The BetterCourse Premium Insulated Lunchbox

Disclosure of material connection- I received the product in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own.

 My husband works a ten hour shift in the emergency room as a nurse practitioner so he needs enough food sent with him to constitute a dinner. It can be difficult to send enough food for him if I don't have a container to hold all of his food, so previously he was just taking a couple of tupperware containers in a plastic bag...not my favorite thing in the world because it isn't a great environmental choice, but that was the only bag that was working for a while. I am so glad that I found the BetterCourse Premium Lunchbox. I had found lunchboxes previously that might have worked for him, but they were to feminine and there was no way he would have taken any of those. The BetterCourse premium lunchbox comes in a color that everyone will love and for added convenience comes with two different size bpa free containers for food. I love that it comes with the containers so that I automatically have a few that fit right in the box. Even when the containers are in the lunchbox together, they still leave plenty of room for maybe one more small container or a bottle of water. I like to fill the bigger container with a salad and then the smaller one with a casserole or soup or leftovers from our fridge. This lunchbox has made it much easier to prepare enough food for my husband to take to work to keep him full. I think it is the absolute perfect size for an adult or a teenager. I absolutely recommend The BetterCourse premium lunchbox to anyone looking for a decent sized carrier for their lunches.

Hudson Cast Iron Cleaner XL 7x7 Premium Stainless Steel Chainmail Scrubber

Disclosure of material connection- I received the product via Tomoson in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

I love my cast iron pans! They are well loved and used probably more often than any other cookware in my house. I have been using scouring pads to clean them the last few years and that can use some real elbow grease sometimes if food has been sitting for a while or has caked onto the pan. I had never heard of chainmail scrubbers and I will admit that at first glance it was a strange looking contraption, but the scrubber really works well on my cast iron pots and pans. I love that it is made out of stainless steel. One of the main reasons I use cast iron is because it is not teflon or non stick and doesn't contain awful chemicals that leach from the pans and I like that the scrubber is made from another great, clean material. I have not yet used it on my Pyrex or other glassware but I have faith that it will clean those just as nicely. When you are finished using it to clean your cookware, it is simply to clean off by just throwing it in the dishwasher! 

Jump Rope by Naturalico Review

*Disclosure of material connection- I received the product via Tomoson in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are 100% my own.

My husband and I have recently made a pact to be more active. We have had friends the same age as us (early 30's) getting really sick and it has really made us re-evaluate our choices. We want to make sure that we are healthy and set a good example to our kids. I have been wanting to try jump roping for exercise for a while. This is the first jump rope I have go specifically for exercising. I have messed around with my kids jump ropes on occasion, but being short they are always too long for me and they are also difficult to get a fast, steady pace going. The first thing I loved about this jump rope is the ability to adjust the length. That is something super important for someone with short legs!This is a 10 ft long rope, so it is also great for tall people and everyone in between,  I also loved that the rope allows for a faster jump which helps with getting in a better workout.  Another really cool thing about using a jump rope is you can get in the same amount of cardio in ten minutes that you could doing a thirty minute video. Rope jumping works a lot of muscles, so you burn calories faster. Shorter workouts are a big win for a busy mom of three. I like to use the jump rope to get in some cardio on the days that I can't make it into the gym or need to burn some extra calories. This jump rope is great for beginners and experts alike. For newbies like me, I will warn that if you get over zealous and hit yourself with the rope it really hurts! It is not difficult to get the hang of a smooth session of jumping though, it just takes a few tries...at least it did for me! I think jump roping is a great workout and it is actually pretty fun, which makes working out that much easier! I absolutely recommend giving it a try!

Jiva Organics Besan (Chana Dal) Flour Review

Disclosure of material connection- I received the product mentioned  via Tomoson in exchange for my honest review. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

I was lucky enough to be exposed to ethnic food, particularly Indian food, from an early age. My step dad is from Pakistan, born in India and he and all of his sisters were always making delicious Indian food for us to enjoy. One of my favorite things he made when I was little and hadn't yet acquired a taste for the spicy curries India is so well known for were pakoras. My favorite were the potato pakoras.  I think in India these are probably made for celebrations, but at our house they were made for a special treat when my dad felt like getting in the kitchen. Anyway, when the opportunity arose for me to review besan flour (also known as gram flour) I knew the very first thing I would make were pakoras. I am so glad I did. They brought back great childhood memories and it was fun sharing one of my favorite dishes as a kid with my own children. They loved them! Here is a picture of my potato pakoras-

They did not last long at all! I am sure I will be making them again in the near future! Perhaps next time I will make veggie pakoras instead! Jiva Organic's besan flour came in a visually pleasing 2 lb bag. I love that it is clearly labeled USDA organic for those of us who find important to find clear labels on our food. This type of flour can be used for lots of Indian dishes (including breads and desserts) and for a great fiber boost in other dishes as well. It is a wonderful flour to use if you are gluten free or vegetarian/vegan (the flour is made from chick peas) or just want that previous mentioned fiber boost (Americans are seriously lacking in the fiber department! I am always trying to get more fiber in my diet!)

You can purchase Jiva Organics Besan flour (and other Jiva Organics products) on Amazon.com. 

IGotTech Texting Gloves Review

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*Disclosure of material connection- I received a product in exchange for my honest thoughts via Tomoson. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions stated are 100% my own.

I am excited to have received these gloves right before I am headed to Denver for a weekend with my husband. It hasn't been too cold very often this winter where we live, but we do have our cold days and these gloves will be a great help on those days. I tried them on and my one complaint would be that they are a little on the small side. They fit my small hands pretty well (besides being a tad tight on the wrists, but they will stretch out with more wear), but I would be concerned about someone with bigger hands trying to wear them. Beyond their functionality, I felt like these were appealing to the eye with the touch of grey on the texting fingertips. I look forward to using them quite a bit this weekend and during the rest of the cold days we might have this winter and in the coming years. 

You can find IGotTech gloves on Amazon.com.

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TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C + E + Hyaluronic Acid Serum Review + Giveaway

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 

I love natural skin care products. Even if I wasn't aware of all of the chemicals that other skin care products contain, I have very sensitive skin so I can not just put anything on it, especially my incredibly sensitive face. I definitely believe that, especially as we get older, we really need to take care of our skin, especially our faces. We are exposed to so much sun and have probably worn a ton of makeup, so some extra vitamins are definitely helpful. TruSkin Naturals Vitamin C serum can be used after a toner or on it's own. I have tried it both ways and I think it stands alone very well, but toner beforehand takes this product to another level. I used rose water as my toner. I love how soft and hydrated the vitamin c serum makes my face feel and that there is no slimy or oil residue left behind. This oil feels great on the face and makes my skin feel very pampered. You end this facial care regimen by applying the moisturizer of your choice. I really feel like this is a simple routine to make sure your face retains a youthful appearance. I have been very impressed with this serum and will continue to use it in my regimen.

TruSkin Naturals Professional Vitamin C Serum is alcohol and paraben free and does not test on animals. You can purchase the vitamin c serum on Amazon.com.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Garcinia Cambogia & Slender Cleanse Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I am always looking for something to help boost the last pounds I need to lose, especially since I have a wedding to attend in June. I am looking for a jump start, but I do not like to take just any pills. It has to be something that is derived naturally. I like the idea of garcinia cambogia because of that and the slender cleanse included in this duo of products also falls in line within the perimeters of expectations. I have been taking these two products for around two weeks. When taking a new supplement, it is always important to read the bottle for instructions and warnings and since Slender Cleanse is a laxative formula, it is recommended not to take it more than 7 days in a row. So I have been taking that along with the garcinia cambogia 5 days in a row, followed by a few days of just the garcinia cambogia and then the pair together again. The first two days of taking the pills, I saw a significant weight drop off of 4-5 pounds, but things have tapered off since then. I have noticed I don't lose much at all without the help of the slender cleanse on the days I am resting from taking that, so to me, it seems like Slender Cleanse is more helpful as a weight loss aide than Garcinia Cambogia, but I have not taken them separately, so I can not say for sure. I do have about half of the bottles left to take, so hopefully I will see another drop in weight at some point. Supplements work different for different people, so it is possible that these two products would work better for other people. I would still recommend giving them a try since you pay the price you would for a bottle of just one for both products and it is worth buying for the slender cleanse alone.

Buy Garcinia Cambogia & Slender Cleanse on Amazon.com.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

OvenArt Silicone Muffin Pan Review

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.


I have been wanting to switch all of my bakeware over to silicone for quite some time now. There are all kinds of chemicals lurking in non-stick pans that will leech into our foods without us even knowing it. Silicone has the non-stick element without the terrible chemical problems. I was so excited to run across OvenArt's Silicone bakeware on Tomoson and was elated to be able to review this product. So far, I have made banana chocolate chip muffins and corn muffins. The pan is really easy to use. The first time, I didn't think about the fact that it would be a little flimsy and I stuck it straight in the oven. I was able to get it out without running the muffins, but it was no easy feat. The second go round, I remembered that it said right on the packaging to put the silicone pan on top of something more sturdy like a cookie pan, and that made it super easy to get it in and out of the oven. I sprayed a little cooking spray in the muffin pan before each use and what I found was the OvenArt's silicone pan performs better than the non-stick pans I have been using. All of the muffins cooked well and evenly and by just barely pushing on the bottom of the muffin cups, the baked goods pop cleanly out of the pan. I took a picture of myself pushing on one of the cupcakes to try and illustrate just how clean the muffins come out of the pan:

I don't know about you, but I have had plenty of baked goods stick in my so called "non-stick" muffin tins. I was quite impressed with how OvenArt's silicone muffin pan performed. Bonus points for the pans because they are oven safe, dishwasher safe AND microwave safe. When it was time for me to clean the pan, it only took a quick rinse...easiest clean up ever. I liked this pan so much, I have already bought a second one and plan to throw out my old non-stick pans. It's the first step in going all silicone with my baking pans. I definitely recommend giving these a try. You will never want to use a non-stick pan again!

You can find OvenArt's Silicone Baking Pans on Amazon.com

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.