Beanfields Snacks Review & Giveaway!

We can do breakfast.  We can do lunch.  And we can do dinner.  But there's a bunch of time in between and after dinner - what do we eat then?!?!?

Let's face it: a healthy, delicious, and filling snack is sometimes exactly what we need.  We have our fruits, we have our veggies, and that's all good. Everyone loves their chips though, right?  Unfortunately, there's a myriad of chips out there that are high in sugar, salt, fat, and/or contain animal products.  So what if, during your snack-time, I offered you a vegan/cholesterol-free, gluten-free, trans fat-free, preservative-free, (top eight) allergen-free, corn-free, GMO-free, healthy, hearty, and flavorful/delicious/tasty chip selection.  I'm guessing you'd take me up on my offer.  And when I told you that you had your choice of five different flavors, I know you'd definitely take me up on the offer. 

I'm talking about Beanfields' Bean & Rice Chips. Beanfields popped onto the scene in January 2011 and has since racked up the awards for their high-quality snacks, culminating in the "Best of Show" award at Natural Products Expo West.  VegNews deemed their flagship Nacho chips "Vegan Doritos."

Beanfields' mission statement reads: 

"We're dedicated to making delicious all-natural snacks that are a wholesome and satisfying alternative to snacks made from corn, potato, and wheat.  Our mission is to make the world a healthier place to crunch.  We believe beans are good for our families, good for farmers, and good for our planet!"

Chock full of fiber and protein; lower in saturated fat, sodium, and calories than most other chips; Beanfields really represents the full package in a chip.  Seriously, their nutritional facts wowed me.  I had the scrumptious pleasure and privilege of sampling Beanfields' chip selection - and let me tell you, it was an excellent week of snacking. Not only did I get my fill of full flavor, but the chips also managed to fill me up, which allowed me to escape without downing whole bags at once (although, they are so tasty that you'll have to watch out to make sure you don't do it yourself).  There also was no "yucky" feeling afterward, which some salty/greasy/fatty snacks can often do to you.

My personal favorites were the esteemed Nacho and the Pico de Gallo (which may actually get my nod as #1). The other yummy flavors are: Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Pepper, and Unsalted. Simple, nutritious, packed with crispy, crunchy goodness, these chips earn a top spot on the snacking totem pole.

You can find your new favorite snack in most Whole Foods locations and natural markets near you.  If not, you can find more information on how to get them stocked up at your local markets from their Where To Buy page.

If Beanfields' "Crispyliciousness" isn't enough for you, you should know they are a family owned company who commits to helping food and business practices staying up-to-date, also contributing a portion of their profits to non-profit sustainable farming efforts.

They've won me over in taste and message.  And speaking of winning, are you ready to do so?

Beanfields and KMIV/Ahimsa Life Coaching are teaming up for another fun raffle!  Hopefully, you know how it goes by now.  If you haven't entered one yet, just check out the fun raffle widget below.  Follow the directions and earn yourself raffle entries.  The more you have, the better chance you have to win. At the end of the promotion, one winner will be chosen and that winner will have their choice of a variety pack of 6 Beanfields' bags of chips - your choice!  (Note: the winner MUST have actually fulfilled each of the entries they approve; if not, another winner will be chosen.)

Get your crunch on! Check out Beanfields' Facebook and Twitter pages and make sure to follow the chips!  You can stay up date with the latest with Beanfields' free news flash also.


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Maxine @ Streaming Hope.

What an amazing thing Streaming Hope is. I got to rock it out on Friday night at this beautiful, beautiful open mic experience in Los Angeles, produced by Anto Boghokian. Streaming Hope has been going on for almost a year now, and it's all about the developing artist, whether it's through poetry, song, or a little mix of both. I attended one before I joined in the ranks, and it's really unlike any other open mic experience I've come across. If you're in LA, you should totally check it out (and for more info, click here).

I've been toying with a song called "Maxine" I wrote a few years back for a Farm Sanctuary fundraiser I did in NYC. Well, I decided to take her for a walk at Streaming Hope and had really positive, supportive response. Enjoy the performance here, with Kurt Peterson on guitar.

To learn more about Maxine, check out her rescue video here.

A Thought From Mayim Bialik.

"I show my love for animals by not eating them or participating in any business that profits directly from their exploitation or – if that word irks you – their “use.” You may show your love for animals by eating them. You may love animals, but only “intelligent” ones. You may draw the line anywhere you gosh darn please, but for me, I couldn’t draw it anymore so I just gave up the line. I threw out the line."

Check out Mayim's entire post, "Why I am Vegan" here. 

Here's a great recipe from Mayim for the Rosh Hashanah holiday!

Pure Vegan Review and Giveaway!

Hippocrates said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  A balanced whole-food, plant-based diet - of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds - provides all of the nutrients needed to not only survive but to thrive.*

*A couple of exceptions...

Besides the nutrition we receive from our whole plant foods, we have a couple of important players in the game of optimal health that are difficult to find just from our whole plant foods.  Specifically, we need Vitamin B12* & Vitamin D*.

I could write an entire article on B12 and Vit. D, but this post is mainly to introduce you to a company that provides quality vegan supplements and products - a huge bonus for all of us compassion warriors out there.  Please take a look at these articles from The Vegetarian Resource Group and Jack Norris, RD (of Vegan Outreach) for more information:

Vitamin D: http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2009issue2/2009_issue2_vitamin_d.php, http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/bones
Vitamin B12: http://www.veganhealth.org/articles/vitaminb12, http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/b12.htm 
(I highly recommending reading all articles!)

To give you a super Cliffs Notes rundown:
- B12 comes from bacteria. With downfall of agricultural practices, it's much more difficult (to impossible) to obtain B12 from plants. Some fermented foods have minimal amounts of B12. Many plant-based food products (like plant milks) are B12 fortified (still minimal).  Two kinds: Methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin (a lot of literature/science recommends methyl-).
- Vitamin D, acts more like a hormone than vitamin, comes from (is synthesized from) sunlight (action of UV rays on skin - read more on process above)! Two kinds: D3 (animal-based) & D2 (plant-based).
- Deficiency in either is not good for you.

And that brings us to Pure Vegan!  Pure Vegan's mission statement reads:

Pure Vegan's quality approach to creating these exclusive formulas begins in the growing fields and continues through every stage until the product is consumed. The integrity, authenticity and validation of our raw materials are a fundamental factor in the quality of every Pure Vegan product. Pure Vegan's raw materials are sourced with information regarding its processing methods and verification that they are not tested on animals. Pure Vegan is a revolutionary supplement line supported by full scientific research and protocols specifically for Vegans and Vegetarians.

It's wonderful knowing that there's a company that provides high-quality vegan products for your health, when needed.  I had the pleasure of sampling three of their products: the Complete Meal Replacement powder, the Vitamin B12 spray, and the Vitamin D2 spray. 

The Complete Meal Replacement powder incorporates a blend of whole grains, fruits, and veggies, with a protein base of pea, rice, and spirulina.  Vanilla flavored, I preferred a mix with orange juice (and often with some other fruits and veggies) for an orange creamsicle-like smoothie (yum!).

The B12 and D2 sprays proved to be very helpful.  The B12 is the preferred methylcobalamin, cherry flavored, and a quick spray is all you need.  The D2 is cherry flavored also, one spray also.  Super easy - I definitely recommend the B12 methyl-spray, and, for those who do not get much exposure to the sun, the D2 spray.  It makes keeping your levels at a safe, healthful level very convenient.

Pure Vegan has a wealth of other supplements, which you can check out on their website.  Please check it out and show them your KMIV support!  Their service is top-notch, and they've shown me they really care about their customers.  And, in the spirit of a company that cares about their customers, they are offering a GIVEAWAY!!!

Pure Vegan is giving away TWO B12 Sprays to TWO lucky kissable followers out there.  All you have to do is jump on the Rafflecopter widget below and follow the simple directions.  Good luck & enjoy!

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All the best and yummiest to you! And, of course, plenty of vegan kisses!