Keep Shoes New Years Sale

(click on the flyer above to be take to the sale)

Top row: The Nuss, was $60 (was $85)
Bottom Row: The Ramos, $55 (was $75)

Giveaway : Go Max Go Foods Candy Bars (1/30/11)

Go Max Go Foods takes inspiration from familiar flavors to create their own chocolate bars which are free from hydrogenated oils, trans fat, cholesterol, diary and egg ingredients. Go Max Go Foods recently sent me one each of their four chocolate bar offerings : Jokerz (dry roasted peanuts, nougat, caramel), Twilight (nougat, caramel), Buccaneer (nougat) and Mahalo (coconut, dry roasted almonds). Each of the bars looks gorgeous and tastes just as amazing as they look!

Jokerz :

The nougat is packed full of flavor and has an almost fudge like taste and consistency which seems slightly darker, chewier and stickier than the 'traditional' candy bar nougat. The caramel is equally flavorful with just the right consistency and sweetness to complement the chocolatey nougat. In keeping with familiar traditional candy bar flavors, the chocolate coating is a milk chocolate (the milk in this case being rice milk) which has a light flavor that highlights the flavor of the fillings quite well. Personally, I think I would prefer the overall flavor if the coating were simply dark chocolate (the rice milk seems to damper the chocolate flavor a bit), but with the milk chocolate coating the flavors are super classic and super familiar which is nice too! One other thing to take note of is that these bars do contain corn syrup.

Twlight:

Buccaneer:

While I liked all the bars, the Mahalo flavor was hands down my favorite- it was almost like biting into a huge, chewy chocolate covered coconut macaroon speckled with crunchy almonds, so so good.

Mahalo:

Definitely a great option to satisfy those sweetness cravings!

You can find Go Max Go Foods products at many retail and natural grocery locations throughout the US and abroad (including at Whole Foods Markets) orrr you can win some by leaving a comment below!

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Go Max Go Foods is generously offering one reader a bar each of their Mahalo, Buccaneer, Twilight and Jokerz chocolate bars!

To Enter: Leave a comment letting me know which flavor candy bar you're most interested in trying.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and Go Max Go Foods on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
NEW Bonus Entry : Stop by our new blog Brixton Street and leave a relevant comment on any post there then let me know where you commented (you may earn one entry per day during each day that you leave a new comment).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Please also leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end January 21, 2011 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **





PLEASE NOTE : We've now moved to a new URL and this giveaway has been moved there. Please visit our new website Brixton Street to enter. If you've already entered here, no worries, your entry is still valid and will be counted. Please leave any new entries or daily tweets on the new blog. Thank you!

Giveaway : $150 Worth of Pureology Colour Stylist Hair Products + Hydrate System Review

Pureology is a Southern California based hair care company that specializes in shampoos, conditioners, hair treatments & styling products specifically designed with color-treated hair in mind (and also excellent for untreated hair). Pureology's extensive range of products carry a guarantee for longer lasting hair color and the brand is #1 in the USA among color care brands! Especially impressive considering the entire product range is fully cruelty free- no animal testing and free of animal derived products... quite rare for a salon brand.

Pureology recently sent me an amazing selection of products from their always classic Hydrate line to try out here on the blog:

Hydrate Shampoo ($27) : This shampoo cleanses extra gently and uses Advanced Nano Technology in combination with Pureology's AntiFadeComplex to prevent hair color from being stripped, extending the the life of hair color (guaranteed), and enhancing hair color. The shampoo both cleanses thoroughly and moisturizes, making it especially good for dry and brittle color treated hair. Regardless of the condition of my hair, I've found this shampoo to work wonders in creating shiny, smooth locks without compromising volume- I'm always impressed by how nice my hair looks after shampooing! My hair is heavily thinned out so I tend to have lots of flyaways, but this particular shampoo really helps to smooth them out with its hydrating effects. The aroma is also amazingly soothing & calming with its lightly herbal, subtly minty scent.





Hydrate Condition ($27) and Hydrate Light Condition ($27) : These conditioners are designed to keep hair soft and moisturized without weighing down. The Light Condition formula is specifically designed for fine hair and for those who are sensitive to menthol. Like the shampoo, these conditioners use Advanced Nano Technology & AntiFadeComplex to protect and maximize the life of hair color. Jojoba and shea butters provide additional hydration for even softer, smoother results. Both conditioners yield excellent results when used in combination with the Hydrate Shampoo. With the shampoo alone, my hair looks wonderful, but the conditioner really helps to provide a sleeker, smoothed out look. The scent is mintier and less herbal than the shampoo providing a nice, invigorating aroma.





HydraWhip ($45) : HydraWhip is a light hair soufflé/treatment that contains AntiFadeComplex to maximize colour retention and can be used in lieu of your normal conditioner- simply use after shampooing and leave in for 2-5 minutes. The product contains avocado, jojoba, shea and mango butters to moisturize without weighing hair down. The product provides conditioning and enhances shine with botanicals of green tea, rosemary and sage. The result is a gloriously moisturizing, silky effect! Like the Light Condition product, HydraWhip is designed for those with finer hair and for those who are sensitive to menthol- for those with thicker hair, HydraCure (hair masque) may provide the best results based on your hair care needs. As my hair is quite thick, HydraCure is my hair treatment of choice for restoring maximum shine, strength and smoothness to my hair. I use either HydraWhip or HydraCure when I want a 'fresh from the salon' sleek, shiny look or to help replenish hair that looks especially dull or dried out.

Even when my hair is not colored, Pureology makes some of my favorite hair products for maintaining great looking hair that is both shiny and smooth. I've never been disappointed with the results I get from using their products and am always in awe of how wide their selection of products is. It is sometimes difficult to find a high quality salon product that is cruelty free, but Pureology is really top notch in this regard.

I also wanted to mention that this month Pureology launched their new Colour Stylist collection. The collection is designed to specifically address the needs of color treated hair and contains 6 hair styling products. Like all other Pureology products, although this line is designed for color treated hair, they work just as well on non-color treated hair!

You can find Pureology products at select salons nationwide.

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Pureology is generously offering one reader their entire line of brand new Colour Stylist products ($150 value) including:

• Fortifying Heat Spray Protective Primer ($22)
  
• Silk Bodifier Voluminizing Mousse ($24)
  
• Anti Split Blow Dry Styling Cream ($28)
  
• Nourishing Nectar Sculpting Gel ($26)
  
• Cuticle Polisher Shine Serum ($26)
  
• Strengthening Control Zero Dulling Hairspray ($24)
  

To Enter: Visit the Pureology website & leave a comment letting me know a product you'd like to try (that wasn't mentioned in this post) or something you learned about the company.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of and Pureology on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 3: Join the Pureology email newsletter (subscription form at the bottom of the page).

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end November 28, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Hana

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway : Frito Lay Prize Pack (Chips and more!)

If you've been a long time reader of the blog, you've probably noticed that the vast majority of the companies I feature are small scale, eco-friendly ones with strong community ties. That isn't just a mere coincidence, I actively take the time to seek out partners for the blog whose business practices I respect and admire. This isn't to say I don't also appreciate the steps larger companies are taking toward more earth friendly and health conscious options. One such company dabbling in making greener products is Frito Lay.

Frito Lay recently provided me with a pack of goodies containing some of their vegan friendly options. A few interesting facts about the products:

• The corn & potatoes Frito Lay uses in their Lays, Tostitos and Fritos chips are all grown in America.
• The chips are cooked with all natural oils, contain no partially hydrogenated oils and are thus entirely trans fat free.
• The new bag for Sun Chips is 100% biodegradable and Frito Lay is planning to make all their bags biodegradable at some point down the line.
  

You can see more steps Frito Lay is taking to reduce waste here.

Please note that the majority of Frito Lay products are not organic. I encourage you to do your own research about the Frito Lay brand (and any other company you purchase from) & decide if their products are right for you.


Frito Lay is generously offering one lucky reader a Frito Lay Prize pack which includes:

• 1 full size bag each of: Lays Potato Chips (Lightly Salted), Sun Chips (Original) [not pictured], Tostitos Scoops
• 1 individual serving bag of Fritos Corn Chips (Original)
• a reusable stainless steel water bottle, reusable grocery bag & bag clip [not pictured]
  
• 1 free product coupon (up to $3.99 in value) [not pictured]
  

To Enter: Visit the Frito Lay website and leave a comment about something you learned about Frito Lay.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Follow The Wide World Of on twitter and tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on November 14, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Steph

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway : Potato Flyers + Pirates Booty from Pirate Brands

Potato Flyers are the newest products in Pirate Brand's selection of yummy snacks. Although baked, these aren't your standard baked potato chips. Potato Flyers are baked with pressure and have a thick, super crispy texture with little "air pockets". The texture is awesome and a great switch up from standard potato chips. They are also lower in fat and calories than the leading potato chip brand (Potato Flyers have only 120 calories per 1 oz. serving). These snacks are also absolutely wonderful for entertaining!

Potato Flyers are available in Original, Homestyle Barbeque, Sour Cream and Onion & Sea Salt and Vinegar. The Original and Homestyle Barbeque flavors are dairy free / vegan friendly and all varieties are gluten free (they are not, however, produced in a certified gluten and wheat-free facility). I personally sampled the Original and Homestyle Barbeque and they both had a great flavor with a lovely, unique crunch.


Potato Flyers are available in 1.5 oz & 5.5 oz. bags with a suggested retail price of $1.49 and $2.99 respectively. Potato Flyers can be purchased online on the Pirate Brands website and at select retailers throughout the US.

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Pirate Brands generously offering one lucky reader a selection of dairy free Potato Flyers and Pirates Booty!

To Enter: Visit the Pirate Brands website and leave a comment with the name of a product you'd like to try or something you learned about the company or their products.

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 3: Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on October 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Homemaker

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Tasty Brand : Organic Fruit Snacks

Tasty Brand is an organic foods company with a great product range geared toward babies and young children. However, after adding a line of super appealing fruit snacks to their line up of products, I don't think adults can help but drool over their products as well!

Tasty Brand's organic fruit snacks are labeled as being great for "kids 2 to 102!" which seems just about right. The fruit snacks are also surprisingly pretty, almost too pretty to eat. Seriously, just take a look at them, they look much like colorful, glimmering glass beads *O_O is hypnotized*.

Courtesy of Tasty Brand I was able to pick up a box each of the Organic Mixed Fruit Snacks and Organic Superfruit Snacks. Each box contains 5 bags of fruit snacks with the price per bag is comparable to picking up a bag of gummy bears from the super market or liquor store. You really can't go wrong with either variety, both are excellent. The fruit flavors are vibrant and sweet, but not too sweet. The texture is also really appealing- chewy (though not as chewy as standard gelatin based gummies) and not too sticky (my teeth are very thankful). Perhaps best of all, these fruit snacks contain no artificial flavors or colors, no preservatives, and no high fructose corn syrup. Additionally they are both gluten free and vegan- hooray!

Organic Superfruit Snacks

Organic Mixed Fruit Snacks

Tasty Brand products can be purchased online at Amazon.com or at select retailers throughout the US including Whole Foods and Kroger markets.

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway: Vidazorb Probiotic Supplements for Adults & Children

Vidazorb is a chewable probiotic supplement that aims to benefit digestive health, immunity and a number of other health concerns*. The supplements are convenient because they are chewable (do not need to be taken with water), do not require refrigeration, have a shelf life of three years (though they are to be consumed within 30 days of opening the bottle), and are vegan, gluten free and diabetic safe. Please note that these products do however contain small amounts of sucralose, an artificial sweetener.

Vidazorb is available in 5 different varieties (the following information is from the Vidazorb website):

• Daily : with L. acidophilus, LA-5® to support immunity and digestion*
  
• Plus : with L. acidophilus, LA-5® (5 billion CFU) and Bifidobacterium, BB-12® which work together to improve digestive function and boost overall immunity
  
• OPC : with Masquelier's® Original OPC to improve nutrient absorption and fight free radicals*
  
• Super C : made with Masquelier's® Original OPC and Vitamin C
  
• Belly Boost™ : Children's Chewable Probiotic, recommended for children 4 and up, see the FAQ for more info.
  

Vidazorb generously provided me with a bottle of their Vidazorb daily probiotic dietary supplements ($32, 30 day supply). The overall texture was slightly dry and crumbly, a little "melt in your mouth" but not at all unpleasant. In fact, the texture was quite similar to a tart candy although a little softer, smoother and "meltier". These particular tablets also had a subtly sweet lemon flavor which was actually very pleasant as well.


For more information about taking Vidazorb and to learn more about its potential health benefits, please see the Vidazorb website, Vidazorb FAQ, and Vidazorb Facebook page.

Vidazorb can be purchased online via the Vidazorb webstore, at drugstore.com and at select retailers in New York City.

Until October 20th, readers of The Wide World Of can save 40% off the retail price of Vidazorb products by using code "CWWC40" during check out on the Vidazorb webstore.

*The statements made in this post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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Vidazorb is generously offering FIVE lucky readers their choice of a bottle of Vidazorb Belly Boost™ a children's chewable probiotic (a $43.60 value) OR Vidazorb Plus for adults (a $40.50 value)!

To Enter: Visit the Vidazorb website and tell me something you learned about their products that wasn't mentioned here and let me know which variety of Vidazorb you'd like (Belly Boost or Plus).

Bonus Entry 1: Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS OR via email (post your email address)
Bonus Entry 2: Subscribe to the Vidazorb email newsletter.
Bonus Entry 3: Follow The Wide World Of and Vidazorb on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
Bonus Entry 4: Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on October 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winners: Gina, Dana, Yona, mim, lucillemcg27

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

New England Natural Bakers : Organic Cereal, Granola Bars, Snack Mixes

New England Natural Bakers is a Massachusetts based company that creates a variety of organic cereals, granolas, granola bars, and bulk snack mixes, all of which (to my knowledge), are quite delicious! NENB isn't just 'another' natural foods company: through a series of well thought out business practices, they are certainly more action than talk and implement sustainable practices and social responsibility into the fabric of their operations.

From the New England Naturals website:

"New England Natural Bakers is committed to environmental and social improvement. On the most basic level, that is one reason why we are in the natural foods and organic industry. Our granolas, mueslis, trail mixes, bars, and flavored nuts are manufactured without preservatives or additives, a practice which is an important step towards environmental responsibility.

New England Natural Bakers also offers several lines of products that are certified organic. Purchase of organic products means a cleaner, safer and sustainable earth for all of us.

We give 10% of our profits to organizations that help support environmental and social improvement causes. For example, one recipient of our donation policy is Amazon Peoples Resource Initiative. APRI works in communities along the Maramon River with health promoters and aqua-culture/agro forestry projects. In addition, each year employees recommend local initiatives to receive donation funding, so that a portion of our profits stay within the community.

We are committed to the concepts of reuse and recycling. Our food waste is donated to small local farms as animal feed and we have our own in-house recycling program. We produce comparatively little trash and recycle cardboard, our major packaging waste. It is our commitment that as we continue to grow, we will discover additional ways in which we can build sustainable systems into our manufacturing and distribution processes while supporting initiatives globally that are aligned with our values. We trust that you will be nurtured and nourished by our services and products."


New England Natural Bakers recently provided me with some very tasty samples of their vegan friendly cereal, granola bars and snack mixes to test out here on the blog! Please note that the manufacturing facility used to make these products also processes dairy, nuts and gluten items so traces of these may be present.

Gluten-Free Crispy Fruity Organic Cereal with Raisins, Cashews and Vanilla:

I loved how extremely flavorful and filling this cereal is. The cereal base consists of organic corn flakes and brown rice crisps speckled with various seeds, nuts, raisins (along with a few other things). Three of the major flavor elements in this cereal are coconut, vanilla & nutmeg which permeate every scrumptious bite. I absolutely loved the mix of flavors, especially the coconut which makes the cereal quite unique. Delish!

This is also one of the rare cereals that contains absolutely no sodium. The product is also gluten free, however, please note that this item is manufactured in a facility that also processes items containing gluten so some cross contamination may occur.

Antioxidant Chewy Granola Bars with Berries, Cinnamon & Vanilla AND Chocolate-Omega Chewy Granola Bars with Flax, Hemp & Walnuts:

The combination of vanilla and cinnamon in the Antioxidant bar was sooo good. The flavors tasted very natural and the dried berries added just the right amount of tart to counteract the delicate sweetness of the bar. The product combines chewy and crunchy elements quite well without the final product being extremely sticky as are some other bars of this type. The Chocolate-Omega bar was similarly textured, but flavored with orange & chocolate chips. The orange definitely gave the bar a unique flavor (as far as granola bars go)- a very fun and tastebud tantalizing option! One of the things I have really come to love about NENB is their affinity toward flavors that are really different from other products on the market.

Tex Mex Mix:

The spiciness level of this mix is great, not too spicy but spicy enough to provide a nice little kick! I absolutely loved all the elements present in this mix, which contains everything from hot cajun corn sticks to cajun sesame sticks to a variety of nuts, seeds and seasonings. The seasoning really is very nice: spicy and salty with a slight chili flavor. A great snack to combine with a cold beverage or to pack into a lunch on the go.

Cape Cod Cranberry Trail Mix:

This is a great, energizing mix of dried fruits, seeds and nuts. The mix is colorful and vibrant which makes it super appealing. The elements of pumpkin seeds, cashews, cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds, almonds, dried apples is a really wonderful and complementary mix. This makes a great post-work out snack or another good option for packing on the go!

New England Natural Bakers products can be purchased online on select websites (including Amazon.com) and most natural food retailers throughout the US. Click here for a store locator.

**I was provided with the product mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Giveaway: Sanuk Footwear : Sandals & Sidewalk Surfers for Men, Women & Kids (ends 10/10)

Sanuk is a Southern California based footwear company that specializes in comfortable sandals, Sidewalk Surfers (sandal bottoms, shoe upper), and ever-so-unique Tube Flops (tube socks connected to flip flops). Sanuk's extensive product range includes footwear options for women, men and kids. Imagine your whole family walking around in Sanuk sandals... cute!

Besides offering an impressive selection of great designs, most of Sanuk's shoe options are vegan friendly. Yup, not just a few measly vegan pairs but nearly an entire collection full of cute footwear from non-animal sources. Thank you Sanuk!

Here's the deets on Sanuk in their own words: We strive to make products that are as much about funk as they are about function. We’ve found our sandals are happiest when they tread the road less traveled – so we design ‘em accordingly. Because “Sanük” is the Thai word for FUN, our name is also our mantra. Our goal is to provide creatively inspired yet thoughtfully designed products for the global outdoor community…mostly because we’re part of it. Headquartered in Southern California, we are an eclectic little family hailing from Santa Cruz, Seattle, Cardiff by the Sea, the Philippines, Colombia, Hong Kong, and even Papua New Guinea...

Courtesy of Sanuk we were able to try out one pair each of womens and mens Sidewalk Surfers:

Womens Donna Sidewalk Surfers in black, $48


Mens You Got My Back Sidewalk Surfers in brown, $52

I'm a huge fan of the color options and details on Sanuk's footwear. Neutral color combinations make the shoes super flattering and also easy to pair with most outfits. The detailing includes some minor distressing and thread (rather than metal) grommets. The distressing is limited to the sewn raw edges (not on the fabric itself) which gives the shoes a little edge while preventing them from looking too casual. Excellent styles for everyday wear!

When I slipped on my Sidewalk Surfers, I pretty much immediately noticed was how comfortable they were. The flexible sandal bottoms and fabric uppers make the footwear a breeze to walk in with zero need for "breaking in". The shoes are also very easy to slip on which is pretty crucial for a slip on type shoe. I went for a little walk in the park the very first time I wore these and had none of the common slip on issues- no blistering and no feet slipping out of the heels, yay!

Some of my other favorite styles:

Donna Hemp Sidewalk Surfers in Black, $50




Kiss and Tell sandals in black, $30



Standard Plaid Sidewalk Surfers in grey (mens), $55

Cuteness, functionality, and comfort make Sanuk's sandals fun, everyday wear for men, women and children.

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Sanuk is generously offering one lucky reader any pair of Sanuk Sandals or Sidewalk Surfers priced at $60 or under!

To enter all you need to do is visit the Sanuk website and leave a comment with the name & color of your favorite pair of Sanuks (you don't have to select this pair if you win) OR something you learned about Sanuk on their website.

For one extra entry each you can:
* Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS or via email (post your email address)
* Follow both The Wide World Of and Sanuk on Twitter AND tweet about the giveaway + leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day for one extra entry each)
* Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on October 10, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Manthas24

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. **

Beauty Without Cruelty : A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser, Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion, Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner

I don't know if I'm an exception to the rule or in the majority, but I never use the shampoo and other toiletries provided to me by hotels (sorry hotels). I just don't like them (and also don't know whats in them). Enter Beauty Without Cruelty (BWC), my new bestest travel buddy... BWC's products are made without any animal ingredients, sans animal testing and contain organic aroma-therapeutic essential oils to provide wonderfully soothing scents.

On my last trek out of town, I brought along some cute, travel sized bottles of a few BWC essentials (compliments of BWC): A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser, Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion, Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner.

Daily Benefits Shampoo and Daily Benefits Conditioner: This duo is excellent for travel! The shampoo leaves hair clean, but not stripped from moisture. It's lathering power isn't exceptionally strong, but for vacation this is excellent because the duo leaves hair clean but hydrated. As a result you need only minimal primping to tame fly-aways.

The scent of the shampoo and conditioner comes from essential oils of lavender, lemongrass, and orange which is an amazing mix. Love, love, love how super refreshing and invigorating this combination of scents is, not to mention unique!

A.H.A. 3% Facial Cleanser: This facial cleanser is amazing: the lather is light with excellent cleansing powers but also remarkably non-drying. I am so impressed with how balanced this cleanser is! Of the BWC products I've tried out, this is my absolute favorite, soo good.

The scent, like the shampoo & conditioner, is incredibly invigorating with a "non-perfumy" botanical aroma that is slightly herbal and slightly sweet (like honey, except not- this baby is honey free!).

Fragrance Free Hand & Body Lotion: This lotion is lightweight, non-greasy, non-sticky and sinks into the skin to leave it soft and moisturized. I love the fragrance free formula that leaves skin smelling fresh but natural. The fragrance free formulation won't clash with perfumes or other scents the portability and sturdiness of the bottle makes it great for stashing into a purse or backpack.

Overall, BWC makes some really excellent, vegan friendly products, definitely worth a try!

You can purchase BWC online or at select natural food grocers.

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **

Teese Vegan Cheese (Chicago Soydairy): Mozzarella & Creamy Cheddar Sauce

mac & teese: om nom nom nom!

Vegan cheese has been something I've long approached with trepidation. For those of us that lived in dark ages when all but a couple of non-dairy cheese options existed, the phrase "vegan cheese" has often been syonymous with the word "plastic". Luckily for the new generation of the non-dairy consuming and lactose intolerant alike, living through those horrid times is like looking back at old school cell phones. Oh yes, a necessary evil that paved the way for better things... like cell phones that actually fit in your pocket (wow!) and non-dairy cheeses that don't taste like a garbage can lining.

Chicago SoyDairy recently hooked me up with a selection of their fine vegan cheeses (which are also gluten-free to boot) to poke, prod and slice here on the blog. Did they pass the taste test?

Teese Creamy Cheddar Sauce: True to its name, this is a nice little creamy cheddar-y sauce. I was actually expecting a solid brick o'cheese to melt down, but at room temperature this cheese is already in liquid form. Not liquid liquid, but more along the lines of thick sauce similar to fondue or melted chocolate. The saucy consistency at room temperature is nice because (1) cleaning hardened cheese off pans is NOT fun and (2) the cheese heats up super quick.

melty-licious!

To test out this cheese, I warmed it up and mixed it with some penne for a nice mac and cheese style dish (see image at top). The resulting texture was superb, the consistency of the cheese, its stretch, and its melt were spot on. The flavor was light, not too greasy or salty, with a mild cheddar flavor and a little background soy flavor. Very satisfying and super easy to prepare!

I also tried the cheese sauce on top of corn tortilla chips with a little bit of salsa & hot sauce. This was a huge hit in my house! The consistency again was wonderful, but the addition of the salty chips and heat of the salsa helped quite a bit flavorwise since it masked the soy flavor a little better than in the mac and cheese. Ideally, this cheese would be great mixed with lots of bold flavors, however, even in moderately plain dishes the cheese performs well.


From the Chicago Soydairy website: "Our Cheddar-style Teese has an excellent mild cheddar flavor, giving it the potential to be used in a wide assortment of dishes. It is amazing on cold sandwiches or round crackers, but really shines when melted in a "roast beef" sandwich, panini, or in a simple "grilled Teese" sandwich!"


Teese Mozzarella: Unlike the sauce varieties of Teese, the mozzarella comes in a classic solid form, but, although solid, the cheese is quite soft at room temperature. The soft texture of the cheese makes it a dream to shred and crumble (oh Teese, you are sooo dreamy). I was pretty surprised with how smoothly it shreds to leave behind light, soft ribbons of pretty cheese!


I sampled this particular cheese on a whole wheat english muffin "pizza" with some slices of fresh tomato & pasta sauce- the result was excellent! This cheese would probably melt best at a very high temperature (I only used my toaster oven) as the packaging recommends cooking a teese covered pizza at 500 degrees F. However, even in the toaster oven the cheese melted quite nicely leaving behind a light, soft, slightly stretchy topping.

The flavor of the cheese is much more mild than I was expecting which I LOVED. It wasn't overwhelmingly salty and didn't seem to have as distinct a soy taste as I was expecting. Combining with ingredients like pasta sauce and tomato probably also helped a bit to tone down any soy aromas. Definitely another keeper, super easy to work with and doesn't taste like a garbage can lining (YES)!


From the Chicago Soydairy website: "The authentic taste and excellent melt characteristics of this Teese flavor is why it's our most popular product... and why it is used in some of the best pizza restaurants in the country! You'll love Mozzarella-style Teese in everything from lasagna to a rueben!"

Teese can be purchased from various online shops & natural food grocers. To find a retailer near you, visit the Chicago Soydairy website: http://www.teesecheese.com/where_to_buy.php.

Coming soon: A review featuring Chicago Soy Dairy's vegan, gluten free marshmellows: Dandies!

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **

Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews (Fruit Snacks) + Giveaway

I realize that it's been awhile since I've featured any snacky goodness here, and quite frankly, this particular review is slightly overdue! Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews recently hooked me up with an absolutely wonderful selection of their organic fruit snack products to try out and there were so many great items to sample that it took about a month to finish up everything! Before I get to the review, let me tell you a little about the background of Sharkies (from the Sharkies website):

"Sharkies Inc. was founded in 2003 by Dwight and Kelly Sinclair. As triathletes, swimmers, and parents of three very active kids, Dwight and Kelly wanted to create an all-natural organic snack that was portable, organic and tasted great. With over 20 years in the food business and a passion for sports, the outdoors and healthy living, Dwight and Kelly created the Sharkies adult organic fruit chews. After four years of success with the Sharkies adult product, Sharkies for kids was born in 2007."

Organic Fruit Chews in Fruit Splash and Berry Bites (vegan, gluten free):

These fruit chews are amazing! The texture is similar to that of a traditional gummy but slightly less chewy and a bit softer, slightly akin to a dense jelly/gelatin (note: this product contains no gelatin). The other members of my household are big on gummies and they all loved these fruit snacks! The fruit flavors are fruity and vibrant with a lovely variety of flavors in each bag. The snacks also look lovely with their fun shark shapes, slight shine and bright, kid friendly colors! Definitely an excellent snack for both kids and adults.

Kids Sport Chews in Tropical Splash (vegan, gluten free):

The texture of the sport chews are similar to that of the gelatin free gummy bears you find in the bulk section of the grocery store... slightly dense and chewy, but a little more sticky than a traditional gelatin based gummy (kind of like a gum drop). The flavors are great and very kid friendly though I would say that they taste slightly less fruity than the fruit chews. The sugar coating gives the snacks a wonderful texture that is slightly crunchy, but not gritty or overwhelmingly sweet.

Sharkies Energy Sport Chews in Watermelon, Fruit Splash, Berry Blast (vegan, gluten free):

The energy sports chews are geared toward adults and they definitely have a slightly more "adult" flavor. Compared to the other Sharkies offerings, the taste of the sports chews is slightly less sweet and a subtle, but not unpleasant, rice syrup aroma and flavor is also present. The fruit flavors are mild & clean (the watermelon was my favorite) and the chews are very sticky. These snacks definitely satisfied my sweet tooth and provided me with a "sugar boost" during my midday slump.

Smart Twists in Tropical Wave & Berry Surf (not vegan or vegetarian, but gluten free):To my knowledge, these are the only non-vegetarian friendly offering from Sharkies. The twists contain fish oil from sardines and anchovy, though the snacks contain no detectable fish flavor. In fact, the other members of my household seemed to think that of all the Sharkies snacks these had the most vibrant fruit flavors of all! The snacks are similar in flavor to a fruit leather but are a little softer and less chewy. The flavors are very fruity and appealing, but the snacks also provide 4% of the daily recommended value of fiber, 100% DV Vitamin C and a nice helping of omega-3 fatty acids.

Sharkies snacks can be purchased direct from the Sharkies website or at major retailers such as Target, Whole Foods & Toys R Us. Sharkies is also giving you the opportunity to win some here!

Sharkies is generously providing a mixed case of Fruit Splash & Berry Bites Organic Fruit Chews & a Sharkies visor (fits all ages) to one lucky reader!

To enter all you need to do is visit the Sharkies website and leave a comment with something you learned about their company or products.

For one extra entry each you can:
* Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect, RSS or via email (post your email address)
* Follow The Wide World Of via Twitter + tweet about the giveaway and leave a link to your tweet (you may tweet once per day)
* Post this giveaway in your blog and leave a link to your post

Please leave a separate comment for each entry! Also make sure to leave your contact info in one of your comments (email address, facebook link, twitter ID, etc.) or have your email address visible in your profile.

This giveaway will end on September 26, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. Open to US readers only. Good luck!

Giveaway winner: Shannon

**I was provided with the products mentioned in this post free of charge. I did not receive any monetary compensation for this post & was not obligated to give a positive review of the product. All opinions expressed here are mine. Others experiences with these products may differ from mine. **