I'm a SIGG Kid Now

I found myself in a bit of a tussle with my daughter. She was looking around at school and saw juice boxes with characters on them. She wanted those fun characters, but not the juice (she has not really ever been a juice fan, thank goodness!). I send her with cold water everyday. Then SIGG came to the rescue.

SIGGSwitzerland AG is a renowned company founded in Switzerland over 100 years ago. SIGG specializes in reusable aluminum water bottles.
All SIGG bottles are 100% recyclable and contribute significantly to reducing the global carbon footprint. SIGG bottles are the the winner in consumer tests and sets the competitive pace – just as one would expect of a true original.

Each SIGG bottle can fit all of three tops they sell for them. All of them leak-proof, even with carbonated drinks.
Sportbottle top

The three-stage technology: just one turn, pull twice, put it to your mouth – ready to drink. Leak-proof in two positions. Perfect for sport activities.
Screw top
Unscrew the top, remove it and drink. Leak-proof even in the most extreme situations thanks to an integrated seal. For outdoor enthusiasts.
Bottle top
The screw top with a dirt-proof cap is absolutely leak-proof. One turn and it's ready to use. Ideal for both adults and children.

The bottles are made from a single piece of pure aluminium, no seams
And the internal coating guarantees to be taste-neutral and resistant to fruit acids and isotonic drinks according to an independent testing institute (Nehring, Germany)
Fulfills FDA requirements (Food & Drug Administration USA).

SIGG bottles come in so many different designs with a whole selection just for kids! You can choose from a 10, 13 or 20oz. bottle depending on your child's needs. My daughter loves all the funky designs and characters. She told me the other day that she now has "cool water." She specifically asks for "Hello Kitty Water" or "Fairy Princess Water." It is a win for all of us. I know I am doing something good for the environment and for her (no icky plastics and chemicals), and she gets enjoy the characters and sweetness of being a SIGG kid.

Plenty

I stopped making New Year's resolutions a long time ago. I love food, so pretending I am going to exist on water and crackers is not an option. Delicious, healthy food, makes life a whole lot easier. I am head over heels for Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi. It is a cookbooks full of fabulous recipes that are all vegetable-based.

Yotam Ottolenghi is one of the most exciting new talents in the cooking world, with four fabulous, eponymous London restaurants and a weekly newspaper column that's read by foodies all over the world. Plenty is a must-have collection of 120 vegetarian recipes featuring exciting flavors and fresh combinations that will delight readers and eaters looking for a sparkling new take on vegetables. Yotam's food inspiration comes from his Mediterranean background and his unapologetic love of ingredients. Not a vegetarian himself, his approach to vegetable dishes is wholly original and innovative, based on freshness and seasonality, and drawn from the diverse food cultures represented in London. A vibrant photo accompanies every recipe in this visually stunning book. Essential for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike!

There recipes are all one better than the next. It got to the point recently when we decided to grow our own parsley and mint indoors, because Plenty has it in so many recipes that I was craving to try. I have literally been cooking my way through this book, and have not once been disappointed. I feel good after eating!

This butternut squash with lime segments and greek yogurt was so good that my daughter finished my portion before I could. We took our pumpkins from Halloween and roasted them according to another recipe, which taught my daughter not to waste and enjoy the harvest. My favorite recipe in this book has to be the Quinoa and Sourdough Bread Salad. The citrus and vinegar make the tomatoes pop and how can anyone resist quinoa?
I love showing my daughter how easy cooking and eating healthy can be. I do not believe in hiding vegetables in food to trick her. They have been a part of her diet from day one. Plenty gives so many new and delicious ways to enjoy those vegetables and cooking together.

Good and Bready

I have never been that into store-bought bread. Once you have freshly-made bread, it is hard to go back. That being said, I really have to plan my day out if I want to make bread. It is a time-consuming process and sometimes my results are less than stellar. Well, until I got the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker. Now, I am making my own bread all of the time! I even made the bread for our traditional Italian Christmas (you know it must be good when your family trusts you to make their Italian bread).

The West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker is so easy to use. It comes with everything I need. Most days, I simply pop in the ingredients and am on my way. This little baby does the rest.
Features include:

Dual knead blades provide thorough dough kneading for a lighter taste and higher rise!
Traditionally shaped, horizontal bread pan (8 3/4in x 4 3/4in)can accommodate 4 different loaf sizes; 1 lb, 1.5 lb, 2 lb, and 2.5 lb.
11 digital settings include Basic, Quick, French, Sweet, Dough, and a special customizable homemade setting.
Easy enough for beginners, but customizable for expert bakers as well. The ""homemade"" setting allows preferences to be set for kneading, rising, baking, and keeping warm.
3 level crust control: Light, Medium, and Dark.
Delayed start cycle is programmable for up to 12 hours, set it in the morning and come home to the scent of freshly baked bread.
Instruction manual includes many delicious recipes, including garlic bread, wheat bread, bagel dough, even Low Carb and Gluten-free!
Includes 2 knead blades, non-stick bread pan, measuring cup and spoon, and knead blade removal tool.

Our current favorite is a chocolate bread (from a Tesss Kiros cookbook). We love this bread, but not the time it usually takes to make this. Now I just add the ingredients to the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker and sweet, chocolate goodness is mine with minimal work. Best of all, it makes my house smell like a bakery! I get all the accolades for the hard work that the West Bend Hi-Rise™ Bread Maker has been doing. It is so nice to know what goes into the foods you eat, and even better when making them is so simple.

Suki Saves Me

When you make the switch to using natural skin and body care, you immediately notice a difference. I liken it to your body detoxing. Suddenly synthetic smells and chemicals are easier to identify and avoid. Winter is here, so we have to work extra hard to protect our delicate skin. One of my favorite lines is Suki . Suki is natural, bio dynamic & uses food grade ingredients. Their packaging is environmentally responsible, and most importantly the the products work. They are all formulated to be effective, yet gentle for people with sensitive skins and those with eczema. We fall into the eczema family in our house. Once it starts getting cold, my daughter always gets a touch of eczema somewhere. While Suki might seem like a brand just for adults, it is so gentle that I use it on my daughter.
We use the
Exfoliate Foaming Body Cleanser. It was formulated for all skin types, especially dry, eczema, dermatitis-prone & acneic skin. I use it on myself and my daughter with amazing results! Her skin is super soft and not itchy anymore.

Butter Cream Healing Salve is perfect for sealing in vital moisture and also for getting rid of rashes. It is a multi-functional, non-greasy, therapeutic balm. Formulate for those with especially dry skin, including babies. especially formulated for eczema, dermatitis, stretch marks, rough dry spots, feet & elbows. My daughter had scratched her leg and I put a coating of the Butter Cream Healing Salve. The itching, redness and scratch marks were gone overnight.
I cannot wait to try more products. Their skincare is one of the few brands that actually show results immediately, and never irritate. Go natural, go eco-friendly, go Suki.

Kitchen Carvers

You may notice, I have been posting a lot more about cooking. It is truly a family sport in my house, we all pitch in. we get excited about cooking. I learned a long time ago, that in order to make cooking enjoyable and easier, we need the right tools. I am really dislike plastic, and I feel metal often scratches my cookware. I use wooden cooking tools whenever I can. My new do everything tool is the Kitchen Carvers Spurtula. The child of a spoon and spatula marriage, the Spurtula replaces your wooden spoon and spatula because it does it all. I use mine to make pancakes, and to mix my quinoa and rice to perfection. It does everything. It is American-made and so wonderful. They come in maple or cherry wood. You have to get this for your favorite cook. It is the go-to tool in our house.

B.I.C. Bands

It seems that I am always running around these days. I am frantic to get my holiday things done before my daughter is home again full-time for her vacation. To add to the fun, I have taken up exercising again. That means my wavy hair goes haywire. I sometimes have mere minutes to grab something to tame my Rosanna Dana hair and get out the door. I choose BIC Bands. They actually stay in (no slipping) and keep my hair looking cute and tame. I can even exercise in them!

BIC Bands were started as a fundraiser by Sandy for her run with Team In Training. She was looking for a way to raise the necessary funds to run her first half marathon. She donated the profits to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. OVER $1000 was raised through the sale of B.I.C. Bands!
Sandy now makes B.I.C. Bands to give back to people in need.

B.I.C. Bands~ Because I Can Bands ~We raise funds because we can…for those who can’t so that one day they will!

Each month they donate from the sale of every band to a different charity.
How amazing is that?! My daughter loves her B.I.C. Band (which Sandy kindly made smaller-sized for my little one). It is is literally the only hair accessory she ever walks out of school still wearing at the end of the day. No more slipping, or frustration, and you are helping to give back. Everyone wins with B.I.C. Bands.

They also make a fabulous stocking stuffer (just saying).

Giveaway Winner!

Mary was the winner of the Stockmar Modeling Wax.

Don't forget to enter to win this adorable Pitcher and Glass set from For Small Hands:
For Small Hands Glass Pitcher and Glasses Giveaway-ends 12/16

Jammin!

I always find the holiday season to be a bit tricky. We have so many people whom we love and want to get them something to express that. We also have limited funds, so I like to think of homemade gifts. This holiday season, we are giving the gift of Jam, Marmalade and Jelly (oh my!).

I am not an experienced jam maker by any means, so I turned to The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook by Rachel Saunders. It has so many delicious recipes with super easy instructions.

In addition to offering more than 100 original jam, jelly, and marmalade recipes, master jam artisan Rachel Saunders shares all of her technical preserving knowledge, as well as her unique jam maker's perspective on fruit.
Rachel combines nostalgia with a modern, sustainable approach to creating fresh and vividly flavored preserves. The recipes are divided into chapters based on the seasons, and each chapter is organized by month and type of fruit.

I decided to go big or go home. My family members all love tomatoes and citrus fruits, so we made Early Girl Tomato Marmalade as gifts. The taste is amazing. I recently served it for a little gathering with some goat cheese and toast. The guest were raving and I was secretly smiling knowing they would all be getting their own jar for the holidays.

My daughter was desperate to help, so we made the tried and true Strawberry Jam together. She stirred (using our fabulous Michael Ruhlman Acacia Paddles), and I supervised. She decided we could only give a jar or two away since it was "too delicious" to give up. Our next jam making session will be the Blueberry Mint Jam. I can finally "preserve" the season.

Sweet Kisses

Winter is already doing a number on my daughter and my lips. My whole family tends to get dry lips; you know the kind that leaves you looking like an old lady with leftover lip liner? Regular lip balms will now do. We look to Hurraw! to quench our parched pouts. Hurraw! started out with the intent of making the perfect lip balm. They suceeded. Hurraw! is all natural, vegan, made from premium raw, organic and fair trade ingredients. The flavors are numerous and one more yummy than the next. Hurraw! does not melt in your pocket, and it goes on like buttah! It feels like you are gliding deliciously flavored silk across your lips. This is super-important when your lips feel like they are going to fall off.

Each tube is hand mixed and individually poured. Hurraw! sources fair trade, organic, vegan and raw ingredients from reputable suppliers. Hurraw! is also Gluten Free. Their ingredients contain no GMO's and all are certified Kosher Parve.
Best of all there is are No petroleum, preservatives, artifical flavors or colors. Hurray for Hurraw!

A Colorful Cooking Day

It seems that even through my best efforts to prevent it, we all have a cold. Secretly, a part of me loves just sitting back cuddling with no school run or obligations...we are sick, you know! It brings out the child in me. My daughter and I use our time together to cook things that make us feel good, and we play and have puppet shows and watch fairy tale theater. One of my favorite cookbooks is Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros.

Tessa Kiros has circled the globe working in restaurants in Australia, Greece, Mexico, and London. Her extensive travel and multicultural background lend authenticity to more than 200 recipes, which are grouped by color and presented alongside vibrant photographs, sound cooking advice, and heartwarming anecdotes about friends, family, and the whimsies of childhood.

I adore her stories and the grouping by color is so genius. This cookbook reads almost like a diary of childhood (Tessa as a mum and a child) with such specific memories that are sure to make you smile and reminisce as well. We made the Vermicelli Soup with Tomato and Basil; it warmed our hearts and our bellies. I could not resist the little anecdote that went along with Honey Cake and Lemon Frosting (Tessa Kiros likened it to a party with Winnie the Pooh). It deliciousness was the perfect complement to an improptu tea party.

Whether you have a child, want a child, or simply loved being a child, Apples for Jam is the cookbook for you. I have it wrapped and ready to go for a few loved ones who I know will relish the cooking journey.

For Small Hands Pitcher and Glasses Giveaway

Remember my recent review of For Small Hands? Lots of readers wrote in that they would love a For Small Hands giveaway. You ask, I listened. Enter for a chance to win the For Small Hands Glass Pitcher with Lid and Durable Juice Glasses, so you little one can join in the fun!

Giveaway Rules:
This contest is only open to US readers. You must be 18 years or older to enter. You must be a Product Mommy follower. All entries must be received by 11:59pm on December 16, 2011. Please include your email address in each entry. Winners will be chosen at random. I will notify the winners on December 17, 2011 via email (please respond within 48 hours) and your Glass Pitcher with Lid and Durable Juice Glasses will be mailed directly to you.

How to Enter: You must be a Product Mommy follower. Leave comment after the post with your email.


Extra Entries:
You must do the "How to Enter" first and be sure you leave a "comment" for each extra entry and tell me which one you did. Don't forget your email address too.
1.Become a fan of For Small Hands on Facebook
2.Become a fan of Product Mommy on Facebook
3.Become a fan of Product Mommy on Twitter
4.Subscribe to Product Mommy by email (top left of blog page)
5, Twitter about this contest (and leave a link to the Tweet)
6. Post this giveaway on Facebook (and leave a link)

Giveaway Winners!

Congrats to Anna for winning the Mohawk Valley Trading Honey!

Congrats to Clenna for winning the Le Creuset Heart Casserole!

Thanks everyone for entering. Stay tuned for more exciting giveaways, and do not forget to enter to win the Stockmar Modeling Wax from A Toy Garden.

Stockmar Modelling Beeswax set of 12-ends 12/7

The Right Tools

I became a big fan of chef Michael Ruhlman after reading his fabulous book Ruhlman's Twenty: 20 Techniques 100 Recipes A Cook's Manifesto. He taught me some fundamentals of cooking that I was not aware I was really doing completely wrong. He truly believes that anyone can cook. And you know what, anyone really can.

I have also learned that the right tools are super important when trying to make the meal you want. I gave up on plastic tools (cannot bear them), and have been slowly switching to wooden and metal cooking tools. Be still my heart when I saw Ruhlman's new line of cooking tools...most specificially the Spanker and Spanky. The Spanker and Spanky are flat-edged wood paddles made of acacia wood. They are super sturdy.

The Spanker is unbeatable for stirring big pots of stewing goodness. Spanky is your all-purpose everyday tool for stirring. The flat edges lifts food off the bottom of the pot and the angled tip gets into corners of your pan.

We try to cook at home as much as possible. It is not only healthier, but really helps to bond my daughter and I. Our most recent recipe rumble was making strawberry jam. I used the Spanker and my little one used the Spank (perfectly sized for her needs). She was stirring away. I had to rush to wash them to make our homemade beef stew. Sounds crazy, but now I cannot live without them. Envy away! Or better yet, get your favorite chef these fab Acacia Wooden Paddles as the ultimate holiday treat!