Pour Me Another, Barista!: Trader Joe's Spicy Chai Tea Latte Mix

Pinky McLadybits

Hey, kids! I know we've been quiet around here lately, what with my losing a close friend, the holidays, and my new gig at Pajiba. However, we are hoping to get back up and rolling with reviews you can use! Dixie has been a key component in kicking my ass into gear and we should all thank her and give her lovely presents.

Onward to the review!

After an encounter with some exceedingly vile red grapes purchased from grocery chain Kroger, I have begun doing the bulk of my food shopping at the local Trader Joe's. Kroger has been demoted to bread, ice cream, and milk since TJ's bread spoils faster than we can eat it and I love my Ben & Jerry's. So I was at Trader Joe's today and decided to splurge on a treat for myself: Spicy Chai Latte Mix. 

Enjoy Life Gluten-Free Cookies: Thanks, I'll Try.

Nora

Going gluten and dairy free after decades of eating whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, is not easy. See, I love food. I love food so much it's stupid. There is a very short list of Things I Will Not Eat, and it's basically mayonnaise and burgers from McDonald's (those are NOT hamburgers and don't you dare tell me otherwise). I was bred from the foodiest food-snob stock, and so much of my family's identity is wrapped up in our celebration of The Meal. Recalling any night during high school or a visit home from college, I can picture a number of us hanging out in the kitchen, making dinner together. Mom or dad hovers around the stove, while my siblings and I chop vegetables, whisk salad dressing, and steal hunks of rustic bread from the center of the table, swiping them in olive oil. There were usually candles, and fresh herbs from the garden. My parents are a slightly more middle class Williams-Sonoma catalog come to life, is what I'm saying, and it would be obnoxious if they weren't so goddamn nice and the food wasn't so good.

Cinnamon & Sugar and White Chocolate Peppermint Pringles: 'Tis the Season, I Guess

Mel Biv Devoe

It's an understatement to say that the holidays are a very lucrative time of year for most companies.  And everyone wants a piece of the pie... which sometimes leads those who aren't usually associated with Christmas to come up with wacky ideas in order to goose their profits.  Like Pringles, for example.  They make potato crisps, which are similar to potato chips in theory, at least.  Did you know Pringles are made from dried potatoes, which are combined with wheat and flour?  They're like a slurry of ingredients that are pressed and fried into potato crisp-shape.  I guess "crisps" is a more appealing name than "potato, wheat, rice, and corn slurry."

What was I talking about again?  Oh, right, Pringles is trying to cash in on all the holiday hubbub with several limited edition flavors.  I found two of these flavors, Cinnamon and Sugar and White Chocolate Peppermint, and decided to give them a try.  Because even if it's not the healthiest of snacks, I do love me some potato crisp slurry.

G.T. Dave's Enlightened Raw Kombucha: Out-Hippy Your Friends!

Dixie

"Just try it, you'll like it." Famous last words of the person at the other end of the spoon before a young child clamps their mouth shut, refusing to try a new food. Well, I can't really promise that if you try kombucha that you will like it, but at least you will have an interesting new food experience under your belt. Plus, if you enjoy being smug and out-hippieing your friends, then kombucha will probably give you some bragging rights. At least until someone bops in holding a bottle full of wheat-grass and aloe chunks. Ahem. Not that I have done either of those things.

Kombucha is a polarizing taste experience. It seems cliche to say you will either love it or hate it, but it's really the truth. There just isn't a whole lot of middle ground. My good friend Wikipedia tells us that kombucha is an "effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea that is used as a functional food." What that means in normal people speak is that it is bubbly fermented sweet tea. A batch of kombucha starts with a culture that contains bacteria and yeast, similar to sourdough bread, and ends up as a tart brew that can be mixed with various juices and good-tasting substances to create a delightful drink (or a puzzling concoction, depending on your taste preferences). Besides the end result of the taste, a properly brewed batch of kombucha contains probiotics and amino acids.

Luna Lemon Zest Bar: goop Has Chosen Me

Pinky McLadybits

This month, subscribers to Birchbox were asked if they would prefer their goodies to be "curated" by goop (Gwyneth Paltrow. Paltry, as I call her when we lunch.). I, of course, chose the goop box, visions of face cream made from unicorn placentas, Coldplay tickets, and my very own yoga instructor dancing in my deranged head. 

Guess what I didn't get in the goop box? 

However, Paltry did give me, and everyone else if my friends are any indication, Luna Lemon Zest bars. I have never had a Luna bar, nor have I had any inclination to eat a Luna bar. This one was freeish and specially chosen for me...and all of my friends. I expected that eating this bar will turn me quite blonde and quite pretentious.

White Chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms: I Wouldn't Touch These With a Ten-and-a-Half Foot Pole

Dixie

When Mars made the first batch of an edible food-like substance that tastes like another edible food-like substance, the universe in the immediate vicinity of the factory ate itself, then sent an apology note to Michael Pollan for allowing food production to reach this point. Unfortunately for my taste buds, a few bags of the new White Chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms escaped the clutches of the Elder Gods in the screaming void of nothingness and landed in my shopping cart. 

Watch Your Feet for Cracks in the Pavement... and Aliens

MelBivDevoe

Image via David Zinn

If you're out and about in Ann Arbor, keep an eye on the sidewalks!  David Zinn is an incredible artist who uses the city as his canvas for his adorable and creative chalk drawings.  For the rest of us who aren't in Michigan, here's a collection of photos of his work.  (Pleated Jeans) 

Oh, the things I've yet to learn about living in the South.  For example, people here eat something called a "snoot sandwich" that looks just as nasty as it sounds.  (CNN)

Remember the bus monitor who was bullied on video, which sparked a donation fund that raised over $700,00 for her?  She's giving back to the community that helped her by starting her own anti-bullying foundation.  (People)

Stacy London, one half of the fabulous "What Not to Wear" team, opens up about her struggles with body image and eating disorders in her new book, which is on sale now.  (Washington Post)

Jell-O Turtle Sundae Mix-Ins: I GOT A TURTLE!

Pinky McLadybits

I decided to give Jell-O's new line of puddings with mix-ins to create flavors like birthday cake (sprinkles are the add-in) and turtle sundae (chocolate chips and nuts are the add-in) The pudding for the Turtle Sundae was vanilla with a thin layer of caramel pudding on top.

I really like turtle ice cream sundaes, so I thought I could splurge on this new Jell-O line and see how it tasted. I usually buy the Dulce de Leche flavor of Jell-O and I find it to be a decadent treat while being sugar-free and only 60 calories. I though that the Turtle Sundae would have to be as rich and delightful as the Dulce de Leche since I was getting a full sugar dessert.

Hot Minute Review: Skinnytaste's Cajun Chicken Pasta On The Lighter Side

Pinky McLadybits

Now that I've reached my goal weight, I've stopped Weight Watchers. I have, however, continued to use the recipes, portion control, and other things I learned while on the program. To ensure that I never have to go on Weight Watchers again while also making sure I don't feel deprived, I have been cooking lots of lighter versions of filling foods.

Enter the website Skinnytaste, where the work is already done with converting recipes to healthier versions. While I use a few of her recipes to varying degrees of success with the other people in my household, the Cajun Chicken Pasta On The Lighter Side is a clear winner. You get the satisfaction of a pasta dish with a creamy sauce and the filling addition of healthy vegetables and protein-rich chicken. The sauce remains thick and seemingly rich with the use of light cream cheese, but it doesn't make your ass wider like a heavy cream and cheese sauce. 

If you are looking for healthy meals that will satisfy your cravings without spreading your waistline, check out Skinnytaste and start out with the Cajun Chicken Pasta On The Lighter Side.

Rating: 8/8 tentacles

Kashi Pumpkin Pecan Layered Granola Bars: Layers! Like An Ogre!

Pinky McLadybits

I'm not sure it is technically fall, but my calendar says September and my body is saying, "COVER ME WITH PANTS AND SWEATERS, YOU SLATTERN!" My body is way harsh, but has a point. I'm sick of wearing clothes that are barely there and shaving my legs. Point being, I'd like to make myself feel like it is Fall until it actually gets here. Part of that is enjoying the different tastes we associate with the cooler weather, changing leaves, and FOOTBALL! WOOOP!

It was with the tastes of Fall in mind that I decided to snag this box of Kashi Pumpkin Pecan Layered Granola Bars from my local Big Lots. Since this product is now discontinued, I would say that Big Lots and other similar stores are your best chance of finding them. 

Candy Corn Oreos: Halloween Trick? Or Treat?

MelBivDevoe

It's a bit of an understatement to say that I have a sweet tooth.  I love sugar.  In any form.  Baked goods?  I eat them all.  Candy?  Yes, please!  I once bought several tubes of colored frosting... not to paint a cake, but to consume straight from the tube.  Yes.  I am that woman. 

When I heard last week that Nabisco was releasing Candy Corn Oreos, I was intrigued.  I love Oreos, even the golden ones.  And I love candy corn, that delicious orange, white, and yellow confection that is generally only available in the fall.  I know some people can't stand the stuff, but it's basically just sugar in chewy corn shape, so of course I dig it.  

But the thought of smooshing the two together didn't exactly sound appealing.  Would the creme filling really taste like candy corn?  Would the two together be too much sugar?  Was such a thing even possible? 

Figgy Rants: The Wonders of Chamomille Tea

Figgy

GOTCHA! You thought this was gonna be a hate-filled post, didn't ya? Well shows how much you know,  Smartypants McSmarty. Today, I am here to love. Because Chamomile Tea is a miracle and everyone should know about it.

Let me give you some background.

There are two things I'll always associate with my grandmother: Clouds of Givenchy perfume, and chamomile tea. One of my earliest memories is of her fixing me a cup with plenty of honey and lime juice to make my stomach feel better after I'd eaten way too many cookies at her house. She's one of those grandmas, you know: when they're not feeding you, they're giving you money to go buy more food. Pretty awesome until you start getting stomach cramps at night because your stomach didn't like the fifteen million cheetos you tried to cram it with earlier.

I Fell in Love in the Library, Once Upon a Time

MelBivDevoe

I could spend all day looking at the gorgeous libraries in this first link.  That image to the left is from Priceline.com founder Jay Walker's personal home library - and that shiny object hanging from the ceiling?  Sputnik.  Seriously.  (Beautiful-Libraries)

One book I'm sure you wouldn't find in Erica Jong's personal library would be "Fifty Shades of Grey."  Here, she and other notable erotica experts discuss the book's sexual merits (as opposed to its literary merits - or lack thereof).  (Velvet Roper)

Cup o' Sadness: Quaker's Real Medley Instant Oatmeal

Figgy

I have no funny story about why or how I bought Quaker's Real Medley Instant Oatmeal. I just wanted some quick breakfast foods to eat every morning before work, and figured I could just try these cute little boxes of instant oatmeal. I bought two: the apple-walnut and the pistachio-cranberry mixes and took 'em home.

I tried the apple-cinnamon first, mixing it with water. Once I opened the package I was not-entirely surprised to see that there's only about half a cup's worth of stuff at the bottom of the cup. You fill it up with water and cook for 45 seconds. EASY! Which is exactly the amount of effort I want to put into making breakfast at 6 in the morning.

Quaker Soft Baked Bars Banana Nut Bread: Um, If You Say So

Pinky McLadybits

Full disclosure: I was selected by Influenster to receive a Summer Voxbox filled with products to review. I will be reviewing them whether I find them awesome or terrible.

"I'm hungry," says me, all of the time. I just ate a ridiculously huge salad filled with spinach and lettuce, peppers, olives, beans, bacon, ham, cheese, and cucumbers. Seriously, it was bigger than my head. And I am still starving. I thought that this would be as good a time as any to give my Quaker Soft Baked Bars Banana Nut Bread a try.

Ben & Jerry's Frozen Yogurt Half Baked

Pinky McLadybits

Rusty, and several of the other ladies, really enjoy Ben & Jerry's Greek Frozen Yogurt. I thought it was just alright, perhaps something I would eat instead of regular Ben & Jerry's if it was the only thing left in store freezers after the Apocalypse or when I was really hungry. Not great, but not bad. But it wasn't ice cream, my friends. So few things really are.

I was at Target, the Hot Ink Mecca, and I decided I wanted some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. Sure, I'm on a diet. BUT THE WEATHER IS HOTTER THAN SATAN'S BUTTHOLE AFTER HE FINISHES WATCHING MAGIC MIKE WITH HIS BOYFRIEND, SADDAM. Really hot. So I need more than air conditioners and hiding indoors to make me feel refreshed. I need frozen goodness.

Thankfully, along with the regular Ben & Jerry's there was FroYo Half Baked. It boasts chocolate and vanilla frozen yogurt swirls with chunks of brownies and cookie dough. Take that, Satan's Butthole!

Bad Panda!: Panda Traditional Soft Raspberry Licorice

MelBivDevoe

via TalkingRetail.com

I love soft licorice.  Not that hollow Twizzler crap.  Real licorice that's thick and chewy.  Fruit-flavored licorice, that is - I can't stand black licorice (tastes a bit like anise.  Blech.).  

While shopping at an international grocery store the other day, I came across the Panda line of licorices from Finland.  They featured a raspberry licorice that sounded promising.  The back of the bag promised a delicious treat that was fat free and suitable for vegans.  I'm no vegan, but I figured this meant it was a bit healthier than the standard licorice, so I scooped up a bag.

Holy crap, did that bag lie to me, y'all.  It LIED.  

Arctic Zero Coffee Frozen Dessert: Better Than Hamdingers

Pinky McLadybits

Every time I go to the grocery, I eyeball the hell out of the ice cream section. I check out the sleek lines of the ice cream bars. I lick my lips while reading the various flavor combinations on Ben & Jerry's pints. I wonder if the fancy gelato is worth the seven dollar price tag.

And then I usually walk away with nothing. Sure, sometimes Aunt Flo coerces me into buying just one pint of Cheesecake Brownie or maybe just one box of ice cream sandwiches, but these things are not conducive to my current eating program, kids.

Reynolds Wrap Slow Cooker Liners: Slow Cooking Just Got Lazier

Rusty

Every year my family has a big party over Memorial day weekend that involves a ton of cooking. This year in particular there were a solid 36 hours in which our slow cooker was going to be on and with three different recipes to be completed. Cleaning out the giant ceramic insert three times was not something I was looking forward to so when I saw Reynold’s Slow Cooker Liners I grabbed the box on impulse. 

Greekin' Out: Ben and Jerry's Greek Frozen Yogurt

Rusty

There have been many attempts at ice cream substitutes or versions of ice cream offering less fat or less sugar over the years. Most of them are awful. I’ve found it’s not useful to try and replace ice cream, but just to accept that frozen yogurt is better for you but won’t ever deliver on the kind of thick creamy goodness that ice cream does.

At least that had been my feeling until I got my hands on Ben and Jerry’s new Greek Frozen Yogurt in Raspberry and Fudge Chunks flavor.