Sunday, March 31, 2013

I Took the Gorton's Seafood Challenge -- Have You? (Review and #Giveaway)

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If you have been following my blog, then you know that I am still keeping up with my diet, which was one of my New Year's resolutions, as I really wanted to lose the excess baby weight from the girls once and for all. :-)  So far, I have lost and kept off 15 pounds, with another 15 to go.  In addition to cutting out different foods, I have also added in 1-2 fish dishes a week.  And, thanks to the folks at Gorton's, they help make preparing healthy fish entrees for my family in under 30 minutes, and that are 200 calories or less per serving.  Yes, you read that right -- 200 calories or less per serving.

Recently, I was sent five free coupons, along with a cute Gorton's branded apron, spatula and two oven mitts, to participate in their Gorton's Seafood Challenge.  Gorton's challenged me to try one of their 20 at 200 or less products in a recipe that I had never tried before.  And, thanks to Gorton's extensive recipe database, I had so many recipes to choose from.  The hardest part of the challenge was choosing a recipe to use the Simply Bake Tilapia Gorton's seafood product with.  I ended up going with this recipe, which used Gorton's Simply Bake Tilapia I picked up the other day at the market -- Simply Bake Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables.

 
"So simple, it’s in the name. For a healthy, easy and delicious meal, try our Simply Bake Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables. "

Ingredients:

1 packages Gorton’s Simply Bake Tilapia
1.5 cups Root vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions and carrots
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp Welch’s 100% Grape Juice*
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Prepare Gorton’s Simply Bake Tilapia Signature Seasoning according to package instructions.
  3. Roughly chop root vegetables to desired size, about 1” cubes.
  4. Toss with Welch’s 100% Grape Juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
  5. Place in baking dish and cook for 20-25 minutes or until fork-tender.
  6. Serve roasted vegetables alongside Gorton’s Simply Bake Tilapia Signature Seasoning.

My husband wanted to get in on the fun, and threw on the apron and helped me prepare the dish.  And, when the time came to flip the fish, he reached for the spatula which was included with my Gorton's branded package.  Then, at the end he put on both Gorton's oven mitts to remove our amazing smelling Simply Bake Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables dish.  We let it sit a few minutes to cool, as I finished cooking up the girls' dinner, as they are not fans of fish.  When we finally sat down to dinner, both my husband and I smiled as we enjoyed our first bite. 



I turned to my husband to see what he thought of it, and he told me to add this new dish to our top fish recipes to make again.  I couldn't agree more!

I can't wait to pick up other 20 at 200 or less Gorton's Seafood products from the grocery store, and try out a few other recipes from the Gorton's Recipe Section.  If they are anything like the Simply Bake Tilapia with Roasted Vegetables recipe, we will be adding more recipes to our must make again list. :-)


----GIVEAWAY----



Why not take the Gorton's Seafood Challenge with your family?  Gorton's wants to offer one lucky reader 5 FREE Coupons, along with a Gorton's branded apron, spatula and two oven mitts, to assist with the Seafood Challenge.  To enter this fun giveaway, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

Disclosure: I was sent coupons, along with an apron, oven mitts, and spatula from the folks at Gorton's in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.
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Boys Will Love the New Transformers Prime Beast Hunters #BeastHunters @HasbroNews #Spon





"When a fearsome new faction, the PREDACONS, emerge on Earth, OPTIMUS PRIME and the AUTOBOTS adapt with never before seen BEAST HUNTERS abilities to battle this all new enemy. TRANSFORMERS BEAST HUNTERS finds the AUTOBOTS facing off against both the DECEPTICONS and the dragon-like PREDACONS, an unprecedented new foe led by the spectacular PREDAKING character. BEAST HUNTERS is the touchstone for the TRANSFORMERS brand across all platforms in 2013 driven by the award winning "Transformers Prime" animated series which is produced by Hasbro Studios, airs on The HUB television network in the U.S. and is seen by kids and fans in 182 countries.



"BEAST HUNTERS invigorates the trendsetting TRANSFORMERS brand with a compelling new enemy for the AUTOBOTS in the PREDACON faction featuring incredible new beast-themed characters like PREDAKING," said John Frascotti, Chief Marketing Officer, Hasbro. "BEAST HUNTERS will be a major focus introducing innovative new entertainment and branded play experiences, delivering an exciting new era for millions of TRANSFORMERS fans around the world.""


I was recently sent one of the new Beast Hunters, Starscream Decepticon, to review, and have to say that they have come a long way since the Transformers of my day and age. :-)  And, what better way to surprise a child with this and other new Transformers Prime Beast Hunters than fill their Easter baskets with them.  While the girls were playing with their dolls and ponies, all the boys at our house were gathered around the table this AM after going through their Easter basket loot, putting together these awesome Transformers.  If you walked into the dining room and saw all the boys and their Dad's huddled around the table, you would have through they were conducting a top secret mission or performing surgery.  All you could hear was "Oh, wow; Look at that; No Way; Cool; Let me See; Awesome."  Based on their excitement and talk, I am guessing that they liked these new toys from the Transformers Prime Beast Hunters line.

The boys/men remained in the dining room for a few hours, with only a few exits to grab other Transformers Prime toys, to add to the mix.  As the girls/ladies walked by, we would stop and peak in to see them running around the table pretending to be flying the plane that the Starscream Decepticon converts into, that is when he is not in robot form, clenching the thunder talon or shooting missiles from his arms.  Here are a few photos my husband shared of this amazing new toy, which retails for only $14.99 online and in most retail stores that toys are told.  I am surprised there was a "No Girls Sign" in the so-called man cave/family room, where these photos were taken, as the girls even made it into a few photos. :-)



Cool, huh?  They sure do think so, and have already asked for more Beast Hunters toys and accessories to add to their Transformers Prime collection. :-)  Even though they had to clear out of the dining room, so that I could set the table for Easter dinner at 1PM, they didn't mind, as they all filed into the family room to watch some Transformers Prime episodes from the popular HUB Network, that we have on DVD.  I guess today is Transformers Prime day in our house, thanks to the Easter Bunny. :-)

Do you have son, grandson or even husband who is a fan of the Transformers Prime series on the HUB Network, or just loves the whole Transformer brand?  If so, then you will want to pick up the new toys, which became available as of February of this year.  And, make sure you stay tuned as other licensed merchandise including apparel, comic books DVDs, and additional innovative toys and action figures from the Transformers product line will continue to be released throughout the year.  I know a bunch of boys/men who are eagerly awaiting these new toys and products. :-)  How about you?




For more TRANSFORMERS news, fans can keep up with the latest brand and product information on the official TRANSFORMERS brand Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/TRANSFORMERS and official TRANSFORMERS YouTube channel at www.Youtube.com/Transformers and on Twitter at @HasbroNews.



---BUY NOW---

You can find all Hasbro Transformers Prime Beast Hunter toys and action figures online at the Transformers retail website: http://bit.ly/Z8rpPb.  Products and pricing from this new line include:





o   TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS DELUXE Assortment (Approximate retail price: $14.99)    
o   TRANSFORMERS PRIME BEAST HUNTERS VOYAGER CLASS Assortment (Approximate retail price: $19.99)
o   KRE-O TRANSFORMERS BEAST HUNTERS RIPCLAW STRIKE Building Set (Approximate retail price: $16.99)

---GIVEAWAY---

Want to win one of these cool new action figures from the Transformers Prime Beast Hunter line from Hasbro?  Thanks to the folks at Hasbro, they are offering one lucky reader just that. :-)  To enter this giveaway, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below.  Good luck!

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. MomIt Forward and Hasbro partnered in support of this campaign. Hasbro compensated me for participation in this campaign. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Fun Earth Day Activities the Whole Family Will Enjoy -- And, a Great Movie Night Choice (Review of Planet Ocean)

Stress the importance of community involvement to preserve the beauty of our Earth with these great ideas.


In celebration of Earth Day on Monday, April 22nd, I wanted to share a handful of fun activities that would be great to do with the whole family -- and makes for a great afternoon outdoors!



Outdoor Scavenger Hunt 


Scavenger Hunt by Beezy
Type up this list of things to find outdoors, and designate one person (usually a child) as note taker.  We love carrying around a camera and snapping a photo, as my nephew checks off each item we find on the list.  Then, when we get home, we go through the photos on the computer and talk about nature.  A really fun activity for children and adults of all ages.  It is a great reason to get outside and enjoy nature!

Create Your Own Watering Can

DIY for up-cycled watering can from 'a journey to a dream' 

Plant a Tree/Garden


Pinned Image

Why not take time to introduce your child to gardening by bringing them to a local nursery or garden center?  My husband loves taking Savannah each year to a local nursery and letting her pick out an assortment of flowering plants, along with veggies.  Then, they spend the afternoon getting their hands dirty, as they create our family garden.  


Play the Recycling Game with Kids

Students can learn about protecting the environment through these recycling lesson plans.

Start off my putting a variety of recyclable and non-recyclable items into a laundry basket or trash bag.  Then, have children taking tuns guessing if an item can be recycled or not.  My daughter and nephew love this game, and usually try to see who can recycle the fastest!  Who knew that recycling could be so fun. :-)


And, for those who love crafts, here are 28 craft activities you can do with kids centered around Earth Day:

28 Earth Day Activies for Kids and Printable Crafts

http://uploads.tipjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/1007.jpg

Source: http://www.tipjunkie.com/holiday-crafts/earth-day-craft/

 

So, whatever you choose to do to celebrate Earth Day with you family, enjoy the time together and make sure you take a moment to step back and take a breath. :-)

 -----

And, why not pick up a copy Planet Ocean to continue the Earth Day fun indoors!




 
"Just in time for summer - Planet Ocean - the documentary that takes you around the world on an unprecedented journey into the least known regions of the earth will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD April 19 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment.


Directed by highly-acclaimed photographer, filmmaker and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Home) and narrated by actor Josh Duhamel (TransformersLife As We Know It), this documentary comes just in time for Earth Day (April 22). Planet Ocean invites viewers to travel the globe with breathtaking aerial views and underwater imagery in extreme geographical conditions worldwide and is perfect for the whole family to enjoy!"



Through dazzling aerial and underwater imagery captured in extreme geographical conditions worldwide, Planet Ocean delivers an unprecedented journey into the least known regions of our planet. The stunning documentary aims to captivate as well as provide understanding of humankind’s relationship to the ocean and stress the urgency of making sustainable change.  Brought to life with dynamic and relatable narration, this groundbreaking film can be enjoyed by the entire family.


Planet Ocean will be available on Blu-ray™ and DVD.

  • Blu-ray™ disc unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring perfect hi-def picture and perfect hi-def sound. 
  • DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing the movie in more places, both at home and while away.

BONUS FEATURES (BLU-RAY™ and DVD):
  • THE MAKING OF PLANET OCEAN
    • IN THE SKIES ABOVE RIO:  Breathtaking images of Rio de Janeiro’s magnificent shores will inspire you with wonder and delight.
    • UNDERWATER:  Uncover the natural mysteries of marine life with Planet Ocean’s team of underwater cinematographers.  
    • SHANGHAI:  Extraordinary aerial photography of Shanghai’s busy harbor underscores the significance of ocean commerce.
 
----

My Thoughts:

Wow!  This is one documentary that I see people talking about this Earth day, and year for that matter, as it is truly breathtaking to watch, and reminds us of how the Earth was formed, and what we do in our day to day lives impacts how it will look when we leave this Earth.  It is up to us to make the necessary changes to protect what remains, to help keep it as beautiful as it was created for us many years ago.  Just look at this trailer about this new documentary, and you will be moved, as my husband and I were when we watched it the other night, at the beauty of the Ocean and Earth as a whole.

 

Truly remarkable, right?  Just think that this is only a 6 minute glimpse into this movie, which is filled with breathtaking Aeriel views and underwater imagery.  Both parents and children will enjoy watching Planet Ocean, and learning about the least known regions of our planet.  You will want to be transported to these places, as my husband and I wished we could, as they look so peaceful and inviting.

So, if you are looking for a great family movie to share and tie together your Earth Day activities, why not consider pre-ordering Planet Ocean today?  This will be one documentary you will want to watch over and over again.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this DVD from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  The views above are mine and mine alone.
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