A foodie's quest to turn up the heat through strength and conditioning with whole food and a hungry mind.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

WIAW #12 – New Zevia Flavors Review: Healthy Recipe and Giveaway


I had the opportunity to post a review with a recipe and giveaway for Zevia almost a year ago with great success. Over the course of the year, Zevia has been the only soda in our home and Kelley always enjoys it when I pack a can for lunch.


Now Zevia has produced even more fantastic flavors that give anyone looking to switch from regular, sugar-laden sodas no excuse to change. The new flavors include Cherry Cola, Strawberry, and Lime Cola which, along with their already extensive lineup of Black Cherry, Caffeine Free Cola, Cola, Cream Soda, Dr. Zevia, Ginger Ale, Ginger Root Beer, Grape, Grapefruit Citrus, Lemon-Lime Twist, Mountain Zevia, and Orange give you plenty to choose from. I have tried almost all of these now, and my top favorites are Cherry Cola, Ginger Root Beer, and Cream Soda.

Of the three new flavors, I like Cherry Cola the most; Kelley tried it and said it was ok, but she still likes Cream Soda out of any other flavors. To each their own, I guess, but I really enjoy any of these flavors besides the Mountain Zevia. I don’t like Mountain Dew, though, so that’s probably why. The Ginger Ale and Lemon-Lime flavors are great for mixers with vodka or a good bourbon too; trust me, I tested and approved!


Zevia is the best choice for providing a healthy option for soda lovers who don’t want 200+ empty calories of canned sugar or artificial sweeteners and colors. Really, Zevia is the best choice….period. I’m not talking about drinking either, I used Strawberry Zevia as the liquid to cook quinoa and also to make overnight strawberry oats (just soak rolled oats in your favorite Zevia flavor); I used the Cherry Cola to bake a healthy protein bread with a unique Cherry flavor that’s perfect for a healthy snack anytime of day! It's also a great way to sweeten smoothies; just open a can an let sit in the fridge overnight so there's not too much carbonation.
Strawberry Zevia Cooked Quinoa....Delish!
Zevia Cherry Cola "Heart" Bread and smoothie I made for Kelley

Check out the recipe at the bottom of my post; you can sub any of the flavors to create your own healthy protein bread….you really can’t go wrong! Zevia is a company that knows how to treat their fans and reward them for their loyalty; just go to their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter for proof.

If their great tasting, zero calorie drinks weren’t enough, the way they are involved in communities and online exceeds that of any of those other “major” corporate brands. Grab a 6-pack of Zevia today and know you’re supporting a great company and making your taste buds happy! Keep reading for your chance to score a coupon for a free 6-pack of Zevia.


Now, here’s What I Ate Wednesday…..





Breakfast – Pretty boring combo of Jersey Sweet Potato with salsa and tuna stuffed cremini mushrooms; cubed jicama; carrot sticks; PB Overnight Oat Crisps; French Press coffee with cinnamon


Snack – Dehydrated okra; Brewed green tea and Yogi Sweet Thai Delight tea mix (one bag of each)

Lunch – Delicious medley of steamed veggies with a lot of spices (cayenne included); microwave scrambled eggs with toast; more cubed jicama and carrots; cup of frozen mango, papaya, and strawberries; Yogi Kombucha Green Tea

Snack – If you guessed tea, you’re wrong; I had Lime Zevia…..mixed with green tea…so you would actually be right. Great tasting mix, by the way!! A handful of dry roasted soy nuts too.
Dinner – Usual big ol’ salad with arugula, watercress, steamed creminis, artichokes, Brussels sprouts, crunchy roasted chickpeas, and salsa for dressing; smoothie blend with spaghetti squash, frozen blackberries, vanilla protein powder, and almond milk; plain, non-fat Greek yogurt mixed with PB Chocolate Protein Spread and Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Bread.






Cherry Cola Zevia Protein Bread or Muffins
by RC Liley


All natural, sugar free, and zero calorie Zevia adds big flavor to this healthy bread with little calories.
Ingredients (1 Loaf or 12 Large Muffins)
  • 1 cup whole grain spelt flour; substitute any whole grain flour or even peanut flour if desired
  • 1 3/4 cups vanilla protein powder; I used stevia sweetened egg white protein
  • 1 T ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 t salt; If using canned beets that have salt added, you can omit this
  • 1 whole egg and 3 egg whites; or 5 egg whites; or 3 T ground flaxseeds mixed with 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup pureed beets; other options include applesauce, mashed banana, pureed carrots, or canned pumpkin
  • 1 t pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Can of Zevia Cherry Cola Soda; pour slowly if you just opened; it might be good to open and leave in fridge over night to limit the fizz
  • 15 drops NuNaturals Liquid Stevia; or use 2 packets of stevia powder; if you want sugar, use 2 tablespoons of honey or agave (I can’t vouch for how this will turn out since I used all stevia)
Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
  • Mix all dry ingredients (first 8 on list) in a large bowl and stir a few times with a wire whisk. Beat eggs and then mix all wet ingredients except vinegar in another, smaller bowl.
  • Create a well in the center of your dry ingredients and slowly pour wet ingredients while mixing to combine with a spatula.
  • Pour into non-stick loaf pan (or make muffins using a muffin tin) and bake for 25 – 30 minutes. Depending on what pan you use, times will vary; a knife should come out clean when inserted in the middle.
  • Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool another 10 minutes.
  • Enjoy your sugar-free protein cherry bread and wash it down with the rest of the refreshing Zevia Cherry Cola!
For more great recipes visit

How would you like to win a coupon for a free 6-pack of any Zevia flavor you want? You don’t have to do anything challenging, just do one or all of the following things for your chance to win; each action item counts as an entry. Leave a separate comment for each thing you do; you can earn up to 6 entries!

 
1. Post your favorite Zevia flavor or one you’d like to try in the Comments section of my blog.

2. Post a link to Just Add Cayenne and mention this contest on Facebook.

3. Visit Zevia on Facebook and “LIKE” their page. If you already “Like” Zevia, leave a comment letting me know.

4. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet the following – "I’m entering to win a 6-pack of @Zevia from @I_Love_Cayenne! Enter for your chance to win – http://bit.ly/JRZRaI"

5. “LIKE” Just Add Cayenne on Facebook. If you already “Like” Just Add Cayenne, leave a comment letting me know.

6. Help support Just Add Cayenne and subscribe to my blog. Just post a comment if you are already subscribed.


Remember to leave a comment for each thing you do and make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you are the winner. Each comment will count as an entry into the contest and a winner will be selected at random on Friday, June 1st.


I will announce the lucky winner on Monday, June 4th.

This Contest Has Ended - Congrats to Hannah @ Mindrunningwild
Happy WIAW and good luck!

29 comments:

  1. Happy WIAW! Thanks for sharing. :-)

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    1. Hi there! Thank you for stopping by and Happy WIAW to you!

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  2. I love the Ginger Ale Zevia! but I am curious to try some others as well :)

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    1. Hi Theresa, thanks for the comment. Ginger Ale is an awesome flavor and way better than the sugar loaded Canada Dry stuff! If you like the Ginger part of the ale, I'd suggest trying the Ginger Root Beer......it's awesome!

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  3. I love Yogi tea but haven't had it in age. Thanks for the reminder! Happy WIAW!

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    1. I have only been drinking it for a short time, but love all of the blends I've tried so far. Do you have certain favorite you can remember? I always like to try new (healthy) things!

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  4. I haven't tried any Zevia yet. Can't find it! The lime cola sounds perfect for me. All of your food sounds yummy!

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    1. Hi Fran, have you tried using the locations search function on Zevia's site? I'd hope you have something nearby! If you get the chance, the lime cola.......and basically all of flavors are worth trying. Thanks for commenting!

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  5. Great looking eats! I would loooove to try the Dr. Zevia, having had been a fan of Dr Pepper back in my soda drinking days. I always intend to buy a pack if Zevia at the store, but they're just so expensive! I can't quite get myself to pay $7 for 6 cans of *healthy* soda...

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    1. Hello, thank you for the comments! I agree, they can be expensive, but I haven't seen a 6-pk for $7 around here. Most specialty health stores have frequent sales for $4 or $5 dollars around me (in Dallas/Fort Worth, TX). I hope you get the chance to try the Dr. Zevia...it is very close to Dr. Pepper, minus the crap.
      Have a great day and thanks again!

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  6. AND I did the whole Twitter follow thing :)

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  7. I recently discovered Zevia and am already a huge fan...the grapefruit flavor is my favorite so far!

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    1. Mmm, grapefruit is a good one! Try mixing it with OJ or actual grapefruit juice for a refreshing "sparkling" juice.

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  8. hm, wondering how you scramble eggs in the microwave?

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    1. Hi Sara, I love scrambled eggs in the microwave...you can eat them out of the same bowl you mix them in. Less clean up!!

      Just beat whole eggs, egg whites, or whites in a carton (I've done all with great success) and mix in any spices you like (I use pepper, cayenne, cumin, and onion powder).
      Whisk eggs with a Tblsp of milk if you like and microwave in a bowl for 1 min 15 seconds.
      Remove from microwave and stir, then cook another 30 - 40 seconds. You should have scrambled eggs at this point.

      Be careful not to over-cook, they will continue cooking after the microwave stops. Enjoy your easy scrambled eggs!

      Thanks for reading!

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  9. I wil have to try the strawberry quinoa combo! My current favorite quinoa is lemon-Braggs-basil:)

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    1. Yum, I love Braggs and really need to use it more. Give the strawberry, or any flavor really, a try when cooking quinoa (or rice) and let me know how you like it.

      I am thinking that cooking quinioa in the ginger ale Zevia would make for a good ginger stir-fry.

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  10. Ttrockwood@yahoo.comMay 16, 2012 at 8:22 PM

    I realllyyy want to try the gingery root beer!

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    1. Yes, this has been my go to drink as it's two of my favorite flavors combined! Good luck on the giveaway, then you'll have a chance at trying the ginger root beer for free!

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  11. Ttrockwood@yahoo.comMay 16, 2012 at 8:25 PM

    I liked zevia on fb

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  12. stuffed mushrooms for breakfast? so cool!

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    1. Oh yeah, and cayenne seems to find its way in many of my breakfasts! Stuffed mushrooms are great for any time of day....so good! Of course, I love the typical breakfast too, but I have it as a "dessert" after dinner most days. Thanks for stopping by, hope you come back again!

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  13. I love zevia! I think my favourite flavour is....well I haven't tried too many, but i've liked the lemon one.

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  14. liked on facebook.

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  15. I tweeted @mindrunningwild

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  16. I liked you on facebook

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  17. and I subscribe to your blog....I think it worked rss feed?

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  18. awesome giveaway! i love zevia and i'd really like to try the cherry cola!

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