Thirst Quenching the Organic Way...

From time to time I receive products to test in exchange for my honest opinion.  Recently I received, from Influenster, a vox box containing Apple and Eve juice drinks.  I received three juice box sized Organic Quenchers, and a quart sized package of 100% organic no sugar added juice. 

Before I got a chance to try the juice box in earnest, my kids had blown through them.  And they loved them!  My daughter, who is quite verbose, explained to me that her thirst was quenched and that the drink had just the right amount of raspberry flavoring to it.  I quickly grabbed a sip.  The flavor is not what I expected, as I am used to non organic juices. I expected a more fruity flavor, but this was more like water with a hint of juice.  And I love that for my kids!  I try to give them natural when I can, and I like that the juice has 50% less sugar than other juices out there.  It makes me feel good giving them this juice as is also FILLED with vitamin C. 

Also in the box was Apple and Eve Organics Orange Pineapple.  This was for the grown ups in our house!  We loved it!  Perfect packaging to fit in our already full fridge, it is also designed to keep the juice fresh and is designed to protect the environment too. No sugar added, but it still tastes good, probably because of the blend of 6 organic juices that are in the package.  It is 100% juice and is USDA certified organic and Non GMO certified. 

The only issue I had with this is that because of the packaging, some of the juice is left inside, I tried to get it all out, shaking, turning and whatever else I could do to get the last drops of juicy goodness, but alas no luck. 


Definitely going to look for these in my supermarket on the next run!

If you want to give the juice a try, check out this printable coupon!  Enjoy!

Faith is restored....

For Christmas, my mother purchased me this beautiful jewelry box (see here)

I didn't open the package until much after receiving it, but when I did, there was no key.  I sent an email to the company and promptly sent me a key, which I then proceeded to lose.

Once again, I contacted customer service, who told me that it had been too long for me to receive a replacement key.  I was fine with that.  I asked if I could purchase a key, being that I had already put all my jewelry in there.  It was just staring at me on my wall, laughing at my carelessness.

The friendly customer service agent said they would get back to me about purchasing a replacement key.  I eagerly awaited more information. It is a beautiful piece, and I'm looking forward to adding the pictures to it, but I am slow like turtle.


So today I leafed through the mail and found a letter with hand-written  addresses instead of the computer generated kind. It was heavy, and I didn't know what was inside.  Guess what friends? This was inside!

 

 

Oh happy day! The company had sent me a replacement key!  Free of charge!  Talk about customer service! Thank you so much Hayneedle!  I actually pawed my jewelry, now that I'm able to access it again.  It's so colorful and pretty!  I missed my beauties every so much.

My preciousssssssesssssssss!

 

 

So for customer service alone, I suggest you visit Hayneedle and drop some cash there! Give them your email address and you'll receive a discount off your purchase. They have all kinds of cool items for the home at reasonable prices.  Have fun kiddies!

My Love Affair with my Vox Box

 

As part of the Influenster Nation I often receive products to test out in exchange for my honest opinion.  Recently I was able to participate in the #Nuture #VoxBox

 

Here's the box that arrived for me!

 

 

 

 

with each of the products descriptions and social media information

 

 

 

 

There were some really great items in the box.  Some of which I enjoyed, some of which I did not.  Check out the previous posts for some of the items I reviewed.  But here's a sneak peak at some...

 

A lot of the products in the box are environmentally friendly, like the Attitude shampoo, or skin friendly like the Hada Labo Tokyo face mask, which I reviewed here and the Blue Lizard sensitive broad spectrum sunscreen (visit here for a coupon code) The cap of the bottle turns blue in UV light, reminding you to reapply.

 

Lots of food items in this vox box.  I received a package of Red Vines, which are made with only 5 ingredients and no preservatives and as always, they are fat free.  They are the perfect snack for our upcoming road trip.  As is the non-drowsy, natural dramamine that was in the package.   Some of the other food items include:

 

Chili cheese fries from the microwave?  We shall see.  Also #gotitfree in my #voxbox

 

Even Goldie the Goldfish was excited for my chicken korma with garbanzo beans and Uncle Ben's Basmati Rice, which I got free with the coupon that was enclosed in my #voxbox


Great box this time!  I love testing out products and sharing my opinions.  Plus, #swag is always fun!

*I received these items in exchange for my honest opinions.  Those opinions are expressed here*

Product Review: Hada Labo Tokyo Anti Aging Face Mask

Occasionally I am given products in exchange for my honest opinion.  This is one of those reviews.

Through Influenster  I received the Hada Labo Tokyo Anti Aging Mask .  Here's a clip of me using the mask and of my honest  review

After I used the mask, my skin felt smoother and fresh.  As I mentioned in the video, the stickiness of the mask was a little jarring.  I probably would not include this mask in my skin care routine for this reason. 

Price wise the product seems fairly priced.  You can purchase a pack of four masks at Walgreens for $14.99.  The product is also available at Ulta, though I don't have an Ulta store in my area. 


*I received this product in exchange for my honest opinion*

Product Review: Attitude Color Protection Shampoo

As part of the Influenster community, I receive products in exchange for my honest opinion.  This post reflects my opinion of Attitude Color Protection Shampoo.


I do not have color treated hair, so I cannot speak to those benefits.  I used the product myself.  The shampoo is free of toxins and other chemicals that appear in other shampoo brands, though it is not stated specifically WHICH chemicals.  The product is vegan, and certified for reduced environmental impact.  There is a logo of a small bunny on the package, which I assume means this product is not tested on animals, but again, it is not clearly stated.

The shampoo has a pleasing smell and appears to be like other shampoos.  When used, it creates a nice lather, making me feel like my hair is getting clean.  I've used other environmentally friendly shampoos before, and they seem to weigh my hair down and make it feel not clean.  The Attitude shampoo cleaned my hair nicely. 

I did find that my hair, which is normally bouncy and full of volume, fell a bit limp throughout the day.  My hair did not seem to fall in its normal pattern. 

This product available at Target.  It retails for approximately $9 a bottle, which is a bit out of my price range.  The  product seemed good, but I would not pay that much money to use it on a regular basis. 

*I received this product free in exchange for my honest opinion*

Save Money Help a Neighbor

What a great way to save money and make money! Check out what my alma mater (The best place in the world) is doing. 



Good things, good things.



If you are in the market for a dorm sized refrigerator or other items, check this out today.



http://web.plattsburgh.edu/news/index.php?wl_mode=more&wl_eid=2219

Two birds, one pot...

After a long bout of tummy troubles, the family is back on track, which means, I have to start really cooking again.  Once again I utilized the one pot method this week.  What can I say, I'm a creature of habit.

 

 

Wednesday night I decided to make a dish I call "Sausage Al Forno."  Basically it is sausage, cut into small slices mixed with a whole bunch of veggies.  For this time, I used these veggies.

 

 

 

Mise En Place

 

 

All items used for the meal, except for the butter and the garlic (which I buy in bulk) were purchased at Aldi.  I used the Kirkwood Turkey Jalapeno sausage, which was $2.49 per package.  Here's the recipe:

 

 

Ingredients

1 small zucchini

1/2 can (32 oz) diced tomatoes

6 - 8 large mushrooms, sliced thin

1 large tbsp. minced garlic

1 1/2 green pepper, diced

1 1/2 tbsp. butter

3-4 Kirwood Turkey Jalapeno sausage, cut into 1 inch thick pieces

1 small onion, diced (not picture)

1 1/2 cup chicken broth (not pictured)

 

Directions

In a large pan, heat butter.  Add garlic, simmer till fragrant.  Add onions.  Cook till translucent.  Add peppers, mushrooms and zucchini.  Cook for approximately 3 minutes before adding tomatoes.  Add sausage and chicken broth.  Simmer until veggies are tender.  Serve over pasta or quinoa.  Top with Priano parmesan cheese.  

 

Voila!

 

On Thursday, I felt a stir fry coming on because at work, they were serving chicken lo mein.  (I work at an elementary school cafeteria)

In my freezer, I had some ham steak, purchased at Aldi's.  I also had some canned mushrooms and canned peas (not from Aldi's, but canned mushrooms and peas are sold there) as well as some Soy Vay Island Teriyaki marinade.  Quinoa served as the "grain" or rice in this dish.  Here's how it works:

Ingredients

2 ham steaks, diced
1 can peas
1 small can mushrooms
1 small onion, diced
1 tbsp. garlic
1 cup quinoa (prepared to package directions)
1 tbsp butter
Soy Vay Island Teriyaki marinade


Directions

In a large wok, heat 1 tbsp. butter.  Add garlic, heat till fragrant.  Add mushrooms and peas, with juices.  Add diced ham and 1/2 bottle of Soy Vay marinade.  Add water if needed.  Simmer on medium for about 30 minutes.  Serve over quinoa. 

(It was so good, I couldn't wait to take a picture.  Om nom nom nom)

 

 

The marinade is a bit of a splurge, costing approximately $5.49 per bottle at Lowe's of all places.  But it is worth the cost.  I use the bottle for at least two, sometimes even 3 meals, so the cost evens out.  Other items, except quinoa were or can be purchased at Aldi for minimal cost.  For approximately $6.50, I could purchase everything, minus the quinoa.  The meal served 4, with enough leftovers for 2.  Minimal cost maximum flavor. 

 

 

I would like to see Aldi carry a quinoa-only product.  They sell a quinoa brown rice mix, but I don't like to eat grain, so this doesn't work for me. 

 

 

 

 

Make sure to come back later this week to get some product reviews, more recipes and more fun stuff.  Follow me on twitter @camp3082