Breyer's YoCrunch Fruit Parfait

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Knowing how much my preteen son's Starbucks granola yogurt parfait habit cost me over the summer, I happily accepted when the folks at Breyer's offered to send me a sample pack of their granola-topped Yo Crunch Fruit Parfait.

The four-pack they sent me was gobbled up before I could say, "Yo!" Seriously, I did even get to try it.

I like that the product is HFCS-free and lowfat, though I'm not pleased about the artificial dyes. Still, these are a good size for him and easy to tote along. I'm happy that he's eager to bring these as part of his lunch.

Gimbal's Sour Lovers

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Gimbal's comes so close to getting it right for today's discerning parent- they use real sugar and natural fruit juices in their gummies and jelly candies and their sweets are free of 8 major allergens, but I really wish they would lose the artificial food dyes in favor of natural ones.

Image borrowed from the Gimbal's website

I received a sample of Gimbal's new Sour Lovers, which are tasty enough. They offer a tart zap of one of 12 flavors, and hooray for the natural fruit juice flavors, but those too bright colors and the dyes that make them are a turn-off.

This year as I head to the Sweets and Snacks Expo, I'm on the lookout for items that are made with real sugar and use natural food dyes. I'll be sharing my thoughts about the best of them over at Feed Our Families.

Disclosure: Gimbal's sent me three bags of Sour Lovers, but did not ask for or require a product review.

A Perfect Gift: Mrs. Prindable's Gourmet Apples

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Did you know that Mrs. Prindable's is the premier provider of deliciously elegant gourmet food gifts?

And lucky me!

I got this in the mail:
The dark chocolate delight caramel apple!

In the interest of conducting this professional review *ahem*, I just want you to know that I had to hide this apple from my children.  So I could taste for myself, you see.

And yep, I ate the whole damn thing.

But not in one sitting.  That would be just ridiculous!

(It only took me 3 nights.)

Mrs. Prindables' unique specialty gifts make great gifts for any occasion - especially for that person who has everything!

Or, you know, you could buy one for yourself.

And chow down.

BJ's Wholesale Holiday Blogger Event

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Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to an informal meet and greet where BJ’s representatives gave me and some other blogger friends a tour of one of their clubs and introduced us to a selection of their holiday products.

I was eager to attend this event, as I am a regular shopper at this store.  (Please tell me it's not just me.  I can't help but giggle everytime I say "BJ's.")

Did  you know that BJ's (heh) carries everything you'd need to make your holiday planning less stressful ???(because we alllllllll know it's never stress-free)...From elegant decor to the season's hottest toys to a wide-assortment of top-quality food.  And all at great values!
 
I?  Did not know this.  So it's not just about the toilet paper and the ribs?! (Which are the 2 main staples I buy there. Seriously.)

Who knew?  400 SQUARE FEET of wrapping paper for $9.99!
The busy store manager graciously took time to speak to our group.
And at the end of our tour through the store, we were treated to a scrumptious array of holiday goodies.  Like red velvet cake.  And candies. 
And then I went back to work and took a nap under my desk.  The End.
Kidding. 
*****In addition, BJ’s asked me to enlist my boyz to test out some of BJ's holiday toy offerings this year.  We were given the Discovery Kids Digital Photo/Video Camera (only $27.99 at BJ's - normally $40ish everywhere else!)
Can I just tell you that this is a perfect gift for a preschooler/kindergartener?  Baby has NOT put it down!  Everywhere I turn, he's snapping a picture.  And yes, he's already dropped it a few times.  And it's fine.Eldest, age 9, was not so impressed with the digital quality, as we have let him take pictures with my camera a few times.  So he's used to the clearer quality.  But, like I said, it's fabulous for younger children.With its 16MB of internal memory storage, the camera is able to capture up to 120 still photos, plus full-motion video clips! The camera plugs into your computer via the USB cable (included), allowing kids to share their photos and video footage.So, in summary,Head to BJ's (*giggle giggle) for your one-stop-shopping needs this holiday season!  And yes, while you're there, pick up those bulk rolls of toilet paper too! 

Chili's...Baby Back Ribs!

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My family definitely prefers Chili's over (Cr)Applebee's or TGIFriday's, so when I was contacted to see if we'd like to try out the new "Wild or Mild" Menu, I was definitely up for it.

So the five of us headed there last Friday.

Up first:  Texas cheese fries!  (Soooo not part of my diet.....)

Middle actually dared to try a jalepeno!  And immediately after, CHUGGED his blue slushie!
Not pictured:  The entire blue slushie that Eldest spilled all over the table. 
Off the "Mild" menu, Eldest ordered the Big Mouth Bites (burger sliders).  And Hubby was quite delighted with his choice of the Memphis dry rub rack o' ribs.
I was exhibiting self-control (shockingly) and had the delicious Caribbean salad.
Chili's Wild or Mild promotion is this:
To enter, participants upload a head shot of themselves and create a wild or mild avatar on shoutouttoeatout.com. Prizes: One (1) winner will be randomly drawn every day and will receive one (1) $20 Chili’s gift card. The most voted 'Wild' avatar will win a 'Wild' trip to Las Vegas and the most voted 'Mild' avatar will win a 'Mild' trip to Disney World! Ends 4/30/2011.
So which one are you:  Wild?  Or Mild?

Simply leave your answer below in the comments to win a $20 Chili's gift card!  Winner will be notified on Friday, March 11.

*****
Chili's provided my family with a gift card to facilitate this review.  Opinions expressed are my own.

Future Food and Moto

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Ironically, just hours after my post about April Fools Day food, I found myself eating at Moto to celebrate the premiere of Homaro Cantu and Ben Roche's new Planet Green TV series, Future Food. Moto is on the cutting edge, or rather the liquid nitrogen-fueled extremely cold edge of the innovative molecular gastronomy food movement.

We nibbled Cuban sandwiches that looked like Cuban cigars, cupcakes covered in foie gras with pistachio flake sprinkles, and s'mores bombs. Take a look below at some of the delightful eats at the event.
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Molecular gastronomy goes beyond simply cooking and focuses on the chemical reactions that happen when food is modified and when it hits our taste buds. It's an art form that aims to transform ingredients and combine cuisine with splashes of aesthetic and technical flair to impress the senses.

I watched one episode of Future Food at the event and another one at home. The show is full of foodie + geeky fun, which in my world is a very good thing.

Another aspect I like about Future Food is the creativity and the enthusiasm of Moto's kitchen staff. Having met them, it seems very genuine. They are a very playful and energetic bunch, to put it mildly.

There was talk about the staff at Moto from Cantu and Roche on down (this from Roche, himself) as kind of outliers or more bluntly, sort of a ragtag group of misfits who have come together to create something wonderful and exceptional. This adds an endearing aspect to the show.

I like that Cantu and Roche take their food to the streets of Chicago to test out some of their dishes. That adds a fun element and a chance to highlight the city.

So I'm cheering for the Moto staff and the future of Future Foods, however, the environmental theme is a bit specious. I'm not sure the wacky set-ups which lead to a tenuous "green" connection are necessary because what the team does with their food is really cool and I sense some big personalities just waiting to unfold. From idea to plate, the food is unique and exciting; I think the food and the staff could hold their own without such contrived plot structures.

Along those lines, the team shares some of the science behind their work, but I would have liked to have learned more. Cooking is all about chemistry and these guys take it to the extreme with their liquid nitrogen and beakers (I see a whole new cooking line based on this show), surely they have a thing or two to teach us.

I think my boys ages, 9 and 11, will get a kick out of this show, but I'd like to see some precautions taken, or at least advised, i.e. don't stick your hand in the -370 degree F liquid nitrogen.

Cantu has been taking risks ever since he opened up Moto (long before, no doubt) and and I'd love to see this one pay off. We'll definitely be tuning in to future episodes of Future Food, and I hope the show gets renewed for a second season, so it has a chance to come into its own.

Edited to add: See what my friends at Gaper's Block had to say about this extravaganza.

Mrs. Prindable's Gourmet Jumbo Caramel Apples

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Take a peek at the highlights from a MomImpact (my company) blogger tour at Mrs. Prindable's. The factory is located just outside of Chicago in Niles, in the same facility that produces Affy Tapple taffy apples. However, Mrs. Prindable's features its own production line and a more labor-intensive process. Each hand-dipped is apple is an individual work of edible art. With layers of caramel and chocolate smothering a ginormous, tart apple, Mrs. Prindable's apples are delicious treats that can be shared with up to ten people.
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