Disclosure: I was provided with products to facilitate this post. The words and opinions expressed in this review are strictly of my own.
Spring has sprung and it is time to clean out those pantries by replacing the not-so-good-for-you food products with better non-toxic food brands! Here are 6 of our favorite sustainable, eco, and ethical food brands recently featured at the 2018 Shiftcon Conference to help you get a start on your spring cleaning!
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut & Seed Butters
What do you get when you combine taste, nutrition, and high quality ingredients? You get a unique line of yummy nut butters from Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters!
Betsy Opyt , a mom and registered dietician, was inspired to create something healthy from natural products her picky daughter would enjoy eating. After experimenting with some of her favorite ingredients like nuts, cinnamon, chia seeds, Himalayan salt, and honey, Betsy developed her own delicious recipes of nut and seed butters. Realizing her nut and seed butters were such a big hit with her family and friends, she wanted to share her creation with everyone. Starting at the local Farmer’s Market in Naples, Florida, and currently in over 2,000 grocery stores nationwide, Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters are a big hit and getting rave reviews from happy customers!
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters offers 4 different nut butters including, Almond Butter with cinnamon, Cashew Butter with chia seeds, Sunflower Seed Butter with organic honey, and Peanut Butter with a hint of pink Himalayan salt. The products are packed with super-foods and free from artificial flavors, colors, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, and palm oil. The nut butters are additionally Non GMO Verified and gluten free!
As part of the Shiftcon “Love Package” we were sent a sample of the Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Cashew Butter. The nut butter was absolutely delicious! The Cashew Butter has a bold flavor of cardamom and a crunch of chia. It is great on toast, in a smoothie, or can be used in a recipe. For those sneaky snackers who are quick and don’t want to leave any evidence behind, grab yourself a spoon! The Cashew Butter is yummy right out of the jar and you will be licking the spoon clean!
The jar recommends the product to be refrigerated after opening. However, this is to avoid separation and once the Cashew Butter becomes cold it isn’t so easy to spread. If you plan on consuming the product within a few weeks it probably can be left in the cabinet, thus you don’t break your toast to pieces while trying to spread it on. Just stir the contents if they become separated back into creamy nut butter again!
Betsy’s Best Gourmet Seed and Nut Butters, are currently available in stores located in 35 states across the USA. For more product information about Betsy’s Best Gourmet Nut and Seed Butters, visit www.betsysbest.com.
Mountain Rose Herbs
Why spend extra time and money to carefully prepare a meal with organic food to only sprinkle it with herbs and spices tainted with harmful ingredients? Conventional spices are normally treated with toxic pesticides, herbicides, contain GMO’s, and other nasty chemical additives. Whether you are trying to boost your health or just add a punch of flavor to bland food, go the extra mile and use certified organic herbs and spices!
Mountain Rose Herbs is a massive supplier of high quality certified organic herbs, spices, and botanical items. The company engages in strong ethical sourcing practices and provides superb sustainable products to help make food even more delicious and enhance your well-being. From fragrant great tasting organic spice blends, organic tea, body care, to DIY ingredients for culinary and carrier oil needs, Mountain Rose Herbs has what you are looking for! They even offer a large selection of animal essentials and herbal pet care!
If you are looking for a company with a conscience this is your source! Mountain Rose Herbs is…
- Certified Organic
- Non-GMO
- Fair For Life Fair Trade
- Earth Kosher
- Forest Grown
- Zero Waste
- Native Energy
- Salmon Safe
- Earthshare
A beautifully packed Mountain Rose Herbs Epicurean Organics Mediterranean Seasoning and Grilling Herbs reached our home! Each spice blend was wrapped in recycled material to protect the products. You can tell great care went into packing the order.
Epicurean Organics Mediterranean Seasoning
Mediterranean cooking at its finest! Enjoy the sumptuous aroma of this fine blend so rapturous it makes the mouth water! Great for all Mediterranean style dishes and more! Salt-free.
Organic oregano, organic garlic, organic rosemary, organic fennel, and organic thyme.
Epicurean Organics Grilling Herbs
This blend packs a punch with its bold flavor and penetrating aroma which holds itself well against high heat and direct flame. Popularly used as an all purpose flavor enhancer for any item which you grill or barbeque where most seasoning will burn off or dissipate.
Organic garlic, organic rosemary, organic black pepper, organic onion, organic thyme, and organic herbs.
We haven’t had the chance to try the Grilling Herbs yet, but used the Mediterranean Seasoning on baked boneless chicken breast and it was lip smacking wonderful! The seasoning filled the kitchen with an intoxicating aroma of rosemary, oregano, fennel, garlic and thyme. YUM!
About Mountain Rose Herbs
Since 1987, Mountain Rose Herbs, based in Eugene, Oregon, has been known for its uncompromising commitment to organic agriculture, sustainable business practices, and steadfast focus on the pure aesthetics and freshness of botanical products. Their wide range of product offerings includes bulk herbs and spices, aromatherapy and essential oils, tea and tea supplies, and natural health and body care. Every aspect of product creation is carried out in accordance to strict quality control and organic handling procedures by employees who care. From their fragrant and beyond-fresh organic herbs and spices, to soothing essential oils and delicious herbal teas, the quality and integrity of Mountain Rose Herbs is unparalleled–with smiles guaranteed. To learn more about Mountain Rose Herbs please visit www.mountainroseherbs.com.
SeaSnax
Bring a bit of strangely addictive nutrient-rich snacking to your home with SeaSnax! I’m sure you have heard over and over how good eating Seaweed is for your health? Sea vegetables are rich in minerals such as iodine, iron, zinc, sodium, magnesium, potassium, copper, and selenium. SeaSnax offers a tasty way to consume seaweed with their sustainably harvested, roasted and packaged (Korea) snacks.
Seasnax comes in several yummy flavors and is available in Sheets, Chomperz, Stix and SeaSprinkes. The products are vegan, gluten free, Non GMO and are made with only 100% organic extra virgin olive oil and minimal salt.
CHOMPERZ Crunchy Seaweed Chips
Boldly going where no seaweed has gone before
Chomp! Chomp!
SeaSnax Chomperz are the perfect bite-size snack. Delicious seaweed curls wrapped in rice and lightly seasoned with a pinch of sea salt. More hearty and satisfying than popcorn, take Chomperz on your next trip, hike or work-out.
But don’t be surprised if you find Chomperz… Strangely Addictive!
Ingredients: Seaweed, Glutinous Rice Flour, Rice Bran Oil, Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Onion
Net Wt. 1oz (30g)
Contains tree nuts (coconut). Made on equipment that also processes wheat.
Lime SeaSnax
Here’s the Organic pack in tangy LIME flavour!
With 30 calories per pack, SeaSnax is a healthier alternative to chips and a tasty way to add sea vegetables to a healthy eating lifestyle.
Ingredients: organic seaweed, organic extra virgin olive oil, lime juice powder, sea salt
These snacks are fun-tastic to nibble on! If you like the taste of lime you are going to really enjoy the Lime SeaSnax, because it really packs a limey punch! Try them and let me know what you think!
Cybele’s Free-to-Eat
Introducing Cybele’s Free-to-Eat Superfood Veggie Pasta! Cybele’s Free is…
- High in protein (up to 25 grams)
- Twice the fiber of traditional pasta
- Contains more than one full serving of veggies
- Packed with plant-based nutrients
- Free from the top 8 allergens
- Certified Gluten Free
- Non-GMO
- Grain Free
- Certified Vegan
- Kosher
Cybele’s Free-to-Eat Pasta is available in five delicious super-food packed varieties including:
Superfood Green – made with kale, spinach, broccoli, and green lentils.
Superfood Orange-made with pumpkin, butternut squash, and red lentils
Superfood Red -made with tomatoes, red bell pepper, and red lentils
Superfood White – made with cauliflower, parsnips, and green lentils
Superfood Purple-made with beets, sweet potatoes, carrots, and red lentils
Get kids to eat their veggies the fun way, in rotini pasta form! The superfood pastas hit the five phyotonutrients-green,orange, red, purple, and white!
We tried the Cybele’s Free-to-Eat Green and Purple Superfood pastas. To be honest, I had difficulty getting the pasta to reach the correct consistency. It came out mushy and not firm. I had to adjust the heat to a lower level and let it gently boil while regularly pulling a noodle out every so often to check the consistency. Once I did get the pasta to a desired tender yet firm texture it was delicious with a splash of olive oil and sprinkle of cheese. The pasta would also be great in pasta salads and casseroles to add wow color, nutrition, and taste factor!
Check out www.cybelesfreetoeat.com for more product information! The Cybele’s Free-to-Eat products are available at popular retailers such as Kroger, Wegmans, Amazon.com, and more!
About Cybele’s Free-to-Eat
Based in Los Angeles, Cybele’s Free-to-Eat was founded in 2012 by mompreneur Cybele Pascal, the best-selling author of The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook, The Allergen-Free Bakers Handbook, and Allergy-Free and Easy Cooking. Inspired by her son’s multiple food allergies, Cybele set out to make the best allergy-friendly cookies for him. She took them to market and quickly became a category leader. Cybele is now introducing the first-of-its-kind line of Superfood Rotini that is full of color, high in protein, rich in nutrients but free from the top eight allergens.
Organic Valley
I’m sure you probably have heard of Organic Valley before? The company started out in 1988 and is now a HUGE well-known brand name in the organic community. Organic Valley is the largest producer of 100 percent grass-fed dairy in the country. From milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, protein shakes, eggs, produce, to snack kits, protein powders, meat and more, the company offers a wide array of QUALITY organic products. ALL the items are sustainable made without the use of toxic pesticides, synthetic hormones, antibiotics or GMOs. And if you have ever tried them —you know how delicious they taste!
However, I have to be completely honest and hang my head in foodie shame. I have NEVER tried GHEE before this week! Apparently, it is one of today’s hottest food trends. The clarified butter is great for sautéing, baking, or as a mouthwatering buttery topping. It has a high smoke-point, so it’s ideal for high-heat cooking and delivers a rich buttery flavor. GHEE can be used in any recipe that calls for butter or cooking oil. Oh, and guess what? It doesn’t need to be refrigerated!
About Organic Valley GHEE
We slowly simmer our clarified Ghee to coax the excess water out while preserving the nutritional benefits of pasture-raised organic butter. In the process, some of the Ghee’s milk solids will caramelize, leaving behind hints of sweetness and roasted nuts. Ghee is a lactose-free, casein-free, and shelf-stable product.
ALWAYS ORGANIC
Absolutely NO antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides or GMO anything.
STORAGE AND HANDLING
Store in a cool, dry, dark place for optimal flavor. Keep capped when not in use.
INGREDIENTS
Certified Organic Butter (Milk).
Organic Valley Golden Milk Recipe
I have not had a chance to try this recipe yet, but I am hoping one of my readers can get a jump on it and share their opinion. It looks and sounds incredible!
Ingredients:
1 tsp GHEE
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cups organic milk
4 tsp grated fresh turmeric or 1 tsp dried
Pinch of black pepper
Honey or sweetener (optional)
Directions:
- Place ghee in small saucepan over medium heat.
- Once ghee is melted, add the milk and stir gently until combined.
- Add the turmeric, ginger, and black pepper, and continue stirring gently until mixture is warm, but not boiling.
- Remove from heat, add honey or sweetener of choice, and enjoy.
Simply Real Foods Market–Café Altura Organic Coffee
On an average, I consume at least 730 cups of coffee per year. Starting at the young age of 14, coffee has been a staple in my life. So, over the years, if I do the math, that means I have drank 24,090 cups of coffee thus far! WOW! Most of the coffee has been non organic, which is rather scary thought. Being that coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops, I have probably drunk my share of pesticides and GMOs! Sigh…
Recently, I had a chance to try Simply Real Foods Market organic, non-GMO Café Altura coffee. The organic coffee was a big hit at Shiftcon and is just one of the yummy products Simply Real Foods Market has to offer. The on-line non-GMO store is owned by Judy and Erin (two gorgeous ladies) who are passionate about making clean food available affordably. Not everyone has access to a neighborhood health food store, so these two wonderful women are making it possible to get organic, non-GMO products delivered to doorsteps at great prices.
Simply Real Foods Market carries groceries, supplements, and non-toxic beauty and home supplies from hundreds of trusted brands. Changing the health food industry, the on-line market offers:
- No Membership Fees
- Non-GMO ONLY product Selection
- Awesome Low Prices (Guaranteed)
- Trusted Brands
- Easy online ordering and shipping to your door
- Packed in recyclable boxes and earth friendly insulation
- A Comprehensive Dietary Filter to make shopping even easier.
As far as the coffee, it was incredibly good and bursting with robust flavor! AND it is free from nasty toxic chemicals!
About the Café Altura Organic Coffee
Cafe Altura Organic Whole Bean Colombian Coffee is delightful. Café Altura Colombian is gently roasted to protect the unique characteristics of the coffees origin and processing. Sourced from family owned farms, Café Altura Colombian is gently roasted to protect the unique characteristics of the coffee’s origin and processing. Cafe Alturs’s Colombian Coffee has a medium to high acidity, with a creamy body. It smells amazing and tastes even better, so grind these beans up and start your mornings right with Organic Colombian Coffee from Cafe Altura.
You can check Simply Real Foods Market out on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram
There are some really great products here.