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Use Brown Rice Syrup for Fantastic Pecan Pies, 35% off til Feb. 5th 2012

January 29, 2012 in green living, organic with 3 Comments

Have you ever used rice syrup? A few years ago, I had not. I was at Whole Foods, thinking about how to make my traditional pecan pie, when I realized I certainly shouldn’t use corn syrup.

I asked one of the employees what she would do. She immediately pointed out the rice syrup and told me you could use that instead of corn syrup.

So…I tried it. And my family loved the pie that year.

So what is brown rice syrup?

Well, it is an organic sweetener of distilled rice flour with a delicate flavor. It is sold in jars in the baking aisle in especially health food stores…or Tropical traditions can bring it to your doorstep.

This past Holiday season, I tried the Tropical Traditions brand, as I was very pleased with some of their other products. The price is very reasonable and they have quick and reliable shipping.

Some things about TT rice syrup:

Gluten Free
Certified Organic
Ideal sweetener for hypoallergenic diets
Easy to digest
Great source of sustainable energy
Non-distinct flavor
Complements a wide variety of foods

After getting my rice syrup, I used this recipe for Maple Pecan Pie. I did leave out the bourbon one time and I liked it better without.

It was fantastic! This is my husband’s new favorite pie. I think Easter will have to have a pecan pie now also:)

While using the rice syrup is perfect for a pecan pie, you can use rice syrup in many ways—pretty much whenever you need sweetener.

Try it now, while it is on sale: Special Price! – Organic Brown Rice Syrup – 16 oz.

Check it out on Tropical Traditions. You can find lots of recipes on their blog http://www.freecoconutrecipes.com.

Find more information on the Tropical Traditions Facebook page on follow them on twitter.

Or, WIN one Jar~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*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 have given my opinion.

Boost Your New Year! Try Phix Energy Drinks

January 8, 2012 in giveaways, green living, health, organic with 6 Comments

Have you seen these new Phix Energy drink sticks?

I was super curious to try some of these natural energy drink mix sticks. I am perfectly happy with my big glass of water to drink…but I do also count on my morning coffee and afternoon tea. And, if something important is going down, I need more coffee!

I do use organic milk in the coffee, ok? Ha! Well, I know many people use things like coffee and diet drinks and such for pick me ups during the day. My own teens are asking for things like this as they get older and need more stamina for tests, and sports, for example.

Anyway, so the kids have brought home all kinds of energy type drinks. I often fuss at them about all the unpronounceable ingredients on the labels and beg them to find healthier choices.

When I saw Phix Energy, I wanted to try them. I want natural and organic ingredients. I know the kids want flavors. Phix drinks make us both happy. They offer cool flavors like Citron, Tropic, and Teaberry. And, the little single serving sticks can be used on the go. They even have vitamins and minerals.

Phix says, “Our powders are entirely natural, vegan, and gluten free. All our solutions are good for you and of course they’re completely safe. Just mix with water and drink to your health!”

So, when I got a trial, I immediately tried the organic, gluten free Teaberry. I liked that one. When dissolved in a glass of water, it had a berry taste. It did have a teeny aftertaste to me. When I tried the Tropic the next day, I read the directions better and decided to use more water. For me, Using about 14 oz of water and letting the Tropic sit a minute worked. It was delicious. I like to use my blender bottle, but you do not have to.

My daughter liked the Tropic, too. In fact, my teenagers all liked them, so I put them into their stockings at Christmas! All in all, they are fun and colorful. I see now, you can even use the Phix as a hot drink in winter. I’ll have to try that.

While I did not give up my beloved coffee for Phix, I liked having an afternoon pick me up with these. I did not have a crash later. Honestly, I am most excited about the kids having a choice that is more natural if they want.

“Phix does not just rely on caffeine to boost and maintain energy, it was designed by leading naturopathic physicians and licensed dietitians to utilize the body’s natural healing power,” said Brown, “So we can guarantee you’re Drinking In Health.”

Phix also has a calming drink, called Phix Sleep. I tried that Lemon Camomile. I did not like the camomile flavor. It was okay, but I don’t like camomile. I gave it to my husband to taste and he loved it and drank it all. Basically, if you like herbal tea flavors, you’d probably like this one. The 1/2 cup I drank made me sleepy!

Phix is coming out with more flavors, (like sugar-free grape) so keep an eye out for these! You can also get more information on them, like what exactly is in them, and how to order some on their website: http://www.phix.com/

Phix Energy (Teaberry, Citron & Tropic) – www.phix.com/learn/energy.aspx
Phix Sleep (Lemon Chamomile) – www.phix.com/learn/sleep.aspx

You can visit them online at www.Phix.com follow them on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thePHIXisin and watch videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/phixphan

AND, you can win some here to try! Enter below using the Rafflecopter!
Continue Reading…

Send an Organic Food Gift Basket for the Holidays!

December 17, 2011 in Holiday Recipes, organic with 0 Comments

Full of full size USDA organic items

Known for their award winning gift baskets, Gourmet Gift Baskets takes pride in creating specialty gifts. Their baskets are fun and whimsical and stocked with such high quality items. Just looking through the catalog made me so happy! I was delighted to see such attractive organic gift baskets and even gluten free gift baskets in the catalog.

When I received our Classic Organic Gift Basket, I was surprised to see all full size versions of USDA Organic treats. What a delicious and healthy variety of snacks! On top of being good for you, the selection had a bit of everything, fruit, crackers, sweets…

I was really impressed with the items, some of which I had not even seen yet, even though I love to browse specialty food stores!

Just look what was in here (from their site):

· Blue Star Farm Organic Crackers by Partner’s – 5 oz. – Light, crispy, and flavorful, these certified organic crackers are sure to put a smile on the face of your favorite organic enthusiast!
· Organic Creamy Peanut Butter by Koeze – 17 oz. – Try this peanut butter once, and you will never go back to grocery store brands!
· Organic Strawberry Jam by Colorado Mountain – 6 oz. – Perfect when paired with the Blue Star Farm Organic Crackers that we have included in these organic gifts, this jam is absolutely delicious!
· Organic Vanilla Bean with Green Tea Sandwich Cookies by Late July – 9 oz. – These incredibly delicious, flavorful sandwich cookies are a revelation in gourmet organic flavor!
· Organic Assorted Fruit Candy Drops by Yummy Earth – 3.3 oz. – This perfectly portable organic candy is incredibly edible and brings sweet organic candy flavor wherever it goes!
· Coconut Bar by Oskri Organics – 2.2 oz. – Let the taste of the tropics transport you to a sunny beach with one of these organic coconut bars!
· Baked Granny Smith Apples by Bare Fruit – 2.6 oz. – This convenient snack pack contains all the rich flavor of the Granny Smith Apple in a convenient and travel friendly bag.
· Organic Mini Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers by Late July – 5 oz. – These peanut all-natural, organic peanut butter sandwich crackers are the perfect bite-sized peanut butter snack!
· 3 Pepper Tortilla Chips – 7.5 oz. – These organic blue corn three pepper tortilla chips are a flavorful fusion of red, black, and white pepper and infused with a touch of onion, garlic, and tomato.
· Mild Salsa by Brad’s Organic – 16 oz.- This certified organic salsa goes perfectly with the 3 pepper tortilla that we have included in these organic food gift baskets!

The Classic Organic Gift Basket retails for $79.99. If you are looking for a special someone, or that hard to choose for someone, do take a look at Gourmet Gift Baskets. There are so many beautiful gift baskets, with a wise range of themes and prices, and still time to get shipped for Christmas!

I received the Classic Organic Gift Basket for my review. I have given my honest opinion.

Crunchmaster Gluten Free Crackers Giveaway

December 16, 2011 in family, giveaways, green living with 14 Comments

If you know me personally or have read this blog for awhile, you may know that I absolutely love salty snacks. Homemade warm, soft bread, artisan crackers and cheese, pretzels…those are what I crave, not really sweets. Ahhhh.

When I first heard I should go gluten free, I was shocked. How could I survive? Not only was I used to getting nourishment from things that included wheat, but baked goods were also exactly what I always wanted to eat!

As you can imagine the first week was hard. Rocky.

After about a week, I didn’t crave these things so much, so that made my lifestyle change easier. But, whenever I saw or smelled homemade bread, or had appetizers, I missed my comfort foods so much!

One Saturday, my husband felt so bad for me that he went looking for a snack for me. He came home with some Crunchmaster Crackers. I was in heaven with those and some cheese. (I may have eaten a few too many).

The Multi-Grain Roasted Vegetable ones are my fav!

After that, I kept my eyes out for these again and purchased them a couple of times. I began to feed them to the family as well.

Recently, though, through a wonderful green moms site, (http://www.greenmomsmeet.com/), I got a chance to try out their brand new line of gluten free crackers, the Crunchmaster Multi-Grain Crackers.

This line of crackers comes in Sea Salt, Cheese and Roasted Vegetable. I love these! These taste even better to me than the others. My family also really likes these…in fact, I had to hide two bags up in my closet to keep them from disappearing before the Holidays!

The crackers are really crunchy and as my son said “normal” Haha! While I think these are better than “normal” crackers because they are made so well and crisp and artisan looking, I’ll settle for normal if my kids are eating well!

All my family liked the Cheese best, then the Sea Salt, then the Roasted Vegetable. Although, I really liked the Roasted Vegetable type. This one is spicy and delicious, you really don’t need anything on it to make a tasty snack. The cheese was also yummy. I liked using the Sea Salt for appetizers.

So what’s in them? “a blend of pure, California brown rice, stone-ground corn, oat fiber, and a four seed blend.” They are oven-baked and are really a mix of East-West cooking, with Japanese rice baking techniques fused with American flavors.

Some facts:

Oven-baked, with a unique, crunchy texture
Wheat-free and certified gluten-free
21g or more whole grains per serving
A good source of fiber
All natural
Free of saturated fat
Cholesterol-free
Delicious, with a great multi-grain taste

I brought these to a Holiday party because I got to eat them! Several people who were there and aren’t even gluten free also said they would be buying them as well.

I find these at my Martin’s (Giant) and I WISH my Costco carried them. They currently do not.

You can find these Crunchmaster Multi-Grain & Multi-Seed Crackers at major grocery stores nationwide including Safeway, Publix, Kroger, Shop Rite, Harris Teeter, Ralph’s, Giant, Stop & Shop, Wegman’s, and Meijer, as well as at Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and select Costco stores (4.5 oz. for $2.50 to $3.99, 20 oz. for $7.48 to $7.59)

I do recommend these. A package of these and a block of cheese is a great bring along to any gathering.

I get to do a giveaway!!

Get this: A WHOLE Case (12 bags) of Crunchmaster White Cheddar Multi-Grain Crackers!!

To enter, see the rafflecopter!

Nature’s Path Organics and Giveaway!

November 19, 2011 in giveaways, green living, health, Holiday Recipes, organic with 20 Comments

When I first began buying organic and going gluten-free I felt lost in the grocery store. I wanted to have a personal chef whip me up delicious, healthy breakfasts and dinners.

I was overwhelmed with all the information on what was good for me.

Was natural good? (not really)
Should I go vegetarian? (not totally for me).
Should I buy only organic dairy? (YES).
Should I buy only organic meat? (YES).
Should I buy only organic fruits and vegetables? (we decided yes, but you can also make change more slowly by going by the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 list).

Little by little, I began to feel a bit more knowledgeable about what I should buy and prepare for my family. It also took a long time to mess with the food budget to afford organics for a family of seven.

Do I feel it was hard? (Actually, I do. But TOTALLY worthwhile, and I feel it is becoming easier and you can even find more coupons!)

Everytime I find something delicious, organic and sometimes even gluten free, I get excited. When I first found Nature’s Path Cereal at Costco, I was thrilled. Something delicious, organic and not too pricy. Whoo! Seriously. I get excited.

Anyway, I have used many Nature’s Path products in the past few years. I recently asked them for a little treat for my readers for my Holiday Gift Guide, and they were kind enough to send some products and a cookbook to try out.

And for you, they are offering a bundle of Nature’s Path goodies to one U.S. reader for the giveaway!!

Sweet…and healthy!!

In my goodie box, we had several types of their cereal to try out. I was familiar with all of them, but I had never thought to use them in cooking! The little cookbook they included had some genius ways to use the cereals in recipes, like muffins and such. I especially liked a sweet potato one using the Flax Plus® Pumpkin Raisin Crunch so I made that one. It was so good—the kids didn’t love that one as I think they expected hot sweet potato casserole and this was cold(ish) with pecans and pineapple. My husband and I adored it! I will definitely use these more in cooking. Fantastic idea.

Yes, I *almost* forgot to take a picture! This was easy and very good.

So, go check out the website and see what organic cereals and snacks you would enjoy. They have bars, cereals, waffles, all sorts of things. You can find nutrition facts and such there and also read the minifesto.

I may not have a chef, but now I eat like I have one:) An easy way to eat better!

Click Continue Reading to Enter this giveaway! Continue Reading…

Wholly Guacamole Coupon!

November 16, 2011 in health, organic with 0 Comments

High Value Coupon, enjoy! They even have Organic products!!

Available through Nov. 20, 2011

Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter Giveaway!

November 13, 2011 in giveaways, Holiday Recipes, organic with 27 Comments

Inside Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups By Michelle, Diggins, MO (taken from Tropical Traditions Website)

By the time I heard about the peanut butter shortage, I already could not find my organic peanut butter at my usual store. Bummer!

But, every obstacle usually brings some benefit…and learning curve. {grin} So, when I got a chance to try another Tropical Traditions product I chose the Coconut Peanut Butter.

I figured my kids would like it and I might be able to cook some sweet things with it for the Thanksgiving Holiday. And, I like coconut and I was craving organic peanut butter.

The first day we had it, my daughter and I had Coconut Peanut Butter sandwiches (yeah, that wasn’t hard!) I really enjoyed the flavor. It was not as sweet as I expected – not sure why I expected sweet – but it stirs up to a nice texture and it so peanutty with a bit of coconut. I immediately began thinking of ways to cook with it. (This tells you an item is delicious, if I bother to cook with it!)

While I was searching for a recipe, a facebook friend who has lots of great recipes on her blog (aren’t they awesome??) told me to try mixing it with a bit of honey and coconut and dip it into chocolate, making little chocolate balls. You know, like all the Holiday Peanut Butter Balls—but filled with only organic things. Whooo! What a wonderful, easy Holiday Treat! I have dibs on the dark chocolate ones.

Then, I saw the recipe pictured above. NOW, that’s an easy Holiday Treat! Either way, perfect!!

You can purchase Coconut Peanut Butter here (and they are having a sale right now, too!): Organic Coconut Peanut Butter – 16 oz glass jar

And, I get to giveaway one 16oz. Jar of Coconut Peanut Butter!

To enter, please click on Continue Reading, below:

Simple Organic Snack: Juice Pops!

June 27, 2011 in family, organic with 7 Comments

Sometimes I know I make my life too hard. Like trying to come up with fancy organic treats for the kids.

All they really want in the Summer is a popsicle!

I wavered a bit about buying the plastic molds, but these are BPA free, so hopefully, not too bad to use.

So, My secret recipe? Stock up on Santa Cruz organic juice, preferably on sale. (or ANY organic juice the kids like–often stores carry Natures Promise organic lemonade cheap)

Pour into popsicle molds. Stick in freezer overnight or at least several hours.