All Natural Products | Faith and Family Reviews

Archive for All Natural Products

Sambazon Smoothies Review & Giveaway

Posted by html404 on June 1, 2013
in All Natural Products, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Organic, Reviews

Disclaimer: I received Sambazon Smoothies and Juices coupons for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

I have mentioned time and again that we really try to eat well. I’ve also shared how much our family enjoys fruit smoothies and green smoothies, which we usually make at home with our blender. However, we learned of a pre-made product called Sambazon Smoothies and Juices that peeked our interest. Sambazon also has superfood juices as well.

Sambazon Smoothies Facts:

Sambazon smoothies and juices are made with the finest organic Amazon
Superfoods™ on the planet such as Açaí [Ah-sigh-ee], Acerola [Ah-sir-o-la], and
Yerba Mate [Yur-ba Mah-tay].
• Their juices and smoothies are available in ten different delicious flavor varieties,
and packed with antioxidants and healthy omega 3-6-9s.
• All Sambazon Superfood juices are NON-GMO, USDA organic, vegan, gluten-free,
and provide whole food nutrition.
• A bottle of Sambazon Superfood juice (10.5 ounces) retails for $2.99.

Sambazon Smoothies Review

My two year old and I really enjoyed the Sambazon Smoothies and Juices. We tried the Blended Breakfast Smoothie with Strawberry, Banana, Chia and Ancient Grains (Amaranth & Quinoa) and Acai Superfood Juice. They tasted like green smoothies to me. The juice is not as thick as the smoothie. Not too sweet but not bitter either. I cannot say I noticed any difference in how my toddler or I felt after drinking the Sambazon Smoothies and Juices but appreciate the nutrition they provided our bodies.

I thought they were a little pricey for such a small bottle, but have come to accept that we often have to pay premium prices for good food. I also found not all smoothies and juices are available at all locations so if you decide to look for them check for their availability and store locations on Sambazon’s website.

Feel free to follow Sambazon on Facebook and Twitter. Please use the hashtag #momsmeet. And be sure to enter the giveaway below so you have a chance to try Sambazon Smoothies and Juices too.

Sambazon Smoothies Giveaway

One winner will receive three free product vouchers, plus a wooden bowl and spoon (pictured in the photo above) valued at $45. Giveaway prizes will be sent to the winners directly by Moms Meet.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share and Enjoy

{2 comments}

Azure Standard

Posted by html404 on May 29, 2013
in All Natural Products, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Uncategorized

Our family eats a lot, as you can imagine since we are a family of ten. We eat as much organic products as we can but to buy them in the grocery store or at Whole Foods is really expensive. Co-ops like Azure Standard or Country Life Natural Foods enable us to purchase organic products in bulk and save money at the same time.

We have been using Azure Standard for a year and a half. We place a monthly order on our Azure account. Our drop site is in our town at our local Farm and Fleet parking lot. The drop site is where we help unload the truck for our group’s order and pick up our individual orders. We have a drop site manager who reminds us of order deadlines, pick up times and any changes Azure Standard announces.

Azure has many different products from personal care to bulk rolled oats or quick oats to bulk produce items like a 25 lb bag of organic carrots we like to buy. We have come to love the creamy ice cream they carry – Alden’s – which has no propylene glycol (antifreeze basically) or other harmful chemicals in it.

I love that I can add to or change my order throughout the month right up until the order deadline, since the shopping cart will save my order until I click “submit order”. I appreciate that Azure accepts C.O.D orders so we don’t have to use a credit card but pay with cash or check on pick up day. I love that we do not have to order every month.

There is a minimum order of $50 but our family does not have any trouble meeting it.

There are no member fees, though there are freight charges based on the weight of your total order. To become a member, all you have to do is contact Azure Standard to see if there is a drop site in or near you and they will put you in touch with the drop site manager. Azure even offers a free catalog upon request.

Country Life operates similarly but different. Anyone can place an order, no membership is required, but the minimum is $500 or $600 so more often than not groups of families place an order together and get the order delivered to one family’s home. We really like Azure because of the many different items they carry so we rarely order from Country Life anymore. For the most part, prices are pretty comparable between the two.

Are you a part of any food co-ops? Feel free to share to give readers more resources and choices.

Share and Enjoy

{4 comments}

Wallaby Organic Greek Yogurt

Posted by html404 on May 14, 2013
in All Natural Products, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Organic, Reviews, Uncategorized

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Our family loves yogurt. We’ve even made it ourselves and plan to do it again once our garden is planted. So when a Wallaby Yogurt review opportunity presented itself I agreed to do it. We had tried Wallaby Yogurt before but had not tried their new Greek Yogurt.

Wallaby Organic Greek Yogurt is smooth, silky, creamy and yummy. If you don’t know the difference between regular yogurt and Greek yogurt it’s the thickness and texture, in my opinion. It stays on the spoon better for kids (and adults too!) Sometimes, but not always Greek yogurt has less sugar in it. It depends on the brand and of course the fruit flavor.

My hubby brought home blueberry because it’s one of my personal favorites. The yogurt and blueberries were in separate sections like so:

Then I mixed them together like this:

The only thing I didn’t like was the curve of the container made it hard to get all the blueberries out of the bottom. I actually used the end of my spoon to get as much as I could out and added to my yogurt. The more blueberries the better in my book. Spoken like a true Bluenoser (person from Nova Scotia ) I think one of those new inventions shown on the show Shark Tank called Spatty (and the larger one Spatty Daddy) would have come in handy to get all the blueberries out.

Otherwise the yogurt was delicious and definitely one we’d buy again.

Share and Enjoy

{37 comments}

Milking and Making Butter- Wordless Wednesday

Posted by html404 on April 24, 2013
in All Natural Products, Animals, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Food and Treats, Wordless Wednesday

This is our second oldest daughter milking. She’s our chief milker at the moment until we train the next one in line to milk. I have helped with milking but I think my nervousness unsettled Eclipse because she seemed jittery and moved a lot. Then again maybe I’m being paranoid and she was just antsy in her new home since I haven’t milked since the first week. Eclipse does seem to do better for our daughter, whom the cow loves I might add! Over the weekend, Eclipse watched the children go from one end of the property, down the tree line to the other end and mooed in their direction after our daughter went over with her younger siblings. Then when our daughter came back across the field, Eclipse followed her again by walking the fence line to greet her – if that isn’t affection, I don’t know what is!

Since Eclipse has been on pasture her cream (and milk) has been slowly increasing. Today the girls got 6 cups of cream from two gallons of milk and made two pounds of butter! The photos below are not all of the same day. The milk bottles are actually some of our very first. The butter photos are from today. All they do is put the cream in a pint or quart sized jar and shake it until it forms butter. The girls like to shake it until it forms a ball, which eliminates the need to shape the butter by hand! Pretty smart, eh?

Click on the image to make it larger and brighter.

It’s a fun milking and making butter! My husband is very happy not to have to stop for milk after work!

Happy not-so-Wordless Wednesday!

Share and Enjoy

{17 comments}

Premama Prenatal Vitamin Review

Posted by 278Wife on April 23, 2013
in All Natural Products, Health and Nutrition, Pregnancy and Birth, Products for Mom, Reviews

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Prenatal health is the number one priority for most moms to be. Choosing the right prenatal vitamin can be a challenge with all of the different options available. Sometimes one vitamin does not agree with your body so you have to switch to another. This has happened with a quite a few of the pills I have tried in the past. I was very interested to hear about Premama Prenatal Vitamin, a powdered supplement mix. Recommended by doctors, it is all natural, easy to digest, and flavorless. Ingredients in Premama have been proven to reduce the risk of some birth defects by 70% or more. These include Biotin, B vitamins, DHA Omega-3 fatty acid, Coenzyme Q10, Choline, Ginger Root, and Folic Acid. Many of these ingredients also aid with nausea and digestive relief, too.

Premama comes in a box of 30 on-the-go servings. Each sleeve is divided into two equal doses. This way you can choose to take the entire dose at one time, or break it up into two times a day. For me, it is hard to remember to take my vitamin even one time a day, let alone twice a day, so I took it all it once.

It states you can mix Premama with any juice or beverage so the first day I mixed it with water. I did not care for the texture or taste of the water so the next day I tried it with cranberry grape juice. This was much better! The more juice to mix it with, at least 12oz, the better. Simply add the entire sleeve or one part of the sleeve to the beverage and shake or stir.

Although the package says it is flavorless, I could still taste a hint of it. It is not a terrible taste, but it is a distinct taste that you get used to after a few days. I loved how convenient it was to just throw a couple of the packets in my purse for when I was going to be out of the house. I also noticed a huge improvement in my nail health. My nails started to grow very long and strong, which I have never experienced with any other prenatal vitamin. Premama Prenatal Vitamin is a great option for women who have a hard time swallowing pills, too.

Overall, Premama is a great product. Check out their website for more information on their prenatal vitamin as well as some great information on pregnancy in general.

www.drinkpremama.com

Share and Enjoy

{23 comments}

Moody Sisters Organic Skincare Review and $25 Gift Card Giveaway!

Posted by html404 on March 29, 2013
in All Natural Products, Eco Friendly Products, Giveaways, Kids Stuff, Organic, Personal Care Products, Reviews, Shopping

Looking for a line of skincare products that are not only organic, but are safe for the whole family? Look no further. Moody Sisters Organic Skincare is a company committed to bringing skincare back to the basics. Not only are all of the ingredients natural and organic, all of their products are homemade. Since they are homemade they are made fresh weekly. All of their products are chemical free, preservative free, paraben free, and organic. I had the opportunity to try two of their many skincare products.

The first was their Travel Intense Cream. It is suggested to be used for dry hands, feet, elbows, or at night for intense hydration. My elbows are always dry, especially in the winter. I placed just a dab of the cream on each elbow twice a day, and within three days my elbows were smooth as ever! I have tried many different moisturizers for my elbows and none of them have worked that fast. I also tried the Travel Intense Cream on my feet since they get dry this time of year, too. The first night I rubbed some on the bottom of each foot and put on some socks to lock in the cream. When I woke up I noticed a big difference in the dryness. I did the same thing for three nights in a row and could not believe how soft my feet were. Now I use it everyday on my feet and elbows after I shower to maintain. I cannot believe how well it worked. I like that a little bit of the cream goes a long way. The Travel Intense Cream is similar to a paste, but goes on smooth. It is not oily and it has an absolute wonderful smell to it. It is made with sweet almond oil, apricot kernal oil, cocoa butter, beeswax, water, green tea, aloe, oats, juniper berry, vitamin E, herbal extracts and essential oils. I would recommend it for anyone that has dry skin; you will not be disappointed!

Next I tried their Baby Wipe Solution. The solution can be used for reusable wipes or as a feminine hygiene cleanser. I used it with their Natural Bamboo Baby Wipes. Their reusable wipes are ultra soft and the perfect size for babies. They even stay soft after repeated washes. I wish they would make them in adult towel sizes, they are that amazingly soft. The solution came out almost like water and it was easy to spread over the wipe. It smelled absolutely wonderful and I feel it cleaned just as well as disposable wipes, if not better. I really like that the solution is free of chemicals. Some babies have such sensitive skin, that this solution is perfect for all babies. The Baby Wipe Solution is made with water, aloe juice, castile soap, sunflower oil, oat extract, vitamin E, lavender, rose, and tea tree oil.

Overall I was very impressed with the products from Moody Sisters Organic Skincare. They have an entire line of products for all skin types and ages including toners & scrubs, lip & eye products, and body care products. I would highly recommend these products to anyone looking for a quality skincare product that works. What a bonus that they are organic and handmade, too! Check out their website www.moodysistersskincare.com for some great homemade organic recipes you can make at home.

Remember to check out the giveaway below!

Moody Sisters Organic $25 Gift Card Giveaway!
by Theresa

The mission of Moody Sisters is:

Happy {Healthy} Skin for the Whole Family. Tiny Tots to Tiny Grandmas. Bringing skincare back to the basics, using only natural and organic ingredients handmade by two sisters from Cashmere, WA. Changing the way we take care of our skin and earth, one bottle at a time.

For this reason they are able to sell on Etsy, so be sure to check out their store there!

In addition to this giveaway, you might be interested in this offer:

Sign up for FREE SHIPPING on your next order: https://www.facebook.com/#!/moodysisters/app_100265896690345. If you become a Moody Sisters FB fan, you can enter their weekly contests too.

Now onto the giveaway….

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Share and Enjoy

{11 comments}

PROBAR Review

Posted by Professor on March 28, 2013
in All Natural Products, Exercise, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Organic, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews

The PROBAR Company’s goal is to change how the world thinks when it comes to real, whole food. PROBAR products are proof that a food maker can wholeheartedly commit to quality, sustainability—and sheer deliciousness. Part of the Simply Real® promise is sourcing the finest all-natural, 100% vegan organic ingredients from growers who believe in these things as well. As you check out their products, they all have one thing in common: they start with only the best raw ingredients.

There are 4 PROBAR products to choose from:

PROBAR Meal ~ This PROBAR weighs in at a solid three ounces of fruits, nuts and seeds with enough nutrition to make a fresh, tasty, satisfying meal replacement. It’s rich in raw ingredients and the right nutrient-dense calories for lasting energy and nourishment.

PROBAR Core ~ Looking for a protein bar that resembles nature rather than a science experiment? Good…because they have packed 20 grams of plant protein and plenty of real, recognizable ingredients into this bar. And it does more than build your strength – it boasts chia seeds for hydration and recovery too.

PROBAR Bolt ~ These organic chews step up your game right when you need it. They’re packed to power you from morning workouts to race days. Plus, they’re loaded with electrolytes, B vitamins, antioxidants and complex carbs for fast fuel-ups that last through the home stretch.

PROBAR Fuel ~ Go ahead, dig in and fuel up with this gluten-free bar’s superfruits, cashews and oats. It’s soft, chewy, and it’s a full serving of fruit – a scrumptious snack for action packed days. We balanced this blend with chia seeds to regulate hydration and raw oats for easy-to-digest energy.

PROBAR Halo ~ Satisfying your sweet tooth with zero grams of guilt. Introducing PROBAR Halo™, the delicious between meals treat that’s designed to do your body good. With natural whole food ingredients and heavenly taste, these bars have such big flavors they take on a personality all their own.

Our PROBAR Review:

We received the following products from PROBAR: PROBAR Meal (Superberry and Greens), PROBAR Core (Peanut Butter Chocolate), PROBAR Bolt (Raspberry).

These are VERY good bars. I enjoyed the flavor and quality of each type of bar.

PROBAR Meal (Superberry and greens)

This bar goes beyond what I thought it could do…it REALLY fills you up! When they say a meal replacement they mean meal replacement! I was surprised when I opened the package and saw how green the bar was…I was glad because I know I do not eat enough “greens” and this bar is packed full of vital nutrients! As for taste… I enjoyed the flavor of the bar… for some it might be an acquired taste if you have never had a meal replacement bar. But, if you have had meal replacement bars before this one stands out in quality and flavor. The texture and balance of the ingredients was very nice on the tongue! This product is NON-GMO product verified.

Check out the ingredients and nutritional information here: PROBAR Meal Replacement Superberry and Greens

PROBAR Core (Peanut Butter and Chocolate)

These are EXCELLENT! I am a chocolate lover… so I was pleased to see a protein bar in my favorite flavor! I have tried other protein bars before and these surpass the other brands in quality and taste. They are very flavorful and pack a punch of 20 grams of protein. I was not disappointed. This product is Gluten-Free!

Check out the ingredients and nutritional information here: PROBAR Core (Peanut Butter & Chocolate)

PROBAR Bolt (Raspberry)

This was a very nice alternative for fast fuel ups for workouts! I enjoyed this flavor immensely! These are not a bar but a “chew” reminiscent of a “gummy bear”. These are wonderful performance aides. Since I am not an avid runner or workout aficionado … I gave some samples to my brother who is a power lifter and he attested that they are a great way to boost a workout!

Check out the ingredients and nutritional information here: PROBAR Bolt (Raspberry)

OVERALL… I was delightfully surprised at the taste and texture of the products along with the nutritional values contained in the product. I do also have to add that the products are 100% Vegan ORGANIC … how wonderful!

To learn more about the PROBAR company and their products, please visit their website www.theprobar.com

Share and Enjoy

{No comments}

Goat Milk Soap Finished Product – Wordless Wednesday

Posted by html404 on March 20, 2013
in All Natural Products, Handmade Items

Last week I published a Goat Milk Soap Wordless Wednesday post that showed the process of making Goat Milk Soap. This week’s post is showing the finished product – bars of Goat Milk Soap. This process involved grating the bars, melting it down again, adding essential oils. Remember, we use Young Living Essential oils as they are 100% pure therapeutic grade. Plus, we like the way the company is run and how they own many of their own farms – they have an open door policy, offering tours and even inviting people to come help with the harvest. I sooooo want to go some day!

We love this Humming Bird mold.

My daughter used a kitty cookie cutter to make a few small bars of soap for the children.

This soap mold required cutting the bars and you can see how soft they still were; because of this we are going to allow our soap bars to cure another week or two so they are firmer before selling them. We did sell a few bars over the weekend, just not as much as we wanted to.

By the way, happy spring!

Share and Enjoy

{17 comments}

Whole Fruit Sorbet is Mmmmm Good!

Posted by 278Wife on March 14, 2013
in All Natural Products, Coupons, Food and Treats, Reviews, Shopping

Whole Fruit Sorbets are an award-winnning member of the Whole Fruit Line by J & J Snack Foods. They have five delicious flavors: Black Cherry, Mango, Red Raspberry, Lemonade, and Strawberry. The Whole Fruit Sorbets are sold in 16 fl. oz pint sizes and are made with chunks of real fruit making them naturally fat free!

I have never been a huge fan of sorbet. I always preferred ice cream or popsicles if I was in the mood for a fruit flavored treat. I was pleasantly surprised after trying these Whole Fruit Sorbets. After the first bite of the Black Cherry sorbet, I was hooked. It had actual bits of black cherries in it, which proves just how fresh and natural these sorbets are. The Black Cherry was a little tart, but in a good way. Next I sampled the Mango flavor. Talk about a smooth and absolutely refreshing taste! It instantly reminded me of summertime. Once the sorbet sits out for a few minutes and melts a little bit, it becomes so creamy and even more delicious. Red Raspberry was my favorite flavor even though I don’t normally like raspberry anything. I think it was because it didn’t have an overpowering raspberry taste; it was just enough. It did have a little bit of an aftertaste.

The last two flavors I sampled, Lemonade and Strawberry, tasted just like italian ices. Both my husband and I could not believe how amazing they tasted. So light and refreshing, yet the perfect way to quench the palate! Even the Strawberry was perfect when normally strawberry flavored icecream and popsicles are too potent and overwhelming.

Overall, you cannot go wrong with any of the Whole Fruit Sorbet flavors. They all taste delicious, refreshing, and have a smooth taste. The best part is that you don’t need to eat the whole pint to be satisfied. The serving size is half a cup, and that was plenty for me. Whole Fruit Sorbet will definitely be a must have in my freezer from now on. It’s an excellent treat that you can feel good about eating.

Go to their website for more information and for a $0.35 off coupon!

http://www.jjsnack.com/WholeFruit/product1_2.aspx?parents=235

Share and Enjoy

{26 comments}

Seventh Generation Wipes Review & Giveaway

Posted by html404 on March 4, 2013
in All Natural Products, Baby Products, Cleaning, Diapers and Accessories, Eco Friendly Products, Giveaways, Personal Care Products, Reviews

Wipes are an must-have essential in a home with children, at least they are in our house. We not only use them for diaper changes, but for wiping faces, traveling and quick cleaning. Our youngest son has learned from our example and likes to get wipes to clean himself up and he will even clean with them. This is what he’s doing with the Seventh Generation wipes. Can you tell he’s very excited about helping me with the new wipes?

We have been using Seventh Generation wipes over the past few weeks. They are thick, have just the right moisture and do not seem to dry out, unless of course you leave the flip-top lid open for a day. The ones we have came in packages of 64. The packages are plastic with a closeable lid. We like them and are very grateful for no allergic reaction from baby, like some generic brands we have tried. They are actually pretty comparable to other name brands, but better in terms of being hypo-allergenic, free of dyes, fragrances, parabens and having less harmful chemicals. They score well on EWG.org, which is the kind of personal care product our family wants to buy. They soft, just not as soft as I would have liked.

Here are some product details:

• Available Packaging:
− 64 ct. flip-‐top
− 128 ct. value pack (2 refill packs with re-‐sealable tape)
− 256 ct. value pack (4 refill packs with re-‐sealable tape)

• Significant environmental savings

• Unscented

• Hypo-‐allergenic

• Free of fragrances and dyes

• Free of parabens and phthalates

• Suggested retail price for 64 ct. is $2.99 and is available at Target, Whole Foods and Diapers.com.

Seventh Generation Wipes Review & Giveaway

You all have the opportunity to try Seventh Generation wipes too! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a box of four packages of 64 wipes! Giveaway ends Monday, March 18 at 12:00am. Please allow 4-6 weeks for fulfillment of the prize. One package will be coming from Seventh Generation and three will be coming directly from Faith and Family Reviews as our gift to you – and no they aren’t the ones we were sent for review, those are almost gone already!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing and participating in the Seventh Generation Wipes Campaign. We are being compensated by Seventh Generation and The Motherhood. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review and compensation, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.