Write into the Hard Things

Write into the hard things. That is one of many insightful things that Leslie Leyland Fields imparted to us during her online writing class in April, May and June. Write into them, and then let God redeem them. It may not happen overnight, it may not even happen this side of eternity, but it is GOD who redeems us and our brokenness and uses it for His glory. 

Leslie taught these lessons from her newest book: Your Story Matters. It was a really good class. It is an even better book. There are a lot of hard (read to understand as: difficult) things in each of our lives. And there are good things as well. Sometimes the same instance is both hard and good.

At the end of May, our daughters and I were in a car accident. Someone else ran a red light, and hit us while we were turning. This has been a really, really long nine weeks. The girls' injuries are healed, mine are not. This is my hard thing right now. I want God to redeem it, to use it for His glory, and my good. So I am choosing to overcome the listlessness and apathy that come at the end of each hard day, and write. I write a lot, then none, then a little more, it is sporadic. Today I am sharing from early on, just a handful of days after the accident.

Week one, part one

Here I lie, flat on my back like a corpse in a morgue, except I'm not dead.

I know I'm supposed to be thankful, rather I am supposed to give thanks in all circumstances, but truthfully, it is hard to give thanks when you're consumed by pain. It must be around 2 a.m., I'm afraid to try to turn over and reach for my phone to confirm this hypothesis. I've been a wake for a while now. I took more Tylenol already, cranked back up the temperature on the heating pad I'm lying on, and yet, the pain continues.

How could one little car wreck cause so much pain? Will I be stuck feeling this way forever? I surely hope not. I feel awful. At least it wasn't worse- I'm not in the hospital in traction - I'll give thanks for that. I don't think my husband believes I'm badly injured. He is used to me being able to do whatever needs done. I know I don't look injured, but Oh! how I feel it!

So here I lie in the dark in the middle of the night and think and pray. At least when I'm praying for others I can block out most of the pain. Oh wait. Who was I praying for? It's okay, I'll start again. The pain in my neck has made it difficult to hold my concentration these past few days since the accident. It has also made my right elbow and outside two fingers either tingle or go numb often.

to be continued...

How

Today I'm joining back up with one of my favorite groups, the Five Minute Friday writers. And yes, I am quite aware it is Tuesday - life is moving at a different pace around here ;)

How do we write stories that show both the grit and the grace of everyday life? I have been taking an online writing course this spring from Leslie Leyland Fields. Each week we are encouraged to think about another element of writing our stories. It isn’t write, write, write, but rather think, think, investigate, think, write, refine, write some more. 

This slower process has been good for me. It has reminded me that not everything needs written right now, and truly, maybe not every story even needs written at all. Through it all Leslie has encouraged and challenged us to not be afraid to write into the hard or difficult memories in our lives. Not everything I write needs to be shared - amazing, right?!? But for those things that I DO feel led to share, I want them to be the best they can. I want my writing to draw people into my story, the one where God is the center, where Jesus is the Savior, and where I keep listening day by day to hear where to go next.

How we write and what we write can either encourage or discourage others. Right now our world, and our country in particular, is going through a lot of very, very hard things. Am I adding noise to the chaos, or am I offering a glimpse of peace, of healing, or restoration? I pray it is the latter.

So I’m going to get back to writing, a little at a time, and see where this think, think, investigate, think, write, refine, write path takes me. To start with, I’m not going back very far. Just two and a half weeks or so. How soon will you read this story? I dunno.

Two and a half weeks ago the girls and I were in a minor car accident. It is categorized as minor, no airbags deployed, none of us had to go to the hospital immediately, but the changes in my life and activities these past two weeks have been anything but minor. That is where I will start writing. I am praying that through writing into this difficult time I can offer hope, and peace in the midst of this crazy world. So check back next week. Maybe some words will have been through the refining process by then.

How will I proceed? With much prayer.

#parentingtruth No. 16 - the immune system

As a mom or dad, there are a lot of things to think about. Sometimes the sheer number of things you are responsible for can be overwhelming. We started early with choosing to protect our children, both their hearts and minds, and their immune systems.

There are a few key points that we followed that allowed our girls to keep their immune systems stronger. This is not an exhaustive list, but the basic principles that helped me determine if this thing: food, activity, living situation, was a good fit for us.

1. Less sugar, more food

I was “that mom” long before it was a catch phrase. I was the one who limited their children’s sugar intake. In fact, there ended up being days of the year that we did not even leave home because everywhere we went, some well-meaning person would want to offer them a treat. (Think the day before Halloween and the weekend before Easter.) It is not like our girls never had sweets, they just had them with a lot more moderation than most children. By not filling their bellies with sugar, or refined flour, they were hungry to eat more real food, like organic beef, fruits and vegetables. So if you are wondering if your children are eating too much sugar… the answer is probably yes. Learning to appreciate a treat, instead of expecting one, is a good food lesson for all of us. :)

2. Soap

Just use good old-fashioned soap and water to clean your hands. Use it every time before you eat, and every time you use the bathroom. Seems like a simple concept right? Unfortunately too many people would rather slop some hand sanitizer on their children than take the time to teach proper hand washing. You don’t need antibacterial soap either, you just need to use soap - consistently! Soap kills germs, and removes dirt. Overuse of hand sanitizer can kill off even the good bacteria that live in your gut and help you digest food. It should be a last resort, not a first option. So go get some soap. It can be bars of soap from a local artisan, it can be a bar of ivory from the grocery store, or it can be foamy soap in a silly dispenser… just get back to teaching your children how and when to wash their hands. Their immune systems will thank you for it!

3. Immunizations

Ah, here it is… the one thing that divides more parents than politics - the topic of immunizations. Here is my take on it: you can choose to immunize your child or not, it is 100% your choice, not anyone else’s. I have friends whose children have had ever vaccine ever recommended, and others whose children have not had a single vaccine in their lives. Our girls fall somewhere in the middle. Now that they are both legal adults, if their are any immunizations that they did not have as children that they want to receive now, it would be a simple process for them to go get those. If they don’t want to ever have another vaccination, that is their choice as well. As the parent, you have to go with your own convictions.

I have two small things to say about this debate:

A- whatever you choose, do NOT ever shame another parent because of their vaccine choices. Their family their choice.

B- I’ve seen some studies on immune response. If you choose to get your child a vaccination, of any kind, it would be wise to give them at least two or three days at home, without anyone else’s germs to be fighting off, as their body work on its response to the vaccine. The same goes for adults who choose to get the flu shot: get it on a Thursday afternoon, take Friday off and don’t go out in public until Monday. Better safe, than sick. Your immune system can only handle so much at a time.

4. Vitamins and supplements

We have always tried to feed our girls real food. Even so, even when the majority of their diet is organic or at least non-gmo food, there comes a time when it is wise to use vitamins and supplements for better health. Personally, I am anemic. It is almost impossible for me to eat enough iron-rich foods in a week to keep up with my body’s demands. So every morning, I take a multivitamin with iron. I’ll probably still be taking it when I’m 70, although most women stop taking iron by their late 40’s. That’s just how my body works ( or doesn’t.) When our girls hit puberty, it was a war, so we decided that they needed to take a B Complex each and every day. Oh my, what relief… for all of us. Use what works for your children in their specific situation. Consider visiting a nurse-practitioner or a naturopath for advise on what to supplement with and in what amounts.

5. Stay home when you are sick

Again, this seems like a no-brainer, but I am sure you can think of someone just in the past week or two who you saw at (work, sporting event, church, grocery store, tc) who was obviously sick and would have been better at home. Yes, I know money is often the issue that sends adults back to work when they are still sick, but at least let your children stay home when they are sick. Let their bodies rest and heal. Call Grandma, your neighbor, a friend from church… there has to be someone that can watch your child.

One last thought

Bring the outdoors in, and take yourself and your family outside on a regular basis. Fresh air and sunshine fix a lot of immune issues. :)

Just Charcoal ~ review

For years I've had friends comment on using activated charcoal. Until recently though, I had never tried it myself. I received a bottle of Just Charcoal from Trusted Organics to check out for this review.

I started reading up on various ways to utilize activated charcoal. The internet abounds with suggestions, but I wanted to dig deeper than just the surface to get to the best uses for activated charcoal. The first things to learn is that activated charcoal is nothing at all like the charcoal people use on their grills. That kind of charcoal is not good for you, and you should never, ever take it internally. 

Activated charcoal is made from the by-products of coconut shells, wood, coal or bamboo. Just Charcoal brand is made from the shells of sustainably harvested coconuts. This is a fine powder contained in a capsule. 

Activated charcoal is probably best known for its adsorption properties when used in the ER after accidental poisonings, but it should be known for the good results it can help you achieve at home. Adsorption is different than absorption. Basically, it means there is a huge amount of surface area on the porous surface of the charcoal powder and bad things stick to the charcoal and it all leaves your body together. :)

So, if you've been eating out a lot, and your digestive tract is all out of whack - you're a great candidate to get relief from taking Just Charcoal. That's what I did after we spent three days eating stadium food at the NFL scouting combine. I took the activated charcoal each night before bed, with a huge glass of water, and after just a couple days my system was back on track. 

Other people take activated charcoal to help with bloating. I'm keeping some around from now on because I am sure there will be days when we will need it. I don't ever want to be bloated, but you know, it sometimes happens.

But what if you're looking for other uses? I've seen several reports of people using activated charcoal to whiten their teeth. The jury is still out on this usage for me. Several people sing its praises, while others are cautious because of the concern that you could brush too hard and damage your enamel while cleaning out the stains. You'll have to decide this one yourself.

Do you know you need a detox? Have you made a plan yet? Consider taking activated charcoal each morning (or evening) to help clean the long-lasting gunk out of your digestive tract. You'll want to remember to take the activated charcoal at least two hours apart from any medications or nutritional supplements. That way the activated charcoal will not be wiping the good stuff out of your system while it takes the bad. You also need to remember to drink plenty of water!

Another great usage for activated charcoal is as a facial mask to draw impurities from your skin. Get a small bowl and open a capsule and mix it with raw honey. Then smear the mixture on your face (avoiding the eyes) and let it set for a few minutes. Then wash off with warm water and pat dry. Warning, when you open a capsule you will create a mess, so cover your counter with a paper towel before you begin.

Overall, I've had great results using Just Charcoal from Trusted Organics. You can purchase Just Charcoal on Amazon - it is a Prime free shipping eligible item. 

So tell me, what are your favorite uses for activated charcoal?

Leave a comment and give me some more ideas for this versatile product!

Disclaimer: I received a free container of this product in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to provide a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

OLIGO 30 Premium Prebiotic Fiber ~ a review

Do you ever have those days when you just feel a little off? What do you do about it? Have you considered that your overall health is linked to your gut health? Too often we let those 'little cheats' become our standard fare instead of them being an occasional indulgence in our eating pattern. If you've been looking for a heavy-duty fiber supplement to get your gut back on track, you'll want to take a look at OLIGO 30 Premium Prebiotic Fiber. Brad Dennis, Ph.D, the founder of Great Gut sent me a container of OLIGO 30 to test out. We had talked extensively about gut health last fall, and I was impressed that someone actually wanted to talk about the science of gut health with me! I had tasted the Great Gut Extra Strength Prebiotic Fiber and wanted to know more about their other products.

So here is the scoop...

OLIGO 30 is a blend of 6 different prebiotics. Prebiotics are those fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria in our digestive system and help them grow. You could take a probiotic every day, but if you do not feed it well, it will not stick around in your gut and help your digestion. You need both, probiotics and prebiotics to maintain a regular, healthy gut. It is not difficult to find probiotics, but it can be a challenge to keep them happy. That is where OLIGO 30 comes in.

The standard plan to follow with OLIGO 30 is to take it in the evenings, so it can feed your good gut bacterial while you sleep. This blend can also help suppress some of the bad gut bacteria you may be harboring, like Streptococcus. If you're already used to taking fiber daily, you can start with a scoop each evening, but if not, start with 1/3 to 1/2 a scoop each evening mixed in 6-9 oz of a non-carbonated beverage and work your way up to the full dose.  One of the Prebiotics in this blend is cocoa powder, but I did not notice it being enough to affect going to sleep, in fact, when you get your gut regular, you sleep better. I did however, find the cocoa difficult to mix in when I used just plain water to take it, so I often mixed it in unsweetened applesauce instead. If any of you are bakers, you'll know that cocoa powder is notorious for not mixing well with water, so if you're taking your OLIGO 30 with water instead of a clear juice, plan on using a mixer bottle instead of a spoon.

The non-dairy formula of OLIGO 30 may create gas and/or bloating for some people. Start with the lower dosage and move up to minimize this. Also, be sure to take it every evening as a consistent usage can minimize the gassy feelings. The best way to do this is to set a reminder on your phone to take it every night a half-hour or so before bed. If you are wanting to mix it into a smoothie, you might want to take it earlier in the evening. If you really struggle with gas or bloating, you might want to consider their Low FODMAP Fiber instead.

I tried taking it both in the evenings and in the mornings and found it did work much better when taken after dinner. This is a potent formula and not for the faint of heart. You said you wanted to get your gut in order right? That means being consistent and letting your body balance itself again!

The price for OLIGO 30 is consistent with other quality prebiotic blends - around a dollar a serving. This container is 13.5 ounces and holds between 37-41 servings depending on how level you make your scoop. It retails for $39.97.

Has your healthcare practitioner been suggesting you start taking fiber? Do more than just take fiber, take a blend that can feed your beneficial bacteria along the way, not one that only pushes food through your gut. OLIGO 30 comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get it, use it, and have a better balanced digestive tract in 30 days.

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Disclaimer: I received a free container of this product in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions are mine. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Blue Evolution Superfood Seaweed Pasta ~ a review

Sustainably harvested seaweed is a superfood that is high in vitamins and minerals. Seaweed can help clean the ocean and still provide a great source of nutrients when eaten. It has taken a while to catch on as an American food staple, probably because we are so picky - and because it works best when balanced with other great ingredients. Enter Blue Evolution - a company specializing in harvesting the best tasting, nutrient-dense seaweed from their own Pacific Coast farms and turning it into dishes everyone can enjoy!

Blue Evolution has worked some kitchen magic by finding just the right balance of seaweed in their four varieties of pasta, and in their marinara seasoning mix. For this review we received the Rotini, Marinara seasoning mix, the Gluten-Free Shells & Cheese, and the regular Shells & Cheese. Each one was its own blend of deliciousness!

Our first try was the regular Shells & Cheese. A box makes two adult-sized servings. Arlene loves mac & cheese, but I was not sure, even at 17, what she would think about pasta with seaweed in it. It was good. The seaweed added color and nutrients, but was balanced well so as to not taste seaweed-y, just good!

Our next test lunch was the Gluten Free Shells & Cheese, it also serves two. This ended up being my favorite. Sometimes  gluten free pasta is bland- but this was not! It had a complex taste, and combined really well with the cheese sauce to make a delightful lunch. We both wished there was more in the box! Next time we will need to make two boxes. :)

Our final taste test was the Rotini pasta, which Arlene topped with the Marinara seasoning.  This was unlike any other marinara I had tasted - it had a real kick to it - which Arlene and Kurt both enjoyed! It has both black pepper and cayenne pepper combined with other seasonings and seaweed, so it has a unique bite to it. I thought it was tasty, but a little strong for my palate. The package says to combine it with canned whole tomatoes, but since we already had a couple cans of unseasoned petite-diced tomatoes, Arlene used those instead. Same end taste, slightly different look.

The Rotini makes 4 adult-sized servings, and since Arlene had made it for lunch, we put the leftovers in the fridge and Kurt had his serving with dinner that night - cold pasta salad style. He enjoyed the taste and Arlene told him it was good for him because it has seaweed. Arlene ate the fourth serving a couple days later for lunch and said it held up well and still tasted good.

Our overall thoughts: this is yummy pasta! A word of advice: cook it only to minimum time listed on the box, and you will get a just barely al-dente pasta that holds up well to a fork, without getting mushy. Be aware that the Marinara seasoning does require you to add tomatoes, and it has Cayenne pepper in it. I know a few people that are allergic to cayenne, so always ask before serving it to your friends. I would suggest that the marinara seasoning is geared towards adults while the Shells & Cheese are perfect for kids. Although once you try the Shells & Cheese, your kids are going to need to learn how to share. :)

Arlene said her favorite was a tie between the gluten-free Shells & Cheese and the Rotini with Marinara. She hopes to have both again soon!

All of the varieties we tried would make great options for a healthy lunch. You could also consider them a great option for a present for your foodie friends of all ages.

Blue Evoltion pasta & seasoning are available both on their company's website, and on Amazon - prime eligible! So if you are still wondering what to get those people you adore for Christmas - go get them some seaweed - Blue Evolution style!

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We received free product in exchange for an honest review. We were not required to write a positive review, nor were we compensated in any other way. All opinions are ours. We are disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Juicy Gems Giveaway ~ 3 winners!

How did it get to be Wednesday afternoon already? Time is flying by! I wanted to let you know about another fun giveaway we are having here on the blog: a Juicy Gems Giveaway!

Our friends at Juicy Gems are going to provide three of our readers each with a $5 Wal-Mart e-giftcard so they can pick up their own 10 oz. bag of frozen Juicy Gem Pomegranate Arils!

Just in case you've missed our post about how much we love Juicy Gems, go read it now! Hopefully it will give you lots of ideas about how to eat your juicy gems if you are one of our winners. If you want even more ideas, Juicy Gems has a wonderful collection or pomegranate recipes on their Pinterest boards!

Because I was busy helping a certain college student I know study for her finals, I forgot to post this giveaway last weekend. No worries though - the giveaway will run through midnight EST on Monday, December 18th, and I will contact the winners on Tuesday the 19th. Since Juicy Gems has already graciously provided the prizes, if you are a winner, you will still have several days to print out your certificate and get yourself some Juicy Gems to enjoy for Christmas!

Remember, three of our readers will be enjoying some delicious and nutritious Juicy Gems next week, will you be one of them?

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This giveaway is sponsored by Juicy Gems and ends at midnight EST, December 18, 2017. US Residents, 18 and older.

Oral Essentials ~ better oral care for everyone!

*This post contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase using them, it won't cost you any extra, and it will help fuel our blog - Thank you!

Back in mid-October we were introduced to an amazing company called Oral Essentials. I've been wanting to write a review of their products for a while, but - true to our form - I just could not write a review on just a few days' worth of use. We wanted to give you our long-term thoughts on the products, so I've waited six weeks - it has been really difficult for me to wait this long to tell you about these amazing products! If you've been following our Facebook page or our new Instagram feed, you will have noticed some shout-outs to Oral Essential - because we are sold on their products!

Let me tell you a little more about our backstory with oral care...

We found out several years ago that fluoride was one of the triggers that causes Emily's psoriasis to flare up. If you are not familiar with psoriasis, just let me tell you that those people who struggle with it will avoid their trigger foods or substances as much as possible because a flare-up is both annoying and painful. So for the past five years or so, we have been trying out one natural, fluoride-free toothpaste after another. Some of them are good, a couple are awful. When Arlene (age 17) and I heard that Oral Essentials was going to be at the Moms Meet WOW Summit we got excited. We were hoping to find a new fluoride-free toothpaste for Emily (age 19) because while her current one is decent, and does not taste bad, it is nothing to brag about either.

The first day of the WOW Summit I had the opportunity to talk with the ladies from Oral Essentials during the Blogger-only time in the exhibit hall. I was excited to be able to read the ingredients list, actually know what those ingredients were, and get a travel sized tube of their Whitening Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth to take home and try. Oral Essentials products are made with Dead Sea Salt, Organic Aloe Vera, essential oils, and Non-GMO xylitol from birch trees. That night was the cleanest my teeth have felt in years! I was AMAZED! I told  Arlene right then that she needed to go back by the booth with me on Day 2 so she could get a sample as well and we could take it home to Emily. Little did I know that Oral Essential's toothpaste would also be a HUGE hit with Arlene. She has been warning me for two weeks that we were about to run out. Redheads can be persistent!

We spoke with the ladies from Oral Essentials again and found out that they had recently launched a kid's toothpaste: a strawberry flavored toothpaste (with a Unicorn on it!) We also talked about their whitening strips and got a couple samples of those to bring home to try. Both of our girls had asked me about the possibility of using whitening strips this past summer, but because I had suffered sensitivity issues when trying to use name brand varieties a few years ago, I had been putting them off. No longer! I have to say I was impressed with how well these whitening strips did on just the very first use! I decided to wait a couple weeks before trying my samples, because I wanted to see just how well the Whitening Toothpaste worked on its own. It was superb! The whitening strips are fantastic!

So how does that lead us to today's review? Simple: the awesome people at Oral Essentials emailed me a few weeks after the Summit and asked if I would be interested in helping promote their Holiday Sale. Because we were already overjoyed with how well the samples had worked - of course I said yes! They graciously sent us a tub with some more samples to try- including their other toothpaste varieties and cute little travel-sized samples of their mouthwash. This stuff is awesome!

I've been hesitant to write my review too soon, because I wanted to make sure these were products I would continue to use before I told you about them. The Holiday Sale has actually been going on since December 1st, and I felt bad about not telling you on day one - but fear not - it continues through December 31st! There is a 15% discount on any online order at OralEssentials.com if you use our discount code: holidaysmile21. You REALLY need to enter the entire code, including the 21!

Today I ordered us a two-pack of the Whitening Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth because that way I can combine the regular two-pack savings with the Holiday Sale and make sure we will not run out of our new favorite toothpaste! It was super easy, and the standard shipping was only $0.99!!!

So, to prep you for your order, because I know sometimes we get tired of hunting for the magic boxes during online shopping, and you might too, here is how it goes...

First: head over to OralEssentials.com

Then click the Products tab on the top-right above the smiling blond lady

Scroll down and choose which items to add to your cart, and then, before you even think about entering your customer information, click on the Discount box on the right side of the screen and enter: holidaysmile21

Once you hit Apply, it will show your discounted price, and you can go ahead and enter your customer information and payment - unless you'd rather use PayPal, then just click the PayPal logo box!

You will then accept the standard shipping option, because if you order now - by Friday, you should have plenty of time to get it for Christmas. I'm not sure if the mouthwash costs more to ship, but I was super-stoked that this is the first online order I've made this season where the shipping was so inexpensive!

Once you've chosen your shipping, place your order and wait to be amazed! It took less than two minutes from the time I finished checking out until I received my order confirmation email. If you're one of those package-tracking types, you can sign up to get text messages about your order.

Now I know some of you are still thinking about Christmas presents, and wondering if you should really get someone Oral Care for their present? The answer is yes! Oral Essentials' formulas were developed by a periodontist and an award-winning cosmetic dentist. They've been lab tested to be just as effective as those OTC brands that have fluoride, artificial colors, and SLS, but without the yucky and the risk to your tooth enamel that peroxide and bleach can cause. 

Because you might want to consider Oral Essentials products for stocking stuffers, I want to make sure you see this tab on the left side of the products page, down near the bottom, right above the whitening strips link, is where you find the Travel Size products. You can purchase 4 travel tubes of either the original Clean and Fresh or Whitening Toothpastes, or a six-pack of travel sized mouthwash in any of their four formulas.  What a great way to bless someone with good oral health, or get yourself ready for your next trip! There is nothing worse than leaving your favorite toothpaste behind for the family to use when you travel because you only have one tube. (Go back and re-read paragraph three if you don't believe me!)

Now remember, you need the discount code: holidaysmile21 for your 15% off savings.

Go get some Oral Essentials products and get your teeth clean, and healthy! 

If you're like 80% of other Americans aged 18-49 and want whiter teeth, pick up a package of their amazing whitening strips as well - they're also on sale with the discount code:holidaysmile21 !

P.S. A couple of our readers are going to get Oral Essential samples instead of Christmas cards - you won't be disappointed!

Disclosure: I received free product from Oral Essentials in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are mine or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.

Holiday Sale at Oral Essentials

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Use the code: holidaysmile21

December is here already, and we are trying to limit the amount of gifts we purchase so the focus can remain on Christ this Christmas. With that thought in mind, it can be tricky to find a quality gift to give those you appreciate and love without resorting to food. While I love giving food, most people already have too many sweets around the holidays. What about a gift that helps combat all those party snacks?

That is why I am super happy to tell you that our friend over at Oral Essentials have put their entire line on sale for the month of December. You could give gifts that improve the health of your loved ones. You can also use these awesome products in those grab-bag office gift party swaps because everyone should brush their teeth - right?!

Arlene (age 17) has been on me for a week to reorder her some more of the Whitening Toothpaste because it is the first toothpaste she has ever actually liked using! I'll admit I was hooked on it the first day I tried it as well. It gets your teeth so clean you are sure they will squeak when you run your tongue over them. It has always been a challenge to get Arlene to brush her teeth - so of course I'm all for stocking up this month while there is a 15% sale going on! The Oral Essentials Holiday Sale started yesterday (December 1st) and runs through December 31st. You will need the coupon code: holidaysmile21 to receive the 15% discount.

There is a two-pack of the Whitening Toothpaste available, so now I know what to get for Arlene's stocking. :)

Juicy Gems Pomegranate Frozen Arils ~ a Review

What is your favorite way to eat a pomegranate? Mine is to sprinkle the arils (seeds) over a bowl of granola or cereal and top it with a little almond milk. Of course, since pomegranates are a delicious, nutritious fruit, I also like to just eat them fresh... but I do not like the mess that happens when I try to open and de-seed a pomegranate in the kitchen. They are still yummy - but it looks a little like a crime scene if you walk in on me with my hands covered in pomegranate juice - LOL!

What? You've never had a pomegranate? You are missing out! It is time to change that.

Imagine my delight to meet the friendly people from juicy gems who grow pomegranates out in sunny California and find out that they specialize in making them eater-friendly! No mess required. I'm in - sign me up! They invited me to try their pomegranate arils three ways: fresh, frozen, and dried. 

Just in case you are wondering, aril is another word for seed. Because so many people think of something hard and crunchy when they hear the word seed, and pomegranate arils are not hard and crunchy, I'm going to keep referring to them as arils ok? If you are wanting a texture comparison, the fresh and frozen arils are similar to the consistency of uncooked sweet corn. A little bit of texture, and a lot of juiciness. Oh - that gives me an idea for another salad to try!  The dried ones are similar to the consistency of dried cranberries, but smaller, and much sweeter. These pomegranate arils are tasty frozen, but eating them frozen is a treat for warm weather. Pomegranates are nutritious and delicious!

For this review the lovely people at juicy gems had me head over to our local Wal-Mart where you can find their 10 oz. bags of frozen arils in the frozen fruit aisle. One of the benefits of getting the frozen arils is that they stay fresh for a really long time. You can find their fresh arils at several retailers, but their frozen ones are right there at Wal-Mart, and is there anyone out there that does not drive by a Wal-Mart every month? Probably not! So stop in and pick up a couple bags of juicy gems the next time you are in the neighborhood.

I've been experimenting with using the pomegranate arils in different ways these past few weeks. My newest repeating recipes include them in a lot of salads. You can either put some of the arils in the fridge the night before and let them defrost before you add them to your salad, or you can do what I do and toss the frozen ones on your salad in the morning while you are making lunch, and by noonish they're defrosted anyway. :)

I've been keeping a steady supply of juicy gems defrosting in the fridge to put on my morning granola or other cereal. It has been unseasonable warm here this past month, so I have not had them in my hot oatmeal yet, but I'm pretty sure that will be happening next week when they're predicting snow. I just open the bag of frozen arils and pour about half of them into a resealable container and put them in the fridge at night for the next two or three days' breakfast treats. The 10 oz. bags contain 2 servings at a 3/4 cup serving size. Putting 3/4 of a cup of fruit in my 1 cup of granola every morning would be a bit overwhelming, so I usually use around 1/4 cup of the juicy gems pomegranate arils in my bowl of granola.

My other new favorite use for the arils is as salad toppers. I made the most delicious salad by accident one day when I threw a bunch of leftovers in a container and topped them with juicy gems right before I headed out the door to work.

1 cup romaine lettuce
1/2 cup shaved turkey
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup juicy gems pomegranate arils
a generous slosh of honey mustard dressing

I tried it again without the bell peppers and it was not as satisfying. Something about the combination of those arils with the peppers made this salad pop with flavor.

Then I got around to baking with the juicy gems. Oh yes, my family started laughing at me, but they were delicious baked with chicken, just adding a little sweetness ... although they loose their color when baked, so I've decided that next time I will set some defrosted arils aside to add as garnish after the chicken is baked. Yes, that is honey mustard dressing as a glaze for the chicken - I'm on a honey mustard kick this month. In December it will probably be raspberry vinaigrette, you should stop back by to see what I make next!

I've been waiting for salmon to come up again on our menu rotation to try this latest salad, and it was worth the wait! I grilled the salmon and then put it over a bed of romaine lettuce which was generously seasoned with honey mustard... yes ~ pomegranates do work wonderfully with other dressings, or even no dressing if you'd like a dry salad ~ I'm just letting you in on what I did. :) So after the lettuce and dressing, I added the salmon, chopped green bell peppers, and about a quarter cup of juicy gems. It was delicious!

Arlene and I have been working on a smoothie using juicy gems, crushed pineapple and chocolate whey powder. I'll let you know once we've perfected the recipe.

Just in case you love the challenge of de-seeding a pomegranate yourself... Arlene and I saw these lovely ones at Costco this morning! They have plenty - and they're juicy gems - so they'll  be delicious!

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I received free product in exchange for this honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions are mine, or those of my family. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.