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Go Raw Junk Free Snack Time for after school snacks!

August 28, 2015 By 1 Comment

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The back-to-school time-crunch food conundrum:  We need a snack for our families and with a crazy day and packed to-do list it needs to be simple and fast.  The sad, but frequent solution:  We end up caving to fast food or settling on the “lesser evil” with a “healthy” snack often packed with sugar and/or preservatives.  Go Raw saves parents from settling.
Created by a father looking for healthy, delicious snack choices for his family,  Go Raw snacks are made of best quality ingredients that are simple, healthy, raw and organic. They are also nut free, dairy free and gluten free making them great for kids and families with allergies.  The snacks are a fantastic alternative to the so-called “healthy snacks” out there that are typically no more than glorified candy bars.
Along with being a delicious organic choice, Go Raw packs even more nutritional value because they are sprouted.  Live, sprouted grains and seeds have numerous benefits including greater availability of vitamins (like C), iron and other minerals, increased protein, higher soluble fiber content, to name a few.  And Go Raw snacks are made in manageable sizes and shapes that are kid-friendly for smaller hands.
Just a few delicious Go Raw snack options and ideas include:
  • Sprouted Cookies – in a variety of flavors like chocolate, lemon and carrot cake, Go Raw sprouted cookies are also great as a flavorful Go Raw Sprouted Cookie Spread.
  • Go Raw Watermelon Seeds – unique and delicious on their own, the seeds can also be whipped into a fantastic batch of Choco Chunk Candy Seeds and even a savory Watermelon Seed Pesto the entire family will love!
  • Go Raw Granola – great for breakfast, to top a yogurt snack, or even in tasty Go Raw Choco Chunk Pumpkin Bites or Go Raw Ice Cream Sandwiches.
  • Go Raw Sprouted Bars in flavors like banana bread, apricot, pumpkin and more are great on the go, any time of day.

I received samples and I like how these are such healthy options for both adults and kids! So many snacks today are loaded with sugar so it’s great to learn about these products! My favorite is the Go Raw Sprouted Bars in banana bread. Yum!

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I wasn’t quite sure how to use the Go Raw Watermelon Seeds but did receive the following recipe and tried it! I loved it!

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GO RAW WATERMELON SEEDS PESTO

INGREDIENTS

  •   3 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
  •   5 cloves garlic
  •   1 cup Go Raw Sprouted Watermelon Seeds
  •   1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 Tbs if planning to freeze
  •   Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  •   1/4 cup nutritional yeast (for vegan) or Parmesan cheese

    DIRECTIONS

    Step 1 – Place basil, garlic and Watermelon seeds into a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.

    Step 2 – Add 1/2 cup of olive oil, plus the nutritional yeast or cheese, and process until blended and to the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Step 3 – For pesto any time, try spooning the pesto into an ice-cube tray, and then transferring to an air-tight container once frozen. Can be frozen for up to three months; thaw fully before using.

    Use pesto with salads, on pasta, vegetables, sandwiches, in tofu scrambles, or wherever your imagination takes you.

Here’s another recipe I will be trying soon!

GO RAW WATERMELON SALAD

INGREDIENTS

  •   1 pound Go Raw Watermelon seeds cut into chunks
  •   1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and halved
  •   1 3/4 ounces of Go Raw Watermelon Seeds
  •   1 teaspoon salt
  •   1⁄2 bunch garlic chives, finely chopped

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  •   1⁄2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  •   1⁄4 cup raspberry vinegar
  •   2 tablespoons coconut sugar
  •   1 teaspoon sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

Step 1- Combine the watermelon, water chestnuts, Go Raw Sprouted Watermelon seeds, salt, garlic chives, and cilantro in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2- Whip the raspberry vinegar, coconut sugar and sesame oil together in a small bowl; pour over the watermelon salad mixture and toss lightly to coat every piece. Chill in refrigerator 1 hour to serve cold.

Check out the Go Raw website for more info.

Happy Snacking this School Year!

Self Disclosure: I received free samples. Recipes and photos were provided courtesy of Go Raw.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Office Depot Foundation National Backpack Program in 15th Year

August 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment

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For the past 15 years, the Office Depot Foundation has been giving children important tools they need to succeed in school – and in life – at the beginning of the new school year.

 

This year is no exception.  In 2015, the Foundation – the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot®(NASDAQ:ODP) – is celebrating the 15th year of its award-winning National Backpack Program by donating 200,000 colorful new sackpacks to nonprofit organizations, schools and agencies across the United States and internationally.

 

By the end of 2015, Office Depot and the Office Depot Foundation will have given away more than 3.7 million backpacks and sackpacks since the National Backpack Program began in 2001.

 

“For most children, the first day of school is an exciting time complete with new clothes and back-to-school gear,” says Office Depot Foundation President Mary Wong.  “But for kids in families where money is tight, the experience can be just the opposite.  We believe that every child should have the opportunity to go to school with dignity and hope.  The sackpacks and school supplies we donate help to level the playing field and give these wonderful children a reason to stand just a little bit taller.”

 

To distribute sackpacks directly to children, the Foundation is hosting Back-to-School Celebrations in some 20 cities across the U.S. in July and August.  This week, 18,000+ new sackpacks are being donated through events in Atlanta, San Francisco, New Orleans and Indianapolis.  In New Orleans alone, the Office Depot Foundation has donated more than 50,000 backpacks and sackpacks to children in the decade since Hurricane Katrina.

 

Thousands more sackpacks are being given to kids through the Office Depot Foundation’s continuing partnerships with nine nonprofit organizations serving children nationally and globally. The Foundation is collaborating with the AARP Experience Corps, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), the National Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association, Feed the Children, Food For The Poor, the Kids In Need Foundation, the National Foundation for Women Legislators, Operation Homefront and Samaritan’s Feet International. For the seventh consecutive year, children of the Navajo Nation in Arizona will receive sackpacks.

 

The specially designed, drawstring-style sackpacks come in seven bright and colorful designs that are new for 2015.  Each one includes a zippered pouch containing a pen, pencil, pencil sharpener, eraser, six-inch ruler and four crayons. The sackpacks do not have any Office Depot Foundation or Office Depot logos or markings.

 

More information about the National Backpack Program can be found on the Foundation’s Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/officedepotfoundation. To learn more about the Office Depot Foundation and its initiatives, go towww.officedepotfoundation.org/. You can follow the Foundation on Twitter @OfficeDepotFndn; the National Backpack Program’s hashtag is #ODFcares.  The Foundation is also on Instagram: @officedepotfoundation.

 

About the Office Depot Foundation

The Office Depot Foundation is an independent foundation − tax exempt under IRC Sec. 501(c)(3) − that serves as the independent charitable giving arm of Office Depot, Inc. In keeping with its mission, Listen Learn Care®, the Foundation supports a variety of programs that give children tools to succeed in school and in life; build the capacity of nonprofit organizations through collaboration and innovation; and help communities prepare for disasters, as well as recovering and rebuilding afterwards.  For more information, visit www.officedepotfoundation.org.

Credit: Office Depot Foundation.

Filed Under: Announcements

It’s time for Back-to-School!

August 28, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Back-to-School time can mean many things!

A new school year, usually means new room décor and for your younger ones, that makes a world of difference from year to year!

 

Olive Kids offers parents and their kids, an affordable alternative to the character based entertainment licenses.

 

Olive Kids bedding, coordinating room decor and personalized gifts feature all original art in classic kids themes like transportation, pirates, outer space, tea parties, cowboys and more!

My son received a really cool comforter from Olive Kids in the Out of this World theme. He has always loved Space! This one is so bright and colorful and the comforter is so soft and comfy! The really great thing is that it really makes the whole room look redecorated!

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For more information on Olive Kids bedding and room décor, visit: http://www.olivekids.com/

Another great product for redecorating is the Lutron Maestro Motion Sensors!

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Lutron Maestro Motion Sensors automatically turn lights on when you enter a space and off when you leave, making them a convenient way to save energy in a home or commercial space. They’re ideal for rooms where lights are accidentally left on, such as an office, kids’ rooms or rooms that you often enter with your hands full, such as a laundry room or supply closet. Lutron Maestro Motion Sensors automatically turn lights on when you enter a space and off when you leave, making them a convenient way to save energy. They also offer an easy, safe way for kids and elders to turn the lights on and off avoiding trips and falls!

 

Lutron offers a variety of sensors to meet the needs of any space, including sensor switches, dual-circuit switches, and dimmers.

 

Now you don’t have to tell your kids to turn the lights off! This is my absolute favorite thing! My son is 11-years-old and I still sometimes have to remind him to turn off the lights.

 

  • Simple and cost-effective means more jobs

– Fewer parts than a typical dimming and sensing solution

– Less time spent on installation

  • Easy

– Quick installation

– Works right out of the box—no programming required

  • Reliable

– No false-ons or false-offs

 

For more information go here.

Lutron Maestro Timer

Lutron Maestro Timer timers help you save money and energy by automatically turning off lights and fans after a preset time. Using Lutron Maestro timers on bathroom exhaust fans can reduce the chance of a costly mold problem, and timers attached to garage lights can add an extra layer of safety when you return home at night.

 

Features:

  • Timer can be set to operate fan or light for 5-60 minutes before turning off automatically
  • Timer has orange LEDs that indicate time remaining before turn-off
  • Use timer with exhaust fans in bathrooms to eliminate moisture and reduce mold and mildew growth
  • Never forget to turn your fan off again, or have to make unnecessary trips back into the room
  • Use in the garage to keep the light on as you get into your vehicle and it can turn off automatically after you leave
  • Save energy by using in closets, attics, basements, and other low-traffic areas to ensure the light is never left on for a long time
  • Available in eco-timer™ model which operates fan or light for 1-30 minutes to ensure lights or fans are never left on
  • Available in dual timer/dimmer model for fan and light control

 

For more information, go here. 

Self Disclosure: I received free samples to facilitate this post. No other compensation was received. 

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week
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