Review and Giveaway: New Moon Kitchen


New Moon Kitchen is a Toronto-based vegan bakery founded by Eden Hertzog, in 1997, at the ripe old age of twenty! While I was barely making it to my home-room class, Eden was baking up a storm selling her goodies to friends and family. Little did she know she was creating a monster. A cookie monster that is! Mmmm, cookies!

It is no wonder Eden jumped right into becoming a “baker babe”, she’s good at it. Really, really good at it. In fact, when it comes to finding healthy cookies at your local grocery store or health food store, you are faced with a selection of bland, hard cookies that resemble a sporting disc you’d find at a high school track meet.

The list of ingredients read like something you’d find in your pantry and not in a science lab. There is nothing tasteless about these cookies.

See for your self….

All the cookies are:
Dairy and egg free
Cholesterol free
Free from preservatives
Trans Fats free
Vegan
either made with Organic Spelt Flour or Organic Brown Rice Flour (Gluten-free)

When I received the eight boxes of New Moon Kitchen cookies and Crunch this! granola, my first instinct was to tear open the boxes and dig in. Once I reminded myself that I actually needed to write a review I came up with a plan.

1)    Take picture of cookies and granola……check.


2)    Pour myself a glass of water so I clean my palate between cookies…….check.
      3)    Open 1 box at a time and only eat 1 cookie from each box…errrr. 

Chocolate Chip “Best-in-the-whole-wide-world”
I ate three right off the bat. My plan has started off on the wrong foot. But boy-oh-boy aren’t these the best chocolate chip cookies EVER! Hence the name, “Best-in-the-whole-wide-world.”
New Moon Kitchen’s Chocolate Chip cookie was the very first cookie I tried of theirs….and the only one of theirs I’ve ever tried. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Right? I’ve just never been able to go past the perfectness of this chocolate chip cookie. The hubby agrees. He devoured the rest during one of his midnight pantry-attacks leaving me the very last cookie. I may never get over that. Everyone I know who’s tried these Chocolate Chip cookies agree that these are in fact the, “Best-in-the-whole-wide-world.”


At last I am moving past the Chocolate Chip cookie and entering an unknown territory. This could get ugly. Highly unlikely with New Moon Kitchen’s track record.

Spicy Chocolate “Love Bites”
At first you might be asking, “Chipotle pepper in a chocolate chip cookie?” Yes, chipotle pepper in a chocolate chip cookie! The smooth chocolate seemingly blends with the spiciness of the chipotle pepper which pleasantly sneaks up on you (a little tingle in your ear) just as you finish this moist and chewy delight.  Love Bites is chocolate and spice and everything nice!   

Coconut-Chocolate “Mackies”
I am a big fan of macaroons. Maybe too much of a fan! I can easily scarf down half a tray from my local bakery counter. New Moon Kitchen’s Mackies are no exception. Actually, they are much moister than the “regular” macaroons that I have been enjoying for years. How do they do it? A vegan, gluten-free (Organic Brown Rice Flour), moist macaroon? Beats me! All I know is, Mackies are too die for! Bits of shredded coconut and chocolaty goodness rolled up in a bite sized dream. Yum-o!

Ginger “Snappers”
Hello fresh ginger! Unlike almost all ginger snap cookies I’ve tried Snappers are moist, a little chewy and bursting with fresh ginger. Yes, I said “fresh” not stale ground powder ginger but real gingerroot! My son LOVED this one and as did I. A great pick-me-up if you suffer from nausea due to hypoglycemia. I wish I knew about Snappers when I was pregnant.

Oatmeal “Goldies”
A traditional oatmeal cookie made absolutely perfect! I’m definitely going to pick-up a box for my dad who loves oatmeal cookies. These Goldies are made with much higher quality ingredients than the “commercial” brand my dad’s been buying for years. Watch out papa, I’m going in for the switch!

Chocolate-Espresso “Mokas’
Being of Italian background I was particularly excited to try the Mokas, seeing that it is made with freshly ground espresso. An Italian staple. The first thing I noticed was the ground espresso granules and than a pleasant bold aroma which reminded me of a freshly brewed doppio. All I needed was a Vespa and I would be Audrey Hepburn  in Roman Holiday. Simply delectable.  


Chocolate “MoMints”
This cookie reminds me of the Junior Mint Seinfeld episode. You remember the one? When Kramer accidently drops a Junior Mint in Elaine’s ex-boyfriend Roy’s body while he is undergoing a splenectomy.  Everything in life can be related to a Seinfeld episode. Is this why the cookie is called “MoMint” meaning “moment.” Could be. Only Eden would know. Either way I am loving the fresh peppermint and the striking chocolate taste from this chewy brownie-like cookie. Try it with a loose leaf peppermint tea or an ice cold mojito! (non-alcoholic of course! wink, wink)

Seed and Raisin ‘Bite Me’
My 17 month-old son Jackson, really liked the ‘Bite Me’ cookie. Maybe he was trying to tell me something. Things to make you go hmmm.  I enjoyed this one with a chamomile tea curled up in bed with a book.

Crunch this! granola
At last a granola that I can actually recommend to my clients. Thank-you New Moon Kitchen!  They’ve done it and they’ve done it exceptionally well. Oats, Organic Kamut, Organic Millet, Organic Spelt flour, dried currants, brown flax seeds and cinnamon are just a few of the real food ingredients that make up this superb granola. Crunch this! granola is now a staple in my home and already being introduced into my client’s homes.

Here’s a recipe I came up with: 

Quickie, Crunchy, Breakie
1 cup Liberte Goat’s Milk Yogourt
½ cup Freshly sliced local strawberries (Foodland Ontario)
½ cup Crunch this! granola
drizzle of 100% pure agave nectar

Layer yogurt, strawberries, granola and agave nectar. Enjoy for breakfast, a snack or for dessert! Yum-o!

New Moon Kitchen cookies are delicious, moist, made with the finest ingredients, vegan and truly addictive. Their Crunch this! granola is the best I’ve ever had and a must for every kitchen pantry.

The mooners at New Moon Kitchen are giving away a box of their Chocolate Chip and Snappers cookies. As well as a few individually wrapped cookies (your choice) and Crunch this! Granola.  Yay, for New Moon Kitchen!

To Enter

Become a
My Wholesome Home blog follower and visit New Moon Kitchen and leave a comment here about your favorite product or something you learned about the product and/or company.

Extra Entries (leave a separate comment for each one):

* Blog about this contest 

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@mywholesomehome on Twitter and tweet this giveaway, leaving a link to your tweet in the comments. You can tweet once per day (leave a comment each day). You can copy and paste my tweet if you'd like: Win a @NewMoonKitchen Gift Pack at @mywholesomehome http://bit.ly/bt0q3d  #giveaway
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If you posted on your blog, Twitter or Facebook page (one entry each per day) be sure to include it in your post so I can check it out and also so I can return the follow.


Canada and US Postal addresses only.

You must do the first entry in order to enter.
 

You will have until Tuesday July13th at 11:59pm EST to enter.
 

The winner will be chosen via random number generator (www.random.org) the next day and notified by email. I'll also post the winners on my blog in the comments below. If I don't hear back from the winner within 72 hours, I'll pick another.

Good luck!


Stay connected with New Moon Kitchen on their website and by following Eden's blog.  






Disclosure: I received products from New Moon Kitchen for review purposes only.



Eden Organic Food Company [Review and Recipe] : Kamut & Quinoa Twisted Pair pasta


I was delighted when I found out Eden Organic Food Company was sending me a box of their Kamut & Quinoa Twisted Pair pasta. They even included a bunch of recipes to try. I went with the Twisted Pair Gemelli with Spinach & Tomatoes because my son, Jackson, loves spinach and because I already had a can of their Eden Organic Diced Tomatoes.

 My country table (a.k.a. my pantry) is filled with Eden Organic Pastas. It is the number one pasta I serve to my family and am always recommending their products to my clients.



 


Twisted Pair Gemelli with Spinach & Tomatoes
Ingredients
12 ounces Eden Organic Kamut & Quinoa Twisted Pair® Gemelli, 1 package
2 Tablespoons
Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon
Eden Sea Salt, or to taste
2 cups spinach, packed and chopped
1/2 cup
any Eden Organic Diced Tomatoes, drained, reserving 1 cup tomato cooking liquid

Directions
Cook pasta as package directs. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet and sauté the garlic and onion for 4 to 5 minutes. 

Add the crushed red pepper, salt, spinach and tomatoes. Sauté 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato cooking liquid. 


Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Season with black pepper and add extra salt if desired.
Toss the pasta and vegetables until heated through.



Serve and enjoy!

Why I liked the Kamut & Quinoa Twisted Pair pasta:
1) Packed with Whole Grain goodness
Whole grains are excellent foods which are rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, fiber and essential nutrients. Here are some of the many benefits of whole grains.
1)    Weight Loss – Whole grains are Complex Carbohydrates; Complex Carbohydrates keep you satisfied for a longer period of time than simple carbohydrates thus making you eat less. Complex Carbohydrates also don’t have the same insulin effect as simple carbs do. Simple carbs release excess insulin which your body stores as fat.
2)    Beautiful skin and beautiful mood– Whole grains are high in B Vitamins. B Vitamins are known to help kick depression and give you glowing skin.
3)    Elimination – Whole grains contain a large amount of fiber. Your body needs fiber to move waste out of the intestines and into the toilet where it belongs.
4) Improve Bodily Functions – Whole grains help your body metabolize protein, release energy from muscles, protect your cells, keep your bowel movements regular, provide heart health and help relax your nervous system.


2) Kid friendly As you can see from the picture below my son really enjoyed his bowl of pasta. Only a few twisted gemelli's made it on the kitchen floor.

3) Kamut and Quinoa are two of my very favourite ancient grains
Kamut -   High energy grain, allergy-friendly grain and easily digested. 
Quinoa -   Known as “the mother of all grains”, quinoa is gluten-free (therefore easily digested) is a natural complete protein (this means that it has 8 essential amino acids). It is rich in magnesium, iron, calcium potassium, phosphorous and copper. Quinoa helps prevent cataracts, heart disease, gallstones, type 2 diabetes and childhood asthma.
 4) It's Wholesome, Organic and gentle to the Environment! As you know I am very conscious of what I put on my plate and especially on Jackson's plate. His developing system does not need to be overloaded with refined flour, sugar, sodium, preservatives, GMOs, pesticides and other nasty toxins.  Eden Organic Food Company delivers organic, non-GMO, GEO free, BPA-free, environmentally friendly, nutrient-dense, high-quality and delicious food for the whole family. Their products will continue to be a staple in my home for years to come.
To learn more about Eden Foods visit their website and subscribe to their eNewsletter to stay up to date on special offers . Don't forget to try one of their 981 recipes!