Articles in the Reviews Category

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

I already reviewed the coconut peanut butter. If you’d like to read that in-depth review, click here.

And now on to my thoughts on raw honey…

It’s Raw!

You know I have a soft spot for raw foods and their healing benefits. This honey would be RAWsome in a smoothie, y’all – especially if you’re wanting added sweetness to hide the taste of kale!

From the site:

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey comes from the frontier areas of Canada, and is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer. Tropical Traditions is the exclusive source of this premium organic honey in the U.S. Most commercial honeys available on the market today come from bee farms, where the bees are controlled within a certain area and get their pollen from usually only one kind of flower. Many of the plants that produce these flowers (clover, orange blossom, etc.) are grown with pesticides and fertilizers as well. In addition, almost all honeys on the market are pasteurized in high heat and filtered, removing many of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes.

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey has not been subjected to the heat of processing, only warmed enough to flow (same temperatures the honey would see inside the hive). We select only premium honey that is pure, smooth and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. It contains live yeast and enzymes, because it has not been processed. It also contains pollen because it has not been filtered—merely screened.

Fine textured crystals are characteristic of totally pure, unheated, unprocessed, raw honey. Properly crystallized honey has a fine, smooth texture. Crystallized honey preserves natural goodness and doesn’t drip. The more rapidly honey crystallizes the finer the texture will be. It will also turn harder over time as it crystallizes. Truly raw honeys do not deteriorate with age, but like fine wines, continue to age and develop into more complex tastes.

Some of you wondered why Tropical Traditions raw honey is solid – and not liquid/runny like you see in stores. I hope the above information helps you understand.

Fun Fact!

“Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.”—WH Foods

It’s (Certified) Organic!

I know for most of you, consuming (certified) organic foods is a priority. It’s not always easy to find certified organic products but when we do, it’s a blessing!

From the site:

In order for honey to be certified organic, the beehives must be placed in isolated areas miles from the dense population, industry, traffic congestion, and farm fields treated with chemicals and landfills. Second, a bee’s flying range is determined by their natural instinct which tells them to stay within their natural four mile range from the hive location. Finding area which can be certified organic is extremely difficult, which is why there are so few certified organic honeys on the market. Tropical Traditions sources its honey from hives in the wild frontier areas of Canada.

These regions are a rich source of wild vegetation that produce some of the finest honey in the world. The USDA and Canadian Organic Certification implies a rigorous set of standards and conditions that must be adhered to by both the producer (beekeeper) and the packager. All aspects of the honey production including the source of the nectar, forage area of the bees, management of the bees, extracting process, transportation, “lot” management, processing temperature, integrity (no co-mingling with non-organic honey), screening, and, packaging materials, are taken into account in the certification process.

17.6 oz. glass jar
Retail: $17.50

15 lb. pail
Retail: $160.00

Health Benefits

Raw honey is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial and has been known to help:

• alleviate sore, raw throats
• coughing
• allergies
• heal wounds
• fight against free radicals
• lower cholesterol
• increase energy
• improve athletic performance
• boost the immune system
• and more!

“Phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.”—WH Foods

Raw honey is also a wonderful natural beauty treatment. Smear some on your face and let the raw goodness seep into your pores.

Diabetics don’t have to fear raw honey either:

“Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell’s nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol – in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.”—WH Foods

Also, Whole Foods says: “Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.”

Pros

As you can see, Tropical Traditions honey is raw, certified organic, and is super high quality, so I know it’s not only chock-full of sweet deliciousness – every smidgen is bursting with health benefits and energy.

I personally love that the raw honey is solid. It’s fun to use and all you have to do to keep the raw enzymes intact and turn it into liquid, is simply put the amount you need in a small bowl and set that bowl in a bowl of warm water – or set that small (glass) bowl/cup near a low heat so it can liquefy.

Cons

It may be a little expensive, if you’re frugal or having to really watch your pennies. A  17.6 oz. glass jar retails for $17.50 so if you’re used to spending $3 – $5 for regular old honey at the grocery store, you might feel like the cost of this honey is a huge splurge for you; however, isn’t what we put into our bodies worth the extra cost?

And that is seriously the only con I can think of, folks!

Verdict/Grade

Raw Juice Girl gives this honey an A. I feel it deserves an A because it’s truly raw, it’s wild, it’s natural, it’s (certified) organic and cruelty-free. I also believe it deserves an A because the company does everything it can to ensure it is the quality product they say it is. And I didn’t add the + (a lot of times I give products an A+) because I feel that the cost may be an issue for some of you. Although I absolutely feel it’s a worthy investment and you are only going to use a small amount so it would last you a while, $17.50 plus shipping is a lot for some folks to shell out – and I realize that.

If you can rearrange your budget or can afford this at all, I absolutely feel it’s worthy every single penny. You have my word!

And be sure to check out the recipes I created using Tropical Traditions raw honey:

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Coconut PB Honey Overnight Oats

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

And my recipe was also published on the Tropical Traditions website!!! <— I’m really excited about that, and very proud.

Search for tons of awesome recipes by clicking the banner:

Win a FREE jar HERE!!!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Have you tried Tropical Traditions raw honey? Did you love it? What did you think of the consistency? Was it sweeter or better than other honeys you’ve tried? Do you prefer the solid consistency or are you set in your ways when it comes to runny honey? Of course, I realize it isn’t vegan but to my vegan readers: Don’t you think this honey is a wonderful honey to use for those who are transitioning to veganism? Don’t you agree? Or, I know some vegans consume honey from time-to-time. If that’s you, would you give this raw honey a try? Chime in, folks! I LOVE reading your thoughts!

Oh, and just in case you didn’t hear the news: This site is in the midst of a redesign and things might get a little wonky for the next couple of days.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

References:

WH Foods: Honey

Dislcaimer: I received the Glass Dharma (eco-friendly, reusable) straws mentioned below, to review (thank you, Glass Dharma!). But I was not paid to write this review, and the links to Glass Dharma’s website are not affiliate links.  My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Now, on to the fun stuff:

Drinking today’s lunch smoothie with a Glass Dharma straw!

But first… I know you love to see when the packages arrive!

Here’s what the Glass Dharma straws came in. 

Each packaged separately…

Simple Elegance

Decorative Dots Straw

And I chose to use the 9” Beautiful Bend straw first.

Getting started on my lunch smoothie:

Which I’ve decided to name…

Blueberry-Blackstrap Bomb

Manitoba Hemp Pro 70 Powder 

 ice cubes

tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds

2 tablespoons of hemp

a banana 

Then I added about half a cup or so of blackstrap molasses water I keep in the fridge (more on this in a future post). But it would be 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses in a cup of water for you.

After I blended that up, I decided to add a handful of frozen blueberries.

And a couple handfuls of baby spinach leaves…

Yum!

Look at the delicious, beautiful layers!!!

All blended together! 

Got too excited, I guess – Oops!

Blueberry Blackstrap Bomb Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients:

• ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons of hemp powder
• a banana
• handful frozen blueberries
• 2 handfuls baby spinach leaves
• about half a cup or so of blackstrap molasses water I keep in the fridge (more on this in a future post). But it would be 2 tablespoons blackstrap molasses in a cup of water for you.

Directions:

Toss everything in to the blender, blend until smoothly combined, pour, and enjoy this blast of energizing deliciousness!

 

Played with the camera… 

Okay, okay. So, I’m not a photographer – but it was fun!

And I realize the ingredients may sound odd to you, but this was one seriously delicious smoothie – and I’ve drank a LOT of smoothies!!! 

About Glass Dharma Straws

“These straws are made from borosilicate tubing and is the strongest glass commercially available,” says the company.

You’ll also find that these straws are made using a specific process that makes them the highest quality glass straw available.

Dharma Glass straws are versatile and can be enjoyed with either hot or cold drinks – and if you’re lucky enough to own a dishwasher, you can pop ‘em right in there for easy cleaning!

Here’s what Glass Dharma’s site has to say:

Plain and simple, here’s how and why they work:

• Glass straws don’t leach toxins into your food as you drink.
• Each time you use your glass straw equals one less plastic straw ending up in your landfill.
• One glass straw replaces thousands of plastic straws. (How many times will you use a straw the rest of your life?)
• Using your glass drinking straw adds a feeling of beauty to your day.

Now, that’s pretty awesome, don’t ya think?!

Glass Dharma straws are only $6-$8 each – and cost even less if you order a few at once. These would make fantabulous gifts or party favors, people!!!

About the Company

You always know it’s a fantabulous company if there’s an awesome person who owns it.

I love that David Leonhardt, the man behind Glass Dharma, is genuinely passionate about spreading the message of glass straws, NOT for the sole purpose of making money, but because he has a true heart for making a positive impact on the environment and it literally hurts his heart that so many plastic straws are destroying our beautiful earth.

Here’s what Mr. Leonhardt says about why he started the company: 

I’ve been a lampworker (glassblower) for over 10 years. My wife, Gail & I recently moved from the Sacramento, CA area, to our dream of living on the Mendocino Coast. 

I started doing some work for a local glass shop in town and noticed that the owner had glass drinking straws for sale. I had never heard of these before and I am always intrigued by something made out of glass that I hadn’t thought of.  I was struck by the unique elegance in such a simple item. 

I immediately recognized that here was a partial solution to our “plastics problem”.  Now, granted, there are a lot more plastics in our world than just drinking straws, but bear with me a minute and let me put things in perspective … As of March 2008, McDonald’s serves an average of 52 million meals PER DAY!  (Per their website) How many of those served do you think were given a plastic straw?  I hope it is becoming obvious just how big of a problem these pesky little plastic straws can be.  Remember, this is just from McDonalds!!  Get the picture??

So …

I created the GlassDharma line of glass drinking straws and this website to contribute one solution to the misuse of plastics in our society.

Everyone that has seen these straws are filled with delight.  Not just because they promote health and are environmentally friendly, but that they do these things with elegance and style.

Yes, I do get the picture! That is total craziness!! 

Great job, Mr. Leonhardt!!

Pros

As you read above Glass Dharma straws don’t leach toxins into your drinks or smoothies. And another HUGE pro for me is that Glass Dharma straws help prevent more plastic straws being tossed into landfills, alleys, rivers, creeks, lakes, oceans, etc. Now, I realize that there are absolutely gazillions of plastic straws being tossed in the garbage daily and little ol’ me sipping from a glass straw won’t knock a dent in that – BUT if a whole bunch of us use glass straws, we WILL knock a dent in the plastic straw situation.

They even sell bamboo hard cases …

and hemp soft sleeves to store and/or transport your straws!

They also sell cleaning brushes if you want to be sure your straw is super duper clean inside.

Cons

Hmmm… Cons… Gosh, this one is difficult! I guess if you wanted to consider it a con that you have to wash your straw after you use it, then that’d be a con to you. I don’t personally see that as a con. It’s not that big of a deal for me.

I normally list price as a con if it’s more expensive than I feel the “average” person would be able to afford, but I feel these straws are within most anyone’s budget.

And there’s a lifetime guarantee, so you don’t even have to worry about it breaking!

Sorry, folks, can’t really think of a con on this one!

Verdict/Grade

Glass Dharma straws are not only eco-friendly, they’re beautiful, too. And I’m really enjoying my experience. Using them is fun, washing them is easy peasy, and I liked feeling “fancy schmancy” while I conveniently sipped slurped my smoothie today.

AND it feels good  to know that I’m not promoting plastic straw waste that harms the environment. Oh, and these straws won’t break your bank – all that adds up to an A+ in my opinion!

Still not sure you want to invest in Glass Dharma straws? Well, they have a “Lifetime Guarantee Against Breakage” policy you might want to check out! (Read all about it here.)

But you can decide for yourself.

What about you? Have you tried Glass Dharma straws? Do you love them? Have you given ‘em as gifts? Would you like to win a gift certificate to Glass Dharma? Oh, yeah! Stay tuned… contest post coming next!

Updated to add:

Contest is posted! Click here to win a $30 Gift Certificate from Glass Dharma!!!

FTC Disclaimer: NuNaturals provided (free) samples for me to try; however, they did not pay me to write this review and they did not require me to write this review. The thoughts and opinions found here are my own, and are of my free will.

Remember when I got that fantabulous package from NuNaturals? Well, I’ve been experimenting with these sweet products and have lots of reviews coming up!

(A huge thank you to NuNaturals for sending some a LOT of sweetness my way!!)

I decided to try the NuStevia NoCarbs Blend in my tea.

From the site:

NuStevia White Stevia NoCarbs uses Erythritol, a natural filler that is produced from corn. Erythritol enhances the taste of Stevia. NuStevia White Stevia NoCarbs will have absolutely no effect on blood sugar levels and is safe for both Type I and II diabetics.

NuStevia NoCarbs Blend contains 60% more Stevia extract than most other brands on the market. The cost to get the same sweet taste of other brands can be up to 2 1/2 times more expensive compared to NuNaturals. NuNaturals NuStevia NoCarbs Blend will save you money.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent any disease.

Free of Soy, Yeast, Gluten….

According to NuNaturals, NuStevia NoCarbs Blend contains no: soy, yeast, wheat, milk, synthetics, msg, artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, or artificial sweeteners.

Regarding gluten, they say:

This product does not contain gluten. The Maltodextrin used in our White Stevia Powder products is derived from corn. The Erythritol used in our NoCarbs Blend products is derived from corn.

Woo hoo! How awesome is that?!

Personal Touch

What’s this? A cutting board I received from a precious friend as a  Christmas gift. Ain’t it pretty?!

Sneak Peek Inside the Bottle

Ingredients (from the site):

NuStevia Extract, Erythritol, Natural Flavors

The natural flavors are natural plant extracts from herbs and berries. These natural flavors do not contain any MSG (monosodium glutamate) or any other “natural flavors” that are known to cause allergic reactions in the body. We do scrutinize the ingredients that we use very carefully and would not use an ingredient known to cause reactions.

Supplement Facts: Serving Size 1/8 tsp Calories 0 Fat Calories 0 % Daily Value* Total Carbohydrates 0g 0% Sugars 0g Sugar Alcohol .42g 0% Total Fat 0g 0% Sodium 0mg 0% Stevia Extract 40 mg* (Stevia rebaudiana) *Daily Value not extablished Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Bitter Buds?

Worried about the bitter aftertaste of Stevia? I didn’t get that with this brand. It sweetens my tea (or oats, etc.) nicely – without a nasty aftertaste. Delish!

Want to know why this brand of Stevia doesn’t have a lingering, bitter aftertaste?

Here’s what the company says…

From the site:

NuNaturals Stevia products are not only non-bitter, but will not leave an unpleasant lingering aftertaste in your mouth like other Stevia products will. This is achieved by both removing the bitter components of the Stevia extract and through the use of natural flavors that improve the taste of the Stevia extract.

 Bravo, NuNaturals, bravo!

About the Company

It’s always nice to know a little something about the company behind a product you’re interested in, right?

NuNaturals shares this bit of information on their site:

Thank you for taking the time to get to know us better. We have over 18 years of experience providing nutritional supplements. NuNaturals uses only the highest quality herbs and nutrients to make our products. We belong to the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) and the TruLabel Program.

Wow. Close to 20 years of (sweet) experience… That’s a pretty good record, don’t you think?!

Pros

I love that this Stevia is sweet, delicious, and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste. I also love the low-carb aspect. And I honestly believe it’s affordable for most everyone. At $9.99 per bottle, it’s a super deal because you use such a teeny tiny amount, it will last like forever.

It’s also small and convenient. You can pop this little bottle in your purse and take it with you. If you’re slow and cautious, you can simply shake some right from the bottle into your drink – without having to use a spoon – so it’s nice to just carry with you and have on hand if you buy an unsweetened tea (or other beverage or food) while you’re out on the town.

And my experience with the company has been just stellar. I feel confidant yours would be, too.

Cons

Hmmm…. This one is difficult! I sometimes include cost as a con when I write my reviews because, let’s face it, not all of us can truly afford some of the healthier products – but I can’t use cost as a con on this product. I think it’s price is more than fair because you use such a minute amount, it’s really cost-effective in the long run.

Another thing I (personally) toss in to the “con pile” when I’m reviewing a product, is whether or not it is organic. This product is not. But there are a lot of NuNaturals products that are, so if you’re a stickler for organic/certified organic only, I still recommend you check out their site and see for yourself what awesome products they’re carrying.

If you don’t mind some non-organic products, then for sure try this out!

Sweet Tea

Let me walk you through combining NuStevia NoCarbs Blend + a glass of herbal tea to recreate sweet tea from my childhood, drank from a glass jar – just like grandma did!

Adding the Stevia Powder

Sweet Sipping Time!

The only thing missing was a slice of lemon!

I absolutely adore Stevia and use it in my tea, sometimes my oats, and recipes. I’ve loved it for years, and found it to be a life-saver during my 100+ pound weight loss. I was so happy to have a (healthy) sweetener for my old-fashioned tea.

Verdict/Grade

I give this product an A- because although it isn’t certified organic, it is delicious, free of a bitter aftertaste, very cost-friendly, and fun to use! That’s a winner, in my opinion!

What’s your go-to sweetener? White, processed sugar? Dates? Stevia? Honey? Agave*? Turbinado? Xylitol? And… are you (gasp!) using Splenda? (You may want to read this article if you’re using Splenda.) Would you try something else? Are you open-minded about sweeteners? Do you switch things up, or stick with one certain kind?  Let me know!

Oh, and don’t forget about my latest contest! You might really, really want to take advantage of those extra entry options (like linking back on your blog) because there’s 200+ entries already and it doesn’t end until Friday, February 19th! Enter now!

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links**. If you purchase anything once you click on the links, I will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

*I didn’t link to agave like I did the other sweeteners because I’ve decided NOT to consume agave anymore – more about that in a future post.

**The link to NuNaturals is not an affiliate link; the links that take you to Amazon.com are affiliate links.

References:

NuNaturals.com

Rubin, Jordan. Issue 14: Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Thank you to www.tropicaltraditions.com for sending samples!

Note: For my 100% raw purist readers, this product is not raw. The coconut is only dried, but the peanuts are roasted. In my opinion, it’s totally worth the splurge, though!

You might remember a Tropical Traditions review and contest in the past here at Healing with (Raw) Juices…. Well, the folks at Tropical Traditions are so very kind and generous, they’ve sent more products for me to review – and give to you!

First up….

Organic Coconut Peanut Butter

Ingredients: Organic Dried Coconut, Organic Roasted Valencia Peanuts

Health Benefits of Dried Coconut

So, we know that fresh, raw coconut (and its oil) is fantabulous for our health, boasting benefits like: colon health, skin health, battling candida, promotes skin elasticity, healthy for your heart, and so much more. Coconut oil is also nature’s richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs)!

But what about the dried coconut that’s used in this coconut peanut butter? I thought you might be curious about dried coconut if you weren’t familiar, so I swiped the following information from an article on the Tropical Traditions site: The Truth about “Raw” Dried Coconut

Dried or "desiccated" coconut is an established industry in the Philippines, with the largest companies being established back in the 1920s to handle the booming candy bar industry in the US. The Philippines produces most of the world’s dried coconut products, and has had a reputation of producing a very high quality product for many years. The meat of the coconut is high in protein, and fresh coconuts have a very short shelf life, especially in the humid tropics.

In the conclusion of this article, they state:

Raw coconut is very healthy and is best consumed from fresh coconuts within 24-48 hours of harvest. For those of us living outside the tropics, dried coconut is the next best thing. However, be careful where you purchase your dried coconut and investigate thoroughly to be sure it was processed according to industry standards to avoid potential contamination.

So, from my understanding, while fresh, raw coconut is ideal for optimum health benefits, dried coconut (when correctly processed) is next in line. That makes a gal feel good about gobbling up her coconut peanut butter for sure!

From the Tropical Traditions FAQ page:

While whole coconut does contain coconut oil, you would have to eat more by weight to get the equivalent amount of pure coconut oil.

Whole coconut contains more than just oil. It would include things like fiber, protein and sugar (natural sugar).

Some people could be allergic to whole coconut, and not be allergic to coconut oil, for example, because coconut oil does not contain protein. If you are trying to restrict sugar from your diet, you do have to account for the natural sugar in whole coconut as well. As to fresh coconuts, most coconuts you find in U.S. grocery stores are transported many miles and are no longer fresh. A freshly harvested coconut does not have a long shelf life, especially if the outer husk is removed down to the brown shell. Hence, many coconuts in U.S. stores may already be moldy. This is especially true for “young” immature coconuts. The best place to eat fresh, raw coconuts is in tropical climates where they grow, and right after they are harvested. Those outside the tropics might be better off eating dried coconut.

From the site:

Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Peanut Butter is made from organic peanuts and organic coconut. Two ingredients: nothing else! No fillers, no binders, no sweeteners, and no preservatives.

The peanuts are 100% organic Valencia peanuts grown organically by family farmers in New Mexico and Texas. Grown in the dry climate of the southwestern United States, these peanuts are certified organic and free from aflatoxins.

The dried coconut is certified organic coconut meat from the Philippines from coconuts that are grown with no fertilizers or pesticides. This premium dried coconut contains no additives or preservatives, and is not sweetened.

Unlike most dried coconut on the market, our dried coconut products are not treated with sulfites to keep them white.

Together, these premium organic roasted peanuts and the premium organic dried coconut are ground together to make a delicious and nutritious spread!

Nutrition Information

Low, low carb, people!

Coconut Peanut Butter = Yummy to the Tummy!

I have seriously, wholeheartedly enjoyed every smidgen I’ve eaten of this yummy stuff. (I still have some left in the jar, but it’s a secret – don’t tell anyone!)

You might remember when I used coconut peanut butter as a fantabulous ingredient in my:

Coconut Peanut Butter Honey Overnight Oats

Or when I spruced up my banana soft serve with some coconut peanut butter and ended up with:

Coconut Peanut Butter Cream

You’ll notice that above in the overnight oats, the coconut peanut butter actually took on a creamy consistency, but in the coconut peanut butter cream (banana soft serve with cream of coconut added), when I drizzled the coconut peanut butter over it, it was “runny” (which is a good thing, in my opinion!) but then it hardened up. And boy, was it FUN to eat that way! LOVED it!

Here’s what Tropical Traditions has to say about the consistency situation:

Note: In warmer temperatures the oils will separate at the top of the jar. Simply mix them back in. If refrigerated, this product will become hard and difficult to spread. It is recommended to store this product out of the light in a cool place.

Other ways I enjoyed my coconut peanut butter:

• straight off the spoon
• drizzled over my salad like a dressing (it was sooooooooooooo good when it ran into the crevices of the kale!

This would also be fantabulous drizzled over raw cakes or cookies, or to make hardened candy. I’m sure it’d taste awesome in a smoothie, too!

 About Tropical Traditions – The Company

From the site:

Brian W. Shilhavy, BA, MA
Brian earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible/Greek from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and his Master of Arts degree in linguistics from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. He is currently the CEO of Tropical Traditions, Inc.

Marianita Jader Shilhavy, BS, CND (Certified Nutritionist/Dietician in the Philippines) earned her bachelor of science degree in nutrition in Manila. Understanding the nutrition of Filipino foods, Marianita worked for over eight years as a hospital dietician and nutritional counselor in the Philippines.

In 1998 Brian  and Marianita returned to the Philippines with their three children and renovated Marianita’s old family farmhouse. By this time the coconut industry was severely depressed due to the negative U.S. campaigns against tropical oils in the 1980s and 1990s. Coconut farmers could no longer support their families on the income generated from harvesting coconuts.

The Tropical Traditions Line of Organic Foods and Healthy Products

Later, when our  family was forced to leave the Philippines, we had to adapt our eating and lifestyle from living in a rural agricultural area of the Philippines, where we had access to a local public market and fresh farm goods produced in our community and the areas surrounding it, to buying food on the shelves of stores where we had little or no knowledge of those who produced the food. As we settled back into life in the United States, I sought out healthy food sources that I felt we could trust to meet the nutritional and health needs of our family.

Finding good food sources and healthy products is an ongoing endeavor, and the products sold through Tropical Traditions are the products I have trusted to meet the needs of my own family. I won’t sell you products that I won’t use personally or give to my own children. With meats and dairy products, it is not enough to simply be "organic." We believe that animals raised on pasture are preferable to animals in feed lots eating organic grains and organic soy, and so we give preference to animals raised on grass and sunshine, and farmers practicing sustainable agriculture.

How are Products Chosen for Tropical Traditions?

We have a strong commitment to family farming and organic standards. But the organic label is not enough for us. We research and find out where the products are produced, and how they are produced. We find that some organic standards too loose for our trust, so we look beyond what is claimed on a label. We find out as much as possible about those who provide the products. And if a certain quality of product does not exist, we will work with others to produce that product and offer it to our consumers. We did that with Virgin Coconut Oil in the Philippines, and we are working on several other products both here in the US and outside the US that we plan to introduce to you soon.

We want you to feel safe when shopping in our online store, so we have a commitment to you to not sell anything that is harmful to the best of our knowledge. All of our foods are either certified organic or meet quality standards that are equal to or higher than organic certification. This is quite different from most health food stores, where you have to be "on your guard" as most of them offer conventional products right alongside organic products, because they want to offer a full selection of products to compete with regular grocery stores. We would rather offer fewer products, and stick to our high standards, so that you can feel safe when shopping here.

Tropical Traditions is constantly adding more products to offer its customers as we move forward and find people producing products that meet our high standards. We are already working with farmers to be able to drop ship products directly to your home from the farm. In time, we will also setup regional centers where you can pick up local food produced close to your community. In early 2006 we launched our Healthy Buyer’s Club that allows individuals and families to purchase bulk retail products for a significant savings. Join us today as we seek to restore traditional ways of producing healthy food and healthy products!

Pros

There are too many pros to mention, in my opinion!  I love the taste and that it’s so versatile. You can eat it so many different ways and it’s so fun to use as an ingredient!

Coconut is good for us and while peanut butter may not be everyone’s cup of tea, for those of you who love it like there’s no tomorrow, this is a great way to enjoy “peanut butter” while also sneaking in some added nutrition and fiber.

Cons

As always, the things I look out for on the “negative” aspect of my reviews are 1) price and 2) that it’s truly a Raw Juice Girl-worthy, healthy product.

As you can tell, I’m totally in favor of this product!

Warning: This stuff is highly addictive! It’s just soooooooooooo delicious – and knowing that it is actually good for you, makes you want to indulge even more!

Verdict/Grade

I think this product deserves an A+ because it’s delicious, fun, and is so cool that it is half coconut, half peanut butter! I also love the consistency and that it’s such a fun addition to desserts and other foods. Love, love, love it!!!

Want some for yourself?

Enter my Tropical Traditions contest: click HERE.

(for U.S. and Canada residents only – sorry international readers!)

If you can’t wait for the contest, you can nab a deal on this golden treat – it’s currently 50% off of its regular retail price of $14.99!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s User ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

I’m glad you enjoyed my review of Oh!Nuts (RAW) Macadamia Nuts – and that you’re having fun with all the numerous ways to get extra entries in on the contest to win your very own one-pound bag!

Now, on to those…

Big (RAW) Georgia pecans!

Just look at those beauties!

And like I’ve mentioned before: Don’t fear those healthy fats – our bodies need ‘em!

You’ll know your lacking in healthy fats when your hair is brittle and your skin is dry and your eyes are dried-out and giving you a fit all the time, etc.

Health Benefits of Raw Pecans

So, what’s a raw pecan good for – no, not baked, sugary pecan pie!

Well, besides being filled with healthy fats, pecans contain potassium, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin A. Talk about promoting healthy skin and fighting infections!

Pecans may help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They are heart-healthy, filling, delicious and so good for us!

  Nutritional Information

If you’ve been looking for a yummy, low-carb snack or ingredient, you only have to count 3 carbs in each serving of raw pecans!

How did I enjoy these jumbo Georgia pecans, in the raw?

• by the handful
• on top of salad

What can I say? Sometimes I’m just boring.

Of course, I wasn’t selfish – I shared some, too. And I was a sad gal when I saw the bottom of the empty bag. Too bad it wasn’t a magical bag that could just replenish itself!

About Oh!Nuts – The Company

As legend has it, a number of the Klein’s friends who heard the idea said you could go nuts trying to name a store like that. In their excitement, the Klein’s thought their friends said "Oh Nuts" instead of "Go Nuts" and proceeded to throw caution to the wind—and themselves into designing a 15×15 retail space into a warmly cozy experience that would become their flagship store.

While their products were both dairy and non dairy, their first Oh Nuts hand a definite dairy dynamic if for no other reason than the fact they used milk crates as display shelves.

Though as these shelves were displaying absolute freshest selections of imported and domestic nuts, dried fruits and confections, they quickly realized that consumers liked their fresh approach to retailing.

And while the milk crates were eventually replaced by more conventional retail displays and shelving, and the flagship store welcomed an even more impressive sibling less than a year later, one thing that didn’t change then—and won’t ever change, is the Klein’s approach to retailing "Keep It Fresh," "Keep It Fun," "Keep It Phenomenal."

Today, the Oh Nuts brand is a nationally recognized one stop shop for everything in dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, candies, related confections (both finished products and raw ingredients,) custom and pre-configured gift baskets for any occasion, (real or imagined)—even hard to find items like sugar-free and organic products—become remarkably easy to find when you enter the world of Oh Nuts.

Pros

Some things I loved about this bag of raw Georgia pecans is that the nuts came in a resealable bag.

I love the giant size of the pecans, that they’re whole, and that they’re really delicious!

You could do a gazillion things with these raw nuts: make raw desserts, crusts, eat ‘em alone, add ‘em to veggie or fruit salad, etc.

If you have a Vita-Mix or other equipment, you could even make your own raw pecan nut butter. YUM-O!

These raw pecans are KOSHER – for those of you who find that important.

Honestly, what’s not to love about a giant raw pecans that are loaded with nutritious health benefits?

Cons

As I’ve mentioned before, one of the biggest cons I try to look out for when writing reviews (other than if it’s honestly a healthy/worthy product – and these are), is cost. I realize price is a huge factor for most of us, and is the biggest reason people tend to shy away from raw foods.

This one-pound bag costs $8.99 per pound (plus shipping) but if you buy in bulk, cost per pound goes down with each additional pound your order. (That’s a plus!)

And although these raw pecans are indeed RAW, they aren’t organic, in case you’re sensitive to that aspect.

That’s really the only “cons” I have to share. I genuinely loved the pecans and also the correspondence with the company itself.

Verdict/Grade

I’ve decided to give these raw pecans a  B+ (same as the macadamia nuts) and here’s why: Although I love ‘em and they’re raw, they aren’t organic. They ARE Kosher Certified, though. And that’s a bonus for a lot of us.

The company seems to be doing a fantabulous job. If you want to see all the other fantabulous products they offer (and they DO offer organic products, they just aren’t all raw), visit: www.ohnuts.com .

What’s your fondest memory of eating pecans? Did you (or your grandparents) have a pecan tree in your yard when you were growing up? Do you have one now? Do you wish you did? Since I grew up in the South, I guess I have to admit my fondest memory of pecans are eating the pecan pie my grandma made from scratch. She also made coconut cream pie, but that’s a story for another day.

Want some raw pecans for yourself?

Click HERE to enter the Contest!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw macadamia nuts. Get those entries in!

Disclaimer: I received a one-pound bag of raw pecans from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided one-pound bag of raw pecans for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

First, I’d love to thank www.ohnuts.com for sending me samples to review, and for sponsoring a contest so y’all can try some, too!

Raw Juice Girl is excited to bring to you:

Raw Macadamia Nuts

If you’re afraid that macadamia nuts do nothing but make you gain weight, you may be misinformed.

Let me share with you what a powerful and healthy food these nuts are…

Macadamia Nuts Health Benefits

Macadamia nuts can be used in more ways than just white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, y’all. Tell me a rich cookie, cake, or pie wasn’t on your mind when you look at those macadamia nuts, eh?

These nuttylicious babies help promote heart health and fight cancer. You’ll find the following in macadamia nuts:

• Omega-3
• Vitamin A
• iron
• niacin
• riboflavin
• thiamine
• Vitamin E

Of course, you know vitamin E promotes healthy skin. Move over chemical beauty products – we’re eating healthy fats to make us PURDY (and handsome)!

Nutritional Information

Check that out! Do you see that carb watchers? With the three grams of fiber, each serving only has ONE carb! Woo hoo!

And don’t stress over the fats – those are healthy fats and our bodies need ‘em to thrive!

These raw macadamia nuts were SO delicious!

Let me tell you how I enjoyed these yumilicious babies:

• by the handful
• on top of raw veggie salad
• with Greek yogurt

I also shared some. I was so sad to see the bottom of this bag. Of course, when I stock up on macadamia nuts again, I’m going to use them for raw dessert recipes and get really creative.

About Oh!Nuts – The Company

As legend has it, a number of the Klein’s friends who heard the idea said you could go nuts trying to name a store like that. In their excitement, the Klein’s thought their friends said "Oh Nuts" instead of "Go Nuts" and proceeded to throw caution to the wind—and themselves into designing a 15×15 retail space into a warmly cozy experience that would become their flagship store.

While their products were both dairy and non dairy, their first Oh Nuts hand a definite dairy dynamic if for no other reason than the fact they used milk crates as display shelves.

Though as these shelves were displaying absolute freshest selections of imported and domestic nuts, dried fruits and confections, they quickly realized that consumers liked their fresh approach to retailing.

And while the milk crates were eventually replaced by more conventional retail displays and shelving, and the flagship store welcomed an even more impressive sibling less than a year later, one thing that didn’t change then—and won’t ever change, is the Klein’s approach to retailing "Keep It Fresh," "Keep It Fun," "Keep It Phenomenal."

Today, the Oh Nuts brand is a nationally recognized one stop shop for everything in dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, candies, related confections (both finished products and raw ingredients,) custom and pre-configured gift baskets for any occasion, (real or imagined)—even hard to find items like sugar-free and organic products—become remarkably easy to find when you enter the world of Oh Nuts.

Pros

I love that these macadamia nuts came in a resealable bag, making it easier for storage and future use.

I love that these are whole, good-sized macadamia nuts, and not small ones.

I love that there’s a TON of uses for these yummy nuts. Even if you wanted to roast ‘em, you could.

Want your own macadamia nut butter? Grind yourself some of these raw macadamia nuts and you’ll have raw macadamia nut butter, freshly made!

These raw macadamia nuts are KOSHER – for those of you who find that important.

Honestly, what’s not to love about a giant raw macadamia nut that’s loaded with nutritious health benefits?

Cons

The biggest con I try to look out for when writing reviews (other than if it’s honestly a healthy/worthy product – and these are) is cost. I realize price is a huge factor for most of us, and is the biggest reason people tend to shy away from raw foods.

This 1 pound bag costs $1o.99 (plus shipping) but if you buy in bulk, cost per pound goes down with each additional pound your order. (That’s a plus!)

And although these raw macadamia nuts are indeed RAW, they aren’t organic, in case you’re sensitive to that aspect.

That’s really the only “cons” I can think of to share with you – I really enjoyed the macadamia nuts, and the correspondence with the company itself.

Verdict/Grade

I suppose I’ll give these raw macadamia nuts a B+ – and here’s why: Although I love ‘em and they’re raw, they aren’t organic. They ARE Kosher Certified, though. And that’s a bonus for a lot of us.

The company seems to be doing a fantabulous job. If you want to see all the other fantabulous products they offer (and they DO offer organic products, they just aren’t all raw), visit: www.ohnuts.com.

Do y’all love macadamia nuts as much as I do? Oh gosh, I fantasize about having an endless supply of macadamia nuts all. the. time!

Want Some Raw Macadamia Nuts?

Click HERE to enter the contest!

Another Contest

You can also enter my OTHER contest for a one-pound bag of raw Georgia pecans. Get those entries in!

Disclaimer: I received a 1 pound back of raw macadamia nuts from Oh!Nuts to review. They also agreed to sponsor this contest. They provided a 1 pound bag of raw macadamia nuts for you to enjoy. I am responsible for shipping costs on this contest.

Due to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, I must always make you aware of when I receive free samples. I have always done that in the past (see my Reviews page and read my full disclaimer there) and will continue to do so.

And, most importantly, I have NOT been paid to write this review. All thoughts and opinions in this review are from me and of my own free will.

Disclaimer: The ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask was sent to me to review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Remember that beautiful pink package from ShimmerOrganics? And the interview with Lisa Ann Turkel, owner of that RAWsome, organic  beauty company?

Wow. Have I been itching to share this review with y’all!

It’s pretty cold here in Missouri so the woodstove is already working overtime to keep the chill knocked out of this Amish house. Wood is a wonderful, warming, cozy heating source but it also dries out my skin -  big time.

Take a look for yourself.

(Note: I took the photos outside because the lighting in an Amish house isn’t the best. )

Before ShimmerOrganics Mask

Note the dark circles under my eyes (that’s from having a gazillion freelance projects going on at once AND living on an Amish farm without a finished kitchen or bathroom). And see the lines that have crept up (Ack! Tell me it isn’t so!!)

Tip: I don’t have those lines when I’m living a 100% raw food lifestyle, or close to it. I’ve let too many non-raw foods slip into my mouth. So I get reminded of that by age creeping up on my face. Blech.

I’m feelin’ really, really ugly in these pics, y’all. Just a wee bit embarrassed, I am! But I wanted authentic before and after photos so you could compare and see for yourself the genuine results of the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.

As you can see, I’m needin’ some revitalizing! It’s okay if you agree. I’ll still love ya!

Of course, it wouldn’t be any fun if I didn’t show you the actual mask while it was on my tired face. Right? Right!

Deep breath…

ShimmerOrganics Mask at work

According to Lisa’s directions, I needed to wash my face, apply the mask, and: “Leave mask on for 15-20 minutes for Sensitive and Dry skin, 20-25 minutes for Normal skin, and 25-30 minutes for Oily skin.”

Key Ingredients
* Pure Clay Minerals
* Raw and Organic  Aloe Vera
* Raw and Organic Antioxidant Rich Oils
* Raw and Organic Honey
* Organic Blend of Essential Oils

When I put this mask on, something magical happened: I felt like I had pulled into “Rejuvenation Station!” I’m serious, folks.

I love how this mask made my face tingle and feel so fresh. I could tell the ingredients were hard at work, cleansing and revitalizing my skin!

But something more happened… I literally felt all tingly and refreshed all over, from head to toe. It’s like the ingredients entered my body through my skin and had a huge party while they were inside.

Before Digging In

After Digging In

(Notice the wagon wheel in the background – Amish living at its finest! )

After One Use

Before & After

View Full Album

And I’m not the type of gal who splurges on “special treatments.” I’m not a tomboy. Don’t get me wrong… Believe me, I hate getting my hands dirty! But I’m not a woman who pampers herself with facials, spa treatments, or beauty products. This was such a treat for me!

My face feels softer, and I feel so refreshed. It’s a sense of renewal I’ve been missing since I haven’t been practicing yoga or doing anything else to make myself feel better.

ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask is a “something for me” gift I’ve been missing out on!

After Second Use

(Just two uses, people – two uses!!!!)

Before, After 1st Use, After 2nd Use

Pros

This mask is raw and organic. It’s an eco-friendly solution to your skin health. Not only is it safe for our precious environment, it’s safe for you – and that’s priceless!

Also, something I not only noticed myself (but have been told more than once), is that the lines are less noticeable and that my skin looks more hydrated and healthy.

According to Lisa:

“Using a thin layer under and on the outer corners of your eyes reduces puffiness, dark circles and lines. It’s also great as an overnight spot treatment, or anytime spot treatment to heal blemishes.”

I’d say that’s a plus, wouldn’t you?!

Lisa takes special care to select her ingredients:

“I choose manufacturers who are Fair Trade Certified. Fair Trade guarantees fair wages for farm workers and farmers, fair labor conditions, provides environmental stability and offers farmers and farm workers autonomy is choosing how they invest their money. Fair Trade ensures proper nutrition, suitable shelter, sufficient clothing and essential education. Fair Trade enables community development, protects the health of farmers and farm workers and protects our precious environment for future generations.

All ingredients are from manufacturers whom I have chosen for their commitment to protecting animals and our environment and who are dedicated to creating superior quality products. I have hand selected every ingredient for its healing and restorative properties. There are no synthetic chemicals, synthetic colors, or synthetic fragrances added.”

And who doesn’t love a business who cares deeply about their customers?

“We are all connected in this world. I feel that it’s very important to be there for others and to help others. I love to hear from customers who tell me how youthful, beautiful and healthy their skin looks and feels. It’s so great to hear from customers who tell me that using my organic clay mask has given them more confidence. To make a positive difference in someone’s life is such a wonderful feeling!

I love to make people happy. I enjoy wrapping and mailing your new product and picturing you opening up your package and smiling. Connecting with others is what I love most about creating my skin care products.

If you are giving my organic clay mask as a gift, I would be happy to personalize your gift by including a lovely card in your own words.”

Lisa’s passion for providing raw, vegan, organic beauty products to the world shines through so brightly, it’s blinding!

Cons

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, we bloggers must be specific with any pros and cons we can find to share with you, our readers.

I honestly can’t think of any cons with the ShimmerOrganics mask. A 2.5 ounce mask is $22.00 and a 4.5 ounce mask is $36.00 – but even at those prices, you are getting SO much value. If you consider those prices a con, you must take into consideration that you only use a teaspoon or so of the mask and will end up with many, many uses.

Verdict/Grade

I have absolutely no choice but to give this mask a 100% – with bonus points! Did you see this grade coming? My experience with Lisa (and her mask) has been nothing but phenomenal!

As you can see, Lisa is very beautiful and is a fantabulous reflection of what her mask accomplishes!

Be sure to check out Lisa’s ARTISAN BIO and find out more about her and her beauty business.

Want to try this mask yourself?

Lisa has been very generous and has offered to give away a 4.5 ounce mask to one (very) lucky winner (details coming soon)!

Have you tried the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask? Would you, now that you’ve read my review? Can you see the difference in my before and after photos? Aren’t you glad there’s such a caring, compassionate person like Lisa who works so hard to provide healthy, eco-friendly beauty products?!

Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my  chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.  And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM!

A Day of Eats + Treats

This post is a record of my raw, Vegan eats and treats from the other day. I started the morning off in a fun, protein-filled way by making myself some of Averie’s Raw Vegan (Vanilla) Chia Seed Pudding. It’s filling, delicious, and held me over nicely until lunch. Lotsa protein, flavor, texture, plus that fantabulous superfood: chia — YAY and YUM!

Oh, and Averie even told her readers all about me making her recipe. She shared lots of readers’ photos and links to their blogs in her tribute post to readers who’ve made her RAWsome concoctions!

Lunch was…

leftover Tuna Fish-Less Salad

on top of raw veggie salad, with a few cranks of pink sea salt

and black peppercorns

And the Treats?

How about two simple ingredients and flavor that’ll rawk your world??!!

Enter:

A Date with Almond Butter

I had two more of these later that evening. SO good!!

Wow. Such a simple dessert – and it’s raw AND delicious! Woo hoo!!

For dinner

I had more raw veggie salad topped with the last of my Raw Tuna Fish-Less Salad.

This is what a day is like for me when I’m truly sticking to 100% raw/Vegan foods. Of course, there are times I’ll use something that isn’t 100% raw but I try to stay as raw as possible. I just feel better physically and mentally that way.

So what’s a day of your eats and treats like? Have you ever enjoyed a date filled with almond butter? If not, are you going to try it?

Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my  chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.  And congrats to Cyn for winning my latest contest!!

This morning when I woke up, I enjoyed a delicious bowl of overnight oats. It was SO filling that noon came and went and I still wasn’t hungry for lunch!

I eventually wanted a little something and remembered I had some frozen bananas. My mindwheel started turning….

The result?

Coconut Peanut Butter Cream

Know the banana soft serve that’s swept across the blogosphere like a cyber hurricane?

Oh, yeah!

I tossed the bananas in the blender and I noticed there was some cream of coconut a family member hadn’t used up. So I threw 3 tablespoons in the blender. I’d say there was about 4 bananas in that bag.

What came out of the blender was this:

Beautiful, isn’t it?! And if that wasn’t delicious enough, I thought of the Coconut Peanut Butter that Tropical Traditions sent me!

  Drizzle, Drizzle

Then… a MIRACLE

When Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter is drizzled over something cold (like banana soft serve), it hardens up!! Like the chocolate on a dip cone!!! Eeeeeekkk!!! What??!!! I was ecstatic!!!!

Dessert for Lunch

I must admit, this hemp-loving, salad-chompin’ Raw Juice Girl enjoyed every last creamy, smooth, decadent, sweet bite of her dessert for lunch. I know I’ll be having Coconut Peanut Butter Cream again soon!! YUM!!

Oh, and I only had a small portion. I shared the rest with family. Boy, were they SURPRISED at how good my banana ice cream tasted!!

For anyone wondering: The peanuts in the Coconut Peanut Butter are roasted so that isn’t raw. And the cream of coconut from that can had preservatives, so it isn’t raw either. Of course, the bananas are raw. Yippee for that!

Even though this dessert isn’t 100% raw, it SURE was yummy to the tummy!

Worried about the nutritional value of this dessert for lunch? Well, Coconut Peanut Butter Cream provides protein, fiber, potassium, and more!

What about you? Have you jumped on the raw banana soft serve bandwagon yet? What’s your favorite raw dessert? Are you going to try my Coconut Peanut Butter Cream? Tell me all about it!

Just stopping by? Have you entered my latest contest (over a $200 value)? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. 

You might remember the Excalibur dehydrator I was sent to review. I’ve been experimenting with it – just hadn’t posted about my adventures. Why? I’ve had quite a few “Raw Flops" goin’ on around here. Yep.

Upon a reader’s request (thanks, Beth!) I’ll be sharing my (un)cooking disasters in the new category: Raw Flops. But don’t worry, I have some rawsome stuff comin’ up, too!

And… here’s a story written in third person. Why? I guess I just kinda felt like writing about myself that way as I reflected on this dehydrating disaster.

Raw Juice Girl’s Flax Flop

Once upon a time, in a raw fantasy world, lived a gal who dreamt of creating the bestest raw flax seed crackers ever. She put her flax seeds to soakin’ while thinking about all those health benefits: omegas, manganese, fiber, folate, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B6.

Those beautiful little seeds gettin’ their soak on just screamed healthy heart, blood pressure, bones, hair, skin, nails, colon, and so much more—like fighting cancer, diabetes, dry eyes, and hot flashes.

Oh my!

<insert dreamy (healthy) eyes here>

The Raw Food Revolution Diet , by Cherie Soria (sent to her by The Book Publishing Company for review – aka as in free sample/Raw Juice Girl didn’t buy it) had a raw flax seed cracker recipe that sounded fantabulous!

It felt like DAYS waiting the 8 hours for those seeds to soak. *looks around* Where’d Raw Juice Girl’s patience go? Someone stole it!

Cherie’s recipe called for 4 cups of chopped bell pepper (or tomato). Raw Juice Girl had neither so she used raw broccoli slaw instead. Oh, joy!

Next up, raw zucchini. Nope, none of that either! Enter: diced, raw apple.

Blend it all up, Cherie says.

Um, it looks like puke. That’s what she said.

Gotta have some seasoning! Yay for HimalaSalt samples (again, free  – yummy – samples Raw Juice Girl was sent for review)…

Organic garlic salt

Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Stir it all up!

Smear it on the dehydrator tray (with a liner).

Close-up

Score the mixture to make separated cracker lines.

The house smelled sooooooooooooooooo good while these crackers were (un)cooking!

105* for 12 hours, Cherie says

Raw Juice Girl leaped out of bed the next morning, with bright eyes and pep to her step. She ran into the kitchen like a child on Christmas morning expecting shiny, new flax seed crackers ready for flippin’.

Imagine her surprise when she opened the Dehydrator door and found this:

Flax Crackers Stuck to Wax Paper!!!

Raw Juice Girl wanted to just cry…

And the saddest part? Raw Juice Girl managed to break off a teeny piece of cracker (without waxed paper attached!) and it tasted REALLY good.

*sigh*

The moral of this story, folks, is that Raw Juice Girl shoulda used parchment paper or waited ‘till she got some Excalibur non-stick, reusable sheets.

She was so blasted mad at that wax paper, she thought about eatin’ it but didn’t have an appetite after finding her ruined crackers! Humph!

See, Raw Juice Girl is real. She makes mistakes. She doesn’t have all the raw food stuff figured out. She’ll be your guinea pig, though. You can learn from her mistakes and get a few laughs along the way…

Stay tuned for more Raw Flops. This is a new category featuring Raw Juice Girl’s bloopers. You won’t want to miss a single post!

Resources:
WH Foods: Flax Seeds

First time visiting? Check out my latest contest (over a $200 value!) and my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You may also enjoy Zeenat’s guest post about the healing benefits of onions.

Sounds crazy, huh? Well, before you think I’m crazy just hear me out, please.

Raw Reflections

I had the amazing opportunity to review the Raw for Thirty and Raw for Life DVDs a while back. I still remember how raw and real the DVDs were.

Here’s a snippet of my thoughts from that review:

Simply Raw gives you a peek into the journey of six Americans who are battling diabetes. Some of them are also battling obesity. While staying at The Tree of Life in Arizona, under the supervision of Dr. Gabriel Cousens, the six individuals (with various diabetes levels and insulin problems) were carefully monitored and cared for.Looking into the lives of these people and watching their struggles, their honest attempts, and then more struggles as they tried to make it through the 30-day program just broke my heart. I’ve been obese morbidly obese. I know the pain. I know how discouraging it can be to wake up every morning with a heavy person weighing your life down and feeling like life is hopeless and like you can never, ever achieve the healthier, slimmer body you so desire.

I also used to be on diabetic medication because my blood sugar was atrocious. I related so much to the stories these people shared in this DVD. It was almost as if I were living my own morbid obesity and blood sugar problems all over again!

So, I absolutely believe in the power of raw foods and know from personal experience and my own journey that blood sugar can stabilize. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and am now eating 100% raw food–no more diabetic medication for me!

Raw Reality

Living with diabetes is no fun. And that’s why I wanted to let you know that for a short time, you can get a 50% discount on this DVD set about reversing diabetes! That’s right! That’s a HUGE savings!! And with money being so tight these days, that 50% savings is such a blessing for you – especially if you’re sick and tired of living with diabetes as the ruler of your life!

Raw Hope

Do check this DVD set out – even if you aren’t diabetic. I don’t believe you’ll be the same once you watch the stories and hear the experts chime in with facts.

Everyone’s bodies are different, so you may not be diabetic-free within 30 days BUT if you follow the raw food lifestyle, it’s a given that your blood sugar and other health issues should improve by the end of the 30 days. It depends on your weight and/or how bad your blood sugar levels are.

There IS hope for a better, more beautiful tomorrow, people. It lies within you to resurrect it and make it happen. Take this RAWsome opportunity to change your life. Who needs to wait until the new year to make resolutions and lifestyle changes?! Start today, so you’ll have your own raw reflections and health transformations to share with others!!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out my review of E3Live and also my thoughts on BrainOn. And a huge thank you to the folks at www.E3Live.com for sponsoring the first contest where one LUCKY reader will be receiving a prize valued at over $200!

Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Mission

This post is in honor of Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Charity Page View Drive: Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness

Katie is doing a fantabulous job of spreading kindness. Let’s help her out!!

In honor of the chocolate theme (and y’all know how much I love chocolate!) I thought I’d share a few recipes. Only one is mine, but I think you’ll like the others I mention, too!

Chocolate-Covered Recipes

Katie has a long list of chocolate-covered recipes on her blog. You’ll want to browse through ‘em all! Not only will you come across delicious treats you can whip up for yourself and your family and/or friends, but you’ll be helping Katie raise money for charity while you’re looking!

For starters, you might enjoy perusing her Fudge Babies. Oh, yeah! If that isn’t enough to drive you chocolate bonkers, feast your eyes on All Things Oatmeal, Pancake Pandemonium, The Pudding Files, or the Most Popular. Of course, there are tons more. Enjoy!

Oh, and you might want to grab a napkin before you dig through her recipe archives – you just might drool!

Averie’s Chocolate Fudge Balls

The amazing Averie is always, always whipping up the most RAWsome Vegan desserts over at Love Veggies & Yoga. She creates the most decadent, sinful looking (yet healthy!!!) treats over there. She’s an incredible inspiration, from her years of yoga practice, to her ability to juggle day-to-day chaos with a toddler, she manages to be wife, momma, blogger, reviewer, keeps a spotless home, and even hosts contests for her readers! But back to those delicious desserts…  Her latest: 3-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Fudge Balls

I haven’t tried Averie’s chocolate ball recipes yet, but I will soon.

Jocelyn’s Brownie Batter Balls

Jocelyn blogs at Jocelyn Eats Fresh. I’m sooooooooooooo proud of her because although her blog posts are often upbeat and inspiring, she’s worked very, very hard at overcoming an eating disorder. She is finding a beautiful balance of healthy foods and also allows herself to splurge sometimes on the not-so-healthy stuff so she won’t find herself feeling the need to go back to those old, harmful habits. She has an “everything in moderation” mentality and it’s working wonders for her body, mind, and soul. She’s a beautiful person, inside and out, and is losing weight the slow, right way. You’re doing a great job, Jocelyn. Keep up the great work!!!

Anyway, I knew I had to try out Jocelyn’s cool creation when I happened upon her Raw Chocolate Brownie Batter Balls. I didn’t have the exact ingredients she used, so I switched it up a little. Or, well, a lot!

And Raw Juice Girl’s version…

Chocolate-Covered Raisin Hemp Balls

This recipe made 14 chocolate balls. It probably would have made 16 or 17. Um… Oops!! *giggles*

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 6 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Hemp Powder (www.manitobaharvest.com)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon agave (or so)

I had to add a dash more almond flour and a little water to try to get the right consistency. I should have used the food processor, I think. I used the blender instead. Hmmmm…. Or, I needed to start with more liquid.

No worries… they turned out YUMMY!!!

Manitoba Harvest Chocolate Hemp

Oh my goodness y’all… The dark chocolate hemp powder from www.manitobaharvest.com is DIVINE!!! So far, I’ve enjoyed it in a smoothie and these chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. It’s fantabulous to get your hemp protein in via chocolate. YUM-O!!!!!

You can expect a full review on the product itself in an upcoming post.

Roll the dough into balls

Then wash your hands!

And enjoy! Yum!!!

Good, and Good For You!

And that’s it! If you love chocolate-covered raisins, you’ll LOVE these chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You’re getting a chocolate (and a snack) fix!

AND hemp is full of whole food nutrition:

“ALL Essential Amino Acids (Protein), Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre.”– www.manitobaharvest.com

You’ll also be gobbling up antioxidants, boron, calcium, vitamin C, iron… (from the raisins). And the almonds are giving you manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), phosphorus…

My goodness, that little chocolate-covered raisin hemp ball packs a powerful punch. I could take a beating (or two!) from these yummy treats. Yep, I could!!!

Don’t forget about Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Charity Page View Drive: Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness

Contest Alert!!!!

Katie (as in, Chocolate-Covered Katie I mentioned above) is having a Your-Choice Giveaway

Leslie (from Leslie Loves Veggies) is also having a contest: KALLARI Chocolate {Giveaway} 3 Winners

Win a mixed case of Chobani Greek yogurt over at The Actor’s Diet Blog.

And… don’t forget about the awesome giveaway I’m hosting. Prizes are valued at OVER $200!!!!

Latest Package for Review!

I have lots of awesome posts planned for these yummy products!!!

Visit www.NuNaturals.com to learn more about their line of sweeteners, extracts, and other health supplements.

Thank you, NuNaturals!!!

Resources:

WHFoods: Raisins

WHFoods: Almonds

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out my review of E3Live. And a huge thank you to the folks at www.E3Live.com for sponsoring this review (and upcoming contest)!!!

Note: E3Live sent me samples, but I have not been paid to write this review. The thoughts I share in this post are my honest opinions.

I decided to use E3Live on its own, without mixing things up with BrainOn. I wanted to listen to my body and be absolutely sure how I felt taking each product. So now that you’ve read my thoughts on E3Live, it’s time to learn about BrainOn….

From Klamath Lake

The blue-green algae found in BrainOn comes from a lake in Oregon.

“Upper Klamath Lake is free of adverse bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The lake receives an average 300 days of sunlight per year which provides a perfect growing environment for the world’s richest strain of wild AFA blue-green algae, scientifically known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. The alkaline lake water provides more than 60 times the nutrients needed for the algae to grow to its full potential each year. Under the right conditions, AFA algae can reproduce every 20 minutes, which provides a plentiful abundance of this organic, high life-force, miracle super food.”– www.E3Live.com

Brain Power

It’s kind of crazy to think you can actually absorb brain power from a serving of blue-green algae each day, isn’t it? But when you think about it, you’ll realize that for decades people have been stuffing their faces with overcooked, sodium and chemical-filled foods that are lacking nutrition. When our body lacks the nutrients it’s crying out for, our brains lack as well.

We have to remember that our brains need to be nourished in order to work like we want them to. Want to remember where you put your keys? Your anniversary? Answers to a test you studied days or weeks for? Do you desire to have the mental clarity and focus you used to have? Tired of feeling foggy and forgetful? Feed your brain!

Learn why you can nourish your brain cells with BrainOn…

From the site:

“E3Live BrainOn® contains the active ingredient in wild-harvested AFA that both promotes mood balance and enhances focus. In fact, no other product competes with BrainON® in terms of promoting joyfulness and brain clarity benefits with no side effects. BrainON® improves health. It’s good for you!

PEA was found to be significantly lower in subjects with Attention Deficit Disorder. People taking BrainON® with Phenalmin report better attention at school and at work. BrainON is for anyone who wishes to balance mood and to increase concentration. One of our most beloved products, E3Live BrainOn® helps you to enjoyably function at a higher level.”

Wow.

Pretty cool, huh?!

Depression

My shipment of E3Live samples actually arrived while I was out of town at my 28-year-old cousin’s funeral. She was like a little sister to me. She lost her life on impact in a car accident. Not only that, she was one of 3 cousins I lost in just a matter of a couple of months. One of the other cousins I wasn’t close to, but one of them I was. I went to school with him and always felt closer to him than other relatives.

Words can’t express what a difficult, trying, stressful, devastating time it was to know that 3 young people (ages 28, 32, and 36) were no longer here on this beautiful earth – or in my family. No more cards, letters, hugs, or smiles.

Those of you who follow this blog regularly know that I’m all about inspiring, motivating, uplifting, and happy thoughts. So my intentions of sharing this with you is not to make you feel depressed, but to prove a point: Both BrainOn and E3Live’s Original Formula helped me tremendously through these hard times I’m telling you about. I know that I was able to find energy, strength, and mental clarity that would have been much harder to drudge up without chugging a shot of E3Live or BrainOn each day.

“I’ve had people who’ve been depressed for years and years, and literally, within a few days after receiving AFA their depression lifts.”

“A wonderful and unique blend for peak performance of body, mind, and spirit that should be included in any detoxification and rejuvenation program. I take it myself daily.” — Dr. Gabriel Cousens,Director of Tree of Life of Life Rejuvenation Center

I did suffer depression after such family tragedy. Yes, Raw Juice Girl was depressed. I couldn’t sleep, fell off the 100% raw food wagon, ate the wrong foods… I was a mess! But I was able to bounce back a lot quicker because of BrainOn.

I also took a short break from freelance assignments but was able to come back full force and write even more than before. I’m convinced it’s  mostly because of this company’s blue-green algae. Convinced.

What’s In BrainOn?

I know you’re wondering what exactly is in BrainOn to make it so fantabulous, right?

Nutritional information (from the site):

Supplement Facts: Protein <1g; Trans Fat 0g; Vitamin A 1890 IU 38% daily value; Vitamin K 34 mcg 43% daily value; Riboflavin 49 mcg 3% daily value; Vitamin B1 27 mcg 117% daily value.

Ingredients: Organic, fresh-frozen AFA (Aphanizomenon flos aquae) with BrainON®, a concentrated organic AFA extract of Phenylethylamine (PEA).

That’s some awesome nutrition for our brains!

Pros

I’d definitely agree with the brain enhancing, mood lifting powers of BrainOn. As I mentioned above, it helped me through some very troublesome times, and as you know, I’ve managed to continue writing with enthusiasm and mental clarity.

From the site:

• All the benefits of E3Live, plus:
• Increase focus and clarity
• Lift and brighten mood with the PEA, the “love molecule”
• Lower stress and enhance well-being
• Function at a higher level
• Shown to increase concentration

I do agree with this list provided on E3Live’s website because I felt the same benefits personally when I took the supplement.

Cons

As I mentioned in my E3Live review, the biggest two cons I can think of from purchasing BrainOn is cost and taste (for some of you). Those of you who follow me know that I can pretty much chug down anything without it phasing me because I’m used to drinking potent herbal tonics, strong herbal teas, and other natural remedies (like organic apple cider vinegar with Mother). But I realize not everyone is accustomed to the taste of green. I find E3Live and BrainOn actually taste mild, so you may not have a problem taking it straight up. If you do, simply add it to smoothies, juices, or other recipes to disguise the taste.

And about the cost… One of my readers mentioned finding a couple of friends to split the supplement and shipping cost with so you can enjoy this wonderful blue-green algae. I think that’s a great idea!

Other than those two issues, I honestly can’t imagine anything bad about enhancing your heath.

Tip: Preparing your daily dose for the upcoming week is quick and simple. I gave step-by-step instructions (with a photo) in my E3Live review.

Verdict/Grade

I know this is a costly supplement for a lot of people, but I can honestly tell you it is a worthwhile investment.  If there’s a way you can readjust your budget and put your health before other expenses, I’d definitely recommend spending your money on this product.

For the results I’ve personally experienced from using BrainOn, I absolutely give it an A+ because I definitely came through (and out of) depressing, trying times much better than I would have on my own, without E3Live and BrainOn.

Have you ever tried BrainOn? Do you wish you could? Well, you can! E3Live has generously offered to sponsor a contest, allowing one reader to win 3 bottles of E3Live and 2 bottles of BrainOn, + a shaker cup—over a $200.oo value!!!

Contest is launching tonight, Sunday, November 8th. Get ready!!

Visit www.E3Live.com to learn more about this super fantabulous blue-green algae.

And thank you again to the kind folks at E3Live for sponsoring this review and the upcoming contest!!

If you’re a first-time visitor, you may have missed my recent delivery of packages and upcoming reviews, Sunday fun and news or ShimmerOrganics. You might also enjoy A Package and a Story – this one is dear to my heart…  Be sure to check ‘em out!

Note: E3Live sent me samples, but I have not been paid to write this review. The thoughts I share in this post are my honest opinions.

Why E3Live?

As most of you know, I talked quite a bit about E3Live during my 30-day juice fast (and some afterward).

It wasn’t my intentions to “up and stop mentioning this fantabulous product” – I’ve just had a lot going on and got swamped with all the incoming packages and other freelance projects I’m obligated to.

There’s actually a story about me and E3Live….

A few years ago, I met a raw foodist. I was fascinated by this man. His skin was pure perfection. His hair was dark and shiny and luscious. His eyes were clear and bright. Totally amazing.

And, no, not that kind of fascination – he was married! I’m talking about just being mesmerized by the overall picture of perfect health. I still can’t get over it!

We talked about how he’d lost a significant amount of weight and improved his health dramatically, and how I’d done the same. While I was a LOT healthier than I used to be, I still didn’t have that pristine appearance he did, and I still wasn’t as healthy as I wanted to be. The difference? You’re thinking it was the raw food, right? Nope. I had been a 100% raw foodist off and on and was high-raw, even then. So, while raw food plays a HUGE role in my health improving, there was something more.

So… what was the difference in our health journeys? E3Live. Yep. That’s it. He was a dedicated E3Live customer; I wasn’t. Actually, I’d never heard of it until he introduced me to it that day.

There was another difference in us, though: He was able to spend money that I didn’t have. He was a successful business man and I was climbing my way out of financial ruins (due to barely surviving domestic violence and enduring so many health issues I wasn’t able to work).

And THAT’S why I was sooooooooooooo very honored to have the opportunity to receive samples of E3Live and BrainOn – what a blessing!

Now, on to the review of E3Live (BrainOn review will be next)….

About the Company

E3Live was founded in 1991, by President Michael Saiber. Dr. Ann Wigmore introduced him to the raw lifestyle over 30 years ago — he’s 67, but certainly doesn’t look it! (See, I’m telling you… it’s that LOOK of pristine health!)

President

Michael enjoys a variety of exercises. He’s huge on health and fitness, is a lecturer, and has a genuine heart for helping people – particularly those suffering from chronic illness and birth defects. He thrives on consuming the blue-green algae he’s so passionate about, and is known for truly “walking the talk.”

In a world filled with deceit and people who don’t practice what they preach, I’d say that’s quite the honorable man who lives what he says he does!

CEO, Owner

Tamera has over 20 years of business management experience and has had the amazing opportunity to work closely with Dr. Brian Clement (of Hippocrates Health Institute), Dr. Gabriel Cousens, and Dr. Fred Bisci, and others.

She also lectures and is the creator of some of the best-selling green health products out there. Well-known doctors and clinics use Tamera’s formulas. (How awesome is that?!)

Oh, and Tamera is 46 – and radiantly beautiful!

E3Live’s blue-green algae is harvested from Klamath Lake in Oregon:

“Upper Klamath Lake is free of adverse bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and fungicides. The lake receives an average 300 days of sunlight per year which provides a perfect growing environment for the world’s richest strain of wild AFA blue-green algae, scientifically known as Aphanizomenon flos-aquae. The alkaline lake water provides more than 60 times the nutrients needed for the algae to grow to its full potential each year. Under the right conditions, AFA algae can reproduce every 20 minutes, which provides a plentiful abundance of this organic, high life-force, miracle super food.”– www.E3Live.com

From my research and my experience with E3Live’s customer service, I have found them to be passionate and kind people who strive to not only represent themselves in a professional manner and create quality products, but they genuinely care about us wholeheartedly!

Read it out for yourself:

“Thanks to you, over $250,000 worth of products have been donated to clients and patients of our clients. The recipients of these donations have serious illnesses rendering their financial condition unable to purchase anything not covered by medical insurance. By supporting our products, you can help us continue this effort.” – www.E3Live.com

E3Live was mentioned in People Magazine!

E3Live

This blue-green algae is overflowing with goodies for our bodies to gobble up!

I love that the company is so dedicated to quality:

“We are very critical and selective when it comes to harvesting, filtering, testing and formulating all our products. Our harvesting and purity testing is of utmost importance to us. We not only meet, but exceed quality and safety standards for harvesting processes.”– www.E3Live.com

Pros

The pros of E3Live are endless, really. It’s loaded with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and all sorts of healthy goodies our bodies are crying out for.

From E3Live’s website:

1. Increase endurance and stamina
2. Lift and balance mood to reduce stress
3. Increase mental focus and concentration
4. Balance blood-sugar levels
5. Speed up recovery time
6. Restore overall biochemical balance ⁽¹⁾
7. Enjoy long-lasting energy boost ⁽²⁾
8. Grow healthier skin, nails and hair
9. Truly enhance overall well-being

That’s a LOT of pros!!

(1) Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Director, Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center
(2) Dr. Fred Bisci, nationally renowned health lecturer

Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids!

For Pets!

The caring people at www.E3Live.com didn’t forget – you can share the benefits with your furry friends!

E3Live is fantabulous for your PETS!! Pet lovers, I know you’re happy right now!!

Cons

The only cons I can find that you might not see as “Pros” are three things:

1. The price. Now, while I absolutely believe in this product and have seen for myself how taking it daily enhanced my health, energized me, and just made me “feel better,” I do absolutely understand that $150 isn’t pocket change. And, honestly, I couldn’t have enjoyed its benefits if I hadn’t received samples to review. However, you DO get 5 bottles for that price. Because of having to make special shipping arrangements, the company has found that shipping 5 bottles in each box results in the best freshness and transport success.
2. The taste. I’m personally used to the wonderful “green” taste health products often have. I’ve chugged potent herbal tonics, teas, and all sorts of concoctions. So, some of you may not like the taste. But the good news is… you can disguise it by tossing a serving into a smoothie or other recipe and enjoy its health benefits while your taste buds enjoy something yummy!
3. The preparation. I freelance, so I’m at home, but I can understand someone who works outside the home a gazillion hours a week being afraid they might not have time to thaw and prepare the upcoming week’s servings. To ease your conscience, I’m sharing directions below to show you this isn’t really a con – you just might think it is…

How to Thaw E3Live Products

You don’t have to be nervous about how to thaw and consume E3Live. It only takes a few minutes to prepare your servings for the week.

1. Simply take your bottle out of the freezer.
2. Pop it in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes.
3. Then pour 7 tablespoons of the melted liquid into a small jar or container with a lid.
4. Put your bottle back in the freezer, and your small jar in the fridge for easy access during the week.
5. That’s it!

See, I told you it’s easy!

How to Take E3Live

I personally just take a tablespoon straight up, but I’ve also added it to my green juice (as shown above) – especially during my 30-day juice fast.

You can also add it to smoothies or other recipes (think: raw fudge, etc.)

The possibilities are only as limited as your imagination and ingredients!

Verdict/Grade?

I’m sure after reading all this, you know I’m going to give E3Live an A+ grade. I have to, ya know? With such dedicated, caring people striving to help make the world a healthier place, only the highest grade applies. I give them extra points for donating their products to the less fortunate, who’d never be able to afford them. That speaks loudly of their character and what their business is all about. That, to me, shows they care more about us than they do about sales.

Thank you, E3Live, for being generous with samples – and with your heart!!

Have you ever taken E3Live supplements? What did you think of the taste? What kind of results did you have? Would you like to try it, but don’t have the extra money to? Stay tuned…

The Surprise?

After my review of BrainOn, E3Live is sponsoring a contest so one lucky winner can be rich with FIVE bottles of their awesome, blue-green algae (3 bottles of the original formula; 2 of BrainOn + a shaker cup—over a $200.oo value!!!). Get ready!!!

If you’re a first-time visitor, you may have missed my recent delivery of packages and upcoming reviews or the Sunday fun and news. You might also enjoy my last post: A Package and a Story – this one is dear to my heart…  Be sure to check ‘em out!

Would you believe I get to share another package with you?! Pretty crazy FUN, huh?

This one came from Lisa Ann Turkel. Lisa owns ShimmerOrganics. She makes homemade, raw, organic beauty products and has sent me her Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask to review.

I’m really excited about this! Lisa has been a gem to communicate with. Her passion for pure, raw beauty products permeates through each and every word.

I love her personality and I love the way she ships her masks, too!

Check this out…

Pink Packaging!

A Cheerful Message!

Isn’t that awesomeness? It’s like a fortune cookie message. And this pink packaging and cheerful message brightened up my (rainy) day!!

Pure, Raw Beauty!

Lisa filled this container to the brim with quality ingredients. She’s put a lot of time, effort, and thought into her business. I can tell that already!

Organic Mask Information

Thank you, Lisa, for allowing me to enjoy your beauty mask. I’m honored to have the opportunity for sure.

I’ll be trying the mask more than once before I post the review (and a surprise for y’all!) and I might even grace the camera lens with my mask-covered face. Ya never know!

If you’re an impatient kind of person, and you don’t want to wait for my review, you can go ahead and order directly from Lisa here.

Thank you to Lisa, from ShimmerOrganics!

If you’re just tuning in, you might want to check out some of my Favorite Fall Recipes or read about Pink Ladies Day Out (to benefit breast cancer awareness). And congrats to Melissa, who just won TWO containers of Amazing Grass in my recent contest! Hurry, while you can still get your 15% discount using the code hwj (J as in JUICE).

Hi, y’all! I do hope you’ve been having a fantabulous Fall so far! It’s been pretty cold and rainy here in Amish country, but we’ve had some beautiful days, too. And the leaves have such vibrant hues—so pretty!

Raw Juice Girl has been SWAMPED, let me tell you! Packages are arriving fast and furious, like crazy! Don’t get me wrong, I’m tickled pink. But it will take me a little time to wade my way through the upcoming reviews. The ones in this post I’m sharing today, are just the most recent arrivals!

I’m honored to have the opportunity to review products from the following companies…

LARABAR

The kind folks at LARABAR enjoyed my first review of their bars so much, they sent a bigger variety of their original LARABAR line – and the JOCALAT line! Eeeek! 

They also sent this cool T-shirt. Thank you, LARABAR!!!

URBAN MOONSHINE

I also received a sample of Urban Moonshine Bitters (which help our digestive system). I’m excited to give this a try! I know bitter herbs like dandelion, blessed thistle, etc., are excellent for our health and a wonderful, natural way to soothe an upset tummy. Thank you, Urban Moonshine!

NuHemp for Pets

I was excited to learn about this company. They’re focusing on hemp for pets. I’m a hemp-lovin’ gal so I’m thrilled to share my hemp passion with the many pets rompin’ around this Amish farm! Thank you, NuHemp! My pets are already loving these treats and bath products!

Manitoba Harvest

Chocolate? Chocolate hemp? Are you kidding me??!! I’m in – seriously! You can’t imagine how excited I was to get some chocolate hemp in the mail. That’s a BIG tub! And there’s also some single serving packets of other hemp powders and seeds. Thanks to the folks at www.manitobaharvest.com – you RAWK my hemp world!!!

SHAMAN CHOCOLATES

More chocolate??!! Just what Raw Juice Girl needs! Seriously, if I keep gobbling up chocolate and snack bars, I’ll have to start running to burn some extra fat off! Thank you, SHAMAN CHOCOLATES, for being so generous with your products!

Grandy Oats

Grandy Oats sent me a 13 ounce tub of their Goji Agave organic granola. I can’t wait to share this review. It’s a good thing they didn’t send more than this one tub! Thank you, Grandy Oats organic granola for a fantabulous sample!

GT’s Synergy Kombucha

There’s lots of talk about Kombucha all over the Web. A while back, I did try a Passionberry Bliss Kombucha. I took a giant sip and almost spewed it out all over the place – I was expecting it to taste like TEA. It was quite strong and more like soda. It grew on me, though, and I ended up liking it. I’m excited to try other flavors. Thanks to Synergy Drinks for the opportunity!

Catch All That?

Phew! I’m going to catch my breath and dig into all these amazing products. Thorough reviews coming soon!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ve also been working on a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to enter Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for TWO containers  of Amazing Grass – one is CHOCOLATE! (Thursday, October 22 is the last day to enter.)   And a BIG thank you to Amazing Grass for sponsoring! And don’t forget to check out my chocolate ice cubes — they’re super easy to make, and so fun!

A HUGE thank you to LARABAR for sending me samples!!!

You might remember I recently reviewed the Cashew Cookie LARABAR. As I mentioned in that review, LARABAR also sent me a few other flavors – Apple Pie was one of them.

It’s American. It’s a staple from most of our childhoods. The taste and aroma brings back memories of mom’s or grandma’s apple pie pulled fresh from the warm oven and cooling, as crisp leaves danced around the yard in the cool Autumn breeze – yay for memories of apple pie!

And here’s that Apple Pie bar…

Apple Pie Larabar

Looks Good!

Tastes Fantabulous!

Look at those Nuts!

Sooooooooooo Moist!

Six Ingredients??!!

Dates

Walnuts

Unsweetened Apples

Almonds

Raisins

Cinnamon

It’s Healthy!

Nutritional Info (from the site):

It’s RAW!

From the site:

LÄRABAR is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices – energy in its purest form. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than eight ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended.

GLUTEN FREE * DAIRY FREE * SOY FREE * NON-GMO * VEGAN * KOSHER

LÄRABAR REAL.
Sweet with no added sweeteners. Sustaining with no added fillers, supplements or flavorings. LÄRABAR is what your body needs – real, whole food loaded with nature’s own minerals and vitamins.

LÄRABAR RIGHT.
All of the vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, good carbohydrates and healthy fats are derived exclusively from the whole, raw food used to make LÄRABAR.

LÄRABAR RAW.
Uncooked and Unprocessed. The essential enzymes, which are necessary for the digestion and utilization of nutrients, remain completely intact in their most natural, powerful state. A diet abundant in raw, unprocessed foods is important for health and longevity.

For LÄRABAR, we source the best possible ingredients. Every time. Every bar. Enjoy

Want apple pie for breakfast? Go ahead and have it – LARABAR style!

Verdict/Grade?

I totally wanted to run around like a school child when my taste buds met this bar. Seriously. It’s moist, delicious, sweet, and there are bursts of cinnamon and yummy pieces of apple and do you see those NUTS in the photos? The ingredients are healthy, there’s only a few of ‘em, and this bar is just totally AMAZING! It is like apple pie – fantabulous!

I have to give this bar two thumbs up and an A+ because it’s healthy, and it tastes out-of-this-world delicious!

Again, thank you to LARABAR for sending delicious samples! Be sure to visit www.larabar.com to learn more about this yummy company!

Bring Eli Home for the Holidays!

In my previous post, I shared information about a boy, Eli, who is on his third heart. He wants to be able to spend the holidays at home – instead of in the hospital. Let’s help him do that!

More Contests

Check out my friend, Averie’s, latest contest for RAW, Vegan Blondie Macaroons!!

Mysti, at Dining Family,  is on a mission to help Eli be at home, with his family, for the holidays – and be healthier, too! She’s hosting an awesome contest, and there are SIX ways to enter! Get over there, quick!

Lots more reviews and contests are coming right up, so you’ll definitely want to stick around for upcoming, juicy details!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ve also been working on a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

Comments are now closed as this contest is over. Thanks!

First, I’d love to thank the folks at Amazing Grass for sending me lovely samples. Not only did they generously share a variety of their Amazing Grass products with me, they are also sponsoring this contest so that one lucky winner will have the opportunity to try a “Green SuperFood Best of Both Combo” which provides you with a two month supply of  the Amazing Grass Green SuperFood and Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powders.

AND Amazing Grass has given Healing With (Raw) Juice readers a fantabulous discount: Just use the coupon code ‘hwj’ at check out — you’ll save 15% off your order!!!

Chocolate Green SuperFood

I’ve mentioned before that you can just call me Chocolate Girl. I’m a HUGE fan of chocolate, always have been! So, what is there NOT to like about a chocolate powder that’s also healthy for you, that you can add to smoothies, oats, or other recipes? Chocolate Green SuperFood is a fantabulous way to get your daily dose of chocolate – and consume a powerhouse of nutrition!

Now, this Chocolate Green SuperFood wasn’t included in the samples Amazing Grass sent me, but I have had the opportunity to sample their Chocolate Amazing Meal – it’s DELISH! I absolutely loved it and can totally see myself using it daily. (See my review HERE.)  So, I have absolutely no worries about recommending this Chocolate Green SuperFood powder. But, this Chocolate Green SuperFood powder has more to offer than a girl’s best friend – let’s talk nutrition!

Nutritional information (from the site):

Mix a tablespoon of Chocolate Green SuperFood with dairy, rice or soy milk or add it to a smoothie. One serving gives you the antioxidant equivalent of 7 servings of fruits and vegetables and helps you hit your daily quota.

Chocolate Green SuperFood: All natural and organic ingredients include organic wheat grass, organic barley grass, organic alfalfa, organic spirulina, organic spinach, organic chlorella (cracked cell-wall), organic broccoli, organic dutch cocoa, organic redwood cocoa, organic cacao, natural chocolate flavoring, organic acai from Sambazon, organic maca, organic carrot, organic beet, raspberry, organic rose hips, pineapple, green tea, acerola cherry, organic flax seed powder, organic oat fiber, apple pectin fiber, F.O.S. (from chicory root), L. acidophilus, alpha and beta amylase, protease, lipase, lactase, cellulase, siberian eleuthero root, peppermint and organic sea salt. 100% Vegan

Green SuperFood

I have enjoyed this All Natural Green SuperFood powder. I’ve used it in smoothies and juices and love, love, love the taste of health it provides! I also love my Amazing Grass shaker cup. I use it all the time!

Want to increase your daily intake of veggies and fruits, but aren’t loving the idea of gobbling ‘em up raw until your jaws are exhausted from chewing? Why not whip up a smoothie or juice and toss some Amazing Grass SuperFood powder in? You’ll be pretty amazed at how much nutrition you can squeeze into a glass with this stuff. Seriously!!

Nutritional information (from the site):

Mix a tablespoon of Green SuperFood with juice, milk, a smoothie or your favorite beverage. One serving gives you the antioxidant equivalent of 7 servings of fruits and vegetables and helps you hit your daily quota.

Green SuperFood: All natural and organic ingredients include organic wheat grass, organic barley grass, organic alfalfa, organic spirulina, organic spinach, organic chlorella (cracked cell-wall), organic broccoli, organic pure acai from Sambazon, organic maca, organic carrot, organic beet, raspberry, rose hips, pineapple, green tea, acerola cherry, organic flax seed powder, apple pectin fiber, F.O.S. (from chicory root), L. acidophilus, alpha and beta amylase, protease, lipase, lactase, cellulase, siberian eleuthero root and peppermint. 100% Vegan.

How AMAZING Is This Stuff???

It’s easy to see why this company is called AMAZING GRASS – it truly IS amazing!!

Verdict/Grade?

Raw Juice Girl gives Amazing Grass TWO thumbs up and an A+ for sure! Any time you can pack this much nutrition into a scoop that can be added to our favorite juices or smoothies, you’re a winner in my book! I had a scoop of the All Natural Amazing Grass SuperFood powder in my green smoothie this morning – I just LOVE how it makes me feel!!!

Remember my 30-day juice fast? The WheatGrass samples Amazing Grass had sent me were a LIFE SAVER one some of my weaker days – it felt like it shot right through my bloodstream and pepped me right up!!!

And… Amazing Grass gets EXTRA points for offering you this:

Don’t forget: Amazing Grass has given Healing With (Raw) Juice readers a fantabulous discount: Just use the coupon code ‘hwj’ at check out — you’ll save 15% off your order!!!

Let the Contest Begin!

Here’s what you’ll win:

You’ll receive one 8.5oz bottle of Green SuperFood drink powder and one 8.5oz bottle of Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powder.

This combo pack gives you a two month supply of our Amazing Grass Green SuperFood and Chocolate Green SuperFood drink powders. If you’re like many of our customers you will be hooked on both. Try one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, or mix them together for a delicious supercharged dose of greens!

You’re allowed FOUR FIVE SIX entries for this contest:

Note: Please leave a comment for each thing you do (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends. (DO NOT just say “thanks for the contest” or something like that–I do not publish those type of comments because they seem like spam and aren’t fair to the other contestants who leave a thoughtful, genuine answer.) Thanks!

1. Visit the Amazing Grass website (by clicking on the above photo) and take a look around. Leave a comment sharing  any of their other products you’d like to try–and why, if you’d like to add a reason.
   
2. Do you Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet: RT @RawJuiceGirl is hosting a contest for @AmazingGrass Chocolate & Green SuperFood powders! http://tinyurl.com/ykcpwh5 Hurry & enter!
3. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
4. Share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. (The pingback will be counted as an extra entry.) If you don’t see your pingback, just email me at healingwithjuices@gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
5. Add Healing with Juices to your favorites on Technoratori. Comment again to let me know, with a link to your technoratori profile to show you added us.
6. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

NOTE: REMEMBER TO LEAVE A COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY SO I’LL KNOW YOU DID THEM.

ANYONE can enter this contest. You DO NOT have to be in the United States. Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner….

Contest ends Thursday, October 22nd, at 9 p.m. (Central Time) so you have TWO WHOLE WEEKS to get all your entries in. Have fun trying to win!!

And a HUGE Thank You to Amazing Grass for sponsoring this contest!!!

What are you waiting for – get your entries in and start spreading the news about this AMAZING contest!! Eeeeek!!

Bring Eli Home for the Holidays!

In my previous post, I shared information about a boy, Eli, who is on his third heart. He wants to be able to spend the holidays at home – instead of in the hospital. Let’s help him do that!

More Contests

Mysti, at Dining Family,  is on a mission to help Eli be at home, with his family, for the holidays – and be healthier, too! She’s hosting an awesome contest, and there are SIX ways to enter! Get over there, quick!

Lots more contests are coming right up, so you’ll definitely want to stick around for upcoming, juicy details!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ve also been working on a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to enter Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks to NavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring–and don’t forget to check out my chocolate ice cubes!

Blended Blessings

I’ve mentioned a few times that my blender keeled over on me. It was sad. I was sad. But a new blender wasn’t in the budget so I’ve been a pouting, smoothie-less Raw Juice Girl for a while now. Pathetic, I know. LOL

I was on a real roll having awesome smoothies for breakfast, but I made due with substitutes:

• Green (Hemp) Overnight Breakfast Cookie
• Green Steel-Cut Oats
• Chocolate Hemp Shake
• Cashew Cookie LARABAR

Delicious, yes. A green smoothie? No!

So, imagine my out-of-this-world delight when my aunt donated her blender she never uses! Oh, believe me, I tried (and tried) to promote the health benefits of smoothies and convince her that she needed to keep her blender–she insisted on giving it to me anyway, reassuring me she never uses it and didn’t plan on it anytime soon….

Enter: the Osterizer 10-speed Blender

I took pictures of my blending adventures this morning, so you could enjoy the experience with me!

And, my goodness, this thing is a LOT more powerful than I thought it would be. It gobbled up the ice cubes like there was no tomorrow! Seriously! Eeeek! Bring on the smoothies, people!

Osterizer Blender

10 Speeds!

Sassafras Root Tea

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70

Chocolate Ice Cubes!

Green Hemp Smoothie

Wanna Taste?

YUM-O!!!!

Happy Hemp Smoothie

• 4 tablespoons of Hemp Pro 70 (from www.manitobaharvest.com)
• 1 cup Sassafras root tea (you could totally use Hemp Bliss milk instead)
• 1 banana
• 2 chocolate ice cubes
• 2 water ice cubes
• Freshly ground flax seeds (a little less than a tablespoon)
• A drizzle of agave syrup

And that’s what I had for breakfast this morning. Ah, a green smoothie. I can’t tell you how happy my mouth–and my tummy–were as I chugged that gorgeous, bubbly, hemp-ish, thick smoothie down. YUM!!!

I did forget one thing, though: spinach! Yikes!!! Sheesh, guess I’ll have to make another one.

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks to NavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ll also be making a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks toNavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring!

Navitas Natural Delivery!

I was super excited when I received this package from NavitasNaturals.com . Today I’m focusing on the Organic Superfood Chocolate Kit–but take a look at that eco-friendly canteen!!! Eeeeek!!!

Craving Chocolate

Ever had a craving for chocolate but didn’t want to spend a lot of time–and make a big mess–in order to enjoy some? Okay, it’s true, you can just make a quick visit to the store and pick up whatever chocolate you want. And, with the Web’s convenience, you can shop ’till your heart’s content and order anything that appeals to your eyes–and tummy!

But if you’re wanting the fun (and healthy!) experience of whipping up some organic, raw, delicious chocolate candy in just a few minutes, without wrecking your whole kitchen, then Navitas Naturals Organic Superfood Kit is for you!

Organic Superfood Chocolate Kit

This is a super fun kit. It comes with 3 ingredients! Who can’t whip up 3 ingredients, eh?  And, besides, the directions are easy and precise–you get to take a class right off the box: Chocolate School 101. Does that mean I have a degree in Chocolate now? Oh, how very RAWsome!

Chocolate School 101

First, they told me to sit a smaller bowl into a larger bowl that had hot water (for melting the cacao butter via the raw method). You can also nuke it or use a double boiler but you’ll be zapping the nutrient value.

Melting Cacao Butter

Cacao Butter All Melted

It doesn’t take long and it’s all melted!

Add Organic Chocolate Powder

Then you add the organic chocolate powder and stir, stir, stir!

Stir

Stir

Stir Some More

All Stirred Up

Just take a look at that raw chocolate. Eeeek!

At this point, you can drizzle in a tablespoon of agave syrup or some other sweetener. I didn’t. So the chocolate had more of a dark chocolate taste in the end. I’m more of a milk chocolate gal so I think I’d add sweetener next  time but I still really enjoyed the taste of this chocolate–which surprised me, considering I’m not a huge fan of dark chocolate.

In to the Ice Tray

Close-Up

Pour your melted chocolate into an ice tray (Raw Juice Chocolate Girl got a little messy–I never said I wouldn’t!)

No More Chocolate!

Raw Juice Girl also CHEATED and licked some chocolate right off that spoon! YUM-O! It’d be good drizzled over Gena’s banana soft serve.

Frozen, Raw Chocolate

After I popped that ice tray in the freezer, I almost forgot about it (ahem, I was busy uploading photos and working on reviews and contests like a good blogger)! 

Chocolate Ice Cube!

See the Goji Berries?!

Nutritional Info

From the site:

Healthy Homemade Chocolates

Navitas Naturals Chocolate Kits contain everything you need for an authentic chocolate alchemy experience – including 100% Navitas Naturals superfood ingredients. Enjoy this chocolatey blend with goji berries: a synergistic combination of exciting power ingredients that’s packed with antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, essential minerals, and is sugar and dairy free. Each synergistic combination of exciting power ingredients is packed with antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, essential minerals, and is sugar and dairy free.

Source and Processing

We carefully source each ingredient from indigenous regions around the world, honoring the traditions of the ancient cultures, and using minimal processing techniques to ensure maximum nutritional benefits. Our products are of the highest quality, sourced directly from farmers, cultivated sustainably and in accordance with fair trade standards. Navitas Naturals Chocolate Kits are 100% organic, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, and raw.

Verdict/Grade?

This kit is simple, precise, and so fun to make. I felt like a kid again! The ingredients are organic, and you’re loading up on antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients–all the good stuff! Another bonus is that the only dishes you dirty up are 2 bowls, 1 spoon, and an ice tray and you end up with 12 pieces of quality chocolate. And I had leftover goji berries  that I can add to steel-cut oatmeal or a smoothie! So, this baby gets TWO thumbs up from Raw Juice Girl. That’s an A+ in my (RAW) book!

Oh, and it retails for $9.99 (USD) per kit. So you’re essentially paying $10 for 12 pieces of quality, organic, raw, superfood candy!

So, what do you think? Is this something you’d like to try? Have you already used this neat little chocolate kit? What did you think? What’s your favorite chocolate, and your favorite way to eat it? Do tell, I’m craving your answer!

Latest Navitas Natural Arrival–Reviews Coming Up!

If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks to NavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring!

Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more?  Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ll also be making a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!