Product Review: Alter Eco (chocolate and quinoa, and rice, oh my!)

A team of activists who strive to provide healthy food while working with small-scale farmers runs Alter Eco. The business is focused on fighting social and economic justice by maintaining Fair Trade and Organic practices. Alter Eco carries a variety of quinoa, rice, chocolate, and sugar.

I received a box of food products from Alter Eco to review in exchange for an honest review. The items were definitely some of my favorite products: chocolate & nutritious food that tastes good!

ORGANIC CHOCOLATE

• Dark Coconut Toffee - crunchy and toasted, wit a chewy bite, and a smooth buttery finish
• Dark Quinoa - light crispy crunch, an artisan update on a nostalgic childhood treat - 
• Dark Blackout - deep fruity intensity, not recommended for those afraid of the dark - 

My favorite bar of chocolate was definitely the Dark Coconut Toffee. Each bite was heavenly. The chocolate was sweet and had just enough coconut to be tasty, but not overpowering. I also enjoyed the other chocolate bars, but they contained higher amounts of cocoa, giving them a bittersweet bite. I did enjoy the crunch of the Dark Quinoa bar.

PEARL QUINOA

Closer to couscous, with an ever-so-slight crunch. 

I am new to cooking quinoa, but I was excited to cook something different for my kids. I prepared the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Within 15 minutes, I had a small pot of fluffy quinoa. I placed it in a mixing bowl with one cup of applesauce, 1/4 cup of peanut butter, and a few shakes of ground cinnamon. It was a yummy breakfast. My kids gave it two thumbs up! 

THAI STICKY PURPLE RICE

This rare beautiful grain will make any recipe stick.

I was really interested in preparing the Purple Thai Sticky Rice. I decided to cook the rice and serve it with steamed vegetables. I was fascinated by the color and surprised by how it tasted so much like properly cooked sticky white rice. It was delicious. I also enjoyed that it cooked less than 25 minutes. The bonus was that my kids asked for another helping.

I was extremely pleased with the quality of these food items. I look forward to trying more products from Alter Eco and supporting such a cool and positive company.

Learn more about Alter Eco & their products:

http://www.alterecofoods.com/ (recipes are available)

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AlterEcoSF

Twitter - @AlterEcoSF

Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/alterecosf/

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GIVEAWAY - 3 Month Conscious Box Subscription

I love the idea of subscribing to Conscious Box and receiving a variety of all natural products from reputable businesses. It gives me the opportunity to discover new organic and vegan items. Plus, fun monthly themes and healthy tips in each box.

How Does Conscious Box work?

Conscious Box is the best way to discover the most ethical and sustainable products on the planet! Focusing on strict tenets of organic, fair trade, and pure and natural products, each month Conscious Box will introduce you to healthy and honest alternatives for every aspect of your life and for every member of your family. Discover the best natural products, earn points for leaving feedback and reviews, and buy your favorites at incredible discounts!


I am thrilled that Conscious Box has given one of my readers the opportunity to WIN a 3-month subscription. That is a $59 value.

AND they are also offering my readers a 25% OFF discount to any Conscious Box subscription. Use code: LOVELIFE

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

DIY Green Crafts: Fishing Game

I've seen the green company,  Green Kid Crafts, on a few different parenting blogs and kept meaning to try them out. Last month they had an awesome special where the company offered their monthly art kit for FREE, you just had to pay shipping. Of course, I jumped on that deal.

I was super excited when the box arrived, and I found four different green activities for my son to make. Plus, a small bag of Annie's snack crackers, yay!

The first craft we chose was the fishing game. A fish template and colorful felt squares were included in the box. I'd like to mention that everything we needed for this craft was included except scissors.

Next, we attached one end of a stretchy cord to a pencil and the other end to a washer. Finally, velcro circles were stuck onto each side of the washer. Then, it was fishing time! We spread the fish on the ground, and my son "went fishing." The velcro pieces easily stuck onto the felt fish. A cute craft!

Next week I'll be posting about another activity from our "Food Adventures" themed box.

Learn more about Green Kid Crafts on Facebook and Pinterest!

DISCLAIMER: I wasn't hired or paid to write about Green Kid Crafts. I paid for the product and chose to do my own write-up.

Product Review: Ology (Laundry Liquid & All-Purpose Cleaner)

I’m always looking for new natural products for my family to try, so I was really excited when I was contacted by a representative from Walgreen’s new chemical-free line, Ology, to review two of their products. There were some great items to choose from, including paper items, hair care, and household cleaners. I decided to review the 2X Laundry Liquid and All-Purpose Cleaner.

Ology Stain Fighting 2X Laundry Liquid Free & Clear

Product Description

Our laundry liquid is formulated for delicates, woolens and regular washing. containing no dyes, phosphates or artificial fragrances, it's gentle on clothing & gentle on your skin. Fights tough stains. No harmful chemicals. HE and conventional machine compatible.
 For normal loads fill one cap and a half.  For larger loads or heavy soil, add two capfuls. Pretreat stains where necessary.



My Review

I think the packaging for all the products are very appealing, but I especially loved the container of laundry liquid. The color scheme is eye catching along with a petite shape that makes storing the recyclable bottle super easy. After washing my fist load of laundry with 2X Laundry Liquid, I noticed the clothes were a lot soft than when I use my regular detergent. I have three children, so you can imagine the stains on the clothing I have to wash, and Ology had absolutely no issues removing them. 

Ology All Purpose Cleaner Lemon & Lavender

Product Description

Our all-purpose cleaner is a natural spray for kitchen counters, stove tops, and most household surfaces to clean and shine. Contains no harsh solvents, dyes or ammonia so it is safe for you and your family.  Cuts through grease and grime. Meyer lemon and lavender scented. No harmful chemicals.

No animal testing
Bottle made from 100% post consumer materials.
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
 Spray on surfaces. Wipe to dry.


My Review

The All-Purpose Cleaner is lightly scented in Meyer Lemon & Lavender. I adored the relaxing smell of lavender that gently lingered after cleaning my kitchen countertops. I like the idea of a cleaning product leaving such a pleasant smell opposed to something harsh or harmful. The All-Purpose Cleaner efficiently cleaned the daily grime from my kitchen counter and sink. I also enjoyed the amount of spray that came from the bottle. One squirt produced a large spray allowing you to minimize how much of the product you need to use. 

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Here is a link to the official Walgreen’s press release announcing the launch of Ology: Press Release

To learn more about the Ology brand, you can also visit:

www.walgreens.com/ology

www.facebook.com/OlogyBrand

www.twitter.com/OlogyBrand

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I was sent a Walgreen’s gift card for the purposes of obtaining Ology products to review. No other compensation was offered or received. No suggestions or requests to select specific products within the Ology line were offered. I was in no way obligated to write a positive review and all opinions are mine and mine alone.

Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle Holiday Waste

While the kids tear into gifts on Christmas, I run around them confiscating the boxes, gift bags, and ribbon to put up in the closet and reuse for next year. I don't want to imagine all the waste sitting on the curbs waiting for trash pick up after the holidays. If it can be reused, I salvage it.

DIY Wreath - This year I made a wreath for our front door using beads and ribbon from last year. The wreath itself was something I purchased last year (at the dollar store) and the faux poinsettia is the only thing I bought this year. My total investment was $3.

I am lucky enough to receive many holiday cards each year. It always warms my heart to open the envelope and find a cheery card inside. My family has a tradition of taping all our holiday cards on the back of our front door. We are constantly being reminded of the wonderful people in our life.

As much as I would love to, I just can’t keep every card we receive. When the holidays are over, I remove all the cards from our front door. I put aside the ones that have family pictures on them or ones that have in-depth personal messages. Those cards go in inspirational journals that I keep.

Most of the cards usually just contain a signature, so I don’t feel too awful about reusing those. I fold the crease of the card and tear down the middle. I dispose of the side that has the signature, and I reuse the cover of the card. A few examples of how I reuse them: in a holiday collage, transform into gift tags for next year, as a holiday postcard (flip over, write a message & add a stamp!) and I also write thank you notes on them to include in my Etsy orders. 

Think about how you can reuse & recycle the paper items you receive this year!

Product Review & Giveaway: ReUsies

Whooo's Looking Two Pack

ReUsies™ Product Information

ReUsies™ are a re-usable alternative to sandwich and snack bags.  Each one has the potential to eliminate hundreds of plastic bags. ReUsies™ are 100% cotton lined with leak-resistant nylon.  They are easy to clean either by hand, dishwasher, or washer and dryer.  Food safe and come in a variety of prints for any member of the household.

Available Sizes

Snack: approx. 6” w / 5” h

The snack size holds a half sandwich or whole sandwich with the crust cut off! It is good for smaller quantities of crackers, pretzels, apple slices, etc.

Sandwich: approx. 7.5” w/ 6” hThe sandwich size holds a typical "grown up"- sized sandwich, full bagel, or larger quantity of snacks.

A typical lunch would contain one sandwich and two snack-sized bags or three snack-sized bags. 

My Review:

I was really excited when I received a two pack from ReUsies to review. The set I was given had a lovely owl design. I was very impressed with the size of the sandwich and snack packs. With previous reusable holders, I found myself squishing in food to fit properly, which is not desirable for the person eating the sandwich. 

I packed my daughter a peanut butter sandwich and placed it in the sandwich pack. It had plenty of room leftover for larger bread as well, which is great because I bake a lot of homemade bread and the slices are not always similar in size to store bought bread. We were able to comfortably fit two large rice cakes in the snack bag. 

Each pack has a velcro closure and there is also a velcro attachment to connect the sandwich and snack pack together. Along with the owl design, the packs are also available in the following patterns:  

• Airplanes 

• Peace Flowers 

• Skelly Bones 

• Happy Fruit 

• Floral Vacation

 • & many more!

ReUsies has generously offered one of my readers the chance to win a two pack of their choice, so exciting! Enter to win using the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

No 'Poo & Mermaid Hair

Being eco-friendly is important to me. I am always researching about products so that I can make the healthiest choice for my family and the environment. I have overhauled how I feed my family and myself. I’ve also switched to using natural cleaners so, the next thing I have been working on transforming is our bath and body care. It’s unbelievable how many items we have been using that are chock full of toxins.  The website, EWG’s Skin Deep, is a helpful resource to break down the ingredients in products and explain why they are harmful.

Moving on to no ‘poo! Now, my friend Shai is also an Earth friendly mama and I have seen her post quite a bit about the no ‘poo method which is washing your hair but not using a harmful shampoo. Thankfully she wrote a detailed blog post about the process that made it simple to follow along. The no ‘poo method consists of using a baking soda wash and apple cider vinegar rinse for 6 weeks to detox your hair. It’s cheap and good for you.

I decided to give no ‘poo a try! It’s been almost two weeks, and I love my hair! It feels amazing. My hair stays soft and it makes me happy to know I am using all natural products. Before I get in the shower, I pour the baking soda and apple cider vinegar in reusable containers. I add water to create the mixtures while I am in the shower. The baking soda scrub has a gritty texture but once I rinse with the apple cider vinegar my hair feels silky.

Speaking of hair awesomeness, The Dirty Housewife recently hosted a giveaway for an 8-ounce bottle of Mermaid Hair and I won!

From The Dirty Housewife: "My Mermaid Hair is formulated to bring that 'beachy' look to your hair-Just like how a day at the beach will leave your hair sunkissed and seasprayed and mixed with salt water. My hair is always more manageable after a day in the ocean and always seems to have that sexy tousled look to it."

I tried Mermaid Hair for the first time yesterday. One of the first things I noticed is that seconds after I spritzed Mermaid Hair onto my hair, my natural curls and wave popped out. My favorite thing about Mermaid Hair is that I experienced ZERO frizz after my hair dried naturally. I do not blow dry my hair so when it dries naturally I usually have a dome of frizz which I then tackle with a hot iron. Mermaid Hair is perfect for my busy lifestyle. Now, I can jump out of the shower, towel dry my hair, spray on Mermaid Hair and go about my day with hair that looks awesome. Also, a little goes a long way! Thank you Shai and Tanya for showing me the way of healthy, natural, and beautiful hair.

Please visit The Dirty Housewife and treat yourself to something wonderful! I know I am looking forward to trying some of the other products that Tanya has created. http://www.thedirtyhousewife.net/

Feel like a Goddess! DIY Sugar Scrub ~ Guest Blogger, Shai Smith

Growing up, I was never much of a girly girl. I wasn’t allowed to wear make-up, didn’t buy my own clothes, and washed my hair with the family bottle of Pert shampoo. Looking or feeling beautiful was just never a priority.  Then, after learning how to make my own laundry detergent, I started scouring the internet for other cheap, homemade products to help my frugal, young family while also helping the earth, and I just happened across the wonders of homemade bath products.  Since then, I’ve become an addict.  While I’m still not really a ‘girly-girl’, the act of creating and using my own eco-friendly beauty products has brought out an inner natural goddess I never knew existed.  Every woman deserves to feel like a goddess now and then, and you can, too, when you take control of your natural beauty and tell cosmetic companies you’re kissing their chemicals goodbye.

My all-time favorite beauty product that I make at home is my sugar scrub!  Even the cheapest container of sugar scrub at the local department store is nearly $8 and full of nastiness I can’t fathom rubbing into my skin. These toxic tubs can even be as much as $30-50 a jar!  Exfoliating, though, is an important part of skin care, as it removes the dead skin cells from the top of your skin and stimulates the newer skin cells underneath. So, what’s a woman to do? Make her own, of course!

Here's my recipe:

- 1 ½ c. sugar

- ¼ c. oil - grapeseed, olive oil, sunflower oil, and coconut oil all work great
- experiment and see what you like!
- natural oil extract or massage oil of your choice for scent

Just mix them in a recycled container, like a mason jar, and store it in a dry place such as your bathroom cabinet. When it comes time to exfoliate, make sure you mix the contents of the jar, as the oil likes to settle a bit. Personally, I often only use the first two ingredients. On the rare occasion I add scented oil, I use almond. I have noticed that vanilla and sugar mixed together with oil smell alot like vanilla vodka.

Shai Smith is an eco-friendly mama and the mastermind behind The Vagabond Studio. She is a full-time student, writer, artist, and nature lover. The creativity she radiates is infectious and I feel pretty lucky to call her my friend. 
Check out Shai's latest creations here.