Stark Sisters Granola

There are so many different kinds of granola out there today. I'm floored by all the different companies who make it and have a unique twist to it. I recently stumbled upon Stark Sisters Granola and was given some samples to try out. Debra Stark is the chef behind this granola, where she uses premium ingredients and a homebaked process. There are 3 flavors of granola to choose from: original maple almond, lo-fat raspberry blueberry and nutty maple. Just to give you an idea of the short and healthy ingredient list, here are the ingredients in the nutty maple molasses: organic whole rolled oats, pure maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, molasses, walnuts, coconut, pecans, expeller pressed canola oil and cinnamon. As with any granola, the calorie and fat content is a little high (250 calories, 11g fat per 1/2 cup), but these are good calories and fat so eaten in moderation there's no need to worry. The granola also has a healthy dose of fiber and protein, too.

Of the 3 flavors, I definitely liked the nutty maple molasses the best. The other flavors contained some freeze dried fruit which I'm not a huge fan of. But that's just a personal preference. Another personal preference is that I like my granola in big clumps, so I can pick at it and eat it dry. I'm not sure if it was just because I received samples, but there were no big clumps to be found. They even claim on their site, "Roasted until crunchy and stirred so you’re left with great big clumps." But I had no big clumps, just little pieces. I also found that it had a little bit of a burnt taste to it. Even going back to it another day, I still found myself thinking it tasted burnt and didn't care for that taste.

You can buy Stark Sister Granola directly from their website or as stated on their site it's available at some Whole Foods. Buying from the site you're looking at shelling out $20 (3 tubs) to $40 (6 tubs) and that doesn't include shipping. Shipping for up to $49.99 is $8.95 which I think it expensive!!!

I've tried a lot of granolas and this one doesn't rank up there among my favorites. I think it takes a lot to make a granola stand out and be worth the pricey cost. Most granolas aren't cheap so I think it has to be really good in order to keep me coming back for more. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm at that point with Stark Sisters. Maybe I did get a slightly burnt batch, I don't know, or maybe that's just how it tastes. But that, along with the prices and the fact that I just didn't think it stood out, really swayed the biscuit rating. I'm giving Stark Sisters 3 biscuits.

Drymax Socks

Of all the running gear, I think socks are the most important. Our feet carry us such a far way and if they aren't happy, we aren't happy. I'm always on the look out for great running socks. I remember when I bought my first pair I could not believe how incredible they felt. Up until that point, I never would have believed there was a difference between this sock or that sock.

Well, I recently tested out Drymax socks and I was soooo pleased with them!! Drymax is advertised as being the #1 sock to keep your feet dry. As we all know, having dry feet is so important for a runner so we don't get blisters let alone a nasty fungus! Drymax socks "utilize two different fiber technologies interwoven to form inner and outer layers." With this technology, moisture doesn't stick to the inner layer of fibers because they are hydrophobic (doesn't like moisture). This dual layer sock acts as a moisture removal system which keeps feet nice and dry!! In addition to all this greatness, the socks have a flat toe seam, vented arch band and a "Y" heel which improves fit.

Drymax socks are not only doctor recommended as an aid in the cure and prevention of athlete's foot and fungal infections, they are guaranteed!! If you don't agree that they keep your feet drier and more comfortable, you can return your socks with a sales receipt for a full refund!!

I tested out the light mini crew and thought they were uber (I like that word) comfortable!! By the looks, I thought they might be too short and ride down below the heel of my shoe but they didn't budge during the run. These particular pair was not as cushy as some of my other pairs, but the fit still felt great.

A pair of socks goes for around $10.00, which is pretty standard for a good running sock. I know I'd definitely pay it. So with that being said, I'm giving Drymax 9 biscuits (the only reason they didn't get 10 is because they didn't beat my current favorite).

Musselman's Apple Sauce

One of my favorite snacks is sugar free apple sauce with almonds. So I was excited to try out the Healthy Picks apple sauce from Musselman's. There is quite a bit of history behind Musselman's and the company has really grown over the years. "Today, the grower owned cooperative provides a livelihood for nearly 600 farming families. Carefully tending to almost 70,000 acres of fruit orchards, our growers produce a variety of fruits, including apples, tart cherries, peaches, and blueberries."

The Healthy Picks come in really fun flavors (key lime cupuacu, blueberry pomegrante, raspberry acai) and have no added sugar. They are made with antioxidant-rich fruits and are fortified with fiber, calcium and vitamin C. There's also no artifical colors or flavors. Each single serving cup has 70 calories and 3g of fiber. It was really interesting to read the health benefits of the antioxidant rich fruits in these applesauces. It's so important to incorporate these fruits in our diet and these little snacks make it easy to do just that!

I tried out the blueberry pomegrante the other day and really liked it. It's a little chunkier than the plain sugar free applesauce I'm used to but I still enjoyed it. I tend to not like chunkier applesauce but that's just a personal preference. The applesauce had a lot of flavor and wasn't super sweet. I always have applesauce in the house for a quick snack and I think I would purchase these in the future. The only thing is that I would prefer if they made these in bigger containers so I could portion it out into Tupperware and eliminate some of the waste. I'm giving Musselman's Healthy Picks 8 biscuits.

Snack Taxi

I try to do what I can to help the environment. I take my lunch in Tupperware every day, I use silverware to eat at work so I'm not wasting plastic utensils, I take my own coffee mug, I won't drink bottled water, I re-use paper towels, etc. I think you get the picture. So when I stumbled upon SnackTaxi I was in recycle heaven!! Snacktaxi was established back in 2003 as a way to eliminate the ziploc bags that were being used to pack school lunches. What a GREAT idea!! I hate, HATE, baggies and if I use them, I will wash them and re-use whenever I can. Anyway, snacktaxis are made by local sewers and they are committed to not outsourcing their labor.

Look at this cute reusable napkin!!

You can find the dimensions of the different products on the FAQ page. I use the larger snacktaxi to carry my slice of Ezekiel every day, and the smaller one for my Mary's crackers. They are lined with a water proof material which makes cleaning easy and they can even be machine washed!! Seriously, why didn't I think of this idea?? These things are just too cute and they fabric options are endless.

I WILL be using my Snacktaxis every day and I WILL be purchasing these in the future. I'm giving Snacktaxi 10 biscuits (10 biscuits with bells and whistles!!).

Mom's Best Naturals

I'm a sucker for cereal. I love it so much that I don't bring it into the house because I could blow through a box in no time. I eat it plain, straight from the box as a snack. The only cereal you'll find in our household is shredded wheat. We try to eat as healthy as possible and when buying cereal, it's hard to find one that's actually healthy. So, I was really interested in trying Mom's Best Naturals cereals. Mom's Best is a family owned business which makes only cereal. They don't use artificial preservatives, colors or flavors, no saturated fat or hygrogenated oils and no high fructose corn syrup. In addition to making cereal, Mom's Best also works to help the environment by looking for ways to reduce their use of natural resources. I thought it was really cool to see that they listed 10 ways we can all help the environment on the boxes of cereal. Just simple, easy to do things which if we all did, could really add up and make a difference.

Now, as for the cereal. It was delicious, I won't lie. The toasted cinnamon squares were awesome. And the Honey-ful Wheat, very tasty. But, I have to say, when I opened the honey-ful wheat, and saw the word "wheat" on the box, I was shocked to see the first ingredient listed was evaporated milled sugar. Wheat was the second ingredient. This really shocked me. The cereal is honey-ful wheat, I would expect wheat to be the main ingredient. Anyway, in addition to the sugar and wheat, this particular cereal has corn syrup, honey, salt, caramel color, soybean oil and a few other ingredients. While the ingredient list was shorter than most other cereals you see on the shelf, I wasn't sold that I was eating something that was necessarily good for me. Sugar is sugar and there was a lot in these cereals...which explains why they tasted so good.

I liked the taste of these cereals but unfortunately they won't be making it into my cabinet next to the shredded wheat box. If you have kids who get to indulge in the sweeter cereals, then I think Mom's Best is a good choice. I also really like that they promote helping the environment...big plus! But since I don't see myself purchasing this cereal in the future, I'm giving Mom's Best 3 biscuits.