A Magical Morning With Jacey’s Magic Mixes

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

As you may recall, I first heard about Jacey’s Magic Mixes via the New Hope Blogger Box. These mixes are “magical” because they are made from allergen-friendly cassava flour. In fact, Jacey’s Magic Mixes are free from nuts, soy, gluten, grains, corn and dairy.

I had the opportunity to try two of their products: Golden Vanilla Magical Waffle and Pancake Mix and Chocolate Cake Magical Waffle & Pancake Mix.

I was eager to try out the Chocolate Cake Magical Waffle and Pancake Mix. I opted to make waffles, and the mix made it so easy. All you have to do is add eggs, milk or dairy substitute, and avocado oil (can substitute other types of oil) to the mix and stir. The chocolate waffles had a nice cakey-texture and were not as sweet as I expected. I added chocolate chips in this picture, but they would also go well with berries or syrup. Valentines Day breakfast, anyone?

The Golden Vanilla Waffle Mix produced nice crisp waffles that were indeed “golden”. As I mentioned before, no one in my family could tell that they were gluten-free. If you or someone you know follows a gluten-free diet, these waffles would be a real treat!

Where to Purchase Jacey’s Magic Mixes

Jacey’s Magic Mixes are available for purchase through their online store.

Jacey’s Magic Mixes Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a combo pack of 32 oz. Golden Vanilla Magical Waffle & Pancake Mix and 16 oz. Chocolate Cake Magical Waffle & Pancake Mix!

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Undercover Crispy Quinoa Snacks Are Utterly Delicious

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Have you seen that Progressive commercial where they make fun of middle-aged folks mispronouncing quinoa? It makes my family laugh every time! If you have never tried quinoa before, Undercover Quinoa will be an easy introduction. The combination of quinoa and chocolate might seem strange at first, but it works! The quinoa has a great crunchy texture that perfectly complements both the milk and dark chocolate.

Undercover Crispy Quinoa comes in several delicious flavors, including:

These Undercover Snacks are highly snackable on their own, but I also tried them in a yogurt parfait. I crumbled a few rounds and tossed some fresh blueberries on top of vanilla yogurt-yum!

We also brought along a bag of Undercover Snacks during a family outing to the park. My only complaint is that I wish they came in a bigger package!

Not only are Undercover Snacks gluten-free, but they are also peanut and tree-nut free as well. I also appreciate that they use all-natural, non-gmo ingredients and Rain Forest Alliance Certified chocolate. 

Where To Purchase Undercover Crispy Quinoa Snacks

Undercover Crispy Quinoa Snacks are available for purchase online or at a store near you.

Undercover Crispy Quinoa Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win an assortment of Undercover Crispy Quinoa Snacks (approximately $30 value)!

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This giveaway is part of the Heart to Heart giveaway hop hosted by MamatheFox.

Disclosure:

MamatheFox and all participating blogs are not held responsible for sponsors who fail to fulfill their prize obligations.

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Healthy Hair With Mill Creek Botanicals

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

It is official. I have gone almost an entire year without a haircut. I have tried to make appointments, only to have them cancelled or rescheduled and then cancelled again due to the stay at home orders. Even though I have cut the hair of all of my family members in the past year, I refuse to let any of them cut my hair-ha! As a result, my hair is in desperate need of some help.

Enter the Mill Creek Botanicals Biotene H-24 Tri-Pack.

This natural hair care system includes:

The Mill Creek Biotene products contain a concentrated dose of Biotin, as well as Vitamin B3 and Amino Acids. They are formulated to help hair look and feel thicker and healthier.

I have been using all three products as part of my nightly routine. I had my daughter try them as well. We both noticed that our hair felt immediately more nourished and hydrated. The scent of the shampoo and the conditioner was pleasant and not over-powering. (They do not contain any artificial colors or fragrances). I applied the Biotene H-24 Scalp Massage Emulsion after towel-drying my hair. The directions say that you can leave it on for extra conditioning or rinse it off. I chose to leave it on and it felt nice and tingly on my scalp. I can see why the Biotene H-24 line of hair products is one of Mill Creek Botanical’s top-sellers!

Where To Purchase Mill Creek Botanicals

Mill Creek Botanicals products are available through their online store and at a store near you.

Mill Creek Botanicals Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a Mill Creek Botanicals Biotene Tri-Pack.

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A Visit To The Korean Friendship Bell

I have been meaning to visit the Korean Friendship Bell in San Pedro, CA for a while now. My mom sent me an article about its restoration in 2013, and I made a mental note of it. Earlier this month, we finally found the time to check it out.

Getting There

I typed in Korean Friendship Bell in Google Maps and we headed for San Pedro. After crossing two bridges (no tolls) we could see the bell tower up on a hill. However, the park had a chain link fence around it, and there was no visible entrance. My tip is to keep driving around the perimeter of the park and you will come upon the open (and free!) Angels Gate Park parking lot.

Korean Friendship Bell History

According to the city of San Pedro website, Korea donated the bell in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles “to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries.”

As we approached the bell, the immense size of the bell was immediately impressive. The bell itself weighs 17 tons, is twelve feet tall, and has a diameter of 7.5 feet. Upon closer inspection, the amazing craftmanship and intricate designs become apparent. As you can see, the pavilion also offers a magnificent view of the Pacific as well.

I am not sure what this says in Korean, but I am guessing it says “Korean Friendship Bell”?

I was expecting to see more signage with information about the monument, but the only thing we spotted was this plaque. While unification seems highly unlikely, there is always hope.

This is the hill we hiked up in order to see the bell. When we returned to our car, k started running downhill and almost couldn’t stop.

Our visit to the Korean Friendship Bell made for a nice family outing. We were able to enjoy some fresh air, take in a beautiful ocean view and marvel at a stunning cultural monument up close. Since there was only one other group on the Saturday morning that we went, it was easy to socially distance. If you are in the area, I would recommend that you stop by!

Korean Friendship Bell 3601 S Gaffey St San Pedro, CA 90731

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Eat Real Food With Picky Bars

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Today I want to share about a company founded by athletes called Picky Bars. They started out by creating Picky Bars, which are made from “real” food and provide balanced energy. However, they have since expanded their brand to include several other products, including oatmeal and granola.

I had the opportunity to try out their Performance Granola and a product called Drizzle (see below for more details).

Picky Bars Performance Granola

Picky Bars Performance Granola comes in a variety of flavors, including PB&J All Day Granola, Sassy Molassy Granola and Call of the Wild Blueberry Granola–love those names! I sampled their newest flavor, Ready to Rumble Apple Crumble Performance Granola. The ingredients are: organic gluten free oats, maple syrup, almonds, sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, tapioca starch, almond butter, pumpkin seeds, dried apples, cardamom, sea salt and cinnamon. This is a hearty granola that will give you sustained energy. It is lightly sweet and I really liked the touch of cardamom.

I think this crunchy granola is a great snack on its own, but it also pairs perfectly with yogurt. This is a picture of a parfait that I made by layering vanilla yogurt, Picky Bars Ready to Rumble Apple Crumble Performance Granola and fresh blueberries. My husband ate it as a dessert, but I think it would also be perfect for a quick breakfast.

Picky Bars Drizzle

Picky Bars Drizzle intrigued me from the start. The ingredient list is quite simple: Organic Almonds, Organic Coconut Sugar, Organic Maca, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Vanilla. After trying the Drizzle on toast, ice cream and fruit, I have to say it is dangerously delicious. I like how it has a thinner consistency than peanut butter, which allows drizzling it on as a topping (hence the name).

Here, I spread some of the Drizzle on a piece of toast and topped it with sliced strawberries with flaxseed sprinkled on top. I think bananas would be a good addition as well.

Where To Purchase Picky Bars Products

Picky Bars products are available online or at a store near you.

Picky Bars Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win a bag of Picky Bars Performance Granola and a jar of Picky Bars Almond Drizzle.

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Chum Fruit Bites Are Wildly Good

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Since my kids are learning from home three days a week, I have been on the search for more healthy snacks for them to munch on. Chum Fruit Bites are made from 100% fruit, high in fiber, gluten-free and contain no added sugar.

Chum Fruit Bites come in the following fruity flavors:

  • Strawberry
  • Mango
  • Apple
  • Berry
  • Peach (not pictured)

We loved them all! If your family likes fruit snacks, they will definitely enjoy Chum Fruit Bites. However, you will feel better knowing that Chum Fruit Bites do not contain added sugar like conventional fruit snacks.

Chum Fruit Bites make a great homeschool snack because they are an easy way for kids to eat a serving of fruit. The little triangles are highly snackable and are not messy or sticky. The individual packs are very convenient for packing in a lunchbox.

It is also notable that Chum Fruit Bites donates 15% of their profits to
Wildaid.org, which helps endangered animal species like those featured on their labels. Love that!

Where To Purchase Chum Fruit Bites

Chum Fruit Bites are available for purchase through their online shop.

Chum Fruit Bites Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win an assortment of Chum Bites. There will be 3 winners!

**The winners are: Susan E., Roberta T. and Karen A.!

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Three Easy Stops For A Joshua Tree Day Trip

The highlight of our winter break was visiting Joshua Tree National Park. This was only the second time we have visited a national park more than once (the other being Hawaii Volcanoes National Park). Joshua Tree is the closest national park for those of us living in Southern California. I have to say, our second visit left much more of an impression on me. We went the day after a rare rainstorm, and the clouds were magnificent. I could not stop taking pictures of the beautiful desert landscape.

I understand that some people might be weary of visiting a national park right now. However, I felt quite comfortable with the precautions that we took. We left our house at 6:30 in an effort to avoid the crowds as much as possible. I bought the entrance pass online beforehand. This made entry “contactless” since we just had to show the pass on my phone to the park ranger. We wore masks during our hikes, as did our fellow hikers. Everyone was courteous in giving each other personal space. The park is so vast, that it never felt crowded. I did note that the line of cars to enter the park was quite long by the time we left. Like many other places, the key to avoiding crowds is to arrive early!

I would have loved to camp overnight like during our first visit, but campgrounds are currently closed due to the pandemic. Also, it would have probably been too chilly for tent camping anyway. The three stops that we made are all family-friendly hikes that provide a good taste of the park in a few hours.

Barker Dam Trail

Our first stop was Barker Dam, which is a popular destination in the park. I think it is a good idea to go here first so that you can nab a parking space. There is an easy and scenic 1.1 mile trail.

Hidden Valley Trail

Our next stop was Hidden Valley. This is another easy, 1.0 mile trail.

We came upon a small patch of ice.

k pretended to go ice skating.

There are several picnic benches set up near the Hidden Valley parking lot. We packed sandwiches and had a nice lunch, although the wind did start to pick up.

Hall of Horrors

This was an area recommended to us by a rock-climbing family that visits the park frequently. There is not one defined path, which makes it easy to socially distance. Even without a path, it is straightforward to navigate. If you make a loop around the “hall” you will end up back at the parking lot.

n looked like a mountain goat as he scrambled up the rocks.

If you are in Southern California, make sure to visit Joshua Tree National Park! Even if you only have a day, it is worth the trip.

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Skout Organic Protein Bars Deserve A Shout-Out

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

A new year means new healthy snacks to share with my readers. Skout Organic sent their Protein Bars in the following flavors:

  • Chocolate Cherry
  • Peanut Butter
  • Coconut
  • Salted Chocolate

In addition, they sent us samples of their kids’ bars:

  • Raspberry Rush
  • Peanut Butter & Jelly
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
  • Apple Pie
  • Blueberry Blast

The main ingredients of these bars are naturally sweet dates. Did you know that dates contain slow-burning fiber and easily-digested, quickly-absorbed glucose? Dates are also considered a superfood because they are rich in vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, thiamin, and folate. The protein in these bars comes from organic sunflower seeds, organic pumpkin seeds and organic peanuts (only in their peanut butter bars).

This is a picture of my son sampling the Skout Organic Chocolate Cherry Protein Bar. However, I think his favorite flavor was the smaller Raspberry Rush bar, which has a more fruity taste. The kids’ bars are the perfect size and would make a great lunchbox or after school snack. I like that Skout Organic Protein Bars provide energy and protein without any “questionable” ingredients.

Where To Purchase Skout Organic Protein Bars

Skout Organic Protein Bars are available through their online store or at a store near you.

Skout Organic Protein Bars Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for a chance to win an assortment of Skout Organic Protein Bars (as pictured), ($31.99 value).

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New Natural Products: #NewHopeBloggerBox

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

My #NewHopeBloggerBox arrived and it contained some exciting new natural products. Here is what I received, along with thoughts on some of the products I tried:

These beverages contain 100% fruit juice with superfruits I have never heard of. The Camu Camu flavor reminded me of guava juice, and was quite refreshing.

The ingredient list for this protein powder looks quite “clean”. However, our family is learning that we are not a big fan of monkfruit, so this was not a hit.

The flavor of these SuperGrapes Chews was not what I was expecting. They contain grape seed extract, which is rich in anti-oxidants and is supposed to promote a healthy heart. To me, the “seed” taste was off-putting, but it did have a strong grape flavor as well. If high blood pressure is a concern, you might want to check these out.

I made a batch of these waffles for breakfast, and no one in my family guessed they were gluten-free. I guess they really are “magical”. The main ingredient is cassava flour. I think it is great how more product choices are becoming available for those with varying diet restrictions and preferences.

Fingers crossed that Expo West will be able to return to Anaheim this year and that I will be able to attend. I really enjoy learning about new natural products and I hope to continue sharing about them with you in the coming year.

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Endless Fun With Endless Games Puzzles

Disclosure: I received samples in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I have enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles ever since I was a kid. Our family has completed several puzzles in the past year since we have had so much more time at home. Over the winter break, we completed two new puzzles that were sent to us from Endless Games: The Patriot 1000 Piece Puzzle and Peace on Earth 1000 Piece Puzzle.

We decided to tackle the Peace on Earth puzzle first.

The first important step in putting together a puzzle is to have enough space to work and put it together. We set up a folding card table in our living room so that everyone can help. Then, we turn over all of the pieces to the picture side so that we can see what we are dealing with.

The next step is to separate the edge pieces and put together the border. I have to say, this border was very tricky!

I really like the animal theme of this puzzle. The colors are so vibrant, and the illustration is so beautiful! I thought this would be the easier of the two puzzles, but it ended up being the more challenging one.

The Patriot puzzle is also a well-done piece of art. The pieces are high quality and fit well together. Our family worked together and finished this puzzle in about four days. It is always so satisfying to put in that last piece!

Where To Purchase Endless Games Puzzles

If you are looking for new puzzles to keep you busy in the new year, Endless Games Puzzles are available for purchase on Amazon.

Endless Games Puzzle Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win your choice of the Peace on Earth puzzle or The Patriot puzzle.

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