Nutriva’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

I’ve been singing the praises of coconut oil for a few years now. I use it on my skin, my hair, and my eyelids, especially after taking off my makeup. I also use it in cooking and baking, and it’s kind of become my go-to oil for almost everything. And when I was offered a couple of cookbooks and a jar of this wunder-oil from Nutriva to review, I was over the moon at opportunity.

Not all oils are created equal and this Nutriva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil takes the coconut experience to whole another level. Nutriva is the #1 selling coconut oil in the US for over 10 years, and it’s not hard to see why. USDA organic, non-GMO, kosher, non-hydrogenated, and no cholesterol, it’s made from freshly made from cold-pressed coconuts, with a light and pleasant coconut taste and aroma that is clean and pure tasting. I baked delicious cookies that were moist in the inside and crisp on the outside and the pineapple chunks just gave them that tropical burst I was looking for. Nutiva makes everything you can get out of a coconut from flours, sugars, oils to you got to check out what an “o’ coconut” is! Nutriva also carries hemp, chia and red palm derived products, but my favorite is, easily, their Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. I got lost on their site just checking out everything they make! You can use it to pan fry and saute too, because it has a high smoke point to boot. And, OMG, it makes the best popcorn ever.

But the benefits don’t stop there. There’s an entire cottage industry springing up around coconut oil, and for good reason. Nutriva’s Organic Virgin Coconut Oil has kept my hair and skin healthy, and hydrated without all the harsh, nasty chemicals found in most mass-marketed moisturizers. And, ounce for ounce, it’s also an incredible value. Just a little bit goes a long way, and after a full day of eyeshadow over primer, nothing feels better on tired lids than a smidge of Nutiva’s coconut oil. Especially since the horrible reaction I had to the reformulated Urban Decay products, my eyelids have never been the same, but Nutriva’s coconut oil has helped…a lot. I put it on a scar from a recent surgery and watched the angry pink and purple boo-boo turn into a minimally noticeable line on my leg. The only thing I worry about with coconut oil anymore, is, figuratively speaking, oversaturation. The health benefits and dietary pluses have been so oversold and overstated that I’m worried it’ll go back to a niche oil that’s difficult and expensive to find. Thankfully, for now, it’s affordable, shelf stable, pretty versatile and relatively affordable in all it’s forms. I definitely recommend that if you haven’t, you immediately give Nutriva’s Organic Coconut oil a try.

Connect with Nutriva:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge for the purposes of review.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

 

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“MELT”ed Chocolate? Yes, Please!

I’ve been able to try every single kind of Rich & Creamy Melt Organic spread they make (feel free to take a gander at my review from a while back), and I have yet to find one I dislike, even a little bit. From the Original, the Honey, and now, the Chocolate. Oh, the chocolate. How do I love thee?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Let’s start with, it’s chocolate.                                   Not that fake, weirdly sweet, waxy, sugary, nasty pseudo-chocolate that everyone seems to like to use. No, I’m talking the real deal. To quote their website, it’s a: “velvety blend of rich organic cocoa”. Boy, howdy is it. It also adds wildflower honey to the mix, along with the Melt Organic to make a truly good and good for you spread. With just 1 gram of sugar per serving and being dairy free, vanillin free, and nut free,everyone can enjoy it. Each square of Chocolate MELT Organic is certified organic, non-GMO (Non-GMO Project Verified), kosher and made with Fair Trade Fair for Life certified virgin coconut oil and Rainforest Alliance certified palm fruit oil. Chocolate Melt is also soy free, gluten free, dairy free and trans fat free. Each serving of Chocolate Melt is a rich source of the ‘good fats‘ with an ideal balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 ALA (that are optimally metabolized with virgin coconut oil), and has 425 mg of Omega-3 ALA (or 26% RDA) and Vitamin E (or 15% RDA). Now that’s a mouthful, and a darn good one, too.

The best part is, since it’s good food that’s good for you, you can truly enjoy it any time, breakfast to dessert. Want to enjoy it on some toast? Aces. Want it with some fruit? Pile it high and deep. Want to bake with it? You had to know I was going to go there, and oh…I went there. But that’s for another post. 😉 Icings, filling, just drizzled on a slice of warm panetone bread. It’s something I can’t recommend enough that you try immediately. They even have coupons to print right from the website. It’s like it’s meant to be!! You really should dip a finger into their butter 2.0, it’s something you’ll wonder how you did without.

 

Connect with Melt Organic!!

• On their Facebook page
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• On their Website
• Plus many, many more ways!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I received the above product(s) free of charge from MELT Organic. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Klout: Fair Trade Moms Make a World of Difference #Perk #FairTrade

Here’s another great Klout perk to share and I list the Fair Trade boxes in my top 10 perks to get. The boxes are filled with wonderful goodies and are always a hit in my home. I have become a fan of many of the brands and have continued to purchase them all, just because of my introduction via these great Klout Perk boxes. This one was smaller but did not disappoint!

Included were 6 items from 4 different manufacturers that adhere to the Fair Trade global practices of delivering goods from workers treated fairly. Fair Trade USA is not a charity but a global organization that helps developing communities improve their quality of life, and also make it possible for us to enjoy the goods they produce. This can range from clothing to foods, but always knowing that the symbol on the package goes beyond just a simple promise. It’s a social movement constantly improving and finding ways to do things not only better…..also, the right way.

 

Numi Organic Tea– An indulgent tea and in a Chocolate Spice flavor. You think chocolate and tea does not seem right and you start associating it to maybe being a light latte or some thinned out hot chocolate drink. This is none of that! It’s a clear and light chai tea, which has nice soft notes of dark chocolate with just a hint of spice. It’s smooth and delightful and kills any sweet tooth craving you may have. The box comes with 12 tea bags and is also non-GMO certified. I enjoyed this blend and found that the chocolate taste is very present but balanced well with the tea leaves, plus you can adjust the strength by letting it steep a little longer. This is on my “buy again” list.

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Alter ECO chocolate truffles– I received my parcel in the start of the hot weather and also that week we got a nice little heat wave. My truffles were hot and liquidy inside and thankfully only one oozed a little outside of it’s wrapper. I quickly put them on a dish and into the fridge they went. I kept hoping the truffle would stiffen up and remain edible. Even though I did not enjoy these chocolates in their prime state, they still held up well regardless of their not so fair arrival. The truffle center that is soft stayed in place, so it seems I was lucky!

I received the Black Truffle and the Velvet Truffle. I can say that both had a very smooth consistency and were velvety soft with the difference pretty much being one was a dark chocolate and the other a milk. The Black truffle was very smooth with no bitter after-notes or a waxy consistency left in your mouth. It melted and dissipated nicely……sort making me wish I had another. The Velvet truffle was pretty great for being milk and had a rich flavor, smooth but not super milky. You taste the chocolate and for being a milder variety, I wished I had 2 more of these after I finished. I can say the truffles peaked my curiosity and Alter Eco Foods has a pretty large assortment of treats that I hope to try in the near future. Their brand goes beyond chocolate and you have Rices to Quinoa and even Sugars to choose from. My opinion is that if a stressed out little melted truffle can taste this good……can you imagine one in it’s prime state? I know, let me just ponder about it a little more 🙂

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Nutiva Virgin Coconut Oil– I was so happy when I saw this bottle and Nutiva did not just include a sample packet, but a full size bottle. There is a reason why you visit the site and the product in the standard size is sold-out. Not all oils are created equal and this non-GMO oil takes the Coconut experience to whole another level. Clean and pure in taste, this comes from using fresh Organic coconuts in production. I baked delicious cookies that were moist in the inside and crisp on the outside and the pineapple chunks just gave them that tropical burst I was looking for. Nutiva makes everything you can get out of a coconut from flours, sugars, oils to you got to check out what an “o’ coconut” is! They also carry Hemp, Chia and Red Palm derived products. I got lost on their site just checking out everything they make!

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Fair Trade pin– I know it’s just a pin but I love this little stuff and I can now take pictures of my Fair Trade certified products with a pin by it! That makes the blogger in me happy and yes, I still have it in it’s plastic so it remains beautiful and shiny 🙂

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Runa Clean Energy– A Guayusa based drink that comes in an array of flavors, I was able to try the Lemon Lemongrass variety. I chilled mine before enjoying it. The product is a natural energy drink without the crash or too speedy feeling. You get a “pep in your step”, with no after-burn, plus it’s refreshing and tastes great. The lemon is nice too…think of a sweet tea that is not super sugary, so your thirst in quenched and you get that extra energy to go about your day. One bottle is only 50 calories and that is something your waist line will appreciate with Summer around the corner. Runa also carries other products made with Guayusa from the bottles to energy drinks and even loose leaf tins.

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I recommend checking out the companies above by simply clicking on the titles and please read on how they grow, make, cultivate, to how they get products to your door via the Fair Trade practices. Many have other advantages to being Organic and using non-GMO ingredients. To a healthier Summer 2014 and better choices!

You can also become a Klout member buy visiting Klout and all you need is a Facebook or Twitter accoount.  Simple and takes less than 3 minutes and you can start enjoying Klout Perks too!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Fair Trade USA and the above named companies.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

 

Giveaway: Tropical Traditions Gold Label, Virgin Coconut Oil

It’s that time, the time to reward my readers with a fantastic giveaway.  One reader will receive one Gold Label, Virgin Coconut Oil quart sized bottle from Tropical Tradition’s. All you have to do to enter is:

1. Subscribe to Tropical Tradition’s email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm
2. and please leave a comment on my blog post reviewing the product here- https://samplesandfreebiesgallery.wordpress.com/2014/01/17/tropical-traditions-virgin-coconut-oil-gold-label-usda-organic/

That is all! This giveaway will run for 2 weeks and on February 5th, I will announce the winner! Tropical Traditions will send the item directly to the winner for free!!!!!!

More Information-

• Tropical Traditions Home Page: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com
• Gold Label Product Page: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/virgin_coconut_oil.htm
• What is Virgin Coconut Oil: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/what_is_virgin_coconut_oil.htm
• How to Use Coconut Oil: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/how-to-use-coconut-oil.htm

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Tropical Tradition’s: Virgin Coconut Oil, Gold Label USDA Organic

I have enjoyed coconut as a child from the fruit to the water, and became more curious about the oil when I purchased a product (spread) that contained Coconut oil and real Butter. I thought I would get a strong flavor that went with the fruit and while this is a plus for me, it is not for my anti-coconut husband, but he enjoyed the product after trying it. I started seeing the oil pop up in markets like Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and even your standard everyday superstores but the jars were not all created equal. So much separation and so many color changes in brands that I did not know where to start when it came to making an actual purchase. Then I started investigating what makes one better than the other, because nowadays making a bad buy not only fills you with regret, but who needs a ding in the pocket book?

The things I learned are that like everything else, the cost of the product does not equate quality. You want an oil that is derived from a good, trusted source and a product that has not been exposed to light or variances in temperature. coconut oil does not go rancid as quickly as other oils and while it’s more forgiving in that department, you still don’t want an abused jar that could have lasted longer if the manufacturer had cared. I have used coconut oil for beauty purposes and found it wonderful for the skin above my eyes that is more delicate. After going through an allergic reaction from an eye primer, coconut oil mixed with vitamin E oil is what helped my skin come back to normal, so I am a believer of it can do for the skin’s health and it’s restoring powers!

Now, you all know I love baking, but also cooking savory foods so with this product test, I just jumped in and went with what I had in hand. I marinated two large chicken breasts (cut into strips) over night with cayenne pepper, smoked sea salt, parsley, mustard powder, a dash of smoked paprika, oregano, three pepper blend from the mill and then added one cup of buttermilk, plus one bay leaf. You can use coconut milk in place of the buttermilk if you want a more “tropical” flavor. This is my recipe for fried chicken but I was making both fried and roasted this time. After everything marinated, you will notice that the buttermilk/coconut milk will be well absorbed by the meat and this also aids with tenderizing. I then made 2 batches, one coated with (seasoned) flour for the deep fried portion and the other went in the oven as-is (on parchment paper) and I cooked it for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. These are chicken strips and cook rather easy but I was not done with the roasted chicken yet!

(Above) Just out from the oven and not browned with Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil

I then placed the strips in a pan with the Tropical Virgin coconut oil. I used just about 1/2 tablespoon and the oil melts clear and beautifully. Coconut oil has a smoke point of 350 degrees so I kept this in mind when browning. You will notice in the pan that because the chicken went in the oven with no oils/fats, it did not brown nicely but this is when the magic happens. I sauteed the chicken and it browns quickly and nicely. The top layer was so crisp that you would swear I coated it with some kind of batter. The meat remains juicy and tender, plus I noticed this oil was not quickly absorbed like other oils I have used. After I was done, I had at least 1/4 of it left in the pan and I like when fats don’t oil log foods.

(Above) Browned and resting after cooking with Tropical Tradition’s Virgin Coconut Oil

I allowed the chicken to rest and then sliced it to serve over a salad. My salad contained 5 different lettuces, plus some cabbage and kale. I boiled a small egg and also added a whole small avocado. Sprinkled some poppy seeds, smoked paprika on the eggs and pepper medley over the entire salad. I placed the chicken on top and had a meal that was not only filling but delicious and nutritious. My husband had a bite of the chicken and he could pick up a hint of the sweetness but not the coconut notes he dislikes. Let’s say you smell the coconut fruit in the pan while you cook but you do not taste it on the meat. I like my greens how they taste so I opted for a dressing I make that is just a plain vinaigrette (smoked sea salt, pepper medley, red wine vinegar and any oil of your choice). I will definitely be purchasing my coconut oil from a trusted source like Tropical Traditions because it is the best I have ever had!

You smell the coconut’s sweetness but even when you taste it from the jar, the product has more of a nutty like flavor versus what you expect taste wise from the coconut’s fruit. I also like how clean and non-oily it tastes. You do not get that unwanted oily film feeling that covers your mouth like with other oils. Try it today and from Tropical Tradition’s because they have a 100% Money Back Guarantee on 16 oz. trial size!

Guarantee as stated from their site:
Order Risk-FREE!

“We are so convinced that you will love this oil, that we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on our 16 oz. trial size. If for any reason you are not 100% satisfied with your trial size in the first 30 days, get a full refund – no questions asked!” So try it today and start enjoying this wonderful oil!

Tropical Traditions has a large array of products and you can check them out at:

• Their Website
• Buy Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil
• Watch a video on Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil!
• Their Twitter
• Their Facebook
• Their Google+

I received the above product free of charge from Tropical Traditions. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.