It’s Friday and I have got to say, this week has been a bear. Between late nights, early mornings and crazy busy family schedules, this lady right here has been running on coffee; lots of coffee. In fact, I have a new coffee obsession I want to share with you today- Steeped Coffee! I’m sharing all the details on the company, Steeped Coffee, and the brewing method. Plus since it’s Friday and I know you love coffee too, there is a giveaway!


Enjoy Specialty Coffee anytime with Steeped Coffee #ad
Have you ever been awakened to the delightful scent of freshly brewed coffee? It’s a delightful way to start your day. I have so many good memories surrounding that smell. From my childhood with my parent's brew to today, where my husband and I take turns making special coffee on the weekends. What makes it special you ask? Freshly ground beans! My husband and I have been sipping coffee together for a long time, we are true coffee lovers. One of our favorite hobbies as a couple is trying new coffee blends and ways in which to brew it. I love gifting him gifting him coffee related items, so when an opportunity from Coastal Brew arrived in my inbox, I thought this non-electric manual coffee grinder is perfect for my husband! 


Coastal Brew manual coffee grinder #giveaway #ad


SF Bay Gourmet Coffee review and giveaway

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, December 12, 2016

It is no secret that we are a coffee loving family here. My husband and I enjoy regular blend coffee that we buy at our local grocery store during our work week and that is perfectly fine. On the weekends though, we like to treat ourselves to a cup or two of specialty coffee roasts and flavors, so when SF Bay Coffee invited me to review their coffee and host a giveaway, I was only too happy to oblige. 

I received complimentary product to facilitate today’s post and giveaway, however, all opinions and love of a good cup of coffee are my own. 


mornings need coffee try SF Bay Gourmet #giveaway


I love learning about small family owned businesses like SF Bay Gourmet Coffee  based out the San Francisco Bay area.  Not just because I grew up near this area of northern California, but also because I know from first-hand experience all the hard work and dedication to takes to keep small businesses going! Both my husband and I have years of experience in the small business industry so, I applaud the Rogers Family on a job well done. 


About SF Bay Gourmet Coffee and the family behind it:

SF Bay Gourmet Coffee logo



Established in 1979, the Rogers Family Company's steadfast mission is to search out the world's finest Arabica varieties and roast the richest, most flavorful coffees available anywhere while making the world a better place at the same time.



Growing Coffee for Good!

SF Bay Gourmet Trolley


SF Bay Gourmet Coffee stands for premium, sustainable, fair and direct trade coffee and tea at prices you'll love! SF Bay Gourmet Coffee likes to say their products are grown for good. Their Community Aid Program has restored thousands of acres of rain forest by farming only with shade grown farms, and planted their own coffee on our own organic farms!  Their mission to help their communities and the world at large is something my family and I support. 


Coffee Choices:


SF Bay Gourmet Espresso Roast was my choice #giveaway



SF Bay Gourmet coffees come in regular, Espresso and decaf varieties in flavors like Amaretto Milano, Caramel Crème, Chocolate Almond, and Chocolate Raspberry, Cinnamon Crumb Cake, Dark Habits Dark Chocolate Caramel and more. 




My Thoughts:

I chose the Espresso Roast to try because my husband prefers a full-bodied cup of coffee without added flavoring and we were not disappointed in this smooth, easy on the stomach coffee.  We really could “taste the difference” with SF Bay Gourmet Coffee.  This roast pairs well with breakfast or brunch, and I found myself wanting to make a coffee cake to serve alongside this coffee when holiday company arrives- it’s that good!



I want to purchase the Dark Habits Dark Chocolate Caramel coffee next and experience some of their East India teas. The Apricot Orange herbal blend caught my eye as did the Earl Grey loose leaf tea. They offer a Java Perks club and affordable prices, making this a fantastic company to shop with this holiday. I invite you to learn more about them here and by following them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.



Win It:

Win a bag of SF Bay Gourmet Coffee on My WAHM Plan


Thanks to today’s sponsor, one lucky reader will receive 1 bag or single serve box of SF Bay Gourmet coffee in your choice of flavor.


Good luck!


Terms: 

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway




Please share in comments: If you win, will you keep this coffee yourself, or gift it?

 

With another birthday nearing, I decided it was time to make my health and wellness a priority by moving more, improving my sleep, and like many of you have discussed on social media, I need to reverse some of the pandemic weight gain so that I can fully enjoy summer. I read an article about taking a look at what you do from the very moment you wake up and see if you can make positive changes. For me that meant overhauling my morning coffee, so when Viva Naturals offered to send me their MCT Oil for review, I took it as a sign to give coffee with organic MCT oil a try. 


MCT Oil in Coffee:


Organic MCT oil in coffee
 This is a sponsored post on behalf of Torani. I received information to facilitate today’s post as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

We welcomed September in with a heat wave here in middle Tennessee, so instead of thinking all things “fall” this weekend, I was sipping on a crazy good Cold Brew iced coffee to cool off a bit. If you aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to summer either, this copycat Panera Vanilla cold brew coffee recipe is for you! Making it is so simple with just 6 ingredients! You may have everything you need on hand already. My thanks to today’s sponsor, Torani for providing the sweet vanilla goodness this recipe needs.



Cold Brew Goodness:



 Copycat Panera Vanilla #ToraniColdBrew Iced Coffee #recipe #ad


Friday Five: Fun Foods for Summer

in , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Friday, June 10, 2022

As a blogger and digital content creator, I have the opportunity to try lots of new products that might not normally show up on my shopping radar. June has been bountiful in this department, so I thought it would be fun to start a new (to me) blog series Friday Five! Each month I’ll share five new products I think would be helpful to you as well. This month’s Friday Five is fun foods for summer. I hope you enjoy this new series and these product recommendations. 

Happy Friday, dear readers. If you are among the many who sent their kids back to school in the heat of August, I’m thinking of you and hoping your school year is off to a smooth start. Our school days are behind us now as empty nesters, but today’s topic brought back so many fond memories of making food and drink content with my girls. I hope you enjoy my latest Friday Faves.  



Friday Faves Food and Drink Edition:


Friday Faves Food and Drink Edition

 

I’ve partnered with Vocalpoint.com  to bring you this tasty review.  I received a coupon for a free International Delight Coffee House Breve Cream of my choice along with a handful of 55 cent off coupons to use later, or give to friends, but I may not share after we tried the Dark Chocolate cream!

 International Delight Coffee House Breve Crème comes in 3 rich flavors to choose from: Dark Chocolate Cream, Vanilla Caramel Cream and Hazelnut Cream.  For me, it was the dark chocolate all the way, but to be fair I put it to a family vote. My husband and girls all agreed that yes, we should try Moms favorite first.  I have trained them well.
We have since used every single last drop of the Dark Chocolate Cream and it is heavenly! Truly, International Delight have made THE perfect all natural cream! My coffee has never tasted so good. Chocolate-y, not overly sweet (I used one teaspoon of Splenda instead of my regular 2) and yes, it was just like the ads say:  Breve Cream is made with real milk and cream so you can enjoy that rich, creamy coffeehouse flavor at home”.
 My husband liked it as well agreeing that it was not overly sweet and was creamy without tasting milky and weak!
Of course, I couldn’t leave my girls out of this product review, so I made them mini Latte’s! I took my smallest coffee cups (about 5 oz.) filled to ¾ full with 2% milk, microwaved till warm. Then I added a healthy glug of International Delight Coffee House Dark Chocolate Cream, then a top off of coffee. The girls, who normally don’t drink caffeinated beverages, thought they were delightful!  No sweetener required!

We will definitely buy this product again and I highly recommend it!


Next we’ve decided to try the Vanilla Caramel Cream.  The girls want us to make the Ooh La French Toast. Find this recipe and coupons  by logging on to: http://www.vocalpoint.com/Breve .  We will also try it on top of our oatmeal.  Doesn’t that sound Yummy?

Also, I found this great tool at International Delights Website. It's there Savings Calculator.
  Save money and the planet with CoffeeHouse Inspirations™   Each Year I Save
$321.36
Earth Saves
 104 cups
Inpriring isn't it? Go give the Savings calculator a try at International Delight.  You'll also be able to print coupons, and learn about all their great products.
I'd love it if you'd come back here and share your savings numbers!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate it! This year, it’s just my husband and I celebrating now that we’re empty nesters. Our youngest daughter moved out just before Thanksgiving. I’m still adjusting to this new normal, which has had some ups and downs. One of the downs is I’ve been in a bit of a creative rut. When I read a friend's blog post this morning with this fun writing prompt, I knew it was just the thing to spark my creativity. I’m joining Mix and Match Mama and her monthly writing prompts where we share little peaks into our lives. 




 Let’s Look at the Little Things We Do Every Single Day!



Let’s Look at the Little Things We Do Every Single Day!

Happy September, friends. I love this time of year for many reasons, such as the late summer days with their crisp, cool mornings and warm, sunny afternoons. Another thing I really love about September is that parents, especially Moms, get a little break in their busy routines with kids back in school, making it the perfect time to host a coffee gathering! These whimsical Language of Flowers mugs are sure to bring smiles to your guests.


Serve up Smiles with your Coffee!



The Language of Flowers Mugs serve up smiles

Holiday Cheer # Torani Syrups Review

in , , , , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, December 04, 2012

I was really excited to learn that I was chosen to partner with Torani Syrups again just in time for the Holidays.  
 
 

coffee,tea, cocoa syrups
Courtesy: Torani.com
 
 
About Torani:



Since 1925, 3rd generation family-owned Torani has been crafting great tasting flavored syrups that coffeehouses use to make their flavored drinks taste so delicious. With over 120 flavors in Regular and Sugar Free varieties, Torani flavored syrups are perfect for flavored lattes, mochas, coffees, cocoas, Italian sodas, teas, lemonades, cocktails and smoothies. Coffeehouse professionals choose Torani flavors because they are expertly crafted and made with the highest quality ingredients, like natural flavors and pure cane sugar. The Sugar Free flavors have no calories and are sweetened with Splenda. Now, Torani flavored syrups are widely available at retail so you can easily create authentic coffeehouse quality drinks at home.
 
 
I received a 750 ml bottle of Vanilla Bean and Peppermint to try and review.
In a word: Yum!  
 
My family and I love them in coffee, over ice cream, in Tea, cocoa.  Torani Syrups are so versatile, we even have a few dessert recipe ideas we’d like to try.  You can check out all the great recipes at the Torani Website 
Here are two of my favorite Torani Recipes.
 
For Vanilla Bean Syrup:
Courtesy Torani.com
 
Café Feminino Coffee
Ingredients:
  • 2 tbsp (1 oz.) Torani Vanilla Bean Syrup
  • 1 cup (8oz) milk
  • 2 shots espresso*
Instructions:
Steam together milk and Torani. Pour into a tall glass and add brewed espresso*. *Can substitute 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee.
 
 
 
For Peppermint Syrup:
Courtesy Torani.com
Iced Peppermint Latte

INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ tbsp. (1 ¼ oz.) Torani Peppermint Syrup
1 cup (8oz) milk
2 shots espresso*, chilled
ice

INSTRUCTIONS: Combine chilled espresso*, milk and Torani in a tall glass filled with ice and stir well. *Can substitute 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee.
 
The Peppermint Latte is quickly becoming a personal favorite. I reward myself with this after a good workout! It cools me down and puts pep in my step.
Don’t these recipes sound good? Want to purchase syrup or two for yourself?
Save 10% off your purchase by going HERE to print out a dollar off coupon.
 
With the help of Torani flavored syrups we can all experience coffeehouse taste on a budget! I hope you found this review helpful. Please stop by and let me know which flavor you would like to try or buy.
 
This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks and Torani. I received 2 750 ml bottles to review, however all opinions are my own.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
 

3 ways to achieve your health goals this summer

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Abbott partnered with influencers such as me for its Ensure Program. As part of this Program, I received compensation for my time. Abbott/Ensure believes that consumers and influencers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. Abbott/Ensure policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.


This post is sponsored by Ensure®, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle should be something we all strive for all year; and while I try to do my best most days, one look at me in last year’s swimsuit was enough to let me know I needed to revisit some of my healthy living habits.  I’m not into fad diets, body shaming or negative self-talk, so my post today will focus on the positive actions I’ve taken in the past that have worked well. I think they will work for you too. Here are 3 ways to achieve your health goals this summer.



3 ways to achieve your health goals this summer #ad #EnsureMaxProteinAtWalmart

10 No Tech Holiday Gift Ideas Sure To Please

in , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, November 13, 2023

In an effort to not rush headlong into everything Christmas, I waited until I knew most people had started holiday shopping, or at the very least, asking for their loved ones' gift lists. This year has found me enjoying offline hobbies and events, which led me to compile 10 no tech holiday gift ideas sure to please most adults on your list. This is a switch from my previous holiday gift idea lists because I’m not covering kids' gifts. As an almost empty nester, it’s going to be a few years before I need to shop for little ones again.


No Tech Gifts Sure To Please!




10 No Tech Holiday Gift Ideas Sure To Please

Torani Syrups Review & Giveaway

in , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Monday, December 12, 2011


Since I’d never tried Torani syrups before, I was happy to learn I’d been selected to review their products via SheSpeaks.

 

About Torani


Torani flavored syrups are part of San Francisco’s heritage. With handwritten recipes from their Italian hometown, Rinaldo and Ezilda Torre introduced Torani syrups to San Francisco in 1925. In the back of their grocery store, they pressed fruits, nuts and spices, blended extracts with cane sugar and water in redwood vats and then fine-tuned the flavor.  A true labor of love that has paid off for Torani, now the # 1 brand of flavored syrups in America, offering over 100 flavors.
I got to try to wonderful flavors: sugar free Vanilla and Pumpkin Pie.

 

The Review


I tried the sugar free Vanilla in my coffee first, adding 1 oz. to my coffee as instructed on the bottle. The aroma was inviting and I couldn’t wait to try my morning cup, but yikes, was it ever sweet! Perhaps an ounce is for a venti. I’m slowly learning to use the vanilla syrup properly, it is delicious, and my daughters love it full strength in their café au lait.
However, I like the Pumpkin Pie flavoring full strength in my coffee. For my daughters, I made Pumpkin Pie floats with:
·        1 oz. Torani Pumpkin Pie flavored syrup
·        1 scoop vanilla ice cream
·        6 fl. oz. of ginger ale
Makes 1 float.

I highly recommend Torani syrups and will be purchasing them again, especially since I‘ve got my eye on their Blackberry syrup!

How would you like to try one of Torani’s amazing syrups? Well, just enter my give away below for two coupons for two free bottles of Torani Syrup! (maximum value $8.00 each).

Since there can only be one winner, I’d like to offer you a chance to save using  coupon code “shespeaks” to save 10% at www.torani.com!








a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank you to The Fast Metabolism Diet for sponsoring this blog post. I was selected for this sponsorship by SheSpeaks.com  All opinions expressed here are my own.



Like most women I know, our weight is often on our minds. We go back and forth in sizes and usually draw a mental line in the sand that says " I will not go past this number on the scale! 
That's where I was at the beginning of this year. I was determined to get healthy and stay that way, so reviewing and following the Fast Metabolism Diet plan came at a wonderful time in my life. I had already changed my mindset, was making good progress and was mentally ready to start a new plan. That is the key to success in my opinion. 



About The Fast Metabolism Diet:



Diet
Courtesy: FastMetabolismDiet.com

The basic idea of this diet plan is to keep your body and metabolism guessing by rotating what you eat throughout each week. This is a simple and proven plan carefully designed to induce precise physiological changes that set your metabolism on fire. 

This is done in 3 phases: 
  • Phase 1 ( Monday-Tuesday)- Lots of carbs and fruits
  • Phase 2 ( Wednesday-Thursday)- Lots of proteins and veggies
  • Phase 3 ( Friday-Sunday)- All of the above, plus healthy fats and oils


The Science Behind the Diet:


Fast Metabolism
Courtesy:FastMetabolismDiet.com


About The Author: Haylie Pomroy:

Haylie Pomroy has spent more than 17 years helping people lose weight, improve fertility, overcome health challenges and reach optimal health while still enjoying real food and not going hungry. With clinic locations in Beverly Hills, Burbank, Irvine, and Fort Collins, Haylie is highly regarded in Hollywood and in the medical community.  You can learn more about Haylie here.  You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter



My Review:

I was a bit sceptical of the books claim that I could lose up to 20 pounds in 28 days. Not only did it sound unfeasible, it sounded unhealthy. Also, as the Mom of two impressionable daughters, I try to not use the term "diet" and I do my best to have a healthy body image so they will too. 
But, the truth is: I need to lose weight so I gladly accepted the challenge of change. 28 days is such a short time in the grand scheme of things. 

Here are my thoughts and tips:

  • Be prepared to read before you start this diet! Haylie spells out the science behind the diet and mentally prepares you for your 28 day journey. You'll need that information for what she asks of you, so please don't skip ahead.  
  • Once you are ready to start, double check your grocery list and shop for a full weeks worth of groceries. This book has lots of healthy recipes and a master food list for each week,  which I found very helpful.
  •  Be prepared to drink lots and lots of water! I thought I was good on my water consumption, but no. This diet has you drinking half your weight in ounces per day. Talk about flushing ~ literally and figuratively! So don't start this diet if you are not going to be able to take frequent bathroom breaks. 
  • Speaking of drinking, you aren't supposed to drink alcohol or coffee for 28 days.  I was fine with no alcohol, but no coffee? No way! I get up way too early to not have my morning coffee. I did concede to the plan and stopped using my normal fat free creamer and cut way back on my sugar.
  • Be prepared to keep this book with you for the 28 days. Since you are changing eating patterns and exercise patterns every 2 days, I got a little frustrated with trying to plan family meals and events around this diet, so having the book with me helped me get back on track if I slipped up and ate a piece of fruit on the wrong day.  The great thing about this plan is if you do mess up, just start over! 


My Take Away: 

I followed this diet to the best of my ability and found it easier to follow than first anticipated. The key is to plan! 

Now, to answer the big question: Did I lose 20 pounds in 28 days? 

No I didn't, but I did lose 9.2 pounds, 3 points off my body fat, 1 inch loss overall and gained a new healthy respect for my body and what I am asking of it. To me, that is priceless, so I do recommend this book and The Fast Metabolism Diet for those that need to kick start a new healthy way of eating and living. 

There are lots of resources and tools available to help you decide if this diet is right for you. I invite you to read the FAQ's here, check out the handy app here.  


I hope you found this review helpful. I would love to hear your feedback if you have tried this diet plan or want to. 

All My Favorite Things Fall Edition

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Saturday, November 07, 2020

Happy November! As I sit here typing up this post, the weather outside is anything but frightful. In fact, it’s going to be 75 and sunny all weekend long! It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is coming up quickly when all I want to do is go outside and soak up the sun. All that to say, I’m not fully in the holiday spirit yet, so this post should be called part one of my favorite things fall edition since it doesn't showcase any Thanksgiving goodies. I many need to do a special holiday edition of my favorite things! Read on to see what I’m loving right now and hopefully; you see a product or two you’ll love as well.


Fall Favorites!



All My Favorite Things Fall Edition

iPhone 6 Cell Phone Wallet Case review and giveaway

in , , , , , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, March 27, 2018
I have a friend who always shows up at our coffee dates looking stylish, pulled together and amazingly without a purse. I’ve often marveled at her ability to walk out of the house with just her phone, keys and her cute little wallet, so when I had the opportunity to try this pretty iPhone case I happily agreed to give a no purse outing a try. 


iPhone 6 Cell Phone Wallet Case (sponsored)

Can you believe we are in the middle of August already? I took last week off from writing so I could focus on getting my daughter all set for her senior year of high school and to work on my other business, Avon. I’ve been a work at home Mom for many, many years, but I know many of you are working from home for the first time during back to school season. A position many never thought would happen. It can be a tricky transition from office to home office.  First of all, you are no longer surrounded by coworkers, instead you’ve got family and pets, who can grab your attention quickly. Your mindset might be completely different at home than at work, so have grace with yourself during the transition!  Despite its challenges, working from home can be a great opportunity to be productive and possibly even take your quality of work up a notch, with these eight simple productivity tips while working from home.


Eight Simple Productivity Tips while working at home

Offline is fine

in , , , by Linda A Kinsman, Tuesday, September 20, 2011
                            


Oh, no! It's raining! That was my first thought when I woke up this morning. Not that I'm anti-rain, I usually love the rain ( just not big, nasty storms, thank you). I didn't want it to rain for entirely personal reasons.

I was meeting a dear friend for coffee, something we vowed we'd do over the summer, but never quite managed with our busy lives. I was hoping we could sit outside at the coffee shop, but in the end, inside was just fine! I got to meet my dear friend at a new place and meet new people in my neighborhood.

 I was networking, without even thinking about it that way. Sometimes we have to get off our computers my friends! I know, I hear you, social media is on every ones lips these days ( even mine as I pick up consulting jobs in social media), but read on and you'll see why offline is fine too! 

There is a great article about this over at:  Wahm.com.

It's a worthy read. I'd love for you to share with me your tips on how you balance networking on and offline.


Oh, and the sugar free almond latte was almost as good as catching up with my friend!



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