Lolleez Organic Throat Soothing Lollipops Review.

When it came to sore throats, mom of four and health coach, Melissa Evans couldn’t find anything to “eez” her kids’ throats or her mind. Thus, the idea for Lolleez was born. Lolleez are organic, worry-free, throat soothing lollipops for kids, that offer a simple solution to a simple problem.

What makes Lolleez different?

• First, it’s the ingredients – Lolleez are made from USDA Certified Organic ingredients and ingredients you can pronounce and understand, like natural fruit pectin and organic honey. They are also Non-GMO as well as gluten, dairy and nut free.
• Second, it’s the worry-free shape – Lolleez are flat and on a stick versus a round ball, which is a potential choking hazard.
• Lastly, it’s the flavors – Lolleez comes in three delicious kid (and adult) friendly flavors: Watermelon, Strawberry and Orange Mango. After surveying hundreds of kids, Lolleez™ founders determined that traditional flavors like cherry and grape have a negative association that is tied to medicines.
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“Few ailments cause overall unhappiness to both kids and parents like a sore throat. Whether it’s allergies, a cough or a cold, a sore throat is painful. Every time you swallow, it’s there and it hurts,” said Melissa Evans, Lolleez Founder. “There is nothing worse than watching your child suffer, so I’m really excited to be able to offer an organic and worry-free throat remedy that can help soothe both physical (child) and emotional (parent) pain, with the launch of Lolleez.

Lolleez will be available at Target stores nationwide this month and just in time for allergy season!  Lolleez come in packs of 15 pops: Watermelon, Strawberry, Orange Mango and a Variety Pack for a suggested retail price of $6.99.

My Thoughts:

When I heard of Lolleez I was thrilled! My family and I have horrible allergies. Sore throats are a constant in our household, especially during allergy season. Although I enjoy throat lozenges, the aspect of choking has always been a concern for me, especially for younger generations. I try to have organic products around already, so this product was perfect!

Not only are the flavors of Lolleez fantastic, they truly work! It was impressive to see the size of the product and how sturdy they were. I was sent the variety pack and each was delicious and worked quickly! You would never know that these sweet treats were helping until you suddenly become aware of the relief. I noticed my throat soothed in about three to five minutes. The relief lasted long too! A lot longer than the traditional throat lozenges.

The only suggestion I do have for users is to watch the edges as it melts down in your mouth. I noticed that a couple of my pops got little rough spots that are a bit sharp. However, if you bite that area off, it'll be solved. The Lolleez still stayed put even after that.

I would highly recommend Lolleez to adults, children, and families alike! These are groundbreaking products for anyone that experiences sore throats.

If you try Lolleez, feel free to post your results on social media using the hashtag:

#LolleezOrganicThroatSoothingPops.

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Review: Dolcedi

Natural Low-Glycemic Sweetener From Organic Apples

Dolcedì’ is a new, all-natural liquid sweetener that’s made from 100% organic apples and is a low-glycemic* alternative to sugar and other sweeteners.

Dolcedì’ can be used any way you would use traditional table sugar or honey. Its neutral flavor enhances the taste of food and drinks without altering them. Dolcedì’ is also highly soluble in both cold and hot drinks and can be enjoyed with pancakes, on yogurt, in fruit salad, and in baking. With 25% fewer calories than table sugar and higher sweetening power (you just need ½ tsp vs. 1 tsp granulated sugar) Rigoni di Asiago Dolcedì’ is made from the concentrated and filtered sugar extracted from organic apples. It is certified USDA organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, and STAR-KOSHER.

*Dolcedì’, with a GI value of 22.5**, is suitable for those who want to eat well, following a balanced diet for a healthy lifestyle.**GI = 22.5 +/- 5, determined as set out by the standardized method (ISO 26642:2010(E); FAO/ WHO Expert Consultation 1998; Wolever et al 2008.

About
Rigoni di Asiago® is a family-owned and operated business based in the Altopiano di Asiago, a mountain plateau in Northern Italy (90 miles north of Venice). Committed to sourcing the finest ingredients, their certified organic products include Fiordifrutta fruit preserves (the leading jam in Italy), Nocciolate hazelnut and chocolate spread, Dolcedì’ natural sweetener and Meilbio, honey from the best production areas of Italy.  The company was one of the first in Europe to turn to organic farming in the early 1990s and merit the Certified Organic label.

Find Rigoni di Asiago® products on Amazon or through the "Find a Store" search on their website. 

You can also find Rigoni di Asiago® on:

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Our Thoughts
Being into whole fresh foods and the nutrient-dense paleo way of eating, as you can imagine, I've tried a variety of natural sweeteners - including some that are fruit-based. Dolcedì’ is made from apples - that's it, nothing else added. Organic apples, at that! (Actually their whole company focuses on organic farming - one of the first in Italy to "go organic" - and sustainable, eco-friendly manufacturing processes.)

The first thing I did was taste Dolcedì’ all by itself.  It's a clear, thick syrup. The taste is pretty neutral, as promised. 

So let's see how it worked for me: it's suggested use is for teas, baking, and any other place you'd use sugar.  I don't drink much tea in the hot summers, and I've never been a fan of iced tea, so I skipped that option. 

The first recipe I made with Dolcedì’ was one I recently created and have been enjoying this summer, an avocado and ginger coleslaw dressing. 

This is a fully raw recipe, no cooking involved. My recipe calls for maple syrup, and the substitution ratio calls for the same amount.  Maple syrup of course has its own flavor; substituting it with Dolcedì’ didn't go quite as I expected.  The dressing was missing the full, round flavor maple syrup provides and actually left the dressing with a somewhat bitter aftertaste (I find stevia to have the same effect).

Ok, next up, baking! I wanted to see if the aftertaste disappeared with the heat of baking.  We have a Harrelson apple tree and recent storms had knocked down several small apples.  Now, Harrelson's are TART and the young apples are even more so.  Storms knock some early apples down every year and I use them in a easy stovetop dessert that consists simply of apple slices, cinnamon, maple syrup, and cherry wine, cooked until the apples are soft and the sauce reduced.  And really, apple sweetener used on apples?  Should be a perfect combination!

Again, I was surprised that Dolcedì’ didn't perform as expected. While I didn't get a bitter aftertaste, I used way more than I would have of maple syrup as the Dolcedì’ did not overpower the tartness of the apples no matter how much I used.  I ended up adding maple syrup, which immediately reduced the tartness.

For me, I'll stick with my trusty maple syrup.  I do think that used raw, Dolcedì’ would perform fine in teas, and I'll try that when the cold weather hits in a few months.

I do want to note that Rigoni di Asiago® has a variety of other products that look right up my alley - a chocolate hazelnut spread that looks beyond delicious, as well as several honeys.  I wish I could try them all!  I can't even pick a favorite to try but right now it's a toss up between the Organic Italian Forest Raw Honey, Organic Italian Orange Blossom Raw & Creamy Honey, and the Organic Italian Wildflower Raw & Creamy Honey.



Mamma Chia Review & #Giveaway

It started on a small farm in rural San Diego, where Mamma Chia founder and CEO, Janie Hoffman, in her quest to find an ideal diet for her own health, fell in love with the magic of chia. Janie quickly discovered this amazing little seed was providing a powerful vitality boost and was instrumental in addressing some challenging health issues related to longstanding autoimmune disorders. Janie believes that there are several components to a healthy and joy-filled life and no one thing holds all the answers, but there is no doubt that once she incorporated chia into her daily diet there was a very noticeable increase in her vitality, energy and strength. Janie became so enchanted with these little seeds that she was literally adding them to everything in her kitchen and giving away chia treats to everyone she knew or crossed paths with, but it was her chia beverages that became the biggest hit with her friends and family. In addition to finding the beverages to be fun and delicious, they also experienced a noticeable increase in vitality. In the summer of 2009, fueled by her passion for chia and her commitment to be of service to humanity and the planet, Janie founded Mamma Chia — the first organic, chia-based food and beverage company. In addition to her love of chia, Janie and her husband, Lance, enjoy growing Hass avocados and pineapple guavas on their small farm with their cuddly kitty, Sparky, and their sweet dogs, Yogi and Bodhi.


Our Thoughts

I thought I was simply getting a sample of the Chia & Greens beverage, and I was stoked to get them, you would be too, just look at what all they contain!

Chia & Greens is a delicious, fun on-the-go beverage with one of the lowest amounts of sugar and the highest amount of nutrients in the green drinks universe. In fact, each bottle delivers 2500mg of Omega-3s, seven grams of fiber, four grams of complete protein, 25% RDA of Vitamin A, and 95mg of calcium. Enjoy it as a kick-start to your day, as a revitalizing mid-afternoon pick-me-up or anytime you want that feeling of rejuvenation!

That was not the case however. This is what I received! Excited doesn't even begin to describe it!

Green Chia Drink comes four flavors, ginger + lemongrass, kale + mint, beet + ginger and cayenne and lemon. All of them had a very similar taste as the underlying note but the added ingredients were there, subtle, but there. My favorite was the cayenne and lemon. The drink was easy to swallow, like a thing yogurt. I thought I might have trouble getting it down because of the consistency but that wasn't the case at all. Very easy to drink, tasted good and I loved knowing I was drinking an organic superfood that would fuel my body correctly!

I love how the Chia Squeeze packages are like the rainbow, I am a sucker for anything rainbow colored. Mango coconut was my favorite, I love tropical flavored anything. The packages are small and portable so it's really easy to take it on the go. I would throw one in my lunch bag and take it with me for lunch. I didn't get to taste all the flavors myself because my daughter pretty much snuck into all of them. She LOVED them and asked me every day if there were more items for her to try. My youngest son drank an entire package himself and was upset when it was all gone. I like how the top screws back on these packages too. It's a neat design even for a reusable drink container.

The Vitality Granola is the most versatile. We much on those whenever we're hungry and it doesn't take a lot to fill you up because of how nutritious chia seeds are and the fact they expand once inside your digestive tract too. Very filling. I would eat these on my break to time me over until lunch time. No more hunger-headache for me! With the package of chia seeds I've experimented by throwing them into meatloaf (no one could tell!) and making chia seed pudding with coconut milk and honey. Very delicious and nutritious.

The bars very tasty as well. The mixing and matching of different flavors is unique and the amount of just real food packed into each bar is astounding. This is what real snacking should look like. Not everyone has the time to make their own granola though so having a superfood organic option is amazing. I highly recommend the Mamma Chia brand to any health-foodie!

One lucky winner is going to receive this same Mamma Chia package to try for themselves. To enter, just fill out the Giveaway Tools form below. Open to the US only. Giveaway will end May 20, 2016. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Mamma Chia for offering this fantastic prize. 

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Buy your favorite products here and don't forget to check them out on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram!
Reviewed by Jackie

Mother's Day Gift Guide - BuddhiBox #Giveaway

The BuddhiBox is one of my favorite subscription box services, and I always look forward to seeing what New Age goodies will arrive in my mail box each month. As always, this exciting subscription box fuels your mind, body, and soul with a diverse selection of products you can feel good about using. The products inside are perfect for anyone who enjoys Yoga or is working to achieve balance in their life.   For any mom's out there who are looking to add a little serenity to their lives, a subscription to BuddhiBox would  make a great gift.

 The April box  was filled with tons of awesome goodies.  One of the things I love is that there is a list of all the items included in the box with an inspirational quote on the other side.  There's also always a healthy recipe included and a yoga card with some yoga tips and pose benefits.  Of course that's only the beginning of the surprises that await. Here's a little break down of what I found in the April box.

Blend Bee-Calm Dosha Tea - This caffeine free tea is the perfect way to unwind after a long day. It's a very relaxing blend made with only organic herbs.

NeeluKaur-Ayurvedic Oil Blend - This is a full size essential oil in a roll on tube valued at $30! It had a light and refreshing fragrance that lifts your spirits and brightens your aura.

Ayurvedic Herbal Face Cleanser - Just mix this cleanser with a little water to make a paste. You'll give your skin a deep down, all natural clean that leaves your skin bright and radiant.  

Skinyoga Ayurvedic Coffee Scrub - This body exfoliater is amazing. Not only does it leave your skin rose petal soft, it also make with real coffee!  

NamsaBar - These bars are vegan friendly and made with organic ingredients. The one I tried was Almond Cacao and was a wonderful blend of chocolate and nuts.

This is just a sampling of the items you would get in your monthly BuddhiBox. Every month is different and they always throw in little extras. It's a great way to try new products sure to appeal to yoga practitioners and spiritualists alike. In addition to their boxes, BuddhiBox also allows you to order individual items in their store, including a huge selection of jewelry, yoga clothing, and accessories.  Here are a few of my favorite items.

To learn more about the BuddhiBox and all they have to offer, be sure to visit their website or follow their social media. 

Connect with Buddhi Box

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The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive a one month subscription to Buddhi Box. To enter, simply fill out the giveaway form below. This giveaway will end on 5/9/16. Open to the US only. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to BuddhiBox for offering this fantastic prize.

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Lunch Bundles Makes Lunch-on-the-Run a Breeze - #Giveaway

Having ‘lunch on the run’ is something that busy moms are all too familiar with, but there aren’t many on-the-go meals that moms can feel good about serving their kids or eating themselves. To save moms the time and energy required to prepare lunch every day, Revolution Foods offers Lunch Bundles – perfect for grown-ups and kids alike.

Lunch Bundles are delicious, nutrient-dense meals that are packed with protein and fiber, and are lower in saturated fat, sodium and sugar than comparable brands. Like all Revolution Foods offerings, they include only high quality ingredients, including meats raised with no antibiotics or added sodium nitrate/nitrites and rSBT-free cheese, and no artificial colors, flavors or sweeteners.

My Thoughts

I am a spur of the moment kind of girl. When I step outside in the morning, and its a nice day, I'll just decide to go somewhere--whether its the park, the beach, or a nature trail. But when you make last minute decisions, you might not have time to pack lunches for everyone. That's where the Lunch Bundle from Revolution Foods comes in.  They make meals on-the-go easy with their convenient prepackaged meals. Not only are they perfect for a fast-paced lifestyle, they're also a convenient way to get school lunches taken care of.

My family received a few of the different meals to try out. Each of my older kids picked one  to take with them to school. I was pleasantly surprised to find they contained pretty healthy options for processed food, but they were also tasty treats my kids were excited to eat.  My daughter picked the SuperFood Meal. She's a vegetarian so this was perfect for her. It included trail mix, corn & flax chips, chickpeas & almonds, dark chocolate raisins, and veggie chips. She just loved the variety and found it a satisfying meal. 

My son is meat eater, but even he was impressed with the Sundipper Meal. This one includes trail mix, no-nut butter, gluten free pretzels, dried bananas, and soy nuts.  This one is a great option for anyone whose on a gluten free diet, but anyone who likes to eat a healthy meal will love it as well.  My kids ate every bite of their meals and thought they were an exciting and fun alternative to regular sandwiches. Revolution Foods Lunch Bundles give you everything you need in one box. 

The Giveaway

One lucky winner is going to receive two FREE vouchers for Lunch Bundles. To enter, just fill in the Giveaway Tools form below. This giveaway will end on  4/25/16. Open to the US only. The winner will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to reply. Thanks again to Revolution Foods for offering this fantastic prize.

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The Real Co Review

The Real Co honors its Irish roots by celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! Throughout the month, The Real Co is encouraging individuals to participate in the Irish tradition of the “wearing of the green”, dressing their food with vibrant green ingredients! As the base for all recipes, The Real Co asks folks to use their certifiable, 100% Single Origin products, including: Himalayan Pink Rock Salt, Organic Raw Cane Sugar, and organically grown White Basmati Rice.

The Real Co is a pioneer in Single Origin foods, where they honor the pact of transparency and never play-up the integrity of their sourcing. The Real Co promises its consumers a clear understanding of the source of their food, the methods used for farming, & how it is packaged & delivered. Honesty & trust is something that they take very seriously and are extremely proud to achieve!

The Real Co Himalayan Pink Rock Salt, handcrafted, in the Himalayan Mountains. This salt is 100% pure, 100% Single Origin, non-GMO; is unrefined and mountain washed in Himalayan mountain water, packing a whopping 84 active minerals in every grain! Mineral rich salt has far-reaching health benefits including reducing blood pressure, preventing muscle cramping, strengthening bones and more. 

The Real Co Organic Raw Cane Sugar, directly from Assukar Farms, Tayutic Valley in Costa Rica is 100%natural and organic, 100% Single Origin, non-GMO, and contains many natural vitamins & minerals.

The Real Co White Basmati Rice, directly from Gujrat Punjab from Farid Co-op Farm, is 100% natural and 100% Single Origin, low-GI & pre biotic, and non-GMO! The Real Co White Basmati Rice was farmed using no additives, no chemicals, and no pesticides.. The Real Co White Basmati Rice is a “super grain”, containing all essential Amino Acids and folic acid, and is gluten free and cholesterol free!

Our Thoughts

I love whole foods! It is so important to eat organic and especially non-GMO foods because they are filled with chemicals that are very unhealthy for us! The Real Co is committed to providing the best ingredients!

The packaging is very eco-friendly looking. The sugar and rice packages have lips on them that you can roll down and tuck behind to save for later! I noticed the sugar would get kind of clumpy but it'd loosen up as soon as I shook it. I simply stored it in a less humid area of my kitchen and that solved the problem.

The rice is delicious! It takes way more water than conventional rice does but it's well worth the effort. I am not the best person at making rice, I leave that up to my husband, but this turned out great. There weren't any leftovers at all!

I could go on and on about Pink Himalayan Salt. Real salt is crucial to our body's well-being and this container is huge!! This will last me for months because it's much more potent than your typical table salt that you buy at the store. Who doesn't love a little pink sprinkled on their food anyway? It's fun!!

You can't beat The Real Co with their real food and ingredients! This is an affordable brand that should be in everyone's kitchen. I love knowing it's in mine and that I'm providing my family with the best!

Buy your items here and don't forget to check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Reviewed by Jackie

West Bend's Popcorn Maker Review

West Bend, the legacy kitchen electrics brand that has been delivering quality solutions for every corner of the kitchen since 1911, is at the forefront of the homemade popcorn trend. With countertop popcorn poppers for every price point and serving size, West Bend is the leading company bringing this superfood to home consumers without the fatty and chemical-laden additives of microwave popcorn brands.

No oil required! Pops up to 3.5 quarts of healthy and delicious popcorn.

Popcorn pops using hot air in 3 minutes for a super speedy snack.

Includes measuring cup that can portion single or family-size serving and doubles as a convenient butter melter.

Popper base is slim and can fit in any spot on your countertop, rec room, or studio.

Quick, clean, and easy. Popcorn on demand!

1400 watts

Our Thoughts

My husband and kids are obsessed with popcorn. We do big movie nights and it is never complete without popcorn for them so this was great to get. I am not a fan of microwave popcorn for multiple reasons. One being that microwaves aren't very healthy for reheating or cooking food. The second reason is that there are a ton of chemicals in microwave popcorn! Lastly, you can't trust the source of where your popcorn is coming from. We like to buy our own kernels to make sure it's as healthy as can be, salt it ourselves and butter it ourselves.

It came in a nice compact box, as you can see. A big bowl fits perfectly underneath the spout and only a little bit of kernels go a long way. The air that blows out IS hot so do not put your face near it or let you kids hover over it (like I am constantly reminding mine not to do!) so they don't get a facial burn. I love the little butter lid that goes on top. It fits perfectly and melts even the thicker butters. The brand I buy is not very spreadable and pretty hard because it's an organic grass-fed butter but the Air Crazy popcorn maker melts it just fine.

Super easy cleanup and it makes for nice, healthy popcorn in a pinch for our movie nights! For even bigger batches, it only takes a few minutes each time so you could make a ton if you had a party going on. Works well and I love it!

Buy yours here and don't forget to check them out on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!




Reviewed by Jackie

Chocolate A Day & #Sweepstakes

I've never been good about taking vitamins. I have trouble swallowing pills. Even if they're small, I always gag when they're going down. I've tried the chewable  kind but they taste like chalk and the gummy ones are too chewy.  I'd pretty much given up on taking vitamins, until  I found Chocolate A Day. My gosh, vitamins that taste like rich, Belgium chocolate?  That sounds almost too good to be true, but it isn't!

I got to try out a package of Chocolate a Day Deluxe and they are amazing! Each little square of chocolate is packed with 100% of the daily value of ten vitamins and minerals. When I first heard about these, I was sure they would just be chocolate "flavored" but still have that chalky taste I hate in other chewable vitamins. That wasn't the case at all. These taste like delicious chocolate, and not the kind you get off the shelve at the grocery store. These taste like the type of chocolate you have imported from Europe. It's just that good. There is no bitter aftertaste like with most chewable vitamins. Its just delicious chocolate with benefits.

I love Chocolate a Day. Not only am I finally getting the vitamins I need for a healthy lifestyle, I'm also getting to indulge in a delicious square of Belgium chocolate. Those are calories that are definitely well spent! Plus, they are all natural, dairy free, sugar free, and gluten free!  If you'd like to learn more about Chocolate A Day, be sure to visit their website or follow them via their social media.

Connect with  Chocolate A Day

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The Sweepstakes

Chocolate A Day  is currently hosting an amazing contest. They are giving away 20 years' worth of Chocolate A Day to 20 winners (a year supply each)! For your chance to win, head over to their website and fill out the entry form! Good luck to all who enter!