Dear Rain:
Can you please stop gently falling from the hours of 5-6am every day? It makes getting out of bed really hard when you make staying in it so cozy. Thanks.
Love,
IGE
Seriously, I cannot get out of bed these days! Darn rain makes me want to burrow under the covers and stay there all morning long. But, Momma’s gotta work, so we know that isn’t happening! 
The thing that finally DID get me out of bed was Almond Butter & Jelly Oatmeal!
In the mix:
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 2/3 cup + additional splash of water
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
- Cinnamon
- 1 banana (half cooked in w/ oats, half on top)
- 1 Tablespoon almond butter
- 1 Tablespoon sugar-free raspberry jam
Last night I laid all my ingredients out on the stove so this morning I could whip my bowl of oats right up! For full, stove-top oatmeal directions, click here.
Oooo, I can’t decide what I like more. Just the jam and oatmeal. Just the almond butter and oatmeal. Or a combo of the AB + J and oatmeal…
Ok, I like the combo. Suuuper good!
I’m happy to report that last night I managed to pry myself away from the 4 Cheese Pasta long enough to pack half of it for lunch today!
Seriously, this pasta is ah-mazing. To be honest, the nutritional stats for the sauce aren’t great – 110 cals and 10g of fat per 1/4 cup – but it’s 5x better for you than if you got it at a restaurant and, imo, it’s worth the splurge!
Besides, it’s nothing a fresh and crunchy apple can’t cure.
Or a 100 Calorie bag of Popcorn. This stuff is a long afternoon’s saving grace!
Alrighty, I promised you excitement, and here it is. It’s…
Giveaway Time!
We’ve got loads of stuff to giveaway – to THREE winners! First up we’ve got TWO…
Nasoya Tofu Press + Coupons Packages!
You guys totally flipped for this tofu press when I featured it awhile ago. So much so, that Nasoya is giving away TWO of these babies, which come with Nasoya coupon books!
This gadget is incredible. Not only does it firmly press your blocks of tofu, but it comes with a lid, so you can store it in there too!
OK, that’s two prize packages. The third prize package comes from the always helpful and friendly Ben from Swanson Vitamins!
Ben and I hand picked some amazing and delicious goodies specifically for YOU. Check ‘em out!
- Organic Turkish Apricots
- 100% Certified Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
- 100% Certified Organic Agave Nectar
- Spicy Dry Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
AND, Ben’s throwing in the Swanson “Bringing Wellness To The Kitchen” cookbook, with over 150 healthy & yummy recipes.
![SWF001_Xl[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SWF001_Xl1.jpg "SWF001_Xl[1]")
![SWF035_Xl[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SWF035_Xl1.jpg "SWF035_Xl[1]")
![SWF050_Xl[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/SWF050_Xl1.jpg "SWF050_Xl[1]")
![EDF029_Xl[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/EDF029_Xl1.jpg "EDF029_Xl[1]")
![BK170_Xl[1]](http://iowagirleats.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/BK170_Xl1.jpg "BK170_Xl[1]")
Oh yeah!
~~~~~
Ok, you can enter up to 3 different ways by Thursday, March 11th @ 9pm central. Here’s how:
1. Leave a comment telling me which package you are entering for. EITHER the tofu press + coupons OR the Swanson Vitamins package.
2. Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment letting me know.
3. Tweet “@IowaGirlEats is giving away @Nasoya & @SwansonVitamins goodies – enter by 3/11! http://tinyurl.com/yjmjtva ” and leave a comment letting me know.
~~~~
Press or eat – take yo’ pick. Good luck! 
i would have to pick the tofu press! I’ve never seen such thing! how interesting!!!
tofu press please!
The Swanson’s Vitamin package would be AMAZING! Thanks for the giveaway!
Both are GREAT– but Im going Swansons vitamin package!! woop woop!
Swanson’s Vitamins Package would be fabulous — I’m already a huge fan of coconut oil — but have NEVER used agave nectar & am curious about all the recipes I could use it in!
I would love to win a tofu press- I have some tofu in my fridge waiting to be pressed!
I would love the Swanson vitamin package! Thanks
I’m entering for the Swanson vitamin contest!
Posted on my blog along with the wonders we call tofu!
the tofu press kit!!! i’d love that little gadget :]
I’d love to win the tofu press!
i tweeted! @carrothead
WHOO HOO Swanson Vitamins package!!!! I just recently found your blog and have become ADDICTED! Girl…you have gotten me checking the blog religiously in the morning and at night to see what you have to say…it’s almost as bad as Facebook.
AND I even have a word document started of all your recipes I want to try!!!
I would love to try the tofu press. Cool, man.
Tofu press!
Swanson Vitamins please!!
I would really love the tofu press. Not too sure where I would get one of those around where I live, so this would be perfect. We eat quite a bit of tofu.
Swanson’s vitamin pack!!!
I need “Wellness” what an awesome giveaway!
tweeted!
I want to win the Swanson’s Vitamin pack!
I want that vitamin package. . .and the bowl of PBJ oats!
I also added a post to my blog!!
I would love the Swanson’s pack! BTW if you love butternut squash ravioli you gotta try cooking light’s recipe for butternut squash lasagne. I would never have thought cheese and squash would work together so well, but it is AMAZING. I originally found it through Cristin’s Eat Like Me Blog which is also where I found your lil’ blog.
Check it out here: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/top-rated-recipes/healthy-butternut-squash-recipes-00400000055219/page6.html
Tofu press please, I’ve been in need of one for so long now!!
swanson vitamins package please!
i’m 17 and keeping it healthy with your blog
I would love the tofu press! I’m going vegan for 21 days and this would really help me out! Does it help if I say that I’m originally from Iowa?
I would definitely want to win the Swanson Health Products, I am a customer and they have great stuff.
Oh and you must be getting excited about the New Orleans Trip. Did you get a chance to check into the New Orleans School of Cooking?
Lastly, thinking of you as I know you would love to trade places with me right now. I am in Anaheim, CA to participate (and I get to go around and see all the cool stuff) in the Natural Products Expo. You would be in heaven.
We have recently fallen head over heels for Tofu. A tofu press would complete this circle of love!
I’d like to enter to win the tofu press + coupons please!
I tweeted! [@blairwinston]
Yumm.. I’m going to have say eat! I’d love to win the food package! I love trying new things. I think it’d be fun to find some uses for coconut oil.
I would love to win the food package! Everything looks so good and it is everything I wanted to try! Thanks!
I am interested in the tofu press + coupons giveaway! I am looking for more ways to eat less meat, and this would really help
!
I would love to try the tofu press. I can only imagine how convenient it must be to press tofu with that gadget!
It would be awesome to win the Swanson Health Products and make some new recipes for my blog
The tofu press.
I linked back on my blog this morning.
http://faithfitnessfun.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/thanks-a-book-review/
I would love to win the Swanson giveaway! I love pumpkin seeds!
The vitamin package!
i would love the tofu press! its so interesting!
ive been dying to try coconut oil!
I read cookbooks like novels…I would LOVE to bring the wellness into my kitchen!
I’d love that Swanson package!
Swanson vitamins? Yes Puh-leazzzzzze!
I’m goin’ for the tofu press + coupons!!! woot!
I tweeted it! @dudekstudio
I blogged about the giveaway ! http://ameliefille.blogspot.com/2010/03/chocolate-chip-cupcake-with-mayan.html
tofu press for this lifelong veggie, please!
Wow, both packages are great, and I’d really love to win either, but if I have to choose just one I’ll go for the tofu press.