PJ's that glow in the dark!

I just love when I get the chance to review something for my little guy! This review came just in time as its already starting to get super cold here in the midwest and long sleeve pajamas are a must. The Pajama Company has a HUGE selection of great pajamas for everyone from your little guys to us grown-ups. They have tons of categories easily laid out on their website for easy shopping like matching family sets, footed pajamas for both kids and adults-- even dog pj's! I chose to get the kiddo a cool set called "Glow in the Dark PJ Rex" by Hatley Nature Kids, just one of the many great brands featured on The Pajama Company website. Max will just love these jammies because not only do they feature a cool dino applique top but also an all-over dino print on the bottoms-- the best part is that they GLOW IN THE DARK!

Yep-- its true, these pj's are so cool they will be a favorite in this house. I loved that they set is made of high quality 100% combed cotton featuring a snug, safe fit and cuffed ankles/sleeves it is also so original with its glow in the dark dinosaur theme. Make sure to check out The Pajama Company for your family and also pajamas are always great presents! Like them on facebook while you are at it!

Live. Learn. Grow.

That's the motto of Gaiam. If you are familiar with Gaiam you probably know that they carry great Yoga products from mats to dvd's ( I am currently hooked on this AM/PM dvd) but Gaiam is so much more too! "Gaiam is a lifestyle media company that focuses on conscious solutions for personal transformation. We offer the resources you need to achieve self-growth, live a healthy lifestyle or to positively transform your life. Our personal growth media empowers you to create your own personal development path toward the life transformation you seek."

In the Gaiam store I was shocked to discover the wide array of products they carry that all fall in line with living a healthy and positive life. My favorite section was the casual clothing all made from earth friendly fabrics with versatile styles ranging from super casual zip ups to high fashion sweaters. I chose to get the "Light Weight Crewneck Sweater":

 And the "Long Sleeve Center Pleat Top"

Both items are from their Holiday Collection but for me will be wardrobe staples. The sweater is much more gorgeous than the picture can even highlight-- it is beautifully woven and has a very complimentary cut that will look amazing with a nice pair of black pants or with a pair of jeans and boots. The pleat top is also so versatile and will also look great with a nice pair of pants or jeans. I was amazed at how soft both of these tops are and how comfortable they are. I love the Gaiam line for mom's on the run who want to look fabulous but be comfortable at the same time-- all the while being eco-smart in sustainable fabrics! Hop on their store website to find everything from yoga wear, casual clothing, health & beauty items as well as home decor. Its a one stop shop for your earth friendly shopping needs. *They have a free shipping offer going on right now*

Not just for the ladies!

I know I just raved about my own Booty Shorts from Wink but they have impressed me again for carrying a line of men's wear as well. I don't know if you have noticed but there are not these type of items out there for men and I have always wondered why. I know there are tons of men out there who would also love the slimming effects of the shapewear that is out there for women so kudos to Wink for thinking of the guys! This particular shirt has many benefits besides just being a slimming compression top. Here is a great picture of it so you can see just how this would compliment any man's body type:

This shirt could be worn under other shirts or by itself for a great look. Here are the many features of this great (and comfortably soft) top:
Slims you down
Engineered to provide the perfect balance of power and stretch in all directions with unprecedented slimming power and wearing comfort.
Improves power and performance
Constant, even compression (external pressure)
promotes blood flow and helps boost your energy levels, by up to 22% in males, and 30% in females.
Enhances skin tone
Medical grade compression rate improves lymphatic
drainage, which combined with our fabric's micro-massage effects smoothes the skin and reduces the appearance of cellulite.
Keeps you cool and dry
A three dimensional knit pulls
moisture away from the body and allows air to circulate close to the skin.
Kills bacteria
Permanently inhibits the growth of bacteria, mold
and mildew, leaving you with a fresh, clean feeling all day, every day.

I LOVE the fact that this shirt kills bacteria and keeps you feeling fresh all day especially if this shirt is used for outdoor activities or sports. So guys you have options too! They have other styles on their website in the mens section here. I will be adding Wink to my "favorite things" list-- you can show them your love too by liking them on facebook.

Find your sweet spot

Thank you to Sweet Spot Pillow for letting me try out one of their luxury pillows designed just for me! Don't worry you can design your own Sweet Spot Pillow too, just use their cool "Pillow Advisor" tool found on their website that asks you questions like how you sleep and your build to recommend the best possible pillow for you, then you also have a variety of sizes to choose from to make your pillow even more custom. My best pillow match was the Low-Profile and I chose the Queen size. "This model has the least amount of support chamber fill and loft for back, stomach and petite side sleepers. This is not a flat pillow."

So why choose a Sweet Spot pillow over a standard pillow? How about this?

• Helps promote better circulation
• Better loft to reduce shoulder pain
• Reduces arm numbness and neck fatigue
• CPAP/BPAP friendly for apnea sleepers
• Helps offset cumulative Sleep Debt
• Hypoallergenic fill
• 100% soft cotton tailored shell
• Hand crafted Amish quality
• Convenient travel case
• Machine Washable
• Comfort Guarantee

Not only is this a great present to yourself but how about a great present for those you love? I can not think of a better present than that of a great night sleep. I can only speak for my own Sweet Spot pillow but laying on this pillow my neck felt relaxed and my spine felt in line with the way my head was resting, I just feel more comfortable in general. I love that instead of flattening out when I am laying on this pillow it keeps its shape. For all of this it is also very affordable-- and comes with a guarantee, if I were you I would log on fast because they are currently hosting a BOGO sale that will not last long.

Want to be back to your fabulous self in NO time?

Check out Wink shapewear:
Wink™ patented fabrics are anti-microbial, mold to every curve and our post-pregnancy belly band system hugs your waist, hips and abdomen to slim and tone all over. Our pregnancy support garments keep you feeling beautiful at every stage in your pregnancy and beyond.In the blink-of-an-eye, your hip, thigh and tummy muscles feel supported not  strained. Clothes fit better and flow over your body as our belly bands shrink and tighten your body. Suddenly, you stand confident and comfortable where you used to feel tired and achy. The best part? It's so seamless, smooth, and sensual – no one will ever know you are wearing it!

After reading this it seems like not only will post-pregnant women find their shapewear an incredible addition to their wardrobe but women everywhere who need that extra slimming to fit into those jeans or look smooth in that dress. I ordered the "Booty Shaper Shorts" and immediately loved the way these slid on and hit in just the right areas for the best effect. The waist is high so you don't have any rolling over the top and the shorts are a great length to wear under your jeans or even a dress. I did not know how big of a difference these would make but I do have an old pair of jeans that I was pretty close to being able to fit into but they did not look good but while wearing my booty shorts they slipped right on and looked great! I am very impressed with these shorts, I have tried other shapewear (won't name names) that did not work very well so I gave up on them-- these I will be wearing very often.

Every mom can be a Glamourmom

As a nursing mom I know I do not always feel or look so glamorous but Glamourmom is helping all nursing mama's in this department by offering fashionable nursing tops and bras. It really isn't easy to find cute but still easy to breastfeed tops so I just love this tank that I could wear as is or throw a zip-up or cardigan over for an easy and very functional look. This tank is new from Glamourmom and features extra long design (which I love) and a tummy control panel.

In addition it also has their built in nursing bra that you can do with just one hand and is designed for full privacy even in public. The sketch shows how it works:

I love the material too since it is a mix of cotton and elastane it holds its shape. I have already worn this top a few times and am browsing the Glamourmom site to see what else needs to be added to my wardrobe as I plan on nursing for another year or so at least! Hop on their site and see what you find, I also spotted they that are running a promotion to win 100.00 of their products! Go there now!



Detour: Candy bar taste packed with nutrition

I LOVE Detour Bars-- I have been eating the Lower Sugar and Lean Muscle types for years, see my posts here and here. Well, the folks over at Detour are at it again with a new Lower Sugar bar-- Peanut Butter Cream. Peanut butter and chocolate are one of the best flavor combinations ever invented, period. So I knew this was going to be good and I was not disappointed-- rich, creamy peanut butter (almost a whipped consistency to me) topped with a caramel layer coated generously with chocolate. Yummy. So how can this be good for you? The first listed ingredient (meaning the most concentrated) is their own blend of high quality whey protein giving this bar a staggering 15 grams of protein.

Two lucky winners will get their very own box of Detour Bars shipped to them. How you ask? Shoot me an email, tell me a Detour factoid, like them on facebook for an extra entry, follow them on twitter for another entry-- let me know in the email if you have done these things to get your extra entries in. Good luck, you have until midnight Thursday, October 6th.

Frozen Faves

Quite a while back I posted my frozen faves list in honor of frozen food month. One of those on my list is Michael Angelo's fine Italian products. When it comes to frozen Italian Michael Angelo's is hands down the best the freezer section has to offer. They have quite a big selection of favorites like lasagna, eggplant (my favorite), alfredo, shrimp and many more!

"Each of Michael Angelo’s delicious appetizers, entrées and sauces is handcrafted from Sara’s authentic Italian recipes, using only the natural, wholesome ingredients found in a genuine Italian kitchen. In order to ensure that you provide your family with a delicious and nutritious meal, we use only 100% premium meats, authentic Italian cheeses, 100% durum wheat semolina pasta, fresh herbs and spices, fresh vegetables, and specially selected, vine-ripened tomatoes."

Log onto to their website to view all the delicious entrees that can be on your families table in about 10 mintues and also register for the trip to Italy they have going! Maybe I shouldn't have told you about the trip, I think I just lessed my odds.

Balls are here!

Late last week I posted about my exciting new find of used golf balls. I was not quite sure what to expect after I placed my order but could not wait to get my order in the mail from Used Golf Ball Deals. First I must say the customer service at Used Golf Ball Deals is among the best I have had ever-- they are very on top of your order and very friendly as well. So onto the really good stuff-- my golf balls! I ordered the Titleist Pro V1 golf balls and while these are the choice golf balls of most serious golfers they are also great for those who love a quality product (at a great price). 

The golf balls arrived in protective packaging in picture perfect condition. Not one of these golf balls were scuffed or discolored and looked as if they came out of a fresh sleeve direct from the pro shop (and they were not 48.00 per dozen or more). Follow Used Golf Ball Deals on facebook and twitter!

Tropical Oasis

In college we had a Jamba Juice right on our campus that I could be spotted in almost daily, I just love their smoothies. Sadly now I have no Jamba's even close to me so I could hardly remember just how great their smoothies are until recently when I got the chance to try their Jamba "At Home" Smoothie line with flavors like Strawberries Wild, Razmatazz, Mango-a-go-go and the all new Caribbean Passion.

Caribbean Passion is a mixup of mangos, peaches, strawberries and passion fruit. All of the flavors also have non-fat yogurt included in the smoothie mix so all you have to do is blend with apple juice and get ready to taste an authentic Jamba Juice smoothie right there in your kitchen. The mix is very easy to make and for a healthy snack very affordable since each pouch makes two 8 ounce servings that clock in at around 70 all-natural calories. The taste? I was fortunate enough to try the Carribean Passion and being a huge lover of tropical smoothies I can honestly say this was super quick, easy to make and delicious. I could easily blend and demolish the entire bag so I have to ration myself on this one. Want to win a coupon for your very own FREE bag? Shoot me an email and let me know which flavor you are dying to try! I will randomly select five lucky readers to get a coupon sent to their snail mail address.

The Orb Factory Toy Review

The Orb Factory has quite a few fun, educational and unique sets just for kids! We were lucky enough to get to try out one of their "first sticky mosaics". I was not quite sure what to expect but inside the box are tons of sticky foam pieces, 5 designs (ours is vehicle themed) and 5 little hangers. This is what it looks like:

You then follow the color patterns on the sheets and use the foam stickies to make the pictures come to life. So creative and a great way to have fun with your kids.

Before                 After        

Its labeled for 3+ but I can see kids younger enjoying this with a parent and older kids would have a blast as well. There are tons of creative toys and sets on their website for a variety of ages. I have to say the products are all very reasonably priced so would make great gifts as well. You can follow them on facebook, twitter, blog or visit their website!  

Genius!

I LOVE when a new product comes out that makes me wonder WHY didn't I think of that? Around my house I am the handwashing police and think it is the key to good health. So I really want Max to understand the importance of washing his hands and also HOW to wash his hands. Some people merely squirt a bit of soap, rub for a second and rinse off- that's not good enough. SquidSoap has come out with a product that helps teach kids healthy hand washing habits in a fun way! So how does it work?
"SquidSoap works by applying a small ink mark on a person's hand when they press the pump to dispense the soap. The ink is designed to wash off after the hands are washed for about15-20 seconds, which is the time recommended by most doctors. SquidSoap is lots of fun for kids, since they love to get marked. It makes handwashing more like a game. Also, the very stretchable squid toy is a blast to play with and will provide hours of entertainment."
Seriously, why didn't I think of this? Not only is it one of the best healthy habits to learn it is also fun, the squid and ink is clever. The soap also smells deliciously fresh so its great for kids and adults alike. If nothing else it will be a great conversation piece in your bathroom!

Want to win your very own bottle of squid soap? I am doing a quick giveaway-- email me tonight and tell me a great handwashing fact, I will randomly pick a winner tomorrow morning. Good luck!

100% Organic, 100% Healthy, 100% Delicious

Those are the promises made by Peter Rabbit Organics about their awesome fruit snacks and veggie blends. My sweet little guy is at the age where he loves to eat and really lets you know if he likes what you are feeding him or not. And as I constantly say I try to always use only the best on him and put only the best in him that is why I love Peter Rabbit Organics baby food. They do not add salts or sugars to their blends, it is not needed at all. The creative fruit combinations of strawberry and banana, apple and grape, peach and apple, mango, banana and orange keep my son very happy and I love that he gets to experience these varied fruits in such delicious flavors. I do sample everything that he eats and these fruits are the best purees I have ever tried.

Max loves his veggies and gobbled up the pea, spinach and apple, sweet potato, corn and apple and the carrot squash and apple veggie blend. I think he got his love of veggies from me for sure because the boy has not met a vegetable that he does not like. These healthy combinations all have an added appeal with the nice, natural sweetness of the apple to entice babies and toddlers to eat their veggies. I could not stop sampling the sweet potato, corn and apple kind-- delicious! This is what baby food should be-- preservative free, salt and sugar free, organic and yummy. These fruit and veggie combinations come in great pouches too-- perfect for sticking back in the fridge or taking with you on the go-- plus they add a little fun factor!



Baked on the bright side!

Rudi's Organic Bakery wins!

Rudi’s ORGANIC BAKERY Named AMONG TOP foodieS FOR VEGETARIANS by Vegetarian Times Magazine READERS

I know I have mentioned Rudi's quite a few times on my blog so I was so happy to read that they have won such a great award. Their bread really deserves it. The sourdough which I am a huge fan of got a great shout out by being the top sourdough of choice by vegetarians. I have been a Rudi's lover for some time now because they make their bread the right way without the use of artificial chemicals or preservatives-- who needs that stuff anyways? They have more than just wholesome bread too-- there is bagels, english muffins, buns and now a gluten-free line too. Rudi's is the largest brand of organic breads for a reason--their bread tastes great and is good for you too! Want to try your own loaf and win a cute sandwich box to boot?

Well, email me and tell me which variety you would love to try. I will randomly select TWO lucky winners on Wednesday October 19th. GOOD LUCK.

For the first meal of the day

Have you tried the new Rise breakfast bars (used to be Boomi bars which I am a huge fan of)? I just had the good luck of getting a whole sampler pack of these including the Crunchy Perfect Pumpkin, Crunchy Macadamia Pineapple, Crunchy Honey Walnut, Crunchy Cashew Almond and Crunchy Cranberry Apple. Just by the names alone I am sure you are drooling-- with this selection there is something or everything for everyone. Each bar is sweetly coated nuts and fruit then with their own special touches like big hunks of macadamia nuts, cashews, dried apples, dried pineapples and more! Upon seeing them there were two bars that were specifically calling my name to try-- the Macadamia Pineapple and Cashew Almond. My intuition was right on for these. The Macadamia Pineapple had such simple ingredients but huge on taste bursting with big chunks of macadamia nuts, sweetened with honey and topped off with pineapple-- my favorite. The Cashew Almond incorporated two of my favorite things-- cashews and almonds! The ingredients in this bar were also very simple and their combination was just right, this bar had dates also added to it which is one of my favorite additions to bars with its sweet flavor. All in all these are just great bars-- any one of them make the perfect breakfast (or anytime) bar.

Peeled!

When you are dining in the tropics the breakfasts include a lot of dehydrated fruits. Prunes, apples, apricots, peaches—you name it! I love breakfast and I love the tropics so when I tried the dried fruit from Peeled Snacks I was rushed back to a tropical oasis with sweet dried fruit as part of my meal. I started with the apples and they were perfect.

Tart and sweet – a bit chewy. Peeled Snacks adds nothing to your fruit so all so everything you taste is all natural. As I quickly moved onto the apricots I was shocked to find that I LOVE apricots! I had never given them a chance before.

I detected a slight cinnamon-ey taste so I checked the bag again and it was JUST the apricots. They were fantastic. I am not sure if Peeled Snacks has a magic Apricot wand or I am a new fan but I will be getting more of these soon. Peeled Snacks also makes: Mangos, Bananas and Pineapples in their colorful and handy single serve packs! Check out the variety sampler. I love that you can now find these in Starbucks! Follow Peeled on facebook, twitter and their website for a chance to win your own sampler. Let me know which kind you would be most interested in trying by Sunday night and maybe you will be the winner of the Peeled Snacks giveaway!

We Got Balls!

A lot of the topics I have been talking about lately have been centered around being eco-friendly, recycling and just reducing our waste as much as possible. So my brother and I were talking about one of our upcoming golf outings and how badly we needed new golf balls. He was making fun of me as usual and said I would probably buy used golf balls for us to use. BRILLIANT!  Save some cash and reuse-- whats not to like? So off I went to jump on google to search "used golf balls"-- sure enough there are whole sites that just sell them. I poked around and finally found a retailer, Used Golf Balls Deals, that is affordable, has a great shipping policy (free over 75.00) and most importantly specializes in used golf balls. Are you a fan of golfing like we are? Sad the season is ending soon? There is indoor golf don't forget! What are your favorite golf balls and would you consider buying used? My shipment will be here early next week so watch for my upcoming post all about them!

My lucky day!

I have had such a great day today! Played outside with Max, enjoyed a great walk and ate great food. Life doesn't get much better until a package arrived on my doorstep today and it was my new Roma Boots! What are Roma Boots? They are a light weight, all weather but high style boot. When I say all weather you probably picture some big, clunky rubber things but not these Roma Boots. Check them out:

Mine are the "Matte Brown". They are actually even cuter than the picture portrays. I will be wearing these more often than I had originally planned because not only will these look good with a pair of jeans but with leggings and a sweater for sure. Its great to have a modern, trendy type of boot to wear because the winters in Wisconsin are seriously messy but that doesn't mean I have to look messy right?!
Outsole: Traditional natural rubber sole
Made from 100% Natural Rubber
Lining: Quick dry knitted cotton lining
Footbed: Multi-layer cushioned insole
Height: 38 cm, 1" heel, Rounded Toe
(Size down for half size)

My Roma's arrived in two days, gotta love the fast service. Oh and their customer service also rocks-- I give companies props for this alone, its hard to come by. So in addition to just having great, fashionable boots Roma also has Roma Boots Foundation which helps provide needy children with proper footwear. Their mission is really inspiring and worth a read. Now you can buy that pair of boots and know that you just provided a pair to a child in need, for every pair sold another is given-- how great is that?

Brought tears to my eyes

I am so emotional when it comes to my baby boy. I never knew it was even possible to love someone so much as you do your children! I have mentioned a few times now that we are nearing Max's first birthday, oh how the time flies. For his birthday I want to make sure I get him some stuff he will appreciate now but also something special and that he can hang onto. Personalized childrens books by I See Me is the perfect, sentimental gift. Not only is it great because it is so personal for the parent or other loved one to give to a child but I can just imagine how happy Max will be to be reading a book about him! They have thirteen great books to chose from and personalize, we chose the Who Love's Me book. When choosing your book they have a great virtual book tour section to guide you through the books. Personally, I had a hard time picking one because the books are so great. In the Who Loves Me book it says the sweetest things like:
Who loves Max?
Mommy loves Max!
How much?
So much!
More than the mountains
More than the streams
More than a little boy's happiest dreams

How sweet is that? Reading through knowing my Max was going to read how much I love him in the book brought tears to my eyes. The first pages also lets you put a personalized message where I got to mention that it was given for his first birthday, the year and his full name. Go check it out-- there are fairy tale books, pirate, big brother/sister, christmas, love etc... A little about the book-- it came quickly (especially for a custom item), the customer service was outstanding, the book is a high quality hardcover book with vibrant colors and images kids are sure to love!
Don't forget to like I See Me on Facebook!

YOU-- all my favorites

We all have weaknesses and I can not be trusted around chocolate, cereal, trail mix or any combination of these items. So when learning about You Bar I was so excited because the concept is very unique and really cool. You Bar makes protein/ energy bars just how you design them. You start out by choosing a base -- mouthwatering choices of nut butters or their own base of dates and almond butter. Then you choose your protein powder, nuts/seeds, fruits & berries, sweeteners, chocolate/seasonings, grains/cereals plus infusions. Then the fun begins-- you can name your bar anything you would like and it is put together in a custom wrapper just for YOU or whoever you choose to give this ultimate bar to. Think of the possiblities-- anniversaries, birthdays, stocking stuffers or just to show yourself some love.
I tried some bars out of the "popular bars" category and cannot even express how good the Great Date with Chocolate flavor is!

Great Date With Chocolate is a natural low fat and protein rich chocolate delight with a chewy fudge brownie texture.
Ingredients: Organic Dates, Whey Protein Isolate, Organic Honey, Cocoa.

They are not kidding that it is like a fudge brownie-- rich, chocolately and moist. Pure heaven. I could eat this daily. I could not believe those were the only ingredients and the bar only clocked in at 140 (good for you) calories. WOW.

Then it only gets better. You Bar also has You Trail Mix! Same concept, same fantastic results. Here was my favorite:

Mix Up Your Day is Slightly tropical, slightly Asian.  Perk up your afternoon with this uniquely delicious combination.  Mix Up Your Day will awaken your senses and refresh your palette.
Ingredients: Oat Bran Sesame Sticks, Organic Cashews, Almonds, Dried Pineapple, Goji Berries, Shredded Coconut.

I just love when I try something I would never normally have on my own and it blows me away. The mix was an amazing combination, the coconut set it over the top.

 

The fun doesn't stop there! You Bar also has-- You Shake, You Cookies and You Cereal. I REALLY want to try the cookies and cereal! Hint, hint for my stocking.

Picklicious!

Those who know me often poke fun at my so called addiction to Mt. Olive's no sugar added bread & butter pickles. Leave me alone with these things and the jar is gone in less than a day. When these first came out I was on a no sugar diet and seeing my favorite bread & butters in a no sugar variety just about made my eyes bulge out of  my head. In fact, do a little blog search and there are a few mentions of these-- look on my "favorite things" list as well. I let Mt. Olive know just how much I love their pickles and they offered to send me some of their picklePAK's. Two kinds arrived promptly at my house and I could not wait to rip into them. I love that these packs are individual portions of pickles that you can take with you! How great for packed lunches, picnics or just on the go.
Here are the Hamburger Dill Chips:

Here are the Sweet Petites:

Both are obviously great pickles, they are made by Mt. Olive you know. The dill chips had that classic dill flavor with large, perfectly flavored "chips". PERFECT with a great sandwich or just a snack. The sweets were so stinkin' cute, they were tiny mini cucumbers with a great sweet pickle flavor perfect for snacking. Both of these pickles were picklicious for sure! Will they replace my Mt. Olive no sugar added bread & butters? Not a chance. But they are the perfect snack in a great on the go container. PS-- my S.O. said the dills were the best they have ever tasted. Yum!

Presence. Planet. Prosperity.

Its no secret that I LOVE my chocolate! Given the opportunity to try Endangered Species chocolate and of course I was all over it. Not only do they make rich, creamy and dreamy chocolate they are "a mission-driven company that is passionate about chocolate and the environment.   We are fully committed to providing premium, all-natural, ethically traded, naturally shade grown chocolate products.  Endangered Species Chocolate confirms that all beans used in its products are purchased from family-owned properties where the income benefits the community.  10% of our net profits are donated to fund species and habitat conservation efforts.  Savor chocolate.  Save our planet." Now that is some chocolate you can feel good about eating and even better about buying. AND you might even learn something along the way (their wrappers are filled with facts relating to their mission of saving the endangered species and habitats). But back to the chocolate-- they have a huge array of chocolates to satisfy even the worst sweet tooth from bars to confections and even gift boxes. I sampled the bars, I will focus on my two favorites:
Dark Chocolate with Cranberries and Almonds. Amazing and unique combo mixing the tartness of the cranberries, smoothness of the almonds and richness of the dark chocolate all came together perfectly. LOVED this bar.

Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint: WOWOWOW. This was my very favorite bar. Deep, dark chocolate with a hint of refreshing mint. The simpleness of this bar allowed me to really appreciate the quality of their chocolate and they did the mint just right, not overpowering-- just right.

The great part is you should have no problem finding these bars yourself in your natural foods stores. I see them all over now that I am looking!

Uprinting Giveaway Winner

Today is Rachel S's lucky day! Rachel you are the big winner of the Uprinting 100 postcard giveaway! In Rachel's prize entry she let me know she would be using awesome postcard prize package to make thank you's.
"I would use my Uprinting postcards to make customized thank you cards that I could send out for any occasion from my family"
Awesome Rachel! Enjoy! I am sure you will love the great customer service that you get with Uprinting because I have had nothing but great experiences with them.

All Natural Body Care for Kids

If you have been following me at all in the last 9 months you know that I am borderline obsessed with what goes into Max and also what I use on him. I want only the best for him and to me that is using all natural products. I was so impressed to learn that Tru Kid is an all natural line but also has the best kids safety rating possible, I LOVE this. Not only does Tru Kid make it their mission to be safe for kids but they are also concerned about the environment. I recently got the SPORT TruKid Sunny Days Sunscreen and love that it is non-toxic and is made of ingredients like aloe, green tea oil, pomegranite juice and still is water resistant and offers UVA/UVB protection at a rating of SPF 30.

They have tons of other products (not just for kids) like their baby line, grownup line, bathwash, detanglers-- you name it. But my favorite has to be the Silly Shampoo! The shampoo is a mild one that is perfect for super sensitive skin that washes away surface oils but keeps the natural oils. It has a great citrus-ey scent probably due to the coconut, orange and grapefruit. Check it out for your little ones!

Nutritious Meals To Go

Now who doesn't need nutritious meals to go? I am needing them more than on the go these days, the only time I have to grab a bite to eat is when my son is eating as well. If I eat at another time he wants only what mommy has. So that is why I was so psyched to try The Healthy Baking Companies two product lines-- Heart Thrive and Suncakes.
Heart Thrive:

Heart Thrives are a delicious, VEGAN and NON-GMO energy bar. Made with oats, soy and dried fruits, each Heart Thrive supplies 30% daily PROTEIN, FIBER and CALCIUM.  

Heart Thrives are made from ingredients with a low glycemic index that metabolize slowly providing sustained energy for hours. 

They come in delicious flavors like Chocolate Chip, Cranberry, Apple, Apricot, Raisin, Date and Poppy Seed. I loved these hearty hearts! They are literally heart shaped, dense, chewy and the taste is wonderful. So far I have sampled the Chocolate Chip (first of course) which won me over because it tasted like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with big chips and a sweet chewy heart. Also, the Poppy Seed which was oh so good -- I love poppy seeds and rarely find them in anything anymore so this was a treat. And the Date one, which had such a great sweet flavor that only dates can lend to food.

Suncakes, "A Meal in a Cake":

It's an oatcake. A perfect food. High in fiber, high in protein, low in fat, made without wheat, oil, dairy, cholesterol, salt, or guilt!

Suncakes are an ideal blend of complete proteins and clean carbohydrates made from oats, brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, soy protein concentrate, soy flour, dried fruit & fruit juice.

California Suncakes™ are 97% fat free and provide 30% of your daily protein and fiber needs.

I also found Suncakes to be a dense, chewy and oat filled treat. They did differ in the consistency and flavor but were equally as delicious. Suncakes come in Apricot, Cranberry, Apple, Date, Poppy Seed and Chocolate Orange. So far I have sampled the Poppy Seed and LOVED it. I could see myself eating these every single day and never tiring of this flavor. I just love that they use dates in their food-- they are perfectly sweet, so good and nutritious to boot!

So if you are looking for great meals on the go, snacks, hiking food, biking food or anything in between check out The Healthy Baking Company-- they really know how to make healthy taste good!

Go to snack

Ever since I was little nuts have been a snacking staple for me. My dad actually used to buy giant bags of mixed nuts that were still in the shells and sit around using a nut cracker to open each one. My favorites are cashews (number one) and almonds coming in at close second. Yumnuts now has both gourmet cashews and almonds, I was able to sample the delicious Toasted Coconut cashews. Generally I try to eat my nuts raw because I hate that most nuts are roasted in oils, which they simply do not need but Yumnuts does not use any oil to roast their yummy cashews (or almonds) they simply dry roast them-- perfect! The Toasted Coconut flavor is to die for. I am an avid coconut fan anyways so take cashews and wrap them in a coconutty topping and I am in nutty heaven. These cashews were buttery and rich like cashews should be but then had a coconut outside, I don't know how else to describe it but it was like a thin shell of goodness. They have quite a variety of other flavors too-- I would love to try the Chocolate or Touch of Honey as well.

Enjoy Life with Chocolate!

Yummy! Just say the word "chocolate" and my ears perk up. I love chocolate for breakfast, lunch dinner and anywhere in between. Enjoy Life Foods has added more chocolate items to their lineup of delicious gluten-free and allergen friendly foods. So when given the chance to try their new Mega Chunk chocolate chips (ummm hello?!) and Double Chocolate Crunch granola I did not hesitate. So how good can chocolate chips taste that are dairy, soy and gluten free? You would never notice the difference. The chips were very generously sized hence the term mega, with a sweet and creamy chocolate flavor. These would be perfect for baking your favorite chip recipes OR straight out of the bag by the handful like I had them.

How about the granola? This was AMAZING. The granola had the perfect amount of chocolate flavor, sweetness but still the crunch of a great granola. I love the idea of chocolate for breakfast and its not a junk food cereal, their granola is:
NO TRANS FAT, NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS, VEGAN, KOSHER PAREVE, GLUTEN-FREE, CASEIN-FREE
and packed with:
Magnesium, Iron,Niacin (Vitamin B3), Zinc, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5), Folate,Vitamin B6

Enjoy Life Foods has tons of other snack foods, not just for those with food intolerances or allergies but anyone looking to have a satisfying treat. Visit them online, facebook, or follow them on twitter.  You should be able to find their products pretty easily as I pick up their cookies and bars regularly.

Powered By Nature

Are you ever wary of trying "all natural" cleaning products? To be honest, sometimes I am. I try and live as natural and eco-friendly as possible but I have had some not so great experiences going green in this regards so sometimes I steer clear of this stuff. Ecover was so confident that they have the natural solution to household cleaning (including dishwashing and laundry) that they let me try their stain remover out. So far, so good. I removed splashed green bean and peaches puree from my son's khaki pants with no problem whatsoever and it sounds like this stain fighter is up for ever tougher challenges:

Got stains?  Grass, grease, mud and blood are no object for our power-packed Stain Remover.  The built-in brush starts the job on stubborn stains before the washing machine even gets going.  

I did LOVE the built in brush feature! Generally I spray and then have to rub with my fingers or rub the fabric together for quite a while-- this was much easier and I am sure helps in the stain removal process. Want to be more eco-friendly in your home? Check out Ecover and let me know what you think. You can buy it online here. They too have a blog you can follow, a facebook page you can visit or follow them on twitter.

Need that perfect present?

Whether its for you or for someone on your "nice" list Yester Year Soap Company has you covered! Everyone uses soap and these soaps smell delicious making them a real treat. Yester Year hand-crafts their soaps without adding chemicals, preservatives or syntetic fragrances. You have many options when buying-- a huge array of scents from fruity, tropical, flowery and fresh. Can't decide? They have combo packs with their most popular bars. Fall in love with a particular scent? You can purchase full loaves! Feel like pampering someone? Shower them with a gift basket filled with yummy Yester Year soap! I think these would be great presents for those who love high quality moisturizing soap or those who are hard to buy for like teachers, the friends who already have everything etc... When putting together a 3-bar pack for myself I had a hard time picking which ones I wanted to try. The descriptions make each one sound delicious, good enough to eat! Here is what I finally chose:


Sunrise:

Clean, airy top notes give way to a floral heart of jasmine, rose, orange blossom, and ylang.

Mango Papaya:

A tropical delight! You will fall in love with this fruity blend of ripened mango and juicy papaya

The smell makes you want to wander onto the nearest plane and go island hopping!

Summer Citrus:

Lovers of fruity fragrances will be swept away by our re-creation of this sparkling and contemporary blend.

A Best Seller! This clean-yet-sexy classic floral blend will not disappoint you.

As you can see I had a bit of a theme going-- summery and tropical, boy am I going to miss the summer-time and hoping to keep it in my shower at least a bit longer. Ask me to pick a favorite? I can't. Honestly, each smelled so sweet. I can only imagine how rich the vanillas must smell and how fresh the mountain air or green tea mint must be. Take a peek at their online store-- there is really something for everyone including those guys on your list! Oh and my 3 bar pack was wrapped up super cute in a nice box with some natural ribbon in a bow just like this:

Pit Stop!

Check out the cool looking "Pit Stop" themed lunch box that my son got from Go Green Lunch Box:

"Each Go Green Lunch Box set comes with an insulated fabric carrier, a five-compartment food container, and a bottle that will hold eight ounces of water or your child’s favorite drink – all leach- and lead-free. Turn 'n lock technology ensures your child's lunch stays fresh."

Not only do these lunch boxes have fun designs that will make your children excited to carry them but they are innovative with their unique design features that I have not seen anywhere else.

They have a whiteboard to write notes (this might be my favorite part of all), 5 compartments including a stainless drink bottle, silicone banding on each compartment to seal from leaks, turn and lock technology to keep in freshness and is an affordable alternative to purchasing each item individually-- look at the cost analysis here. (They also have replacement parts so if anything happens you are not purchasing a whole new set). Even though Max is not in school we will use the Go Green Lunch Box on picnics, running errands, car trips and any other time I want to keep his food fresh on the go. I love getting the chance to review and showcase these types of products that will make life easier! Oh and these are not just for kids-- I would have loved one of these when I was working to tote my lunch back and forth, they have cool adult designs as well.

How am I just learning about this?

Steven at JK Gourmet asked me if I wanted to try their Almond Flour and pointed me towards a couple of recipes that use Almond Flour (here is the link to those). I checked it out and I was in. After getting the flour I looked at the ingredient (notice no "s") it was simply blanched (no skin) almonds perfectly ground up-- this must be a skill because if you go too far you will have almond butter and not enough you will not have the perfectly fine flour that was contained in my box. So what do you do with almond flour? After getting my box I popped on the internet (go figure) and was amazed at how versatile this is and how many people could benefit from using it since well it is almonds and they are great for your health but also those following a gluten free diet, low carb diet and many others. So what did I do with mine? Made some muffins. I saw dozens of recipes and modified my own to use what I had on hand and to try and keep them on the healthy side. Here is what I used:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large ripe mashed bananas
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• handful of crushed walnuts

Mixed, heated oven to 350 and they took about 15 minutes to be done.

Delicious almost guilt free muffins (any ideas on how to nix the sugar-- email me!). I realized just how many variations there could be on these simple muffins-- use applesauce instead of bananas then insert other fruits, nuts etc... I want to try ones using cocoa powder next to see if they will have a brownie effect since these turned out so moist. I would not attempt to make almond flour at home so luckily you can order yours up here

JK Gourmet also has other grain free products including granola bars (come in the cutest little boxes-- would make great gifts with a gift card strapped to them or as a stocking stuffer and they are delicious) and granola which shocked me that it was grain free-- its granola just how I like it no added fat and loaded with good stuff like fruit and nuts.

Check this out:
We guarantee that all of our products are:
• Made from whole, natural foods
• Grain-free (that’s no wheat, bran, oats, rice, spelt, barley, rye or corn)
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free and lactose-free
• Soy-free
• Trans fat–free
• Sweetened only with honey
• Legal for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
• A source of fibre and calcium
• Labeled accurately and include all ingredients
• Able to help lower LDL cholesterol
• Part of a healthy eating plan