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REVIEW: Fire & Flavor Gluten Free, Certified Non-GMO Rubs

February 11, 2015 0

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In Florida, it’s always warm enough to grill! We recently received a set of Fire & Flavor’s gluten free, certified Non-GMO rubs and seasonings to review. Fire & Flavor, based in Athens, GA, helped to popularize cedar plank grilling, which as become a favored technique for grilling fish. A WBE certified woman owned business, Fire & Flavor was founded by Gena Knox. Knox’s Southern background and love of family and friends fueled her passion for cooking. Today, the company shares all kinds of ways to make food more delicious, nutritious, and easier to cook.

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Those of you who are experienced grillers know that a good seasoning or rub will compliment the natural flavor of a food without overpowering it—which is exactly what Fire & Flavor’s rubs do! Fire & Flavor uses all natural ingredients to make flavor-filled rubs that make any cook feel like a gourmet chef, including the Classic Rub, Everyday Rub, Turkey Rub, and Coffee Rub—yum! While grillers will embrace the dynamic uses of these seasonings, anyone can use them. Fire & Flavor’s website offers ideas for how to use the rubs and the Everyday Rub, for example, tastes great on seafood, chicken, and even sweet potatoes. As an added eco-bonus, rubs come in a recyclable shaker-top jar and the company uses BPA-free packaging. The company also sells brines, cedar planks, and cookbooks.

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We reviewed the seasons & rubs including the coffee, classic, everyday rub, and the turkey rub. The Coffee Rub, which combines fresh-roasted coffee with a hint of ancho chile pepper and brown sugar. We tried it on grass-fed steak. The Classic Rub is great for tenderizing lean pork chops, as well as chicken, without overpowering natural flavors – we used it on organic chicken.  The Everyday Rub is made from a mild blend of assorted chilies, paprika, brown sugar, onion, and garlic. We used this rub on fresh fish!

Whether you’re an avid griller or beginning cook, Fire & Flavor’s rubs add gourmet home-cooking flavor to any meal.

 

Full Disclosure: I received samples of this product and was compensated for this sponsored post – however, all opinions are my own.

38!

February 10, 2015 4

birthday-cake-380178_1280Today is my 38th birthday! I love birthdays! Over the weekend, the mister surprised me with a birthday luncheon at The Morikami Japanese Gardens with all of our Florida family. When a birthday starts out with family, Japanese gardens, and green tea ice-cream – it was destined to be the beginning of a great year! Thank you Mister Lyon. I have a feeling 38 is going to be pretty amazing – I can’t wait!

Energy Savings and the Environment: The Secrets of Solid Home Insulation

January 26, 2015 0

san-francisco-210230_1280Hello, Friends! This post was sponsored and wasn’t written by me. Thank you for supporting the companies that help to run Sweet Greens!
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Better insulation keeps your home more comfortable, and it is good for the environment and your heating and cooling costs. Improving the insulation of your home can pay for itself in energy savings in a very short period of time. This means you are reducing your home’s carbon footprint by reducing the amount of resources needed to heat and cool your home. Even a small reduction can have a significant impact on the environment. Less energy means less nuclear waste, methylmercury released through coal combustion, and other toxic volatile compounds released into the environment. You can read more about it on Reviewlr. Precious animal habitats are also disrupted less frequently if new sources of energy are not required to be utilized. Here are some tips for improving the energy efficiency of your home.

Older homes
If you live in a house made before the 1950s, it is likely that you have no insulation besides an air space. If your walls are six inches thick then you probably have at least four inches of air space. This was a traditional building method before the advent of fiberglass insulation and foams. In some cases you may be able to use expanded foam insulation to fill in this space via small holes in your walls that can be concealed with paint or patching. If you are replacing the wall coverings then you can use an eco-friendly insulation.

Roof and attic space
Heat rises. The insulation value of your roof or attic is crucial to the energy efficiency of your home. It is simply amazing how much heat a home can lose. One option for insulating an attic space that is unfinished or not used for storage is to use insulation made from shredded cellulose or recycled paper. This is blown into your attic space for even application. It offers superior insulation value at an economical cost. For those with a cathedral ceiling, foam insulation or fiberglass is the best option. There are many eco-friendly options available now – just ask.

Shutters
Some insulation solutions can add a lot of class and sophistication. Consider window shutters, for example. They are available in a wide variety of styles to suit the architecture and charm of your home. Custom shutters are also available if you want a truly unique style. This is an especially good choice for older and traditional styles of home.

Basement or crawlspaces
What is under your home is a much overlooked area. It is possible that you are losing a lot of heat through your floor. While modern building codes usually require insulation in floors, older homes may have none. Newer homes may have some but it might be minimal. Spraying expanding foam insulation can make your floor a lot warmer to the touch and cut down on your overall heating and cooling costs.

As you can see, there are many ways to increase the energy efficiency of your home. The methods you choose will vary depending on the age and condition of the house. Getting a professional to do an energy audit and helping you to make the best choices when it comes to insulating your home in an eco-friendly way can be a big help if you are still having trouble deciding what is best for your home.

Ecocentric Mom Box is Perfect for Soon to Be Mom’s Too!

January 9, 2015 1

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My Ecocentric Mom Box showed up right on Christmas Eve, so I felt like I was getting a special early Christmas gift! It was full of eco-friendly goodies and treats I didn’t feel bad about eating. If you’re an expecting mom, a new mom, or long-time mom, there is a box for you!

  1. Lovely Candy Company Caramels (on sale right now!)
    These, plus the next item on the list, were my favorite! Because it’s treat-season I’ve been indulging a little too much in sweets and treats that aren’t exactly guilt-free. Lucky for me, Lovely treats are! They are all natural, soft, chewy caramels made with real butter and sweetened condensed milk. Bonus: they are gluten free, non-GMO, kosher, and you can pick them up at Target!
  1. Organic Flavrz Water Enhancer (get 15% off with code: ecocentric)
    Flavrz bills these as the “world’s best organic alternative to artificially flavored, colored, and sweetened beverages,” and they aren’t lying! These drink mixes are made with organic fruit juice, organic flavorings, and a hint of sweetness. I gulped mine down in seconds flat.
  1. Little Pim CD
    This CD is just too cute. When I opened my box to reveal a CD sleeve featuring an image of a panda bear playing harmonica while two friendly birds rest on his shoulders, my daughter immediately knew it was for her! Little Pim is an award-winning language program designed for children aged 0-6, and its unique Entertainment Immersion Method makes it fun and easy to learn. Our CD, Spanish Bop, features 15 favorite children’s songs in Spanish.
  1. Bum Boosa Bamboo Wipes
    My daughter has always had very sensitive skin, requiring us to buy diapers and wipes with zero added ingredients, like chlorine and synthetic fragrances, so I was delighted to try a new bum-friendly wipe. Bum Boosa replaces synthetic or tree-pulp wet wipes with renewable and sustainable bamboo, and uses ingredients like Calendula, Chamomile, and organic Aloe Vera so that they’re gentle on even the most sensitive bottoms.
  1. Novena Skin Care Sample Pack
    When I was pregnant with my daughter, I got a LOT of samples from my OB office, baby classes, and friends who didn’t use the million samples they got during pregnancy. As nice as it is to have options, most of the products I was given to sample contained ingredients I wouldn’t use when I’m not pregnant—let alone with I am. Novena’s organic pregnancy skin care line is a great choice. My sample pack included fruit facial cleanser, bearberry brightener moisturizing cream, bearberry brightener moisturizing lotion, belly/bum cream, and beautifying breast cream.
  1. Gaia Herbs PlantForce Liquid Iron (25% off with code: Ecocentricmom14)
    Did you know that your blood volume doubles during pregnancy? As a result, many pregnant mamas end up with an iron deficiency. Gaia’s liquid iron supplement replaces lost iron and is tasty, too—just make sure that, as with any supplement during pregnancy—you OK it with your OB first!
  1. eInvite Holiday Cards (20% off with code HOLIDAYCODE20)
    These are too cute and super easy to use. The cards come as pre-printed backgrounds that you can easily stick a cute photo onto and pop into the mail for a unique, sweet greeting. eInvite.com has a wide selection of baby products, too, like shower invitations and birth announcements—and they’re made in the USA.
  1. Urban Oreganics Full Size Makeup Remover (20% off orders over $20 with code: ECOMOM20)
    Urban Oreganics handcrafts the highest quality skin food from natural ingredients. This all-over makeup remover binds to cosmetics and gently lifts them off, and is safe for eyelashes and skin. With ingredients like coconut oil and witch hazel, it’s an eco-friendly no brainer.

Mumzy Helps Entrepreneurial Moms Launch their Big Ideas!

January 5, 2015 1


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Becoming a mom has a way of helping you focus on what’s important, what’s necessary, and what’s brings the most happiness. Motherhood can bring out the worst in us—when we are sleep deprived and clutching at the last vestiges of our former identity as we slip into a whole new life—but mostly it brings out the best in us. As a mom, you don’t have time to waste, and what’s really important in life becomes clear: health, happiness, family, and supporting all three financially and communally. This new-found focus pairs well with a mother’s innate intuition and real-world skills, and the result is that a lot of moms come up with great business ideas! Whether it’s an idea for a baby product, a community organization serving families, charitable cause, or all-around innovative new idea, as a mom your experience, wisdom, and huge heart give you insider information about what’s really helpful to others—especially other moms.

Our guess is that if you’ve read this far then the above description sounds a lot like you. I can almost hear the voice in your head saying, “Yes! Exactly! My idea would make millions! If only I had the time/money/support/my old 9-5 back/networking skills/a new haircut and clothes free of baby puke stains.” Working independently is a dream career for many moms who don’t want to return to their 9-5 job, or who have already had to return but crave a better work-life balance—making more money in less hours worked doing something enjoyable and energizing.mom baby img

Moms are some of the greatest innovators and entrepreneurs out there and are the perfect people to start small businesses, but many moms lack the necessary resources to turn our business visions into a reality. Generating a business plan, prototype, or any other logistical piece of an emerging business idea is tough enough without having to worry about soliciting the idea to investors and banks, especially when many moms don’t have any “credible” backing for their idea aside from their insight as a parent (something we think is priceless!).

If this sounds like you, you are in the right place! At Mumzy.com, they believe in you! Mumzy was created for moms like you, and is a place where Moms bring ideas in search of funding, help, and support in turning those ideas into a reality. Whether you dream of patenting a new invention, starting a small business or nonprofit, or any other idea that has momentum but lacks capital backing to take it to the next level, Mumzy is there to provide solutions to get you to the next level. Can you image the possibilities for your big, eco-friendly business idea?

As a crowd-funded site, Mumzy gives you a platform to pitch your business to other moms and small business supporters, including how much you need to get running. You are in the company of moms like yourself who understand the visionary power and sheer strength unique to hard-working moms like yourself and who want to support fellow mom-preneurs. Mumzy is also a place where you can peruse the baby businesses of other moms and offer funding and support to the ones you really believe in.

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Like your business idea, Mumzy is a new company in its infancy. MUMZY is the first and right now only viable crowdfunding platform for moms. Their goal is to support and serve the entrepreneurial mom community to the best of their ability! They welcome your wisdom and feedback, and if you would like to provide input or ask questions, please contact them at info@mumzy.com. Take a few minutes to explore their site and see what other moms like you are working on, and how they’ve been supported so far. The first 100 people who post a project for funding on Mumzy will have a chance to win $1000 back towards their project’s funding goal.

Happy launching!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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