Busy Mom Reviews

When I was first asked to review Bada Beans, a coffee flavoring, I was a little hesitant.

Way back when I was pregnant with Busy Girl, I developed one serious aversion to coffee (I know!), and, in particular, flavored coffees. I eventually got my coffee mojo back, but, the aversion to flavored coffees never went away.

However, since I don't mind eregular coffee with some types of flavors, like vanilla, added, I thought I'd give the Bada Beans a test.

Bada Beans are sugar free, flavored beans that are a portable coffee flavoring, like a flavored syrup alternative.. They come in cute little tins, and, there are 3 flavors: McCoy's Dream Vanilla Bean, Hazel's Nutty Hazelnut and Crazy Carl's Caramel Fudge.

When you open them up, they smell great, especially the vanilla, I'm a big vanilla fan. According to the instructions, they aren't designed to flavor a cup of black coffee, but, they work best with coffee with cream and sugar. However, I don't like sugar in my coffee, so, I decided to take my chances.

They dissolve easily, and, they indeed add a light flavoring to your coffee. It's not overpowering, and, I'm wondering what using 2 at a time might do. The vanilla was quite good, as was the hazelnut. The fudge wasn't my favorite, but, don't let that stop you from trying them out.

Bada Beans are available online from their site, or, from Amazon. Look for them in specialty stores, soon.

Bubble Chocolate is all the rage, and, I was sent some to try.

Billed as "bubbles wrapped in chocolate", aerated chocolate was new to me. First, it's a higher quality chocolate than what's in the vending machine, or, what's leftover in your kid's Halloween bucket. Right there, that makes a difference in your chocolate experience.

When I tried it, at first, I didn't know what was going on. It was good, but, I didn't get the big deal. But, if you hold it in your mouth for a minute, you "get" the bubbling. It reminded me a bit of Pop Rocks, not that any of you are old enough to remember those, but, it's kind of a tingly sensation in your mouth.

Or, as the promotional material puts it: "Two taste sensations are created - once upon first bite, and then again, as the chocolate melts across your tongue." More information can be found on the Bubble Chocolate website FAQ.

Bubble Chocolate comes in three flavors – milk, dark, and coffee. I especially liked the dark chocolate, it's very rich, 60% caoco, I think. Most importantly for testing purposes, I am reporting that I got very little of the milk chocolate, and, the dark chocolate, since, when I set them down on the counter after opening, everyone in the family was asking, "Hey, do we have any more of that chocolate?"

I give Bubble Chocolate 2 snaps up, and, you can get it here.

Fruita Bu Smooshed fruit. This stuff is good. It's "fruit-leather" like, but, it's real organic fruit, not platic-y stuff in your kid's lunchbox is made of.

It comes in apple, grape, strawberry, raspberry and apricot.

It's definitely a hit at our house, because I never even got to try the grape, and, the kids keep asking where the "fruit thingys" went.

Loved them. Want more.

Fiber One Chewy Bars are the latest entry in healthy snacks.

There are two flavors: Oats and Chocolate, and, Oats and Peanut Butter. I was sent a box of the chocolate ones to try. They are really good, almost like a candy bar, the kids ate them without hesitation, and, I could have eaten a whole box. However, they have a pretty high sugar content, be careful. They do contain 9 grams of fiber, that's a plus.

I've not seen them in the store, and, can't find reference to them on the website, so I don't know where or when they are available.

They are delicious and filling, and, I would buy them to have for snacks, but, since it's candy-like, it wouldn't be an everyday thing.

I received a box of Oats n' Honey Nature Valley Crunchy Cereal to try out.

However, between the time I placed it in the pantry to get to it later, and, "later", the majority of it was gone. So, I guess it gets the "thumbs up" from the rest of the family.

The part that I did get to eat was good. It's got a variety flakes, oats, rice, wheat, and, corn, and, chunks of granola bar, too. Despite the fact that I have a tentative relationship with granola bars after an ill-fated 100 mile canoe trip, I still liked it.

It's sweet, and, makes a good "eat out of the box" cereal. Though it has 4 grams of fiber, it's 230 calories per serving, so, it's not necessarily a cereal for dieters, but, I'd buy it.

I received some True Blue Blueberry juice to try out.

Why blueberry juice? According to the website, blueberries:

• Are high in antioxidants
• Lower cholesterol
• Prevent urinary tract infections
• Improve memory, coordination and balance
• Improve eyesight
• Slow aging

A serving of True Blue Blueberry juice has a full serving of blueberries in every 16 oz, glass, and, it boasts the claim of being "all natural"

It comes in several flavors, I tried the plain blueberry that is actually mixed with grape juice. It's good, and, has a blueberry taste, though it's a little sweeter than I prefer. I think I would dilute it a bit with some water, or, an adult beverage might be tasty with it.

It's sweetened with cane sugar, rather than high fructose corn syrup, so it has 25% fewer calories than cranberry based products.

The kids liked it, we'd buy it again. There's even recipes to try, since, the juice may be used in place of blueberries in some foods.

I received some samples of EAS Champion Bars (and even got more when the kids ate all of them before I could get one, thanks, Jennifer!). I think they are so new that I can't even find a link or a picture.

EAS, a leading developer and marketer of science-based sports nutrition products that help meet the specific needs of athletes of all levels, is proud to announce EAS Champions Bars, a healthy children’s snack bar filled with nourishment.

Childhood obesity is a growing concern in America and many parents are concerned about the snacking options currently on the market for today’s kids. EAS Champions Bars offer a healthy and balanced alternative, providing children with 20 key vitamins and minerals that he/she needs to stay strong. It is low in fat, sugar, and calories, yet comes in flavors (Chocolate Peanut Butter and S’mores) that kids love.

After I actually got to try one, I discovered they are really good! They are appealing to kids without being too sweet. It's chewy and filling (no cholesterol, 160 calories, 5 grams protein, 85 mg sodium, 3 g fiber), so, it would make a great snack for sports, camping, or, school.

They are available beginning this month at Target stores, and, retail for $4.59 for a box of 5 bars.

Fruity Cheerios, and, Modern Mom have teamed to present the Fruity Cheerios Family Fun Contest where you can have the chance to win some fabulous prizes just for showing us how Fruity Cheerios contributes to fun in your family!

The Fruity Cheerios "Family Fun" Contest encourages families to capture how Fruity Cheerios contributes to family fun by creating a picture or video inspired by Fruity Cheerios and featuring family members.

Between now and May 18th, 2007, we'll be gathering Fruity Cheerios-inspired photo and video entries. Five finalists will be selected, and the final decision will be made by Modern Mom readers.

Modern Mom visitors will vote for their favorite entry in each category June 8th through June 16th, and the Grand Prize winner in each will win a case of Fruity Cheerios (YUM!) and $500 in cash!

Celestial Seasonings GoStix are the newest product to help kids get their recommended daily intake of water.

They are individual servings of powdered drink mix that are made with 100% natural ingredients, and, they contain 50% less sugar than other leading kids drinks.

They are easy to open, and, mix quickly into 8 oz of water, and, come in 4 flavors: Wild Cherry, Triple Berry, Fruit Punch, and, Orange Citrus Punch. My kids' favorite was the Orange Citrus flavor.

They are available at many grocery stores, or, online.

Try some for camp, or, sports this summer!

PediaSure NutriPals are balanced nutrition snacks for kids.

They come in snack bar, and, drink formats. The bars have 5g protein, 3g fiber, and, 21 vitamins, and, minerals. The drinks have 7g protein, less than 18 g sugar, and, 22 vitamins and minerals.

I tried the S'mores Bar, and, it was good. Crunchy, not too sweet, but, enough like a treat to make kids excited. More information here.

They are available in most grocery and drug stores, and, would make a good take along snack, or, to stock in the diaper bag.

Check them out!

Metamucil Powder has a new Berry Burst flavor.

Did you know it's also a good way to help lower your cholesterol?

Metamucil Berry Burst is easily mixed into 8 oz. of water, and, it tastes good, not at all gritty or medicine-y.

Metamucil also makes clear mixing fiber supplement, called Fiber-Sure.

It can be mixed with a liquid, or, added to your favorite foods to add fiber. There are even recipes on the site that you can use for cooking and baking.

Like the Berry Burst, it mixes easily, and, didn't have a gritty texture, or, a medicine-y taste.

Though it's usually best to get fiber through healthy foods, Fiber-Sure is a great way to add some extra fiber needed to follow weight control plans such as Weight Watchers.

Get a free sample here.

Try both of these soon, and, you'll see that Metamucil is about much more than what you were thinking when you read the title of the review.

Wateroos are purified water, and, natural fruit flavored waters in a drink box.

Sometimes, it's hard to get kids to drink water when the sugary juice boxes are so much more exciting looking, but, Wateroos make drinking water fun, and, convenient for on the go.

My kids declared them, "really good", and, I even sent a few to camp. They can be frozen to take in a lunchbox, too.

The fruit ones have a good strong flavor without being too sweet, or, artificial tasting, and, they're sugar free!

Try them today, look for them at your local grocer.

I receivedFiber One Raisin Bran Clusters to check out.

I'd love to be able to tell you about them, but, since they were gone from the pantry by the morning after I received them, I have no idea what they tasted like.

So, I'm going to deduce they must be pretty good.

I was able to locate the perpetrators, and, extract a confession - about how they tasted.

Rumor has it they were brown-sugary, a bit sweeter than other raisin bran cereals. At 13g of sugars per serving, it may be sweeter than you'd like. I dunno. I just aim to inform.

It is higher in fiber than regular Raisin Bran cereal, 11g (my, that's fiber-y) versus 7g in Kellog's Raisin Bran. The anonymous taster wishes that it had a few more raisins, though.

There were clusters of cereal, as the name implies, but, there weren't a lot, and, they weren't very big. It stays crunchy in milk, without that raisin bran sogginess that skeeves me out.

Overall, it was a hit in our house, and, we'll buy them again.

I received a package of Hibachi House microwave meals (in a really nifty soft-sided cooler), and, set out to see if these frozen microwave Asian inspired meals tasted like fresh grilled with crisp crunchy vegetables as they advertise, rather than all rubbery like a typical frozen meal as they advertise.

Hibachi House meals take about 10 minutes to prepare. First, you thaw the sauce packet in hot water, then you put the bag of food into the microwave, then, you mix them together and enjoy!

I tried the chicken with broccoli first, and, man, the chicken tasted great, and, the vegetables were crisp and crunchy. There's lots of them, too. Yes, all this from the microwave!

The rice was steamed perfectly, flavorful, and, not all starchy and gummy like, and, the sauce was good, too.

The box said it was 4.5 servings, those must be for awfully light eaters, though. One box was much more than I could eat, it might be about 2 large, or, 3 medium sized meals in real life.

Overall, it seems pretty healthy, but, the sauces tend to have a high-ish sodium content. There's no trans-fat, MSG or nitrites added to the meals.

There's ten flavors, and, our other in-house reviewers gave similar high marks to the other flavors including mandarin orange chicken, and, Sweet and Sour Hibachi Shrimp (actual shrimp that looks and tastes like shrimp!).

The Hibachi House website even has ideas about how to "accessorize" your meals, including making it into a tortilla wrap or even lettuce wraps (love those).

They retail for about $5 and are available in the frozen food aisle at many local grocery stores and food warehouses throughout the United States.

We really enjoyed them, and, will buy them again.

Kellog's is entering the market of quick and simple weight management tools with the addition of Special K20 Protein Water Mix.

Special K20 Protein Water Mix are single serve packets that you add to a 16 oz. bottle of water to deliver 5 grams of protein, and, 5 grams of fiber which can help take the edge off hunger while you are maintaining your weight management goals.

I tried it, and, it's easy to open, and, it mixes easily. I was a little wary since I'm not a big flavored water fan, but, it's really good! A 16-ounce serving of Special K20 Protein Water Mix is 30 calories and has zero grams of sugar. Each serving also contains niacin, vitamin B6 and B12.

Special K2 Protein Water Mix is sold in 7 and 14 packet sizes in Iced Tea, Strawberry-Kiwi and Pink Lemonade flavors. It is available nationwide in diet-and-nutrition aisles of grocery and drug stores.

Warm Delights Minis by Betty Crocker are little personal size microwaveable desserts.

I got some to check out, and, despite feeling like I was using an Easy Bake Oven recipe, they're quite tasty!

You just add water to the mix in it's own little bowl, squeeze whatever topping comes with it onto the top, and, microwave for 30 seconds.

No light bulb needed!

You know how some people might get a craving for cake late at night, and, they may or may not make a whole cake just so they can lick the spoon?

Yeah, I hear that happens to some people. These Warm Delights Minis might be a good, mess-free solution to people who I hear experience that.

Anyway, they're available in three — Molten Chocolate Cake, Molten Caramel Cake and Chocolate Raspberry Decadence.

Simple Food, Inc's Simple Soynut Butter is a delicious and nut-free, gluten free, certified organic, vegan AND kosher spread.

The soybeans are dark roasted, giving the butter a taste and texture very similar to peanut butter, and, it comes in 5 varieties: No Sugar-No Salt, Sea Salted, Slightly Sweet, Cinnamon Sugar, and, Chocolate.

I was sent the Chocolate and Cinnamon Sugar flavors to try. I have to admit, I'm not a big natural foods person, I'm not against them, I just really don't think much about them, so, I was a little wary to try the soynut butter, but, I agreed to do it just for you, dear readers!

Know what? They are really good, and, the kids liked them too. The chocolate is great on bananas, and, the Cinnamon Sugar is great on apples. They're both pretty good right out the jar, too.

Like natural peanut butter, it separates easily, but, with just a bit of mixing, it's back together quickly for you to enjoy.

Simple Soynut Butter is available at Wild Oats, Whole Foods, and, other natural food stores.

Dude. You gotta try these.

Ferrero Rondnoir dark chocolates are combination of a dark chocolate cream surrounding a "black pearl" of fine dark chocolate, within a delicate, crisp wafer topped with crunchy dark chocolate morsels.

Seriously. Get thee to the store and get some of these.

Until then, you can send a personalized snow globe greeting at the Share Something Sweet website and benefit Share Our Strength, one of the nation's leading organizations working to end childhood hunger in America.

It's the party time of year, and, cookie swaps are a popular way to get together with friends.

Reynolds Parchment paper and Robin Olsen, celebrated cookie exchange hostess share cookie swap party tips.

Get printable recipe cards, invitations and more from Reynolds and Robin Olsen.

Get a free sample of Reynolds parchment paper, the secret to better baking.

I got a sample myself, and, my daughter has appropriated it, and, her cookies taste great, and, were perfectly done, so, I am to assume it works!

Save me some cookies!

Eat Better America is giving away free samples of Fiber One Cereal.

Sign up for their monthly newsletter filled with recipes and ideas for healthy livingand get your Fiber One cereal today.

Outback Steakhouse is celebrating its 20th birthday this month and with that comes the anniversary of the Bloomin’ Onion, Outback’s signature dish and the first item on the menu 20 years ago.

Did you know:

-Outback has sold more than 133.5 million Bloomin’ Onions.

-15 million Bloomin’ Onions are sold each year.

-Before it is “bloomed,” each onion is specially grown to be 16 ounces big and 4.5 inches wide!

-The Bloomin' Onion remains true to its original recipe: 17 different spices to flavor the onion and an additional 37 spices in the dipping sauce.

In honor of its birthday, Outback has also created a select number of special menu items that are only available through the end of April. For more information and to view the menu items, visit: http://www.outback.com/foodandmenus/featureditems.aspx

So, Happy Birthday, Outback Steakhouse, next year, you can drink at your own bar!

Baskin Robbins has a new lineup: Candy Bar Madness flavors.

Be sure to check out Reese's® Peanut Butter Cup, Heath® Ice Cream (yum!) and York® Peppermint Pattie Ice Cream and try them all in sundaes, shakes, ice cream and cakes.

They're available through June 1, 2008

April 12 is National Licorice Day, and what better way to celebrate than with Red Vines Licorice.

To celebrate, Red Vines is taking a look back at their beloved candy that's over 94 years old and they're kicking off a drawing contest.

Licorice loyalists can submit an original drawing illustrating their love of Red Vines candy for a chance to win fabulous prizes including a $5,000 scholarship or a trip for 4 to anywhere in the United States.

Fun facts:

- Each Red Vines twist is eight inches in length.
- It takes 3 days to make a Red Vines twist
- Red Vines brand is the number one non-chocolate confection in the West. Utah consumes the most Red Vines candy per capita.

I have nearly single handedly gone through the samples they sent us, and boy is it good!

No, this isn't a PR blog, thanks for asking.

But, from time to time I do get PR announcements that I like to pass along. I pass along whatever strikes my fancy.

Sometimes? I even use their text.

So, if you wanna hear about ice cream, then here ya go:

On Wednesday, April 30, 2008, from 5-10pm, Baskin-Robbins is offering ice cream for only 31 cents per scoop to pay tribute to heroes across the United States.

In addition, they are partnering with the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and donating $100,000 to the worthy organization.

Local firehouses are invited to go to their neighborhood Baskin-Robbins to scoop ice cream, teach fire safety tips and help raise money for their individual fire stations.