Tag Archives: organic

Product Review: Badger Sleep Balm

THIS REALLY WORKS! 🙂

Badger Sleep Balm 2 oz Tin - Lavender and Bergamot

BADGER SLEEP BALM

Here’s my review:

I’m a big fan of several Badger products, especially their Damascus Rose Face Oil (click to read my review).

But when it came to this Sleep Balm, I must admit, I was a bit skeptical.How nice to find out that it works great! 😉

I am not a good sleeper on many a night. 😦 But when I apply Badger Sleep Balm under my nose (and sometimes a bit on my forehead too) I am relaxed,sleepy and ready to sleep, only a short time later.

It really does help to calm my mind, unwind and fall asleep.Helps me to stay asleep longer too, with a deeper sleep. 

My only (minor) complaint: I wish the scent of lavender was just a bit stronger but that’s a small thing and I’d much rather have a product with less scent than too much. 😉

An all organic ingredient list and reasonable price are bonuses too!

And I love their pretty, reusable containers; perfect for little gifts too.

If you have trouble falling asleep and/or staying asleep, give this product a try.

♥♥

And some additional info. from the Amazon product page:

  • The fragrance of the essential oils in this special balm helps to calm thoughts and clear the mind, allowing sleep to come naturally.
  • There are no drugs in this product – no side-effects to worry about. It is safe and natural.
  • The cute and portable tin makes an ideal travelling companion.

Sweet Dreams! Zzzz…… 😉

Do You ♥ MRS. Dash BUT Want Organic?

mrs dash cropped

I have been using Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend for many years, including adding this blend to numerous recipes in my:

Groovy Green Kitchen cookbooks,

Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker (Volume 1) 

and  

Simply, Super, Supper Soups (Volume 2) 

It is a versatile, basic seasoning blend that worked well in a number or recipes.

Unfortunately, it is NOT organic and for me, that was definitely a negative, when it came to using Mrs. Dash.

I have been looking for a GOOD alternative that was ORGANIC for a long time and recently I finally found it! 🙂

Splendor Garden

is a herb and spice company based in Saskatchewan, Canada where I also grew up!

Stop by their site to check out all their certified organic herbs and spices and other fine culinary products. Also, where to buy in your area or online, see the store location and contact pages.  

I  just ♥ browsing their site!

So many culinary goodies to choose from and ones that I can REALLY feel good about using too. 😉

And, as far as a perfect ORGANIC substitute for Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning Blend, I like:

Garlic Herb Seasoning BagGarlic Herb Seasoning

 Splendor Garden Garlic Herb Seasoning SF (salt free)

It is VERY similar to Mrs. Dash in flavor, color and texture and best of all, all organic ingredients!

Can you tell I’m pumped about finding out about this company? 😉 I really am!

I’ve also tried and enjoyed their: Vegetable Seasoning, All Purpose Seasoning SF and Lemon Pepper Seasoning, so far.

Lemon Pepper BagLemon Pepper Seasoning

Loved them all too, especially the Lemon Pepper Seasoning.

It has a nice “zing” to it and adds a fresh, slightly citrus note to all kinds of savory recipes. 

I recently tried the Lemon Pepper Seasoning in my Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup recipe and it worked great!

BARLEY BUTTERMILK GGK 2

This easy, oh-so-satisfying soup recipe is featured in the:

GGK II cover (front )

The Groovy Green Kitchen: Simply, Super, Supper Soups,

my new soup cookbook and also in this previous recipe post.

I added some to the soup when it was cooking and also a sprinkle over each serving to add color, just before serving.

Yummy, tummy-satisfying good! 🙂

Happy (ORGANIC and HEALTHY) Cooking! 

Sun-Parched and/or Dry Skin? Check Out My Newest Weleda Skincare Review :-)

Evening Primrose

As an avid product reviewer (and now a Top 1000 reviewer at Amazon.ca) I get to test out a lot of different types of products, including those for facial and body care.

Some have been excellent, 🙂 some just OK, 😉 and some, not so good, 😦 IMO.

Well, when it comes to the excellent category, Weleda products have always been winners!

I’ve tried (and  have continued to use) many of their products over the years, so I was excited to find out about their new Evening Primrose collection recently. Again, this is another winner, big time! 😉

Here are three of the products from this new collection that I particularly liked. And (especially) if you have dry, sun-parched, maturing skin...keep reading, you’ll be glad you did!

Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Oil

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Oil

Usually, I am NOT a fan of any kind of body/after bath oil type product. Too messy, too greasy,don’t absorb …BUT, when it comes to Weleda Body Oils, that is not the case. I love their body oils, the Evening Primrose Oil in particular.

It has a light, delicate scent, it really moisturizes, a LITTLE goes a long way and best of all, it absorbs quickly and completely, making application a breeze.

I feel pampered and special when I use Weleda Evening Primrose Body Oil. 😉 And don’t we all need more pampering in our lives? 

Here is some additional information about this product from the Weleda website:

Weleda Evening Primrose Body Oil is an 87% organic body oil that supports skin’s moisture-retaining abilities. It soaks quickly and deeply into skin to revitalize its appearance and promote radiance with powerful natural ingredients.

Evening primrose seed oil combines with other natural plant oils, including olive, wheat germ oil, sea buckthorn and jojoba seed oil, to deliver essential fatty acids and omegas 3, 6, 7 and 9 that help restore and moisturize skin. Its rich, velvety texture offers a nourishing treatment that leaves skin healthy, firm and renewed.

Applied immediately after a bath or shower while skin is still damp, this body oil will soak in quickly and leave behind a fresh, floral fragrance of evening primrose flowers.

Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Night Cream

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Night Cream

I only started using night cream on a regular basis, in the past few years. When I was younger, my skin was very oily and with a tendency to breakout, so I never used any type of moisturizer in those days. But as I got older, I did feel the need for a bit of night-time moisturizing, especially during harsh Canadian winters. 

I’ve tried a lot of different night creams, oils, lotions from different product lines. Some were too heavy, others watery and basically useless. A lot had ingredients in them that I didn’t want to use either.

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Night Cream has a “just right” consistency. It’s not too creamy/thick but definitely not watery either. 😉

It has a light, very pleasant fragrance and best of all, it actually does something!! My facial skin looks visibly smoother and firmer the next morning, when I apply this product before going to sleep. I will definitely continue to use this product based on my results to date.

From the Weleda website:

A highly effective formula that utilizes Weleda’s holistic way of looking at plants and nature and 93-years’ of skincare knowledge to support the skin’s restorative process throughout the night.

This revitalizing cream contains vitamin E-rich wheat germ oil and inca nut oil to provide antioxidant protection against skin-damaging free radicals. Gotu-kola extract, known to increase collagen production, provides support to the skin’s structure and results in a firmer-looking appearance. Nourishing plant, nut and seed oils, supercharged with essential fatty and omega acids, help to restore skin’s moisture barrier overnight.

Awaken to deeply nourished, plumper-looking skin with improved tone and firmness. For best results, use with Age Revitalizing Day Cream and Age Revitalizing Eye & Lip Cream.

Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Lotion

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Lotion

I use this lotion throughout the day, particularly on my hands and arms.

Again, it has a “just right” consistency, not too thick but not watery. Absorbs quickly and completely, leaving a lovely, fresh scent that not only smells nice but lifts my spirits a bit too, with each application!

I keep this one handy, right beside the soap dish, as a quick “pick me up” after washing my hands. ♥ it!!!

Some additional info. from the Weleda website:

Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalizing Body Lotion is a luxurious moisturizer for dry, mature skin that provides intensive, long-lasting nourishment and hydration.

Skin-restoring organic evening primrose seed oil delivers essential fatty acids that help restore the skin’s protective barrier, while organic shea butter smoothes and replenishes, leaving skin soft and hydrated. Gotu-kola extract, known for its ability to promote collagen production, helps increase firmness, so skin appears more supple and youthful.

Rich and restorative, this natural body lotion leaves skin radiant and renewed, with a soft, floral scent inspired by blooming evening primrose flowers.

***

I also make an ongoing effort to use products of all types that come from companies that are truly “walking the talk” when it comes to environmental,social issues and overall integrity. Weleda certainly seems to be doing more than their share, in this regard.

You can read more about their mission statement and principles here. and here. I appreciate that as well and would much rather support companies that are making an effort to “do the right thing” than ones that aren’t. Again, a win-win for buying their products on a regular basis.

If you are in need of some new skin care products or just feel that your old stand-by choices are no longer making the grade, Weleda’s new Evening Primrose collection is one you’ll want to check out.

Available at fine retailers everywhere and also at many sites online, including at Weleda.com. Take a browse and check out all their superior and reasonably-priced products. There’s something for everyone to enjoy at Weleda, from babies to adults! 🙂

Hope you find these reviews helpful and have a wonderful day! 

Product Review: ShaSha Co. Organic Buckwheat Snack (Cocoa and Vanilla) :-)

ShaSha Organic Cocoa/Vanilla Buckwheat Snacks, 6oz (170g)

I’m always on the look-out for new snack ideas that are tasty, filling, preferably all organic and with a good or better than average ingredient/nutritional list. Happily, I found a new snack item recently that fits all that criteria. 🙂

ShaSha Co. Organic Buckwheat Snack(s) are crunchy, not too sweet, filling and have a nice cocoa kick to them too. And the ingredient list is ALL organic, I ♥ that.

I‘m trying to buy organic EVERYTHING these days, 😉 but when it comes to snack items, an all organic ingredient list can be hard to find. 

Here’s the nutritional info:

I love that organic buckwheat groats are the main ingredient.

Buckwheat is a very healthy food, you can read more about it here, and at many other sites online.

These snacks are also gluten free and IMO, reasonably priced at Amazon for less than $6. for a 170G bag. Considering the organic ingredients, not a bad price at all. 

I’m going to give some of the other flavors in this snack line a try too. I’ve previously enjoyed the ShaSha Co. Organic Spelt Lemon Snap cookies many times, and they definitely did not disappoint with these snacks either! 😉

Stop by the ShaSha Co. website (they are Canadian!!!) to read about all their other products and many positive initiatives too. 🙂

Happy Snacking, Weekend and Week Ahead! 

PS: If you have any fav organic and/or healthy snack suggestions to try (sweet or salty) please DO share! 

If You ♥ Toast and Jam (and all things organic) ;-)

 

organic jam

If you ♥ toast and jam  and all things organic (like I do) this is a product you’ll want to check out! 🙂

Italissima Organic Fruit Spread is oh so yummy good, made with organic fruit from Italy and with no added sugar.

And unlike a lot of commercial jams and fruit spreads, this one is not “jelly-like” with a lot of pulverized fruit. It’s very close to good homemade jam with real fruit pieces that you can actually see! 

I’ve tried the Blackberry flavor so far and have some of the Blood Orange on the way right now, from Amazon.ca. Unfortunately, did not see this product at Amazon.com but I’m guessing it would be available at a lot of stores in the US and probably Canada too.

The company that makes this product could probably help with where to buy their products in your area, their site can be found here. They also offer several additional flavors of this jam and a wide variety of other gourmet food products.  

It’s taken me a long time to find a commercial, organic jam that I really like, but I finally did! 😉 Italissima is a keeper!

Looking for an Healthy Energy Bar that Actually Tastes GOOD??

NF Greens Bars

I’ve been looking for a:

GOOD-tasting, certified organic, satisfying, chocolatey protein/energy bar

for a LONG time!

I have finally found one that fits all the criteria I’ve listed and more!

Can you already tell that I’m really impressed by this product? 😉  

Whole Earth & Sea Pure Food Organic Vegan Greens Protein Bars:

♥ Have a pleasing, not too sweet taste and with a nice texture too.

♥ They contain all certified organic ingredients (not just a partial list like so many similar products have).

♥Each bar supplies 15 grams of quality protein that provides energy for several hours. When I have one of these bars for breakfast or as a snack, I feel full, alert and energetic for 4-5 hours afterwards! That’s something I really appreciate.

♥ And best of all IMO, each bar is coated with luscious organic dark chocolate. Oh so yummy good. 

***

Here’s the certified organic ingredient list:

Organic brown rice protein, organic dates, organic peanut butter, organic tapioca syrup, organic inulin, organic raisins, organic greens powder (organic wheat grass juice powder, organic barley grass juice powder, organic spirulina, organic blueberry, organic raspberry, organic broccoli sprouts, organic beet juice, organic carrot juice), organic chia seeds, organic buckwheat, organic strawberries, organic stevia extract, organic lycii berry extract, organic orange flavor. Chocolate coating: Organic dark chocolate (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic chocolate liquor, organic soy lecithin).

***

These bars are available at health food stores across Canada and in the US too. 🙂

Look for them and ask your local health food store/co-op to order them, if they don’t currently have them available. You will be glad that you did!

These are the best protein/energy bars I have ever tasted  and I’ve tried a LOT of protein bars over the years.Most of them were unpalatable and/or filled with questionable ingredients. And none of them were completely certified organic.

And as my regular readers already know, I always strive to eat certified organic products whenever possible. I think it’s a key factor in keeping healthy.

Natural Factors  (click to check out all the products in this new line) the company who makes these bars has a winner!

I’m  also hoping they add additional flavors for these bars in the future too, to keep things interesting. 😉

Let me know if you give them a try. 

HAPPY and HEALTHY SNACKING!!! 🙂

A Fabulous Facial Treat!

badger oil

I started using Badger Damascus Rose Face Oil in December and I am loving it!

My new “go to” facial moisturizer.

This stuff REALLY works. A superior facial product for so many reasons. 🙂

Read my new review at :

Damascus Rose Face Oil

and do let me know if you give this product a try. 😉