Posts Tagged ‘food’

365great Day 101: Mongolian grill

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365great challenge day 101: mongolian grillI love when your food is cooked in front of you – there’s something so fascinating about that. Plus, it’s so fun how Mongolian grills have their circular stovetops that the cooks walk around as they push your food along until it’s finished. It’s almost like a form of dance or performance. Even better is the option to choose exactly what toppings and how much of each you want, as well as how large a portion of noodles you’d like. Oh, and of course the types of sauces you want to flavor your meal as well! The bread that comes with the meal is also so unique – fluffy yet crunchy and fun to use Hot Pocket style with the noodles. Gosh, all this talk about Mongolian is making me crave it! Makes a great lunch.

Goodies Co. June Taster’s Boxes

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The June Goodies box just arrived and I am loving it! It’s full of crunchy delights.

goodies co june taster's box contents

The box came with Pringles Baked Crispy Cheese Stix, Lay’s Stax Que Rico Adobadas potato crisps, gimMe Honey Dijon Roasted Seaweed Snacks Crumbles, Duchy Originals from Waitrose Highland All Butter Shortbread biscuits, Dream Water SleepStat Nighttime Nectar Sleep & Relaxation Shot, and Pastitas Black Pepper Onion Pasta Chips.

The Pringles Stix are a very strong cheese flavor and I think they’d be great with something else, but on their own they are overwhelming for me. The Lay’s Stax are delicious and a wonderful texture – definitely something I would eat again in the future! I love the taste that is salty with a hint of sweet and some fragrant herbs. I’m pretty sure they’re baked since they’re not greasy at all. The gimMe seaweed crumble smells fabulous and tastes good, though the dijon flavor is a bit strong. This would be perfect with a bowl of rice or something a bit bland. I’d love to try their other flavors! As for the only sweet thing in the bunch, the Duchy shortbread cookies are lighter than I expected and less crumbly than most shortbread I’ve had. There’s a rich butter flavor and I would love to make a cup of tea to pair these with. I am saving the Dream Water to try when I need help sleeping, but I expect it to be mildly sweet and hopefully effective. Finally, the Pastitas pasta chips are such an intriguing crunchy-ending-in-chewy texture with a lovely pepper and onion taste. They’re light and not greasy, flavorful but not too salty. A great replacement for your current fried potato chips!

Goodies Co. included a lovely assortment of crispy, crunchy items this month and it very well could have been their theme. Now the June box has become my favorite from them thus far, since I was interested in each and every item included! Some hit home more than others, but I am glad I got each to try. Bravo!

365great Day 99: Seoul Sausage

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365great challenge day 99: seoul sausageSeoul Sausage offers delicious fried balls and sausages with Asian-inspired flavors! If you’ve never tried these unique menu items you should definitely swing by. They specialize in just a few items so they can make them extra well. You’ll find two sausage options, three fried ball options, and a few sides. Without all the fluff, you get pure delight for your taste buds. Your food is made once you order so it always comes piping hot. They pair their food with great sauces as well so you can satisfy multiple cravings with these unique blends of flavors. Pretty great!

365great Day 96: banh mi

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365great challenge day 96: banh miI love Vietnamese sandwiches for their diverse tastes and textures. You get some sweet, some salty, some tart, some soft, some crunchy, and some spicy if you’d like as well. Everything from the French bread to the pickled vegetables add to the entire experience of eating the sandwich. I think they put some secret sauce in it too, for that added flavor. They’re not only tasty, but very affordable as well! They usually run $3 or less, which is a pretty great deal for a lunch. I’ve had plenty of drinks that cost more than that! Between the pricing and the flavor, you’ve got a great product.

365great Day 94: chocolate-covered strawberries

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365great challenge day 94: chocolate-covered strawberriesI think chocolate-covered strawberries are a pretty universal way of celebrating in a classy fashion. They’re a delicious treat that are sweet, juicy, and fun to eat. Apparently they go well with champagne, but I can’t vouch for that since I don’t drink. Still, it’s so wonderful to show up in your hotel room to be greeted by a platter of this dessert, or to wrap up a fabulous meal with some of these tasty bites. They’re not a treat I get to indulge in often, so when I get them for free, well that’s just the icing on the cake, right? 😉 I only know two people in the world who wouldn’t love these – one is allergic to strawberries and the other is not a fan of chocolate. But to the rest of the world, don’t these look fantastic? We gobbled them up and they were great.

Goodies Co. April & May Taster’s Boxes

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Here’s a quick review of the last two Goodies boxes as I wait for my June one!

I totally forgot to take a picture of the April box since I got caught up filming the unboxing, so here’s an awkward screenshot from the video.

goodies co april taster's box contents

It came with Angie’s Popcorn in Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn, True Bar Coconut Cashew bar, Celsius Sparkling Cola energy drink, Zone Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough bar, Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato chips, Olomomo Cherry Vanilla Dream Almonds, and a $50 gift card for nakedwines.com. The kettle corn was a little sweet for my taste, but great for anyone who likes their popcorn sweet. The sweet potato chips tasted quite good, though they were a bit greasier than I expected. The Celsius drink tastes funky to me, probably due to whatever they use to sweeten it, plus I don’t drink energy drinks, so it was just “meh” to me. The Zone Perfect bar was a bit too dense and energy bar tasting (vs. like a snack bar). I haven’t tried the others yet and I have no use for the gift card since I don’t drink! I think they probably could have included one more salty item rather than so many sweet treats, but otherwise it was good to try out these snacks.

Then there was the May Taster’s box, which was my favorite so far (probably due to the candy ;)):

goodies co may taster's box contents

This was also the most varied box of products, with not only snacks and drinks, but dips/sauce and kitchen items! It came with Zico Coconut Water, Sour Power Straws in Pink Lemonade and Blue Raspberry, Beanitos Black Bean chips, Numi Moroccan Mint tea, California Olive Ranch Olive Oil packets, Wholly Guacamole chip clip and coupon, and Bronco Bob’s Mango Chipotle sauce. Oh yeah, there was also supposed to be SuperSeedz Sea Salt Pumpkin Seeds, but mine was missing and I just got it – haven’t had a chance to try them yet. As for the rest, I tried to enjoy the coconut water but I’m just not into it, the sour straws were yummy (pink lemonade all the way!), the black bean chips were kind of bland, and I haven’t tasted the others yet. I’m looking forward to cooking with the olive oil and sauce, once I figure out what I can actually cook, haha. The chip clip has been quite useful for my snacking and I do believe I’ve had the Wholly Guacamole brand, which is good.

I’d say the May box was their best yet and I hope they continue like this for the coming months!

In the mail: a sample, a splurge, and some winnings

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Just like my first “in the mail” post, these are all items I received in the past month or so. Most were free, but some I paid for and each package was just as exciting as the next. I especially love when I’m not sure what is in a box because I wasn’t expecting it. It’s like a mini celebration each time. 🙂

cat eating purina one smartblend healthy metabolism out of bagI received this very generous size sample of Purina One SmartBlend in Healthy Metabolism (a new variety that just came out) from Walmart. They were offering it for awhile but have since moved on to promoting dog food. Missy, as you can see, loved it. Molly, the other cat, doesn’t eat it though. I doled it out to Missy slowly and only as a snack aside from her normal dry food and made it last about a month! I have since bought a bag of it because she enjoyed it so much and maybe it’s my imagination, or is her little belly less flabby? Maybe her metabolism is healthier now.

zoya nail polishes in harley, zuza, crystal, pandora, skylar, ziv, sienna, and bottle of nail polish removerThese are the polishes I chose for the Earth Day exchange (missing: Penny, a coppery shade – it was sent later since it was backordered). In order, they are Harley, Zuza, Crystal, Pandora, Skylar, Ziv, and Sienna. Since my order was over $30, I got a cute little bottle of nail polish remover as well. The box included some brochures and “spoons” with samples of some of their other colors. I have never bought this much nail polish at once, but I figured since I’m swapping out my old ones I’d do a few more.

lumnique deluxe candle set with candle, card, matches, and fancy boxI won this really cool Lumnique deluxe candle set from Monica of Creative Me. This is a very unique brand that allows you to customize your own candle creation – check them out! It was really fun going through and picking out an intention (something to be mindful of every time I light it), a color (my favorite), and a scent (this was hard with so many great choices!). I ultimately went with the Good Luck intention “to remind you that impossible situations can become attainable miracles,” the Royal color “representative of intuition, idealism, honor, royalty, spirituality, nobility, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment,” and the Green Tea Lemongrass scent “like savoring a cup of relaxing green tea with invigorating lemongrass, this citrusy scent renews, refreshes and restores balance and harmony.” I love that it came with a cute box of matches too!

klorane bag with dry shampoo bottle and facial wipesThis set of Klorane products was a SheKnows giveaway that I won… except that I won the Citrus Pulp Giveaway offering the Klorane Citrus Pulp Shampoo and Leave-In Spray. But what they sent me was the prize pack for their other Klorane giveaway offering the Klorane Eco-Friendly Essentials Earth Day Kit with a reusable pouch, dry shampoo with oat milk, and biodegradable make-up remover wipes with cornflower water. While this kit is cool, I was really looking forward to trying the leave-in spray so I was a bit disappointed. When I emailed them to say they sent me the wrong items, they got back to me with the reply I predicted: they substituted my prize. I wish they had at least thrown in something else to make the value  of the prizes the same – my original prize was worth $30 but this one is only worth $20. Oh well, winning is still better than nothing!

seabuck wonders himalayan sea buckthorn exfoliating facial cleanser and himalayan sea buckthorn facial creamAnother great win from Creative Me! This set of SeabuckWonders products is my current skincare routine and I’m loving it. If you’re not familiar with sea buckthorn, it’s a bright orange “superfruit” found in the Himalayans (so exotic) and because of the harsh environment it grows in, it has a ton of defensive mechanisms that translate to all kinds of health benefits of us humans. You can consume things made with it (and presumably eat the fruit directly if you’re lucky enough to have access) or use products made with it to get some of those benefits. One of the most unique things about it is its Omega-7 property, which is rare, though I have no idea what Omega-7s are good for. I love how both these products feel and that they will last me a long time since such a little amount is needed each time.

sibu beauty sea buckthorn balancing facial cleanser with box and brochureWhat great luck that I was also able to win this Sibu Sea Buckthorn Balancing Facial Cleanser! I will have to try this out to compare with the SeabuckWonders one. I could see myself using both since one is exfoliating and one is not. I like to switch it up! I previously got Sibu soap in a Yuzen box and it was the first time I’d heard of sea buckthorn. I am now obsessed with that special berry so I love it when any of my beauty products incorporate it.

365great Day 89: The Buttercup LA

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365great challenge day 89: the buttercup laI was recently introduced to this lovely new shop on Sawtelle. At first I was skeptical of “amazing macaroons” – they just aren’t my type of dessert. But there’s something about these that is just fantastic. Perhaps it’s that rich creamy filling that isn’t too fluffy but has some real meat to it, so to say. I’ve got to say, I have found a new appreciation for these treats and I’d definitely recommend anyone in the area to swing by! The people at the shop are super friendly and I love that the store features local artists – you can get canvases for your walls, greeting cards for special occasions, even jewelry for your favorite lady! They’ve got some pretty amazing candles too, which are shaped like cupcakes and look so good you could practically eat them. This is a gem of a place tucked away in the Olympic Collection building; everything about it is great!

Blissmobox: Namaste box

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Let’s go back to six months ago, when I got the December blissmo box – I had chosen the Namaste one because I enjoy yoga and was definitely interested in products related to that lifestyle.

blissmobox is just under $25 per month with shipping (or as discounted as just under $120 for 6 months) and comes with eco-friendly products in themes like beauty, snacks, home, pets, and more. Each month you choose from two or three themes, or skip if none of them appeal to you. They do not offer a referral program.

the choices for december's blissmobox: namaste box, feel good snacks, or skin appeal

The three choices for the December blissmobox.

I opened the box at night because I couldn’t wait for daylight, so the lighting on these might not be so great.

opened blissmobox december 2012 with information card

collage of yogavive popped crisps peach apple chipsYogaVivePeach Apple popped chips – Let’s start with my favorite product! These apple chips with peach flavoring were amazing; the perfect amount of sweetness, crispiness, and not a bit of grease, thankfully. I once bought apple chips thinking they were baked only to find they were fried and greasy – totally gross. These are fat free as well! I was pretty excited when I saw them at Whole Foods not long after, so I bought a full-sized bag and devoured it. This is just about the only way I could ever eat more servings of fruit.

collage of manduka soothing citrus mat renew sprayMandukaSoothing Citrus Mat Renew spray – I’m really happy I got this! I had seen it being sold at YogaWorks and it was on my list of things to try, so this is perfect. I haven’t practiced yoga since then, unfortunately, but the moment I do you bet I’ll be spraying down my mat with this. I can’t wait to try it! I think their frog logo is super cute too, not that it means anything towards the performance of the product. Still, I’m liking this brand! Now I just need to get back into yoga…

collage of star essence flower and gem essences yoga mind mouth mistStar Essence, Luminously Present Yoga Mind Mouth Mist – This is another item I’m holding on to until I get back into yoga. Apparently you spray it in your mouth and it helps balance you and hold in “vibrational frequencies.” Perhaps I can try meditating with it as well. It consists of various flower and gem essences, with some citrus essential oils so I’d imagine a sweet, fragrant scent/taste. Very interesting concept that I will have to test out.

collage of esutras ayurvedic digestif in puffed coriander and raw jaggeryeSutras, Ayurvedic Digestif kit with Raw Jaggery & Puffed Coriander – I should probably eat more of these to help with my digestion, but I don’t really know how to incorporate them! Eating them straight is a little odd and the flavors are strong for me. I could sprinkle it in my salads if I ate those (probably should add that to my diet as well). I thought it was really interesting that coriander is supposed to help with bad breath. I definitely felt these working through my system so if you have digestive issues, this kit would be great.

collage of aura cacia rejuvenating argan oilAura CaciaRejuvenating Argan Oil – Argan oil is useful for skin and hair care, so I’m sure I will enjoy using this. I currently have another bottle I’m using so I haven’t tried this particular brand yet but it’s organic and sustainably sourced from Morocco, so I already like it! I mostly use it for my hair but I should probably start applying some to my skin as well.

This yoga-themed box definitely felt appropriate and included items that I can incorporate into my practice. I’m looking forward to when I can make it to yoga classes again!

Yuzen November 2012 edition

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Let’s go back in time to the fall, when I got this AMAZING smelling Yuzen box.

Yuzen is $26 per month and comes with around 5 or 6 eco-friendly beauty, skincare, food/snacks, and home products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. Sometimes there’s a waitlist to get the subscription. They do not offer a referral program.

*Disclosure: As a super fan, I was invited to be the Yuzen Ambassador to help them spread the word about their brand. Starting with the October box, I began to receive them for free. I was not compensated otherwise and all opinions are my own, irregardless of my relation to Yuzen. I just happen to think they’re awesome (as does everyone else I’ve heard from). :)

collage of unwrapping of november 2012 yuzen box

The conversion to organza bags instead of shredded paper is official. Looks great!

Click on the pictures for the full sizes so you can enjoy all the details of each product!  You can even zoom in to read all the messaging.

collage of shea radiance kalahari melon whipped shea butter included in the november 2012 yuzen boxShea Radiance – Kalahari Melon Whipped Shea Butter: The first thing that I pulled out was this tub of very thick whipped shea butter. I liked the idea and the texture, but I am not a fan of the smell. For some reason the smell of shea butter doesn’t appeal to me, though I love the product. I can’t quick pick out the melon scent, or possibly I’m mistaking it for the shea’s natural scent. The butter is also not as soft as I expected – it’s actually pretty solid, though it is fluffy. I’m going to pass this on to someone else to use because I think it’s a good product.

collage of zents bath salts in mandarin and earth included in the november 2012 yuzen boxZents – Mandarin & Earth bath salts: As soon as I could get these out of the bag, I reached for them! They smell fabulous! I didn’t even want to use them at first because I loved getting a whiff of them just by putting them in the room. It was a great way to scent my room and promote a relaxing atmosphere. When I finally did get around to using them, I was enjoying the aroma so much I hardly even paid attention to how it made my skin feel. It was definitely a very pleasant experience to bathe with these salts and I actually liked the combination of their scents a lot so I mixed them. There’s a sweetness and earthiness that make a lovely blend.

collage of savane protective moisturizer with baobab, manketti, and yangu included in the november 2012 yuzen boxSavane Organic Skincare – Protective Moisturizer: This is a brown-colored lotion that is more runny than most I’m used to. It comes come in an elegant stainless steel bottle and incorporates exotic ingredients I haven’t heard much of, like baobab, manketti, and yangu. It has a scent I can’t quite place that is very unique. It goes on smooth and doesn’t leave any greasy residue and the small bottle and pump are great for putting on your desk, keeping in the car, or even in your bag if you are careful the pump doesn’t get pushed.

collage of keeki lip shimmer balm in ooh lala included in the november 2012 yuzen boxKeeki Pure & Simple – Ooh La La Organic Lip Shimmer Stick: What a cute little lip shimmer! It’s a fun oval shape, which I’ve never seen before and I’m a sucker for unique packaging. It reminds me a lot of the Burt’s Bees lip shimmers – almost the same color and “shimmeriness” to it. There’s even a hint of minty freshness as well. It goes on well and is very smooth. I’ve been using it a lot whenever I need a lip balm or want to spruce up my lips.

simple squares cinnamon clove whole food snack bar included in the november 2012 yuzen boxSimple Squares – Cinnamon Clove Whole Food Snack Bar: I ate this up so fast I forgot to take pictures of the actual bar! That’s a good sign for its taste. It has a chunky sort of texture so when you bit in it wasn’t just some mushy bar. I liked that, as well as the flavor. Great little snack to have whenever you need a sweet boost that won’t leave you thirsty. I would get more if I ever ran into them.

collage of gaiam tv free trial offer info card included in the november 2012 yuzen boxGaiam TV – Free Trial Offer & Info Card: Gaiam TV (.com) provides all kinds of streaming videos to promote wellness, whether it’s exercising, eating well, meditating, or taking supplements. It’s a great place to find videos to inspire, motivate, guide, and teach anyone who wants to live healthier. I actually haven’t tried this trial, but I had tried a different one previously and if I watched TV I might get it, but I just wouldn’t use this site fully.

Another great box that provided a diverse selection of products! I love how everything had a warm feeling and really set the mood for the fall.

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