FTC Disclaimer: Chobani sent a case of their various Greek yogurt flavors (plus a plain one) for my enjoyment. I did not buy the yogurt mentioned in this review. I was not, however, paid to write a review. Affiliate links to Amazon result in small commissions that keep this blog online. Thanks for your support!

Delivery!

Enter: Chobani Greek Yogurt

“We make Chobani deep in the rolling hills of Central New York. Our expert team is committed to bringing you products made with only natural ingredients that are not only the highest quality but also taste great too.” – Chobani

About Chobani

So what’s this about Chobani? When did the company start? Who founded it?

I did a little research on the Chobani site, www.chobani.com, and discovered some facts about Chobani’s history:

“Chobani was founded by Hamdi Ulukaya in 2005 and is now the largest yogurt manufacturer in New York State.”

A native to Turkey, Hamdi’s experience with Mediterranean food goes back three generations. Chobani is his vision-become-reality desire to bring the U.S. delicious foods made from super quality, natural ingredients.

From the site:

Mustafa Dogan is Chobani’s Master Yogurt Maker. He’s an artisan armed with years of yogurt-making experience and is responsible for crafting the rich, deliciousness that is Chobani.

Mustafa custom blends special yogurt cultures just for Chobani. We add these to the milk that we receive daily from local farms to make yogurt. We then strain this yogurt to make it outrageously creamy and ridiculously high in protein.

This unique straining process is what makes Chobani “Greek” and full of flavor and health benefits:
·      Only natural ingredients. No preservatives. No artificial flavors.
·      Free of synthetic growth hormones: No rBST-treated milk.
·      Includes 5 live & active cultures, including 3 probiotics.
·      Made with real fruit.
·      Twice the protein of regular yogurts.
·      A good source of bone-building calcium.
·      Gluten-Free and Kosher-Certified.
·      Safe for people with corn, nut and soy allergies.

Peaches

Juicy little pieces of peaches are scattered throughout this one. The peach flavor is strong, but subtle – one of my favorites this far!  

Strawberry

See the strawberries all in there?! I ate this one with some cereal. Thick, creamy, decadent, rich, full of strawberries and strawberry flavor. Yum-O!

Blueberry

This flavor was spot-on. There are juicy little blueberries in every bite and it’s just delish!

Vanilla

Didn’t get a picture of this one (???) but it was so decadent and yummy. I’d definitely try it again! And it would be perfect for smoothies or overnight oats. Mmmmm….

Pineapple

As I go through the reviewing process and sample these Chobani Greek yogurts, they just keep getting better and BETTER! Introducing you to the pineapple flavor of Chobani Greek yogurt is MY PLEASURE. Goodness gracious, this is so delicious!

Let me begin by saying this one is fresh and refreshing, sweet and tangy, juicy and creamy and decadent and my, oh my! Mmmmm….

What a winner!

Pineapple Chobani Greek yogurt is SO good, in fact, I feel it could be used as icing on a tropical cake – NO JOKE!

Black Cherry

This was a really great one to eat straight from the container, with or without toppings. I combined it with cereal. It wasn’t my favorite but I have nothing bad to say about it – definitely yummy!

Strawberry-Banana

The strawberry-banana flavor was definitely a favorite. I loved the taste, the texture, the combo. Perfect!

Mango

I’m not a big “mango person” but once again, I was pleasantly surprised at the total fresh taste and refreshing aspect of Chobani Greek yogurt. The chunks of juicy fruit are simply amazing and extremely delicious. SO good! I’d absolutely eat this again and again!

Pomegranate

Like mango, I’m not big on pomegranate either. I don’t know why. It’s just never really “spoke” to me or called out: “eat me, eat me”! like other flavors this world offers.

However, it was spot-on and I couldn’t be more pleased with my experience. I’d eat it again!

Raspberry

I LOVE all berries I’ve tried (blueberry, strawberry, blackberry…) and raspberry is no different. I chunked the whole container of the raspberry Greek yogurt in a smoothie with banana, hemp powder, and ice. Luscious and delish!

I can’t say enough good things about Chobani Greek yogurt. It amazes me how fresh it tastes and how refreshing it is! I’m definitely SOLD and can’t wait to try more!

Thank you, Chobani, for the case of your AMAZING Greek yogurt. I enjoyed it, immensely!

Blueberry 0% Nutrition Facts

What about you? Have you tried Chobani yogurt? Do you have a favorite flavor? Chime in!

Hi, y’all!

Just wanted to let you know I’m still around – I’m just lost in Chobani Heaven.

Oh. So. Good.

I’m reviewing a case of different flavors and documenting my thoughts on each.

In-depth review coming soon!

Have you tried Chobani? Have you tried Greek yogurt? I LOVE It!

Until then, check out my latest at Mainline Gardening: Hemp-Honey Donut Holes. Yum!

Honestly, I started out with the best of intentions: create a fantabulous recipe, take beautiful photos (workin’ on that one!) and post a great review for Oh!Nuts.

But it didn’t work out that way – not like I had planned, anyway.

The nuts arrived. I was excited. I took photos.

Then I started fantasizing about a unique recipe.

I asked myself the following questions:

Should I bake it?
Should it be in smoothie form?
Should I try to make it raw, or mostly raw?

Cookies?

Muffins?

Cake?

All those are so ordinary. Mundane. To be expected.

So, I thought I’d open the bag and taste ‘em and go from there.

Um, boy did I go.

Each day that passed by, I’d nibble a few more.

“These taste like cinnamon rolls!” I told my husband.

When I convinced him to taste ‘em, he thought the same thing!

“Hmmmm….” I thought. I can’t make cinnamon rolls – they already taste like cinnamon rolls!

And, of course, one day led to the next, the delicious cinnamon pecans (mysteriously) disappearing.

Until… slowly, but surely, they were almost all gone.

Yep, folks, almost the entire pound of pecans is now tucked away in my hips. *giggles*

I still have enough to make a recipe.

But honestly, I can’t think of a better way to eat ‘em than straight from the bag!

And, in the end…. cookies it was.

Cinnamon Pecan Coconut Oatmeal Cookies

(Based on Averie’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2. 1 cup brown sugar
3. 1/2 cup white sugar
4. 1 egg (I used a large brown one.)
5. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6. 1 teaspoon cinnamon (Averie’s recipe called for two but I cut it in half since I added cinnamon pecans from Oh!Nuts.)
7. 1 cup flour (I used self-rising ‘cause that’s what I had on hand.)
8. 1.5 cup old-fashioned oats
9. 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
10. 1 cup chopped cinnamon pecans (I used Oh!Nuts)

Directions:

1. Melt butter.

2. In a big bowl, add brown and white sugar to melted butter and stir. Allow to cool to room temp.

3. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, flour, and oats. Stir.

4. Add coconut flakes and cinnamon pecans (or other add-ins like raisins, etc.)

5. If you have time, refrigerate dough (I’m not sure I’d do this next time – I’ll explain below.)

6. Drop spoonsful of dough on your cookie sheet.

7. I have a gas oven that really gets hot so I adjusted Averie’s suggestion of 325 to under 300 so my cookies wouldn’t burn. I also had to put my cookies on the very top rack. Depending on your oven, bake 10-12 minutes or so – or less until they reach your desired finished product. If you like them soft and chewy, bake less. If you want a crunchier cookie with that crunchy bottom, leave in the oven a little longer.

8. I cooled my cookies on a rack.

These cookies turned out a little crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. (My first batch. Details below. )

FYI NOTE: I baked the first batch and then got sidetracked so I decided to put the dough back in the fridge and come back to finish baking later yesterday. When I came back, my dough was too dry and hard, so I ended up having to improvise. I had company over and after my sweet cousin, Krista, added 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup peanut butter…. all was well in my cookie world!

The rest of the batch turned out really moist and chewy and delicious. Yum-O!

Depending on how big you make your cookies – and how much raw cookie dough you nibble on! – you’ll end up with a couple dozen cookies or so, give or take a few.  

She’s quite the little chef and baker!

Thank you Oh!Nuts – and Krista!

FTC Disclaimer: Oh!Nuts sent a sample of the nuts mentioned in this review. They did not pay me to write this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“…diabetes is a pandemic situation with over 246 million people suffering worldwide.”

I used to be on of them!

Hi, y’all!

Hope your December is going well. You aren’t stressed, are you? Remember, take time to slow down, breathe, have a cup of hot tea or a smoothie – or even just meditate for a few short minutes.

Our health is precious. Life is short enough as it is. We simply MUST make the most of it!

If you have time, I’d like you to take the time today to check out the 50% off savings that will make a huge impact on your health.

With a new year upon us, there’s never a better time like the present to dedicate ourselves to living healthier, more fuller lives!

Raw foods, juices, and smoothies have literally been lifesavers for me. And that’s why I can wholeheartedly promote the Raw for Thirty DVDs.

When I watched this set of films, I was in awe.

I mean, I saw myself in those people who were obese, discouraged, battling such illness.

I couldn’t believe it. If I would have had something like that to watch and learn from and be inspired by when I was going through those things, I’d have jumped at it!

Take this chance to check out the raw foods films I’m tell you about. It’s worth your time.

If you’ve been trying to decide on gifts to buy, these films would make RAWsome presents for those you love.

Me at over 300 pounds!

Me recently, around 165 pounds!

The way we change and grow is by educating ourselves and being inspired and then turning around and encouraging and inspiring others.

Do this for yourself. Do it for those you love.

Time is precious but so is your life and health. Give yourself and those you love the gift of life and health. Invest in these films. Buy several. At 50% off, you can’t go wrong!

Enjoy the savings! I love you all!

And, if you’re still not convinced… the following information and statistics should help.

What do the actor Woody Harrelson, Rev. Michael Beckwith from “The Secret,” Morgan Spurlock from “Super Size Me,” Dr. Gabriel Cousens and raw food guru David Wolfe all have in common?

They’re all featured in a powerful documentary film the will forever change the way you think about your health (just watching the trailer will leave you stunned).

If you haven’t yet seen this film there’s something really special going on this week that I think you should check out.

You can see the trailer for the film and see what’s going on here:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

Whether you’re in perfect health or suffering with an illness like diabetes or any other health issue I highly recommend you watch this film.

It’s a powerful, emotional and educational film that is a must see for anyone who cares about their health.

The films shows how important the food we eat is and how all it takes is 30 days to make a huge life altering shift in your health.

And for 5 days only the producers of the film are giving away this film entitled “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days” and its companion “Raw for Life” 2 disc DVD set for 50% OFF the regular price…

All in an effort to raise awareness and raise funds for a ballot initiative to have all GMO (Genetically Modified Foods) labeled in California.

Why is it so important to get this passed in California?

Because it will set a precedent for the rest of the country to label GMO foods (something that much of the rest of the world is already doing).

Currently GMO foods are NOT labeled in the United States (or Canada)…even though they are labeled and even banned in many parts of the world.

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

But back to the film itself and how it will impact YOU…

If you are dealing with any health challenge, or you want to get into the best shape of your life, or you just want to feel vibrant with energy and have glowing skin…

Then you need to check out the trailer for this film and pick up a copy for yourself. 

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

The producers of the film (Alex and Nick Ortner – also known for their film “The Tapping Solution”) are also giving away a laundry list of amazing bonuses when you pick up a copy before this Friday.

So take a minute to watch the trailer for this amazing film by visiting the site below.

And remember, diabetes is a pandemic situation with over 246 million people suffering worldwide. If you or anyone you know is dealing with diabetes make sure that they watch this film. It just may save their life…

Hugs,

Michele Miller

aka Raw Juice Girl

P.S. – The 50% OFF is a ridiculously low price for the film.  With the bonuses they’ve added on it’s almost a no brainer.

It shows how passionate they are about getting this information out to the public. Make sure to check it out:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

FTC Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. This is a promotion. I was not paid to write this. I will receive small commissions from the sales.

FTC Disclaimer: The items mentioned below were sent to me free of charge. I did not pay for them. I have not been paid to write this review. Link to Amazon is an affiliate link. If you purchase anything through that link, I will receive a commission. Feel free to if you want to help keep this blog rollin’!

Now, on to the topic at hand…

The very kind folks at Celestial Seasonings are helping me get a head-start on taking care of myself this winter. That’s right. They’ve been generous enough to send me a Celestial Seasonings Wellness Kit!

I adore Celestial Seasonings. In fact, one of my very first experiences with being wowed by the power of herbs was when I was suffering from horrific migraines and stress and my mom gave me some Celestial Seasonings Tension Tamer.

It was like a spiritual experience. From head to toe, I felt a calmness sweep throughout me and it was as if that magical cup of tea had whisked away my migraine pain and stress. From that moment, I was hooked and have enjoyed a huge variety of Celestial Seasonings tea over the years.

If you’ve read any of my in-depth reviews, you know I love to dig into the past and learn all about the history behind the company of products I review, as well as the people who started it all.

About Celestial Seasonings

I got more than I bargained for when I studied up on this company. Come to find out, in 1968 a few folks started harvesting herbs in the Colorado Mountains – Aspen, to be exact. These folks are: Mo and Peggy Siegel, Wyck Hay, and Lucinda Ziesing.

You just have to be in awe when you find out how the name Celestial Seasonings came to be…

Fun Fact!

The company’s name is actually Lucinda Ziesing’s nickname. Yes! In 1969, Celestial Seasonings evolved because of Lucinda’s nickname.

How cool is that, huh?!

(For more Celestial Seasonings facts, check out their timeline here.)

When 1970 rolled around, production was booming, with a total of six employees, in a Boulder barn owned by Michael Dominick.

By 1972, Celestial Seasonings was incorporated, the company had been purchasing herbs worldwide, moved into a larger facility, new teas were being created….

Over the 70’s, the company expanded internationally.

Throughout the 80’s and 90’s, a few big things happened:

1. Kraft, Inc. purchased Celestial Seasonings.
2. Mo Siegel came and went – first, retiring from the company to travel the world doing humanitarian work and then returning as CEO in 1991.
3. “Celestial Seasonings management and Vestar Capital Partners bought company from Kraft through leveraged buyout.”

Today Celestial Seasonings continues to grow, expand, create new teas and products and I can’t wait to see what is to come from this amazing company!

So, you can imagine how I was pleasantly surprised when this super cool packaged arrived at my doorstep!

About the Book

I love alternative medicine. I’ve been fascinated by herbs and their uses for many years now and I must say, this is just one of the best books to have as your go-to guide for herbal remedies!

Herbs for Health and Happiness: All You Need to Know, written by Mo Siegel and Nancy Burke, this book is fun and easy to use. It is divided up in to sections that will make it easy for you to research ailments and which herbs you need to know to find happiness through herbs.

The holidays are coming up so it would make a great gift for any friends or family who are interested in herbal healing, teas, or their health in general.

I’m already using this fantabulous book as one of my references for an upcoming article to be published in the new year!

Let me guess… you’d LOVE to have a Celestial Seasonings Wellness Kit of your own? You can! Well, ONE of you can – because we’re having a giveaway!

In the past, I’ve posted the giveaways separately than the reviews and have given you up to 20 ways to enter.

Over time, it seems your enthusiasm over all the various ways to enter has turned into your being overwhelmed at the long list of ways to enter – SO things are going to change around here!

To make things much easier – and more fun! – for you, there’ll be a handful of ways to enter. There will be ONE required entry and then a couple extras. For each entry, please leave a separate comment. That’s all I ask.

In return, you’ll be entered to win an awesome Celestial Seasonings Wellness Kit of your own, which I know you’ll enjoy!

Giveaway Rules

There is only ONE required entry:

1. Visit ww.celestialseasonings.com and come back here and leave me a comment sharing which product you’d most like to try – or already have and love.

That’s it. Easy peasy!

For extra points:

2. “Like” the Celestial Seasonings Fan page.

3. Follow Celestial Seasonings on Twitter AND tweet this message:

@CelestialTea and @RawJuiceGirl are hosting a #wellness #giveaway! Enter HERE:  http://tinyurl.com/5to8tgx

You can tweet up to 5 times per day, at least an hour apart.

You have until Thursday, October 27th to get your entries in. Winner will be chosen by Mr. Random (random.org). Entries will be received until midnight (Central Time).

Let the entries pile in, y’all!!!

FTC Disclaimer: The Yoga Body Hip Opening Flow DVD mentioned in this post was sent to me by Stacy McCarthy, free of charge. I was not paid to write this review. The opinions in this post are my own thoughts and were not bought. Links to Amazon are affiliate links, should you want to shop through my affiliate link and help keep Raw Juice Girl blogging.

As I mentioned in my Shame on Me post, I’ve been neglecting yoga – to the point that I’m stressed and stiff. I need yoga in my life to ground me. It calms me. Sooths me. Makes life’s stresses melt away.

And of the various yoga videos I’ve tried, Stacy McCarthy has become my favorite. I love the way she teaches. Her voice – and the music – is so calming.

She’s a very positive person and is just delightful to practice yoga with! It’s just a DVD after all, but Stacy has a way of making you feel as if you’re in the room with her. It’s awesomeness.

This morning, I woke up with pep in my step and knew it was the day designated to return to my yoga practice – with all my heart, body, mind, and soul!

I rolled out my pink Aurorae Yoga Mat, tossed my Aurorae slip-free rosin bag on the mat, grabbed my laptop and a cold water bottle from the fridge. I was set to go!

Stacy has sent me three yoga DVD’s so far:

Yoga Body: Lean & Defined Total Body Workout

Yoga Body: Hip Opening Flow

Busy Mom Yoga – Core & More

That’s a pretty awesome selection right there. How can a girl choose?!

Well, I’ve already practiced using the Yoga Body: Lean & Defined Total Body Workout – numerous times. The Busy Mom Yoga speaks to me because I definitely need to strengthen my core and hey, it’s always great if we can save a few minutes, eh?

But…

I chose Yoga Body: Hip Opening Flow this morning. My hips are definitely tight and since it’s been so long since I’ve practiced yoga, I knew this would be a good place to start.

My hips have always been tight. I was never one of those youngin’s who could plop down into the splits.This is an area I really need to work on. I’m not saying I’ll ever be able to do the splits, but open hips sounds nice.

This is how the screen looks when Yoga Body: Hip Opening Flow comes up on your computer (or TV). 

I’ll admit, I started to give up half-way through the DVD – not because it’s so difficult it’s impossible or anything, but just because it’s been so long since I practiced yoga and I’ve allowed myself to get so stiff.

But I stuck it out.

When it came time for poses I couldn’t follow through with, I just rested in child’s pose until I could move on. I think I skipped two poses.

Let me tell you, the yoga poses Stacy teaches in this DVD are absolutely hip opening – you feel it for sure!

It’s a nice feel, though. The long, slow stretches are telling the hips to open and they work beautifully.

I couldn’t be more pleased with this video. I absolutely enjoyed it!

Before I knew it, the 45 minutes were up – and I was lost in shavasana.

I had forgotten how good shavasana feels. It’s such a peaceful feeling. It’s also a feeling of accomplishment and great joy!

I’m so happy with the DVD and I will be using it ‘till it’s worn out, I assure you.

Bonus Mini Maintenance Practice!

Stacy included a mini maintenance practice at the end of the Hip Opening Flow because she says it’s “better to do a mini practice regularly (only takes a few minutes!) than to do a lengthy practice once a week.”

Great advice, Stacy!

I’m going to be following that advice. I’m tired of being stiff! 

A HUGE thank-you to Stacy for her generosity. That DVD will NOT collect dust, promise!

Have you ever practiced yoga using Stacy McCarthy’s DVD’s? What did you think? So far, I’ve had the privilege to try out two – and it’s an A+ on both!

And…

Don’t forget to enter my SWEET GIVEAWAY!!!!

There will be FOUR winners!!!

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post. I bought the four-pack of YoCrunch (Blueberry) Parfait with my own money and love it so much, I decided to share my love for it with y’all. The link to their site is not an affiliate link. I just genuinely love the product and wanted y’all to know about it.

Hi, y’all!

Did you enjoy my fruity breakfast post? Have you entered my amazing giveaway yet? No? Why not? This is an awesome opportunity! There will be FOUR winners. Hurry, get your entries in now: Enter HERE!

I’m going to be posting what my husband made for our anniversary dinner soon but here’s a sneak peek of the salad he made. I just posted it over at Mainline Gardening. Check it out: Overnight Salad – Made By My Husband!

And now on to Greek yogurt – I adore it. It’s thick, creamy, delicious, filling, and just plain GOOD! It’s also good for us.

It can be a quick snack on your way out the door or a small meal if you’re in a hurry.

Add it to smoothies, on top of fruit, top it with nuts – or nut butter. Possibilities are endless. You can add it to recipes, too!

The most recent Greek yogurt I picked up at the store is YoCrunch Greek Parfait.

Check out the YoCrunch Nutrition Page for more information.

I’m loving it!

Do you like Greek yogurt? Have you ever tried it? After trying it, I can’t go back to regular yogurt – it seems to runny for me. And Greek yogurt is so creamy, decadent, and filling…. I can’t look back!

How do you use your yogurt? In smoothies? Recipes? Or just plain out of the tub? What did you have for breakfast?

Disclaimer: Aurorae Yoga sent the products mentioned in this post for free. I did not pay for them. I have not been paid to write this review.

Now, on to the good stuff!

A HUGE thank-you to Aurorae Yoga for their generosity. I really appreciate the opportunity to try out and review their products.

Check out the goodies I’ve reviewed so far from this awesome company:

Aurorae Yoga Mat

Aurorae Yoga Sport Sweat Towel

Aurorae Yoga Slip-Free Rosin Bag

Now, let’s take a look at the  Aurorae Yoga Mat Sak, shall we?

Normally, I give a glimpse about the company but since I’ve already covered that (read all about it here), we’re jumping right into the review itself.

I love this bag not only because it’s jean material, but because it has a cool design, is easy to carry around, has pockets for goodies and personal items.

Big Strap For Easy Transport!

Quick & Easy Drawstring!

Cool Pocket For Storing Personal Items!

All the cool info:

Yoga Denim Sak by Aurorae, 8.6 ounce 100 percent Premium Ring Spun Cotton Denim washed the way you like your favorite jeans.

Vintage Wash – Stone washed, worn and broken in like your old favorite pair of jeans. Midnight Wash – Power Washed to a soft hand to maintain a deep rich indigo color.

Universal Denim fabric that goes with everything and all colors.

Light to carry and Machine washable, Extra long 28 inches in length that will fit most size yoga mats with room to spare.

Extra Wide 8.3 inch diameter that will fit your mat plus accessories with easy access and drawstring closure.

Large cargo pocket with Velcro Flap to carry all your accessories plus outer easy entry cell phone pocket.

Zip pocket to hold your valuables with no worry of falling out.

Adjustable Shoulder Strap to make it easy to carry.

There are no other Yoga Bags of this quality made of denim in the market, Our Aurorae Logo is Embroidered on the the Sak which is our Symbol of Quality and great service.

Aurorae Yoga Sak a Practical approach with a sense of Fashion

Remember “It’s Your Yoga” Relax, Enjoy and Namaste

Your Friends at Aurorae

I know, now you really want an Aurorae Yoga Mat Sak, don’t ya? Join the cool kids – order one today!

Free shipping on purchases of $25.00 or more!

Do you practice yoga? Do you already have a bag to transport (or store) your yoga mat in? What do you think of the Aurorae Yoga Mat Sak? Let’s talk! 

 Disclaimer: The kind folks at Bazura Bags (www.bazurabags.com) sent me the awesome items in this post to review. I was not paid to write a post. The thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hi, y’all! How are you on this beautiful April day? Fantabulous, I hope!

I’m sharing my thoughts on Bazura with you today. I hope you enjoy the photos and my reflections on this company, what they’re doing for the environment, and maybe you’ll even want to order something for yourself!

I love what this company promotes and stands for.

Check out this press release (my review follows):

BAZURA BAGS BRINGS ECO-FASHION TO AMERICA
  Stylish Bags & Accessories Handcrafted from Recycled Materials
Toronto, Ontario (June27, 2006) – On the heels of the thriving organic movement, eco-fashion is gaining momentum in North America. Much of the surge of consumer interest is due to the fact that the latest eco-fashion products place equal emphasis on quality and style as they do with environmental benefits.

  Bazura™ Bags (

www.bazurabags.com) is a social entrepreneur that is proving that one person’s trash is another’s treasure. The Toronto-based company has launched a line of high quality bags and accessories handcrafted by a women’s cooperative in the Philippines from colorful discarded juice containers that would otherwise clutter landfills, fields and streets in their community. While the company has a compelling environmental and social story behind the product, Bazura Bags were carefully designed to be chic, high-quality, functional, durable and stylishly colorful.

  The line of Bazura Bags introduced to the U.S. features more than 80 styles that serve many functions. The company’s most popular designs are coin purses, messenger bags, lunch bags and purses. New styles include camera and cell phone bags, key chains, placemats, cosmetic bags and fruit baskets. The fun collage of colors that are the signature of the Bazura line are derived from the attractive labels of the juice containers they are made from. The eye-catching brand labels feature slogans and exotic fruit names like "Sun Glo" and “Zesto.” The recycled juice containers also impart a hint of fresh fruit scent.

www.bazurashop.com. For more information about the company and its social mission, please visit www.bazurabags.com.

About the Company

I’m in awe of Bazura and how they’re taking what most consider as trash and using it to not only create super cool products, but to provide employment and to educate children on how to reuse what’s already available to help preserve our beautiful earth. 

From the Site:

Welcome to Bazura Bags!

For the past 8 years Bazura.Biz has worked closely with a Women’s Co-operative in the Philippines, who collect used juice containers, recycled rice bags and discarded advertising banners. The Co-op then has their members transform this trash into hand bags and accessories.

The collection of this trash helps clean up the environment in and around Manila and through out the Philippines, while eliminating tons of material from local land fills. The use of Bazura’s many Shopping and Tote bags also helps eliminate the use of disposal plastic shopping bags which produce millions of pounds of waste that clutter our environment, clog our landfills and use huge quantities of petrol chemicals in their production. Bazura recommends that everyone switch to environmentally friendly bags.

This past September 2009 the Co-op was devastated by Typhoon Ondoy. Two of their members drowned during the typhoon and scores of the members’ homes were flooded. Many donations from the Co-op’s buyers and friends have been collected and, with great determination and hard work, the women of the Co-op have repaired their headquarters and most of their members’ homes.

Bazura.Biz is very proud to work with and support this marvelous group of women.

Note: Bazura.Biz donates an additional five percent of its total purchases from the Co-operative to their Foundation’s Scholarship Fund as well as continued support of their Disaster Relief Fund.

Woven Key Fob

Cute and fun! Check ‘em out HERE.

Bazura Bags

The MW-2 Stripped Messenger Bag is really cool. This bag can be used for carrying books, personal items, or whatever you wish.

“Aluminum Beverage Bags from Bazura Bags are handcrafted in Vietnam. These bags are constructed using recycled aluminum soda and beer cans. The aluminum is backed with vinyl, then shaped, edged and hand stitched.” – Bazura

Crochet Place Mats

These place mats are fun, colorful, cheerful, and are easy to clean up – just wipe off, dry, and leave on the table or keep packed up for picnics!

Pros

Bazura products have a long list of pros. Below are just a few that impress me.

• eco-friendly
• fair trade
• anti-sweatshop
• train children to recycle
• reduces trash sent to landfills
• encourages environmentalism
• bright, cheerful, fun designs
• creative (re)use of items considered as trash
• “donates an additional five percent of its total purchases from the Co-operative to their Foundation’s Scholarship Fund as well as continued support of their Disaster Relief Fund.”

Bazura products are also perfect for fundraisers!

FUNDRAISERS

“Over the past few years, BAZURABAGS have achieved remarkable success as fundraising items.

Parent associations from both public and private schools as well as environmental groups, seniors residences and youth clubs have organized successful fundraisers using BAZURABAGS.” — Bazura

…and much, much more!

Well, see for yourself.

Read… 

 The Story

Every day, children from the local schools collect   over 50,000 used drink containers, called doy packs, then sell them to the co-op.  The bags are sanitized and the women sew them together into attractive, durable bags.

We estimate that millions of these containers get thrown in the trash everyday in the Philippines. Until we find a way to recycle them, or stop using this material altogether, we would like to reuse as many empty drink containers as possible and, in the process, support fair trade.

The Co-op has recently started  to collect used  Rice Bags and discarded Advertising Banners and transform this trash into beautiful hand bags.

The Women

Unlike most third world factory workers toiling away in sweatshops, these women are entrepreneurs and shareholders. They work for themselves and have a positive impact on their community and, at the same time, they encourage environmentalism.

We are proud to promote their enterprise.”– Bazura

Cons

Hmmm… I always try really hard to think of the pros and cons because I do strive to give honest, heartfelt reviews. I cherish that y’all trust and value my opinion and I desire to keep things that way. The only thing I can truly think of as a con with these products and/or this company (as far as the environment is concerned) would only be the shipping aspect. (But that can’t really even be considered a con because all companies have to ship!) Everything else seems to be green.

Verdict/Grade?

Let’s give Bazura a big, fat…

A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m confident that Bazura is doing all they possibly can to promote recycling and eco-friendly living. And I think it’s wonderful that they provide a wholesome work environment for their employees (anti-sweatshop!) and that they’re teaching children to walk lightly on Mother Earth.

Bravo, Bazura, bravo!

You can contact the Bazura Company HERE or browse their online shop HERE. Read about their shipping policy HERE.

Have you ever heard of Bazura Bags? How do you feel about the eco-friendly process of recycling materials to make bags, place mats, and other cool items? Do you recycle? Would you purchase recycled or other green merchandise? Chime in and share your juicy, green thoughts!

Disclaimer: The companies mentioned in this post sent their products to me (free). I was not paid to write a review – or post anything about them at all. Some of the links in this post are affiliate links.

Hey, y’all! How’s your weekend going? The snow (a whole inch or so ) has melted off and it’s a really nice day. I love it when the sun shines – it makes my heart feel SO happy!

I made a strawberry smoothie in my new blender (more on that in the next post!) and it was DELISH. I was just playing around so I didn’t take any photos. I’ll be more creative and post about my smoothie adventures in the next couple of days.

I’ve received a few packages from some awesome companies – including Amazing Grass (thank you SO much, Teri!) and Bazura Bags (thanks, Larry!). I’ll post pictures of the Bazura Bags products and blender I received (from CSN Stores) soon (thank you, Jamie)!

And… you know I dove right in to the Chocolate Peanut Butter!

YUM!

Order your Amazing Grass products here!

Don’t forget about…

my PeopleTowels Giveaway!

Only ONE Required Entry!! <— Click to Enter!

Or… E3Live’s

50% Off Sale!

E3Live is having a 50% off sale on their Immune Boosting Set (3-pack)!

What have you been up to? Any RAWsome news I should know about?

Disclaimer: www.PeopleTowels.com sent their products for me to sample. I was not paid to write this review and there are no affiliate links in this post. 

(Thank you People Towels for allowing me the AWESOME opportunity to find out what the buzz is all about!)

Hi, y’all!

So glad you enjoyed all the photos I posted of my recent special delivery. I certainly enjoyed receiving the 5-day supply + eco pouch! I have used them at home and also take one or two with me when I am out and about. I love that you can use them as a napkin, paper towel, coaster, and so much more. Any time you’d use a napkin or paper towel, you can use (and wash and re-use) the PeopleTowel.

“PeopleTowels® was inspired by the Japanese custom to carry a small hand towel with you when you’re out and about. Because most public restrooms in Japan don’t provide paper towels, people carry their own resuable hand towel to dry their hands after washing.  There are many other convenient uses for carrying a hand towel too, such as  using it as a napkin, coaster, wiping small spills, etc.” – People Towels

Can you believe how much waste is involved by using disposable paper towels?!

About the Company

You all know I love digging deep and finding out about more than just the product itself. When I write reviews, I love to know WHERE this product is coming from. What caused the business to come about? How did it start? These are some of the questions that cross my mind when I’m in “review mode.”

From PeopleTowels About Page:

“Inspired by Nature. Driven by You.
PeopleTowels® is born of the belief that we can all find new ways to personally incorporate sustainability and conservation into our daily lives.  PeopleTowels is an idea borrowed from the Japanese, who have been using reusable, personal hand towels for decades.
We’re a small group of individuals, united by a dream and energized by our passionate belief that sustainable solutions should be within everyone’s reach. We share a common concern for the environment and the effects that pollution, deforestation and global warming are having on the earth and its inhabitants.
That’s why we created PeopleTowels.

As a member of 1% for the Planet, PeopleTowels has pledged one percent of its gross sales through 2010 to the Breast Cancer Fund with a minimum donation guarantee of $2,500.”

I LOVE that this company believes in sustainability as much as they do – and that it’s a small group of eco-friendly, motivated folks who share the same dream and passion and have come together to make and BE the change required to help preserve our beautiful and most precious, Mother Earth!

Heart(s) of the Company

Now that we know a little about the company itself, let’s dig a little deeper and find out some cool stuff about the true heart(s) of it all.

“For over a year, on nights and weekends, Linda Lannon and Mary Wallace planned the strategy for the business that became PeopleTowels, while managing their full-time executive day jobs.  With much help and encouragement from their families, the business became a reality.  For both, PeopleTowels has turned a passion for the environment into a labor of love.  It is their hope that the adoption of PeopleTowels will have a positive and lasting impact on the planet for generations to come.”

How awesome is that?!

Mary Wallace, Co-Founder

As I researched and discovered WHY the company was born and who started it, I loved learning the history behind the decision…

”Mary Wallace is the inspiration behind PeopleTowels. Wallace has a deep concern for the environment and has been "living green" for years.  She first discovered the concept of personal hand towels on her first visit to Japan over a decade ago and has been using and collecting them ever since.  
Prior to founding PeopleTowels, Wallace held significant senior management positions and sales roles with leading education companies including WRC Media, Inc. and Pearson Education, where she lead industry-leading Sales & Marketing, Training and Technical Support divisions.  Wallace has experience in both start-ups and large, established corporations, and is recognized for her track record in expanding businesses of any size and dramatically growing sales in new markets and territories.”

The Current Situation

The use of disposable paper towels is having a devastating impact on the environment.  Some of the facts about paper towel consumption and its impact are:

• To make one ton of paper towels, 17 trees are cut down and 20,000 gallons of water are consumed.
• Every day, over 3,000 tons of paper towel waste is produced in the US alone.
• Decomposing paper towels produce methane gas, a leading cause of global warming.
• The average person uses 2,400 – 3,000 paper towels at work, in a given year, looking like this:

“Mary Wallace, PeopleTowels’ visionary & co-founder showing the amount of paper towel waste generated by 1 person outside of the home a year in the US.”

Linda Lannon, Co-Founder

And the other half of the company’s heart beats strong with a desire to put a halt on the throw-away lifestyle that has become so common….

“Linda Lannon has a long-held concern for the harmful effects of the American “throw-away culture.”   She believes that often times what’s old is new and that by recycling ideas we can simplify our lives and have less of an impact on the environment.
Prior to founding PeopleTowels, Lannon held senior management positions with leading companies in education, consumer software, and children’s book publishing.  Lannon successfully launched and marketed numerous educational and consumer products for such diverse companies as CTB/McGraw-Hill, Riverdeep (now Houghton Mifflin Riverdeep Group) and Scholastic.  Lannon has also held significant positions in Fortune 500 companies, as well as small entrepreneurial companies, and has a proven record of success in bringing new products to market and growing market share.”

Awesome job, ladies!

About the Towels

PeopleTowels are a dream come true to those of you who:

• are frugal
• love to recycle/reuse
• love to do your part to help save the environment

Is that you? No? Well, I still think you’ll love people towels! They’re pure awesomeness! And they’re addictive – you’ll want to keep using them and keep collecting the other cool designs!

What is a PeopleTowel?

”PeopleTowels is the newest concept in sustainability and the latest in eco-chic fashion. A Green alternative to paper towels in public facilities, these quick-drying, reusable personal hand towels are made of lightweight, 100% Organic, Fair Trade Cotton. PeopleTowels come in a variety of inspired designs, printed with eco-friendly dyes, to appeal to different tastes and styles. 
PeopleTowels are small enough to carry anywhere, and the custom-made fabric is absorbent enough to dry your hands, yet dries quickly. Convenient hangtags even allow you to easily clip or loop your PeopleTowel to your backpack, belt buckle or purse.  PeopleTowels are a small sustainable lifestyle change that everyone can do for the planet.
Unlike paper towels and other hand-drying methods, PeopleTowels are a zero waste product and do not contribute to harmful practices like deforestation and the growing problems of paper waste, excessive water consumption and pollution.
PeopleTowels are designed to last for years through easy maintenance (all PeopleTowels are machine washable) and the use of high quality materials (100% certified organic cotton). Our designs are silk screened with eco-friendly dyes on a custom-made organic fabric, so you may see slight variations in the towels.”

A Hook to Hang it On!

Made from Organic Cotton!

Pros

If you’re frugal and environmentally aware, you already see the pros but let me share my thoughts.

The positive aspects of carrying your own hand towel(s) is that you:

• don’t have to waste paper towels in public restrooms
• don’t have to stand in line for the hand dryer (which is NOT eco-friendly)
• don’t have to use throw-away napkins if you spill a drink or just need a napkin while you’re eating out somewhere
• they’re small enough to easily carry, yet just the right size for getting good use out of them
• for what you’ll pay for one of these that you’ll use again and again, you’d spend on one budget-friendly case of paper towels that have to be bought over and over – increasing waste (and expense) like crazy

You get the idea, right?

Cons

I can’t really think of any cons. At $7 each, PeopleTowels won’t break the bank. Invest in a few and you’ll save tons on disposable napkins, paper towels, and the environment. They’re not hard to use or transport so I can’t think of any reason to NOT like them! Besides, now you can even buy them in BULK!

Verdict/Grade?

Honestly, I was a teeny bit worried when I opened the PeopleTowels package and noticed that these cloth hand towels are actually smaller than I had envisioned. This is NOT a bad thing and I guess I just thought they’d be bigger, for whatever reason.

However, as I tried them out (with sopping wet hands), I found them to be SUPER absorbent—and exactly the right size for tucking neatly in a purse or pocket. I’m sure folks thought I was a little – or a lot! – bonkers for taking pictures in a public bathroom – but oh well! Ha! Ha! Such is the life of a blogger, eh?

Dryin’ in Style!

Perfectly Dry Hands!

I give People Towels an…

A+!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do you have any experience with or knowledge of PeopleTowels? Do you go through paper towels like crazy? Or do you use washable hand towels? Now that you’ve learned about reusable PeopleTowels, would you give them a try? Will you be more conscious of your disposable paper towels? And… I have a surprise for y’all!!!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned…

Check out the PeopleTowels BLOG!

Get YOUR PeopleTowels online HERE. Or see if they sell at a location near you.

“PeopleTowels’® mission is to empower ordinary people and socially responsible companies to contribute to a sustainable environment by replacing paper towels with reusable PeopleTowels.”

Go green and/or give the gift of green, with PeopleTowels!

Disclaimer: Christine Fiske, of Bite Bags (www.sustainablebite.com), sent me two bags to try out. I was not paid to write this review.

I’m super excited about the opportunity to share my thoughts on Bite Bags with you. You know I love living an eco-friendly lifestyle. So, when Christine was kind enough to send me a couple of bags, I was ecstatic. I love the design, the thought of reusable bags, and everything about them. Let’s get to business shall we?!

About the Company

Bite is a fairly new company. The focus is walking lightly on our precious Mother Earth by “taking a Bite out of plastic.” By using – and reusing! – Bite’s produce and food storage bags, your decreased use of plastics (sandwich/snack and produce bags) will add up to a healthy dose of preserving our beautiful environment.

From the Bite site:

about bite

 

“Not very long ago, Bite was born with a mission to make grocery shopping and sustainable food storage more fun and eco-friendly at the same time. We believe and live by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Keep an eye on Bite’s upcoming product lines in 2010.”

 

 

 Take a Bite out of plastic! 

Bite reusable produce bags are durable, machine washable, and lightweight!

Consider this: The average shopper uses an estimated 260 plastic produce bags each year! We’ve made it easy to stop wasting this harmful plastic with our stylish and versatile reusable bags. Bite Reusable Produce and Snack bags are the stylish way to snack and shop in style while helping preserve the Earth!

"Be the Change You Wish to See in the World" – Ghandi

Heart & Soul of Bite

Christine Fiske seems like an amazing lady with an even more amazing passion for fighting the use of plastic by promoting reusing and recycling – not only of her products, but just in general. And she even sent me a personal, handwritten note!

From the Bite site:  

about the founder, christine fiske

“Christine has always wanted to combine her interests of creating an impacting difference in the world and running her own business. It began in college when, as a business school student, she started pondering how to combine creating a meaningful business that would leave the world a better place. That dream finally came to fruition when she realized her ideas for sustainable food storage products and created Bite’s first line of Reusable Produce Bags.”

About the Bags

Bite bags are fun, versatile, eco-friendly – and so much more. You can use the smaller ones to pack snacks for lunches or just for food storage in the fridge. Take the bigger produce bags along to the farmers market and/or grocery store to cut down – or eliminate! – your use of plastic bags at the checkout line.

From the Bite site:

“Not very long ago, Bite was born with a mission to make grocery shopping and food
storage more fun and eco-friendly at the same time. Have you ever reached for a plastic produce bag at the store, or worse, a plastic baggie in your home and felt guilty that you were contributing to the endangerment of mother Earth? Well, we did, and we were determined to change that!

We’ve created bags that are not only chic, but transparent, durable, lightweight, closable, machine washable (yes, really!) and versatile for a number of other uses (including lunch packing, toy organizing, toiletries toting, and snack stashing!) Past customers RAVE about their bags!”

Pros

Bite Bags have a draw string top to ensure the contents don’t fall out or roll away. They’re designed in bright, cheerful colors that reflect your personality. They are lightweight, easy to store when not in use, and will fit easily in your purse, tucked away in your car, or even in your pocket!

Check out the Frugal Prices!

• Single Produce Bags are only $5.
• Single Snack Bags are just $3.99 – the 3 pack is $11.99!
• 3-Pack Produce Bags are a cool $14.49!

Bite Bags are not only kind to Mother Earth – they’re kind to your wallet!

Cons

The only con I can (seriously!) think of, is this: I want ALL of the different styles and sizes!

Verdict/Grade?

I find Bite Bags to be absolutely smart, reusable, and eco-chic – just like Bite advertises! They’re not only fun to look at and use, but it’s great to know I won’t be wasting a crazy amount of those plastic produce bags at the store anymore. Woo hoo!

Bite Bags, I give you a big, fat…

A!!!

Keep up the fantabulous work!

More Bite

You can find Bite Bags at the following cyber locations:

Facebook

Twitter

The Bite Shop

www.sustainablebite.com

Do you enjoy reusable bags? Have you tried Bite? Do you strive to live sustainably? If not, do you think it’s something you might take baby steps toward in 2011? Feel free to dive right in to the comments with some juicy, green conversation. Feel free to ask questions. I’ll do my best to answer or you can contact Christine directly here.

Be watching for some super fun holiday posts!

Disclaimer: The product in this review was provided as a free sample from Amazing Grass; however, I was not paid to write this review. All opinions, thoughts, and ideas in this post are my own.

Hi, y’all! I’ve been crazy busy on this Amish farm lately but I haven’t forgotten about ya – promise! I do have lots more reviews and giveaways coming in the near future but gardening has kept me on my toes – or shall I say knees?!

Organic gardening isn’t the easiest, in my opinion. Some people may think it is. I don’t know. But without chemicals to kill the bugs, weeds, and grass, it keeps a gardener on their toes concocting natural recipes – plus all the grass- and weed-pulling. Phew!

The funniest thing happened today: I was literally taking out the trash and as I walked was thinking “gosh, I have a crazy craving for chocolate and peanut butter” – and the UPS man backed in to the driveway with a package (I kid you not!!!!) and I thought I’d pass out when I opened it! Inside was a couple of the chocolate-covered peanut butter protein bars and the new Lemon Lime Energy Drink Powder from Amazing Grass.

So… was this fate? Karma? Luck?

Whatever the reason that I had chocolate and peanut butter delivered to me, I am a happy girl! Thank you, Amazing Grass!!!

Of course, you know I had to break right in to one of those bars immediately. It was meant to be! I only ate half, though. Why? Because it’s dense, delish, and filling!

YUM!

About the Company

I love sharing with y’all the real people who are behind the companies whose products I review. Without them, the products I love and review wouldn’t be here. I think it’s the people who make all the difference—whether it’s a big or small company. Why? Because they’re the ones who give the company character, value, and history.

So what’s the Amazing Grass story? And what’s so amazing anyway? Check this out…

From the site:

How we got started….
We started out of our garage (well it was really a dining room table) in August of 2002 in San Francisco, California. We were two guys with a desire to build a ‘grass’ roots business that aligned with our passion for the outdoors and a healthy lifestyle.

We had each spent 7 years at large telecom companies and met 4 years ago at a start-up telecom company that was trying to break the bandwidth bottleneck, but ended up going broke instead. Working in a start up environment, we witnessed first hand the effect 17 hour work days, lack of exercise and poor eating habits had on many of our colleagues. Constantly hearing people say “I’m exhausted”, “I’m sick” and “I need to get in better shape” seemed to be directly related to stress and diet.

Todd noticed that Brandon seemed immune from the common cold and the contagious mid-afternoon yawn. Brandon’s thumb is the furthest shade from green, but luckily his uncle has continued to run the family dehydrating business that his Grandfather started over 50 years ago. Brandon swore the wheat grass he’d been taking gave him more energy, a stronger immune system and an overall healthier life. He gave some to Todd along with a great book by Ron Seibel called Cereal Grass, What’s in it for you. Within weeks, Todd was a big believer…he developed increased energy throughout the day and saw his need for sleep decrease. In fact, Todd has eluded everything including the common cold since taking wheat grass. Brandon had a long list of friends that were hooked on wheat grass and would often call or stop by when they ran out. His freezer was being raided on a daily basis. (We know this sounds like a scene from Cops, but we swear it was just wheat grass.)

With the help of a college marketing class at Cal Poly SLO, their wives, families and friends, Todd and Brandon started Amazing Grass.

It is our passion to educate the world about the benefits of cereal grass, green foods and the improved quality of life from eating healthy. It is our goal to always listen to our customers and constantly improve what we do. We pledge to produce the healthiest products that offer real benefits at prices everyone can afford. It’s an amazing adventure to grow this business to reflect our dreams, passions and beliefs.

Today, Amazing Grass offers the most potent green vegetables in a convenient way that aligns with our hectic lifestyles. We take great pleasure in hearing your stories about how Amazing Grass has changed your life and encourage our new friends to write us with their stories. One timeless phrase will sum up many of our responses…”You are what you eat.” Eat Grass…Get Healthy!!!

RAWsome!

About the Bar

I could go on and on and on about how wonderful this bar is, but I’m sure you don’t want to hear that. How about all the juicy details you really want to know…

From the site:

Our Organic Green SuperFood Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar is a premium blend of organic peanuts and whey protein in a chocolate covered bar that will satisfy your hunger anytime of the day. One caddy contains 12 – 60 gram bars.

• 270 calories
• 14 grams of fat (healthy omegas)
• 12 grams of protein
• 19 grams of sugar
• 28 grams of carbohydrates

We’ve taken our alkalizing Green SuperFood, with antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables and combined them in a bar that will satisfy your hunger and deliver nutrients to your body the way Mother Nature intended…unprocessed, organic and delicious.

• Gluten Free
• Fair Trade
• Whey Protein

Ingredient List:

Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Dates, Whey Protein Concentrate, Organic Peanuts, Organic Rice Crisps, Amazing Grass Green SuperFood (Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Barley Grass, Organic Alfalfa, Organic Spirulina, Organic Spinach, Organic Chlorella, Organic Broccoli, Organic Acai, Organic Maca, Organic Carrot, Organic Beet, Raspberry, Organic Rose Hips, Pineapple, Green Tea, Organic Flax Lignans, L. Adidophilus, Alpha and Beta Amylase, Protease, Lipase, Lactase, Cellulase, Organic Peppermint), Natural Flavor, Peanut Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract, Sea Salt

Organic Dark Chocolate Coating: Cane Sugar, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Non-GMO Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavor
Allergy Information: Contains Peanuts

Pros

I love that it’s jam-packed with greens, nutrition, superfoods, whole foods, antioxidants, probiotics and overall health benefits. The flavor is absolutely AMAZING. I’m serious, y’all. I DO taste the peanut butter. The chocolate is DIVINE. And I really only tasted the teeniest hint of greenness. I am not even joking. These bars ROCK!

Cons

If you’re allergic to peanuts, these bars are out for you. Other than that, I really can’t think of a con here. Well, you might consider them pricey. They do cost $35.99 a case (you get a dozen bars). But price goes down if you buy 3 or more cases. You can also join the Amazing Grass “Grass Heads Club” to save 15% on every order, get free stuff, free shipping, and receive monthly shipments. You can cancel at any time.

Verdict/Grade

This bar definitely gets an A+ from me!

Your Turn

1. Have you tried this bar? Or any of the Amazing Grass bars? Do you love ‘em? Hate ‘em? Would you give ‘em a shot?

2. Do you like the chocolate/peanut butter combo? Or do you totally not get some people’s obsession with it? I’ve always loved it myself. I ate quite a few Reese’s growing up!

Special Discount!

Use the code hwj (represents healing with juices! ) to get yourself a 15% discount on your Amazing Grass order! Woo hoo!!!

Disclaimer: The generous folks at the Aurorae Yoga company were kind enough to send me a beautiful, luxurious yoga mat from their collection to review. They also sent their Sport Sweat Towel and their Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag. However, I was not paid to write this review – or even asked to write one.

Thank you, Aurorae!

And…. Hello, fantabulous friends!

How’s your week going so far? Did you have an awesome day yesterday? What about today? Have you had a smoothie? Were you brave enough to try my black smoothie?

And I’m tickled pink (hehe) that y’all are so excited about my garden-inspired Meatless Monday recipe: Raw Rainbow Wraps. Those are definitely friendly for a yogi lifestyle, don’t ya think?

Speaking of yogi lifestyle, do you use a slip-free rosin bag as a part of your yoga practice? If so, have you tried Aurorae’s? And if not, would you?

I was pretty excited when I received mine. Of course, I’ve found quite a few yogis seem to think that “extras” aren’t always necessary (like blocks, etc.) but hey, if they enhance your practice and/or motivate you to get yoga-ing, why not use ‘em?!

In this photo, you can see Aurorae’s Slip-Free Rosin Bag fits in the palm of your hand. It isn’t huge and doesn’t take much space. It’s the perfect size to toss in the pocket of your yoga bag – or even your purse! Well, for that matter, I suppose you could even put it in your pocket if you were in a rush or just prefer that method.

Before I get busy telling you all the juicy details about this magical little bag, let me refresh your memory…

Remember my in-depth review of the beautiful, inspiring, pink (my favorite color EVER!!!) yoga mat?

You can read it HERE, if you missed it.

And did you see my thoughts on Aurorae’s Yoga Sport Sweat Towel?

Read all about that HERE.

Now, on to my thoughts regarding the Slip-Free Rosin Bag….

About Aurorae’s Slip-Free Rosin Bag

If you’re a natural sweater and find yourself slipping on your yoga mat – whether or not you’re in a hot yoga class – you might be in need of Aurorae’s Slip-Free Rosin Bag.

Why?

Well, this little creation can indeed be the answer to no more slipping and sliding on your yoga mat. Who wants to be interrupted when you’re in that still, calm yoga moment?! Yoga poses are meant to be enjoyed, savored – not cut short by sweaty palms or feet!

And Aurorae knows just that:

Product Description (from the site):

Aurorae Yoga Rosin Bag has been developed to aid in the prevention of slipping on your Yoga mat. Similar to gymnasts, tennis players and baseball pitchers, perspiration creates slipping problems when a firm grip is necessary to maximize their performance. Our Aurorae Yoga Rosin Bag increases your gripping power and absorbs perspiration with the slight touch of the bag. The Rosin should be applied to both your hands and feet before your practice and added as needed during your practice. Please make sure to store your Yoga Rosin Bag in the Zip lock bag it comes with to increase its life. We at Aurorae are always looking for simple and cost effective ways to help you improve, as well as enjoy your practice. Remember "It’s Your Yoga". Relax, Enjoy and Namaste.

Ah….

I can relax and enjoy, can’t you?

Pros

As I mentioned above, this rosin bag helps create a dry, enjoyable experience for you and your yoga mat (well, your hands, feet, and mat anyway!)

Here’s a little more information…

Product Features (from the site):

• Innovative new technology to prevent slipping
• Increases Gripping Power
• Product exclusive to Aurorae
• Absorbs Perspiration
• No Odor, Non Sticky
• Made in the U.S.A.

Did you read that? You don’t have to be bothered with any type of smell – this rosin bag doesn’t have any type of odor.

And for just $6.95, what do you have to lose?

I had to squish it and smear it on my hands to get a feel for it…

Can you see it?

And it works! How cool is that?!

Cons

I genuinely try really hard to find something that some of you may consider a con – but I simply can’t think of anything here. I always try to consider low budgets when I write reviews (I’m a VERY frugal gal myself!) – but this bag merely costs a few dollars.

Verdict/Grade

Aurorae Yoga’s Slip-Free Rosin Bag gets an A+ from Raw Juice Girl!

Great job, Aurorae!

Have you ever tried a slip-free rosin bag? What did you think? Do you love it? Enjoy it? Look forward to using it?

And… the Surprise?!

How would you like to own an Aurorae Yoga set? That’s right! Look for the next post, because I’m launching an Aurorae Yoga Giveaway! Winner will get to choose whichever mat they want PLUS you’ll receive the same Aurorae Yoga Sport Sweat Towel and Slip-Free Rosin Bag that I’ve reviewed.

Ready?

Off to get that giveaway post ready. Woo hoo!!

Disclaimer: The generous folks at the Aurorae Yoga company were kind enough to send me a beautiful, luxurious yoga mat from their collection to review. They also sent their Sport Sweat Towel and their Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag. However, I was not paid to write this review – or even asked to write one.

Thank you, Aurorae!

Hi, y’all! Gosh, gardening has been keeping me busy—that’s why I haven’t been blogging. (Read about it here and here.) Yikes! And things are really moving along. I have to post updated photos of how much everything is growing and how the garden has changed!

Oh, and I’m totally addicted to Rainbow Grass. Yum-O!!!

Also, I hope you had a special and very Happy Mother’s Day!

Okay, okay, on to the review….

Remember when I shared with you that Aurorae sent me this amazing yoga package?

And in pink—my favorite color!!!!!

If you haven’t yet, please CLICK HERE to read my Aurorae Yoga Mat Review and learn about the company—and the very inspiring man behind the company.

About the Sport Sweat Towel

I was pleasantly surprised at how soft this towel is—it’s really nice! And I mean, it’s super soft and comfy.

Here’s what Aurorae has to say about their latest product:

“This is the latest product from Aurorae to help our customers enjoy and maximize their yoga practice. Our new Yoga Sport Sweat Towel, with embroidery, will keep you dry and help prevent you from slipping on your mat. It is 100% Natural Cotton Terry, the best natural fiber to absorb perspiration and keep you dry during your practice. It is just the right dimensions -16"x23" – to keep you dry while practical enough to easily fold into your yoga bag. This towel works incredibly well with our Aurorae Slip Free Rosin Bag. Sold separately. Machine washable and hemmed on all sides for long lasting quality you expect from Aurorae.”

I had a friend take this photo…

in the same fashion as the one on Aurorae’s site—pretty neat, huh?!

Pros

Living on an Amish farm doesn’t allow for much luxury, so this soft towel is more than a piece of cloth to wipe sweat when I’m practicing yoga – it’s a special, luxurious treat! Yoga in itself is a treat – but it’s even better to practice with such inspiring, high-quality yoga equipment.

Product Features (from the site):

• Absorbs perspiration while you sweat and keeps you dry
• 100% Natural Cotton Soft Terry, machine washable
• Dimensions are 16”x23” and light-weight, easily folds into your yoga bag
• Works incredibly well with our Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag to keep you from slipping on your mat
• Aurorae embroidery – Our symbol of great quality and service

And at just $8.95, the Aurorae Yoga Sweat towel is easy on your bank account, too! Woo hoo!

Cons

The honest-to-goodness ONLY con I can consider is that you haven’t bought one of these already – seriously!!

Verdict/Grade?

A+ all the way! I’m impressed with the company, the man behind it, the attention to detail and quality, and can absolutely feel confident in using – and recommending! – this fantabulous product. Plus, if you sweat – like we sometimes do during an hour of yoga! – you’ll love being able to reach for this soft and handy sweat towel. And it’s much better than wiping your face on your sleeve!

Do you use a yoga sport towel? Is it Aurorae? Have you considered using a sweat towel during your yoga sessions? And did you click through to read my Aurorae Yoga Mat Review? What did you think? What did you think about Dennis Ingui, the man who owns Aurorae? Pretty amazing, huh?! I’m in Yoga Heaven—I’m serious, y’all!!!!

Coming Soon

In no particular order…

• Review of the Paderno World Cuisine Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer
• Review of Aurorae Sport Sweat Towel
• Review of Aurorae Slip Free Rosin Bag
• Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
• Tart Cherry Concentrate Health Benefits – And Why I Drink It
• More recipes
• More reviews and giveaways – lots of surprises!

Disclaimer #2: The links to Amazon are affiliate links, so if you purchase anything once you click on them, I will earn a small commission. The other links take you to my Raw Shop. Thank you in advance for supporting Raw Juice Girl’s hard work!

Disclaimer: Easy Lunch Boxes provided me with a 4-container set and lunch bag (as shown in my photos below). However, I was not asked to write a favorable review in exchange for the free products. I wasn’t asked to write a review or mention them at all. The opinions in this post are my own.

Thank you, Kelly!!!

You don’t have to be in school to appreciate a lovely lunch box system. If you are passionate about the environment, chances are you’ve taken great measure to lessen your carbon footprint—including taking your meals and snacks to work with you, or while you’re traveling.

Finding the perfect, user-friendly containers isn’t always an easy task. One reader mentioned recently that she found two-part containers—but the Easy Lunch Box system has three! How convenient, huh?!

Today, you’ll learn about an eco-friendly company who is on a mission to make our meals healthier, easier to transport, and also bring awareness to our beautiful Earth, and preserving it.

Easy Lunch Box Tip:

“Instead of an ice block, place a frozen juice box or water bottle in the lunchbag. It’ll keep the food chilled and will be thawed by lunchtime.”

About the Company

Easy Lunch Boxes is an eco-friendly company that makes reusable lunch bags and containers so you can enjoy the ease of packing your children’s lunches every morning. No, Easy Lunch Boxes aren’t just for your children or teens – you can also use them to take your food to work with you, or even if you’re just traveling a short distance or want to have a picnic with friends or family.

This fantabulous, environmentally-aware company was created – and is owned – by Kelly Lester. A woman of many talents, she decided to improve her normal routine of packing lunches for her three daughters.

Unable to find a system that worked for her, she had a brainstorm and voila: Easy Lunch Boxes!

You know I love sharing who is behind the company so you can get a good idea of not just what the company is about, but the passion and heart of the people who make the company what it is. Easy Lunch Boxes is no different. I love finding out that the owner has heart and soul and just isn’t in it for money. And I’m happy to report that I definitely feel I’ve struck gold here.

See for yourself…

From Easy Lunch Boxes About Page

KELLY LESTER is the owner, creator, and mom behind Easylunchboxes.com. During the last two decades she has been an entrepreneur, wife, and mother of three. She is also an actress and singer.

A graduate of UCLA’s theatre department, Kelly has appeared in dozens of plays and musicals in the Los Angeles area. Kelly left show business for almost twelve years to found and run Art Plates, her own highly-successful gift manufacturing business and raise her three girls. Her handcrafted switchplates and soaps were sold in hundreds of museum stores across the country and direct to consumers via the Art Plates website.

After selling that business in 2006, Kelly defied the old adage that there are no second acts. In fact, sometimes there are actually many different acts. Since returning to performing, Kelly has appeared in a number of stage productions, films and TV shows. More about Kelly’s performing career HERE.

Easylunchboxes.com was born out of Kelly’s innate ability to do things efficiently while on a shoestring budget, and her desire to send her daughters to school with simple, healthy food, with little to no extra packaging or ingredients. Her past struggle with weight control inspires her to teach and model healthy eating habits for her children, and has fueled her dedication to always send them off to school with a great lunch.

Kelly combined her self taught business-savvy with her natural inclination to think “what would other parents want?” — to develop the perfect lunchbox system. She is thrilled and proud to share her Easy Lunch Boxes and lunch bags with other families who will benefit by their simple design, great price, and amazing functionality. Additionally, by promoting the waste-free lunch movement, EasyLunchboxes.com is helping the planet one lunch box at a time.

About Easy Lunch Boxes

These lunch bags and containers are so awesome! Not only are they green, they’re colorful, convenient—and frugal!

A 4-container set is just $13.95 and the lunch bags are only $7.95!

“We are proud to report that EasyLunchbox products have passed the strictest FDA testing and are COMPLETELY safe for use with food The testing was performed by SGS, the world’s largest control and inspection company, represented in more than 130 countries by 210 affiliated companies. SGS provides inspection, testing, certification & verification services to ensure that products, services & systems meet quality, safety & performance.” – Easy Lunch Boxes

Arrival Day!

“The lunch bags are 9 x 6.5 x 6.5” (the sides flex out a bit to hold the container securely and without wiggle room, ensuring that the container does not shake around in the bag, thereby keeping the food stabilized).” – Easy Lunch Boxes

The containers are 9.48 x 6.1 x 2. This is a really nice size!

Easy Lunch Box Ideas

I’m going to share a variety of my (easily transportable) recipes below, but first I just have to share the overnight oats I made in the Easy Lunch Box container.

Of course, I wasn’t going anywhere today (freelance, remember?) but I know a lot of you may want something (other than a juice, smoothie, or granola bar) that you can grab in the morning on your way out the door and eat once you get to work. If you aren’t driving, you could eat this on the way.

These overnight oats were so delicious! I enjoyed the chewy texture of the dried apricots, the juicy bursts of sweetness from the pineapple chunks, the crunch of the macadamia nuts and the volume of the 7 grain oat flakes themselves, with the creamy richness of the (honey) Greek yogurt. Oh my! What a fantabulous treat for breakfast on this rainy morning!

And this would be a super fun afternoon snack to help pull you through the rest of the work day as well!

7 Grain Overnight Oats Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup 7 grain oat flakes
• 1/3 cup cashew milk
• 1 container (honey) Greek yogurt
• pineapple chunks
• shredded coconut
• macadamia nuts
• apricots

Directions:

1. Combine oat flakes, milk, and yogurt.
2. Add pineapple chunks.
3. Either stir in toppings or keep separate and add the following morning. (I kept them separate.)

Note: I think I’ll add 1/2 cup of oats next time, or eliminate the milk. I personally prefer my oats (including overnight) to be super-duper thick.

View Full Album

 

 

This Morning

NOTE: Just click any of the following recipe titles for some other healthy meals and snacks you could take to work or travel with you.

Raw Juice Girl’s:

Spiralized Veggie S’ghetti

Raw, Vegan Tuna Fish-less Salad

Raw, Vegan Chicken-less Salad

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus + Veggies 

Jalapeno Hummus + Veggies

And for dessert?

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

Pros

Easy Lunch Boxes are easy and fun to use, affordable, convenient—and so much more. I can’t say enough good things about this eco-friendly lunch box system, or the company!

And I simply ADORE their passion for the environment and providing us, their valued customers, with safe, affordable, user-friendly products…

“Easy Lunch Boxes food containers are made of non toxic, food safe, polypropylene (PP or plastic #5). They are BPA, PVC, and phthalate free. Safe for refrigerator, freezer, microwave, & dishwasher.

Easy Lunch Boxes lunch bags are safe and lead-free. The test was for the following: Lead in accessible substrate materials, specifically for “children’s metal jewelry,” including fabric, zipper, liner, strap, insulation, grommet and rivet.”—Easy Lunch Boxes

Cons

The one thing I discovered that you may not like, is that the containers aren’t leakproof. Of course, if you take a little salad dressing or sauce, you can use a small, reusable container and pack it on top of your meal container. Not a real hassle, right? And how many times do you take something runny to work or school anyway?

“Although our Easy Lunch Box containers hold food securely, they are not designed to be leakproof, and we don’t recommend putting really wet food or liquid into any of the compartments. For a compartmentalized container to be completely leakproof, this would require carefully sealing all of the compartments, every time. We have found that most children are not able to do this consistently, and if you send such a container to school properly sealed, it may not come home that way; leftovers could be dripping out everywhere.”—Easy Lunch Boxes

Updated to add:

“Good news! I’ve just figured out how to portion out the yogurt directly into our EasyLunchbox containers and not have it leak!

I haven’t recommended runny foods (like yogurt) for use in the container.  Until now.  Here’s my little ’stop the leaks’ trick:

Cut a square of wax paper or plastic wrap to cover the compartment you want to put the runny food in. Then put the lid on (firmly), and the cut square you added will act as a leak barrier!

To make things even easier, I was shopping at my local Smart & Final warehouse and restaurant supply store and I came across pre-cut (dry)wax paper sheets.  Like 1,000 in a box for something ridiculous like $6. These would last me a year!” –  Easy Lunch Boxes Containers Can be Leak Free!

Verdict/Grade?

Eco-friendly? Check. Pretty? Check. User-friendly? Check. Affordable? Check. Practical? Check. Fun to use? Check. What’s not to love? I simply must give Easy Lunch Boxes an A+ for all their hard work to ensure that their products are all-of-the-above. Don’t you agree?!

Do you send your children’s lunch to school with them? Do you take food to work with you? Or maybe when you’re traveling a short distance and will be gone several hours? Are reusable containers something you’re interested in? What do you love most about the Easy Lunch Box system?

What’s that? You’d love to own an Easy Lunch Box system? Um, you know me! Yep, a giveaway is comin’ your way!!

Updated to Add:

The contest is now live and you can enter to win your very own Easy Lunch Box System! Click HERE to enter now!!!

Don’t forget to read my eco-friendly A Sense of Place Water Bottle Review if you missed it—and you can win your own in my giveaway!! It’s a $30 value!!!

Dislaimer #2: This post contains affiliate links. I signed up of my own free will – after I personally used (and LOVED!) the Easy Lunch box system. So, if you click on any of the links or graphics and end up purchasing something, I will receive a small commission. Thank you in advance for your understanding, and your support of my hard work and in-depth reviews of healthy, eco-friendly, user-friendly, Raw Juice Girl-approved products!

Disclaimer: A Sense of Place Photography provided the custom, steel water bottle (and interchangeable lids) for this review; however, I was not asked to write a favorable review in exchange for the free product(s). The following opinions are my own.

(Thank you, Katie!!)

I’m always elated when I find an email from a potential sponsor for a review. Not only  does it mean I’ll get to try out something fun, new, and share it with you, it usually means an awesome giveaway for y’all, too!  And it’s always, always a bonus when the product promotes eco-friendly living—something I’m very passionate about!

There are countless ways to live green, but a super easy habit to get in to is carrying a reusable bottle to drink out of. Whether it’s water, tea, a smoothie, juice—or even coffee—reusing the same container does not only give you green points, it’s not even a hassle.

So when I was contacted about this company and what they’re doing, I immediately responded, asking if I could review their eco-friendly, steel water bottle. When Katie answered with a yes, she told me I could choose any of her photos for my water bottle’s design. I browsed through her selection and ended up choosing this beautiful photo. Katie happily obliged. I’m overjoyed! I LOVE flowers and the Swiss Meadow scene—it’s beautiful!

“Welcome to our shop! We sell peaceful atmospheric prints from around the world. Our wish is that everyone might have a sense of place.”—A Sense of Place Photography

I could tell from corresponding with Katie that she’s a very warm, generous person, but I could never have dreamed just how much of herself she puts into her business! Before long, my package arrived and I saw for myself how much of Katie’s heart and soul is in everything she does….

Opening A Sense of Photography Package

LOVE the attention to detail!!!!!

Oooooohhhhhh, Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!! SO beautiful!!!!!

About the Company

A Sense of Place Photography is owned by Katrina (Katie) and her husband. She refers to him as “the King”.  

It’s always nice to learn more about not only the company—but the people behind it. So let’s get to know them…

From A Sense of Place Photography Etsy Bio

We take pictures; we are in love.
See profile for more selection & information. Giclee prints available in sizes 8X10 and up.
Please try our gallery view blog: www.theyouandmeshow.com
our music while you browse: http://www.myspace.com/uswiththekings

Like Our Landscape Photography? View more at http://tiny.cc/landscapes15. We’d be happy to create a custom listing for you! Do visit our abstract http://www.thedadafactory.etsy.com & vintage http://www.goldenmustard.etsy.com photography shops

 

The Short Story

Welcome to A Sense Of Place Photography
by Katrina & the King!
http://asenseofplacephotography.blogspot.com 
Katrina likes mountains.
Katrina is not a hurricane, or a 80′s pop rock band, though Katrina likes Paleo quite a lot.
Katrina loves her husband: theyouandmeshow.com
Katrina is an american indie photographer, poet & songwriter. in that order.
~If you are in Norfolk, you might like to have a look on our series at 208 East Plume Street, Suite 2, inside the Walls Fine Art Gallery.

To read “The Long Story” click HERE. Or, to learn even more, click HERE.

Wait, you want to know more? Okay, okay…

Who is Katie?

Instead of writing this in my own words (like I always do!) I thought it would be way more fun – and entertaining – if I shared snippets of Katie’s About Page with you—in her words. To be even more specific, the following information is taken from The You & Me Show, by Katrina King ~ a journal on modern marriage & the mayhem of it

Q. who is me {katrina}?

A. i’m a freelance writer, photographer, actor, singer, world traveler, design-lover, napper, Christian, avid dog lover {yet only has cats}, avid NYC lover (but country bumpkin at heart) wife, and blogger. a housewife is really the last thing I ever thought I’d be and I’m still always trying to find ways to get out of it! I also do not have any obsession with cupcakes…at all. i am *always* looking for a job. i am *always* up for travel. i’ve recently been dreaming of designing clothes with photography. my dream jobs are 1. La Fuerza Bruta 2. The Ad Council 3. National Geographic 4. Writing a book*

*I actually just finished my first poetry book. You should buy it.

Here [contact seller if sold out]
exhibitionist. idealist. loves mountains.

Q. if i was an animal: A. white flamingo

And the King?

Q. who is you {the king}?

A. old fashioned lover of sailboats, poetry, Judaism, history, language, coffee & chocolate. also by far the sexiest man I have ever seen. he has magic in his hands and in his lips. he is *always* up for ice cream. he is *never* one to whine. his dream jobs are 1. circumnavigating the globe 2. designing sailboats 3.owning a ranch 4. writing a book {and if truth be told, he can sing and act better than I ever could despite all my years of training….though he’d never admit it)
internal. cynic. loves the ocean.

Q. if he was an animal: A. dodo bird

we both have sunshine love

A Sense Of Place Photography takes dreams and puts them into tiny pixels, provides professional & unique artistic documentation for your event & creates fine art for galleries and interior decorating for your home and business. Run by husband & wife photographer team, Katie & Steven King. 

-Analog & Digital, Stark & Vital, we knock your socks off. –  www.asenseofplacephotography.com

Pretty awesome, huh?!

And they’re in favor of preserving our environment…

100% Recycled Packaging!!!!!

More detail!!!!

Personalized Note!!!!

Even MORE detail!!!!

Interchangeable Lids!!!

My favorite one!!!

(I love this one ‘cause I can just loop my finger through the hole and go.)

Another awesome lid!!!!

The whole kit and kaboodle!!!

A Sense of Photography Business Cards

(photo courtesy of their Etsy Shop)

Easy to Pack with Easy Lunch Boxes!

Pros

Of course the main pro of this water bottle is that by using it, you’re helping our beautiful environment, but there are other pros as well.

A few pros are that it’s:

• eco-friendly
• easy to grab and go
• easy to clean
• beautiful and cheerful
• fun to take with you
• holds a variety of drinks: water, tea, smoothies, juice, coffee
• and more!

Oh, and don’t forget it arrives in 100% recycled packaging!!

Here’s even more information from A Sense of Photography…

Description (from their Etsy Shop):

Be green and take your sense of place with you at the same time!
To work
To school
To play
and be hydrated with good old H20 on the way!
With buying this water-bottle, you pledge to
Say goodbye to plastic bottles that are harmful to our environment!
Our new bird on the wire water-bottle is dishwasher safe and comes with two screw-top options.
Explanation of the photos to the right:
1-Water bottle you will be receiving: Front
2-Sport’s top and back of water bottle
3-Trendy Screw Top
4-Tags, Business Cards, and sew on labels that come with your order.
5-A Sense Of Place Photography Logo
This thing is as tough as a brick, and looks great too! Be careful, soon it will want to go everywhere with you
Please visit: www.theyouandmeshow.com to learn more about how being in love helps us make our art.
Please visit http://www.asenseofplacephotography.com for our website, manifesto, and photo blog.
I love shipping overseas as well. Just quote me a price!

And the flowers make me HAPPY—they’re so cheerful!

It even has a built-in coaster!

Cons

As those of you who read all (or a lot) of my reviews, you know that two of the biggest cons I look out for are cost and taste. Well, taste doesn’t apply here, but cost might (in your opinion). This bottle costs $30 but even though that might make some of you cringe, it’s still hard for me to consider it a con (and y’all know how frugal I am!) because this is an investment that you’ll enjoy over and over again. If you think about it, you spend that much on 6 lattes—and they come in throwaway cups!

The only other “con” I can come up with (and y’all know I have to find SOMETHING because cons have to be listed in reviews due to FTC rules) is the fact that you’ll have to wash it. That’s no big deal (at all) to me. But to some of you who despise washing a dish—or even using the dishwasher—you might not enjoy washing a to-go bottle.

Verdict/Grade?

Overall, I must give this beautiful, eco-friendly, reusable bottle – and A Sense of Photography company – an A+ because not only do the folks behind the business put their heart and soul in to everything they touch, the bottle is something that won’t harm our precious environment any more than it already has been! And that’s a HUGE plus in my book!!

If you haven’t tried a reusable bottle, I urge you to start today! Get your own HERE!!! And not only do they offer a Steel Water Bottle with an Interchangeable Top, they offer a beautiful Eco-Tote-Woman’s Sailing Bag!!

Time for a GREEN drink!

After chugging a few (DELISH!) sips…

Ginormous Green Banana Juice Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 (large) banana (frozen in chunks)
• 2 (ginormous) handfuls spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons flax seed, ground
• 2 tablespoons Nutiva hempseeds
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (Vegans could substitute with nut-based or coconut yogurt—or just leave it out.)
• 1 1/2 cups herbal tea (or any liquid you want—my tea was an herbal tea combo my mom made)

Directions:

Toss everything in to your blender and process until smooth and well blended. Pour and enjoy!

It was DELISH—and it held me over extremely well. I wasn’t even the least bit hungry until after 2 p.m. in the afternoon!

I’ve also enjoyed lots of yummy water in my eco-friendly bottle. And I plan on enjoying many more to-go juices and smoothies in this beauty.

Do you carry your juices, smoothies, water, tea, coffee, etc., in a reusable bottle? Or do you always buy bottled water or other drinks that come in paper or plastic cups? Does it bother you? What about just an occasional treat—like a latte or smoothie in a to-go cup? Is that okay with you? I’m not judging here—just curious as to how you all feel about needless paper and/or plastic products. Also, do you like your smoothies super-duper thick, or runny? This smoothie is runny and that’s why I thought the name was a fun one. Of course, it isn’t technically a juice because you don’t juice bananas.

Oh, and are you wishing YOU had one of these beauties? Awesome! ‘Cause guess what’s coming up next? Yeah, you know me—a GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned…

Updated to Add

The contest is live!!! You can now enter to WIN your own A Sense of Place Water Bottle!!!

Disclaimer: iHerb sponsored a $50 shopping spree, allowing me to get a feel for how their online business works. However, I was not paid to write this review. I wasn’t required to mention them at all – especially in a positive light.

I was super excited when I was contacted by iHerb asking if I’d like to go on a $50 shopping spree with them and then host a giveaway so one of my readers could do the same. Um, seriously?! Absolutely, I wanted to go shopping and host a giveaway for iHerb! I love reviewing products and companies for you all – and I really love hosting giveaways so one of you can win an awesome prize.

It didn’t take long for me to get busy shopping at www.iHerb.com. After sending my response, I chose the products I wanted and went through the checkout process. I did have to create an account with iHerb so I could check out, but it’s super fast and easy and I haven’t had any problems with junk mail at all.

My shopping spree took a tad bit longer than expected, though, because iHerb has like a gazillion products, it seems. This is a good thing! At first, I thought this company only offered herbal products and natural remedies, etc., but that is SO not true – there’s a ginormous variety of health food, snacks, and all sorts of yummy stuff!

More about those details below. First, I’d like to share my goodies with you.

I previously mentioned I’d had the opportunity to go on a $50 shopping spree sponsored by iHerb. And I nabbed some…

Fantabulous Finds!

Let me lead you through why I chose these products….

My mom has been intrigued by Bach for years and years. It’s fascinating that for pretty much every illness, anxiety, stress, or health issue, there is a flower essence (or combination of them) that can remedy it.

I’m a firm believer in natural remedies. After all, they helped me lose over 100 pounds, get off of all diabetic medication, and completely transform my life.

Life has been especially stressful lately. And I’m a natural-born worry wort. I’m working on handling stress better – including my recent love affair with yoga – but I’m needing something more. It’s not good when our worrying nature keeps us awake, because sleep is one of the top necessities for regaining or maintaining health, right?

Enter: Bach Rescue Sleep

I am loving this product!! It only takes a few drops on my tongue (you can put it in water if you’d like) and I feel myself relaxing and not long after, drift off to a peaceful night’s rest. Yay for success!

And during stressful times, it’s nice to have a calming remedy during the day, too – that won’t make me sleepy!

Enter: Bach Rescue Remedy

Again, I’m super pleased. I don’t take this every day, but on days that are really chaotic and I’m feeling majorly stressed out, I take a few drops. It doesn’t take long for the calming, soothing, relaxing benefits – and it doesn’t make me sleepy! Again, success!

And I got Navitas Naturals lucuma powder…

I’ve seen the lucuma powder across the blogosphere. Some of you add it to yogurt or ice cream or make really fancy desserts with it. I used it to make a decadent…

Chocolate-Covered (Tart) Cherry Smoothie

(See more photos and get the free recipe here.)

I also plan on using it in some fun recipes. More about lucuma in future posts!

I’m had to grab some hempseeds!

And some flax seed oil!

I love BOTH on my salads all the time!

Hope you enjoyed going on my iHerb shopping adventures with me!

Now, let’s learn about the company itself!

About iHerb

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the iHerb company has been around for 12 years. I’ve read on various blogs that many of you didn’t know about them – but I’m happy to report that they have a solid business and aren’t some random, brand-new shopping site.

And I love their mission statement as well:

Providing the best overall value for natural products through "e-simplicity". – iHerb

You’ll be happy to learn that iHerb carries far more than herbs or natural remedies (like the company’s name may lead you to believe).

iHerb explains the history of their name on their About page:

“Initially, our company promoted the benefits of St. John’s Wort. Hence the name: iHerb.It is now a world-class online store, supplying a vast selection of brand name natural products. We believe iHerb offers the best overall value, period! Our success and very existence are dependent on the repeat orders and word-of-mouth recommendations of loyal, satisfied customers.

You’ll find supplements and natural remedies, yes, but you’ll also find snack bars, chia seeds, and more! iHerb has “over 600 well-known, respected brands. Over 16,000 products.”

Wow.

And here’s a few more words from  iHerb:

With the advanced e-commerce platform, plus our 48,000 sq. ft. Irwindale warehouse (almost 3X as big as before), you’ll find:

 

Features to make your online ordering safer, faster and more pleasant.

We are confident you’ll find iHerb to be your first choice for quality, price, reliability and convenience–on every effortless order. Try us! Read more.

View the Quality Assurances by some of the brands we carry QC Issues

If you are in the vicinity of Irwindale, California, feel free to stop by the iHerb retail store at 15710 Arrow Highway, Irwindale, Ca, 91706.

Pros

There’s a lot to love about this company. They:

• are dedicated to pleasing their customers
• offer a huge variety of products
• have nice prices
• carry numerous well-known brands you’re familiar with
• and more!

Over 99% of orders placed by 1:00 pm PST are shipped out the same day!

UPS Ground — Now a flat $4.00, FREE SHIPPING for orders over $40.00, regardless of weight anywhere in the contiguous United States, where available. Super value for California, or nearby states.

 

What’s not to love?!

Cons

Cons are my least favorite part of reviews. It’s always so hard to think of anything bad to tell you, when I’ve had such a wonderful experience. I don’t have anything unfair or negative to say about my iHerb shopping experience. So far, I haven’t come across anyone in the blogosphere who has mentioned anything bad either.

Verdict/Grade

I give my experience with iHerb an A+ because the process went smoothly, the customer service was pleasant and efficient, there was TONS of awesome products to choose from, and I received my order promptly. Everything arrived intact, just as I had ordered. I couldn’t be happier, really!

Kudos to www.iHerb.com for doing such a fantabulous job. I wish them many more years and lots of success!

$5 Savings

If you love online shopping, I think you’ll love www.iHerb.com. You can use the following coupon code to save $5 on your order:

TUN499

How awesome is that?!

Have you ever shopped with iHerb? What was your experience? Would you like to go on your own $50 iHerb shopping spree? Well, you know what? Next post is the giveaway! Get ready for lots of fun ways to enter. Go tell your friends!

Enter to win a $50 iHerb Shopping Spree NOW

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Disclaimer: The generous folks at the Aurorae Yoga company were kind enough to send me a beautiful, luxurious yoga mat from their collection to review. They also sent their Sport Sweat Towel and their Yoga Slip Free Rosin Bag. However, I was not paid to write this review – or even asked to write one.

Thank you, Aurorae!

Y’all know I’m always excited when packages arrive and I get new products to review, but I was especially impressed with this package – the quality is fantabulous!

I immediately knew when I unwrapped my mat that I was going to enjoy practicing yoga on it – and I do!

When my fingertips met this mat, I felt nothing but plush thickness. The word that keeps coming to mind: luxury.

There’s nothing better than time on the mat. To me, it’s a chance to clear my mind, strengthen my body, mind, and soul, and also rejuvenate. It’s a great way to start the day, or even end it. And I know it will be even better with Aurorae’s Hope Yoga Mat.

And now on to the photos and in-depth review…

First, let’s start with opening the box. It was like Christmas morning! I think this would be the perfect gift for anyone who loves yoga, or is considering getting in to it.

Aurorae Delivery!

I requested the Hope Aurorae Yoga Mat, not only because it’s pink – and pink is my favorite color – but because its message emanates such peace and beauty.

Intuitive

Faithful

Visionary

Power of Positive Thought

Energetic

Healing

Wow. Pretty powerful stuff. And very inspiring!

All Three Items

Aurorae Yoga Mats

About the Company

It’s always nice to get a feel for the people behind the products. And that’s why I always try to share some background on the company, its history, and/or its owner. I love learning why the company was created and how it was born. And so far I haven’t been disappointed. This time is no different. I’m truly inspired by the founder of Aurorae Yoga – and I believe you will be, too.

Dennis Ingui is a fighter. He is passionate about life and health and he’s not just interested in a thriving business, he has a desire to share with the world quality products that will enhance our yoga practice and help us live healthier, happier, more enriched lives.

See for yourself.

From the site:

I started this company from the passion I developed for yoga over the past nine years. Being a cancer survivor since 2001, I needed an outlet in my life to help build my body as well as develop inner peace for my mind. Yoga has helped accomplish both these goals for me while also making many new friends and energizing me with a positive and balanced attitude toward life.

I’m not an instructor or a yogi, just a dedicated student that has enriched his life through yoga and understands what a regular everyday student needs in their yoga practice.

Your business is always appreciated and we at Aurorae look forward to servicing your yoga needs and hopefully making a few new friends along the way.

Thank you.

Dennis Ingui /President & CEO

Aurorae

Remember, "it’s your yoga" so don’t be intimidated or uncomfortable. Relax, Enjoy and Namaste

Need I say more about this man, or company? Congratulations to Dennis on being a cancer survivor and thank you for sharing your passion – and awesome yoga products – with the world!

Pros

This mat is soft, thick, luxurious, beautiful and inspiring. I love that each mat has a name and inspirational meanings. It’s wonderful to practice yoga on a mat that makes you feel so wonderful – and how fantabulous that my pink mat has such a beautiful message:

Intuitive

Faithful

Visionary

Power of Positive Thought

Energetic

Healing

Ah, healing…  it’s a sign! This site, after all, is a tribute to my own healing journey.

I just had to list those inspiring words again. I love ‘em! And they seriously represent how I feel about my life and yoga.

And did I mention how soft and plush this mat is?

Cons

You may want to sleep on it! I’m not kidding. This is a fantabulous yoga mat!! How can I say something negative? I can’t find anything bad!

Verdict/Grade

I absolutely must give this mat an A+ because (as I mentioned above) it’s soft, thick, luxurious, inspiring, beautiful – and it’s only $30! I don’t think the price is bad at all – especially considering it’s such high quality, and a VERY worthy investment. After all, isn’t health and exercise important? Living a longer, fuller life is absolutely important.

I’m sure $30 isn’t even half the cost of what a lot of you would spend on shoes or clothes. Let’s make health a priority!

I can’t imagine that anyone wouldn’t be pleased with their purchase. Seriously! It’s that awesome.

Also, I saw some yoga mats at the store the other day (other brands around $20 – they were SO thin!).

And you can get your own fantabulous Aurorae mat here, in my Raw Shop!!

Are you a yoga lover? Do you have any Aurorae products? Do you have one of these mats? If so, which one do you have, and why did you choose it? The color? The message? Both? And if you don’t have one of these mats, which one would you choose? You can share why you’d choose that mat, too. Get a feel for Aurorae – I have a surprise for you!!!

Coming Soon

In no particular order…

• Review of Aurorae Sport Sweat Towel
• Review of Aurorae Slip Free Rosin Bag
• Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
• Tart Cherry Concentrate Health Benefits – And Why I Drink It
• More recipes
• More reviews and giveaways – lots of surprises!

Contest Alerts

The Delightful Learning blog is giving away a GALLON of Tropical Traditions shredded coconut!!!

Bitt, from A Bitt of Raw, is giving away a Vivapura raw foods package!

Ashlei, The Vegster, is hosting a $50 shopping spree for Swanson!

And don’t forget about my Tropical Traditions giveaway for organic, raw, wild honey.

Disclaimer #2: The links to Amazon are affiliate links, so if you purchase anything once you click on them, I will earn a small commission. Thank you in advance for supporting Raw Juice Girl’s hard work!

Before getting in to this Kombucha Tea review, I just wanted to thank everyone for your kind and encouraging words regarding my Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis + Fibromyalgia post. Besides your comments on that post, I’ve received messages on various social media sites, as well as emails. I appreciate every message – your words mean a lot to me!

Now, let’s talk about Kombucha!

“We use the very same generation of Kombucha culture that GT Dave used when he first started bottling it from his mother’s kitchen. Now we have thousands of cultures that give birth to new "babies" everyday.” — www.synergydrinks.com 

Kombucha Tea. Interesting, isn’t it? I’ve discovered quite a few folks have no idea what it even is, or why you’d drink it. I know I didn’t. I mean, fermented tea? Really? I wasn’t so sure about this stuff! This, coming from a gal who has sipped organic apple cider vinegar (with Mother!) water for years.

But I’m known to be naturally curious, so I had to see what all the excitement (aka hype in the blogospohere) was about.

Fun Fact!

“In his autobiography, Nobel Prize winner Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote that drinking Kombucha helped him survive the Siberian slave camps of the former Soviet Union.” —  www.synergydrinks.com

You may remember my review of Passionberry Bliss. It was really good, but it was my first-ever Kombucha experience – so I almost spewed it out my mouth as soon as I tasted it.

I had bought Passionberry Bliss with my own money, but today’s review is sponsored by www.synergydrinks.com – the kind folks at Synergy sent me some coupons so I could sample a variety of their flavors!

So, what’s the big deal? What is Kombucha and why should you drink it?

From their FAQ page:

What’s in Kombucha and how do these ingredients support health?

Kombucha culture has a wide range of organic acids, probiotics, acids and enzymes that give it its extraordinary value. Here’s a brief look at the benefits of each:

Beneficial Probiotics - Due to the prolific presence of pesticides, antibiotics, and preservatives, the beneficial micro-organisms present in our bodies are being destroyed and killed off on a regular basis. These friendly microbes play a huge role in our digestive and immune systems. Therefore, it is crucial that they are replenished from natural sources like kefir, yogurt, and Kombucha. Our beverages contain Lactobacillus Bacterium and S. Boulardii, which can help support a healthy digestive and immune system.

Live Active Enzymes - Active Enzymes are generally only found in foods that have not been cooked, processed, or refined. They are like the “spark plugs” for the body’s cells because they put “life” back in our bodies. If you think about it, the body is a living thing; why would you feed it something that is dead?

Polyphenols - These are antioxidants that fight off the free-radicals that stress the body and compromise its youth and health.

Organic Acids
These nutrients can help promote tissue and blood alkalinity and help normalize the natural process of homeostasis throughout the body.

Lactic acid helps maintain healthy digestive action (through the probiotic lactobacilli) and for energy production by the liver.

Acetic acid is an antiseptic and inhibitor of pathogenic bacteria.

Glucuronic acid, normally produced by a healthy liver, is a powerful detoxifier and can readily be converted into glucosamines, the foundation of our skeletal system.

Usnic acid has selective antibiotic qualities which can partly deactivate viruses.

Oxalic acid encourages the intercellular production of energy, and is a preservative.

Malic acid also helps the liver to detoxify.

Butyric acid protects human cellular membranes, and combined with Gluconic acid strengthens the walls of the gut in order to combat yeast infections such as Candida.

Nucleic acids, like RNA and DNA, transmit information to the cells on how to perform correctly and regenerate.

The fermented tea comes in a variety of flavors and there’s pretty much something for everyone.

The flavors in the above photo are (starting at the top-left):

• Superfruits
• Trilogy
• Mystic Mango
• Raspberry Rush
• Passionberry Bliss
• Strawberry Serenity
• Cosmic Cranberry
• Guava Goddess
• Divine Grape
• Gingerberry

I, of course, am reviewing the Strawberry Serenity flavor today.

Strawberry Serenity

Pros

There are a LOT of pros with this tea. This stuff is pungent, in my opinion. I compare it to apple cider vinegarwith Mother. It is, after all, fermented and has a strong, tart taste. But it also tastes good. Make sense? I love the taste and I think it’s fantabulous that while I’m drinking something I enjoy, I’m reaping health benefits galore. Some benefits believed to come from drinking fermented tea are:

• better digestion
• healthier hair, nails, and skin
• enhanced eyesight
• increased energy
• relief from arthritis pain
• help eliminating toxins
• speedier healing from cold and flu
• better circulation
• improved blood pressure levels
• relief from gout
• and much, much more!

Pretty amazing, huh?

And it fizzes and sort of tastes like soda to me!

Cons

Price. Not everyone can afford to pay $3 – $4 for a bottle of fermented tea. But there are two servings in each bottle, so you could drink half and save the other half for either the next day or another time – that would result in you paying only $1.50 – $2 per serving.

But sometimes you can catch a crazy good sale and stock up like Brittany, over at Eating Bird Food.

And if you only like to drink things that taste sweet or super great, you may have to convince your mind to drink Kombucha Tea. I’ll be honest, it isn’t for everyone’s taste buds. I have found, though, now that I’ve had a few different flavors (those reviews are coming soon) it is actually “growing on me” and I like it a lot! Kombucha Tea is addictive!

Verdict/Grade

I give Synergy’s Strawberry Serenity GT Kombucha Tea a B+ because the strawberry flavor shines through nicely and it’s yummy. And although it’s a little expensive for a super frugal gal like me, I’d actually buy this with my own money. It isn’t something I can buy often, I would definitely splurge for this once in a while.

And I love the company’s mission statement:

“To combine the wisdom of ancient medicinal foods with the resources of the modern day to create products that uplift and enlighten the health of all those who enjoy them.”

Are you a Kombucha drinker? Do you drink it occasionally or have to have it all the time? Do you make your own or stock up from the store, or online? Share your Kombucha experiences – and if you have a recipe, share!

Coming Next

• Agave: Why I Was Hesitant to Use It, And Won’t Be Using It Anymore
• Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
• More reviews and giveaways!

Contest Alerts

Averie, over at Love Veggies & Yoga, is having a raw food book giveaway.

I’m giving away a jar of Tropical Traditions raw honey.

Disclaimer: The kind folks at www.synergydrinks.com sent me coupons so I could sample a variety of their teas; however, I was not paid to write this review. I was not asked to feature their site, company information, or even mention them. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you, Synergy!

Also, the organic apple cider vinegar link to Amazon is an affiliate link. So, if you order anything once you’ve clicked that link, I’d make a small commission. Thanks in advance for supporting Raw Juice Girl’s blogging efforts!