hey. a giveaway!

good afternoon everyone!  i know i usually don’t post mid-day but i am breaking away from the norm to post a giveaway that i want to keep separate from my usual posting :)

i did want to first say thank you for all the amazing comments that came pouring in regarding my pickle.  you all had such great suggestions and words of encouragement.

it sounds like everyone is really different when it comes to living situations.  some of you live with the parents and others alone, some of you with your boyfriend/husband and others with one or more chicas.  i didn’t mention this before.. but i have done it all!  i have lived with the parents on and off, i have lived with a boyfriend (big mistake, i was 18), i have lived alone in 3 or 4 different apartments, i have lived with groups of girls, i have lived in houses with a mix of girls/guys, i have lived with just one other girl.. needless to say i have moved A LOT.  and i have loved every situation for the most part.

as far as things go now.. some of you suggested that i live alone, which is something i do like.. but it is too dang expensive! and others suggested i move home.. well, miss penelope jane makes that impossible since the parents don’t have a fenced yard.  ever notice living situations become 10 times harder when you have a dog? oh well, totally worth it! ideally i want to live with some girls.. one girl, 3 girls, i don’t care. the kicker is that we have to have enough people to be able to afford a place with a fenced yard because of the pooches. i have started to think up some ideas and i am toying with them in my head. thanks for the well wishes and i know it will all turn out OK and i will not be living on the streets come halloween :P

OK OK OK janetha, SHUT UP! right? onto the giveaway!

remember a little while back when i used xagave in my pumpkin protein shake?  well the fabulous robyn from xagave tried my recipe and loved it!  actually the recipe is now featured on the xagave website blog :)

you guys know that i am not into sweetening very many things, but when i do, i usually use agave nectar.  when i received xagave i was really excited to start subbing it in my recipes.  i have grown to love the stuff!

a little about xagave~

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info:

Xagave brand Premium Agave Nectar is a wonderful sweetener and food that will help you achieve your health goals, whether it be weight loss, improved digestion, more energy or enhanced immune system. There are differences in Agave nectars, and not all are created equal. The following should give you a quick overview and understanding of why Xagave is so special and different from anything on the market. We believe that it should be the only sweetener in your diet. We are 100% confident that you will taste and feel the Xagave difference. Here are a few facts to help you understand the Xagave difference.
Premium Blend.

Xagave is a unique and special blend of the nectars derived from Agave Tequiliana (Blue Agave) and Agave Salmiana (White Agave) plants. This proprietary, premium blend provides the best tasting, best cooking qualities, most versatile and healthiest product on the market. No other product has the same concentration of calcium and inulin and Xagave is the only product on the market with a standardized inulin content. Once you have tasted and cooked with Xagave, we are sure that you will agree that Xagave is truly something special and that no other brand can compare.

Organically Grown.
Xagave is derived from the agave plant, which takes about 7 to 8 years to mature. The plants used to make the nectar for Xagave are grown under strict guidelines that meet USDA organic certification requirements. The farms and processing facility are part of a co-op of 700 farmers — we purchase our nectar from farmers that we know — not in the open market and we believe in fair trade and pay a fair price for the product. We know where our agave comes from and who grows it and the standards utilized.

Low Glycemic Index.
Xagave is a very low GI food. Xagave, a low glycemic index food (approximately 30 to 35), does not raise your blood sugar levels and, in fact, the inulin (a soluble fiber), helps to further moderate it. We recommend that you check with your doctor, but a significant number of our diabetic clients have noticed that the consumption of Xagave does not have a significant impact on blood sugar levels and love how they feel after consuming the delicious foods made with Xagave.

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quick facts about xagave!

• Sweeter than Sugar.
  Xagave is sweeter than sugar. In fact, it is 1.4 times sweeter than sugar so you use less to achieve the same level of sweetness.
• Saves Calories.
  Xagave can be used in all of your favorite recipes. Typically, you will substitute 1/2 cup of Xagave for every cup of sugar called for. Thus, Xagave saves between 25 to 40% in carbohydrate calories. In addition, the inulin permits the reduction of fats in baked items which significantly reduces calories even further.
• Tastes Delicious.
  Xagave is a great-tasting, natural sweetener. It is even being used by restaurants in beverages and sauces and is preferred over sugar. It has even been teenage-tested in Kool-Aid, Zucchini Bread and numerous other recipes without detection or rejection!
• Low Glycemic Index.
  Xagave is a very low glycemic index food. It is approximately 30 on the glycemic index scale. Anything below 50 is considered to be in the low category, which is recommended for a healthy diet. Xagave’s low glycemic index also make it diabetic friendly.
• Contains Inulin, a Prebiotic Fiber.
  Xagave contains inulin, a prebiotic fiber, that studies have shown promotes healthy function of your lower intestine. It has also been shown to promote regularity, boost the immune system, increase calcium absorption and increase bone density.
• More Satisfying and Great for Dieters.
  The combination of low GI and inulin make Xagave a very satisfying sweetener. Unlike sugar, honey or high fructose corn syrup, Xagave does not spike blood sugar levels; thereby avoiding the highs and lows of sugar and corresponding cravings and over consumption associated with roller coaster blood sugar levels.
• Versatile and Easy to Cook With.
  Xagave is highly soluable in hot or cold water, making it easy to work with in the kitchen. It is a wonderful sweetener for coffee, tea and cereal. It is also an amazing sweetener for cooking, canning and baking as evidenced by the highly-rated recipes in Delicious Meets Nutritious™ for jams, cakes, breads, salad dressing, desserts, cookies and sauces. In addition, the cookbook and Xagave.com have a Sugar Exchange Table that shows how to use Xagave in any recipe — it truly is the Complete Sugar Replacement™.
• Contains Calcium, Iron and other Vitamins and Minerals.
  Xagave is a natural and organic certified product, derived from the root of the agave plant. The nectar is processed, in order to prevent fermentation, at temperatures that do not exceed 117°F which is consivered “raw” by most standards. Xagave is not derived from an animal and is appropriate for a vegan diet. Due to its raw condition, Xagave retains its naturally occurring vitamins and minerals and has a particularly high concentration of calcium — 17% of daily requirements in one (1) tablespoon.

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i had quite a few readers who were intrigued with xagave and so they have offered a fantastic xagave package for me to giveaway to one lucky reader!

the prize pack will include a 25 ounce bottle of xagave & the xagave cookbook!

how to enter!

my mom’s favorite number is 3 so let’s let everyone able to be eligible for 3 entries…

• your first entry for going to the xagave recipe blog and leaving a comment telling me about the recipe that looks the most delicious to you
• get another entry for linking back to the giveaway.. if your link doesn’t automatically ping back in the comments section make sure to leave a comment saying you did so
• get one more entry for following me—> @janeeetha on twitter and tweeting about this giveaway.. (say: @janeeetha is having giveaway! http://bit.ly/UobYf” )

there you have it.. easy and 1, 2, 3!

this giveaway will end at midnight on friday, october 9th and i will announce the winner this weekend.

good luck!

xo. janetha b.