Win 3 Cookie Mixes from May Cookie

One of my fondest memories of when I was a child was coming home from school and smelling the scent of fresh baked cookies coming from the kitchen. I never knew what type of cookie Mom was making. It might have been oatmeal raisin, snickerdoodles, ginger cookies or the most coveted chocolate chip cookie. I just knew they'd be waiting for me with a big glass of milk when I got home.

I still love the taste of fresh baked cookies but I don't have as much time as my mom did when I was little to bake. Some days I'm lucky to have enough time to make sure my house doesn't look like a hurricane just whipped through it (or a UPS hub drop off point). On those crazy days, I turn to healthy mixes as the base for my cookie creations.

Not all cookie mixes are created equal. I want a cookie that's as close to homemade as possible. I want something with the ingredients in it that I'd use if I had the time. I don't want to look at the ingredients and find weird sounding chemicals and artificial ingredients in there.


The cookies from May Cookie have exactly the same ingredients in them that I'd use. That doesn't surprise me since they're made from a Mother/Daughter team.  They use raw sugar and a combination of whole wheat and white flours. They're all natural and delicious and they're made in the USA. You can buy three different types of cookie mixes Oatmeal Cranberry, Triple Chocolate Chip Oatmeal and Chocolate Chocolate Chip.

In each mix, there are pre-measured packets to keep everything as fresh as can be and make it very easy to prepare.  Packet 1 is natural raw sugar.  Packet two is the flour mixture.  Packet three is the additions (chcocolate chips, cranberries, etc.).   If you'd like to see exactly what's in each one, you can check out the ingredients for each product on their website.


These mixes are so easy to use.  I whipped up a batch of Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies first thing in the morning so I could enjoy the aroma of fresh baked cookies all day.  All I needed to add was butter, egg and vanilla.  They took only a few minutes to prepare and pop in the oven.  The box says that you can get 24-30 cookies from the mix but using my Pampered Chef cookie scoop, I got 33.    I love that they use raw sugar & use less sugar than many mixes.  They have a real homemade taste not that sickly sweet taste that some cookies have. Marty smelled the cookies baking and was in the kitchen in a few seconds waiting to sample them.  He said to tell you they're delicious and wants to know when I'm making more.

You can purchase May Cookie mixes from a variety of stores.  Check their store locator to find one near you.  Connect with them on Facebook & Twitter for all the latest product news.

One of my lucky readers is going to win these three mixes from May Cookie.  Here's what you can do for a chance to win:

To enter you must follow my blog & visit the sponsor’s site.  Leave a comment telling me what you learned there.

For extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter @scentednights & tweet about the contest. +1

Win 3 cookie mixes from May Cookie @scentednights #giveaway #win @maycookieco http://tinyurl.com/69hogbn

2. Be my friend on Facebook & post this contest on your wall. +1

3. Follow the sponsor on Twitter +2
4. Like the sponsor on Facebook.  Please tell them I sent you (optional)! +2
5. Blog about this giveaway on your blog AND leave a link back to my site. +5
6. Leave a comment on a non-contest post on this blog. +1

7. Put my button or text link on your blog side bar. +1

8. Enter another of my current contests. +1 for each contest

9. Subscribe to my blog. +1

Remember, to please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 5/6/2011.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Please note that  I am not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize but ultimately I am not responsible if they do not fulfill your prize win.

Win Seasoned Nuts from Sahale Snacks

I love to snack during the evening while I'm watching television with my husband. I love all of the different tastes available from chips but I don't like the fat, artificial ingredients and cholesterol that go along with eating some traditional snacks.


That doesn't mean that I want to sit down with a bag of carrots or rice cakes either. I want to indulge my snack cravings not feel like I'm stuck eating bland, boring foods all the time. I want to enjoy all the yummy goodness of traditional snacks without any of the bad stuff that goes along with it! What's a health conscious girl to do?

Well who says indulgent can't be healthy? Sahale Snacks offers a line of seasoned nuts that will tempt your taste buds and satisfy your snack cravings! Now I've tried nuts in the past and they're OK as a snack but the traditional honey roasted flavor really didn't wow me. I want something bold that's going to grab hold of my taste buds and get my attention.


When I heard about the three new flavors offered by Sahale Snacks, I new I had to try them. The new line includes:

1. Barbeque Almonds with Mild Chipotle & Ranch - Whole almonds seasoned with a proprietary "dry rub" spice blend, accented with tangy buttermilk ranch, then slow roasted to a smoky, spice-sweet perfection.

2. Southwest Cashews with Child & Cheddar - Whole cashews topped with a dusting of grated Cheddar and Jack cheeses and blended with Poblana and Guajillo peppers, then slow roasted, for a spicy, crunch snack.

3. Tuscan Almonds with Parmesan & Herbs - Whole almonds coated with a blend of Tuscan herbs, grated Parmesan cheese and sun dried tomatoes.

These are a great substitution for chips and other salty snacks! Nuts have more nutrition and also provide a good source of fiber, protein and beneficial poly- and mono-unsaturated fats. Almonds and cashews also contain antioxidants and Vitamin E. They're all natural and cholesterol free and contain no trans fats.


The first nut I sampled was the Tuscan Almonds with Parmesan & Herbs. I'm a huge fan of parmesan cheese and I knew when I first placed this snack on my tongue that I was in for a treat. The mix of Tuscan herbs, sun dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese was amazing. I was convinced that I just bit into a slice of pizza although I knew these were nuts I was enjoying. If you're craving pizza, you need these nuts!

Since barbeque potato chips are one of my weaknesses, I knew the next on my list to sample was the Barbeque Almonds with Mild Chipotle & Ranch. When I first tasted the almond, the sweet barbeque flavor was the first thing I noticed. However just a second later, the heat from the chipotle came through. The ranch flavor drew the two tastes together into one amazing package. These are definitely the nut to choose when you're craving a barbeque taste!

The last package, I admit I looked at for a while and contemplated. I don't do super hot foods. I choose mild all the way and the word *chili* on the front of the bag had me worried.  I gave this one to Marty with instructions to let me know how hot they were.  He took one, popped it in his mouth & declared it was *not hot at all*.  Reassured by his words, I grabbed two and started chewing. He lied.  These are definitely hot. Not fire shooting from your ears hot but definitely hotter than mild. He still insists these aren't hot although now he's giggling at me so grab this one when you're craving something with a kick.

Sahale Snacks can be purchased at a variety of grocery and specialty stores.  Two ounce bags of the BBQ Almonds are also available at Starbucks. You can purchase all three varieties at Amazon.

Connect with Sahale Snacks on Facebook & Twitter.

One of my lucky readers is going to win one bag of each of these delicious flavors! Here's what you can do for a chance to win:

To enter you must follow my blog & visit the sponsor’s site.  Leave a comment telling me what you learned there.

For extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter @scentednights & tweet about the contest. +1

Win Seasoned Nuts from Sahale Snacks @scentednights #giveaway #win @sahalesnacks http://tinyurl.com/5t4opxr

2. Be my friend on Facebook & post this contest on your wall. +1

3. Follow the sponsor on Twitter +2
4. Like the sponsor on Facebook.  Please tell them I sent you (optional)! +2
5. Blog about this giveaway on your blog AND leave a link back to my site. +5
6. Leave a comment on a non-contest post on this blog. +1

7. Put my button or text link on your blog side bar. +1

8. Enter another of my current contests. +1 for each contest

9. Subscribe to my blog. +1

Remember, to please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 4/20/2011.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Please note that  I am not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize but ultimately I am not responsible if they do not fulfill your prize win.

Healthy Beef Jerky from Jerky John's 25% off code!

I'm always looking for snacks that are healthy and delicious that can be enjoyed by the whole family. That's not always easy to do. One thing that everyone in my family loves is beef jerky. Not all beef jerky is created equal though. Some brands contain fillers and additives and even MSG! Others are extremely high in sodium which doesn't make it a good choice for anyone who is watching their blood pressure.

I recently came across Jerky John's Beef Jerky and was thrilled to be able to sample all four of his delicious flavors of jerky. Jerky John's beef jerky comes in Pacific Teriyaki, Cayenne Hot, American Original, and Black Pepper. Jerky John's beef jerky is made using only 100% USDA Top Round whole muscle beef, is 75% lower in sodium and contains NO MSG! Love it!

Jerky John's is the healthiest beef jerky choice because it contains no trans fats, no saturated fat and is low in calories, fat and cholesterol.   It's something I can feel comfortable feeding the kids and my husband.  It's even something I can enjoy myself because there is only one points plus in a one ounce piece of the Pacific Teriyaki flavor which is my all time favorite flavor!

When Jerky John's makes their beef jerky, the beef is sliced, marinated and dried to perfection. They don't inject the beef with anything at all which is something that some companies do to increase the yield from the beef. They inject it with additives (i.e. sugars, salts etc.) prior to the drying process to give the beef added weight. I love that they use only beef from the United States. I just don't trust food that comes from other countries for the most part.

Jerky John's donates a portion of their proceeds to the Folds of Honor Foundation. Folds of Honor is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to empower deserving military families with educational support and opportunities. FHF provides post-secondary educational scholarships to the spouses and children of service members disabled or killed as a result of their military service to our great nation. I love supporting companies that give back!

Each package of beef jerky is four ounces and contains about four servings.  The package is resealable so that if you manage to stop eating it before the whole bag is gone, you can reseal it and hide it from the children.  Seriously... David13 is hovering over my desk like a hungry wolf, salivating wanting to know when he can have some more and can he have some for breakfast!

We really enjoyed all four of the flavors from Jerky Johns.  David and my favorite was the Pacific Teriyaki  flavor.  Sarah17 tended to enjoy the spicier flavors of the Cayenne Hot and the Black Pepper and Marty went with the American Original. I love the big pieces of jerky in each bag.  There are no tiny slivers or little pieces of jerky here.   It makes the perfect snack because it requires no refrigeration, is easy to pack in a backpack or lunch bag and it's a great source of energy.  I love knowing that Jerky John’s is the only USDA Approved Healthy Beef Jerky Brand! 

Jerky John's beef jerky can be purchased direct from their website.  Connect with Jerky John's on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all the latest news.  Save 25% off with the code LAUNCH on a $25 order or more.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Introducing a Quieter SunChips Compostable Bag!

I am a huge fan of SunChips. The original flavor is one of my all time favorite snacks. They're crunchy, made with all natural ingredients and have 18g of whole grain goodness! You don't get much healthier in my book! There's only one thing about SunChips that I don't like. They're LOUD! How can I possibly sneak into the pantry and grab a handful of SunChips without the kids hearing me and wanting some for themselves? As soon as I touch the SunChips bag, the kids come running for their own bowl! I don't want to share my SunChips! They have 30% less fat than regular potato chips & they're all mine!

Well SunChips has heard my pain and now they have a bag that is 2x quieter than the old compostable packaging! There are three layers to the new SunChips packaging. The print layer is made from PLA which is a plant based polymer and includes the SunChips logo and nutritional information. The glue layer acts like a shock absorber for the film - much like a shock absorber reduces mechanical vibration in a car, making for quieter ride. The inner layer is also made from the plant-based PLA and protects the chips and works to meet the high standards of freshness and great taste of your favorite SunChips every time.

The bag composts in about 14 weeks in a hot, active compost bin which is about the same amount of time as an orange peel. I love composting! Seriously. We have one in the back yard that we use in the warmer months. It's under about two feet of snow right now but eventually I'll be able to find it again & my SunChips bag will go right into the compost pile unlike other types of packaging for chips and snacks that end up in the landfill.

SunChips come in original, harvest cheddar, garden salsa, jalapeno jack, French onion and peppercorn ranch. I have to admit that I like the original flavor the best. I eat them plain out of the bag but the kids like them dipped in salsa.

You should be able to find the new, quieter bag of SunChips in your stores now.  You'll easily be able to hear the difference between the old packaging and the new packaging. It really is a lot quieter.  Don't forget to check them out on Facebook!

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product. 

As required by the FTC: I received product samples in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Win Raisels Prize Pack and Get Sour-Licious!

If your kids are anything like mine, they love those sour, chewy candies that are all the rage right now. To be honest, I love them too! There's just something about a sweet/sour puckery kind of candy that makes my mouth water.

We seriously limit the amount of candy the kids eat. It's really not healthy for them and it provides very little in the way of nutrition. I would much rather they grabbed a piece of fruit than a handful of candy but fruit is fairly low down on their list of preferred snacks.

The latest snack sensation from the National Raisin Company, Raisels are the best of both worlds. They are the first 100% real fruit that actually tastes like candy. Raisels are golden raisins that are fun to eat and a healthy alternative to cookies, candies and more. They come in four fabulous flavors including Sour Apple, Sour Orange, Sour Lemon and Sour Peach. Soon you'll be able to get them in Watermelon! They are available in 6 packs of 1.25 oz portion-controlled boxes and can be found in your grocer's dried fruit section.

The kids and I really loved these. They have a very light dusting of sugar on them and 90% of the sugar in Raisels is naturally occurring. They are definitely sour and left us with a pleasing pucker after tossing a handful of Raisels in our mouths. Raisels have 100% of the US RDA Vitamin C and they're rich in antioxidants. There is no fat and no cholesterol and they use all natural flavor. You won't find any high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners or sodium. These are the perfect snack! What a cool way to get the kids to eat fruit and get all their Vitamin C without them arguing! There's only 110 calories in a whole pack so these make a great snack for me even when I'm watching my weight.

You can find Raisels in a variety of retailers including Walgreens, Target, Dollar General, Price Chopper, Amazon, and SuperValu. 

You can connect with Raisels on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with all their latest news.

One of my lucky winners is going to win a Raisels Prize Pack with a variety of flavors.  Here's what you can do for a chance to win:

To enter you must follow my blog & visit the sponsor’s site.  Leave a comment telling me what you learned there.

For extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter @scentednights & tweet about the contest. +1

Win a Raisels variety prize pack @scentednights #giveaway #win @raisels http://tinyurl.com/4bs752r

2. Be my friend on Facebook & post this contest on your wall. +1

3. Follow the sponsor on Twitter +2
4. Like the sponsor on Facebook.  Please tell them I sent you (optional)! +2
5. Blog about this giveaway on your blog AND leave a link back to my site. +5
6. Leave a comment on a non-contest post on this blog. +1

7. Put my button or text link on your blog side bar. +1

8. Enter another of my current contests. +1 for each contest

9. Subscribe to my blog. +1

Remember, to please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 3/8/2011.

My thanks to the sponsor & Team Mom for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.