KUKPO Can Opener

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Growing up, my Mom had an electric can opener from the 70s.  Opened everything easily!  I think she may still have it at home.  That is one of the appliances that isn't necessary, but convenient.  I would rather have a manual one, but had yet to find one that worked well.  I think I have found a great option through an opportunity with Tomoson.

The KUKPO Can Opener is described as durable and easy to use and made of quality stainless steel.

 This is what we are using at home right now.  A classic Swing-Away manual can opener that I struggle with every time I use.  Maybe it has seen it's better days already, so I was happy to have been chosen to test the KUKPO out.

Always wash the tops of your cans before opening!

The KUKPO Can Opener opened up the can of soup with ease.  From the first cut into the can, I was able to turn the opener across without any issues. I was wondering how this would cut the can, thinking that it would do a side cut that you have to pop off, but this opens cans the standard way with the cut into the interior edge.  You can use the top end of the opener to pry open the lid and remove the contents.

While this claims to suitable for people with arthritis or parkinson's, consult a physician about what types of tools would work best for you with these conditions.  This was easier to use than the Swing-Away we have and will reach  for the KUKPO from now on.

Cost: $18.95 via Amazon and Prime is available

#KUKPO

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.

Naturalico Jump Rope

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Who remembers jumping rope in elementary school?  We also had the American Heart Association 'Jump For The Heart' program in school and I wanted that sparkly jump rope prize.  I think I still have that rope at my parents house somewhere.  Fast forward to about 4 years ago, I began to crossfit was introduced to a speed rope jump rope and consecutive double unders.  OUCH! This definitely takes patience and practice to get down.  Naturalico sent me a rope to test out and I wanted to compare the 3 that I have used to compare.

Included are the rope, instructional card and carrying bag

Instructions are helpful! 

 The other ropes that I had purchased didn't come with instructions.  I had to rely on the coaches to help me get the rope sized correctly.  The instructions laid out a process to get you at a good length based on your height.

Measure twice, cut once.  Well in my case, I didn't have the right/sharp enough tools to cut the excess off after I measured.  You really need some strong wire cutters to get a clean cut before you cap off.

The extra length did not get in the way while I was jumping so its not too bothersome until I can get something to cut it.  I was able to do double unders with the same precision as the other ropes I have  (I'll have a video update of me jumping soon!).  I tested out singles and double unders indoors in my home and did not have any issues hitting the ceiling.  Watch out for floors though, especially if you have hardwood, you may need to put a mat under to protect.

Jumping rope is a great way to get cardio in and you can make it low impact with fast singles.  The trick to double unders is all about the wrist action and keeping your arms close to your body.  Also, listen for the distinct tap-tap sound as the rope hits the ground during the double revolution and use that sound to guide your hands to turn the rope.  This rope does hurt if you hit yourself.  It isn't pleasant and you really have to work to NOT get smacked.  I'm no pro and still get injured sometimes.

Overall I was very pleased with this rope and it is comparable to ones I paid twice the price for. What's also nice is there is a carrying bag!  I love products that have accompanying storage.  If you are interested in getting a speed rope, this is an affordable option.

Cost: $15.99 on Amazon and Prime is available

#jumpropecrossfit

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.

Quorn Foods

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Another great brand that I had the opportunity to try out through Tomoson.  I had actually already tried the last product featured, but definitely wanted to include it in this review.  Quorn is a meat alternative that is soy free.  I was happy to finally see something that wasn't soy based because my GI can't handle a lot of soy products.  Even with a sensitivity to dairy, I still choose milk over soy milk in some of my coffee drinks since most of the bigger chains don't carry non-soy milk choices.  

Here is some info on Quorn that they provided in their product description.

Quorn Foods is the premier producer of meat alternative products worldwide. Based in the UK, our products have been sold in the US for about 12 years now. Quorn's products are made from a naturally occurring protein in the fungi family. The protein is harvested in the fermentation process similar to brewing beer. Because our products are soy-free, they're naturally non-GMO and have a superior taste and texture to other meat alternatives. Compared to meat, Quorn has about half the calories and fat yet is very high in fiber and protein. All products are frozen make a wonderfully easy, healthy substitution in all your favorite recipes. We're certain you'll love Quorn!

Emily from Quorn kindly sent me 3 coupons to choose the product of my liking.  I conveniently bought all the Quorn items at Target.

First up, the Chik'n Nuggets.  If you know me, my go to junk meal is a McD's Happy Meal with nuggets.  Aka Franken-nuggets.  

Take note that these products do contain eggs and wheat.  Not for those who are vegan and/or gluten-free.

I'm about heat and eat sometimes, especially if its a snack.  One serving is 4 nuggets.  That is a snack size to me!

Not the best to nuke your food, but its about convenience sometimes!

Not too bad looking.  The coloring is presentable and these tasted pretty good.  Mind you I did dip these in some ranch for flavor.  I would definitely purchase these again.

Next up, the Chik'n Cutlets.  I was so hungry when I prepared this, I decided to go the quick route again.  I think I would have had much better luck if I seasoned these and cooked them on the stove.

The coloring wasn't great after microwaving.  They had a cutlet appearance, but lacked a good brown coloring after.  The texture of these was a bit more spongier than the nuggets, maybe because of its larger size  

I added this to a salad mix and it was pretty good.  Gave me the protein I was looking for and to have a meat product to the plain salad.  I still have the other half of the package and will be testing this out again.

Last up, the Grounds.  Similar to ground meat, these can be used in a variety of ways.  Like I noted earlier, I had used these before in almost the same recipe.  Pasta with alfredo sauce.  I wanted something hearty to eat for lunch yesterday and now have leftovers for the week.

I did saute the grounds with some garlic prior to adding them to the sauce.  This gave the grounds a bit more flavor.

I also added 1/4 C of mozzarella cheese to make this creamier and it was delicious!  

Overall, I am definitely pleased with the Quorn products I tried.  I would like to see how these would work in some Filipino dishes and have my parents taste test to see if they like it.  While I do still eat red meat, poultry and seafood, this is a great product to include in mix.  Especially for my parents who should be eating less meat and be more plant based.  One drawback is the texture.  I don't mind it, but it may be something acquired to others.  Also, these products may not be easily found.  All the Targets around me carry these items and I have access to one 5 minutes away from me.  If you are having any issues or just want to check where you can find it in our area, take a look at their website http://www.quorn.com/.

#MyQuorn

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review. 

BakeItFun Baking Mat

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I was excited to finally try a silicone baking mat.  Through Tomoson, I was given the chance to try one out from Bakeit Fun.  This non-stick silicone coated fiberglass mat is oven, microwave and frezer safe.  You can also clean this off in the dishwasher.  This half mat size, 11"x16.5" fits a 13"x18" pan. 

I wanted to try out a homemade cookie recipe and a pre-made recipe.  I did two batches one morning.  The homemade recipe was a sugar cookie and the other was a pre-made pack was one I picked up from Grocery Outlet. The Target OneSpot had this cute sugar set and it was only $3!  I also grabbed a cute double heart cookie cutter.  

The mat fit perfectly in a standard baking sheet.  The circles on the mat are for measuring circumference to detail, especially if you are making French macarons.  The numbered marks on each side are helpful for specific measurements.

First up to bake were these.  And let me say, these cookies are hella good.  I kept this to just two cookies after I baked.  Haha! 

What I really liked about this mat was the cookies just slid right off!  Some cookie recipes call for baking on an ungreased sheet, but then they're stuck.  There's so much waste when it comes to using foil and parchment paper.  With the Bakeit Fun mat, you bake and just wash and dry when you're done.  

The next batch were cute and fun Vday sugar cookies!  I think I made them too thick, but they turned out delicious.  No stuck cookies again, I was able to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack easily and these were perfect!

Another plus to the Bakeit Fun silicone baking mats is that they are BPA-Free.  I'm all about finding items that are safe!  

You can find this mat and other sizes on Amazon and Prime is available!

#siliconebakingmat

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.

Island Vibrance Coconut Colon Cleanse

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As a preface - with any types of medication or supplements, please consult a doctor before you proceed, especially if you are already on any other medications.  I will note that I did not consult with a physician and tested this product out for 2 weeks.  In comparison to other procedures and supplements, I wanted to see how my body would react and if there was any difference in what was expelled.  

I don't normally test out supplements and it was on a whim that I applied for Island Vibrance Coconut Colon Cleanse and I was approved.  I thought it was worth a shot to see if I felt any difference in my gut.  I know I should limit the intake on grain and dairy, but cheese is a weakness of mine and I definitely feel the sickness from consuming after. 

The directions state to take 2 pills twice a day with plenty of water.  These are regular sized capsules and I had no issues swallowing since most of my supplements are already pretty large.  I first started out doing one dose in the AM and one in the PM.  One of the ingredients listed is senna.  If you have any sensitivity to senna, be warned.  My stomach is pretty sensitive to begin with so when I started with the twice a day dosage, I experienced sharp stomach pains which I linked to the intake of senna which left me feeling bloated.  Even after lowering the dosage to 1 pill a day in the second week, I was still having the painful bloating in my lower stomach and I decided to stop.  I did notice that I did have a couple more movements than normal, but no big change in feeling emptier or cleansed. Testing out this product was worth a try, but did not work well with me.

#IslandVibrance

This product was obtained through Tomoson.  I have not been monetarily compensated for this item. My write up of this product reflects my own opinion after a trial period and have provided an honest review.