Category Archives: Product Reviews

December 23, 2011 · 11:00 pm

ETHICAL OCEAN – For Last Minute Gifts

I recently made some purchases through Ethical Ocean and I am really happy with them…So happy that I thought I’d encourage any of you still needing to do some last minute shopping to cruise on over to the Ethical Ocean website.  Of course this is pretty last minute to buy product as a gift, but you can definitely buy your loved ones some gift certificates.

For those of you not familiar with Ethical Ocean…

VISION

Our purchasing decisions affect our society and the planet.

It’s up to each of us to know what we are buying and why—and how each product we spend our dollars on impacts other people, animals, and the environment.

But that doesn’t mean we have to know everything. We can share our knowledge, and ideas, to help one another choose wisely. That’s what Ethical Ocean is all about.

HOW IT WORKS

Presented here is a collection of the most ethical products in North America. Every product on our website must qualify for at least one of our three designations: Good for People, Good for Animals or Good for the Environment. Sellers are thoroughly screened before being allowed to sell on our site.

Each of our product pages includes a story: explaining what the product does, where it comes from, and what the seller is doing to positively impact the globe. You’ll also see third-party certifications, if applicable.

If one of our designations—say, Good for Animals—matters more to you than the other two, you can search just for products that meet that designation. Otherwise, browse though our thousands of offerings and see what sparks your imagination.

While you’re at it, check out through our hundreds of articles and blog entries too. There you’ll find all the information and inspiration you need to live the fullest, funnest—and most ethical—life you can.

I bought the two T-shirts and a coin-purse (so cute!) pictured within this post.  If you are interested in purchasing these items, click the pictures and it will bring you to the specific product on the Ethical Ocean site.

Happy holidays to you all!

 

Images courtesy of Ethical Ocean

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December 20, 2011 · 2:30 pm

REVIEW – Wisdom Wand Coffee and Tea Brewing Straws

Oftentimes I am sent products to review and they do not make it onto Veggie Grettie because I only post reviews about products that I end up really liking.  I am really excited about this product.

Wisdom Wands recently sent me their portable single serve coffee and tea wands and let me tell ya…they are so neat!  The kids and I brewed some tea and coffee this morning before school and we were all so into how cool these wands are and how simple the design is.

The tea wand (above left) is basically a glass straw with a bulb at the bottom that has tiny holes to allow the yummy brew through without letting the loose tea leaves through the straw.  The coffee wand (above right) is also a glass straw, but the bottom of the coffee straw is made up of a tiny barbie-sized coffee filter.

Making the coffee and tea couldn’t be more basic.  You simply put some loose tea or coffee grounds in the bottom of your cup, pour in hot water and sip the drink through the straw.  You can pour sweetener and vegan creamer directly into this mix and the sip away.

These would make the coolest stocking-stuffers!  I keep thinking of situations where these wands would be ideal…camping, college dorm rooms, the office (no more bitter coffee made by someone else), etc.

Another great feature is that with the wands you don’t need to use as much coffee or tea which amounts to a nice cost savings (I’ll take cost savings where I can get it).  What a fun product!!!

Click HERE to learn more OR go direct by pasting in http://wisdomwands.com/whyown.html#

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December 12, 2011 · 2:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Earthbound Farms PowerMeals and FREE eCookbook

Earthbound Farms recently sent me samples of their new PowerMeals.  For those of you unfamiliar with Earthbound Farms, they practically invented bagged salad in 1986 and have turned that invention into an empire of goodness (click here for their story).  While we are all capable of buying lettuce, washing it, spinning it, etc., let’s face it; we all probably wouldn’t eat as much salad if it weren’t for the fact that we can go buy a bag of it ready to go.  I know I buy it more often than I’d like to admit purely due to the convenience factor.

PowerMeals are basically bagged salad on steroids and they come in three flavors:

  • Blueberry Quinoa Protein Balance (Gluten-free)
  • Tomatillo Black Bean Protein Energy (Gluten-free)
  • Cranberry Wheat Protein Boost

I took the PowerMeals with me on a recent vacation and they really saved me in the sense that I knew I had healthy meals options with me to fill in the gaps when it would have otherwise been easy to choose a less healthy option.  They were heaven-sent!

My only criticism of the PowerMeals is that the dressings that come along with the salads are too high in fat (Total fat of the salads with the dressing ranges from 21-23 grams), but that is easy to remedy by bringing your own dressing which is what I did.

In celebration of their 25th year in business, Earthbound Farms is offering Veggie Grettie readers a free eCookbook, Salads for Every Season, which is available for download now through 12/31 afterwhich it will cost $2.99.  In their own words:

The 83-page eCookbook is an anthology of delicious salad recipes from Myra’s first two cookbooks. Full of wonderfully tasty recipes, the eCookbook will come in especially handy for those looking to lighten up the menu during the holidays.

I have not had a chance to look through the eCookbook yet, but I am sure that there are a lot of great recipes inside.  Remember that there are bound to be some recipes which are not vegan, so adjust accordingly.

Enjoy your free eCookbook!  Click HERE to download it before 12/31/11.

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December 8, 2011 · 11:22 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW and GIVEAWAY – PlantFusion

PlantFusion is my absolute favorite vegan protein powder.  Their products taste amazing and on top of that they have:

  • NO DAIRY
  • NO SOY
  • NO EGGS
  • NO WHEAT
  • NO PEANUTS
  • NO TREE NUTS
  • NO FISH
  • NO SHELLFISH
  • NO ANIMAL
  • and are HYPO-GLUTEN FREE

So many of the vegan protein powders are chalky and have an aftertaste which can scare away those who are new to a plant-based diet.  Everyone that I have recommended PlantFusion to has really liked the taste.

PlantFusion recently came out with a new Chocolate Raspberry flavor that is rocking my world!  When I was little one of my favorite truffle flavors was Chocolate raspberry and PlantFusion’s new Chocolate Raspberry protein powder definitely reminds me of that…yum!

PlantFusion has also recently introduced convenient single serve packets of their yummy protein powders.  I plan on keeping a few in my purse for those times when hunger strikes and I haven’t planned ahead…simply mix with water and you have a highly nutritious snack or meal replacement.

GIVEAWAY

Since this is the season of giving, the wonderful people at PlantFusion would like to send one lucky reader a gift bag containing a 1lb canister of PlantFusion along with some individual packets of their different flavors!!!

One entry for EACH of the following:

  • “Like” PlantFusion on Facebook (click HERE)
  • “Follow” PlantFusion on Twitter (click HERE)
  • “Tweet” about this giveaway on twitter.  Copy and paste this message:  @VeggieGrettie is holding an awesome @PlantFusion giveaway.  To enter go to http://veggiegrettie.com/2011/12/08/product-review-and-giveaway-plantfusion
  • “Like” Veggie Grettie on Facebook by clicking HERE
  • Subscribe to Veggie Grettie’s posts via e-mail (Upper right-hand corner on this page)
  • Follow Veggie Grettie on Twitter HERE

REMEMBER TO COME BACK TO THIS POST AND LET ME KNOW WHICH OF THE ABOVE YOU HAVE DONE.  THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED FRIDAY 12/16/11.

***Only open to those in the US and Canada.

Click HERE for the supplement facts

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November 28, 2011 · 2:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Conscious Box

I recently received a Conscious Box in the mail to preview and when the kids and I opened it we felt like we were so excited.  Conscious Box is a new subscription service that in their words, “[I]s a monthly delivery of pure and sustainable products that are handpicked from businesses that care for the planet.”

I was impressed by the efficient packaging of the Conscious Box.  So often when I receive something in the mail I am dumbfounded by all of the extra packaging that accompanies the product.  In speaking with Jameson Morris,  the Conscious Executive Officer at Conscious Box (and Founder of Organic Soul), I was impressed to learn that they focused a great deal of time on the packaging for the actual box.

“We had been developing the box for over 4 months and spent a long time trying to find a ‘conscious’ manufacturer. The boxes  are made from 100% recycled material and manufactured, wind powered facility, and printed using sustainable vegetable inks!”

I have reviewed other monthly subscription services before (click here for my review of blissmobox), however Conscious box differs from other monthly subscription services in that the actual box is smaller than other similar programs. According to Jameson, Conscious Box purposefully made a smaller box because they didn’t want to ship out a ton of full size products every month.  The theory behind their decision to create a smaller box stems from the fact that they truly are trying to be as conscious as possible.  Since their customers will be “sampling” the products, there is always a chance that they may not like a certain product and if they had mailed out a full sized product to that customer the product would go unused and would be wasted.

The purpose behind the Consious Box is for the customer to discover new products that they like and will in turn purchase for themselves.

We definitely enjoyed sampling products in the Conscious Box and definitely found some that we will purchase.  It was fun to receive a box that had food samples as well as body care samples.

To sign-up for the Conscious Box click here.

For more information about the Conscious Box click here to be directed to the FAQs page.

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November 18, 2011 · 2:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Virgil’s Zero Diet Sodas

I am not a big soda drinker, however I do enjoy a root beer float from time to time since soda seems more like dessert to me than a drink to quench my thirst.  Reed’s recently sent us some of their Virgil’s Zero all natural sodas to try.   I have to say that I really enjoyed making floats with Virgil’s Zero Rootbeer and their Black Cherry Cream Soda along with some So Delicious Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream.  My kids were on cloud nine when they came home from school and I handed them root beer floats.

What I really like about Virgil’s sodas is that they are sweetened with Stevia and their ingredient list is small and pronounceable!!!  If I am going to have soda as a treat I don’t want it to be loaded with sugar and artificial flavors.  Virgil’s Zero Sodas have:

“No preservatives, no caffeine and no artificial anything in addition to being gluten free!”

The flavors that we were sent to try were Virgil’s Zero:

  • Rootbeer – Super yum!
  • Cream Soda – Just like the original I remember as a kid
  • Black Cherry Cream Soda – great flavor and really nice with vanilla ice cream
  • Real Cola – Our least favorite…my husband (aka Mr. Diet Pepsi) was not a fan…bummer because I would really like to get him off Diet Pepsi.
  • Dr. Better – My son LOVED this one.

I recommend you give these sodas a try if you are looking for a better alternative to conventional soda and diet soda which are loaded with HFCS and artificial sweeteners respectively.

For more information about Virgil’s Zero brand sodas click here.

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November 9, 2011 · 2:30 pm

NO MEAT ATHLETE SHIRTS

Matt Frazier has been a Guest Blogger on Veggie Grettie (click here for his post), so many of you may have had the chance to check out his website, the No Meat Athlete.  Matt has some many great tips when it comes to being a vegan athlete.

No Meat Athlete T-shirts have taken on a cult following and lucky for us Matt recently introduced new and improved Anvil Sustainable No Meat Athlete T-Shirts (I have already ordered mine!).  When they say sustainable, they mean:

1. They’re made with 50% recycled polyester from plastic bottles, 50% transitional organic cotton (“transitional” means it’s from smaller farms that are going organic but are not yet certified). We like to think of them as our version of the Green Silence. Except they’re not shoes.
2. They’re softer than any other NMA shirt, and have a very retro, “heathered” look and feel to them.
3. They come in fun colors. For men: light green, grey, and natural. For women: light green, natural and — by far our most popular at the show — purple!

I thought you might like to check them out.   For more information about the shirts and to order click here.

Image courtesy of NoMeatAthlete.com 

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October 20, 2011 · 7:24 pm

SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK – Holiday Flavors and Giveaway

The holidays came early to my house.  I received my first present of the season when FedEx dropped off So Delicious’s Seasonal Coconut Milk Beverages to my doorstep this morning.  So Delicious contacted me to tell me that the milks would arrive this morning and I seriously think the FedEx man must have thought I was coo coo because I was literally waiting at the door when he arrived.

OH MY GOSH they are good!  Then Nog is so flavorful and pours thick like a “real” nog does, but without the guilt and oodles of fat that accompany the dairy version.  When I was about 5 years old I consumed a half gallon of egg nog on my own and as you can imagine, I have avoided the dairy version like the plague since (I am shocked I did not have a heart attack right then and there!).  So Delicious has come to the rescue and provided me with an option that I like and does not conjure-up bad memories for me.  Yay!

As you can imagine, the Mint Chocolate is out of this world.  I think I will need to pour some into an opaque container so I can save some for myself since I know the kids are going to absolutely decimate it when they get home from school.  I so want to cook and bake with these milks!  I am thinking the kids will love the recipe for the Vegan Nog French Toast (breakfast tomorrow!).  I love that they included recipes on the carton.

The beverages will retail for around $2.99, which I consider to be very reasonable.  I know my fridge will be stocked with them.  Click here for nutrition information.  Click here for a store locator.

GIVEAWAY

So Delicious has generously provided the readers of Veggie Grettie with a nice giveaway… TWO coupons for a “FREE So Delicious Dairy Free item.” 

To Enter:

1.  LIKE the So Delicious Dairy Free Facebook Fan page (http://facebook.com/SoDeliciousDairyFree)

AND / OR

2.  FOLLOW them on Twitter (http://twitter.com/so_delicious)

3.  Come back to this post and leave me a comment letting me know you have LIKED their page and let me know which flavor you are most excited to try.

Nice and simple.

I will announce the two winners (each will receive 1 coupon) on Thursday of next week 10/27/11.

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Filed under Breads / Crackers / Muffins, Breakfast, Contests, Dessert, Giveaways, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Product Reviews, Pudding / Mousse, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

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October 12, 2011 · 1:30 pm

PRODUCT REVIEW – Miracle Clay Skincare Products

I used to be a beauty mask junkie and would apply a mask to my face at least 5 nights a week rotating between my favorites.  Somewhere along the line I got busy and stopped using masks consistently.  I forgot how much I like the “spa” like pampering feeling you get when you apply a mask to your face…not to mention the fact that actually do make your skin look better.

I was recently sent samples from Miracle Clay of several clay-based products and my face and body are thanking me for using them.

Miracle Clay’s mission is to make the world healthier and happier by promoting high quality, paraben-free, animal-free, natural skin and health care products that truly do work and are known for their healing qualities. The inspiration behind Miracle Clay was born in the Amazon Rainforests of southeast Peru where the founder, Inna Zatulovsky, first learned about one of the most amazing substances on Earth, Calcium Montmorillonite Clay.   Edible Montmorillonite Clay (also known as Bentonite Clay) is very rare and only found in certain desert regions of the world. This unique healing edible clay has been used for a wide range of medicinal purposes for thousands of years by nearly 200 cultures, including the Egyptians, the Aztecs, and other native people of Mexico, South America, and North America.  More recently, even NASA astronauts have used Calcium Montmorillonite Clay for strengthening their bodies during space missions.

After using the product for a few weeks I am a real believer in the Clay Mask made with magnetic clay.  The clay used to make the mask contains 57 trace minerals that have detoxifying and healing properties.  My face feels so clean and smooth after using it.  I love it so much that I actually brought it with me on a recent trip!  The ingredients are gentle (i.e. chamomile, sea kelp, MeadowSweet, Kanwa Clay, sage), organic when possible, and 100% vegan as well as free of sulfates, parabens and aluminum…yay!

I also really like Miracle Clay’s Moisture Intense Lotion because it truly is moisturizing.  I have been using it in the morning after my shower and it is perfect for after shaving and to moisturize areas of the body that tend to get really dry.  I find that the lotion is extremely effective at keeping elbows and knees smooth.  Oftentimes it seems like lotion will leave my skin greasy, but their lotion did not have this effect on me…it soaked in quickly and seemed to lock into my skin.  I am really picky when it comes to scents since I usually do not like to use anything with a strong smell.  The Moisture Intense Lotion smells great and is very subtle.

I have been hitting the workouts really hard lately and as a result I am very grateful for the Clay Bath that was sent to me.  I have always been a proponent of Epson Salts and now I can add Clay Bath to my list of products that really helps with muscle soreness.  All you do it add it to the bath and soak.  I have been alternating between the Clay Bath and Epson Salts and that has been doing the trick.

I really do recommend that you try the products from Miracle Clay.  I am always happy to throw my support behind a company whose mission is to help others and to do it in a responsible and sustainable way.

Miracle Clay created a special 15% off promo code just for Veggie Grettie readers.  Enter the following code during checkout to receive the discount: GRETTIE15

To learn more about Miracle Clay click here.

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October 5, 2011 · 1:30 pm

VEGAN SOFT SERVE – Hugo’s Tacos

After attending Chef AJ’s cooking class (click here to read the post about it) we were hanging out at her house when she mentioned a vegan soft serve place nearby…my ears perked right up.  Everyone starting raving about how amazing the vegan ice cream was and that it was made with sweet potatoes as a base.  I was in like Flynn.

We headed over to Hugo’s to get some amazing soft serve vegan ice cream.  They serve chocolate, vanilla, or a swirl of the two (which I opted for).  It was AMAZING and so creamy!!!  I can’t wait to take my family next time I am up in the LA area with them.

While we were there we ran into one of Chef AJ’s friends, Chef Rawsheed who is a celebrity raw chef and leader within the raw movement having founded Sun Power Natural Cafe.  Chef Rawsheed is on the left in the picture below along with Nick whom I met at the class.

Hugo’s vegan ice cream stand is in Studio City at the 101 and Coldwater.  While I haven’t eaten an actual meal at one of their restaurants (they have 3 locations), their menu looks great and is filled with lots of vegan and vegetarian options.  I am going to have to have lunch AND ice cream next time I go.

I also hear that there is a vegan ice cream parlor called Atomic Number 7 in Henderson Nevada, so you can bet we will check that out too the next time we are in Vegas.

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