Pumpkin Noosa

I've seen this yogurt time and time again but I recall checking the points of the blueberry flavor months back and was shocked at how high in points it was. But after hearing numerous people say how delicious this brand of yogurt was .. I decided to take the plunge. That is because of the Pumpkin Noosa which is available at Target.

 

Fall is the time for apple and pumpkin flavored dishes. Since I am a pumpkin fan and have yet to find a pumpkin yogurt that truly is #1 in my book ... that is ... until now!

 

I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened the container. I've had Greek yogurt in the past and it's typically tart. This was more along the lines of plain yogurts consistency (looser yogurt, not thick) which had a mild sweetness to it. After a quick glance over the brands website, it's an Australian yogurt which they adapted the Greek yogurt and mixed it with some honey for sweetness.  Here's the blurb from the brands website:

 

"We Aussies are famous for embracing other cultures, then adding our own little twist to make them our own. (It’s not “stealing,” it’s “being inspired.” There’s a difference!)
That’s exactly what we did with our Noosa Finest Yoghurt. We took a page from the Greeks (Ta, Greeks!) with their famously rich yoghurt. Ours is made in small batches, set, and infused with honey to give it that delicious sweet-tart tang, and smooth, velvety texture that sets us apart from the throng. We add just the right amount of fruit purees, made from the best the seasonal market has to offer, and pack it in clear tubs so you can see for yourself the lusciousness of what you’re about to enjoy."

The pumpkin was in the container on the bottom/side of the container which had a true pumpkin flavor ... more along the lines of a pumpkin pie filling. It wasn't overly sweet, it was smooth, with a cinnamon/nutmeg flavor to it. Quite enjoyable actually. It was perfect either mixed with the regular yogurt or eaten in small bites. I felt it was more of a "dessert" or "treat" than say, a breakfast (at least for me).

 

A container is a serving which is 290 calories or 8 points plus values. Admittedly high stats ... but for a good tasting, quality yogurt it's good for a once in a while treat. Or if you're dedicated enough you could split it into two servings.

Flo's Hot Dogs

If you’re from New England then you have to know about Flo’s Hot Dogs. Flo’s is a small little hot dog stand in Cape Neddick, Maine which has been in business since 1959. Yes, that’s right, and all they sell is hot dogs! The most amazing hot dogs you’ll ever taste that is. The stand itself is in operation all year round, but they are closed on Wednesdays and have standard operating hours from 11-3pm. The door closes promptly at 3, so if you want a hot dog you need to make sure you’re in by 2:59 or the door will be locked on you.

Flo’s sells boiled hot dogs in steamed New England style buns. You can order your hot dog any way you want it (plain, mustard, relish, ketchup, sauerkraut, onion, Flo’s relish, mayo, etc.), but there are two staple ways that are famous for this little hidden jewel in the hot dog realm. There is the The Special (I call it Flo’s way), which has mayonnaise (yes, you read that right mayonnaise! But don’t let that tidbit stop you from reading further), Flo’s relish and celery salt on it. While there is The Works which has Flo’s relish, green relish, mustard, onion and celery salt on it.

These hot dogs will cost you $2.50 each, plus tax.

I personally do not like celery salt so when I order my hot dogs I always ask for the celery salt to be held. My personal favorite is The Special, hold the celery salt, add onion. It’s so delicious; I can’t even get past that! I’ve spoken to Gail (the owner) a million times when I go in there and she’s told me exactly what she uses (the name brand of the hot dog and the name brand of her mayonnaise) and I’ve picked up the stuff (including the shops relish which I bought while at the stand) and it just does NOT taste the same at home! I think the secret truly is in the water since she’s boiling hundreds of hot dogs and I’m boiling three.

Now, don’t get turned off by mayonnaise on a hot dog. It REALLY plays off the Flo’s relish well; it makes their relish a little sweeter (since the relish can be considered tangy on its own). The Works would be my second favorite hot dog because it has some of my favorite staples on a hot dog on it. You can easily make this a meal, by picking yourself up a soda or water and throwing in a bag of chips.

Every time I am in Maine and it’s between the hours of operation at Flo’s I try to stop in to grab a hot dog. I’ve heard people in the shop state it as a Life Altering Experience. And yes, I have seen someone come in and order 30 hot dogs to go to bring home to feed family who came home to visit.

I must say though if you are ever in Maine for any reason what so ever, drop into Flo’s and try one of these. I promise - you won’t be disappointed.

Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter

One afternoon on a trip through my beloved grocery chain - the sample of the day involved PB&J sandwiches using Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Butter. I've seen this nut butter on the shelves, but never quite batted an eyelash as it because I wasn't quite sure how it would taste.

 

As this is a nut butter, when you open the container the oil and butter are separated. A good stirring easily gets the two combined again for serving.

 

Straight out of the jar you can taste the distinct natural flavor of sunflower seeds. If you've ever had sunflower seeds then you know that nutty flavor they provide. The nut butter tastes very much of sunflower seeds. Admittedly it is different on the palette if you're not used to the flavor and/or may be expecting a peanut butter taste. It is a slightly bold flavor, but nothing too overwhelming. But if you're making it into a sunflower butter and jam/jelly sandwich ... the sunflower flavor is rather muted by the jam/jelly and not as pungent as it is on its own.

 

I find it to be rather satisfying and quite delicious to have as an addition to a meal or a snack. Plus it's good to step "outside the box" every once in a while and try something different ... because you never know if you're going to like it (or not)!

 

A serving is 2 tablespoons, which is 200 calories or 5 points plus values.

Old El Paso Bold Nacho Cheese Flavored Taco Shells

Tacos are one of my favorite meals to have ... but usually the plain ole corn taco shells just aren't "worth it" to me. But a nacho cheese flavored taco shell certainly is. Unfortunately they're not easily accessible at the grocery store ... so when I spotted these Old El Paso Bold Nacho Cheese Flavored Taco Shells at Wal-Mart I made sure I picked up a box.

 

The shells themselves are coated in a nacho cheese flavor (think Doritos) and they're a large flat bottomed taco shell which makes for easy presentation/eating. Filling the shells with taco meat, salsa, lettuce, tomato and guacamole it's a complete and delicious meal. The nacho cheese provides delicious flavor to the dish. I'm all about flavor ... so anything to help add to that is delightful.

 

This is about as good as you'd get before you crumbled up Doritos into a taco salad. With hope these are going to be a new addition to the Old El Paso taco shell line.

A serving, 2 shells, is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee & Garlic

Over the course of a few weeks I had seen a new seasoning on the shelf at Trader Joe's and bypassed it a few times. It wasn't until I heard an employee telling a customer about it that I decided to pick it up (the employee stated to try it on chicken first before beef or pork). I mean, after all, it's only $1.99 for a pretty generous amount of seasoning. Since I am a seasoning junkie, I opted to pick up a container of the Trader Joe's BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee & Garlic.

 

Whenever I think of barbecue I think of sauce - not a rub. I've always had wet style barbecue at home (whether homemade BBQ sauce or out of the bottle). I've had dry rub ribs at restaurants and they're good but they're in a different category than "wet" BBQ. By that I mean they're polar opposites in consistency, flavor, etc.

 

In true Trader Joe's fashion the container has a little blurb about the product: "Trader Joe's BBQ Rub and Seasoning is a delicious blend of coffee, garlic and paprika with brown sugar and sea salt for balance. For the best flavor generously coat steak or any cut of meat or poultry an hour or longer before cooking."

I opted to season up chicken to be on the "safe side" of things. I added a generous amount of seasoning to the chicken, ensuring it was all coated evenly - covered the chicken and popped it into the refrigerator for a little over an hour. By the time I took the chicken out of the refrigerator, you could see how well the rub soaked into the chicken breast.  After that, it was onto the grill!

After cooking, the chicken had a smokiness to it. I can't say any of the seasonings in the rub stood out more than the other. For those who may be weary of the coffee in it, no, you cannot taste it at all. It had that classic dry rub BBQ smokiness to it. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite. I'm one of those folks who flavors every step of their dish to ensure a perfect balance of flavoring. This was smokey ... but it wasn't flavorful enough for me. I wanted that zip - that pizazz. So I ended up topping my chicken with additions like a tiny bit of barbecue sauce, sriracha and even guacamole (which was served alongside a salad).

Moving forward when I opt to use this rub, I will be layering a few other seasonings along with it.

Polish Doughnut / Pączki

I went to a Polish festival last weekend and after making a trip to the Polish grocery store, I picked up a polish donut or Pączki. I haven't had a polish donut in over 5-years so it was quite the treat.

 

So what's to special about polish donuts? Well, they're fluffy, light and rather airy donuts which are not greasy nor are they as heavy as traditional American donuts. These particular donuts had a light icing on the top of them (while others can have powder sugar on them) which provides a very subtle amount of sweetness. These particular ones had a very thin layer of either raspberry or prune filling. I actually asked for raspberry, but was given prune ... which was delicious regardless. The prune flavoring was very mild and light.

 

Unfortunately (or fortunately?), in my area, the only Polish bakery is over a 30 minute drive away and once they're gone ... they're gone. If you're a donut lover, these are a delight to have every once in a while.

 

Point wise .. I'd aim high and say this was 10 points plus values.

Gold's Gym Waist Trimmer Belt

My coworkers and I walk 2 or 3 times a day Monday through Friday. One day while on our walk, they had mentioned they were wearing their belts. Belts? I was confused and inquired ... that's when they told me they picked up these Gold's Gym Waist Trimmer Belts last time they were at Wal-Mart. Intrigued I filed the thought and decided to look them up online later on.

 

Now I have seen folks in my gym wearing these belts ... but I truthfully never thought anything of it. The belts are $4.96 at Wal-Mart and are quite a decent product for the price. The belt is moderately thick, with a smooth fabric on the outside which makes it easily concealable under your clothing. While the inside of the belt is this smooth neoprene/"rubber" type of fabric.

 

The idea is you put this belt on before you workout and it helps trim your waist, by essentially sweating out any of the bloat/water weight you'd carry in your mid-section. It's not going to necessarily make you lose weight ... but it will help you sweat out any added bloat in your midsection. What I can say is ... this thing makes you SWEAT. You can actually feel the perspiration building up beneath the fabric against your skin. It's quite amazing.

 

The one thing I will say is, this can cause some minor irritation if you have sensitive skin. I found I wore it a few times and after wearing it during some cardio and after taking it off I had a small patch of irritation on my abdomen. That when I scratched, I caused some inflammation. Moving forward when I wear this, I will wear a very thin tank top underneath the belt to have a small barrier between my skin and the waist trimmer.

 

If you're interested these trimmers are available, nearly everywhere that sells workout gear. Wal-Mart does have the lowest price (right under $5).

Trader Joe's Rolled Oats & Chocolate Chips Fiberful Granola Bars

Since I enjoyed the peanut butter version so much, I decided to pick up a box of the Trader Joe's Rolled Oats & Chocolate Chips Fiberful Granola Bars. What I like the most about these bars is that they're chalk full of fiber (9g) and protein (5g). This simply means that while having a snack that feels indulgent .. it's going to stay with you and satisfy your hunger.

 

The bars are a decent size and feel worth the points/calories. The bottom of the bar is coated in a thin layer of chocolate, while the top is drizzled with chocolate. Each bar is also mixed with chocolate chips which definitely have a present in each bite taken. The bars are chewy, tasty and undoubtedly satisfying. These would be perfect for a chocolate lover because it's definitely a chocolate kick. Admittedly, I enjoy the peanut butter bars more but that's just because of preference!

 

A bar is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Tamalitos

There had been a few occasions where while at Trader Joe's I eye some of the dishes in the "Mexican-flare section". Tamales, burritos, enchiladas, chile relleno, etc. I've shied away from some of them for a while just because some are high in calories and just not point comfortable for me. Then one day, I really wanted to give the Trader Joe's Mini Chicken Tamalitos a shot (partly due to a conversation I had with a fellow Instagrammer). So into the cart they went...

The box states the tamales are handmade mini white meat chicken tamales in red sauce.  According to Trader Joe's website: "They’re handmade just for us by a small, Mexican panadería de tamal (that’s tamale bakery), and sized perfectly to enjoy as hors d’oeuvres. Each handmade Tamalito, wrapped in parchment paper, is made using traditional corn masa, stuffed with shredded chicken, cheese, corn, chiles and authentic Mexican seasonings, and finished with a mild red chile sauce. Did we mention they’re made by hand?"

Taking the tamales out of the freezer, there are 2 cooking options - stove top or microwave. Since I wasn't truly in the mood to cook I opted for the microwave version. Simplicity at it's finest! All I had to do was layer the tamales onto a glass dish, add in 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a damp paper towel and wrap the dish up with plastic wrap. A quick trip into the microwave and dinner was done. I did find I had to cook them a little longer because the 4-minutes did not heat all 10 tamales up enough.

Unwrapping them from the parchment paper, I was in for a nice surprise. These tamales are DELICIOUS! The corn masa is a show stealer; it's got a very smooth flavor. The filling is light and brings flavor to the dish. I did find I added a little bit of hot sauce to the top (because that's how I like my tamales) and it was fabulous.

Truthfully, looking at 4 mini tamales on a plate, it does feel slightly as if you're being gypped (I ate them on a small little "dessert plate" to trick my mind). But they are quite satisfying alongside a garden salad.

A serving, 4 tamales, is 300 calories or 8 points plus values.

Chobani Limited Batch Pumpkin Spice Blended Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is my staple yogurt. It's a very rare occasion that I purchase plain yogurt (well outside of the occasional large container of regular plain yogurt to make overnight oats). Since I am a self proclaimed pumpkin lover ... when I spotted the Chobani Limited Batch Pumpkin Spice Blended Greek Yogurt I did not hesitate to purchase a container.

 

Initially I only saw these at Target and since then I've seen them at all of my local grocery stores. I saved the yogurt to have as a treat ... but unfortunately I was rather disappointed with it. Fall is my favorite season ... the weather, the comfort foods, the pumpkin everything. This Chobani Pumpkin Spice yogurt is very mild pumpkin ... and a whole lot of nutmeg. It's actually boldly, grossly overly nutmeggy.  Now I can handle abundant amounts of cinnamon ... but nutmeg is so overpowering that a little goes a long way ... and a lot is just all wrong. It got to the point while eating it that I couldn't taste the pumpkin unless I took small, small little bites trying to find the flavor in the background.

 

Truthfully ... this should have been sold as Nutmeg Blended Greek Yogurt because that's just about what you're truthfully buying.

 

Each container is 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

Dannon Limited Edition Light & Fit Greek Mango Lemonade

Let me take a moment to introduce one of my new favorite yogurts: Dannon Light & Fit Greek Mango Lemonade. Admittedly, when I purchased this yogurt for the first time I only bought one container because I was weary. I've tried the citrus yogurt, which was a complete fail ... but I know I love the mango yogurt. So ... I hoped I'd like it. Turns out, I absolutely love this yogurt!

 

The yogurt itself has that classic sweet mango flavor, with small chunks of mango here and there throughout the serving. The lemon brings a rather subtle tartness to the yogurt which helps balance out the sweet mango just perfectly. I quite enjoy this yogurt on it's own, with fruit and even in a smoothie. It's just a fabulous summer time yogurt (which I'll eat any time of the year as long as it's on the shelves).

 

As with other Dannon yogurts, this is what I'd call middle of the road in thickness (with regards to Greek yogurt). It's not too thick and not too thin. It's sweet without being overly sweet and it's not as tart as some of the other Greek yogurts on the market. It's a perfect in-between.

 

A serving is 80 calories or 2 points plus values.

Extra Seasonal Edition Pumpkin Spice & Apple Crisp Bubble Gum

New and unique flavored bubble gums are one of my favorite treats. It's not necessarily the texture of the gum that I go for ... but the flavor. Extra has come out with a multitude of unique flavors over the past few years. They provide tasty treat flavors into a guilt-free version.

 

When I spotted the Extra Pumpkin Spice and Extra Apple Crisp gums at the checkout at my local Dollar Tree I picked up both packages. I truthfully was more excited about the pumpkin spice because I'm a pumpkin fanatic.

 

The pumpkin spice is alright ... it's more of a sweet cinnamony gum than pumpkin - but the pumpkin flavor does linger in the background. It's undoubtedly unique and different ... but if you're hoping for it to scream "pumpkin pie" it won't quite do that for you.  The apple crisp tastes very similar to their apple pie gum they had out in the past. It's got an sweet apple flavor with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in the background.

 

Overall ... they're not that bad and pretty decent for a burst of bubble gum flavor.

Tastee Candy Apples

One of my all time favorite snacks during fall season at the grocery store are hands down Tastee Candy Apples. They come in a variety of flavors and all are pretty much calorie/point "safe" and are such an enjoyable treats. As we all know, fall is pretty much fair/carnival time all around the United States. What one food item is available at nearly all fairs/carnivals? Fried dough ... uhhmm... yes, but ALSO candy apples!

I remember as a kid going to visit my godmother in Ohio. There was this candy shop that made THE best caramel apples. Whenever I'd leave from visiting her OR she'd come to visit me ... these candy apples came along for the plane ride. Sadly with no connection in Ohio any longer I've had to "settle" for candy apples in my area. In the past I've made them at home ... but a treat I've been purchasing for years at the grocery store are Tastee's Candy Apples.

The candy apples come in a variety of flavor combinations: caramel with peanuts, candy apple with peanuts, jelly with shredded coconut and turtle candy apples. They also sell "gourmet" versions of these apples which I find in my area sold at wholesale retailers ... but these particular candy apples aren't as friendly as the original variety sold at the grocery store.

I just happened to find the caramel and the candy while shopping so I picked them up. I wanted the jelly but they didn't have it ... yet I'm sure I'll find it someplace soon. All of them are delicious but as it tends to go we all have our "favorites."

I have tried the four varieties (candy, jelly, caramel and turtle) and I have to say ... the caramel and the jelly are my favorites. The caramel is a soft, runny/gooey caramel that's got a boatload of nuts around it. The jelly is a soft, jelly style coating that has a yummy shredded coconut around it. The candy apple is a soft candy apple coating that's got peanuts around it. Whereas the turtle if your classic soft caramel that's covered in chocolate bits and peanuts.

The caramel, candy and jelly candy apples are 4 points plus a piece and are 160 calories. While the turtle is 239 calories and 7 points plus values. Today I actually saw a plain caramel apple which has no peanuts on the outside and was 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

If you want to see all that Tastee has to offer you can do check out their website.

Green Juice / Green Smoothie

So ...  I've launched myself into the craze that is Green juice. I've seen so many green juices being made and different varieties that it peeked my interest. Since I had been struggling I figured it would be a good way to get some vegetables and fruits in on days where I was lacking.  If I have a juice with a filling breakfast (hard boiled eggs, greek yogurt etc) I'm far more satisfied and even full-feeling at lunch time.

 

I simply add some fresh fruit, vegetables and green tea to my green juice and so far I've enjoyed what I've been able to concoct.  I do make big batches of these, storing them in airtight containers and even pitchers. If the mixture sits in the fridge overnight, it'll need a good few shakes in the morning to get everything reincorporated. Since I don't "juice" them (I use a blender) the pulp and fiber is still present which raises to the top of the glass/pitcher and the green tea settles to the bottom.  The mixture is essentially a "salad in a cup."

 

A friend of mine gave me a basic recipe and I've been using that and adding in my own swing of things.  Here's the basic recipe:

 

Green tea

Spinach

Grapes

Lemon

1/2 Banana

Cinnamon

 

I just eyeball it, blend it up and pour it into individual containers. As it sits in the fridge, the pulp does settle at the top of the drink ... but a quick shake before drinking it all gets re-incorporated. This is more along the lines of a "smoothie" than a smooth juice as there is chunks of pulp in it.

Jif Whips Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Spice

I'm a self proclaimed pumpkin lover. After all fall is my favorite season ... and pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors. There's just something about it that's warm, cozy and just plain delicious. While in Target, I spotted the new Jif Whips Limited Edition Pumpkin Pie Spice and popped the container into my cart.

 

All I could think was ... pumpkin pie meets peanut butter? This must be amazingness in a tub. Unfortunately, that was just a thought.

 

I was in the mood for peanut butter toast ... so I opted to make that as my snack. I opened the jar and found it has a pumpkin pie/peanut butter scent. Scooping some out it has a very light, airy and soft texture which makes spreading it out a breeze. Then came the taste test ... and it was a fail from there.  The peanut butter tastes like ... nothing. There is no real distinct pumpkin pie flavor, nor is there any real peanut butter flavor. It tastes like a tub of airy nothingness. There's an underlying cinnamon flavor (which I don't mind since I love cinnamon) but for others it might be a bit overwhelming. I was so let down and turned off by it I ended up chucking my toast into the garbage.

 

Since I won't eat this as is ... I'm thinking of possibly trying to add it into some baking. Maybe pumpkin muffins, pumpkin cake/bars, etc. Just something to add a little extra protein without letting my money go to waste. We'll see ... because if it's a fail in baking ... it's going into the trash. Needless to say I am not a fan.

 

A serving, 2 tablespoons, is 140 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Potato Chips with South African Style Seasoning

Potato chips are a classic side dish/snack ... and admittedly when I see a new flavor pop up, I'm intrigued to buy it and try it.  Particularly Trader Joe's potato chips because quite frankly - they're some of the best potato chips out there. Case in point:Trader Joe's Potato Chips with South African Style a

 

The bag states the chips are a "classic potato chip with an exotic smoked flavor". I figured they'd be more smokey than they would be say a barbecue potato chip. The cashier asked if I had tried the chips before and I let him know it would be the first time. He then asked if I had tried their South African style rub they had once before ... once again it was an item I hadn't tried. Trying to explain it, he stated it was more of a smokey flavor than a spicy barbecue flavor. His description matched what I assumed they'd taste like.

 

After opening the bag you can smell the seasonings. The chips look like a barbecue chip that have parsley sprinkled on it ... but in this case looks can be deceiving. The deliciously light, crunchy, fresh potato chips are coated in a blend of seasonings: smoked paprika, chili pepper, sea salt, garlic, basil, and parsley. Some say they taste like barbecue ... but to me, they taste like Old Bay seasoning. There's a potato chip sold by Utz which is labeled "Crab Chip." The chips are seasoned in a blend of seasonings used to boil crabs and for some reason these chips remind me so much of that seasoning/flavor.

 

The South African Style Seasoning potato chips have that classic smokey quality to them yet the garlic and paprika flavor stand out the most. The garlic is far more prominent (and could possibly be overwhelming for some taste buds) which for me makes them more appealing. Admittedly they're not everyone's cup of tea ... I shared some of these with my mother who is a potato chip lover and she wasn't keen on the flavor of these.

 

A serving is 1 ounce (roughly 17 chips) which is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are one of my favorites ... but oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are probably one of the best "hidden gem" cookies. I've tried the Trader Joe's 100 calorie pack oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and was a fan ... so when I spotted the Trader Joe's Crispy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies I decided to pick up a container.

 

Thankfully, these cookies were not a let down. They are crispy, yet slightly crumbly and there is a perfect amount of mini chocolate chips in each cookie. I find they do have more of a chocolate chip cookie flavor than oatmeal, but there is that slight classic oatmeal flavor and texture in the background. They're perfectly sized, they pack a flavorful punch and are enjoyable by all.

 

The cookies are good ... really good and truthfully too good. Why? Well, a serving just doesn't seem like enough. This is one of those snacks that I learned to tuck away in the cabinet as an out of sight out of mind type of snack.

 

A serving is 6 cookies, which are 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Starkist Ready-To-Eat Tuna Salad Original Deli Style

Convenience foods are one of those items I like to keep on hand for the occasional "just in case" type of moments. When I saw the Starkist Ready-To-Eat Tuna Salad Original Deli Style posted on Instagram I knew I had to pick up a pouch to give it a whirl.

 

This tuna fish is actually all whipped up and ready to go. It's not like the other tuna fish pouches that house plain tuna. This actually has mayonnaise and seasonings in it. The great part is it's portioned,  ready to eat however you may enjoy it and there's no getting your hands dirty.

 

Admittedly, tuna fish is one of those foods I enjoy from time to time. It's filling, it's a protein you can bulk up with vegetables and it's perfect on a sandwich, salad or even crackers (if you're into that sort of thing). Truthfully, I enjoy albacore tuna fish merely by choice because it's what I've grown up eating. This tuna fish ... is not albacore, it's your standard chunk light tuna.

 

That aside ... I find it to be a decent on hand dish - but it's certainly not my favorite. It's a good way to get a protein punch as a snack or even a meal. I've heard there's an albacore deli style available and once I can find it and get my hands on it I'm sure that one will become an instant favorite.

 

A pouch is 100 calories or 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Caramel Cashew Cookies

Time and time again while shopping at Trader Joe's I've noticed these Trader Joe's Caramel Cashew Cookies. What constantly intrigued me was the fact they had caramel AND cashews in them. I love cashews ... they're one of my favorite nuts to snack on. So immediately I was thinking ... cashews, caramel ... these cookies have to be fabulous.

Sadly ... that thought was a complete bust. The cookies flavor is good, it's got a butter cookie, caramel flavor and there are bits of cashew pieces throughout them. But the TEXTURE of these cookies is ridiculous. These are not cookies… these are rocks. By that I mean, small rocks that are flavored well. Truthfully these cookies were SO hard it makes them not enjoyable. It reminds me of a rock hard biscotti cookie that's been overcooked and left out too long. Adults and even kids turned down the cookies after trying one.

You would have to drown them in coffee or milk to get them to soften up. I like to be able to enjoy my dessert or snacks and I didn’t find these to be enjoyable. They're so lackluster that the container has been out for the taking and so far people eat one ... and don't want anymore because they're too hard.  I'm not sure if I got a dud container but they’re going back to Trader Joe’s.

A serving, 3 cookies is 140 calories or 4 points plus values.