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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Living Landscapes Review

Although Little Miss gets to watch television sometimes, we do try to keep it to a minimum.  However, sometimes I’m too tired or it’s too hot or for some other reason we end up inside watching television.  On these days, I love it when I can find something that she enjoys but that isn’t going to take her undivided attention, so hopefully she’ll end up playing and looking at books instead of just watching television.  This is when things like Living Landscapes HD Collection come in.  With amazing scenery and relaxing music, it’s a great thing to put on when you want to relax, get some work done, but want to have something to watch as well.

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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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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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Review - Wilson Tennis Capri Pants - They Aren't Just For Tennis!

Recently I started taking yoga classes again.  I’m a class kind of girl – I need to feel like I’m wasting my money if I don’t show up to get me to do something that I know will make me feel better!  Horrible, I know, but that’s just the way I am.  Anyway, we recently decided to get a membership at the local Y (I felt better about giving our money to an organization that in turn helps other than “just a gym”) and I’ve been taking yoga classes there. 

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Scott's Gold Review - Take care of your wood!

Since we have a really old house (it was built in 1902), there is a lot of wood in it that needs special care.  Our huge front door is solid wood, and gets a lot of sunlight and heat so we’re always looking for a good way to protect it.  Scott’s Liquid Gold Wood Cleaner and Preservative to the rescue!  It’s organic oil formula really works well on our old wood features. 

I could immediately tell a difference when I used it on our front door.  And it was amazing how much dirt came off!  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, since it’s an outside door and everything, but wow!  I wish I had taken a picture.  Hopefully I’ll stay inspired and go back and work on the door several more times during the summer.  I think it would be really good for keeping the door happy through the hot summer months and preventing any additional cracking.  I was also pleased that it didn't have a strong fragrance like some wood cleaners do.  

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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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Mixbook Review

I was provided the opportunity to review a Mixbook Photo Book recently.  Since we didn’t really have any photos together for a photo book, I decided to put together a recipe book to give to Little Miss one day.  I’ve never pursued doing a cookbook before using a photo site, it was fun!

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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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Carapelli Premium 100% Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil - A Review

I love using olive oil to cook with.  Researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid in Spain found in a study that a diet rich in extra virgin olive oil helped to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and, perhaps more importantly, stimulated an increase in HDL (good) cholesterol.  I also love hearing the stories behind where these olive oils come from.

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No-Work Spanish Review and Giveaway!

Before we even had children, we knew we wanted to expose them to different languages at an early age.  Even if they didn’t learn the language, we wanted them to have enough familiarity so that they could understand enough to get by.  I love travelling, and I think it’s so much easier to travel when you have at least a grasp of the language spoken in the country you’re in.  That’s why I love the concept behind No-Work Spanish.  They are CD’s that tell stories – first with a sentence in English followed by a sentence in Spanish, then with the entire Chapter read in Spanish.  As you listen, you quickly learn the basics of the story.  This helps you to start associating the Spanish words with the English words. 

We’ve listened to the CD’s a few times in the car, and I found that it didn’t take me long for my Spanish to come back and I could understand what they were saying.  I’ve also been playing the CD’s for my daughter at night when she goes to bed.  Why?  My hope is that using these CD’s will engrain a certain amount of understanding of the Spanish language in her.  That way when she’s older and taking formal classes it will be easier for her to pick up and just maybe she’ll learn some of it before then! 

Little Miss hasn’t started speaking in Spanish on her own yet, but she’s still learning the English language so I’m not surprised.  I’m certain that these CD’s are giving her a strong base in the Spanish language.  Although I know they won’t replace formal study, I think they are a great way to reinforce comprehension of the Spanish language.  They’re also a great way to brush up before visiting a Spanish-speaking country!

Visit No-Work Spanish and request three free chapters if you’d like to give it a try yourself!  You can also like them on FaceBook here.

BUY IT:  You can buy No-Work Spanish here.  

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

Congratulations to Comment #8!

M's giveaway blog said...8

I posted a comment on your vegan buffalo wings post

** I received a free copy of two No-Work Spanish books for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own!  This is a MamaBuzz Review.  

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. 

BrytonPick Review

When I first heard about BrytonPick I was excited to try them.  I liked the idea of something more portable and reusable than floss.  BrytonPick uses small flexible stainless steel tips to clean between teeth.  

It is small, and easy to stick in your purse, but I did not find it easy to use.  My teeth are very close together – it’s hard to even get floss in between my teeth sometimes.  I found it almost impossible to get the Bryton tips between my teeth.  Additionally, the tips bent, making it harder to use.  I also found that the shape was awkward for me – I couldn’t use the pick on my back teeth at all.  I have a small mouth, and the angle of the pick was wrong. 

I love that BrytonPick is made in the USA from completely recyclable materials, but it unfortunately is not the right solution for me.   

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Roasted Potatoes and a Review of Garlic Gold

You know that wonderful garlicky smell you get when you walk into any good Italian restaurant?  That’s what you smell as soon as you open a bottle of Garlic Gold.  I swear I wanted to just leave the bottle open on the counter for a while so my kitchen would continue to smell like that!

 

Garlic Gold is based in California, and they use all organic ingredients to create all of their products by hand.  In addition to their oil, they have garlic nuggets – perfect for jazzing up almost anything!  I don’t know how they do it, but their Garlic Gold oil has the amazing flavor of real garlic right there in the oil – great for just dipping your fresh bread in.  Or if you want to go really crazy try adding the Garlic Gold Italian Herb nuggets to it!

If you know anyone who loves to cook, this would make a great gift!  They currently have a special promotion going for Mother’s Day – use code Tomoson20 for 20% off of any order over $20.  This code is valid through Mother’s Day, May 8^th.  I think their vinaigrettes look yummy, and I can tell you with certainty that any garlic lover would love the oil! 

I made some roasted potatoes with the Garlic Gold Oil.  I love simple recipes like this to highlight great products.

Roasted Potatoes

• 3 red potatoes per person, cut into eighths
• Garlic Gold Oil
• Freshly cracked black pepper

1. After cutting the potatoes, place them in a container that has a lid.  Pour oil over to coat lightly, then crack fresh pepper on top. 
2. Shake potatoes to ensure that they are all coated.
3. Transfer to baking pan, and bake at 400 degrees until potatoes are no longer hard and golden brown in color.  Enjoy the wonderful smell of them cooking!

Submitted to:

MMMM
Veggie Converter
Just Another Meatless Monday
my meatless mondays
Hearth and Soul
Tasty Tuesday - FTLOB
Full Plate Thursday

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com created by WebBizIdeas a Minneapolis SEO and Web Design firm. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Our New Family Addition!

Two weeks ago we welcomed a new family member – say hello to Snoopy (or Snoop-Dog, as I like to call her)!  A girl my husband works with gave her to us.

She’s a peekapoo, a cross between a Poodle and a Pekinese.  She’ll be living with my husband for the time being, but we love out weekend visits with her!  She has already warmed up to Little Miss, and is incredibly patient with her, as you can see.

Since Snoopy will be on the road a lot, we decided to invest in a great car seat for her.  Fortunately, we found the Stow and Go Away Pet Car Seat at CSN.com.  I love products that serve multiple functions, and this fit the bill.  There is a small suitcase to carry toys and food that also serves as a booster.  The cushioned car seat doubles as a bed, which she can use while she’s on the road with the husband or at home for visits with us.  Snoopy quickly got used to the seat, and typically settles in for a nap when she’s travelling.

 

CSN delivered the car seat quickly (it arrived several days before the estimated delivery date), and it arrived in great condition. I was really happy with the service they provided, and amazed by the selection of products they had!

 

If you’re a fan of daily deal sites, you’ll love Joss & Main! It's an exclusive private sale site that CSN Stores recently launched. It offers exclusive sales on top brands and designers for the home at up to 70% off retail. Sales only last 72 hours, but new ones are launched daily and all are backed by the high levels of customer service and quality that you’ve grown to value from CSN.

** I received a gift card to CSN in exchange for a review.  All opinions expressed are my own.  

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.**

Hydros Water Bottle

By now, we should all know that there is no reason to be buying bottled water.  It’s often no better than tap water, and creates a huge amount of waste.  According to the Pacific Institute, from start to finish bottled water consumes between 1100 and 2000 times more energy than does tap water.  Additionally, 60 MILLION plastic bottles end up in American landfills DAILY.  That’s a lot of waste! 

So you have your filter at home, but what to do when you’re out and about?  Hydros has a great solution – a portable bottle that you can take on the go to filter your tap water anywhere!  Great to use if your office doesn’t have filtered water, and each filter is the equivalent of 200 water bottles!

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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.**