Herbal "Coffee" from Delicious Obsessions for the New Year! Review and Free eBook

Delicious Obsessions Herbal "Coffee" blends.

This review is sponsored by Delicious Obsessions. Read on to find out how you can get a free eBook!

As part of my New Years Resolution Gift Guide I am reviewing a number of products that will help with getting healthier and living happier lives. One of my resolutions is to kick my habit of drinking not only coffee, but all caffeinated beverages to the curb! Caffeine and me just don't get along. I get too jittery, have migraines, and don't sleep well when I have it. Also, the acidity of coffee sometimes made my tummy do flips. I do love the taste of coffee though and that is one thing I couldn't get over, until now.

There are a number of coffee substitutes or alternatives that I listed on my blog a while back, but Delicious Obsessions has their formulation of ingredients to their Herbal "Coffee" perfected in my honest opinion. It tastes so much like the real thing it is uncanny. Not only that, but other brands do not use organic ingredients and most are made with grains and other ingredients that people with sensitivities can't eat.

Delicious Obsessions Herbal "Coffee":

• is 100% organic
• is sourced from ethical and sustainable sources
• is handcrafted with love
• is caffeine free
• is grain free
• is non-acidic
• has no added sugar
• has no preservatives
• has no artificial anything

I received 1 ounce each of their Clean Living blend which has Organic Roasted Chicory Root, Organic Roasted Dandelion Root, and Organic Roasted Carob & their Happy Liver blend which has these ingredients in addition to: Organic Milk Thistle Seed Powder and Organic Burdock Root. They both have a wonderful smooth, rich taste and are great alone or with cream, sweetener, and/or milk. I've always loved hot flavored coffee, so after trying a sip of the Herbal "Coffee" straight up black I added some honey and coconut milk. It is also delicious hot, iced, or frozen!

Delicious Obsessions Herbal "Coffee" Strained.

The Herbal Coffee is super easy to make! Add 1 tablespoon of it to 12-14 ounces of boiling water and let steep. I made my first cup to try it out with my Starbucks cup filter. I placed the table-spooned out Herbal "Coffee" into my filter while it was sitting in my cup and then poured the boiling water over it. I let it steep/brew for 15-30 minutes and then filtered out the bits of roots and herbs that were left over. After doing my first cup this way I decided that it would be better to make in my French press. I am so glad I did because it made the whole process easier.

This Herbal "Coffee" is a wonderful alternative or substitute if you have a love/hate relationship with coffee. We all know that some of our bodies have rebelled against coffee and the caffeine/acid in it. Some of us can't have it altogether for health reasons. If you are one of these people consider trying Delicious Obsessions Herbal "Coffee" blends and give your body some healing rest from the torment regular coffee gives you.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Right now Delicious Obsessions is giving away their $17.99 recipe eBook called "Grab a Healthier Cuppa Joe" FREE when you place an order and mention my name, Crystal Abel! This eBook is not available anywhere else!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. After 10 people make an order and mention my name I will receive a pound of my choice of one of the Delicious Obsessions herbal "coffee" blends. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Remington iCoffee Maker Review

We received this product free from Remington to facilitate this review.

Sometimes a girl just gotta have her coffee. My days get super crazy with 4 kids, 2 llamas, 3 horses, a bunny, mini pony, and a large dog! I am not a huge coffee drinker, but I tend to need some coffee to keep me sane some days. Most of the time though I don't care for coffee because of the bitter and acidic taste it leaves in my mouth.

Since I received the iCoffee Maker from Remington though, the bitter and acidic coffee has become a thing of the past in my home. This coffee maker is different from any other coffee maker since it uses rotational steam to brew to unlock the full flavor. The grounds never compact and instead are being stirred and steamed so you will get the rich full body and coffee crèma. Since it filters the coffee through a reusable Premium Goldtone filter the iCoffee will also save you money since there is no need for paper filters. The brew basket lifts out easily with its own handle and rinses clean simply (Don't forget to compost the coffee grounds!! They are great to add nitrogen to your garden.) While it is brewing you can watch the action of the steam and 6 rotational hot water jets as it stirs and rotates the coffee in a clockwise manner through the lit viewing window.

The carafe and water reservoir holds 12 cups total and both have fill lines on them to indicate how much water is being added and where the max fill line is. The carafe is glass and has a plastic flip up lid that is easy to maneuver while also holding the carafe handle. The carafe also has a clip on reusable optional filter that helps strain less of the finely extracted coffee essence (sediment) from the coffee grounds through that were extracted through the Premium Goldtone filter with the coffee. If you see sediment in the bottom of your cup after brewing, this is very natural, but the optional filter will help send less through.

There is a display panel on the front of the base where you can set the time and also tell that it is in brewing mode. iCoffee plays music to let you know that the brewing is done. From the display panel you have the option of turning the music off. It also has a warming plate that warms for up to 2 hours to make sure that your coffee doesn't get cold while sitting idol in the carafe. You can also program the brewer to delay the brewing and auto-start at a pre-selected time. After selecting a time you can press the auto start button on the display panel each day to have the brewer start at exactly the same time every day. It also has a pause and serve and an automatic shut-off feature.

iCoffee is very efficient and releases more flavor from the same amount of coffee, allowing you to use less coffee to achieve the same boldness. iCoffee drinkers report using less coffee to achieve desired strength and exquisite flavor.

The coffee that was brewed with iCoffee was smooth and rich tasting. It had exquisite flavor and full body. It tasted better than the coffee from my french press. I am so happy that I don't have any more bitter or acidic cups at home.

After 7 years and 1,257 prototypes you can rest assured that the makers of iCoffee didn't settle until they had perfection. This coffee maker is BPA and Lead free!

iCoffee is the cream of the crop crèma of the cup! :)

You can follow iCoffee on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

EcoMom Daily Deal: Eco Cups on Sale - Today Only!

These Eco Cups are eco-friendly and very pretty! I have the blue flower one and just bought the red flower one too. Regular price is $9.99. They are on sale today only for $5.99 at EcoMom! I love mine! They are ceramic with a silicone sleeve for protection for your hands while hot beverages are in them. So much better than paper disposable cups because you can save the environment while drinking the hot beverage of your choice from your favorite shop.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in taking part of this deal. I am a fan of EcoMom and thought I would share the savings. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Buy One Get One FREE Starbucks Holiday Drinks! {11/17 – 11/20}

Yes you heard me right, I did say FREE Starbucks!!! Starbucks has a new deal starting tomorrow BOGO FREE Starbucks Holiday Drinks! I will definitely be going to get mine. This girl's gotta have her caffeine every once in a while and that creamy coffee deliciousness is calling out to me :)

From 11/17 – 11/20, between 2pm – 5pm, you can get a Free Holiday Drink with a purchase of one!
Participating drinks include:

• Peppermint Mocha
• Skinny Peppermint Mocha
• Gingerbread Latte
• Eggnog Latte
• Caramel Brulée Latte

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in taking part of this deal. I am a fan of Starbucks and thought I would share the savings. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for doing this post.

Happy National Coffee Day!

It is National Coffee Day and what better way to celebrate than free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate from Boca Java!! Just spend $10 or more and get $10 off with coupon code: cheggoff PLUS you will get free shipping on your order TODAY ONLY!! The free shipping requires no coupon. This is an awesome deal I found out about from my friend Erin @ Connected2Christ Blog. Be patient with the website. It is being a little sluggish.

You can also send a FREE "Take a Coffee Break" eCard from PunchBowl.com

Also, many local and national coffee shops are offering specials today, while some are even giving out free coffee so let me know by commenting on this post if you know of any coffee deals going on today!! Thanks!

Starbucks Pike Place Roast and Caffè Verona Review

I love the smell of coffee beans, ground coffee, and pots of coffee brewing. Every time I go down the coffee aisle of a grocery store I take in a big whiff. The smell makes me happy...I don't know why.

I have loved Starbucks over the years. My favorite drink there was the Apple Chai tea. I am definitely more of a tea person than a coffee drinker, but I do love a good cup of flavored coffee or espresso. My husband loved Starbucks' caramel frappachinos. The last time we went through their drive through; however, we got a little bit of hassle about making the Apple Chai tea because apparently Starbucks has now taken it off their menu and the caramel frappachino that my husband got was a new mix that apparently Starbucks thinks is better. We don't agree. Their new frappachinos now taste nasty. I really hope they go back to the original recipe. We probably won't be going there as much because of this.

Anyway, enough of my rant about that. I received a 12 oz bag of ground Starbucks Pike Place Roast coffee and a 5 oz bag of ground Caffè Verona free from BzzAgent. They are both home brewed coffee. To make the ground coffee taste the best Starbucks says to use cold, filtered water and a clean machine. Then you measure 2 Tbsp (10 g) ground coffee for every 6 fl oz (180 ml) water. Starbucks coffee is available in bagged form at all major grocery stores and mass retailers like Target and Wal-Mart. There are many variety of flavors available. Starbucks' beans are also grown and sourced ethically and sustainably.

FREE BREWED COFFEE:
If you take an empty specialty marked bag of Starbucks coffee to a Starbucks location you can get a free tall (12 fl oz.) brewed coffee. Expires 30 days after the "Best Before" date printed on the bag. Limit one per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts.

Fan Starbucks on Facebook. Follow Starbucks on Twitter.

ENTER TO WIN A KITCHEN MAKEOVER AND COFFEE EQUIPMENT:
Enter to win the Coffee At Home With Starbucks Sweepstakes. One grand-prize winner will receive a $40,000 Prize Package for a Kitchen Makeover, which includes a $39,000 budget for kitchen renovations of your existing kitchen through a major home improvement center—plus, $1,000 worth of Starbucks Coffee and coffee-making equipment. See full prize details. Plus one winner each month will receive a Coffee at Home gift pack (valued at more than $500), which includes various coffee-making equipment and a year's supply of Starbucks Coffee. You can enter every day through November 30th, 2010.

There are also some cool videos and recipes that you can partner with your home brewed coffee at starbucksathome.com.

MY THOUGHTS:
I like coffee well enough, but I would have loved it more if the Pikes Place Roast was flavored. My favorites are Irish cream and hazelnut. I tasted both coffee just with sugar and milk and they were good, but the Pikes Place Roast needed something more in my opinion. I put my Pralines and Creme Coffee-Mate coffee creamer in it and the coffee was instantly better. I can't really compare the Pikes Place Roast or the Caffè Verona with any other Starbucks brewed coffee because I have never tried any others. My neighbor who drinks quite a bit of coffee loves the Pikes Place Roast and raves about how wonderful it is. The Pikes Place Roast says it has a smoother finish and subtle flavors of cocoa and toasted nuts. The Caffè Verona I liked better. It is a dark cocoa that is rich, roasty sweet and bold...not bitter like some other brands I have had. It made a good cup just with milk/cream and sugar.

DISCLAIMER: Because I am a member of BzzAgent I received word of a BzzCampaign for the Starbucks. All information about the products I received from the media kit, the products and the Starbucks website. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Coffee Alternatives and Substitutes

Postum, a substitute for coffee that had no caffeine and was made of wheat bran, wheat molasses, and maltodextrin (from corn) was discontinued by Kraft Foods in 2007 and I was very sad to see it go. Both Postum and Pero (another coffee substitute) had been staples around my LDS (Mormon) home since I was very little. I still have a jar of Postum in the Natural Coffee Flavor in my pantry that I have been keeping (apparently the stuff doesn't expire) for special occasions or when I am pregnant and shouldn't be drinking as much caffeine.

Here are some other coffee substitutes that might fix your caffeine coffee cravings:
*Pero http://internaturalfoods.com/Pero/Pero.html made of malted barley, barley, chicory and rye.
*Dandy Blend, a coffee substitute manufactured by Goosefoot Acres, is made of roasted chicory, roasted beetroot, barley, rye and dandelion.
*Nestlé Caro is made of roasted barley, malted barley, chicory, and rye.
*Cafix made by the same company that makes Pero, InterNatural Foods, is made of Malted barley, chicory, barley, rye, beet roots.
*Caf-lib is made of extract of roasted barley, roasted barley, and roasted chicory.
*Kaffree Roma is made of roasted barley, roasted malt barley, roasted chicory, roasted rye.
*Inka Naturalis is made of roasted barley, rye, chicory, and beet root.
*Celestial Seasonings Roastaroma Herb Tea is made of Roasted barley, roasted chicory, roasted carob, cinnamon, allspice and Chinese star anise.
*Teeccino is made of roasted carob, barley, chicory root, figs, dates and almonds.
*Bambu, made by Rupunzel, is made of chicory roots, figs, wheat, malted barley, and acorns.
*Ayurvedic Roast is made of barley, chicory root, and rye along with ashwagandha, shatavari, and brahmi (ayurvedic herbs).
*Bueno Coffee Substitute is made of roasted, ground, garbanzo beans.
*Soyfee (wheat free, gluten-free coffee substitute) is made with organic kosher 100% Soy (Caffeine-free) Roasted Soybeans.

Undoubtedly there are more coffee substitutes out there, but these are just ones I have heard of and might be of interest to anyone trying to knock down or completely get rid of their caffeine intake. Out of all of these listed I have only tried Postum and Pero. I am not going to boast that these will all taste exactly like coffee or will satisfy your cravings for caffeine, but they are definitely worth a try considering the negative health problems that too much caffeine can cause. At any rate, I would highly recommend an alternative like one of these if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a heart issue. Moderation in all things.