Mayesa, A Decadent Yet Healthy Chocolate Drink Review & Givewaway Ends 2/5/12 at 7 PM EST

I received the Mayesa Cacao Original and the Mint to review.  I have to say that I was skeptical but I really did love these drinks.  They are so good.  I love chocolate and I really didn't think that something like this would be so good, but it is amazing.  They are dairy free, soy free, gluten free and full of flavor.

Cacao Story

Thousands of years ago deep in Central America’s rainforest, the Mayans first discovered the sensuous flavor of cacao (pronounced kah-cow), better known today as chocolate. They roasted and ground beans from the Theobroma cacao tree-a botanical name literally meaning “food of the gods”-and combined them with aromatic flowers, vanilla and wild honey to create a bitter, spicy concoction they called chocolatl. This luxury drink was enjoyed both hot and cold, but primarily by Mayan and Aztec nobility.
The cacao tree only grows within twenty degrees of the equator, so its fruit was a rare and prized commodity among the indigenous people. Because of its great value, the Mayans and Aztecs not only drank cacao but also used the beans as currency. They found other uses for it as well, including medicinal, religious and culinary ones.

But for centuries, cacao remained a Central American secret.

Then in 1519, the Spanish explorer Cortés and his army reached Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and were graciously received by the Aztec emperor Moctezuma who served them with chocolatl in cups made from pure gold. Cortés eventually returned to Spain and brought with him great stores of cacao beans. The news of the chocolate drink quickly spread through Europe. Spanish Conquistadors brewed it to build up resistance and fight fatigue. Europeans prescribed it for depression and used ground cacao in love potions. When sugar was added as a sweetener in the 1600s, the drink’s popularity grew, but was enjoyed almost exclusively by European nobility.

It wasn’t until the 1700s that mass production of cacao drinks made it more affordable to all. In 1765 the first chocolate factory was built in the American Colonies, although cacao was still served only in liquid form. In the mid 1800s, dark chocolate became available in bars in England. Around that time the Swiss created milk chocolate and the French and Belgians introduced their exquisite chocolate truffles and other desserts.
Today, chocolate is one of the most popular sweet treats in the world. It is given as gifts for amorous and joyful celebrations. It lifts our spirits. And we know from scientific study that it is loaded with antioxidants and minerals that make it not only an indulgence for our senses, but also beneficial to our health.

Now discover Mayesa, the rich and indulgent cacao drink in the Mayan tradition that is as good to drink as it is good for you. Life is better with chocolate. Enjoy Mayesa!

If you would like to enter to win a 6 pack just enter the giveaway below.

Giveaway: (you must follow my blog publicly to enter the giveaway, leave a separate comment for each entry your complete, put your email address in your comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile, contiguous US only, no PO boxes)

To enter you must like http://www.facebook.com/DRINKMAYESA on facebook, leave a comment with your facebook name letting me know you are a fan.

Winner will be selected using random.org once the giveaway is over 2/5/12 at 7 PM EST.  I will notify the winner via email.  Winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email with their mailing address.  Sponsor will mail prize directly to the winner.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Winner selected and emailed:

Bakersdozen said... 21

I liked them on Facebook. Michelle Henriquez vidomich(at)yahoo(dot)com

February 5, 2012 12:27 PM

Rise Bar Review & Giveaway Ends 10/28/11 at 7 PM EST

I received a box with twelve assorted Rise Bars to sample and review.  I had never tried a Rise Bar before and I was pleasantly surprised.  They are quality protein bars.  They are natural and healthy.  This is a company that you can trust to bring quality products to you.  Here's a little information about Rise Bar from their website.

OUR STORY

WE HAVE A NEW NAME AND A LONG HISTORY

We’ve been making simple, delicious, super-healthy nutrition bars under the names Boomi Bar and Prana Bar for more than a decade. Rise Bars feature the same formulas and commitment to unwavering quality under one name—we hope you like our new look.

OUR MISSION

TO BE DIFFERENT FOR A VERY GOOD REASON.

Why another nutrition bar? Our mission is to answer that question in a way that’s believable and compelling. If we do, we’ll be your choice. That’s our daily mantra.

Now doesn't that sound like a company that you want to support?  I know I want to support them.  My family and I enjoyed each of the bars that we tried.  My favorite was the Almond Honey Protein Bar. 

ALMOND HONEY

Honey—quick energy during or quick recovery after. Nuts—for sustained energy. Whey Protein Isolate—superior protein for muscle recovery/growth.

 Free of: Gluten, Preservatives, GMOs, Soy, Peanuts + Kosher

INGREDIENTS: AlmondsHoneyWhey Protein Isolate

This bar is delicious and only three ingredients.  I am very impressed with the taste and texture.  There is a lot of protein in the bar and it really gave me energy for my workout.  

If you would like to enter to win a sampler pack of these Rise Bars just enter the giveaway below.  Make sure you are a follower of my blog, you must follow my blog publicly through google friend connect to enter this or any other giveaway on my blog.

Giveaway: (be a public follower of Let's Eat 2 Day to enter, leave a separate comment for each entry you complete, put your email address in your comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile, no po boxes, contiguous USA only)

1.  Like Rise Bar on facebook, leave a comment letting me know you are a fan with your facebook name.

2.  Like Let's Eat 2 Day on facebook, leave a comment letting me know you are a fan with your facebook name.

3.  Follow Rise Bar on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name letting me know you follow.

4.  Follow me on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name letting me know you follow.

5.  Subscribe to Let's Eat 2 Day via email and leave a comment letting me know you did with your email address you signed up with.

6.  Go to Rise Bar and pick out the bar you would like to try, leave a comment letting me know which one you want to try first.

You can enter up to six times, there is not a mandatory entry for this one.  I will use random.org to select the winner and email them after the giveaway ends on 10/28/11 at 7 PM EST.  Winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email with their mailing address and phone number or I will have to select another winner.  Thank you for reading and participating.

Winner selected and emailed:

Cindy M said... 16

I am already subscribed to Let's Eat Today email updates. writer61@yahoo.com

October 9, 2011 1:29 AM

Kinnikinnick Foods Inc. Review & Giveaway Ends 10/02/11 at 7 PM EST

Kinnikinnick Foods sent me some items to try out and review.  I received the Pancake Mix, Panko Crumb, Pizza Crust & Choc KinniTOOs.  I was so excited to try these out and let you all know what I thought.  The first thing we did was tear into the choc KinniTOOs.  

Grab a cold Glass of Milk...or Soy Milk...Or Potato Milk...or Almond Milk and decide. Will you eat the center first?

My Mom tried these and really liked them.  I had a few and was impressed as well.  These are some of the best gluten free cookies we have had.

One night for dinner we had the pizza crusts.  We made our own personal pan pizzas.  These crusts were really good.  They got crispy in the oven and cooked as described in the instructions.  I really loved these and would definitely use them again.  They are great for a quick and easy dinner that the kids will enjoy!

Pancakes are a favorite around here.  I was a little worried that these weren't going to be that good.  I don't know why but I just had trouble believing we were going to like these.  Guess what?  We all loved them.  I will use this mix from now on.  The whole family ate these and loved them!

I haven't used the Panko bread crumbs yet, but I was impressed with all the other products that I know this one will be good too!  You can order these products and more on their website here.  If you would like to enter to win a selection of their products to try for yourself enter the giveaway below.

Giveaway:
Rules - You must follow my blog publicly to enter any giveaway on my blog.  Leave your email address in your comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile.  Leave a separate comment for each entry you complete.  No PO boxes and contiguous US only please. 

1.  Go to their website and tell me another product you would like to try other than the ones I reviewed, leave your answer in a comment for your first entry.

2.  Like Let's Eat 2 Day on facebook, leave a comment with your facebook name letting me know you are a fan.

3.  Like Kinnikinnick Foods on facebook, leave a comment with your facebook name letting me know you are a fan.

4.  Become an email subscriber of Let's Eat 2 Day, leave a comment with the email address you subscribe with.

5.  Follow me on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name letting me know you follow me.

6.  Follow Kinnikinnick Foods on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name letting me you follow.

You can enter up to six times.  Giveaway ends on 10/02/11 at 7 PM EST.  I will use random.org to select a winner and email them to notify them of the win.  Winner will have 72 hours to respond to my email with their shipping information or another winner will be drawn.  Thank you for reading and participating.

Disclosure:  I received the samples for my review, the opinions are my own.

Winner selected and emailed:

kbruson said... 24

I would also love to try their Tapioca Rice Cinnamon Raisin Bagels! They look delicious!! sandrayola@msn.com

September 30, 2011 10:53 AM

Pretzel Pete Gourmet Pretzel Nuggets Review

Pretzel Pete Gourmet Pretzel Nuggets sent me a box full of their products to sample and review.  I love pretzels and couldn't wait to try these.  We were very excited when we opened the box and found so many new pretzel nugget and pearl varieties to sample.  They have the following flavors:

This one is my favorite.  It's got a lot of cheesy flavor to it.  I really enjoyed the Cheddar & Ale.

Another good one, who doesn't love garlic and cheese.  They pretzel nuggets are delicious.

Honey Mustard is my husband's favorite.  He couldn't put the bag down.  I liked them as well.

Sour Cream & Habanero are very spicy as expected.  They are so full of flavor and I loved these also.

The pretzel pearls are new and oh so good.  I enjoyed each of the varieties.

Pretzel Pete is delighted to offer you his selection of gourmet pretzel nuggets. Pretzel Pete is a small company and our products are not available nationally in any of the large mass merchandise chains. You can normally find Pretzel Pete only in gourmet grocery stores, fine food shops and in gift stores and gift baskets. We have developed this website to answer the pleas from those who have received Pretzel Pete in a gift basket or have found it while traveling but cannot find the product at their local market -- and need to find Pretzel Pete AGAIN!!

I promise you will enjoy Pretzel Pete.  Look for them in a store near you or you can buy them online.  You can connect with them on facebook here.

America's Favorite Cereal Review & Giveaway Ends 7/15/11 at 7 PM EST

Honey Nut Cheerios has been voted #1 choice of cereal, so they are hosting a "Billion 'O' Giveaway" providing free samples of Honey Nut Cheerios^® cereal to fans beginning July 4, 2011, available while supplies last. Zip on over to the FavCereal Website http://bit.ly/HNCFavCereal for your sweet sample.  I received a nice package from My Blog Spark and Honey Nut Cheerios.  I have always loved Honey Nut Cheerios so I knew this time wouldn't be any different.  I ate them for breakfast with milk.  I ate them for a snack dry, right out of the box.  I ate them with yogurt.  I love Honey Nut Cheerios.  They have been my #1 cereal for a long time.

Do you want to win a package like the one pictured above?

Your prize pack will contain

• 1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios^® cereal
• 2 cereal bowls
• 1 Honey Nut Cheerios^® t-shirt
• 1 bee antenna headband

Giveaway - (you must follow my blog publicly to enter the giveaway, leave email in comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile, US only, no PO Boxes)  There aren't any mandatory entries, so as many of the following as you would like to do.

1.  Why do you think that Honey Nut Cheerios is America's #1 cereal?  Leave a comment with your answer for one entry.

2.  Like them on Cheerios^®’ Facebook page, leave a comment that you like them on facebook with your facebook name.

3.  Email subscribers to my blog get an entry, just leave a comment that you are an email subscriber.

4.  Like Let's Eat 2 Day on Facebook, leave a comment that you do with your facebook name.

5.  Follow me on twitter, leave a comment that you do with your twitter name.

You can enter up to five times.  Giveaway ends 7/15/11 at 7 PM EST.  I will select winner using random.org.  I will email the winner and they will have 72 hours to respond with shipping information including phone number.

Thank you for reading and participating.

Disclosure: Honey Nut Cheerios^® cereal, information, and giveaway have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.

ellie said... 2

I like Cheerios on FB (Ellie W) eswright18 at gmail dot com

July 7, 2011 2:22 PM  

 Winner has been selected and emailed.  Thank you for reading and participating.

popchips Review & Giveaway Ends 7/14/11 at 7 PM EST

Review:

all the flavor.
where's the fat?

We don't fry it (unhealthy). We don't bake it (undelicious). We take wholesome potatoes, add a little heat and pressure, and pop! It's a chip. The only thing added is a flavorful blend of seasonings for a snack so delicious and crispy, you won't even notice it's (we hesitate to say) healthier.

What's out? More than half the fat of fried potato chips, trans fats, and cholesterol. All gone. For good. What's popped in? Only what's natural, tons of delicious, and plenty of crunch.

all kinds of delicious.
all kinds of fun.

We make potato popped chips in lots of taste bud-popping flavors. Hallelujah, snacking is fun again.

potato popped chips

original potato
After one delicious chip, you'll get why we call it "original."
 

barbeque potato
The tangiest barbeque taste this side of the mason dixon.

sour cream & onion potato
Creamy onion dip plus crispy chip minus guilt trip.

cheddar potato
A bagful of reasons to smile and say, "cheese."

sea salt & vinegar potato
The tangiest paring of flavors since, well, ever!

salt & pepper potato
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper — the adam and eve of flavor without the guilt.

parmesan garlic potato
The ultimate marriage of rich cheese and roasted garlic.

All our flavors are just waiting to be popped open. So get popchips™ brand chips and find your favorite or two. Or five. And be sure to tell us about it.  

I received a snack pack of pop chips.  I enjoyed each of the flavors that I tried.  They are so full of flavor.  I love the crunch too.  They are low in calories and fat and quite filling.  popchips have changed the way that I snack.  Once you go popchips you won't go back!

I received the snack pack to review.  Some information contained in my review comes from their website.  The opinions expressed here are my own.  

Giveaway - One Month's Supply of popchips

You must be a follower of my blog to enter.

Mandatory Entry:  (you can do 1 or both, you have to do at least one mandatory entry in order for any extra entries to count, leave a separate comment for each entry you complete, put your email in your comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile)

1.  Like popchips on facebook, leave a comment with your facebook name.

2.  Follow popchips on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name.

Extra Entries: 

1.  Email subscribers to my blog get an extra entry, just leave a comment that you subscribe to Let's Eat 2 Day by email.

2.  Like Let's Eat 2 Day on facebook, leave a comment with your facebook name.

3.  Follow Let's Eat 2 Day on twitter, leave a comment with your twitter name.

4.  Tell me which flavor of popchips you want to try first.

Winner will be selected after giveaway ends on 7/14/11 at 7 PM EST.  I will use random.org to select the winner.  Winner will receive an email from me and will have 72 hours to respond to the email with their US shipping address, no PO Boxes.  Thank you for reading and participating.

Yona Williams said... 24

Im a Facebook friend (Priceless Writers) of yours. Email: yona(at)pricelesswriters.com

July 7, 2011 10:28 PM

Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods Review & Giveaway Ends 7/10/11 at 7PM EST

Review

Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods sent me a sample pack.  I ripped open the box and enjoyed an organic brownie bite right away.  I had the breakfast cookies for breakfast the next two days and I had the other brownie bite for dessert that evening.

The Caramel Apple Breakfast Cookie was amazing.  I really enjoyed this.  It's a meal.  Very filling and held me over until lunch time.  It tasted fresh and good.  I loved the flavor as well as the texture.  Here's some information about this cookie from their website.

A carnival fair treat, without the mess! Our Caramel Apple cookie is packed with caramel bombs, diced dried apples and whole grain oats. This will be a favorite among the kid in all of us!

Whole Grain Oats, Unbleached Wheat Flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Prune Puree, Evaporated Cane Juice, Dried Apples, Unsweetened Applesauce, Caramel Bits (sugar, corn syrup, liquid sugar, skim milk, palm oil, butter, salt, mono- and diglycerides, natural flavor, soy lecithin), Brown Rice Syrup, Water, Chicory Extract, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Molasses, Baking Soda, Vanilla Extract, Natural Caramel Flavor, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin, Dried Egg Whites, Aluminum-Free Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Apple Pie Spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, ginger).

The next morning I had the Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookie.  I tried this one in the toaster.  Heating it up made it so good.  I would recommend putting the breakfast cookies in the toaster.  This cookie is so big and filling.  The texture was great and the cookie was nice and fresh.

A classic! An updated version of the most classic cookie around. Our Oatmeal Raisin cookie is loaded with juicy California raisins, whole grain oats and a hint of cinnamon.

Whole Grain Oats, Unbleached Wheat Flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), Prune Puree, Raisins, Evaporated Cane Juice, Water, Brown Rice Syrup, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Chicory Extract, Molasses, Baking Soda, Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt, Soy Lecithin, Dried Egg Whites, Aluminum-Free Baking Powder, Cinnamon.

I received one of these organic brownie bites, double chocolate chip.  I had this as soon as the box arrived and loved every bite of it.  It was good to the last crumb.

The chocolate chip mint organic brownie bite was a delightful snack one afternoon at work.  I had a cup of coffee and ate the brownie bite.  It was delicious and fresh and moist.  I loved the mint flavor with the chocolate.

I really enjoyed all of the products from Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods.  They have agreed to send a sample pack to one winner from my blog.

Giveaway - 
You must be a follower of my blog to enter.


Entry Options:

1. Check out Erin Baker’s website (www.erinbakers.com) and leave a comment about what you’d like to try/ or a nutrition fact.

2. Follow Erin on Twitter (www.twitter.com/breakfastcookie) - Leave a comment with your twitter name.

3. Like Erin Baker’s (www.facebook.com/breakfastcookie) on Facebook and leave a comment with your facebook name.

4.  Like Let's Eat 2 Day.  Leave a comment with your facebook name.

5.  Follow me on twitter.  Leave a comment with your twitter name.

Put your email in you comment if it's not visible on your blogger profile.

You can enter up to five times.  I will select a winner from the eligible entries using random.org.  I will email the winner and they will have 72 hours to respond with their shipping information.  Contiguous US residents only, no PO Boxes.  Giveaway ends 7/10/11 at 7:00 PM EST.

Thank you for reading and entering.  You can purchase Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods here.

WE HAVE A WINNER!  WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND HAS 72 HOURS TO RESPOND!

5webs said... 4

I like you on FB (Alicia Webster) Alicia Webster 5webs@comcast.net

July 1, 2011 11:02 AM