buzzoole code Socially Connected Consulting: April 2015

Create. Engage. Grow Your Business

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Silk Creamy Cashew Milk: Tuesday Tip


vegan cashew milk


As soon as I saw the commercial for Silk Creamy Cashew Milk, I wanted to try it.  I love cashews and thought it was great to have another non-dairy milk to choose from.  I bought it and was pleasantly surprised how creamy it was.  It's  low in calories, the taste was great and even my son liked it. As a matter of fact he used it in all of his smoothies.  

I used it in my smoothies too and made a smoothie for the DailyBurn's #ShowUsYourShake campaign using the cashew milk. Get the recipe here.


#showusyourshake
My #showusyourshake Chocolately Goodness
Have you tried Silk Creamy Cashew Milk?! Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Monday, April 27, 2015

Celebrating My Favorite Year In Music 1985:April




At the beginning of this project I wrote down my favorite albums released in 1985.  As I was going through the list right now I noticed that none of them were released in April.  I went to the Wikipedia page to see what albums were released during that month and found a few by some great artists.

"Around the World in a Day" isn't one of my favorite Prince albums, but it does have one of my favorite songs by him called "Pop Life." It's very difficult to find Prince's music on the internet. I did find this clip from American Bandstand of the kids dancing to Pop Life. check it out here. The biggest hit to be released from this album was "Raspberry Beret". Every time I hear that song, I think of summer 1985.

"Be Yourself Tonight" by the Eurhythmics was a huge success in 1985.  This album released four great singles "Would I Lie to You?" which is now the theme song to one of my favorite shows "Border Security." "There Must Be An Angel (Play With My Heart)", "Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves" a duet with the phenomenal Aretha Franklin and (It's Alright) Baby's Coming Back."  I believe this is the album that made them a household name. Even my mother knew who they were.

A few more notable albums to be released in April 1985 were "Nervous Night" by The Hooters. This was their second studio album and probably the most successful. "Mr Bad Guy" was the first solo record released by Freddy Mercury, the lead singer of Queen. It only peaked at 159 on the chart in the US. That's probably why I don't remember it. Another album I don't remember is "Two Hearts" by Men At Work.  That one peaked at 50 on the Billboard 100.

April was kind of a slow month.  Looking ahead to May and it looks like there were two times the albums released in April. Do you have a favorite album from April 1985?! Let me know in the comments below.

 Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links.



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Biodegradable,Organic Single Serve Coffee Review-Tuesday Tip

Biodegradable organic coffee
I was walking past the Skytrain Commercial/Broadway stop in Vancouver while running errands.  I saw these people giving away boxes.  That's nothing new in that area because I've been there before and received free samples. This time they were giving away full boxes of OneCoffee.

I had never heard of OneCoffee before and I was kind of skeptical, but I took a box anyway.  Especially after I saw that I could use it in my Keurig.

OneCoffee is organic single-serve coffee. 

Tried some immediately when I got home and was pleasantly surprised.  The coffee is delicious.  It's strong, but not overpowering.  Very smooth as well.  Great flavor!  The cups are biodegradable. Each cup is individually wrapped to ensure freshness. Then I realized it was Earth Day.  That's why they were giving out the free samples.  Perfect.

I will buy more OneCoffee when I'm done with this box.  You can buy OneCoffee at stores across Canada including Whole Foods, London Drugs and Buy-Low Foods.

Update 4/21/15-OneCoffee's website says that it will be available in the US soon!

Thursday, April 16, 2015

GungHo Energy Drink Review


Energy Drink



GungHo is an energy drink that is for people who want a ninga-like focus.  

When I saw that in the ad I was like...really?!  I don't usually drink energy drinks.  The side effects scare me and I'm pretty skeptical about them working for me.  I decided to try GungHo anyway because it's has natural ingredients that help improve endurance and cognition. 

It also has vitamin B3 which converts fats, proteins, carbohydrates and starches into usable energy. Like most energy drinks it has caffeine.  GungHo has about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee. It has just enough to help with physical and mental fatigue.



I tried GungHo for 3 days.  

Firstly it tastes like a mild version of cough medicine. I drank it down quickly followed with a glass of water.  I didn't notice any bitter aftertaste. I don't recall having ninga-like focus, but I do remember having a lot of energy to get through my morning workouts and throughout the day.  I was fully expecting to have a crash in the afternoon.  That didn't happen. No jitters, shakes or palpitations.  Check out how GungHo stacks up to other energy drinks
 




I recommend you try GungHo.  It's a great product if you want to have energy all day without the nasty side effects usually found in other energy drinks. You can connect with GungHo on Facebook or just go to their website GoGungHo.com.


  
Disclaimer: GungHo sent me a sample of their energy drink to review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  The opinions are my own and results may vary. I received no monetary compensation for this review.



Tuesday, April 14, 2015

OZ Naturals Vitamin C Serum Review: Tuesday Tip


OZ Naturals

 Get that summer glow right now!


I reviewed OZ Naturals Vitamin C Serum on my other blog Beauty, Fitness & Health...Oh My! I was very impressed with the results after one week.  OZ Naturals makes cruelty free, vegan, natural skin care products and they actually work!  Read my review below!


Brighter & Smoother Skin! OZ Naturals Vitamin C Serum Review: The lovely people at OZ Naturals sent me another product to review, the OZ Naturals Vitamin C Serum . The be...

Friday, April 10, 2015

Foodie Friday: Batter & Berries Chicago Restaurant Review

Batter & Berries Chicago
Cluck-N-Gaufre (Goof)

I love Chicago and great food!  Chicago has thousands of restaurants, but there is one I had to get to during my last visit. Batter & Berries is that restaurant.  I heard so many great things about it.  It was also featured on Chicago's Best.

I went there with my mom and a couple of friends. The restaurant was very crowded, but it took only about 15 minutes for us to get a table.  I ordered the Cluck-N-Gaufre (Goof) or sweet potato waffles stuffed with chicken. I enjoyed my meal.  I was so stuffed I couldn't finish it all. The flavors of the waffle, the chicken and the butter together was heavenly.



My friends ordered the Lobster Omelet and raved about how delicious it was. Sadly, I didn't get pictures, but I did try some of my mom's Fish and Chips. The fish was crispy and well seasoned.  The chips were delicious.  The food was great, but the service was better. Our server Tim was fun and attentive.

Batter & Berries
Fish and Chips








Batter & Berries Chicago


Batter & Berries is located at 2748 N Lincoln, Chicago. 1 773-248-7710. Hours of operation is Mon-Sun 8am-3pm. If you get there right before 3pm you will still get served and they don't rush you to get out. My mom, friends and I were there from 2pm until almost 3:30pm.  Felt very much at home there.Take a look at the menu. They are always adding new and delicious dishes!

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Hair Care Product: Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler Review



It's that time of year!  It's time to start thinking about putting those beachy summer waves in our hair.  Of course you want your hair to look its best. I received the Kiss InstraWave Automatic Curler to try out and review. I usually wear my hair straight, but I was interested in giving it a try.



Kiss InstaWave Automatic Curler

The product is very easy to use.  You plug it up, it gets hot very quickly. There are two settings low and high. Put the product on a section of hair, press the button and the hair twists around the barrel. To release it you press the button again. I was very surprised that my hair didn't get tangled while going around the barrel. My hair is shoulder length. I was able to create spirals with it, but if I just wanted some body to my hair I was able to do that as well. Didn't take long to curl my entire head. I think the first time it was about 15 minutes.

Kiss InstraWave Automatic Curler is available at Amazon.com , Walmart, Ulta, Target and kissusa.com  


Make sure to follow Kiss Products Inc on Twitter and Pinterest!

Disclaimer: Kiss Products Inc. sent me InstaWave Automatic Curler  to review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  The opinions are my own and results may vary. I received no monetary compensation for this review. This post contains affiliate links.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Relief From Dry Skin In Your Shower with Nivea: Tuesday Tip

I have a habit of forgetting to moisturize my dry skin after my bath or shower. Usually I'm taking a bath or shower while something is cooking or right before I pick up the kids from school, so I'm always in a hurry.



Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion provides relief from my dry skin and saves me time too. 

It's an in-shower lotion you put on after washing with your regular soap. It contains shea butter and moisturizes instantly.  It's not sticky and rinses off easily leaving my skin smooth and soft. My skin stays moisturized for hours. Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion also has a lovely scent similar to the Nivea cream I remember from my childhood.

I highly recommend this product! To find out more about this and other Nivea products go to their website Niveausa.com.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Healthy Food: Protein Bar (Chicago) Restaurant Review

Protein Bar


When I heard about the Protein Bar opening in Chicago I was anxious to visit.  I'm always excited to try a new restaurant and as a person who works out a lot, protein is very important to my diet.  Also it's great to have a healthy food option in downtown Chicago. We visited Chicago in March 2014.  I was able to get to Protein Bar two times.

Protein Bar was clean, very well lit, the wi-fi was great and the service fantastic! The first time I went there I tried the Guac N Roll. A Bar-rito filled with roasted chicken, veggies, and a cilantro lime dressing.  Satisfying meal!  It has 540 calories and 30 grams of protein!
Protein Bar
Guac N Roll


The next time I went to Protein Bar I tried the Spinach and Pesto Bowl and the BGT Drink.  The Spinach and Pesto Bowl was a lot better than I thought it would be.  It has quinoa, basil pesto, roasted chicken, spinach and Parmesan cheese. The bowl is 480 calories and has a whopping 38 grams of protein.  The BGT Drink contains milk of your choice, I chose almond, Matcha Green Tea, vanilla whey protein and banana. The BGT Drink has 240 calories and 19 grams of protein.

Protein Bar
Spinach and Pesto Bowl and BGT Drink


There are several locations open in Chicagoland.  Most of them are downtown Chicago. Hoping that they will expand to more neighborhoods. If not full restaurants maybe they could have Protein Bar Express restaurants located in grocery stores.  I think a partnership with Mariano's would be great!;-)

I highly recommend Protein Bar.  They are located around Chicagoland, Colorado and Washington DC. Check out their website and connect with them on Twitter and Facebook!

Update 4/3/15: Since I originally posted this restaurant review, Protein Bar has added more locations in Chicago and have expanded their menu!  Can't wait to get back to Chicago and try more things!

Protein Bar food

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Organic Superfood: Matcha DNA Green Tea Review

Matcha Green Tea



I love drinking green tea.  I like hot or cold.  When I saw that Matcha DNA Green Tea was looking for people to try their organic green tea I jumped at the chance.  First of all I was very surprised at the richness and the creaminess of the tea.  It has a great flavor.  Didn't need to put any sweetener in my tea.  I drank it hot, cold and I also put it in my smoothies.  Check out the video below to see how to make Matcha DNA Green Tea. 




Organic superfood green tea


What makes Matcha DNA Green Tea different?!  It's an organic green tea powder.  You drink the whole tea leaf. It's pure and rare of Chinese origin. According to Matcha DNA one cup has the equivalent of 10 cups of green tea in nutritional value and antioxidant content. The ultimate superfood!



Supplement Facts
Organic Matcha Tea
Serving Size 1 Teaspoon
Servings Per Container 34
Amount Per Serving Based % Dv


Calories 0
Calories from Fat 5
Total Fat <1g data-blogger-escaped-td=""> <1 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Saturated Fat <1g data-blogger-escaped-td=""> <5 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 0 <1 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Carbohydrates 0 <4 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Sugar 0
Dietary Fiber 1g <1 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Protein <1g data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Vitamin C 3mg <1 data-blogger-escaped-td="">
Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) 215mcg Tanin 137mg
ORAC Score 1774 mcg
Theine (Tea Caffeine) 25mg
Total Catechins 179mg
EpigalletintechinGellate 83mg
Epigallectechin 62mg
EpigallectechinGalleate 16mg



Epigcalectin 12mg
Total Amino Acids 16mg
These values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

I will be drinking Matcha DNA Green Tea from now on. I highly recommend this product! To find out more about Matcha DNA Green Tea you can go to their website matchateagreen.com. Matcha DNA is also available at Amazon.com. You can follow them on Twitter, or like them on Facebook  

Update 4/2/15: Sign up for the newsletter at matchateagreen.com  to receive a free Matcha Green Tea book by Shaahin Cheyene (a $19 value).


Disclaimer:  Matcha DNA sent me free samples of their product to review.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.  The opinions are my own and results may vary. I received no monetary compensation for this review.This post does contain affiliate links. If you click a link and buy the product, I will receive a commission.