This is a post of ‘firsts’. Last month I entered my first ever giveaway over at An Unrefined Vegan and for the first time I won something I had entered and now I am hosting my own first ever giveaway!
I was lucky enough to win an exciting box of goodies from the very generous company, NuNaturals who make the most spectacular stevia products. I never before realised that different brands of stevia varied in flavour, but now I see that they really do. NuNaturals offers sweetness without even a trace of bitterness, and with exciting naturally flavoured drops like orange, lemon and peppermint, it’s hard not to fall in love. What’s more, NuNaturals make a whole range of products beyond stevia, including the amazing Lo Han fruit based, calorie free sweetener and deliciously nutty, oat fiber.
And I have the opportunity to share some of these amazing products with you!
FOUR readers will win one bottle of EACH of the Lemon, Cherry Vanilla and Peppermint Flavoured Stevia Liquids, PLUS a 50 packet box of NuStevia White Stevia Powder packets PLUS A FREE BONUS PRODUCT!
This giveaway is open to readers worldwide, so go ahead and enter wherever you are! Entry is open until midnight GMT on Wednesday April 23rd. Click the link below to enter via Rafflecopter and make sure to get more entries by following NuNaturals and Bunny Kitchen on Twitter and more!
Enter Giveaway
All readers can receive 15% DISCOUNT on all orders placed on the NuNaturals website : www.nunaturals.com until June 30, 2014 by entering the discount code BLG0614 at the checkout page!
To showcase the wonderful products I have been able to try, I will be sharing a green smoothie using NuNaturals products each day of the giveaway, for 7 days!
Day 1 is a summery, refreshing, strawberry and mint green smoothie which will really lift you up at any time of day! Inspiration and proportions come from the Vedged Out Green Smoothie Challenge which has me down almost 2 dress sizes in less than 2 months! All whilst indulging in tonnes of delicious plant based foods, from sweet smoothies to creamy dressed salads and huge bowls of steaming soup and unlimited vegetable crudites with a generous portion of cumin spiked homemade hummus. Never hungry, a dieters dream.
Ingredients: Serves 1
- 2 cups (500ml) kale leaves (or spinach or chard)
- 3 fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) fresh or frozen strawberries
- 1 banana
- 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup (250ml) water and 1/2 cup (125ml) ice (or use 1 1/2 cups ice and no water if not using frozen strawberries)
- 1/4 tsp NuNaturals Peppermint Stevia Liquid (or to taste)
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
Method:
Simply blend all in a high speed blender until smooth.
Nutritional Benefits
No cholesterol
High in calcium
Very high in dietary fiber
Very high in manganese
High in magnesium
High in potassium
Very high in vitamin A
High in vitamin B6
Very high in vitamin C
High in vitamin E
Bunny Kitchen 
I can only imagine how the unique tastes of strawberry, mint’ and almond blend. :-
I can only imagine how the unique tastes of strawberry, mint’ and almond blend. 🙂
It’s so refreshing Aruna! 🙂
The smoothie sounds wonderfully healthy & yummy! 🙂 That’s amazing you’re almost down to 2 dress sizes! Yay! 😀
Thanks Violet!! I love this smoothie 😀
How did the Stevia powder become white?
Hi Michelle, as far as I know it is not bleached but I am asking around for a definitive answer to your question.
Thanks:)
Michelle, I have a response. The sweetness is extracted from the leaves, which is colourless, then this is mixed with maltodextrin as a natural carrier for the stevia, making it white. It is not bleached. 🙂
Wow! They do all of this just to make it look white? thanks for checking:)
No problem Michelle. They do it to aid flowing and so that there is more bulk to the intense sweetness. People identify with sweeteners that can be used like sugar and also it means it can be used in baking where the structure of sugar would normally be needed. 🙂
Ahhh, I guess it’s clear that I don’t bake often;) I do wish there were a versatile sweetener that could do all the things we wanted in its natural state.
Hehe! Yes I agree, that would be nice but I’m happy enough with the least processed natural sweeteners. As far as stevia goes, my research has found that NuNaturals is the most minimally processed stevia’s of it’s kind and I’ve had really good results with it in baking and other recipes! Apparently the liquids are the least refined. I love natural and unrefined sweeteners like coconut sugar but they still whack the calories!! 🙂
Poppy – so many amazing things going on in this post. 1) I’ve entered, woot woot! 2) 2 dress sizes?! Amazing! 3) Congrats on your win, I also never win anything (wish me luck!) 4) I’m loving the sound of a strawberry minty green smoothie.
Sophia, I LOVE your comment!!
So excited that you’ve entered and wishing you heaps of luck 🙂 Yes 2 dress sizes, I’m so thrilled!!
I love how summery this smoothie is! xo
Hehe, thank you! XO
That smoothie sounds yummy! My favorite smoothie flavor is Strawberry Banana. 🙂
Thanks Celina! I also love strawberry and banana too 🙂
I Love their products, too! I just had a giveaway as well! 🙂
Exciting! 🙂
😀 I also won Ann’s giveaway! I’m desperately doing research to figure out all the creative ways to use the drops – only last night did I really get my groove with some crazy carrot split. I wouldn’t say no to more nunaturals products – the flavours are awesome!
I’m digging your smoothie, by the way. I’ve also been adding mint leaves to my smoothies and it just makes them all the better and the taste so fresh. 🙂
How exciting!!! I saw your carrot split, it looks fun! Go for it, I hope you’ve entered 😀
Thank you, I adore the freshness from mint especially when the sun is shining 🙂
Great smoothie recipe and wonderful that they’ve helped you drop 2 dress sizes. I also ask how they get stevia white. Not sure about this brand, but others bleach 😦 while it might be zero calories, it’s heavily processed to get it white.
Thanks April. As far as I know, NuNaturals do not bleach but extract the sweet parts of the plant and mix it with maltodextrin – obviously this is undeniably processed still and I understand it’s not for everyone!
Hi Poppy. I looked into it a bit. From what I could understand, the NuNaturals liquid stevia is the best and least processed. To take a green plant and make it into a white powder, I believe bleaching us necessary- tea bags are also bleached using chlorine so it can be hard to avoid! I have stevia green powder, yet to use it!! Might try in a green smoothie first 🙂 loving your 7 days of smoothies! I am having 2 a day at the moment and feel great 😀
I’m having 2 a day too and don’t feel quite right if I miss one! 🙂
I did look in to the bleaching question as it was raised by others as well. The white powder is maltodextrin which carries the sweetness extracted from the plant, there is no bleaching involved with this brand. I believe the green powders are pure ground leaves but this can be bitter so manufacturers extract only the sweetness from the leaves and discard the rest. Looks like not all brands are the same though and I would agree that NuNaturals liquid stevia is the best and least processed!
🙂
Great giveaway and smoothie recipe! I love the look of this recipe but I also like something zingy, with apples and ginger 🙂
There’s a great apple pie smoothie on the Vedged Out site! http://wp.me/p2rrEn-yk It has cinnamon but ginger would be great with it! 🙂
definitely vanilla!
I love vanilla too!
I love green smoothies and have one every day. (Woo Hoo for the Green Smoothie Challenge!) I think my favorites are the tropical flavors (mango, pineapple). I can’t wait until my mint comes up so I can try this combo, it looks delicious!
Thanks for hosting this giveaway Poppy!
Terri, I’m hooked on them now that I’ve discovered them! I too love the tropical flavours, and the chocolate of course 😉
This was my breakfast smoothie today. Holy yum, is it good! I only have vanilla stevia, so I used more (a handful) of the fresh mint. I have a BIG bag of frozen strawberries that are sour and not very flavorful. This smoothie is the best one I’ve made with them!
It’s me, commenting above. I forgot to change the name.
Thank you for letting me know Terri! x
Terri you have made me so happy!!! I’m so glad you managed to enjoy a smoothie with your sour strawberries! I think it’s the mint that makes it sing! Could you taste the vanilla at all or was it lost to the mint? Thank you for making my day 🙂
There was a slight hint of vanilla, but the mint truly does sing! Having fresh herbs makes me so happy. Just chives and mint up so far, but that’s a good start!
My chives are pretty and flowering right now! I love them as garnish! I love fresh herbs too, and it’s great to incorporate them into smoothies too!
My favorite green smoothie consists of Power Greens blend,Banana,Pineapple,Mango,Avocado,coconut water, and a scoop of Aria Vanilla protein powder.
Sounds delicious Tina and so full of goodness 🙂
Yay, Poppy!! I can’t tell you how tickled I was that you won! And I see that you are putting these amazing products to fantastic use!
Thank you Annie!! 😀 Wish you knew my excitement! I am having so much fun with all the amazing bits xo
Strawberry and mint sounds delicious! I love Nunaturals products and was recently sent a load of their stuff too. Love the cherry stevia for a mocktail 🙂
Thanks Emma. Cherry stevia in a mocktail sounds so good! 🙂
cherry sounds lovely but I dove pineapple with oats!
Wow, pineapple with oats is one that I haven’t heard of before! I love pineapple in smoothies but wouldn’t have thought to pair it with oats, I will definitely try that! 🙂
I’ve used fresh mint in smoothies before, and it’s heavenly! Yum!
I love the freshness it brings, especially for a morning smoothie, it’s so vibrant!
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