Product Reviews
Wellements Gripe Water
www.wellements.com
Review by Bonnie Barker

Wow, this stuff rocks! My baby was two months old and would get colicky in the evenings since birth. We had tried everything, but nothing was working. The first time I gave her this gripe water, she calmed down almost immediately – within minutes, and was finally able to get to sleep.

I’ve heard that gripe water tends to taste bad, so I taste-tested this one myself. It has a very mild, pleasant taste. Not very strong or overly sweet.

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The packaging is a little excessive, but is super-cute, making the box look like a book that holds “the secret to a good night’s sleep for your baby.”

I feel great giving gripe water to my baby, knowing that it is safe and all-natural. I highly recommend everyone with a colicky baby to try this product. Bottom line: it works!

Bonnie is a stay-at-home-mom, who also consults part-time as an environmental engineer. She enjoys experimenting with new vegan recipes and organic gardening. She lives in scenic St. Clair, Michigan with daughters, Abigail and Grace, and husband, Earl.

Product Reviews
Way Out Wax Candles
www.wayoutwax.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Way Out Wax candle company has created vegan candles! Although many of their items contain beeswax, all of their container candles (tubs, tins, and glass) are made of 100% vegetable wax that’s primarily soy based.

You will find delectable scents such as the “Cozy Home Collection” which is a combination of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. I’m a big fan of their unscented line of beautifully burning candles. They’re the perfect way to add elegance to your table without competing with the delicious aromas of the food in front of you.

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Way Out Wax has also done its part in helping the environment. Their glass jar candles are made of recycled glass, and they use only 100% pure essential oils used to scent the candles (unlike the synthetics that many candle companies use for their candles’ aromas). When you go to their website www.wayoutwax.com, peruse their unscented and green mountain collections. You’re sure to find a scent (or unscented variety) that you’ll love.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Vita-Mix
www.vitamix.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

About 10 years ago Steve bought a Vita-Mix. I thought to myself, “Oh no, another kitchen appliance that’s going to go to waste.” I was shocked and disbelieving when he told me it could make ice cream or soup. I thought, “No way. How could it do both?” Well he showed me. You put a bunch of veggies in it, turn it on, and in a few minutes you have hot vegetable soup.

But I told him he could keep his soup, I wanted to try the ice cream. So we threw in some frozen strawberries, sugar and milk (now we use fructose and soymilk) and in just a few seconds we had the best, freshest, soft serve strawberry ice cream I’ve ever tasted. It was fabulous!

I got really into the Vita-Mix after that. I made fresh, homemade hummus all the time. I loved making cole slaw because the Vitamix could shred cabbage in literally 3 seconds. It even washes the cabbage for you. And the Vita-Mix is easy to clean. A big bonus in my book since we used it so much.

There’s one thing we use our Vita-Mix for almost every day. Fruit smoothies! It’s easy… you just put in some fresh fruit, frozen strawberries, a little juice and in seconds you have a nutritious, healthy fruit smoothie that still contains all the vitamins and minerals the fruit started with. I lived on fruit smoothies when I was pregnant. I also recently discovered I can make one hellava chocolate shake (Rice Dream Ice Cream, rice milk, and Ah-Laska chocolate syrup and voila.)

We recently passed our Vitamix on to my parents so we could get the new Vita-Mix Super 5000. It’s still the only appliance we use virtually every day and the only one that has an honored place on our counter. I’ll never part with it. I highly recommend the Vita-Mix Super 5000 to all of you. It’s an incredible investment in your own health.

Now the Vita-Mix 5200 is the latest blender. it boasts an Eastman Tritan container, a 2 Peak HP Motor, and soft grip handles and soft touch dials and switches. It just gets better and better!

Buy your Vita-Mix throughVegFamily and get free standard ground shipping and a 30-day no risk in-home trial.
Click here to get yours!

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Vermont Soap Works Yoga Mat Wash
www.vermontsoap.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Vermont Soap Works has created an amazing product: Yoga Mat Wash! I’ve always tried to ignore the fact that while resting with my face to my yoga mat, my forehead was coming in contact with loads of germs and bacteria. Now I never have to worry about that again! Yoga Mat Wash can be used as frequently or infrequently as you wish; the cleaner comes with directions on how to do daily, medium, or deep cleaning of your yoga mat. It’s also a good idea to clean any new mat you may purchase to remove any residue from its manufacture.

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Yoga Mat Wash is crafted from all natural vegetable oils and botanicals, and is hypoallergenic. It comes in a convenient pump bottle that can easily be carted to your yoga or pilates class; just make sure that your mat is completely dry before you roll it back up. Yoga Mat Wash can also be used on balance balls, blocks, straps, and just about anything else you can think of. This product is not tested on animals, contains no animal ingredients, and will not irritate sensitive skin. Vermont Soap Works claims that regular use of their Yoga Mat Wash will extend the life of your sticky mat! Go to www.vermontsoap.com to order your own bottle today!

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Vegetarian Shoes and Bags
www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com
Review by Caroline Yoder

Vegan shoe shopping can be a very frustrating experience. Scrutinizing the tiny lettering on shoe boxes or on the bottom of the shoes themselves is not my favorite way to spend a weekend afternoon. So often I am all set to buy a pair of adorable shoes, when I discover that some part of those cute pumps is made from leather.

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The best way to avoid such a shopping experience is to seek out retailers that specialize in vegan shoes. Vegetarian Bags and Shoes fulfills this requirement, and you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to get fashionable and comfortable shoes. As their name suggests, they also sell a variety of bags, ranging from hobo totes to sleek clutches.

Considering that one of my primary hobbies is collecting shoes, you can only imagine my excitement when I received my box from Vegetarian Shoes and Bags, easily identifiable due to the happy cow gracing the package’s exterior. After a test run (a day walking around my college campus), I was hooked. My shoes were comfortable, stylish, and most importantly, free of leather, wool, silk, and suede. I visited the company’s website and promptly started up a wish list of shoes and bags.

Shipping is free for orders over $75, and gift certificates are available. Consider browsing their accessories section, which includes belts, wallets, and pet products.

Be sure to add www.www.vegetarianshoesandbags.com to your favorites list.

Caroline Yoder is currently a student at Duke University, studying English and Psychology. She hopes one day to become a writer in the health field.

Product Reviews
The Vegan Society Interactive CD-ROM
www.vegansociety.com
Review by Loraine Speck

The Vegan Society (formed in 1944 in the UK by Donald Watson) has created an Interactive CD-ROM filled with a plethora of information on the disastrous effects the industry of raising animals for human consumption is having on our world.

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The CD is broken into seven segments: Animals, People, The Environment, Food, Going Vegan, Health, and Press for Change. Each segment includes a help button, the “Delve Deeper” feature, entertaining interactive games, and a photo show which connects ideas like the images of free-range chickens pecking in a field to the same animals being cruelly transported in crammed crates on the backs of flatbed trucks, and the feathers and feces that follow.

The Animals sub-segments provide the details on how cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, sheep, ducks and geese are raised and slaughtered. The end of each sub-segment provides information on what the reader can do to better the lives of animals living on factory farms by either consuming free-range products, becoming a vegetarian or (the option that will bring about the most effective change) by becoming a vegan. Sub-segments on honey bees and fish are also pointedly included and incorporate some jarring fact this almost 20-year vegan wasn’t aware of, the most shocking being that farmed fish are fed wild fish. Well, that and it takes 3 tonnes of wild fish to produce 1 tonne of farmed salmon! That tidbit really made me shake my head. It was also disturbing to learn that male honey bees may have their heads decapitated in order to collect their sperm (the decapitation causes its release), which is used to artificially inseminate the queen.

There are 840 million people living upon the Earth that are undernourished – about 14% of the world’s population and there are millions in developing countries who don’t have access to clean water (killing 2.2 million a year Ð most of them children). These and other staggering statistics are included in the sub-segments Feeding the World and Water for Life in the People segment of the CD-ROM. The Environment segment also includes similar “inconvenient truths” (supported by references) about factory farming and its link to (sub-segments) Land Degradation, Global Warming, Biodiversity, Deforestation, Water, Suffering Seas and Wasteland. Again, at the end of each sub-segment the reader can see which of the three options of “Eat Organic”, “Eat Vegetarian” or “Eat Vegan” will have the least damaging impact on our world and those living on it.

The Food segment contains the sub-segments Nutrition, Shopping, Recipes and Eating Out and together they provide the reader with the tools to successfully switch to and maintain a vegan lifestyle. The Nutrition segment shows the building blocks for a life and what a balanced (vegan) diet looks like, including sunshine, water consumption and exercise. I loved the interactive game in the Shopping sub-segment where I correctly identified and placed into my shopping bag all of the vegan grocery items on the virtual store shelf. It was as intensive as real-life shopping with the highs of finding “unintentionally” vegan food items and the lows of discovering fish oil in your orange juice.

The Go Vegan segment describes a vegan as “lipsmacking, cake scoffing, life affirming, chip munching, salad crunching, tofu frying, animal respecting, planet loving, soya shake slurping”! Inspired by this and armed with the vegan shopping list and glossary provided here, veganism must become that much easier for the reader to at least consider. If they do decide to try it the Vegan Society icon will direct them to the books on veganism that the Vegan Society produces and sells, their magazine (titled Vegan) and membership, contact information, and pamphlets on such topics as wool, silk, milk, honey and health that are downloadable and printable.

In the Health segment the CD-ROM the reader is given a medical scanner with which to scan a virtual body. Areas such as bowels and immune system are highlighted and the choices of “Eating More” (fruits, vegetables, grains) and “Eating Less” (meat, cheese, fried foods) for optimal health are discussed. This area may have been more effective if a few semi-graphic photos (suitable for children) on the affects of a meat-and-dairy-laden diet were available.

The last segment, Press for Change, encourages the reader to be the creator of change by “knowing the facts, educating people about the issues, having a discussion, writing a letter, and raising funds”. This should be the mantra of all vegans, whatever your reason for being one. There’s always more to be done, but the rewards will make the efforts worth it in the end. It’s never too late.

The CD is geared towards students in grades 3 and 4, but it can benefit a person of any age interested in knowing more about factory farming. Additional information can be also be found on the Vegan Society’s webpage, including lesson plans, activity sheets and resources. I found it to be easy to navigate, and well pleasing to the senses. The font is large and easy to read and the graphics are well done. The background music is soothing and inspiring or actually applauding and best of all, it’s narrated by the “give me the giggles” author of “Steven the Vegan” Benjamin Zephaniah.

I am thankful for the privilege of reviewing the Vegan Society Interactive CD-ROM which identifies in a very interesting and educational way not only what a vegan is, but what it means to be one. This is an incredibly comprehensive compilation of information and would be an asset to any vegan home, classroom or library collection.

Note: when you’ve finally managed to get through the bounty of information on this CD, reward yourself by clicking on the About the CD icon. At the bottom of the page you will find a red button – click on it! The interactive game of “Can You Land on the Planet of the Emonkeys” will have you wasting away entire afternoons and burning your lunch of spicy baked beans.

Editor’s Note: The cost of the CD is £4.99 but free to schools and educators. Contact youth@vegansociety.com for more information.

Loraine Speck quit her cushy library job in 2006 to become a stay-at-home mom to her two beautiful lifelong vegan boys. She lives in Southern Ontario with her children, her husband and her many, many rescued cats and recently adopted fish.

Product Reviews
Vegan Fingerpaints from Kidbean.com
www.kidbean.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

First of all, if you haven’t been to the kidbean.com website, check it out immediately! It’s an online store geared towards vegan children and their families. That said, I was happy to sample one of their products and I was thrilled when I opened the box and found vegan fingerpaints!

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The six colors per box contain only water, mineral pigments, hemp oil, methylcellulose, and extract of gentian roots. They are free of hard metals and VOC’s and are not tested on animals. They work just as brilliantly as conventional fingerpaints. The only difference is that it’s recommended that you add a small amount of (cruelty free) dishwashing liquid to each jar to aid in cleanup.

It’s important to think of the company that produces your child’s toys and arts and crafts supplies. Kids (and adults) have always loved finger-painting. Now you can enjoy it even more knowing that no animal was harmed in its making.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
The Wellness H2.0 Personal Water Bottle
Review by Cynthia Mosher

The Wellness H2.0 is a reusable water bottle that filters water using rare Japanese stones. The stones filtration system not only provide you with clean water but also purport to improve your level of hydration, provide free radical protection, and contribute trace alkaline minerals for better cellular health. Just fill with ordinary tap water and the built in filtration system (see cutaway in the image for a look at the filter) works to remove chlorine, odors, sand, volatile organic chemicals and lead. With a squeeze of your bottle you get clean, good tasting water.

The filter is said to last for 150 gallons of water or 900 fills of the bottle. It holds 22 ounces. The bottle is heavier than most personal water bottles but the filtration system certainly adds to the total weight so it’s not unexpected.

I personally like my stainless steel water bottle. It’s lightweight and inexpensive. But I do not always have clean water at hand, especially when out and about so the Wellness H2.0 does offer me the ability to fill up from other water sources and not worry about the quality. The downside is the cost. It’s a pricey $49.95 and the replacement cartridge is $20.00. Not too bad considering the cost of bottled water. But it’s certainly not a bottle you’d want to lose.

If you use a water bottle and find yourself filling up while away from home and wishing you had access to a water filter, this bottle is just what you need.

Buy your Wellness H2O Bottle now!

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Product Reviews
Tofu 1-2-3 cooking video
www.deliciousadventures.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

If you are new to veganism or you’re just looking for new foods to prepare, a cooking class is the best way to learn about vegan foods and cooking techniques. Sadly, and often times depending on where you live, vegan (or even vegetarian) cooking classes can be hard to find. Luckily, any of us with a VCR or DVD player can learn all about tofu and how to create some fabulous and delicious new dishes with this wonder food.

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Delicious Adventures has created a vegan cooking class on tape! Tofu 1-2-3 is hosted by Maribeth Abrams and features athlete Carl Lewis as a special guest. There is a recipe booklet included along with the video or DVD. Maribeth prepares chocolate pudding, smoothies, chili, tofu-ricotta, creamy Italian salad dressing, creamy soups and pan-fried glazed tofu. I had always been curious about tofu-ricotta, and now that I’ve learned so much, I can’t wait to make stuffed shells and manicotti!

Maribeth’s manner is informative and friendly. I loved learning from her! It was like watching my own personal cooking show (and I didn’t have to worry about the recipes being non-vegan)! Cooking with tofu can seem confusing at first, but once Maribeth shows you how easy it is, you’ll feel more comfortable working with it in the kitchen.

To order Tofu 1-2-3 visit www.deliciousadventures.com or call 1-888-730-4004. This video certainly does “Take the mystery out of ‘the big white blob’!”

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
La Dolce Vegan Cookies
www.ladolcevegan.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

The first thing I noticed when I received a shipment of cookies from La Dolce Vegan was how luscious the cookies smelled right out of the bag. The first flavor I tried was the Snickerdoodle. It was amazingly delicious. It tasted fresh, sweet, and buttery. I would swear it had just been taken out of the oven and handed to me. The chocolate chocolate chip were really rich with chocolate flavor. I also loved the coconut chocolate cookies and I’m usually not a big fan of coconut! The chocolate chip cookies were good too.

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What I love about this company is the prices. Quality, home made cookies for $4.95 per half pound. These would be great to buy for an event, like a child’s birthday party, or buy a lot and freeze them for unexpected company.

Ingrid, the Founder of La Dolce Vegan, is the first to point out that her cookies aren’t “health food.” She and I both agree that a cookie should be decadent, not nutritious. If you want nutrition, eat a banana. If you want a cookie, have a cookie! So she uses the most sinful ingredients she can find.

At the time of this review, Ingrid’s company is just getting started. Although she’s probably still perfecting the business side of things, I can tell you she has perfected her recipes already. You’ve got to try these cookies. They’ll make your tastebuds grin!

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Genisoy Tropical Paradise Soy Nut Trail Mix
www.genisoy.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

The heavily salted, milk chocolate laden trail mix we may be used to has met its healthy counterpart. If you’re a fan of roasted soy nuts you need to try Genisoy’s Tropical Paradise Soy Nut Trail Mix. I found this treat to be a yummy, healthy, satisfying snack. Besides soy nuts the mix includes coconut shavings, dried bananas, dried pineapple, cranberries, dried mango, and macadamia nuts. A serving size contains only 4 grams of fat and packs 3 grams of protein. We’re learning more and more about the health benefits of soy protein and this is an easy, delicious way to add it to your diet. I wish there were more macadamia nuts in the trail mix, but overall I found this snack to be a welcome addition to my pantry.

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Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Bronzo Sensuale Products
www.bronzosensuale.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

I am so excited to have had the opportunity to learn about and try some of the Bronzo Sensuale product line. Not only is this whole line of body, hair and personal products certified vegan, but it is extremely high quality and a joy to use.

Bronzo Sensuale is perhaps best known for their line of tanning and sunblock products. Rich in antioxidants and skin soothers, there is a product for you if you are a sun worshiper or a sun avoider (like me). You’ll find tanning oils, a wide range of sun blocks and after sun lotions for those days when you got a little more sun than is comfortable.

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It’s fitting for a company called Bronzo Sensuale to produce a personal lubricant called Intimita. This intimate moisturizer is formulated for men and women. As those over at Bronzo Sensuale say, it’s “a great gift for honeymooners and retirees alike!”

Their Bambino line of baby care products are exceptional! Complete with a baby formulated sunblock, baby shampoo, baby lotion and baby oil you will be thrilled with the effectiveness of these 100% natural products. They’re also great for people of any age with sensitive skin.

I love that this company has extremely high ethical standards and makes a point to educate their customers about their no animal testing and no animal ingredients policies. They also proudly display their Vegan Certified logo.

The SPF 30 Carrot Lotion is my new favorite. I love that it’s oil free and not greasy! Full of vitamins and botanicals, I feel more like I’m putting on my favorite nourishing moisturizer insetead of a sunblock. Bronzo Sensuale has also extended their carrot products to a wonderful shampoo and conditioner that are good for both your hair and your scalp.

Visit www.bronzosensuale.com to order any of these products and learn more about this fantastic company and their gorgous products.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Omega Zen DHA supplements
www.nutru.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

Do you have a good source of DHA in your diet? If you don’t know what DHA is you’re probably not getting it. DHA is formed when you have enough Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids in your diets. Vegans generally don’t get enough Omega-3s. In the past DHA supplements weren’t vegan; they usually contained fish oil and the gel caps contained gelatin. But NuTru has come out with a new DHA supplement that is vegan, including the gel cap it comes in! This is amazing and wonderful news for vegans, because now there is a direct source of DHA.

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You can buy these vitamins at Vegan Essentials, and soon they may become available in your health food store. Read up on the importance of essential fatty acids by reading Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Pointers by Brenda Davis, R.D. Then you’ll know why the appearance of this product is so important to vegans!

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Queasy-Pops
www.queasypop.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

The makers of Preggy Pops realize that queasy stomachs can occur even when one is not dealing with pregnancy-related nausea. And so they have created Queasy-Pops: a natural way to ease a queasy stomach.

These lollipops are made especially for anyone interested in soothing their upset stomach naturally. They can be used for motion sickness or during chemotherapy treatments. They also help if you are experiencing dry mouth or need an energy boost.

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Queasy-Pops come in the following flavors: peppermint, cinnamon, lavender, sour lemon, papaya, ginger and sour raspberry. They are all; of course, vegan (but they do contain sugar).

So the next time you set out for a long car ride or plane take-off, make sure you have a few Queasy-Pops tucked away to help combat a sour stomach. Bags (with 7 pops each) can be ordered through their website www.queasypop.com or calling toll free 866-773-4443.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Klein’s Vegan Ice Cream
www.koshericecream.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Vegan dixie cups? Vegan bon bons? Vegan chocolate éclair bars? I could hardly believe it myself-could these truly exist? Introducing Klein’s Kosher Ice Cream. They have an entire line of vegan ice creams and frozen novelties that will help convert even the most die hard dairy consumer! And their vegan products are all certified by Vegan Action!

Your child’s next birthday party will be so much easier with these wonderful, delicious products. I am very much partial to the chocolate éclair bars (I loved the ‘traditional’ ones so much as a kid)! Now when ill informed people comment on how you’re depriving your child of a fat and hormone laden dairy dixie cups, you can proudly shove one of Klein’s vegan dixie cups in their nose. Klein’s also brings us such decadent ice cream flavors as pistachio, coffee, butter pecan and cookies and cream along with the good old standards of vanilla and chocolate.

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The staff is extremely friendly and willing to do all that they can to ensure that you get a properly frozen dessert (or box of desserts!) delivered to your door. Call (718) 435-0124 or visit www.koshericecream.com to order.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
E-Bar Energy Bar
www.e-fitnews.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

I know that most of you vegan moms are constantly on the run and sometimes find it hard to find healthy snacks while away from home. For a quick energy boost that is going to sustain you as you go on about your day, pack an E-Bar Energy Bar in your bag and you’ll be glad that you did.

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E-Bars are for kids too! Kids love them-they’re the perfect size for a quick snack and are easily packed in a lunch box or backpack for whenever hunger strikes. With flavors such as crunchy peanut butter-carob and peanut butter and strawberry jelly, kids and adults will soon be craving this nutritious treat. The texture of the bars is different from most energy bars; E-Bars are smooth and creamy. They are very light and easy to eat.

E-Bar is a perfect source of energy since it won’t elevate your blood sugar and it’s an easily digestible food. The E-Bar website sums it up perfectly: “Basically, it is the ONLY choice when you need a quick, easy, and healthy snack!” Visit www.e-fitnews.com to learn more about these delicious, nutritious energy bars.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Peanut Better
www.peanutbetter.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Peanut Better has created a line of gourmet flavored peanut butters. I never thought rosemary garlic peanut butter would taste good, but it actually does!

These peanut butters open up a whole world of foods to make using peanut butter. Imagine a fruit plate appetizer with cinnamon currant peanut butter as a dip. Or tossing noodles and veggies with thai ginger and red pepper peanut butter. Yum!

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Just be careful when you initially mix the peanut butter-the mouth of the jar is small and tends to be a little messy when mixing in the oil…but it’s worth it! Peanut Better comes in the following flavors: onion parsley, rosemary garlic, thai ginger and red pepper, spicy southwestern, peanut praline, vanilla cranberry, cinnamon currant, deep chocolate, hickory smoked, sweet molasses, and mixed nuts creamy or chunky.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Seventh Generation Baby Wipes
www.seventhgen.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

Steve and I decided that if we were going to use baby wipes on our baby’s bottom they had to be environmentally friendly and baby friendly too. Before Emily was even born we took to Whole Foods to search out something we felt comfortable using. There we found Seventh Generation products. Excited, I contacted the company and they happily sent me some products to try out. Since I hadn’t had the baby yet, we had to wait until she was born.

After waiting a couple of weeks and only using warm water, we then moved to the Seventh Generation Baby Wipes. We were quite pleased. As it says on their web site, the baby wipes can do the job with one sheet that it takes other brands 2-3 sheets. This we confirmed by trying out other brands as well.

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But the fact that these wipes work so well isn’t the only reason we recommend using them. Seventh Generation has a very high standard of eco-friendliness. On their web site I found this:

We derive our name from the Iroquois belief that “In our every deliberation, we should consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Every time you use a Seventh Generation product you are making a difference by saving natural resources, reducing pollution, keeping toxic chemicals out of the environment and making the world a safer place for ourselves and the next seven generations.

Seventh Generation also manufactures environmentally friendly non-toxic household cleaners, laundry and dish products; chlorine-free bathroom and facial tissues, paper plates, and napkins; plus recycled plastic trash bags and full-spectrum light bulbs.

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Preggie Pops
www.preggiepop.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

What a fabulous idea for all you moms to be out there! Preggie Pops are literally lollipops created to help ease your morning sickness! They also come in handy during labor to combat dry mouth and give you a much needed energy boost. Their website states that Preggie Pops work because of the following reasons: Specific flavors known to help stomach problems, Aromatherapy, Mode of delivery, Sugars to combat hypoglycemic queasy stomach, and, they are safe because they are all natural

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Preggie Pops come in peppermint, spearmint, lavender, sour lemon, sour tangerine, ginger, and sour raspberry. As long as you’re not opposed to sugar, they are completely vegan. Their colors come from red cabbage, tumeric, annatto, and beets. Although I’m not pregnant at the moment, I was happy to try these lollipops because they’re wonderful! The flavors are perfectly satisfying. They would make a great baby shower gift.

If Preggie Pops aren’t carried in a store near you, you can order from their website www.preggiepop.com or call toll free 1-866-773-4443.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Hip Whip
www.nowandzen.net
Review by Erin Pavlina

UPDATE: Now and Zen has floded so this product is no longer available in the market.

Hip Whip is the vegan answer to whipped cream toppings. It was a pleasure to discover this product actually existed; yet as soon as I went back to the store to buy it, it was gone! Thanks to a chance encounter at the same store a few weeks later, I managed to procure a tub. Someone had ordered a case of it and I convinced her to let me have a tub to take with me.

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It sat in my freezer until I made a pumpkin pie for the holidays. I didn’t want to try it with just any old food, it had to be pumpkin pie. So after my pie was chilled and the Hip Whip was thawed, Steve and I sat down to eat it. It had a strange taste, not at all what I was expecting. In fact, it sort of tasted like chocolate. I wasn’t impressed, but Steve loved it and proceeded to take my Hip Whip off my pie and add it to his own. So what can I say but that you should try it for yourself. We only used it on the pumpkin pie, but you could certainly try it in other recipes that normally require whipped cream.

Hip Whip Ingredients: water, grape juice concentrate, expeller pressed high oleic canola oil, cocoa butter, tofu (soybeans, calcium sulfate), brown rice syrup, cashew butter, pure vanilla extract.

Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
Calories per serving: 7

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Organicville Organic Vinaigrettes
www.organicvillefoods.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Tired of bland, dry salads? Sick of your routine salad dressings? You simply must try these Organicville Vinaigrettes! These dressings are uniquely bold and flavorful without being too strong. All of the vinaigrettes are organic, gluten free, dairy free and vegan with no added sugar and only one carb per serving. There is a wonderful variety of flavors to try: Orange Cranberry, Olive Oil & Balsamic, Miso Ginger, Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic, Herbs de Provence, Tarragon Dijon and Sesame Tamari.

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My husband and I have been devouring these organic vinaigrettes since we received them to try. I found that a little goes a long way, so you will save both calories and product. We’ve made every variety of salad and pasta salad that you could imagine just to have an excuse to use these vinaigrettes! My very favorite is the Sun Dried Tomato and Garlic. It is extremely savory and so full of flavor. These vinaigrettes turn a simple salad into an impressive meal. I’m sure that kids would love a small bowl of their choice of vinaigrette to dip veggie sticks in.

Rachel and Paul of Organicville Foods should be very proud of their products! They maintain extremely high levels of quality and are clearly very mindful of protecting our environment and promoting good health through organic products. You will be thrilled with Organicville Vinaigrettes…your salads won’t know what hit them!

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Mad Gab’s Clean Candle
www.madgabs.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

I love a good, long lasting vegan candle, so of course I was excited to light up Mad Gab’s line of Clean Candles. I was beyond pleased with the results. The self proclaimed “candle with a conscience” is all around fabulous. The candle is soy wax; the wick is lead-free; the ingredients are all natural; and the travel tin container is recyclable!

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Clean Candles come in scents of Clove Almond Orange, Unscented, Lavender, and Geranium Grapefruit. They’re great because they burn without any trace of soot, they come in cute travel tins, and you don’t have to feel guilty about burning an environmentally damaging candle. The claim that they last about 35 hours is accurate-this is 25% longer than paraffin candles that are full of artificial dyes and perfumes. Best of all is that they only cost $10! Head over to www.madgabs.com or call 800-Liplube and stock up for those romantic winter nights.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Auromere Mud Bath and Mask
www.Auromere.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

We’re all busy and it can be hard to find the time to take a few minutes out of the day to take care of yourself. Now all you need to do is get your hands on some Auromere Mud Bath and Mask and you can pamper yourself right in the shower.

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This mud bath and mask is designed for daily use and all skin types. Your skin will be left so soft– you’ll love it! I love having a product that’s designed for use on your face and body because it saves time. This mud combo does just that and is great for your skin.

Visit www.Auromere.com for more information.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Green and Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate Bar
www.greenandblacks.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

You no longer have to settle for grainy bitter non-dairy chocolate. Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate bar is absolutely heavenly. I’ve been pleased with other vegan chocolates in the past but this Italian chocolate is better than any vegan friendly chocolate I have ever tasted.

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Though not a vegan company (they do produce milk chocolate as well), Green & Black has mastered the art of vegan chocolate making. It contains less sugar and more cocoa than the average chocolate bar. The chocolate flavor is so intense that only a small amount can satisfy even the sweetest tooth. I personally love to combine a piece of the chocolate with peanut butter and make a sticky delicious mess.

The bars are a little pricey; I usually pay around $3.00, but it is absolutely worth it. Luckily, I’m able to find them at my local health food store. If you can’t find them near you, go online and find out how to get some in a store near you. They’re that good.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Crispy Greens Crispy Fruit
Review by Sophia Pflieger

www.crispygreen.com

When I received the package for “Crispy Greens” Crispy Fruit, I was very intrigued to say the least. The box weighed next to nothing for having so much in it, and I had never eaten anything freeze dried before.
They make 5 kinds: crispy pears, crispy pineapples, crispy apples, crispy peaches, and crispy apricots. My favourite was the crispy apples which was also the first flavour I tried. I discovered that there are two main ways to experience crispy fruit. Eat it like a chip by chewing it quickly and it keeps most of its crispness, or let it get soft and rehydrate in your mouth. Both equally tasty choices, these come in such small packs and are so light that they are perfect for stowing away in the glove compartment of your car. Eating as a late night tv-watching snack (they average at only 35 calories per little bag!).

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I am a nanny to a 2 1/2 and a 2 year old, so I decided to bring some with me one day. I have never seen them go so crazy over something before. They loved it so much – talk about the perfect way to get more fruits into your kids! They think it’s a treat when really its very healthy. But shhhhhh….. only the grown-ups need to know that! Think about what it would be like to give you child a pear in the car. The drippy, juicy mess that would make! Give them a bag of crispy pears instead. They taste like a pear and are a healthy fun snack minus the mess!

I think these would also be a perfect thing to pack while camping. They won’t way you down, and will re-hydrate in water. I threw some crispy peaches into a bowl of cereal and soymilk, and they got nice and plump.

I urge everyone who has kids to run out and get these Crispy Greens Crispy Fruit. You won’t regret it and your kids will think your the coolest parent ever!

Sophia lives a wonderful veggie lifestyle with her amazing boyfriend, and her two cats. She soon hopes to publish a Veggie cookbook, and loves reviewing for Vegfamily!

Product Reviews
Nutiva Hemp Products
www.nutiva.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

In the company’s own words, “Nutiva is not just a natural food business, but a vehicle to create a healthier, more sustainable world”. They have a line of hemp products that are non-GMO and full of essential fatty acids. You can try their cold pressed organic hemp oil, raw organic hemp protein powder, and shelled hemp seeds. Be forewarned to avoid the hemp and flax bars if you abstain from honey in your diet, as it is an ingredient in the bars.

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Hemp oil, powder, and seeds are all easy, delicious ways to add omega 3’s, protein, vitamin E, and GLA to your diet. If you’ve never tried a hemp product, pick up a Nutiva item and you know that you’re getting the highest quality out there. Try adding hemp oil to your salad dressing, sprinkle hemp seeds on your salad greens (or eat them plain as a snack), or add some hemp protein powder to your fruit smoothie. It’s easy to add essential fatty acids to your diet with these products. You can find a list of retailers on their website www.nutiva.com.

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Label It or Lose It
www.labelitorloseit.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Vegan parents – prepare to celebrate! Do you worry about sending your child to school or daycare and having his or her dietary needs ignored? Do some of your relatives still ask what a vegan eats? There is a company that has addressed your concerns. Label It or Lose It has created “Vegan Alert” stickers for your children and their belongings.

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These bright yellow waterproof stickers read: “Vegan. Please No Meat or Honey, Egg or Dairy Products For Me (insert child’s name)”. These self adhesive stickers are a simple, easy way to let others know about child’s vegan lifestyle. You can stick them right on your child’s clothing, lunchbox, thermos, backpack, anywhere! Personalization is also included in the cost, but if you’re uncomfortable with others knowing your child’s name, just order the vegan alert message with no name.

While you’re ordering the vegan alert stickers, check out their extensive line of other high-quality personalized labels. They carry stick-on labels, iron-on labels, and allergy alerts, along with the vegan alerts. You can order your labels at labelitorloseit.com, or call 800-861-9116. Happy labeling!

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Bora Bora Bars
www.wellements.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

I’m always game to try a new vegan granola bar, and was thrilled with Bora Bora Bars. They’re actually called “wellness bars” since they’re a much healthier alternative to other granola and energy bars on the market now.

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When you read the ingredient label, you’ll notice that there are only a few ingredients, and you recognize all of them! These bars are organic and preservative and additive free. And they taste great! My favorite flavor was sesame raisin-it had the perfect consistency and was sweet, but not too sweet.

These bars are perfect for snacks, school lunches, and to keep with you when you’re on the road. They’re available in some Vitamin Shoppe’s and Costco’s. Please visit www.wellements.com to learn more.
Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Goodbaker Chocolate Layer Cake
www.goodbaker.com
Review by Rebecca Hess

Goodbaker has done it again! Their amazing line of fabulous vegan cookies, muffins, pancakes, waffles, brownies and scones now includes a delicious chocolate layer cake. I’m not sure what I like best about their products-the fact that they’re so easy to make, or the fact that they taste so good.

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The cake was a breeze to make. Just add water and oil or applesauce, stir, and bake. I made it in two round cake pans and they cooked evenly and rose to a perfect height. After they cooled I topped it off with homemade vegan icing laced with Ghiradelli liquor (not for the kids!), vegan chocolate chips and sliced strawberries. Delicious! Everyone who tried this moist, rich cake loved it.

Goodbaker products can be purchased at their website www.goodbaker.com. This cake mix is the perfect staple to keep on hand when quick cupcakes or a birthday cake are needed. Good desserts couldn’t be easier!

Rebecca Hess lives in New Jersey with her husband Steve and their crazy cats. She holds a masters degree in theatre and loves being part of vegfamily and getting to try so many great vegan products!

Product Reviews
Betty Lou’s Fruit Bars and Smackers
www.bettylousinc.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

Betty Lou’s Inc. makes a wide variety of products designed for people who want to avoid white sugar. She uses barley malt, brown rice syrup, and honey instead of sugar. She has an extensive line of snacks and goodies, many of which are vegan (no honey).

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The fruit bars are really flavorful. They are square and thick, with real fruit oozing out of them while you eat. Most fruit bars are just fruit purees. I was impressed to actually see a whole blueberry in my blueberry fruit bar. I also saw real cherries in the cherry fruit bar. These fruit bars are a high quality, wholesome snack. A welcome addition to any kid’s lunchbox. The fruit bars are also free of wheat, corn, soy, and dairy; a real plus for people with allergies!

I also tried Betty Lou’s Smackers. Smackers are a chocolate coated confection made with nut butters and rolled in nuts such as almonds, filberts, cashews, and pecans. They are a rich and decadent treat. Great for serving after a dinner party; elegant and gourmet!

If your health food store is not carrying these products currently, ask them to! Wholesome, delicious, and fresh! And your kids will love them. Check out Betty Lou’s website to see a full list of the products she offers (some vegan, some not, so watch out!).

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Nacho Chreese Sauce
www.chreese.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

Road’s End Organics, the company that brought you Macaroni and ChReese, has come up with an all new product: Nacho ChReese Sauce. Instead of buying a brick of vegan cheese and trying to get it to melt, they’ve done the work for you. They’ve got two flavors, mild and spicy. So whip out your tortilla chips and let me tell you how it tastes!

At first glance I was sure it was going to taste too much like nutritional yeast. I’m glad I was wrong. The consistency is great, it’s not runny and it’s not hard; it’s the perfect dipping consistency. And it tastes great with tortilla chips.

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Does it taste like “real” nacho cheese? Honestly, I don’t know. It’s getting hard for me to remember what non-vegan cheeses taste like. But I can tell you that it tasted great, the kind of great that’s very addictive and keeps you from putting it back in the fridge. The kind of great that prevents you from noticing that your tortilla chips are really high in fat and calories. Thank goodness the ChReese sauce is fat free and extremely low in calories. It’s a no brainer for anyone watching their weight. Just watch those tortilla chips.

Nacho ChReese Sauce by Road’s End Organics is a fantastic, convenient, tasty dip to serve at a party that will impress both your vegan and non-vegan guests. I can’t wait to try it on broccoli! ->

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.

Product Reviews
Kid Bean Children’s Organic Hemp Sneakers
www.kidbean.com
Review by Erin Pavlina

At least twice a month someone asks me where to get vegan shoes for their kids. In the past, that was a difficult question to answer. Today, I’m happy to report that it’s much easier to find wonderful vegan shoes for your kids.

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KidBean.com, the vegan family superstore, now sells vegan hemp sneakers for kids in a wide variety of colors and sizes. These sweatshop-free, chemical-free, cruelty-free, leather-free children’s shoes are made with only environmentally sound materials, including organic hemp uppers and soles made from reclaimed used tires.

Both of my kids absolutely adore their hemp sneakers from KidBean. When I tell Emily to go put some shoes on, these are the ones she always grabs first. She reports they are very comfortable and don’t hurt her feet. My toddler, Kyle, was very excited to receive his hemp sneakers. He often brings them to me to put on and says, “Shoes? Outside?” It’s so cute. I love them because they are easy to get on the kids in a hurry and because they are so environmentally friendly.

Check out their wonderful selection of colors and buy a pair for your kids today.

Erin Pavlina is the author of Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World, and a new cookbook, Vegan Family Favorites. She lives in Las Vegas with her vegan husband and children, Emily and Kyle.