Holiday Gift Guide: Del Taco Carne Asada Review and Giveaway!

'Tis the season of gifts and giving! So how about you stick a Del Taco gift card into someone's stocking? I love Del Taco, it's my favorite fast food restaurant. The food is reasonably prices and very, very delicious. Perfect for late night snacks or just food whenever. Now though, Del Taco is beefing up its menu with brand new FRESH-grilled Carne Asada Steak! Available today, the new premium protein has hit the grill in each restaurants’ working kitchen and served up in four new craveable menu items.

They've added these delicious additions to the menu:
· Carne Asada Street Taco: freshly grilled carne asada steak topped with Del Taco’s new roasted chile salsa, sliced avocado, chopped onions and cilantro served in two warm corn tortillas

 · Epic Carne Asada Burrito: 4.5 ounces of freshly grilled carne asada steak made with handmade pico de gallo salsa, guacamole, pinto beans slow-cooked from scratch and rice wrapped in a warm flour tortilla

 · Carne Asada Combo Burrito: freshly grilled carne asada steak topped with fresh grated cheddar cheese, pinto beans slow-cooked from scratch and red sauce served in a warm tortilla

 · Carne Asada Fries: freshly grilled carne asada steak, diced tomatoes, guacamole and Del Taco secret sauce served on crinkle-cut French fries

I'm all about burritos and eating a lot so I tried the Epic Carne Asada Burrito. It was huge and delicious. I actually couldn't finish all of it but the rest made a great snack before bedtime. Super satisfying and delicious I'm really excited to try the fries too because I love loaded fries, but decided to wait til next time to try them out.


Overall, Del Taco definitely doesn't disappoint again, check them out you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Del Taco's website and get a coupon where you can get a free small drink with the purchase of a salad!

Win It! THREE winners will receive a $5 Gift Card from Del Taco!

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Del Taco's New Ensaladas Review and Giveaway!

You guys know I love Del Taco. It's my go-to fast food place because it's reasonably priced and so delicious. They always come out with so many great new items too to improve their already stellar menu. Most recently they've added some delicious handcrafted ensaladas. They're made with fresh and quality ingredients and packed with bold flavors like hand-made pico de gallo salsa, seasoned black beans and they even threw in some bacon.

Del Taco introduced three new ensaladas: 

- Chicken Bacon Avocado Salad: features freshly grilled marinated chicken, fresh sliced Hass avocado, crispy hand-chopped bacon, handmade pico de gallo salsa, chopped cilantro, and fresh house-made tortilla chips atop a mix of fresh crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce. Served with new cilantro pepita ranch dressing and only 590 calories.

- Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad: include a fresh blend of romaine and iceberg lettuce topped with fresh sliced Hass avocado, handmade pico de gallo salsa, chopped cilantro, fresh house-made tortilla chips, spicy jack cheese, seasoned black beans and freshly grilled marinated chicken. Served with salsa casera and only 510 calories.

- Signature Taco Salad: features seasoned beef, freshly sliced Hass avocado, handmade pico de gallo salsa, cheddar cheese freshly grated from 40-pound blocks, chopped cilantro, seasoned black beans, fresh house-made tortilla chips and real sour cream on a mix of fresh crisp romaine and iceberg lettuce. Served with salsa casera and only 540 calories.

I really liked the Mexican Chopped Chicken Salad. To be honest, I don't eat meat but I gave the chicken to my friend and she enjoyed it. I like the variety in the salad. I love black beans and avocado and will eat anything if those two are in it. They salads were a nice size too and pretty filling.

I am extremely happy that they're adding salads to their menu because I am a huge salad person and love them.

Overall, Del Taco definitely doesn't disappoint again, check them out you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Del Taco's website and get a coupon where you can get a free small drink with the purchase of a salad!

Win It! THREE winners will receive a $5 Gift Card from Del Taco!

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Juice it Up Smoothie Bowl Review and Giveaway!

Hey everyone, you all know I'm a big fan of Juice It Up! Juice It Up! is a popular west coast raw juice and smoothie place that has a great variety of healthy, nutritious drinks and even bowls to choose from. For a limited time they've added smoothie bowls to their lineup and I got to try one!

Smoothie bowls are your smoothies transformed into bowls, just with some bananas, granola, and honey drizzled on top of it. I chose their Mango Mania and it was pretty delicious. Mango mania is a mix of mangos, yogurt, banana, and strawberries.

For a limited time, Smoothie Bowls join Juice It Up’s menu of blended-to-order real fruit and veggie smoothies, fresh-squeezed functional raw juices, and nutrient-rich bowls loaded with superfruits Açaí and Pitaya. All Juice It Up! products are created with equal focus on flavor and formulated to meet the nutritional wants and needs of guests at every level of health.

Each smoothie is gluten free and vegetarian. The mango mania has 100% vitamin C and 2 grams of protein.

Overall, with the wide variety of smoothies, juices, and now bowls Juice it Up! definitely doesn't disappoint. Check them out, you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Juice It Up!'s website and see where there's one near you!

Win It! ONE winner will receive ONE $5 gift card!


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Del Taco's Turkey Tacos Review!

I'm not a huge fan of fast food, we all know they're all not the best for you and "Super Size Me" has scarred me for life from eating all McDonald's. But...there are some exceptions and guilty pleasures. My main fast food vice? Del Taco, hands down. Any place where I can get delicious fish tacos for under $2 is a win for me.

I'd like to think of Del Taco as the more reasonably priced, healthier Taco Bell. Some of you may disagree, but with their latest edition of Turkey Tacos, they're definitely taking some steps in the right, healthier direction.

Their turkey tacos are made with Jennie O ground turkey. It has a great blend of spices that gives it that same great taco taste but with 33% less fat than beef. I's only 150 calories, too! Del Taco is also the only fast food place to offer lean, seasoned, ground turkey as an option.

I was a bit hesitant with the turkey tacos, as I am not a fan of turkey in general, but honestly there was not much of a taste difference. They tasted so good that I completely forgot to take a photo of them until I ate them both. (I had two soft tacos, in case you were wondering).

Don't get me wrong, they still don't beat Del Taco's fish tacos (I AM OBSESSED, okay?!) but they're a great alternative when you're not in the mood for seafood.

Overall, I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed them and definitely recommend checking them out. Especially if you're craving fast food but still want to try the healthiest alternative, these are perfect for you!

Buy It! Head on over to your local Del Taco! They're out now! Also head on over to their website to get a coupon for a FREE turkey taco!

Juice It Up! Ginger Shots Review and Giveaway!

As you guys know, I love juice and smoothies. That's why I love Juice it Up! Juice It Up! is a popular west coast raw juice and smoothie place that has a great variety of healthy, nutritious drinks and even bowls (acai bowls!) to choose from. Most recently, they've added fresh Ginger Shots, available in one-ounce and two-ounce servings, are permanently joining the menu. 

After work one day I went over to the Juice it Up! and tried a ginger shot.

Man, let me tell you, it looks a lot prettier than it tastes. I typically like ginger but this shot was really strong and not the best tasting but, if you think about it, that's how shots are. Look at alcohol, does vodka taste delicious that you sip it? Not for meee. Same thing with this ginger shot, unlike alcohol though, this is way more healthy for you. 

Ginger is great to kick-start your day and/or for a pre-workout boost.
Ginger health benefits include:
· Boosts energy
· Aids in digestion
· Strengthens immunity
· High in Vitamin C

I was pretty tired because I didn't sleep much and had to work and did notice a bit of an energy boost afterwards. It made me feel good, too. I believe the one ounce was $2.25 and the two ounce was $3.25 which at first I felt was a title steep but...honestly it's cheaper than alcoholic shots and are healthier for you!

I was also given a coupon book which was filled with "BOGO" coupons, free 16 oz smoothies, free pretzels with the purchase of a smoothie, and more! It's an $85 value! So, along with the ginger shot I got a pineapple smoothie, too. I'm not sure what flavor because the smoothie maker was super helpful. I stood there looking at their large variety, debating, and he immediately asked "what fruit do you like?" I said "pineapple, banana," so he said "I have a great pineapple smoothie with passion fruit juice, pineapple juice..."etc. and I just said okay and he made it. It was very delicious.

Overall, I did enjoy Juice It Up! and they have a huge variety of juices and smoothies to choose from so I definitely will be going back to use my coupon book!. Definitely check them out if you live near one because you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Juice It Up!'s website and see where there's one near you!

Win It! ONE winner will receive ONE $5 gift card and one coupon book (an $85 value)!

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Panda Express Review and Giveaway!

We all have some guilty pleasures, let's be honest. One of mine just so happens to be Panda Express. It's just so delicious and I love quick service food because I'm always in a hurry. One can argue it's not the most healthy food selection but don't worry they're getting better! Recently they released a new, healthier dish that still is pretty delicious!

They've added kale to their menu! The Shiitake Kale Chicken Breast is available for a limited time. It's made with chicken breast, fresh shiitake mushrooms, kale and broccoli tossed in a sizzling wok and dressed with a savory house sauce. This dish is only 170 calories, and marks the first time a fast food American-Chinese restaurant is offering the nutrient-rich superfood, kale.

They also released another one called Orange Chicken with Bacon. Orange chicken is Panda Express's most popular entree and everyone loves bacon so BOOM! That's a win. 

I'm actually not a huge fan of bacon at all but I love kale, I guess I am one of those typical Southern Californians that love kale...but it is good okay! I love adding it in salads or my smoothies or anything. I also am a huge fan of mushrooms so this dish was a win. Fun fact though, I am pescatarian so I couldn't eat the chicken but I shared the dish with my friend who can vouch the chicken is pretty delicious. I also had the eggplant tofu which is my go-to which is always delicious. It was a great combination though the chicken, kale, and mushrooms. It wasn't too light even though the calorie count is pretty light, it filled you up pretty well.

Panda Express never really disappoints though, let's be honest. I prefer it to the sketchy chinese restaurant down my street that's for sure. They have a great variety of food for everyone, like I said I usually have eggplant tofu, but they also have shrimp, chicken, pork, and they have great sides, too. Even for kids they have a great little kid pack. 

Once again Panda Express definitely does not disappoint, it's so delicious and great for on the go or just shopping at the mall. Definitely check them out, you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Panda Express's website and see where they are near you!

Win It! ONE winner will win a $10 gift card to Panda Express to check out their two new entrees and then some!

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Juice It Up! Review and Giveaway!

I love juice, it is true, I do. Sorry, there is no fancy way to introduce this review. If I could afford a juicer or a fancier blender to make some smoothies or juices I definitely would. Until then, I will hit up great establishments like Juice It Up! to get my fix.

Juice It Up! is a popular west coast raw juice and smoothie place that has a great variety of healthy, nutritious drinks and even bowls (acai bowls!) to choose from. One of their more popular selections are their seven functional raw juices like the Energizer, Detoxifier, and Rejuvenator to name a few.

I chose the Energizer to try out. This juice contains red grapes, pineapple, spinach, apple, cucumber, and ginger. Wholesome energy from grapes, spinach, and pineapple boosts this blend with Vitamin B.

I liked this juice. One complaint I have to say is that it was room temperature. I rarely have juices but I'm pretty sure they are usually cooler. I was kind of bummed about that. Other than that though I did enjoy this juice. I drank this in between work and going out so it was a nice reawakening drink. I felt it did boost my energy a bit, too, usually though I notice whenever I have healthy food it kind of wakes everything up again. It also wasn't too sweet, like smoothie sweet, but sweet enough so that the pineapples and apples overpowered the spinach and cucumber veggie taste.

Overall, I did enjoy Juice It Up! and they have a huge variety of juices to choose from so I definitely will be going back. Pro tip though, if you have a gift card they actually do not work at the school campus locations of Juice it Up! I actually tried two of them. Fortunately though, the location in Santa Clarita is right where I twist balloons so after a balloon twist shift I hit them up and it worked out perfectly. Definitely check them out if you live near one because you won't be disappointed!

Buy It! Head on over to Juice It Up!'s website and see where there's one near you!

Win It! THREE winners will receive ONE free gift card for ONE small juice!

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Veggie Grill Restaurant Review and Giveaway!

Veggie Grill is a quick service restaurant that specializes in 100% plant based food. All of their food is primarily vegan and contain no GMO's, meat, dairy, eggs, cholesterol, animal fat, or trans fat. The restaurants are based on the west coast with over twenty locations in Washington, Oregon, and California. Recently, they have updated their meal selection and created a special Mindful Living menu. This menu highlights items that are lower in calories, high in protein, and nutrient dense. I was given the opportunity to visit a Veggie Grill and try the new menu out.