Product Review: Puckerbutt Pepper Co.

Puckerbutt Pepper Company.  Could a company name get any more unique?  If you are a fan of spice and heat, this company is a must try.  This is one of my top favorite local companies for natural and healing food.  Puckerbutt Pepper Company specializes in all things pepper! It is local to Rock Hill, South Carolina, which happens to be minutes away from where we live in Charlotte, North Carolina.  That is how I met the founder and owner, Ed Currie, and fell in love with his products.

I actually met Ed a year ago at a local Italian Festival.  We both had vendor booths at the festival.  Of course, you know me, if there's a food booth with good-for-you freebies, I'm there sampling and talking to the owners.  A year ago, Puckerbutt's booth only had a few salsa options and some spicy mustards.  After eating about 10 samples and chatting with Ed for a bit, I went on my way with a jar of his homemade spicy mustard in my hand.  I thought how cool it was to meet a fellow entrepreneur with a passion for creating delicious immune-boosting food.

Wish you could see how bright orange 'Shoot That's Hot' is.  I ate too much!

Fast forward to this summer, when we met Ed again at the same Italian Festival.  In fact, our booths were neighboring this time!  We recognized each other right away, and I moseyed on over for some more samples of his delicious salsa.  But WOW, I was instantly blown away with his table display.  Not only did he have his mustards and salsas, but over the past year Ed had expanded his Puckerbutt Pepper product line by probably 10 fold. He added absolutely the most fantastic array of hot sauces I have ever seen or tasted!  I'm not kidding, you have got to check out his website and just read through his list of hot sauce flavors!  They range from mild to extremely hot (or in Puckerbutt terms, 'stupit hot') and are rated on a heat index for you.  They come in beautiful, bright, natural colors from the organic whole food blend of ingredients.  I love the variety of oranges, reds, pinks, yellows, and greens.  And each flavor blend of hot sauce has its own fun name.  My top four favorites are "Shoot That's Hot," "Red Hot Cherry," "Payton's Hot Strawberry," and "Yellow Fever."  You've got to love a company with a sense of humor!  : )

Deep red color of the 'Red Hot Cherry' blend.

I love everything that Ed makes.  His salsas are fresh and extremely flavorful.  His mustards are so good!  A perfect holiday gift if you ask me!  I see he just introduced pure pepper puree.  And, you can also get organic pepper seeds, of an insane variety selection, from Ed.

You can see the purity in his products.  All organic, no fillers or thickeners, just food.

The reason I wanted to share Puckerbutt Pepper Company with you is Ed's mission for delivering health through peppers.  Peppers are one of God's most amazing healing foods.  Peppers contain Capsaicin.  Capsaicin is considered the "Holy Grail" of healing compounds because it can offer so much in healing the body.  It has been shown to relieve headaches, reduce inflammation, relieve sinus pain, promote weight loss, decrease blood pressure, prevent stroke, and in Ed's case, prevent heart disease.  You can read more about how Ed's personal health choices resulted in Puckerbutt Pepper Company on his website.  After years of growing peppers for his personal use to heal his body from any risks of family predisposition to heart disease, Ed decided it was time to share his pepper variety and expertise with his community.  It started out as a small production, with only neighbors and friends benefiting from his kitchen creations.  Eventually word spread and demand for his unique and superb blends of pepper salsas and hot sauces grew.  Puckerbutt Pepper Company is now much more than a locally owned business.  Ed's products can be ordered online, shipped world wide, and have been sold as far overseas as Germany and England!

You can find Puckerbutt Pepper Company online and on Facebook.  Be sure to watch some of their pepper taste testing videos on their Facebook page (hilarious stuff!).

Product Review + GIVEAWAY: 100% Pure

It's about time for another giveaway here at Healing Cuisine, wouldn't you say??  The company I am introducing you to today is 100% Pure, and I am completely in love with their products!  In fact I have switched over and now almost all of my make up products are from 100% Pure.  (I am still partial to my MiEssence for face care and concealer, but I still give two thumbs up to the purity and quality of 100% Pure's face care lines!)

I hadn't heard of 100% Pure until earlier this year.  I remember reading an article in a magazine about it and was intrigued to learn that they are the only US company to use patent-pending technology using fruit pigments and extracts to color their products naturally.  From there, I visited their website, talked with friends about their products who were long time users, and eventually I had to email the company for more information and to talk with someone about setting up a giveaway for you guys -- because you have to learn about 100% Pure, this company that is taking care of women and the toxic burden placed on our bodies by society!

BACKGROUND OF 100% PURE

100% Pure is an organic cosmetic company that has over 500 different cosmetic products (categories: fruit pigmented cosmetics (patented/patents pending), skincare, bath & body products and haircare).  The company is still a baby, having launched in California just 7 years ago in 2005, but the business is growing rapidly due to the high demand for their natural products.

100% Pure’s vision began when Susie Wang partnered with her boyfriend Ric Kostick and her brother, James Wang, because she became disillusioned while working as a skincare formulator for some of the world’s largest cosmetic companies.  Wang discovered how toxic some of the chemicals were that are commonly used in cosmetic formulas when formulating an eye cream and a chemical spilled onto the lab table and eroded it.  Shocked at how harsh this chemical was, Wang got passionate about creating a line that is truly 100% Pure...a line that is free of harsh detergents, artificial fragrances, chemical preservatives or any other toxins.

100% Pure formulas are vegan (or vegetarian when honey is used), never tested on animals and the makeup brushes are made from synthetic fibers instead of the traditional fur that most makeup brushes are made from.  100% Pure is a green company - all formulas are biodegradable and packaged with environmentally friendly materials such as post consumer recycled soda cans, recycled water bottles, bamboo pulp, recycled paper and recycled glass.  All printing is done with non toxic vegetable ink on all packaging, catalogs and other marketing materials.  ((I LOVE THIS!!))

While picking blackberries one summer in her organic garden, Wang discovered how beautifully the berries stained her skin which gave her the idea of using these healthy pigments in cosmetics.  Recently patented in the EU with China and US to follow, 100% Pure is the only cosmetic company that uses fruit and vegetable pigments to color cosmetics.  The benefit of fruit and vegetable pigments versus the other traditional ways of coloring cosmetics (synthetic dyes or minerals) is that fruit and vegetable pigments contain an abundance of antioxidants and vitamins.  ((This is why I have switched to my eye shadow, lip gloss, mascara..etc..all from 100% Pure))

PRODUCT REVIEW:  BLACK TEA MASCARA
fruit pigmented, truly natural

I've got to tell you, I am very, very, very picky about my eye make up and especially mascara.  I was born with a permanently clogged tear duct in one eye and without one in my other eye.  My eyes are unable to cycle and filter their tears, so my eyes are very sensitive to allergens and chemicals.  I can tell within just minutes of applying mascara whether it will affect my eyes or not.  Basically I have never been able to wear much makeup or mascara.  I've tried all the "natural" brands.  To date, MiEssence had been the only brand that was pure enough that I could wear their mascara for an entire day with little issues.  That was until I discovered 100% Pure's mascara!

The company was so kind to send me a tube of their Black Tea Mascara to sample and test on my sensitive eyes.  I tested it out for the first time on a day I knew Austin and I would be home all day, in case of an adverse reaction.  I knew I probably had nothing to worry about after reading the ingredients of the mascara (read them here) - everything listed was natural, organic, and I didn't see any vague terms that could be away to hide something bad (always gotta watch out for that!).  After trying it out, I can't tell you how ecstatic I am about this mascara!!!

First of all, when you open it up, it smells like blackberries with a hint of coffee!  I had no reactions at all after applying.  I am able to wear this mascara all day, multiple days in a row, with no pain or reaction.  And by my personal standards, that means this product is pretty darn close to being a whole food (not far off for sure after reviewing their ingredients!)!  When wearing it, you barely notice it's on your lashes because it is so light and soft.  I swear my eye lashes are healthier now after a month of using the Black Tea Mascara, too!

I am so happy to have a honest, natural mascara that I can actually wear.  This mascara seems to give a good fullness and lengthening affect that we women want for our peepers.  The brush really adds to the lengthening effect.  It is a unique shape, and actually has a wave to it.  Oh yeah, and no clumping!!  All other natural mascaras usually clump on me and I have to comb through to get the right look.  Not the Black Tea Mascara.  It glides on perfectly, even with two coats!  I am very satisfied and will continue to use this product every day!  And check it out.  Yes, I did an infomercial-esque before & after shot.  ;)

MASCARA GIVEAWAY

All eyes are on you now!  100% Pure also sent me 2 Black Tea Mascaras to giveaway to two of you!

The Giveaway Contest will run from Tuesday July 24th until Monday July 30th at 11:59pm.  I will use Random.org to select the winner and announce it here at Healing Cuisine at 9:00am on Tuesday July 31st!  TWO lucky winners (open to U.S. and Canada residents only) will receive a full size tube of 100% Pure's Black Tea fruit pigment mascara.

HOW TO ENTER

Leave a comment below for each of the ways you chose to enter.*  (If you have already done one of the following in the past, it still counts as an entry this time! - e.g. "I'm already a follower of Healing Cuisine on Twitter."  Simply leave me a comment below stating it and your entry still counts!)

        -  (1 entry)  'Like' 100% Pure and tell Susie Wang which product of 100% Pure's you love most (or are most excited to try) on their Wall

        -  (1 entry) Follow Healing Cuisine on Twitter  (my handle: @EliseJSchwartz)

        -  (1 entry)  Follow Healing Cuisine via Google Friend Connect, leave the name/username you subscribed as in your entry

        -  (2 entries)  Subscribe to this blog via email (located on right column), leave the email address you subscribed as in your entry

        -  (2 entries)  'Like' this post on Facebook

        -  (2 entries per day)  Tweet this daily:  “Healing Cuisine giving away @100percentpure fruit pigment Black Tea #Mascara! Enter today! http://www.healingcuisinebyelise.com/2012/07/product-review-giveaway-100-pure.html @EliseJSchwartz #giveaway"

*All winners entries will be verified.

Product Review: The Coconut Tool + NEW RECIPES!!!!

Who here loves coconut?  And who here eats a ton of coconut (milk, shredded, flour, water) on their Maximized Living Nutrition Plan?  Hands up!  I am about to share with you a kitchen tool designed specifically to make your life with the coconut 1000 times easier.

It's called The Coconut Tool, and it was designed, patented, and mass produced by a friend of mine (who also happens to be a Minneapolis area Maximized Living doctor) Dr. Hugh Wegwerth.  He started with a vision, and turned that vision into an amazing tangible tool that has revolutionized the way the world deals with fresh raw coconuts.  The Coconut Tool came to be after Dr. Hugh struggled to get the meat out of a fresh coconut.  He, like so many of us, wanted to reap the health benefits of fresh raw coconut meat, but found it impossible to get the meat out of the coconut.

His plan?  Design a kitchen tool that helps you remove the fresh raw meat from the coconut in a minute flat!  The old way of getting the meat out involved making a mess, using a special shredder to slowly shred all the meat out, or being strong enough to chop the coconut (shell and all) in to pieces, baking the coconut in attempts to loosen it from the shell (yes, I said baking it...hmmm, damaging affects to the raw quality?), and then you still had to peel the meat after all that.  Phew!  I'll be honest and say it was way too much work for me, and it made a huge mess that I didn't feel like cleaning up afterward.  We had used fresh coconut meat maybe a handful of times in the four years we've been married, and I never planned to buy fresh again.  Until now!

Here's The Coconut Tool:

Think about how much money you can save by purchasing your coconuts fresh and whole, and making your own coconut everything!  Well, almost everything.  :)  I'll still buy my coconut oil in bulk, but this tool seriously makes pulling the meat out so fast and easy that I'll be making our own coconut milk, flour, and shreds, and in the long run I'll be saving $$$ and gaining huge nutrient benefits along the way.  Check it out!  Here's how to use The Coconut Tool (and I didn't even need to ask my husband for help!  You don't need to be big and strong to use this gadget!):

What you need to get started:
     a cleaver or a clean hammer
     a bowl
     a fine mesh strainer
     The Coconut Tool
     a fresh organic coconut

(How to tell if a coconut is fresh and ripe?  Hold it up to your ear and shake.  You should be able to hear the water splash around inside.  If you don't hear the water, that's and old coconut.)

Start by cracking open the coconut.  Look for the line around the coconut (the "equator").  You'll aim the blunt end of your cleaver (or hammer) at this line.

Give the coconut a good one or two whacks, the rotate a few inches down the "equator" and whack one or two more times.  Continue around the entire equator.  Have a bowl on hand with mesh strainer resting inside.  This will catch the coconut water as it spills out when the coconut splits in half.

Grab your Coconut Tool firmly in your good hand (I'm a righty).  Insert the tip of the tool in between the coconut meat and the brown hard shell.  It should slip right in with a little pressure.

 Carefully rock and scrape the tool back and forth, gliding it around the entire inside of the shell.  I found it easiest for my little hands to use the aid of the table to anchor my work.  My husband tested the tool out on a second coconut and he just stood holding it, gliding through with ease (bigger hands, haha).

 In about 3-4 turns of the coconut you'll have made your way around.  It takes all of 60 seconds!  And *pop* out comes your coconut meat!  It's that simple!

To finish the job, you can use a sharp vegetable peeler to take off any left behind scraps of the brown papery shell lining.  Then you can start turning your meat into yummy creations!

You can get your own Coconut Tool here.  I promise, you will not be disappointed!  See what other users are saying.  I can say personally this tool is THE BOMB!  We are going to be enjoying fresh coconut a lot more often now!  It's now on my list of kitchen must haves!

Now, here is what we made with our first Coconut Tool try: fresh raw full fat coconut milk, shredded coconut AND coconut chips!

First, the Better Than Store Bought Coconut Milk.  I forgot to take a picture while blending... but, all you need to do is chop up the meat of a whole coconut into rough chunks.  Drop into your blender.  Add 1 cup of filtered water and blend away.  A Vitamix blender will give you the best coconut milk I expect, but I just have a simple Bullet style blender.  Depending on the quality of your blender, you'll have some of the coconut solids left behind in varying thicknesses.  Strain out the coconut milk from the solids using a nut bag or a fine mesh strainer.  And voila!  You are left with the richest creamiest and freshest coconut milk you have ever tasted!

 The shredded coconut pulp that is left behind can be used in baked goods, add on top of salads, blend again in your smoothies, whatever you'd like!  I put mine into the freezer for later use in my Blueberry Bread.

 And finally, lightly toasted Coconut Chips.  Super simple!  Take the meat of one coconut.  Run it through a slicer (I used the slicer blade in my food processor).  Spread the sliced chips out on a baking sheet.  Place in a 350 degree F oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges of most of the pieces are a light brown and fragrant.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sea salt.  Let cool and store in an air tight container in the fridge.  So easy, and they make a delicious and nutritious snack or salad topping!

Before

After

 And that is everything we made with our first two coconuts and The Coconut Tool!  A lot of food, isn't it??  Guess how much it cost us?  $1.98 per organic coconut, so all of this coconut milk, coconut pulp, and coconut chips only cost us $3.96!  That's it!  The Coconut Tool is a time saver AND a money saver!

Product Review: Coconut Secret + Guest Recipe

Within the Maximized Living eating style, we strive to eat as cleanly as possible.  We make substitutions where needed, by cutting out food ingredients that will make us sick or make us fat, and replace with the most whole food alternative that will allow our bodies to thrive (e.g. stevia for sugar, coconut/almond flour for all purpose flour, fruits/veggies for food dyes, spiralized zucchini for pasta...).

Another area of substitution is soy.  The problem with soy-anything really is that most all of it throughout the world has been so tampered with by Man that it is very hard to find non-GMO soy and soy products.  On top of that, too much soy in our diet (and where isn't it in packaged foods these days?) can cause an overload of estrogen in the body for both men and women.  The body reads soy as a form of estrogen, and too much can throw your endocrine system into a downward spiral.

Whether you are part of Healing Cuisine because you are in the Maximized Living family, a raw foodie, gluten free eater, or simply interested in eating healthier, you should set a goal to limit, and optimally eliminate, soy consumption.  I have found a product from the company Coconut Secret to help us with the burden of soy.  Their product Raw Coconut Aminos is my new favorite and most trusted alternative to soy sauce!

In my kitchen, ever since Coconut Secret sent me a bottle of their Coconut Aminos to sample, it has replaced my Bragg's brand Liquid Aminos completely!  Two reasons for this:

1.)  Bragg's Liquid Aminos still come from soy.  Personally, I battled endocrine disruption in my body (what I think was PCOS but never had it "diagnosed" in a hospital, and infertility), so I avoid soy at all costs to not undo the hard work my body went through to get healthy again.  Bragg's Aminos was the only soy product left in our house, and while it is certified non-GMO and fermented, it still comes from soy.  I feel safer, personally, using the Coconut Aminos because the amino acids are fermented from organic coconut instead of soybeans.   

2.)  Coconut Aminos taste 10x better than Bragg's.  This is my personal opinion, so definitely come back and comment below letting me know what you all think after trying Coconut Aminos!  I didn't mind the taste of Bragg's too much, but did notice it had a super salty taste compared to traditional soy sauce.  I often had to water it down or use much less, which made it harder for me to perfect recipes to share with you!  I like the rich taste of the Coconut Aminos soooo much more!  It's not as salty and tastes very close to what I remember soy sauce tasting like.  And the proof is in the bottle!  Coconut Aminos has about 30% less sodium content than Braggs Aminos (113mg per teaspoon Coconut Secret to 160 mg per teaspoon Braggs).  In Bragg's brand, the sodium forms naturally through the fermentation process of the soy, and Coconut Secret adds sea salt, but either way it's a lot of sodium to be adding to one meal.  The less the better!  Also, Coconut Aminos are certified organic, raw, gluten-free, contain 17 of the essential amino acids, mineral rich, dairy-free, sugar-free, vegan, Advanced Plan friendly, and as I just said, soy-free.

I use these Coconut Aminos on everything -- stir fry, kale chips, zucchini noodles, meat marinade, soups and stews, salads, and anything savory that needs a little notch up in flavor.  Give it a try in your next recipe.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!  You can find Coconut Secret's Coconut Aminos at your local health food store, co-op, Whole Foods, by searching their database for a store near you, or on Amazon.com.

Here is a recipe from my friend Kim T. that I love to use the Coconut Aminos in.  She shared this frugal and nutritious side dish with me many months ago, and I have been saving it to share with my review of this product.  The recipe is called Broccoli Coins, and it is made from slicing the stalks of fresh broccoli into coin shapes.  Never waste the most nutritious part of the broccoli again!

Broccoli Coins
Makes 4 Servings

6 fresh broccoli stalks, florets removed
filtered water
ice
1-2 tsp Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
1/3 cup raw hemp seeds
2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds
1/4 tsp pure liquid stevia (optional)

1.)  Fill a large pot with filtered water and bring to a boil.  With a vegetable peeler, peel the tough outer edge of the broccoli stems away.  Slice the broccoli stems into coins, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.

2.)  Add the broccoli coins into the boiling water.  Boil for 3-5 minutes, just blanching to take away the raw taste.  Dump into strainer, draining the boiling water.  Then immediately submerge the strainer of broccoli coins into a bowl of ice water (to stop the cooking and leave nutrients intact).

3.)  Once cool, transfer to serving bowl and toss with Coconut Aminos, hemp seeds, and sesame seeds.  If you think it is too bitter, you can add  1/4 tsp stevia.  Serve cold or room temp.


You can find all products offered by Coconut Secret here at their website.  I hope you enjoy this new healthy find!