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Two Moms in The Raw – Products Worth Reviewing

It seems that “Raw” foods are all the latest craze right now. But is it just a fad or is there some beneficial truth behind it? Well, if you take into consideration that eating raw foods helps your body and digestion as well as absorbing all the necessary nutrients, then yes, there are a lot of benefits to it. Eating raw foods can be as simple as eating raw vegetables or fruits or simply cooking your food at the lowest temperature to maintain all of their nutrients. And in the sense of Two Moms in The Raw raw foods, we’re talking about delicious, uncomplicated, and unique foods which are made with natural and organic ingredients.

Two Moms in The Raw was created after the founder realized she had a chronic illness and turned to natural, raw foods as a solution to restoring her health. With the need of changing her diet for the better, she felt it necessary to create foods that were tasty, nutritious, and still retained all of its natural goodness. Two Moms in The Raw makes food products using only the finest natural and organic ingredients, including ingredients that are beneficial to the health such as flax seeds, kelp, and certain blends of herbs. Eating foods in its original form is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle but it’s equally important to eat foods that taste good as well. After all, a raw vegetable salad can get pretty boring although healthier, so in the sense of Two Moms in The Raw, they created raw foods that are delicious and good for you.

Currently Two Moms in The Raw makes the following products: Raw Sea Crackers in flavors of Garden Herb, Pesto, and Tomato Basil. The ingredients are simple and consists of flaxseeds and kombu in each flavor profile. They also make Raw Cocoa Truffles (which was incredibly delightful!), Raw Granola in Blueberry, Cranberry, Gojiberry, and Raisin. And other products including Blueberry Nut Bar, Cranberry Nut Bar, and Gojiberry Nut Bar. If you’ve never tried raw bars, then you’re certainly missing out on something unique and fragrant. You can taste the flavors of each ingredients since the ingredients were not overcooked as in most energy bars. And most of their products are certified gluten-free for those who are sensitive to gluten or wheat.

Probably one of the best thing about Two Moms in The Raw is that they use only natural and organic ingredients and that they are all handmade. Their products do not contain any refined sugars or oils and are considered 100% Raw. So for those who are interested in a raw diet, you might want to give Two Moms in The Raw a try. You can find Two Moms in The Raw at most natural grocery stores and you can also order their products on their website: http://www.twomomsintheraw.com/. Two Moms in The Raw had kindly sent me an assortment of their products to try and review. The products I tried were their Sea Crackers, Nut Bars, and Truffles. We really enjoyed the Tomato Basil Sea Crackers because you can really taste the tomatoes and it was a bit tart, sweet, and savory all at the same time. The Sea Crackers are great eaten as is or sprinkled on top of salads and soups. The truffles were delightful especially since I’ve never tried “raw” truffles before. The chocolate flavor wasn’t overwhelming and it wasn’t very sweet either. Their Nut Bars reminded me of dried fruits in a way because of the texture and the intense flavors. I think the raw nut bars make great in-between snacks since they are filling, satisfying, and easy to carry around.

For more info about Two Moms in The Raw, please visit their website: http://www.twomomsintheraw.com/ or Facebook page.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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June 2, 2012

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Mrs. Meyers – Products Worth Reviewing

In our home, we’re really fanatic about laundry detergents. I know that sounds strange, but finding a really good laundry detergent is really important. And it’s also important that the laundry detergent be free of artificial scents and helps to improve the environment. With so many different laundry detergents to choose from, one can get really lost in finding the one that’s perfect. But what’s perfect for one person doesn’t work so well for another. And there’s also a variety of detergent styles out there that can get really confusing as to which is better.

For me, I like the traditional laundry detergent liquid. I like knowing how much I’m pouring and I can control the amount. I also like my clothes to smell as clean as they were first purchased, whether it’s without any scents or with natural essential oils. One of the companies whom we’ve really come to appreciate their products is Mrs. Meyers. You may have heard of Mrs. Meyers – her products are practically everywhere and that’s because she’s been in the natural home and personal cleaning industry for a very long time. When we first heard of Mrs. Meyers, I was intrigued by their products and the fragrances that were used. With scents such as Lemon Verbena, Basil, Parsley, and so forth, I was delighted at the many varieties offered and the emotions that came along with them. Yes, scents evoke pretty powerful emotions. For instance, when I tried their Lemon Verbena Laundry Detergent, I felt a sense of relaxation and calm – even more so than the famous Lavender scent. The lemon has natural antiseptic and refreshing powers and with the blend of Verbena, a soothing herb, and Clover, you get a really smooth and pleasant aroma that lingers slightly on your laundry after washing. One of my other favorite scent is Parsley. It smells slighty of that herby parsley scent yet it’s not overwhelming and actually quite delightful. Other familiar scents like Lavender and Geranium are always pleasant to the senses and comforting with just enough fragrance.

But unique scents isn’t the only powerhouse of Mrs. Meyers. At Mrs. Meyers, they believe in using natural ingredients that are safe for people and for the environment. Their products do not contain ammonia, chlorine, glycol solvents, parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde, artificial colorants, phosphates or petroleum distillates. And their liquid products are completely biodegradable and they do not test their products on animals. And the best part yet – Mrs. Meyers has such a great range of products to choose from, you’ll most likely find something you can use in your home. Currently, Mrs. Meyers produces household cleaning products such as: Liquid Dish Soaps, All-Purpose Cleaners (which is really usable for almost anything!), Automatic Dish Packs, Countertop Sprays, Surface Scrubs, Surface Wipes, Bathroom Cleaners, Glass Cleaner, and Toilet Bowl Cleaner. They also make liquid hand soaps which includes liquid and bar soaps as well as refills. Mrs. Meyers also produces Laundry Detergents, Fabric Softeners, and Dryer Sheets as well as air fresheners such as Soy Candles and Room Sprays. I have yet to try their Soy Candles but with scents like Basil, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, and Geranium, I’m sure one of all of those naturally scented candles would be great!

What drew me to Mrs. Meyers was not only because they use natural essential oils and natural ingredients. It was because of the scents that are offered. I don’t like my cleaning products to be heavily scented. When I’m not using my own homemade cleaning solutions with baking soda, water, and vinegar, I do like my scented household products to be from natural plants and to smell as gentle as possible. When Mrs. Meyers had sent me their newest 4x concentrated liquid laundry detergent in Lemon Verbena, I couldn’t wait to give it a try. As stated earlier, I’m really choosy when it comes to laundry detergents and the scents that most companies use but the Lemon Verbena from Mrs. Meyers did not disappoint in the fragrance department nor the cleaning department. With 4 times the cleaning power than other laundry detergents, I was able to use only a little bit for a regular wash which saves a lot of money and is less harmful to the environment and the ocean. The bottle is recyclable and is smaller than average so it’s less waste for the environment as well. The only thing is that with a squeeze top, it got a bit messy the first couple of times of using it, but I became more careful with the bottle later on. And after each wash, you can smell a delicate scent of citrus and something herby – not overwhelming like most mainstream laundry detergents.

So if you’re looking for something new to clean your laundry with or you want to try one of Mrs. Meyers unique scent-blends, then I’m sure you’ll find something to your liking. We like to use their liquid dish soaps as well and it definitely makes hand washing the dishes more of a pleasure than a chore! For more info about Mrs. Meyers, please visit their website: http://www.mrsmeyers.com/.

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May 30, 2012

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Alive & Radiant – Products Worth Reviewing

If you’ve ever fallen in love with a certain food, then you’ll know how hard it can be to resist eating it. That’s exactly what happened when we tried Alive & Radiant’s Tarragon Dijon Kale Chips. I can honestly say, that I’ve never had kale chips as delicious and enticing as Alive & Radiant’s Kale chips. Between my son and I, we devoured the entire bag in one sitting – and still had some crumbles left in the bag that I poured out and gloriously polished them off. Yes, they were that good! I’m not much of a kale eater, but I do eat them once in awhile in a salad or in soups but as kale chips, they are delightfully unique and satisfying.

The vegetable Kale itself is considered a power food. Why? Because kale contains various nutritional benefits including Vitamins A,C, and K; minerals such as Calcium, Iron, and Manganese; certain amounts of Omega’s; and because of it’s cruciferous family, Kale has been studied to prevent certain types of cancer. Kale itself hasn’t been very popular throughout the years mainly because most people don’t know what to do with it. The best way of getting its full nutritional potential is eating it raw ofcourse, but that can be very difficult because of it’s slightly bitter and chewy texture. So several ways of eating it and still getting the nutritional benefits are boiling it slightly and eating it as a salad, stir-frying it with other veggies, and of course, eating it as raw kale chips. At Alive & Radiant, they dehydrate their Kale chips at low temperatures to keep it in it’s “raw” form so that they still retain their nutritional content. But if you’re thinking raw chips sounds strange, well, you haven’t tried Alive & Radiant Kale chips then.

Alive & Radiant Kale chips are so incredibly unique and delicious that you’ll wonder why you even bother eating anything else. Their Kale chips contain very little ingredients, but its what those ingredients are that really makes these Kale chips stand out. At Alive & Radiant, they use cashews and sesame seeds for that unique and delicate crunch and with each flavor profile, you get a distinctive flavor and texture. Our favorite is the Tarragon Dijon flavor as well as the Southwest Ranch flavor. Both of them are slightly tangy with a hint of sweetness. We were able to try all of their flavors and we could see how much love and inspiration were put into the flavors of each variety. Currently, Alive & Radiant’s Kale Chips come in the following flavors: Cheezy Chipotle (which has quite a kick to it), Tarragon Dijon, Quite Cheezy, Southwest Ranch, Spirulina Orange Creamsicle (this one is definitely different from all others), and Chockalet Chip. Yes, chocolate flavored kale chips! You wouldn’t believe the extraordinary taste to this flavor – very chocolately but not overwhelmingly sweet. My son said it was strange to have chocolate kale chips, but he found it quite delightful in that the kale chips were both sweet and a bit savory.

Alive & Radiant is a division of Kaia Foods who also produces natural sprouted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, “raw” cookies which are moist and chewy, and buckwheat granolas. At Kaia Foods and Alive & Radiant, they believe that providing good nutrition in the most natural way is a healthier way of living. Therefore, their foods are made from scratch using the finest organic ingredients, dehydrated, and no artificial anything. With their simple, “sprout, mix, and dehydrate” system, their foods maintain their natural nutritional value and with their Kale chips, the flavors are enticingly addicting. We honestly couldn’t stop eating the Kale chips and with them being so much healthier than regular fried potato chips, there weren’t too much guilt after polishing off an entire bag. I think Alive & Radiant Kale chips are great for people of any age and their super crunchy texture makes it fun to eat as well. We even sprinkled some on top of our salads as well as placed them inside our sandwiches. I think the Kale chips are great eaten as is, but with such intense and unique flavors, you can probably find other uses for them as well. Alive & Radiant Kale chips are also gluten-free and perfect for Vegans and if you’re looking for a new Raw diet, you won’t be disappointed with Alive & Radiant’s Kale chips.

The lovely folks at Alive & Radiant had generously sent me all of their six flavors to try and review. Since we started enjoying the taste and benefits of Kale several months ago, we were really delighted that Alive & Radiant’s Kale chips offered a different way of eating raw kale. For those of you who want to venture out of the potato chips era, try giving Alive & Radiant’s Kale chips a chance – you won’t be disappointed. Currently you can find Alive & Radiant products at natural grocery stores, including Whole Foods Market. For more info about Alive & Radiant, please visit their website: http://blessingsaliveandradiantfoods.com/ and their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AliveRadiantFoods.

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May 25, 2012

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The Wonders of Gardening – Teaching your kids to enjoy it.

Gardening should be enjoyed by everyone. It’s a lot of fun, you get to be creative, and you’re outside enjoying the fresh air. Children specifically should learn at an early age about gardening as it will teach them about life, creativity, and give them much needed Vitamin D from the beautiful sun. Any one of any age can garden as long as you have a love for something unique, beautiful, and exquisite. Young children can develop a love of gardening as early as they can crawl. When my son was an infant, I used to have him sit outside with me in his little infant chair while I tended my garden. Although he probably didn’t know exactly what I was doing, I’m sure the experience of sitting outside in a relaxed environment with the fragrant flowers surrounding him evoked some kind of calming sensation. And that’s exactly what a garden should do – help you relax, feel calm, and recharge.

Gardening can also help the environment if you use eco-friendly products including pest control. I try to limit my use of pest-control on my plants regardless of it’s non-toxic ingredients by simply being diligent around my plants. I pluck the dried leaves and keep an eye on pests regularly. Being diligent around your garden can prevent many unwanted garden insects and help keep your hard-earned plants beautiful and thriving. Being an eco-friendly gardner can also teach your children about our precious ecosystem and help them learn to be more environmentally responsible in the future when they have their own gardens to take care. A good way to start is by using organic soil (for both potted and ground plants), buying plants that are insect and mold resistant, and using natural, non-toxic pest control when necessary. A good company that makes non-toxic pest control is EcoSMART (http://www.ecosmart.com/). I have a gardening friend who also once suggested making my own non-toxic pest control formulas. She suggested natural, non-toxic dishwashing detergent diluted with water as an option as well as garlic spray and lavender blends. I also read that planting certain plants around your more pest-susceptible flowers such as marigolds and garlic can prevent pests from going near that designated area. But regardless of what you do to maintain your garden, keep one rule in mind: if you use toxic pest control on the plants you eat, then skip that step and use something non-toxic. And remember that children are endlessly curious – keep them safe around any toxic pest control and toxic plants as well.

If you do plan on teaching your kids all about gardening, then organic gardening is really the best way to garden. It helps the plants live longer and healthier, it’s healthier for the planet, and it’s more humane to the pestering insects. You can also try making your own compost: http://ext.homedepot.com/community/blog/sustainable-gardening-composting-made-easy/ which is more time-consuming, but you have greater control and satisfaction. Organic gardening is also less worrisome should your ever curious kids and pets wander into the garden without your knowledge. Ofcourse you don’t have to use organic soil for your plants, but it wouldn’t hurt either way.

Just the other day, my son and I were at Home Depot looking at their latest plants for the season. Although they don’t have as great a bounty as say, nurseries, Home Depot does keep a good supply of your regular, easy-to-plant varieties and their prices are a lot better. We picked up a few plants including marigolds, freesias, verbenas, and it was delightful to have my son ask me what that plant was or what this plant is as we walked around. His curiosity and desire to learn and grow plants just made it even more fun for us when we took our newly purchased flower plants home. Now, as our little garden is starting to fill up with flowers and herbs, he takes great joy and pride in watering them every day and tending to them; carefully plucking the dried leaves and buds and talking to them. Where he learned to talk to his plants, I’m not sure of – probably from watching TV, but it’s cute, nevertheless.

Some great plants for kids to grow and start learning about are herbs such as thyme, basil, mint, and so forth. Flowers such as calendula, roses, and lavender are also great choices but just be wary of the thorns on roses. And vegetables of any kind would be perfect as your children can watch them grow from seeds to seedlings, to blooming plants! So no matter which plants you choose to begin your gardening, just remember to choose seasonly when starting and let your children pick out some of their own too. And even better, if your child is old enough, designate a special section in the garden for his/her plants only and allow them to take care of it the proper way. The result will be bountiful for both your children and you!

Happy Mother’s Day!

*Photo credit to Proven Winners(www.provenwinners.com).

May 13, 2012

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Purex Let’s Be Honest Sweepstake!

Purex, the leading manufacturer of laundry care has come out with a new “Let’s Be Honest” promotion where you can enter to win a year’s supply of Purex products! Purex makes laundry detergent in liquid, powder, and sheets form as well as in-wash fabric refreshers, stain removers, and dryer sheets. Purex has dedicated themselves to improve their cleaning products to be safer for the environment and non-toxic to people. Their products are readily biodegradable and free of NPE’s, APE’s, and phosphates. Purex has also been awarded Champion Status by the United States E.P.A. Design for the Environment with their Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiative. They also have a natural laundry detergent called, Purex Natural Elements Liquid Detergent which has naturally sourced cleaning ingredients, is hypoallergenic and free of dyes, has natural fragrance extracts, and is 95% natural.

On April 30th Purex launched their new ‘Let’s Be Honest’ promotional campaign featuring Second City Comedian Molly Erdman. Purex created a funny series of short video vignettes sharing honest moments that reflect the ironic truths of everyday Life, Laundry, and Whatever: http://www.purex.com/lets-be-honest. This is a national campaign with digital presence all over the web and will also be featured in magazines, newspapers, and stores. And through mid July, there will be new funny videos uploaded every few days at www.purex.com, plus posts on Facebook and promotional tweets on Twitter. And the best part is – you can enter to win a year’s supply of Purex products! The daily sweepstakes will run through July 24th. You can find entry codes on specially-marked Purex products and after you register on their site, you can enter your codes as often as you like, but only one code entry per day.

So what’s better than a laundry detergent that’s better for the environment, cleans superbly, and doesn’t cost as much? Well, winning FREE laundry products for an entire year! So visit: www.purex.com and enter now!

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May 8, 2012

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Kids and the Importance of Brushing – No need for ouchies!

We all learn at an early age that our teeth is one of the most important part of our body. Our parents most likely enforced the rules of brushing our teeths early on and bought us adorable toothbrushes with superheroes or princesses on the handles just to get us excited. But back when I was a kid, I had only the generic toothbrushes with the generic kids toothpaste – and I had to brush my teeth no matter what. And if I didn’t, then I’d bear the consequences – cavities. Nobody likes cavities and for a young child, it’s even more dramatically painful. But diligence and good habits can hopefully prevent those cavities from creeping in.

According to a report by the CDCP, (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_11/sr11_248.pdf) a growing increase of preschoolers needing extensive dental work has been seen across the country. That’s pretty scary and unnecessary in my opinion. But we can’t blame the parents entirely. After all, kids see commercials and advertisements of sugary snacks on a daily basis and the temptation is too hard to resist. We should be wary of too much sugar especially for little kids who may have a bad experience at the dentist the first time they have a cavity filled. We all want to protect our children and instilling good teeth brushing as well as eating healthy foods is extremely important.

We started on a teeth cleaning regimen for our son when he was an infant. The pediatrician recommended a swiping of the gums every day without any toothpaste. And as our son got older and his teeth started coming out, we brushed his teeth with a gentle toothbrush especially made for infants as well as wiping his gums. He didn’t like it at first – but then after a few times, he started to enjoy it. I made sure to massage his gums and teeth in a gentle, soothing motion and sang a song each time we did it. Of course he didn’t really understand why we were constantly brushing his teeth and gums but because we did it on a regular basis, it became a habit for him and now that he’s older he knows he has to brush his teeth at least twice a day and especially after a sugary snack. It may sound extreme, but I have a friend who has never had a cavity. Why? Because she brushed her teeth after every meal and limited her sugary snack intake. According to a recent article on Baby Center: http://blogs.babycenter.com/products_and_prizes/preschoolers-going-under-for-cavities-giveaway/, snacking and sugary juices and drinks are the main culprit. But as parents, it’s hard for us to resist giving a sugary treat to our kids, even on certain occassions. And we may even forget to brush their teeth now and then too. Sure we may feel guilty afterwards, but we can always regain our stand by telling our kids to go brush their teeth now! They won’t really understand the demand, but they’ll most likely thank you for it later.

It’s not always easy getting your kids to do what you want them to do, and brushing their teeth is probably their least favorite job. It’s hard for kids to understand the need to have healthy hygiene but if we’re already teaching them to wash their hands before eating, after going to the bathroom, etc., then brushing their teeth should be on the top list as well. I think it’s best to start as early as possible as with most habits. Babies and infants may not like the feel of someone’s fingers in their mouths, but if you do it gently and every day, then they’ll most likely get used to it. And as children get older, I think it’s even more important for them to get in the habit of eating and snacking on healthier foods. There are lots of healthier “sweet” snacks that are less damaging to your teeth such as apples, oranges, grapes, watermelon, strawberries, and so forth and some fruits and vegetables even have antibacterial properties which are important for every day total health. And if you’re looking for toothpaste alternatives that do not contain sugar, preservatives, and any artificial flavors, then you might want to try natural toothpastes from companies such as Kiss My Face, Tom’s of Maine, and Branam.

We as parents should be the best role models for our children. After all, what happens when our kids are influenced by outside resources? We can only hope that the lessons we’ve taught our children early on and throughout their lives will teach them to make right choices and decisions.

I’m an official Healthy Child Healthy World Blogger (http://healthychild.org/)