How’s your dental care routine treating you these days?
 
I just got an upgrade on mine, and I didn’t even know I needed one.
 
If you are committed to taking care of your teeth naturally and are looking to up your toothcare game, you might want to take a look at the Essential Oxygen organic dental care line. This California-based, woman-owned company offers vegan, organic products that provide germ-killing, gentle whitening goodness for healthier gums, fresher breath and a whiter smile.
 
As an added bonus, they give a portion of their proceeds to community organizations, so you can also feel good knowing that your purchase is doing good for you and for the community.
 
Plus, I’m going to give you a promo code for 20 % off your order, so, if you are in the market for a low-abrasion toothpaste or organic brushing rinse, now is your chance to try Essential Oxygen with a big, ol’ discount!

The organic toothpaste, tooth polish and brushing rinse are all vegan, gluten-free products that are not tested on animals and come in recyclable, BPA-free packaging. Each of these products is free of fluoride, glycerin, alcohol, and sodium laurel sulfate and work together to give you whiter teeth, fresher breath, healthier gums, and reduced tooth sensitivity.
 
The ingredient lists include only stuff you are familiar with and can pronounce, which is always a huge plus.
 
See for yourself:
 
Essential Oxygen BR Organic Brushing Rinse ingredients – purified water, aloe leaf juice, food-grade hydrogen peroxide, peppermint oil, rosemary leaf oil, eucalyptus leaf oil, lemon peel oil, clover flower oil, and cinnamon leaf oil.
 
Essential Oxygen BR Organic Toothbrush ingredients – food-grade hydrogen peroxide, aloe very gel, xanthan gum, guar gum, coconut oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, stevia, lemon oil, rosemary oil, clove oil, cinnamon oil, frankincense oil, coconut flour, and calcium phosphate.
 
Essential Oxygen BR Tooth Polish ingredients – calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, bicarbonate soda, MSM, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, myrrh, stevia, wintergreen essential oil, cinnamon essential oil, lemon essential oil, clove essential oil, eucalyptus essential oil, and rosemary essential oil.
 
Gotta love that.

Now that you know what is and isn’t in these natural, cruelty-free toothcare products, let’s talk about how to use them.
 
 Essential Oxygen recommends using what they call the Pristine Protocol:
 
1. Rinse with Essential Oxygen BR Organic Brushing Rinse for whole-mouth cleaning.
 
2. Brush with Essential Oxygen BR Organic Toothpaste.
 
3. Polish with Essential Oxygen BR Tooth Polish as needed for an extra boost in whitening and tartar reduction.
 
Now, you don’t have to do this. You can use the brushing rinse as a pre-rinse before your current toothpaste, use just the tooth polish when you need a mild abrasive for whitening and plaque removal, or you can even use the brushing rinse alone as both an organic mouthwash and a brushing medium.
 
For this review, I followed the Pristine Protocol so that I could have the full experience, and then tell you all about it.
 
So, let’s do it.

As I mentioned above, I decided to do the Pristine Protocol so that I could get the full experience and see how well these products worked together.
 
One thing that I loved right away is that the toothpaste is not abrasive but that they offer the separate tooth polish for those days when you want to add a mild abrasive to polish your teeth and work on those tougher stains from all that tea and coffee. So, you can use the toothpaste for your usual toothcare routine, and then throw in the tooth polish as needed.
 
I also really like the idea of using a brushing rinse before I brush my teeth so that it can reach areas of my mouth I generally do not get with my toothbrush. As a twice daily routine, the brushing rinse and toothpaste leave my mouth feeling clean and fresh, and I particularly appreciate that they are able to do this without harsh chemicals and additives I can’t pronounce.
 
One thing that I have noticed with some organic toothpastes and mouthwashes is that the taste is way too strong and, in the case of the mouthwashes, it can even burn a little. This is not the case with these Essential Oxygen products. The flavor is light and pleasant. While each product has a mix of essential oils, you will mostly taste a light peppermint flavor when using them.
 
Whitening is not the most important attribute I look for when I’m choosing an organic toothpaste, but it sure is a bonus. I would say I was using the brushing rinse and toothpaste about one week when I first noticed that my teeth were a bit whiter. I had only used a small amount of the tooth polish once at that point, so I can certainly see how regular use of these products can help keep my smile brighter.
 
Plus, this gentle whitening is an added bonus on top of healthier gums, fresher breath, reduced tartar, and a cleaner mouth overall. So, yeah, I will be ordering this organic, vegan dental care set again!

Okay, now let’s save you some money.
 
The special promo code I got just for you so that you can save 20% off Essential Oxygen products is CHEAPVEGANCHICK.
 
You can remember that, right? =)
 
So, just...

1. Click here.

2. Fill your cart.

3. Type in the promo code (CHEAPVEGANCHICK) during checkout to save 20% on your next order of organic mouthwash, toothpaste or tooth polish (or their other products!).
 
If you happen to be reading this months after it was posted, check the Essential Oxygen page on Dealspotr for the most recent deals on their organic, vegan dental care products.

About five years ago, I had the opportunity to review some CORE Meal Bars and instantly fell in love with this easy, pre-packaged, vegan meal option that I could take with me on road trips or when attending an event where I knew vegan options would be scarce. I loved them so much that I hounded my local Whole Foods to stock them and, when they did, started regularly stocking my freezer with them.
 
Now their meal bars and other whole-food items are much easier to find at your favorite grocer – plus, they have expanded their offerings to include CORE bars, tonics and granolas.
 
There is a lot to love about convenient whole-food options that are vegan and organic, but there is even more to love about this company. So, when Corey from CORE Foods sent me an email to see if I would like to do a vegan product review for their CORE Bars, you know I was all over that.

Before we even get to the food, we’ve got to talk about this company. This small, Oakland-based company staffs their kitchen with formerly incarcerated people to give them a second chance and sources their sustainably grown ingredients from carefully selected farmers that share their dedication to organic, sustainable foods.
 
Their oats are grown by the Smith family in Colorado on the world’s leading gluten-free oat farm, and then processed in a dedicated factory to ensure their certification as gluten free. Their almonds come from an employee-owned, democratically ran company in Central California. The raisins are sustainably grown by the Sahatjian family on the world’s first organic raisin farm, which was established in 1928.
 
You can find out even more about where their ingredients come from on their website where you can read about how each ingredient is processed and where it was grown.
 
You gotta love that – but if buying from a company that gives second chances to the formerly incarcerated, supports sustainable family farms and is transparent about ingredient sourcing isn’t enough for you, there are plenty more reasons to love these whole-food bars, like 100% organic, non-GMO, certified gluten-free ingredients in tasty bars with no added sugar.

The Cashew Chip Core Bar is made from organic, gluten-free oats, organic cashews, organic raw flaxseed, organic cacao mass, filtered water, organic coconut and organic almonds. With eight grams of protein, six grams of fiber, 15% of the daily allowance of iron, no additives, and no added sugar, these vegan bars are perfect for breakfast on the go, road trips, or heading out for a day of outdoor activities.
 
I loved this bar. I mean, really loved it. Sometimes I get a hankering for chocolate that just will not quit, but I definitely do not want to reach for some sugar-laden chocolate bar or something of that nature. So, instead, I can eat half (or all) of a Cashew Chip CORE Bar and feel totally satisfied without that icky feeling you get after eating something super sweet.
 
The Cashew Chip CORE bar is kind of like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie but not as sweet. Basically, it’s awesome.
 
Like all of their bars and meal bars – and any real food – these bars are perishable, which means you can store them in the freezer for up to two years, your refrigerator for two months or at room temperature for one week. Storing them in the freezer works great, because it only takes about 10 minutes for them to thaw, which means you can set one out for breakfast while you are getting ready or you can throw one in your backpack for later in the day.

The short, easy-to-pronounce ingredient list for the Bananut Dream CORE Bar includes organic gluten free oats, organic cashews, organic walnuts, organic banana, filtered water, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, and organic cinnamon. This one has seven grams of protein, five grams of fiber, 10% of the daily allowance for iron, and no added sugar.
 
If you are a fan of banana nut bread, oatmeal cookies and cinnamon, you are going to love this bar. It’s like the perfect combination of these three examples of deliciousness and, since there is no added sugar, it’s a cleaner taste where you can taste each of the real-food flavors without that overwhelming sweetness that should only be found in cupcakes but is often found in snack and meal bars made by other companies.
 
Like the Cashew Chip bar, the Bananut Dream bar is a filling, tasty option that is completely portable and ready to go for some quick fuel between meetings or activities. While I do take this one with me when I’m going to have a long day away from home, my favorite way to enjoy it is at home with some hot tea.

You can purchase CORE bars (and CORE Meal bars, granola and tonics) online at the CORE Foods website. You can also find CORE bars in Whole Foods Markets and in tons of stores across the country. Use their handy store locator to find one near you.
 
If you purchase your bars on the CORE Foods website, you might want to sign up for their subscribe and save option, which means you will get your bars automatically delivered to you at an interval of your choosing and with a 5% discount. (Total yay for discounts!)
 
When shopping for CORE bars or meal bars, always glance at the end of the ingredient list to make sure it says “(VEGAN),” since some of their bars have whey. 

The ayurvedic superfood snack, AshaPops, is brought to us by mother and son team, Asha and Jai. Growing up in India, Asha regularly enjoyed popped water lily seeds as a healthy, flavorful snack, so, when Jai couldn’t find any healthy snacks that really satisfied him, Mom set out to fix that by combining her childhood snack with modern flavors that would tempt his taste buds.
 
After perfecting a handful of flavors ranging from sweet to savory, Asha and Jai brought AshaPops to the public, and I am SO glad that they did. Seriously, y’all, I cannot stop eating them. I tried a few of each of the flavors I received so that I could tell you about the flavor and texture, and then I sealed the bags and set them on my desk so that I could reference the labels while writing. Problem is, I keep stopping to open them back up and steal a few more, which basically means I am getting no work done today – just snacking.
 
Most of you – like me – are probably not that familiar with water lily seeds, so maybe we should start there. According to the AshaPops website, the Euryale Ferox is a water lily plant that grows in India, the seeds of which are recommended as part of a healing, ayurvedic diet. Water lily seeds are widely considered an Indian superfood and can be puffed to create plant-based snacks that are satisfying and delicious.

AshaPops popped water lily seeds are vegan, paleo, gluten free, corn free, soy free, grain free, and non-GMO, so that is already pretty awesome. They also have short ingredient lists containing only ingredients that are familiar and easy to read and pronounce. Asafoetida might be the only exception to the easy-to-pronounce part for Westerners, but this is a common spice used in India made from dried resin from the roots of fennel plants. It has a flavor reminiscent of onion and has historically been used medicinally to treat infections, such as bronchitis and whooping cough.
 
Something else I love about AshaPops is that you are only taking in 100 calories if you eat the entire bag of one of the savory options and 120 calories if you down the whole bag of the Dark Chocolate. Plus, these snacks offer that savory flavor and crunchiness that makes them super satisfying and filling.
 
Did I mention that one serving has four grams of protein? Yeah, this is just one more example of how vegans and vegetarians can get plenty of protein from plant-based foods – even our snacks.
 
Another bonus if you live in SoCal or Central California – AshaPops are handmade and dry roasted in Los Angeles, so you get to support small business and local business when you buy these healthy, vegan snacks!
 
Not to worry, if you don’t live in California, they offer free shipping nationwide, so you can enjoy these tasty treats across the country. Plus, no matter where you live, when you purchase AshaPops, you are helping support growers, since AshaPops gives 5% of net proceeds to help growers and their families in low-income areas.
 
Okay, now that we know how awesome AshaPops are, let’s talk flavors.

The Bombay Pepper Masala AshaPops have four grams of protein, two grams of fat, 35% of the daily allowance of manganese, 15% of magnesium, 15% of thiamin, 10% of vitamin B6, 10% of phosphorous, 8% or iron, and 8% of potassium.
 
I love pretty much anything with masala or pepper, so I was pretty sure I was going to love these, which I did. If you like your savory snacks to have just a little bit of a kick, this is the flavor you should try. I definitely wouldn’t call it spicy, but there was more of a kick in this flavor than in the other two that I tried. These are awesomely savory and crunchy, so I would definitely give this flavor a try.
 
If I can manage to not eat the entire bag tonight, I’m thinking these would be perfect in place of croutons on a salad tomorrow.

The Turmeric AshaPops have four grams of protein, 2.5 grams of fat, and 30% of the daily allowance of manganese, 15% of magnesium, 15% of phosphorous, 15% of thiamin, 10% of vitamin B6, 8% of folate, and 8% of potassium.
 
This is my favorite of the three I have tried. Now, I should point out that I have not yet tried the Vegan Cheese AshaPops, so those might be the winner once I have had a chance to taste them, but, for now, Turmeric is my fave. I have a couple of days during the week when I have to do a lot of driving and need to bring enough food with me to last throughout the day. The Turmeric AshaPops are exactly the type of healthy, filling snack I want with me on those days. 

The Dark Chocolate AshaPops have three grams of protein, one gram of fat, and 15% of the daily allowance of manganese, 10% of magnesium, 8% of thiamin, 8% of phosphorous, 6% of vitamin B6, and 6% of potassium.
 
I don’t know why, but I can’t help but think of chocolatey, puffed cereal when I eat these. In fact, I’m seriously thinking of bathing them in coconut milk in the morning and having them for breakfast. I’m usually a savory snack kind of girl, but I do tend to look for something a bit sweeter after meals or when I’m working late into the night. The Dark Chocolate AshaPops have just the right level of sweetness to perfectly cure that craving. 

You can buy AshaPops straight from Asha and Jai at AshaPops.com or through their shop on Amazon.

I received product samples at no charge so that I could try this product and give you my honest opinion.

I met two of the ladies of Le Clairer at the Your Plant Based Guide Conference earlier this year and – as I am with pretty much any vegan, organic skincare line – I was immediately interested. Believe me, this girl can hoard some skincare products.
 
So, when they offered to provide me with a product to review for Cheap Vegan Chick, I jumped at the chance. Given a couple of options, I chose the Rose Geranium lip balm – mostly because my love of rosewater has expanded to nearly any skincare product that smells like roses.
 
Aside from lip balm, Le Clairer offers body butters, facial scrubs, toners, creams, massage oils, and soaps.
 
Le Clairer currently offers four options in their line of lip balms: Lavender, Green Tea & Peppermint, Orange, and Rose Geranium. At the time of this writing, there are $3.99 each and can be ordered on the Le Clairer website.

However – and this is a big however – the lip balms on the website have beeswax on their ingredients list, so you may need to contact them directly to inquire about purchasing their vegan options. The Rose Geranium lip balm I received at the plant-based conference clearly states that it is vegan on the label, and there is no mention of beeswax in the ingredients.
 
Here are the ingredients in the Le Clairer vegan lip balm I reviewed:
 
MCT oil
Organic rice bran wax
Organic olive oil
Organic moringa oil
Organic coconut oil
Organic rose concentrated oil
Organic avocado oil
Organic mango butter
Organic geranium essential oil
 
It looks like most of their products are vegan and made with organic ingredients, so that is awesome. Just be sure to check the ingredients list or shoot them an email before ordering.

an Lip Balm Review
 
The Rose Geranium lip balm I have been testing for the last few months goes on quite smoothly and is not at all heavy or waxy. It has held up better than expected while being toted around in warmer temperatures, which Le Clairer credits to the inclusion of moringa oil.
 
The scent seems to be a bit more geranium than rose to me, so if you are a geranium fan, this is going to be perfect for you. If not, you might want to try one of the other scents; I think I’m leaning towards trying the Orange next.
 
If you try one of the other scents, leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it!

Have you tried Trail Truffles yet?
 
They are a relatively new product that I came across at a recent plant-based conference in SoCal. Since I had never heard of them, I thought maybe you hadn’t either, so I figured I better let you know!
 
So, here’s the deal: Trail Truffles are little bits of vegan goodness made with a creamy nut butter center inside a cacao and date “chocolate” shell. They are designed for active folks who need portable, non-messy trail foods but don’t want to give up things like chocolatey goodness while they are on the go.
 
If this sounds like you, then you should definitely try these non-melting, tasty truffles that come in a convenient zipper pouch for easy travel.

Here are a just a few things to love about these vegan energy bites:
 
Vegan
Non-GMO
Organic Ingredients
Gluten Free
No Refined Sugars
Soy Free
Low-Glycemic Ingredients
 
At the time of this writing, there are four flavors available: Mint Crème, Chocolate Hazelnut, Peanut Butter Cup, and Coconut Macadamia. I tried all four and found all of them perfectly palatable, although I did like the Chocolate Hazelnut and Peanut Butter Cup best. I don’t know if it was just the packages that I purchased, but I found that the Chocolate Hazelnut and Peanut Butter Cup were moister, while the Mint Crème and Coconut Macadamia were a bit more on the dry side.

The folks behind Trail Truffles note that the shelf life is about one year but recommend consuming open packages within about a week to enjoy the full freshness. I tested this out and agree. Once you have opened the package, I recommend eating them within a week or so for the freshest, most flavorful treat.
 
While there is a lot to love about these tasty truffles, it should be noted that all of the currently available flavors contain nuts, so this particular snack is not appropriate for folks with nut allergies. This is also not the right choice for energy on the trail if you are sensitive to the theobromine in cacao.
 
Trail Truffles were created as an indulgent but healthy fuel for hiking, camping, backpacking, and other activities that require quick energy, but the convenience of these little energy bites also makes them a good option for busy people who need convenient, vegan, gluten free snacks, or for anyone with an interest in healthy eating who still craves sweets or chocolate at times.

Trail Truffles were created in Draper, Utah, which is where they are currently made. They are available in a few dozen stores across the country, but the easiest way to get your hands on this vegan trail food is to order from the Trail Truffles website or from Amazon.
 
They are slightly less expensive on Amazon, plus, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you get free shipping. So, that’s how I will be getting my future orders.

For our friends at the FTC: I purchased this product and did not receive compensation for this review. There are affiliate links in this post, which help you easily find the product to buy online while also helping to pay for things like website hosting to keep the Cheap Vegan Chick blog online as a resource.

About six months ago, Aaron at Everything Vegan contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing one or more of their clothing items to let you all know what I think of them. He sent me a gift card to pick up a couple of product samples to review, but when I went on the site and started looking through all the awesome designs, I ended of buying WAY more than the gift card covered. There was just too much vegan awesomeness, and I couldn’t pass it up.
 
But, this works out great for you, because now I have stuff to give away! (Visit Cheap Vegan Chick on Twitter for the vegan sock giveaway.)
 
So, let’s talk socks.
 
Everything Vegan offers an ever-expanding line of vegan apparel, including hats, t-shirts, tank tops, hoodies, and socks. If you have never been on the website, you really should stop by just to go through the dozens of shirt designs with vegan messages, such as “Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk” and “Powered by Plants.” There are simple designs that just say “Vegan” and those that show your activism, such as “Animals Don’t Have a Voice, So You’ll Never Stop Hearing Mine.”

Then you get to the socks. These vegan crew socks are printed with water-based inks and have designs that range from cute baby chicks to animal rights messages. You can get some cow-print socks that say “Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk,” socks that simply say “Vegan AF,” or cozy crew socks with pics of tofu, broccoli, corn, cows, peppers, watermelon, pigs, kale or avocados.
 
I am wearing a pair of the tofu socks as I write this. It’s been raining here, and now it’s super windy, so I’m loving wearing these cozy socks while I work.
 
Each pair of unisex socks is about eight inches in length, which means they are going to go about mid-calf on most of us. If you have large calves (like me), you will be happy to know that these socks have no problem stretching for a comfortable fit. Now, if you are stretching them over large calves, you will notice that the design stretches, too, which reveals the white parts between the ribs, but this is pretty typical of crew socks with printed designs.
 
You can probably wash these socks like you would any other socks, but I wash mine in cold and hang them to dry. Like all of the vegan clothing items from Everything Vegan, the images on these socks are printed with water-based ink, so I’m pretty sure you will experience less fading over time if you wash on cold and line dry.

At $17.95 (at the time of this writing), these socks are not exactly cheap. However, they are statement pieces that you are not going to easily find anywhere else – and they make unique gifts for the vegans, vegetarians, and other plant-loving folks in your life. Plus, I have been on the website several times when Aaron is offering a buy two, get one free deal, so you might want to keep an eye out for these sales to save some money.
 
Overall, these printed vegan socks are a fun addition to your wardrobe and are great gifts for vegans and vegetarians. Plus, you get to support a small, vegan-owned business – and that is always awesome.
 
To check out these socks, vegan clothing, vegan stickers and more, head over to Everything Vegan. Be sure to sign up for the email newsletter to find out about sales and save a little money on your first order.

Bambu Dru is a small business based in Southern California offering bamboo-blend, organic clothing, towels and fabrics. Some of their offerings include bamboo-blend tank tops, t-shirts, boxers, lounge pants, onesies, and organic dresses for little ones. I had the opportunity to review their ankle socks, which come in two colors (black and natural) and four sizes (small through x-large).
 
In the past, I have had bamboo socks that were super thin and, while they were comfy and soft, they wore out faster than I expected.
 
That is not at all the case with these Bambu Dru bamboo ankle socks. These are much thicker than the typical bamboo socks I see on the market and are more like the thickness you expect from cotton athletic socks. I love this, since it makes them even cozier, more comfortable for long days of walking, and they have held up really well to months of wearing and washing.

Speaking of washing, the bamboo blend (87% bamboo, 17% nylon, 3% spandex) makes these socks machine washable and dryer safe. Of course, it is always better to line dry your clothes, if you can, to make them last even longer and to lower your carbon footprint, but it is also nice to have the option of using a dryer, if needed.
 
The one thing to keep in mind is that they should not be bleached. But, interestingly, they can by dyed. This means that you can buy these bamboo socks in the natural color, and then dye them any color you choose. This is also a good thing to keep in the back of your mind in case you ever get a stain on them, since dyeing them could then extend their useful life.
 
Another thing that I am loving about these socks is that they have maintained their softness throughout several washings. While they are super comfy for all-day wear while working or running errands, the softness makes me really want to wear them around the house. I have found that they are a particular good pairing for curling up in a chair with a cup of tea and a good book.

You can purchase these Bambu Dru socks or any of their other offerings on their website. At the time of this writing, the ankle socks are $6.00 per pair, and the crew socks are $7.25 per pair. You might also get lucky and run into them tabling at local festivals but, if you don’t want to wait, definitely jump on the website to order a few pairs!
 
If you have any questions, you can call Bambu Dru at (714) 990-1210 or email them at bambudru@gmail.com.

I should start this vegan tomato sauce review by noting that I’m not a big fan of jarred tomato sauces. There are plenty of vegan and organic options out there, but they usually have too much sugar, too many additives or just don’t have that homemade taste you want in your pasta or pizza sauce. You know?
 
I’m also not one of those vegans who eats a lot of pasta. So, since I only eat it occasionally, it’s not a problem for me to take the time to make homemade sauces when I do.
 
However, my omnivore wife -- who isn’t all that concerned with eating organic -- is a huge pasta fan and is not the type to cook from scratch, which means we always have jarred tomato sauces in the pantry. Since I am far more concerned with her eating organic (and non-GMO) than she is, I was very quick to say yes when I was approached by the folks at Uncle Steve’s Italian Specialties to review their vegan, organic sauces.  
 
After all, if I can stock the pantry with tasty pasta sauce and pizza sauce options that just happen to be organic and vegan, everyone is happy.
 
So, let’s talk sauce.

Folks who eat plant-based, organic diets are usually more concerned with where their food comes from and who is making it than our conventional-Western-diet counterparts.
 
So, of course, we all want to know who Uncle Steve is.
 
Uncle Steve is Steve Schirripa. You probably know him as Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos or Detective Anthony Abetemarco on Blue Bloods. Aside from his numerous acting credits, he is also an author and launched Uncle Steve’s Italian Specialties in 2014 as a tribute to his late mother and using family recipes handed down from her.
 
As a little side note, the first line in his Twitter bio is, “Tomato sauce with a conscience.”

The sauces made by Uncle Steve’s are different than most others on the store shelf for several reasons. First off, they are made in small batches, which is not usually true of sauces you can buy on Amazon or from stores like Walmart. Secondly, they are made with fresh, organic ingredients – and you can recognize and pronounce every word on the ingredient list.
 
As noted on the Uncle Steve’s Organic Sauces website, “Our products are USDA certified organic, gluten free, dairy free, vegan, kosher and contain no added sugar. With no GMOs, no harmful pesticides, and nothing artificial.” His sauces are also certified paleo.
 
Sounds pretty good to me.

We were given three flavors of sauce to review: Organic Marinara, Organic Tomato and Basil, and Organic Arrabiata. I’m noticing that the Organic Tomato and Basil is not currently available on his site and is only available in limited quantities elsewhere. This leads me to believe he may be focusing on just the marinara and arrabiata now, so I, too, am going to focus on those two in this review.

The Organic Marinara sauce is made from organic, imported Italian whole peeled tomatoes, organic fresh onions, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic fresh garlic, sea salt, organic fresh basil and organic black pepper.
 
As mentioned above, it is organic, vegan, paleo, gluten free, non-GMO and kosher.
 
Although my wife is usually only in charge in the kitchen when Mexican or Puerto Rican food is on the menu, she has somehow also become the chief pasta maker. So, I handed her the jar and went back to work in my office. Soon, the house was filled with the aroma of simmering tomato sauce that smelled just as good as the homemade sauces I occasionally make.

Normally, she adds all sorts of stuff to jarred sauces, such as fresh garlic, peppers, onions and hot sauce (I did mention the Mexican/Puerto Rican thing, right?). But I requested that she add nothing this time so that we could get a real feel for how this sauce tasted without the normal doctoring.
 
The first thing I would say about the taste is that it was clean and fresh, which are two things I do not expect from pasta sauce in a jar. It also had a bit of chunkiness to it, which is much more like a homemade sauce than something you grab off of a grocery store shelf.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this sauce and really enjoyed the pasta dish we made using it. We also both really dug dipping our gluten-free garlic bread in it.
 
I can definitely see using this sauce in a variety of dishes and just adding different ingredients to fit the dish.

We decided to use this sauce on homemade pizzas and were not disappointed.
 
The Organic Tomato Basil sauce is made from organic, imported Italian whole peeled tomatoes, organic fresh onions, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic fresh basil, organic fresh garlic, sea salt, and organic black pepper.
 
It tasted fresh and delicious as pizza sauce, and I can see this one being just as delicious on pasta or in other dishes that call for tomato sauce.

Since we like things a little spicier than some folks, we saved the Arrabiata for last and were very much looking forward to giving it a try.
 
Let’s start with the ingredients: organic, imported Italian whole peeled tomatoes, organic fresh onions, organic extra virgin olive oil, organic fresh garlic, sea salt, organic fresh basil, organic crushed red pepper, organic black pepper.

Now, I’ve read some other product reviews for Uncle Steve’s Organic Arrabiata where the reviewers thought it was pretty spicy. I agree that it has a bit more kick than the others, which is great for folks who like a fuller flavor in their tomato sauce. However, we didn’t find it to be particularly spicy…and we did end up adding some hot sauce after trying it without. If you like a little bit of heat, I think you will like this one quite a bit.

The first night, we made spaghetti with some sauteed vegetables and garlic bread, which was pretty darn good. Then, I added some vegan Italian sausage and vegan parm to the leftovers the next day, and it was borderline amazing.
 
Overall, this one also had the fresh, clean taste of a homemade sauce, which was just such a nice surprise from a jarred sauce.

You can buy Uncle Steve’s Organic Sauces (plus pasta and gift sets) on the Uncle Steve’s website, from Walmart or on Amazon. If you purchase them on the Uncle Steve’s website, you get free shipping on orders over $40. If you purchase them from Uncle Steve’s through Amazon, you get free shipping even if your order is less than $40, so that’s a little bonus.
 
If you live in the northeastern US, you can also use this store locator on the Uncle Steve’s website to find a store selling Uncle Steve’s Organic Sauces near you.
 
At the time of this writing, each jar comes out to about $7.97 on the Uncle Steve’s website with free shipping on orders over $40. It is $8.97 per jar on Amazon, but you get free shipping on orders totaling less than $40. So, if you plan on buying one set of three jars, you are better off getting them on Amazon. If you are planning on buying more than one set of three jars, buy them on Uncle Steve’s website.

For our friends at the FTC: I was provided with free product samples in exchange for this product review. The opinions are my own and are never influenced by whether I receive a free product to review or I purchase the product to review.

You may have never heard of Saucy Lips’ line of gourmet sauces, and that is likely because they are not available in stores. So, unless you meet the folks behind the sauce at a farmers market or festival – or happen to come across their website – this may be your first introduction to their vegan, GMO-free sauces for cooking, grilling, sautéing, marinating, dipping and dressing salads.
 
The limited availability is by choice and is a big part of what sets these sauces apart from other options. Saucy Lips is a small, family-owned company that makes their sauces fresh to order in small batches, which immediately makes them kind of awesome. They also get extra points for having the four-legged members of their family in their family photo on their website.

These gourmet cooking sauces outshine other options in that they are gluten free, soy free, GMO free, dairy free, nut free, vegan, all natural and paleo friendly, which means just about anyone can enjoy them. Plus, did you see that calorie count? If you are using this as a salad dressing or marinade, that is definitely an improvement over most of the sauces you are going to find in stores.

They use no preservatives other than apple cider vinegar, so the sauces have a shelf life of about a year and need to be refrigerated once you open them. And, because they want to make sure you receive the freshest ingredients possible, this is another reason they can’t have their sauces sitting around in warehouses or on store shelves.

The tantalizing flavor combinations offered by Saucy Lips include:
 
Ghost Pepper & Tamarind
Habanero & Carrot
Jalapeno & Green Apple
Peppery Strawberry
Pineapple Thai
Tangy Mango
Zesty Cilantro
Pumpkin Mustard

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to try the Zesty Cilantro and the Peppery Strawberry, so let’s see how that went…

I got my first taste of the Zesty Cilantro gourmet sauce by Saucy Lips on some vegan Beyond Chicken served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. The fake chicken started out frozen, so I wasn’t able to marinate it like I had originally planned, but I ended up using the Zesty Cilantro sauce more like a simmering sauce, which made the house smell SO good while it was cooking.
 
In fact, I think this might be the first time my omnivore wife was super interested in the vegan chicken cooking up on the stove.
 
This zesty cilantro vegan chicken was so good that I ate it for dinner that night, ate the leftovers the next day, and then made the exact same meal on the third day and ate those leftovers on the fourth day. That’s how good this stuff is – totally worth eating four days in a row.

Now, of course, a girl can’t live on Beyond Chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli alone, so my next taste test was a simple snack of a handful of cherry tomatoes from my backyard garden tossed with some Saucy Lips Zesty Cilantro gourmet sauce.
 
Yep, that worked out pretty well too.
 
The Zesty Cilantro has this tang to it that is just awesome and definitely makes the sauce live up to its name.

By now, I didn’t have a whole lot of gourmet sauce left in the bottle, so I used the rest as a dipping sauce for some more backyard tomatoes and warmed bread (that is a gluten-free baguette by Schar in the photo, by the way).
 
I know it is hard to go wrong with bread, but not every sauce is ideal for bread dipping, so you never know. Turns out, Saucy Lips Zesty Cilantro is a perfectly fine – and quite delish – bread dipping sauce, so if you happen to pick some up, I definitely recommend trying it.
 
Overall, Zesty Cilantro was a total winner for me and I would definitely buy it in the future.

Once I had finished off the bottle of Zesty Cilantro, it was time to take on the Peppery Strawberry gourmet sauce. The emphasis here is on peppery and, while I really dug the zesty tang of the Zesty Cilantro, the peppery part of the Peppery Strawberry caught me a little off guard. As in, I actually coughed and had to take a second to recover. This may or may not have also involved the f-word.
 
So, we can start by saying this one has a bold flavor that might kick your ass for a second if you aren’t ready for it.
 
Now, I should note that I had poured some on a spoon and just popped it in my mouth so that I could get the flavor and determine how best to use it. So that is part of the problem: With these handcrafted sauces that use fresh ingredients, you don’t have to use as much to achieve maximum flavor, so…if you toss back a spoonful of something with “peppery” in the name, it is kind of your own fault if that doesn’t go so well for you.
 
I ended up using this Saucy Lips handcrafted sauce as dressing for a cucumber-tomato-beet salad, then as a dipping sauce for some cucumbers and tomatoes, and also as a dipping sauce for bread. After I knew that a little goes a long way in the flavor department with this one, it worked out fine and was a welcome change from typical salad dressings that are not as bold.

If you would like to try some Saucy Lips Handcrafted Gourmet Sauce for yourself, you can pick some up from their booth at farmers markets and festivals (mostly in California, Arizona and Florida), or you can order it directly from their website. When it is not on sale, it will set you back $19.99 per bottle with flat-rate shipping of $5.00 on domestic orders. I have seen it on sale for $14.99 on their website, though, so keep an eye out for sales.
 
Now, you and I both know that this cheap vegan chick would never buy a bottle of $19.99 gourmet sauce that I saw on a shelf at Sprouts or Whole Foods or some other store. So, if I had not met these fine folks at a vegan festival, I may have totally missed out on ever trying it. That would have sucked.
 
I know $19.99 sounds like a lot, but we do have to remember that this is not a mass-produced product – it is handcrafted in small batches as they get orders. Plus, you get to support a small, family-owned business that is truly dedicated to providing healthy, delicious sauces from fresh ingredients for our cooking, grilling and dipping needs.
 
So, for some of us, this might be more of a splurge product, but it is definitely worth it when you are looking for something savory and delish with which to treat yourself and your family.
 
Be sure to subscribe to their newsletter, which automatically enters you into a weekly giveaway where one subscriber wins a bottle of the handcrafted gourmet sauce of their choice. Plus, you will get recipes and a heads up about special deals.
 
If you have tried these or other flavors in the Saucy Lips line, let us know what you thought in the comments below!

For our friends at the FTC: The folks at Saucy Lips provided product samples for me to review. Opinions are my own, and there was no additional compensation.