Namaste Products: Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner & Namaste Gluten Free Brownie Mix

Namaste Products: Gluten Free Brownie Mix & Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner

First, I must disclose that I received my Namaste Gluten Free Brownie Mix & Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner in exchange for an honest, unbiased, and quality review. 

I contacted Namaste on 3-24-16, asking if I could review their products. I also asked if Namaste would be willing to sponsor my first group giveaway. At the time I emailed Namaste, my intent was to have my giveaway when the group reached 1000 members, which did not go as planned at all! I was contacted on 3-28-16, at which time Namaste kindly granted both of my requests.

So what kind of products does Namaste offer? Namaste makes Kosher, all natural products free from GMO's, wheat, gluten, eggs, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, mustard, sulfites, sesame, caseine, fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. They also allow rigorous third party testing to make sure that their products are not compromised, in addition to the standard USDA testing and certification. I was thrilled to know that I was feeding my family food products held to a higher standard.

                  
                  

Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner

With the Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner, the serving size states that it is for four people. The Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner kit comes with the brown rice pasta, pasta shells and Taco seasoning packet. Me being skeptical, I immediately thought there was no way this was going to feed my family. My husband was at work and had to work really late, so I was figuring out how this pasta kit was going to feed 3 teenagers, my 6-year old son, and me.After preparing about a pound of lean ground beef, a large can of organic, whole black beans, green onions, and a jar of quartered sun-dried tomatoes and combining this mixture with the pasta, I was amazed! This was in fact a very hearty meal that was able to satisfy my daughter, twin teenage boys, and me. My 15 year old sons even went back for seconds and stuffed themselves. Unfortunately, this meal did not go over well with my six- year old finicky eater. He took one look, one sniff, and made his "ick face." I had to prepare him an alternative meal. In the picture is my big portion of Namaste Gluten Free Taco Pasta Dinner, topped with a big helping of organic guacamole. All I can say is "nom, nom, nom," in my cookie monster voice. The taco seasoning pack was very flavorful. I did not even have to use it all. 

Namaste Gluten Free Brownie Mix

So after being thoroughly impressed with the Namaste Taco Pasta Dinner, I decided not to be so critical of the Namaste Gluten Free Brownie Mix. Made with brown rice flour and other organic ingredients, it tells you on the box that the package is a double batch. I prepared mine as the side panel said, with 3/4 cups oil, 3 organic, large, brown eggs, and 1/2 cups hot water. The mixture was so thick that I still had to add another 1/2 cup of water. My electronic mixer struggled to go through the mix before I added the extra water and even after doing so, it still was very thick and rich.After finding the biggest baking pan I could and preheating my oven to 350 degrees, I baked my Namaste Gluten Free Brownie Mix in the time suggested on the box (38-42) minutes. Mine were done in 37 minutes with time left over. You could smell the wonderful aroma throughout the house, even in the bedrooms. Again, this was a big hit with everyone in the family, with the exception of my 6-year old son. My husband, teenage twin sons and daughter, and me, loved the brownies. On the contrary as before, my little finicky son took one look, one sniff, and made his "ick face." I coaxed him to at least taste it, but he spit the morsel into the trash. The picture above shows the portion of my cooked brownies that are left over, after everyone (including me) had one to two brownies.

Contest My giveaway will conclude tomorrow, Sunday 4/23/16 at 8:00pm EST. At this time, my winners will be choosen. The top prize will be the wonderful Namste Tote bag. The contents are as follows: 4 Namaste Foods Products; Namaste Grocery tote; Copy of Gluten Free & More Magazine; & Assorted recipe cards. To be in the giveway, you must be an active member of my Facebook group "Taka's Free Samples, Discounts, & Product Review." You must also comment under the contest link, letting me know you are interested in this giveaway.  

Please join the contest at Taka's Free Samples, Discounts, and Product Review by clicking this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/938364149604718/ I normally do a break down of Pros and Cons on the products that I review but did not here. I was thoroughly impressed with the two Namaste products I was given the opportunity to try for review. The only Con was my finicky eater not liking the products. The cost might possibly be a Con for some too, but you get what you pay for in my opinion. These are quality products and the certifiactions from the USDA and third party rigorous testing can back that up.To know more about Namaste Foods please visit their Website and Facebook page by clicking these links: http://www.namastefoods.com 

& https://www.facebook.com/NamasteFoods Happy Shopping :)

Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy

Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy

First, I have to disclose that I received this product heavily discounted, in exchange for an honest, unbiased, quality review. I ordered Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy on April 9, 2016. Prime was not available for this particular item, as it came directly from the seller's company, HopeWind inc. 

So what is Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy? It is a distinct essential oil blend to be diffused while sleeping, for therapeutic and aromatherapy purposes. Quoted straight from the bottle: "Proprietary Blend: Citrus recticula (Mandarin), Ocimum basilicum (Basil), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea), Frankincense (Boswelia careteril) Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)." 

When opening the essential oil, I did catch some familiar smells. I immediately caught the strongest scent in the proprietary blend, which is the Lavender. I also was able to recognize the hint of the Mandarin, which gives it a slight sweetness. I also was able to smell a hint of the Basil, since I have cooked with it. As far as some of the other ingredients, I am familiar with Valerian Root due to my past experience with selling supplements.

Now I have to give another disclosure here: I am in no way a medical professional. Also in no way does my review substitute medical advice. Please see your doctor for medical advice. Now as a former sales associate of supplements and herbs, I had many repeat customers that swore by Valarian Root in the form of teas and pills to be taken internally. There are claims that this herb does help with sleep, even though this is not supported by the FDA. 

As far as how I used this oil, I purchased humidifiers/essential oil diffusers for all of the bedrooms in my house (mine and children's). I bought them along with other essential oils for the intent of helping us with sinus problems; then, I was given the opprtunity to try this essential oil. I love the smell of this oil, and found it very comforting to breath while falling asleep. I mainly love this blend due to the Lavender in it, which is associated with a smell for sleep. I also noticed for my children and me, that this oil does help slightly with our allergy irritations due to the high pollen count where we live. The mix of this proprietary blend being diffused along with the mist of the humidifiers helps our breathing stay slightly clearer than not using anything at all.

So, how does the Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy stack up?

Pros- Only a few drops are needed for diffusing. I used the guide on my oil diffuser but you can go to the seller's website for directions on how to use this. Because a few drops are needed, this essential oil will last for a long time. You don't necessarily need an oil diffuser to diffuse this essential oil. Aromatherapy can be practiced in the shower (my version of a poor man's oil diffuser) and in the bath. I have practiced shower aromatherapy by sprinkling a few drops of the oil by the drain (not wear you stand). The steam diffuses it nicely, as well as a bath. It is calming and helps to slightly clear congestion. The scent did calm me and feel comforting for sleep.

Cons- The Lavender slightly overpowers the proprietary blend. You are not going to like this oil if you dislike the smell of Lavender. I personally feel that the scents could have been more balanced by slightly cutting down on the Lavender. This oil's scent is very strong. It might not be suitable for people with scent sensitivities. Someone not sure about the effectiveness of aromatherapy might not be willing to pay $29.99 for a bottle of the oil.

So, would I purchase Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy again? I love the smell of this oil, but I had to compare it to a plain Lavender. After doing so, I could smell a deliciousness of the other scents that you don't get from a plain Lavender essential oil. So yes,there is a possibility that I would buy this again.

I purchased my Rest & Peace Natural Sleep Remedy through Amazon, but I will post the seller's link too. They give you more information about the essential oils and aromatherapy in general.

http://hopewindhealth.com/collections/all

http://www.amazon.com/Rest-Peace-Sleep-Essential-blend/dp/B018X3SGKG?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

Happy Shopping :)

Firmoo Eyeglasses from Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store

Firmoo Eyeglasses from Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store

I was contacted through personal message on Facebook by Ms. Katrina Houkes, Marketing Assistant for Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store, on the morning of Tuesday, April 5, 2016. I was not aware of this eyewear company before contact with her. In the personal message on Facebook she explained who she was, and kindly granted me the offer of trying a pair of her eyewear  in exchange for a honest, quality, and unbiased review on my Facebook group page and blog. During our contact, I told her that I do wear prescription eyeglasses. After contact with her, I immediately placed my order online, on the Firmoo website.

I was directed via link to the "Collection for Bloggers" page of the Firmoo website. On the website, I was prompted to make an account as a new customer, which was very easy because I had the option of linking it up with my Facebook information. My interest was immediately peaked about the Firmoo website because it is very professional and very well put together. Moreover, there were many options to choose from even for those that do not wear prescription eyeglasses. The Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store also has sunglasses, prescription and non-prescription, accessories, safety glasses, and daily updated style trends.  

After exploring the different options on the website, I clicked on the "Eyeglasses" option at the top of the Firmoo website, which then gave the option to choose women's or men's eyeglasses. Once I clicked the "Women's" option, I was given a choice of looking through 4 pages of optical frames in different styles, sizes, prices, and colors. Again, I was impressed by the many different styles and by the frame prices, which started as low as $19, and ranged up to $39. I ended up ordering a pair of $27 frames and picked style S5308, which I also added to my "favorites." I was given a voucher code for the frames, non-scratch prescription lenses, and free shipping (basic options). However, with the basic options that I chose, my order would have only been $33.95.

                    





The pictures above are me showing off my new specs on April 16, 2016, after getting a confirmation email that my eyeglasses had shipped on the 7th.

So, how do I rate my Firmoo Eyeglasses from Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store?

Pros- The Firmoo Website was easy to use, website is very professional, prices for basic and add on options are excellent, there are many nice styles to chose from. The website even helps you with measurements by suggesting that you use an old pair of your frames to compare to theirs. There is also a virtual model to try your glasses on, to help you chose from the sizes of narrow, medium, or wide. You can scan, upload, and save your prescription to your account. Your Firmoo eyewear comes with a nice protective case, adjusting tool, and lens cleaning cloth. They have a return policy and will honor it if your eyewear is damaged or is not satisfactory due to their liability. You can donate your old eyewear for charity.


Cons- Even with the website help, there is a possibility that you could get the measurements wrong. In a brick and mortar eyewear shop, you are fitted for your specs by an employee. Here, you have to know your own measurements. I chose wide frames due to my PD measurement (Pupillary Distance- how far apart your pupils are). I still love my new glasses anyway, but they are a tad bit wide/big for my face. The vertical length of the lenses were also much longer than they seemed in the online picture. I could have tried medium for a better fit, I think. Also for prescription eyeglasses, you have to have the EXACT and PRECISE prescription info before you place your order. It explains in the return policy that putting the wrong prescription in is your liability, which will not be honored. Also, the wait might be too long for people that want them faster.


So, would I shop with Firmoo Online Optical Eyewear Store again? YES!!! The prices and styles are amazing! I have already went back to the site to look at a medium style frame in red or purple (still deciding). Why? Because it's good to have a back-up pair. I am also thinking about buying a pair of prescription sunglasses. I wouldn't think of it at other places but with Firmoo's prices, I could afford it. 

Here's the link: http://www.firmoo.com/

Happy Shopping! :)

CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror

CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror

First, I must disclose that I received my CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror for free, in exchange for an honest and thorough review. I placed my order for my CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror on March 20, 2016, and received my item on March 22, 2016. I have Amazon Prime, so it arrived in the two days in pristine condition. I have had no problems thus far with the arrival of my packages or items through Amazon. 

Now gentlemen, before you say, "Wow lady! You just had to buy this! You couldn't let us guys have this one thing, huh?" Please hear me out here. <laughs> So this item is targeted for males of shaving age. The idea of the fog-less mirror allows men to hop in the shower, get that quick shave without the mirror fogging up, and get out. Well fellows, I was not trying to take from you. Us ladies just have moments when a fog-less mirror could come in handy as a backup. I decided to buy it for those days that I might want to touch up those armpits in the shower or have a backup mirror for hair styling and make-up application.

So, the fogless mirror comes with the mirror of course, which is made of stainless steel and has a protective coating on it. The mirror also has a hook for the mirror itself and a hanging hook for your razor. Both of those are made out of stainless steel too. This was pretty neat because you get to hang every thing up out of sight, and on your shower wall.

I removed the protective coating off of my CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror, pulled the adhesive backing off of my two hooks, and stuck them on my shower wall. I also hung my mirror up on its hook. I love very hot showers, so this was the perfect opportunity to give my mirror a test run. I got in my shower and washed/conditioned my hair. I was in there so long that I ran out all of the hot water.

You know how this ends. <laughs again> So my bathroom mirror was all fogged up worse than the movie "The Mist." On the contrary, my CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror was hanging on its adhesive hook unscathed.

So how does the CASSANI FOGLESS Shower Mirror stack up?

PROS- It's made of stainless steel, which won't rust, and is a durable material. It's also much more lightweight than a glass mirror. This mirror can also travel with you because it was made for home and travel. It has Anti-Fog Nanotechnology. CASSANI sends an email to you that tells you how to care for your mirror to get more use out of it.

CONS- Even though I put some weight on the adhesive hooks and they are secure now, there is a possibility that the adhesion will wear over a long period of time. If not taken care of properly (dropped/mishandled) the mirror can become damaged. The Anti-Fog Nanotechnology does wear off after a period of time and the company tells you this. 

So if I had to buy one again would I? I honestly can't say "Yes" or "No" on this one. While the mirror did perform well this once, I would have to look into its longevity. Also, this product would seem to be more of a necessity for MEN (the gender it's targeted towards). 

If you would like to know more about this product, here's the link: 

http://www.amazon.com/Fogless-Shower-Mirror-Nanotechnology-Exclusive/dp/B00CNOUZE2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00 

Happy Shopping :)

Sharp Gear REDTOP Flycatchers Standard Size - 100% Non-Toxic Disposable Outdoor Fly Trap - Designed to Attract Egg-Laying Females

Sharp Gear: REDTOP Flycatchers Standard Size - 100% Non-Toxic Disposable Outdoor Fly Trap - Designed to Attract Egg-Laying Females

 First, I must disclose that I received my Sharp Gear Flycatcher heavily discounted, in exchange for  an honest, unbiased and quality review. So I placed my order for the Sharp Gear REDTOP Flycatcher on March 10, 2016, and received it on March 12, 2016. I am with Amazon Prime, so I was able to get free, 2 day shipping. My flycatcher arrived very, well packaged.

I immediately opened the box, to check this flycatcher out. I was worried about the flycatcher trapping my little, honey-making friends. However, due to the way it is made, bees cannot fit underneath the opening in the red top, once that is put on it. So there were three pieces to the flycatcher. There was the entire bottom part, already assembled. There was the red top that goes on top of the flycatcher. There also was a packet of powder mixture that is actually the fly bait.

Assembly is very easy. You mix the bait with 1 litter of lukewarm water, pour it in the flycatcher, and wait for it to settle. Next, you snap the red top on top of the flycatcher. After that, you take it outside and hang it up by the string attached to it.

So how does the Sharp Gear REDTOP Flycatcher Standard Size-100% Non-Toxic Disposable Fly Trap-Designed to Attract Egg-Laying Females stack up?

CONS- It's an eyesore, and you'll see why in the photo. When you first open it, the powder (fly bait) stinks to high heaven. I can see why flies are attracted to it. It has a rotten garbage smell.

PROS-Flies are REALLY attracted to this thing. I live in Georgia and the temperature had dropped a little when I first hung it up. A winged beetle-looking creature landed on the bag and was bugging me as I was hanging it up. I didn't see any flies in sight at first, and was worried about the results. But it was warmer today when I checked the flycatcher. I am looking forward to not being harassed by pesky flies when I go on my deck to barbeque and eat outside. There is definitely some science to this flycatcher.

The circles in my picture of course are flies. The first circle is a fruit fly that is hanging out, on the outside of the bag. The second circle is a regular fly settled into the mix on the inside of the bag, that met its maker. Also on the inside of the bag, floating in the liquid, were several fruit flies. I hate those worse than regular house flies.

So would I purchase Sharp Gear REDTOP Flycatchers? Absolutely!!! I can overlook the minor eyesore of a fly graveyard hanging off of my patio if it means I can be at piece while I am barbequing, eating, and playing Chess outside on my patio.

If you would like more information on the Sharp Gear REDTOP Flycatcher Standard Size-100% Non-Toxic Disposable Fly Trap-Designed to Attract Egg-Laying Females, I will place the link below.

http://www.amazon.com/REDTOP-Flycatchers-Standard-Size-Disposable/dp/B01AKTM63O?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

Happy Shopping :)

           

LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves (Two Orange Gloves)

LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves (Two Orange Gloves)

First, I must disclose that I received my LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves heavily discounted, in exchange for an honest, unbiased, and thorough review. So I initially placed my order for these BBQ oven gloves on March 6, 2016. I received my BBQ oven gloves on March 9, 2016. On Tuesday, March 15, 2016, I decided to fry a large quantity of chicken legs, so this was a great opportunity to test out my LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves. This is because I have an electric turkey fryer that gets up to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. I will just pause the review for a moment right here because a "picture is worth 1000 words", as the common expression is used. 


So this first picture is hot, boiling, cooking oil at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, inside of my electric fryer. The second picture is my LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves, after getting good and soiled from handling hot, greasy, fried chicken. The third picture is me holding the extremely hot, frying basket that just came out of the boiling oil in my electric fryer. Yeah, I was pretty adventurous there. After carefully touching the top of that metal handle on that basket and feeling no heat, I went for it. Another disclosure here: Please be cautious and use your own best judgement when handling scalding liquids, food, and equipment. I didn't plunge my hand down inside of the electric fryer. I cautiously touched that holding handle by carefully inching my hand down to it. After quickly touching, removing my hand back out, and feeling no warmth, that is when I used my own judgment to remove the scalding frying basket with the glove on.

So how do the LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves measure up?

Cons: The gloves were a bit slippery after the chicken grease and soiled in the grooves with chicken crust crumbs. However, this was nothing that a quick, hot soap and water wash up could not fix.
Pros: 1) These gloves are made of silicone, meaning that cooking oil and anything other substance you dirty the gloves up with, will not soak into them and compromise their performance . 2) They are easier to clean when soiled than oven gloves made out of fabric. I know this too because I had a pair of those too. They got soiled too bad and had to be trashed. 3) The LotFancy Heat Resistant Silicone BBQ Oven Gloves did in fact hold up to this test for me. I held a scalding, hot fry basket with scalding chicken, taken out of a 375+ degree electric fryer.

Would I buy these again if I needed to? Absolutely!!!

If you would like to purchase a pair, here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/LotFancy-Resistant-Silicone-Gloves-Orange/dp/B018QLEZ2I

Happy Shopping :)

Chef Remi Digital Meat Candy Thermometer

Chef Remi Digital Meat Candy Thermometer

First of all, I must disclosed that I received my Chef Remi Digital Meat Candy Thermometer at a heavily discounted priced in exchange for an unbiased, honest review. I placed my order for this item on March 11, 2016, through my Amazon Prime account. I received my thermometer, packaged very well and on time, on Sunday, March 13, 2016. I actually used my Chef Remi Digital Meat Candy Thermometer on Tuesday, March 15, 2016. I decided to fry a mountain of chicken legs, that were more than enough of a quantity to fill up an aluminum roaster pan (the gigantic pans that you purchase at the local dollar store). The chicken legs actually overflowed the pan when cooked. I had to stack them tightly on top of the pan and wrap them with Saran wrap. To cook an amount of chicken legs this large, I used my electric turkey fryer.

As you can see in the sixth picture, that is actually the previous meat thermometer that I would use when I bake, fry, and grill meats. That one is from Goodcook, and it has a needle. I took a picture of that one too so I could have something to compare Chef Remi's thermometer with. So how does Chef Remi's Digital Meat Candy Thermometer stack up? The only possible Con I could even think of is if the battery happens to run out. That really wouldn't be much of a problem though because the thermometer comes with a fresh LR44 cell battery installed for you. Moreover, the thermometer shuts itself off after 10 minutes of use. If the battery were to stop working, you can find LR44 cell batteries at the local dollar store.

Now for the Pros. For anyone that has ever grilled meat, have you ever had to fight off a big cloud of smoke while waiting for a needle thermometer to read? I have, and you have to stab and run. I can tell you that with Chef Remi's digital thermometer, I got an instant read. As I was taking my fried chicken out of the fryer, I got a 208+ degree read in Fahrenheit. That chicken was almost boiling, so I knew it was good and done. If you know the proper temperatures for different meats, the instant digital read will immediately let you know if you food is done with no doubts. This brings us to another pro, which is that you can change the degree settings on the digital thermometer to my preferred Fahrenheit, or to Celsius. The thermometer also comes in a hard, plastic carrying case with a hanging lanyard/carrying strap. My tablet took a blurry picture unfortunately, but there is also an adorable cartoon Chef Remi on the case. I thought that was cute. I love that you can keep the thermometer in its protective case, because I do have a small child. The tip of the thermometer is very sharp. The case is stylish but practical, another pro.

So for the big question, would I purchase Chef Remi's kitchen tools? Yeah! You bet I would! His digital thermometer out-performed the one with the needle that I was previously using. I would have to wait a minute or two to get an accurate read and still slice my meat to the bone, out of sheer paranoia.

If you would like to try the Chef Remi Digital Meat Candy Thermometer, I will place the link below.

Happy Shopping :)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RV3QAKS