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.

Skinny Cow, products favored by dieters with a sweet tooth, has a new ice cream bar, Skinny Dippers, and I got some to try out.

Skinny Dippers are an ice cream bar with the end covered in chocolate, and one bar contains only 80 calories and 3 grams of fat.

I'm not much for pretend ice cream and other diet "treats", but I have enjoyed Skinny Cow's ice cream sandwiches, so I was glad to give these a try.

Know what? They taste like real ice cream and chocolate. I liked both the caramel and the mint. The serving is one bar, and, it was really enough, I didn't feel "cheated" or anything.

But, the real test was the fact that the 2 boxes lasted less than 24 hours in our house because the kids devoured the rest not knowing anything was "different" about them and they asked why we didn't have any more.

Skinny Dippers have 2 grams of fiber and are only 1 Weight Watchers POINT. They come in caramel and mint flavors.

If you bring dad to Outback Steakhouse for Father's Day on June 15, 2008, he’ll receive a $10 certificate valid on his next visit.

All he has to do is activate the certificate online at http://outback.com/dadsday where he’ll also automatically be entered in an online sweepstakes to win a $100 gift card when he enters the promo code found on the bottom of the $10 certificate.

The certificate can be used at any Outback location from June 18th– July 20th with the minimum purchase of $25.

I love coffee, and the stronger the better.

I've been drinking the Cuban coffee Bustelo for a while now, and when I was offered the chance to try out Bustelo Cool cafe con leche, I jumped at it, even though I'm not always a big iced coffee drink fan (it just kind of depends on how it's made).

They sent me a whole case to try out, and I eagerly put one in the fridge to cool off, and when I went to get it, it was gone. Seems my 11 year old coffee drinker (no, we don't allow him to drink coffee regularly, but we have to watch him with our coffee) got to it first.

He liked it, for whatever it's worth.

I tried again and got to drink the second one, and it was good!

It's sweet, but not too sweet and it kept me sufficiently awake and alert. Many of them now reside in my work fridge, too.

It's a hit and I'd buy it again, check it out.

Splenda sweetener is now available with fiber. It has no calories and 1g of fiber in a packet. Each packet sweetens like two teaspoons of sugar.

It tastes great like regular Splenda sugar substitute and you can put it in your coffee or tea, on cereal and bake with it, too and get a little extra fiber while you're at it.

Also, visit Holiday Planning Made Easy from Splenda for holiday tips, recipes and more

OK, how cute are these?

Everyone knows the best part of an ice cream cone is the cone itself, and what could be better that a chocolate filled cone?

Firelilly Gourmet Chocolate Truffle Cones are individually wrapped chocolate truffle filled sugar cones. They come in several flavors: decadent dark; minty mousse; chocolate milk, peanut butter and dark raspberry.

We were lucky enough to receive some of them to try out and boy are they delicious! I love sugar cones, and they are filled with creamy high quality Belgian chocolate truffle filling

Firelilly Gourmet Chocolate Truffle Cones can be a dessert by themselves or would make a cute garnish to a dessert plate. You can order them in a variety of packages from gallon size apothecary jars to 2 cone canisters.

And the best part is that if you order after reading about Firelilly Gourmet Chocolate Truffle COnes on a blog, you get 10% off, just click the banner here for your discount.

Order some for your holiday dinner today or tuck them in a stocking for a surprise on Christmas morning!

Dunkin' Donuts (link has sound), the home of some great donuts and rockin' coffee, has some great gift ideas.

Get ready for New Year's Day or gift your New Year's Eve host with this Dunkin' Donuts Enthusiast gift set containing a pound of Original Blend Coffee and a thermal travel mug.

Coffee is not only a drink with your holiday meal, it can be a key ingredient in some fabulous celebration meals.

Dunkin’ Brands’ Executive Chef Stan Frankenthaler and his culinary team have developed a complete holiday-inspired, coffee-themed menu to bring unique, new flavors to any holiday meal. These holiday dishes all use Dunkin’ Donuts coffee or espresso as a base and are a perfect complement to any holiday party or seasonal gathering.

Espresso with Warmed Eggnog

For an 8-oz serving (1 mug)

¾ cup Golden Eggnog

¼ cup minus 1 tablespoon Dunkin’ Donuts espresso (approximately 1 shot)

2 tablespoon spiced rum (optional)

Cinnamon (optional)

Heat eggnog in a microwave-safe container for about 1 minute. Add the shot of espresso and the warmed eggnog to your mug. If desired, add spiced rum. Stir and dust with cinnamon.

Scallops with Bacon, Baby Spinach with Warm Coffee and Balsamic Glaze

16 oz sea scallops

1 package bacon, sliced

3 tablespoon shallots, thin sliced

½ cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoon olive oil

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup Dunkin’ Donuts original blend coffee, brewed

2 cups baby spinach

Cut bacon strips in half, wrap scallop in bacon half and hold in place with toothpicks. Set aside.

Heat large skillet (medium heat). When hot add 1 tablespoon oil. Sear scallop and bacon in small batches till cooked thru, (about 5 min. per batch) – set cooked scallops aside on plate.

Remove pan from heat; discard all but 2 Tbsp of rendered oil. Add thin sliced shallots and stir. Add brown sugar and stir to dissolve. Add balsamic vinegar and coffee and stir. In a stainless steel mixing bowl toss warm vinaigrette with baby spinach and 2 tablespoon oil.

Arrange spinach on salad plates and top with 4-5 scallops (remove toothpicks before serving), serve immediately.

Serves 4 people.

Sirloin Steak with Coffee Rub

4 each 10-12 oz sirloin steaks

Coffee Rub:

1/4 cup ground Dunkin’ Donuts original blend coffee, ground

1 tablespoon cumin seed - cracked

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 tablespoon coarse cracked black pepper

2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine ingredients for coffee rub in a mixing bowl. Rub steak on all sides. Marinade steaks 2-24 hours in refrigerator until ready to cook. Lightly oil before grilling. Heat grill to medium high flame. Cook steaks 4-5 minutes per side or to internal temp of 120 degrees for medium.

Pork Loin with Coffee and Soy Glaze

1 4-5 pound pork loin

½ cup Dunkin’ Donuts original blend coffee, ground

¾ cup soy sauce

½ cup Dijon mustard

1 cup hot pepper jelly

Put the pork loin in a shallow roasting pan. Mix the remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. Rub marinade over pork loin. Turn pork.

Refrigerate and turn loin in marinade after 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400. Place loin on baking pan (discard remaining marinade) and roast for 15 minutes on 400 degrees.

Lower oven heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for 20 minutes. Internal temperature should be at 145 degrees. Let loin rest 15 minutes before slicing.

Cafe au lait Ganache Tart

16 oz dark chocolate (Guittard Chocolate recommended)

¾ cup Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla coffee, brewed

¼ cup heavy cream

1 pint fresh strawberries

4 each baked puff pastry shells, cooled and centers removed

1 pint whipped cream

Melt chocolate in stainless steel bowl over a hot water bath. Whisk brewed coffee into pre-melted hot chocolate.

When chocolate and coffee mixture is smoothe with no lumps (if lumps occur, heat chocolate mixture in microwave for 10 seconds to bring temperature up again in appropriate vessel) add cold unwhipped heavy cream to chocolate mixture and whisk smooth. Reserve on the side.

Wash and dry strawberries, remove stem and dice into 1/4 inch cubes. Place 3 strawberries in each pastry shell. Evenly distribute the chocolate mixture between the four shells, taking precaution not to over-fill. Top with whipped cream before serving.

*Ganache can be made in advance, and rewarmed the day of service.

I have 4 Dunkin' Donuts Enthusiast gift sets containing a pound of Original Blend Coffee and a thermal travel mug to give away!
To win your choice of ONE of the above:

1. Leave a comment to be entered. Twitter about it or blog about the contest if you love me. Heck, do it even if you don't love me.

2. Enter by Tuesday, December 30, 2008 10pm CST.

3. One winner will be drawn randomly on the same day by 11pm CST.

Did you know that Dunkin' Donuts has a new line of "better for you" breakfast choices?

While it wouldn't be advisable to go crazy and eat any of the choices every day, Dunkin' Donuts has worked to provide some healthier (than the standard donut fare) choices.

The DD Smart menu includes the new Egg White Flatbread sandwiches, Latte Lite, a reduced fat blueberry muffin and more.

I tried the Ham, Egg and Cheese on an English muffin and it was good! The serving was generous without being heavy or greasy and the English Muffin was light and bread-y.

There's also some great looking flatbread sandwiches calling me on my next visit. Has anyone had one yet? Tell me about it.

The DD Smart menu is definitely worth checking out whether you're trying to make better food choices or just looking for a change of pace.

YoPlus yogurt by Yoplait has active cultures, fiber (3 grams per serving) and probiotics to help "regulate your digestive health".

The newest variety of Yo-Plus yogurt is Blueberry Acai, I tried it and it was really good, and I'm not even a huge blueberry fan! It's smooth and creamy and doesn't (to me) have that "sharp" taste that some low fat yogurts have.

Acai (AH-sigh-EE) is all the rage these days and lots of products are reaping it's health benefits and we all know that bluberries are great for you, too. At 110 calories and 1.5g of fat, it's a healthy choice as well.

----The Giveaway Part----

To win one of 3 Yo-Plus gift bags that include a coupon for a free 4-pack of Yo-Plus yogurt, Yoplait cooler tote bag (love this), water bottle and a nutrition journal:

1. Leave a comment (with a valid e-mail address)

2. Twitter it and leave a separate comment linking to your Tweet and get another chance to win.

3. Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a separate comment linking your post and get yet another chance to win.

4. 3 Winners will be selected randomly using a random number generator.

5. Contest ends March 20, 2009 at 10pm CST

If you're the impatient type, you can print a coupon for $1.50 off of a 4-pack Blueberry Acaí Yo-Plus Yogurt right now!

ADDED: My site technical problems (fixed now) prevented people from entering last week, so I'm going to extend the deadline to Wednesday, March 25, 2009.

Frtio Lay has a campaign called Only in a Woman's World (has sound). It's part of a launch of some of their Flat Earth products (full disclosure: I think they're sending me a bag of chips or something) and the website has lighthearted web series as well as a few games, some e-cards and some information about their products.

It's taken a bit of flack because some people believe it to be demeaning to women who are So! Much! More! than that and Stereotype! etc. but, you know what? It's a website and I'm fairly sure no one is going to form their opinion of an entire gender by watching these cartoons.

Everyone relax. I can relate to some of the stuff there and not so much to other stuff, but I'm OK with that.

But, I really like the artwork, I love the Flat Earth products, so there ya go.

Here's the latest episode of the web series:

I was sent a coupon to try out Healthy Ones deli and meat products. Healthy Ones are deli and meat products made to be lower in fat and sodium than other lunch meats.

Some facts about Healthy Ones:

All Healthy Ones packaged lunch meats receive the American Heart Association heart healthy
certification. A single serving of any packaged Healthy Ones lunch meat has:

√ 480 mg or less of sodium
√ 3 g or less of total fat (less than .5 g trans fat)
√ 1 g or less of saturated fat
√ 60 mg or less of cholesterol
√ 10 percent or more of daily requirements for protein
√ No fillers
√ No artificial flavors
√ No by-products

We tried the ham and the turkey and they were really good. Healthy Ones also comes in rroast beef, chicken and there's sausage, too.

The kids gave it the ultimate compliment: "It tastes just like regular food!" It's thinly sliced, easy to separate in the package, has a rich flavor. Bonus reusable storage container, too!

We'll keep buying these for school lunches, every step to eating healthier helps.

The good folks at Frito Lay sent me some "better for you" snack products to try out:

Smart Food Pop Corn Clusters - These cute little bags of popcorn come in 3 flavors: Chocolate Cookie Caramel Pecan, Cranberry Almond Popcorn Clusters and Honey Multigrain. We tried the cranberry almond and the honey multigrain and they are a great snack idea. The kids liked them a lot, so I have to keep some hidden for me.

Flat Earth Spicy Salsa Flavored Baked Veggie Crisps - these veggie based crisps are an alternative to potato chips and each 1-ounce serving contains only 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 2-3 grams of sugar, 2 grams of dietary fiber and 2 grams of protein. And there's a half-serving of vegetables, too. I loved the Spicy Salsa flavor, it is indeed spicy, but not overpowering.

Baked Lay's Southwestern Ranch flavor Potato Crisps - Love these! They are the same light flavor you expect from Baked Lay's, but they have a great southwestern, spicy flavor and only 3g of fat per serving.

Check out these great snacks at Only in a Woman's World and give them a try.

We'll be buying more of these!

My kids are very active in sports, and I couldn't imagine what it would be like without the people and organizations that give them these opportunities. But, with the current economic crisis, funding for maintaining these facilities is dwindling, especially in smaller communities.

The Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed campaign is going to help rebuild 30 playing fields across the country. The program is about encouraging communities to start rebuilding it's athletic fields "one seed at a time". Kellogg's Frosted Flakes believes that every kid should have a place to be active and play hard.

Out of thousands nominated, 100 fields have been selected and it's time to vote! Hurry, voting ends 5/31/09!

This post in conjunction with Mom Central.

Jif Natural Peanut Butter Spread is the latest entry into "natural" peanut butter. Now, I have to admit, I'm not a big fan of "natural" peanut butter. I know, I know so! much! junk! I just am who I am.

But, I was willing to try it out because I do like peanut butter a lot.

This is a peanut butter "spread" since it contains 10% non-peanut ingredients (I think that's the definition). I like the fact that is doesn't separate like some natural peanut butter does, but I did give it a quick stir as it is a little shiny on top, but it's not a show stopper for me. It's got 50% less sodium than regular peanut butter.

You know what?

I liked it! (Hey, Mikey...I just showed my age, didn't I?)

It's got a great peanut taste without the weird (to me) consistency of natural peanut butter. The kids took to it right away and get it out of the pantry first, now.

We'll buy this again.

We also got the chance to check out Jif To Go Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread

It comes in convenient 2.5 oz. individual servings and contains eight less grams of fat than the regular Jif to Go and it has eight grams of protein per serving. These are great for lunchboxes or road trips as part of a healthy snack.

We all liked these, too. It's got a smooth, but not too heavy texture and a good, nutty taste and we'll be keeping some of these on hand (and away from teen boy who can't resist the siren song of the individual container and will eat 3-4 of anything at a time).

Be sure to sign up for the Jif Newsletter where you can get new recipes, coupons and more.

This post courtesy of: Cohn & Wolf. The opinions are my very own, and no payment or compensation, other than product samples as described above, was received for this post.

Pillsbury Brownie Minis is a brownie mix that requires only water and contains only 150 calories per serving. I was sent some to try out, and I have to confess, I assumed they would taste like sometihng from the Easy Bake oven since you only have to add water.

But, oh my they were good!

Like it says, you just add water, mix it and go. The box even includes two six-count baking trays for portion control as well as convenience.

They are going to be available this June in Chocolate Fudge and Milk Chocolate. These will be great to keep around for when your kid tells you at midnight about the bake sale in the morning, or for your young chef to make "all by himself".

Pillsbury has also introduced Easy Frost Icing, tub icing in an aerosol can. It's advertised as "no fuss" and I tried it even though I never really considered canned frosting to be that much of a fuss while you're using it (maybe while you're eating it).

But, you know what? It really did make things simpler when we used it on cupcakes. It's got a 5 star frosting tip so you can make some designs if you are so inclined. We didn't try this, but you can insert the tip into an unfrosted cupcake and fill the inside of it.

The icing delicious and really creamy. I think it's a little different consistency that what you'd find in a tub, a little creamier, and though I was a skeptic at first, I can see where it's handy to have around as long as you can keep from squirting it in your mouth all the time.

Easy Frost comes in three delicious flavors: Decadent Chocolate Fudge, Vanilla Dream, and Velvety Cream Cheese.

I'm not vegetarian, but we have good friends (and their kids) who are, so I'm fairly familiar with the meat-free products out there, and we keep some on hand, and we do eat them from time to time.

So, when I was contacted by Quorn, a line of meat free frozen foods originally from the UK, to try their Naked Chic'n Cutlets, (disclosure: they gave me a box of Chick'n. It came in a cooler thingy with a radio) I was all for it.

Upon further research, I found that Quorn products are meat AND soy free and wondered, "Um, what are they, then?" Quorn is mycoprotein, or processed edible fungus (kinda like truffles). So, wait, "fungus?" you might be saying. I know I did.

But, I ate it anyway.

And? It was pretty good!

The Naked Chic'n Cutlets are frozen patties, shaped like chicken cutlets. While you wouldn't mistake it for chicken, it doesn't look offensive or anything. I think the "naked" part just means it doesn't have breading.

You can grill them, microwave them, or put them in a conventional oven. You coat it with oil before cooking and they even come out with some grill-like marks.

So, how did they taste?

I liked them. I cooked them in the oven, (though I bet they grill well) The texture is similar to, but not exactly like chicken. It does taste a good bit like chicken, more so than other chicken-like products I've tried, but it also has it's own unique taste as well. I thought it had a little "sweet" edge to it, but no one else in my family thought so.

All of their products seem very versatile and there's a lot of recipes using Quorn.

Note: Quorn products use egg white as a binder, so they aren't vegan, but at only 80 calories and 11 g of protein per serving, the Naked Chick'n Cutlets can be a part of a healthy meal.

Skinny Cow is a line of better for you ice cream products, and if you've never had them, you should!

I was given the opportunity to try the ice cream sandwiches. Now, I'll be the first to tell you that I don't like too many foods that are supposed "diet" or "lite" or anything, but these are by far, an exception.

Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches are like any ice cream sandwich, ice cream between 2 chocolate layers. There are very thick and satisfying and are a normal size, not miniature like some diet treats.

The chocolate wafers are just as good as any regular ice cream sandwich, and there's actual low-fat ice cream between them, not yogurt or anything one might guess would be on a "healthy" treat. I thought the ice cream was smooth and creamy, without the weird texture and taste of many "diet" ice creams.

Popular among Weight Watchers members, at only 1g of fat, 3 g fiber and 140 calories, most of these sandwiches come in at only 2 POINTS.

They come in flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, mint and cookies and cream. I found mine at Target, but you can also find them in most groceries with the ice cream.

The problem isn't the fact they're a sweet treat, it's stopping after just one!

This post in conjunction with Mom Central

Did you know that Weight Watchers has their own line of foods you can find right in the grocery? Anyone can enjoy them, they're not just for people doing the Weight Watcher's program. I think it's always good to know about foods that taste good and are better for you, and I've been buying them for a long time.

Weight Watchers Supermarket Foods even has a Facebook fan page!

Lifestyle expert Susie Coelho (you might know her from HGTV) recently used some of her favorite Weight Watchers foods to prepare easy, delicious dishes for entertaining:

I got to try a couple of the baked goods, and I had planned on making a desert creation from the Lemon Snack Cakes (1 POINT) in particular, but after I ate one, the kids got into them, ate them all and never looked back. They even asked for more, so I guess that's a pretty good testimony to the fact they don't taste like "diet" food.

There's also other sweets such as cakes, muffins and cookies as well as Weight Watchers frozen treats which I love (especially the Weight Watchers Ice Cream Sandwiches) and keep in the freezer for everyone. Be sure to check out the Weight Watchers cheese and yogurt, too. I was able to try the light string cheese and didn't miss anything at all from the regular variety.

My only complaint is that the selection in my store isn't great, but I am seeing more and more items in stock. While the portions aren't huge, and you're not going to mistake the baked goods for homemade, I've really liked the things we've tried so far, and they easily fit into the family's snack routine.

Look for the Weight Watchers brand food products in your store and try them out for yourself, they don't have to be part of a "diet" for you to enjoy them.

This post courtesy of MS&L. The opinions are my own, I really do enjoy these products and no payment or compensation, other than product samples as described above, was received for this post.

When the good folks at Chiquita asked if I'd like to review their frozen smoothies, I was all, "Um, of course..." as we are a big smoothie making household. I mean, someone is making them all the time (with varied results, I might add).

And when the offer came with an Oster Fusion Blender, and an Oster Blend and Go Cup, then it was sealed as we (and by "we" I mean the shorter residents of the house) are forever burning out blenders.

Samples of each flavor soon arrived in the mail and we went at it. They flavors come in cans, much like frozen fruit juice. Each 12oz can makes three eight-ounce smoothies when blended with ice and water.

They are fruit based smoothies rather than creamy, ice cream like ones that you might get at a smoothie place, and I'm experiementing with adding milk and yogurt and such. The Chiquita Frozen Fruit Smoothies website (has sound) website has some recipe ideas.

The Chiquita smoothies are easy to make. As a matter of fact, 12 year old Busy Boy did the first honors. The kids loved them and they come in four flavors: Strawberry Banana, Banana Colada, Peach Mango and Mixed Berry.

In the nutrition department, Chiquita Frozen Smoothies provides 100% of the RDV of Vitamin C and at least 1/2 cup of fruit per serving. Calories range from just 115 to 125 calories per serving, depending on the flavor.

By the way, you can enter to win the blender as described above as well as a tropical vacation from Chiquita in the Chiquita™ Smoothies Tropical Smooth-stakes. There's even a Chiquita Smoothie Blog and you can follow them on Twitter (no idea why it's private, Chiquita?) and Facebook.

Look for Chiquita Frozen Smoothies in the frozen food aisle with a suggested retail price of $2.69 per can (less than a dollar per serving). We'll be having these a lot this summer!

This post courtesy of Chiquita. The opinions are my own. No payment or compensation, other than product samples as described above, was received for this post.

Last month was National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month. Now, kids are out of school and home for the summer doing sports and being active outside. But, did you know that forearm fracture rates of children and adolescents have increased sharply in the U.S. in recent years?

It's important now more than ever to help kids build strong bones and one great way to do it is with milk. Why Milk? is a great resource to learn about the importance of strong bones, especially for our daughters, 9 out of 10 of whom do not get enough calcium in their diets.

Did you know children four to eight years of age should drink three eight-ounce glasses of milk per day (or equivalent)? Adolescents (kids nine to 18 year of age) need four servings and adults should get three servings a day.

Be sure to check out the recipes, especially the smoothies (we LOVE those around here) for some great ideas for a healthy diet to encourage strong bones.

This post courtesy of Weber Shandwick. Though I received three t-shirts for my kids, some smoothie recipes cards, and a personal blender, as a nurse and a parent, I am happy to spread the important word (and would have done so, anyway) about kids and strong bones.

Greek yogurt has a much thicker, creamier consistency than regular, non-Greek yogurt and it's a fairly new discovery for me. I love custard type things and I was very excited to try FAGE when I won some from BlogHer.

FAGE (pronounced "fa-yeh") Greek yogurt comes in both lowfat (2%) and nonfat styles. One cup (8oz) of FAGE Total 2% has only 150 calories, 4.5 grams of fat (3g saturated), and 20 grams of protein while the FAGE Total 0% contains 120 calories, 0 grams fat, and 20 grams of protein.

They've recently come out with cherry, peach and strawberry flavors that have a fruit cup attached to the side so you can mix it in, or enjoy some fruit with each bite. There's also a honey variety.

But, how did it taste?

I loved it. The texture is really, really thick and creamy. It is some serious yogurt and has a bit of a tart and tangy flavor as opposed to the common yogurt varieties you see in the store that are packed with sugar. The Total 0% is tangier and would make a great substitute for sour cream in some recipes. Once you get used to it (if you've never had Greek yogurt before), it really tastes like an indulgent treat.

Be sure to check out FAGE website for great recipes featuring FAGE Greek yogurt and you can even find out how FAGE Greek yogurt is made.

Special K has entered the protein shake market with their Special K Protein Shakes.

I'm not a big breakfast eater, so I've done the meal replacement shakes off and on during my lifetime. I really don't mind them, and there's some brands I like better than others. The only problem I have is that I'll start on them, and before I know it, they make a fine drink to have with a cheeseburger. Kind of not the point, methinks.

At any rate, I received a sample of the Milk Chocolate Special K Protein shake, and after fighting off the kids for it, I tried it and it was really good! It's smoother than some of the leading shake brands, and has a nice chocolate taste, but not overly sweet.

They come in Milk Chocolate, Strawberry and French Vanilla flavors, and they have a convenient, reclosable bottle. At 180 calories, 5 grams of fat, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein, they are around 3 Weight Watchers POINTS.

Check them out, and you can get a $1 off Special K Protein Shakes.

This post courtesy of Kellogg's. No payment or compensation, other than product sample as described above, was received for this post.

I have a bit of a tenuous relationship with flavored water. It's left over from my first pregnancy and I developed quite the aversion to it. It's gotten better over the years, but I'm still slightly wary of it as most of it tastes chemical-y to me, but my kids absolutely love it.

When I was given the chance to try Fruit2O Essentials, it sounded pretty good and I thought I'd give it another chance since I probably don't drink as much as I should.

Fruit2O Essentials is a zero-calorie fortified water that offers the vitamins, minerals and fiber in the amounts equal to two servings of fruit.

Yeah, yeah, but how did I like it?

I'm not sure, the moment it arrived on my doorstep, the kids raided it and I only got a couple of sips of the peach-mango one. What I had was really good and I'm happy to report that it didn't give me the willies like flavored water has done for the past 15 years!

I may be cured.

At any rate, the one I tried really did taste like peaches and I didn't find a funny aftertaste like some waters have.

Fruit2O Essentials come in six flavors including Strawberry Kiwi, Cranberry Raspberry, Citrus, Peach Mango, Blueberry Pomegranate and Cherry Acai.

Want to try Fruit2O Essentials for yourself? I'm giving away a 3 month supply!

Rules:

1. Visit Fruit2O and leave a comment (with a valid e-mail address) telling us what flavor you'd like to try to be entered for a chance to win.
2. For a bonus entry vote for me here (I'm the last one, it only takes a second) and leave a separate comment.
3. Twitter about this contest for an extra entry. Leave a separate comment and a link to your tweet.
4. Blog about about it and receive yet another entry! Please leave a separate comment and a link to your post.
5, Contest ends 10 pm CST on Thursday, June 25, 2009.
6. Winner will be chosen from the comments by a random number generator.

(No payment or compensation other that the product samples described above was received for this post.)