Pepsi Next

Pepsi's new soda for 2012 -- Pepsi Next -- actually makes me feel like I'm time traveling back to roughly 2004; way back in the earlyish days of the turn of the century. (And now I am making us all feel old...sorry.) Back then both Pepsi and Coke debuted products that were not quite "diet" colas, yet not quite full calorie colas either. Remember those? Their lack of specific gender, if you will, made them strangely androgynous and hermaphroditic in a way -- kind of like what Justin Bieber would be if he were a beverage.

Well, the Pepsi Edge of yesteryear has evolved to become this decade's Pepsi Next. Pepsi Edge had 70 calories per can (or 12 ounces). and was sweetened with a blend of high fructose corn syrup and Sucralose. Its "benefit" was that it was supposed to taste more like regular Pepsi while not having all of the calories and carbs of the regular version. Pepsi Edge was discontinued in 2005 (as was Coke's competing soda, C2 -- and later that year both Pepsi Max and Coke Zero were launched, and are still going strong today). Apparently, sales were sluggish, and the most common comment I remember hearing at the time was "If I wanted a diet soda I would just drink one."

Anyway, here we are in 2012 with Pepsi Next. It has 60 calories per can (or 12 ounces) and has what could be a boy band worth of sweeteners -- four total. HFCS, Sucralose, Aspartame & acesulfame potassium are all combined in the hopes of making it taste more like a full calorie soda, but with less calories and carbs.

At least as far as the numbers go, it succeeds. A 12 ounce serving of regular Pepsi has 150 calories and 41 grams of carbs. The issue is -- how many people will this really appeal to? I am admittedly a diet soda drinker (and when I drink regular Pepsi, it is the Pepsi Throwback...sooo worth the calories!), so I don't mind the flavor of diet sodas. But I have noticed that my friends who only drink "regular" tend to dislike the artificial flavor that sweeteners give. If it gets past the "why?" factor, it will of course be the taste that makes or breaks it.

So how does Pepsi Next taste?



It does seem to have a cola taste that is closer to regular Pepsi than Diet Pepsi. (I haven't had Pepsi Max in so long I can't remember it sizes up). There is also a distinct lemony note, even though no such thing is listed on the label. It's more noticeable than that of Pepsi/Diet Pepsi as a rule, but not as strong a lemon as Pepsi Twist had. (And where can I sign a petition to bring that back?!) On one hand, I like the idea of a lemony cola. What I don't like here is that the lemon note is pleasant at first, and then dissolves into a nasty chemical aftertaste.



The carbonation is also dialed down. (It does make an impressive head when poured into a glass, but that head collapses in literally three seconds.) I know a lot of people will like that, because it makes it easier to guzzle without thunderous elephantine belching like I imagine Kim Kardashian does when the cameras are turned off. (Cease and Desist letter in 3...2...1...) For me this is neither a breaking nor a selling point. It's not a bad soda; it just doesn't rock my world. I could be wrong, but I'll give this a year, tops, on the shelf. I just don't see there being enough of a market for a half-cal option. Personally, I would rather just have a smaller portion of Pepsi Throwback.

Be sure to check out these reviews from The Impulsive Buy and Grub Grade.



PURCHASED FROM: CVS

PRICE: $1.25

CALORIES: 100 calories per 20 ounce bottle.

ADDITIONAL INFO: Contains phenylalanine.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: pepsiusa.com

MASH: Grapefruit Citrus Zing

Yes, I love New York. I think everyone who reads this blog knows that very well. But one of the few things that I hate about New York is that sooner or later, small neighborhood stores that I have loved going to, visit after visit, almost always end up changing from cute little independent local spots to just another national chain outlet that I can easily go to at home.

That's sort of what happened to my favorite little bodega (mini-mart to the rest of us). Honestly, the service had been bad, the prices were kind of high, and the food tended to be out of code...but what they did have going for them had been the Universe's biggest selection of Snapple (as well as many other soft drinks, both popular and obscure). I could always find something interesting there. Well, times have changed since my last visit, and the location is now a rather generic cafe/sandwich place. The sandwiches aren't bad and the staff is a heck of a lot nicer, so it's not a complete loss. But sadly gone is the amazing drink selection.

They did, however, have the MASH line, which I have never seen before.

MASH, according to the bottle blurb, is meant for everyone. It's not a soda nor is it 100% juice. And it also boasts of being a low calorie option. Yeah, we are going to get to all of that in a second...

Anyway, I happen to like grapefruit juice -- or even grapefruit soda -- so I thought I would start there.



The drink is only very lightly carbonated, which I really liked. It's pretty much a known fact to long time readers, but I will repeat myself: I am one of those people who like my carbonated beverages on the slightly flat side, so whenever something is already going easy on the bubbles that works for me.

The grapefruit flavor comes across as very natural. It's got just a slight bitter edge with no aftertaste. If you've ever eaten a really ripe, fresh pink grapefruit and sprinkled it with sugar, and then drank the juice that stays in the rind...well it tasted pretty close to that. It is a sweetened drink ,but it uses sucralose (AKA Splenda) as the sweetener rather than HFSC or even regular sugar. Personally, I can live with that, as I am one of those people that don't mind or notice the taste of Splenda/sucralose (it's my sweetener of choice for coffee, actually).

I liked the body of it. It wasn't as thick and filling as a juice, and yet it was as sweet and as bubbly as a (somewhat flat) soda. I actually went through several of these over the course of my stay. New favorite grapefruit beverage, hands down!



Remember I said we could get back to a couple things that bothered me? Well, here goes: The first thing being that the label says it's not soda, but it's not 100% juice either. Actually, the label calls it a "water drink." Well, a water drink that uses sparkling water (AKA carbonated water...gee, kinda like SODA!). Interesting choice of words there. While I certainly wouldn't exactly call it a soda, considering that it contains only one per cent actual juice, I think they were creatively dressing the proportions. After all, soda as a soft drink choice is starting to go down the same dark, scary back alley that trans-fats and other delicious but questionably beneficial items go to flash their wares while hiding from the fuzz.

This also extends to the calorie count. I understand that at the moment there is a lot of pressure on manufacturers to make everything as low-cal as possible (because we certainly can't expect people to just, ya know, be responsible for their own portion control) and the bottle boasts that the drink is a mere 40 calories a serving! Problem is, the bottle is 20 ounces, and the serving is considered to be 8 oounes...so there are 2.5 servings per bottle. Now, really -- how many people are going to actually pour out the precise 8 ounce serving? Yes, I realize a small percentage will. But let's be honest; most people are just downing the entire bottle. Would it really be that horrible a sin to list the true calorie count of 100 calories for the entire bottle? 100 calories as to compared to your average soft drink is still pretty damn good!

I'm not basing the rating on anything other than the flavor -- but clearly I am annoyed by the trend of creatively wording the blurb and manipulating the serving size to keep the food police happy. A pox upon both or however many houses they have!



PURCHASED FROM:
94 Corner Cafe (94th & Broadway, New York City)

PRICE:
$1.99

CALORIES:
40 Calories per 8 oz. (or 100 for the entire bottle)

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Kosher, sweetened with sucralose

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
drinkmash.com

Sierra Mist Natural

I may be a diehard Coke drinker, but I really have to give Pepsi props for their continuing use of real sugar over HFCS in special editions of their products.

Sierra Mist is a relatively new member of the Pepsi family, having been launched in 1999 (to replace lemon-lime Slice) and gone national in 2003 or so. With that in mind, since there was never a version made with sugar, it was clear that they couldn't call this part of the Throwback line. Instead, it is joining Pepsi Natural as a new Natural edition. And let's be honest: the very name "Sierra Mist" already sort of conjures up a kind of crunchy, hippie vibe for me anyway.

I should also be honest, that while I looooooooove the Sierra Mist Diet Ruby Splash, I have never been a huge fan of the original Sierra Mist. For me it's been because the carbonation has always seemed on the flat side -- which I normally like, but in this case it does nothing for me. The lemon-lime flavor seems a bit diluted, and I tend to think there's a funky aftertaste. Sorry guys, but I prefer the stronger, more carbonated Sprite Zero, or even regular HFCS sweetened Sprite better. But how could I resist giving Sierra Mist a second chance when it was made with real sugar?



So how did it taste?

Well, better than hippie bathwater, I will give it that...

Okay, seriously though, all the things I already did not love about the "old" Sierra Mist are still present and accounted for in the Natural version. The lemon-lime flavor is still more muted than I prefer it to be -- but I do have to give it credit at the same time for tasting cleaner and crisper than its HFCS-sweetened sibling. Had it just been stronger, I would have really liked it.

The carbonation is beyond light. When you pour the soda it does foam up, but almost immediately the bubbles die down and the carbonation level drops to almost nonexistent.



I will also give points to the Natural version for managing to do away with the funky aftertaste that I think the "normal" version has -- although I am pretty sure that aftertaste was caused by the HFCS to begin with.

All in all, as much as I applaud the use of actual sugar, I still can't say I am a fan of Sierra Mist...although if I had to drink it, this is the version I would pick.

Be sure to also check out BevReview's take -- which is chock full of info on changes being made to the Sierra Mist line, plus news on the return of the seasonal Cranberry Lime flavor.



PURCHASED FROM:
Target

PRICE
$1.00

CALORIES:
100 calories per 8 ounces.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Caffeine free. No artificial ingredients, colors, flavors or preservatives.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
sierramist.com

Kraft Jet-Puffed SwirlMallows: Caramel & Vanilla Marshmallows

I think we all know by now that if there is a marshmallow type product out there, I will try it. I like them plain, I like them flavored. I liked them chocolate covered. Heck, in a move that surprises everyone, including me, I even like them coconut covered.

So when I saw the new Jet-Puffed SwirlMallows, I had to try them. I picked up a bag of Caramel & Vanilla flavor. (Research showed me that there is also a Chocolate & Vanilla option out there -- and I would have gotten those as well, had I seen them.)

I warn you up front: you will smell the fake caramel aroma right through the plastic bag. In fact, the aroma is so strong that if you are within about three feet of them you will smell them. It's that too-sweet smell that caramel flavored items tend to have, rather than the nice burnt sugar smell of real caramel. Naturally, this was kind of off-putting. I am not exactly expecting hand made artisan caramel here, but the smell is just cloying. It reminded me of cheap air freshener.



They are cute enough, however, with the light brown striping on the outside and tan splotches on the inside.



So, how does it taste? As always with marshmallow products, I tried them both "raw" and "toasted."

RAW: It tastes remarkably like a regular old marshmallow -- except that it does have that "caramel flavor" added to it. It's sort of as if the marshmallows had been lightly soaked in the type of commercial syrup used to flavor coffee. It's not a bad taste, but it's a little stronger than I would like. Kinda forgettable, really.

TOASTED: OK, let me be honest here -- I do not merely "toast" my marshmallows. I incinerate them! I do this to all marshmallows that I eat cooked. I happen to like the crunch and the charred taste that setting them afire and letting them burn beyond recognition brings. And of course that also makes for a really cool flaming marshmallow photo. (Do not try this at home, kids -- I am a somewhat skilled professional.)

(In retrospect, using a real flame on them may have been overkill. The temperature here in my cheerful Southern California town reached 113 degrees F yesterday -- which is 45 degrees Celsius, for my overseas readers -- so I probably could have just left them on the balcony and waited for them to spontaneously combust in the sunlight. Or at least melt into a puddle of disgusting goo. Or both. But let's be honest...playing with fire is just more fun, isn't it?)

Anyway, the flavor rounds out much better when they're toasted. The caramel taste is still present, but it seems more toned down and more like "real" caramel...which it might indeed be, given the carbonized sugar that results. In either case, toasted is definitely the better way to eat them.



I'd be lying to you if I didn't admit that the bag has been snacked out of on a pretty steady clip since I got them. Are they my favorite marshmallows ever? No -- that honor still goes to Vosges for their Caramel Marshmallows -- but I certainly would not complain if a bag "magically" made its way into my shopping basket again.

Be sure to check out Jess's review of the Chocolate & Vanilla variety here.



PURCHASED FROM:
WalMart

PRICE:
$1.00

CALORIES:
100 Calories per 4 pieces

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
kraftfoods.com

Kosher for Passover Coke & Diet Coke

OK guys, this is the last post in our Kosher for Passover week. I told you I was saving my favorite for last. No, I was not in fact able to get my hands on a bottle of The Zohan's favorite soda, "Fizzy Bubblech." I got a hold of my favorite soda: Kosher for Passover Coke!

Those of you who pay attention for such things are probably already well aware that Coke is always kosher. But the normal everyday bottle of Coke -- while still being deliciously tasty, is sweetened with high fructose corn syrup -- and if we've learned nothing else this week, we have still learned that certain grains are considered kitniyot, and yes, corn is one of them. So corn is OK most of the time, but not for Passover.

Kosher for Passover Coke:




Passover brings with it the one time a year that Coke itself keeps things real and sweetens the soda with actual real cane sugar. If you're old enough to remember what Coke tasted like in the days before the sugar was taken out and replaced by HFCS (circa 1985), this is what you remember.

Sadly, the production runs of this type of Coke are very, very small, and seem to be targeted only at the larger metropolitan areas -- and even there, it can be hard to find. For example, I live in a far eastern 'burb of Los Angeles and I couldn't get it locally. I even put a cash bounty out to my friends if anyone could find it and bring it to me. In fact, I got so desperate that I called my local bottler. (Never got a response from them, either. And in a rare lapse of customer service on the part of Coca-Cola's corporate end, I didn't even get an answer from them on where to find some locally to me.) Finally I ended just biting the bullet and driving to the San Fernando valley, which has a significantly higher Jewish population than my area. And there I found what I wanted. The ever fantastic Gelson's Market had more Kosher for Passover Coke than I could shake a stick at.

I know you are probably wondering how to tell the difference between the KFP Coke and the regular the Coke that is always on the shelf, since the label itself (minus the ingredients list) is exactly the same. The answer, my friends, is the cap. The cap for KFP Coke is always different. All of the KFP Coke bottle caps I have ever seen are bright yellow in color and contain Hebrew lettering along with the "U-P" symbol. To make life super easy, I have provided a picture to use for reference:



So I drank some. What more can I say? It was as good as it always is. It has that sugar "bite" that HFCS lacks entirely. This is really old school Coca-Cola, the kind that has otherwise been extinct in the U.S. for more than twenty years.



Do whatever you have to do to find the remaining supplies in your area this year, because it is that good! And now you know for next year. You can thank me by sending bottles to me.



PURCHASED FROM:
Gelson's Market

PRICE:
$1.50

CALORIES:
100 calories per 8 ounces.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Kosher, kosher for Passover.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
cocacola.com



Kosher for Passover Diet Coke:



I have to admit that I can't begin to tell you what's different between this version and the "normal" version. As far as I can tell, the ingredients are the same. And to be brutally honest, it even tastes the same.

Once again, I am going to point the short, stubby finger of shame at Coca-Cola. This was one of the questions I wanted to ask them, and neither my local bottler nor the corporate offices could be bothered to return my phone call or email inquiry. So if anyone out there knows what makes Diet Coke for Passover special, please leave a comment.

Given that I honestly can't tell the difference between this version and the normal version, I am not entirely sure how to review it, let alone rate it. If you have ever had one sip of Diet Coke, you have had this -- so I am just going to leave things at that.

PURCHASED FROM:
Gelson's Market

PRICE
$1.50

CALORIES:
0 calories.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Kosher, kosher for Passover, sugar free, contains phenylalanine.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
cocacola.com

Kosher Macaroons (Manischewitz and Streit's)

There apparently are several types of cookies that can be referred to as macaroons. But as best I could tell, the two most popular are the coconut/almond based macaroon and the also almond-based (and pronounced the same way) French-style Macaron. Truth be told, not exactly being coconut's biggest fan myself (and the fact that the French style kick serious butt), I am firmly planted in the camp of the French version. But even with the coconut, I do have a soft spot for the Passover style macaroons -- but only the commercially pre-made kind. I know that is wrong on at least 20 different levels, but it's true.

Maybe it's because the canisters that they are sold in are so well-sealed that the macaroons stay nice and moist. (Maybe forever?) Conversely, the homemade or even bakery versions I have had tended to be on the dry side.

There are literally dozens of versions out there, but I picked up two of my favorite flavors. We have the ever popular Manischewitz brand with their version of almond, and then we have Streit's chocolate. We'll start with Manischewitz...



Manischewitz Almond Macaroons:



I like almost any baked good that uses almond paste (or almond flour) as a rule. And I love the smell when you open the seal on these. It's like concentrated marzipan.

Each Macaroon is about the size of a U.S. quarter coin in diameter, only puffy. The tops are nicely browned.



Each macaroon is super soft and moist (but not greasy). There is a slight crunch from the coconut...but not so much that even a coconut hater like me objects.



The taste is a combination of sweet almond (with that slight cherry taste that almond has) and a tiny bit of coconut. I really loved these. If you have never had a macaroon before, this is the one I would start with.



PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket

PRICE:
$3.99

CALORIES:
100 calories per 2 macaroons.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Parve, kosher, trans-fat, contains coconut, egg, and wheat.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
manischewitz.com





Streit's Chocolate Macaroons:

Streit's macaroons are slightly wider (closer to a half-dollar size), but more dense than the Manischewitz.

Opening the container you get the classic smell of the combination of coconut and chocolate.



Streit's is another company that has been making fantastic Jewish food products since roughly the dawn of time (well, 1925). To put it into more mainstream context: if Manischewitz is like Coke and Kedem is Pepsi, then Streit's is the Dr. Pepper.

Streit's is also the brand of macaroons whose chocolate flavor I like the most.



The bite on these macaroons is just as moist as the Manischewitz -- but there is a stronger sense of coconut. Texture-wise I am going to give the advantage to the almond Manischewitz. They are a little more crunchy -- by which I mean crunchy in the fibery sense, rather than like a potato chip (or like raw coconut).

The flavor is very much a fudgy cocoa type of chocolate rather than a milk chocolate. It's almost got the slight bitterness to it that actual cocoa powder has. The coconut flavor is there, but it's not so strong that it makes you think you're eating some sort of Mounds cookie (although I know there are people who would kill for that).



Admittedly, side by side, I give the Manischewitz almond the edge because of my love of marzipan. But if you prefer chocolate, you should definitely try the Streit's.



PURCHASED FROM:
Vons Supermarket

PRICE:
$0.99

CALORIES:
100 calories per 2 macaroons.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Contains eggs and nuts, sulfite free, gluten free, kosher, parve.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
streitsmatzohs.com

Peeps: Vanilla Creme Hearts

I know Valentine's Day has come and gone, and with it all the forced romance and tensions it brings (can you tell it is not my favorite holiday?). Still on my quest to try more of the Peeps offerings (and my desire to light candy on fire), I have in my hot little hands a package of the Peeps Vanilla Creme Hearts.



Hmm. These might have been the right Valentine candy for me. Each smooshy white heart has little red speckles on it -- sort of like a case of self-induced Ebola, brought on as a means of suicide as a viable alternative to sitting through one more Meg Ryan movie where she's just sooooooo-o-o-o-o-o damn cute and perky, and yet that mean old Tom Hanks doesn't realize it until three quarters of the way through, and then she may not like him anymore, and then they FINALLY get together and...oh hell, if you don't get the point as to why I would rather have Ebola than sit through that, I don't know what blog you've been reading. And if you dare criticize that ridiculous run-on sentence in this context, I shall wish Ebola upon you.



So how do they taste?

Well, let's talk about the smell first. It is like a mix of vanilla frosting and store brand marshmallows. It's sweet, but in a good way. It reminded me a lot of some perfume aimed at tweens.



That's actually kind of how they tasted, too. And once again, I mean that in a good way. The flavor is strongly on the fake vanilla side -- OK, check that. It's entirely on the fake vanilla side. But it's one of those times when it was just so bad and fake that it was kinda good. It's basically like somewhat solidified, canned vanilla frosting.

Now -- as has become customary on my Peeps reviews -- what happens when you attempt to "toast" them? Remember, kids, Gigi is not saying it is a good idea to play with fire. And toasting of anything should only be done by adults under the strictest of safety. And if you do it anyway and burn your house down, remember I told you not to be a dumb ass.



These Peeps were more flame-resistant than their strawberry siblings, but not as tough to ignite as the Chocolate Mousse Reindeer. They will in fact catch fire, although a bit weakly (which the reindeer wouldn't do at all).

I liked the taste of the Vanilla Creme toasted. It caramelizes easily and tastes more like a regular marshmallow. I may have toasted several just to triple check my opinion on this...

Of the flavored Peeps this one is the best I have had so far!



PURCHASED FROM:
Shop Rite

PRICE:
$.97

CALORIES:
100 calories per 3 heart serving

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Fat free, gluten free

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
marshmallowpeeps.com

O.N.E. Cashew Fruit Drink

Did you know that cashew nuts actually grow attached to a fruit? (Well, to be picky, a pseudo-fruit...but we'll get to that). Well, I didn't! As far as I knew, they were birthed by little blue cardboard containers...but apparently that is not the case. Oh well.

To break down a whole lot of information that I am sure Alton Brown would find fascinating (and could explain far better), the cashew nuts that we all know and love are actually the main fruit of the tree they grow on -- the Anacardium occidentale -- which we are going to be lazy and simply call "the tree." The cashew itself grows in a double shell, and once the cashew has gotten past its "rotten teenager" stage but is not quite a ripe "wise adult," the bottom of the stalk of the nut begins to swell and grows into a fruitlike tumor. ("It's not a toomah!" -- a cookie if you know the movie). OK, I am sure the cashew growers of the world didn't appreciate me calling their fruit a tumor, but if they thought I was missing a pop culture reference, they are clearly not reading the same blog and should head for classier pastures.

In any case, the fruitlike by-product of the cashew is commonly called a "cashew apple." By all accounts I can find, it is not only quite tasty but packed with all sort of vitamins and nutrients. It seems the fruit itself is on the delicate side and does not appear to be mass marketed, but is beloved in the countries the nuts are grown. I could be wrong -- for all I know, your local Whole Foods has a rack of them on sale right now -- but as far as web research went, that doesn't sound likely. If you really want to know more about cashew apples, there were 2,200,000 Google results on the topic, so you could have a few years of reading ahead of you.

So that brings us to this juice made by O.N.E. (which Whole Foods did in fact have a rack of), protected by the magic that is the Tetra Pak. The package makes some pretty impressive claims -- such as that the average cashew flower has more vitamin C than an orange. (Although it does not claim that the pack of O.N.E. juice has that much.) It is fat free, gluten free, and it may help ease sore throats, calm the tummy and promote healthy skin.

It might well do all of those things, and more -- but how does it taste?



The juice looks like really cloudy pineapple juice, and it smells sour. Sour as in a spoiled dairy sort of way. It's enough to give you pause and make you wonder if you should really be drinking this.

Honestly, the first few sips are just plain bad. I kept drinking it only because I could not really describe the flavor. But once you wrap your mind around the fact that the smell and the taste don't entirely match, it does grow on you. (Kinda like a tumor?)



The main flavor reminds me most of honey. Not plain honey, but a flavored honey -- though I couldn't put my finger on what that flavor was. Then it finally came to me that the extra flavor reminds me of peach pits. Have you ever been eating a peach, and as you get to the meat that's clinging to the pit, the flavor of the peach seems to become less sweet, more sour, and a tad citrusy? Well, think of that peach pit, combine it with honey, and that taste is what this drink reminded me of. I can see where some people wouldn't be able to get enough of this juice. Me? I did get enough, thank you. It's not that I thought it was bad, it was just not something I could see myself downing on a regular basis.

Different, but ultimately boring and entirely forgettable.



PURCHASED FROM:
Whole Foods

PRICE:
$1.99

CALORIES:
100 per container (11.2 fluid oz)

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Fat free, gluten free, contains a ton of vitamins, and purports to be non-allergenic

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
onenaturalexsperience.com

Slim-Fast Peanut Butter Crunch Time Snack Bar

I would like to tell you that, like yesterday's review of the Milky Way Simply Caramel bar, this was an envy review on my part based upon all the Slim-Fast reviews that Jim has been doing lately. But no, I am really doing it because I got it for free at my local supermarket.

I have actually used the Slim-Fast line from time to time. I can't say that I've ever lost weight this way, but there was a time when for medical reasons I was stuck with liquids only, and I used the Slim-Fast shakes as meal replacement.

I have had some of their snack line before as well. I didn't love it, but for the most part it's not awful. This bar is part of their new "3-2-1 plan." Honestly, I could have done more research on it...but, I won't be going on it personally, and you all know how to Google.

Peanut Butter Crunch Time is a slim small mockolate-covered bar that has a tightly compressed peanut butter wafer-type center. The whole thing comes in at only 100 calories.



But how does it taste?

Surprisingly, not bad!

The mockolate is just that: mockolate. Yeah, it's sort of chocolate-like. It's a very thin layer, and I think that works to the bar's advantage. There isn't enough of it to really dislike much. I will also give it points for not being oily or throat-burningly sweet.



The peanut butter wafer center's taste and texture were damn near identical to a the center of one of those candy bars Bart Simpson chomps down while reading the latest Radioactive Man. But it's neither as sweet nor as thick. It's nutty and there's sort of a toffeelike butter flavor. It's also a little salty, and I always like salt with my peanut butter.

I was honestly surprised at how good these were. Yes, for the same hundred calories you could have a "Fun Size" version of "the real thing." But I have to say that if you must eat mockolate (Really? Must you?), I preferred Slim-Fast's version. The center was close enough that, apart from the lesser thickness, you may not notice much difference between this bar and a full fat candy bar.



PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Campbell's Select Harvest Chicken with Egg Noodles Soup

So it's late fall. Thanksgiving is almost here, it's a nippy 62 degrees in Los Angeles (hey, that's nippy by local standards!) and it was dark by about 5:00 P.M. Sounds like a soup night to me! Well, tonight's soup is one from Campbell's Select Harvest line. I chose the Chicken with Egg Noodles.

The nice thing about the Select Harvest line is that it features 100% natural ingredients, no MSG (should you be trying to avoid it), and the meat -- chicken, in this case -- is roasted breast.

First thing that I liked is that the carrots, the celery, the noodles and the chicken chunks were huge. We're not talking about some teeny-tiny little shreds here; we are talking serious chunks. It really made the soup look homemade.



There are some other noticeable differences between this Chicken with Egg Noodles and the classic Campbell's Chicken Noodle (or even the Chunk Healthy Request Chicken Noodle).

The first is the broth. It's a little thicker. The chicken also seems leaner and more like what would be found in a homemade soup. It's a little dry...but I personally like my chicken dry, so that's perfectly fine with me.



The broth overall has a taste that I can best call "roasty." Yeah, there's some sage in there (or something that tastes like sage -- the ingredients list includes "spice," but it doesn't specify which ones). There's also a little onion. But the strongest flavor just seems to be essence of roast. In theory, roasted chicken -- but it's not a complex enough flavor that I could really say for sure. It overpowers everything to the point that "roasted" is really the only thing you can taste.

The noodles were good, perfectly tender, and there's a very generous portion of them. I am sure that egg noodles are what my bubbe would have used...if I had a bubbe, that is. (My grandmother made clam sauce, not soup!)

But while I really liked the big chunks and the quality of the ingredients, I can honestly say I prefer the taste of classic Chicken Noodle or the Chunky Healthy Request Chicken with Noodles. If you like that "roasty" flavor, you may love this one. Sadly, I really didn't care for it.



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