Green Mountain Coffee - Good Coffee, Good Vibes

October is Fair Trade Month and Green Mountain Coffee is spreading the word. Fair Trade coffee helps farmers get paid what they deserve, improves working conditions, assists in protecting the environment, and supports community development. In countries that aren't as developed as ours, this aid goes a long way to improve the lives of the citizens. If you're interested in learning more about Green Mountain's involvement with Fair Trade, peruse their Facebook page to view videos with musicians Grace Potter and Michael Franti, who have teamed
up with Green Mountain on trips to Fair Trade farming communities. You'll be able to see behind-the-scenes videos of the trips and learn about the impact Fair Trade has on the communities. By watching the videos and participating in Fair Trade Month, you'll have the opportunity to unlock Fair Trade Certified Green Mountain samples and coupons and be able to enter to win a trip to a Fair Trade source country.

Green Mountain Coffee boasts one of the largest selections of Fair Trade Certified coffees in the U.S in both k-cups and bagged form, in a variety of roasts, regions, and flavors. I was lucky enough to be able to try their organic house blend for free thanks to the BzzAgent campaign. (Opinions are my own.)

Besides familiarizing myself with the Fair Trade coffee, I learned that 1.75 ounces of ground coffee makes an eight-cup pot. A little extra perk.

I've never tried Green Mountain before, and I always thought that they exclusively sold k-cups. The brewed coffee smelled like stepping in to a coffee shop, though I wasn't able to drink it black. Green Mountain's 'house blend' is a blend of medium and dark roasts, according to their website, and to me had a rather bitter taste. However, it was excellent with cream and sugar. Sometimes coffees become weaker when you add extras, but that wasn't the case here. Since I'm always looking for new coffees to try, I might try out another roast, or maybe their seasonal pumpkin spice flavor!

Green Mountain Coffee is available in most grocery stores, stores like Target and Wal-Mart, and online at GreenMountainCoffees.com and Keurig. If you'd like a coupon for $1 off one 12-count box of Fair Trad Certified Green Mountain Coffee k-cup packs, or any 12 ounce bag of Fair Trade Certified Green Mountain Coffee, send me an email at christinaATrunningfoodieDOTcom, or message me on the Facebook page and I'll mail it out to you.

Planning Race Travel with Room 77

Let's talk about races, specifically races that require travel. If you've ever run in a large race, chances are good that you had to travel for it. Upon registering, the next step would be to make travel arrangements and book a hotel. Finding a relatively inexpensive hotel near the starting line can be challenging, but Room 77 is here to help make your planning simpler.

Source

Room 77 is a comprehensive hotel search site that enables travelers to find and book the best rates from across the Web in one search--meaning a search on Room 77 immediately brings up the prices for each hotel as listed on that and three other sites.

Source

In order to get a feel for how the site works, I browsed it as if I were booking a hotel for a hypothetical redemption race in Pittsburgh next year (I clearly have not let that disappointment go..). It's easy to search for rooms according to what is needed. For my initial search criteria, I entered downtown Pittsburgh as the location, check in and check out dates, rooms required, and body count. Once a list of available hotels appears, you have the option of narrowing down your search criteria with Room 77's various filters. I set mine at price range, distance range, and preferred amenities like free wi-fi(so I can keep tabs on the weather) and free breakfast (because I love those waffles). Other available filters include neighborhoods, special rates, star ratings, etc.

Room 77 listed a good variety of hotels in wide variety of price ranges that fit the bill. I noted that distance seems to trump all the other criteria in the search, thus the motels are listed from first to last accordingly. While that may be annoying to some, it really isn't hard to note the different prices. What's really helpful is that for each hotel's price, the site with the best price is listed along with prices from at least three other sites. If one wants to compare what values the other sites offer for that particular hotel, it can all be done from the information Room 77 lists rather than having to open another tab. I could go on, but for me that one time saving feature of Room 77 means less time spent searching.

Using Room 77 takes the stress out of planning, so all I have to worry about is training for my (hypothetical) race. If, hypothetically, I weenie out of my race, I made a note that a fee is sometimes charged for cancellations. Be sure to read the fine print before booking because it's different for each hotel.

Never wonder whether you’ve gotten the best deal on your hotel room again. Check out Room 77 when planning your next travel adventure!

I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.

G Series Prime Energy Chews Review + Giveaway

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by a Gatorade rep who asked me if I'd be interested in reviewing Gatorade's new G Series Energy Chews. Having tried them before, I welcomed the opportunity and was looking forward to analyzing them a little more closely.

And then I wasn't able to run anymore and couldn't give them a good review, so I enlisted the help of my brother who was training for a 5k. (Don't worry, Gatorade rep knew all about it.)

If you aren't familiar with Gatorade's new products, they've created series to fit into every athlete's life. G Series is for athletes who need an edge during training and competition. This line includes the 01 Prime, which includes the carb and B vitamin energy chews that are taken prior to a workout or competition. The chews come in three different flavors and contain 25 grams of carbohydrates per serving, 90 mg of sodium, 30 mg potassium, and 20% of your daily value of B vitamins that help break down carbs into fuel (according to their website). B vitamins can help energize you, too, so that's another plus.

When I asked my brother, Martin, if he would help me out by reviewing the chews, he seemed rather excited and offered up this gem, "Most people would say that an athlete's goal is to win their most desired event; I say that an athlete's goal is to be sponsored by Gatorade so that they can use their products." I think he was happy to help. Here's what he had to say about the chews:

The G-Chews are an A+ product. They taste good, and right away I noticed the positive effect they had during my run. If you're curious about trying G Series Chews, I urge you to give them a try, at least for a few key workouts or competitions.

Each chew is a small square and come six to a pack. The directions say to take them 15 minutes before an activity. It's nice that an exact time is given since another company's equivalent product offers just a vague timeline.

Flavor-wise, it tasted a little salty-sweet, but neither taste is overly prominent. The consistency of the chews is thick and gummy, but not sticky to the touch. Don't make the mistake of refrigerating the chews, though; I did this by accident and it made them pretty difficult to chew.

Fifteen minutes before an evening 3-miler, I ate the fruit punch chews. At the halfway mark, I noticed the positive effect the chews had on my muscles. My legs didn't feel fatigued and had a sensation of wanting to run faster than I knew I should, so I reigned myself in.

I ate the remaining pack before my 5k on June 2nd. Again, I noticed a positive difference in my race. Instead of struggling to increase my pace during the end, I had enough energy remaining for a nice sprint across the finish line. Mark it down as another positive experience from the G Chews.

My only con was the blue dye in the cool blue flavor. After eating the cool blue chews, the dye had lightly coated my teeth and reminded me of Smeagol as he transitioned over to Gollum. I had a good laugh over that one. I'm not sure if the Fruit Punch Chews dyed my teeth at all because I didn't look in the mirror. But my guess is that even if it did, it wouldn't have been as noticeable. (If you're a blue fan like me, you probably won't care. It might even scare your opponents!)

Just like my brother (minus the blue teeth), I noticed that the chews staved off fatigue during the end of a challenging bike ride. It was windy, there were hills, but I didn't feel drained during the last few miles like I've felt during similar rides. If I ever start running again, I'd be interested in seeing how they work for me then.

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Giveaway Details

Want to try the chews for yourself? Gatorade is offering one of my readers the chance to win a full case of G Series Energy Chews! That's quite the prize, folks.

Here's how to enter:

• Leave a comment and tell me when you'd try the chews.


• Tweet this giveaway, including a link to this post and @runningfoodie. Leave a second comment to let me know.

The giveaway is open to US readers and ends Thursday, June 14th. Good luck!

Gnu Bar Review & Giveaway

Gnu Foods contacted me a week ago to ask if I would be interested in reviewing their bars. I haven't tried Gnu bars before so I was interested to see if I'd like them.

Gnu bar, made from natural ingredients, packs a whopping 12 grams of fiber per 130-140 calorie bar, which comes out to around 50% of the daily fiber. The bars come in nine different flavors, and three new dessert-inspired flavors (blueberry cobbler, blondie, and carrot cake) that were recently added to the line up.

What I liked the most was the chewy, moist, and dense texture of the baked bars. The flavors that I've tried were all delicious and weren't overwhelmed by any one ingredient. The sugar content of the bars ranges from 7-11 grams, while the fat ranges from 3-5 grams.

I admit that I was skeptical that these bars would actually keep me full; typically, I respond better to protein and fat for staying satiated than fiber. Fortunately, I'm glad to eat my words on this one. The bars do a great job keeping you full without feeling bloated.

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Giveaway Details

Up for grabs is a 16-pack of Gnu Bars, flavor of your choice, provided by Gnu Bar. Here's how to win:

• Visit the Gnu Bar website to see the flavor options. Leave a comment with the flavor you would most like to try.


• Like Gnu Foods on Facebook, then leave another comment to let me know.

Winner will be chosen on Friday, June 8th. This giveaway is open to US residents only.

If you're interested in trying Gnu Bars right away, you can buy a customized 5-pack for $7.95 with free shipping. The bars retail for $1.99 individually so that's a pretty good deal. Sampler pack info.

Good luck!

BzzAgent: SoBe Lifewater with Coconut Water Review

A cool perk of blogging is getting the opportunity to sample different products, some that are new products from brands I've tried before and others I have never tried. My objective when I review a product is to select those that are relevant to my blog and give my readers an honest review. That's where this next product review comes in, which I think will be a great way to stay cool and refreshed this summer. Courtesy of BzzAgent, I was given two bottles from the new SoBe Lifewater drinks with coconut water line to sample. They also sent me coupons to pass out to help spread the word.

Coconut water apparently has many benefits that supposedly makes it nature's perfect sports drink, like being naturally rich in electrolytes, among others. I've seen many running bloggers hit the coconut water bandwagon, though I've never tried it myself (cost reasons). All I know is that I like the taste of coconut. It's tropical, rich, and amazing.

The three new flavors released by SoBe are SoBe Pacific Coconut with Coconut Water, Pomegranate Nectarine with Coconut Water, and Mango Mandarin with Coconut Water. Each bottle contains 10% of coconut water, has natural flavors (out of curiosity, I looked up the FDA's definition of natural flavoring - click the link and search for "natural flavor" to read more) and is sweetened with sugar and stevia. There's a slight aftertaste from the stevia, but it's not as pronounced as other drinks with it that I've tasted. The entire 20-ounce bottle contains 80 calories and 20 grams of sugar. Compared to other SoBe beverages, this is very light but contains enough substance for an energy boost.

I tried the pacific coconut and pomegranate nectarine. The coconut was my favorite (yes, I'm biased -- so is Pippin, apparently) because the flavor of the coconut was strong and very refreshing. The pomegranate nectarine was good, but tasted more tea-like in terms of strength (keep in mind that this is technically an enhanced water beverage, after all) and I couldn't taste the coconut, though I expected not to taste it in this one. I'm pretty sure I'm going to try the mango mandarin since I like mango, though my favorite will probably remain pacific coconut.

Overall, I'm pleased with the line. The drinks will be perfect for times when I want something more than water but less than a sugar bomb. The flavors are well rounded and didn't taste overly sweet. The drinks retail for around $1.79.

If you're interested in trying one yourself, I have three 50¢ off coupons available. Just send me an email at christinaATrunningfoodieDOTcom with your name and address and I'll mail coupons out to the first three who respond.

New Luna Fiber Bars Review

Like Luna Fiber Bars? Enter my giveaway.

I really like bars. They're good to have around for times when you don't plan ahead and are snackless. They usually last longer than homemade versions, and not all of them are as bad as a candy bar. I mean, I like my candy bars, but I know I can't always grab a Zero bar (the "zero" has nothing to do with the calories - I don't even know what about the bar it has anything to do with, actually) to tide me over because it won't. It's just as bad as my former habit of eating sugar from sugar packets when my blood sugar dips.

When the folks at Luna asked if I wanted to sample their new fiber bars before they hit the market, I said yes. I was curious about the new "soft-baked and fruit-filled" bar, and it came with the added bonus of fiber, folic acid, iron, vitamin d, and calcium, vitamins and minerals that are good for women. I tend to be deficient in iron, even when I take a supplement. So, bonus.

My box of bars included "postcards" with facts about fiber, how to implement exercise into your lifestyle, and things like that.

Each bar contains 7 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fat and are around 110-120 calories. Because of the low calories, one of these bars would be considered a light snack for me, but I thought the nutritional info was decent.

The bars are now available in stores nationwide, or can be found on Luna's website. The retail price is $1.39.

What I looked forward to the most was that Luna Fiber Bars are more cookie-like than the crisp rice base that makes up traditional Luna bars. It's not a texture I particularly care for in a bar and I tend to find them too sweet, so I don't gravitate toward Luna bars except as a last resort. (Meaning, I ran out of sugar packets.)

However, I loved these. The soft cookies, which reminded me of a soft ginger cookie, is speckled with coarse sugar that gives the bars a sweet little crunch. The cookie itself is moist and just a bit dense. There wasn't much fruit filling compared to other bars, but it works because the cookie isn't dry.

My favorite ended up being the peanut butter strawberry. Usually, I avoid peanut flavored bars because it's too overwhelming of a flavor, and I don't really like peanut butter to begin with. While this bar definitely did not lack the peanut flavor, it was nicely balanced with the soft cookie and strawberry filling that I really enjoyed it.

I've tried all three flavors and am satisfied with each one. If I'm looking for a bar I would definitely consider buying these in the future. It doesn't have the mineral-aftertaste like many healthy bars do and would satisfy my cookie cravings.

Mashed Parsnips with Country Crock Spread

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Let's talk about mashed potatoes. I make them all the time and I'm pretty damn good at it. The only problem is that I don't particularly like eating them all that much, but I make it because others do. I've seen recipes for mashed cauliflower and other root vegetables floating around, though I've never bothered to try any until now.

The requirement for this promotion was to make a vegetable dish from the Clare Crespo cookbook, which is a collection of family-friendly vegetable dishes made with Country Crock spread. The recipes are on the whimsical side, and since I have no reason to play with my food I didn't follow those steps. If you like to engage your kids in what they're eating, though, this is the e-book for you. There are a few other recipes from the e-book that I'd like to try, like the zucchini boats.

Cooking with Country Crock is a good alternative to butter. The flavor might be a little different, but I've always liked the taste of spreads (I know...) and it works well with vegetables. This spread is free from hydrogenated oils and trans fat and there is a selection of spreads from which to choose, like the calcium+vitamin D spread I am using today. One aspect of this spread that I like is that it's spreadable straight from the fridge.

As for the recipe, all you have to do is boil the parsnips with onions until tender, which takes about ten to fifteen minutes. Near the end, stir in some frozen peas.

I changed the recipe a little since I don't have to worry about picky eaters. The additions and substitutions I made were to add a little parsley and fresh garlic, and replacing the heavy cream with Greek yogurt.

The mixture is pureed until smooth in the food processor along with two tablespoons of Country Crock spread. It comes together quickly and would be perfect for a busy weekend night.

However, and this is my personal opinion, I don't think this would make a good recipe for picky kids. The parsnips on their own have a rather sweet taste and might not be suitable for the palate of a small kid. I also felt that this recipe was a little bland, even with the changes I made. I guess more salt would have helped. Roasting parsnips would probably be better if you're introducing parsnips to your children for the first time.

Other than that, I liked it. It was different from mashed potatoes, but I liked the lighter consistency. I have to admit that even I was not used to the sweetness, so I would make sure to pair it with the right entree. (I served it with fish and rice pilaf.)

Recipe after jump.

Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!

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Pureed Parsnips with Parsley and Peas
Recipe adapted from the Clare Crespo Cookbook by Christina Provo

Serves 4-6

Ingredients -

4 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup lightly packed parsley, rinsed
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons Country Crock spread
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions -

1. Place parsnips and onion in a medium pot with enough water to just cover the parsnips. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to maintain a rolling simmer and cook until parsnips are just tender, 10-15 minutes. Add frozen peas once parsnips are barely tender and cook another 3-5 minutes.


2. Reserve 1/2 cup liquid; drain the parsnips and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth, adding tablespoons of reserved water if needed if the puree is to thick.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Doug's Nuts

Banana bread, anybody? How about banana bread with peanut butter? It's definitely less messy than a sandwich! This recipe isn't unique at all, and it's an adaption from a Cooking Light recipe, but you should make it because it's a very tender and flavorful quick bread.

Besides having peanut butter on the brain, I wanted to incorporate the supply of Doug's Nuts I received yesterday into a baked good. I'm working with Doug's Nuts on an upcoming project, so I'm going to talk a little bit about them for a second.

Their carefully selected nuts and seeds are delicious, crunchy and addictive. It didn't help that I started eating them immediately after a run, which led to me eating half a bag. The flavorful glaze consists of organic evaporated sugarcane juice, honey, oatmeal stout beer, sea salt, organic vanilla extract, and other natural flavors. The glaze coats a wonderful blend of roasted almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and pumpkin seeds. Unlike other mixed nuts that are filled with an excess of peanuts, there was a fairly equal amount of each in both the packages I received.

Back to the bread. Half of the chopped nuts are sprinkled onto the center of the loaf, and the rest are sprinkled on top.

The loaf comes out tall and browned. Once it cools, a peanut butter glaze is drizzled on top. I expected a thicker glaze, but it turned out for the best since it didn't hide the nut-speckled top.

Sometimes quick breads come out dry and lacking in flavor. This was the complete opposite. It was slightly tangy, the banana and peanut butter complimented each other nicely, and the tiny bit of cinnamon tied it all together. The nuts added a crunchy element that rounded out the bread. It also doesn't weigh heavy in the stomach and would be perfect as a pre-run (or midday) snack.

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Print this recipe

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Doug's Nuts
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light - Christina Provo

Yields - 1 9x5 inch loaf

Ingredients -

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana mixed with 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 cups Doug's Nuts, coarsely chopped (or nuts of your choosing)

Glaze -

1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions -

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk flour with baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.


2. In a large bowl, blend butter with peanut butter until incorporated. On medium speed, beat sugars into the peanut butter for 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Mix in bananas with vanilla extract just until combined. Add flour mixture in three additions, alternating with yogurt. Give the batter one final stir with a spatula.


3. Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 cup chopped nuts, swirling lightly with a knife. Carefully spread the remaining batter on top, sprinkling with the remaining nuts. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking. Cool in pan for 10 minutes; turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.


4. Whisk milk and creamy peanut butter together in a small bowl. Add confectioners' sugar and whisk to combine. Spread over top of cooled loaf. Let stand for 5 minutes to harden before slicing.

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Alexia Sweet Potato Fries

I love making homemade fries - Yukon gold, regular ol' russet, and of course, sweet potato. The downside is that it takes around one and a half hours of cooking time! Thanks to the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was provided a coupon to try out Alexia's frozen foods. They have quite a few different variety of fries, some plain, some flavored, and I ended up choosing the sweet potato julienne fries.

Frozen tots and fries are my favorite treat. They're quick to prepare and taste delicious. Alexia's line is all natural and contains no trans fat. While it costs more than store brands, sometimes it's better to pay more for quality when you can. I can't remember how much this bag cost where I purchased it, but it wasn't more than $5. This 15-ounce bag contain about four servings (although I could have easily eaten half myself...).

Before sticking the fries in the oven, I spritzed them with a little olive oil spray and sprinkled with more kosher salt. I like salt, what can I say?

These fries take around twenty to twenty-five minutes to cook, tossing once or twice. The fries roasted up with a crisped shell that gave way to a soft, sweet innard. Most complaints that arise with homemade sweet potato fries is either that they stay too soft, or they get a little charred. Alexia sweet potato fries were just about perfect and tasted as fresh as it could have tasted for being frozen. I'd definitely buy these again if they're on sale, or if I want a quick treat.

I served these with my go-to aioli recipe. I nixed the sweeteners and added in lime zest and sriracha sauce for a hint of spice.

My Blog Spark - Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt Review + Giveaway

**Giveaway Is Closed**

February was National Lactose Intolerance Awareness Month (yes, I know it's March), for which Yoplait announced their new lactose free yogurt, available in a variety of tasty flavors. Through MyBlogSpark, Yoplait provided me with a prize pack, including a coupon to try the new yogurt, and an additional prize pack to host a giveaway.

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Although I don't suffer from lactose intolerance, I am familiar with lactose free dairy as I've used it before to make lactose free desserts for family members. In case you can't eat regular dairy products, now you know of another option.

Yoplait's Lactose Free Yogurt comes in 6-ounce containers and tastes just like regular flavored yogurt. Besides being lactose free, it's also fat free, though it contains 170 calories, much of which is from sugar. The packaging mentioned that Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt offers 50% of the daily value of calcium, compared to 25% from other brands. It had a good peachy flavor and probably would have tasted good frozen, too. If I recall correctly, the yogurt was 79¢, though price may vary based on location.

Instead of simply eating the yogurt, I used it to create peaches 'n cream oatmeal scones. They came out perfectly the first time! They're soft and tender with a subtle peach flavor enhanced by a light lemon glaze. I didn't have any peaches to use, but they would be excellent with a few chopped peaches mixed in. The recipe will be up tomorrow.

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Giveaway Info

Eager to try it out for yourself? Along with a VIP coupon for a free yogurt, the winner will also be getting a lunch tote, two freezable gel packs, a bowl, and a matching spoon.

There are two ways to enter:

• Comment on this post and tell me your favorite way to eat yogurt


• Tweet about this giveaway: Yoplait Lactose Free Giveaway from @RunningFoodie http://bit.ly/yEoCS9 #MyBlogSpark!
  Leave a second comment to let me know

Giveaway is eligible for US readers only and ends on Friday, the 9th, at 12 P.M.. Winner will be announced shortly after (please include your email I can't contact you).

Product Review - Presto Aluminum Pressure Cooker

I kept putting this review off because I was scared by my pressure cooker. You see, Wayfair.com gave me the opportunity to review a product. I decided to use the opportunity to be somewhat practical instead of ordering a neato appliance like a Belgian waffle iron. Finally, after much thought I decided on a Presto 8 Quart Aluminum Pressure Cooker. When it arrived I assembled the handles and stared at its shininess before putting it in the box and leaving it alone.

The good part of a pressure cooker is that foods can be cooked in half the time it normally takes. How? The ingredients are placed in the cooker, or in a bowl placed on a rack in the cooker. The lid is latched on and the cooker heats up. As the heat rises, pressure builds up inside and the lid is locked. The pressure regulator, a knob placed on the vent pipe, gently rocks back and forth to let you know the proper amount of steam is escaping. Because of the built up pressure, the food cooks quicker. Also, this method of cooking preserves the nutrients of the food you're cooking. Win-win.

What I found to be scary about this particular model is, how do I know if it's cooking at the correct temperature? What exactly is a "gentle rocking"? What if I lower the heat too much and it stops rocking? The only way to figure it out was to try it, which we did on Christmas. We wanted a wild rice pilaf that normally takes an hour to cook, but would take just 25 minutes in the pressure cooker.

Rice has to be cooked in a covered bowl inside the cooker. Why? The manual says that since rice tends to foam when it cooks it has a tendency to clog the vent hole. Fortunately, I have a medium size metal bowl that fit nicely inside. This model comes with a rack, so I put the rack on the bottom and poured two cups of water inside, which is to keep the cooker from drying out and burning.

The vegetables (onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery and garlic) are cooked in a separate skillet, then mixed with the rice, chicken broth, and white wine. Stir it once, then cover tightly with foil and place inside the cooker.

Here is the lid. See the hole on the handle? That's where the air vent cover. The lock pin is on the bottom handle, and it locks when the pressure builds inside the cooker. Once it locks, you can't open it until the pressure is reduced. More on that in a bit.

On top of the lid is the vent pipe, where the regulator is placed. If it rocks too vigorously, excess steam is released and the food might scorch because the liquid evaporates too quickly.

I see the temperature knob is on 7 in the background, so in this picture I had started to reduce the heat. You need to remain nearby so that you can gradually lower the heat enough to maintain a gentle rocking. If it stops rocking, you'll need to raise it. Unlike a slow cooker, a pressure cooker does require a bit of attention. Also, make sure you set a timer.

After the timer buzzes, the pressure needs to be reduced. Depending on what you're making there are two ways to do it. One, you can "manually" reduce it by running cold water on top of the cooker. Two, you let the cooker reduce pressure itself by removing it from the heat. Once the lock drops, you can open the lid. However, don't lock the lid back on to keep the food warm... Because the lock might rise again and you'll have to wait until it drops.

Yeah.

Anyway, the latter method adds another 10-20 minutes onto the cooking time, so it almost equaled cooking the rice in a pot on the stove, though I kind of liked cooking it in the pressure cooker. The rice came out moist and it was cooked through. I'm going to enjoy cooking with the pressure cooker and will try to turn it into a series on here.

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For the technical side.

This cooker is sold for $44.69 on Wayfair.com. It's aluminum, so it's not as expensive as a stainless steel model. Stainless steel is actually preferable because it's less likely to get warped and distributes heat better, but for the average person (like myself) an aluminum model works just fine. Just don't turn the heat up to high when you're first bringing it up to pressure and it'll be okay.

I chose the 8-quart size because I can cook larger batches of food at a time. A 4-6 quart would be best if you're single or are cooking for two, three, or even four. I wanted the option of being able to cook large batches for leftovers. The smaller the cooker, the less it costs.

There are electric models and models with a different regulating system on top, but for now I think I'm satisfied with the way this one works. As I continue using it, I'll be able to provide a more in depth review, so stay tuned.

Kettle Cuisine Frozen Soup Review

Kettle Cuisine is an independent, artisan soup maker specializing in wholesome, flavorful soups made from real ingredients. Founded by Jerry Shafir, the goal of Kettle Cuisine was to remain close to the roots of the culinary industry by offering minimally processed soups that contained no artificial ingredients. When Jerry learned that his daughter needed to maintain a gluten-free diet, he transformed his soups into great tasting gluten-free soups that everyone can enjoy.

After learning about Kettle Cuisine when I received an email from Lucinda, I was eager to try them out. I like having a quick meal option on hand when I get back from a run and warm soups fit the bill.

I received six different flavors, Thai curry chicken soup, tomato soup with garden vegetables, roasted vegetable soup, chicken chili with white beans, New England clam chowder, three bean chili, and organic mushroom and potato soup. I was expecting just two or three, so that was a nice surprise! The flavors all sounded delicious, and in a little over a week I had eaten them all.

The creamy soups contained cream (or coconut milk in the Thai soup) and are thickened with rice flour and/or rice starch. I know from baking with rice flours that it can leave a detectable taste, but I didn't notice it at all here. Nutrition wise, the creamy soups had around 330 calories and 10-15 grams of fat. The protein content was about 15-25 depending on the type of soup.

The lightest soup I tried was the tomato soup with garden vegetables, which had a mere 110 calories and is more as a side to a sandwich or something heftier.

You can cook the soups two ways, in the stove or the microwave. I tried it in the stove first. Before plopping the soup out of the bowl and into a pot, the instructions say to run the bottom of the bowl under cool water to loosen the soup from the bowl. Make sure you hold the plastic film top down or else it'll pop off.

There were no instructions on cooking temperature, so I heated the soup up on medium-low and covered the pot. It took a little longer than ten minutes to heat the soup up this way.

For the remaining soups, I heated them in the microwave. It took 4-5 minutes for them to be heated thoroughly and it tastes just the same.

I was blown away by the flavors. They were pronounced, lively, and tasted like soup from a restaurant or cafe. My only "complaint" was that I felt there needed to be more salt to bring the flavors to life. They were present and identifiable, but they lacked that extra punch that marries the tastes together. I added a pinch of kosher salt and was satisfied. Other than that, the soups contained a good amount of vegetables, meat, or beans and the broth wasn't runny, even in the creamless soups. Many soups seem to skimp on ingredients or use filler vegetables like corn, but not here.

Kettle Cuisine soups are more expensive than other brands, at $4.95 a bowl online, or $3.99 in stores. This might deter me from buying them because while they're very tasty, they don't make up an entire meal for me. They are available for purchase online or in select stores.

FiberScrumptious Mini Muffins Review

A few weeks ago I received an email from Ashley, founder of FiberScrumptious.com, asking if I'd be interested in tasting and reviewing their high fiber muffins. I hadn't heard of FiberScrumptious before so I went to their website to read up. After doing so, I quickly agreed and was looking forward to tasting the muffins.

FiberScrumptious was started by Ashley who, after being diagnosed with IBS, was constantly on the lookout for ways to incorporate more fiber into her diet. She looked to premade fiber muffins from the store as a snack, though she found that she had to buy just a few at a time or else they'd become dry, stale, and moldy quickly. During her pregnancy it was even more difficult to make the weekly trip to the store, so she whipped up a batch of homemade, high fiber muffins in her kitchen. And so her company was born.

FiberScrumptious is now an online muffin factory of sorts where batches of tasty, fiber-packed mini muffins are whipped up. A serving of four muffins contains 100-120 calories and 13-15 grams of fiber, and costs $3.50 per pack. Each batch of muffins are frozen after being baked. Because there are no preservatives, freezing the muffins helps keep them fresh during transit. When they arrive, you can freeze them until ready to eat.

There are many wonderful flavors available, like Lemon and White Chocolate Chip, though the Roasted Black Sesame and Peanut Butter Chip and Banana Chocolate Chip stood out to me at the time. My package of muffins arrived on Thanksgiving Eve, packed in a foil liner with ice packs to keep the muffins chilled. Instructions for thawing are on the label. They were a welcomed snack to munch on while prepping for the Thanksgiving meal.

The highlight of these muffins for me is that there are no unnatural ingredients, additives, or fillers. Most of the ingredients are organic, but mainly they're all ingredients you can find in stores to cook with on your own. I appreciate.

The texture was moist and spongy. They weren't dry at all and the flavor of the Banana Chocolate Chip tasted great. The banana was prominent, and the taste was complimented by the chocolate chips.

While I liked the idea of the Roasted Black Sesame and Peanut Butter Chip, the flavor was a little too earthy for me. I felt that there needed to be more sugar, or peanut butter actually in the batter. As a savory muffin it would be excellent. Black sesames can have an intense taste, and it's a flavor I don't think I am used to. Texture-wise, though, I felt the same about these as I did the banana muffins.

Overall, I really liked this product. While it's more costly than buying packaged fiber cookies/muffins/sawdust blocks from the store, with FiberScrumptious Mini Muffins you know exactly what you're putting into your body. They're a light snack and healthier than a latte from the coffee shop, to put the price into perspective. If I were to develop a Running Foodie rating system consisting of soles and whisks, where soles are for non-edible products and whisks are for edible items, I'd give five whisks. Check them out!

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