When it comes to food labels things just aren’t straight forward anymore. I used to think buying “Cage Free” eggs was ideal until I learned what’s really going on. “Cage Free” no longer means the hens are treated humanely or have plenty of room to live naturally. Now it simply means they’re not in a cage. They can still be overcrowded in a small building, though. Talk about disappointing!

Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my review and recipe. Regardless, all opinions are my own and those of my family.
Nellie’s used to be known for having “Cage Free” eggs, but as that definition shifted they knew they’d have to find a better description. Free range eggs. Nellie’s treats their hens humanely and are even Certified Humane. Their hens have free range to scratch, dust bathe, and have real grass to peck. They have access to antibiotic free feed and fresh water at all times. Occasionally they are kept in a barn, but only if there is an outside threat, and yet they still have plenty of room to continue chicken behavior.
The hens at Nellie’s farms are never given feed with antibiotics or hormones. They truly get to live their lives as chickens are meant to, and the result is an overall better egg! Nellie’s Free Range Eggs are packed with 13 essential vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein, “good” fats and antioxidants, and all for just 72 calories each! Plus, we can feel good knowing there aren’t things like antibiotics and hormones and the chickens are treated humanely!
Nellie’s Free Range Eggs are available at a variety of grocers. Visit their Store Locator to find Nellie’s Eggs at a grocer near you!
For our review we received two cartons of Nellie’s Eggs, a great t-shirt and other swag and a gift card with the challenge to hunt down some ingredients for a recipe. The Nellie’s eggs we received are large brown eggs.

As you may know, I’m a simple person. We have a pretty crazy life (and the past couple of months have even been crazier than usual), so I like to keep our meals simple as well. This also ensures even our picky eater will give it a try! So I decided we’d make some breakfast burritos with our Nellie’s eggs!

Breakfast Burrito Recipe

(This Breakfast Burrito Recipe yields 4 burritos)
Ingredients:
6 Nellie’s Eggs
1/3 Cup Milk
1/2 Pound of Ground Sausage (For this recipe I am using Lightlife Veggie Sausage)
1/2 TBS Coconut Oil
Pepper, Salt and Garlic Powder to taste
1 Tomato
1 Banana Pepper
4 Tortillas (Any kind will do. I used wheat, but if gluten is a concern corn tortillas would work as well)

Directions:
Add 1/2 TBS of Coconut Oil to a non-stick skillet.
Add 1/2 Pound of Ground Sausage and cook until brown making sure to break it into small pieces.
Add spices as desired.
When Sausage is cooked thoroughly, add to a large bowl.
Using the same skillet (or optionally use a different skillet), add 1/3 cup of milk and 6 Nellie’s Eggs. Mix well until eggs are thoroughly cooked and fluffy.
Add the eggs to the bowl with the sausage.
Dice the tomato and banana peppers and add to bowl.
Mix well.
Add the mix to the tortilla.
Wrap and serve!

This is a recipe the whole family loves! Having a few picky eaters in our family, though, but it easy enough to leave out the tomato and banana pepper (or even sausage) for some but mix it all up for the others. I grabbed a tomato and banana pepper straight from our garden, which was amazing!
Overall, I’m so impressed with Nellie’s Eggs. They are healthy brown eggs, and I am thrilled they are Certified Humane and really care about their hens. Plus they taste great!
To find Nellie’s Free Range Eggs near you, visit their Store Locator!

Get Connected with Nellie’s

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*Giveaway!*

Would you like to try Nellie’s Free Range Eggs? Two winners will each receive one full product value coupon for a dozen eggs. This giveaway is open to US residents ages 18+ and ends 8/3/16.

Enter the Giveaway Here!

It’s no secret I love Italian food. I’m pretty sure my love of Italian food is rubbing off on our children as well, which is good for me because that means I can make it more often! The problem is, though, I’ve kind of gotten stuck in a rut. I like all sorts of Italian food yet I seem to always use the same ingredients and recipes over and over again. I was in desperate need of expanding and trying new things! I was thrilled for the chance to try the Colavita Simply Italian Gift Basket!

Disclosure: I participated in this event on behalf of Wendy’s Bloggers for Colavita. I received Colavita products to facilitate my review. Regardless, all opinions are my own and those of my family.
Colavita is a family-owned olive oil and Italian food brand that offers a variety of great Italian foods and oils. When I received my Colavita Simply Italian Gift Basket, I couldn’t wait to open it up and check out everything! It’s not only chock full of goodies, but it comes nicely packaged as well! This automatically made me thing “What a perfect gift!”

The Colavita Simply Italian Gift Basket includes:

• Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Colavita Balsamic Vinegar
• Cirio Crushed Tomato with Basil
• Colavita Eggplant & Sweet Peppers
• Colavita Olive Bruschetta
• Colavita Marinara Sauce
• Colavita Tomato Basil Sauce
• Colavita Penne Rigate
• Dal Raccolto Capellini
• Dal Raccolto Orchiette
• Almond Cantuccini

All of this for just $75! What a great value, right? I was excited by the possibilities! The best part is they also offer a complete recipe library, so if you’re stuck in a rut like I have been, inspiration is at the click of the mouse! I got to try my hand at a new Italian Recipe from Colavita!

Eggplant and Sweet Pepper Veggie Pasta (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil OR 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 jar Colavita Eggplant and Sweet Peppers
• 1 pound Colavita Pasta
• ½ jar Colavita Marinara Sauce
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

The only substitution I made was using shredded cheese versus grated cheese because we moved recently, and I haven’t found all of my kitchen utensils yet!
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Heat 2 tbsp Colavita Olive Oil in large skillet over medium-low heat.
(These can be done simultaneously, which I always love to do! Being a busy mom, I’m all about being efficient!)

3. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the jar of Eggplant and Sweet Peppers and simmer for another 3 minutes to release the flavors.
4. Add the ½ jar of Colavita Marinara (or Tomato Basil) Sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to incorporate all the flavors.
5. When the water boils, add the pasta, stirring to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions.

6. Drain pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the pasta water and transfer the pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Using tongs, mix the pasta into the sauce well.
7. If the sauce seems dry, feel free to add a little of the pasta water.
8. Season with salt and pepper and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and basil.

Voila! A tasty dish the whole family loves! Even our picky 4 year old gobbled it up! This recipe takes pasta from drab to fab! It really has a lot of flavor, the texture of the pasta was wonderful, and I was truly impressed with the quality and taste of the Colavita products. We also complemented our meal with the Almond Cantuccini, which is a crunchy, tasty treat!
Of course, I still have more to use, and I can’t wait! Upon browsing on the Colavita website I also discovered they offer organic and gluten-free pastas as well!
I love the history of Colavita and love that they offer quality products the whole family can enjoy!

For More Information:

Visit the Colavita Website
Connect with Colavita on Facebook and Twitter

*Giveaway!!*

How would you like to win a Colavita Simply Italian Basket? This giveaway will run through December 13, 2014 at 10pm Central Time and is open to US residents ages 18+. Enter the giveaway now!!