Review: Coconut Organics CocoBacon

June 18, 2014Andrea 1 Comment

I was contacted by Coconut Organics asking if I would be interested in reviewing their newest product being marketed as coconut bacon.

Seriously, I could not pass up coconut bacon so I accepted. This sounded so interesting and unique that I was curious what the product would be like.

Here is a little bit from their website describing the coconut bacon:

CocoBacon ® is made in our organically certified kitchen. First we start with thick, sweet organic coconut chips from mature coconuts and lightly toast them. These crunchy decadent coconut chips get a generous dose of raw, organic coconut oil to achieve the fatty satisfaction of bacon. Then, we apply a little bit of low-glycemic, high-vitamin organic coconut sugar for the slight sweetness of bacon. Next, we add some high-mineral Celtic Sea Salt ® for the salty side of bacon. The final savory and smoky flavors come from organic mesquite smoke flavor and our special organic spice blend. The result is a perfectly balanced salty, savory, smoky and sweet flavor combination on a crunchy coconut chip.

The coconut bacon is in a 2.2 oz bag and the bag is completely resealable. It is labeled as vegan and gluten free. The ingredients are also very clean (to my standards) so I felt good about reviewing this product. Going by the ingredients, the product is also technically Paleo.

I’m not really quite sure what I was expecting when thinking coconut bacon but this definitely surprised me! I was assuming this was going to be big pieces of coconut product put together to form a “slice”. Because when I think about bacon, I think about a slice of something.

That isn’t what this product looks like at all.

It’s big pieces of flaked coconut that have been toasted and then a savory smokey seasoning is added.

I had the coconut bacon straight up to see what it was like right out of the bag. There is a big crunch factor to the pieces of coconut. The taste is definitely interesting and unique. It’s very sweet because it is a large piece of actual coconut but then the savory smokey part comes in at the end. The two flavors are separate and distinct. First it’s sweet, then it’s savory.

It’s a little weird but strangely addicting and kind of fun.

I then had it on a salad to see what mixing it with something else would be like. The coconut bacon’s sweetness went way down and it added a savory little crunch and texture to the salad. As a salad topping or a topping to say a baked potato would be the way I would eat this product. Straight up is fine but I prefer it mixed with something.

Because of it’s convenient packaging, I can see how this would be great for traveling since the packaging makes it very portable. Perfect for keeping some at the office, in your purse/laptop bag for when you need a little something during the day. Since it does have that sweet/savory mix going on combined with all the healthy fat from the coconut meat, it is very satisfying as a snack.

Currently this product is available online in two packs or six packs. And the company has free shipping going on right now!

Coconut Bacon is unique, interesting and definitely worth checking out. Try a little snack and see what you think!

Disclaimer: I was sent this product for review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Review: Pure Safe Shell Water Bottles

June 11, 2014Andrea Leave a comment

The folks at Pure Safe Shell contacted me about reviewing their water bottles. I just happened to be looking for replacement water bottles because the ones we were using had broken. Again. They constantly broke on us and after this last time that they broke yet again, I was calling it quits. They were also plastic which made me really consider using glass bottles. However, keeping me from making the switch was the risk of the bottle breaking. No one has time to deal with cleaning up glass shards!

I was intrigued by the Pure bottles because they have a plastic coating on the outside to help keep the glass from making a mess if it was dropped. No spilled drinks and no glass shards going everywhere? Count me in!

Pure sent me three different bottles to test out. From right to left they are:

Pure Proclamation, 20 oz

Pure Mini, 12 oz

Pure Explorer, 25 oz

I was also sent a flip tab lid in blue which fits on the Proclamation and the Mini. The other lids that are pictured on the bottles, I’m not sure what they are called and cannot find them on the website.

I loved the different sizes and shapes of the bottles. The Explorer bottle has a nice curved shape and a screw top lid. This bottle is perfect for bringing along a beverage to a picnic. You can pour in some wine and be assured that not only is the bottle sealed but won’t shatter spilling wine and glass everywhere. It’s really handy for traveling as well!

The Proclamation and the Mini are great for lunch boxes and taking to work. All of the openings are big enough to fit ice or fruit if you wanted to add some lemon wedges.

I did not use these bottles while working out. I prefer a sport bottle with a straw while working out other wise I’ll end up spilling water all over myself. If you don’t suffer from the same issue, then I think these would be great to take to yoga or perhaps a barre class.

All the bottles have some heft to them so be aware of that if you are going to be carrying them around much.

The glass is made from borosilicate glass which has a high impact resistance. The coating is BPA and phthalate free. The coating also provides some traction as well so that the bottles don’t slip out of your hand. This becomes especially useful when the bottles have a bit of condensation on them.

The entire bottle is recyclable, so in the event it breaks, everything can get tossed in the recycling bin.

I was sent a smashed bottle to check out as well.

It was a little tricky to photograph but you can see that the mini bottle is completely smashed. I was able to squish it around and the glass was entirely contained. It did not cut me and there were no sharp edges poking out. The safe shell totally delivers!

I did like the tab top a little better than the other top with the handle. The tap top has a smaller opening so not as much water comes out, which can be one downside to that style top. However the top with the handle takes a few more steps when you want to open the top to be able to drink which can be a bit of a deterrent. At least for me it was, I liked the ease of the tab top. Now if the tab top came with a handle then that would be the perfect marriage of the two!

Regardless, the bottles are well made and I definitely feel more at ease carrying around a glass water bottle knowing that if it breaks the glass is totally contained.

If you are in the market for a glass water bottle then definitely give the Pure Safe Shell a consideration! They are environmentally friendly, safe to use, and totally recyclable!

Disclaimer: I was sent these water bottles for review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this post. Links in this post ARE NOT affiliates.

Review: Bondi Bands Take 2 and a Giveaway

June 4, 2014Andrea 7 Comments

***GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED***

The winner is Lindsay!

I will fully admit that I love Bondi Bands. I have been wearing them for years, in fact, here is my first review of them. Bondi Band contacted me and asked if I could host a giveaway for their bands.

YES! Because I want you to have a chance to try out their bands as well!

I wear these headbands all the time. While running, hiking, walking the dogs, and even when I’m outside doing yard work. They keep the sweat out of my eyes and also keep my hair from getting in my face.

It doesn’t matter if you have short hair or long hair. Are female or a male, these headbands are for everyone. And they are fantastic!

They don’t ride up as you work out. For those of us with smaller heads, it’s as if these headbands were made just for us! They fit our smaller heads and we don’t have to worry about them either rolling off or falling down as we move and grove.

I love them! Bondi Band has expanded and they offer all kinds of cool products to use while working out or whatever you need. I know for sure that I’m going to get the armband for my cell phone. It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!

Now it’s your turn to have one! I’m running a contest that will end on June 7th at 12pm Mountain Time. There are multiple ways you can enter and increase your chances of winning! Contest is open to anyone in the US and you can pick your choice of headband from the ones pictured above. There is a melon colored one that says “Suck It Up Buttercup” and a fuchsia one that says, “Because I Can”. I will contact the winner via email so please make sure you use a valid email address when you comment.

But wait there’s more! The Sweat Pink community is also offering a 10% discount on any order you place with Bondi Band! Offer is good on everything except: Bargain Bin, Design Your Own, and Custom Items. Enter SWEATPINK for the discount code and receive 10% off your order!

Disclaimer: Bondi Band sent these headbands to me for review and asked that I do a giveaway. I was not compensated in any other way. Opinions are my own.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sweet Tater Smoothie from Paleo Smoothies

May 29, 2014Andrea Leave a comment

We are in love with smoothies here at the HQ. We try to have a smoothie everyday with our lunch or if we’re not too hungry, it will be lunch.

Having a smoothie jam packed with fruits and veggies makes me feel amazing. It also helps us to get in more portions of fruits and veggies throughout the day.

We have our favorites though and are guilty of falling into a rut. Having the same smoothie over and over again, it happens. Some days I am not feeling inspired to experiment.

This is why I was thrilled to be able to review the new Paleo Smoothies recipe book by Mariel Lewis. It’s packed full of recipes that are unique and utilizing ingredients that I never thought of adding to a smoothie (hard boiled egg anyone?).

The book is broken down into 10 categories, such as Cleansing Smoothies and Recovery Smoothies. Mariel gives a brief run down of the Paleo Diet and goes over what foods are included in the diet. She also discusses how smoothies are beneficial to over all health and even gives you a guide to kitchen tools that you should have on hand.

I couldn’t wait to start making smoothies! Since I have never had a sweet potato in a smoothie before, I made the Sweet Tater Smoothie.

Sweet Tater Smoothie from Paleo Smoothies by Mariel Lewis

Republished with permission from Adams Media, © 2014 Mariel Lewis

1 Frozen Banana

1 Baked Medium Sweet Potato, skin removed

1 1/4 Cups Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1TBSP Maple Syrup

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/8 tsp Ground Cloves (to garnish)

1. Place all ingredients in a blender, except for the ground cloves, and blend on high until smooth.

2. Pour smoothie in a glass and garnish with half of the ground cloves. Enjoy!

This smoothie was rich and delicious! It tasted like a pumpkin pie. The sweet potato produced that gorgeous orange color and made the smoothie extra thick, like a well made milkshake.

I might start keeping sweet potatoes on hand just for smoothies! Each recipe in the book also has nutritional information so that you know exactly how many calories, carbs, and so on you are consuming.

Whether you are on a Paleo Diet or not, this recipe book has some amazing smoothies that will please all tastes!

Disclaimer: I was sent this cookbook for review. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write about it and was not compensated for this review.

Review: New Balance Fresh Foam 980s

February 14, 2014Andrea 2 Comments

Just when I thought that I would be searching for new running shoes for ages, I was contacted by New Balance asking if I would review their latest shoe design.

I couldn’t say yes fast enough and get back to running in some new kicks!

The Fresh Foam 980s are New Balance’s latest neutral running shoe. Direct from New Balance they describe the shoe as:

Combines ultra-plush cushioning with reduced drop from heel to forefoot and offering a super bouncy ride.

Because the soles seem rather large and thick, you would think that this would make the shoe heavy. However the shoes are very light, weighting less than 10 oz, and are soft like a slipper.

We’ve been having some really icky weather lately and I didn’t want to have to break the shoes in with snow and ice. Everyone always wants perfect running weather to break in new shoes! I didn’t have much choice though and got to running as soon as I got these babies in the mail.

They are heaven on my feet. I’m ridiculously picky about running shoes, sometimes spending up to an hour or more in a store trying on shoes. They must fit my feet perfectly and sometimes the arch in shoes doesn’t match up with the arch in my foot. Or the stitching is weird or something hits my toe funny and so on and so on. You get the point.

These shoes fit like a glove. They are tight enough that my narrow feet don’t slip as I run but roomy enough that my feet have space to breathe and move around. There’s no overlay stitching so you don’t have to worry about a seam rubbing against your foot causing blisters. I’ve worn these shoes with socks and without. The Fresh Foams provide a smooth fit with no irritating stitching.

The Fresh Foams are so light and cushiony! They are made to support running from heel to toe. Even walking in them, they push you forward and support a forward motion. I am a heel striker when I run so I was very curious how these would feel once I hit the road.

Because they are made with heel-to-toe motion in mind, the heel is soft and bouncy. It completely supports a heel strike stride giving the runner the cushion they need where they need it. With the heel-to-toe motion already engineered in the shoe, running becomes very fluid and almost effortless.

One of the things I loved the most about the Fresh Foam 980s, is the sole. It’s a complete sole with no gaps or air pockets. Previous shoes that I’ve worn had gaps in the soles. I was constantly getting rocks stuck in my shoes. And when it snows, snow can build up in the bottom of the shoes and form ice balls making running uncomfortable. One of the most annoying things is getting something stuck in your shoe while running and you have to stop to deal with it.

With the full sole of the Fresh Foams, you don’t have to worry about any of that! Once less thing you have to think about while out running. From my experience running in these shoes, the full sole provides more traction and stability as I run.

For those that love flashy shoes, the Fresh Foams do not disappoint! They come in many vibrant color combs with a spray paint finish on the soles. Three color combos to pick from for the women’s fit and three colors for the men’s fit.

Missing my beloved Pearl Izumi shoes, these New Balance Fresh Foam 980s are my new go-to for neutral running shoes! I will be sticking with these for a while!

Thanks to New Balance for letting me try out their new shoes!

Disclaimer: New Balance contacted me and offered me a pair of shoes for review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Healthy Hoo Hoo Products

February 5, 2014Andrea Leave a comment

Doing something completely different today and posting a review. It’s been a while since I’ve done a review of a product because nothing of interest has been sent my way. Numerous pitches to post other people’s recipes or trying some sort of processed “healthy” treat has been flooding my inbox.

No thank you.

But today I’m doing a product review and, get ready to clutch your pearls, it’s designed just for the girlie bits!

I was contacted by a company that makes all natural feminine cleansing products and my curiosity was peaked. I am always searching for more natural products to use and this was very unique. So I agreed to do a review for them.

Healthy Hoo-Hoo, doesn’t leave you guessing at all what the products are designed for. The company makes cleansers and wipes designed just for us girls. All products are chemical free, fragrance free, and free of parabens.

I was sent the cleanser (there is also a foaming cleanser but I did not test that) and wipes to try out.

I will spare you the suspense and tell you that I love both of these products and will be seeking them out in the stores.

The cleanser is a mild cleanser that gently foams up a little. It’s Ph balanced just for down there so that it doesn’t cause any drying or strip away any of the goodness that we need. I felt cleaner and, at the risk of sounding weird, much more balanced when using this cleanser. It worked better and left me feeling more fresh than other cleansers that I’ve tried.

And there is no fragrance! It doesn’t leave you smelling like a tulip saturated in baby powder. Which, let’s be honest, is a definite plus for feminine hygiene products.

The wipes are also fantastic. Just the right size for a little freshening up. They are perfect for all the times when we need just that, after exercising, during that time of the month, and after a little bump-n-grind.

Again, they are fragrance free so you won’t be overwhelmed with anything unpleasant. I’ve used the wipes in all of the above situations and they worked great. They are available in travel packs so that you can keep some in your purse or in your gym bag.

I was happy to try these products and to share the results with you. While it’s a very different from what I normally talk about, I do think it’s important to know that there are all natural products designed just for women that are available to us.

If you live in Fort Collins, you can currently purchase these products at our local Whole Foods. If you are curious where you can purchase these products yourself, the website has a store locator link. Or you can purchase the products online.

I definitely recommend these products. Test them out and see what you think, I would love to hear your thoughts!

Disclaimer: Healthy Hoo-Hoo asked me to review their products. I was not compensated for this review and all opinions are my own.

Review: Elysian Brewing’s The Great Pumpkin

October 9, 2013Andrea Leave a comment

If you missed the first three reviews, you can find them here, here, and also over here.

Elysian Brewing is located in Seattle, Washington and they are known for being the kings of pumpkin beers. They do so much with pumpkin and for someone like myself who adores pumpkin beers, I am all over it.

They are big supporters of collaborations among breweries and used to brew some of there beer here in Fort Collins at the New Belgium Facility. They have since expanded to where they can brew all their beers in Seattle.

Today we are talking about their The Great Pumpkin, Imperial Pumpkin Ale! This brew is available in bomber size and only around in the fall.

Smell: 4/5 :pumpkin:

The aroma on this beer is very strongly spiced. Cinnamon is the most prominent and then you can start to pick up the spicy ginger and even a little honey for some sweetness.

Head: 2/5 :pumpkin:

The head didn’t last too long but it was a bright egg white color providing a nice contrast to the beer.

Color: :5/5 pumpkin: :pumpkin:

Bright orange with some amber undertones. The color is gorgeous and is perfect for a pumpkin ale.

Taste: 5/5 :pumpkin:

This beer will wake up your senses. The strong spice on the nose follows through with the taste. It’s not a tease, it’s a strong indicator of what kind of shenanigans you’re about to get into.

The spice is so strong that it’s almost a little spicy. It leaves your tongue a little tingly.

This style of beer is exactly what I’m looking for in a pumpkin ale. I totally dug this beer and am looking forward to some more!

If you like strongly spiced pumpkin ales, this is the way to go.

That wraps up our Pumpkin Beer Tasting for 2013! It’s time to start researching and see what I can gather for next year’s tasting!

What pumpkin beers did you have this year that you loved?

Review: Dry Dock Imperial Pumpkin

October 2, 2013Andrea Leave a comment

Missed the first two reviews? Check them out here and here!

This week we are taking a look at Dry Dock Brewing’s Imperial Pumpkin.

Dry Dock is a brewery located out of Aurora Colorado and they make a wide variety of beers.

One of my absolute favorite summer beers (though it is available all year round), is Dry Dock’s Apricot Blonde. If you want a beer with strong apricot flavor that isn’t over powering or too sweet, this is it. Fantastic.

But today Fall is on the brain and we’re talking about their Imperial Pumpkin, so let’s get to it!

Smell: 5/5 :pumpkin:

Strong spice smell full of cinnamon and allspice. A little clove in there as well. The minute you smell this beer you know you are in for a fall inspired brew.

Head: 2/5 :pumpkin:

The head is foamy white but on the smaller side. Which is nice because when you really want to drink that beer, having to wait on the head to go down can be a bit of a distraction.

Color: 5/5 :pumpkin:

This beer has a nice dark amber color with hints of orange. If beer can provide an atmosphere of warm and inviting than this one does just that. Looking at it, makes you think of warm blankets and chilly evenings.

With the head being white and the beer being darker, it provides a lovely contrast.

Taste: 5/5 :pumpkin:

Bang on. I love pumpkin beers that are aggressive with their spice. I don’t want a “hint of cinnamon”. I want that cinnamon to smack me in the face.

This beer does exactly that! The spice starts with the nose and stays with you through the entire sip. It doesn’t dissipate at all or leave you feeling a little disappointed on the finish. The spice is there with you through it all. Amazing!

Plus you get the flavor of roasted pumpkin in there as well, a winning combo!

If you see this beer out and you like highly spiced pumpkin ales, give this a try!

Review: Uinta Punk’n Harvest Ale

September 26, 2013Andrea Leave a comment

Check out the first Pumpkin Beer review of 2013 here.

Uinta (which is awkward to say) makes a pumpkin ale called Punk’n Harvest Ale. Uinta Brewing is out of Salt Lake City, Utah and they make various styles of beers. Everything from easy sessionables to the more potent and big beers.

I was very anxious to try their pumpkin ale and see what they were bringing to the table.

Smell: 3/5 :pumpkin:

Has a great spicy aroma. Not over powering but enough to let you know this is a beer for the fall season.

Head: 5/5 :pumpkin:

The head is a glorious off white color and very creamy. It sticks around for a long time as well. I ended up having to spoon some off so that I could get to the beer.

Color: 5/5 :pumpkin:

As you can see, this is a gorgeous beer. Creamy white head and perfect orange color. Very pretty to look at.

Taste: 1/5 :pumpkin:

Sadly, looks aren’t everything and most of us like a little more substance. I had really high hopes for this beer because it was so pretty and because it smelled awesome. But the aroma in this situation isn’t an indicator of taste. The spice flavor sits very dry on the tongue at first. Almost like toasted cinnamon that you licked off a plate. You know what it is, but it’s kinda weird. The spice leaves quickly after that and the beer has a bit of a watery mouthfeel to it. Considering the great head on this beer I definitely thought it would be a little more complex and have a bit more umph to it.

Checking Untappd, it seems I had this beer last year as well and thought the same thing. So that does mean that Uinta is being consistent with their brews! Sadly that also means that I don’t dig it.

This beer does come in a regular 12oz size bottle so if you see it out, I say still give it a shot. It might be right up your alley and it’s always nice to try new beers.

But for us, this one won’t be making a return visit.

Check back next week to see what new pumpkin beer we’ll be talking about! :pumpkin:

Review: Epic Brewing’s Fermentation without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter

September 19, 2013Andrea 1 Comment

Last year I took a break and didn’t review any pumpkin beers at all. We just moved and were still getting settled.

I also didn’t see many out and the ones we did find were duds. Because of all of that I couldn’t muster up the energy to write about them.

This year I’m back with some new beers to talk about!

To get an idea of how this works, check out the previous reviews.

2011 Pumpkin Beer Reviews

And yes those beers are in a shaker glasses. GASP! You’ll live. Trust.

First up this year, we are taking a look at Epic Brewing’s Fermentation without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter.

Say that five times fast.

Epic is a brewery that started in Utah and opened a second brewery in Denver this year. They focus on creating strong brews and work to experiment with different flavors. This pumpkin porter is part of their Exponential Series, which is a series of beers designed for those who are looking to expand their palates and try something different (Much like New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series).

This porter comes in the larger American Style bomber size and has an ABV of 9%.

Smell: 3/5 :pumpkin:

This definitely had an interesting aroma to it. You get the roasted malt along with a hint of cinnamon at the end. It is not a super spicy smelling beer which makes sense given it’s style. So no worries that it’s going to knock you over the head with pumpkin spices. It’s subtle, just enough to let you know that maybe something else is going on with the porter.

Color: N/A

It’s a porter so it’s going to be super dark. We can’t really judge the color on this style.

Head: 4/5 :pumpkin:

Lovely off white head that isn’t too full. It sticks around for a bit and does provide some nice lacing on the glass.

Taste: 4/5 :pumpkin:

The taste was really surprising. I admit I went into this with some skepticism because of past experiences. Scott and I have tried some pumpkin porters and stouts and so far none of them have been that great.

This is different. It’s still a heavy beer with a big mouthfeel but it’s also very smooth and there isn’t much of a bitter finish. There is a hint of toasted cinnamon and then it finishes with the slightest pumpkin taste. Enough to make you realize that this isn’t a typical porter.

The pumpkin and spice are not over powering in any way and admittedly I prefer a much more aggressive spice, which is why this didn’t get a 5 from me.

I think if this had a little bit of vanilla and stronger cinnamon it would be knockout. However this is one of the best pumpkin porters we have tried and I would definitely have it again.

If you like porters and are looking for something a little different, give this a try and see what you think.

Ever had a pumpkin porter or stout? What is your favorite?

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