Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash

               

I've been on a hat-making "kick" and recently completed 3 berets, all made in wool yarns.
                      
When I finished them, it was time to look for a good product to wash the berets, before blocking them into shape. I tried Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash and I was very pleased with the results.

                           

Here are some photos of my "trio of tams" after they were washed and then blocked, using Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash:

                       

Washed, Blocked and Waiting to Dry.

                    

Great results!
This beret is knitted in Alafoss Lopi Yarn.

                          

                                 

I was inspired to change my avatar photo! LOL

                                   

                                   

A large, floppy crochet beret pattern, also made in wool.

 (I used 2 yarns together, from my stash)

                                              

                  
Shades of Fall!

                    

                      

Spruce Green Wool of the Andes Yarn from KnitPicks.

This beret is also crochet.

                     

The Eucalan worked very well; actually exceeded my expectations. I tested the: Unscented, Grapefruit (how's that for an interesting laundry scent), Lavender and Original Eucalyptus Scents. All were pleasant and not over-the top in terms of being overly scented. But I do prefer unscented products, that is always my personal preference.

From the Eucalan website re: No Rinse Delicate Wash, Natural Unscented:

"Eucalan’s Natural No Rinse Delicate Wash is the same great formula, but no scent has been added to it. It is Eucalan, bare and naked, as we have not added any chemicals to take away the natural scent of the product. The lanolin enriched formula helps to condition fibers and keep static away. For those scent sensitive people, use Eucalan Natural on all your delicates like sweaters, lingerie, and hosiery, comforters, down jackets, bathing suits and baby items."

All of these berets were soft, very clean and blocked perfectly after using the Eucalan Delicate Wash. I did not rinse the berets, as suggested on their site and there was no soapy residues left behind.

Eucalan is useful for many types of delicate fabrics, not just wool. I also tried it on a cream colored cotton shrug that was badly in need of a wash. It came out beautifully too. Eucalan really cleans! I could actually see some of the dirt particles coming out of the fibers of this shrug, it was amazing. Strong on dirt but still gentle enough for fine washables.

Eucalan can be used for hand-washing and in the machine. Apparently makes a great pet shampoo too as fleas do not like Eucalan and it is non-toxic. 

Eucalan comes in a variety of sizes: 5ml. , 100 ml., 500 ml. and a large 4L/ 1 gallon economy size, with pump. And if you stop by the very informative Eucalan site, you can get a free sample to try.

I will definitely be using Eucalan again. I've tried a number of delicate wash laundry products over the years but nothing has worked better than Eucalan No Rinse Delicate Wash.  

If you'd like any details about the patterns and yarns used in the berets I made, just send me an email.

Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix

For a long, long time, I was not a fan of pancakes. That might have had something to do with how my dear mom would prepare pancakes for us as kids. Made from a basic commercial mix, fried in a lot of oil and served with a big splash of syrup. Yikes!  Even as a kid, I wasn't a fan of overly sweet or heavy foods.

But in the past couple of years, I've started to enjoy pancakes once in a while for breakfast. And Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix is one of the first mixes I've tried. 

On the plus side, using this mix does make pancake-making fast and easy. Just add an egg, vegetable oil and water, mix and pour on a hot griddle or fry pan.

The ingredient list is certainly better than some of the more "mainstream" pancake mix brands that are available. Here's the list, with some additional information about this mix, from the Bob's Red Mill site:

click image to enlarge

As far as taste is concerned, that's ok too. Not exceptional; but for a mix, not bad. Nice texture, a bit grainy which I like.  And with some additions to the product, such as blueberries, apples, a dash of cinnamon etc...they taste even better.

But I've found it's almost as easy and also a cheaper option to make my own pancake mix, from scratch. I prepare (just enough for breakfast) the dry ingredients, measured and mixed together  the night before. In the A.M., I add an egg, vegetable oil, milk or a combination of milk/water and voila... quick, easy and very tasty pancakes. And with ingredients and add-ons that I choose and can vary, each time.

If you need some pancake-making inspiration, here's a pancake post I wrote a while back, over at one of my other blogs: Take A Happy Break. These pancakes are consistently good, very easy to make and almost as convenient as any store-bought mix. I like them topped with a spoonful of sugar-free blueberry jam and some veggie sausages on the side. Yummm....makes a very filling breakfast too.

Using a prepared pancake mix is a very convenient way to enjoy pancakes. But it's really not much more work to make them from scratch. If I was in a big hurry and wanted pancakes without having to buy all the ingredients to make my own pancake mix, yes I would use Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix again. I do prefer homemade though, whenever possible. A bit more time and effort required, but I think it's worth it!

Overall rating for this product: Good. 3 out of 5.



AVG Anti-Virus Products

I've been using AVG Anti-Virus products for many years. Make that HAD been using AVG for many years, up until about a week ago.

As far as protecting my computer, I had no complaints when it came to AVG. Everything seemed to work fine. Easy to download, regular updates, no nasty "bugs" that couldn't be taken care of quickly and completely...all was well. Until....

About a month ago, one of those expiry notifications started popping up with AVG, saying that my protection was about to expire (in October). So, as is usually the case, I headed over to TrialPay to see what kind of "freebie" I could get, with the purchase of another year of AVG. If you haven't tried Trial Pay, it's a great service. There are mixed reviews online about TrialPay, but in my experience (and I've used it several times) it's been nothing but positive. You can find out more at their site.

So, back to AVG. I'm over at the TrialPay site when I notice on my list of past orders with them that the AVG I purchased last was only due to expire in December of this year, not October. Why was I getting these expiry notices now, if that was the case? This is where things started falling apart.

I then contacted TrialPay about this and they tried to help but since it was an AVG product, I ended up being referred back to AVG to get this sorted out. Well, sorted out isn't what happened. Wasting LOADS of my time is what did!

After wading through the options on how to contact AVG, I tried their chat-online technical support option.

Signing on,  I was put in a queue where I started at 50! So back and forth, back and forth....checking while I tried to get something else accomplished online while I waited for someone to start chatting! Finally, almost 2 hours later, someone did.

 I explained in detail what had happened re: the date issues with my service. And it was a very slow process! I don't know what these people are doing, while you are waiting for them to type a reply but it was just ridiculous how long the pauses were, to answer my very basic questions. That first attempt wasted about 3 hours of my time altogether. But at least at the point, I thought it was going to be rectified as I was assured it would be, with a follow-up email from the sales department pending for for the following week. This was on a Saturday btw.

The following week, came and went, with no email from the sales department. And still the expiry pop-up showed up from AVG, with the days being counted down. No quick fix there!

By the following Saturday, I gave up and tried again. Again, another long wait in the queue before someone came online. Then I had to go over it all again. And the assurance again that an email would be on it's way soon and that it was in the works with the sales department. I had heard all this before and at that point I was down to just 5 days remaining for my AVG protection, or so the pop-up told me!

Talk about wasting time and nothing getting rectified!

By this point, I had had enough of it all. I went in search of another anti-virus option and happily found MS Security Essentials, which I have been using for the past week. It's working just fine. Seems to have all the requirements I was looking for. And best of all, it's FREE! Easy to install, easy to understand instructions at their site....and a comprehensive program that I feel good about using.

So after all this unneeded stress with AVG, who by the way has still not replied as of today about this mistake on their part, my anti-virus story does have a happy ending. It doesn't make up for all the wasted time with AVG or the frustration of having to write several emails, chat and chat again with no results. But it did free me from wasting any more time with them in the future. I did note several other reviews online about AVG that documented similar experiences to the one I had, in terms of lots of wasted time and very poor follow-up from this company.

My days of using AVG are over!

It's all well and good to provide software that works. But without the support to back it up when there is an issue (big or small)  it's not a good product/company to choose. I didn't appreciate all this wasted time and hassle. I hope my review helps other people to avoid an experience like I had with AVG.  

Overall rating for this product: Unsatisfactory. 1 out of 5.

A Mr. Cheddar Review: Taste of the Wild, Rocky Mountain Feline Formula (dry cat food)

I really, really am!!!!!

Heh there, Mr. Cheddar here. Yes I'm finally back!. 

 I wrestled the keyboard out of Meowmie's big paws/hands today and have taken over the controls to bring you a most-important kibble update.

My new go-to dry cat food of choice these days is: Taste of the Wild.

Not that I'm complaining about my previous kibble choices but heh, we all need variety and a change now and then. And Taste of the Wild really makes me feel frisky and yeah, kind of wild too! I'm lovin' it!!!! Sometimes, the humans DO get it right and that's sure been the case with Taste of the Wild. I mean, the humans may have their many, many short-comings but they've gotta pick the right food, toy, blanket....sometimes!

So, what are all the reasons that I like Taste of the Wild? Before I go any further, here's the bag so you can share it with your own humans (and they can try to get the right one too snorrttt......) Make sure they study it carefully, or copy if need be.They are so easily distracted sigh....

With Roasted Venison & Smoked Salmon

For All Life Stages

Grain-Free

Roasted Venison & Smoked Salmon

Optimal Amino Acids

Digestive Support System

Antioxidants

Omega Fatty Acid Blend

Berry Blend

Taurine

Tomatoes

No Corn, No Soy

Chelated Minerals

I don't know what all of those big words mean but I do know it tastes great! It doesn't give me spit-up problems; although I do miss that sometimes especially when a new pair of human shoes are available!!! Snort.... Just kidding, I don't really like spit-ups. My coat is looking so fine; smooth and silky. And to be oh, so indelicate, it keeps the "plumbing" in good working order, if you get my meaning!!!

And yes, I'll say it again. Taste of the Wild brings out the "wild" in me! I feel friskier these days and have lots of energy to spare. And that can be a good thing when the humans refuse to get up and attend to my many requirements at the time that I request. I think 5 A.M. sounds about right, don't you? But alas, I usually let them sleep 'til the ridiculously late hour of 7 bells, only 'cause they get so cranky when I don't!

I digress...Meowmie has returned to check out what I'm up to and wants me to add some more of the human-type reading material from the Taste of the Wild folks so here goes:

Rocky Mountain Feline Formula (dry cat food)

A grain-free formula for all life stages with peas and sweet potatoes provides highly digestible energy for your active cat. Made with real roasted venison and smoked salmon, this formula offers a taste sensation like no other. For today's healthy cat, this formula is supplemented with fruits and vegetables, providing natural antioxidants to support a healthy immune system and overall good health. Your cat craves a taste of the wild. Go ahead and give him one.

Protein: 42% Minimum Fat: 18% Minimum
Calcium: 1.9%, as-fed; Phosphorus: 1.2%, as-fed
Calories: 3,745 kcal/kg (390 kcal/cup) Calculated Metabolizable Energy
Available in 5lb and 15lb bags.

              

Ingredients
Chicken meal, peas, sweet potatoes, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), pea protein, potato protein, roasted venison, smoked salmon, natural flavor, ocean fish meal, DL-methionine, potassium chloride, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yucca schidigera extract,dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, zinc proteinate, vitamin E supplement, niacin, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1), vitamin A supplement, biotin, potassium iodide, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin (vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, manganous oxide, sodium selenite, vitamin D supplement, folic acid.

Ok, ok they get the picture Meowmie. Yeah, alright, I'll mention about the canine stuff too.

Yes, Taste of the Wild is also available for D-O-G-S and in a variety of flavors. I know, I know... they've gotta eat too. And, they've got canned food choices for cats and dogs as well, in case you go for the "wet stuff" snort.....

I like to partake in the occasional can of Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Feline Formula in Gravy. Yuuuummm....A special treat. My method of preferred slurping? I like to suck up all the gravy first and then devour the yummy chunks of salmon and other goodies. Ahhh...the good life!

 You can read about all of the flavors and formulas available at the Taste of the Wild website. They sure do have a lot of information over there and some coooool artwork too. More wild stuff!!!

If you have been looking for a change of kibble or can, share this review with your humans soon. Get them to copy it if necessary. Just make sure they get the goodies! The Taste of the Wild goodies that is. You won't be sorry. The humans might be though, if they don't!!!!

         

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5. (that's from Meowmie).

I give it the Cheddar Paw's UP!!!! It's greaaaaaaaaaaaat.

Tints of Nature Permanent Hair Color

After trying out and reviewing the wonderful hair-cutting system: CreaClip a week ago and giving my hair a significant snip; I continued with my hair-improvement "mission" this past weekend.

My tresses got a long-overdue hair coloring, using Tints of Nature in 5N Natural Light Brown. I actually had left my hair very neglected in terms of any coloring for over a year. Giving it a rest I guess. And rather lazy on my part too. And it certainly needed coloring, especially at the front where my hair had become a real mess of grey, white and faded brown. 

                       

 Here's a photo taken at the front of my head, before coloring:

                        

                                 

               

Photo after coloring with Tints of Nature. Natural Light Brown:



                                                                                   

This is a flash photo (not the best) as it was rather dark and cloudy here on the weekend. The color is  a rich, even brown. I would say more of a medium brown actually.  My hair also feels like it's in  better condition, after coloring with Tints of Nature, softer and easier to style. Best of all, the fresh color is a big improvement over my former "patchwork grey"  look!

                                               

From the Tints of Nature website:

Tints of Nature is the only available line of permanent hair colors to use natural, certified organic ingredients wherever feasible. The highly effective formula also has a naturally derived base. It is paraben free and contains no harsh ammonia, resorcinol or nonoxynol, thus helping to ensure damage free results. We use extra mild, low odor, pharmaceutical grade peroxide and the lowest possible percentage of PPD pigments (Paraphenylenediamines) - ranging from 1N (the darkest) at 2.0% to 10XL (the lightest) at 0.03% - giving an average of 0.6% across the line. You can darken your hair by several shades, lighten it by 1- 1 1/2 shades, simply match or even enhance your natural color, and gently but effectively cover all gray hair. You can choose the color and we take care of the condition - leaving your hair soft and silky with a deep and lasting shine.

                           

What did I like about this product?

First of all, any hair color product that cuts down significantly on harmful or questionable ingredients has my vote and interest, right off the bat. Having said that, it's still got to work and work well.

Tints of Nature actually colored my hair better than the mainstream commercial permanent color brands (ie Clairol etc..) I used years ago. In recent years, I had been trying out a variety of semi-permanents and other products like henna, sage rinse....

It wasn't messy to apply. When mixed and ready to use, it has a thick consistency that barely dripped.

There was plenty of product to cover all my hair and I have a lot of hair!

The kit came complete with a generous sample of color safe shampoo and also a conditioner.

And what didn't I like?

 When the hair color product was first mixed and applied to my hair it had a strong, kind of "fishy" smell, which lasted for several minutes and then diminished. Not unbearable by any means but some odor, which is not unexpected with hair coloring.

The shampoo was rather frothy and hard to rinse out, I realized afterwards that I could have used only half the packet to wash my hair and it would have been enough.

 The conditioner had a strong, perfumey scent which I didn't like but again not unbearable. I'm not much of a fan of strong scents in products at any time.

Not a negative comment but it would be great if this company offered a smaller re-touch size product kit as well. I don't like throwing away product that I can't use and this full-size kit will definitely be too much product when I re-touch my hair in a few weeks from now. And re-touch I will!

I'm so happy to finally "wash that grey right out of my hair". It was long overdue.

  

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

Badger Foot Balm

I've been on a roll lately (or so it seems) for finding some really great products to try. Long live the Internet! Now that I've got my hair in much better condition thanks to CreaClip, which I recently reviewed here at MRLR; I decided to work on my tired, neglected feet, at the other end of the spectrum LOL!

Badger Foot Balm is one of the best foot care creams, balms or salves I've ever tried. It really does work, as the label proclaims! And oh what a relief for my poor footsies, that were long-overdue for a truly soothing treat!

This is a pleasantly- scented balm, with peppermint prevailing but not over the top. Goes on smoothly, with no heavy, greasy feeling. It continues to moisturize well, long after it's applied. Even a few days after using Badger Foot Balm, without a second application, my feet were looking a lot better! And talk about soothing tired feet. After rubbing in the balm and putting on a pair of cotton socks, my feet felt like they were heaven. Soft, soothed and with a slight warming sensation too.A pleasant, relaxing feeling that helped me nod-off the first time I tried it, for a very good night's sleep. That's an added bonus!

Badger Foot Balm Ingredient List:: *Olea Europaea (Extra Virgin Olive) Oil, *Ricinus Communis (Castor) Oil, *Cera Alba (Beeswax), *Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, *Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Oil, *Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, *Elettaria Cardamomum (Cardamom) Oil, *Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Oil, *Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Oil, and *Abies Balsamea (Balsam Fir) Oil. *= Certified Organic

The Badger Company, based in New Hampshire, is a family-run business that has been in operation since 1995. You can read the interesting story of how their company grew, from it's humble beginnings in the family kitchen, at their attractive and fun to browse website, which also includes a page about their green initiatives.

As is often the case with great ideas and necessity being the mother of invention... Bill Whyte, a carpenter by trade, was searching for a truly soothing solution for his dry, work-worn hands, back in the 90's.. From that personal need, their Original Healing Balm was created. The rest, as they also say, is history.

The company now employees  a team of 40 "Friendly Badgers" and offers a wide variety of natural skin care products. I'm looking forward to also trying their: Sore Muscle Rub, Night, Night Balm, Nutmeg and Shea Moisturizer and Lip Tint Shimmer, Natural Soaps... to name but a few. Everything looks so good! And based on my experience with Badger Foot Balm, I'm confident I'll be finding a lot more Badger "gems" to enjoy and for years to come.

The Badger Foot Balm come packaged in attractive, reusable tins, with .75 oz. and 2 oz. sizes available. Reasonably priced too. The .75 oz tin (which I have) is a good size for a try-out and would allow for many applications; priced on the Badger site for only $5.50.  Would make a thoughtful gift too.

And who doesn't need more pampering, especially when it comes to our often-neglected feet? 

Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

CreaClip (haircutting system)

It's not too often that I can say I am very excited about a new product. But that's exactly how I feel, after giving CreaClip a try, this past weekend.

If you are tired of shelling out hundreds of dollars every year on haircuts and trims for you and for your family, CreaClip can provide a welcome $$$ break and not at the expense of getting a good haircut either.

I wanted to give this product a try by having someone who has NO haircutting experience to test it out. My husband Joe was perfect for this hair experiment! Not only does he lack any kind of haircutting training, the whole idea of cutting hair BEFORE trying CreaClip, scared him silly! Now he wants to open his own salon LOL. He actually said it was fun. And it took out all the guesswork when it came to cutting hair. 

On the other hand, I do have training as a hair stylist from years ago and still cut hair for friends and family now. But I know for anyone without that kind of training, cutting hair can be a daunting task. And definitely with unpredictable (and yes sometimes really bad) results.

Enter CreaClip. Talk about an innovative product.

I won't go into all the details of how CreaClip was developed as they have a very informative website  that not only explains how CreaClip works but includes numerous how-to videos that are very helpful for all types of haircuts you might want to try.

The only thing that I noted there that I didn't agree with was allowing for a couple of inches of shrinkage when placing the clip on someone's hair. As CreaClip is used on dry hair, that's not really a concern in my opinion. But I do agree with the advice that when in doubt, cut less. You can always cut again if need be.

Here's my own experience with CreaClip shared in photos:
                            

My oh so neglected hair, overdue for a trim.

                         

               

The larger CreaClip in place, ready for the big snip!

                         

                 

Over 3" of frizzy ends, gone!

                          

I sectioned off my front hair in ponytails.

                          

On to the sides, ready to snip, using the smaller CreaClip.

                                           

We used the smaller clip on the sides as my hair is very thick and Joe didn't want to attempt any layering at the back. This variation worked great.

Each clip has a level in the center (how clever is that!) so that you can be assured of a even cut across. Gripper teeth hold the hair in place but don't pull on hair. Joe did suggest holding the large clip when cutting across, to insure it stays in place. This step may not be necessary with thinner hair though.

And the great results.
                      
                        

      

The  "un-glam" (heh, Sunday is Bathrobe Day here) but definitely happy results!
                                  

The CreaClip kit comes complete with the large clip used for the back hair and smaller clip which is suitable for bangs and angle cuts on the side and printed instructions. As far as detailed instructions though, their website is really the place to go. You'll feel confident trying CreaClip after you check out the numerous videos there, I'm sure. And for less than the price of one haircut, you can order your CreaClip and say goodbye to expensive salon visits.

PS: And stay tuned for Part 2 of my hair transformation!

I'll be testing out and reviewing a new natural hair color product here soon.

                

Overall rating for this product: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Caf-Lib Organic Blend Grain Beverage

If you've been stopping by at MRLR on a regular basis, you'll already know that my buying preferences always favor green, natural and organic products whenever possible. I'm happy to share that one of my favorite hot beverage choices is now available in an organic blend.

I previously wrote about Caf-Lif Original Blend a few months ago, including information about the health benefits of chicory and also how great Caf-Lib tastes. Let's face it, healthy is always good but taste has got to be top priority! You can read the review here.

The Organic Caf-Lib tastes exactly the same as the Original Blend in my opinion. Being an organic product has only added to the appeal.

One comment to make re: the label and ingredient list. I've been told by the company that a new label with all the pertinent information re: certification as organic by AgroBio Test (an organization in Poland where Caf-Lib is manufactured) is now being used. The label on the current jar I have left me wondering about this, as some of the organic certification information is incomplete. Good to know that's been rectified.

If you are looking for a delish alternative to too many cups of coffee or regular tea every day, Caf-Lib is definitely a hot beverage you'll want to try. And now it's a greener choice too.

Stop by the Caf-Lib site to check out all their products (including a variety of teas) and to read about their coffee-reduction/wellness target challenge.

They certainly have helped me to (painlessly!) reduce my caffeine consumption, thanks to their healthy and great tasting beverages! Now available as a greener product too. I'm loving it!!!!


Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

Best Staged Plans by Claire Cook

I was in our local library a couple of weeks ago, browsing through some of their new book offerings and was drawn to this book by it's very attractive cover and intriguing title. I'm glad I decided to add it to the pile of books I had already chosen that day.

Best Staged Plans is the first Claire Cook novel I've read but it certainly won't be my last. Not only is this book an entertaining story from start to finish; it also has some life lessons for readers to consider personally and long after the last page has been turned.

Sandy Sullivan, the main character in the story is a home stager, living in Boston. In case you aren't familiar with this occupation, it's a person who helps to bring a house/property up to speed and looking it's best, before putting it up for sale. Well, right off the bat, the author had my attention.

Home staging is something I've been doing for years, on a free basis for friends and family. I have a knack for this it seems as in every case the seller made (a lot) more money on the sale of their homes than they or the realtors had initially anticipated. It's something I love to do!

Back to the book...when there's something that I can relate to this closely in a story, it usually follows that the book will definitely pique my interest. Reading about Sandy's experiences helping various clients throughout the book and some staging tips as well, brought back some good memories for me.

But staging homes and quirky clients are just a small part of what makes this such an enjoyable read. Sandy struggles with a number of challenges in her family relationships and is badly in need of a break from the routines of her everyday life. A trip to Atlanta to work with a boyfriend of her best friend, who is getting a small hotel ready for sale ends up only complicating things further. Along the way, she meets and befriends a homeless woman and here's where the story takes yet another interesting turn. One that brought tears to my eyes. And later, smiles. But I won't spoil the story by saying too much!

This truly is a wise, witty and well-written story. Author, Claire Cook's personal story is very interesting and inspiring too. Stop by Claire Cook.com to read about her own journey from being a teacher to becoming a novelist in mid-life. A dream that she had on the back-burner for many years. A re-invention story that has inspired me so much, as I work on my first novel. My first novel I'll actually finish, I should say!

Satisfying, funny, touching and with a message about homelessness that can't be expressed enough.

There is a lot more to this book than just a great cover. Good to the last page!

Overall rating for this book: Excellent. 5 out of 5.

Sol Cuisine Original Burger (meatless)

                                                   

If you've been stopping by recently here at My Real Life Reviews, you'll already know that I've been on a quest to find a better commercial meatless burger. You can read about some of the challenges I've encountered in this search at this previous post.

I'm happy to share that my search appears to be over after trying Sol Cuisine Original Burger, last night. I am impressed by this product.

Here's the good news about Sol Cuisine Original Burger:

• A great taste. Not over the top, spiced just right.
• Nice meaty texture. Meat-lovers would like these too I think. 
• Only a 109 calories per patty/burger.
• A generous size patty, over 3 oz. each.
• A good vegetarian protein source with 15 gr. protein per burger.
• Sodium content acceptable at 290 mg. per burger, much less than most commercial veggie burgers.
• An ingredient list that's easy to read and to stomach. Check out the U.S. and Canadian links here for specific ingredient list depending on where you live. They do vary a bit.
• No trans fats.
• Easy to prepare.
• Reasonably priced. 4 burger pack was $6.19 at our local food co-op.
• 100% Vegan.
• Wheat and gluten free.
• Minimal and recyclable packaging.

Did I find anything that I didn't like about these meatless burgers?

 Well, a couple of things but both rather minor, considering all the pluses.

First, could not find a "best before" date anywhere on the package. I like to see an expiry date on products and on both boxes I purchased, couldn't find this information.

I also cooked the patties longer than was suggested on the package. I used a grill, oiled with vegetable oil and cooked product from frozen state as suggested. I allowed about 4 minutes at medium-high heat on both sides of burgers. I don't think the 2-3 minutes suggested is quite sufficient, when you are starting with a frozen patty that's fairly thick (about 1/2") .

The burgers stayed together nicely (no crumbling edges!) after they were cooked and for taste-testing purposes I did not add any sauces or spices while I was cooking them or afterwards, to ensure that the actual taste of the burgers was what I'd be able to share here. I'm happy to say that the taste stood up well, all on it's own!

If you've been looking for a tasty and satisfying alternative to meat burgers or you are already a vegetarian or vegan and want to have a convenient and delish burger choice, ready to cook from your freezer, give Sol Cuisine's Original Burger a try.

 I've tried a lot of commercial veggie burgers over the years. By now, I can definitely spot a winner, when I taste one!

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

 

Updated rating ( Feb. 2013...see comment below): Unsatisfactory. 1 out of 5.



Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman

I finally got around to reading this book, after hearing so much about it (mostly good) for a long, long time. Make that "attempted" to read this book. After the first couple of chapters, I just couldn't waste any more time with it.

You guessed it.... just plain BAD!

I had heard about Dan Millman's story and his chance meeting with the mysterious and wise man: "Socrates" several times. I had been under the impression until I began reading the book itself (and not just snippets of reviews etc) that this was a completely authentic life story. It is not.

In Millman's own words from the preface of the book: "This story is based on my adventure, but it is a novel. The man I called Socrates did, in fact exist. Yet he had a way of blending into the world, so it's been difficult at times to tell where he left off and other teachers and life experiences began. I have taken liberties with the dialogue and some time sequences and have sprinkled anecdotes and metaphors into the story to highlight the lessons Socrates would want me to convey."

Ummm...already the alarm bells were going off for me.

Yes, it's fine to write a novel. But is it still ok if that novel is based almost completely around the author's interactions and conversations with a main character who actually lived? Where does reality fade and the fantasy begin? Make up your mind Dan Millman!

The credibility issues were already there for me. Add to that, Millman's own life story (the undisputed real one!) struggling for years to make ends meet. Dead end jobs that left him financially strapped and looking for ways to improve his lot in life.

Presto: the Peaceful Warrior has certainly done that for him and then some. Millman has gone on to write a number of follow-up books too including a companion edition to the Peaceful Warrior. Seems this whole magical experience of interacting with his buddy Socrates has paid off very well indeed. No more struggling! And as far as his writing abilities, this is written at about a pre-teen level. It's choppy, amateurish and pretentious. No....make that grade-school level. Especially for fairy tale lovers.

Here's a (oh so candid) review of this book, from Amazon:

 Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives (Paperback):

Way of the Peaceful Warrior changed me. It transformed me into a being who will never trust the title of a book again. The degree pseudo-intellectualism and ridiculous insight within the pages of this book are only surpassed by the one-dimensionalness of the characters. I was forced by an employer to read this book and it only took a glance at the cover art and quick scan of the blurb to blow the top off of my lame-o-meter. The "sage" is a rude mystic who seems to hide every nugget of insight within a crusty coating of belittling insults. The progagonist is a somewhat dense, however sexually satisfied jock, who undergoes supernatural experiences vaguely reminiscent of peyote induced spirit quests. The entire time I read this story, I felt like I was listening to the ramblings of a person who has been brainwashed by a cult. If I were less opinionated, I would say that this book is not for me. Because I AM so opinionated, I'd say this book is not for anyone. If you haven't bought it, don't. If you have already purchased it, you could use it as a coaster. Aaron Boyd.

Aaron...I gather this book won't be on your Christmas gift-giving list either?

There are all sorts of fans of this book over at Amazon but also a lot of people who thought it was just another "get rich quick" venture for the author as I unfortunately have to agree with. I had high expectations for this book. It's sad that they were dashed before I got very far reading it. Definitely NOT what I hoped for or expected.

Overall rating for this book: BAD. 0 out of 5.

Food for Life Organic Sprouted Whole Grain Tortillas

I've been looking for a good alternative to the chemical-laced tortillas that are available in most grocery stores, for quite a while. When I don't want to take the time to make my own tortillas, it's nice to know there is a good commercial choice that doesn't make a person cringe, reading the ingredient list.

Food for Life to the rescue!

Not only do these tortillas have a better than average list of simple, natural ingredients; they also have a wonderful, nutty flavour that works well with all kinds of wrap/tortilla fillings. I recently made a batch of summer veggie wraps using these tortillas and they were oh, so delish. A quick warm-up on the grill (a couple of minutes on each side) really adds to the flavor these tortillas. They have a great aroma too.

Some additional information about this product from the Food for Life Website:

Inspired by the Holy Scripture verse "Take also unto thee Wheat and Barley and Beans and Lentils and Millet and Spelt and put them in one vessel and make bread of it." - EZEKIEL 4:9

INGREDIENTS: Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Unhulled Sesame Seeds, Organic Sprouted Whole Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Whole Barley, Organic Sprouted Whole Millet, Organic Sprouted Whole Lentils, Organic Sprouted Whole Spelt, Sea Salt.

Food for Life makes a variety of wholesome products in addition to tortillas, including: breads, English muffins, hamburger and hotdog buns, cereals, pasta....check out their complete product line at their colorful website.

Only a couple of things about these tortillas that I think could be improved upon. I'd like them to be just a bit bigger (they measured about 9") and a little bit thinner would make them easier to use as wraps. I also prefer the taste of very thin tortillas. Other than that, I think this company has made a good product and a definite improvement compared to what's on the market as competition.

Here's the ingredient list (by way of comparison) for Dempster's Whole Ancient Grains:

Whole grain whole wheat flour including the germ, water, vegetable oil (canola or soybean), ancient grain blend (flax seed, hulled millet, spelt flakes, kamut flakes, barley flakes, poppy seed, amaranth whole, whole quinoa), wheat gluten, flaxseed, glucose-fructose/sugar, salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate, potassium sorbate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium propionate, monoglycerides, sodium stearoyl- 2-lactylate, fumaric acid, cellulose gum, carrageenan, maltodextrin. May contain sulfites and milk ingredietns. [B805].

Yikes!!!

I definitely prefer the list for the Food for Life brand , don't you?

Overall rating for this product: Very Good. 4 out of 5.

Yves Prima Veggie Burgers

I was planning to write a complete review about these veggie burgers from Yves Veggie Cuisine. But after reading this report (one of several that I found this past week online) about hexane used in the process of making some popular veggie burgers on the market, this is going to be a short review. And I won't be going  into the details about taste, price or sodium content. Not really of interest or importance compared to the bigger issues in these reports.

And here's another report, this one from Mother Jones. This one goes into more detail about the dangers of hexane.

I shudder to think how many of the "bad" brands on that list I've eaten in the past. But live and learn. That's one of the best things about the Internet and ingredient lists on packages, we can buy products as informed consumers. And we can make decisions based on our own research.
                                             

Ingredient list for Yves Prima Veggie Burgers from their Canadian website:
                              
Water, soy protein product, onions, canola oil, natural flavour (including natural cheese flavour), modified cellulose, cornstarch, egg albumen, hydrolysed soy and corn protein, evaporated cane juice, torula yeast, salt, caramel colour, carrageenan, spices, yeast extract, vitamins and minerals (thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin, calcium pantothenate, reduced iron, zinc oxide, wheat starch).

Ingredient list for their Meatless Beef Burgers from their U.S. site:  
(and how's that for a strange product name? Oxymoron anyone!!!)

 Water, Textured Soy Protein, Vital Wheat Gluten, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Onions, Cornstarch, Natural Flavors, Fruit Powder (Pear, Apple, Plum), Modified Vegetable Gum, Malt Extract, Salt, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Torula Yeast, Dextrose, Carrageenan, Onion Powder, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Spices. Vitamins & Minerals: thiamin hydrochloride, riboflavin, niacinamide, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamine, calcium pantothenate, reduced iron, zinc oxide). CONTAINS: SOY and WHEAT. Manufactured in a facility that uses peanuts, dairy and egg ingredients

                       
I'm not planning to use any commercial veggie burgers, until I find some brands I can actually feel good about buying. And of course to buy them more than once, they've gotta taste good too!

 I'm working on some new recipes for homemade veggie burgers right now. Made some this week with lentils, veggies and a blend of herbs  (I'll share that recipe soon at my cooking blog) and they came out great. Delicious and made with no questionable ingredients.Yes, it took some time for prep work and certainly not as convenient as picking up a box of veggie burgers from the store but it's time well spent I think. I made a big batch and froze the burgers, individually wrapped so they are now just as convenient as the store-bought varieties. Much cheaper too, added bonus!!!

I will keep you posted on my quest to find a good commercial veggie burger that is not only great-tasting but healthy too. As of today, the search is still on. I will be reading those labels! Hope you are too.

Overall rating for this product: BAD. 0 out of 5.