Tag Archive | product review

Thankful Thursday 2021 Week 2/52

Wanna know what a good “resolution” is for 2021?!?! Supporting local and small businesses!

If you’re local and want to have the best sourdough and the best scones I’ve ever tasted check out Sweet little bake shop on Instagram! The double chocolate scones are what chocolate dreams are made of!!! Pure bliss!!

I’m very thankful for the online friendships and support I’ve found in other Mom’s and I love supporting them when we can! The above photos are our order from Sweet little bake shop yesterday and were absolutely delicious!

It’s hard not to be thankful with a paw full of chocolate deliciousness!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie “Hack”

Jan6

Before Christmas there was a “recipe” hack floating around Facebook and Instagram to make these peanut butter cup cookies! So tonight Jacob and I gave them a go!!

These are so easy! You need a Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix, mini resse cups, Pam, veggie oil and water.

Simply follow directions on the cookie package, spray mini muffin tin, divide dough into 12 even balls in the muffin tins, press in peanut butter cup.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and allow to cool in tin for 5-10 minutes before removing.

Pros-Super easy! My 5 year old could 100% prep these himself.
-Quick
-Fun for the kids! All three gave them 2 thumbs up!

Cons-If you’re a home baker you’re not going to love the pb cookie mix! I’ll 100% recreate this with my homemade cookie recipe!
-Hard to remove from pan. I sprayed the tin but definitely would suggested a hearty spray!

Another friend says she makes these with the pre made Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough! These would be a great rainy day activity with the kids!

Time To Smell The Flowers…

Mar25

Good afternoon friends! Is anyone else riding a wave of emotion? One minute full of hope and driven to get through this and the next minute full on panic?!? No? Just me? I know it’s not just me! We are all in this together and it’s ok to admit it’s hard.

Today I had my spirits lifted by a porch delivery of a huge bucket of citrus coloured flowers from Floral support.

Floral Support is a local wholesale flower company that specializes in all sorts of floral decor for weddings, parties, or just your weekly bouquet! Given the current pandemic situation the world is facing I think it’s fair to say every industry has seen massive slowdowns, shut downs and lay offs. The only silver lining to that is more people are safe at home through this! Or they should be! The flower industry is no different, with a multitude of canceled events and weddings there are greenhouses full of beautiful flowers that no longer have a destination. Even when the world shuts down the flowers keep growing. That’s where Rachel from Floral Support decided to step in and try to find these flowers a home!

Rachel recently started the Floral Aid Project on Instagram to help support local growers & farmers and to bring some color and beauty into our lives while we are all unable to leave our homes. Rachel is offering contact free drop offs and pick ups of these beautiful buckets of flowers for the wholesale price of $50. You get to pick between 3 color schemes, Spring, Citrus, or Jewel. To get your own bucket delivered simply contact Rachel on Instagram, the Floral Support website or email info@floralsupport.ca

If you’re looking for a way to bring some color into your home, wanting to help support our local businesses and farmers or simply need a distraction by way of arranging beautiful flowers definitely look into the Floral aid project!

Epicure Azteca Tortilla Soup

Jan5

It’s that time of year again! A new Epicure catalogue has launched with lots of new products and meal solutions. I thought it might be fun to review some of the new products and share my thoughts.

If you aren’t familiar with Epicure it is a local to me Canadian company that aims to inspire clean eating through their line of gluten free, sugar/salt/fat conscious line of spices, mixes, and meal solutions.

In the spirit of full disclosure I should mention that I am an independent Epicure consultant! That in no way means I will withhold my honest opinions on these products. This is not a sponsored post in any way and I have purchased these products at my own cost.

So, on to the soup!

I followed the directions on the package using the water option instead of broth. The ingredients and directions are extremely simple. You boil the water and seasoning, add in tomatoes, boil again. Meanwhile rinse the black beans. Add beans and corn and simmer.

To serve top with Greek yogurt, cheese,avocado, lime juice, and tortilla chips if you wish.

Now in all honesty I found the soup incredibly bland after following the directions on the package. Next time I will definitely use broth over water.

After trying it as prepared according to the package directions I went ahead and added in some salt, taco seasoning, red garlic sensel, and a few other things to give it more of the flavour I was expecting/looking for.

I also added two chopped Roma tomatoes because I like chunks or tomatoes in my taco soup.

I don’t mind at all that I had to add salt to this soup. In fact I think that is a good thing given how many packaged mixes and soups are sodium heavy. I’m not one who adds much salt in my cooking but I will when it’s needed. I will admit I wasn’t expecting to have to add so many extra ingredients/spices to this soup to make it more flavourful. On the other hand it’s easier to add ingredients to your liking then to try to cover up a flavour you don’t like in a package mix.

Once the soup was done and topped with the toppings mentioned above and cilantro I very much enjoyed it but again I don’t think I would of enjoyed it very much had I not tweaked it to my liking.

With that being said would I make this again? Absolutely! I would make it using broth and set out knowing what I want to add. I’m also looking forward to trying this with the addition of veggie ground round (or ground beef for the meat eaters). I would also use this mix in other recipes, I’m thinking a taco casserole.

This product is not at all what I was expecting as a quick meal solution/soup mix but it’s a product I will happily use as an ingredient in my own creations.

Keurig 2.0 K200 & Van Houtte Specialty Coffee Review

Sep30

As some of you know I was lucky enough to be chosen by Influenster to receive a complimentary Keurig 2.0 K200 Brewer and Van Houtte specialty coffee for testing and review purposes. While these items were provided to me free of charge, I guarantee you these opinions are my own.

Let’s start with Keurig 2.0 K200. I love the coffee maker! No really I’m seriously smitten with this shiny little black despenser of hot coffee goodness!!

As a new Mom who often has her hands full in the morning the K200 is a life saver. It’s fast, easy to use and doesn’t take up a ton of counter space! I love being able to pop in a K-cup, push a button and a few minutes later my coffee, tea, or hot chocolate is ready to go!!

I love that with this machine I can brew a single cup of coffee or an entire carafe when friends and family stop by! I also love that it despenses hot water! I’m a big tea fan and this definitely makes life easier.

Im also enjoying trying all the varieties of pods available for the Keurig Brewers! I found a local store that lets you pick out 24 K-cups for $17.99! I’m not going to lie, it took me over 30 minutes to pick out 24 K-cups!

On the topic of coffee variety and K-cups, Influenster also sent me Van Houtte coffee’s new specialty collection. I received their new cappuccino and vanilla latte coffees.

These new coffee are a two step system consisting of a powder and the coffee k-cup. Simply dump the powder in your mug and brew the k-cup into the mug then stir! Super easy coffee house inspired drinks at home!

They are definitely a step up from your regular K-cups and quick easy specialty coffee when you can’t get to your favourite coffee house.

I enjoyed both varieties but I liked the vanilla latte the best. Both varieties have a Sucralose flavor I could live without but overall they are a nice change. At 110 calories they also fit nicely into my day as a sweet treat.

Thank you Influenster for including me in the Keurig and Van houtte Voxbox! I’ve throughly enjoyed trying these products and sharing my opinion!

RUNLOVEBOX

Sep29

I was recently lucky enough to have the opportunity to receive a Runlovebox to review and share my thoughts! I heard about this new company through Seawheeze and was more than excited to see this box show up on my door this past Saturday!

Runlovebox is a monthly subscription box company based out of Vancouver BC! They are a new company that is already doing great things! Runlovebox is the brain child of Alyssa, a busy triathlete who is also a Family medicine resident! I love ambitious women and I think starting a business while a full time Resident counts as seriously ambitious!! Alyssa knows how hard it can be for busy runners to get their hands on new products and knows we don’t always want to commit to a full size version of something prior to trying it. With this knowledge her vision was born!

Each month for $15 Runlovebox subscribers will receive a box full of running goodies! My favourite part of this subscription box is each month is based around a theme! Septembers theme was “The Early Bird”, a collection of things to help runners start their day off right! More on that in a minute! I also really enjoy the fact that Runlovebox takes the time to list the company information of each goodie to save subscribers the time of sourcing out company info. All the info is listed right there on the included card! It’s nice to know where the products come from and how to get our hands on more of the things we love!

Okay on to the goods!!

I love local products, so I was excited to find Orgins coffee in this months box!! Based out of Vancouver, freshly roasted organic artisan coffee! Delicious! My faveorite sample this month was the Go Macro Chashew butter bars! Oh my gosh, so yummy! I found these were great to grab in the morning when I was wrangling Jacob to get his day started! You really can’t go wrong with these bars as they are vegan, non-gmo and delicious! This months Runlovebox also included Burt’s Bees lip balm! This is a welcome addition at this time of year as my lips start to suffer in the crisp air and running outside makes them worse! I love the addition of peppermint in this balm! I’d recommend this balm to anyone who suffers with dry lips. A genius product addition I found in this months box was the paper shower! A large wipe to freshen up after a run and a dry towel wipe to dry off. This is such a great idea to keep in your gym bag or purse for after a run or a workout! I love running at the park and often feel gross afterwards and avoid even quick stops before going home. With this product I can wipe sweat away and not feel so gross prior to getting a shower! Also included were Nuun hydration tablets. Electrolyte drink tabs without added carbs! At 8 calories each they are much easier on the diet than other sports drinks. Plus they taste great! It’s safe to say I am seriously impressed with Alyssa and Runlovebox! The fact it is a local company is the frosting on the cake!! I think $15 a month is a great price for the opportunity to try out products and sample goodies!

If you’re a runner or even a walker check out Runlovebox. A monthly subscription would make a great gift for the runner in your life. There is no minimum on the number of months you must sign up for so ordering one month or a number of months as a gift is easy.

Check out this great subscription box! You won’t be disappointed!

RunLoveBox

Naturebox Review

Sep17

I’m a big fan of healthy, fun snacks so when I got my free Naturebox I was super excited to bust into it!

Naturebox is a monthly subscription box that ships right to your door. You can choose 3 or 5 snacks and add on premium snacks like turkey jerky for an additional fee.

Naturebox allows you to pick your own snacks each month from a huge list of snacks. They have something for every type of snacker! Sweet, salty, crunchy, soft. Nuts, cookies, dried fruit, crackers, popcorn, etc.

It took me a while to pick out what I wanted to try but I finally settled on Prailne pumpkin seeds, Peanut butter yum yums, Harvest nut mix, Sweet and Salty nuts, and Whole wheat strawberry fig bars.

It is safe to say I enjoyed all my selections but the Harvest nut mix was my favourite!

I am a huge trail mix fan and the flavours in this mix were delicious! I loved the corn and the cracker sticks! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is looking for a slightly salty, crispy snack.

My second favourite selection was the Praline pumpkin seeds.

These are sweet little bites of crispy goodness! They are a very Autumn feeling snack thanks to the pumpkin pie spice. They cured my sweet tooth without breaking the calorie bank!

My next favourite snack was the Sweet and Salty nuts.

I am a big fan of nuts on salads and these mixed sweet and salty nuts where perfect for that!! They weren’t overly sweet or salty, as Goldilocks would say “Just right!”

Next I tried the Peanut butter nom nom’s.

Anyone who knows me knows how I feel about peanut butter!! Very amorous is how I feel for those who don’t know!! These were tasty little treats but ring in at 100 calories each! It is hard to eat just one as they are like soft little cookies but 100 calories each seemed high to me.

My final snack was the Whole wheat strawberry fig bars.

I enjoyed these and think they would make a great snack to grab to keep in my bag for those days we are out and about longer than expected. They packed a big fig flavor and the whole wheat made them feel more healthy than a traditional fig cookie.

Over all I really enjoyed my Naturebox sample box and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys healthy snacking. A box of 5 full size snacks will run you $19.99 a month and you can cancel your subscription anytime or order your box more frequently as you choose. In my opinion the price is totally fair given the high quality, full size snack you receive.

I’m definitely looking forward to picking next months snacks!

Check out Naturebox here!!

David’s Tea Peanut Butter Cup Review

Aug23

I was given a sample of David’s tea new upcoming fall flavor, Peanut butter cup. I was pretty excited about this new flavor given how I feel about Peanut butter. That feeling is smitten incase you were wondering.

This new flavor will be released at the end of August with the rest of the Fall line. It’s definitely worth a try if you like peanut butter!

This peanut-ty little number is a herbal fruit infusion and is chock full of nutty flavor. Sorry I couldn’t resist! It does have nuts though. Almonds to be specific, along with apples, cococa peel, chocolate chips, safflower and a bit of “flavoring”. It smells amazing before, during, and after steeping.

I was surprised just how spot on the peanut butter flavor was despite not having peanuts as an ingredient. I tried the tea straight up to experience the full flavor prior to adding my cream. Yes I add cream. I’m one of those!
I would recommend anyone who loves peanut butter to give this tea a try. The chocolate was subtle but I thought that it worked well. I will definitely be adding this tea to my fall favorites list.

All About Tea!

Nov10

A few months back I took part in a candy swap with some online friends and in my package of treats I received a few David’s tea tea bags in Forever nut and I was hooked! Shortly after that fateful day I ventured to our local location to give the tea thing a fair go!

I ended up buying the tea starter kit, the fall flavors set and a large can of Forever nuts! I was in love. Since then I’ve found myself poping into the local locations any time I’m near one. Up until my David’s discovery I was pretty brand loyal to Tazo teas by Starbucks. Don’t get me wrong I still love my Passion tea but its no David’s!

I did a tea swap with a friend in Victoria and with another blogger and received even more flavors to try! Just when I think I’ve narrowed down my list of favorites I find a new to me flavor and fall in love all over again. I am weak!!

My weakness was evident Friday morning as I was up bright and early to order the 24 days of tea advent calendar on the website. My excitement turned to disappointment as I learned the website sold out within an hour of release! I guess Lululemon isn’t the only company that uses the scaracity model! BC folks had little hope of online purchase because of upload time. I now know how the Lulu girls out of my time zone feel every Monday night! Sadsies!!! I decided to take a chance and head to Guildford to try and get my hands on the elusive highly sought after tea advent calendar!

If you ever told me I’d be standing in line for tea I would have laughed but stand in line I did! I was actually first in line at 9:45 and by store opening at 10 am there was a substantial line! Kevin shook his head as us ~~hens~~ ladies discussed our favorite flavors! Mine are Guava cadabra, Birthday cake, Pink lemonade, Lime gelato, and of course Forever nuts in case you wondered!

I am looking forward to sharing my tea experiences with you thorough out December!!

As I have mentioned in the past I am working hard to learn to slow down, to embrace time, experiences, and life. While tea is just a simple beverage to most it stands as a reminder to me that good things take time. It reminds me to slow down, step back and wait to avoid getting burned, figuratively and literally.

Happy New Year!

Jan1

I for one can’t believe the year is already upon us! No one told how fast time and life would move once I became an adult! I hope everyone had a fun night and didn’t wake up feeling too rough this morning!! My night was pretty dark and low key..Muffin and I spent the final hours of 2012 at work doing next to nothing thanks to a power outage. Not exactly how I ended to say farewell to the year. Oh well, just one of those things in life that remind me how little control we really have sometimes .

I woke up this morning and threw together a yummy breakfast consisting of ancient grains hot cereal, a scoop of peanut butter, and a banana. It was delicious and filling. The Starbucks skinny peppermint mocha wasn’t to shabby either!

After breakfast I did my typical work duties until it was time to conquer lunch. I decided to make a hearty salad consisting of mixed baby greens, avocado, cucumber, pineapple, pecans, cashews, feta and a few crispy onions for some crunch! I sprinkled the whole thing with a little fig balsamic vinegar. This is where I wish I had stopped but alas live and learn! I added the garlic salmon burger patty I had cooked as my protein source and learned quickly it was a bad choice. I like to try to buy local, so on a recent trip to Choices Market I picked up a box of Ella’s Finest Garlic Ginger Salmon Burgers.

I think I paid about $6 for the two pack and cooked them according to box directions. They smelled decent enough while cooking but first bite proved other wise. I actually ended up picking it back out of my salad after trying two bites. I am sorry to report in my opinion it maybe the worst salmon I’ve ever had! It was very dry and flavourless, not at all what I was expecting. Once I removed the salmon the salad wasn’t half bad, tho I’m sure I will be looking for a snack sooner then usual thanks to my protein void lunch. Ya can’t win ’em all my friends!

I think I’m going to bundle up and take Muffin for a walk around the neighbour hood. It is cold and crisp but not snowing or raining! So I figure we both could benefit from a little fresh air and a break from “work”! Incase you’re curious this is what Muff’s Work day has looked like thus far today …

“Just checking Facebook mom!”

But mostly this…

Life is hard people!!!!
Have a great day!

Life With The McGavins

100% Not Sugar Coated