CityMama's™ Stuff People Send Me

Super-awesome Breville giveaway

Update! Congrats to Faith (lucky # 92!) who will be getting her new panini press soon! Thanks for playing everyone!

Do you know Breville, the Australian maker of really cool kitchen small electric appliances? If you don't know them you should. My family have been Breville fans for years. My mom loves her single-cup coffee maker so much that she has two, one for her house in California and one for her place in Hawaii.  She also has a Breville blender (super ice-crushing power) and a Smart Oven, which is her go-to wedding gift for folks who are getting married. She loves to tell people, "You can roast a whole chicken in it!"

When Breville contacted me to see if I'd like to do a giveaway for my readers, I jumped at the chance. They kindly sent me some appliances to test and I chose a Juice Fountain and a cordless hand blender. I have to say, they are both phenomenal kitchen appliances, but I knew they would be.

If you'd like a chance to win these or other appliances such as the Panini Grill or Indoor Grill or Variable Temperature Tea Kettle or a blender or the 2- or 4- slice smart toaster, read on!

First, though, a quick word about the Juice Fountain and Blender. 

Juice Fountain

What I like about it: I have been wanting a juicer for about 5 years, pretty much since having kids who are old enough to drink fruit and veggie juices.  The one thing that has been holding me back is that people have always cautioned me that juicers are messy and hard to clean. Not so with the Juice Fountain. Not only can you huck whole fruits into the thing (as well as unpeeled pineapple, ginger, and beets), all the parts (except the base, of course) are top-rack dishwasher safe. Score!

The Juice Fountain is powerful enough to make whatever kind of juice strikes your fancy.  I am partial to a blend of apple, beets, ginger, celery, and lime. The girls like pineapple-strawberry-orange. If you like cold juice, I recommend putting your fruit in the fridge for a few hours or overnight rather than adding ice to the glass. Now that summer is here, we've been having fun experimenting with different flavors.

Another fabulous feature is the no-froth juice pitcher (not shown). If you've juiced before you know that some juices, especially when combined with greens or veggies can get frothy. I find that froth unappealing, but I don't have worry with the special pitcher which keeps the froth out of your glass.

What I don't: It's heavy (as is to be expected because it has a powerful motor) so take care in lifting/moving it. Better yet, just leave it on your counter because you will use it!

Cost to you: $149.99

Cost to me: Free

The Cordless Hand Blender

Those that read my food posts know that I use my hand blender all the time for dressing, sauces, and soups. Just as I was finalizing my giveaway plans with Breville, my trusty blender of 10 years gave out so it was the perfect opportunity to try theirs.

What I like about it: It's cordless, and can I say, what a brilliant idea.  I was always having to slide my pot of soup over to the side of the counter with the outlet so I could puree it, but now, I can puree anything anywhere.  And being cordless does not mean it's not powerful. On the contrary, the Breville hand blender packs 9.6 v of power which can take the chunkiest soup to the smoothest puree, and it has something my other stick blender didn't: two speeds. It's wonderful for all the things I used to use it for including making salad dressing or smoothies, and it couldn't be easier to clean.

What I don't: Nothing.

Cost to you: $119.99

Cost to me: Free

Now the fun part!  Would you like to win one of these items or any of the appliances I mentioned before? Breville has kindly offered up one of their small electrics to a lucky CityMama reader. Entering the contest is easy—all you have to do is:

1) Tell me which appliance (the above or the Panini Grill or Indoor Grill or Variable Temperature Tea Kettle or a blender or the 2- or 4- slice smart toaster,) you'd like in the comments below.

2) Tell me what you are going to do with it (make paninis, grill chicken, whip up some margaritas, etc.)

I will choose one winner at random and contest ends on June 30 at midnight PST.  Please make sure you leave a working email so that I can contact you.

Good luck and thanks for reading!

Stuff Links: Summer Beauty Round-Up

Erno Laszlo MULTI-pHASE Bronzer and Blusher. Huge Laszlo fan, here, and have been since I was twelve-years-old. Get apple-cheeked with Erno Laszlo's "blusher," a pleasing combination of colors that blends to look natural and glowy. Go for more of a sun-kissed look with the bronzer which will make you look like you just got back from Hawaii, not Lindsay Lohan's favorite spray-tan palace. Both items are created for all skin types and are available in a variety of hues to complement your skin tone. Cost to you: $38 each. Cost to me: Free.

Hawaiian Tropic Aloha Kiss Gloss. Protect your lips with delicious Hawaiian Tropic® Lip Balms and Aloha Kiss™ Gloss. The Moisture Burst formula enhances flavor and gives your lips a smoother feel. Not only will you help protect your lips with SPF 20, but you will also keep them soft with the Aloe Vera, Cocoa Butter and Vitamins A, C & E enriched formulas. Also great for often forgotten spots like your nose, ears and cheeks! Love that it gives my lips a bare hint of shiny color while also protecting them from the sun. Super cute. Cost to you $6.99. Cost to me: Free.

Pantene Nature Fusion Line.  I have used Pantene hair products regularly for years and their Pro-V Restoratives Ultra Smoothing Balm is a must-have in my styling arsenal.  I alternate my salon shampoos and conditioners with Pantene shampoos, and especially love their 2-in-1 shampoos which are great for taming frizzy hair like mine. Their new Nature Fusion line of shampoos and conditioner are formulated with an exclusive Cassia Complex and a botanical blend of calendula, ginger and aloe vera extracts, the shampoo leaves your hair touchably soft. Cost to you: about $4 a bottle. Cost ot me: Free.

Bath & Body Works' Signature Collection of Shower Gels, Lotions, and Body Sprays. I love being able to make the 5 minutes I usually get to spend in the shower the most luxurious and spa-like experience that I possibly can. I am definitely a fragrance girl and will often change up my shower gel, lotions, and perfumes depending on my mood. Bath & Body Works' Butterfly Flower line contains bright, floral fragrance notes of French Mimosa Petals, Asian Syringa Flower, Luscious Tangerine, Tenufolia Orchid. In other words, it smells delicious. I especially like the body spray which is light enough not to overpower, but fresh enough to last all day. Cost to you: $5-$15. Cost to me: Free

Coppertone NutraShield. Just in time for summer, Coppertone sent me a sample of their NutraShield lotions.  You may have seen the commercials with Brooke Shields.  I use an SPF on my face, but wouldn't it be nice if the body lotion you put on every day after your shower had SPF too?  Now it does. Love that it comes in high SPF of 30 and 70. Cost to you: around $10 a bottle Cost to me: Free.

Dana Gibson Lamp

As many of you know,  I've been searching out the perfect accessories to give our home a touch of 70's-modern flair. I've been in a nostalgic period and want to be surrounded by design pieces and themes that remind me of my childhood.  I've settled on a curtains (well, living room curtains anyway, two bedrooms to go) and certain accessories, but I still have a long way to go to fully execute my vision.

Enter Dana Gibson and her whimsical and cheery lamps and ceramic home accents.  A little about her from her site:

Dana’s influences are varied but her love for what she does show through.  Her pieces are designed to mix discretely with antiques or stand as works of art in a Spartan room. Her pillows will add dash and her lamps, drama to any corner of a room. Expect the unexpected or merely a new twist on good taste. “I want my designs to always elicit either a reaction of delight or pleasure.  I like surprises.”  And so do we all.

I like surprises, too.

I fell in love with the above palazzo green tole lamp precisely because it reminded me of every lamp in every home (and possibly my parents' country club) in the 70's.  As soon as I saw it, I knew it would be the perfect addition to our living room. It's done in a shade of green that's kind of become my signature over the years. (Our Portland kitchen was painted a similar shade of Kelly green.)

It arrived a few days ago and we unboxed it, placed it in our living room and immediately broke into big, silly grins.  There is no way you can you look at the lamp and not smile. (The same can be said for many Dana Gibson lamps and accents like these bookends that I have my eye on.) It brings instant cheer to our living room and is eye-catching without being overwhelming.  In other words, it's the perfect addition to our (small) eclectic living room where we currently marry Korean and English antiques with IKEA leather couches and our 70's-modern accents. I know it sounds crazy but it really all works together.

What I like about it: The lamp is quality made—it's a sturdy piece that is meant to last for generations.  The colors are vibrant and so beautiful. The shade casts a pleasing circle of light that is perfect for bringing interest to and illuminating a dark corner. Sometimes lamps get lost in the mix of a room, but this one stands out just enough. It's great looking in the day time as well as at night and is a fabulous conversation piece.

What I don't: There's nothing I don't love about this lamp. I don't like that I'm second guessing my decision not to get the Tiffany Bamboo lamp. I loved both, but chose the palazzo.

Cost to you: $485

Cost to me: Free

Sea Cuisine: Gourmet Seafood Made Easy

Before I dive into this review, check out my Uncle Ben's post below!  You can still enter to win that great contest (you have until June 1), and for every comment Uncle Ben's will donate $1 to Feeding America!

Recently a friend of mine (and busy mother of 3) asked me what frozen dinners I could recommend to help make dinners more convenient. I admit that I was at a loss for what to recommend.  It's not that we don't eat frozen food, we do, but it's usually in the form of veggies, potstickers and other Asian specialties. (Not to mention my beloved frozen Zippy's chili!)  We don't eat a lot of frozen dinners aside from the occasional veggie lasagne or fish sticks (something we all love) when we have date nights.

When the folks at Sea Cuisine asked if I'd like to try an assortment of their gourmet seafood, I said sure. If I liked it, at least I'd be able to recommend it to my friend.  They sent along three kinds of frozen fish along with two kinds of Uncle Ben's microwave rice (a pilaf and a Mexican flavor), a package of chocolate chip cookie dough, 2 packets of microwave popcorn, and a Cars movie.  It was a really nice gesture.

They're whole pitch was that the Sea Cuisine could be the foundation of a fun family movie night/party at home. You can feel like you are going out to dinner, but really you are at home, spending time with the family and not having to spend money on a restaurant meal.  Movie Night is a Friday night tradition in our house, so a couple of Fridays ago, I made the fish (but made my own side dishes), and we had it for dinner.

What appealed to me (why I decided to accept the items) most were the preparations. With options like coconut shrimp and potato-crusted cod, these were fancier concoctions that most people would probably make at home.

I opted for for the aforementioned items plus the lemon-dill salmon.

What I liked about them: The items were really fresh and tasty.  My favorite was the potato-crusted cod (it was the kids' fave, too), but the coconut shrimp were also yummy. I think the Sea Cuisine would be great "gateway" products to lead people to cook more fresh fish at home which I do. We love fish. I know that some people are nervous about cooking fish starting with even how to select it, so once they see how it can turn out (two products were baked, one was microwaved, I'll get to that in a second), they might have more confidence to try a fish recipe from scratch. I liked that the cod and shrimp needed to be baked, ensuring a crispy outside and flaky, tender inside. I liked that the cod fillets were nicely portioned. There are lots of products to choose from and many different, ethnic, (modern) preparations. I'm glad that my girls liked the cod. I could see it as being a fish-stick alternative.

What I didn't: The salmon was my least favorite of the three. The lemon-dill-butter sauce was thick and corn starchy, not my favorite preparation. I also thought that taste-wise, it had the least going on. This was a microwave product, and I just didn't like the way it turned out.  They are not widely distributed so I can't purchase them near me. If you live near an Albertson's, Kroger, or BJ's you can find them.  Update: Just saw them yesterday at my local Safeway.

Cost to you: $4.49 - $6.49 per 11 ounce package, depending on preparation

Cost to me: Free

Overall, this was a high-quality frozen product, on par with anything you might find at Trader Joe's and the like, and I'd definitely consider trying it again.

Uncle Ben's Rice [$100 giveaway + chance to win grand prize: a chef for a week! + support a worthy cause]

Hey, readers!  Please see below to enter the contest. Not only do you have a chance to win $100 worth of Uncle Ben's products, and one of ten grand prizes of a chef for a week, the company will donate $1 PER ENTRY to Feeding America, the nation's food bank network and the largest charitable hunger relief organization in the country.  It's a fun contest for a great cause.

[Update: Congrats to #25, contest winner, Rachael!  And thanks for raising $58 for a very worthy cause!]

Uncle Ben's recently sent me samples of their microwave Basmati and Jasmine rices to try. I have a rice cooker so rice is generally not a food item that I take short-cuts on. It's easy enough for me to put whatever kind of rice I'm cooking into my trust Zojirushi, and 20 or so minutes later (longer for brown) it's ready to eat and it will be kept warm until we're ready to eat.

But, lately we've been really busy. My work is busier than ever, and in order to keep the girls occupied in the afternoons (so they don't end up bored and wanting to kill each other in hours before dinner), we've been filling the time with activities.  An hour of cheerleading on Mondays falls right at dinner time.  Swimming on Tuesday is in the afternoon which leaves me time for cooking, but two back-to-back gym classes on Wednesday fills up the afternoon quickly. Yoga on Thursdays ends right and dinner time. And so on.  There are times when I am either too pressed for time to cook or don't want to eat carbs with my meal or simply just don't feel like making a big dinner. That's where I can see a product like the Uncle Ben's Basmati and Jasmine microwave rices coming in handy.

Microwave rice is nothing new.  It's something I've been seeing in Asian markets for at least 7-8 years. Bowls of pre-cooked rice are usually stacked on the end caps awaiting purchase.  I've bought them at the Korean market before, especially when the girls were little and wanted a quick snack. I never quite felt the flavor was on par with fresh-cooked rice, but they didn't seem to mind. I have to admit, though, that the Uncle Ben's Basmati and Jasmine rices were very tasty.

What I liked about it: Hot, tasty rice in 90 seconds.  There's something to be said for that.  The flavors were yummy and my girls gobbled it up. It really made dinner prep easier on the nights we were busy and I was too tired to cook. I have to admit, it was nice to have the product to fall back on. I also think it's a great "gateway" product to get folks to try a new style of rice. If people aren't comfortable going to their local Asian or Indian market (or don't have a Trader Joe's nearby) it's a way to try something exotic. My hope is they will then want to venture out of their normal shopping comfort zones.

What I didn't: As someone who cooks a lot from scratch, it felt a little like cheating. I think it's just as easy to cook up a big batch of rice and freeze it into portions that can be microwaved later. The rices were not as fluffy as when I cook basmati or jasmine in my rice cooker and I didn't think the texture was "authentic." Would I purchase the product? Probably not, but after trying it and seeing how absolutely convenient it was, I am leaving that door open a crack. If it makes your life simpler, that convenience counts for a lot in my book.

Cost to you: around $2 per 8 ounce bag

Cost to me: Free

Now for the fun part: your chance to win $100 worth of Uncle Ben's products and a chance to win one of 10 grand prizes, all for a very worthy cause.

How do you ‘Simplify Your Life’?" Share tips and have a chance to win $100 worth of Uncle Ben's products (chosen by me), and if you win you are automatically entered to win one of 10 grand prizes: a chef for a week! (chosen by Uncle Ben's). All you have to do is leave a comment on how you simplify your life. For example, do you prep a week’s worth of meals on Sunday to make weekday dinners a cinch? Beyond the kitchen, do you assign a weekly rotation of household chores to get the kids involved?

 Once all the tips are submitted, I will choose one winner to receive $100 worth of Uncle Ben’s products. To sweeten the deal, the winner will be up for the chance with nine other winners to receive a grand prize selected by Uncle Ben’s – a chef for a week! Pretty good odds.

AND It’s all for a good cause. For each tip submitted Uncle Ben’s will donate $1 to Feeding America, the nation’s food bank network and the largest charitable hunger-relief organization in the country.

So go ahead leave your tips!  Every tip is a chance to win AND get Uncle Ben's to donate to a worthy cause!

Contest ends on June 1, 2009.

The complete rules are available after the jump.

Yummie Tummie [a $100 gift certificate giveaway!]

"No more muffin tops!" says the Yummie Tummie site. That's enough to catch my attention although, let's be real, muffin tops are the least of my worries...What is the Yummie Tummie? It's essentially an undergarment (tanks and camis) with a stretchy spandex panel sewn into the middle that holds in your tummy. Genius! It smooths your silhouette so that you can minimize muffin tops and bra "back fat." It's feminine and fun and completely comfortable.

I am someone who often wears some form of shape-wear, especially under tanks and dresses. I feel like it helps to suck everything in which makes me feel more confident. I was sent a gift certificate to try the products and chose the Boyfriend style and the strappier Tank.  I've been wearing them around for a few days and, overall, I think it's a really great product. Finally, shape-wear that is comfortable and moves with you and doesn't dig or pinch.

What I like about Yummie Tummie:  First, thank you for having plus sizes.  It cracks me up that flat-ab'ed chicks would feel like they need a Yummie Tummie (although I understand the need to take all the help you can get), and I always feel a little left out when a garment that's meant to help you look slimmer or more shapely leaves out the plus-sized ladies. So again, *thank you!*  I also love that the tanks come in a "long" length, because not only am I plus-size, I am also tall. It is really hard for me to find shirts that are long enough for my torso.

The shape wear also provides a little lift to your cleavage. Not sure if that's intentional, but it's a nice fringe bennie!

The quality is evident from the moment you feel the garment.  The cotton is soft, the spandex panel is lined, and it's sewn beautifully.

Also a nice touch: they make a nursing Yummie Tummie top. Hooray for breastfeeding mamas!

It's comfortable to wear (really does keep you cool), and I really did notice that it held in my gut and provided a smoother look. Best of all, it doesn't stick to your clothes and look clingy. I wore it under and shirts, tanks and dresses and was comfortable all day. No one needs to know you have something on underneath your shirts or dresses, but they are nice enough to peek out from under tanks or strappy dresses. Yummie Tummie takes shape-wear to the next level.

What I didn't like about Yummie Tummie: Sometimes when I sat down, the tank had a tendency to roll up a little bit (despite what the site says).  However, I noticed that when I had the tank pulled down all the way this didn't happen—the tank stayed put—so make sure when you put it on that you pull it all the way down. I wish the camis came in plus-sizes because I like to wear dresses, especially in the summer time.

Cost to you: Two boyfriend Yummie Tummies and a Tank Yummie Tummy, about $200 total

Cost to me: Free

Want to try one?  I'm giving away a gift certificate worth $100 so you can win your very own Yummie Tummie shape wear garment. Leave a comment below telling me a shape-wear horror story (or fear)--like Spanx that won't come off when you have to pee?--and make sure you leave your email so I can contact you if you win.  One entry per person per day, please.  I will close comments on Monday, April 27 at midnight PST.

Congrats to #15, payal! If you are unable to fulfill your duties as Yummie Tummie winner, #22 will take your place.  And so on.  Yeah!

Ford Flex: With cars like this, Ford just might be the "new" auto industry's first success story

About a month ago, I was contacted by Sarah at Ogilvy on behalf of Ford offering up a new Ford Flex for a test drive.  She mentioned I could take it on a trip or use it for tooling around town and that it was "more stylish than a minivan." J. and I had already been toying with an Easter trip to visit my  brother in Southern Oregon and the Ford Flex would make traveling the 400 miles much more comfortable and would save us from renting a car as we normally do because one of our cars is almost 20 years old and the other is Mini Cooper.

Let me say first, that between J. and I, we've owned three Fords.  We are very familiar with the brand and the consumer experience. We both view Ford positively and were impressed that the automaker has yet to take any bailout funds despite hurting as badly as Chrysler and GM. I also wanted to add that I have written about my own confused feelings about the auto bailout for MOMocrats.

I have been following Ford's social media marketing efforts (quite literally) by following their head of social media, Scott Monty, on Twitter. I've also been tapped to participate in several auto-related programs as part of these brands' efforts to reach out to bloggers, moms especially. These programs included a Saturn Vue Hybrid test-drive, an afternoon spent testing Michelin tires on a closed course, and an offer to test-drive the VW Routan minivan which  never came to fruition, not sure why.

So back to my review of the Ford Flex.  There is one thing I need to get out of the way right off the bat: I am not in love with the exterior styling.  I have never been a fan of a boxy profile, and the Flex is very boxy. It's also muscular so without trying to be totally sexist (and failing),  I feel like the styling appeals to men more than women. This kind of leaves me a little flummoxed about just who the target audience is.

FAGE Greek Yogurt: I won't eat any other kind of yogurt

 “This is a compensated review from BlogHer and Fage.”

First of all, it's pronounced "Fa-yeh".

I know you've seen FAGE Greek Yogurt in the markets at places like Trader Joe's (where I first discovered it) or Whole Foods.  It is hands-down my favorite yogurt and it's made its way into my grocery basket in some form or another since 2004. Yes, I've been a FAGE fan for going on five years. How do I know it was 2004? Because that's when my second daughter was born. I craved yogurt like crazy during that pregnancy and I'm pretty sure she's made mostly out of 100% natural FAGE Greek Yogurt. That and maybe a marionberry pie or three. (Which goes great with FAGE Greek Yogurt, by the way.)

I have never been much of a yogurt eater, because my mom, the health food freak, always bought the mouth-puckeringly-tangy all-natural stuff when all I wanted was creamy, sugary Yoplait.  Once I moved out of the house, I vowed never to buy yogurt again except for the times when I needed it for tzatziki or smoothies.

Then came my second pregnancy and my discovery of the FAGE.  I bought a container of the plain 2% yogurt, took it home, and promptly devoured it. It was super-thick, creamy and not-at-all tangy.  I think it's the tang that turns many people off about yogurt, including me. I just want my yogurt to be fresh, creamy, and smooth, with just a bare hint of sweetness.  FAGE is all that and more. During that pregnancy, I bought containers of FAGE 4 at a time.  If I only had one left, I'd promptly run out and buy three more. That summer, I made gazpacho almost every day and swirled in the yogurt, sometimes flavored with cumin and lime, sometimes plain, I would cut up cucumbers and chopped up some garlic and fresh dill and slurp it up with a spoon. It was so thick it stood up to anything I put into it and never got watery as yogurt can do.  I put dollops atop cut-up bananas or in my muesli, I could not get enough.  And that is why, when the opportunity came along to review the FAGE yogurt, I said, "Yes! Oh, yes!"

I've always bought the plain FAGE yogurt, usually the 2% which my whole family adores, but my girls also love the FAGE with honey. My mom buys it, too, and it's the first thing they look for in her fridge when they visit her.  The honey is in a separate container and the girls can drizzle it into the plain yogurt as they wish.  FAGE sent us some plain and honey yogurt but they also sent their (new to me) fruited flavors. The fruit is on the side, just as with the honey, and comes in fantastic, fresh-tasting flavors like peach, cherry (always my fave), and strawberry.  The kids have been fighting over who gets to take what flavor in their lunch. It really is that delicious, and it's still all-natural, unsweetened, and preservative-free.

As a mom, I never have to worry about my kids getting calcium or protein because they love their FAGE yogurt so much.  I won't eat any other kind. I use it in everything, and in case you think I'm kidding, here are some of my own favorite recipes for using FAGE Greek Yogurt.  (You can subsitute FAGE Greek Yogurt for any recipe that calls for plain yogurt.)

• CityMama's Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Tzatziki
• Tortilla Roll-ups with Lime-Cilantro Yogurt Dip
• Yogurt Parfaits
• Yogurt-marinated roasted chicken

What I like about it: Everything. It's luscious, creamy, ridiculously thick, and best of all—versatile. I also like that my kids love it.  It's a healthy and tasty treat that I feel good about serving.
What I don't: I wish it came in bigger containers.  Like vats.  Vats would be good.

Cost to you: Around $2-$2.50, but depends on where you buy an size of container
Cost to me: Free, plus I accepted payment for this review because it's a product I believe in, love, and use anyway.

Am I preaching to the Fage Greek yogurt choir here? Do you already love it? How do you eat FAGE? What is your favorite flavor? Why do you love the pure, creamy, ridiculously thick goodness of FAGE yogurt? Leave a comment on this post, sharing your thoughts about FAGE and you could win a free case of FAGE!

There will be a new winner every day!

EcoStore laundry and cleaning products

Nothing makes me giddier than doing a load of laundry on the extra-hot setting. It's all about the simple pleasures in life, and for me, the temp-boost setting provides a lot of joy.

I've written before about my love for Soap Nuts, but they aren't the best for hot washes.  I wash all of my white cottons and our bedding and towels on hot (everything else on cold to save energy), and when I do, I use a regular detergent.  Because two of my loved ones have sensitive skin, I am careful about the detergent I use.

When EcoStore asked if I wanted to try their laundry and cleaning products, I took a look at myself to make sure I was a mom blogger and said, "Okay!" Their products fit all the criteria that I like in home care products namely being natural, non-toxic, and eco-friendly.

I was sent the Laundry Liquid ($11), the Pure Oxygen Whitener ($12), and the Dishwash Liquid ($8.50).

What I like about it: The Laundry Liquid cleans brilliantly and smells delicious (eucalytptus). I'm a "smell person" and I've been using an assortment of essential oils with the soap nuts. I love the refreshing scent of the laundry liquid and it's a great alternative laundry option. The Oxygen Whitener (which I use with the soap nuts as well) does exactly what it says it's going to do: it's whitens and brightens my clothes. The dishwash liquid gets dishes clean with lots of soapy suds. Lastly, I know this is corny, but I really did the photos on their packaging.

What I don't: The products are pricey and that is prohibitive for lots of folks, especially (say it with me) in this economy. For folks used to spending more for eco-friendlier homecleaning options, the prices are on par with the products sold in healthfood stores. And, for orders over $25, shipping is free for the month of April.

Zojirushi Bento Box [giveaway]

Bentos seem like they are all the rage now, especially since they are the ultimate eco-friendly meal transporting system, but I've been using (and eating from) bentos since I was a kid.  Growing up in Hawaii, everyone took a bento box full of leftovers to school, and favorite takeout meals from favorite restaurants (Zippy's, the Shirokiya food court) or even the local supermarket always came packed in a plastic bento container.

My girls have been taking bentos to school since they we're little (er), too. I admit that packing my kids' bentos was one of the things I most looked forward to about having kids. I know, I am a nerd.

So imagine my delight when the opportunity arose to give away two top-of-the-line Zojurushi bentos! Of course I said yes. We are big Zojirushi fans. We own not just one but two Zojirushi rice cookers that have lastest years, and I can vouch for the quality of the products. Just take a look at these babies.

Ms. Bento (not just for girls)

What I like about it: It keeps food hot or cold--or both!  There is an insulated lid that separates anything hot from the items that can be kept at room temperature.  The idea of a bento is not to have to refrigerate it and this insulates nicely (the inner compartments are microwave safe). I love that the compartmented lunch jar has a matching carrying bag (gray), and--it comes with it's very own spork!
What I don't: There is nothing I don't love about the Ms. Bento. Okay, maybe the bag could be a brighter color.
Cost to you: Around $40
Cost to me: Free

Mini-Bento

What I like about it: See above and I would add that it comes with an adorable carry bag and a chopsticks case.
What I don't: I wish it also came with a spork instead of chopsticks.
Cost to you: Around $40
Cost to me: Free

Would you like one of these cute bentos? You know you do!  All you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me:

1) the worst lunch your mom (or dad or big sister--making lunches was my job) ever packed for you and
2) which bento you'd like.

That's it!

You can enter once per day.  I'll close comments and pick the two winners at random on Monday, March 16 at midnight PST.   Good luck!

See? There is such a thing as a free lunch...container.