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Zevia Review and GIVEAWAY
March 3rd, 2010I was lucky enough to be sent a mixed case of the following six Zevia flavors (Black Cherry, Orange, Ginger Ale, Cola, Twist and Root Beer) to sample and review free of charge. I was glad to review and taste test all the flavors, given the fact that I have not been drinking pop except for the occasional ginger ale. I took a picture of each can and gave my fair and honest opinion of each flavor.
A little information about Zevia from their website “ZEVIA is the first all natural zero calorie soda. With only pure ingredients, ZEVIA contains none of the chemically processed artificial sugar substitutes, artificial flavors or artificial colors found in other diet sodas. ZEVIA is all-natural, has zero calories, zero net carbs, zero fat, and little or no sodium (depending on flavor).”
This is what I thought of each flavor:
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Orange Flavor-It has a delicious orange essence that is lighter than the regular sugar-ladened orange soda. It leaves no aftertaste and is refreshing.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Black Cherry-I would purchase this flavor when I would visit Whole Foods, but yet again pop with regular sugar. This flavor was tasty and fruity and wondered what ingredient gave it’s cherry flavor besides the natural flavoring. It was clove leaf oil. Tasty!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Dr. Zevia- You guessed it! This is the company’s substitute for Dr. Pepper in natural form. I would drink this often and then after marrying my husband, the diet form. It has 33mg of caffeine from coffee and many natural flavors that make it seem like the real stuff. Yet again, it is lighter in form and no yuck sugary aftertaste lingers.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Cola-When I opened this can of pop, the smell reminded me of regular cola, but I wondered if that is the Kola nut extract or the natural caffeine. The more I taste the more I liked this flavor than the Dr. Zevia. I reiterate yet again. I like the fact that there is no yucky aftertaste after drinking this pop.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Lemon Lime Twist- Delicious! It has a hint of lemon and lime oils in this pop and is a combination of the mainstream clear pop on the shelves. If you like mineral oil with a hint of natural sweetness and citrus flavors, this is YOUR flavor.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Ginger Root Beer- I have never really been a fan of Root Beer, except when it came to having floats, but on occasion, I would drink a Barqs. This natural pop sure has the natural flavors to fool you into thinking you are drinking the real stuff. Yet again, not MY favorite, but root beer drinkers might really enjoy this.
BURPPPP! Excuse me….this pop has Triple filtered carbonated water!
Last one, but not the least…..
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Ginger Ale– I order this pop ALL the time and everytime I travel on a plane because the ginger is supposed to help aid nausea. Zevia’s Ginger Ale flavor did NOT taste like ginger ale! Oh no! I was not expecting the last one to be disappointing, but it tasted like mineral water with a tad bit of flavor, with hardly ANY ginger taste. Oh well!
At least I liked the OTHER flavors and am so glad that I had the opportunity to have an alternative to the corn syrupy drink options in the market.
You will have your own chance to give your own opinion
So, now for YOUR chance to win some Zevia. Zevia has generously offered to give THREE of my reader’s a chance to try Zevia for themselves. Two readers will receive a mixed six-pack of Zevia and One Grand Prize Winner will receive an entire mixed case of Zevia! This giveaway is only open to U.S. Residents though, and you must be 18+ to enter.
Mandatory Entry:”If you could have any sugary-ladened pop in natural form, which pop {soda} would you choose?” Please remember to leave your e-mail address if it’s not visible in your profile.
Want or need extra entries? (Mandatory Entry must be complete for these to count)
1. Become a public follower of my blog (If you are a follower, let me know.)
2. Follow Opera Singer in Kitchen on Facebook (Leave me a comment)
3. Follow me on twitter @singerinkitchen and tweet this giveaway: “Great Zevia soda pop giveaway @singerinkitchen with 3 possible winners http://bit.ly/box5ip (can be done daily)
4. Subscribe to my feed (Let me know you did)
5. Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post and be sure to leave me a link (5 extra points)
6. Follow Zevia on Twitter
Giveaway ends Monday, March 15, 2010 @ midnight EST. Winner will be chosen at random using random.org and contacted by e-mail.
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Vegan Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara
March 2nd, 2010 |
| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
My husband likes chicken and I usually try to make a meal with chicken at least once a week, alternating with ground beef. I do this because he likes his meat even though he eats the meals I prepare with vegan meats or substitutes.
I decided to make this meal on an evening that usually is pressed for time because my husband has to go rehearsal, but I still wanted to make something delicious, but when I found out that his rehearsal was cancelled, I paced myself! I was excited! There is nothing like taking ones time when making breaded chicken.
While I thought of my husband’s meal, I contemplated my dish. I remembered I had picked up a package of MATCH ground chicken at Whole Foods in Ann Arbor a while back and had not tried it yet. I had heard about the company though another fellow blogger, Kelly at Vegan Thyme. She had inspired me and I knew I had to try my hand at making something that I enjoyed eating before my vegan days.
When I started preparing my ingredients, I remembered the Chicken Parmesan my husband made ME last year using Emeril’s seasonings. I knew immediately that I needed to use it for these 2 dishes. I started with my husband’s chicken and butterflied the chicken breast and pounded it with a mallet. I prepared 3 different trays with flour/seasonings, buttermilk, and breadcrumbs. I dipped the chicken breast in the buttermilk, then the flour mixture and finally in the breadcrumbs and fried in coconut oil. Ryan could smell from the other room and quickly came in and told me how he was looking forward to dinner. Ha ha ha.
While his chicken was cooking, I washed MY hands and the trays and prepared the ingredients using the MATCH ground chicken. Since mine was a ground chicken, I added chopped parsley and 2 cloves of garlic and formed into two patties. Since there was plenty of mositure in the pattie I dipped the pattie in seasoned flour and then in the breadcrumbs. I set aside and cooked in another pan with coconut oil.
Meanwhile, I cooked up some spaghetti and marinara and plated the chicken and the vegan chicken on plates. They both looked spectacular! I was glad that this recipe turned out really well. Ryan took a taste of my chicken and told me it had a good flavor.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
I look forward trying other MATCH products soon! I like creating new recipes for meals I use to eat before my vegan days.
Vegan Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Marinara
serves 2
1 cup MATCH‘s ground vegan chicken, thawed
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup flour
3 tsp Emeril’s Essence (recipe below)
1/2 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil
1 cup cooked spaghetti
1/2 cup your favorite marinara ( I use Bertolli’s Tomato and Basil)
Heat coconut oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
In a small bowl, combine the vegan chicken, parsley, and garlic cloves and mix well.
Form two patties and set aside.
Place breadcrumbs in a pie plate and flour and Essence in another pie plate.
Coat the vegan chicken in flour first, then in the breadcrumbs. Repeat with second pattie.
Cook in coconut oil for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Serve over spaghetti and marinara and sprinkle with Vegan Parmesan cheese.
Emeril’s ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup
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Aunt Lizzie’s Celtic Creations Review
February 28th, 2010|
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
A while back I received some samples from Elizabeth Sabo, owner and creator of Aunt Lizzie’s Celtic Creations, which is a Michigan operated spice, rub, and dip company. All products are hand-blended with natural ingredients & no MSG. Yay for that! MSG is a POISON that is toxic to our bodies. I happen to be allergic to it, so I took advantage of trying this delicious product. Anyway, I was happy to samples goddies from a native Michigander!
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This past week I had a chance to try the Garlic Lover’s Dip seasoning that calls to be mixed with sour cream and mayonnaise. Instead, I decided to use cream cheese for my guests and Tofutti cream cheese for myself for lunch later. I made a cheeseball and served it with delicious crackers.
The guests ranted and raved on the flavor. By the end of the Bible study, the ladies had almost eaten the whole cheeseball. No shame in that! It was shared among them!
I later had some of the Tofutti version and it was delicious! There was a variety of seasonings that kept begging for another bite. Ms. Sabo describes it this way:
“If you love garlic, this is the one for you. This dip is a mouth wakening experience. Try mixing it with cream cheese to spread on a bagel. Or add to melted butter and mix into a pasta or spread on bread for amazing garlic toast. Also a great addition to any marinade or dry rub”
So not only is it great as a dip, it is great for other recipes! I think it would be delicious with dipping oil too.
Make sure you visit her site: Aunt Lizzie’s Celtic Creations
Also add her on your twitter: http://twitter.com/Aunt_Lizzies
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Giveaway! There is still time to enter to win the Bodum French Press: http://cookingforaveganlover.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/csngiveaway/
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Coconut Curry Soup with Rice Noodles
February 27th, 2010|
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
I could not help myself, but I had to squeeze another blogpost because this soup recipe was SOOO good! It has been very bleak and gray out here in Michigan. I headed out to school with Ryan this morning and made sure I had my great pair of snow boots on.
I got these babies during the summer and have not turned back since. Being a native Texas (ha ha) I was afraid I was going to freeze up in these parts. Well, that has not been the case. It just gets plain NASTY outside. Who wants to be driving in sloshy, skiddy, and slippery. But do you know what made today much more different than any snowy day in Michigan? The snow wind!!!!
Today, of all days, I decided to wear glasses instead of contacts. What a major mistake. So there was a great wind and then that picked up the 10 inches of snow lying around the whole city. It made for an interesting morning indeed!
Well, why do we not say afternoon and evening. My husband decided to go sledding tonight with a friend and his kids. I decided not to get sick today. I am an adventurous one, but seeing how messy and windy it was, I decided to take a rain check.
I knew that when my husband returned, he would be soaked through and through, which he was, so I decided to make a delicious HOT soup. By hot I mean, in flavor and in heat. There is a great noodle resturant that makes a delicious coconut curry soup that I like, but I have not been there in a while. This is the soup that called out my name. I had leftover rice noodles from a stirfry last night, so I decided to add it to my soup.
Now, I know that many recipes for this soup call for fish broth or fish sauce, but since this was the first time trying this recipe, I decided to look for one that I could work with on my own. When I found it, it called out to me saying “I am the one, make me!” Seriously! This soup was perfect for the soup craving I was having. I convinced my husband he would like it….I mean convinced the person who does not prefer to have soup as a meal. He handled it well. I changed several thing in the recipe. Since we had tofu last night I left that out. Other than that, I served this mean soup with whole wheat sourdough bread. YUM!
Please enjoy this delicious soup sometime this weekend!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Coconut Curry Soup with Rice Noodles
adapted from Cooking Light
serves 4
2 tablespoons Tropical Traditions coconut oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup Thai Kitchen red curry paste
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 (13.5-ounce) cans light coconut milk
1 vegan bouillon cube, unsalted
2 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup thinly sliced peeled fresh ginger
6 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 carrots, thinly sliced carrot
1 1/2 cups snap peas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups soaked rice noodles
Prior to soup preparation, soak 1/2 inch thick dry noodles (about 4 ounces or 1/3 of a big bag of noodles. Soak in warm water for 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic to pan; sauté 30 seconds or until lightly browned.
Add curry paste; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add brown sugar; cook 1 minute. Stir in coconut milk, broth, juice, ginger, and soy sauce.
Heat on medium heat until it simmers or a light boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 10 minutes. Add beans, and cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Drain noodles and add to soup and cook for another 10 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro leaves.
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Cinnamon-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Scones and Giveaway announced!
February 26th, 2010 |
| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
This week went faster than I can remember any other week! I mean, I barely had time to blog this week! Makes me sad because that means I am WAY behind all the yummy meals and reviews I have completed. Well, one day at a time right?
This past Tuesday I was blessed to host a Bible Study at my home. There were several ladies who attended from my church and we had a great time! I love hosting and being hospitable, which means I get to bake or cook. I know it is not always required to make anything but there is something physically available, like food, that brings people alot closer together. This is of course, my opinion.
When I knew these women were coming, I looked at a list of recipes of baked goods that I been wanting to try, especially, or veganize. I found the perfect recipe made by Jen Schall at My Kitchen Addiction, a recipe that was adapted from King Arthur Flour’s website. I made it the night before so that I could make sure that the recipe turned out, especially since I was veganizing the recipe.
I had been to the supermarket and purchased groceries earlier that evening, but when I got home I realized I was out of oats. AHH! I had even made a grocery list, but somehow the oats had not crossed my mind. Never you mind, because this is where my creative itch came into play. I only had 1/2 cup of oats and then I substituted 1/2 cup of oat flour for the other missing 1/2 cup oats. The original recipe also called for cinnamon chips, but most products have loads of corn syrup and dairy, so I used chocolate chips. Another winner!
You know why this recipe was good? It was good because my husband like it. He told me a while back that he dislike scones because they turned out SO dry and required loads and loads of coffee to down them. Well, this recipe is more a cross between and scone and a coffee cake, but I prefer to call them as the original recipe.
This recipe is a KEEPER!
BY the way The Glass Dharma winner has been announced! Kirsten @Kirsten’s Kitchen has won this giveaway! Thanks for entering giveaway! Another one will be coming soon!
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Cinnamon-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Scones
12 servings
For the filling:
3 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery flavor, softened
2/3 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
For the dough:
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour
1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup Pizzey’s milled golden flax
1/3 cup vegan granulated sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance buttery flavor
6 ounces plain Soy yogurt
1/4 cup almond milk plus additional to brush on tops of scones
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top of scones
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a nine-inch non-stick cake pan. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the filling, using a fork to evenly incorporate the Earth Balance to form moist crumbs. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the dough – the rolled oats, the oat flour, white whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, milled golden flax, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry blender (or your fingertips) to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles sand.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients and the cinnamon chips to the dry ingredients. Use a fork to incorporate the wet ingredients into the dry, just until a dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and use your hands to gently knead the dough and form it into a ball.
Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a disc that is the same diameter of the pan. Place one of the discs of dough in the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread the prepared filling on top of the first disc.
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| From An Opera Singer in the Kitchen |
Top with the second disc of dough, pressing down lightly to remove any air bubbles.
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Use a knife to cut the scones into 12 wedges. These will expand so this is the perfect size. Brush with almond milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake the scones for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Use a wire rack to flip the scones out of the pan, and then use a plate to invert the scones one more time so that they are right-side up.
Enjoy with some coffee. These are great warm and at room temperature.
Make sure to check out this giveaway!!
LoveVeggiesandYoga.com is Giving Away 3 Jars of Naturally Nutty Nut Butter @LoveVeggiesYoga http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2010/02/give-away-naturally-nutty-for-3-winners.html
