Things I Am Loving This Week

This “Things I Am Loving This Week” is brought to you from high above the ocean as I fly to Portland for Christmas on what started out as a very nasty, bumpy flight—ugh, but now has calmed down somewhat—at least enough to write this post. I wasn’t going to squeeze a “TIALTW” post in this holiday week but since I did have a couple of food-related things I really do love, I thought I should go ahead and share them.

First up, I have a passion for peppermint bark--there is something about the dark chocolate bottom, covered with a layer of white chocolate and topped with broken pieces of candy cane that makes it feel like Christmas. When I saw that Häagen-Dazs had a Limited Edition Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, I had to try it.


Their version has a white chocolate base with small pieces of peppermint bark and candy canes mixed in. Delicious—the balance of the white chocolate and peppermint really works and it is neither too sweet nor too sharply peppermint. In fact it is the kind of creamy, zingy ice cream I could learn to love—luckily it is only available for a limited time. My only complaint is that it needs just a bit more peppermint bark, or bigger pieces of it. If you are a fan of peppermint or peppermint bark, I recommend finding a pint to try and enjoy.

Speaking of the peppermint bark that I love so much, it is not a good thing for me when I am trying to eat healthy as it usually comes in big tins that I could easily plow through, self-imposed sugar restrictions be damned! But since I do need just a bit for the holidays I was happy to find these individual packets of Jo’s Candies Natural Peppermint Bark at Whole Foods.

One square is 150 calories and it is a nice smooth chocolate with good flavor too. The good-sized piece more than satisfies my craving (actually half of it does with the other half saved for later), without all the damage that a whole tin would bring. Love them!

Finally, I’m not sure it’s a true love, but I have a need to travel with healthy snacks at all times as the thought of being stranded somewhere hungry makes me nervous. Hungry means low blood sugar and low blood sugar makes me grumpy. Put it this way, you wouldn’t like me when I am hungry—trust me in this. Also hungry means bad choices, like fast food and other bad airport selections. To combat this I put together little travel snack packs or survival kits in Ziploc bags that go on the plane with me so I thought I would show you one. Mind you it is a five-hour flight to Portland so all of this does not necessarily get consumed, I just like to have options.


What’s in it? Well, of course a Lara Bar (PB&J my new fave), a Kind Fruit & Nut Bar (this one is Macadamia & Apricot), a Sahale Snacks Almond PB & J (almonds and peanuts coated in dried strawberries and raspberries). I also like to take my own tea and just ask for hot water on the plane—in this case I have little “Travelers Tins” of The Republic of Tea’s Pomegranate Vanilla Red Tea (rooibos, hibiscus, pomegranate juice) and Get Charged (rooibos, ginseng, hibiscus, peppermint, blueberry and other good stuff). I like rooibos (an herbal tea or tisane that originated in South Africa), because of all the antioxidants and I try to stay away from caffeine on flights. A couple of Emergen-C packs—this is the Acai Berry flavor, to throw into the bottle of water that I buy once I get in the airport, assorted sanitizing wipes—to wipe down me, the tray tables, etc., mini single-use tooth brushes that are flavored with peppermint, and finally mini Ricola cough drops just in case. So what actually got consumed? Well I was blessed to get upgraded and had a pretty decent meal, (a mini cheese plate, salad and fish) so I used two tea bags, both Emergen-C packs, the Sahale Snacks (in lieu of the pumpkin mousse-thing they were serving on the plane for dessert), plus I used a mini toothbrush and a few sanitizer wipes. For me it is all about loving the feeling of being prepared if I end up delayed or stuck somewhere.

So those are the “Things I Am Loving This Week.” How about you?