Do You Need to Spruce Up Your Blog? #Giveaway

Not too long ago, I met Ro of Mommy Blog Designs online.  I was immediately impressed by her adorable blog design, and we quickly became pals!  In fact, she'll be doing a redesign for me in the near future - I'm so excited about it!  

Does your blog need a little sprucing up?  Then you definitely need to go visit her!  She is giving away an adorable design this Friday!  The giveaway ends at midnight this Friday (7/29), so hop on over there now!  

This design work for BOTH blogger and wordpress blogs!  I absolutely love those butterflies!  

GO ENTER NOW!!  

Cut the Cable Cord with Orb BR! #Giveaway

So these days technology is growing by leaps and bounds.   Have you ever had people over to your house and you wished you could show them the latest YouTube sensation?  Or a game that is only on ESPN 3?  Orb BR can help with that!   Orb BR uses your PlayStation to receive and play content from your computer or the internet.  If you can find it on the internet, you can now play it on your TV!  Orb BR easily connects the internet to your home entertainment system without any having to purchase any additional electronic components.  It allows viewing of such things as netflix, hulu, and espn 3 without the installation of additional software. Controlling of Orb BR with a smart phone makes controlling orb as simple as surfing the internet.

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Sun Eleuthero Tea - A Review and a #Giveaway!

Growing up in the South, one of the things I crave in the summer is iced tea.  There is no better way to beat the heat then with a cool, cold glass full of iced tea, the more ice the better!  I used to drink the full of sugar Milos, but for the past few years I try to make my own.  That way I can get more control over what goes into my tea.

I don’t want too much sugar in my tea, and I also don’t want to consume too much caffeine in the evening.  Otherwise I won’t get any sleep at night!   Sun Eleuthero Tea is a great tea that you can enjoy any time of day.  Sun Eleuthero is an herb that not only gives you an extra energy boost, it also reduces stress!   I’ve really enjoyed it in the afternoons.  I make some before I pick Little Miss up, then let it cool while I go get her.  By the time we’re back and she’s fed, it’s cool enough to dump over some ice.  I’ve discovered just a small amount of sugar (I do a scant 1/2 teaspoon per 8 ounces) is just the right amount of sweetness for me. 

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Shaklee Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate - A Review and a Giveaway!

So we all know about making our own household cleaners, but let’s face it – in today’s hectic world, a lot of people don’t have the ability to make all of the different cleaners they need.  You have to look it up, make sure you have all of the ingredients (that’s the hard part!), then mix it all together. 

Shaklee has a great solution!  It’s Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate works as an all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, and degreaser.  Since you buy it in concentrated for, it costs just pennies per bottle it makes!  The window cleaner only uses one drop per 16 ounces, which works out to a coast of less than 1ȼ per gallon.  For general purpose cleaning it uses 2 teaspoons per gallon, giving it a cost of 22 ȼ per gallon.  That’s a lot less than what I pay when I buy cleaners! 

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Win an EcoSMART Insect Repellant Bundle!

It’s summertime!  One of the things that comes with summer is bugs – in the garden, flying around outside, and sometimes even in the house!  You want a good insect repellant spray, but you also want something that is safe and that isn’t going to harm your children.  EcoSMART applies modern science to essential plant oils to create 100% safe pesticides.  These oils attack octopamine neuro-receptors. Octopamine is a key insect neurotransmitter that regulates insect movement, behavior and metabolism.  This kills bugs fast without any toxins are harmful residues!

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Be you. Be true - A Review and a Giveaway!

Even at this young age, I find myself encouraging Little Miss to choose her own path in life and not worry about what other people say or think.  We want more than anything else to raise a daughter who is self-confidant and knows what she wants to be in this world.  I firmly believe that especially for girls, self-confidance is so important! 

That’s why I love the message of be you.be true.  Little miss pink is their spokesperson and she is all about smiles, being confident and nice, making new friends and being thoughtful of the planet.  What do you want to be?  What does your daughter want to be?  Be a dreamer, be loved, be educated, be girlie (that fits Little Miss to a T!), be creative, be you, be true.

The T-shirt that Little Miss got was really nice.  It was pink (her favorite color), soft, and constructed well.  They have the tag printed on the back, which I really like – no tag hanging down to itch your back!

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PureAyre Odor Eliminator - A Review and a Giveaway!

As many of you know, we recently got a puppy.  We all love Snoopy, but having her around means we occasionally have puppy messes, which create odors.  We don’t use those air fresheners that just cover up odors with chemicals, so I was excited to give PureAyre for Pet a try!  PureAyre is a safe odor eliminator that actually breaks down the molecular bonds of odor causing enzymes, so you’re eliminating the odor instead of just covering it up. 

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Jake's BBQ Sauce - Make Your Fourth Delicious! Review and Giveaway

Fourth of July weekend is almost here, and I know for a lot of people that means time spent around the grill!  I know we’ll be having some people over on Sunday to enjoy the afternoon and grill some delicious food.  This past weekend we decided to have a test run on the grilling and try out some new sauce we got from Jake’s.  It was delicious! 

We used the Jake’s Medium Hot BBQ Sauce on chicken and shrimp.  It has a nice smoky flavor with heat from pureed jalapeno, habanero, and ginger.  Although it definitely has heat, it’s not so much that you’re gasping for air or can’t taste anything but the heat.  I’ve been adding it to black bean burgers instead of ketchup, and I also made bar-b-q tofu po-boys that were absolutely delicious!   We were sent the mild sauce as well, but we haven’t tried it yet since we’ve been enjoying the other so much.  I’m sure we’ll bring the mild out when we have a bunch of children over this weekend! 

I love that Jake’s BBQ Sauce uses all natural ingredients.  No high fructose corn syrup or things I can’t pronounce here!  It’s like something you’d make at home, but you don’t have to spend time coming up with the perfect recipe (believe me, they have that down!), or actually making the sauce.  I do want to point out, however, that it is NOT a vegetarian sauce.  If you want them to make a vegetarian sauce go to their Facebook page and let them know!  Their sauces have some Worcestershire sauce in them. 

We also got to try the California Chipolte Magic Dry Rub.  It was delicious too!  We tried it on the shrimp, and I also put it in my pasta salad marinade a few days later.  Both turned out great.  It has a wonderful smoky/sweet flavor that both of us really enjoyed.  Be sure to check out the FAQ page for tons of great tips on BBQ’ing!

BUY IT:  You can buy Jake’s BBQ Sauce here.

WIN IT:  One lucky reader will win a bottle of the mild AND medium hot BBQ sauce!  

Contest open to US, ends July 13th.

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

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Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream - A Review and a Giveaway!

One of my favorite foods is Thai food! Over the past few years I’ve started cooking it more and more often. One of the biggest problems I face when cooking Thai food is coconut milk. Most recipes call for it, but few use a full can. This has always been a problem for me. Sure I could freeze the leftovers, but they usually end up getting pushed to the back of the freezer and sitting there until they finally get tossed. I could use coconut extract, but I always felt that I would lose some of the “essence” of the coconut milk that way.

Well, I discovered that Tropical Traditions has a great solution to my problem! They sell Coconut Cream Concentrate, which is certified organic whole coconut meat in concentrated form. Just 1 teaspoon of this cream mixed with 6-8 oz water gives you coconut milk, or you can use it alone as a non-dairy creamer for your coffee or as an addition to your morning smoothie! I’m thinking I may use it in ice cream recipes that call for heavy cream! 


I tried it out in this recipe for Lower Fat Thai Peanut Sauce – I added a little bit more water to mine, because I was having mine over salad greens and wanted it to mix easily. I also cooked my tofu in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, water and chili garlic sauce (1 T each). If you’re new to cooking tofu – don’t forget to press it before putting the marinade on! It will soak up a lot more that way.

The coconut cream worked great in this recipe – I went ahead and put in a full teaspoon, since I like the rich coconut flavor. It’s such a great deal when you compare it to the cost of coconut milk as well – it usually runs from $1.50-2.50 a can, and I’m pretty sure this one jar is going to last me well over a year! No more realizing I don’t have any coconut milk at the last minute or having to use all that room in the pantry to store the cans.


BUY IT: You can buy Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil here. It's currently on sale!


WIN IT: One lucky winner will win their own 32 oz bottle of coconut cream!  Open to US and Canada

Contest ends July 5th at midnight EST

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

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Reuseit - A Review and a Giveaway!

When the weather is nice around here, Little Miss and I LOVE going on picnics.  It’s such a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, and around here there are tons of places to go – some even have free entertainment! 

That’s why I was thrilled to get some great stuff from Reuseit to use for picnicking.  Of course everything is reusable!  We got a glass water bottle, hemp “anything” napkins, a sandwich keeper, and an insulated bag to keep it all in.

My favorite product turned out to be the reuseit "I'm Not A Plastic Bottle" Glass Reusable Water Bottle.  I love the size, and the message!  I also really liked the lid.  The design keeps ice cubes from hitting you in the face while you’re drinking, or if you prefer you can take the entire lid off and drink that way. 

If you haven’t ditched paper napkins yet, you need to!  It’s such an easy way to be green and save money!  Reuseit Hemp & Organic Cotton Napkins are a great place to start.  They are super-soft, and very easy to clean.  The size is smaller than some of my other cloth napkins, which is perfect for Little Miss!  They’re soft enough for wiping faces too, which is an added bonus when you’re a toddler! 

Little Miss is going to get a ton of use out of the reuseit Snack Bag.  She loves sandwiches, and this is the perfect thing to carry them in.  As an added bonus, the bag acts as a small placemat when she’s eating.  A quick rinse gets it clean, and it dries really quickly. 

Although the reuseit EarthTote Insulated Shopping Bag was a little big for a picnic for us, it’s awesome for taking to the grocery store!  Living in Florida, it’s important to have insulated bags, even when you aren’t travelling very far.  This bag is super-sturdy, and a great shape for holding a lot of your cold items. 

I highly recommend Reuseit products, and will definitely be ordering more from them in the future!  

BUY IT:  You can buy their products at their website.

WIN IT:  One lucky reader will have the chance to win a $25 Reuseit gift card to spend however they choose!  This contest is open worldwide.  

Contest ends July 1st at midnight EST

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

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Win a $100 GNC Giftcard!

As we all know, Father’s Day will be here before we know it.  How fitting, then that June is also Men’s Health Month!  The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.  A great way to get the men in your life started on a healthy track is to get them something from GNC. 

Although I can’t get my husband to go to the Dr. (Does anyone else have that problem?), he has taken control of his health by doing P90X.  Now he wants some healthy protein drinks – GNC has so many choices!  Part of being aware is looking at your lifestyle choices and making sure you’re making the best choices for your body.  My husband isn’t the best about eating all of his veggies, so we always make sure he’s taking some really good supplements like the GNC Maximum Greens Complete to make sure he’s getting the antioxidants he needs. 

According to Dr. David Gremillion from the Men’s Health Network, American men live sicker and die younger than American women.  Take care of the men in your life with the help of GNC.  They have everything you need to work out and stay healthy.  Of course, if you can get them to get their regular check-ups and eat their vegetables as well that’s even better! 

Want to try out GNC products for yourself?  GNC is offering one lucky reader a $100 giftcard!  Please note that there are THREE things you have to do to enter.  Also, if you have already won a GNC giftcard this year, you aren't eligible to win another one.   

 Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

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Today I Ate A Rainbow - Review and Giveaway

When Little Miss was little, she ate a ton of vegetables!  Almost everything I made for her she would eat.  Now, however, she isn’t as excited about them as she once was.  I don’t know what changed, but now I’m constantly looking for ways to get her excited about vegetables again. 

That’s why I was really excited when I found out about the Today I Ate A Rainbow Kits!  These kits come with a book that tells you how important it is to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day.  Little Miss loved reading the story!  Additionally you get a rainbow chart to put on your fridge – There are colored magnets so your child can get a magnet for each color of fruits or vegetables they eat.  Eat all of the colors to get a rainbow magnet! 

The magnets come in different shapes in case you have more than one child – up to four children can track their rainbow eating habits!  Little Miss really enjoys on working to get the different magnets – we aren’t to the point yet where she can get a full rainbow in a day, but I’m sure we’ll get there over time! There are even examples of fruit and vegetables for each color listed on the chart in case you need ideas!

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Bluapple - A Review and a Giveaway

If you’re like me, a lot of your grocery bill each month is dedicated to fresh produce.  For me, it’s a two-edged sword.  I like to keep a variety of fresh produce around (if it isn’t there, you definitely won’t eat it!), but I also don’t want to waste food.  Since it’s often just Little Miss and I, a little food goes a long way! 

Three things help keep fresh fruits and vegetables at their best:

• Temperature:  We all know that keeping our produce cool lengthens its lifespan!
• Humidity:  This is why most things come in vented bags – they need a moist, but not wet, environment
• Ethylene Gas Management:  All living plants give off ethylene gas, which is a chemical signal to speed along ripening.  When we put produce in our fridge to take care of the temperature and humidity, gas builds up with nowhere to go! 

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Charlie's Soap - A Review and a Giveaway!

When Little Miss was born I went on a quest for new laundry detergent.  I’d always used various “free and Clear” brands, because the perfumes in most laundry soaps made my skin itchy.  They recommend to NOT use the “free and Clear” versions on cloth diapers, because it leaves a deposit on the diapers that makes them not as absorbent.  After a lot of research, I finally decided to try Charlie’s soap.  I wasn’t expecting much, since I had not been exactly thrilled with the way my current detergent worked.  However, Charlie’s worked great – I was hooked!  We’ve been using it ever since.  I love that it not only cleans great, but it doesn’t take up much room since you only need a tablespoon for a normal load.  

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Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter - A Review and a Giveaway!

My daughter loves peanut butter – I think for her it’s one of the major food groups!  A lot of peanut butters have a LOT of ingredients other than just peanuts.  Not Tropical Traditions!  Theirs is made of peanuts and coconut, that’s all.  The peanuts are 100 % organic, and the coconut is unsweetened.  I love the flavor the coconut adds to the peanut butter, the flavors go together so well!  My daughter is still on the fence about it, but I think she’ll come around. 

If you live in a hot climate like mine, the peanut butter will be a little on the runny side.  Or, you can keep it in the fridge and just remember to take it out well before using so it isn’t too hard to spread. 

Little Miss and I both enjoyed these yummy No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies! 

No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

• ¾ C sugar
• ¼ C TT Virgin Coconut Oil (or butter)
• ¼ C milk
• 3 T cocoa powder
• ¼ C TT Coconut Peanut Butter
• 1 ½ C oats
• ¼ C coconut flakes
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Add first four ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a boil. 
2. In the meantime, pour the remaining ingredients into another bowl. 
3. After the mixture boils for one minute, remove from heat and pour into the bowl with the other ingredients. 
4. Mix well and then drop onto parchment paper or a nonstick cooking mat, allow to cool.  If it’s warm where you are, you may need to pop them into the fridge or freezer. 

Want to try out Tropical Traditions coconut peanut butter for yourself?

BUY IT:  You can buy Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter here.  When you check out, choose referred by a friend and use referral code 6967300 to get a free Virgin Coconut Oil book with over 85 recipes!  

Congratulations to the winner - comment #90!

Jena said...90

I tweeted about the giveaway!
(@suhodgepodge)

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

PenAgain - The Right Way to Write - Review and Giveaway!

It’s no secret that many pens and pencils are just way too big for children to easily use.  I’ve noticed this with Little Miss, who is just learning to write.  That’s why I love the idea behind PenAgain.  PenAgain is a small pen or pencil that is easier to hold than your normal pens, due to its unique design.    It forces your child to hold the pencil correctly, and is actually extremely comfortable to use!

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BRUBAR Energy Bars - A Review and Giveaway!

Like most busy families, we’re often on the go and even though eating a balanced meal is important to me, sometimes it just isn’t possible.  That’s why I love it when I find healthy snacks that are not only good for you, but taste great as well!  BRUBAR Energy Bars definitely fit this bill!

 

When I first heard about them, I didn’t have high expectations.  I’ve had a lot of “healthy” energy bars that didn’t taste that great.  However, I was happy that the ingredients list was short, and I knew what every single one of them was!  BRUBAR Energy Bars are sweetened using barley malt, a healthy sweetener made from whole grains.  I love that there are no refined sugars in the bar!!  As an added bonus they are vegan!

 

The first time we tried them we were at the park.  We went there for a local jazz festival, and I packed a BRUBAR Energy Bar for me and some other snack for Little Miss, assuming she wouldn’t care for the bar.  Boy was I wrong!  I managed to get one bite of the bar before my daughter consumed the entire thing!  The bite I had was delicious, and I loved the moistness of the bar.  The texture was great – not overly sticky like some moist bars get in the heat.  Little Miss absolutely loved the bar, which I like because the ingredients are so great!

 

Both of the bars were good – I don’t think either of us preferred one over the other.  I’m pretty excited about the apricot flavor they have coming out soon too!  That sounds yummy to me.  If you’re looking for something that will not only give you energy, but that you can feel good about eating, give BRUBAR Energy Bars a try!  

BUY IT:  You can buy BRUBAR Energy Bars online here, or shop for them at these locations. 

  

Congratulations to the winner - comment 57!

   Dale Graves said...

57

I follow you through gfc

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**I received BRUBAR Energy Bars for review purposes. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.**   

Pentel Recycology Line - A Review and a Giveaway!

As Earth Day approaches, I find myself looking for more ways to Go Green in my household.  As you all know, we already do a lot of the big things.  We’ve cut down on our power usage, we don’t use bottled water except in rare circumstances, we’ve eliminated paper towels and we’ve greatly reduced the number of napkins we use.  We practice the three R’s always! 

Now, it’s time to start looking at the small things.  That’s where Pentel comes in.  They have a great line called Recycology, which is made from a minimum of 50% and up to 100% recycled content.  Additionally, many of the products are refillable, making them even greener.  I enjoyed using all of the products that they sent me – no leaking, bleeding, or other problems with any of them.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Jolt Pencil:  I love using lead pencils (Did you know that 1 piece of lead writes 720 meters vs. 530 meters for an entire wood pencil?), and this one has a wonderful feel in your hands.  So much so that my husband tried to steal it!  I also love the bright colors – makes it easier to find down at the bottom of my purse.

Handy-line S Retractable and Refillable Highlighter:  I actually use highlighters A LOT.  This one is great for two reasons – it is retractable, so you don’t have to worry about a lid, and it’s refillable!  I will be replacing my current highlighters with this line when they run out! 

I liked all of the products, but those two really stood out.

The prize pack will be similar to this!

Another great thing about these products are that they aren’t any more expensive than Pentel’s regular products, so you don’t have to pay a premium to go green!  Every product also comes with a lifetime warranty against defects in material and workmanship – so it’s just our job to not lose them!

BUY IT:  You can buy Pentel Recycology here.

WINNERS

The Loops said...6

I like pentel on fb!

April 9, 2011 6:25 PM 

Tory said...80

I'd probably get good use from the Slicci Metallic pens! Neat!

Diana said...179

I follow you on twitter

heinzmom  said...105

I love their Slicci.

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**I received Pentel Recycology products for review purposes. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.**

Instant Pot - Review and GIVEAWAY!!

I’ve wanted a pressure cooker for a long time now.  However, they also scared me.  I’ve heard stories of them blowing up and other things!  Also, I already have a couple of slow cookers and a rice steamer.  Did I really want another large appliance to store?  That’s why I was really intrigued when I found out about the Instant Pot.  Not only is it a pressure cooker, but it’s also a rice cooker, steamer, and slow cooker too!  

When they agreed to not only let me review the Instant Pot but give one away as well, I was so excited! 

The first time I used the Instant Pot, I used it as a pressure cooker to cook black beans.  Previously, I always cooked beans in the slow cooker and it was an all day affair.  I’d soak them for a few hours in the morning and then set them up in the slow cooker, where they would cook for the rest of the day.  This meant that making dishes with beans required some preplanning.   I was amazed at how quickly things went when using the pressure cooker!  I soaked the beans for a few hours in the morning and then put them in the cooker before I ate lunch.  By the time I was done with lunch, my beans were done too.  

Black Beans cooked in the Instant Pot

The hardest part was getting the cover off.  I let it cool down and vent for a while, but it still released a ton of hot steam when I took the lid off.  At the time, I didn’t realize that there is a “handle” on top of the lid, so I was holding it at the sides – don’t do that!  My hands were right in line with the steam.  I’m sure next time it will go much better.  I was amazed at how well the beans held up.  They quick cooking of the pressure cooking ensures that the beans don’t break down like they do sometimes in the slow cooker. 

Rice in the Instant Pot - Look at all the room - you could have a beans and rice party!

I tried out the rice feature next.  I have a rice steamer that works great, but it has a plastic basket that the rice is cooked in.  The plastic has been wearing down, and I’ve been concerned lately about what kinds of chemicals may be getting into my rice.  The Instant Pot has a stainless bowl, so you don’t have to worry about chemicals!  I’m used to the rice cooker taking an hour to cook the rice, so I put it in before I headed to the grocery store.  When I got back, the rice was a little dry because it had gotten done so quickly and was sitting on the warm function.  However, I just threw some extra water in the bowl and the residual heat let the rice instantly soak up the water and the texture was great.  I think next time I’ll be sure to cook the rice when I’ll be home.  Since it doesn’t take long at all, this shouldn’t be a problem!  You can use the Instant Pot as a steamer as well.  I haven’t tried that function yet, but I definitely will in the future!

Easy slow cooker soup

After that, I tried the slow cooker function.  I had a soup packet that I got for Christmas, so I threw it in and pressed the slow cooker button.  It immediately gives you 4 hours of cook time, but this can be adjusted as needed.  This was the perfect amount of time, and my soup turned out great.  Since you leave the vent open when using the slow cooker, you can remove the cover to check on things and add additional ingredients if needed. 

If you’re looking for an appliance that can be used in multiple ways, the Instant Pot® is for you!  This would be a great gift for someone going off to college or just moving out on their own, since it performs so many different tasks well.  This would also be great for someone who, like me, does a lot of cooking from scratch (or would like too), or people who work out of the home during the day and need quick and healthy meal solutions. 

Pros:

• Several different functions from one appliance:  pressure cooking, rice cooking, steaming and slow cooking.
• Cooking is as simple as pushing a button – there are preset functions for almost everything!  There is also a delay timer. 
• Saves energy and time. 
• Preserves more nutrients since it cooks faster. 
• Stainless steel interior that is easy to clean – no worries about toxins leaking into your food!
• Keeps the kitchen cool – I’ll appreciate that this summer! 
• Quiet and not messy – no worries about beans exploding everywhere!
• Versatile – cooks a little or a lot.  Holds up to 10 cups of cooked rice.

Cons:

• The lid gets very hot – this is true with all pressure cookers, but will take some getting used to on my end. 
• Slightly large – the Instant Pot is a fairly large appliance, but when you consider that it is replacing several other appliances, it doesn’t seem as bad.  
• They don't give you very many recipes, so you'll have to search for some online.  

BUY IT:  You can buy it directly from Instant Pot, or you can order it from Amazon.

Congratulations to the winning comment - #158! 

Don't forget to check out my other giveaways here!

**I received an Instant Pot for review purposes. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.  The winning comment will be chosen by random.org.**