I’ve recently had the chance to try out some fun and great products related to both food and travel. Check them out:
Jo Snow Syrup
Jo Snow Syrups– This is a great story: I went to Bowtruss coffee one rainy afternoon with a friend, got the special seasonal latte called the “Turkish Cardamom Latte,” literally fell in love, couldn’t stop thinking about THAT latte and so I went back the next morning for another one. Call me crazy…I just call it a girl that knows what she loves and will go out of her way for it. At the second go-round on that latte, I went and asked what the latte was made with and they showed me a bottle of Jo Snow’s Cardamom Rose Water syrup (oh, you know I was going to be Googling the heck out of this and learning all I could about the syrup). But first, as I drank the latte with a huge smile on my face, I tried to dissect what it was about this latte that had me all giddy. And then it dawned on me…it tasted just like the milky Indian coffee my mom makes where she adds cardamom and nutmeg. Um, WOW, you do realize what a huge statement that is, right? To have something remind you of what your amazing Mom makes? Now, that’s called money my friends. From my stealthy Google skills, I came to find out that Jo Snow syrup is made here in Chicago and after seeing the video on the homepage of Jo Snow’s site, I totally loved the energy and fun exuded by the owner Melissa. Check it out for yourself, and more so, check out all the awesome and unique flavors of syrups she makes that you can do so much with: add to oatmeal, create specialty cocktails with, add in to your favorite recipes and the list goes on. But seriously, the Cardamom Rose Water is money. Buy it.
Avocare Avocado Oil Flight Box
Avocare Avocado Oil– Ok, I am totally showing my ignorance here, but I did not know that avocado oil even existed! My bad. But, it does, and I’m glad I’ve had the chance to try it out through the brand Avocare. What I have come to learn is that avocado oil is cholesterol free and contains no trans fats and has a nutritional profile similar to that of olive oil. But, the biggest difference is that it has a high smoke point. What this means is that it’s a high heat cooking oil that’s sturdy enough to handle almost any high temperature and still keep its nutritional properties. What’s great is that you can use it like any other oil in salads or baking or whatever you could want! Pretty cool stuff that I knew nothing about. In the awesome Avocare flight box (perfect for foodies, especially with the holidays coming up), you get four different flavors: natural, basil, chipotle and garlic flavored extra virgin avocado oil plus some lovely waffle crackers and the cutest little samples of pink salt and black pepper. I loved sampling the different variety of flavors and am planning to get a box set for my brother and sister-in-law for the holidays because I know they will love it. Shhh, don’t tell them!
Community Coffee Company
Community Coffee Company– Who doesn’t love a great cup coffee, especially when it comes in such delicious flavors such as pumpkin praline and southern bread pudding? Yes, not all coffee is created equal, so when you find the good stuff, you keep coming back for more! I loved trying Community Coffee Company (available in both premium ground bags and K-cup varieties) and their delicious flavors, but I was also really touched by their honest mission and doing what they can to give back. They have a Military Match program where they support military personnel by shipping pallets of coffee overseas from doubling customer coffee orders, all for free. This past year, Community Coffee Company reached a new landmark with more than 20,000 pounds of coffee shipped to overseas military personnel since the program’s inception. Now that’s called a win-win in my book. So, here’s your chance to do some good as you enjoy your morning cup of coffee and know that you are giving back to the men and women who fight so hard to protect our country.
Simple Green Smoothies Book
Simple Green Smoothies Book– It should be no surprise that I love green smoothies. There are days I find that I really need to make a conscious effort to get some greens into my diet (sad, but true). Welcome the Simple Green Smoothies book! Developed by two moms who were determined to move from exhausted and defeated to energized and empowered, they developed this great book with over 100 recipes. They even started an Instagram account (@simplegreensmoothies) and have over 385K followers and growing. That’s impressive! What I loved about this book is that the recipes use many “everyday” ingredients and it is all easy to follow with any kind of blender. No fancy juicer needed here. I also really appreciated that they don’t try to promote that you live a life on green smoothies alone. Their simple suggestion is to have one green smoothie a day. Now, that’s something I can commit to!
Blue Sky Family Farms Eggs Photo Credit: Blue Sky Family Farms
Blue Sky Family Farm Eggs– I am constantly asked about why I am vegetarian. I can’t really attribute it to one sole reason, but really as a combination of health reasons, religion and animal rights (probably more of the former two reasons than the latter). But, the more and more I learn about the dairy and meat industries, the more and more it does become about animal rights and welfare to me. I’m literally disgusted when I hear the way the animals are treated and what they go through. Lately, I have been learning more about companies that are focused on treating animals with care and one of those is Blue Sky Family Farms. This quote from their website sums it up nicely, “We really are family owned and operated. And we care deeply about our chickens, people and planet — all to provide you the very best tasting, local family farm eggs available.” Now, this I can back. Having tried the eggs from Blue Sky Family Farm, I knew these truly fit their motto of “Ethical Eggs for the Humane Race.” If you are looking for free-range and pasture raised eggs, look no further than Blue Sky Family Farms.
Savvy Travelers Luxe Wipes
Savvy Travelers– As someone who considers themselves a savvy world-traveler, it was pretty awesome to try out some products under the name of Savvy Travelers. Their motto: ‘no water, no problem’ as they have developed individually wrapped luxe wipes to use for so many of your travel needs as you are on the road; a lens and screen cleaner, mouthwash in a swipe, facial cleanser and moisturizer and antiperspirant deodorant and more. I can’t even tell you how many times I wish I would have had some of these on my previous travels. But, I’m glad I have them now and know they are going to come in handy on my trip that I leave for tonight! You can find these great wipes at Nordstrom so make sure you stock up before you head out on your next adventure. I know I will.
Please Note: While I received these products to try out or as part of a partnership, all opinions are my own.