REVIEW: Mamma Chia (& GIVEAWAY)

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to be able to stop by Mamma Chia and pick up a ton of goodies. I had been working with Miranda, the Community Manager, and since they are a local operation she told me to pop by and she'd show me around.

She loaded me up and I was so pumped to try everything that I had a hard time not busting into the yumminess on the drive home (even though it is only about 10 minutes from my house #ComeOnCarleeLetsHaveALittleSelfControl).

And this didn't even include the beverages that I already put in the fridge!

First, let's talk about about Mamma Chia.

Source

And in case you are unfamiliar with the little seed that is chia... Why do you need it and what are its magical powers?

Source

If they are good enough for super amazing long distance runners, they are good enough for me! Not to mention a vegetarian friendly form of Omega-3s, balanced dietary fiber, complete protein, antioxidants and minerals is ALWAYS welcome on my plate (or in my bowl or cup)!

The first product I tried were the "plain" organic black chia seeds (is it just me, or is it EVERY time I read the word chia I think "Ch-ch-ch-chia?!"). It seems as though you can sprinkle those little nuggets of goodness on just about anything. I have been adding them to my morning bowl of granola and yogurt, to my dinner salads, to my smoothies, to my cereal, to my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, etc. Sort of like Frank's Red Hot, you can put this stuff on EVERYTHING! (I've even got the hubby sprinkling it on his food now! Guess we will need a new bag sooner than I thought!)

It may not look that appetizing, but let me assure you - IT IS YUMMY!

Sort of like a sesame seed 

BERRY FANTASTIC!

Adds a little crunch and lots of goodness to your sammy!

Well, if the chia seed are delish, it was time for me to start tasting the products with them IN it! Oh.... the Chia Vitality Beverages... I think they are my favorite!! They were just so yummy! I love the flavor combos. I know at first it can take some getting used to the consistence (I have a "texture thing", but can drink/eat this without any issue). I have tried a couple of the flavors before, but was stoked to try a few more. I have taken them to the beach to drink after a workout, on a walk around our complex with the pup, and in the car on the way to a community play. All of the flavors were DELISH, but I think the Blackberry Hibiscus may have been my favorite (although I am looking at our local stores to see if I can find the Pineapple Coconut because that sounds amazing too).

Next up, I decided to dive into the new Chia Granola (brought to the market earlier this year). I tried it both as a cereal and as an addition to my yogurt. I prefer the Cinnamon Pecan Clusters to the Wild Blueberry Clusters, but both were yummy (I think I like it mixed with yogurt more than on its own because the granola seems to have a less powerful flavor profile than other granolas I've had).

Random, but isn't the vinyl on our dinning room wall just the cutest?! ;)

Source

Scrum-didily-umptious! Like FO REALZ! 

Next up - Energy Beverages. Let me start this off by saying I gave up pop about 3 years ago (although I do get the craving every once in a while for an ice cold Diet Mountain Dew - oh, the sweet nectar). I never acquired the taste for coffee (my dad would take 2 Pepsis with him to work in the morning while I was growing up and we never even had coffee in the house). Also, I am not a tea drinker. I guess you can say H2O is the way to go. With that being said I was a little nervous about this drink. First, it has caffeine (naturally caffeinated, but still it's something my body isn't necessarily used to). Next, the energy comes from guayusa tea (pronounced gwhy-you-sa). Much to my surprise it wasn't as overwhelmingly "tea-y" :) Just like the bottle says "No jitters, no crash, just pure, clean energy." I have had the drinks during a morning Twitter chat, as a pick-me-up during an afternoon shift at work, and even on the way to an early morning race. I can definitely see this being a great addition to any athlete's fridge! (Hubby even mentioned he might be willing to swap coffee out for these, but I'm not holding my breath...)

Chillin' in the fridge

Source

Things necessary for a Twitter chat - hydration, fuel, as well as a
charged laptop and smart phone, not to mention fast fingers!

Some days you just need a little something extra to get you through an afternoon
shift at the office, am I right or am I right?! 

The last product in the cupboard were the Chia Squeezes. I love them! I had had a couple flavors before and knew I would love the others. They are so convenient and a delicious way to get powerful nutrients into your day. I grabbed a couple as a snack at work (on different days), threw a pouch into my purse while out and about, and the hubby and I even took some to Disneyland with us (I mean, first off they are yummy, but second off, have you seen the price of theme park snacks?! ALWAYS PACK YOUR OWN :)).

HOLY YUM!

My snack and hydration game is STRONG!

I mean, I guess you can say I was feeling a little blue ;)

Sometimes my stomach growls at Saturday night service, so I pack ahead!

Fit for a Princess (and her prince!)!

And although I'm sure you are happy living vicariously through me, I BET you'd like to try some of this deliciousness for yourself... AND NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY! The WONDERFUL folks over at Mamma Chia have graciously offered up a PRIZE PACK for one lucky winner.

This Mamma Chia Giveaway includes a Sample Pack of Chia Squeezes, one bag of their Chia Granola, and three VIP beverage coupons (so you can pick up three drinks at one of your local retailers). UM, CAN YOU SAY AMAZING?! (I wish I could enter my own giveaways, because this is one I would want to win.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Enter early and often (some of the entries are available DAILY). This giveaway will run through Wednesday, June 24th at 11:59pm PST. I will contact the winner via email (using the email address listed through Rafflecopter) who will have 24 hours to respond and claim their prize. Also, the entries ARE verified, so please make sure you complete the task or I'll have to pick a new random winner.