Travel update and my first review/giveaway!

First -
So I am in Las Vegas for a few days to visit/care for my mom after she had surgery to replace her knee. Unfortunately she has not been allowed to come home from the hospital since I got here. On top of not actually being able to see my mother, the moose and I have been brought low by the heat since getting to Vegas. Stomach troubles, general heat exhaustion - we haven't even made it to the pool!

However today is a new day. We are getting out, going to the dog park, going swimming, and I will be working out (finally) tonight in the awesome fitness center at my mom's apartment complex.

And now...
If you have read this blog for a while you know that I usually make my own yogurt. I love the ease of making my yogurt and knowing that only what I put in (milk, yogurt, extra dry milk powder) is in my yogurt. However, making yogurt doesn't always work for me. Due to the drafty and often cold nature of my old farmhouse kitchen, sometimes my yogurt fails. It can't maintain the right temp long enough, or my starter was too old, or whatever. When this happens I am always disappointed and need to get myself to the store to buy some more yogurt - some for starter, and some to eat right away (because by this point I need yogurt and granola and fruit). When I buy yogurt, there is really only one type I buy.

Chobani

If you have not had Greek style yogurt before, you are truly missing out. I was never really a yogurt fan until I tried Greek yogurt. Thick and creamy, tangy and filling - it really can be used as a healthy sour cream substitute - high in protein and healthy probiotics. There is almost nothing better than Greek yogurt for a snack  or breakfast or dessert...

So, Chobani yogurt. There are multiple reasons to love this company.

1. Their slogan, "Nothing But Good". Quality wholesome ingredient, nothing artificial and harmful or just plain yucky.
2. Their location - Chobani's plant is located in the central New York farming/dairy region. Near my mother's hometown, near my grandmother and aunts and cousins. In an area that has been hit hard not only by the latest recession but by general economic downturn for many years. Any company that is not only doing business, but is good to their employees and customers in this part of my beloved state needs to be supported. 
3. It is just plain good! This is the creamiest, yummiest, best tasting yogurt I have ever tried in my entire life! 

I have been buying Chobani as my yogurt starter and I-need-yogurt-now yogurt for a while, but I only ever tried the 0% plain. I did not know what I was missing. The fruit yogurts are not like the fruit on the bottom (basically just jelly/jam) in some other yogurts. The essence of the fruit is blended into a creamy thick absolutely decadent OMG how can this be good and healthy yogurt. And then there are fruit pieces on the bottom. Actual pieces of the fruit, lightly sweetened with evaporated cane juice instead of high fructose corn syrup. Chobani has 14 amazing flavors - plain 0 & 2%, vanilla, black cherry, mango, lemon, blueberry, strawberry, strawberry-banana, pineapple, raspberry, honey, peach, and pomegranate. 

I did not actually get to try all the flavors - a certain moose and monkey ate some and wouldn't let mommy try a bite. They did seem to love the strawberry, the strawberry-banana, and the peach. The pineapple, the lemon, the blueberry were all excellent and far beyond anything else I have tried. I am hoping the honey will still be there when I get home next week so I can try that.  But the raspberry and the pomegranate; heaven, absolute heaven!

The pomegranate and raspberry flavors were everything you could hope for in a yogurt and more. They can calm any sweet tooth, they taste like dessert, they are filling and decadent. I really can't say enough good things about them - and I am very sad that Chobani's distribution hasn't reached Vegas yet because I have been dreaming of yogurt every day. I will continue to make yogurt - and use Chobani as my starter, but I will also be finding room in my grocery budget for a decent supply of the raspberry and pomegranate flavors just for me :)

Now for the giveaway details! Chobani has offered to send a case of yogurt to one very lucky reader - the winner can choose what flavors they want in their special case - a variety, all one flavor, whatever they want!

To enter to win you need to:

1. Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment telling me you are a follower (mandatory)
2. follow me on Twitter - leave a separate comment
3. follow Chobani on twitter - leave a separate comment
4. Like Chobani on Facebook - leave a separate comment
5. send this blog out to whatever social media sites you use - leave a separate comment

1 entry for each comment :) Winner will be chosen by Random.org. The contest will on Saturday July 30th and the winner will be announced by August 1st. Don't miss out on your chance to get some great yogurt!

Even babies and dogs like Chobani :)

*Disclaimer - I contacted Chobani about doing a review, they sent me the yogurt with no conditions and offered the giveaway. I was under no obligation to print any kind of review, the opinions here are completely my own*


**ETA - Unfortunately this giveaway is limited to US residents, Chobani is unable to ship to Canada at this time. **