Smackin Whip Vegan Whipped Cream

The other day I was sitting at home, thinking about the current state of affairs with the whipped cream drought, when I receive a text from OD. I see whipped cream, I see vegan, and I see him telling me the price as if now is any time for comparison shopping. WHO CARES? JUST BUY IT!

He did, of course, and here it is: Smackin' Whip. I'd never seen it before; he said it was just hanging out amongst the non-vegan whipped cream like it was NBD.

 

A little internet sleuthing brought me to the brand, Smackin' Good. It seems that they make whip/light whip, pancakes/waffles, and potato knishes; there was very little additional info. All signs point to them being a Kosher company that embraces their accidentally vegan products- kind of like Klein's ice cream.

 

Taste test time:
Unlike Soyatoo!, Smackin' Whip comes right out of the can...right outta the fridge. The whip has the look and texture of non-vegan whipped cream; you can control it into florets, but it was also build-able for a more impressive presentation. Taste-wise, it had a subtle sweetness: no discernible vanilla, no coconut (like Trader Joe's version).

None of this prevented me from filling my bowl with what would generally be considered a disproportionate amount (there's one scoop of Nada Moo mint chip under there). I was happy to have it, but I'm pretty sure that I'd still choose Trader Joe's in a blind taste test.

Amy's Kitchen Vegan Margherita Pizza Swirls- Quick Review

As I stated over on Instagram, I'm a huge fan of all things vegan by Amy's Kitchen and these new vegan, margherita (pizza) swirls are no exception. 

I've eaten more than my fair share of their incredible vegan margherita pizzas, but they're a tad pricey for one meal and I do not possess the self control to only eat half of it at a time. Enter: the less expensive and seemingly more portion controlled swirls.

I'm not gonna lie; in comparison, the pizza swirls looked like they'd be much less filling and, frankly, a little dry. Well, I'm happy to report that nope and NOPE. They were actually quite perfect.

I have a special affinity for finger foods, so this one is definitely staying on the must-have-in-freezer-at-all-times list.

If you can find them, I highly recommend picking them up. They do seem to be a little bit elusive right now, so stock up when you have the opportunity! I know I will.

Happy New Year! Happy Wax!

We have so many holiday-related things to catch up on, but I wanted to start off the year with this amazing home fragrance product* I received for review from Happy Wax because it really made me very happy!

I was already enjoying a wonderful season, but when I broke out this wax warmer candle alternative on Christmas day, it kicked things up a few notches by filling my home with a pleasant, fresh scent without making me or VM crazy worried about an open flame. You see, we're not really candle people. Already too busy making sure the oven is off, the furnace isn't making a funny noise, and all the doors are locked; candles are just one extra fear we choose not to deal with. I, personally, usually use room sprays (NOT air fresheners); wax warmers are completely new to me. WOW.

Happy Wax currently offers three wax warmers: "classic," "signature," and an outlet plug-in; they kindly sent me the signature tabletop warmer in the teardrop design decorative wrap. It really could not have been more perfect; I have a rather colorful interior design aesthetic, so it went beautifully with my decor. I literally removed it from the box, took the silicone dish out of the plastic bag, and it was ready to go. 

The gummy bear-shaped, soy wax melts I received were citrus mix scented- which is precisely what I would have chosen if given the choice. There is a wide variety of scents available- all infused with essential oils. Those I'm interested in trying next are baby powder and cinnamon chai. By my rough math, each bear provides approximately 4 hours of burn time; it is recommended that you remove and discard (compostable) the melted wax once it ceases to be fragrant.

I'm not really someone who likes to read directions, so I just plopped one of each color/scent (green: cucumber melon, orange: citron mandarin, pink: grapefruit mangosteen) in the warmer, plugged it in, and clicked it on. You can easily choose between a 3/6/9 hour burn time and it will shut off automatically when the time is up.

No real bears were hurt in the melting process.

The scent filled the room in almost no time at all; it was fresh and pleasant, not at all artificial and/or cloying. It was hard to capture in a photo, but the (included) interior light bulb that warms the wax also provides a significant light feature as an added bonus.

When all is said and done, the bears (or snowmen, or hearts, etc.) melt into a neat pool of wax that dries when cool. Because I couldn't help myself, I did stick my finger in the melted wax while hot and it wasn't anywhere near a scalding temperature, which is good to know. I managed to reheat the same wax a couple of times before simply popping out the "used" wax for compost. From what I've read, it seems that not all wax warmers are this easy to use, so I'm especially grateful for this having been my inaugural experience. As much as I enjoyed the scent, I would have zero patience for a mess; this presented no mess whatsoever.

The entirety of the Happy Wax product experience was impeccable. From the design to the execution, this product is extraordinarily thoughtful; there isn't a detail that was missed. I don't usually gush over products, but this one is truly deserving. 89, another reason we don't burn candles, agrees!

You can find out more information on their site, but I'll take a moment to share, from their PR, that Happy Wax products are "...all-natural, vegetable based, non-GMO, and not tested on animals. Plus, unlike paraffin-based candles and melts, Happy Wax is made from renewable resources, American farm-grown soybeans, and are completely pesticide-free and non-toxic. Each melt is hand-poured in Durham, North Carolina." Have at it!

*You didn't think I meant body wax, did you? Because there'd be nothing "happy" about that.