER AND FACEBOOK OPTIONS:

• If you like Orville Redenbacher’s on Facebook - 1 entry
• Fan Eighty MPH Mom on Facebook (leave your name or first initial and last name) – 1 entry
• Post/share this giveaway on your Facebook page (leave link in comment) – 1 entry
• Follow @EightyMPHMom on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using the phrase below – 1 entry daily:

MISC. OPTIONS:

• Subscribe to Eighty MPH Mom via email (MAKE SURE you verify!) and/or RSS feed (reader) - 1 entry each
• Join me on Zurker! – 1 entry
• Take the quick Eighty MPH Mom Survey!
• Add my NEW button to your blog
• Comment on a recent post post {from the past month} non-giveaway post (up to three) – 1 entry each

*I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Orville and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

Entering is easy! Just “like” Armstrong’s Facebook page and upload a photo of their kitchen. The photo/mom with the most votes and demonstrates the greatest need for a kitchen makeover will win $10,000 in Armstrong cabinets and counters!

Armstrong has beautiful cabinets and countertops. After taking a look at their products, I am pretty certain that I need to update my own kitchen. I just might have to see if my son will enter this sweepstakes for me, so I can “oooh” and “ahhh” at my new kitchen if I win

For the entire month of May, Armstrong is accepting nominations for worthy moms. ‘Kids’ can nominate their mom’s kitchen to receive a makeover complete with Armstrong’s cabinets and countertops. ‘Kids,’ post a couple of flattering sentences about your mom and a picture of her kitchen and share it with your friends to get as many votes for her as you can!

The sweepstakes ends May 31st at midnight and only persons residing in the United States who are at least 18 years of age can enter.

You can read the full sweepstakes rules on the Armstrong Facebook page.

My son just turned three and has just discovered Mega Bloks! He loves to build towers and robots. We were really excited to review the Steer Me Steve dump truck because he loves his dump trucks too. He had a blast playing with this, and it was very easy for him to dump the blocks out, put them back in and roll the truck around making “driving” sounds.  I was happy to see that the handle was the perfect size for my son to grip. It really is a well thought out toy for little ones (and I wouldn’t expect less from Mega Bloks!).

Steer Me Steve features:

• Easy grip plastic steer along steering wheel
• Quick pull lever to empty cargo
• Fun, colorful design
• Includes 7 big blocks
• Cheerful, friendly face

Your truck loving child can drive around with the Steer-me Steve Dump Truck by Mega Bloksand pretend he is a big rig driver himself. Steer-me Steve is perfectly designed for little hands to grip the steer along wheel as they drive through the house picking up the included blocks in the set as his cargo. Stack the blocks on the truck bed or carry them to a new location for construction – it’s all up to Steve and where your child takes him. Once Steer-me Steve and your child reach their destination, the dump truck bed empties the cargo with a simple lever pull. After Steve is empty, it is time to go find another load! 

My son really loves to stack the blocks on the top of the dump bed. This is a great toy for any toddler, and is for ages 1-4.

Good news! If your child loves Mega Bloks, you might consider signing up for the Mega Bloks Club (you will also get extra entries for doing this in the giveaway below).  Joining is free and you will receive information on promotions, contests, new products and more!

You can purchase Mega Brands Steer Me Steve at Amazon.com for only $34.99. You can also enter to win below!

THE GIVEAWAY:

One winner will receive a Mega Bloks Prize Pack ($50 ARV) which includes:

• Steer-Me-Steve
• 80 piece Big Building Bag
• Sonny School Bus

***NOTE: DO NOT STUMBLE GIVEAWAYS!***

REQUIRED ENTRY: Tell me in a comment who you would like to win this prize pack for!

TWITTER AND FACEBOOK OPTIONS:

• If you like Mega Bloks on Facebook - 1 entry
• Fan Eighty MPH Mom on Facebook (leave your name or first initial and last name) – 1 entry
• Post/share this giveaway on your Facebook page (leave link in comment) – 1 entry
• Follow @EightyMPHMom on Twitter and Tweet this giveaway using the phrase below – 1 entry daily:

MISC. OPTIONS:

• Sign up for the Mega Bloks Club (click graphic above) – 3 entries
• Follow Love Katydid on Google Friend Connect and/or @lovekatydid on Twitter – 1 entry each
• Subscribe to Eighty MPH Mom via email (MAKE SURE you verify!) and/or RSS feed (reader) - 1 entry each
• Join me on Zurker! – 1 entry
• Take the quick Eighty MPH Mom Survey!
• Add my NEW button to your blog
• Comment on a recent post post {from the past month} non-giveaway post (up to three) – 1 entry each

*Katy received the above product, free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of reviewer only.

Do you love Rafflecopter giveaways?  Now you can have them all in one convenient place!  A new linky post will go up each Saturday.

Introducing the Rafflecopter ONLY Giveaway Linky!

Please enter your Blog Name/Prize, and the directly link to your giveaway.

**THIS LINKY IS ONLY FOR RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAYS!**

If you would like to list a giveaway that is not using Rafflecopter, please feel free to list them on Link em Up Thursday Giveaway linky.

Before leaving, please tweet this to help me spread the word – thanks! If you see any giveaways on the linky that aren’t using Rafflecopter, please let me know the entry # in a comment and I will remove it  PLEASE RETWEET THIS POST!

RT:  New! Rafflecopter ONLY Giveaway Linky! List and find giveaways that use Rafflecopter for entries. http://eightymphmom.com

**THIS LINKY IS ONLY FOR RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAYS!**

Please put the direct link to the giveaway, the prize, end date and if the giveaway is open to US, US and Canada or Worldwide.

My son often drinks milk alternatives, and I have on occasion as well.  I have never tried cooking with these products before, as I somehow thought that it wouldn’t work the same as milk in a recipe.  Boy, was I wrong!

I was asked to create a recipe using Blue Diamond Almond Breeze almond milk, and I gladly said, “yes”.  I am always up for a challenge, and trying healthier alternatives to my favorite foods. I decided to use the Chocolate Almond Breeze to make a yummy Tapioca pudding.  Previously I had only made tapioca with real milk, and I feared that the almond milk might not work the same.  It was actually really easy, and the taste?  Well, I’ll tell you about that after I show you the recipe and finished product.

Almond Breeze Tapioca Pudding

1/3 cup sugar
2-3/4 cups Chocolate Almond Breeze (you could also use one of the other flavors instead, if desired)
1 egg well beaten
3 tablespoons tapioca
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Measure Almond Breeze and pour into large saucepan.

Mix in the sugar, beaten egg, Almond Breeze, salt and tapioca. Let sit for 3 or 4 minutes, then turn heat to medium-high and stir constantly. When mixture is boiling (still bubbling while stirring), remove from heat.

Add vanilla:

Add white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts (if desired):

Cool for about 20 minutes then put in bowl, or fill individual dessert cups. Refrigerate, add dairy-free whipped cream (if desired) and enjoy!

This was such an incredibly easy recipe, and I was really pleased with the results. I feared it might not “hold together” like tapioca with milk, but it held together just fine. It tasted SO good too. If I didn’t know that almond milk was used in place of regular milk, I would have never been able to tell. I also loved that it was so light tasting, and not too sweet (as tapioca often is).

Have you tried cooking with Almond Breeze? I would love to hear about your almond milk recipes if you have! Almond Breeze can be used in baking, soups and sauces as well as desserts and just about anything else that milk can be used in. It is also available in Original, Original Unsweetened, Vanilla and Vanilla Unsweetened. I can’t wait to try making tapioca with Vanilla Almond Breeze too!

You can find Blue Diamond Almond Breeze on the shelf and/or the refrigerated section at most grocery stores.

You can connect with Blue Diamond Almond Breeze on Facebook to find out about promotions, coupons, recipes, and other helpful info!

*I partnered with Almond Breeze for this post, and was provided free product and compensation for creating this recipe.

Janet and Greta Podleski are sisters from St. Thomas, Ontario. They started the Looneyspoons Collection to show a fun side to eating. Creating delicious meal that were also healthy and named the meals so kids would enjoy it more too. Here’s the introduction to their cookbook.

The Looneyspoons Collection is jam-packed (as in “loaded”…not as in “full of jam”) with Greta’s amazing recipes (wait until you try her gluten-free brownies!) and tons of cutting-edge nutrition and lifestyle tips. It’s Janet & Greta’s most comprehensive cookbook to date and includes reader-favourite recipes from Looneyspoons, Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, PLUS recipes developed for magazines, their TV show and LOTS of BRAND-NEW, never-seen-before stuff, too. “I feel like this is the cookbook we were meant to write. The first three were just practice!” says Janet, the nutritionist of the duo.

Enjoy brand-new recipes like Stick to Your Ribs (pork tenderloin “ribs” with a zesty lemon-rosemary sauce), Honey, I Shrunk My Thighs (honey-garlic marinated chicken thighs), Corn, Black Bean and Mango Fandango (Greta’s new-favourite salad!) and Rolls Royce (Ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls with a touch of whole wheat and flax).

Back to recipes, we tried the Forever in Blue Cheese, Lord of the Wings, and Mr. Bean. Oh my goodness Forever in Blue Cheese was the best blue cheese dip I have ever tasted!! It was super easy to make with eight ingredients, most of which you have in your pantry already. All I had to buy was the blue cheese. My husband looked at me and said “MY WIFE CAN MAKE BLUE CHEESE DIP!!” I’m usually a ranch kind of gal but this was way better than ranch!

Next, we had Lord of the Wings which are buffalo wings, but much less fattening. They were delicious, best wings I’ve ever made at home. Although next time I might turn the oven down a bit cause the sauce in the pan was burning too quickly. The chicken however was perfect and yummy. My husband loved the name Lord of the Wings, since he is a big LOTR fan.

Lastly our side dish Mr. Bean which is green beans tossed with bacon, lemon, and honey mustard. I failed because I didn’t have a steamer basket. I thought they would be good cooked regularly, but they dried out. The sauce was great though, but the beans had the life sucked out of them. Steaming them would have contained the moisture in the beans much better.

Make sure you check out Janet and Greta Podleski on Facebook for the latest information and recipes!

Overall I am thrilled with this cookbook and would recommend it to everyone. You can purchase The Looneyspoons Collection
at Amazon.com for $34.95, which is well worth it for 325 recipes!

*Katy received the above book, free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of reviewer only.