San-J has Summer Holiday Grilling Season Covered with Gluten-Free Asian Inspired Recipes

Disclosure:  I received San-J sauces complimentary in order to review them.

Who doesn't love yummy tropical island flavors when you think of summer?  The big challenge is putting together recipes that cover all the different needs for your guests. No worries with San-J whether you have vegetarians, Gluten-free guests or even your more traditional Paleo visitors.  San-J has it all covered with healthy options. Bring together San’J’s blend of tasty flavors to create a memorable meal for anytime from Memorial Day to 4th of July all the way through Labor Day. You can entertain in style for all your guests and serve up tangy and tasty snacks and hot and smoky BBQ in a flash. Just kick off all your holiday entertaining with San-J’s line of gluten-free cooking sauces and NEW healthy recipes. San-J has a solid reputation in the cooking industry for their premium gluten-free Tamari soy sauce and Asian inspired cooking sauces.  Now your holiday cook-outs can come off beautifully with a variety of summer tastes and flavors.

Are you ready to fire up the grill? I sure hope so. Take a peek at  5 NEW San-J, Asian inspired recipes created by culinary nutritionist Amie Valpone. She makes clean eating and a gluten-free lifestyle simple with her quick prep and easy to cook meals. San-J has you covered with a dish for everyone, from grilled coconut and crispy shrimp to skewered beef and chicken.

Fresh Seasonal Recipes for a sizzling summer celebration:

• BBQ Beef and Apple Skewers http://www.san-j.com/recipes.asp?id=190:  Sweet and crispy apples with colourful vegetables skewered with San-J's Asian-BBQ beef
• Coconut Tofu Mongolian Tacos http://www.san-j.com/recipes.asp?id=189: Peanut, cashew and coconut seasoned Tofu grilled with San-J's Mongolian Sauce   
• Summer Herb Seafood Szechuan Salad http://www.san-j.com/recipes.asp?id=188: Lemon infused shrimp, crisped to perfection in San-J’s Szechuan Sauce
• Thai Peanut Chicken With Wild Rice+Corn http://www.san-j.com/recipes.asp?id=187: Juicy chicken and corn grilled in San-J's Thai Peanut Sauce, served on wild rice
• Vegan Grilled Vegetable Quinoa http://www.san-j.com/recipes.asp?id=186: San-J Tamari Lite tossed quinoa with tangy grilled vegetables

I love how San-J sauces make me look and feel like a professional chef. I always get ooh's and aaah's with the first bite of every one of my San-J recipes and I just smile.  My friends think I spent hours with the prep but San-J makes it super easy and yummy.  I know I don't have to worry because no matter who I invite...I can make something delicious that will cover all my bases.  I have several friends that can't tolerate gluten so I always keep San-J’s gluten free sauces, including Asian BBQ, Mongolian, Szechuan, Thai Peanut and Tamari Lite in the house. Tofu in the refrigerator or some organic chicken or beef and I am ready in a flash.  My vegetable garden makes it even easier with a bounty to add to the grill anytime. 

I was excited to try the Coconut Tofu Mongolian Tacos. It sounded fun and tropical. I wanted to do with a little twist and make it a bit spicier though so I used the San-J Szechuan Sauce instead.  I added a few elements to the recipe like some Napa cabbage and scallions. Sometimes I like to shake things up a little...or a lot. My prep is above...I got a head start on things as you can see with my sliced tofu, ground nuts and coconut-egg mixture.

The tofu is cooking up nicely in my grill pan above. I was in a rush because it was a work night so my pieces weren't perfect triangles but they are going in the tacos anyway so no worries about that. It was easy to prepare, there were really only a few steps to do and several of them can be prepped ahead.  The final result tasted really yummy. My prep is above...I got a head start.  See how easy it is and how yummy it looked? It tasted just as good, you definitely should try this recipe.

Dinner was a hit tonight and I can't wait to try the other recipes with the family and friends. My mom told me she is going to try the Vegan Grilled Vegetable Quinoa this week. She liked recipes like this that she can prep ahead and grab when she is starved after the gym. You know what, me too!

San-J International or San-Jirushi was founded by the Sato family as a tamari and miso company in 1804 in Mie, Japan. Current San-J President, Takashi Sato, is an eighth-generation member of the founding family. They began brewing the first Tamari from their Henrico, Virginia, facility in 1987, continuing the 200 year tradition of Japanese brewing mastery. For more information on San-J products and to find great gluten-free recipe ideas, please visit San-J.com

Custom White Vinyl Stickers Review + Giveaway #stickeryou

Perhaps you have a small business that you started recently and need to make professional looking labels for your special beauty products.  Maybe your child is going to overnight camp and you need to label each and every piece of clothing so it hopefully comes back home in a few weeks.  What about a fancy upcoming formal event and you need to make gift bags?  I recently found the solution to any kinds of stickers or labels that you might need with StickerYou. 

You can now customize your own white vinyl stickers into any shape, size, or quantity you need! StickerYou has an easy-to-use online Sticker Editor that lets you can make stickers to the exact 0.1” in size. You can customize exactly what you need. You can make your stickers round, square, or contour die cut to the image to get that perfect shape to match your artwork. For business purposes, you can even upload your company logo or idea and promote your brand message in a professional manner. Essentially, you can create custom white vinyl stickers for just about anything in a flash. You can even choose rush shipping and have them at your doorstep quicker.  

Summer is the time of year for all sorts of things going on from special parties to camp and StickerYou has you covered without even having to step outside your door. That is my kind of company. The service is exceptional. I really needed labels for camp.  My child is an amazing girl but she can be forgetful like any child (I think). It is unbelievable the things that get left behind at school and camp from Thermos bottles (they are so expensive too!) to lunch boxes and sweatshirts.  Lordy help me she even left a brand new pair of socks at the local theatre following a end of the year play for her theatre group.  Sigh.  It took me a few years to learn but I did.  I must label everything and I mean everything. I was thrilled to hear that StickerYou makes it so easy with their StickerEditor. It is literally foolproof.  The system even makes a final double check and lets you see your finished product up close to verify it is exactly what you want.  It was simple to follow and make changes.  You can choose colors, fonts and even add characters or logos. You can make the stickers or labels as simple or exciting as your imagination will allow.  My stickers arrived quickly and stuck on perfectly to a variety of items...ahem, like the new Thermos and the socks....the sweatshirts and jackets too.  I even popped a few items through the washing machine to test them and the stickers stayed put.  See for yourself and try out StickerYou today.

Don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter giveaway to win your own set of white vinyl stickers too.a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

LAVO Facial Mud Mask Review + Giveaway #lavomud

I recently had the opportunity to evaluate a luxurious and increasingly popular volcanic mud mask that is available on Amazon.  If you know me, you know I love to shop on Amazon. My sister too. I am not some kooky mama with things overflowing out of my closets or anything like that, I just find Amazon saves me time and my sanity sometimes. Even the little things like, hubby needs some new casual shoes. Whiz, bang, boom...48 hours later 3 pairs are at my doorstep and he is thrilled with two of them. Easy as pie to return the other pair. Ooops, low on shampoo.  Amazon to the rescue and no worries for mama. Things like that...just normal stuff.  Anyway, so LAVO Volcanic Mud Mask is a huge bestseller on Amazon and I was happy to try it out because my over 40 year old skin can use some assistance from time to time.

It is easy to use and even easier if you have ever used any kind of mask...you probably have! LAVO suggests washing your face first then wetting a towel with warm water. Gently lie back or recline for a minute or two or three and let the warmth of the towel open up your pores. Then apply your LAVO mask. Don't forget to close the jar right away or the mud will harden. If it does, don't worry you can add a little bit of glycerin to soften it back up.

If you have sensitive skin, the peeps at LAVO suggest diluting the mud with purified water (50/50) and leaving it on for a shorter amount of time. Then apply your favorite toner and moisturizer afterwards.  A little LAVO goes a long way so you only need to apply a thin amount. You should be able to get a good 20 facials out of each container. LAVO is a great value especially when you consider how much some of the other luxury department store brands can cost. 

LAVO shared with me a few tidbits about their high performance volcanic mud mask. It is a natural remedy for oily skin, acne and large pores. It has several natural ingredients including kaolin, actual volcanic mud, vitamin e, brown seaweed, aloe vera, and zinc oxide which work synergistically to help minimize pores and care for acne prone skin and more. 

There are a myriad of benefits to using a luxurious volcanic mud ask like LAVO including softer, tighter skin, smaller, cleaner pores and even reduced oil production. It has been so hot here in the mid-Atlantic after a chilly spring that my skin has sort of gone a little wacky.  I don't get acne too often but it keeps popping up here and there I think because of the heat and stickiness. Perhaps I am just sweating more and I need to clean my pores.  The LAVO Facial Mud Mask arrived just in time to be the perfect answer to my hot summer problem. I have been using it and thank goodness the acne has retreated.  My skiing looks good and has a nice glow after I rinse the mask off.  I think my pores look smaller too...I am always so conscious of my large pores by my nose and chin. They look better and seem to be less visible after a few treatments with LAVO. I am planning on continuing to use it because my skin looks good. I am committed to trying for a once a week LAVO session.

I just love that LAVO is made in the USA with all natural ingredients. There is nothing finer than supporting our own economy so I am happy to purchase from US based businesses more than anything.  LAVO is not only proud of making this product in America they are proud to be using all natural ingredients. In addition, it is totally paraben free, cruelty free, never tested on animals and manufactured in a clean FDA registered facility.

You can find LAVO high performance volcanic mud mask right on Amazon which means it can be at your doorstep so quickly and save you time and money.  Do like I do and save yourself time and headaches plus get your pores clean and fresh with LAVO when it arrives at your door while you relax at home.  

Don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter to win your own LAVO! a Rafflecopter giveaway
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Cool Gel N Cap makes First Aid for Kids Fun {Giveaway} #coolgelncap

There is not a mom out there who doesn't dread those endless booboos. How about the flu? The viruses with the fevers that just never end. What do you do though to try to get them more comfortable? Of course you follow the doctor's orders for medications and treatments but you want them to be comfortable too. I have tried it all from frozen peas to dishtowel wrapped ice packs that fall off over and over. Finally a boo boo solution from someone smarter than me. It is actually ingenious. I would love this for adults. They really need to consider this one for the grownups too.  From the head bops to the headaches, fevers to earaches, the Cool Gel N Cap makes first aid a lot less stressful for everyone. Including mommy and daddy. The Cool Gel N Cap provides comforting drug-free relief for your child's everyday lumps, bumps, earaches, headaches, and fevers. You can relax because the Cool Gel N Cap lets you melt away the pain, not the ice!

What is the Cool Gel N Cap and how does it work? That was my first question too. The Cool Gel N Cap is a lovable puppy dog or bunny cap which lets momma or daddy place two gel packs anywhere inside. The ingenious aspect to this invention is that you can warm the gel pack or freeze them depending on your needs.  Either way it provides soothing relief to all kinds lumps, bumps, earaches, headaches, and fevers. 

The friendly and sweet puppy and bunny faces cheer your sick ones right up. I can vouch for that. Mine arrived during the middle of the Worst Virus Ever. Really. I hope to G-d you never experience anything like this. My child has been down for the count since Tuesday. Fevers never ending. Nausea. Pooping. Vomiting.  We have been to the doctor so many times. One of the few things that really comforted her when she was so hot was ice packs but they kept falling off her forehead. I tried everything. Then the Cool Gel N Cap arrived. She actually smiled when she saw it. The poor thing hasn't smiled in days. In addition to being sick, we had to cancel a long-planned vacation up to the Adirondacks to visit friends. She has been so sad and sick....she cheered up so much with the hat she put it on right away. I popped the gel packs in the freezer and in an hour they were cool enough to put in the Cool Gel N Cap. It was a treat to see the smile on her face and it cooled her down too.

Children are afraid of ice packs and placing an ice pack directly on the skin stings too much.  Those zipper bags inevitably leak...I have even tried double bagging them. Don't even think about throwing some ice cubes in a yucky dish rag either...your poor little one deserves something better and cleaner  than that.  It is easy with Cool Gel N Cap too.

If you can it is always a good option to be able to provide drug free pain relief. Of course you want to follow the instructions of your physician or health care provider but I prefer drug free when I can. Another consideration is having your hands free. I can tell you all about that. You need your hands for other things to help your little one. You don't want all the details of this week though, trust me. I am hoping my career as Mommy Super Nurse is almost over. It is a thankless and tiring job that has shifts that never end. My dried out hands and nails will attest to that.  The Cool Gel N Cap leaves your hands free rather than holding an ice pack against the forehead or boo boo for endless hours. Now you can let the Cool Gel N Cap melt away the pain, not the ice! 

Even more exciting is that you can win your own Cool Gel N Cap too. Enter my Rafflecopter giveaway right now and good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.