Navitas Naturals Product Review

I'm a firm believer that, "you are what you eat." 
I also believe by making wise food choices, healthy eating will soon be transformed into a habit. Of course choosing the right foods can be daunting for some especially if you lead a busy life or are constantly on-the-go. With such a lifestyle it is quite easy to go off track but with SUPERfoods at our disposal these days, this can be easily changed.

SUPERfoods are packed with potent essential vitamins and minerals that are required for your bodily functions.  This makes it so vital to introduce SUPERfoods into your diet. When it comes to choosing the right SUPERfood, you've got choices since they are available in the form of snacks, supplements etc. Just be sure to  choose products that are Certified Organic and either freeze dried, sun dried or processed at low temperatures. SUPERfoods in these forms retain all or most of their nutritional value.

During my quest to source a brand that delivered in the areas mentioned above, I learnt about Navitas Naturals.
 
Navitas Naturals is a Certified Organic one-stop-shop for a wide variety of unique SUPERfoods, trail mixes, smoothie blends, healthy raw snacks, nuts, seeds and much more.

Here is a sample of the products you can expect to source at their online store: Acai powder, Cacao powder, Cashews, Camu powder, Chia, Chocolate Kits, Coconut oil, Goji berries, Golden berries, Flax, Hemp, Lucuma, Maca, Maqui, Mesquite, Mulberry,Pomegranate powder, Nori, Palm sugar, Yacon Syrup, Stevia powder, Wheatgrass and more.

Most importantly, Navitas' range of products are all handled in a Certified Organic and Kosher facility. 

Below are my thoughts on each product that I was able to sample:

Mulberry Berries (Sundried White Mulberries) Turkish Superfruit
 
Health Benefits: High in Antioxidants, Vitamin C, Resveratrol & Iron
Price: $5.99 for 4 ounces
Suggested Uses: Can be added to smoothies, shakes, granola, oatmeal, cookies and desserts. These berries are 100% certified organic, kosher, vegan, raw, gluten-free and contain no preservatives. 
Taste and texture: It's taste reminds me of dried dates but not as sweet. It has a nice balance of sweetness which I like. It's one of those dried fruit that's full of flavor all the way. Texture wise, I'd say it's a combination of crunchy and chewy.

My Verdict: This has become one of my newest addictions and plan on ordering several bags at a time. YUM-O!  These are perfect for a child's Birthday party or snack on the go.

Sweet Raw Chocolate Nibs

Health Benefits: High in Antioxidants, Iron & Magnesium
Price: $6.99 for 4 ounces
Suggested Uses: Can be added to cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, ice cream, cookies, smoothies, shakes and coffee.  In my opinion, this would be a star ingredient in any chocolate based dessert. These sweet treats contain only 100% certified organic ingredients that are kosher, gluten-free, vegan, and raw.
Taste/Texture: In terms of taste, this is undoubtedly a unique combination of chocolate, coffee and liquor. It also has a nice balance of sweetness. And for texture, it's definitely crunchy!

My Verdict: Overall, I love the unique flavour of this product but have a feeling I will be incorporating it more into baking.

Raw Chocolate Powder

Health Benefits: High in Antioxidants, Iron & Magnesium
Price: $9.99 for 8 ounces
Suggested Uses: Can be used for desserts and baking, sauces, spreads, smoothies and beverages. It's 100% pure & certified organic, kosher, gluten-free, vegan, and raw. 
Taste/Texture: This is a Superior product and speaks for itself -- way better stuff than the cocoa powder you'd find at your grocery store. It's taste is divine!
 
My Verdict: This stuff makes a yummy Hot Chocolate. I loved it as a face mask too. The skin benefits greatly from Raw Foods too when applied topically. Try mixing 1 tablespoon with one teaspoon raw honey and a bit of water.  Make into a paste and apply to your face. Leave on for 10-15 minutes, rinse and moisturize as usual. Your skin will be thanking you.
  
Overall, I highly recommend Navitas Naturals as a prime source for all of  your SUPERfoods, and much more.  And to learn more about their products, I encourage you to visit their website.

Stay in touch with Navitas Naturals:

Twitter
Facebook




Disclaimer: The products reviewd in this post were sent to me by Navitas Naturals as per my request. I was NOT paid to write this review. And the opinions expressed here are 100% authentic. Those of you that are close to me, know that I will never mislead you by recommending a product or service that I didn't believe in. 

Navitas Naturals Product Review

How to make Kale Chips

Goodbye potato chips! Hello Kale Chips!


Yes, these are that good as in taste and overall healthier for you than store bought chips in general. You'll no longer have to worry about consuming a serving of trans fat or chemical additives with your chips. Making your own gives you control to customize according to your liking.

Like many green veggies, Kale is very nutritious. It is packed with vitamins and is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium. This makes it ideal for snacking on and a great way to introduce vegetables to kids who are picky with their food.

For this recipe I used curly kale which was reserved for a soup but that quickly changed to feed my craving for homemade kale chips. You'll be surprised at how easy this is to make.

Let's get started!

You'll need:
1 bunch of Organic Kale
1 TBSP Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Dash of Cayenne Pepper
Fine Organic Himalayan Sea Salt
Baby Parmesan Cheese (grated)

Pictured above: All seasoned and ready to hit the oven.

Directions:

Clean leaves by removing  them from their stalks. I like using a kitchen scissors for this but you may go ahead and tear 'em off using your fingers. Make them into pieces that resemble actual chips. Place in a salad spinner and wash thoroughly then spin to ged rid of all excess water and place on a parchment-lined pan. Add Olive Oil,  Sea Salt, Cayenne and Parmesan. Mix well to make sure the leaves are evenly coated. Tip: If you choose to dress yours with Parmesan, go lightly on the salt.





Once you've finished this step, go ahead and place in a preheated oven at 300ºF. Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. If  some of the chips turn out somewhat wilted don't be alarmed! They'll be just as tasty as the crunchier ones.

I have a feeling this will be one of your newest addictions.


Until next time, wishing you all optimal Health!

How to make Kale Chips

Organic Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Are you a banana and chocolate lover? If you are then you'll most definitely enjoy this recipe by Chef John. I love Banana Nut Bread and tend to bake it whenever I have some very ripe ones on hand. In all these years of making it though, I have never experimented with adding chocolate until I stumbled upon this recipe. And being such a dark chocolate addict, how could I have resisted this experiment? Actually, the addition of the chocolate has taken Banana Nut Bread to a whole new level. And suffice it to say, I'm never going to omit this star ingredient from my recipe in future bakings.


To try this recipe, please follow along with Chef John's video and blog post.

I have tweaked the recipe slightly by adding raisins, currants and chopped pieces of chocolate instead of chocolate chips. After mashing the bananas I also squeezed a bit of lemon juice over top to prevent the bananas from turning brown. And as pictured, I used pretty much all organic ingredients.

If you decide to give this a go, kindly let me know how you liked it, will ya?


Happy Baking!

Organic Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Sweet smelling spices!

There's nothing more inviting than a fresh smelling room. Of course there's an overwhelming array of scents available but have you ever wondered about how safe these products are? If you've ever left the air freshners isle with a headache and wondered why that's due to all the unnatural ingredients used to create these beautiful potent scents.

These toxic chemicals can trigger a series of adverse reactions such as headaches, breathing problems and so much more. It is especially important that asthma sufferers steer clear of conventional air freshners. No need to compromise your health when there are safer options. If you're curious to learn what may be lurking in your air freshner? Then I suggest you take a look at this list published by the Guide To Less Toxic Products.

Pictured above is a piece I put together for the Holidays that was placed on top of a CD rack. Simple, Elegant and non-toxic!

Here's just one way to keep your rooms smelling fresh and inviting -- deodorize and decorate with spices. Cinnamon, Star Anise, Cloves etc., are all great for filling the air with it's natural and non-toxic aroma. As you can see it also makes a great statement decor. And you can get as creative as you'd like.  Tre combining your choice of spice with some organic rose petals. Place this mixture in a plain glass jar and use as a display piece. Hanging sachet bags are another great option. Just by simply using your imagination the sky's the limit.

I hope you find this post helpful.


Cheers to non-toxic living!

Sweet smelling spices!

Your Sunscreen Guide For Summer 2011

Another Summer is quickly approaching and many of you have already started planning your beach trips but have you thought of which brand of sunscreen you will be tucking in your beach bag this season?


If you plan on being out in the sun for more than 15 minutes, I strongly suggest the use of a safe and natural sunscreen which helps to prevent free radical damage to the skin. Afterall, sun burns aren`t pretty!

Many sunscreens on the market are either chock full of synthetic ingredients, hormone disruptors and nano particles while others make outrageous and misleading claims in terms of SPF ratings. Have you ever used a brand and went out in the sun, only to discover that you still received sunburns? This may very well be a brand that made such claims about their ratings.

Luckily, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released their list of safe sunscreen just in time for summer.

To see the full list of Beach & Sport Sunscreen, kindly follow this link.

My top pick for the body, is by Melansol. It scored well on EWG! You may scroll down on this page to see my testimonial.

The lips being so delicate are also at great risk for sunburn.  Follow this link to see safe options. My favorite ones are by Badger & Burt`s Bees. 
 
Sunscreen formulas made for the body are sometimes too heavy for the face, especially if you wear makeup over top which is why I love the Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30. It`s lightweight and perfect for use with mineral makeup.  And for those of you who aren`t familiar with mineral makeup, this is a great addition to your SPF moisturizer due to it`s content of zinc and titanium dioxide.

Here`s to happy and healthy looking skin! Cheers! 
 

Your Sunscreen Guide For Summer 2011