Food Review #54 Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix

As you know, it's almost Cinco de Mayo! Also, we recently reviewed Simply Organic Cumin, and we really liked it. Since we liked that so much, I came with high hopes into this review of Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix.

First off, a little information. about Simply Organic.

All of Simply Organic's products are 100% certified organic. In addition to being good for you, they are good for the world at large. Each time you buy a Simply Organic spice, seasoning or mix, you make a small contribution; that when combined with many others; provides significant support to organizations and projects that research, develop, teach and promote organic agriculture. In fact, since the Simply Organic 1% fund began in 2001, it has provided over half a million dollars of support to organic causes.

One percent of sales on all Simply Organic spices, seasonings, flavors and mixes goes to support organic agriculture; through research, education and grower development.

The SO1% fund; determined as a percent of sales, not profits; is having a remarkable impact both here in the U.S. and internationally. For over three decades, Frontier has been a leader in promoting organic products and supporting organic agriculture around the world. It's logical that their all-organic brand, Simply Organic, funds many worthy organizations and events that support organics. We're proud to partner and offer you the opportunity to contribute directly to the continuing growth of organics with the purchase of high-quality Simply Organic products.

Now, this our first review of a seasoning. As I said before, we recently reviewed Simply Organic Cumin, but alas, that is not a seasoning but a spice.

We at All Natural Food Zone love tacos. Hard or soft, with beef, steak, or carnitas. So I was very excited to review this.

Now onto the review of the product at hand!

Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix is certified USDA Organic, and is also certified Kosher by the KSA. This is one of the few, if the only organic taco seasoning other than Simply Organic's Spicy Taco Mix (that will be reviewed soon). Which makes it even more interesting, and even more promising.

This has such premium ingredients such as organic chili pepper, organic paprika, sea salt, organic garlic, organic onion, organic coriander, organic cumin, organic cayenne; which together seem like a delicious collection of delightful parings.

Each package contains 32 grams (1.13 ounces) of mix.

The packaging is a nice, premium-feeling pouch. The outside is paper, while the interior of the pouch is lined with foil. On the front of the packaging, there is the logo of Simply Organic, along with the USDA Organic seal on the right, and on the left an orange-colored box that reads "Saddle up to this authentic flavor.", along with a photo of a finished taco prepared with this mix, along with tomatoes, and other vegetables. On the back is additional product information, along with the nutritional facts.

Upon opening the package, you smell the wonderful aroma of various delicious spices delightfully intermingling among each other. These spices include organic chili pepper, organic paprika, organic garlic, organic onion, organic coriander, organic cumin, and organic cayenne. All of these wonderfully compliment each other, and if this tastes similar to how it smells, then I would be very delighted.

Now onto the taste. Now, I used 85/15 Ground Beef with this taco mix, so your taco's taste, or results may be slightly different than mine if you use other meat.

The combination of all of the spices mentioned previously tasted absolutely delicious together, and provided a flavor that completely and absolutely blows the average taco mix out of the water. This isn't your average taco seasoning, this instead is much more unique, and much better. It has much more flavor than normal taco mix, and has a bit of spice, though not too much, and a bit of smokiness, and is overall absolutely delicious.

I must admit, it is the best taco mix I have ever tried in the entirety of my life.

Additionally, as a courtesy to you, the readers, we have provided the directions for the preparation of this products.

Directions for Preparation

1. In a large skillet thoroughly cook 1 lb. ground beef (you can also use tofu or ground turkey in the place of beef.) Drain, returning beef to skillet.
2. Mix packet contents with 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl, stir until completely dissolved.
3. Add taco marinade to ground beef and cook on medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer until desired thickness is reached.

Makes 4, two-taco, servings.

Overall, Food Review #54 Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix gets a 10 out of 10! This is a delicious product, and I would definitely purchase it again! It is the best tasting taco mix I have ever tasted so far, and I highly recommend it to you all. It is available at retailers across The United States and Canada, or on Amazon here.

Food Review #53 Simply Organic Cumin

As you know, it's almost Cinco de Mayo! And, one of the most commonly used spices in many cuisines, and especially Mexican, Latin American, Tex-Mex, and California-Mex cuisines is cumin! Now, what is better than organic cumin, by the biggest name in organic spices; Simply Organic.

First off, a little information. about Simply Organic.

All of Simply Organic's products are 100% certified organic. In addition to being good for you, they are good for the world at large. Each time you buy a Simply Organic® spice, seasoning or mix, you make a small contribution; that when combined with many others; provides significant support to organizations and projects that research, develop, teach and promote organic agriculture. In fact, since the Simply Organic 1% fund began in 2001, it has provided over half a million dollars of support to organic causes.

One percent of sales on all Simply Organic spices, seasonings, flavors and mixes goes to support organic agriculture; through research, education and grower development.

The SO1% fund; determined as a percent of sales, not profits; is having a remarkable impact both here in the U.S. and internationally. For over three decades, Frontier has been a leader in promoting organic products and supporting organic agriculture around the world. It's logical that their all-organic brand, Simply Organic, funds many worthy organizations and events that support organics. Simply Organic proud to partner and offer you the opportunity to contribute directly to the continuing growth of organics with the purchase of high-quality Simply Organic products.

You can find more out about Simply Organic here.

Now, this our first review of a spice, or of any product by Simply Organic. But, I must say that I am very excited, as their products look and seem wonderful.

This particular spice is organic Cumin by Sinply Organic. The cumin is grown in India, and is also certified Kosher! The larger package that I purchased contains 65 grams (2.31 ounces) of cumin.

Now onto the review of the product at hand!

Upon gazing at the product, I could already see the premium appearance of the packaging alone. There is a beautiful pair of leaves in the front of the package, along with the rest of the Simply Organic logo. In a minimalistic font a bit below the logo, stands the word "cumin", with the weight of the product below that. On the back if the container is additjonal product information, along with the USDA Certified Organic Seal, and the KSA (Kosher) Seal, and a barcode. The container is made out of a very stuffy, and premium-feeling glass, with a gorgeous green-metal lid.

Another great attribute of the product and it's packing is that it has two areas where you can dispense the cumin. One which you can shake, and the other which you can put a measuring spoon in, and measure how much cumin you are adding to your dish.

When you pop open the lid, you smell a delicious, detailed aroma of mainly earthiness and smokiness, and subtle spiciness. If this tastes like it smells, this will be delicious.

Now, this is a spice, and I would not highly recommend tasting this straight out of the container. Instead, I would recommend it more in dishes, rather straight. However, to get the proper description of flavor, I will now describe how it tastes on it's own.

It does taste a bit like it smells, but better. It has an earthy flavor, and has a subtle bit of spice. It also is a bit smoky, and it tastes pretty good. This is not a one-note spice, such as salt; but instead is a spice of many notes.

While I have tried cumin before in the past, this is truly the best I have ever tried. And, it is a great plus for it to be organic, like it is.

Now. If you are going to use this as most people use it, great! As I subsequently have used it in may dishes such as in our upcoming guacamole recipe, hummus, tacos, chili, salsa, sauces, dips, and more. It is a very versatile spice, and Simply Organic Cumin truly provides a delicious, yet unique flavor to any dish.

Overall, Food Review #53 Simply Organic Cumin gets a 10 out of 10!, Simply Organic Cumin is a wonderful product, and I recommend it to you all. It is very versatile, and totally tasty. It is available in stores across The United States, and Canada. And also on Amazon, here.

All in all, this has been an experience for me. This has been our first review of spice, as well as of a Simply Organic product, and there will surely be more in the future, and especially the near future. Keep looking out for more reviews and recipes featured Simply Organic products, as well as more posts in our Cinco de Mayo series and celebration!

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!

Get Ready For... Cinco de Mayo!

One of the best holidays of the year is coming up! And, we at All Natural Food Zone will be here to help you celebrate it with brand new recipes, reviews, and more just for this special day!

Over the next few days, we will have our first Cinco de Mayo celebration here in our site! Keep checking to see Cinco de Mayo-themed reviews, recipes, and more!

So let's countdown to Cinco de Mayo, with our new reviews and recipes dedicated to this wonderful holiday!

Food Review #52 Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon

Our first ever green drink review. And guess what company makes it? A company that continues to impress us with their products, Evolution Fresh.

We recently reviewed some of their products recently, such as Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, as well as their Pineapple Coconut Water, Apple Berry + Fiber Smoothie, and Mango + Fiber we even made a pound cake recipe using their Orange Juice Now we review another product by Evolution Fresh, Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon.

First off, a little information about Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

Additionally, all Evolution Fresh products reviewed thus far are certified kosher. So, even if you are following a kosher diet, you can still enjoy Evolution Fresh products.

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated", this is very helpful as many would not realize this and assume it is shelf-stable. On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. The rings around the name of the variety of juice on the label are reminiscent of fine watercolors, and are very artistic in appearance.

Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Sweets Green & Lemon has the juice of 6 3/4 celery stalks, 3/4 apple, 1/8 cucumber, 5 leaves of spinach, 40 sprigs of parsley, 2/5 leaves romaine lettuce, a squeeze of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a snip of wheat grass, and a snip of clover sprouts in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.

You may be thinking, "They fit a lot in that bottle!", and you'd be right. I was even surprised when read that on the package.

Though I love Evolution Fresh products, I was a little bit scared to try this product. I never had a "green drink" before, and wasn't sure how it would taste. But, I decided to just get over this and try it.

Please note that, prior to drinking Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon that you need to shake it well to properly mix the contents.

Now for the moment of truth....

As soon as you open the bottle, you smell a refreshing scent of of various fruits and vegetables, such as celery, apple, lemon, and cucumber. The scent truly surprised me, and now I was much more hopeful about this product, especially if it tasted like it smelled.

As I tasted the product, I was pleasantly surprised. This really tasted good! Now I could see why people ranted and raved about green drinks, they were most likely referring to Evolution Fresh green drinks.

This product has a complex taste and collection of flavours. There isn't really one dominant flavour, instead the flavours of celery, apple, lemon, lime, cucumber, romaine, wheatgrass, clover sprouts, and parsley perfectly mingle together, and balance each other out well.

After tasting this, I can even think of why I was afraid of green drinks, and I am no longer (of Evolution Fresh green drinks at least.).

The consistency is a happy medium between being thick and smoothie-like, and thin and juice-like. The consistency compliments the drink well, and it is a nice consistency.

Overall, Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon truly surprised me, and I liked it very much. I would definitely, purchase it again gladly, and highly recommend it to you, the readers.

Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon gets a 10 out of 10!

This green drink is the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh products are currently available in 12 states across The United States, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!