Sun Basket Review

April 29, 2018 Halee Edwards

Sun Basket, an organic food delivery service based in the Bay area, reached out to have me review their product. I haven't blogged, let alone reviewed a product, in such a long time so I wasn't sure this was something I wanted to commit to.

After doing my research I learned a lot about Sun Basket and was very impressed:

Sun Basket is a certified organic handler, and strives to source organic produce 100% of the time (currently over 99% of their produce is organic).
Organic ingredients are clearly labeled on delivery.
They work exclusively with ranchers and farmers who raise their animals responsibly and sustainably.
All of their seafood is wild-caught, never farmed.
All of their fisheries are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), a leading authority in sustainable seafood.
Their meal plans are dietitian-approved like Paleo, Lean & Clean, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, Mediterranean, and more, which make healthy eating easy.
Their packaging is 100% recyclable and compostable.
Sun Basket works with local farmers, ranchers, fishermen and shops to offer the best ingredients each week.
The executive chef/owner of Sun Basket, Justine Kelly, spent time at Slanted Door restaurant. She also was mentioned in Gourmet Magazine and had an appearance on Iron Chef.

All of these details about Sun Basket (+ many more) made me say "let's do this". I received my first week's meals this past week and will receive my second batch next week. Each box included 3 meals, of my choosing, to prepare. I chose Lemongrass Tofu, Salmon and Quinoa Bowls and Tomato-Coconut Shrimp this week. Out of the three, my favorite were the Lemongrass Tofu + Tomato-Coconut Shrimp.

Lemongrass Tofu

This meal was so flavorful and fun to make! The process was simple enough for anyone to execute, whether you are comfortable in the kitchen or not. Starting with the rice, you let that cook for a good 30 minutes. While the rice is cooking, you are able to prepare and cook everything else. This made things almost effortless.

What was inside (serves 2):

Black Rice
Coconut milk
Dried shiitake mushrooms
Hodo Soy firm tofu
Onion
Fresh cilantro
Sun Basket Lemongrass paste (lemongrass, EVOO, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, ground turmeric)
Sunflower sprouts
Sun Basket stir-fry blend (gluten-free tamari, sesame oil, fresh garlic, fresh ginger)

Tomato-Coconut Shrimp

This meal, like Lemongrass Tofu, was bursting with the right amount of flavors that both Paul and I pleasantly enjoyed. The broccoli rice was a nice addition to an already healthy-ish meal. This is one I will gladly recreate again and am looking forward to the results.

What's inside (serves 2):

Broccoli rice
Wild gulf shrimp
Red chile flakes
Onion
Peeled fresh garlic
Lemon
Fresh parsley
Fresh basil
Diced tomatoes
Coconut milk
Baby spinach
Shaved coconut

Things to know about Sun Basket:

Pricing does seem to be a bit steep; $11.99 per serving. Considering all of the local organic ingredients they use, it may be worth this price, especially if you don't have all the time in the world to go grocery shopping. The fact that they provide the exact measurements of what you need in each dish is convenient and makes things incredibly easy. (easy seems to be the constant word here).
You can choose 2, 3, or 4 meals per week (depending on your menu plan) and can mix & match them (making some vegetarian, paleo, gluten free, etc.) within your meal plan (classic/family).
You can skip a delivery or cancel your plan at any time.
Sun Basket ships to most zip codes in the United States, excluding AK, HI, MT, & parts of NM.
Your pantry should include olive, grapeseed or sunflower oil, plus salt and freshly-ground pepper. They occasionally call for wine or butter as an optional recipe item. You'll need basic pots and pans, a knife, and basic utensils.

I really enjoyed the first week's meal plan and am excited to try next week's! Check back in to see my thoughts when I review Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs, Bucatini Pomodoro and Saigon Noodles with Braised Tofu.

Cheers, Halee

Sandgrens Clogs

July 7, 2017 Halee Edwards

Lately, I have been more into shoes than I have ever been. I've always been the girl that wears Birks in the summer and Docs in the winter. But, I have been wanting to expand my shoe collection for some time now, and make my outfits a little more fun.

I collaborated with Sandgrens Clogs, a Swedish shoe company founded in the 19th century, to showcase my new clogs and talk about my experience wearing them.

As you can tell from the pictures, I practically wore my clogs everywhere since I got them. I tried to coordinate them with every outfit. When we visited San Francisco, I wore them almost everyday; even days that we walked over 10 miles! They really are the cutest shoes I own, and very comfortable too! You can wear them with jeans to make a casual outfit have a bit more flare, or you can wear them with a dress if it's date night. They really are versatile.

If you are interested in the same shoe that I received, here is the link: https://sandgrensclogs.com/for-women/brights/madrid-low/.

Until next time,

Halee

Modkat Review

April 26, 2017 Halee Edwards

I recently had the opportunity to collaborate with Modkat, who create modern cat litter boxes. I know, it sounds kind of odd, but I must say that these things are beautiful. The reason I was even considering switching Regina to a different box in the first place was because she started displaying signs that were abnormal to her everyday behavior. For instance she started kicking litter everywhere OUTSIDE of her box and that's when I started to do my research. A few sites had recommended Modkat (and another brand I forget the name of), who have litter boxes that are top-entry, meaning the cat has to get into the box through the top. After heading to their site and having a look around, reading their story, and taking a look at theor products, I knew I had to have one. At first, I was skeptical, and I wasn't sure if this was going to fix or help the problem, but it was worth a shot. We have been using the Modkat for only 4 days and she uses it as if it was her old one. She also doesn't leave nearly as much litter behind as she used to.

As they say on their site, "the top entry-lid allows for a fully enclosed base, keeping the mess inside no matter how vigorously they dig or where they aim." Regina doesn't like to be watched when she is doing her business, so sometimes when I need to be in the same area, she scurries out in a hurry. Before with her old box, the litter would get EVERYWHERE, but now, it relatively stays on top of the box or inside. I also haven't seen her actually kick piles of litter outside of the box like she used to. I think a lot of that comes from the way it is made. It would almost impossible for her to do that because of how tall it is and how she has to get in to do her thing. The dimensions of the Modkat are 16" L x 16" W x 15" H. It comes with a reusable tarp liner that you can wash and use time and time again until it's on its last leg. It also comes with a scoop, that elegantly hangs on the side of the box. Right now it comes in 5 colors, but maybe they'll add more in the future :) Another thing that I really love about it, is you can technically put it anywhere, especially if you live in a smaller apartment or studio. It is actually nice to look at and it reduces odors, so you and your guests may not even know it's there.

Overall, I am super happy to have collaborated with this brand. Even though it has only been 4 days, I have already seen signs of improvement, which was ultimately my goal in the first place. If you'd like to take a look at Modkat's site, read about how they got started, and/or look at some of their products, the website is https://modkat.com/.

Thanks for reading! See you guys soon.