Tag: organic food

Posted on

Muichic Tagua Jewelry

muichic jewelry, vegan jewelryKeeping up with my organic themed lifestyle I wanted to find gifts that are affordable, sustainable, and organic. Let’s face the facts that most gifts are made to be disposable, non-reusable, and or garbage. No one speaks of heirloom gifts that are passed on anymore; cheap this, cheap that, gift card, sure they are nice, but who want’s nice. I have gifts that I have been receiving that are from when my mother gifted them to my grandmother, talk about being green and an heirloom item. Oh I digress with the rambling.

So while on the prowl for great sustainable and organic gifts I came across Muichic Tagua Jewelry. Such a unique name, which the phonetic is moo-ee-sheek. The company intrigued me because their base product is almost essentially vegan. How crazy is that, considering most jewelry is created from a fine gem or metal such as a diamond and or gold. But long gone are the days of drilling and mining. Muichic creates their gorgeous jewelry from the nut that grows on a palm tree in South America. Yes, I said a NUT from a TREE. Talk about sustainability, low environmental impact, and remarkably the end product is stunning. Here is more about Muichic:

Tagua is our raw material. All of our pieces are made by hand from “tagua nut”. The tagua nut, a botanical alternative to ivory (a.k.a. vegetable ivory), is a seed that comes from the ivory-nut palm which grows wild in the humid tropical forest of South America. Its use stimulates the local economies in the region providing an alternative to cutting down rainforests for farming.

Unique accessories that are environmentally friendly & gracefully chic make up our natural bijoux collection…bold, playful & colorful goodness for your body. All of our pieces come in different colors and like snowflakes they all differ from one another. Each tagua nut has its own distinctive grain and shape which gives a remarkably uncommon quality to each piece of jewelry. Quality & individual variation on each piece are guaranteed.

muichic jewelry, vegan jewelryNow I am not a huge “bling” girl, I am not into chunky jewelry, bold statements, minimalist is best for me, it screams classy and I wanted to share my taste with my readers this holiday season about the beauty and dramatic statement from a vegan, organic, sustainable gift that is sure to wow any recipient. Plus this is a gift that is sure to last for many generations. Muichic offers many varieties of neckware, earware, fingerware, and wristware or for those whom are not fans of the bling can delve into the homeware with centerpieces and miscellaneous decor to add warmth to any home.

You too can surprise a loved one this holiday season with the organic, sustainable, vegan , stunning beauty of a piece of muichic tagua jewelry. Here is how you can surprise them this holiday season with the LIM Bracelet in red:

  • Visit Muichic and tell me what you like about their products and/or tell me one fact from their FAQ.
  • Like Muichic on Facebook and comment on their site promoting this giveaway and what you like about their products. (Worth 3 entries)
  • Like The Fish on Facebook (worth 3 entries)
  • Post/Share this giveaway on Facebook (worth 2 entries)
  • Follow My Blog
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Follow Muichic on Twitter
  • Tweet this giveaway: Add some sustainable fashion to your stocking with @muichic and @KariewithaK – https://thefivefish.com/muichic-tagua-jewelry
  • Comment on a non giveaway post
  • Blog this giveaway (worth 5 entries)
  • Subscribe to my feed or add me to your reader

Contest ends November 25th @ Midnight Arizona Time
As always: No Purchase Necessary, available to US and Canada residents. One entry per household. US postcard entries also acceptable if you do not have access to the above entry options, no limit to postcard entries as long as all are received before the close of the contest, email contests@thefivefish.com for your postcard entry details or to use email as your postcard entrance as these entries will be logged by the administrator of the blog. Winners will be chosen by “And the Winner is” Failure to adhere to the aforementioned rules set forth by this contest will result in forfeiture of your entry with no notice. Facebook does not promote, endorse, nor sponsor this review and giveaway and will be held harmless. As always, good luck and enjoy.

Posted on

King Arthur Flour for All Your Baking Needs

With my family being all organic finding breads that are organic and taste good are very hard to find. They are either very dense, very dry, or lack flavor, only a few choice breads that are 100% organic are very tasty. So because of this I have taken to making our own bread, only after we had been buying locally made bread from a family in our neighborhood. To save money, control portions and calories, and let’s face it when I know what my food is being made with, based on the ingredients I put into them, that gives me the piece of mind knowing my kids are eating healthy and without harsh additives.

Admittedly, my bread and all my baking happens with King Arthur flour. So with that I wanted to know what else I could do with King Arthur and I found that their options are unlimited. In fact, I found a yeast canister & measuring spoon set that made a beautiful addition to my kitchen and my baking needs. No more spills and messes with yeast, and it comes in a clean display canister with the perfect measuring spoon.

But King Arthur is so much more than just yeast and flour. They offer goodies for baking cupcakes, mixes for cakes, cookies and even dog biscuits. With all the various products King Arthur has to offer, they make the perfect gift idea for making premade baking mixes and jars, to making your own baked goodies for a gift basket, or buying that perfect baking pan. Plus you can trust in a company that has been around for 200 years here in the US. Don’t let me try to tell you how great they are, why don’t you enter to win a $20 Gift Card from King Arthur and try them out for yourself:

  • Follow KAF on Facebook and Twitter (Worth 2 entries)
  • Sign up for the KAF newsletter for even more goodies (worth 2 entries)
  • Follow my blog
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook
  • Promote this giveaway on Facebook
  • Tweet this giveaway daily: Win $20 GC from @KariewithaK and @KingArthurFlour in time for your holiday shopping and baking https://thefivefish.com/king-arthur-flour
  • Leave a comment on any non giveaway post (worth 2 entries)
  • Blog this giveaway (Worth 5 entries)
  • Subscribe to my feed or add me to your reader

Contest ends November 23rd midnight Arizona Time

As always: No Purchase Necessary, available to US residents. One entry per household. US postcard entries also acceptable if you do not have access to the above entry options, no limit to postcard entries as long as all are received before the close of the contest, email contests@thefivefish.com for your postcard entry details or to use email as your postcard entrance as these entries will be logged by the administrator of the blog. Winners will be chosen by “And the Winner is” Failure to adhere to the aforementioned rules set forth by this contest will result in forfeiture of your entry with no notice. Facebook does not promote, endorse, nor sponsor this review and giveaway and will be held harmless. As always, good luck and enjoy.

Posted on

iCookbook for iPad and Android

The holidays are creeping up on us and with them fast approaching some of us are scrambling for those perfect holiday meals, treats, or even alternatives. Furthermore, even after the holidays families struggle to find meals for their families or even for functions such as potlucks, a get-together, or just because they want to make that one meal.

A great holiday gift is one that is affordable, one you are able to use year after year, and for people like our family, one that is green and economical. So a great gift for anyone in your family is the iCookbook for iPad, Android, and coming soon to the iPhone. With access to over 2000 recipes, color photos of all the mouthwatering recipes, personalize the recipes by adding your own notes and reminders, and the app even provides a substitution list for those recipes that you may want to tweak. But the recipes don’t stop there, with diet specific recipes like gluten free, diabetic desserts and holiday recipe favorites, and fun recipes the kids are sure to love. Plus this is one of the most affordable gifts that keeps on giving for your loved one, your family, their family.

The first cooking app with voice activated instructions keeping your screen clean while your hands are messy.

My family has been enjoying the app, especially with my husband taking the reins at home and is such a gentleman with making dinners for our family that are fun, tasty, healthy, and everyone loves. No more griping and complaining from my three kids, plus with work being extra busy trying to plan meals together is nearly impossible so we can scan together on his iPad and my iPhone and make decisions in a snap while messaging one another.

Great for a stocking stuffer or as a fun gift for the amateur chef in your family, now available on iTunes for $4.99 where you can add it to your iCloud so it is available on all your Apple devices and available on the Android market and Amazon.com Marketplace to download to your Android products.

Posted on

Maukilo HABA Hit the Throttle

While on the prowl for new gift ideas, gifts that are sustainable, eco-friendly, educational and not the same old plastic mold from big name brands that offer nothing more than a cheap toy, I was approached by the folks at HABA USA.

Here is what I love about HABA USA and the Maukilo team and what they stand for:

In 2000, a German woman named Alexandra was living in California. Alex was searching for quality gifts and presents to send back to Germany to a friend who recently had a baby, but was disappointed in the collection available in the USA. While Alex researched for European toys online she discovered that virtually none of the European brands that she grew up with as a child were available. Thus the introduction of Maukilo.com. 

Currently, Maukilo is owned and operated by one of Maukilo’s largest suppliers, the German based HABA(R) company. The HABA USA office is located in quaint and picturesque Skaneateles Falls, New York and has now become the home of Maukilo.com. 

The Maukilo team (many mothers themselves) searches the world over to find incredible products inspired by European quality and innovation. We understand the importance of play and how essential it is to a child’s cognitive, emotional and social development. Our passion is finding products that are both fun and educational for children of all ages. 

We are committed to providing high quality toys that can be handed down from child to child, friend to friend, a toy that can be played with forever. All of the products carried on the Maukilo store meet or exceed the standards set forth by the U. S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and with our partners we are committed to ensure responsible working conditions (Maukilo.com, 2011). 

Choosing a toy or toys that your children can enjoy is really a daunting task with their site, so many toys that of course will last. So I chose a learning game/toy that all of my children could enjoy together because family time and learning is so important to us as a family.

We chose the Hit the Throttle board game. Board games are always so full of competition with the kids that I dread getting any games for them to play like that because fights ensue, then comes time out, crying, the whole dramatic event that could be thwarted by not partaking in a board game. But Hit the Throttle is so different in that the kids race one another to the finish line but no one really knows which car they are racing, which takes the challenge to an all new level of fun. I know my kids had a ball and yours will too this holiday season and for future days to come since Hit the Throttle is made with a sturdy cardboard race track and wooden race cars. No need to worry about leeching plastics and throw away toys, this one is a keeper.

Don’t take my word for it, if you are eco-conscious and you are looking for toys and gifts that will last more than just into the next holiday season, the Maukilo team and HABA USA are are great option. In addition to the toys lasting a lifetime they are even easy on your budget with prices from under $25, under $50 and under $75, and toys for all ages.

Posted on

Honest Tea Kids – Sweeter Alternative

Are your kids still reeling from the Halloween candy? Maybe they are suffering from a bit of a candy hangover per se. Well maybe the cure or the better option for next year’s Halloween candy option is Honest Kids from the makers of Honest Tea.

Honest Tea has a new line of organic, no high fructose corn syrup, low-sugar, fruit-flavored drinks that are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth craving. Not to mention the good for you option with these drinks not being overloaded with sugary sweetness and the guilt of high fructose corn syrup.

My kids love the Honest Tea kids line of drinks with the light, sweet fruit flavors that quench their thirst and I can feel guilt free about them drinking them. Made with all organic ingredients, natural flavors, and in easy to access pouches. In five fun-filled flavors: Appley Ever After, Goodness Grapeness, Berry Berry Good Lemonade, Tropical Tango Punch, and Super Fruit Punch.

This year for the holidays, choose a healthy alternative to the sugary, sweet, unhealthy, tempting snacks and treats that support poor choices for your kids. While a sugary snack here and there is alright in moderation, but sometimes the holidays take over with the desire for sweets. Don’t take my word for it, try Honest Kids drinks for yourself, find them at your local grocers, Costco, and other local retailers. Try adding them to your stockings this year for the holidays or in next year’s Halloween treat bowl as a healthier, just as sweet alternative.

Posted on

Trick or Treat with Shamrock Farms

Shamrock Farms is gearing up to celebrate Halloween in a hauntingly healthy fashion with a family-friendly event down on the Farm. Aside from meeting 10,000 cows, guests are invited to wear their costumes, trick or treat and enjoy chocolate milk, all while meeting Roxie, Shamrock Farms lovable spokescow, and famous Peanuts characters Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Sally! Especially since chocolate milk is the official drink of Halloween. Treat your bones with Chocolate Milk, the Official Drink of Halloween, a nutritious beverage in disguise that Mom can feel good about during this candy-filled holiday! As with any sweet indulgence, in moderation and mom’s can feel better about a cold glass of calcium filled chocolate milk as opposed to tooth rotting sweets that can wreak havoc on our kids.

This Halloween event falls on Saturday October 29th, and at Shamrock Farms in the southeast valley heading towards Tucson we will be honoring our “kids ride FREE” deal (with adult admission) so this is an awesome added value event for families to enjoy with kids being FREE. Attendees will also receive a FREE milk and will be able to trick or treat along the tour.

Roxie Costume Party at the Farm: Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011 (3 tours offered)

Visit the Cold Room – Not counting school milk, Shamrock Farms stores 930,000 bottles of chocolate milk in its Cold Room on a WEEKLY basis where 1,330 pallets are loaded and over 1.8 million chocolate school milk containers (stored weekly) are handled at the farm.

Production – Shamrock Farms produces more than 200,000 gallons of chocolate milk every week which equals to about 3.2 millions cups of milk each week.

In addition to celebrating the Halloween special, come celebrate Arizona’s 100th birthday, we’ll be having special Centennial activities at the Farm! There’ll be an enhanced tour featuring Arizona’s history and every guest during our 2011 season will receive a commemorative band with admission celebrating Arizona’s Centennial and Arizona’s hometown dairy.

More than 10,000 cows are standing by, ready to make our farm tour a real hands-on experience for kids of all ages. With interactive displays, games and a tram ride, it’s a cornucopia of family-focused and educational activities for the whole herd.

Posted on

Easy Kids Snack Ideas & Recipes

broccoli, twins, boy, thefivefish.com

Feeding my children can be the easiest and most daunting task. So I try to find healthy and substantial snack ideas that do not leave them craving for more food later or feeling unsatisfied.

A great snack idea that costs very little and is great for on the go or to tie the kids over until dinner is graham crackers and cream cheese. Simple and effective without the sugary, sweet effects or salty, bloating of other foods. Spread a little softened cream cheese on a graham cracker snack and you have a cheesecake tasting snack without all the filling calories, fat, and sugar like more snacks.

Do you want your kids to get more protein without all the bulk of eating meats and or processed foods? Lentils are a great snack and are fabulous for toddlers learning to grasp and eat by themselves. Boil a cup of lentils, rinse and toss with your favorite seasoning for a light snack or even bake them tossed in a light coating for a bit of a crunch and zip. Great for salad toppers or alone, the kids love the crunch.

Ants on a log: my personal childhood favorite of raisins atop a stalk of celery smothered with peanut butter. Crunchy, salty, sweet, and good for you. Low in calories and high in fiber and protein this fun filled snack is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Cracker Sanwiches: using slices of apples or pears and cheese or spread some peanut butter in between these crackers to create a fun and tasty sandwich to help your kids feeling full without overfeeding them.

Ask your kids what they want to eat and make it fun, take them into the kitchen and let them explore with you and share their ideas of a fun and great snack idea.

Posted on

Organic Baked Kale Chips Recipe

baked kale chips, kale chips, kaleWhile partaking in my weekly offering with Bountiful Baskets I have recently been receiving a lot of kale in my baskets. I will fully admit I am a novice as to what kale is, was, and how it would have any addition to our dinner table and or menu for meals. But I did find that kale is very high in essential nutrients such as iron, calcium, beta kerotene, and the list goes on. I found some wonderful recipes to add this green leafy gem to stir fry, but I am not a fan of wilty greens. Although spinach is wonderful if steamed properly, I could not quite wrap my noggin around biting down this cabbage cousin. However, no recipes really jumped out at me. So while perusing the dry goods aisle at Whole Foods today I was hit with a stroke of genius, call it an epiphany, of how to serve up kale where everyone in my household would eat it and love this leafy green. Here is an easy kale recipe that is sure to be a hit and great addition to your diet.

The prep for this snack is more than easy and takes very little time, all you need is patience to pat dry your kale after a good rinsing. I had to rinse mine thoroughly, since it was USDA Certified Organic, so I was greeted with a caterpillar who had made a home in the fold of the leafy green vegetable. So be sure to rinse thoroughly and dry thoroughly or your kale will not turn out the way it should intend.

  • 2T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp Herbes de Provence (optional, for a bit of flair)

Basting brush, cookie sheet, preheated oven to 375 degrees

Take your leaves of kale and slice the leaves from the stalk and then cut into chip size pieces. I sliced all mine jaggedly off the stem/stalk of the leaves so I had silver dollar size pieces. Do this only after you have rinsed well and patted your leaves dry and they must be completely dry or you will have steamed kale instead.

Using your basting brush, baste on the salt and EVOO mixture and place on cookie sheet, dash lightly with salt. Do this until all the pieces are lightly coated and then place the entire cookie sheet in the oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes and checking at the 8 minute mark as to not burn your kale. Remove from oven and serve. Great with dinner, as an anytime snack, or to add that extra something to your meal and table.

 

Posted on

Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe

Fall is most definitely one of my favorite seasons of the year. The weather is fantastic. The mornings are rich with a cool bite of the season, the smell is unmistakable from summer into fall. You can almost compare the scent of fall to that first bite into an apple; crisp, juicy from the dew of the morning, bitter and then sweet with a smoothing you can feel all over your body. Continue reading “Pumpkin Pancakes Recipe”

Posted on

Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Sunday mornings are my time to give the man of the house a break and I whip up some of my culinary favorites in the morning for the family. Albeit egg nog french toast or pumpkin pancakes for the coming of fall, but lately we have tickled our taste buds for a bit more of the boring meets eccentric type of cuisine.

A little cafe by my office serves up a WICKED breakfast pizza, it is all sorts of unhealthy with garlic, olive oil, bacon, you name it and this breakfast pizza is topped with the heart stopping additives. While I wanted to copy this recipe of sorts I did not want to steal their thunder nor the replica of the food, I wanted to put a Herring organic spin. Of which I did!

Half dozen organic flour tortillas (super easy to make with organic flour too!)

Morning Star Vegan Sausage

Diced/cubed ham

(yes this is available in organic, you have to hunt for it)

Six Eggs, scrambled

(I add a touch of water while scrambling to make these babies extra fluffy)

Shredded Cheese (to taste)

On a large baking sheet or baking stone, place tortillas flat, topping with the above and add cheese to taste. You can mix up the ingredients and add bacon and or pork sausage, we went for a lower calorie and I love Morning Star sausage due to the vegan component for my kids. Place in oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts to be sure not to overcook the eggs and meat and serve. My kids loved this new spin on pizza and breakfast.