Chili Tried

Senseo Coffee Maker

I don't drink coffee every morning, but I do like to have a cup now and then. I'm also the only coffee drinker in the house unless my step-mom is in town. I don't always want to drag out the coffee pot, measure out one cup of coffee, wait for it to brew, etc. More often than not I just skip it. Or stop at Borders on my way to another errand because the coffee guy behind the counter likes me and makes me special coffee. But that's another story for another blog. Suffice it to say I have been considering a single-serve coffee maker for a while now.

Then I was offered a Senseo coffee maker to review. I had actually been considering the Senseo or the Keurig so I was eager to try it. (Since the Keurig people have not contacted me to try their machine, I haven't saved up enough to justify the cost to sample it myself. I'll let you know if that changes.)

I've been using the Senseo machine for about two weeks now. I wanted to really see how I liked it. And I do like it.

When I received the Senseo, I read the instructions (Hello? I'm a technical writer. I read instructions.) and discovered I needed to prep the machine. Let me tell you, I'd read that the Senseo is fairly quiet so I was completely startled out of my skin when it sounded like a small plane taking off in my kitchen during this crucial step. However, I soon discovered this is a one-time thing and for every day use it's much, much quieter.

Senseo uses pods of coffee and tea. Teas include Earl Grey and Minty Green. They offer a variety of coffee flavors:

• Sumatra
• Dark Roast
• Brazil
• Kenya
• Columbia
• Espresso
• Cappucino
• Vienna (hazelnut)
• Paris (vanilla)
• Medium Roast
• Decaffienated

My review packet came with Dark Roast and I bought Cappucino. The Dark Roast is very strong, but good. I also liked the Cappucino. I think it's because I put three spoonfuls of Ovaltine into all my coffee regardless of flavor. So if you're a coffee purist, you may want to skip the part about how I like all the coffee. You won't think I know what I'm talking about.

The Senseo takes less than a minute to heat the water for your coffee. I found this to be about right for me to find my mug, put in the obligatory Ovaltine, place the mug under the spigot, answer questions from the kids, remember I was making coffee, then push the button to make the coffee.

This machine comes with the option of making one or two cups at a time. I tried the one-cup method at first, but realized that it's only about 4 oz. and was far short of my expectations. We Americans like everything bigger and better. So I started pushing the two-cup button and was happy with the amount of liquid in my cup. I still used only one pod (instead of two) because I don't need to have my coffee too strong (see Ovaltine references  above). I found it to be just right. However, if you do like stronger coffee, you can definitely put two pods in before you brew.

As for the price of the pods, I think they are on the expensive side if you order from the Senseo web site: one package of 16 pods is $21.99. However, I found them at my Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market for about $4.68 for a package of 16. That's about .30 per pod. MUCH better.

If you're still not satisfied or you're trying to be more green (again, another topic for another blog), you can purchase the Brown Ecopad from Amazon.com. It's a refillable pod filter made for the Senseo coffee maker. They run about $6 for two.

The Basic Senseo machine runs $70 and is the model I tried. The Deluxe model (with 32 oz. water reservoir and adjustable spout) is $100 and the Supreme model (allows you to choose size of cup from 3 oz. to 10 oz., interactive LCD display) is $140. So, for an initial investment of $75 ($70 for the machine and another $5 for pods), you'll have a good cup of coffee in about 70 seconds. Over the course of a year, the machine will have paid for itself with the money you saved by not stopping at QuikTrip, Starbucks, or Borders, etc. and that works for me. You'll probably see those savings even quicker if you use the Brown Eco Pad.

I want to alert you to two things regarding the Senseo Coffee Pod System.

1. The Basic Senseo is currently being offered through the site ShareSenseo.com where anyone can sign up for a chance to receive the same machine. All you have to do is fill out a quick survey and, if selected, pay a $15 shipping and handling fee. You will receive a confirmation e-mail within 2-6 weeks if you are selected.
2. I have five coupons each for $20 off any Senseo machine. I will be glad to send one to you if you leave me a comment on this post telling me you want one. First come, first served. With the coupon, the Basic Senseo would only be $50!

Senseo Coffee Pod System, you've been Chili Tried and recommended. I'm giving you four chilis. I think it would behoove you to re-think the pricing of pods on your web site because you're being undersold at the local markets. On the other hand, I found the Senseo to be very easy to use, fairly quiet, and attractive enough to have on the counter.

Eat Better America: Free Fiber One Cereal

EatBetterAmerica.com (General Mills-run) is giving out free samples of the original Fiber One cereal.  As you may already know, Fiber One provides 57% of the average adults daily fiber requirement, has 0 grams of sugar and 60 calories per serving. All you have to do to receive your free sample is to sign up for the Eat Better America newsletter. The newsletter is an e-mail that is sent out once per month that provides recipes and tips for people to start living healthier lives.

Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch

My family is pretty big on portable snacks. We like to keep a box in the car and several in the pantry. I usually have some sort of snack in my purse as well. This portable snack is almost always in the form of peanut butter crackers, a South Beach bar, or a chewy granola bar.

Since my family is fairly keen on granola bars, I agreed to try the new Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch bars.

I can't tell you why, but I was expecting these bars to be chewy, not crunchy. I mean, yes, the nuts would be crunchy, but I envisioned the "stuff" keeping it together would be chewy. And, yes, the title of the bar tells you it's crunchy. I was in denial, I guess. I still expected chewy. I never claimed to be a rocket scientist, y'all.

So, to recap: There is no chewy. It's all crunchy. You'll understand the crunch factor when you check out the ingredients. These snack bars boast only six ingredients and these days that's saying something. Those six ingredients are

Almond Crunch: almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, sugar, corn syrup, salt

Peanut Crunch: peanuts, sunflower seeds, sugar, corn syrup, salt, almond flower

The overall taste of the Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Bars is good. I like nuts, and I love almonds and sunflowers. The bit of salt and the sugar are a nice contrast to each other. However, I'm not a big fan of corn syrup. I think I'd just as soon have a handful of nuts and some raisins.

The Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Bars retail for $3.39 and each package has six bars per box. They certainly aren't any more expensive than what I'm already buying. However, the texture isn't what my family wants--we like chewy.

Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch, you've been Chili Tried and recommended for those who love some crunch. I'm giving you three chilis.

Nesquik Chocolate

Chocolate milk, to me, is one of those necessary evils moms take on when trying to ensure their offspring eat healthy food and drink healthy liquids. Sure, I make my kids drink plain ol' milk (gasp!), but I do like to throw them a bone and let them have chocolate milk every once in a while just to change it up a bit. Of course, that doesn't mean I like to throw the nutrients out the window. I try to choose a chocolate powder that will add vitamins. So far, that powder has been Ovaltine. However, I was recently asked to review the new Nestle Nesquik Chocolate powder with 25% less sugar. I was pleased with what we tasted.

Wild Thing and I did a taste test (I assure you it was highly scientific) with Ovaltine and Nesquik. We put the suggested amounts of Ovaltine (4 Tblsp) and Nesquik (2 Tblsp) in two fancy glasses (what's the point of having fancy milk without the fancy glasses?). We poured in the milk and stirred it up. Then we took turns drinking the chocolate milks.

Here's what we found:

• Nesquik was not as dark as Ovaltine.
• Nesquik was sweeter than Ovaltine.
• Nesquik was not as thick as Ovaltine. (I, however, think this was a pro, not a con.)

For me, Ovaltine has been the standard in chocolate milk because it offers so many vitamins. To do a true product review of Nestle Nesquik Chocolate powder I feel I must compare it directly to Ovaltine. The bottom line is that Ovaltine offers a higher percentage of more vitamins. On the other hand, Nestle Nesquik Chocolate powder has fewer calories, less sodium, and less sugar than Ovaltine. And Wild Thing seemed to prefer the taste of the Nesquik.

Nestle Nesquik Chocolate powder, you've been Chili tried and recommended. If you aren't concerned with the vitamins in chocolate milk or are giving your child(ren) a vitamin supplement, I think Nestle's Nesquik Chocolate with 25% less sugar is the way to go. My kids really liked it and I would buy it again. I'm giving Nesquik four chilis.

Fiber One Raisin Bran

I love raisin bran. I also love crunchy cereals. When I received Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters I was eager to try it because it was both raisin-y and crunchy. And it has over 40% of your daily fiber (11 grams per serving). Who doesn't need a little fiber?

The first time I tasted this cereal I was overwhelmed by the fake maple taste and smell. I ate it with no added sugar or Splenda. It wasn't bad, it was simply OK. I was determined to try it several times, though.

The next day I tried it again and added Splenda. It was better, I thought, with a little sweetener.

Actually, as I've eaten it every day, I like it more and more. It is more substantial than regular raisin bran cereals. There are little nutty clusters and the flakes seem to be sturdier (if you can call cereal sturdy). It doesn't get soggy in milk. Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters also has a ton of vitamins: A, D, B6, B12, Calcium, Iron, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folic Acid, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Zinc, and Copper.

Overall, I like it. I don't eat a lot of cereal because I try to stick to The South Beach Diet, but I would eat this again.

Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters, you've been Chili Tried and recommended. I'm giving you three chilis.

Fruity Cheerios

It doesn't take much to get me to review food. I'll pretty much try anything. The bonus in this case was that it was cereal and my kids could help me evaluate it.

I'll admit, too, that when I heard this product was a fruity version of Cheerios, I was already on board. We love Cheerios. All kinds of Cheerios. A new flavor of Cheerios was right up our alley and I couldn't wait to receive the free sample.

The day after the sample arrived in the mail I set it on the table before breakfast. When the kiddos came down, they couldn't wait to eat. How would it taste? Is it like Froot Loops? Hey! I want some too!

Everyone tried a bit without milk and decided it did not need extra sugar. Bonus! It wasn't that it tasted sugary, but it was just sweet enough that we didn't need to help it along. It wasn't as sugary as Froot Loops, but it wasn't as sugar-less as regular Cheerios. It was perfectly in the middle. From the marketing rep that contacted me: "Fruity Cheerios cereal combines whole grains and 100 percent real fruit juice for a cereal that has 25 percent less sugar than the leading fruit-flavored cereal." Those are all good things.

As I ate my bowl, I noticed the orange flavor seemed to be a bit strong. After a few more bites, though, I was used to it and basically enjoyed my breakfast. The kids, on the other hand, raved about it. In fact, that sample box of cereal (a regular-sized box mind you) was gone in two days.

When I had to go to the store for more cereal, both kids asked for more Fruity Cheerios. I was happy to oblige since it was less sugary than our usual fare.

My only concern is the price, but then, I'm annoyed with how expensive all cereals are, not just Cheerios or Fruity Cheerios. I just don't think it's necessary to pay so much for a box of cereal and the marketing that goes with it. That's my own little issue. You'll notice I still by it.

Fruity Cheerios, you've been Chili tried and recommended. I give you four chilis. You should try it as a less-sugary alternative to those Froot Loops.

TrueBlue Juices

I've heard many a friend and acquaintance extol the beauties of the blueberry: natural sweet taste, important antioxidants, they go with everything (oatmeal, pie, Cheerios...), yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. Frankly, if there was choice (say cherry pie vs. blueberry pie) I'd always chose whatever wasn't blueberry because I thought they were tart. I know, I know: this is where you all start for the comment button and tell me how wrong I am. Just hold your daggone trigger fingers a minute!

A few weeks ago Dan over at TrueBlue asked me to review his company's blueberry juices. Never being one to pass up free food or drink I said, "Bring it!" A few days later I received two 16 oz. bottles from TrueBlue: one blueberry juice, one blueberry pomegranate.

On Dan's recommendation I made sure I refrigerated the juices before trying them. The next morning I called the kids down to breakfast and proceeded to use them as guinea pigs offer them a chance to try something new with me. Hey! Mikey likes it! Hey Mikey! Both of my kids loved the plain blueberry juice. In fact, Wild Thing declared, "It's better than french fries! . . . Well, maybe not better, but pretty good!" High praise. I decided I better keep the rest of the bottle for myself. So I waited until the kids were off to school and quietly finished the bottle on my own.

Here's the bottom line on TrueBlue Blueberry juice: It's sweet. Reeeeally sweet. And it's good. However, I'm not a big soda drinker and I don't usually care for super sweet drinks. I liked this though. I don't think I could drink it every day because it would be too sweet for me. However, if you're looking for something sweet and want to cut the soda, this may be what you're looking for. The thing to keep in mind with this drink is that it has no high fructose corn syrup. That's a rarity these days, is it not?

Later that afternoon I was drawn to the refrigerator for the second bottle of TrueBlue. This one was Blueberry Pomegranate. Hmmm. I've had pomegranate before...like ten years ago. I furtively checked to make sure no little eyes were watching (the kids were now home from school) and opened the second bottle. I took a drink. Holy tartness, Batman! This stuff is delicious! I drank that bottle without sharing or remorse. Then I checked the front porch to see if I had missed any other bottles. Surely this couldn't be the end of my TrueBlue odyssey? Alas, that was the case. I had chugged my only two bottles without regard to what I would do tomorrow.

Then common sense set in. (I am nothing if not eventual.) I resolved to buy more at the store. The problem? TrueBlue is not available in a handful of states (mine included). Fear not, though, you can hound your local grocery store manager with forms from TrueBlue requesting that your store start carrying these drinks. Which is what I did. You can see if a store near you has TrueBlue on this page.

In addition to my review, here are some interesting little Danno anecdotal tidbits that also may be of interest to you:

• Each 64 oz. bottle of TrueBlue Blueberry contains the juice from 1 lb. of blueberries!
• Each 16 oz bottle of TrueBlue Blueberry has as much juice as a full serving of fresh blueberries.
• Blueberries are naturally more sweet tasting than say, cranberries for cranberry juice, so less sugar is needed to deliver a lip-smacking juice.  And the neat part is that TrueBlue is made with real cane sugar, and not the typical high fructose corn syrup used in other juices and beverages.
• Small recommendation for the tasting -  Give the bottle you sample time to chill in the refrigerator.  Also, just like orange juice I don't recommend brushing your teeth or eating chocolate right before you try.

So, TrueBlue, you've been Chili tried and recommended. I'm giving each flavor three chilis because they aren't readily available to all (which was a major bummer for me) and because they are a little too sweet for me. Trust me, though. You should definitely try these. Let us know in the comments what you think.

TrueBlue Blueberry:
TrueBlue Blueberry Pomegranate:

Thomas' 100 Calorie English Muffins

A few days ago I reviewed Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbites. Today I'll tell you about their 100 Calorie English Muffins.

Thomas' may just be my new best friend when it comes to bread. This company is really trying to meet the demands of our society and bring us healthy products. Whether you're doing South Beach like me, or Weight Watchers like many of my friends, or just trying to eat healthier, I think you'll find what you're looking for if you buy Thomas' products.

Here's the nutrition information for the 100 Calorie English Muffins:

• Serving size: one muffin
• Calories: 100 (it's in the title, folks)
• Total fat: 1g
• Trans fat: 0g
• Total carbs: 24 (remember, though, these are the good carbs that aren't full of sugar)
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 4g

What that means is these English muffins are good for you. They work within Phases 2 and 3 of South Beach and they are only ONE POINT for you WW people. When was the last time you had an entire English muffin for one point? That's what I'm sayin'.

The taste of the muffin is nothing really noteworthy. It tastes fairly bland like all other English muffins. However, I'm willing to bet your brand doesn't have the nutrition Thomas' offers. The bottom line is this: if I'm going to buy English muffins (or anything, really) for my family, I'd like it to be as nutritious as possible. I think you have that in Thomas' 100 Calorie English Muffins.

I don't recommend them quite as heartily as I recommended the Mini Squares Bagelbites, but I do think they are worth buying and checking out if you're an English muffin fan.

Thomas' 100 Calorie English Muffins, you've been Chili tried and recommended.

Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbread

A few weeks ago I was asked to review Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbread and Thomas' 100 Calorie English Muffins. Ahem. Did someone said bread? Count me in. I was a little unsure at first, though, because I really have been trying to stick to the South Beach diet plan (per doctor's orders) since October. I have practically cut out eating bread because I can't find any that fits the whole-grain recommendation of the SB plan. That's not the case any longer, thanks to Thomas'.

Let me get this out of the way first: Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbread are heaven for me. They are the right size, the right softness, the right nutrition, and definitely the right taste. These are delicious.

The name "Mini Square" is a misnomer in my opinion. This bread isn't the size of those mega bagels you can buy, but they aren't miniature, either. They are just the right size for a sandwich that will satisfy you.

Speaking of satisfaction (which goes hand-in-hand with nutrition for me), let's have a breakdown of the nutrition, shall we? As a mom, the nutrition factor is big with me and I'm sure you're the same way.

• Serving size: one bagel
• Calories: 150
• Total fat: 1g
• Trans fat: 0g
• Total Carbs: 30g (but remember, these are the good carbs from whole grains, not sugar)
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein 7g

Do you remember when I was telling you that most wheat bread is just brown white bread and is really full of sugar instead of whole grains? This ain't that. Mini Squares Bagelbread is made with whole wheat flour and has a whopping 31g of whole grains per serving. You can feel good about eating this bread and feeding it to your family.

Those of you doing South Beach, this bread should fit the bill when you want a "real" sandwich instead of a wrap during Phases 2 and 3. Those of you doing Weight Watchers, an entire Mini Square is only ONE POINT. So enjoy a sandwich! And trust me, you will totally enjoy your sandwich if you make it on Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbread.

My only complaint is that Mini Squares Bagelbread is not in stores quite yet. What?!? I'm jonesin' for some Bagelbread. This product should be making a debut at a store near you in about two weeks. That can't come soon enough. I gave some of my Bagelbread to my MIL before I realized my mistake and now I have to wait until it's in stores before I can replenish my stock. I'm not sure I can wait that long.

Thomas' Mini Squares Bagelbread, you've been Chili tried and highly recommended.