Below
are a few delicious food options and unique kitchen products that have sparked
our interest:
With 15 years of experience in the ingredient
food and beverage industry (for many high profile companies), Primal Essence
has definitely perfected the art of oil infusions, and the manufacturing and
blending of liquid herb and spice (water-soluble) extracts. We can now benefit
from their experience, by enjoying their new, amazing and innovative consumer
product lines.
This year at Expo West Primal Essence launched a new line of certified
organic Super Teas and infused Coconut Oils (sweet and savory) made from high
potency ground herbs and spice extracts. What makes Primal Essence so unique is
not only their extraction process, which is done without the use of harmful
solvents or anything artificial, and includes Supercritical Fluid
Extraction which extracts 100% of the whole plants’ naturally inherent
benefits, but more unique is Primal Essence’s water-soluble process which makes
these potent extracts readily bio-available for the easy absorption of the
precious phytochemicals naturally inherent in Mother Nature’s botanical
pharmacy.
The infused coconut oils come in both savory,
and sweet flavors, and I’m happy to report that all of the sweet oils are
responsibly sweetened with a dash of organic stevia – just the right amount.
All products are free of artificial colors or
preservatives and are certified organic, kosher and non-GMO. For more information please
visit: www.primalessence.com
Nuvo
Olive Oil – I recently met Joshua Mardigian, one of the owners of Nuvo's
certified organic, extra virgin olive oil, at my local Farmer’s Market. I asked
if he was at Expo West and he said he was there walking the crowds, not in a
booth, but I decided to include Nuvo in this blog anyway because I’m so
impressed with the company’s fresh, exceptional organic olive oil.
In
2003, Joshua and his brother Nathan began their journey with the purchase of an
abandoned olive orchard located in the foothills of Northern California, where
they have successfully cultivated quite a bountiful and nutritious crop. The
trees were originally planted in the 1800’s by Freda Ehmann, a woman known as
the "Mother of the California Olive Industry". To honor their own
heritage, the family named the orchard H. Marin Farms Olive Orchard for
their maternal and paternal grandfathers.
Josh
first caught my interest by asking if I had ever tasted fresh olive oil? My
response was, I think so … however, after a brief conversation and quick
education about something called crush dates and bottle dates and nutrient , as
well as a taste of Nuvo’s FRESH olive oil, I realized, I HAD NOT!
He
explained that fresh olive oil should have a beautiful robust flavor and that
most store bought brands are actually rancid by the time we taste or use them.
The sample that I tasted was from the middle harvest (green label). As I sipped
Nuvo’s beautiful rich oil, it was like tasting a fine wine … it had a fragrant
bouquet of flavor that blossomed as it graced my palate.
I
was equally amazed at what happened to fresh vegetables when I dressed them in
FRESH Nuvo … they too, burst with flavor. This oil is so good I found myself
using my fingers to capture any of the remnants of the oil that had fallen to
the bottom of the salad bowl – I didn’t want to waste a precious drop of Nuvo,
yum. After tasting Nuvo, I realized that freshness isn't something that can be
preserved, only experienced and will forever be a total olive oil snob now!!)
Alaska’s
Bakery – Founder Noreen Naidus is a high-spirited woman who created a line of
100% organic gourmet dog biscuits and treats. When I met up with her in the
Fresh Ideas tent (where one finds all things organic), she was eating her dog
treats to bring home the point of how clean the ingredients were with a
naturally delicious taste.
She
was so convincing that I actually tasted one of the oatmeal and date treats
(also available in peanut butter and chicken) and to my surprise they were
pretty good. The ingredients include sunflower oil, apples, carob, cranberries,
garlic, whole grains, spinach, pumpkin, carrots, tomatoes, beets, bananas,
oregano and much more. (See health benefits section of website). However, the
real test was when I offered up a chicken biscuit to a friend’s dog Baxter, who
is a totally picky eater and he loved it. So consider this a human and animal
review … great taste with nutritious benefits.
Alaska’s
Bakery is proud to be certified to the highest level of organic certification
– 100% organic by the USDA, and made in the USA with 100% human grade
non-GMO American ingredients – and veterinarian approved. For more info: www.alaskasbakery.com
 |
| Danielle - one of the owners |
Full Circle Home – I currently
have two Full Circle brushes (that I’ve been using for years) – one for
cleaning produce, and the other for dishes – the Bubble Up and the Ring. I
actually rest the Ring on the Bubble up knob so they are locked in a loving
embrace on the counter.
The company was formed by a group of like-minded
friends who all noticed a void in the sustainable home living sector. Their
vision was to use their creativity and sustainable practices to develop the
most responsible and functional household products on the market. That’s
exactly what they did – offering a wide assortment of items including products
that scrub, wipe, sweep, clean, dry, dust, etc. – even a glass reusable
beverage container! The name Full Circle comes from the philosophy that a
product’s life cycle should be cyclical rather than linear (and not end in
a landfill).
This totally efficient container is made with a
double-wall vacuum insulation, is made from food grade 18/8 stainless steel
(consequently BPA-free and highly resistant to absorbing odor, taste or
bacteria) and has a charitable arm that gives 5% Back – by allowing the
consumer to allocate a portion of the company’s net profit from their flask
purchase(s) to a charity of their choice.
The unique insulation feature creates an absence
of matter between the two stainless steal walls so that there is actually no
condensation from cold drinks, or outside heat from hot beverages … nice! You
don’t burn your hands or leave rings of water on tables. This technology keeps
drinks/soups piping hot (for 12 hours), and/or refreshingly cold (for 24 hours)
depending on the season or adventure. Hydro Flask® also comes with a
manufacturer defect lifetime warranty.
BerryBreeze™ is a battery-operated device that
is placed on the top shelf in the refrigerator and is based on the technology
of using a patented timing sequence that releases a consistent level of
activated oxygen (03) approximately every 3-4 hours. (BB can also be used in
other storage spaces as well.)
It is said that the activated oxygen neutralizes
bacteria, mold, and other microbes by inhibiting ethylene gas that triggers
decay, thus keeping live food fresher 2-3 times longer. I have found that since
using the BerryBreeze™ my food truly does stay fresher longer, including
cheese. If I leave raspberries or strawberries in the cardboard box (from the
farmers market) with a plastic bag around them, they grow mold, but if I leave
them open in the box, they stay fresher longer.
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