WonderVeg Three Blade Spiralizer

I love me some veggies and after I cut out most meats (I eat a pescatarian diet), I enjoy finding new ways to enjoy the vegetables that I already love. I recently got the chance to try out the WonderVeg Three Blade Spiralizer and I am quite impressed. I have tried handheld spiralizers to little or no avail but I am glad to report that this one is great!

This spiralizer comes with three blades, an instruction and recipe book, and a pink cleaning brush. I love that they include a brush because those blades can be hard to clean without it! There is a built in storage compartment that holds the two spare blades while the other is in use. There are also suction cups on each of the four feet which is great because you don't have to worry about it sliding around during use! 

The plastic is BPA-free and stain resistant and all of the parts are dishwasher safe, as well! You secure your veggie to the circular notch on the blade and then stick the little spikes into the other end. Using a little pressure, push forward (toward the blade), while turning the crank. The blades are very sharp, so much work is not involved to get great, consistent results. One of the issues I have run into before was dull blades that required much more work and didn't work very well, often turning my veggies into mush! You don't have to worry about that with the WonderVeg!

The three blades included all yield different results. The plain looking blade gives you ribbons which are great for salad and making chips. The blade with the bigger triangles makes a thicker noodle (or as I like to call them when made out of zucchini, zoodles), and the last blade, with the smaller triangles, makes a thinner pasta. I love the versatility! Shrimp and vegetable scampi with zoodles is to die for! All of the deliciousness without the carbs!

I am really impressed with my WonderVeg Three Blade Spiralizer and I am glad to have finally found a spiralizer that does what it says it will do! I know you are dying to make your own zoodles, so head on over to Amazon where you can pick up your own WonderVeg Three Blade Spiralizer. Plus, right now, it is currently 50% off, which is a great deal!


Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Raw Revolution Glo Bars

I am on the run a lot and I am always looking for snacks that I can take on the go with me. Unfortunately, most of the choices in the supermarket are either highly processed and full of sugar, or taste like cardboard. Recently, I got the chance to try Raw Revolution's new line of Glo bars which are absolutely delicious! 

First off, I want to mention that all of Raw Rev's products are Kosher, non-GMO, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, and organic. Also, their products are 80-100% raw, depending on which snack you are enjoying. There are three flavors in their new Glo line: Creamy Peanut Butter & Sea Salt, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt, and Mixed Nuts Caramel & Sea Salt. These bars are high protein, high fiber, and low sugar while still maintaining all Raw Rev's standards.

These are so yummy and give me a great energy boost while also helping me feel full for quite a bit. Being a chocolate fanatic, my favorite was the Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt but they were all delicious. They have a nice texture and are super easy to throw in your purse and go. Raw Rev has definitely became my go-to brand for on the go snacks!

Be sure to check out Raw Revolution's website to see all of the delicious snacks that they offer. Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any news or fun giveaways!


Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Enjoying Tea Sampler

I am a huge tea drinker. I love all kinds of tea and really enjoy trying new types of teas and different flavors. I got the the chance to try a 6 tea sampler from Enjoying Tea and I can't wait to share it with you! My sampler included: Jasmine Green Tea, Keemun Black Tea, Roasted Mate Chai, Earl Grey Black Tea, Organic Slimming Oolong Tea, and Vanilla Rooibos. 

Jasmine Green Tea

Each tea came packaged in a little tin with the name on a sticker. Each little tin was also sealed to prevent spilling. These little tins are so cute and can easily be reused once you drink all of the tea. I love re-purposing! There was also a little information card included that had brewing information on it. I really like that they included this because each tea has a different steeping time and amount to use for optimal flavor.

Vanilla Roobios

My favorites in this sampler were the Vanilla Roobios and Earl Grey Black Tea. My boyfriend really liked the Jasmine Green Tea as well. I think this is an awesome way to try out different teas and open your tea horizons. This way, if you don't like a particular flavor, you aren't stuck with a whole bunch of it, just a little tin and five more to try!

If you are a tea drinker like me, I know you are super excited to see everything that Enjoying Tea has to offer! Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Hurry on back though because it is giveaway time! One lucky reader will win a set just like this one! Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Open to US residents, 18 years and older. Winner has 48 hours to reply before another is drawn. Good luck!

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Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers. My Empty Nest is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Maivita Premium Organic Coconut Flour

While making changes to my diet, I have been trying to find an alternative to white flour that I actually like. I don't much care for the taste and texture of wheat flour so that wasn't an option. Then I found coconut flour and I haven't looked back! Maivita Organic Coconut Flour is vegan, non-gmo, and naturally gluten free. After doing a little research, I found that coconut flour is actually a wonderfully healthy alternative to traditional flours. It is high fiber, low carb, Paleo friendly, full of medium-chain triglycerides (healthy fats), and high in protein! I use quite a few coconut alternatives in the kitchen already (milk, oil, and sugar) so I am not totally sure why I waited so long to try coconut flour.

It is a light beige color and is a little thicker and more moist feeling than white or wheat flour. The smell is divine (I love everything coconut) as is the taste, it actually has a little bit of a coconut flavor which is great when cooking and baking! Replacing white and wheat flours in recipes with coconut flour can be a little confusing and takes a little bit of trial and error but it can be done. Personally, I just typed in coconut flour recipes and was astounded at the amount of results! These recipes take all the guess work out!

Sweets have always been my weakness, so you know that the first thing I made with my coconut flour was some delicious coconut cookies. These are a delightful mix between a macaroon and a sugar cookie that is slightly sweet but not overly rich. Perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth without feeling too heavy or being overly sweet. I think that the coconut flour helped make these even more delicious and special!

If you have been trying to replace flour in your diet as well, I really recommend you try coconut flour like this Maivita Organic Coconut Flour, which you can get on Amazon! I love cooking with it now and I really like that it can take my dishes to the next level flavor wise. I also can feel good about feeding it to my family because it is more nutrient dense than traditional flours! All around A+ in my book!

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Pastariso Vegan and Gluten Free Mac Uncheddar

Macaroni and cheese has always been one of my favorite comfort foods but as I am making diet changes, I have been cutting out dairy as much as I can. When Pastariso offered me the chance to try their Mac Uncheddar, I couldn't say no! It is vegan and free of dairy/lactose, gluten, soy, eggs, and nuts. It is also non-GMO and has no trans fat, saturated fat, or cholesterol! Healthy macaroni and cheese? Who would have thought!

This Mac Uncheddar was actually pretty good! I was really surprised that the "cheese" had a wonderfully cheesy taste and texture. The noodles were good too! It also passed the picky children test which can be quite hard to do! This is definitely a great alternative for people with dietary restrictions, or people who are just trying to make better choices. Be sure to visit the Pastariso website and see all of the great products that they have! Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any news.


Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Celebrate National Jelly Bean Day with Surf Sweets

I have always had a sweet tooth and my children seemed to have inherited it from me, as well. I try to make good decisions when picking out sweet treats for myself and my children, but there just aren't that many out there! That being said, Surf Sweets is changing all of that. Their candy is free of artificial colors, flavors, corn syrup, dairy, casein, gluten and are also non-GMO, allergy friendly, and made with organic fruit juice and sweeteners. In each serving, there is also 100% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C.

Today is National Jelly Bean Day and I am sure you want to celebrate with some delicious jelly beans! Well, instead of your normal brand, you should totally opt for Surf Sweets jelly beans. Not only are they better for you, but they are so much better than any jelly beans I have ever tried before. The flavors taste so much more real and unprocessed. They actually taste like the fruit they are supposed to, not like an artificial replica. They are absolutely delicious!

Surf Sweets offers much more than jelly beans. My boyfriend is a gummy bear man and he swore up and down that no gummy bear could beat out his favorite brand. Well, Surf Sweets' Fruity Bears proved him wrong. He said not only were they better, they were a lot better. I have to agree with him as well. Yet again, the fruit flavors taste more like actual fruit and less like artificial copies. I happened to like the texture better as well. The were a little softer and didn't get stuck in your teeth like other gummy candies can.

The last two products that we tried from Surf Sweets were their Peach Rings and Watermelon Rings. I love gummy candies and these were both great! I favored the Peach Rings, which tasted just like biting into a juicy peach. The watermelon rings are sweet and slightly sour and really awesome as well. My children were fans of everything we tried and I love that I can give them a nice, sweet treat while also knowing that the ingredients are natural!

Be sure to check out the Surf Sweets website to see all of the products that they offer. Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any news!


Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

The Cozy Cookbook from Berkley Prime Crime

You all know I love cozies! Cozy mysteries, for anyone who might not be familiar, are a special type of murder mystery that doesn't dwell so much on the gruesome aspects of the murder but more so on the characters and settings. Reading them leaves you with a cozy sort of welcome home feeling. And some also leave you with some sort of fun crafts or recipes in the back of the book depending on which series you are reading. 

I am always amused when my husband asks if my newest book has anything tasty for him, since he does have a sweet tooth that can’t be denied. With that said, as soon he saw my copy of The Cozy Cookbook he hijacked it and started making a grocery list! I’ll come back to that in a moment…

This fabulous cookbook has more than 100 recipes from some of my favorite authors and, even more exciting, it has some from authors I hadn't read yet, so I made my own shopping list of sorts using the handy list in the back which includes the full series titles for the tasty series used in the creation of the awesome cookbook. 

The contents page makes it so easy to find the right recipe, as it is broken into meal type categories and when you flip to that page you will find another content page that has all the recipes for that section. I love the variety! You will find all the meals represented a few vegetarian options and even breads, drinks and desserts. 

Back to my husband’s shopping list. He loves trying new things and he is a vegan leaning vegetarian so when he saw the vegan vanilla cupcakes from Jenn McKinlay he started making a list. It was a fun recipe to cook for me because I got to use things I have never cooked with before, like agave. I also loved that he could freely lick the bowl without my "that has eggs in it" disapproving glance. These were such a big hit the only picture I managed was one tray before it was iced. After icing they vanished before I even knew what was happening! It was also really fun to make something I had read about as the Cupcake Bakery Mystery Series is one of my favorites! 

In addition to the cupcakes, we also tried Parmesan Crisps. This was exciting for two reasons. One is that since I have several dietary restrictions, there is no real crispy chip like items left in my diet. I was tickled to no end to see something with no flour or any other ingredient I can’t have. They were so simple to make that I can toss in a batch anytime with ease. Plus, now my crispy cravings are being met. I cannot thank Laura Childs enough! The second reason I was so excited was that I have not read Laura Childs before so now I have the excitement of finding a new author to read! 

As you might imagine this is a resource I will use both in the kitchen and on my reading table. This was just released on the 7th and is sure to be a huge hit so you’ll want to order your copy from your favorite book seller today. 

Take some time to browse the other great mysteries available from Berkley Prime Crime. While you are there, you can sign up for the newsletter so you never miss a new release. I must warn you though, after browsing my wish list is longer than I could probably read. You can also connect with them on Twitter where can happen across a fun giveaway as well. 

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Gourmet Popcorn from KuKuRuZa

Popcorn has always been one of my go to snacks. Since it is so versatile, it can be made sweet or salty and can help with any type of late night craving. It is also usually pretty easy on the waistline. Well, recently I happened upon a company that I just knew I had to try: KuKuRuZa. They make gourmet popcorn that is handcrafted right in Seattle, Washington. From them, I got the chance to sample one of their Flight Cartons which is a big box that comes with your choice of 7 flavors. Each bag contains approximately two cups and you can choose which 7 you want included from over 20 flavors. 

One of my favorite types of popcorn has always been White Cheddar (top) so you know I had to try theirs. The cheddar flavor is so good and doesn't taste artificial like some white cheddar popcorn on the market. I was definitely sad when this bag was gone! Sticking with the same theme, I got their Jalapeno White Cheddar (bottom) for my boyfriend to try. Since I don't do spicy, I didn't try this one but he said that it was really good and had a slight little spice with great, jalapeno flavor.

Since one of my favorite chip varieties is salt and vinegar, I had to try their Vinegar & Sea Salt (bottom). This popcorn was so good! I really wish this was sold in a store near me because I would always have some on hand. If you love vinegar flavors, you really have to give this one a try! I also tried Hawaiian Salted Caramel (top) which was really good! The salt perfectly compliments the sweet caramel and makes for such an awesome experience. This is by far, the best caramel popcorn I have ever had.

My second flavor that I tried was Seattle Style (top). This is a caramel espresso flavor. I have never though of coffee flavored popcorn before but now I am starting to question why! This flavor is absolutely delicious and very hard to put down. Tuxedo (bottom) was the next flavor I tried. It is caramel popcorn covered in milk and white chocolate. This is delicious. The chocolate is awesome and the caramel corn is perfect.

The last flavor I tried was S'mores. This is caramel corn with chocolate drizzle, graham crackers, and chocolate covered marshmallows. This an awesome flavor as well. It is pretty rich and great for a late night sweet tooth! All of the flavors I tried from KuKuRuZa were absolutely delicious and I can't wait to try the rest of them (which I definitely will be doing!). You can see all of the flavors that they offer on the KuKuRuZa website. Also, be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any of the news or seasonal flavors!

Hurry back here though because it is giveaway time! One lucky reader will receive their own Flight Carton from KuKuRuZa stuffed with 7 flavors of their choice! Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Open to US residents, 18 years and older. Winner has 48 hours to respond before another is drawn. Good luck!

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Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers. My Empty Nest is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

Jiva USDA Organic Chick Peas

As you probably know by now, my mother, Diana, is a vegetarian. Because of this, most of our protein came from beans. Even though I am not a vegetarian myself, a lot of the meals she made have a special place in my heart, especially 15 Bean Soup. I always loved those nights. This soup helped me discover my love for chick peas, or garbanzo beans. They were always my favorite part of the soup.

This love for chickpeas has stuck with me and now, as an adult, I love all kinds of dishes featuring them and even add them to old favorites. Recently, Jiva Organics offered me the chance to try their USDA Organic Chick Peas and I couldn't refuse. Jiva Organics is a small, family owned business that respects all forms of life and, as a result, they make sure all of their products are natural, certified organic, and grown in a way that preserves the environment. 

These are certified USDA organic and contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. This huge, 2 pound bag comes straight from Indian farms that are untouched by modern, toxic chemicals. You can use these in all sorts of dishes, but if you would like to make a quick and easy hummus dip, puree these chick peas with tahini, olive oil, fresh garlic, and lemon juice. Of course, since hummus is so versatile, you can add whatever ingredients and spices you like to amp it up!

I am very satisfied with my Jiva USDA Organic Chickpeas. Not only are they delicious, all natural, and organic, they also remind me of sharing home cooked meals with my mother. If you would like to try these for yourself, you can pick up your own bag on Amazon HERE for $14.82 + free shipping!


Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Find Better Snack Options at The Good Bean

As many of you may know I have a lot of dietary restrictions, most of which are out of medical necessity and not negotiable. The last few hits took away everything that could be considered a portable snack. Seriously, there was nothing I could grab and go. Now I don’t mind home cooking all of my meals, in fact, I like knowing what is in my food. However, there are times you just need something, now, or something portable.

Thankfully I found a delicious option. The Good Bean!!! These tasty little beans are just that… roasted beans. As a huge fan of hummus, I knew I like chick peas but roasted crunchy chick peas had never crossed my radar. When I read the ingredients list I was so thrilled to see nothing there I couldn’t have. Needless to say, I may need to buy stock in this company, because I will be turning in a lot of orders!

These beans are roasted until they are crunchy little morsels, that are perfectly salted or seasoned. They hit that salty snack craving without giving you all of the junk you can’t or don’t want in your diet. This is really snacking you can feel good about. One serving has as much protein as almonds, as much fiber as two cups of broccoli and as much folate as three cups of spinach! Plus, nothing over-engineered and nothing artificial. They are gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, kosher, and non-GMO.

The roasted chickpeas come in a variety of flavors; sea salt, cracked pepper, smoky chili & lime, sweet cinnamon, mesquite BBQ, Thai coconut, and chocolate. Due to my very strict requirements, I was only able to try the sea salt and cracked pepper, both of which are simply awesome. I am so beyond excited that I now have a snack option!!

In addition to the roasted bean, The Good Bean also offers The Fruit & No-Nut Bar in apricot coconut, fruit & seeds trail mix, and chocolate berry. And they have bean chips!!  They come in sweet chili, jalapeno cheddar, sea salt, cheesy nacho, and BBQ bacon. With all that variety, restricted snacking need never be boring again.

Take a moment to browse and find your perfect guilt free, junk free snack at The Good Bean. Make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter so you never miss a new product!

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.

Healthy Snacks with Real and Worthful

Finding healthy snacks for yourself and your family is becoming harder as more processed, sugar filled, nutritionally void snacks are being put on the market. Recently, I happened upon Real and Worthful (R.A.W.) and I just have to share this brand with you! Their snacks start out with mostly organic and raw ingredients and are all non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, and kosher certified. 

I got the chance to try their line of products and I am in love! The first product I went for was the Chocolate Coconut Macaroons. It's no secret that I love chocolate so, it is no surprise that I absolutely loved these. They are chocolaty and coconut-y but aren't overly sweet which I really like. They have a wonderfully crunchy texture and are great for a healthier alternative for your chocolate cravings.

Staying with the macaroons, the next product I tried was the Coconut Macaroons. These have the same crispy texture as the other macaroons and are so delightfully coconut-y. The only ingredient in both of these that is not raw is pure maple syrup. Everything else is raw and organic. Not only am I impressed with the ingredients, they taste so good! Such a good fix for a sweet tooth!

Up next are the Superfood Nut Clusters. These guys are so tasty and great for an afternoon snack or pick-me-up! They are made of almonds, cashews, maple syrup, macadamia nuts, raisins, cranberries, goji berries, maca powder, cacao nibs, and sea salt. With great, organic, and raw ingredients and awesome flavor, these are just all win and I will definitely be keeping them in the house.

The Dark Chocolate Cherry Nut Clusters feature almonds, cashews, cherries, maple syrup, macadamia nuts, cacao butter, agave, cacao powder, coconut, maca powder, sea salt, and cayenne powder. Just like the other clusters, the only thing that is not raw is the maple syrup. These are more decadent and a great fix for a sweet tooth craving! These were definitely approved by my two and three year old. 

The Tomato Basil Crackers are totally raw and extremely delicious. I wasn't expecting such a great, rich tomato flavor but they surely have one. I am sure these would be great with a variety of toppings and dips but I loved them on their own, right out of the bag. I took these with me to work one day for a snack and all of my coworkers loved them as well!

My absolute favorite snack I tried was the Red Pepper Herb Crackers. I do not like spicy things so I figured these would get passed to my boyfriend but instead of being spicy, they have an awesome sweet red pepper flavor that isn't overpowering. I fell in love with these! They have such a real and nutty flavor. You can really tell the difference the raw ingredients make. Everything tastes so much more real.

I am nothing less than impressed with Real and Worthful. Everything they offer is go tasty and are great alternatives to a lot of the snacks on the market. You can feel good about eating these and feeding them to your family! Be sure to check out their website to learn more. Also, don't forget to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any news. 

Come on back here though because it is giveaway time! One lucky reader will win a gift basket full of all of the products I tried! Enter using the Rafflecoter below. Open to US residents, 18 years and older. Winner has 48 hours to respond before another is drawn. Good luck!

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Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers. My Empty Nest is not responsible for prize fulfillment.

ENLIGHTENED: The Good-For-You Ice Cream

It is no secret that I have a sweet tooth. It is also no secret that a lot of sweet snacks, though delicious, are just not good for you. Packed full of empty calories and sugar, a lot of sweets don't offer much on the nutritional aspect of things. ENLIGHTENED ice cream is here to change all of that. With low calories and low sugar and fat contents as well as protein and fiber, ENLIGHTENED ice cream is not your average ice cream.

Out of the seven varieties they currently offer, I got to try 4 of them. The first was Peanut Butter. These bars have 80 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein. These bars don't have the same consistency as traditional ice cream, but they are still delightfully creamy. They are also a little harder than other ice creams so it is recommended to let them sit out for 2-3 minutes before eating them. I wasn't a huge fan of the peanut butter flavor but my kids absolutely love them.

The Coffee bars have 70 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. I really like this flavor. I was a little worried that with such low calories and sugars that they would be bland, but they are bursting with flavor and actually quite sweet. The coffee bars had a wonderful coffee flavor that was slightly sweet. This is a great mid-afternoon pick me up or after dinner desert. 

The Fudge bars have only 70 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. These were my favorite, by far. I am partial to chocolate sweets and these were awesome. They are rich, creamy, and sweet without being too overbearing. There is a great balance to the sweetness and the taste is right on point. These are a great chocolate fix that you won't feel guilty for eating.

The Vanilla Bean ice cream sandwiches have 100 calories, 2 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein. Now, I have never liked ice cream sandwiches but my dad loves them so I got them for him to try. He said that they were awesome. For what they lack in calories, they do not lack in flavor. My husband really enjoyed these as well. They like the tasty snack and I like knowing they aren't eating something that is horrible for them.

ENLIGHTENED's ice cream is just awesome. They not only taste good but you don't have to feel guilty about empty calories or high sugar and fat contents. Be sure to check out ENLIGHTENED's website to see all of the products they offer. Also, follow them on Facebook and Twitter to never miss any news. Hurry back here though because it is giveaway time! One lucky reader will win a coupon good for one free box of ENLIGHTENED ice cream! Open to US residents, 18 years and older. Enter using the Rafflecopter below. Winner has 48 hours to respond before another is drawn. Good luck!

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Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers. My Empty Nest is not responsible for lost or misdirected mail.