EBOOST

 Ever wish you had something to help you get through your day? Preferably without that horrendous crash at the end. Call me crazy, but a crash crosses out the pick-me-up & just makes it even (if you're lucky.) Wouldn't it be great if there was something out there that would not only give you the boost you were looking for, but make you feel good too? Oh wait, there is.

EBOOST contains real ingredients. Such as vitamins B & C, green tea & folic acid. And it's also sweetened with Stevia, a plant-based sweetener. That means it's full of natural energy (hence the no crash) to give you the boost you need as well as immunity support. So if you think you might be coming down with something, EBOOST will help you out. Just not in the same sense as getting you through your morning workout.

Now I know you have to be wondering where I came across EBOOST. In my Holiday VoxBox '12 from Influenster of course! And I'll be honest, I was excited to try it! I had only heard a bit about EBOOST, but what I had heard was always good. Now I know why.

It was simple. One day I was feeling a bit sluggish, but I didn't want to turn to coffee. EBOOST it was. The directions were simple too, dissolve my effervescent powder in 12 oz. (1 1/2 C.) of water & stir. Immediately it began to fizz & foam on the top. I'll admit, I was a bit taken aback by it, despite it being an effervescent powder. I guess I was just expecting a bit less.

The taste wasn't that bad either. I'm not a huge pink lemonade fan & that was the flavor I received, but had I have been, there's no doubt in my mind I would've sucked it all down in a few giant gulps. Had it of been orange or acai pomegranate, I probably would've inhaled them. (Super berry comes in the 2 oz. shot only.)

The verdict: I used EBOOST before my workout. Truth is, I think I worked it a bit harder. of course there's something about seeing it endorsed by Jillian Michaels that helps a bit too. At least for me that's a bit of a motivator. But the best part, aside from feeling great of course, was that there really was no crash. I was able to get through my day as usual. Only more productive.

Need more opinions on EBOOST? You can see what other Influensters think about it here.

Want to know where you can find EBOOST? Check out your local Whole Foods Market, Vitamin Shoppe, Duane Reade, Equinox, 24h Fitness, gourmet stores, natural markets & on www.eboost.com. (20 low calorie effervescent powders retail for about $28.)

**Disclaimer: I received this product to try from Influenster & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But let's face it, sometimes we don't really have the time to eat a good breakfast. Toast & bagels can get boring. Pop-tarts aren't exactly the best for you. But wait, oatmeal would be prefect since you can change the flavor so easily by adding things to it or getting the flavored varieties. But sometimes just the hassle of measuring water (or milk) is enough to cross it off your list of options. The end result is usually no breakfast. (Insert sad face here.)

Have I got the solution for you!

"You’ve never seen oatmeal like this. Packed with wholesome multi-grains and chunks of real fruit and nuts. Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal It comes in a convenient, portable package so you can eat it anywhere! It’s so easy to make… Just add water and microwave. No mess, no bowl to clean up."

I received my Quaker Real Medley Summer Berry Oatmeal in my Holiday VoxBox '12 from Influenster. The packaging alone had me eager to try it.

See the fill line?

I couldn't wait to make it, can you tell? Inside is your dry oatmeal & 4 grain blend, along with fruit (& nuts in most). Simply add water (I prefer milk) to the fill line, give it a good stir & microwave for 45 seconds. Give it another stir & enjoy! It's also the perfect serving size. Not too much, not too little.

And look at that. Those are whole blueberries! Obviously the strawberries couldn't be whole (& I think my raspberries fell apart while I was stirring). Do you know what that means? You don't have to add any extra sweetener. The real fruit gives the perfect touch of sweetness.

Flavors:

• Summer Berry - sweet strawberries, red delicious raspberries, and plump whole blueberries

•Apple Walnut - delicious walnuts, sweet apples, and tasty cranberries

•Peach Almond - sweet peaches and roasted almonds

•Cherry Pistachio - whole, sun-ripened cherries, roasted almonds, and tasty pistachios

I would tell you my favorite, but I haven't gotten to try them all yet. I wouldn't want to show any favoritism, so I think I'll need to try every flavor. At least twice. Although Peach Almond & Cherry Pistachio sound amazing!

Want to know what other Influensters think of Quaker Real Medleys Oatmeal? You can read all of the reviews here. But be prepared to drive to the nearest grocer immediately afterwards. OK, that's exaggerated. 5 minutes, tops.

*Don't forget to visit Quaker for nutritional info.

**Disclaimer: I received this product to try from Influenster & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Streuben

I love a good Reuben. Just so happened that one night I had everything to make them...except rye bread. Oh no! What's a mama to do?! Hello, light bulb moment. I've made a Reuben pizza before (delish by the way), but how about making it like a Stromboli? That, folks, is how Streuben was born. At least that's how my version of it was.

Is it bad that my mouth is watering right now?

You'll need:

This awesome recipe for pizza dough that only takes 10 min. to make 

(or any other bread/pizza dough)

Corned beef, chipped

Swiss cheese, sliced

1/2 can sauerkraut, drained

1 med. onion, sliced

1000 Island salad dressing

salt, pepper & parsley

1 Tbsp. margarine (not pictured)

nonstick cooking spray (not pictured)

This is a multi-tasking recipe so do your best to keep up, m'kay?

First step is getting your dough ready. So make it, thaw it, open it, whichever method you chose.

While your dough is working, saute the sliced onions with 1 Tbsp. margarine in a small saucepan.

Add sauerkraut.

Followed by salt, pepper & parsley.

Give it a good stir.

Spread out your dough on a large baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread a thin layer of 1000 island in the middle of your dough.

Top with chopped corned beef.

Can you tell I have a NON-sauerkraut lover in my house?

Layer on the Swiss. Try not to eat too much while you're doing this (like I do.)

A bit more 1000 Island...

Fold the sides in first, then the ends. make sure everything in sully covered. (I have a bit of parsley on top to mark which end is without the kraut.)

Bake for 20-25 min. in a preheated 400 degree oven.

Be sure to let it sit for at least 10 min. before slicing into it.

Slice up your Strueben, grab some extra 1000 Island & enjoy!

Like this recipe? Don't forget to "Pin It" on Pinterest.

KISS Nail Dress

 Aren't they gorgeous?! I'm very impressed & proud of them. You're probably wanting to know all of the tedious steps so you can do the same to your nails. Well, if it's tedious you want, you're not going to get it with KISS Nail Dress.

I found out about this awesome nail accessory from my Holiday VoxBox '12 I received from Influenster. So far I've received numerous comments on my nails. I have to say, I pretty much love them. Especially since they last up to a week.

More impressive than the designs (some 3-dimensional with jeweled accents) is the ease of application. Just peel, stick & file. Seriously, that's it!

KISS Nail Dress come in 21 different styles (mine are "Princess") which can also easily be cut to use as accent pieces on polished nails. Oh & did I mention they fit your toes too? Just apply with the squared end, they're that versatile. And if you insist on matching your fingers & toes, you still only need 1 pack since each comes with 28 strips.

When I opened my KISS Nail Dress, there was a familiar scent. It smelled like nail polish. I know you're wondering why. The answer, they come complete with a top coat! Pure genius if you ask me. They even give you a mini file so you need nothing extra. Not even to remove them, you simply peel them off.

Being a busy SAHM, KISS Nail Dress is the perfect accessory for me. That's 5 minutes & $6.99 well spent in my opinion.

Want to know what other Influensters think about KISS Nail Dress? You can find out on their product review page. And be sure to check out all the products that KISS has to offer here.

*Available at mass retailers & drugstores

**Disclaimer: I received this product to try from Influenster & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

Sole Society: Shoes & a Discount

So we all remember the Holiday VoxBox '12 I received from Influenster, right? (If not you can catch up here.) Well one of the items was a coupon code for $25 off my first pair of shoes at Sole Society. And even though I haven't used it yet (it's been birthday central since Christmas), I still wanted to tell you how awesome it is.

Sole Society has a plethora of shoes for the fashion forward, with prices ranging between $49.95-$99.95 (most are $49.95-$59.95.) They have heels, flats & even booties in most whole & half sizes. You can even browse by new arrivals, collections & insider picks (the latest being Julianne Hough.)

Here are some of my favorites:

Brittany

Lana

Alexandria

Kaitlyn

Tori

Brie

I like stiletto heels. Can you tell? 

But the first pair I plan on getting, is not even a heel. They would, however, get the most use.

Trixie

Now here's the best part! Remember that coupon code I mentioned? Well, you can use it too!

For $25 off your first pair, use code:

INFLUENSTER25

(good until 1/31/13)

One more thing I forgot to mention. FREE ground shipping! 

Happy shopping!

**Disclaimer: I received this product to try from Influenster & am simply sharing my personal opinion which may vary from yours. I was not compensated for this review.

TriCalm Giveaway Winners!

Drumroll please...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats!

Our winners have been notified via email, this blog post & announced on our facebook page. 

Thank you to all who took the time to enter!

*If for any reason winners do not respond with shipping information within 24 hours, a new winner(s) will be chosen.

Cheesy Jalapeno Beer Bread

Let's face it, the title already has you salivating.

How about now? (I'm evil, I know.) Don't worry, I'm still nice enough to share.

You'll need:

2 2/3 C. all purpose flour

2 Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried dill

1 bottle beer

1/4 heaping C. chopped jalapeno (jarred or fresh) - this can be adjusted to personal preference. I like mine a bit more on the spicy side

1/2 heaping C. shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

1.4 C. melted butter

nonstick cooking spray

in a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients (first 7) with a wooden spoon.

Add diced jalapenos & shredded cheddar.

Pour in beer & stir until just moist.

Using a rubber spatula, scrape dough from bowl & place in a loaf pan thoroughly coated with cooking spray. You'll need to carefully even out the dough with the spatula.

Pour about 1/2 of the melted butter over top. Place in a preheated 375 degree oven & bake for 45-50 minutes.

See all the jalapeno's & cheese?!

Pour the remaining melted butter over loaf & top with shredded cheddar (as little or as much as you like.) Place pan under broiler for a few minutes until cheese just begins to brown.

Like this.

Carefully trace the outline of the pan with a sharp knife, in order to free your loaf from underneath the broiled cheese. Because if you're anything like me, you put a lot on!

Enjoy!