Good Press

I went into Wal*mart a little snacky, with homemade Chex Mix on my mind. Then I saw a can of Blue Diamond Almonds Bold Wasabi & Soy Sauce. I bought them and have managed to not eat the entire can at once...just nibbling a few at a time. They really hit the spot when I'm craving something salty and a little spicy. I don't have to eat many to satisfy my munchies. I don't have to feel guilty about snacking because almonds have fiber and are low in fat. Six ounces cost about $3. We don't buy much juice but recently I tried Welch's Black Cherry Concord Grape and it was divine: jammy and luscious. A bit pricey at more than $4 for 64 ounces but there was a $1 coupon on the bottle (which of course the checker didn't acknowledge) but still well worth what I paid for it. I took the coupon back on my next shopping trip but all the bottle of that variety were gone. Then I noticed they had the same flavor and brand of powdered drink mix in little on-the-go packets that y...

It's cooler now in north-central West Virginia than this time last week when record-setting heat made my clothes feel like they were plastic shrink-wrapped to my body. This summer we discovered some low-calorie fruit slushes I make to keep cool. It's also a good and easy way to get in an extra serving of fruit. I'll be honest -- I use real sugar, cane sugar specifically, instead of Splenda. A little bit of natural sugar beats anything artificial, modified or engineered any day. Our favorites are the cherry limeade, peach and watermelon lemonade. I love that they're all made with frozen fruits so I don't have to buy and keep fresh fruit onhand worrying if it's going to spoil before we use it up. The most labor-intensive part is de-seeding the watermelon -- don't be fooled, there ARE seeds in seedless watermelon. But one watermelon, once de-seeded and chunked, has lasted me all summer in the freezer. Whipping up the drinks is so easy I can even let 4-year-old...