Posts Tagged ‘reviews’

Yogi Surprise January 2015 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, after a first box that I liked, I was really looking forward to the next one. It’s another one with a variety of items that I’m glad I get to try! I guess I’m really into the yoga lifestyle.

Yogi Surprise is just under $36 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with yoga gear, skincare, food, and other lifestyle products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

contents of yogi surprise january 2015 box yogi surprise jan 2015 info card with restore & rejuvenate theme yogi surprise january 2015 info card with product details

lotus moon roll-on eye massage treatment – Oh, this smells fabulous. It’s rose and a hint of something else – very soothing and calming. The metal roller helps cool the eye area as you roll this on and then it tingles a bit. I don’t think my eyes are particularly puffy or saggy, but I’m not opposed to using this treatment to help prevent that sort of thing. It’s simple to use and fun, so why not?

Moon Valley Organics Rejuvenating Rub – First of all, this brand has fun packaging. When you open up the back of the box, it sort of unfolds like a flower opening. They share their story with you and you get a good sense of their ideals. The rub is in a metal tube and I felt bad squeezing it since it was such a pretty shape. The rub is much more solid than I expected – I thought it’d be lotion-like but it’s more of a butter. The mint and lavender scent is perfect for this product and there’s a slight cooling feel after rubbing it on. I’ll use this whenever I have sore muscles for sure.

Next Organics Dark Chocolate Cherries – I love that they use organic cherries and dark chocolate. It’s a nice bite-size piece of sweetness. Watch out, it’s very sweet! Two pieces at a time is pretty good for me. I’m glad that they use actual cherries and not some cherry-flavored thing. I’ve only ever liked actual cherries; artificial cherry flavor just doesn’t work for me. I also love dark chocolate and the combo here is nice.

Sacred Wood Essence Palo Santo Incense Sticks – Wow, what a scent! You can definitely smell it as you open the box and the whole of the six sticks emanates out around you. I’ll store these in my Infinity Jar to help preserve them longer since one stick will likely last me a long time. They are a little taller than would fit right now, so once I burn them down a bit or cut off pieces to use, I’ll preserve them for a long time to come. I can see this being the scent used at yoga studios and it certainly helps clear my sinuses and tension in my head. Amazing how strong they are even in the packaging!

bolt tape – This is cool and not listed on the card, but there are two sample strips included in my box. I’m very intrigued and will save this for a time that I truly feel achy. I can’t wait to see how it feels and if I notice the effects. I get a lot of tension in my back and shoulders, so I like to schedule massages – maybe this could help and I can cut back on massages to pay for the facials I plan on getting more regularly now.

Essence of Vali Soothing Mist in Sleep – I’ve had the EoV  in Sleep before, so I’m familiar with the scent. I’ll have to keep this handy to spray on before I sleep at night! It’s very relaxing and I hope it helps me get better sleep. I haven’t been resting well lately.

Betsy’s Best Bar None in Dark Chocolate Chip – This is a funny little snack that’s shaped like a bread roll and kind of reminds me of a nutrition bar. It’s softer though, which I appreciate and the chocolate chips are perfect inside. I was surprised that I actually ate through one whole one (there are two in the pack) in one go and it was just what I needed to get me through until dinner. I’ll have to consider these for trips when I want to pack a nourishing snack that doesn’t take up much space and isn’t messy.

What a nice start to the year! Yogi Surprise is going into my rotation now so I’ll pick a box or two to give up to make room for it.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective December 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Excellent timing with the theme this month as people are starting to get sick all around. They’ve introduced us to some of these herbs before and it’s great to see how versatile the uses are, whether infused into something or used more directly.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

inside of homegrown remedies and cure-alls homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective december 2014 box with homegrown remedies and cure-alls theme

First they outlined the benefits of three main herbs: dandelion, St. John’s Wort, and echinacea. I love that each addresses different ailments so that combined you’re pretty well covered for digestive issues, low energy, and immunity concerns. These are some useful plants!

the homegrown collective december 2014 medicinal herbs info card the homegrown collective december 2014 products for medicinal herbs

Project #1, DIY vapor rub & salve: What a simple set of ingredients to help us breathe better if we do get sick. I’m familiar with vapor rubs for the chest but haven’t really used them. However, I know how effective menthol can be in clearing up my nasal passage! It’s fascinating that they recommend rubbing this under the feet as well. I certainly wouldn’t have thought of that!

the homegrown collective december 2014 vapor rub and salve info card the homegrown collective december 2014 products for vapor rub and salve

Project #2, cough & cold syrup: My very own cough syrup?! This is cool. I remember we had a bottle of some awful cherry-flavored thing as a child and I hated it. I’ve never really been a fan of cherry-flavored stuff. I think this will be much more to my taste with honey, ginger, and cinnamon. It might not even taste like medicine!

Project #3, DIY herbal teas: As a fan of tea, I’m happy to put other plants in my drink for their healing properties. I’ve got to admit I haven’t yet tried the dandelion tea from nearly a year ago, but I will be! I drink a lot of tea at work so switching to these shouldn’t be hard and I don’t need to be sick to try that.

the homegrown collective december 2014 herbal syrups and teas info card the homegrown collective december 2014 products for herbal syrups and teas

Project #4, DIY tinctures: I first learned of a tincture from last December’s box and I’m super intrigued, but totally intimidated. I don’t know where to get vodka or rum and how that will affect the taste of these. I don’t get sick very often, so I haven’t needed something like this yet. However, there was a period last winter that I felt awful and this could have been handy.

Project #5, DIY essential oils: I’m getting quite the amazing collection of essential oils and I love it. Star anise essential oil is not something I’d come across before, so I was curious to learn about it. I’m not quite sure what to do with these once mixed – do I rub it on my skin? Drop it on my tongue? How often? I tried to do more research on their blog but for some reason I don’t see posts past August.

the homegrown collective december 2014 essential oils and tinctures info card the homegrown collective december 2014 products for essential oils and tinctures

This time there were a ton of smaller projects that are quick and easy. I feel like I have a whole arsenal of stuff to help keep me healthy throughout the season. It’s great! I’ve already made the vapor rub, which I will share another time. 🙂

Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective so you can get these types of cool projects too! It’ll make for a happier home and better health.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Power Supply Week of Dec 15 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
1

After pausing for a weeks for the holidays, I’ll be receiving my next batch of food next week. In an effort to keep up with the reviews, here’s the second week’s worth of food I got! We’re starting to see repeats of the dishes from the first week so it looks like they’re cycling through the meals every 5 weeks.

Power Supply is around $9.50-$15.50 per meal (when you sign up for a recurring plan – single orders are 5% more) and offers a variety of ready-made meal types, all gluten- and dairy-free. Boxes are sent once or twice weekly (depending on your plan) and you have total control over customization of which meals you get. You can easily switch between plans or choose to skip some weeks. They offer a referral program that earns free meals for referrer and referree.

Sundried Tomato Basil Grilled Chicken w/ Citrusy Carrot Salad

power supply sundried tomato basil grilled chicken with cirtusy carrot salad paleo lunch meal in box

I decided to begin with a lighter fare.

power supply sundried tomato basil grilled chicken with cirtusy carrot salad paleo lunch meal open

Chicken wasn’t super tasty, but the dressing gave it a bit more flavor. I liked the carrot salad – crunchy and tangy.

Jerk Chicken w/ Garlic Spinach, Brown Rice & Coconut Sauce (NEW)

power supply jerk chicken with garlic spinach, brown rice, and coconut sauce mixitarian lunch meal in box

I forgot a pic of this after I microwaved it. It didn’t stand out as particularly good or bad.

Garlic Baked Cod w/ Tomatillo Dressing, Spinach & Herbed Mashed Sweet Potatoes

power supply garlic baked cod with tomatillo dressing, spinach, and herbed mashed sweet potatoes mixitarian dinner meal in box

Grabbed this one for lunch during a meeting.

power supply garlic baked cod with tomatillo dressing, spinach, and herbed mashed sweet potatoes mixitarian dinner meal open

I enjoyed the cod and the tomatillos were nice and soft. I didn’t end up eating the sweet potato mash since it was kind of sour.

Beef Stew w/ Braised Root Vegetables

power supply beef stew with braised root vegetables paleo dinner meal in box

A coworker had extras so I decided to try this one out.

power supply beef stew with braised root vegetables paleo dinner meal open

All quite tasty, but far more meat than I prefer. I cleaned up the vegetables!

Spanish Frittata w/ Kale, Brussels Sprout & Bacon Hash & Pumpkin Mousse (NEW)

power supply spanish frittata with kale, brussel sprouts and bacon hash, and pumpkin mousse mixitarian lunch meal in box

I took this home to eat over the weekend.

power supply spanish frittata with kale, brussel sprouts and bacon hash, and pumpkin mousse mixitarian lunch meal open

I really liked the salad. The frittata turned out to be a bit too heavy for my taste, but with the salsa it was more refreshing.

Spring Turkey Salad w/ Green Beans & Dried Cherries

power supply spring turkey salad with green beans and dried cherries mixitarian lunch meal in box

I gave this to Panda to eat for lunch and he loved it.

power supply spring turkey salad with green beans and dried cherries mixitarian lunch meal open

I will be ordering this again the next time around so maybe I can try it. If not, at least I know it’ll be enjoyed by someone. 🙂

Escape Monthly December: Europe Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , ,
1

So I’ve been with Escape Monthly for a year and a half now and I think I’ve reached the end of our time together. For awhile I was really enjoying getting items from other cities, but I’m not getting the same sense of excitement with them anymore. I hung in there for this box because there’s so much Europe can offer and I was suuuuuuuper curious what they would highlight. I wish they had focused less on food items and included some other seasonal items or personal care type stuff.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly december europe box products showing escape monthly december europe box info card escape monthly december europe box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

I would have preferred to see more diversity in countries – it seems that the majority of products are French or French-inspired. While I do enjoy France, it certainly doesn’t represent the breadth of cultures across Europe.

Here’s what came in the box:

St. Dalfour Red Raspberry & Pomegranate Jam (French) – I need to start eating breakfast and incorporating jam. I’ve accumulated a couple jars of various flavors and I don’t want them to all go to waste! This didn’t feel uber Christmas-y, but I can see it evoking certain memories of the season.

Rick Steves’ European Christmas – Well that’s interesting. A book about Christmas in Europe! I never knew travel guides go specific to the time of year like this. I’ve spent two holiday seasons in Europe, but I didn’t seek out specific holiday festivities, so perhaps I shall have to plan another trip to take advantage of what I can learn from this book.

St. Michel Mini Madeleines (French) – I love these snacks and happily brought the bag along for my travels to save me from the possibility of going hungry. I actually haven’t needed to open them yet since I’ve stayed rather well-fed, but I’m definitely looking forward to having these. I imagine to them to wonderfully moist. I like eating madeleines in general (like the Costco ones) so I’m glad to get this.

Stash Christmas in Paris herbal tea (French-inspired) – Chocolate tea was never my thing and peppermint in tea can be a bit too cooling for me, so I wasn’t sure what to make of this. The warmth of the chocolate actually helps dull the peppermint so it’s not too cooling in my belly. It’s an interesting combination that I will certainly drink, but it’s still outside my normal tea-drinking habits enough that I wouldn’t get more on my own. As a fun holiday thing, it’s nice though.

bisschopswijn mulling spices (Dutch-inspired) – Oh, this smelled good! Definitely perfect for the season and very reminiscent of Christmas spices. I’ve been drinking a lot of hot apple cider and I wonder how this will compare (or enhance that flavor?). I’ll brew some of this and experiment with taste options over the next two months when the snow finally hits!

Chabert & Guillot Nougat de Montelimar (French) – What a wonderful bonus treat! I have a major sweet tooth and nougats are one of my top favorites. I love the chewiness and sweetness and the bit of nuts offers a nice break to the sticky bar. This is fantastic.

Stickservice Vogel ornament (German) – What a cool little ornament. It’s so delicate and dainty! I’m amused that it’s in the shape of a Christmas tree, so it can act as our tree this year, since we don’t have one. In the future I want to collect one ornament a year so this is an excellent start with such a special piece.

Clement Faugier Creme de Marrons de l’Ardeche Chestnut Spread (French) – I have to admit, I’m apprehensive about this. Something about it coming in a metal tube seems odd. I’m used to hand creams coming in this form, but food too? I don’t plan on making my own crepes anytime soon, so I’ll have to see how else this can be used. Maybe as part of a dish! We did make a chestnut pasta dish a few weeks ago…

I would have appreciated this theme a lot more had it included a candle, skincare product, or something else non-food. Much as eating is a part of the holidays, so are a ton of other things that didn’t get highlighted here. The other thing would have been to include just one (max two) products from any given country. Certainly there could be compelling stuff from Italy, Spain, Eastern Europe, and Scandanavia. Would you want this Europe Escape Monthly box? What do you like best? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): PORTLAND or MYESCAPE for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

For the first time, the next month’s location was not yet chosen – it was a “users choice” type thing, where I guess you could put in your suggestion on their Facebook page. At the beginning of the month, they announced that it will be Portland. There are a ton of great products coming out of the Pacific Northwest, so I’m looking forward to this. I hope they don’t overlap with the previous Oregon box.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Fabletics Brisk Outfit (Joni Jacket + Ende Legging) review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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Whoa, it was back in July that I last bought an outfit (though much later that I actually posted the review). This time around I found a nice jacket and pop of color in the leggings that I really liked. I’ve been on a hunt for more winter clothes now that I need them. I also like having more leggings to choose from, since I rely on two main pairs and sometimes I can’t find one of them.

Fabletics is just under $50 per outfit credit and comes with a 2- or 3-piece set of athletic wear. Each month, three outfits are selected for you to choose from at the 1 outfit credit price point. You can always get other outfits at their VIP pricing of $50-80 (2- and 3- pieces available) or buy any individual item separately. Outfits are sent monthly unless you choose to skip (which is very easy to do). They offer a referral program that earns you money towards free outfits.

Get your first outfit for half off with my referral link! All fitted Fabletics items are chafe-resistant and feature four-way stretch for comfort and movement.

collage of front, back, pockets, and elastic sleeve of fabletics joni jacket in bright teal

Joni Jacket in Bright Teal

I really liked this type of jacket after getting one at UNIQLO so I’m happy to have something similar in another color. It’s a great lightweight piece to wear inside an outer jacket or on its own when it’s less brisk out. The sleeves have elastic at the wrist, which is great for keeping any draft from sneaking up your arms. The pockets zip up so you don’t have to worry about anything falling out. The listed retail value for this is $59.95.

collage of front, back, side, and hidden pocket of fabletics ende leggings in black/teal stripe

Ende Legging in Black/Teal Stripe

I wanted something other than the solid color options of many other leggings, so these were perfect. I like how the color of these match the jacket quite well. The stripe on the side make these fun and colorful, but from the front and back you almost wouldn’t know the difference, so it’s not glaringly obvious at all angles. My only thing with Fabletics leggings is that I wish they offered a low rise option. I prefer to have hip huggers rather than those that extend to my waist. The retail value for this is listed as $44.95.

I’m really happy with this outfit, especially for getting through the winter with that nice jacket. I’ll wear these leggings a lot when traveling or on the weekends. Want an outfit for yourself? Sign up for Fabletics to get your first outfit for as low as $25.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this outfit and wanted to share what I got!]

Love With Food Taste the Season December 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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You know, I feel like a lot of the boxes put out some of my favorite stuff in the winter. Still, I’m not going to re-subscribe to this when my pre-paid months are over. I like having snacks, but there are always so many bags of things I haven’t eaten that I need to regulate more.

Love With Food is $12 per box (or as discounted as $120 for an entire year, with an option in between) and comes with 8 or more snack products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards products or boxes.

contents of december 2014 love with food box including eight snacks info card with details for december 2014 love with food snacks(click to enlarge and read messaging)

I ended up bringing a bunch of these on my trip and leaving some for my friends to try. The Oogies Kettle Corn is in my backup stash for when I need a snack on the go. I like kettle corn every now and then, but it’s not the type of thing I crave. Now the Hannahmax Cookie Chips – oh those are fantastic and the very sort of thing I can eat a whole bag of without realizing it. They’re totally addicting and provide an awesome sweetness with some crunch. Both the Liddabit Sweets Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels and the Honey Acres Dark Chocolate Honey Mints were nice chocolate treats for a bite-size boost of sugar. I was very curious about the Next by Nature Dark Chocolate Coconut snacks, which are kind of like eating a crisp Almond Joy (without the almond). Or wait, there’s a dark chocolate version without the almond isn’t there? I don’t know the name of that, but imagine if that bar was more like a chip. It’s a nice snack to have around if you like coconut flavor!

I decided not to keep the Nocciolata Hazelnut Spread because I already have an entire jar that I haven’t even used yet. The Olympos Pitted Green Olives are not to my taste (no olives are) so I’ll find them a happy home. And since I don’t like anything coffee, the Bali’s Best Coffee Candy shall be shared with someone else who likes those types of things.

Another decent box that I mostly enjoyed. I love having options when I need to be traveling, whether on a plane or in a car. What items do you like from this month?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box at the special offer price and wanted to share what I got!]

Petit Vour December 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Ah, another blossoming partnership! This time it’s with Vegan Beauty Review and it offers a nice sampling of products.

Petit Vour is $15 per box (or as much as $30 for international subscribers) and comes with vegan beauty, skincare, and other personal care products. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you points towards free boxes (email contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you if you sign up!).

contents of petit vour december 2014 box with blissoma evening calming facial creme, meow meow tweet deodorant cream, everyday minerals matte blush, trust fund beauty nail lacquer, and info card with merry & bright theme open contents of petit vour december 2014 box with blissoma evening calming facial creme, everyday minerals matte blush, meow meow tweet deodorant cream, and trust fund beauty nail lacquer petit vour december 2014 box info card with item details

Blissoma Evening Calming Creme in Peace – This smells somewhat herbal and has a thick creamy texture. I’m not sure why it needs a dropper, since it’s not drippy at all, but I’m good with that. I like the formula and it’s a soothing cream that seems good for inflammation.

meow meow tweet deodorant cream in Lavender – This reminds me a lot of the first solid deodorant I received (also from Petit Vour), which was a lavender sage scent. I definitely think this smells clean and is great for using as deodorant. I’ll wait to open this while I use up the other one. I’ve been curious about this brand, so I’m excited to try their stuff.

Everyday Minerals Matte Blush in All Smiles – I’d be interested in this if I used blush, but I don’t, so I’m going to put this up for trade. I do like the idea of the powder and the shade looks nice.

Trust Fund Beauty Nail Lacquer in Do You Know Who My Father Is? – Alas, another pink nail polish. I’m just not much into that color, so I’ll put this up for trade as well. Too bad, since I love trying new polish brands!

I’m so-so on this box, since two of the items I won’t use. I’m definitely happy with the value and diversity of products though! What are your thoughts on this box?

[This post mentions a referral program. Signing up and emailing contact@petitvour.com to say I referred you helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Homegrown Collective November 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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You know you’re an old-timer when you start to see familiar projects showing up! I’m sure I would have been more excited if I didn’t already try two of these projects already, but these are great nonetheless. I think it’s all very seasonal and appropriate.

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

inside of reset yourself homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid contents of the homegrown collective november 2014 box with reset yourself theme

Project #1, essential oil immune boost: When I first saw this, I thought it was the tincture project from last year, but it looks more like the oregano oil one with a twist. I thought it was something you drop on your tongue for a boost, but then I wasn’t sure if it was meant to be inhaled more. Now that I compare it to the oregano oil though, I’m pretty confident you can ingest it as well as use it for a topical solution, since both oregano and peppermint are safe to eat. This is perfect timing what with compromised immune systems all around me at work.

the homegrown collective november 2014 project essential oil immune boost info card the homegrown collective november 2014 products for essential oil immune boost

Project #2, evergreen oil lamp: I made this very lamp last year and brought it to our new condo for a housewarming item the first time we visited after it was complete. 🙂 It’s very easy to put together and can burn crazy large flames if you don’t trim the wick down a lot. I like it more for the look and don’t really feel like tainting the wick with a burn. After a few months, the plants inside went brown – I’m not sure if that was due to the heat from the flame or if they’d do that anyway. I’ll have to leave this one around without burning it for comparison.

the homegrown collective november 2014 project evergreen oil lamp info card the homegrown collective november 2014 products for evergreen oil lamp

Project #3, cacao wonder cups: One of the very first projects I ever conquered! This one came in the August 2013 box that was my first and they were fabulous. The chocolate chips are a little different this time around, but no doubt just a tasty. I’ll have to make this for my coworkers sometime. They’d love it! What a nice winter treat.

the homegrown collective november 2014 project cacao wonder cups info card the homegrown collective november 2014 products for cacao wonder cups

This was the first time I was a little disappointed with the box, just because it included repeats. Still, the projects in and of themselves are wonderful and I’m happy to do them again.

the homegrown collective november 2014 reset yourself info card

If you want sweet projects like these, subscribe to the Homegrown Collective now! Why wait? Get an awesome start to 2015.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Treatsie December 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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The December Treatsie box totally has holiday flair! I am absolutely loving it and it’s finally starting to feel like Christmas is near.

Treatsie is $15 per box + $4.95 shipping and comes with artisan candy from 3-4 brands (I am grandfathered in for $15 for 2-3 brands and fewer items). That means about 6 or 7 different flavors of treats (or 4 or 5 for me). Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral link program to earn store credit. Use my referral link to get your first box FREE!

treatsie december 2014 box contents with ticket chocolate hot chocolate on a stick, newfangled confections frittle, serendipity confections caramels, and grey ghost bakery cookies treatsie december 2014 info card

Ticket Chocolate Peppermint Hot Chocolate on a Stick: This is so perfect! I thoroughly enjoyed the hot chocolate on a sticks from last winter, so I jumped at the chance to buy some from Target last week. Now I have another delicious one to enjoy and I can’t wait.

Newfangled Confections Frittle: Whoa, this is something made with peanuts that I actually really enjoy. It reminds me of those flaky, crunchy peanut candies. Totally addicting. I like how they flake, but then they sort of bind in your mouth if you give it more pressure, so it becomes more chewy like hard candy.

Serendipity Confections Gingerbread caramels: These are huge! The gingerbread taste comes in a few chews in. It tastes slightly different from caramels I’m used to – definitely a unique set of ingredients for them. It’s not my preferred taste, but these are still really good and I couldn’t stop eating until the entire piece was gone.

Grey Ghost Bakery Cranberry Orange cookies: This is a wonderful bakery with a great flavor for the season. I do prefer their lemon sugar ones, but those are just heavenly and can’t be compared. These are more tangy and have a little bit of a bite from the cranberries. I think drinking hot chocolate with these would be a perfect complement. Nom!

Alright, this is a box that I will completely devour. I’m excited to try more products and see what I might want to order from their shop. I won an Instagram contest awhile back so I have some store credit to use, yippee! Which items caught your eye in this box? To get Treatsie, sign up with my link and get your first box free!

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Power Supply Week of Dec 8 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
1

At our office, we started ordering Power Supply for our meals. My company helps subsidize the cost and it’s a whole lot easier than going out trying to figure out what to buy! I’ve enjoyed not feeling limited to the restaurants within walking distance and not even having to step outside into the cold. Ok, so here’s how it works: you can choose 3, 5, 6, or 10 meals per week. If you go with the 3- or 6-meal plans, they are delivered for pickup on Mondays. If you go with the 5- or 10-meal plans, the first 3/6 are delivered on Monday and then the remaining 2/4 are delivered on Thursday.

There are three sizes: boost (small for snacking or sides), standard (for most normal people’s portions), and XL (for those massive eaters who can’t get enough). There are three breakdowns: mixitarian (meats, veggies, some grains and legumes), paleo (“cave man” food – meats, veggies, fruits, nuts), and vegetarian (well you know, vegetables only). And then there’s the option of lunch and/or dinners: lunches are meals that are easier/faster to eat, sort of like grab-and-go, while dinners are meals that are slower and generally require silverware to complete the task. Portion sizes do not vary between the meal types, so you can freely swap between any of them on a given week (though you can’t get meals slated for Thursday delivery on Monday delivery). Pork and fish are only available on Thursday deliveries, so you’d have to get the 5 or 10 meal plan for those.

Does that all make sense? Basically they’ve made it veeeery flexible to get what you want. It’s easy to “mod your meal” as they say. 🙂

Power Supply is around $9.50-$15.50 per meal (when you sign up for a recurring plan – single orders are 5% more) and offers a variety of ready-made meal types, all gluten- and dairy-free. Boxes are sent once or twice weekly (depending on your plan) and you have total control over customization of which meals you get. You can easily switch between plans or choose to skip some weeks. They offer a referral program that earns free meals for referrer and referree.

power supply dc fridge at office

Power Supply delivers to fridges at gyms and offices like this.

power supply meals packaged for each person and put in fridge

First day ever receiving their meals and the fridge is packed!

Turkey Pot Pie

power supply turkey pot pie mixitarian lunch meal in box

The very first one I go for is the Turkey Pot Pie.

power supply turkey pot pie mixitarian lunch meal open

I loved it! I wish there was more though… but it did fill me up for a good 5-6 hours.

Cinnamon Ancho Beef w/ Acorn Squash & Chocolate Pana Cotta

power supply cinnamon ancho beef with acorn squash & chocolate pana cotta mixitarian lunch meal in box

Somehow at least 7 of us in the office all decided to 1. get this meal and then 2. eat this meal on Tuesday!

power supply cinnamon ancho beef with acorn squash & chocolate pana cotta mixitarian lunch meal open

The beef was fantastic and I liked dipping it in the sauce. The squash was not as soft as I would have liked and the pana cotta was an odd sort of chocolate pudding (good enough to eat the whole container though).

Citrusy Chicken w/ Oyster Mushroom, Broccoli & Cauliflower Fried Rice (NEW)

power supply orange chicken with oyster mushroom, broccoli & cauliflower fried rice mixitarian dinner meal in box

I wasn’t too sure about this so I put off eating it earlier in the week, but I liked it.

power supply orange chicken with oyster mushroom, broccoli & cauliflower fried rice mixitarian dinner meal open

Surprisingly, I ate the broccoli completely. The only thing I didn’t eat was the peppers.

Blackened Mahi Mahi w/ Herbed Mashed Sweet Potatoes & Sautéed Kale

power supply blackened mahi mahi with herbed mashed sweet potatoes & sautéed kale mixitarian dinner meal in box

Thursday came with a fresh delivery and my fish dish!!

power supply blackened mahi mahi with herbed mashed sweet potatoes & sautéed kale mixitarian dinner meal open

The blackened mahi mahi was the reason I went for the 5 meal plan. I also happen to like kale and sweet potatoes! The fish was very black peppery, which I love.

Vanilla Maple Glazed Pork w/ Sautéed Spinach, Tomatoes & Brown Rice

power supply vanilla maple glazed pork with sautéed spinach, tomatoes & brown rice mixitarian dinner meal in box

And then came the pork dish, which a sweetness that the rice helped balance out. This dish was ok and I totally forgot a picture when I removed the lid.

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