My Favorite Stevia Giveaway

 

Stevia

When we decided to remove all artificial sweeteners from our diet I had a hard time with drinks. I used to drink diet soda all the time, and for some reason I never used to enjoy plain water. I started adding lemons and limes to my water and I tried using sparkling water too in an attempt to make it more palatable. Then someone suggested I try vanilla Stevia. I got some and found that it was a sweet addition. I love using NuNaturals vanilla Stevia in my San Pellegrino and sometimes even add a dash of lime. It reminds me of an old fashioned cream soda without all the calories and it isn’t full of artificial junk.

Recently I started using NuNaturals orange Stevia in my water and that has fast become my favorite. I made the mistake of letting the boys try it once and have officially created NuNatruals Stevia monsters. Matthew loves the peppermint in his water and I suspect as the winter approaches he may really enjoy it in his homemade hot chocolate. Nico adores the orange and lemon, while Lorenzo seems to be hooked on the vanilla. At dinner we often hear little voices asking for vanilla water. We all love the fact that unlike many other Stevia products, NuNatruals Stevia is non-bitter and NuNaturals uses real essential Orange, Lemon and Peppermint.  I plan to use NuNaturals in my peppermint meringues this Christmas.

My mom is a diabetic and I have recently gotten her hooked on NuNaturals. After reading that Dr. Mercola feels Stevia is the near perfect sweetener, I suggested she try it to replace the artificial sweeteners she used in her tea and oatmeal. She loves it and doesn’t miss the other sweeteners one bit.

NuNaturals also has a new product called Tagatose. It is a sweetener safe for diabetics that is naturally occurring in milk, fruits and vegetables. It is lactose and gluten free, low calorie, low glycemic index and low in carbohydrates. One of the really amazing things about Tagatose is that it will “brown” and “carmelize” like sugar and helps retain moisture longer, making baked goods remain softer longer. NuNaturals PreSweet™ Tagatose is also a prebiotic ingredient, which means it feeds probiotics and helps promote good bacteria growth. I recently saw a recipe for a ginger and mint syrup made with Tagatose. I can’t wait to try this as I have previously made ginger syrups with regular sugar and although I love the taste I don’t love the calories that go along with it. Tagatose may be the answer to some nagging sugar problems, as I would love to make some delicious desserts that my mother could also partake of, without risking raising her blood sugar or exposing her to artificial sweeteners and chemicals.

NuNatruals has been generous and offered to give away four (4) sets of Lemon, Orange and Peppermint Stevia Liquids to Matthew’s Puzzle readers.  Simply enter using the RaffleCopter entry form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided with free samples of all of the items discussed in this article. All the opinions are mine or my family’s.

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Jewelry Candles Giveaway

With Summer ending and Fall fast approaching my mind is moving towards the comforting scents of Autumn. I love when my house is filled with the smell of nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, walnuts and vanilla, it just makes the home feel warm and inviting on those cooler evenings. And of course with Fall comes Halloween. So when I saw Jewelry Candles’ Boo Berry Halloween scent I was completely in love. What a wonderful scent to fill my home with and then to have a really exciting surprise at the end, well that is just an awesome bonus.

Jewelry Candles is a candle company which produces the highest grade soy-wax candles (which burn for up to 150 hours!), with an added bonus. Buried inside the candle, a piece of jewelry is hiding, just for you!

From the Jewelry Candles website:

Inspired by the American Classic, Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory! Instead of a golden ticket in a chocolate bar, you get Premium Soy Wax Candles with jewelry hidden inside worth anywhere from $10 to $7500! You may get a ring, bracelet , necklace, pendant, anklets or beautiful pair of earrings in your candle! You just never know what you are going to get!

With over 30 different scents, Jewelry Candle is sure to have something you’ll love. These candles make a great gift for a sister, mom, or friend. Jewelry Candles are currently priced at $24.95 per candle, or $120 for a five pack. Plus, if you love what you get, you can sign up for their brand new Candle Club.

Whether it’s costume jewelry or the real deal, fans are delighted to find their little foil package, and unwrap their surprise. You can learn more at JewelryCandles.com. Become a fan on Facebook to enter their giveaways and stay up to date on new and exciting scents.

Because we love our fans, these blogs have joined together with Jewelry Candles to host a giveaway for a Mango Papaya Jewelry Candle! Visit these great blogs to read fun articles, enter more great giveaways, and get great tips on everything from eating Gluten Free, being Green, Recipes, Coupons, and MORE!

Enter by using the RaffleCopter form below.

This giveaway is open to US mailing addresses ONLY.

Giveaway ends at 11:59PM on SEPTEMBER 15, 2012

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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CLOSED Lunch Notes for the Lunchbox and Giveaway

 

Tara Ferry is our Winner!

Last year I sent a handwritten note in Matthew’s lunchbox every Friday. Unfortunately I didn’t have any nice paper so I put it on a sticky note from The College of Justice & Safety. Yeah, not the prettiest or most personal notepaper I could have chosen. This year I’m lucky enough to have Lunch Notes for Kids from Hallmark. They are small notes to add to your child’s lunch to brighten up their day, to let them know you love them and miss them, and to just show you care. They come in lunch-bag brown with vibrant drawing and cool, inventive sayings. They even have some that allow you to add your own spin so you can customize it for whatever your child is experiencing at the time. I dropped one in Matthew’s lunchbox on the first day and it really made him smile. I also slipped one into Nico’s lunchbox and he liked it so much he put it in his pocket and brought it home. There are 50 notes in a pack and if your child brings them home you can certainly use them again. I did, I just moved the one I gave Matthew over to Nico, the next day.

Sometimes Matthew gets nervous about school, and it can be hard to be away from us for so long. He works so hard, and I like to offer him encouragement even when I’m not there. This is a perfect way to do just that, and to do it a lot nicer than I ever could on my own.

Giveaway

Hallmark has generously offered a pack of Lunch Notes for Kids to one winner from Matthew’s Puzzle. To enter simply leave me a comment (with your email address!) saying why you want to win the Lunch Notes for Kids.

Additional Entries

Please leave a comment with the link to your action if appropriate. You may leave a link for each of the following items you do. Remember to include your email address so I can contact you should you win.

  • Like Hallmark on Facebook
  • Like Matthew’s Puzzle on Facebook
  • Follow Matthew’s Puzzle on Twitter
  • Follow Matthew’s Puzzle on Pinterest

The contest is open to US residents 18 yrs and older. The contest will run from August 31, 2012 to 11:59:59 September 16, 2012. The winner will be chosen at random by the wordpress plug in And The Winner Is… The winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours a new winner will be selected. Matthew’s Puzzle is not responsible for the fulfillment of the prize. There will be one (1) winner selected.

I was given the Lunch Notes for Kids for free to provide a review and a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

 

 

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CLOSED Novica Jewelry Review and Giveaway CLOSED

I really like unique jewelry. For me, it doesn’t have to be expensive as long as it doesn’t look like something I can find anywhere. I love jewelry that has a classic and timeless look with a modern or funky twist. So when I found NOVICA jewelry I was blown away by the amazing selection. The onyx wristband bracelet is exquisite in deep burgundy red with a silver heart. That would make a wonderful Valentine’s or Mother’s Day gift.

I also loved the Ruffled Olive wool shawl. With Autumn right around the corner, I can just imagine wrapping myself up in that beautiful fall colored shawl for a hay ride through the pumpkin patch.  The shawl would be perfect for a day shopping with friends or a fun night out on the town with my husband. Casual, yet refined – the perfect match.

But what really caught my eye was the White Mum ring. “A dazzling white chrysanthemum crowns this ring. Set on an open band of silver plated copper, the feminine flower is fashioned of pearls.” The ring is a beautiful and elegant cluster ring. It arrives from Thailand in a jewelry box wrapped in a handmade mulberry bark paper. Each year the smallest branches are cut and the outer layer of bark is used to make the paper, but the trees are not cut down. This way new branches will grow making this a sustainable practice, and creates beautiful, gift-worthy boxes. I will cherish and enjoy this ring, for it’s beautiful simplicity and timelessness.

I wanted to leave you with one additional image, the Mother Turtle leather backpack. The workmanship is utterly amazing and the backpack is beautiful. This is truly a statement piece, so don’t buy it unless you are willing to be stopped and asked about your bag everywhere you go!

NOVICA, is associated with National Geographic, works directly with thousands of master artisans in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, helping bring their beautiful creations, and their stories, to collectors worldwide.”

Giveaway

NOVICA has been kind enough to offer one (1) Gift Certificate for $37.50 to one winner at Matthew’s Puzzle. To enter the contest go to NOVICA and leave me a message telling me what item you would spend your Gift Certificate on, please remember to leave me your email address so I can contact you should you win.

For additional entries: Please leave me a comment with a link to each. 

Contest is open to US Residents, 18 yrs and older. The contest will run from July 23, 2012 to 11:59:59 August 5, 21012. One winner will be chosen at random using the WordPress plugin And the Winner Is. The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours from the notification to claim the prize. If the winner does not claim the prize in 48 hours a new winner will be selected. The gift certificate for $37.50 has an expiration date of 10/15/12 and must be used before that date!

I was given a gift certificate from NOVICA to provide a review of the White Mum ring. All opinions are my own.

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