Back to School Blast (Ends 8/14) U.S. #BtBlast

Welcome to the Back To School Blast hosted by This Flourishing Life, Tailor Made Momma, and Generations Of Savings. This event features items for all of your back to school needs. Each blog participating is giving away a prize or prize pack with a minimum value of $25, and the hosts are giving away prize packs with a total value of $1000!

Grand Prize:
This Flourishing Life, Generations Of Savings, and Tailor Made Momma are all hosting the grand prizes on their blogs. They are featuring prizes totaling $1000 in back to school gear for all ages. Head on over to their sites to enter!

As far as I am concerned, nothing says back-to school like peanut butter.  I grew up loving peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  They were a staple of my diet.  And I cannot say that they still are not a part of diet.  I love peanut butter, but I have found myself drawn to the old-fashioned and all-natural peanut butters as of late.

I was quite privileged awhile back to win a giveaway of Krema peanut butter.  Any time I can win peanut butter, it is a good day.  I was pleased to see that the ingredients were simple: peanuts!  I was so impressed with this peanut butter that I decided to contact the company and tell them about it.  Therefore, I get to now bring this fantastic giveaway to my readers.

Krema is a company that was established back in 1898.  They only use the finest peanuts, and they still make  their peanut butter the old-fashioned way.  They are one of the oldest peanut butter companies in the U.S., and their customers are very loyal (myself included!).  I must try their almond and cashew butter next!

I was sent two kinds of Krema Peanut Butter and two kinds of Crazy Richard Peanut butter.

You can see them featured above. creamy and crunchy in both.  And I absolutely love them!  Crunchy peanut butter has always been a favorite of mine, but their creamy is pretty hard to beat as well.  I have never tasted a peanut butter that tastes so natural.  I love the fact they add no sugar or salt.  And this stuff does not need it.

I can imagine what you might be thinking.  If you know my weight loss journey at all (and what the health nuts say about peanuts and peanut butter), you may think I am crazy for eating peanut butter at all.  After all, it is high in calories and fat.  Guilty as charged.  Just because I said their peanut butter tastes good and has not sugar or salt does not mean you get to take a tablespoon and start eating it out of the container (not that I wouldn't!).  Peanut butter can be a healthy addition to your diet, but you have to make sure you limit your intake of this fabulous product.  At least if you eat this natural peanut butter, you are not putting additional sweeteners and other garbage that you do not need into your body.

When it comes to eating this fantastic peanut butter, I love it on graham crackers, English muffins, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and I will even cook with it.  And just so you know, it is good for hiccups, too.  Not joking.  I heard on the O'Reilly Factor that if you get hiccups, take a spoonful of peanut butter.  I tried it with Krema Peanut butter, and it works!

Well, the good news is that two of my U.S. readers will get two jars of peanut butter.  All you will need to do is fill out the rafflecopter below by 9:00 P.M. Pacific time on August 14, and you are in to win.  And just to fill things up a bit, I will also give those lucky winners a book, CD, or DVD of their choice $10 or under.  This can be  for you, your child, or anyone.  

Best of wishes, and when you are done entering my giveaway, please hop on to the other blogs in the linky so you have the chance to win even more giveaways!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: Please note that the Back To School Blast hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize, but we will make every effort to help the winner in obtaining it.

This Day in History January 24, ????

The very astute amongst you will note as I discovered this morning on my way to work that I got confused on the dates last night.  I knew it would happen sooner or later, but I am not going to blame it on my old age  (I'm not even 40 yet!).  I honestly did get confused due to the power outage.  So this is what should have posted last night.

January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day.  I actually read this on a blog today (can't remember which one, sorry).  I absolutely love peanut butter, so this is quite appropriate.  Again, there is no information as to why January 24 is the designated day to celebrate peanut butter, but I don't question it.

Peanut butter dates back the Aztec times when they mashed roasted peanuts into a paste.  Many people have been credited with the invention of peanut butter--George Washington Carver among them.  But he did not invent peanut butter--he promoted 300 or so uses of peanuts.

I could give you a lot of information about peanut butter, but let's get to the good stuff.

• It takes 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter.
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups were introduced to Americans in 1928.
• The average American eats over six pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products per year.
• Ninety percent of USA households eat peanut butter. 

And, of course, here are a couple recipes (no, I haven't tried them, but they sound good!)

Easiest Peanut Butter Cookies

Oatmeal Topped Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

For lots more information, please check out these links:

http://apwater.wordpress.com/2012/01/24/national-peanut-butter-day/

http://www.examiner.com/peanut-butter-recipes-in-national

http://www.yumsugar.com/National-Peanut-Butter-Day-116127

http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/classroom-funfacts.php

Twinkle Tuesday--Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter Review and Giveaway (Ends 10/28) U.S./Canada

This is a very special product to me indeed.  This was one of the first products I ever tried from Tropical Traditions!  If you have spent any time in the blogosphere, you have probably heard of Tropical Traditions.  They sell all sorts of organic foods, cleaners, personal care products, and more.  If it says Tropical Traditions, rest assured--you are getting high quality at a reasonable price.

I had the privilege of reviewing Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Peanut Butter.  Let me say up front that if you like coconut and peanut butter, this product is for you!  I love the fact that it is creamy and distinctive.  It contains only two ingredients--organic peanuts and organic coconut.  It does not have any sweetener--I am so glad of that.  I often find that even grocery store "organic" peanut butters are way too sweet. I think that when a sweetener is added to peanut butter, it cuts down on the true peanut flavor.  Not so with Tropical Traditions.

I am a health conscious person--I still have a little bit of weight to lose.  I love peanut butter, but oftentimes, even the "natural" peanut butter has a lot of unhealthy fat.  This coconut peanut butter is healthier than your typical peanut butter.  I feel like I can have my peanut butter and eat it too!  And not get fat!!

If I had one criticism, it is the fact that this peanut butter tends to be runny. Especially if used on something warm.  But I really don't mind.  If it spills off of my toast or muffin onto the plate, I just get "mop" up the peanut butter with my bread!  You won't hear me complaining.

The best part is that Tropical Traditions has agreed to give away a container of Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter to one of my U.S./Canadian readers.  All you will need to do is enter on the rafflecopter form below.  The giveaway ends October 28 at 9 P.M. Pacific Time.  Please note that Tropical Traditions is not responsible for customs or duties that Canada may charge if you decide to participate in this Tropical Traditions sponsored blog giveaway.