Oregon Chai Review & Giveaway

Mmm...I love Chai Tea.  Oregon Chai is the chai tea of all chai teas!  They graciously sent me three different types of chai tea to try:  the Original, the Energia herbal chai, and Dreamscape herbal chai.  Each box comes with 20 bags of pure bliss.  There are so many different ways to enjoy your chai.  I enjoy it heated with or without a little bit of sugar and cream.  I also enjoy it cold, brewed and poured over ice for a refreshing treat.  Chai has always been regarded as a healthy alternative to coffee, with a lower level of caffeine (although the Dreamscape is naturally caffeine free) and has been known to improve one's vitality, mental clarity, and calming- all at the same time!  Not to mention, it tastes incredible.  These three different blends of chai are fitting for whatever mood you are in.  I obviously cannot pick a favorite, because I adore all three blends.

So, you're ready to try it, right?  Thanks to Oregon Chai, we have my first birthday week giveaway!  One lucky winner will receive a box of each Oregon Chai flavor above:  The Original, The Energia Herbal Chai, and The Dreamscape Herbal Chai.  Good Luck!!

So Delicious Dairy-Free Tasty Products!

I am always interested in learning about dairy-free alternatives for traditional dairy products such as milk, ice cream, yogurt, and cheese.  I contacted So Delicious Products to give their coconut-based products a whirl and was extremely pleased with the results!  I used the regular coconut milk in my kid's cereal one day and they didn't notice.  They always seem to notice when it comes to milk, so I think that says a lot about the taste/quality/consistency.  I have tried rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk, soy milk, but my favorite version of Chocolate Milk is this:

 

So Delicious...yes...SOOOOO DELICIOUS!

I had several people try the Dairy-Free Mini ice-cream sandwiches and everyone loved them.  These are actually only 90 calories, and instead of a coconut-based product, these are soy.  The other ice-creams we had in chocolate and vanilla were also soy-based and very good!

I know a lot of people talk about how coconut products are "high in saturated fat".  Well, there is a huge difference on what kind of fat you are speaking of.  Coconut is mostly medium-chained fatty acids which are well utilized in the body as energy versus being stored as fat.  The MCFA are almost always directly absorbed into your mucosal cells because of their shorter length, which has researchers intrigued with their potential immune-enhancing abilities.  I love Coconuts.  I love that the Coconut products taste more like milk than any of the other types of dairy-free alternatives.  If you have a lactose allergy, intolerance, or simply just want to try something other than milk, give this a shot and let me know what you think!  Thanks so much to So Delicious for letting me try a bunch of your products.  I really enjoyed them!

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe featuring Chobani Greek Yogurt

Last night was a huge win in my family.  I successfully got my husband and both of my children to happily eat Falafel Pitas!  The secret to my success was in the Tzatziki Sauce made with Chobani Greek Yogurt.  Here is the recipe I made (and loved):

• 1 cup of Chobani's Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt
• 1 TBSP finely chopped garlic
• 1 TBSP fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup of chopped cucumber

Mix it up and chill it for at least a half of an hour before serving.  You can put this stuff on anything!  Veggies, sandwiches, Falafel Pitas, plain pitas, etc.  ENJOY!!!