All Good April with Carrington Farms

**Disclosure: Carrington Farms sent me the products in my photo below, in exchange for my social media promotion and a blog post with my honest review.

 

 

A few of my girlfriends recently turned me on to Coconut Oil. Before that, I used olive oil whenever I could, but was still using vegetable oil (when I needed a large quantity - like to fry something). I could not believe how fast I fell in love with Coconut Oil. I had not full on made a switch, but I was trying to incorporate it where I could.

When Carrington Farms contacted me about being one of their All Good April Ambassadors, I jumped at the chance.

Carrington Co. is a natural and organic food company founded in 1999 providing tea, flax, chia, hemp, coconut oil and other natural food products to the health conscience
consumer in the supermarket /natural food, club and mass market trades.
Natural, organic, non-GMO ... y'all know that's what I'm all about lately. (And those plastic jars they use are even BPA free!)

Even the kids were excited when we got the package. They weren't too sure about the flax seeds, but they knew the coconut oil meant I would be doing some baking! Over the last two weeks, I think I have lost track of just how many things we have cooked with coconut oil!

For starters, any veggies I roasted in the oven for dinners? Went in coconut oil with just a little sea salt. I swapped out veggie oil for coconut oil in my boxed brownie mix and my girlfriend thought I made them from scratch. (The power of coconut oil!)

One night for dinner I was standing at the stove totally winging it. Mushrooms sautéed in a little bit of coconut oil on the stove. Sweet potatoes in coconut oil roasted in the oven. Another little bit of coconut oil to sauté the onions before I added the turkey cutlets and some broth. I finished off the dish with some flax seed on top of the meat before I served it.

We made popcorn on the stove with coconut oil. I added the flax seeds to my homemade banana bread. The kids didn't know the difference - and told me it was amazing. I have even been throwing the flax seed into oatmeal, cold cereal, and even a stir fry.

 

I am actually nearly out of BOTH the tub and the bottle of coconut oil. Which means this weekend I will be adding it to my shopping list! For my New England friends, Carrington Farms products can be purchased at your local Whole Foods. (Can't find some near where you live? You can order online with Carrington!)

In addition to their website, you can also follow up with Carrington Farms on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Carrington Farms will be hosting a twitter party this coming Tuesday, April 29th from 8-9pm!

Our new snacking faves

*Disclosure: We were sent coupons to try these products in exchange for social media promotion. I don't promote things I don't like, I promise.

You all know by now that I am on a constant quest to get my family eating better. I'm giving it a good try all across the board, snacks included.

Last summer my friend Laura turned the kids on to Popcorn, Indiana. She packed a bag on one of our many beach trips and the boys were immediately addicted. (So was I.) We started picking up a bag every time we went into Whole Foods. Their favorite flavors are Original Kettle Corn and Cinnamon Sugar Kettle Corn. All certified gluten free. There are so.many.flavors. to choose from, but my boys know what they like so we stick with those. (I have no photos of the boys enjoying popcorn because they tore right through the bag before I was ready ... and then it was gone.)

I am also completely in love with their Fit Pop. Shopping at Stop and Shop (yup, I'm everywhere) a few weeks ago, it was right by the front door and we grabbed a few to try. I'm not a big calorie counter, but seeing just 37 calories a cup ... I was in.

And did I mention it's:

• All Natural
• Gluten FREE
• Whole Grain
• Non-GMO
• Zero Trans Fat

LOVE! So good!

At Whole Foods, we also picked up some Ciao Bella Gelato. Something I pass by all the time but have never tried. It took awhile to pick a flavor with so many choices, but we settled on Coconut sorbetto.

Y'all? It contains actual coconut pieces! GMO free, dairy free ... uses organic cane sugar. I can not only pronounce each ingredient ... but there are only seven of them. I love knowing exactly what goes into a product. Ciao Bella is about to be my new choice over ice cream any day.

But it looks like I will have to fight the boys for it.

 

They are in love with it too.

 

Ciao Bella even has some cool ideas for what else you can do with their sorbetto and gelato. Think Happy Hour. Sorbetto cocktails. Try a scoop of your favorite Ciao Bella sorbetto over a bubbly glass of  Prosecco. (Putting that on my spring/summer list now and paging my girlfriends!) 

 

Or have a Gelato Bar! Host a get-together featuring a Ciao Bella gelato bar, complete with toppings and sauces from fruits and nuts to caramel and strawberry reduction. My kids would love that. Such a fun idea.

 

I'm hooked. And so are the boys.

Milk Unleashed

Question for you mamas. And dads. What kind of milk do you drink at home?

Once upon a time, the only thing I allowed in was what I got from the refrigerated section of the market ... or what I picked up at a diary. I had this idea that the kind of milk you could buy sitting on a shelf? Wasn't good somehow.

And I was totally wrong.

Over the last year my kids developed a little addiction to the really expensive juices at Whole Foods. One day over the summer I got them to some of the Organic Valley milk boxes that were on the refrigerator shelf next to the juices. It was so much cheaper that I was proud of myself for getting them each to grab one. And it was organic milk. I was a happy Mommy.

I had no idea at the time that it was the very kind of milk that could sit on a shelf without being refrigerated. The kind I stayed away from. It was not until Milk Unleashed sent me an email about their products that I put two and two together. Knowing how much the boys liked the Organic Valley milk, I wanted to try the rest out and learn a little more about shelf safe milk.

Shelf safe milk is real Grade A milk, packaged in milk boxes that don't need refrigeration until they are opened (like juice boxes). Available in chocolate, vanilla and white chocolate, kids love it. Or I know my kids do anyway! An 8oz. carton provides 9 grams of protein and 15 other essential vitamins and minerals.

As pictured above, Hershey's also makes one in strawberry. Another favorite of my boys. In fact, there was not one flavor that they didn't like.

With Halloween coming up, Milk Unleashed is also promoting their shelf safe milk for trick-or-treaters. I kind of love that idea. While it might not be what you traditionally think of dropping into the Halloween buckets, I happen to think it would make some kids excited. I can see my guys fighting over who got the milk. Just like they did when we opened the package from Milk Unleashed. That's right, my kids fought over who would get each box of milk. I must be doing something right.

So many choices. I have to say it has really changed my opinion of what kind of milk is OK to buy. Organic makes me happiest. And knowing I can take it anywhere? Throw it in the wrestling or swim bags before practice? Not have to worry about throwing in the ice packs that sweat? 

Sold.

See the cow the Bunny Bee is holding? The boys were especially obsessed with him. (The milk box tattoos were bonus!) Well, Milk Unleashed even has a cow calendar - with a fact, tip or something to add to milk - for every day this month. The boys had me post it on the refrigerator and make sure I read them one a day.

 

In addition to their website, you can follow up with Milk Unleashed on Facebook and Twitter.

***Disclosure: Milk Unleashed sent us everything you see pictured in the photo at the top of this post. Opinions are, as always, all our own.

If you know me, you know how much I heart ALDI. I was a convert the moment I got to go to their headquarters in Chicago. A week and a half ago, I attended the opening of the new ALDI in Middletown on West Main Road.

The first thing to catch my eye? Look at the price on these giant pumpkins. $3.99! Which by the way are now already down to just $2.99 - I happened to notice it while shopping this weekend.

See the dirt on those pumpkins? They are LOCAL. What's better than that!

The photo below are some of the seasonal special buys. My kids love the apple butter at the top, we stock up on it when they get it in. Each week, ALDI features 20-30 Special Buy items (anything from seasonal foods to cookware).

Switching to ALDI-exclusive brands can save you up to 50% over national brands, on the very things you buy the most. Here are just some of the examples of what you can save on. I love seeing it right out in front of me. The ALDI brands (in case you wondered) are still high quality food - under their very own exclusive brands. They buy from the same food producers as other supermarkets, and sell for less.

This? Is new. And I was so excited to see it. I had not noticed the price checker in my home stores, but you can bet I will be looking now. It always makes me happy to find a price checker for those times when you just aren't sure what something will cost.

Nature's Path is one of my most favorite ALDI finds. I may or may not have like 4 or 5 boxes on top of my fridge at home right now. I am obsessed with this delicious organic cereal, and it is always priced at $2.89 at ALDI. I happen to know that at a certain other health conscious supermarket I won't name, this very same box goes for just about $5. Score!

Look at these beautiful colors on the veggies. Week after week I stock up on all fresh veggies (fruit too) and my kids have actually learned to love it. They help me pick out what to put in the cart. Some of our staples are peppers, carrots, tomatoes and cauliflower. While not all of their fruits and veggies are organic, they do mark what is. Given the choice I will always buy the organic ones, and I feel like I am noticing more and more organic available lately.

Shopping for the first time at ALDI? Here are a few tips:

* Bring your own bags OR buy the reusable ones at the checkout.

* Put a quarter in the cart to unlock it. When you return it, you get your quarter back.

* By only accepting cash, debit and EBT cards at the checkout, ALDI's prices stay lower and their lines move quicker.

* After paying, you move your cart to the bagging area and pack your groceries how you like.

For an ALDI near you, check their store locator here. In addition to their website, you can also follow up with ALDI on Facebook and Twitter.



***Disclaimer: I attended the ALDI opening in Middletown because I LOVE them. Did I mention it's my weekly spot for shopping? Opinions are all my own. ALDI was nice enough to send me off with this cute reusable bag and some items from their store for attending the opening.

Those animal crackers are a favorite of the kids!

The Green Alligator on Celadon Road

Catchy title, isn't it?

With the holidays coming up soon, I thought I would show some local love this week... from things you can buy, where you can get a great massage, and even a giveaway coming up in a few days. 

Have you guys heard about Celadon Road? 

Such a pretty name. The first time I had heard of Celadon Road was at the October Mingling Moms event I think, when I met Olivia.  I could not help but stop to take a look at her candles.

Celadon Road’s Organic Beeswax and Soy Candles are free from paraffin, lead-containing wicks, and petroleum-based oils. Better yet, these natural, organic mood enhancing accessories come in beautiful, reusable glass jars.  Adorable right? 

As a company, Celadon Road promotes greener, healthier and more socially responsible living by offering customers the highest quality natural, eco-friendly products for their everyday needs.  I keep saying I am not one of those 'green' people, yet I keep finding myself gravitating back to those products lately.  Olivia sent me the Green Alligator Bubble Bath (which happens to be Hypoallergenic, free from paraben, sulfates, dyes and synthetics)

and the Green Alligator Aloe Baby Soap (which has a light lavender scent and can be used on skin or hair, handmade with Certified Organic ingredients).

I'm in love and so are my kids.  As a child myself I had very sensitive skin and my kids definitely got that from me as well. So many different kinds of bubble baths have left them breaking out.  Not the Green Alligator, and it is their new favorite each and every time they take a bath.  Just a capful makes so many bubbles and you don't have to worry about whats going into their mouth as they play.  We love the light lavender smelling soap too.  I feel like it is the perfect touch before bedtime.

You will love these products and they make perfect holiday gifts too.  Olivia is so sweet.  She even asked about my kids allergies and checked all the ingredients to be sure the products would be OK for them to use.  I highly recommend checking out her site and saying hello.  (By the way, 3 boys have used the bubble bath several times now ... and I have taken a few baths myself as well ... and the bottle is still half full!)

*Disclosure: The bubble bath and baby soap were sent to me free of charge.  Opinions are all my own.