Tag: gluten free

Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze Review | Vegan & Gluten Free Mac and Cheese

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Food Friday! Today I am excited to share a review of the Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze with you. A few weeks back I had a craving for boxed macaroni and cheese. Yes, boxed mac and cheese specifically! I know there are some vegan varieties out there, but unfortunately my local grocery store doesn’t carry any. I luckily spotted the Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze in the freezer section, and internally squealed with joy! My mac and cheese craving was about to be conquered!

This box was a bit expensive at $3.69, especially when compared to what boxed mac and cheese normally costs, but it was worth it for a special treat! Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze is not only vegan, but it is gluten free and soy free as well, so it’s great if you have a lot of food allergies. This is, of course, a junk food, and it is very high in fat at a whopping 22 grams. Luckily, it has 8 grams of protein, which I think is pretty good for this small container. Once I got home I noticed that the product is made using Daiya cheese. I think Daiya has a very specific and acquired taste, so I was a bit nervous about how this would be. Luckily, I really enjoyed it!

Here is what the Mac & Cheeze looks like once it is cooked. I used the microwave, but it can also be made in a conventional oven. It may not look that appetizing, but it’s quite delicious and definitely satisfied my mac and cheese craving! I love how creamy the sauce is, and the pasta has a nice texture to it. I don’t think I’ve ever had rice pasta before, but it’s really tasty in this dish. I wouldn’t say this tastes exactly like non-vegan mac and cheese, but it is a close substitute for sure.

You can tell I am a big fan of this product because I repurchased it the next time I went to the grocery store! This time I added some sautéed broccoli and chickpeas to the pasta to add some more nutrients. It was absolutely delicious! I will definitely be experimenting with this more in the future. I bet there are a lot more combinations that would taste great and also make the meal a bit healthier.

All in all, I’m very happy with the Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheeze! If you need to satisfy a mac and cheese craving, this is a great way to go. I will be sure to buy this again in the future, but I’m also hoping my grocery store will get a boxed vegan mac and cheese, since that will be a more affordable option. I also plan to try to make my own mac and cheese at home, but sometimes I just love the boxed variety!

What is your favorite vegan mac and cheese? Let me know in the comments!

Wet ‘n Wild Crease Brush Review | Dollar Tree Find

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Wednesday! I recently spotted a bunch of Wet ‘n Wild makeup brushes at Dollar Tree, and decided to pick one up to try. All of the brushes in this line are cruelty free, gluten free, and vegan. I figured even if I didn’t love the brush, it was worth it for just $1.00! I picked up the Crease Brush, as I tend to always need a clean crease brush whenever I’m doing an eyeshadow look. Let me share my thoughts on this Wet ‘n Wild Crease Brush, and let you know if it’s worth the dollar.

Here is a quick look at the Crease Brush in the packaging. It comes in a reusable plastic sleeve, and has a white handle with white and pink bristles. All of the makeup brushes in this line have the same coloring, so it’s easy to spot them in the store. My Dollar Tree had a display of these brushes on the end of the makeup aisle, but if you don’t find them right away definitely do a search of the full store. Sometimes items are placed randomly at dollar stores!

The first thing I noticed about the brush is that it has a bigger head than the other crease brushes in my collection. The bristles do feel very soft to the touch, and there are a good amount of bristles on this one brush. While the Wet ‘n Wild Crease Brush does not do a great job at picking up shadows, it does nicely blend them. This is definitely a great brush to have on hand purely for blending. If you are looking for a brush that will apply a lot of shadow, this is not the brush for you. However, I’m very glad I own this for blending purposes. It is a great find for just $1.00!

All in all, I’m happy I grabbed the Wet ‘n Wild Crease Brush. It is definitely worth the money, and I am interested in trying out the other brushes in the line. Next time I go to Dollar Tree I will be sure to purchase one of the eyeshadow brushes designed to apply shadow to the lid. I’m interested to see if they will pick up a lot of shadow. I recommend visiting your local Dollar Tree and seeing what makeup products you can find for $1.00!

Have you tried any Wet ‘n Wild makeup brushes? Let me know in the comments!

Subscription Sunday | August Love With Food Box

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! Today I am reviewing the August Love With Food Box. While it is a bit late, I really wanted to tell all of you what happened with my August box. When I first received it at the beginning of the month, it unfortunately was a disaster! A cup of salsa had leaked everywhere, ruining some of the box. I snapped a photo and emailed customer service. Not only did they send me a replacement box, but they refunded my money for the month of August as well! It did take a while for the replacement to show up, which is why this post is so late. I think it’s really important that Love With Food’s amazing customer service was shared!

IMG_2984Here is a sneak peek of what the August Box looked like. It was Backyard BBQ themed!

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  • Sahale Snacks Fruit & Almond Crunchers – I actually haven’t tried these yet, but it’s a mix that you can pour in yogurt or enjoy on its own. Sounds like it will be yummy!
  • Project 7 Save Mints – I got mints from this brand in a PopSugar box and loved them! The packaging is so cute, and the mints taste really good. I was happy to get another tube.
  • Aunt Sally’s Creamy Original Pralines – Oh my! This is so delicious! I am thinking I need more of these because it was that good.

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  • Rip van Wafels Caramel Filled Amsterdam Wafel – Yum! These little wafels can be placed over a hot beverage like tea so it gets soft to eat. I loved this so much!
  • Dizzy Pig Dizzy Dust – Unfortunately this is the one product that is not for me since I don’t eat meat and this is a dry rub. It says you can use it as a spice packet in general, but it’s not really my thing.
  • Harvest Snaps Snapea Crips – I love these as well! I’ve tried them before, and I already repurchased two bags of these. I highly recommend them.

IMG_2985Last but least is a bag of BOPS Sea Salt Crisps. These were good, too, but I don’t think I would repurchase them. I prefer other chips better!

All in all, I did enjoy this box and the great customer service I received from Love With Food. I never got to try the salsa after all, because that wasn’t included in my replacement. While I do love this program, and think it’s fun to get these goodies every month, as of right now I did cancel my subscription for financial reasons. If you can afford the $10-12 per month, I do highly recommend the service. I will definitely consider joining again when I have the money! If you’d like to join, use code FBGIFT at checkout and your first month will be just $2! You can join Love With Food HERE.

 

This post contains affiliate links. Subscription box purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information. 

 

 

Subscription Sunday | June Love With Food Box & Giveaway

Posted on by Adventures in Polishland

Happy Subscription Sunday! Today I have a new subscription box to share with all of you, and it is called the Love With Food Box! This box ranges from $10-12 per month depending on the subscription you purchase, and is filled with gourmet snack foods. I am always looking to try out some healthy snacks, and Love With Food describes its program as “health-full” so I new it would be perfect for me. They also provide many snacks that are all natural and vegetarian, which fit into my lifestyle as well. Love With Food also donates a meal to a hungry child for every box that is purchased, so that is a special, feel-good bonus with every box. Let me show you what I got in my first Love With Food box, and stay tuned for a surprise at the end!

 

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Here is what the Love With Food Box looks like when it arrives! While it looks tiny from the outside, I was really impressed with how many goodies were actually packed in there. June’s theme was Summer Bash, as you can see from the informational card. My one criticism of the box is that the card was very difficult to read when I flipped it over — I wish it was more “user friendly” or at least designed better. Moving right along, it’s time to show the food!

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Onto the first batch of treats! I’ll tell you more about each one from left to right.

  • Do More Bar in Pineapple Coconut – This gluten-free cereal bar is basically a healthy rice krispie treat! While the pineapple flavor was not my personal favorite, this bar was delicious. I had it with my coffee in the morning, and I would certainly consider purchasing more. 
  • SoyJoy Bar in Mango Coconut – This bar is all-natural and gluten-free, but it is definitely not my favorite! I disliked the taste and gritty texture, and would not buy more of these. I’m glad I got to try it, though, because I see these in the grocery store, and have always wondered if they were any good.
  • Turbana Sweet Plantain Chips – Yum! I love banana chips, and these plantain ones were just as delicious. I love how thinly they were sliced, and the touch of sweet flavor made these all-natural chips perfect for my sweet tooth. I would definitely purchase a full size bag of these!
  • Seaweed Love Roasted Seaweed in Olive Oil – I was nervous to try this seaweed, which basically looks like kale chips, but boy was it yummy! The aftertaste was horrible, but I would definitely buy these again so long as I could brush my teeth directly afterwards. This was the biggest surprise of the box!

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Still some more goodies to go! This box sure holds a lot!

  • Flavrz Drink Mix in Citrus Hibiscus – This organic drink mix turns your water into a refreshing fruit juice! I was not a big fan of the citrus flavor, but I like the concept behind this mix.
  • Smooze Fruit Ice in Coconut Mango – It seems Love With Food was really into mango and coconut flavors this month! I absolutely love this fruit ice from Smooze! It was perfect to come home to after a hot summer day. Plus, it’s nice to have a frozen treat that is all natural and not filled with nasty preservatives. 
  • Surf Sweets Organic Fruity Bears –  These are the best gummy bears I’ve ever had in my life! Not only are they organic, all-natural, and vegan (no gelatin here!), but they were so soft and juicy. I didn’t feel as if they were going to take out all my fillings like some other gummy treats. I would purchase these in a heartbeat! 
  • GoOrganic Hard Candies in Apple and Blood Orange – I loved these organic hard candies! They tasted just like fruit juice! Very yummy, and all natural!
  • Pür Gum in Pomegranate Mint – I was happy to receive a pack of gum in my Love With Food box, especially one that is made with natural ingredients! I’m loving the pomegranate mint flavor, and I would definitely consider purchasing more.

Overall, my Love With Food box was filled with lots of goodies! It’s difficult to determine the retail value of this box, but I’m guessing it was somewhere around $10 based on the prices for the full size foods. I was lucky enough to score my first box for just $2 using the promo code FBGIFT, so if you are going to join make sure to try that first! You can join HERE!

Love With Food also included a $50 gift card to nakedwines.com in my box. I decided to pass this gift card along to one of my followers! This giveaway does have some restrictions, so please read through the following very carefully:

  • Who can enter: US residents who are 21 years of age or older, and live in one of the states accepted by nakedwines.com. Click HERE for the full list of states.
  • What you win: a $50 gift card to be used on any purchase of at least $51. There is a separate $9.99 shipping charge on orders of $100 or less.
  • Other details: this giveaway is open until next Subscription Sunday, July 7, 2013. I will verify every entry, and any false entries will result in disqualification.

 To enter the giveaway, please enter on Rafflecopter by using the following link: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Let me know what you think of the Love With Food Box, and good luck to all entering the giveaway!

This post contains some affiliate links. Subscription box purchased by me. All opinions are my own. See my Disclosure Policy for more information.