Trader Joe's Popcorn in a Pickle

Popcorn is one of those snacks that can truly be transformed into anything depending on your mood. Salty, savory, sweet, plain, etc. ... the world is essentially your oyster when you're in a popcorn mood. Needless to say when I spotted the Trader Joe's Popcorn in a Pickle I had to pick up a bag for curiosities sake.

I am a pickle and popcorn fan ... so to have the two merge into one world, it felt like an experience one should engage in. After all I have had pickle flavored potato chips in the past, so, why not venture into pickle flavored popcorn? Upon opening the bag I admit, I was surprised as how much like an open jar of pickles it smelled like. That vinegary, briny sourness just punches your nostrils and really does kind of leave you confused, worried and possibly even scared.

First bite ... holy moly! It taste like a pickle! Mind boggling is all I can say. My taste buds were completely confused because it's a different texture, but the flavor is all there. The more you eat, the tarter it tends to get. My face was puckering, my jaw was getting tense. I only had about 3/4 of a cup before I decided to tap out. Just due to the tartness of it, I don't think this is something that one could easily be binge on. It's more of a have a snack, enjoy it and put it away for later. This isn't like the Baconesque popcorn that I basically have to hide from myself and put myself on time out when I continue to go back for more.

Sharing this with my mother (who absolutely loved it) one of the first things I said to her was, "I'm pretty sure this is a stereotypical pregnant woman's dream come true."

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

Trader Joe's Amaretti Tradizionale Crispy Italian Amaretti Cookies

With the Christmas season comes "giftable snacks" and one of those snacks that caught my eye was the Trader Joe's Amaretti Tradizionale Crispy Italian Amaretti Cookies. From the package they reminded me of a cookie I like to get at my local Italian bakery every once in a while. Of course it's slightly different, but the flavor is dead on.

 

What I liked most was that these cookies are individually wrapped. They're in a wax paper type wrapper which when removed, you're left with a cookie which is wrapped in a sealed plastic wrapper.  This is one of the greatest things because it's portion controlled without me having to do really anything but grab a single package. The cookie is crisp and crunchy, but it's not a break your tooth type of crunchy.

Flavor wise it's got an upfront sweetness to it. They remind me of the "cherry macaroons" I get at my local Italian bakery (they're like a slightly coconut/vanilla cookie that's sweet that has a little dollop of cherry flavoring on top - they're not your average macaroon). Sometimes it's sweet enough that one cookie is all I need to satisfy that sweet tooth. Or sometimes I can have a serving with a nice cup of tea/coffee. They are a cookie that I can enjoy straight out of the package, or dunked in a little bit of coffee to soften it up just a tad. They're great and I quite enjoy them for a little treat here and there.

A serving, 3 cookies, is 160 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Harvest Bagels

Considering I'm a self-described carbivore I tend to check out the bagel section at Trader Joe's ... specifically the new seasonal flavors. I was all excited to find the new Trader Joe's Harvest Bagels so I grabbed a bag to give them a try.

The bagels are your classic multigrain bagels which is kicked up a notch by incorporating both cranberries and seeds. The seeds give it a bit of a crunch and the cranberries offer a nice subtle sweetness. They toast up perfectly, are delicious with just a little butter on them or even as a side to a breakfast dish. Since I'm into a savory sandwich with bagels I really enjoy them with a little deli polish ham, sliced tomato and crushed hot peppers. The slight sweetness from the bagel balances perfectly against salty ham and spicy hot peppers.

The bagels crisp up and offer good crunch while also having that classic chewy bagel texture. I quite honestly really enjoy these bagels and have repurchased them already. The downside these are a limited edition seasonal item.

A bagel is 230 calories or 6 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Mini Gingerbread Men

Aaahhh … Trader Joe’s Mini Gingerbread Men cookies! One of my FAVORITE limited edition snacks at Trader Joe’s this time of the year! I first stumbled upon these cookies last year while shopping. I originally wasn’t sure I’d like them, but one of the employees at the time graciously opened the pack to let me sample … and I was sold. So sold, that I picked up another box this year!

The cookies are miniature gingerbread men which definitely have a gingerbread flavoring to them. They’re not as overwhelming as some gingerbread cookies can be, but these do have an underlying ginger flavor that is noticeable on the palette especially as you’re chewing and/or are done chewing. The cookie is crispy, yet as you chew it, it’s got a bit of a slight chewiness to it. The backside of the cookie has a white fudge icing on it to give it a hint of sweetness. I will say these can be a bit of double hitter – meaning you want to eat more than the serving size.  I’ve found when I take out my cookies, I shove them into the way back portion of the cabinet and work on “forgetting” they are there.

A serving is 3 cookies, which is 120 calories of 3 points plus values.

QUESTION:
Have you ever tried Trader Joe`s Mini Gingerbread Men?

McDonald's Baked Pumpkin Pie

McDonald`s makes hands down the best fast food pies - at least in my opinion. I do enjoy them, but I do not have them often – maybe once or twice a year. I’m a fan of their apple pie, and I am also “guilty” of occasionally sampling some of their seasonal pies. There have been some flops, but the McDonald’s Baked Pumpkin Pie is definitely a win-win for me.

I was surprised with how yummy their pumpkin pie is! It had real pumpkin filling in it and it wasn’t very sweet.  All around it was delicious. The pumpkin pie tasted like you took a slice of pumpkin pie, wrapped it in McDonald’s signature pie crust and served it up luke warm.  I find these little pies to be handy especially since it’s not always easy to find single servings of pumpkin pie in the market. Having one of these gives the flavor of pumpkin pie, but without having a whole pie sitting in your house.  A yummy treat without any added temptation.

Calorie wise a pie is 240 calories which is equal to 6 points plus.

QUESTION:
Have you tried the McDonald`s pumpkin pie?