"Try It" Tuesday Chobani Yogurt Reviews

Since my last review of Muller's "Greek Corner" yogurt, I have found that Chobani has jumped on the combo train and has some pretty cool offerings out. They are cleverly called "flips." There are 10 flavors out, but I have tried two that I'd like to share with you.

Key Lime Crumble

This is some AWESOME STUFF, y'all...

Look at the scrumptious offerings!
Crunchy, cinnamon-y graham crackers and sweet, mini white chocolate chips make this yogurt taste like a genuine slice of key lime pie!

Like the Muller's, this is Greek yogurt, so it's a bit tart, but the sweetness is balanced out nicely with the crunchies. There  is also real lime zest in this yogurt that gives it an extra lime punch!

It's under 200 calories (180, to be exact!) and has 11 grams of protein, so it's heck yeah in my book! 

If you're not a huge lime fan, maybe this one will win your heart:

Almond Coco Loco

I can't even begin to explain to you how AMAZING this yogurt is! If you're a coconut fan, this is YOUR new best friend.

This yogurt has crunchy almond pieces and chunks of dark chocolate. If you're not a fan of dark chocolate, you may find these pieces a little overwhelming, but it really balances out well with the sweetness of the coconut yogurt. (This was a lot sweeter than the Key Lime Crumble.)

There are 230 calories, a little on the high side for a snack, BUT has 12 grams of protein to help keep you fuller longer. 

Both these yogurts are definitely winners, in my opinion, but may not be for everyone.
I found them at Super Walmart for a little over a buck, so they are-hands down- great finds for a satisfying afternoon snack!

(If you'd like to grab some coupons from Chobani, click here.)

Enjoy!

"Try It' Tuesday Nutella Overnight Oats

I have been perfecting this recipe for a few weeks so that I can feel confident sharing it with you.
It took a while, but I think I finally got it right!
I present to you...

I wanted to call these oats "Cocoa Krispes" Overnight Oats because that's exactly what they taste like, but that would be misleading since, well, there are NO Cocoa Krispies in these oats.

There are only 4 ingredients, however...

1/3 c. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

1/3 c. Old Fashioned Oats

1 1/2 tsp. Chia Seeds

1 Tbsp. Nutella

(You can omit the seeds, but they DO add wonderful texture, fiber, protein and Omega 3!)

Just like the last overnight oats recipe I posted, you basically put everything in a bowl:

Mix it together:

 Cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. 

When you stir them again in the morning, if you'd like to add a splash of almond milk, you can.
The oats get a little thick because they, with the chia seeds, soak up most of the milk, so it's your preference.

Here's the nutritionals on the overnight oats:

These oats are great because they are low cal and have a significant amount of protein and fiber

so they are very filling!

Now...let me explain a little about how your calories might vary from mine.

I WEIGH out all my ingredients. Here's why:

When you "eyeball" a serving size, here's what can happen

The actual serving size (1 tablespoon) on the left was weighed out.

The portion size on the right is what I came up with when I just grabbed a tablespoon and scooped the nutella out of the jar. (Mind you, I was being a tad conservative with my scooping!)

"Ok," you say, "so there are 5 more grams, big deal!"

Well...those 5 extra grams add up to about 20 extra calories. Eek!

Here's another alarming example. Say you are making a sandwich and you want to use a "serving size" of mayonnaise:

The weighed serving size (1 Tbsp) on the left is 100 calories. 

The "eyeballed" serving size on the right is almost 150 calories! (Double eek!)

The same pitfall can happen with anything else from peanut butter to salad dressings to potato chips.

If you are on a limited calorie diet (like I am) all those stray calories add up at the end of the day and can even make a HUGE difference over a year's time. It's true...

If you consume an extra 100 calories a day for a year, you'd gain 10 pounds!

On the flip-side, if you CUT 100 calories from your diet every day for a year,

you'd LOSE 10 pounds in a year! (Reference)

Now there's a little "food" for thought that won't cost you anything!

I guess it really IS all about the little things...

"Try It" Tuesday- Dollar Store Edition

This week, I'm gonna do a little something different for y'all, so I hope you enjoy it...

You know how these Dollar General Stores are popping up all over the place?

 

Well, in case you didn't notice, they are. So, the next time you see one, be sure to go in and pick up a box of these:

 

These crackers are AWESOME!! Here's why:
They are crispy, have TONS of ranch flavor, see?

AND...the best part? They're only $1 a box!!

You saw that right: ONE DOLLAR!
Compare that to a box of Wheat Thins at about $2.50 -$3.50 box.
You could buy 2 boxes of the Clover Valley (Dollar General's brand) for $2 (12 oz. total) for LESS than what you'd pay for a 9oz. box of the Wheat Thin brand!

It's a total no brainer.

Please Note: I'm not normally crazy over store brands, so for me to endorse a generic
brand is pretty significant.

Hopefully your local Dollar General carries these. If they do, grab a box and see for yourself!

Enjoy!

"Try It" Tuesday- OLAY!

I have been waiting a few days to share this one with you guys, so I hope you're as excited about this as I am...If you don't already have one of these, you definitely have to get one!

I received an $8 off coupon for the Gillette Venus & Olay razor a week or so ago. I was SO excited since I've always been partial the the Venus line of razors. When I got up to the checkout and gave the coupon to the cashier (who was a dude), he said, "What's $8 off?!" and started digging through my bags.

"The razor," I said trying to hold back a smile.

"$8 for a razor?! Are you serious?"

"Yep, it'd be more than $8 without the coupon, so it better be a good one, right?"

He agreed and looked at me sideways like I was crazy.

Sometimes I am crazy. I am guilty of spending more than $8, with NO coupon, on razors that often turn out to work for a week or so and end up disappointing me, but not this time...

This razor is absolutely magnificent and here's why:

Like all Venus razors, it has 5 blades to help with exfoliation (according the website.)

I believe it's a wonderful guarantee to not miss anything!

But the REAL showstoppers are the Olay Moisture Blocks on the top and bottom!

I have dry skin and hate to shave because it seems that I can never seem to keep my legs moisturized afterwards. Not the case with this bad boy! This razor has delivered a superior, smooth shave every time and because of the Olay Moisture Blocks, I no longer have dry skin issues after a shave!

The moisture blocks are attached to the razor on tiny little hinges that flex with your curves while shaving, so every inch gets the benefit of the Olay moisture.

Woohoo!

I've actually never used razors that have these moisture bars before, so I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. You don't have to use shave gel or creams because of the moisture bars. (I did use a little soap because I didn't really want to risk getting nicked.) The shave was a bit slimy, but boy was it smooth!

When I got out of the shower, my legs felt silky and smooth and there were no stubbly strays!

Score!

And check this out:

The handle is soft and very cushion-y. It's very easy to grip even with soapy hands!

Awesome!

Maybe I'm imagining things, but I also feel like I have to shave less often with this razor, too.

Who doesn't love that?!

If you haven't tried this razor yet, you simply MUST! Click here for coupons from Gillette if you need a little more encouragement, but I guarantee you, you won't be disappointed!

Chiggers, Colds and Cures

This is a late version of "Try It" Tuesday, so I'll call it "Wellness Wednesday." I hope it helps you to be well and stay well!

I was 32 when I had my first "run in" with chiggers. We were in Clarksdale, Mississippi helping an elderly couple tear down a dilapidated shed and I was ankle deep in pine needles and rotten wood. The next day, my ankles were itching me to DEATH! I could NOT stop scratching and I was on the verge of insanity. My father in law took one look and said, "Those are chigger bites." 

Now, I have lived in the South all my life and spent most of my childhood outdoors, but I can never remember having been bitten by chiggers. At least not this bad. "I'll tell you what'll take care of it," he said. "Go to Walmart and get some of that 'Chiggerex.' That'll fix it for you." 

You can bet I made a bee-line to Wally World, but to my misfortune, they were out. I guess everyone else already knows about this, but I am going to share this with you anyway-

When/if you ever get bit by chiggers, go get this stuff:

It brought me immediate relief and helped keep me from clawing my ankles off! I have also used it for other insect bites and it works just as well, if not better, than anything else I've ever used. 

From me to you, be sure to keep this stuff on hand, folks. You never know when you might need it!

Summer is a pretty cool time of the year for many reasons, but one of my personal favorites is that you hardly ever get sick with the flu or pesky, week long colds. I'm not exactly sure about why that is, but I think it may have something to do with the heat killing off viruses. Here's why I believe that:

One Summer, a group from my church went to Logan, West Virginia to replace the roof on an old school building that had been purchased by a local church there.

There were about three other groups from all over the country doing different activities in the surrounding towns. Because the building was so large (4 stories), they were all staying at the school/church building with us. One group  in particular was conducting a Vacation Bible School and ended up contracting a stomach virus from a sick child.  The virus began to spread rapidly among group. 

I started to worry that I would get sick and a nurse friend who was working alongside me assured me that our group would not get the virus. I asked her how she could be so sure and she said, "We're working hard out here on the roof and our body temperatures are higher than the others'. The virus can't thrive in our bodies. Don't worry. We will be fine." 

 I have never really done any research on whether this is true or not, but I have to say, I became a believer that week.

Food for thought anyway.

So, even though you may not have a cold or the flu now, when you do get one, here's what you need:

This stuff is straight up AMAZING. It is Black Elderberry Extract in the highest concentration available and you can get it over the counter at any drugstore (or on drugstore.com.), many health stores (Vitamin World), grocery stores and, of course, Walmart. 

The bottle says you can use it daily as an immunity booster, but I don't know anyone who can afford it.

This stuff is $12-$16/bottle, depending on your location and where you buy it, and the dosage for adults is 10 ml 4 times a day. If you use it daily, you'd probably go through a couple bottles a week.

I have found that is not necessary. Any time I feel a little funky, I start taking the stuff to ward off any sickness that might be beginning to attack. I can honestly say, and the M.O.T.H. (Man of the House) can attest to this, this stuff works. Period. 

I actually bought it at a local drug store because it was on sale and I thought I'd give it a try. Now, I always keep a bottle of this stuff on hand, especially during the sick seasons.

I actually came across this article on WebMd from 2003 that concluded that Sambucol helps flu patients recover in half the time! 

It really has helped our family stay healthy when sicknesses are floating around.

Lastly, I want to share with you one other medicine cabinet stable in our house:

My boss, whose son is a First Responder, told me about this stuff. She said her son swears by this stuff. And now, so do I. Now, be careful when purchasing "Emergen-C." There are a couple of different varieties.
I have tried the Vitamin C only packet and really didn't have any luck overcoming colds any quicker. So, be sure to get the "Immune Plus" kind. I can always tell a difference with that one!

Mix a packet into 4-6 oz. water at the first signs of a cold and you'll be good to go.

Got any good staying healthy tips you wanna share? I'd be glad to hear them!

Email me or post in the comments below and stay well!