I’ve been a fan of Shaklee products since I purchased their Get Clean® Starter Kit a few years ago after Oprah recommended it on her show. My friend, Renee is a Shaklee independent distributor (all links here go to her website), so I was happy to support her business by buying a product that is environmentally friendly and works well. I use their Basic H2® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate on a daily basis to keep my kitchen and bathrooms clean.

Recently, Shaklee sent me their Vitalizer™ Women and Stress Relief Complex* to try out and review. I’ve been taking them both for about two weeks now and like them so far. I haven’t had any miraculous results, not that I expected any as I’ve always been a regular supplement taker. However, I find taking both supplements very easy to do and full of ingredients I find important in a daily supplement package.

Quality, individualized ingredients

Shaklee is the only multi-nutrient supplement pack in the marketplace with S.M.A.R.T.™, a patent-pending delivery system designed to improve absorption of key nutrients, ensuring the right nutrients get to the right place at the right time.

• Vita-Lea® Advanced Multivitamin: Micro-coated for immediate release in stomach to enhance absorption of folic acid.
• Caroto-E-Omega: Enteric coating for release in the upper intestine to reduce fishy aftertaste.
• B+C Complex: Sustained release delivery to the small intestine; clinically shown to provide up to 198% greater absorption of B vitamins over 12 hours.
• Optiflora® Probiotic: Triple-layer encapsulation protects the live cultures against harmful stomach acid for release in lower intestine.

I’m a firm believer that you must take a daily probiotic, a gender based multivitamin, Omega-3s, B vitamins for energy, and a daily C vitamin – all of which Vitalizer Woman has. It also contains calcium, though I wish it 1000g not 500g. Vitalizer Woman also has good stuff like a triple berry blend, cranberry extract, lycopene and lutein. You can download and read the label here for the full ingredient list.

I liked the Stress Relief Complex, too, though I’m not sure I’ve seen immediate results as I’m especially stressed out these days due to our still impending move to the East Coast. Still, Shaklee claims that Stress Relief Complex helps relax the body and mind, and promotes alertness while enhancing the body's ability to adapt to everyday stress. Sounds good to me. The supplement contains L-theanine, ashwagandha, beta sitosterol, and L-tyrosine. You can download and read the label here.

Also, Vitalizer and Stress Relief Complex are gluten free and kosher.

Convenience

What that stood out for me besides quality, individualized ingredients and is that all Vitalizer supplements (there’s versions for men and seniors) come in convenient Vita-Strip packs. This is perfect for busy women and moms who are on the go. You can easily put your day’s pack in your purse or briefcase to take with you to a breakfast meeting.

I especially like them because they’re perfect for traveling. All you need to do is take the number of packets you need for your trip. There’s no need to make individual snack baggies of supplements to put in your carry on. Also, the Stress Relief Complex bottle is super small and easy to take with you on the go, too.

Cost

I’m sure at first Shaklee supplements seem very pricey, especially if you buy store brand supplements. Vitalizer sells for $93.25 retail and members pay $79.25 for a 30-day supply. However, if you’re buying several bottles of quality supplements to meet all your needs, it’s probably not that much of a difference.

I’m a Shaklee member and have found that getting a membership is worth it if you love Shaklee products and plan to buy them on a regular basis. Membership is $19.95, but currently you can get that waived when you buy Vitalizer. Also, as a member, you can save an additional 10% when you sign up for auto ship. Click here for details.

Shaklee products also have a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If for any reason a Shaklee Product is not satisfactory, return it to your Shaklee Independent Distributor or Shaklee Corporation for exchange or full refund.

You can learn more about Shaklee Corporation here and connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.

What daily supplements do you take for your health and wellness?

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Disclosure: Please note that these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Shaklee sent me their products to facilitate this review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Shaklee Vitalizer Women and Stress Relief Complex review is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Today’s guest post is from Niko Veatach at FindTheBest.com. FindTheBest is a unique “comparison engine” that allows you to make quick and informed decisions – free of any marketing influence - on all sorts of topics including health, sports & recreation, and travel & lifestyle. In fact, my blog is featured there.

Finding the right diet plan

Finding the right diet plan can be a challenging task. When it comes down to making a significant lifestyle change, it’s essential to ensure that you’re choosing the right plan for you. This diet plans comparison makes the process much simpler and enables you to compare many different plans before going through with your decision.

The free resource, published by FindTheBest, enables its users to compare diet plans in an objective, simple to use manner. You can search and compare by using our Smart Rating, which aggregates expert ratings on diet plans by WebMD, Health Magazine, and U.S. News. In addition, the comparison allows its user to search by diet type (such as low fat diets), diet goal (weight loss, muscle building, etc.), method (calorie counting, exercise included etc.) and total advertised weight loss among other criteria.

Once you have narrowed your decision down to a few different options, you can even compare diet plans side-by-side to see how they stack up against each other. Next time you’re searching for the diet plan that is right for you, don’t spend countless hours Googling hundreds of plans, check out this diet plan comparison to find the right one for you.

Niko Veatch is a Business Development Associate at FindTheBest, an unbiased, fact-driven decision engine. FindTheBest organizes and presents data in a consumer-friendly format so that you can make quick and informed decisions based on what’s important to you. What Kayak does for travel, FindTheBest does for the thousands of other decisions in your life.

FindTheBest: comparing the best diets, health, sports, recreation and more! is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of BeautyMint. All opinions are 100% mine.

BeautyMint: customizing skin care one client at a time is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I know for many of you, taking nutritional supplements was on your New Year’s healthy resolutions list. How’s it going? Are you confused by all the vitamin and supplement choices out there? Well, Centrum has come up with a Nutrition Possible Assessment to help you determine your individual nutritional supplement needs.

I’m always on the lookout for new nutritional supplements that fit my individual needs. That’s why I was excited to try out ProNutrients, Centrum’s new line of dietary supplements that are formulated to work with a multivitamin. 

The line includes Omega-3, Probiotic, and Fruit & Veggie - three supplements that support health and well-being.  Each supplement is backed by the nutritional expertise of Centrum, which identifies the right ingredients to your nutrition to the next level.

I was very happy to see that they’re offering a fruit and veggie supplement. I was taking something similar that was very expensive, so now I have a more affordable alternative. Recently, I saved even more money by using Centrum coupons from the last two weeks of Sunday newspapers and going to the ProNutrients Facebook page for a $5 off coupon. Many stores like Walgreens and Kroger have Centrum ProNutrients on sale this month, so take advantage and stock up like I did!

Or you can win a sample bottle of Centrum ProNutrients – see the bottom of this post!

Juicing with ProNutrients Probiotics

As part of my Centrum ProNutrients review , they sent me a juicer to create a few smoothies to use with their ProNutrients Probiotic. Centrum’s probiotic comes in powder form so you can add it to cool foods and drinks.

This is such a great way to “sneak” some probiotics into your children’s diets, especially if they don’t like taking pills. Plus, fresh fruit juices and smoothies are great ways to get more fruits and veggies into you and your family's diet. Just make sure to use organic fruit and vegetables whenever possible.

My kids really enjoyed my take on the classic Green Monster smoothie juice drink. They couldn’t taste the probiotics, the apples naturally sweetened it, and the kids enjoyed the frothiness, too. 

Fennel & Kale Green Monster with Probiotics

Makes two 8 ounce drinks

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks celery
• 1/2 bulb fennel
• 3 small apples
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon
• 3 stalks kale
• 2 packets Centrum ProNutrients Probiotics

Directions:

1. Wash all ingredients thoroughly in cool water.
2. Cut apples if needed. It’s not necessary to peel them!
3. Combine all ingredients in your juicer and follow manufacturers directions to make juice.
4. Add probiotic powder directly to the juice container and whisk until frothy.
5. Pour juice into 8 ounces glasses and serve immediately.

Don't forget that you can save any of the recipes you see here at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet to an online recipe box by clicking the Save Recipe button below.

Win a bottle of Centrum ProNutrients

I’m giving away ONE Centrum ProNutrients product of your choice:

• ProNutrients™ Omega-3, 50-unit package ($12.99 value) OR
• ProNutrients™ Fruit & Veggie 50-unit package ($11.99 value) OR
• ProNutrients™ Probiotic 14-unit package ($18.99 value)

Giveaway closed. Congrats to Denise S.!
 

Here’s how to enter:

1. Tell me which Centrum ProNutrients product you’re interested in trying out.
2. Take the Centrum Nutrition Possible Assessment to create a nutrition plan and get up to $10 in Centrum coupons for ONE additional entry.
3. Sign up for This Mama Cooks! Review’s RSS feed for ONE additional entry.
4. Sign up for my enewsletter for ONE additional entry.
5. Spread the word about this giveaway by submitting a link to this post on Twitter for ONE additional entry. You must leave a link to your tweet in your comment so I can check.
6. If you have done any of these additional activities you MUST come back here and leave a comment telling me what you did. I will be checking!
7. Maximum amount of entries at This Mama Cooks! On a Diet is FIVE.
8. You have until midnight MST on Friday, January 27, 2012 to enter.

ONE winner will be chosen at random. You must be willing to send me your full name, mailing address and phone number so I pass your info on to Centrum’s PR agency so they can mail you your prize. I’ll announce the winner on this blog. I won't share your mailing info with the public, just your name. If you have a blog, I’ll link back to it when I announce the winner.

The giveaway is valued at $13-19 and is only open to legal residents of the United States, 18 years of age and older. No purchase required. Odds of winning based on number of entries. Up to FIVE entries per person. ONE Centrum ProNutrients product will be given away. Void where prohibited by law. By submitting your name and email address, you agree to receive relevant promotional emails and contest follow up communications from This Mama Cooks! On a Diet in compliance with my privacy policy and giveaway rules.

Official giveaway rules.

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Disclosure: I’m participating in a Centrum ProNutrients campaign hosted by One2One Network. I received nutritional product, a juicer and compensation. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claims about Centrum ProNutrients as a product or it's effectiveness.

Juicing with Centrum ProNutrients Probiotics {giveaway} #NutritionPossible is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Earlier this year, I introduced you to the new Ziploc VersaGlass Containers when I co-hosted a blogger cooking demonstration event in Denver. Today, I’m excited to let you know that starting in 2012, I’m partnering with Ziploc once again to share with you all the wonderful ways their products can make your life easier from preparing healthy snacks and recipes to packing your child’s lunch.

When Ziploc approached me to renew our relationship, it was serendipitous. Just the other day, I asked a friend, “What would us moms do without Ziploc?” Their storage bags are ever present in my household, whether I’m marinating some sriracha chicken or storing keys and appliance manuals for our future home buyers. As someone who loves to cook, my freezer is filled with Ziploc Brand Containers containing stews and chicken broth, which are stored next to several Ziploc freezer bags of lake trout.

Stay tuned for the official announcement in January, when I’ll be revealing who the Ziploc special celebrity partner is! I’ll also be hosting some fun giveaways and sharing helpful tips, tricks and recipes galore. Until then, check out the latest products Ziploc has to offer at www.ziploc.com. You can also connect with Ziploc on Facebook.

What Ziploc product could you not live without?

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Disclosure: I have partnered with Ziploc^® and am being compensated for my posts. However, my opinions on the product are my own.

Partnering with a Great Brand – Ziploc is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

If you’re on the lookout for ways to simplify holiday entertaining, you may want to keep ready-to-serve dips and spreads in your pantry. Luckily, there’s no need to go to a gourmet shop to spend a fortune on imported goodies. Instead, head over to Target and check out the Giada De Laurentiis for Target line of party food goodies.

These are perfect to keep on hand if you have guest who drop in unannounced or if you need a last minute potluck party appetizer. I like to keep items like this on hand to have something delicious and different to serve while we’re watching a movie or football.

Taste testing the Giada De Laurentiis for Target line

I recently had the opportunity to taste test several of the Giada De Laurentiis for Target line. Here are my party appetizer recommendations:

• Marinated Mushrooms – These are delicious. Drain the jar and place mushrooms in a little bowl. Your guests can use toothpicks to eat them. ($2.99)
• Genovese Basil Pesto – This pesto is better than my own homemade version, and was pleasantly surprised how fresh the basil tasted. This makes a nice spread on rice crackers and can be served as a pasta sauce. This contains cashews as well as pine nuts so warn your guests with nut allergies. ($3.49)
• Eggplant & Pepper Pesto – This was delicious on crackers and slightly sweet. ($2.99)
• Black Olive Tapenade – I love olives, but thought this spread was a bit strong. I’m guessing the anchovies were the reason. Still, the tapenade was tasty and would be wonderful smeared on a panini or sandwich. ($2.99)

There are also Marinated Sun Dried Tomatoes ($3.49) and Marinated Roasted Red Peppers ($3.49) in the Giada De Laurentiis for Target line. While both would be wonderful in all sorts of dishes from baked chicken breasts to pasta, both could be pureed in a mini food processor and used as spreads, too.

If you have the luxury of time, here’s a  recipe from Giada to use with her Black Olive Tapenade.

Tomato Basil Tartlets

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 16 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 19 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 (10-by-9-inch) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/3 cup Giada De Laurentiis for Target Black Olive Tapenade
• 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded fontina cheese
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 6 basil leaves, chopped
• Fleur de Sel or other large flake sea salt
• A 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Place oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Using the tines of a fork, prick the pastry all over. Using a 2 1/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 16 rounds of pastry. Place the pastry rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the pastry rounds. Place another baking sheet directly on top of the parchment paper to keep the pastry even while baking. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Remove the top baking sheet and the top piece of parchment paper.
3. Spread 1 teaspoon of tapenade on each pastry round. Place about 1 tablespoon of cheese on top. Arrange 2 pieces of tomato on the cheese. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese has melted. Sprinkle the chopped basil on top.
4. Transfer the tartlets to a platter and garnish with a pinch of Fleur de Sel.

Entertaining with Giada De Laurentiis for Target Ceramic Bakeware

I also received a couple of pieces of Giada De Laurentiis for Target Ceramic Bakeware to review – the Ceramic Pie Pan ($16.99) and the 2-Quart Ceramic Oval Baker ($19.99). What I like about Giada’s line of bakeware is that it can go directly from the oven to the table. The bakeware is very attractive and elegant and looks like something I’d spend a fortune on at Crate & Barrel or Williams Sonoma. Also, it would make a lovely gift for anyone who’s setting up their first kitchen as well as someone who’s replacing beat up, old (and ugly) aluminum bakeware.

To serve the spreads and crackers, I used the Ceramic Pie Pan. I used a few small ramekins and nut dishes as bowls for the spreads, and placed them inside the pie pan. Then I filled it with rice crackers. Easy!

You can check out the complete like of Giada De Laurentiis for Target kitchenware on the Target website.

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Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Giada De Laurentiis for Target and received product samples to facilitate my review.

Easy holiday entertaining with Giada De Laurentiis and Target is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

Omega-3 fatty acids are made up of EPA and DHA, both of which are long-chain fatty acids. Another Omega-3, ALA, is a short-chain fatty acid found in plant sources like flaxseed oil. EPA is primarily known to support heart health, while DHA is believed to be beneficial for infant brain and learning development. The most common dietary source of both EPA and DHA is fatty fish – and since many of us do not eat enough fish, we don’t get enough of these key nutrients.

Benefits of Omega-3s

One of the ways Omega-3s work is by reducing the inflammatory effects of Omega-6 fatty acids, which are found in egg yolks, meat, and other animal-based foods. Research shows that the proper balance between these Omegas fatty acids is a ratio of roughly three parts Omega-6 to one part Omega-3. Unfortunately, the average American diet is 10 parts Omega-6 to one part Omega-3. This is way out of balance and why you need to take an Omega-3 supplement.

Omega-3s supplements are taken by many people for heart health, to combat symptoms of PMS and arthritis, to improve brain function and fight the signs of aging. I personally take it for heart health on the recommendation of my doctor. Talk with your doctor or a nutritionist on why an Omega-3 supplement would be right for your health needs.

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat two servings of fatty fish like salmon, herring, tuna, cod, mackerel, and sardines (the equivalent of 500mg of EPA and DHA per day) per week for heart health. However, since most people don’t eat enough fish, so an Omega-3 supplement is a great alternative.

Fish oil versus krill oil

There are many Omega-3 supplements out there, so it’s challenging to to know which is the best one. My recommendation is to look at the EPA and DHA levels in the supplement and buy the brand with the most bang for your buck. (Ignore ALA as 5% or less of it can be converted by your body into EPA.)

One type of Omega-3 supplement you may want to consider is Everest Nutrition’s Krill Oil, which contains 300mg Omega-3 including 165mg EPA and 95mg DHA (for two capsules). They claim that Krill Oil is is superior to fish oil since the Omega 3 fatty acids in Krill Oil are structured in phospholipid form and NOT triglyceride form. According to the information on their website, since phospholipids are the same type of fat cells found in the human body, this means there are no triglycerides to break down and the Omega 3s can directly enter your body.

In addition, Krill Oil  contains astaxanthin, which they claim contains more antioxidant power than Vitamin A, lutein, Vitamin E, and lycopene. Astaxanthin is also known for its anti-aging capabilities. In addition, Everest Nutrition Krill Oil has an ORAC value of 431 which makes it 54x times more powerful as an antioxidant compared to fish oil.

Krill Oil’s biggest selling point is that their supplement is made from krill taken from the pristine waters off the coast of Antarctica. Unlike fish, krill are at the bottom of the marine food chain. This means they are virtually free of toxins such as mercury, PCBs, metals and other pollutants. It’s those toxins which make me wary of fish high on the food chain like tuna and concerned about what’s in my fish oil supplement.

You can learn more about Krill Oil on their website at www.krilloil.com.

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The statements in this post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Krill Oil is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This post is courtesy of KrillOil.com.

The benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids and Krill Oil is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

A Carapelli Olive Oil tasting is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

One of the many things I’m going to miss when we move to Massachusetts is the variety of healthy food grocery stores we have here in Colorado. One of my favorite is Sunflower Farmers Markets.

I don’t get to shop all that often at Sunflower Farmers Markets because the nearest one is in Boulder, about 45 minutes from my home. However, when I’m in Boulder, which is rather often, I always make time to stop by and check out the sales. Sunflower’s motto is “Serious Food at Silly Prices,” so it’s a great place to stock up on healthy, organic, natural, and gluten free foods.

Their weekly sale flyer advertises savings of up to 50% off on items throughout the store. You can save on everything from fresh produce, all-natural meats, bulk items, bakery selections, deli choices, dairy items, natural living items, and frozen foods every week! Every Wednesday their weekly sale flyers overlap – you can stock up on sales items for this week and the following week, too. This means that twice the number of items on sale! You can also save by buying Sunflower Farmers Market’s private label brand and by using in store coupons.

Why I love Sunflower Farmers Market

Besides saving money, I like shopping at Sunflower Farmers Market for several reasons:

• Sunflower’s bulk bins feature everything from candy to nutritional yeast. You need a little bit of a special flour for a recipe? This is the place to get it!
• Their natural living section is huge and carries a variety of healthy personal care items, natural home cleaners, and nutritional supplements.
• They have a small but solid selection of gourmet cheeses like my favorite, Drunken Goat, from Spain.
• I love their organic produce. That’s where I bought the pumpkin that I used to make Quinoa and Venison Stuffed Pumpkin last year.
• Just because they’re a health food store doesn’t mean you can’t pick up regular national brands like Eggland’s Best or Coke Zero.
• Sunflower also has an extensive gluten free section. Here’s my daughter’s plush javelina posing for a picture in the gluten free snack bars. She’s such a ham!

If you live in Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, California, Texas and Oklahoma and want to save money on healthy food, check out Sunflower Farmers Markets. You can find out more about them at sunflowermarkets.com or connect with them on Twitter. Don’t forget to sign up for their mailing list, too, to receive coupons and sale notifications.

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Disclosure: I received a $25 gift card to shop at Sunflower Farmers Market to facilitate this review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Saving money at Sunflower Farmers Markets is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!

I’ll never forget the first bit of advice my doctor gave me when I went to see him for a checkup a few years back, “The best thing you can do for your health is filter your water.” I was surprised by this, since the water here in Colorado tastes wonderful, and most people filter their water (or buy bottled water) because their tap water tastes bad.

Even so, I heeded his advice, and starting filtering my water. First, I tried a water pitcher, which worked OK even though the water takes forever to filter. Then, I tried those water bottles that filter the water as you drink it. They’re also OK, but you really need to make an effort to squeeze the bottle to get the water out. Plus, if you don’t have lid on tight, water goes all over you!

Test driving the Filtrete Water Station

I had wanted to try a Filtrete Water Station from 3M after seeing it demoed at the BlogHer ‘11 conference in San Diego. So I jumped at the chance to receive one from Mom Central to test out.

I was impressed how quickly it filtered my tap water into four dishwasher safe, BPA-free water bottles. It was a snap to set up and use and the water stayed in the station or in the bottles – not all over the counter. It’s so easy to use that your older kids can fill up bottles on their own.

The bottles are color coded so you can assign each member of your family a different color so they only use one bottle. (If you have more than four family members, you can buy additional bottles.)

I also like that the filters last three months and are recyclable.

Convenient, green and thrifty

I like the convenient way the Filtrete bottles fit into my life.  You can take the bottles with you in the car as they fit well into the cup holders. The kids could also take their water bottles to school in their lunch bags instead of buying milk or bringing a disposable bottle of water. The leak proof caps work very well, so you don’t need to worry about them having a soggy lunch or backpack.

The entire Filtrete Water Station is compact enough to have in your RV or pop up camper. While I know the state park where we camp the water has clean, potable water, it’s also slightly brown and funny tasting. So we have to buy bottled water for camping trips, which I hate doing. Instead, bringing the Filtrete Water Station would be a low cost and more environmentally friendly option.

Finally, if you’re going on a road trip, you may also want to bring along your water station. I always find that the tap water at most hotels tastes awful. Since bottled water in the hotel gift shop is extremely expensive, think of the Filtrete Water Station as a way to save money on your vacation.

Giving the gift of healthy, good tasting water

If you’re traveling to a relative’s home this holiday season, order a Filtrete Water Station on Amazon to be shipped to their home before you get there. At around $37, it serves as a nice host or holiday gift. (Include an extra water filter for around $11.) You then can fill up your bottles that you brought from home (or use theirs) and everyone can enjoy fresh tasting filtered water.

The Filtrete Water Station would also make a great gift for anyone on your list who’s “green,” thrifty or into health and fitness. You can learn more about all of Filtrete’s water filtration products on their website (look for the $5 off coupon while you’re there). Or connect with Filtrete Water on Twitter and Facebook.

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Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Filtrete and received a product sample to facilitate my review.”

Review: the Filtrete Water Station is a post from: This Mama Cooks! Stop by for more healthy recipes!