Friday, February 25, 2011

Fun with Food Friday - Coming Soon!

Annoucing...

Fun with Food Friday!

Mama Chocolate


Michelle over at The Not-So-Secret Confessions of a First-Time Mom and I are teaming up to bring you this weekly event to exchange and discover new recipes!

Here's how this will work: 

  • You the followers email us your favorite recipes!! You can email me at mamachocolateblog@gmail.com Please keep these recipes fairly simple..the best ones are the ones a busy mama can whip up quickly and easily after a long day!

  • Michelle and myself will then pick one for the week and make it! (She will pick one and I will pick a different one, so you get two separate recipes each week!)

  • On Friday we will then post the recipe we chose for that week and also review it! We will talk about how we liked it, how our family liked it, and how easy or hard it was to make!

  • We will also link back to each other's recipe so you can easily get to both!

  • You then have two new recipes each week to try out!! You can also feel free to email us your reviews of the recipe and let us know what you think about it!!

So, whaddya think? Send me your recipes! Feel free to send anything! You never know how adventurous we might feel... ;-)
We'll be posting the first set next Friday, so we need ya'll to send 'em in!

Let me know if you have any questions!

We'd also love it if you help spread the word by grabbing the brand new button or posting about this on Facebook or Twitter! 
Thanks!

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CSN Review Coming!

Be on the look out for another review of CSN Stores here in the near future!


CSN Stores has everything- from cloth diapers, cookware, bedding, shoes, and baby carriers to all kinds of furniture, like computer desks for home!


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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Poochy Lip Disease!




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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway - 3/9

* This giveaway is now CLOSED *


I have had the privilege of trying out Tropical Traditions excellent Gold Label virgin coconut oil!





Tropical Traditions Gold Label virgin coconut oil is unrefined, handmade, and is processed without heat, chemicals or solvents. The oil is certified organic, and made from coconuts used within 48 hours of being picked!
See the Tropical Traditions website for more info on the health benefits of quality coconut oil!

I was sent a 32oz jar to review. I've been using it with all sorts of things, mostly in my cooking and frying, but also in smoothies! (Yum!)

I had never used coconut oil before, and one of the things I wondered was whether you'd be able to taste the coconut flavor in your meals! I personally love the flavor of coconut, and wouldn't mind it added to most things, but I know people who do NOT like coconut. I wondered if they'd have to gag through food prepared with the oil if they wanted the health benefits.


Good news for all ye coconut-haters!
You really can't taste the coconut when you cook with it!
I tested this on pancakes, where I figured it'd be the most detectable.
Not a hint of coconut flavor there! Just beautifully browned hot cakes! :-)


...and Good news for all ye coconut-lovers!
(that includes ME!)
As I said, I also tried it in smoothies! I tasted a light coconut flavor there. I only used about a tablespoon for about a quarts-worth of strawberry/banana smoothie, so you could get even more coconuty flavor if you used more!


So far, that's my favorite use of the oil...in my strawberry banana smoothie.


To make the delicious concoction:


- Dump about equal amounts of frozen bananas and frozen strawberries in your blender.
- Add enough milk to get the smoothie to your desired consistency and then scoop in a healthy spoonful of coconut oil!


Of course, you can add all sorts of other healthy stuff, too:
- Blueberries, cranberries, spinach, (sounds gross, but you can't taste it!) eggs, ground flax seed, the list goes on!


I know a lot of you out there are experts or just getting into "green" smoothies...I'm starting to get more adventurous and would love to hear your ideas!


To get more delicious ideas for using coconut oil, check out this link!



Tropical Traditions is giving away another 32oz jar of their quality oil to one of my lucky readers!

You must use the form below to enter!

Please feel free to comment to remind yourself that you entered, (if you've forgotten, email me and I'll check for you. I don't mind, and I don't usually bite. I'm nice that way.)
Remember, however, that comments will not be counted as entries, except to count daily tweets. (see details on the form)

Current Entries as of Wednesday, March 9th, 10:00am PST: 180

Giveaway will close March 9th, Wednesday, 2011 at 10am PST.

This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada. I will choose the winner via Random.org, and the winner will be announced here on the blog and notified by email. Make sure to leave your email address or have your contact info available in your blogger profile. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, after which a new winner will be chosen.

*Disclaimer:Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Links You'll Want




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Monday, February 21, 2011


We have another winner!

The Small Beginnings minky blanket giveaway ended with 397 valid entries, (including extra entry comments,) and the random number generator picked #263!

Entry #263 is... Kendell Craycraft!
(Check out Kendell's blog, A Momma on a Mission!)

Congratulations! I'll be sending you an email shortly, and you'll have 48 hours to respond before I must choose a new winner!

* Update: Winner has responded and been confirmed! *

If you didn't win, be sure to enter my other current giveaways, and watch for exciting new giveaways coming soon!

Current Giveaways:

Go Green Pocket Diapers Champ - 3/2 Enter here!
Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil - 3/9 Enter here!

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CSN Stores Review: Expandable Dryer Rack



Features:
  • Expandable dryer
  • Satin Silver finish
  • 9 Expandable drying rods provide up to 23.75' of energy saving drying space
  • Rods telescope from 20" to 34.5"
  • Folds for easy storage when not in use

Just what I wanted!
By Mama Chocolate from Oregon on 2/19/2011
4out of 5
I've been wanting a drying rack to use for my cloth diapers during the winter months, and this one fits the bill!
It expands into a large amount of drying space with very little floor space used. :-) It could be a little sturdier, but it seems to be holding up well, and I think it's a great deal for the price! (Also, I just noticed this now, but on the website, there seems to be some missing decimal points in the description...this rack does NOT provide 2,375 feet of drying space!! LOL! I think it means 23.75 feet. Also, rods telescope to 34.5 inches, not 345.) :-)

Vist CSN Stores to find almost everything imaginable: cookware, shoes, furniture, and baby supplies, (just ordered a Moby Wrap from them!)

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Saturday, February 19, 2011

I'm a Fluff Addict!


I'm the featured Fluff Addict of the week at What Mama Wants!
Go check out the post to find out more about me and my family!

If you want to give yourself a better chance at winning any of my giveaways, read all the way to the bottom of the Fluff Addict post for instructions on gettin' yourself some bonus entries!


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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Hevea Natural Rubber Pacifier Review


The Hevea pacifier is made of 100% pure natural rubber from the rubber tree Hevea brasiliensis.

  • 100% natural rubber latex 
  • Hygienic one piece design – no joints, cracks or edges
  • Soft material and ergonomic shape – soft and gentle against baby’s face
  • Doesn’t leave marks, prevents vacuum around the mouth
  • Sustainably produced
  • Recycled and biodegradable packaging materials
  • Meets EU standard EN1400, US regulations CPSIA & AUS regulation AS 2432-1991
  • No PVC, no BPA, no phthalates, no artificial colors


This is a review I've been putting off for awhile, hoping that my sweet baby would decide she likes pacifiers.
She's going on 3 months of absolute pacifier-rejection.
Occasionally, I can get her to to tolerate it for a few moments, but I have to holding it in, otherwise...it's on the floor.

So, it's a little hard for me to to tell you how your baby might like this pacifier compared to others...but I can tell you what I think about it!


Hevea has four cute designs and a few different styles and sizes. They have an orthodontic nipple, (see above photo,) and a round nipple style.

The biggest thing I like about this one is that the whole entire pacifier is soft, and therefore more comfortable for baby's face.

The only thing I have found as a possible problem is that because the handle isn't hinged like my old pacifiers, it can get awkward when you've got a baby squished up against you in your Moby wrap. :-)

Visit Hevea's Question and Answer page for more info!

Visit their Where to Buy page to find retailers near you or online!

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Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Caught!

Katie had been quiet for too long...
When I called her she came out with my dark chocolate bar and proclaimed it "Nummmmy!"

(sorry about the blurriness...can't get that girl to hold still!)

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Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Go Green Pocket Diapers Champ Review & Giveaway - 3/2

* This giveaway is now CLOSED *

 

We have another giveaway from Go Green Pocket Diapers! This time I was sent their new Champ Diaper to review!


 Go Green Diapers' Story: 
Shortly after I had my third child I found myself buying diapers for 3. Not only did the costs really add up, but we were getting charged extra by the city of Boulder, CO for the ludacris amount of trash we produced. I had never considered CLOTH diapers before, but, timidly, I purchased brand-name pocket diapers at nearly $20 a pop. To my surprise, they worked spectacularly, and were nothing like the leaky, prefold things with which I was familiar. No leaks, better absorbency, they were perfect! Except for the price. There's got to be a cheaper way to get pocket diapers, I thought- and then I found them, high-quality diapers for half the price! In fabulous colors no less! I gave the pocket diapers to all my friends and they LOVED them. People kept asking me how to buy them, and that's how this website came about. I wanted to make it really easy for everyone to get these wonderful diapers. They're better for babies, better for bank accounts, and better for the environment. And, dare I say it, they make diaper changing fun! Please visit our products page to see our ginormus selection of pocket diapers.

The Review

Go Green has done it again! :-)
I loved their original diaper, (see my review here,) but this one is even better!

Here it is on the smallest setting, (perfect for my tiny Victoria!)

...and at the largest setting...giving my skinny 24-lb Katie plenty of room to grow into it still!

So what's different?

1.) The gussets! These make for a better, more leak-proof fit!

2.) The "pocket" is open on both ends. This means no bothering to even loosen the inserts before tossing them in the wash. They come out on their own beautifully!

3.) The insert snaps in to keep it from shifting or sliding...you can even leave it snapped when you toss it in the wash so you don't have to sort through your laundry to find it later!

4.) Two rows of waist snaps, (with the newborn cross-over tab!) and an extra row of rise snaps for a better fit!

5.) Color-coordinated snaps to aid in sizing. This is one of my favorite new features! It's really nice to be able to tell the unsure aunties which color to snap it at, and they don't have to wonder if they got it on right! ;-) 



BUY GO GREEN POCKET DIAPERS: Vist Go Green Pocket Diapers and choose your favorite(s) out of dozens of prints! The Champ diaper is $14.95, and their regular diapers start at $8.99! Their customer service is excellent and shipping is flat-rate $5 to US, and $10 to Canada. This makes a big difference in comparing to some other brands...shipping costs can squash your savings if you don't watch out!

WIN YOUR OWN GO GREEN POCKET DIAPER! One lucky Mama Chocolate reader is going to win a Champ Diaper from Go Green in your choice of print!

You must use the form below to enter!

Please feel free to comment to remind yourself that you entered, (if you've forgotten, email me and I'll check for you. I don't mind, and I don't usually bite. I'm nice that way.)
Remember, however, that comments will not be counted as entries, except to count daily tweets. (see details on the form)

Current Entries as of Wednesday, March 2nd, 10:00am PST: 601

Giveaway will close March 2nd, Wednesday, 2011 at 10am PST.

This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada. I will choose the winner via Random.org, and the winner will be announced here on the blog and notified by email. Make sure to leave your email address or have your contact info available in your blogger profile. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, after which a new winner will be chosen.

*I received a Champ Tangerine diaper from Go Green Pocket Diapers for the purpose of this review. I received no other compensation, and the opinions expressed in this review have not been influenced in any way.

Links You'll Want





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Friday, February 11, 2011

WINNER! Undercover Mama


We have another winner!

The Undercover Mama nursing shirt giveaway ended with 198 valid entries, (including tweets comments,) and the random number generator picked #180!

Entry #180 is... Becky!
(Check out Becky's blog, Learning 2 Go Green!)

Congratulations! I'll be sending you an email shortly, and you'll have 48 hours to respond before I must choose a new winner!

* Update: Winner has responded and been confirmed! *

If you didn't win, be sure to enter my other current giveaways, and watch for exciting new giveaways coming soon!

Current Giveaways:

Small Beginnings Minky Blanket 2/21 - Enter here!


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Thursday, February 10, 2011

Baby Blossom Designs Diaper Cover Review


I was sent two diaper covers from Baby Blossom Designs to review for the AMFC Event, but they didn't arrive in time due to shipping delays, and then I've been trying to keep up with everything else, so, finally...here we are!

Andrea sent me a Medium-Long and a Small to try out on Katie & Victoria.
(See sizing options here.)

The covers that Baby Blossom sent me are made with a woven cotton outer fabric with a hidden PUL layer and suedecloth inner.


Quality velcro closure with laundry tabs

I love her sizing system. I like to have the size right out there where I can see it easily.

Suedecloth inner fabric

Small Diaper Cover
Fun Christmas-y print! 
Andrea has dozens of fun prints that you can choose from in her Facebook photo albums.

My infant-sized Indian cotton prefolds fit perfectly in the small size!

These covers have worked great for me! The sizing chart seemed to be pretty accurate, but if anything, order a little large. Your kid can always grow into them, and it seemed like Katie outgrew the Medium-Long pretty quick.

The type of covers I got run from about $9 to $12, and Baby Blossom also has a inexpensive PUL-only cover that runs about $6 to $8 a piece!

Baby Blossom Designs also offers adorable kid's clothing, bibs and burp cloths with custom embroidery and more!

Visit them at their website:
and on
Also check out Andrea's new blog, MamaSews3!

*I received two diaper covers from Baby Blossom Designs for the purpose of this review. I received no other compensation, and the opinions expressed in this review have not been influenced in any way.

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Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - 3 months old!


Sweet Victoria is already 3 months old!



Katie in the same dress, at the same age (to the day!)


Wow. They look a lot different to me!
I think Katie takes much more after John's side, while Victoria has a little more of my side of the family in her.
What do you think?

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Monday, February 7, 2011

Small Beginnings Minky Blanket Review & Giveaway - 2/21

* This giveaway is now CLOSED *


I have had the pleasure of reviewing an ultra-soft minky blanket from the Small Beginnings Shop!


I picked the pink camo infant-sized blanket...can you say ADORABLE? 
Small Beginnings' infant-sized blanket is 35" x 28" and made with soft and cuddly minky. It's the perfect size to wrap up your infant or give your toddler a little security.


I like pink camo. I've never actually owned anything camo before this, but it has always reminded me that girls get to be soldiers for Christ, yet feminine and beautiful.

* My Little Soldier-Girl *

We all love this blanket! Katie steals it every chance she gets...mostly to wrap around her head and be "Printhess!"
It's just the right size to snuggle around Victoria in the car seat and keep her toasty warm during these chilly days. We've been using it every single day ever since I got it a few weeks ago!

Wanna BUY IT?
 These cozy blankets would make great shower gifts and run about $38.

Besides the minky blankets, Small Beginnings also offers quality wet-bags, ring slings and more!

Wanna WIN IT?
Amber at Small Beginnings has generously offered another infant-sized minky blanket to one of my lucky readers!

You must use the form below to enter!

Please feel free to comment to remind yourself that you entered, (if you've forgotten, email me and I'll check for you. I don't mind, and I don't usually bite. I'm nice that way.)
Remember, however, that comments will not be counted as entries, except to count daily tweets. (see details on the form)

Current Entries as of Monday, Feb 21st, 10:00am PST: 397

Giveaway will close February 21st, Monday, 2011 at 10am PST.

This giveaway is open to residents of US and Canada. I will choose the winner via Random.org, and the winner will be announced here on the blog and notified by email. Make sure to leave your email address or have your contact info available in your blogger profile. The winner will have 48 hours to respond, after which a new winner will be chosen.

*I received a infant minky blanket from Small Beginnings for the purpose of this review. I received no other compensation, and the opinions expressed in this review have not been influenced in any way.

Links You'll Want


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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Kitchen Tip - Minced-Ahead Garlic

I hate pulling out my garlic press and peeling the sticky little cloves every time I want fresh minced garlic in my cooking.
Most of all, I hate cleaning my garlic press.

So, I quit.

Now I just do 3 pounds of it at once to get it over with.


Step 1: Peel a mountain of garlic while you sit with your sick kiddo who wants you snuggle on the couch with her and watch "Swan Princess" for the 4,257th time.

Step 2: Dump all your peeled garlic into a food processor or any other handy chopping device and pulse several times until it's to your desired minced-ness.

Step 3: Use a tablespoon measure to plop it all out on to something that's easy to pop it off of later when it's frozen. (I use my plastic cutting mats.)


Step 4: Freeze them.

Step 5: Pop 'em all off the tray and into a freezable container or bag!


Ta-da!

This whole process is one of my mama-in-law's clever ideas! 
I love it! I have fresh minced garlic always on hand in my freezer in tidy little tablespoonfuls! 

I have now practically eliminated one of my least favorite kitchen jobs: washing the garlic press! 
Don't ask me why I hate it so much. I just do, 'k?

Instead of the dreaded task being almost a daily occurrence, (okay, so we eat a lot of garlic,) I can simply open my freezer, pull out the bag and grab one or two handy-dandy little tablespoon-sized garlic blops!


Or, I might grab one (or more!) of these... 110 delightful little pieces of heaven sitting in my freezer.


This post is linked to the Raising Homemakers Homemaking Linkup...




...and at Linda's Lunacy!

Linda's Lunacy

Update: See also how I prepare and freeze onions!

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Mama Chocolate: February 2011

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