Coconut Secret: A Review

Hello all! I hope everyone's 2011 has been off to a great start!

We are settling into the swing of things in Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is a lovely place. Lots to do...and well, it's a tad bit warmer than it is in Chattanooga right now and that's just fine with me!! Chattanooga (as many places have been) has seen LOTS of snow, and though I think snow is rad, I don't like it when I can't leave my driveway for too many days. So...the Gulf Coast is proving to be lovely.

I have realized that because I have been without internet for awhile as well as being so busy with life, that I have fallen behind on many of the posts I need to get to. So, I will be playing catch up for some time to come.

One of the areas I have fallen behind and will quickly work on getting caught up is in the area of product reviews. Oh, I love to review products and am kicking myself that I have not been able to get the reviews for the products up quicker. So...on to the review of the day (can't promise a review a day, but it sure would be nice if I had that kind of time lately). ;-)

I gratefully received a package from the fabulous people at Coconut Secret. They sent me three incredible products that I am thrilled I had the opportunity to sample. I will be buying these products in the future when I run out.

First off we have the Raw Coconut Aminos  (left): This was amazing! I used it in stir-fries, on potato wedges, as well as a marinade for tempeh. The flavor is fabulous! I have been a long time user of Bragg's Amino Acids and found that I could easily switch to this instead. Great product!
For more info see HERE.

Next we have the Raw Coconut Crystals  (middle): Yummy! One word says it all! I use this in pancakes and anything else that calls for sugar. It is a much healthier (and much tastier in my opinion) alternative to refined white sugar!
For more info see HERE.

And Finally...we have the Raw Coconut Nectar (right): I used this as I would honey. This is so yummy over oatmeal or overnight oats, as well as in tea! The flavor is very tasty! The possibilities are really endless with this product. I have lots more experimenting to do with this and I am super bummed that it didn't make it in the box to go to Gulf Shores. I will have to make a trip back home sometime to get it, for sure. ;-)
For more info see HERE.

I like how all of these products are raw as well as vegan, and gluten free! Like I said...the box containing a couple of these goodies did not end up in my kitchen here in Gulf Shores, and that makes me sad. I must really do something about that.

Have you tried Coconut Secret products yet? What are your favorites products? Any recipes you'd be willing to share using these products?

Peace & Love,
Kelly

P.S The above products were sent to me free of charge to sample and review for the blog. The opinions expressed here are mine and mine alone. I wouldn't have it any other way! 

109 Years Old On Mainly Raw Foods

I saw this posted on The Raw Food Health with Angi Blog this morning and thought this was worth sharing! Very impressive and inspiring! He has been eating raw food for about 104 years. He looks great and says he feels great, too. Love this!



I believe many people could benefit from watching this!

Oh, and have you entered my FIRST giveaway yet? Win TWO delicious soy candles! Click here!

Have a beautiful day!

Feeding Kids Right..Teaching Kids About Healthy Eating

I get so excited when I see kids eating healthy foods and being conscious of the foods they are eating. Kids need to be educated on the importance of healthful eating, just as they are taught mathematics and grammar. This kind of education should start in the home. Parents truly have the power to encourage their kids to eat to live as opposed to live to eat. Of course, this takes the parents themselves believe in the importance of feeding their bodies healthy, nutrient-rich foods.

I am very passionate about eating healthfully and teaching my kids the importance of eating clean, real, fresh foods. I hope that they will continue on with living healthy lifestyles years after they leave our home and go off and make their own food choices. I also teach my kids the importance of having certain things in moderation...meaning, yes, it is okay to eat sweets in small amounts (and I hope that my love of raw dessert experiments  pay off and they seek those...hey, it's worth a try, right)..fortunately, they LOVE all of my kitchen creations.

Now, don't get me wrong...I am not perfect. I'd love to meet you if you have this area of diet and nutrition all figured out. I love to learn as much as I can. Everyday I learn something new that I put into practice, whether it be a new exercise, a new recipe, new natural remedy, etc. I'm always seeking new information and I am not hesitant to discontinue eating something (or at least cutting down on it drastically) or doing something that I learn to be harmful to myself and to my family. After all, I look at it as my job as a SAHM to do this.  Of course, it is also a passion of mine, as well.

My kids are very familiar with fruits and veggies. It is a part of their lives. We love to look for the colors of the rainbow in our food. The brighter the colors the better!!

Photo Credit

It is my dream to have my kids look at food as a way they can keep their bodies healthy and also to realize that by eating healthy foods they help their minds stay strong for focusing on God.

Unfortunately, not every one looks at food the same way I do. Many kids, sadly never eat any fruits or veggies. Shocking, too, is the fact that many kids can't recognize fruits and vegetables (as I learned from this video below). This is saddening.

While I taught preschool in Colorado some years back, I saw glimpses of this growing problem of children not being fed nutritiously, and thus not being taught healthy eating practices. Many of the students came to school each day with belly aches and illnesses. Each and every day these kids came to school with lunches consisting of only processed junk (can we really classify the junk as food? No, we can't.). As the teachers, we talked with the parents encouraging them to pack more fruit and veggies. Some began to do so, some did not. We sent out letters requesting healthier lunches be sent with the students. Now, don't get me wrong..this was not the case with all the students, but I would say majority. My heart ached for those students with constant tummy issues. Fiber would have done their bodies good, but being kids...they couldn't do much to change what they were being fed.

What can be done about this?? Education is key, I would say. Watch this video and see what I mean.



Processed foods can be so easy and inexpensive. I think this has much to do with how fast paced our society is...we need things cheap and in a hurry. This is killing us (or atleast those who fall into the trap). Sad, but true.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you ever caught yourself sneaking in processed foods into your child's diet for simplicity sake? Have you made changes for the better? I'd love to hear your feedback.