Chuao Chocolatier’s Endless Summer Sweepstakes

I am a big fan of Chuao Chocolatier's exotic flavors. I'm also awfully fond of World Market. And Summertime. In fact, the only thing I don't like about those three things together is melty messes on my fingers. Yum!

Go enter the Chuao Endless Summer Sweepstakes.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that I have received product samples from Chuao in the past. No compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Easy Summer Gazpacho with Pomi

We didn't plant a garden this year. It's been so hot that even the trees in our yard are looking sunburned. The usually hardy and spreading basil plants are drying as they grow. The thing that depresses me most is not having fresh tomatoes to pick for suppertime. 

I received a big box of Pomi products just as I was bemoaning my tomato-lessness. I'd never tried the brand before and was anxious to see how the paperboard containers did with keeping them fresh tasting. The cartons are aseptic and BPA free, plus they're made from 75% renewable resources and are also recyclable in many areas. Oh, they also stack really well in the pantry. I put the Pomi Chopped Tomatoes to the ultimate summer taste test: Gazpacho!

 I love the way the veggies look in the blender. So colorful. One of my favorite movies of all time, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, has a fabulous blender gazpacho sequence. I decided against adding copious pills to mine, as they did in the movie, and opted instead for extra garlic because I like a spicy gazpacho. After I blended it, I added a dollop of Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream suggested.

It was definitely prettier before stirring the yogurt in…

I was impressed- there was no way to tell this gazpacho was not made with fresh tomatoes. It was delicious and refreshing. Perhaps that is why esteemed chefs and organizations such as the Viking Cooking School keep Pomi products on hand. Their tomatoes are packaged without preservatives or additives, hours after they are picked. It's a convenient way to have "fresh" tomatoes at your disposal for any kind of dish. These will definitely become pantry staples in our household.

There are many recipes to try on Pomi's website. Here is the one I used for the gazpacho, although I used an entire head of garlic. CAUTION: don't breathe on anyone after eating!

Pomi – Summer Gazpacho Recipe

This is a wonderfully refreshing soup for those hot summer days. Filled with fresh, exciting

flavors, chunky bits of garden vegetables, its more than a healthy soup, it’s a refreshing touch of

coolness. Serve it alone of as a great starter. Either way, it’s the perfect way to make the most

of summer and the great taste of Pomi Tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 medium sized cucumber

• 2 red bell peppers

• 26 oz container Pomi Chopped Tomatoes

• 1 red onion

• 2 – 3 garlic cloves – minced

• 1/2 teaspoon basil

• 1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup good olive oil

• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Halve, seed and roughly chop the cucumber, but leave the peel on for the green color. Core,

seed and roughly chop the bell peppers and the onions chopped into a rough dice. Put all the

vegetables with the garlic, basil and a 26 oz container of Pomi Chopped Tomatoes into a food

process and pulse until it is chopped, but has plenty of texture to it. Do not over process the

vegetables.

Add the vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving.

We love to leave our in the refrigerator overnight to let the flavors develop.

Serve with a spoonful of sour cream or ricotta floating in the middle.

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In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that we received the Pomi products pictured in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are, as usual, entirely my own.

Last Pool Day of Summer with Neutrogena Wet Skin

School started this week, so we decided to spend our last summer afternoon at grandma and grandpa's pool. We've been there a lot this season but the last month or so has been ridiculously hot, with temperatures well over 100º so we've been waiting until late in the day to go swimming. Thankfully, it's eased up a little bit and we wanted to make the most of it. I was asked to try a new sunscreen, Neutrogena Wet Skin, so this seemed like a great time to test it out.

I've been a Neutrogena user since I was a little kid. My grandmother was a big fan of their Norwegian Formula Hand Cream and Rainbath and I remember going through an awful lot of the Facial Cleansing Bars during my teen years. I liked the simplicity and clean feeling of their products and the "dermatologist recommended" tagline always seemed reassuring. I hadn't tried Neutrogena Wet Skin yet but it sounded good: sunscreen specially developed to be used on wet skin without losing potency or causing a white residue or dripping into your eyes. Neutrogena Wet Skin also features Helioplex technology, meaning it has been specifically engineered to deliver superior UV protection that is broad spectrum and photostable– both important considerations when you're planning to be out in the sun. Where was this when I was a kid?! (See my story on Intersect for more on my shopping experience.)

We live a block away from my parents. Some may say it's too close but I think it's awfully convenient, especially when it's summertime and we can use their pool… it's really nice to be able to walk over with the kids. Jasper has been wanting to ride his bike over lately. He's quite the speed demon. Roo prefers terra firma.

Just so you know, our yard looks nothing like this. But neither does our water bill, since we don't have a sprinkler system…

The kids LOVE using the spray sunscreen and actually do a pretty thorough job. It's really great to be able to use this on dry skin and on wet skin… like when the kids go into the pool immediately before you realize that they don't have sunscreen on and you need to douse them!

Can your sunscreen go in and out of the water? 

Neutrogena is currently offering a $2-off coupon for Wet Skin, just for registering on their website! You can find more coupons and special offers on the Neutrogena Facebook page.

In accordance to the FTC Guidelines and the WOMMA Code of Ethics, I am disclosing that this project has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for #collectivebias, however all opinions are, as usual, strictly my own.

Yo, play.

Okay, I know that title is corny but I couldn't help it. We've been trying the new Yoplait Kids yogurt cups in the never-ending quest to make Roo eat something that isn't just plain pasta, peanut butter, or cheese. When she was a baby, she would eat anything and yogurt was one of her favorite first foods. Of course, now that she's approaching 4, she doesn't like anything.

She does like the Yoplait Kids, especially the drinkable yogurt in mixed berry. Having her cartoon heart-throb, Diego, on the packaging probably helps a little, too. What I like about them is that they aren't candy-flavored versions of yogurt. They do contain sugar, but not any more than the average grown-up brands, so the goodness of the yogurt isn't outweighed by unnatural additives or sweeteners. In fact, even the coloring agents on the ingredients list are pretty innocuous- beet juice and annatto seeds. So I feel like I've done my mom-ly duty if I give her a cup of Yoplait Kids and a banana.

If you'd like to try it with your kids, click on "free coupon" to receive a coupon for a FREE package of Yoplait Kids.

Flip, Flop & Friends

Have you seen these things yet? Better than the guys' flip flops with a built-in bottle opener, or at least more pertinent to my lifestyle, Flip n' Flop Adventures are bright kids' rubber zori with secret compartments for tiny treasures. They come with itsy-bitsy storybooks housed in plastic safeboxes in each sole. The storybooks "flip" to tell the stories of two different kids who try to see each other's points of view. The idea is to promote empathy and understanding, but they are not at all preachy or dull. I love the slightly retro illustrative style and bright sunny colors that mimic the beachy feel of the slippers themselves.





Roo likes to covertly slip small toys inside the safeboxes and I imagine older kids would like to keep notes in them. If Flip n' Flop Adventures came in my size, I would totally keep money in them, like a contemporary tropical version of penny loafers. They would be perfect for holidays at the beach, when you don't have anywhere to put your credit card or room key. Or you could always stash cash in your kids' Flip n' Flops!



They're ready for resortwear, aren't you?



Flip n' Flop Adventures are currently available in four colors (pink, blue, olive, and purple) and three sizes (10/11, 12/13, 1/2). Each pair comes with a set of storybooks tucked into the secret compartment and additional book pairs are available separately. Toe-baring warm weather is not included, unfortunately!