What’s A Conscious Box?

Posted by marocmama on Jan 2, 2012 in Contests and Giveaways, Reviews | 26 comments

In my weekly favorites video from a few weeks ago I mentioned my recent awareness of and interest in monthly curated subscription boxes.  Well… I got my first one!!  If you’re not sure what I’m talking about the concept is pretty straight forward.  Every month you pay a set fee depending on the service and in return you receive a box with goodies based on that subscription service.  So I’ve found several that I really like and my first box came in the mail this past weekend. I was really impressed!
Conscious Box was one of the first boxes of this sort I heard about.  I was immediately attracted to this because it focuses on sustainability, environmental stewardship and social responsibility.  I also liked that it would contain a variety of products.  There are many different boxes that are based on one topic like makeup, beauty products, or food.  This box was very well rounded.  The box seemed kind of small until I opened it.  I have to say there’s something about opening a box of unknown items that just makes me giddy.  I couldn’t wait to see what was inside.  I’m happy to report it was loaded with goodies.  Before I tell you what was specifically inside here’s what Conscious Box says you will get from their website;

• a variety of unique pure and natural products
• from organic food to vegan beauty products, you’re sure to find new favorites
• discover ethical and purpose driven businesses of all sizes
• get content on daily living tips, exciting monthly themes and creative ways to use your box.
• The packaging is also eco-friendly.  Conscious Box uses recycled tissue paper, vegetable-based ink, and 100% recycled cardboard

 Here’s what the contents were this month,

•  Organic Lollipops from Yummy Earth
• Resveratrol – this is the bottled antioxidant that is the source of the health benefits in red wine.  The capsules are also vegetarian. I really like this because it is a great way to get the health benefits for those of us who don’t drink alcohol.
• Mineral Fusion – a hypoallergenic cream
• Amazing Grass – superfood boost to add into a smoothie
• Dr. Tungs – keeps your toothbrush clean!
• Yogi Tea – Teas made with over 100 herbs and botanicals from around the world
• Berryplus – Laundry soap that is 100% plant based
• Chimes – mints that are healthy and sustainable
• 22 Days – healthy snack bar
• Eat Cleaner – fruit and vegetable wipes
• Earth Friendly Products - A cinnamon air spray made with 100% essential oils – non-toxic
• Sparklehearts – Natural Beauty for Girls
• Sacred Mountain Herbs – delicious soap made with natural ingredients and wrapped in a wildflower infused paper

I was a little skeptical because of the price of this box.  The shipping cost sort of threw me off but no longer.  Really it’s a good deal. Just look at everything that came in the box!  Not everything is full sized – but I did get two full sized items this month.  It’s a really great way to try a bunch of new products that I most likely wouldn’t have picked up the full size version of.

• $12 + $7 Shipping = $19 for a month to month subscription
• $33 + $21 Shipping = $54 for a 3 month subscription
• $64 + $42 Shipping = $106 for a 6 month subscription

Now the best part — I’ve got a Conscious Box to giveaway!

All you need to do to win is complete the entries below via Rafflecopter.  If you can’t see the widget – please click this post title – it will take you to the static page of this post where the widget will appear.

It’s My Birthday – A Gift For You!

Posted by marocmama on Nov 10, 2011 in Contests and Giveaways | 25 comments

Get out the streamers!  Cue the balloons!

I love my birthday and this year I have even more reason to love it because this year I get to give one lucky reader a gift.  As you know I’m always on the lookout for new kitchen supplies and tools.  I recently had the chance to try out a ceramic knife from Shenzhen and I can honestly say I was really impressed.  When the box first came I was ready to hand it off to M to use in the kitchen – that would have been a bad idea.  It doesn’t look like much of anything and I thought for sure it’s cutting abilities would be minimal.  I was wrong. 

Honestly I didn’t know much about ceramic knives so here are some fun facts;

• Ceramic knives are rust proof and have a non-stick surface for easy clean-up.
• They are made with zirconium oxide that is harder than ordinary steel and almost as hard as diamond.
• Because of this ceramic knives can hold their edge longer than a steel blade.

  Congratulations to Teri who won this giveaway!!!  Hope you enjoy the knife as much as me.

Meals on the Run – Go Picnic Giveaway

Posted by marocmama on Aug 24, 2011 in Contests and Giveaways, Ramadan | 11 comments

I’ve often wondered what people did before the internet.  How did they find new products?  Where did they share these new finds?  Then I remember there really isn’t a time in my life before the internet so it’s all a bit subjective.  Six months or so ago I discovered Go Picnic when I was searching for picnic recipes.  I got really excited.

The box is cute and as I started to read about what came in each box I was even more excited.  It’s just like having a little meal ready to go!  There are endless opportunities for me and my family to use a product like this such as;

• kids lunches
• my lunch at work
• a quick meal in the car before an event
• meal for a car trip
• airplane food!
• pantry staple for an easy meal

Chicken Nuggets & A Thirty-One Giveaway

Posted by marocmama on Aug 12, 2011 in Contests and Giveaways, Ramadan | 11 comments

Now that I have encouraged you to take a break from cooking by entering to win a great Saffron Road Foods entree (you still have 2 days left!)  I think it’s high time you had a chance at another reward.  We are avid lunch packers in my house.  I bring one to work everyday and MarocBaba and M often take lunches to school.  I’ve always had a hard time find cute lunch boxes that kept food cool and didn’t look like I was carrying my child’s bag.  BUT I’ve found some that I really love from Thirty-One.  Leslie, a friend of mine is an Independent consultant for Thirty-One and wanted to offer this bag to my readers! If you haven’t heard of this company yet you’re in luck.  I’m a bag-a-holic and there are some seriously cute and versatile bags in the Thirty-One catalog.  A little about the company;

Our mission is a reflection of this philosophy: to celebrate, encourage and reward women by offering quality products and an outstanding opportunity to become successful business owners. We have seen this mission play out through the years in the individual lives of so many women who now have their own “Thirty-One story.” Many work full-time jobs and use their Thirty-One income to help pay for those extras in life like vacations.

Our stylish, affordable products are exclusive to Thirty-One. From our signature purses and totes to storage solutions that help organize your life, you’ll find something to fit every personality and situation. Each season, we develop new products built on the idea that our products must be functional AND fashionable (and, of course, make great gifts!).

So today I’m giving away a thermal tote in Windsor Argyle!  The tote has silver thermal lining, zipper closure, and exterior pocket.  It measures approx.. 9.5”H x 14”W x 4.5”D.    The water-resistant lining is intended to repel or slow the penetration of water – not to hold water. To keep items cool, simply tuck frozen ice packs inside.  There are so many uses for this bag beyond simply a lunch carry-all.  Right now the first thought that comes to mind is…iftar on the go!  We’ve had soccer late some nights and we’re rushing home for iftar.  With a big like this I could have easily packed a few items to get us through until we got home.

 Check out all 31 ways to use this bag! 

I really love all of the colors and cute design of this bag!

The Argyle back of the bag.  I think it’s really unique and fashionable!

So here’s your chance to win!  Follow the entry methods in the form below.  You can pick up your own thermal tote as an additional entry worth 5 extra entries (or any other Thirty-One bag).  I know that I am scooping up a cute diaper bag to pick up for my little sister whose expecting this winter.  Good luck!

Tomorrow’s menu plan;

Suhoor:  I just picked up some moderately (I live in the Midwest we don’t get “fresh”) mangos at the store two nights ago.  I could smell how sweet they were.  I think this recipe from Journey Kitchen for Mango Pancakes with Saffron and Cardamom Cream is unique and oh so tasty! Cardamom is one of my very favorite spices…I wish they made it in perfume form. Get a few good carbs and fruit to start off your day.  Add some protein with a big glass of milk or turkey bacon or sausage.  (You can make the pancakes ahead and put in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to eat)

Iftar: One of my favorite things to prepare for iftars is an Al Fresco Platter.  A few days ago I mentioned that I had lost my appetite for meat but this is one way to get a little bit in.  I think it’s important when fasting to pay attention to our bodies.  For example I am anemic all the time so this means I have to pay attention to my iron count and make sure I’m eating enough foods high in iron.  Red meats offer a big boost as do green vegetables.  So I try to find ways to get small bits of this needed nutrient in even when I don’t have a taste for it.  What makes up an al fresco platter?  Whatever you want! I like to include a variety of cheeses, crackers, and breads, some deli meat or sliced meats like beef salami, olives, pickled asparagus, pickles, cherry tomatoes, hard breadsticks, the possibilities are really endless.  If you put one together I’d love to know what you include!

Dinner: I love this recipe.  Love it.  The Cool Noodle Bowl is a great summer dish for a family dinner or for a crowd. This recipe is also one way to include Saffron Road Chicken Nuggets in a unique way. You can find the full original recipe from the uber-talented Domenica Marchetti at Domenica Cooks.  In addition to the listed ingredients I prepare Saffron Road chicken nuggets and chop them up.  They add some protein and extra texture to the dish.  I love how the noddle sauce tastes with the chicken too.

First Day of Fasting and Tea for One

Posted by marocmama on Aug 1, 2011 in Contests and Giveaways, Ramadan | 26 comments

Today is the first day of fasting and I hope that suhoor filled you up!  If this is one of the first times you’re fasting, it does get easier as the week goes on.  Because Ramadan is in the heat of summer this year make sure that you are drinking a lot of water in the mornings and at iftar.  Hydration is even more mportant than food.  Remember I’m posting menus one day ahead but feel free to use them as you see fit.

Suhoor:  Omelettes with vegetables (leftover from dinner last night or freshly cut).  You can add cheese and cut up meat as well.

Reminder: The fast is broken traditionally with dates and water.  Make sure to have plenty of dates on hand to get you through the month.  MY favorite are Mejdool but Neglet or another variety is fine. 

Iftar: A lovely soup from Dinners and Dreams (a great website for more Moroccan food ideas). Chicken Couscous Soup, tea sandwiches, and dates.   This soup is not too heavy for summer but has some good lean protein included as well.  Remember protein keeps you full!  Freeze any leftovers for another night.  An easy accompaniment to this soup are tea sandwiches.  Some suggestions are cucumber and cream cheese on pumpernickel bread or roast beef and swiss with a dijon mustard on rye bread.  Reminder: Steam about 2 cups of extra couscous and set aside for suhoor tomorrow.

Dinner: Beef Tajine with Apricots.  A little more time consuming but worth it.  If you start this right after iftar it should be ready to go in a few hours.  Finish cooking the meat and then after isha prayers cook the prunes/almonds and serve.  Of course if you’re like me and iftar is your big meal you can swap the order of these two around.

To celebrate the first official day of fasting I’m kicking off the month by introducing Kusmi Tea.  Every week there will be new products and giveaways to celebrate this holy month – all halal and perfect for eating or entertaining!  So stick around all month for lots of chances to see and win great products.

When I received the UPS package from Kusmi and opened it up I was floored.  The smell was so intoxicating  I wanted to simply bottle it up and use it as a room freshener!  It’s very rarely that I come across a tea that is so fragrant.  I received two different boxes.

• Kusmi Detox Tea and;
• Frosted Variety Box of 12 Iced Tea blends

I spent a lot of time just going through the variety box smelling each one before deciding to give the strawberry green tea a try.  I got MarocBaba a Presto electric tea kettle for his birthday this year and it was perfect to boil up a pot of tea without heating up the house.  After seeping for about 5 minutes I poured it into a pitcher along with a tray of ice cubes, and a few tablespoons of sugar and popped it in the fridge.  What a nice summer treat!  Each of the tea bags in packaged in muslin not the typical coffee filter-like bag.   I feel much better using the muslin tea bags!

A co-worker selected the Japanese green tea to taste because it listed it’s ingredients of green tea, with popped rice and corn.  She told me she wanted to dislike it but was surprised by how smooth and full of flavor it was with no bitterness. MarocBaba tried the green tea with spearmint (the coolest part was that the French title had the mint listed as NaNa – the word used in Morocco for mint!) and was really impressed.  Overall, each of the teas we’ve tried so far have been incredibly smooth and full of flavor.  Even though these are sold as iced tea blends they can very easily be used as a hot tea too.

• Mandatory entry: Visit the Kusmi website and tell me which of their products is most appealing to you.
• Follow me on Twitter
• Like MarocMama on Facebook
• Like Kusmi Tea Paris on Facebook
• Tweet about this giveaway- you can use the Tweet button at the bottom of this post – leave a hyperlink to your tweet in the comment.  (Not sure how to do this? Just click the time stamp at the bottom of your tweet and it will pull up that single tweet – copy and paste URL)

You have until August 7th, 2011 at midnight to enter.  Good luck!!

Ramadan Ready: Seneca Farms Fruit and Oatmeal

Posted by marocmama on Jul 22, 2011 in American Food, Contests and Giveaways | 6 comments

Ramadan is about a week away and I’ve been busy starting to cook and freeze some of our staples for the month.  One thing that I always struggle with is eating breakfast.  During this month Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset, and with this holiday falling in the summer that length of time is even longer.  I am so guilty of not waking up to eat breakfast or suhoor.  Call me lazy but when I know I have to get up early and get to work all day I just can’t get myself to eat breakfast at 3am.  I’m really not much of a breakfast person anytime but especially not during this month.
 
I had the opportunity to try out Seneca Farms Fruit & Oatmeal this week and am really excited that this might make my upcoming month (and life!) easier.  On Monday I was running out to work late after being gone to Midwest Mom’s Media in Chicago all weekend.  I grabbed a container of oatmeal, tossed it in my purse, and crossed my fingers that I might get the chance to eat it.  By 10:30 my day had slowed down enough that I was able to heat it up and try it out.  I was very surprised.
 
I guess that I’m not alone in my non-breakfast eating habits.  Did you know that;

• Nearly 60% of U.S. parents of children ages 3-17 admit that their child skips breakfast, with more than half of U.S. Moms wishing their child ate a more nutritious breakfast.
• 58% of U.S. Moms say they skip breakfast regularly (THAT’S ME!) . 46% of Moms who skip breakfast say they do so because they do not have enough time to prepare or eat it.
• 57% of single adults say the number one reason they skip breakfast is that they don’t have enough time to prepare it.
• While 71% of U.S. adults agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, 67% of those admit to skipping breakfast.

*Results of 2011 Children’s Nutrition Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive for Seneca Farms
 
I love instant oatmeal but hate the kind that has dehydrated/freeze-dried/mayeitsnotevenfruit in it. The flavor I tried was Vanilla Peach and it actually had real pieces of fruit in it.  It tasted great!  You don’t need any water or milk to mix up with the oatmeal just microwave for 45 seconds.  It kept me full for several hours.  I was also happy with the apple cinnamon flavor.  Cinnamon is so hit or miss as an ingredient but this was a hit.
 

 
Apple Cinnamon and Vanilla Peach are the two available flavors right now.  Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit can be found nationally at Walmart and at a wide variety of retail grocery stores.  You can see a detailed store list here.  Seneca Farms plans to expand its flavors later this year with Oatmeal & Fruit Cranberry Apple, and Oatmeal – Maple & Brown Sugar.  I can assure you when maple and brown sugar comes out I’ll be buying tons of cups every week.
 
Please note this giveaway is closed.
Onto the good news!  One reader will win a 2-pack of each flavor of Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit (that’s 4 cups two of each flavor).  I’m using a new system for giveaways called Rafflecopter.  I think it’s easier for everyone.  Good luck and let me know what you think of the entry system.