Who Likes Pumpkin Flavored Foods?

Tis the season for something pumpkin! We love pumpkin flavored foods around here. When fall comes around we look for our old favorites and even get excited when we see something new hit the store shelves.

We want to share with you a review of some of the pumpkin items that we've had recently.

 

1. The Pumpkin Spice Hershey Kisses

I'm not a fan of the regular Hershey kisses but I will admit that I do enjoy the flavored ones every once in a while.  (Thanks to my Aunt Sandy, I really enjoy the Cherry Cordial ones when I can find them). When I heard of the Pumpkin Spice kisses I knew I had to find them. I went to three grocery stores before I found a bag!  I assumed they would be chocolate on the outside with a pumpkin flavored filling on the inside but that is not the case. The outside is the pumpkin part and the inside is a white cream ( something I would have realized if I would have actually read the bag before eagerly grabbing it off the shelf)!

 

With this, I wanted so desperately to try the Pumpkin Spice M&M's as well but after shopping at three grocery stores I could still not find them. I later read a review that they taste more like chocolate covered Red Hot candies and not like pumpkin. I don't like Red Hots, so with that, my search for them had ended!

 

So final review of the Hershey Kisses: I liked them and certainly ate more than one, but I probably won't be buying them again. One bag of them just to try them out was enough for me!

 

 

 

2.Pumpkin Pie Pop Tarts

 

I really had high hopes for the pumpkin pie Pop Tarts but to tell you the truth, I really didn't like them. I thought maybe they were too dry or something. Since they were a limited edition I stocked up and bought two boxes. I only kept eating them because I felt guilty that they were still sitting in the cupboard! Other limited editions that I might like to try include the Red Velvet and the Sugar Cookie. I can however give a raving review on the Peanut butter Pop Tarts!

So final review of the Pumpkin Pie PopTarts: I wont buy them again. I'll reach for the peanut butter ones instead!


3. Pepperidge Farms Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies

This was a new pumpkin item I've discovered this year! These are SO YUMMY! I bought a bag for my dad because I wanted to share the love of these cookies with someone else and he said these were the best cookies he's ever tasted! They are so moist!  Don't let the Cheesecake in the title throw you off. I don't particularly like cheesecake, but there is nothing about this cookie that tastes like cheesecake. These are also a limited edition. (Note: there are other fall flavors that I have tried as well and the carrot cake ones taste similar to the Pumpkin cheesecake)!

Final Review: I will definitely be buying these again before the end of the season. (Actually I have been trying to limit myself in buying them because I end up eating half the bag in one day which is obviously not a good thing!)

4. Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Bread

Looks like Pepperidge Farm has another winning product here. This is also a limited edition product. This was very yummy and smells wonderful when it is in the toaster. It definitely has a flavor, but not over powering.  So far I've only eaten it as toast. I can't imagine making a sandwich with it. Maybe a peanut butter and some kind of harvest jelly sandwich might be okay.

Final Review: I wanted to taste this item because it was new ( and pumpkin) but if I'm just going to continue to eat it as toast only, I don't think I'll get it again. I'll stick with my English muffins.



5. Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese

I came across this product just by accident and I am so glad I did. This limited edition Pumpkin Spice cream cheese is just a store brand that I found at my local Wal-Mart. This was perfect to spread on the pumpkin bread and the English muffins. ( I may or may not have even eaten in right out of the contain) Actually I've been toasting everything I can find just to put this yummy pumpkin goodness on it. I actually had a recipe ( I think from Better Homes and Gardens) on how to make Pumpkin cream cheese, but to be honest, it required too many ingredients so I never made it. now, I definitely will never make it. It's way too easy to just grab a container of this.

Final review: I will probably buy another contain of this before the end of the week! I just saw that my local grocery store carries it in their store brand as well!  This is a product that I could see myself eating all year long.  Can you freeze cream cheese like this? If so, I might stock up!

6. Thomas' Pumpkin Spice English Muffins

Have you seen these yet? These definitely have a sweeter taste than plain English muffins, but are not overbearing.  I ate a half of one with nothing spread on it just to see what it tasted like and it was quite good. But honestly, after discovering the pumpkin cream cheese, it doesn't matter what flavor the English muffin is. The cream cheese makes everything yummy. Having it on the pumpkin English muffin was even double yummy. I ate two of them for dinner last night!

Final review: These pumpkin spice English muffins are more expensive than the whole grain ones I normally buy. If they go on sale, I'll buy them again. If not, I'll stick with the whole grain ones and just put the pumpkin cream cheese on it.

7. Pumpkin Spice Pancakes from Perkins

Okay, so this isn't a product that you can buy at the store, but they were too good to leave off the list! My husband and I went to Perkins last Sunday and I ordered the Pumpkin Spice pancake platter and it did not disappoint. You could definitely taste the flavoring in the pancakes. I didn't think that I would like the whip cream stuff on top and fully expected to slide it off but surprisingly it made the pancakes taste even better.

Final review: I hope to go back and order this again before they stop serving them.


8. Archer Farms Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal



This is not my photograph

 

I discovered this item last year at Target. This instant oatmeal had an instant pumpkin taste and smell. As soon as the hot water hit it, it made my kitchen smell like I had just lit a pumpkin spice candle! This is perfect for a chilly morning. I was a little hesitant to buy this at first because it is almost $4 a box which to me seems a bit high ( seeing that you can usually buy a box of 8 instant oatmeal packets for about $1.99). But after trying it, I felt that the money was well spent. Afterall, it was like a fall time treat! Sadly the last few times I have been in Target I have not been able to find this oatmeal.  I hope it is so popular that they can't keep it on the shelves and not that they stopped making it!

 

Final review:  I will be buying two boxes next time I can find it!

 

 

9. Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

 

 

It's not fall unless you've had a dish of pumpkin ice cream!  I had the store brand Pumpkin Ice Cream from my local Weis Markets.  Although they did not have any other brands of Pumpkin ice cream at the store I went to, I have since seen advertisements for Edy's and Turkey Hill brands.  The ice cream is a perfect snack when put over those yummy pumpkin cookies.

 

Final review: One or two dishes a season is all I need of this. It isn't something I will be craving.

 

10. Pumpkin Spice Jell-O Pudding

 

 This product is nothing new. I'm sure you've all seen the pumpkin spice pudding over the past couple of years. This is another item that I make sure I stock up on. I have to admit I've never actually ate it as straight pudding. It's used more as an ingredient in my pumpkin flavored baked products. I've made, pies, cookies, and parfaits with it and use it as flavoring in other recipes!

 

Final review: A good staple to have on hand during the holidays. You can find a lot of recipes that call for the pumpkin spice pudding.

 

 

Sorry this review was so long! Hopefully you've found a new pumpkin product you want to try.

 

What are some of the pumpkin products you've seen at the store lately that you've wanted to try?

Are there any other pumpkin items that you'd consider a must try?

Not Your Average Wordless Wednesday!

 

 

So we decided to jump on the blogger bandwagon and do a Wordless Wednesday post but we wanted to add a little flair to it!  This is Wordless Wednesday the Disney Edition guessing game! Take a look at the following five photos and see if you can pin point the exact location of each one. Put your guess in the comment section.  Have fun!

 

 

1.

 

                                                                       
                                                                               2.

 

                                                                              3

 

 

4.

                                                                              5.

So that was pretty easy!  How many did you get right?

Crawlin' Crab Half Marathon

When I was able to get off work early this weekend I was excited, because that meant I was able to run the Crawlin' Crab half marathon in Hampton Va. Because I was not planning on running this race, I had not run for a week prior to this. However, my last long run was 13 miles, so I thought I would do just fine.  My only goal was to beat my Rock and Roll half marathon time from last month.

I signed up for the race right at the expo.  Even though  it was last minute, I had no issue with getting the right size shirt. The lady told me to just go over and pick a size. Good thing it was a small-ish race. There were only a total of 2352 half marathoners. This expo was much smaller than most too. After grabbing my shirt and bib I looked at some of the official crawlin' crab race gear and some expo booths and then it was home to prepare for the big day.

 

We arrived at the race in plenty of time, found a parking spot, and the lines for the restroom was not even long. Soon enough it was time to make my way to the starting line.

 

Because I didn't train specifically for this race , I knew that it was not going to be a PR for me. I just wanted to run and enjoy myself. And that is just what I did. You couldn't have asked for better weather (last year I heard it rained).

It was a beautiful course! It was along the river and mostly flat. I felt great during most of the race.  Because I didn't plan on running this race, I didn't train well. Because of that, I was worried that this race could go either way.  It was either going to hurt me (by not training for it) or I would do great(because I didn't have time to stress about the race). Sometimes I feel like I put too much pressure on myself before races. I always have a goal in mind and if I don't meet that goal I am disappointed in myself. But this was going to be different, because I didn't have much of a goal! Having just signed up the day before, I didn't have that additional stress of the training and worrying about the race months in advance. I didn't have that much time to think about the event before it was taking place.

In additional to taking in the scenery, there were some cheesy riddles along the way such as:
 Where does the crab keep their clothes- In the clawset.
 Where does the crab go for drinks- At the sandbar.
 What is the crab's favorite show-Claw and Order.

 All things crab, afterall it was the crawlin' crab race! After reading a couple riddles I thought it was time to focus more along the course and stop reading.

 

I finished the race about a minute earlier than I did at Rock n Roll. Even though I was not that much quicker than the race prior, I felt much better during this race, and the weather was definitely in our favor this time!

After completing the race. We got a finishing photo and headed in to enjoy the after party. They had corn and crab chowder soup by Baker's Crust and Coors light that was provided to all the participants(since that was the sponsor). While eating and drinking we listened to the band Rich Whiskey.

Our crab and corn chowder in a bread bowl

Cool "Crab" Swag!

 

 

Do you stress too much about races?

~L

Running Like A Girl: Notes on Learning How to Run

Last Thursday I received a package from Simon & Shuster book publishers. I excitedly opened it to see what it was. Inside, I found a complimentary copy of Running Like a Girl : notes on learning how to run by Alexandra Heminsley.

After reading the press release and several lines of praise for the author, I immediately knew this was going to be a fun book to read.
British author, Alexandra Heminsley,  writes so candidly about her running experiences that I almost though this was a book of fiction, but it's not. It is her own personal account.  I have read many books by British author Sophie Kinsella ( The Shopoholic series, Can you Keep a Secret, Remember Me, etc) and this book was written in the same humorous style. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Sophie Kinsella, think Bridget Jones takes on running!

Ms. Heminsley ( or Alex) as she refers to herself in the book, didn't start taking a interest in running until she was in her 30's. She had always admired how energized and refreshed her flat mate (roommate) was after she had returned from a run and was hoping to experience the same feelings once she began her own running journey.  It didn't happen!

Alex set her sights on the London Marathon. As a reader ( and runner myself) I was curious to find out why she didn't start out with a few smaller races and work her way up to a marathon, but  according to the book, the London Marathon was her first attempt at a race.

She discusses her thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences that I assume every woman runner has wanted to know or discuss at some point in their running career. 

She tells about her first experience in a high end running store where she wanted to get a proper pair of running shoes. The sales associate will not help her because she will need to be measured and you have to make an appointment for that. There were no appointments available the day she was there.

She discusses the one thing more important than a proper pair of running shoes is a proper running bra. Did you know you can do more bodily harm running in the wrong bra than in the wrong pair of shoes? Heminsley talks about the unknown damage that woman can sustain while running in an ill fitted bra.

O yes, what happens if you have to go to the bathroom on a long run and you are far from home. She shares her experience with that as well.

Almost any struggle one could have while training for a race, Heminsley experienced, even falling down and having to go to the medical tent during the race.

After her marathon there was a period of time that Heminsley had stopped running and had fallen into a rut. She knew she had completed the marathon so she felt she had nothing else to prove to herself.

Excerpt from the book:
"Why should I be trying sooo hard to get twenty minutes faster? What's the purpose? What would I ever do with that extra twenty minutes?"

(I found that part to be extremely funny because it is the raw truth, but as runners we are always trying to improve our times)

With that being said, she  does go on to talk about how she got back out there and started running again, even completing the San Francisco Woman's Marathon earning herself the Tiffany's necklace.

The second part of Running Like a Girl  is Alexandra Heminsley's tips, tricks, and advice.  She lays it all out there for you on what to expect from your first marathon, what you should eat before, during, and after. She'll give you advice on protecting yourself from injury and other practical running advice. Did you know that rubbing Vasaline on your feet before you put your socks on  can prevent blisters from forming during your run?  She'll tell you what essentials to pack for race day, what to run with, and what to make sure you have waiting for you in your checked bag for afterwards.

Heminsley addresses the truth behind the top 10 running myths ( as far as woman are concerned). Some of these I've heard of and some I have not. Here are just a few.

1. Running will destroy your knees.
2. The high impact of running will give you a saggy face and a saggy behind.
3. Running will make your boobs sag
4. Running makes you pee blood.
5. Running makes your pee smell of ammonia.

She also discusses the most common injuries among runners, how to identify them, and how to best cope with them.

1. IT Band Syndrome
2. Planter Fasciitis
3. Achilles Tendonopathy
4. Piriformis Syndrom
5. sprained ankle

I have known runners who have had these injuries and after reading Heminsley's book I am now surprised how some of them can be so simply rectified or at least managed.


I really enjoyed this book because it was full of useful information yet written in very candid narrative. I loved how honest the author was about her experiences. After reading her words you will truly believe that with the proper training, even you can complete a marathon ( even if you've only ever run a 5k).  This book is certainly not just for the beginning runner, seasoned runners will enjoy her stories and learn some new tips to try as well.

Look for Heminsley's book Running Like a Girl: notes on learning to run on store shelves on October 8, 2013.  This is a very easy read. I read the entire book in one weekend.

Thank you Scribner/Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read/review this great book.
*I was given a free copy of Running Like a Girl: notes on learning how to run.  All opinions are my own.

What is one misconception you've had (or heard) about running?

Things to Know About Disney's Sci Fi Dine In Restaurant

One of the restaurants we most often visit while in Hollywood Studios has got to be The Sci Fi Dine In!  I think it’s the fun atmosphere that keeps drawing us back in. Sometimes we make ADR’s ( Advanced Dining Reservations) for this place and other times we’ve been lucky enough to just go right in without a reservation.

Encouraging Health at Rodale Press: Isn't it a Great Place to Work?

Like I mentioned in my first Runner's World post, Rodale Press is the home for several Healthy Living magazines! The Press definitely practices what they preach!

When I was there for the visit, I was completely impressed with their  Healthy Café!

 

The café uses all natural and organic products in their meals. They grow some of their own fruits and vegetables right on the property and they buy from local farmers when they can.

One of the gardens right outside of the Rodale Press Dinning Room.
Rodale also has an organic farm in Kutztown, Pa.

 

 

After our run with the editor's, we had a chance to get cleaned up and grab some lunch at the café. The special that day was a grilled vegetable Panini, so we decided to give it a try.  The Panini was so yummy and I was glad to see that it came with a side of crispy veggies that I would actually eat and not chips ( like most restaurants would serve with a sandwich).

 

Even sitting in the Rodale Dinning room was so serene!

 

Can you imagine sitting in the dinning room reading inspiring messages? In this dinning room you can. Employees here are actually encouraged to write on the wall.

 

 

 

 

Another detail that I took notice to was that in the woman's restroom they provided all the bathroom essentials to their employees. Do you want to brush your teeth after lunch? No problem, there are tooth brushes and tooth paste provided for you.   Did you spill some of your lunch on your shirt? No problem, they got that covered for you to with the shout wipes!  This place was just nirvana I tell you! 

 

In addition to all of this, Rodale also has a gym for their employees to enjoy free fitness classes everyday and a child care center right next door.  The American Heart Association has named Rodale Press as one of the top Fit Friendly companies!

 

Doesn't all this sound like a dream!

 

 

Many companies have now put forth efforts to encourage their employees to live a healthier lifestyle. What have you seen your ( or your spouse's) company do to help their employees get healthier?

Special Delivery From Run Disney

I was full of excitement yesterday when my package from Run Disney showed up on my doorstep! In my box of goodies from Disneyshopping.com were the new Run Disney Sweaty bands!  Have you seen these?

As soon as I saw these on the website, I knew I had to get one ( or several). I was even pleased to see that the price was cheaper than buying them at an expo! This pleasure was quickly transformed to annoyance when I saw how much I was being charged to ship these little beauties to my home! 

 I debated on whether or not to just chance it and see if I could buy them at the Run Disney Expo in November, or even see if they would have them at the Team Mickey in Downtown Disney. After remembering how hectic the previous expos have been and knowing how little  Run Disney merchandise Team Mickey actually did carry, I decided to just give in and purchase them online. Quite honestly I thought they would sell out!

I knew I definitely wanted the red one to go with the outfit I will be making for Mickey's Jingle Jungle 5k in November. I like that it is kind of like a shiny red and when I put up to some of my dark pink running tops it kind of looks pink too!  Of course I had to get the other colors as well and match them up with other Run Disney running outfits!

More Official Run Disney items can be found HERE

What do you think of the new Run Disney Sweaty bands?  Did you order some?