Cheez-It Crunch'd - Cheddar Cheese

Popping through Target one afternoon I spotted and picked up the new Cheez-It Crunch'd Cheddar Cheese puffs. I love Cheez-Its ... probably a little too much, so when I spotted these at Target I was intrigued. Ideally in my mind it would be what a marriage between a Cheez-It and a cheese puff would be. Potential score ...

The product is sold in Cheddar Cheese flavor as well as in a Hot & Spicy (tabasco flavoring). I opted to play it safe and go with the classic cheddar cheese as I wasn't sure as to how spicy the hot and spicy may actually be.

Opening the bag up they look like enlarged Cheez-Its that are puffy with little holes in the middle. Eating a few they kind of taste like a Cheez-It but they also taste like a cheese puff but not as cheesy. They're unique and different at first. Although, I found with the first few they were okay, rather interesting, but after about 7 or so you start to get this "oil" flavor that is just NOT there with regular Cheez-Its. Cheez-Its are normally baked so the foreign oily flavor in the background is a bit stomach churning when you're not expecting it.  Or perhaps it's just my super sensitive taste buds that don't eat a lot of oil based foods. I guess you win some and you lose some ...

A serving is 1 ounce is 4 points plus values

Target Exercise Equipment Haul

Target has this wonderful $1-$3 section in their store that constantly pulls me in. One day while browsing through the store I spotted some exercise equipment. I know, you're probably thinking, exercise equipment in the dollar section? Yeah, I know ... but my coworkers and I are working on being more active at work since we have stationary jobs where we REALLY don't move much.

 

The yoga mat is thin, but it'll be perfect to lay on the floor in my cubicle and do some stretching exercises. It'd be great for my back since siting all day long does nothing for your frame. I'm not a yoga buff ... but I can pull some moves off Pinterest and give them a try.

 

Now the thing I'm most excited about is the weighted jump rope. I haven't jumped rope since I was a kid. In my kettlebell class a few weeks ago, my instructor did stations, where we worked on different exercises for a minute. One of those stations involved jumping rope and I found it to be so much fun. It's such a great way to burn calories without even realizing how much benefit you're getting out of it. Granted, I won't be able to do it in my cubicle ... but once this snow is off the ground I can begin doing so outside in my yard or even in the parking lot at work during the spring/summer/fall.

 

They also had little 3 lb kettlebells and weights for sale ... but I'm more of a 5-12 pound dumbbell and 12KG kettlebell person at the moment.

 

Not a bad investment for a whopping $6!

Trader Joe's Mini Beef Taco's

I have seen the Trader Joe's Mini Beef Taco's time and time again while shopping at my local Trader Joe's. I love taco's (I don't believe I know a person who doesn't) so I felt ... who couldn't love mini tacos?! I thought they'd be a great appetizer whenever guests were over or even as a meal paired with a salad and perhaps another protein.

 

After not having a clear idea of what to have for dinner one night I decided to pull these out of the freezer to whip up as a quick and easy dinner for a few folks. I sprayed non-stick cooking spray on a baking sheet, layered on the frozen tacos, gave them a light spritz of cooking spray and popped them into the oven per packaging directions.

 

Taking them out of the oven, I found the taco shells them self were crispy but not overly. The filling was hot ... and they kind of reminded me of taco (that's not to healthy) at a local fast food restaurant. Tasting them they're pretty good ... they're filled with what looks like a shredded beef mixture which has that classic taco flavor but not being spicy or bland. The taco shells provide a bit of a crunch while still maintaining a chewy quality.

 

They're good on their own while I also enjoyed them alongside a chopped salad with a side of salsa. They're a fun little finger food which tasty. I wouldn't say these would fill you up, but if you have decent and filling sides with them you should be good to go.

 

A serving, 4 mini tacos, is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Beef and Bean Chili

Chili is one of those comfort foods that I remember growing up eating. Once fall rolls around chili season is in and it stays until spring begins. It's one of those dishes that I truly enjoy because it's versatile, filling and a family favorite.  What I think I like best about chili is the fact you can transform it without really doing much work. You can change up the meat, beans, vegetables, etc. Then you can eat it as is, over rice, with cheese/sour cream, with pasta, stuffed into bell peppers, etc. The possibilities are truly endless ... and at the end of the day it's comforting.

This particular dish is my basic chili recipe - the one I use regardless of what type of ground meat I'm using. I have changed up the vegetables, adding/subtracting ingredients .. but this is my tried and true.

Serves 9. 1 cup serving. 4 Points Plus Values.
Ingredients:

* 1 1/8 lb 93% lean ground beef
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 medium bell pepper, chopped (red or green - your choice)
* 14.5 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (you can substitute for any bean of your choice)
* 14.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained (you can substitute for any bean of your choice)
* 28 oz can Hunts Tomatoes, Crushed
* 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
* 2 tbsp minced garlic
* 3 tbsp chili powder
* 3 tsp ground cumin
* 1 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 1/2 tsp ground oregano
* 3/4 cup water

In a large pan with high sides, spray pan with non-stick cooking spray, heating over medium-high heat. Add in ground beef and begin to brown, seasoning with salt and pepper. As  the meat begins to brown, add in onion, bell peppers and garlic. Mixing to combine, allow the mixture to cook until the beef is cooked through and the onions are softened and slightly translucent.

Sprinkle meat and vegetable mix with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano. Stir to combine, allowing the natural oils from the seasonings to come to life.

Add in drained beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes and water. Stirring until all ingredients are well combined.  Adjust seasonings where necessary.

Allow chili to simmer over medium-low heat for 30-45 minutes.

Chuao Maple Bacon Chocolate Bar

While making a quick lunch time grocery run I finally spotted the Chuao Maple Bacon Chocolate Bar. I have been looking for this chocolate bar for ages, because it seems like every store that carries Chuao never has the bacon one. I've heard great things about bacon mixed with chocolate (or maple flavoring) so I was quite intrigued.

 

What sold me was the description of the product on the packaging, "crisp bacon, delicate maple sweetness and bonfire smoked sea salt, bathed in milk chocolate". Bacon and chocolate? I mean ... really ... how can one go wrong? The bar itself really did not let me down.

 

I found the chocolate was smooth and creamy while giving that classic milk chocolate flavor. The bacon pieces are very small, almost finely milled crunchy pieces of bacon. It wasn't overly salty or smokey, but it did provide a very subtle flavoring which complimented the milk chocolate. There are not big pieces of bacon that you have to chew through, but the flavor and slight texture from the bacon is there and it's evident.

 

I found that half of a single serving was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. After that I ended up sharing it with 2 other folks for them to experience the maple bacon chocolate treat.

 

A serving is 1.4 oz (half the bar) which is 210 calories or 6 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Oven Ready Breaded Cod Fillets

Every once in a while I'm in the mood for fish. I'm not a seafood buff but I do like an occasional piece of fried fish. Since I don't like having fried foods very often, I typically resort to the frozen fish department in Trader Joe's to see what might be available. One afternoon I spotted the Trader Joe's Oven Ready Breaded Cod Fillets and decided to give them a shot.

 

Usually I go for haddock because I'm a white fish kind of gal, but since I have had fried cod in the past I figured eh, why not? The fillets are pretty decent in size and cooking is a breeze. All I do is spray a little non-stick spray in a baking pan, place my fish in the pan and top the fillets with a spray of non-stick cooking spray. I pop them into the oven and bake per package directions and once done they come out cooked to perfection with a nice crunchy crust. I definitely don't miss the extra frying with this because it gives it that nice crunch with fried fish dishes.

 

The fish is nice and flaky without that fish taste. It's very mild and pairs perfectly with a little homemade tartar sauce on the side.  The one downside I found was that the skin was on some fillets, which made the picky eater in me shudder and pick apart the fish - giving the skinned pieces of fish to my dogs. That alone was a downer because it would be a perfect fish dish for the picky fish eaters. Although, if you can get past the skin in a fillet here or there - these are quite good and filling.

 

A 5.3 oz serving (typically 2 fillets) is 280 calories or 7 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup

I was quite intrigued when I noticed Trader Joe's was carrying some pre-made soups which were in the refrigerator section instead of in the canned good aisle. I was even more intrigued when I spotted and picked up the Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup. Thanks to giving into old "childhood food fears" I learned that I really love pea soup so if I can find a convenient version to have whenever the mood strikes, it's a win for me.

 

Ideally the pea soup I'm used to has bits of ham in it, but this is a vegetarian/vegan version. But what sold me the most was the fact that this soup is very thick. I've had pea soups in the past where they're a little on the runnier side and that's just not enjoyable. This is night, thick and hearty while having a bit of texture to it. It's undoubtedly a step in the right direction if you've tried the canned version of this soup in store (you can see that review here).

 

I find it's difficult to really explain how pea soup tastes. If you've had it before, you know the flavor. It's peas ... it's carrots ... and it's whatever flavoring you put into it. Since there's no meat it's straight peas with slight sweetness from the carrots. It's very good and pleasing on the pallet.  Definitely one of my favorite pea soups that I have tried (outside of homemade).

 

A serving, 8 oz/227 g, is 90 calories or 2 points plus values.