Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken

Every time I go to Trader Joe's I check out their premade foods sections ... particularly their salad varieties. I've always wanted to try them, but checking out the nutrition facts on some of them has shied me away from trying it. That is until I spotted the Trader Joe's Low Fat Chinese Style Salad with Chicken.

The salad comes packaged with everything you would need to have a satisfying lunch/dinner (well, aside from a fork - but you can pick those up on the way out of your local Trader Joe's). The toppings are assembled in sections across the bed of lettuce, with a container of dressing to use as sparingly or as much as you wish. It was convenient enough that if I didn't like something I could easily pick it off the top because it wasn't all combined freshly opened.

The salad is a mixture of romaine lettuce, grilled white chicken, green cabbage, snow peas and crispy noodles all served alongside a sesame soy dressing. I opted to pour some dressing over the top, close the container and give it a little shake, then opened it up and combined all the toppings with one another with my fork to disperse the flavors and textures evenly. Overall, I found it to be a pretty decent salad and a good thing to grab if in a pinch on the go. The only thing I wished is that there would be a little more protein on top, but overall it was satisfying.

A serving, 1/2 the container is 140 calories or 3 points plus values OR you can have the entire container for 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Potato Chips - Salt & Pepper

I'm not much of a "wavy" cut chip fan ... but I'd heard a lot about the Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Potato Chips - Salt & Pepper from a fellow TJ's shopper on YouTube so I decided to give them a try. I enjoy chips and I don't mind a salt and pepper flavored chip ... so I figured why not - what's there to lose?

 

Firstly, this bag of chips is gigantic. It's under $3 and the bag itself is pretty full and heavy. The chips themselves are thick, ridge cut potato chips. They have a lot more of a bite to them if compared to say, Ruffles potato chips (which aren't as thick and crunchy as these are). I found these ones to be along the lines of a kettle cooked ridge cut chip because it was so crunchy and almost hard.

 

Flavor wise ... they are your classic salt and pepper potato chip. Not overly salty, the pepper is more at play with this snack. The pepper is definitely there, but it's not overpowering. I love black pepper, but I've also learned that a little too much black pepper can straight up overpower anything you put it on. I would say this is a "medium" flavored pepper chip, where it's not overwhelming, but it's definitely noticeable, but it's not so noticeable that it's going to burn your tongue.

 

Overall, I wasn't too satisfied with these. The thickness and the overly crunchy chips just weren't quite a home run for me. I ate as much as I could, and since no one else was a fan of them, I ended up tossing the rest of the bag. I'll stick to my beloved Trader Joe's Classic Potato Chips.

 

A  1 ounce serving (roughly 9 chips or 28g) is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Arnott's Tim Tam Original

For years people have been raving about Arnott's Tim Tam Original cookies all over the internet. Unfortunately, living in the US, Tim Tam's were not readily available as they were primarily available in Australia.  Considering the sheer cost to ship a package of cookies across the globe I decided I'd perhaps not try the original. Although, this past year, Tim Tam's have landed in the US and are being sold in Target locations.

Tim Tam's are two chocolate biscuits which are sandwiched against an airy chocolate cream. The biscuits are then coated in a thin layer of milk chocolate. The cookie is delicious, it's sweet but certainly not overpoweringly so. The chocolate does melt against your fingertips if you hold it for too long, but that only makes eating it fun. The biscuits provide a subtle bite, but overall I'd say the texture isn't hard, nor is it soft - it's right in the middle. They're quite delicious and I find a single serving is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Now there are a number of ways you can enjoy your Tim Tam's. I find my favorite way is by doing what has been coined "The Tim Tam Slam". A Tim Tam Slam is where you take a beverage of your choice (coffee, tea, milk) and you bite a small corner off each end diagonally across from one another. Dip one bit corner into your beverage and use it as a straw to suck your drink up through the cookie. Don't do this too long because it will crumble and fall into your drink - but you can feel the cookie plumping with liquid. At that point you then want to pop the entire thing in your mouth. What you're left with is a heavenly treat. The biscuits are softened, the chocolate is creamy and it's just so yummy.

What I do know is that this was well worth the wait!

A serving, 2 cookies, is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Ode to the Classic Potato Chips

Potato chips are one of those snacks that I have always enjoyed. I blame this on my mother who is a potato chip lover to the core. When I was younger, we had a few local potato chip factories that made homemade potato chips that they would sell in various size bags. They were some of the freshest potato chips you could get. Since those locations have since become extinct our taste buds have ventured into packaged potato chips.

 

It feels like many moons ago that I purchased a bag of Trader Joe's Ode to the Classic Potato Chips and I haven't looked back since. These potato chips are some of the truest form of potato chips that you can buy (particularly in comparison to the old school potato chip factories that were in my area). There are three main ingredients that make up this product and they are as simple as simple can be. Potatoes, Salt and Sunflower Oil. That's it! No artificial ingredients, no fats, no chemically altered/colored product.

 

The chips are light and crispy. If you're a potato chip fan ... I'd say they're what you'd get if Lay's and Utz potato chip companies had a baby. They're a perfect blend of crisp potato chips, slightly thick (enough that you can dip these in dip without them breaking), but at the same time are light and airy. Even my mother, who is the biggest potato chip critic I know even loves these. She says they're one of her favorite potato chips ... and that's saying a lot.

 

These are undoubtedly a repurchase. I'm not even sure what has taken me so long to post a formal review on these. Try them ... you'll thank me later.

 

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

Trader Joe's OH Danish Kringle - Pecan Kringle

On one of my last trips through Trader Joe's I saw they had kringles available and I nearly clicked my heels together with delight. Wondering what flavor it was ... I was awed when I saw it was the Trader Joe's OH Danish Kringle - Pecan Kringle. This was the third kringle I've tried (pumpkin caramel and almond being the other two) so I knew this one could swing either way ... either straight out of the park or it'd be third strike you're out.

The kringle is your classic Danish dessert which is a large round ring of flaky pastry crust which has a filling in the middle. The top layer of pasty crust is then covered in a moderately thick layer of icing - giving it the "icing on the cake" vibe. This particular kringles filling is a thick brown sugar cinnamon filling, which isn't very sweet, which is then riddled with pieces of pecans all throughout the filling. It definitely isn't shy of pecans, which is appreciated.

Flavor wise, this reminds me of homemade pecan danish rings. There used to be a bakery in my area that made them fresh every morning and the flavor of this brought me back in time for a moment. Ideally they're two different desserts, but they're similar and the flavor is there. This in a way throws a nod towards pecan pie, but only if you cut the sweetness of pecan pie by two-thirds. The kringle is sweet, but certainly not sickeningly so ... but I do find the 1 serving is more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

A serving, 1/12th of the danish, is 230 calories or 5 points plus values.

Oreo's Candy Cane (Mini)

I stumbled upon this photo in my archive and realized I never shared this review ... so better late than never!

 

For the winter months, Oreo released a peppermint flavored cookie. Initially, in my area, the Oreo Candy Cane cookies were only available in the miniature family size serving boxes ... but I have now seen them for sale at my local grocery store in your normal packaging.

 

The Oreo's are your classic chocolate cookie, which is filled with a red colored candy cane (or peppermint) flavored cream. The candy cane flavoring is not overwhelming, it adds a bit of pizzazz in each bite, but I find the chocolate cookie helps keep the flavor categories in control. The cookies are sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. Overall, they are quite enjoyable, although I do find the candy cane/ peppermint flavor does keep one from overeating a serving. They're enjoyable enough that a picky toddler even enjoyed them ... so two thumbs up, especially for a "festive" seasonale cookie.

 

A serving, 9 mini cookies (or if you have the regular packaged cookies, a serving is 2 cookies), is 140 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Jumbles

When I spotted the Trader Joe's Milk Chocolate Jumbles I was intrigued. They reminded me of pecan turtles ... and since I'm a big fan of Trader Joe's chocolate I decided to give them a whirl.

According to the packaging the candy is a a concoction of "crunchy pecans & toasted quinoa with soft & buttery caramel enrobed in chocolate and topped with Himalayan pink sea salt."  The candy has that classic pecan turtle crunch and softness to it, but this caramel is a lot softer and chewier. The mixture of both chocolate and caramel is a lovely combination, that doesn't cross the bridge into overwhelmingly sweet. The pecan and toasted quinoa create a lovely texture with the caramel. It gives a bit of a chewy crunch to it ... similar to something you'd get with say, broken up rice krispies with caramel. It's definitely a unique texture. The Himalayan pink sea salt is a wonderful addition because it cuts the flavors and gives the taste buds a little pizazz.

Overall, these are completely delicious. I'm a big fan as have been the folks I've shared these with. They're definitely a unique take on making a "healthier" chocolate. These get a raving two thumbs up all around.

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

Trader Joe's Shepherd's Pie

I popped into my local Trader Joe's the weekend before St. Patrick's Day and I noticed a few items were on display to pay homage to the holiday. One of those dishes was the Trader Joe's Shepherd's Pie. Now, I'm a bit of a shepherd's pie snob because I've always had my mothers variation of the dish ... so anything other than the "traditional" is different in my book.

 

Deciding to bridge the gap and try something different, I took a look at the nutrition facts and was surprised to find them truly not that bad. Bad in comparison to some of the other variations of the dish out there on the market or even in restaurants. Classic shepherd's pie has vegetables and a sort of "gravy" to the sauce. The shepherd's pie I grew up eating was ground hamburger meat cooked with onion, corn, creamed corn and mashed potatoes. So, just looking at the picture on the box was a walk on the wild side for me.

 

I opted to heat the meal up in the microwave so I followed the directions on the box and my lunch was done quickly. Truly, I wasn't sure what flavors to expect ... but I have to say I was pretty much pleased with the dish. It was lacking in a seasoning aspect (salt and pepper primarily) so a little sprinkle on top and it did the trick. Truthfully, I was expecting the dish to be just loads of mashed potatoes with a little bit of meat and veggies thrown in the mix. And it was anything but ... it is loaded with shredded pieces of beef and veggies which are moistened with gravy, it's then topped with a light layer of mashed potatoes on top.

 

Even with the switch to shredded beef over ground beef and the absence of an abundance of flavoring it was pretty good. I found it to be a quite satisfying meal and undoubtedly something I'd repurchase if I was in the mood for a convenient shepherd's pie.

 

A serving, 1 cup (227g or roughly 1/2 the container) is 180 calories or 5 points plus values.

KeVita Sparkling Probiotic Drink - Lemon Cayenne Cleanse

Strolling through the organic/healthy food section of one of my local grocery stores, I was intrigued by some of the KeVita drinks they had available. I had tried KeVita in the past, but I wanted to give a few of the flavors I hadn't tried before a shot. Low and behold, I picked up a bottle of the KeVita Sparkling Probiotic Drink - Lemon Cayenne Cleanse.

 

This is a sparkling probiotic drink ... so think along the lines of sparkling water, except not as carbonated. It's got a little bubbly action to it, but nothing that'll be overwhelming if you take a big sip.  According to the brands website, the drink is "Spicy and sublime, KeVita Lemon Cayenne is lightly sweetened with stevia, and contains no added sugar. Delicious between meals, Lemon Cayenne is certified organic and non-GMO, low calorie, low glycemic, vegan, dairy and gluten free."

 

What I find most interesting about this drink is that depending on how you drink it (how quickly and how much you swallow at once) you really get different flavors with each drink. I found if I took a big gulp the apple cider vinegar flavor was in full force. If it was sipped slowly there was a slight sweetness to it ... like a healthier lemonade with a little bit of a maple flavor lingering in the background. There wasn't necessarily a cayenne flavor, or at least nothing remotely spicy ...it was more along the lines of lemon, maple and apple cider vinegar. I enjoyed it and found it to not be all that bad.

 

A serving, 8 ounces, is 5 calories or 0 points plus values.

3 2 1 Cake

It's been years since I made mug cake ... or what's better known as "3, 2, 1 Cake". In the Weight Watcher world this is a little ingenious recipe to have portion size dessert on hand, whenever the mood may seem fit. The greatest part is you can tailor it to your mood/craving depending on what you decide to mix together. For instance you could swap out the flavors cake mix for anything ...chocolate, strawberry, lemon, etc. The possibilities are quite endless.

All you need is 1 box of Angel food cake and 1 box of cake mix (any flavor of your choice).

 

Mix the two together and store in an airtight container.  When you want to make yourself a cake (single serving) all you need to mix together are:

 

* 3 tbsp cake mix (this is the combined cake mix)

* 2 tbsp water

* stir together and cook in the microwave for 1 minute

 

Typically, I like to spray the inside of my mug with a little non-stick cooking spray (just to make the clean up easier) and then add in my cake mix and water. You can either eat the cake straight out of the mug, or you can add it onto a plate and top it with some fruit, whipped cream, etc.  The world is your pickle and it'll satisfy any flavor you're looking for in the moment.

 

This particular cake is 3 points plus per serving (but the points can be 2 points plus depending on the type of cake mix used).

Healthy French Toast

Lately I've been in the process of eliminating white breads from my food life. I used to purchase light italian bread and I've decided that perhaps it was aiding into my stomach not quite agreeing with it. So, with that, I've decided to start purchasing a High Fiber Whole Wheat store-brand bread (there are name brands available, such as one by Arnold's) which is just slightly higher in calories/points plus values ... but it's also so much better for you. I've found since making the switch I've enjoyed it a lot more and it's far more satisfying.

 

One morning, I really, really wanted french toast ... so I decided to jump start my french toast game and make a healthier, more satisfying french toast. And I was so pleased with the results, that I have had it continuously over the past few weeks. So here's what I did:

Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup of eggbeaters to a bowl

* 2 tbsp egg whites

* 1 tbsp of unsweetened cashew milk (you can use almond milk, skim milk, or skip if you prefer)

 * 1 tsp vanilla

* Sprinkle of cinnamon

* 2 slices High Fiber Whole Wheat bread

* Non-stick cooking spray

Add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until well combined.

 

Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat, which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

 

I then add in one slice of high fiber whole wheat bread and let it sit for a few seconds, pushing the edges of the bread into the mixture so it can absorb some of the liquid, then flip repeating on the other side and add the dipped bread into the pan. Repeating with the other slice.  I allow the toast to cook for a few minutes before flipping and cooking through on the other side. I remove from the pan when the second slice "bubbles" up in the middle.  I add them onto a plate to allow them to cool slightly

 

As a little added incentive to my breakfast dish I like to saute up a banana to give my french toast a little more pizazz.

 

I then re-spray my pan and slice a banana and add it onto the pan with a little sprinkle of cinnamon over the top. I then saute the bananas on each side ... which warms the banana through and gives the outside a slight crunch bringing fourth the flavor far more. I add that onto my french toast, with 1 tbsp sugar free syrup and some fresh berries ... and breakfast is served! Simple and delicious!

 

The greatest part is it's packed with fiber and protein so it's going to keep you satisfied longer. For my french toast .. it comes out to 5 points plus values (4 for the bread and 1 for the egg mixture).

Trader Joe's Organic Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce

When I spotted the Trader Joe's Organic Sriracha and Roasted Garlic BBQ Sauce I was immediately excited. I happen to be a huge fan of sriracha, garlic and BBQ sauce (even though I truly don't have BBQ sauce very often). So to have the best of three worlds morphed into one ... I had to give it a try.

What sold me almost immediately in store (outside of just the flavor) was the fact the nutrition facts are quite fabulous for a BBQ sauce. Typically the BBQ sauces sold in my local grocery store are so high in calories, fat and sugars that they're not even worth it. Since I have enjoyed some of the other BBQ sauces (and sauces in general) at Trader Joe's over the years, I decided this was a must have.

I notice the flavor of this BBQ sauce intensifies depending on what you use it on and how concentrated the serving is on the item you're putting it on. I've put it over grilled chicken that I ate alongside brown rice and brussel sprouts and I found it takes on a smoky/sweet flavor. Whereas I've also had the same dish in a mush smaller portion with 2 tbsp of BBQ sauce on it and I found the heat in it is very well known. The sriracha comes out swinging and your mouth is left feeling heated and tingly, but certainly not on fire. Then on the flip side if I have a small taste of it, it tastes like a sweet smoky BBQ sauce. As much as I love garlic, and I can see the pieces of garlic running throughout the BBQ sauce I certainly don't pick up any garlic notes. Ideally once you roast garlic it takes on a sweeter flavor, which is more than likely the reason why it's not so in your face.

Overall I really, really enjoy this BBQ sauce. It's unique and unlike any other sauce that I've tried on the market. I'm anticipating using this on the grill this summer, perhaps even mixing it into some ground beef and making sriracha roasted garlic BBQ burgers. Sound amazing, huh?

A serving, 2 tbsp, is 50 calories or 1 points plus value.

Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee Drink - Vanilla Latte

I'm an avid coffee fan ... but I'm very particular about how I take my coffee. I decided to go out on a limb and give the Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee Drink in Vanilla Latte a try.

 

Hearing "iced coffee" I assumed these would be in the refrigerator section of my local grocery store. But surprisingly enough these were stocked in the drink aisle, alongside some of the iced tea beverages. There are three flavors available (my store only had two) so I opted to go with the vanilla latte. I popped it in the fridge and let it sit for a few days before deciding to give it a try.

 

Upon first sip .. I was completely disappointed. The drink tastes like someone poured a glass of milk and grabbed a squeeze bottle of that artificial coffee flavored syrup, poured some in and mixed it up and tried to pull it off as an iced coffee. It tastes like a chocolate milk that's got a coffee flavor to it. It's sweet, it's moderately thick ... and it's really, really not worth it. It reminded me of the Special K Protein coffee drinks they launched which I was repulsed by. Truth be told ... I wouldn't repurchase these, even if I had a coupon that made them free. This was just not my cup of tea.

 

A serving, 1 bottle, is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

Barnes & Noble Book Haul

I have been hearing so much about Whole30 that I decided to do some research on it. From what I've read on it, everyone says it was far more beneficial to read the book and understand things before giving the program a try. Now I know Weight Watchers folks would say Weight Watchers has Simply Filling but I wanted to go a route where I could follow a program and eliminate some things for 30-days. I've been wanting to give it a try ... but decided I'd do it the "right way" first. So with that I was on different websites comparing book prices.

After a few searches, I found Barnes & Noble online had the best deal so I decided to submit an order. Then I hit the much coveted dilemma ... free shipping was a few dollars more than the one book. So, in order to get free shipping I added another book I had my eye on to my cart.

Truthfully, I've been looking into possibly getting a holistic doctor because my stomach has never been the same since I had surgery 2 years ago. I had abdominal surgery and since then I've had nothing but problems. The more I read, the more I think perhaps my body just isn't handling certain food groups very well any longer. One of those food groups I believe is to be wheat. It's definitely not celiac but I think it's some sort of gluten intolerance. I also want to work on eliminating artificial sweeteners from my regime. Since I'd have to give up dairy on Whole30 it'd be an opening to eliminating artificial sweeteners.

The two books I purchased were:

It Starts with Food by Dallas & Mellisa Hartwig

                    &

Gutbliss by Robynne Chutkan

Gutbliss is a book relating to the digestive tract. So far, some of the information I've read has been very informative and some of the things doctors and specialists have said to me over the past 2-years is starting to make sense. This particular book looks at ridding the body of bloating, while getting your digestive tract on board, while managing a healthier eating lifestyle, while eliminating and/or minimizing the consumption of certain groups of foods.

Trader Joe's Chocolate Mousse Eggs

An upcoming holiday can only mean one thing in the "bakery" section of Trader Joe's ... that is unique little desserts for the holiday. On one of my last trips to the store, I spotted and picked up a package of the Trader Joe's Chocolate Mousse Eggs. They were simply adorable and I figured it could be a nice little treat with a cup of tea/coffee.

 

The cakes are small ... a little bigger than a mini cupcake and come 6 per pack. The cakes are egg shaped and the tops and sides are coated in a thinner layer of chocolate. The tops of the egg cakes are little drizzled icing to give the appearance of colorful Easter eggs.  The cake layer is moist, the mousse is a rich delicate chocolate mousse and the chocolate is a smooth milk chocolate. Together, it's light, satisfying and a good dose of chocolate. They're not overly sweet, but I found them to be just right.

 

They had a refreshing quality to them, which is weird to say, but I want to say it was due to the fact it's just a very light dessert. I could have one and was satisfied.  I gave one to my niece when she stayed over and she enjoyed the cake, eating the whole thing. So, they're kid approved (but really, what child doesn't enjoy chocolate ... or cake?).

 

A serving, 1 egg, is 100 calories or 3 points plus values.

Chocolite Crispy Caramel Chocolates

I stumbled upon an interesting food find at my local The Christmas Tree Shop: Chocolite Crispy Caramel Chocolates. These are a sugar free brand of chocolate which are advertised as a delicious alternative to regular chocolate. They're also coined to be a good chocolate alternative for folks who follow programs such as Weight Watchers, Atkins or South Beach.

 

The candies themselves I have to say are quite good. They don't taste sugar free or anything different from any average caramel covered chocolate. The only thing that is "different" about them is the caramel is a little chewier and a different texture than your average caramel ... but it really wasn't that bad nor that noticeable. The crispy bits create a nice contrast between the caramel and chocolate giving it a good bite. The chocolate is a good flavor and I found a package with 2 caramels was more than enough to satisfy and curb my sweet tooth.

 

If you are looking for these online, the product is sold by the company Healthsmart Food which is located in Evansville, IN. From a quick Google search I've seen these are sold on a number of websites such as Heathsmart Foods, Amazon, Netrition, iHerb, etc. I found these readily available at my local Christmas Tree Shop (they were in the aisle with the nutrition bars).

 

A serving, 1 piece, is 30 calories or 1 points plus values OR the package if 60 calories and 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Boneless Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple Almond Stufffing

Last time I was at Trader Joe's I made a point to check out their "butcher" section. I was in the mood to meal prep with something I haven't tried before from their meat selection. I happened to spot the Trader Joe's Boneless Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple Almond Stuffing and decided to pick them up to have for dinner and potentially another dinner/lunch if there were leftovers. I love stuffed pork chops and the apple almond stuffing sounded intriguing.

The chops are packaged assembled and ready to be seared and roasted in the oven. I added a teaspoon of olive oil to a non-stick skillet and heated it up, once heated I added my pork chops and allowed them to sear on one side before adding a bit more olive oil and allowing to sear on the other side. Once the chops had a nice color to both sides, I transferred them to a baking dish, tented the dish with foil and popped them into the oven per the directions suggested.  I set the timer and pulled them out when done.

The end result was truly delicious. Don't go into it expecting a Stove Top stuffing because it's anything but ... it's the real deal holy-field of stuffing's which has a very mild apple taste and has almond slices throughout the stuffing. The dish together compliments itself well ... but with all stuffed pork chops a little side of apple sauce makes it come together perfectly. The stuffing is moist, the pork is lean with a little bit of fat along the edge of the chop (as normal). Nonetheless I found them to be quite enjoyable and I will undoubtedly be repurchasing again.  Dinner guests also found them to be enjoyable, so winner all around!

A serving, 128g (which for me was 1/2 a pork chop), is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Skinny Cow Milk Chocolate Blissful Truffle bars

I had heard so much about the new Skinny Cow Milk Chocolate Blissful Truffle Bars that I went in search for them, for what felt like, ever. Any time I was in Target, I'd make a trip back to their candy aisle and scour the shelves and end cap displays. I'd come up empty handed for the longest time ... until one random afternoon I spotted them at my local Target and snagged a box (they're also available in dark chocolate).

 

From the rave reviews these were getting, I hyped these up to be mind blowingly delicious. I'm a pretty big fan of Skinny Cow treats (candy and ice creams) so comparing them to past favorites I anticipated these to move quickly to the top of that list. Unfortunately, they didn't and fell completely flat. The chocolate itself is a smooth chocolate ... but the "blissful truffle bar" was such a dud. The bar is boring.

 

The truffle bar is airy, which reminded me of that airy chocolate bar Hershey had put out a while back, which was a total flop. The chocolate that covered the truffle bar was boring. The whole thing was such a disappointing fail. So disappointing in fact that I brought the box to work and dumped the contents into my departments candy jar.

 

A bar is 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Cookies & Cream

I spotted the Skinny Cow Heavenly Crisp Cookies & Cream bars while at Target one afternoon and I popped them into my grocery cart without a second thought. Cookies & cream is one of my all time favorite ice creams and candy flavorings ... so to find a guilt-free version definitely was a two thumbs up moment ... even before tasting it.

The bar consists of a delicate cookies and cream flavored crisp (wafer cookie). The wafers are chocolate crisps with a "cream" flavored cream between them, which is then all coated in a smooth milk chocolate. The flavor is undoubtedly cookies & cream without being overwhelming artificial. The bar itself is sweet, but not overly, and the cookies & cream flavor is there the whole time while also leaving a mild aftertaste. Very reminiscent of good quality cookies & cream ice cream. The chocolate is thin, so just the slightest of a warm touch makes it start to melt and slide around on the fingers easily.

All together it's a scrumptious little treat, which sets it apart from other chocolate bars.

A serving, 1 bar, is 110 calories or 3 points plus values.