Goodies Box May 2013

Ok, first things first... have you entered my Cravebox Giveaway?  Not yet?  Go ahead, click the link and enter it.  I'll wait.  And if you already entered it, go back anyway.  You can get 5 extra entries each day!  I'm cool like that, I know.

And... I'm done shilling for my giveaway.  Until tomorrow.  But now, for Goodies!  They must have heard the giant collective "meh" when we all opened up our boxes in April.  They totally stepped it up for May!  Yay, Goodies!  I was honestly (and sadly) about to cancel after this month if I got yet another mediocre box.    So I am extra thrilled that this month was awesome!  Seriously, check this out!

So much yummy goodness!

Now, if any of this seems familiar, you may have watched my unboxing video for this box:

Yeah, for some reason I look like a demon incarnate in the screenshot (what is wrong with my eyes!?) but I assure you, the video is entirely exorcism-free.  I am happy to say that I have now tried everything in this box, and I have an in-depth review for you all!

The first item in the box was the Beanitos White Bean with Sea Salt chips.  Instead of being made with corn, these beans are made with (wait for it...) beans!  They honestly tasted really close to regular tortilla chips.  My only complaint was that they are a bit bland, but with any kind of salsa or guacamole dip, they'd be amazing.  Definitely a win!

The next item was Bronco Bob's Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce.  There were several varieties sent, so I was happy to get this one! The sauce had a thick, rich texture, and because it was such a tiny jar (2.5 oz), I knew it wouldn't go far - so I substituted it for ketchup in a meatloaf recipe!  It was one of the best decisions I made last week!  The sauce gave the whole dish a nice fruity zing without being overly spicy.  I would buy this again, but I might go for the Orange Ginger flavor.  It's getting some great reviews as a marinade for Asian food.

This bad boy had us all excited once we got tracking numbers.  It made the box weigh over four pounds!  It's Zico Pure Premium Coconut Water, and they sent a full liter!  Coconut water really isn't my thing, but my husband LOVED it, and used it in smoothies all this past week.  He just finished it off this morning.

I love it when they send kid-friendly items, and this was a great treat for the boys!  I did make them "earn" the candy by picking up their toys, concentrating on their homework (well, Knight had homework.  And trouble paying attention.  These totally helped) and helping me make dinner, but it was so worth it to see them giggling and sucking air through the sour straws.  I loved that these were fat-free and had no artificial coloring!  I'll keep an eye out for these next time I'm in the candy aisle!

This was really the only "meh" product for me, I'm just not a big seed fan.  My husband tried a few, I tried a few, we looked at each other and shrugged, and forgot about them for a few days.  Neither of us wanted any more, so I ended up throwing it away.  I felt bad, but no one in the family wanted any more, and I didn't want to try and pawn an open bag off on someone else!  (ok, well I would have if we had extended family nearby, but we don't).  But now I know that I don't like pumpkin seeds, and I won't waste time at Hallowe'en trying to to get all crafty and bake those suckers!

These!  So awesome!  Not only are these California Olive Branch Extra Virgin Olive Oil packets made from olives grown in the USA, but they are the PERFECT size for sauteeing!  I used one last week for some onions and veggies and I was very happy to have these pre-measured packets.  I always, ALWAYS overpour oils into the pan, so these were awesome in helping control portion size!  I'm sure it's sold as a full-size item, but I'm going to check around and see if any packets are available for sale.

For me, tea is always a win.  They sent Moroccan Mint flavor, and while I haven't made my cup o' tea with it yet, I know it's going to be awesome (and if it's not, I will update this post!)  I was also very happy that they sent a coupon!

I may have to go outside of my usual shopping radius to find this brand, but we do have an organic market about 20 minutes away, and I'm sure they carry this brand.  Now, are you ready for my MOST FAVORITE ITEM in this box?

Bam! Chip Clip!

Wholly Guacamole!  It's for a free item, and for some reason, I have been getting these coupons in a LOT of boxes lately.  But you will never hear me complaining!  I love buying the little individual size packets of guacamole, because I make guacamole burgers (sooo much healthier than putting mayo on your burgers!) and while my hubby and I will slather the stuff on, the kids run screaming at the sight of the GREEN OOZE.  So we just split one of the individual packets, and since the other packets are still airtight, I'm not all like "Must use this stuff! Gaaaah!"

I do want to try one of their salsas or pico de gallo soon, so this coupon might go towards trying something new.  Hey, for free I can't go wrong!  Oh and I also got one of these Chip Clips in my Cravebox Resolutions box back in January, and I'm happy to report that the clip is still going strong, and was happy to have a twin join him in the drawer!

Well, my friends, that was the May Goodies Box!  What was your favorite item?

Disclaimer:  I am neither employed by nor affiliated with Goodies Co or any brand in the box.  This box was free this month due to my accumulation of points on their website, but I do normally pay $7 per month to receive it.  All reviews are my own opinions.

Conscious Box May 2013 (Video)

Here we go, 3rd video! (hey, that kind of rhymes! Go me!)  Also known as the video where my hair just went insane.  Thankfully I checked it before I started filming, because if I let my hair air-dry with a center part, I end up looking like a mushroom.  No volume at the roots of my hair, HUUUGE volume at the ends.  Of course, when I put in a side part, I looked like, totally, a Valley Girl or something with my wavy '80s hair.    Someday I will figure out how to get my hair to air-dry and NOT look ridiculous.  Someday.  Does anyone know of a product that simultaneously boosts root volume, while also smoothing frizzies?  Does this exist?

Soooo.... anyway, here's what you're ACTUALLY here for.  My Conscious Box from May.  This was totally my favorite of the 3 boxes, and it was a Vegan box.  Which is weird, because I'm not vegan.  Which is also weird, because they threw a little packet of fennel pollen into the box, then added a recipe for using it with pork.  In a vegan box.  *facepalm*  (and FYI, apologies to vegans, but it tasted DELICIOUS on pork chops!)

This was my 3rd box in a 3-month sub, and I'm still on the fence about continuing it.  What do you think?

Conscious Box March 2013

New box alert!  I found a deal a few weeks ago for half-off of Conscious Box, and I couldn't resist!  I'm a sucker for a deal, and getting this box for $10 a month instead of $19.99 just made me all giggly.  What is Conscious Box, you ask?  Well, according to their website, "Conscious Box helps you discover the purest, healthiest natural products in the world from the most ethical companies!"  Basically, if you're currently using a cleaner, a beauty product, or eating a snack, Conscious Box sends you the eco-alternative.  You receive about 8-10 samples in each box, about double what you'd find in an Ipsy bag or Birchbox, which explains why their normal price is double that of my beauty boxes.

Before I get into the products, I do have to say I ran into a bit of a snafu.  You see, I bought a 3-month sub using the half-off code.  Then I thought about it for a few days, and realized what I really wanted was a 6-month sub.  No prob, the code is still active, just go back and buy another 3 months, right?

WRONG.  Conscious Box is the only box (to my knowledge) that lets you run concurrent subs off of the same email address.  They say it's because they have different types of subs (vegan and gluten-free, in addition to their classic sub), and some customers want to have, say, a vegan and a classic box each month.  Well, still, no problem, just put one sub on hold for three months, then reactivate once the first one runs out.

Nope.  They have "no way" of delaying a sub or skipping months.  Thankfully, despite a completely crappy computer system, they do have excellent customer service.  They completely refunded one of my 3-month subs.  Also, since it was so close to shipping time, they allowed both boxes to go out, meaning I got two boxes for the price of (half of) one!  So, I'm completely in love with their customer service, and since I see deals all the time for 25-50% of their boxes, I will definitely try to keep this one going!  I ended up with two different variations, but a lot of duplicate items.  So, sorry for the super-long introduction, but I always want to be open and honest about my experiences with you, my lovely readers.  Let's get started!

So much fun!