Hello, friends! Boy do I have some good news for you this afternoon. FFF has reached 1000 posts! Pretty crazy to think about, huh? I think I need to give a warm thanks to you for reading and making this space a home. How about a special giveaway for multiple readers?!

And if you’re just now finding your way to this blog thanks to this giveaway, please take a look around - I recommend my About and Favorites pages. Then, chill for awhile as I love making new blog friends.

So, about that giveaway…

You may have noticed that a certain ingredient has popped up in quite a few recipes I have done lately. That’s because I have been taste testing my way through a wide variety of NuNaturals stevia products! Say hello to my little friends…

I received an assortment of their quality products for review, including all of the following:

• Vanilla Stevia Liquid Drops
• Cocoa Bean Extract Stevia Liquid Drops
• Alcohol Free Stevia Liquid Drops
• Clear Stevia Liquid Drops

• NuStevia Quick Dissolve Tabs
• NuStevia Pure Stevia Extract
• More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend

And I have tested them out in a large number of ways.

I have used the More Fiber Stevia Baking Blend in a few recipes you may recognize.

Fresh Peach Muffins

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

I really loved this blend because it not only cuts down on the use of sugar, but it also adds fiber…without any effects to the recipe’s taste or texture. I could hardly believe how well the stuff worked in these recipes.

NuNaturals Alcohol Free Liquid Stevia also made an appearance in the dressing for my Three Bean and Feta Salad.

And, yet again, no one would be the wiser that this didn’t use your standard sugar to add that touch of sweetness with the vinegar’s bite.

Beyond using NuNaturals in a few recipes, I have also used it daily in both my oatmeal and my coffee. Before, I would always use a splash of sugar-free maple syrup to give my oats a little extra flavor and sweetness. Now? The vanilla and cocoa liquid stevia drops work wonders in my favorite breakfast. A few drops go a long way. I have literally used one or the other every day for almost a month and there is barely a dent in them.

The Clear Stevia drops or NuStevia Quick Dissolve Tabs have been my go-to way of sweetening up my morning iced coffee as well. I like the clear stevia drops best, but the tablets do a good job too.

The only complaint I had from any of these products was that the Pure White Stevia Extract had a slightly stronger aftertaste compared to the liquid stevia. All in all, I thoroughly enjoy using NuNaturals and cannot wait to give you the chance to try some for yourself!

Good thing Ron from NuNaturals has so very kindly allowed me to host a giveaway to show my love and appreciation of you all!

FOUR WINNERS will each receive one box of the NuStevia Packets (50 ct. Box) AND one bottle of the NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid (2 oz. bottle).

You have three ways to enter. Please leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry:

• Comment telling me how you would use your Nunaturals products.
• Twitter lovers: Tweet the following – “ I’m trying to win @NuNaturals goodies from @TinaFFF ! Enter for your chance to win - http://bit.ly/mPBTd7 “
• Facebook lovers: Support FFF on Facebook. Let me know if you did or already do.

This contest is open to US residents only. No P.O. Box addresses, please. Giveaway will end at 12 pm EST Thursday September 15 and I will announce the winners on Friday.

And good news! If you don’t want to wait for a giveaway (or have luck like I do), you can go ahead and get your hands on some NuNaturals the following ways:

1) Continental U.S. readers can receive FREE SAMPLES of the NuStevia Packets by sending a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED, # 10 envelope to the following location :

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR  97402

2) Receive SPECIAL DISCOUNTS on all future orders available through www.nunaturals.com. Enter the code BLG930 to receive 15% off your total order. You will also receive free shipping in the Continental US with orders over $35. Offer expires SEPTEMBER 30, 2011.

Time to get cracking on those entries. You want to win the Vanilla Stevia Liquid. It’s like liquid gold, people! Cross your fingers you win!

Disclaimer: I received these NuNaturals products free for review. All opinions expressed are my own, honest thoughts.

I went to the gym this morning after pulling some teeth to get there. And no – it wasn’t the kiddos who needed a little convincing. I did.

And apparently I needed a nap too? Ah, the joys of self-timer pictures.

Tuesday morning’s routine usually calls for a weights workout and whatever cardio I’m feeling that day. Generally I could take or leave the cardio portion and get all sorts of excited to whip out a new workout pumping some iron. It’s how I get “bitchin’ arms”. <--- I promise I’m not vain…just a shout out to Heather and the calamity she started in the #HLS Twitter feed during our panel. Talk about unexpected feedback.

Well, these arms turned into “bitchin’ and moanin’ arms” at the thought of picking up a weight. That..or the painful bowling balls I have sitting on my chest right now thanks to weaning made weights sound like a no go. I wonder why FitSugar didn’t think to include that as an event that sabotages your workout? Hmmm…

I considered just scrapping the workout all together because I didn’t want to do weights, but then remembered Beth’s “all or nothing” post from yesterday and knew I would feel better getting in at least the cardio portion of my workout. Plus, I could use the mental release and escape with all the emotional stuff going on recently. Forty distracting minutes on the elliptical later and I felt much better.

Kind of like how it felt good to succumb to the mindless distractions after getting home from the hospital last night.

Google Reader. Best time suck for mindless entertainment out there.

I guess the whole weight training motivation passed me by then too. You see…I should have taken the time to study for a pretty important test I hope to take in November.

In fact, I haven’t really touched my personal training study materials since a week before leaving for the Healthy Living Summit. I needed to prepare for my trip. Then I needed to catch myself up with the inevitable pile of to-dos that comes with going out of town. Then I took off running with the million new ideas for the blog that I had to take a crack at because it is my number one work love (if you don’t count the mom job).

I had high hopes of getting back on a good study routine last night…but my mind wanted mindless entertainment and to not think about muscle synergies and optimal training systems. But it’s time to suck it up, buttercup! Heck, I actually like the material and find it incredibly interesting. I can’t be a slacker forever. Especially since I look forward to training clients via an online platform someday in the (hopefully not too distant) future. I guess I’m just in the ebb part of studying…hopefully it will get flowing again soon!

• What “time suck” do you find yourself drawn to for mindless entertainment?
• What have you slacked on lately?