Review: ZonePerfect Greek Yogurt Bar

I received a nice little treat in my Influenster VoxBox: a raspberry Greek Yogurt bar from ZonePerfect.

Now, one thing you may or may not know is that I love me some bars!  My favorite is Balance Bar, but I've tried zillions of others... Luna, Clif, Power Crunch, Nutrisystem, Pure Protein, Lara, SoyJoy, PopCulture Probiotics... The list goes on, but let's stop there.  I'm only adding these so that you know I know a thing or two about bars!

I tend to use them as more of meal component than as a snack, but when I tried this one, it wasn't even close to meal time.  I decided to give it a whirl. ;)

What hit me first was the almost perfume-like raspberry aroma.  The yogurt coating seemed consistent with "yogurt coating" that is often seen in snack foods.  It was tasty enough,  it the inner raspberry crunches were really delectable.  There was a slightly vitaminy flavor and a hint of graininess in the crispness and sweetness of the ZonePerfect raspberry Greek yogurt bar, but hey -- if you want something purely decadent, go eat a candy bar and be quiet. ;). Most nutritional bars will have these characteristics, and to me it's not unpleasant at all... Just a fact of life. :)

My one gripe is that at 13g of sugar, this bar might be a little on the high side.  But if you have the wiggle room in your sugar allotment, go for it.  This bar can go all of the places that Greek yogurt can't go, like a crowded bus on a warm day. Or into your backpack until further notice.  Gotta love that!

Grade: B+

[NOTE: Reviewer was given a complimentary sample of this product but was otherwise not compensated in any way.]

Influenster's "Good Life" VoxBox

After hearing about people getting free products to blog about from Influenster, I have decided to give it a go!  Finally, I have qualified for a VoxBox.  This one is called "The Good Life VoxBox" and is filled with products that are dedicated to happiness and health. Since I'm always striving for improvements in both, I guess I've made the cut!  Let's take a look at what's in the box!

1.  New Skin liquid bandage.  I've long been a user of New Skin, because I hate bandages.  It's so convenient to just brush the liquid on and go. This new formula is a spray version!  I can't say that I'm exactly looking forward to the next time I get injured, but I am curious to see how this new spray version works in comparison to the brush-on kind.

2.  90-capsule bottle of Garcinia Cambogia supplement from The Vitamin Shoppe.  Looks like a 45-day supply.  This substance claims to have appetite suppressant properties.  Interesting. I'm not a diet pill user, but I know someone who is -- so they won't go to waste.

3.  Nonni's ThinAddictive Biscotti 100-calorie pack.  Never tried anything from this company but my package had plenty of crumbs and broken bits.  We shall see!

4.  ZonePerfect Greek Yogurt Bar.  This is right up my alley.  Can't wait to try it!

5.  Urgent RX Headache Powder.  Had no idea that "headache powders" were still officially a thing.  I do get headaches on a regular basis, so I'll keep this product at hand.

As instructed by Influenster, I'm to disclose that I received these complimentary items for review purposes.  However, I promise to be honest in all of my reviews! ;). Stay tuned for more!

Chicken Carcass Soup

Last night, I had a delightful rotisserie chicken! (Yay!) But, it was overcooked. (Boo!) It still tasted pretty good (yay!), but quite a bit of it was inedible due to the scorched parts (boo!). I decided to make some bean stew later this week (a la "Recipe for a Snowy Day")... Which is not only a great way to use up those blackened bones and dried-up meat and shrivelly chicken skin, but also a fab way to get the nasties out of the fridge as well!!

I started by picking all of the usable meat off the bones -- I'll eat that for dinner tonight -- and threw all the rest of the carcass into my trusty crockpot. Some of you might be aghast that I didn't toss that tasty browned skin -- but I never do! I always let the skin simmer with my broth, and after everything is strained and cooled, I just skim the fat from the top. It couldn't be easier, and the broth turns out virtually fat-free this way.  And even the littlest bit of extra flavor helps.

I also added the woody stalk pieces to some asparagus that's been staring me in the face a little too hard... (Because, again, it's all getting strained... Why not add what you can't eat?)

... As well as the green leafy ass-end of my beautiful cauliflower.  (Not pictured: the bug I found clinging onto a floret for dear life!)

Then, I grabbed the ass-end of my celery and chopped it up too.  By the way... You know those green and yellow leaves that you toss whenever you chop celery? Shame on you! ;)  I always use mine in broths, soups, and stews for extra flavor. You should try it!

Last (but certainly not least), I gutted the nasty parts out of a sweet potato before coarsely chopping it and adding it to the mix.

Once the veggies were put into the crockpot with my carcass, I added some liquid.  Add whatever makes you happy -- chicken or veggie broth that you already have, water, booze, anything.  I had frozen a couple of cups of "onion broth" which came from my day-long onion simmering session a few weeks back... It will make a tasty addition for sure!  Tonight, I will soak my dry Lima beans and tomorrow we'll have a yummy, healthy, homemade dinner.

That's all for now. Happy broth-making! :)

Let's Make a Face-Washing Mitt!

I usually just splash cold water on my face and wipe with a napkin or something. (I do exfoliate in the shower, though.) Lately, I'm feeling the need to mix up my face care repertoire!

Today, I made this cleansing mitt out of a baby wash cloth and a length of ribbon.

It would have been better if I had 2 wash cloths, but I used what I had. This is designed to fit over the hand in order to get an easy, gentle cleanse.

This is all you need! If you're hand-sewing like I did, you'll require a needle and thread. My washcloth was a tiny bit bigger than my hand; I wound up using about a foot and a half (give or take) of ribbon.

And what adorable ribbon it is! This neon yellow poly ribbon came from Michael's, Gotta love those Halloween scores that work all year 'round! :)

After I eyeballed my ribbon and snipped the ends (always on the bias to help defray fraying!), I folded my washcloth into a triangular hand approximation and aligned my ribbon along the seam. This mitt-length ribbon helps to strengthen the seam, but its real purpose is so that I can hang the mitt to dry when I'm finished.

Overcast stitches along the edge will do nicely.  They needn't win any beauty contests to be effective.  Just make sure that your washcloth edges both get poked with the needle, or else you're gonna have holes!

This took me less than 15 minutes, and was super fun to make! I love easy & functional crafties. Any ideas what to make next? Post 'em here! :)

Review: So Delicious Chocolate Ice Cream

Lately, it seems that all I'm doing is posting reviews about beauty products and food. I'm ok with that. :)

This summer, I have been living with a vegan that has made cooking a real challenge!  However, I've been rising to the occasion with fake meat recipes, fake egg recipes, and plenty of other fairly tasty inventions.  However, when I come across something that I don't have to pull together to enjoy, it makes me that much happier.

Enter "So Delicious" products... There's a vast array of ice creams, yogurts, and milks that would make your head spin!  I have tried their coconut milk-type-product and it was just okay, though a swig here and there isn't the same as *using* it somewhere.  But the ice cream has been a wonderful experience!  Lower in carbs and fat than traditional ice cream, it's a health-conscious dessert-o-phile's dream come true.  Only 150 cals for a 1/2 cup serving, and a scant 20 carbs (with just 12 from sugars)!  The consistency is very ice-cream-like, and the deep chocolate flavor is incredibly satisfying.  One drawback is that it doesn't scoop as smoothly as regular ice cream; but that's ok. Just let it melt for a few seconds.  

I love this stuff.  The one drawback is the price, at about $4 a pint!  However, since we are eating far leas takeout and processed foods these days, the cost difference isn't so bad. As my vegan says of a product that he enjoys, "It's humanizing."  When we can find things that make our lives easier & more normal, why not go for it every now and again? 

How to Caramelize Onions in the Crockpot

One of life's biggest pains in the ass is chopping, sweating, and browning onions. The flavor really adds an important element to virtually anything that requires onions. So, we chop and hope for an easier alternative.

I had done some research and found that it is possible to cook, brown, and caramelize onions in the crockpot. When I tried it, the results were excellent! In fact, spending one day babysitting my onions yielded many days worth of tasty, awesome, flavorful brown onions.

Here's all you need: a 5-pound bag of plain old yellow or white onions, a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, and your trusty crockpot. 

Simply peel and chop all of your onions in the desired shape. (Rings for French onion soup, big blobs for stews, or minced if you like an all-purpose easy onion shape.). Put them all into your crockpot and drizzle your olive oil onto the onions. You don't need much! I typically use somewhere between 1 and 2 tablespoons.

Stir them up to coat with the oil, cover, and put your crockpot on "high" for a good long time (about 10 to 12 hours). Halfway through, you can stir them up a little.  Once the onions are done, I cool them overnight before portioning and freezing them. The onions yield a lot of juice, which is great to substitute for water in any savory recipe. About half a cup of "onion sludge"  can be used in place of an onion in your favorite recipe. 

Yes, five pounds of onions take a long time to cook this way.  But at least you can go about your day without having to keep your eyes glued to a skillet!  By the way... Your house will smell murderously delicious and savory while these are cooking away! Be sure to have a good dinner plan to distract you from the seductive aroma!

This week's Graze Box (7/25)

Had some tasty things this week, as well as some drama!

Natural Vanilla Seeds. These were tasty as heck, sunflower and pumpkin seeds with a sweet vanilla glaze. BUT there was a big nasty crack in the container bottom! I ate them anyway, and shared them with my vegan guy.  This is one of my favorite types of snacks because the pieces are tiny and it takes awhile to eat. At 172 calories and only 13g carbs with a nice 4.93g protein, this is one of the better nutritional "values" Graze has to offer. Grade: A+

Tomato Dipinetti. This pummet had a saucy tomato dip with rosemary bread dippers. I was mad at this one!! All the rosemary breads were broken but ONE! The tomato "relish" dip was savory and spicy, and the (sad, broken, pathetic) dippers were still tasty aside from their shameful appearance. 97 cals and 16g carbs make this well worth the drama. Grade: B+

Scrumptious Blueberry Swirl.  This snack boasts a whole serving of fruit. Nice, even though I'm not a massive fan of dried fruit. There were those tasty black currants with blueberry yogurt raisins, and raspberry-flavored cranberries. 157 calories makes this a nice snack, but not if you're watching your carbs! For 30g of carbs, you might be better off saving the carbs -- maybe grab an apple and a cheese stick instead! Grade: C+

Eleanor's Apple Crumble.  This is a better fruit snack choice for carb-watching Grazers, at a friendly 19.9g of carbs.  114 cals is just right, plus you get a nice hit of protein (2g) from the decadent honey-cinnamon almonds. The raisins are a little boring, but I liked the chewy apples so much that I just may investigate drying my own. This is a keeper! Grade: A

This week's Graze box! (7/17)

Hi all! Got some goodies from Graze this week...

First up: My Thai, soy crisps with sweet chili dipping sauce. Holy shit! These were delicious!! At 84 calories and a scant 18 carbs, this pummet hit all my favorite taste points of sweet, hot, salty, and savory. Most people know I am a big fan of sweet chili sauce, so this was divine! Grade: A+

Orange & Ginger Flapjack. I'm just not a flapjack fan, sorry. However, the piece I sampled was very orangey and gingery. So if I was more into flapjacks, this is the one I'd choose. I gave the rest of the pummet to the vegan guy next to me, and he said they were so good he'd wished he could buy them directly from Graze. Also 241 calories is as much as a Lean Cuisine meal, so have to take points off for that. Grade: B-

Summer Pudding. Black currants, cranberries, yogurt sunflower seeds, and spongey cookie bits make a delightful combo.  The spongey bits are rather superfluous IMHO, but damn those sour currants are deeeeeelicious!  137 calories isn't bad for a nice little snack, but I can't always justify 27 carbs no matter how delightfully sour those black currants are! Maybe good for a "sometimes" treat.  Grade: B

Salt & Vinegar Nut Selection.  Oh man, these were yummy. I could have used more vinegary flavor on the mix of almonds and peanuts.  I don't eat peanuts too often, but if I did, this is just how I'd do it.  We've got a scant 8 grams of carbs here, and even though the sodium is a bit high (269), there's also 8g protein in this yummy 200-calorie powerhouse.  Grade: B+

Review: KleanColor Iconic Brow Gel

I usually use my blog to sing the praises of the things I adore. However, today's entry will be different.

Why? Because KleanColor Iconic Brow Gel EFFING SUCKS!!!!!!

It looked pretty good on eBay when I purchased it.  I haven't needed to use a brow gel in many years, as in the past I've kept them adorably overplucked -- and trimmed, since my brows tend to grow long like bunny whiskers.

However, I've been getting my brows waxed lately, so the little silky whiskers are growing longer. Instead of trimming them, I wondered if I could do an eyebrow combover of sorts -- I have scars from eyebrow piercings that aren't too nice looking, so gel seemed like the way to go.

When my KleanColor gel arrived, I thought it looked pretty nice in the tube. And the mirror on the side was uber classy. But when I opened the tube, the handle crumbled into 90 different pieces. There's the clear part of the handle that's a cap for all the little grooming attachments inside. Cool, right? Yeah... If every part of it stayed together. (Note to self: get crazy glue to keep the uncapped handle from falling apart!)

When I opened it, the smell hit me. It was a little bit like postage stamp glue, school cafeteria, vinegar, and ass.  Yech.  If I was putting this stuff on my nose instead of my eyebrows, we'd have a problem!

The applicator wasn't bad. The gel, while stank, did work as advertised without too much stiffness or shine. However, good freaking luck using that "handy" mirror on the side. Thing is so wavy that your eyebrows are gonna look like a damn funhouse unless you grab your compact instead!

I'll give this a D. The stuff does work, but the packaging leaves lots to be desired. And the smell is seriously unpleasant!

I don't think I have ever left such a mean review anywhere, and I am sorry about that. But I just cannot recommend KleanColor Iconic Brow Gel! :((((