This product was tested and reviewed by Julie of One-Wall Kitchen.

Lately, when I catch up on nutrition, health, and food articles, I’m finding that coconut-based products are popping up more and more frequently. I grew up and still enjoy eating fresh coconut, I frequently drink coconut water either straight or in smoothies for its health benefits, and I’ve been increasingly enticed to try coconut oil, especially because it’s become more readily available and affordable. I was excited to receive a jar of Kelapo Extra Virgin Oil.

This product was tested and reviewed by Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood.

I am now, and have pretty much always been, a chips girl. Don’t get me wrong, I love sweets, but salty, crunchy goodness is one of my main weaknesses. When I was asked to sample John Wm. Macy’s CheeseSticks I was very excited. I mean, cheese curls are kind of addicting for me, so getting to try something “real” sounded like a great treat.

While I had looked at the website (www.cheesesticks.com) in advance, I was amazed by the selection of products that arrived at my door. From their line of CheeseSticks, CheeseCrisps and SweetSticks (12 different flavor combinations in all), I received eight boxes of treats to try. And try them I did! All eight varieties!

This product was tested and reviewed by Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood.

Now that both of my daughters are in school full time, and my husband and I are both working, packing lunches has become a pretty big focus. It is a constant challenge to find foods which are good, healthy and have enough “kid appeal” for everyone. (Face it, foods that come back home untouched simply can’t count.) Frequently, dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries and apricots will make their way into the lunch bags, but can be kind of dry and tough. An offer to try a new brand of dried fruit was a greatly appreciated opportunity to add to our lunch (and general snacking) options.

This product was tested and reviewed by Todd of A Cooking Dad.

When asked if I was interested in molecular gastronomy and if I wanted to review a product from www.molecule-r.com I couldn’t believe my luck. I had actually been eyeing their products for some time. I almost got a chemistry degree so maybe this is just my chemistry geek coming out. I was very excited and even started planning out what I was going to make before the kit even came.

This product was tested and reviewed by Lisa.

When I was asked if I would review the AeroGarden Ultra dirt-free indoor garden, I was curious to see if the product really lived up to the hype. I mean, you’re talkin’ to a gal with a black thumb. Seriously. I could kill dirt. My husband is the growing magician.. that man can take an old dried up seed throw it into some kind of vessel, add a lil water, some nutrients and some potting soil and in a few months we’ve got gorgeous flowers. He amazes me. But this isn’t about him, it’s about me! I wanted to know if the AeroGarden Ultra could make a mockery of my black thumb.

This product was tested and reviewed by Carol, a non-blogging member from Canada.

Throughout society, uniforms can be seen as an identifying mark for being a member of a certain profession or participating in certain organizations. Typically, we may frequently see uniforms worn in military or para-military organizations, like police forces or fire departments. Indeed most professions have some sort of uniform – whether it’s the business suit of an office environment, safety vest and hard hat of a construction worker or the uniform shirt and kerchief for the Boy Scout. The cooking profession is no different. The chef’s uniform is typically composed of a toque or chef’s hat, a double breasted chef’s jacket and checkered pants. The toque, in varying heights, demonstrates rank in the kitchen. The white double breasted jacket identifies cleanliness and can be reversed to hide stains. In addition, the extra fabric in the front helps protect against heat and burns. Finally, the checkered pants also help hide stains.

I must confess I have had to wear several uniforms throughout my life including a tartan tunic while in colloquial school, a Girl Guide uniform, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) uniform, even a plant worker’s uniform of khaki pants and button down shirt. As for donning a uniform in the kitchen, I had a frilly apron that came out of the kitchen drawer on Thanksgiving and Christmas to cover my holiday dress. My forays into the kitchen simply didn’t warrant anything more elaborate – hastily prepared suppers after school for my family was done with minimal mess and cleanup, or at least I hoped.

Written by Jenni of The Gingered Whisk.

When Lis contacted me about doing a product review for Thai Kitchen/Simply Asia I was both excited and nervous. They wanted a feature on “party” foods for the Chinese New Year, which is a fun feature, but I’m not exactly a pro at Asian foods, and the more I thought about it the more nervous I got. I wasn’t sure what kind of products they were going to send me, and how I was going to “create” a recipe based on what they sent me!

Written by Hannah of Rise and Shine.

When I heard I was receiving a product to review from the Redpack tomato company, I knew I’d have an easy time giving my opinion on their product. I use canned tomatoes quite a bit…often several times a week. Living in what resembles the north pole, canned tomatoes are most often a very desirable alternative to the “fresh” tomatoes I find at the market. I was pleasantly surprised (squealing with glee, in fact) when what came to my door wasn’t just a can of tomatoes, but a gigantic replica of a can of tomatoes that was filled with goodies! I have photographed the replica next to a 28 ounce can, which I would normally call a “large” can of tomatoes. But as you can see, it looks like an ant to next this crazy awesome Redpack gift tin.

So, we were off to a good start. I unpacked the tin to find magnets, a can opener and a hot mitt, a spaghetti spoon, some recipes cards and finally…2 cans of tomatoes. I set out to make a batch of red sauce that I’ve made a hundred times, using a 28 ounce can of Redpack Crushed Tomatoes in Thick Puree.

This product was tested and reviewed by Ruth of The Crafts of Mommyhood.

I grew up with a box of baking soda in the back of my fridge. I really only thought about it when it would accidentally knock over and I would have to clean up the spill. I can’t say I ever really noticed smells in the fridge, though we always kind of knew if there had been fish for dinner, or if something had been in there a little too long. I think I always just took for granted that there were only so many smells that could be eliminated in such a small, frequently used space.

When I received the Oransi Ionic Air Purifier in the mail I was curious to see just what kind of difference it would make. While my refrigerator isn’t exactly as clean as I might like, it is wiped out regularly, and we do our best to monitor the age of the foods in there. Part of me was also a bit concerned because, being a vegetarian household, I wasn’t sure we had the types of food in the house which would really put a refrigerator air purifier to the test. As it turns out, this was the perfect month for this kind of product to be here. We had non-vegetarian grandparents here for several weeks, which added to both the quantity and the types of food we stocked. Just what I needed to see if this air purifier would really do what it claimed.

This product was tested and reviewed by Carol one of our talented non-blogging members.

Have you succumbed to the latest food trends? Has an artfully decorated cupcake adorned your kitchen counter? Or has a new twist on Quinoa Salad been your potluck supper contribution? Or better yet, have you sprinkled bacon bits over popcorn just because bacon makes everything taste better?

Food trends meander through the cooking world as artfully as food trucks through busy downtown streets. One of the trendy ingredients that have recently shown up in my local grocery was Black Garlic! I have seen it as an ingredient on several cooking shows – Top Chef and Chopped – and it sounded intriguing and exotic. While garlic, which has waxed and waned as a food trend ingredient over the years, is a staple in my kitchen, perhaps black garlic could step it up a little.