Category Archives: Product Reviews

March 28, 2012 · 2:30 pm

HUGO NATURALS – REVIEW & GIVEAWAY

I was first introduced to Hugo Naturals in 2011 when I first attended Natural Products Expo West.  Hugo and Debra Saavedra, the founders of the company were so warm and inviting when I visited their gorgeous booth.  I could tell from the instant that I met them that they absolutely loved their company and products.  Debra spent a great deal of time with me going over their products and why they were so proud of the fact that they were the first body care company to remove all traces of gluten from their products (certified by the Celiac Sprue Association, or CSA, the largest celiac support organization in the United States).  That really resonated with me.  Never before had it occurred to me that I needed to be careful about the lotions, etc. that I used on my gluten intolerant daughter’s skin, but it made so much sense.  Our skin is our largest organ…of course it matters what we put on it!!!

Flash forward to this year’s expo and in my opinion, Hugo Naturals once again had the most gorgeous booth in the entire expo (the pictures just do not do it justice).  This year Hugo walked me around the booth and showed me the amazing soap carvings that had been and were being made right before my eyes…gorgeous!

I enjoy their products so much that this year I gave my friend Jodie some of their bath products for her birthday…Hugo’s fizzy bath bombs are out of this world, so naturally I had to make sure I included one in her gift bag.

One of my children was sick for a few days this past week and when I suggested that they take a bath to help make them feel better they asked me if I had any of those “awesome fizzy bath balls” for the bath.  Regrettably I ran out (time to re-stock!), but that lets you know how truly wonderful they are.

Besides the fact that I thoroughly enjoy their products, I feel good about purchasing them because their entire product line is vegan, and is also certified cruelty-free by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Ingredients (LeapingBunny.org). Hugo Naturals has also completely removed soy (and gluten) from their recipes.

Hugo Naturals has very graciously offered to provide a wonderful giveaway to one lucky Veggie Grettie reader.

The following FULL SIZE products will go to one lucky winner:

*** ENTRY DETAILS ***

Earn one entry for each task completed:

  1. Become an e-mail subscriber of Veggie Grettie by entering your e-mail address in the e-mail subscriber box at the top right of the page under the header image of corn chowder (If you are already a subscriber, let me know in the comments)
  2. “Like” Veggie Grettie on Facebook (click HERE)
  3. Follow Veggie Grettie on Twitter (click HERE)
  4. Follow Hugo Naturals on Twitter (click HERE)

You will receive ONE ENTRY for EACH task completed.  You MUST leave a comment below stating which tasks you have completed (you can leave it all in one comment if you’d like).

The contest will run through 4/08/12 midnight PST.  The winner will be chosen randomly and must be a resident of the United States (includes Alaska & Hawaii). 

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March 26, 2012 · 1:30 pm

BOOK REVIEW – Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps

Kim Barnouin’s “Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps” is such a fun read! People are constantly asking me what my favorite brands and products are, which products are good substitutes for non vegan foods, and which products don’t make the cut  (I could and chat for hours [and have] about these very topics).

Reading Kim’s newest book feels like chatting with a girlfriend about those very same subjects. I thoroughly enjoyed reading her product recommendations and how she highlighted the differences between each, i.e. which vegan cream cheese was the tangiest, which is the softest in texture, etc. As for the product recommendations, who knew there was a vegan version of condensed milk (Soymilke Condensed Milk)??? I am really looking forward to researching this product more.

I recommend this book to everyone from omnivores trying to add more plant based foods to their diet, to newbie vegans trying to find subs for their old favorites, to seasoned vegans wanting to know more about new vegan products on the market.

Kim highlights a few of her go to recipes in the book, one of which is now in my permanent lunch rotation. I am hooked on the “Deb’s Chili” recipe that she included in the book. Kim’s friend Cathy got the chili recipe from her mom (some of the best recipes come from moms) and it is an absolute winner along with a snap to make.

The publisher has very kindly agreed to let me share the recipe with you.  I fortunately had the forethought to take some quick pictures of the chili while it was piping hot and before eating it!

DEB’S CHILI – Yields 6 servings

2 Tbs grapeseed oil (I omitted this)
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 (4-ounce) can green chilis, diced
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, diced
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
2/3 cup vegan cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup vegan sour cream

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the onions until soft, about 5 minutes (I water sautéed mine). Stir in the chilis, taco seasoning, tomatoes, kidney beans, and black beans. Let the mixture simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes (after water sautéing the onions I threw all of the ingredients in the slow cooker around lunchtime and kept it on low until dinner).

Serve with salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

4 Comments

Filed under Beans/Legumes, Books, Crock Pot, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Product Reviews, Quick, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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March 6, 2012 · 5:18 am

DAIYA SLICED CHEESE WEDGES – Natural Products Expo West

Yeehaw!!!  Daiya is coming-out with sliced cheese…this is going to make grilled cheese A LOT less messy.

I am going to be attending the Natural Products Expo West this coming weekend and just received an e-mail from Daiya that they will be debuting these cheese slices at the Expo.   Here is what they had to say…

Deliciously Dairy Free, No Matter How you Slice It!

Our new wedges give you the same delicious Daiya experience, in a wedge style!

-Smooth, creamy, and ready to slice.

-Good as a snack, on sandwiches or on hors d’oeuvres.

-In three great flavors: Jack, Cheddar, and Jalapeño Garlic Havarti.

 

I can’t wait to share with you all of the great products I come across this weekend.  Get ready for a healthy stream of product reviews.

10 Comments

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March 2, 2012 · 2:00 pm

MY NEW CANDY SUBSTITUTE

I need to first say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my amazing sister-in-law Tina and the best friend I could ever have, Jodie!!!

Now…on to my new favorite candy substitute…

My kids really like freeze dried strawberries and other freeze dried fruits.  So, the other day when I saw freeze dried red seedless grapes at Trader Joes, I thought I would give them a try.

I tore into the bag as soon as I got in the car and I LOVED THEM!  They are so sweet and crunchy and they get stuck in your teeth in the best “candy” kind of way.  These are seriously my new candy substitute.

My only squabble with them is that they are not organic.  I did a quick internet search and found a company called The North Bay Trading Company that sells a big selection of freeze dried fruit online and some of it is even organic.  I am going to order some strawberries from them since my kids love to add them to their cereal.

Have any of you tried freeze dried grapes?

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February 28, 2012 · 10:43 pm

NEW…NOT YET IN STORES – So Delicious Almond Milk Products

I teased you on Facebook this morning by showing you a picture of boxes on my doorstep that arrived early this morning from So Delicious.  I promised you a review and have been working on it feverishly all day (If you can call eating….er sampling products “work.”).  Have I mentioned how much I love what I do?  I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when the boxes arrived.

These products haven’t even hit the stores yet, so I truly feel honored that So Delicious asked me to review them.  Are you dying to know what these new products are??? I am sure the suspense is killing you.  So Delicious has come out with a new line of non-dairy almond milk products!

I am one of the most fervent supporters of Turtle Mountain’s So Delicious line.  An outsider might assume that I am on their payroll, but I assure you I am not.  So Delicious has provided my family with so much joy through their wonderful products and I will forever be grateful to them for that.  I am also very appreciative of the fact that they are committed to providing products that are 100% plant based with no artificial sweeteners, trans-fats or hydrogenated oils.

NEW PRODUCT REVIEWS

I have been an almond milk drinker for years and have liked what I bought well enough, but I have had complaints.  I usually purchase lowfat unsweetened vanilla almond milk and it tends to be watery and lacking body (akin to fat free milk).  The new So Delicious line of almond milk is LOWER in fat, HIGHER in protein (5 times more!!!), LOWER in sodium, and LOWER in sugar that my usual brand, AND has body.  How do they do that?  I swear they have magicians working in the R & D department.

I tried both the Vanilla and the Original and was impressed by both.  I am definitely switching to this brand of almond milk once I finish the boxes of my old brand that line my pantry.  I am excited to try the Unsweetened variety for savory cooking applications.

The Almond Novelties I tried were awesome.  While I really liked both, I ended-up doing more than “sampling” the Chocolate Covered Vanilla Mini (I demolished the entire bar).  I appreciate the fact that they make these desserts minis…otherwise I would probably end-up being maxi.

All kidding aside, the bars are very reasonable dessert choices in that they range from 90-150 calories each.  The ice cream sandwiches (which I didn’t try) have only 2.5 grams of fat a piece.  Not bad at all!

And then there was ice cream…

I will be the first to admit that almond milk ice creams are not usually my favorite because they tend to be a bit on the icy side and not at all creamy.  Not so with these.  I am not sure how they did it (that’s why they make the big bucks), but they managed to make creamy almond milk ice cream.  I am usually a chocolate (with peanut butter OR mint) kinda gal, but I couldn’t get enough of their Butter Pecan almond milk ice cream.

I tasted buttered pecans and brown sugar on every spoonful.  At 160 calories and 7 grams of sugar per serving I am amazed that they were able to pack so much flavor into each bite.  Divine.  I was also pleasantly surprised by the Cherry Amaretto flavor which was so fresh tasting and loaded with cherries.  The Chocolate was über creamy and the Mocha Almond Fudge had just the right amount of coffee flavor and was very generous with almond chunks,  though I wish it was more generous with the fudge (but like I said, I am a chocolate kinda gal).

Onto the real test of almond milk ice cream…vanilla.  Their Vanilla was so light, delicate, and decadently creamy which is a huge feat for almond milk ice cream.  All others that I have tried have failed in the vanilla department in my opinion since the taste of almond and iciness is usually so present.  With So Delicious’s Vanilla all I tasted was a beautiful creamy vanilla.  I am blown away.  So Delicious has a few additional flavors which I did not sample, but I am sure will impress as well; Cookies N’ Cream & Mint Chip.

What surprised me most about the products is that even after eating copious amounts of them (I did it all for you) I never experienced the sugar crash or craze that I usually do.  What gives?  The frozen dessert pints are lower in sugar than other almond milk frozen desserts due to the use of monkfruit as a sweetener (they range from 6-10 grams of sugar per serving).

I am so excited for all of you to try these new products.  The Almond Plus almond milk is already rolling out to stores!  The remaining almond milk based products will be available the Spring 2012 (I believe they will begin hitting shelves in March).

For nutrition information on the new almond milk based products click here.

To request coupons click here.

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February 22, 2012 · 2:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Repurpose Cups

I wished that I could say I never buy disposable cups, but I can’t.  Every year we host a big holiday party and I buy a ginormous amount of hot cups for the coffee / tea / cocoa / hot cider station that we set-up.  And then for the rest of the year I use those cups when cruising about town to kid activities and mommy activities.  I do try to keep the use of those cups to the times when I will be out of the house, but I have always wished for a better option (other than the reuseable hot drink mug I know I should be using).

I seriously had no idea that there was a better option out there until I was contacted by Repurpose.  Repurpose really does have the coolest green coffee cup around and I was excited to find out that they are carried at Bed, Bath and Beyond (I need to get out more).  They also carry cold cups and different variations of both hot and cold cups.

You have to appreciate their motto…Reuse First, Repurpose Second.  A little bit of background:

“Repurpose was founded in 2009 by a group of young environmental entrepenuers, looking for quality solutions to the problem of single use petroleum based plastic products. After searching and finding few quality and cost competitive compostable solutions, they decided to manufacture their own. Repurpose was born with its mission to replace all single use disposable plastics with high quality, innovative, plant based alternatives. Repurpose makes products from plants, not petroleum, using Ingeo resin and meet ASTM 6400 compostability standards.”

Repurpose is also holding a photo contest on their Facebook page and the winner will receive an iPad 2!  They are looking for entries consisting of everyday objects that have been “repurposed” into new and creative uses… inventive ways to repurpose what might otherwise be considered disposable.  Lovely idea.

Click HERE for more product details.

Click HERE for FAQ.

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February 20, 2012 · 2:30 pm

MY CEDARLANE SOLUTION

I recently took over the position of Editor at Chic Vegan (I am super stoked about it!!!) which means I am in the middle of experiencing a steep learning curve (translation – I don’t have a lot of extra time).  There have been more than a few days when I have looked-up from my computer screen just in time to go get my daughter, help her with her homework which we finish just in time for my son to come home from school and then before you know it it is time for gymnastics and Jiu Jitsu.  Where does the time go???

The other day a I was making a MAD-DASH through Costco (I know other mamas out there can get through Costco in 15 minutes flat too, right?  Not my preferred method, but necessary at times.) to pick-up a few essentials like organic pre-cooked edemame, seaweed salad, and some organic produce when something caught my eye.  In the refrigerated section I noticed that they had some Cedarlane Vegetable Barley Soup…SCORE!!!  I looked at the back of the package and although it didn’t say vegan on the packaging it did say DAIRY-FREE and upon further examination I couldn’t see any non-vegan ingredients.  One word to the wise is that this is NOT a gluten-free soup.  Barley is a gluten-containing grain.  Fortunately my daughter does not have an allergy to barley.  That being said, I still do not give it to her very often.

My easy meal solution was to warm the soup and adjust the final soup for each person.  For the boys in the family I added some Gardein chicken that I first chopped-up and browned.  I ate the soup straight-up, but there is a very slight spicyness to the soup, so I poured some into a bowl for my daughter, added a little filtered water and a squeeze of ketchup to tame the spice.  This was such an easy and quick meal!  Costco to the rescue again.

15 Comments

Filed under Main Dish, Product Reviews, Quick, Recipes, Soup, Vegan, Vegetarian

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February 1, 2012 · 2:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Quorn Vegan Burgers

I was recently sent the NEW Quorn Vegan Burgers to try.  I was impressed with the flavor of the burger which I equate more to a smokey turkey burger than a beef burger (Not that we need to equate it to “real” meat, but just to give the carnivores out there a point of reference).  This was one mean burger when served with lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, and condiments.

Quorn’s vegan burgers will serve as a good substitute for classic burgers while I try to transition my boys’ into the world of homemade bean and grain-based burgers.  Quorn products have been a constant in my freezer as I try to wean by husband and son off of animal products.  While most of their products are not vegan (i.e. their chik’n patties have whey protein concentrate and buttermilk powder), they have been very helpful in my boys’ attempts to not eat as much meat.

I would love for Quorn to come-up with a vegan burger that is also gluten-free.  While the majority of their vegan burger is mycoprotein (mushroom), the next ingredient after water is textured wheat protein and that is a no no for those who are gluten-intolerant.

Let’s hope they rise to the challenge.  Who knows?  Maybe they are working on it as I type!

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January 31, 2012 · 2:30 pm

GO GREEN LUNCH BOX – Review & Giveaway!

Whenever I get a new product to try I always try to photograph it ASAP in case something happens to it before I have a chance to review it like a huge pasta sauce explosion.  It may sound like I am being dramatic, but if you were at my house this morning you would understand that it looked like a murder scene when the Berbere Stew I was prepping somehow spilled ALL OVER the counter, cabinets, sink, dishwasher door, floor, you get the picture.  You just never know, so I always try to take pictures of products right away whether I end-up posting them on Veggie Grettie or not.

I was recently sent a Go Green Lunch Box to review and I am so impressed with it.  My daughter was super excited to try the lunchbox and was so disappointed every morning that she woke-up and learned I hadn’t photographed it yet.  We had been having a string of icky grey days weather-wise and that doesn’t make for good photographs.  The first sunny day we had I dropped everything and snapped a bunch of photos.  My daughter was so happy to learn that the photos had been taken and the lunch box was finally hers.

The Go Green Lunch Box has a lot of features that I really appreciate, however the bento box design is my favorite since it seems to inspire a lot of creativity when making lunches.  I had so much fun trying to decide what to put into each compartment and there is so much room!  This is not a small lunch box.  I could easily pack a huge lunch for my husband in one of these lunchboxes and cover all the bases from appetizer, to main dish, to dessert, and beverage (It comes with an 8 oz. reusable drink container).

This is a very well designed lunch box in that the lid has silicone seals for each of the 5 compartments which keeps all of the food and flavors separate.  I tried hummus, yogurt, and other sauces and they all stayed within their own compartments with no leaking (However, I also did a soup test and there was some leakage).  There is also a locking mechanism on the lid which prevents it from opening and spilling (very smart design feature).  In addition the lunch box is dishwasher safe (top shelf), though I find that it is very easy to hand wash.

It is apparent that the Go Green Lunch Box was designed by a mother who understands children’s lunch needs;  There is even a white board where you can write your child a message!

Now…to the GIVEAWAY.

GO GREEN LUNCH BOX GIVEAWAY

Kim Castner (pictured above), the founder and designer of the Go Green Lunch Box has offered-up a Go Green Lunch Box set to one Veggie Grettie reader!!!  The lunch boxes come in a wide variety of designs (click HERE to see them) and she is allowing the winner to pick the design of their choice.

TO ENTER

You will gain one entry for each task completed:

  1. Subscribe to Veggie Grettie’s E-mail Subscription (upper right corner of homepage below the Header photo)
  2. “Like” Veggie Grettie on Facebook
  3. “Follow” Veggie Grettie on Twitter
  4. Tweet the following message, @veggiegrettie is hosting @GoGreenLunchBox giveaway http://veggiegrettie.com/2012/01/31/go-green-lunch-box-review-and-giveaway/
  5. Send an e-mail out to your friends telling them about the giveaway and cc me on it gretchen (at) veggiegrettie (dot) com

Come back to THIS POST and leave a comment detailing which of the above you have completed and make sure I have your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

Good luck!  This is a great giveaway.

***** The giveaway will run through February 12, 2012 *****

To learn more about Go Green Lunch Boxes, visit their FAQ page by clicking HERE.

Giveaway limited to residents of the US and Canada

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December 24, 2011 · 8:59 pm

VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CUPS – Using Sweetriot Chocolate

I thought I would share with you the dessert I made for us to have tonight after our Christmas Eve meal.  With all of the treats we have been indulging in, I wanted to offer a yummy dessert, but have it just be a few decadent bites vs. a huge piece of cake or pie.

I based the recipe for my “Healthier” Chocolate Mousse on my Chocolate Mousse Frosting recipe (click HERE for that recipe).  I made some alterations to the recipe to make it slightly sweeter and more chocolaty…think dark chocolate.

This mousse is firm, but that is how I wanted it so it would retain its shape when piped.

I used Sweetriot Dark chocolate to make the mousse and I have to tell you that their chocolate absolutely rocks my world and it is vegan, gluten-free, kosher, and their company is carbon-free to boot.

I like to consider myself a bit of a chocolate aficionado and this chocolate hits the mark.  Not only is their chocolate amazing, but they are amazing too!

  • They use premium, high quality, and all-natural ingredients.
  • They believe in fair trade with developing countries.
  • They celebrate culture and diversity through their products.
  • They create sweet experiences for their customers, partners and employees.
  • They are socially responsible.
  • And they are young at heart, energetic, down-to-earth and contribute to the greater good.
And let me tell ya…their chocolate makes a killer chocolate mousse!  Without further ado…
~

INGREDIENTS – Makes 4 1/2 cups

14 ounce package of extra firm tofu (I used Wildwood)
1 cup vegan chocolate OR chocolate chips (I used Sweetriot 85% DARK chocolate that I chopped-up finely)
2cups coconut milk or soy milk (vanilla or chocolate)
6 Tbs. cacao powder
6 packets Sweetleaf stevia
Chocolate cups for serving

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

While the chocolate is melting, blend the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender until very smooth (I used my Vitamix). Use the center agitator and stop blending a few times in order to scrape down the sides.

Once the chocolate has melted, add it to the rest of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. The mixture will now be warm and not quite yet the consistency of pudding.

To serve the dessert as pudding, pour the mixture into a glass container and allow it to cool in the fridge for 20-30 minutes to thicken.

If using this recipe as mousse, keep it in the fridge for several hours to overnight so it firms-up completely. Prior to piping, you may whip the mousse with a handheld mixer to whip some air into it (this is not necessary, but optional).

Pipe the mousse into chocolate cups or the container of your choosing and serve.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

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Filed under Dessert, Gluten Free, Holiday, Holidays, Product Reviews, Pudding / Mousse, Vegan, Vegetarian

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