Super Quick Eco-Frugal Tip

Gift Idea! Buy a gently used inexpensive tote at the resale shop and fill it up with eco-friendly money saving products. Don't forget the organic chocolate, the cloth napkins, the reusable water bottle and organic soaps.

Frito-Lay Chips Review and Quick and Easy Giveaway

Recently I joined the Frito-Lay Fan Program because I love me some chips and well some of my faves happen to be Frito-Lay brand. A few days after joining I did not expect what I found waiting for me at my front door. A package filled with goodies from Frito-Lay. Score!

I received a branded reusable shopping bag filled with an eco-friendly water bottle, a chip clip, 3 large bags of chips and a coupon good for a free bag of any Frito-Lay brand chip. The perfect surprise for a chip addict like myself. Here is a breakdown of the chips that I received:

Tostitos Scoops- I love these tortilla chips because like the name says they are perfect for scooping salsa, cheese and any other dip you like.

Lays Lightly Salted- This was my first time trying these. I enjoy the regular Lays but had never tried the lightly salted ones. They were good! Still crispy and full of flavor like the original but with 50% less sodium.

Sun Chips Original- It had been awhile since I had these chips and after trying them again I question why. These are good! I had no idea that they came in "The Worlds First 100% Compostable Chip Package".

Check out a few facts about Frito-Lay brand chips I learned.

• They start with fresh, farm-grown ingredients, making many of their chips with just 3 ingredients. Potatoes or corn, all-natural oils and salt. No preservatives here!
• They were the first major food company to remove partially hydrogenated oils from their cooking in 2003. Yay for 0 grams of trans fat!
• They have begun to use all-natural seasonings to flavor some of their chips.
• Many varieties provide whole grains a good source of fiber.

So you see it's still possible to snack on yummy chippy's (what we call them in my house) and not be completely unhealthy. Just an FYI my favorite Frito-Lay chips are Lays Kettle Cooked Jalapeno flavor and Funyuns and Cheetos Flamin' Hot and on and on...I really am addicted to chips.

If you would like to stay in the know about Frito-Lay you can follow them on Twitter or read their Snack Chat blog.

Now on to my quick and easy giveaway. I mentioned earlier that Frito-Lay generously included a free product coupon good for any of their chips so I thought I would share this with one of you. The first person to leave a comment with their favorite Frito-Lay chip will get the free product coupon. Hurry!

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Ecoland Organic Pajamas So Soft Review and Giveaway

If you know me, you know I love PJ’s. I don’t wear them often because I rarely find a comfortable set. I also hate washing more clothes than I need to wash, but if I find a comfortable pair of PJs I will wear them like crazy, especially in the colder weather. I don’t care about looking sexy; I just want comfy PJs that keep me warm and comfortable in my sleep. Recently Ecoland Inc. sent me their organic spa gift set for review.

Trying these pajamas on was a real treat. They are some of the most comfortable pajamas I have had in a very long time. The cotton is sooooo soft. They fit like I like pajamas to fit on my body. The sleeves fit like gloves around my arms (I hate loose sleeve pajamas). The pants fit loose around my legs, but not too loose that my legs will not keep warm.

There is also a soft drawstring the gently ties around my waist. In all, there is absolutely nothing uncomfortable about these pajama’s: no skin irritation, no uneven warmth, no tightness, no too loose it gets in the way or bunches up feeling, nothing. They look good too, presentable.

So, if I were to slip outside to take the trash out in the morning or watch my kids get on the bus, I wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in them nor would my kids be embarrassed to have me seen in them. Because they are solid white I can also wear my crazy fuzzy socks with the PJ’s to keep my feet warm and the colors won’t clash. Have I mentioned how soft these pajamas are?

The set also comes with an organic head band and wash mitten. These too were wonderful treats.

Unfortunately, because my pajamas are solid white I fear they will look dingy after a few uses. I have 3 messy kids and I’m pretty clumsy too. Soon enough a stain or two or more will find their way onto my pajamas. Lazy washer that I am, the stains won’t come out and my presentable PJs wont be so presentable anymore, but they will still be comfortable and that is what counts.

Holiday gift idea! This organic spa gift set  would definitely make a great gift. It even comes in a beautiful cardboard box with a satin ribbon & gift tag.

The Giveaway: One lucky winner will win a set just like this. If you would like a chance to win this planet-friendly prize visit the Ecoland Inc. website to see what other eco-friendly products are available. Then leave me a comment letting me know what you have tried or would like to try. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments. Deadline: This giveaway will end on Dec 20, 2010. I will choose the winner using Random.org. US entries only. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours.

Disclosure: I received organic spa gift set for free for review from Ecoland Inc.

Mondays with Monica- Wasa Flatbread Review

So how was every one's Thanksgiving? Mine was great and the dinner came out fabulous thanks to the tasty recipes I used. Are we tired of leftovers yet? I have one more idea for you to use up any turkey you may have left. How about a healthier turkey sandwich using Wasa's new Flatbread, Thin & Crispy crackers. That's right the worlds largest producer of flatbread has introduced a new line of whole grain crackers in Original, Sesame and Rosemary. Made with all natural ingredients these healthy alternative to regular crackers make a great bread alternative as well. Spread some cream cheese, a little cranberry sauce and a strip of turkey and you got a healthy turkey sandwich.

When I received these new flatbreads I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy them or not and actually the husband was the first to open a box and start munching away. Since he is a bit more pickier then I am I knew if he liked them that I would as well. We tried the Sesame ones first and they have a great flavor. Lately my little girl Penelope has been asking for cheese and crackers a lot so I tried these out on her. I spread some cream cheese and topped with some sliced cucumber and she loved them. They are low in fat and high in fiber so I feel good about giving them to her. Next we tried the Rosemary flavor. These were my favorite! They taste good plain but I also topped them with some grilled chicken  and balsamic tomatoes and it was delicious. The Original ones were light and crispy like the other two but a little plain on their own. I like peanut butter and jelly on crackers so I tried this on the Original flatbread and it worked! Basically you can pretty much top these thin & crispy flatbreads with anything your heart desires and have a healthy snack or meal. Check out Wasa online for some recipe ideas. You can purchase Wasa Flatbread, Thin & Crispy in stores nationwide for around $2.99

Until next time...

***Monica***

The featured product{s} in this post were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or pr company representing the company. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by anyone.

Bob’s Red Mill Organic Pancake & Waffle Whole Grain Mix Review & Giveaway

Most weekdays mornings our breakfast consists of organic cereals or fruits with toast and milk. Breakfast has to be quick and convenient during the week if we want to get out the door on time. On the weekend though, we can slow down and my husband or I can make our kids something they love, pancakes. Pancake mixes are usually not healthy, so I was happy when I was given the opportunity to try Bob’s Red Mill Organic Pancake & Waffle Whole Grain Mix.

I received a box of pancake mix to taste test and review. A box of Bob’s Red Mill Organic Pancake & Waffle Whole Grain Mix contains four packets of pancake mix. One packet made 3 breakfast meals for a family of five (plus scrambled eggs and bacon). That is 3 days worth of pancakes for my family. Each serving contains 5 grams of fiber, stone ground whole grain flour, stone ground oats, wheat germ, oat bran, wheat bran and flaxseed. Certified organic by QAI.

The first time I made the pancakes exactly like directed on the package. The mix was a little thin and the pancakes cooked thin too. My first taste test of the first pancake made from the mix was bland and had a bit of a grainy texture. I served the pancakes, with scrambled eggs from the local CSA and two strips of bacon.

At the table everyone added syrup (we prefer agave, but we were all out of agave). The overall opinion… They pancakes were okay, a little bland and thin. I like thin pancakes but these were too thin.

The second time I made pancakes from this healthy mix I used milk, instead of water, as suggested on the package for fluffier pancakes. The pancakes did thicken up some. This also improved the flavor. I served the pancakes with the same syrup as well as CSA eggs and pieces of uncured, but broiled CSA bacon. The overall opinion for this batch of pancakes was…much better.

The third time I made a batch of pancakes from this mix I used milk again, but then I also added a bit of cinnamon to the mix. Had I had blueberries I would have added that too. We love blueberry pancakes. The cinnamon was a nice touch. This time we had agave. Served with scrambled eggs again, but this time no bacon (all out of bacon). The overall opinion of this batch….much much better. It took a few batches to make, but I think we found the perfect way to make pancakes from this healthy and eco-friendly pancake mix.

The Giveaway: I was given a box of four pancake mix packets, two packets to try and two to giveaway. So I am giving one lucky winner the other 2 packets. If you would like a chance to win this planet-friendly prize visit the Bob’s Red Mill website to see what other healthy and eco-friendly food mixes they have. Then leave me a comment letting me know what you have tried or would like to try. You can get extra entries for following us through GFC or Subscribing via email. Make sure to let me know in the comments. Deadline: This giveaway will end on Dec 15, 2010. I will choose the winner using Random.org. US entries only. Please make sure your email is on your profile or leave it in your comment. If you win and I cannot contact you then the prize goes to the next person. Please respond within 48 hours.

Disclosure: I received these pancake mixes free from Bob’s Red Mill Organic Pancake & Waffle Whole Grain Mix. 

Super Quick Eco-frugal Tip

Carpool to your Thanksgiving gathering. Everybody chips in for gas.