Orange Julius Hack with Tropicana Orange Juice Essentials with Vit C + Zinc

Lately I've been craving Orange Julius's. Don't read anything into that - I think it's my craving for Vitamin C which I always get around this time of year so I always tend to drink more juice in the Fall and Winter than I do at any other time. I love it with Popcorn, Oatmeal or as a smoothie - and I found out Gianna loves smoothies as much as I do.

I've always found Orange Julius's from the DQ to be to sweet so I started playing with creating my own recipe. It's still sweet but not as much and Gianna & I have been enjoying having a glass or a half about once a week. 

Tropicana Orange Juice Essentials with Vitamin C + Zinc has 3 TIMES the amount of Vitamin C as regular Orange Juice which fills my craving for Vitamin C and they also include a healthy dose of Zinc in each bottle to help support a healthy immune system. A bonus for me is there are no added sugars, water or preservatives - this is 100% Orange Julius.

Orange Julius Hack:

Most of the DQ Orange Julius Recipes have quite a bit of sugar in it and I find that Orange Juice is sweet enough for me. The recipes I've found all have 1/3 - 1/2 cup of white sugar in it as well as orange juice concentrate. I really cannot handle having that much sugar in my morning drinks and I definitely do not want my kids to have that much that early in the day. You'll find the only sugar in my Orange Julius is from the frozen bananas or fruit and the Orange Juice itself so it is all naturally occurring. 

You will need:

1/2 cup Almond Milk (or preferred milk)

1/2 cup of Tropicana Orange Juice Essentials with Vit C + Zinc

1/4 cup frozen banana slices (really I just spoon some in)

Optional: I've also used frozen strawberries, peaches, blueberries or a combination.

Optional: I've also added 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt and 1/4 cup almond milk which creates a smoother creamy smoothie. If you use Greek Yogurt it also has a much higher protein count plus that sour tang.

Blend until no chunks remain or to desired thickness. You'll notice I didn't add any ice cubes as I don't like my smoothies that thick or that cold. This makes enough for Gianna and I to share since she doesn't drink much and it's more than enough for me.

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Disclaimer: I am participating in a Blog Buzz for Tropicana Orange Juice and received a bottle of Tropicana Essentials Orange Juice with added Vitamin C + Zinc for us to enjoy. Regardless I only share things that I have actually enjoyed and would tell my own family and friends about. Thanks for reading GivingNSharing!

Breakfast on the Go ~ Review/Giveaway

This giveaway has closed and the winners have until Sunday 7/10th Noon to reply or I will draw another winner!  Thanks everyone for helping me have a successful giveaway again =D Tina "The Book Lady"

Emerald Nuts

Breakfast on the Go

" 93% of people believe that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but less than 43% actually eat breakfast every day. "

Emerald Nuts has these awesome little Breakfast on the Go packs that fit right into your pocket or purse. They are filled with granola clusters, dried fruit, chocolates and various kinds of nuts and 200 calories or less. I've been eating them for the last 3 years or so (ever since they first came out). 

When they first came out I was having a lot of trouble with dizziness and nausea and so I would try to eat something with protein thinking that was my problem. Turns out it was actually that my thyroid had stopped working and my body wasn't producing any Vit D - but these little packs would get me to lunchtime when I could eat a better more nutritious meal of protein and veggies. They are ideal for a snack for kids or grown ups and easy to throw in your athletes backpack, in the diaper bag or in your desk drawer at work. 

Recently Kelton Research ran a survey for Emerald Breakfast on the Go and they found some surprising results. Check 'em out:

• 41% of breakfast eaters eat "on the go" at least once a week.
• 35% have balanced eating while driving. 
• 20% eat while trying to get dressed in the morning.
• Among some of the oddest foods consumed for breakfast include: pizza, birthday cake, fried chicken, nachos, rice and ketchup and macaroni and cheese.

Read the results here.

There are 3 varieties of Breakfast On the Go packs:

Berry Nut Blend: Roasted peanuts, granola clusters, dried cranberries, vanilla yogurt raisins, glazed walnuts and dried blueberries.
Breakfast Nut Blend: Vanilla Yogurt Covered Raisins, Granola Clusters, honey roasted peanuts, dried cranberries, apple cinnamon glazed walnuts and dried apples.
Smores Nut Blend: Peanuts, Cocoa Roast Almonds, milk chocolate candies, graham cracker squares, mini marshmallows and granola clusters.


You can see they are chock full of yummy goodness and while I think they are more suited to snacking - most people love sweet things for breakfast and these will be right up their alley!  YUM!


Emerald Breakfast on the Go is offering 2 of my readers 1 box of each kind (that's 3 boxes each). These will be great snacks and great breakfasts for those days you're running late for work and school. This contest will end on 7/7 at 10 pm, US readers are welcome to enter.


Mandatory Entry:  Go to Emerald Nuts and look around. Come back and share something you learned in a comment below. This is mandatory and MUST be done before any other entries are done.


Optional Entries: (These are optional and can be done ONLY after the mandatory entry is done)

• Sign up for the Emerald Nuts Newsletter and start getting news, deals, tips and other news for nut loving friends like yourself!
• Like me on Twitter
• Tweet, FB or Stumble this review & giveaway ~ use your own and include RT @FamilyLiteracy and a link to this post OR use the button below to make it easy.  Thanks! 1 Entry each & 1 Comment each. (Note: you can Tweet this daily for 1 entry each day)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received "a box of Emerald Nuts Breakfast on the Go Samples" for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Breakfast - my favorite meal of the day!

 

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  It gives our bodies the energy and nutrients it needs after a long night with no food and the hard work of repairing our cells, hurts and keeping our body working in tip top shape.


Why eat breakfast?  Breakfast helps us to:

• Concentrate and stay alert.
• Solve problems and remember important information.
• Be creative and imaginative.
• Learn (and use) fundamental skills.

A good breakfast involves protein (nuts, meat, peanut butter, yogurt, milk), carbohydrates, a little fat, a fruit.  If you choose a cereal you want to make sure it's whole grain (rolled oats, whole wheat) as the first ingredient, 2 grams or more of fiber per serving (Weight Watches encourages 3 grams) and no more than 250 milligrams of sodium per serving.  Weight Watches also encourages us to eat some fat everyday.  Be sure to include a good quality oil (canola or olive) and also eat some kind of nut butter or other fat to help you feel full longer and satisfied.

Last year I found a wonderful website with a page dedicated to Oatmeal.  Her goal was to eat more of it & to eat more healthfully!  Now, do you think I remember where that page is?  Nope.  (If you know please leave a comment) My friend Ella Johnson sent me a page with lots of lovely yummy pictures of Oatmeal so I'll direct you there.  =D


These two are my favorites from Kath Eats Real Food.  She actually uses ingredients in her Oatmeal like almonds, peanut butter, jelly, banana, fresh berries, frozen berries - I'd heard about all of those.  It's ingredients like spinach blended in that definitely did not catch my interest!  LOL

Blackberry Bran Muffin

Banana Split!  YUM!

Need More Ideas?  How about VISITING the Quaker Oats Gallery?

Apple Berry Crunch?  

 Apples, Strawberries, Cherries, Yogurt and Granola

Cherry Chocolate Crunch?  

Cherries, Chocolate Chips and Almonds

What do you like to have on YOUR oatmeal?

Share your favorite ideas and recipes in the comments below!