The Most Stylish, Modern, & Functional Water Bottle on the Planet -- Ello's Syndicate Glass Water Bottle

I'm one of the many folks who love a unique, interesting water bottle (like the one here from Ello Products) since I'm an on-the-go kind of girl who either carries her beverage around in a travel-safe water bottle or doesn't drink her water. That's because I'm rarely in one place for very long throughout my day...

So, I'm here to introduce you other on-the-go folks -- who like to carry their water or other beverage in a unique, safe bottle -- to the Ello water bottle!

Ya'll know me, I'm all about sharing something I love here on Ribbons and Pearls, and when I share something I love, I also share a lot of images of that something. So, bear with me and just be happy that you have so many photos of the awesome Ello to cast your gaze upon while you read my review. 

The Syndicate Glass Water Bottle features a removable strap for carrying, which  makes it even easier to lug around.

I've become quite the water-bottle enthusiast over the last few years as I've been trying to find a great match for me and my needs -- you know, besides that pesky need of having water. 

From spills on my pants to spills in my purse (I sometimes have to carry my bottle in my purse), I've been through it all, and decided not only was it time I found myself a water-bottle that was interesting to look at, but also one that was actually functional and reliable. An ol' trusty who I could place my faith in holding the water so I could later drink it, rather than have it end up in my purse (have you ever seen mascara and keys try to swim amongst the other contents in an oversized handbag? I have. I sadly, sadly have.)

Aside from becoming my ol' trusty, I'm impressed with Ello Products because they are a "clean" and "green" company that uses eco-friendly materials. And well, I do like my water, but I am also very fond of not drinking water that may contain BPA, and I'm always looking to be a more eco-friendly kind of gal..

And really, who could resist the awesome, modern, stylish designs offered by Ello? Pink netting-like stuff wrapped around a nice, BPA-free glass bottle? I was all in.

And besides that, the lid has a unique way of preventing my mascara and other purse goodies from having to sink or swim... in a purse full of water, again.

  I was lucky enough -- and the folks at Ello Products were kind enough to toss me a bone . . . er, I mean a bottle -- and now the water bottle and I have become a lovely, totally carry-able, non-spill-able, stylish duo. The water bottle is those things -- such as non-spillable -- not me. I'm just the other part of the duo. And I am not non-spillable. I  am BPA free, though, now that I'm not drinking water that it has leached into!

This bottle is from Ello's Hydration line -- and it's called the Syndicate Glass Water Bottle.

 Before I go on, let me share with you how many times my spouse has said "I wish it came in blue too!" 

It does. 

Ello Products actually carries these in an awesome, light blue color, as well as teal, grey, and coral!

The one-touch flip cap is one of the most impressive features, aside from the things I mentioned above (like the bottle being BPA free, glass, cute and travel-friendly).

You press that pink button (like you see me doing in the photo above and below) an the lid springs open like a frog jumping from a dirty pond.

Notice the pretty pink circular piece on the top of the clear, plastic lid -- that thing creates suction so when you press the button, it un-suctions with an oddly satisfying pop...More about that in a second.

Ta-da! 

This also means it locks securely when closed. 

When the lid pops open, it makes the "pop" sound I mentioned, which is very satisfying to people who enjoy that sound. Someone I know has spent a lot of her time making the lid pop open because she loves the sound it makes.

The pink, silicone sleeve that encases the glass water bottle is not only really cute and fun to look at, but it also works as a grip -- helping you keep the bottle in your hand and not on the floor. 

And if it does hit the floor, the netting should help absorb some of the shock and keep your awesome bottle protected.

This silicone sleeve is removable, so you can take it off  when washing.

And of course, a company so dedicated to clean drinking made sure their outer "sleeve" is made of food grade silicone, so no worries with unhealthy materials in any Ello product. That makes me a happy girl. 

Almost as happy as the pop sound I get to experience each time I open the lid.

In this photo of the water bottle from Ello Products, I've crammed my finger behind the silicone encasing to show you the flexibility of it.

The bottle is dishwasher safe (including the silicone sleeve) and is great for cold drinks, but not for hot drinks or for freezing cold ones. 


I love it! I adore it.

I use the Syndicate Glass Water Bottle to carry around my water every single day. I'm not even joking. I have it sitting next to me right now. I've not put it down (except when drying) the entire time I've had it, which has been around 2 months.

If I want to keep hydrated, I have to fill a bottle with water and keep it next to me, to remind me to drink it throughout the day -- this has been my routine forever, so it's important that the bottle I use holds a lot of water.

 The Syndicate Glass Bottle holds about as much as I usually consume in a one-day period. I occasionally refill it once more before the day's over. So, this is handy for me as I am not always around clean water to fill it with.

I have to say, Ello Products have some of the most interesting, stylish, and fun drink ware I've yet to see, and I am totally diggin' the pink Syndicate Bottle. Cannot get enough of it!

Specs:

• Ello Products are my BFF because all of their products are BPA-free, have intriguing designs while being totally functional for every day, long-term use.

• The Syndicate Glass Bottle is travel-friendly, completely "locks" and prevents any spills -- even tiny droplets, holds about enough water for an entire day's worth, for me and it is adorable!

Have you guys seen the drink ware from Ello Products? Do you have an Ello BFF, too? If so, which and what are your favorites? I'm totally eyeballing their awesome coffee bottles, too!

This review and all reviews here on Ribbons and Pearls are in compliance with the FTTC guidelines. I recieve no monetary compensation, but a prouct in exchange for a completely honest review. Each review is my honest opinion.  See my disclosure page and honesty pledge for more info on sponsored reviews!

No Bake 3 Ingredient Healthy Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Bars!

Update: This peanut butter bar recipe post has received so much attention in the last weeks that I've been getting emails galore from many of you who've taken the time to share your outcome with me.

I just finished reading an email from a lovely reader named Missy saying that she made these as a last minute snack to stash in her husband's lunch box, who works as a driver for Titan because he's often on the road for long periods of time and has been trying to substitute his frequent junk food-snacking with something a bit healthier.

Missy said when he called her for their nightly "good-night call," he was raving about the new snack in his box, saying that he  could eat them all day long, "'specially since they don't make me tired" like the greasy chips and fried foods he's accustomed to.

"I'm so thrilled to have finally found a healthier snack that'll hopefully keep him from this road to diabetes. Hubby is leaving out again in the morning and has already asked when I'll be making more of the bars."

It warmed my heart to read such a positive story about something as simple as these peanut butter bars. "This time, I'll have to save myself a couple, and I'm not even a fan of peanut butter!" Missy said in her email to me. 

 I want to thank all of you (and you, Missy!) for your kind words, for sharing my post and most of all, for sharing your stories with me, like my friend Missy has. 

They really make my day.

 I will be responding to each email individually, but please be patient as I try to get each of you.

 Lately, as my exercise routine has enhanced (and hopefully, so has my muscle mass!), it seems my hunger has skyrocketed. I've been finding myself craving a little something long before dinner time, and some days, even after dinner! I haven't been staying as "full" lately as I used to, and am having sugar cravings galore.

Therefore, I decided to create a "snack" that I could eat throughout the day that's both filling and somewhat healthy.

I'm cheap. I'm easy. And I'm quick.

So I wanted a recipe to match.

I don't like to cook, I don't have much spare time on my hands to cook anything that takes longer than 10-20 minutes. I needed something that ...
1. Required little to no cooking.
2. Could pack quite a filling punch for me and my seemingly bottomless pit gut,
3. Something that required ingredients I already had on hand (what can I say, I was hungry!)
4. Something that wouldn't be too harsh on my health, and optional, but hopefully, something that I could probably make a large batch of and eat on a regular basis, whenever the breakthrough hunger or cravings strike.

I typically crave chocolate and cakes and all things sugary, but desperately want to eat healthy. So, I went in search for the quickest, tastiest, somewhat healthiest recipe I could find that only required a few ingredients, and ingredients I had on hand (which wasn't many!)

I found this very basic recipe: 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Bars --  found on Spark People, and submitted by user LEXRAP -- and I tweaked the hell out of it until it was just what I needed. 

Let me just say, I absolutely adore these peanut butter bars. They are the perfect filling snack to not only curb my hunger and cravings, but keep me from feeling too run down while working. The omegas and protein-filled ingredients I've added make these bars great for some mid-day pep. I can eat them at all hours of the day and night, and find myself excited to eat them every time I make a new batch. And the best part, these are a total success for keeping my bouts of hunger away, day or night.

Makes 20 bars

- 1 Cup of Peanut Butter
- 3 Cups of Oats I used instant oats because it's what I had on hand.
- 1/2 Cup of Honey. If you don't have honey on hand (I ran out after making these bars 3 times in one week), then you can substitute with 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar.

There's your 3 ingredients to make the no-bake peanut butter bars!

What I start off with: Oats + the peanut butter in measuring cup. Small bowl of Multi-Grain Cheerio's in a side-bowl. The Cheerio's will be crushed and later added to the mix (but you don't have to crush them, or even add them for that matter.)  

 **All the ingredients are mixed together, in no specific order. I simply heat the peanut butter with the honey, or the honey-alternative (brown sugar + milk)**

Here's my healthy additions or "tweaks" as optionals:

From left: Hemp Pro powder, Cheerio's, Peanut butter+brown sugar, milk (in Check Into Cash cup. LOL), Oats & Mila/Chia seeds

And again, so you really get the idea.

Super Close-Up of Mila + Oats

-(Optional) Hemp protein, or hemp fiber or hemp seeds. I've used all. The seeds are delicious, and they give the bars more texture.  

Adding the Hemp powder

 

-(Optional) Chia or Mila Seeds. I use Mila right now since they're small bits so they don't stick in my teeth as badly as chia, and because that's what I had on hand, but Chia seeds are just as well.

-(Optional) Cereal. Crushed up, or whole. I used old Cheerios (the kind with the 3 different flavors, including wholegrain) that just happened to be sitting around for the last month because I wanted to make a snack that was as filling (and healthy) as possible. The Mila/Chia seeds, hemp and cereal make this a more filling snack than it would've otherwise been without them. 


I chose to crush my Cheerios into smaller bits. I just prefer it that way, but you can just toss in the whole bits of cereal if you prefer. I simply place about 1/2  cup of Cheerios in a bag, then use whatever is close by to crush them into smaller bits before tossing them into the mixture and stirring things up. 

Inside the bag -- the freshly crushed Cheerios, which made for the perfect little bitty crunch and added texture!

Melt the peanut butter and honey just until smooth, either in the microwave or stove top. Give the two ingredients a stir, then fold in the oats (and crushed or whole cereal pieces). Mix ingredients together.

So golden, chewy and delicious!

Shake The Crave Review & Free Sample Offer

Updated on 7/29/2014 (update at very bottom)

   

Shake the Crave is a healthy, filling shake that taste like dessert, and is intended to fill and curb cravings. Not only that, but Shake the Crave is supposed to help boost energy levels (since the glucose converts into ATP, which gives you energy) and may also provide some mental clarity to some folks.

Shake the Crave is a powdered drink mix made from 100% pure ingredients that you add to a glass of milk, designed by one of my favorite companies for health and skincare products -- Trusted Health Products, whom I've reviewed for in the past. Shake the Crave, with only 0.5 grams of fat is designed to fill you up, boost energy and help you feel full longer. Plus, it's only 120 calories and a pure, delicious experience.

Since Shake the Crave comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors. You get 1.16 pounds of Shake the Crave powder per container, which is 15 servings per container. They each come with a handy scooper inside for easily measuring out your portions. One serving is just one scoop, so it's a quick process.

 I love Shake the Craving because it helps satisfy my seemingly never ending, annoying craving for sweets, even though it only contains 20 grams of sugar. 

I much prefer healthy versions of sweets, and this totally does the trick.  An added bonus is the natural sugar in Shake the Crave converts to glucose, which fuels ATP production in the body, giving you energy mentally and physically. Just what I like -- good, clear thinking and plenty of energy to not only use my brain as well as I can (my job requires a lot of brain use!), but also be active and feel good throughout the day and while doing physical activity.

  

      My Thoughts after trying Shake the Crave:
I have a nearly intolerable craving for sweets, and always have. So, upon trying Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor, I was surprised at how satisfying the taste is. I'd have never been able to tell, on taste alone that this shake is any kind of healthy product meant to curb cravings and not some sugar-filled drink.

 Taste (Chocolate Version)

The chocolate Shake the Crave tastes resembles a cup of cold hot chocolate, but better. If you've ever had a cup of cold chocolate (instead of hot) then you can easily imagine the taste of Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor.  There are some nuances, of course between this healthy shake and your typical hot chocolate. For instance, there's a subtle minty-ness to it, which is refreshing.

I don't know about you, but I've always added at least 2 packets of cocoa powder to my mug of hot chocolate because if I didn't, it  always tasted watered down. 

Shake the Crave chocolate, on the other hand is surprisingly very flavorful. It's thicker than your typical hot chocolate. While probably not quite as sweet as a cup of sugary hot chocolate, it's still plenty sweet enough. When tasting just the powder, I detected something a bit savory or salty, and expected the shake to be very dull, unsweet and either with that icky vitamin-y taste that most shakes have, or too watery.

Let's just say the the chocolate shake is delicious enough that I left the brownie I had in my plate untouched. The chocolate shake was enjoyable enough that I preferred it over the brownie I'd been looking forward to all day.

Taste (Vanilla flavor)

The vanilla Shake the Crave was far more delicious than I expected since I typically prefer chocolate or strawberry flavors when it comes to shakes and ice cream. But, with the real vanilla flavor to it, I enjoyed the vanilla about as much as the chocolate.  There's just nothing quite like the sweet, yummy flavor of real vanilla, especially if it's a shake or ice cream. If you love real vanilla ice cream, then you'll no doubt love Shake the Crave in that flavor. It contains real vanilla bean, which is noticeable due to the tiny black specs in it. Once I saw those specs, I just knew it was the real deal. 

Like the chocolate, the vanilla is plenty sweet without any funky taste to it as you might expect with a healthy version of a shake. You won't ever be able to tell it isn't a typical shake, even though it isn't loaded with sugar. 

My results with the vanilla Shake the Crave seemed just a tiny bit different than when I'd tried the chocolate a day before. I was extra hungry on the day I used vanilla, so my hunger did not stay away for longer than a good hour before I gave in and finally ate. It did, however take care of my sweet-tooth, which normally lasts long after I've eaten sugar laden foods, so this is really wonderful.

 

 Does it Keep My Cravings Away? I'm feeling like Shake the Crave might actually be the one. If it can satisfy my sweet tooth and keep the craving for more and more sweets at bay, then that could be life-changing for me.
We all know that one of the dirtiest things about processed sugar is that instead of fully satisfying us after one candy bar, it makes us crave more. That's upsetting to me because I want to enjoy something I love so much without it biting me in the rear like that. It almost feels like a dirty trick.
In my photo of the chocolate, I didn't even add the entire packet of Shake the Crave and before I could even blend the drink and take a photo, I had drank the once full glass close to half way down. I actually ended up refilling the glass to with a little milk and added in the rest of what was left in the packet to finish, after I took the photo. I was just taste-testing when I had to stop myself before I drank the entire glass.

Does it Make me Feel Full?Yes, but not so full that I feel like I'll pop. That's a good thing, though because if it did make you too full, the purpose would be defeated. You wouldn't want to move!
 I drank my first Shake the Crave, on a completely empty stomach, around dinner time. Since I knew I'd be feeling my hungriest, I thought it'd be a perfect time to put the shake to the test big time. I did end up letting my dinner sit for 3 hours, so the shake was great for filling me up. After a few hours, I had a very small portion of my dinner and didn't feel hungry again for another long while.
While the shake caused my appetite to subside pretty much entirely for a few hours, I think it could vary depending on the person. For someone who's used to eating a whole lot more than me, one shake might not keep actual hunger away for as long as it does me. It should definitely give the feeling of fullness and satisfaction, though.
One more thing I want to make note of in this section is that when I tried a hunger-curbing, weight loss shake in the past, it would give me a bloating sensation, which did keep me from scarfing down food, but once I felt hungry again, it seemed I was eating far more than I would've! It seemed to always have that effect on me, even if I had a meal before hand. Once the hunger came back, it was intense. That caused me to eat larger portions than what I normally would because I felt so starved.
After trying Shake the Crave, it seems when I find myself feeling hungry again, I hardly eat a full meal at one sitting. It may be that the shake is still lingering in my stomach after so long, and it's just taking a lot less food to fill me up. So it took 3 separate settings (within a 4 hour period) for me to finish my entire dinner. 

 

As for any added mental clarity or energy, I'm not 100% sure I had any changes there. Upon more frequent use, I would be able to better note the changes happening. Trusted Health Products does make mention of it taking longer for some people to notice results in how they feel and their energy or mental clarity levels. 

 
Directions:As you may see in my photos of the packets of Shake the Crave and the instructional paper, the directions say to add the powdered shake to 8 fl oz. of milk and blend on low  for 20 seconds, then 3 more seconds on high. Let sit for 1 minute and blend again, on low for 5 seconds and pour into glass. Then let it sit 1 more minute so ingredients can "rehydrate." Then, you finally get to drink it.
I'll admit, I didn't have time to do all that blending and sitting the first time I tried Shake the Crave, and I was so eager to taste it that I didn't wait. For the sake of doing it properly since I am reviewing Shake the Crave, I did follow instructions to a T the second time, when trying the vanilla flavor.
I can see why blending is useful since as you may notice in my photos, the powder doesn't mix in so well, but I sure didn't mind! It tasted fantastic and I just stirred with a straw.

Added Pros and Benefits of Shake the Crave:

⦁    Contains no artificial sweeteners, flavors, colors, preservatives, or isolated/synthetic vitamins.

• Good source of protein and calcium 
• Contains fiber and trace minerals, which explains why some people feel so great after using the shakes! Replacing the trace minerals that most of us are deficient in can change everything.

⦁    No gluten, soy, egg, GMOs, high fructose corn syrup, MSG, fillers or binders.

• Contains organic, non-fat dry milk from naturally raised cows 

(major kudos to Trusted Health Products for these factors!)

 Shake the Crave (Chocolate) Ingredients:Organic, unrefined cane sugar, organic non-fat dry milk, organic cocoa powder, organic coconut powder,  Electrolyte Blend (Potassium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride).

Shake the Crave (Vanilla) Ingredients:

Organic non-fat, dry milk, organic, unrefined cane sugar, organic coconut powder, organic ground vanilla bean, electrolytes from mineral salts (Potassium Citrate, Calcium Chloride, Sodium Bicarbonate, Sodium Sulfate, Potassium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride).

Something I adore about Trusted Health Products is that they have a lot of educational information about their products and more. For example, Shake the Crave has its own information including an article on "why diets don't work," which is useful because you can learn how to take care of yourself. The article mentions how diets are basically deprivation, usually and that is why they fail and why you tend to feel guilty or as if you've "cheated" when you indulge. I personally have never been a believer in depriving yourself of something you really love and enjoy eating, so I tend to prefer a moderation approach. Trusted Health Products says this is how dieting goes and why it fails: Motivation > Deprivation > Craving, Indulgence Guilt and Loss of Motivation.

The article talks about how diet foods tend to be filled with ingredients that aren't giving your body the nutrients it needs, which is where their product Shake the Crave comes in. It contains 100% pure ingredients, is so satisfying and you can enjoy your indulgence without going through the guilt cycle, which actually makes it even harder for you to lose weight (seriously, think Law of Attraction.)

* Try Shake the Crave vanilla and chocolate shake mix! For a limited time, the manufacturer is willing to offer my readers 2 free sample packets of Shake the Crave vanilla or chocolate shake mix. They said they would love to have readers try out Shake the Crave and agreed to send the 2 sample packets if our readers would pay a minimal shipping and handling charge of $4.95. This is a one-time only offer. Click here to get your 2 FREE sample packets now! (PLEASE NOTE: There's no shipping and handling charge for product reviewers. This  offer  is for any product review  reader that would like to try the product.) 

Like Shake the Crave on Facebook!

Visit the Shake the Crave website

Visit the Trusted Health Products website
Like Trusted Health Products on Facebook!
Like (one of my absolute favorites) OraMD on Facebook!

UPDATE (7/29/2014):

Since I loved everything about Shake the Crave so much that I could actually see myself benefiting greatly from the product, I've decided to go through with a 90 day challenge using Trusted Health Products' instructions, suggestions and their Shake the Crave product. 

Since today is only my first day, officially, of the challenge, I don't have any major results to post about, but I wanted to let my readers know that ya'll can stay tuned to see my regular updates on the program. 

Since Shake the Crave comes with a sort of "plan" to help you succeed, I've decided to follow that plan as closely as I can, which means I'll be making some minor changes to my lifestyle. I already exercise on a regular basis, including strength training, and I typically eat a pretty healthy diet, although I'm certainly no stranger to fast food. That's really the only part of my diet that isn't healthy. I tend to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, and of course I take many nutritionally supplements to keep myself in good health.

So, these changes shouldn't be too major for me. I'll probably pick up a bit more exercise and instead of having fast food when time doesn't allow for real food, I'll instead opt for Shake The Crave, which is what I've done tonight, actually.

I  hope you guys are excited as I am about this new journey! I'm hoping to tone things up a lot and gain more muscle, and be all around healthier. I also am hoping to use Shake the Crave to work my way out of this sweet tooth I engage so often. So far, it's working well.

As of tonight, the only update I have is that I think these taste better and better each time I have one. Secondly, I've had a few halved, mini red potatoes and a very tiny portion of steak tonight. I then had Shake the Crave in chocolate flavor and can tell I'll be full for a very long time to come. 

I'm looking forward to it! I hope you guys will follow me through this journey & if any of you take on a challenge like this one, please share. We can discuss our journies together. 

Update #2:

I've noticed I've been waking up feeling energetic rather than like passing back out the past couple of days. It wasn't until tonight that I went over in my head the changes I may have made to cause this. I believe I'm seeing the results that Shake the Crave can have -- a sense of well-being and more energy. It's been a long time since I've woke up with a clear head and felt instantly like starting my day as soon as I wake, so this is a great effect that I'm loving! I hope this continues to happen for me. Thought I'd include that in my update. 

Update (Tip for Added Satiety)
I've started adding 1-2 tablespoons of uncooked oatmeal to the shakes when I feel like I need a bit more to really feel "full." It's been incredibly useful, and staves off hunger way better. It also helps me to eat less when I have some right before a meal.

Disclaimer: I am not a specialist, expert, professional or doctor of any kind. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with any company mentioned on this site. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

Apollo's Extra Virgin, Organic Olive Oils Review

 Apollo Extra Virgin Olive Oil -- Review

Apollo Organic Olive Oils have been touted as the all-around best oils by many, and for good reason. Being the olive oil lover that I am, when I was told about the Apollo oils, I was intrigued enough to really want to try them for myself. Thanks to the very awesome folks at Apollo, I have had the blessing/opportunity to do so!  Just reading about the great flavors of them had my mouth watering, so I'll go ahead & share my pleasure with you guys! 

Trying the Apollo olive oils, I discovered one thing quickly -- they really do live up to their hype. I was not disappointed at all. After tasting the two olive oils I've had the pleasure to try, I found myself immediately finding myself in agreement with the rest of the Apollo oil lovers:  they are by far, the most outstanding olive oils I have ever had the opportunity to put in my mouth. I would actually go so far as to call these olive oils "luxurious."

I honestly expected great quality right off with Apollo because of all the hype! I mean, people are really in love with this stuff, but I didn't imagine myself being ga-ga over it, and here I am. Right there with them.

 These oils are really an olive oil-lovers dream, and I have no doubt that they'll be appreciated by even the most luxury olive oil users. Yea, it's that delicious. But enough raving, let's get into why. Let me help you experience the taste as much as possible without actually tasting it. I'll do my best!

I have the two biggest sellers from Apollo -- the Mistral Organic olive oil and the Sierra Organic olive oil. Both are certified organic (by California Certified Oil Farmers) and certified virgin by the California Olive Oil Council (impressive qualities!)

Both have their own wonderful flavors and qualities, so I'm not surprised that I'm finding it tough to love one over the other.  This is somewhat dependent on the dish, really.

Firstly, Apollo olive oils were impressive right off the bat due to their being organic (truly, and with proof!) and cold-pressed. I think it's obvious why organic is so sought after (and these days it's a job to find out if your olive oil is really olive oil, much less actually organic!), but we'll discuss the importance of cold-pressed in a moment.

Mistral Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil:

Mistral is made of french varieties grown in the rugged Sierra foothills. In fact, the Mistral oil is named "for the famed Provencal wind."

As the label says, it's "rich and rounded."

Mistral Organic is the one with the yellow coloring on the bottle. It was instant delish on my tongue upon first trying it, straight.  There was no doubt in my mind that the Mistral Organic would make any dish more pleasurable. I mean any. I enjoyed it simply by itself, for Pete's sake!  

It's the perfect salad olive oil and added something delicious to my chicken quesadilla last night!

The Mistral Olive Oil  is "light" intensity, so it's wonderfully smooth with a slight bitterness that wasn't noticeable each time I tried it, really. I love the hint of super fresh, bitter olive in my mouth, so this one is perfect in every way. It has also been described as "buttery," which I can notice when used on some foods.

Another added 'perk' I enjoy from Apollo Olive Oil is that they include, on the back of the bottle certain dishes the type of oil are most complimentary with. For instance, Mistral says that it enhances most seafood, mushrooms, salads and most white wine dishes. I cannot say much about seafood with olive oil because I'm not a fan, so I obviously don't love it, even with any oils. Either way, I couldn't imagine a seafood lover not loving the taste of their seafood combined with Mistral Organic.

Sierra Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil



Note the little pour-spout on the bottle lip.

Sierra Extra Virgin  

Organic olive oil -- the one with the green text on its bottle -- is more bitter than the Mistral. To me, it also has a more intense "green" & somewhat grassy taste (labeled "medium intensity), which brings an incredible amount of freshness to any dish. Along with some bitterness, Sierra also has a slight spice flavor to it, to me. This is not intense like other oils I've tried, though, and I prefer it to be subtle spicy and not intensely spicy.

The Sierra Oil is harvested from "decades old trees in the Sierra foothills."

I think the greenness in the Sierra olive oil's taste compliments most herbs, too, especially when used in a chip dip. I also adore the Sierra Oil for steamed vegetables -- really brings out some flavor in vegetables that were otherwise quite bland (greens, especially.)

Just as the Mistral bottle, the Sierra has a list of dishes that the oil compliments well. I love that because it gives you a good idea of what kind of oil you'd "need," depending on your style of food. Sierra says it's great with "hearty dishes" like soups, stew & pasta sauces.

Both Sierra & Mistral Olive Oils are very fragrant/aromatic.


My Favorites Apollo Olive Oil Recipes So Far:
Personally, one of my favorite ways to have the Sierra Olive Oil so far have been on meat. Add some herbs and holy heavenly taste-buds! 

 I adored the flavor of Sierra on steak and pork, and even grilled chicken (with garlic, a sprig from my fresh mint plants, and herbs like parsley, rosemary, etc.). It added the perfect helper to the dryness of the chicken, plus a very welcomed flavor boost.

Oh, Oh, Oh! Can't forget bread! These two olive oils are the best bread dips I have ever tasted & I've been known to really get down with some bread and olive oil dips! Herbs like parsley, oregano, some garlic, rosemary and a sprig from my mint plant -- all tossed in a dish with either of these oils made my night. 

In fact, I'm afraid this simple way of eating olive oil has ruined me for the rest of the measly oils in the world. I've had some great ones, and haven't ever met a quality olive oil/herb bread dip that I didn't adore, but there was nothing quite like it with the Apollo oils.

 I had to have a dip of both oils -- the Mistral (with added herbs to the oil) and one dish for dipping with the Sierra. I just kept going back and forth dipping one piece in Sierra, the next bite in Mistral!

 I even had Mistral with baked little red-skin potatoes, green peppers and thought it was amazing! I even loved corn on the cob smothered in the Mistral Organic oil.  I could literally have this stuff every day (probably on almost every food) and never get tired of it.  

Meredith's Sauce Gremolata found on the Apollo website will be our next try! It sounds perfect and only requires a few, easily found ingredients! I love when I can make a recipe easily, especially if the ingredients are already in the kitchen. This recipe, consisting of only lemon, Mistral, garlic and parsley is absolutely perfect! Plus, I can already almost taste the delicious-ness of those ingredients together.


B will be trying the Mistral grilled cheese recipe. We couldn't think of a dish he'd adore, so when I checked the Apollo website and seen grilled cheese as an option, I just knew that'd be his pick.

Either of the oils (added herbs just like with the bread dip) make a delicious snack with baked tortillas or tortilla chips. One of my absolute all time favorites. 

So, far, I've been using the Apollo Olive Oils on a different dish each night (sometimes more than one!) and have yet to not love whatever I've eaten it with, so this is some truly fabulous oil.

 Fantastic recipes using the fabulous Apollo Olive Oils can be found here.

 Reasons to Fall in Love with Apollo Olive Oils:

• - Certified organic.

• - Cold-pressed.

• - Amazing, delectable, unique flavors.

• - Olives are organic and hand-picked.

• - Olives are milled under vacuum to preserve highest nutrient & antioxidant levels. Milled under vacuum ensures higher polyphenol content. An interesting tid-bit: The mill used by Apollo is one of only 5 in the world!

You can even read about Apollo's entire milling process here. Awesome, huh?

• -Apollo Oils even have the date they were cold-pressed on the bottle! For example, the 2 I have says it was cold pressed in December 2013, which means this stuff is nice & fresh! Not old and stale and of lesser quality.

More pros include the dark glass bottle (important for good olive oil) and the oils came with a nice removable spout for pouring. Heck, the bottles themselves even have a little pour-spout (see photos) at the edge/lip, which prevents it from being so messy.

 Health Benefits of Olive Oil:

Olive oil is high in antioxidants and polyphenols, rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals -- if it's quality oil. Apollo Olive Oil says on the label that their olives contain a high content of both antioxidants and polyphenols.

Polyphenols help your memory stay sharp, minimizes risks for cardiovascular disease, reduce inflammation.

Polyphenols slow bone loss, which is a big plus for me!  Etc.

Antioxidants are anti-aging, they neutralize free radicals and help prevent damage (like that associated with cancer) from free radicals.

 Free radicals are a known contributor to health problems like: muscle and tissue degeneration, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. See how important antioxidants are now?

They also help prevent Cognitive impairment
Immune dysfunction
Cataracts
Macular degeneration
Alzheimer's
Antioxidants may even increase longevity and decrease oxidative stress.
Olive oil also helps reduce risk of gastric ulcers.



 

Other Olive Oil Remedies:

• Removes earwax build-up! Simply use a dropper to insert the oil into ear canals. I've used this (and coconut oil) to successfully, safely and natural (isn't that the best!) cure ear mites in my pets!

• Helpful for virtually all skin conditions (eczema, psoriasis, cracked skin, diaper rash, any dry-skin condition, etc.) Also helpful for some skin infections.

• Helpful in removing Staphylococcus aureus  from colonized Atopic Dermatitis (often used with coconut oil) Source: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/586673

•  Olive oil has been known to help with symptoms of IBS and candidiasis, which most of you know I suffered from severely.  It helps with constipation, inflammation of the digestive system, etc.

• Olive oil is used in the Hulda Clark parasitic cleanse protocol for tapeworms.

• Can't forget oil-pulling! Olive oil is one of my two favorite oils (and coconut) for oil-pulling, and I've discussed that a lot here, in other posts. Since Apollo oils are cold-pressed, organic and such high quality, they would be ideal for oil pulling. But I've yet to be able to bring myself to use it and spit it out, so oil-pulling with it will be something I might try eventually, but as for now, I'll stick with eating it.

 What's Considered "Quality" Olive Oil & What to Look For

Equally as important as taste, also nutritition of an olive oil is of great importance to me (and most olive oil-lovers.) That is why I was impressed with all the wonderful qualitites of the Apollo Olive Oils (all listed below). I checked into Apollo Olive Oils and was most impressed that they met the "checklist" that many olive-oil lovers look for in an olive oil.

For the sake of giving my readers virtually everything they need to know about a product, I feel obligated to also shell out knowledge on quality and what you should look for in a product I'm reviewing. So, below we'll discuss what quality olive oil is, what to look for and what you should be wary of, or look out for when shopping for olive oil.

Just like when you shop for the perfect supplements and vitamins, when you're going for olive oil, you also have a checklist of important things to look for (and look out for, for that matter.) I say this because the olive oil "industry" made the news not that long ago for the now well-known olive oil scams happening.

To be brief about that, basically, a lot of the olive oils (especially some of the top sellers in grocery stores) were put through a test of some sort and so many had failed to such an extent that the news article deemed them not even able to be considered olive oil!

So, unfortunately, olive oil is yet another thing we consumers have to look closely into before shelling out $. You want to be sure you're getting actual olive oil, and if you're like me, you want to be sure you're getting the best quality out there. There are several "factors" to findnig the "best quality."  You want cold-pressed, extra virgin and certified organic -- Apollo oils are both. It also doesn't hurt to go the extra mile and find out where your olives were from.

Why Cold-Pressed?

Cold-pressed means it was pressed using the lowest heat possible, to extract the oil. Heat destroys a lot of the nutrition in olive oil, and often means chemicals and other icky things are involved in the process. The natural ingredients and their nutritious content isn't sacrificed from heat, chemicals etc. that come with some methods other than cold-pressed.

Cold-pressed oils retain their high antioxidant content and it means the oil you're consuming doesn't contain any chemical solvents nor has it been bleached and deodorized, which is what happens when oil is mechanically pressed.  

To put it in a list, here's what you should look for:

 
1. Certified organic.
2. Cold-pressed.
3. Virgin 

Image source: Image Source: http://www.theyumyum.net/2012/07/weekly-meme.html

4. Bonus: Find out where the olives came from.

 Olive Oil For Beauty

 To really put the icing on the cake (or should I say the olive oil on the potatoes?), here are some olive oil beauty benefits, too.

I love olive oil not only for its amazing ability to make food taste like heaven, but also because of its mind-blowing health benefits. The health benefits were the first reason I ever got into using olive oil in the first place. There are so many! It's rich in Vitamin A, E. High in antioxidants, polyphenols, essential fatty acids, minerals, etc.

Olive oil was even said to have been a Queen's  "secret to beauty." 

Yep, just olive oil!
(Can't find her name, or the source I read that from years ago, sorry!)

It has been said that using it internally and externally (like on your skin) is one of the best ways to "beautify" your skin. It both nourishes and protects skin.

  

 A long time ago, I took the challenge to begin using olive oil on my skin. Some of you may even remember me posting about that. I still do.

 I find it to be the best, most effective way for moisturizing dry skin, having a healthy complexion, etc. Plus, using it internally is one way to fight wrinkles and have good skin, so applying it externally likely has the benefits, too.

Olive oil's uses are quite endless for beauty, health and taste! It can be used on hair for shine, overall health and as a hot oil treatment.

It strengthens nails, nourishes cuticles, chapped lips and even feet. Simply add olive oil in bath water to soften (and promote healing!) for all over.

I've used olive oil for all the above, but one area I'm religious is cleansing my face. It has been my go-to as a facial cleanser (once a week,) and makeup remover for a few years now. I use it every morning! Works better than anything.

The Apollo Oils are so amazing, from the fragrance to the taste that I could bathe in them. That could get costly, though.

Please share in the comments  below what  some of your favorite ways to use olive oil are? Any favorite dishes?  Favorite brand of olive oil? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 Disclaimer (I know, I hate them, too, but these days you kind of can't afford to note post them.):

I am not a specialist or any other kind of doctor or expert. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information/suggestions to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser relationship. I am not responsible for what readers choose to do after viewing the content here. Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with the company mentioned. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company on a review that is in compliance with FTTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided with monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication ( I'm not responsible.) Readers who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.