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Dempster's Garden Vegetable Bread

2013-09-23T09:30:00.002-07:00

The other day my mom sent me on a grocery run. Her list consisted of bread, fruits, and cheese. On my way through the bread aisle, I found out that the grocery store had Dempster's Garden Vegetable Bread on sale ($0.80 off!). I decided that since my mom didn't specify which bread to buy that I would give this one a shot.

I'm always looking for ways to add vegetables into my diet and this bread is made with carrots and pumpkins (along with the standard flour, salt, vegetable oil, etc.) and claims to have a 1/2 serving of vegetables in 2 slices.

The first thing that I noticed about this bread is that the loaf is smaller than my regular whole wheat bread (if I had to guess I'd say a good 4 or 5 slices less). The bread itself has an almost orange appearance with little orange flecks (no doubt from the carrot and pumpkin). The texture was softer than the usual whole wheat bread that I normally purchase and the taste was slightly sweet and very slightly spicy, but I didn't really notice any taste of carrot or pumpkin.

I haven't tried this bread toasted yet, but I find that it makes really great sandwiches. I usually put mayo on one slice, horseradish mustard on the other side, some type of sandwich meat, cheese and lettuce. Both of my sisters and I love sandwiches made with this bread.

I find the original purchase price of this bread a little steep for the amount of bread that you actually get, but I would purchase this bread again if it were on sale -- the grocery stores around my house seem to usually have this bread on sale anyways, last week I purchased two more loaves at 2 for $5.

This bread is great if you are trying to add additional veggies into your diet, but really shouldn't be your main source of vegetables (unless you're planning on eating a loaf or two a day).

Kraft Fruit & Veg Salad Dressings - Garlic Parmesan with Roasted Cauliflower and Fire Roasted Tomato with Basil

2013-04-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

My mom recently went on a shopping spree and came back with two of these interesting dressings: Garlic Parmesan with Roasted Cauliflower and Fire Roasted Tomato with Basil.

There are also two other flavours that I will review once I try them: Berry Balsamic and Roasted Yellow Pepper with Garlic and Lime

These dressings contain no artificial flavors and colors and are each between 25-30 calories per serving. They are low fat and low salt. The Kraft Fruit & Veg dressings are also made with real fruits & vegetables.

Now, I'm a HUGE salad fan so I take any chance I have to try new dressings.

The Garlic Parmesan with Roasted Cauliflower was VERY garlicky. I love garlic so this didn't bother me (in fact I LOVED it!), but if you're not a big garlic fan then you might not like this dressing. I thought that the Parmesan flavour balanced really well with the garlic.

You couldn't really taste the cauliflower, but it did make this dressing very, very thick straight out of the bottle. For me, the texture took some time to get used to since it's almost more of a paste than a dressing, but once I did this dressing was delicious! The thickness of this dressing made it really good for dipping veggies and the garlic and Parmesan make it an excellent companion to mashed potatoes (which consequently, it comes with a mashed potato recipe on the side of the bottle!).

The Fire Roasted Tomato with Basil is great with salads. It does have a tangier flavour and is a bit sharper than other tomato and basil dressings that I've had, but overall it is enjoyable. I like that it has more of a vinegar base as opposed to the others that I've had that were predominantly oil based. This dressing is also a bit spicy, which was a surprise since a lot of the other similar dressings have been almost bordering on bland. This is a refreshing dressing that would be perfect for a summer barbecue (if summer ever makes an appearance!).

Overall, I would purchase these two dressings again. Since these two dressings were so good, I can't wait to try the other two flavours!

Sally Hansen Salon Effects

2013-04-23T16:13:00.001-07:00

The other day I just couldn't get may nail polish to dry so I decided to stop by my local drug store and pick up the Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in Laced Up (shown above). At my local Shoppers Drug Mart, these bad boys will set you back about $10.99 (Canadian) plus tax, although when they're on sale you can probably save a dollar.

The product is described as follows:

Sally knows nails are the best accessory. Now, Sally makes it easy to get a salon effect any time, any place. It wears like nail polish because it IS nail polish. No dry time, so you’re ready to go.

The kit comes with 16 nail strips (varying sizes), a small file, a buffer, a cuticle pusher, and instructions.

The instructions are pretty simple and have 2 steps (Prep and Application).

To prep your nails it is recommended that you start with clean, dry nails. Use the wooden stick provided to push back cuticles, shape free edge of nail with the hot pink side of the file, smooth the surface of the nail with the white side of the file, and lastly use a final swipe of nail polish remover to make sure nails are clean.

The application instructions are:

Select - Choose the best strip for each nail
Peel - Remove the clear protective plastic cover and peel the nail polish strip from the backing paper
Break - choose the side of the strip that best fits the shape of your cuticle. Break the silver tab away from the strip
Apply - Place the strip against the cuticle line. (Press the strip to your nail. Gently stretch the strip over the nail. Firmly smooth over entire nail)
Shape - Smooth excess over nail edges, forming a crease around the edge of the nail. Gently file away excess from nail edge.
Repeat for remaining nails

Application of these strips was pretty easy. They went on fairly painlessly. The hardest part that I found was finding the individual strips that fit each nail. Some strips were way too big (too big = harder to trim down with the wooden stick), while others didn't cover my whole nail and left a little sliver on the side or near the cuticle uncovered (which I easily remedied with some black nail polish as filler - the Laced Up pattern is pretty forgiving to touch ups). Now, I'm a stickler and hate missing a spot on my nail even with regular nail polish so if you're not so OCD about your nails then it's really not a deal breaker and you don't really need to do touch ups.

Although the instructions mention stretching these strips to fit your nail, I found that you have to be very careful about stretching these strips and wouldn't recommend it unless you absolutely have to. It is very, very easy to stretch them too much (even pulling lightly) and overstretching will leave you with an ugly clear spot in the pattern.

The one thing that I do love about these strips is that they are already dry so I don't have to wait and pray that they dry and do not smudge. They also come in a range of pretty cool designs and if you don't want to spend the time or money to visit a nail salon for designed nails then these strips are pretty easy to use.

These strips do come in solid colours too, but personally I would just stick with the patterned ones since it would be cheaper just to buy a bottle of polish if you wanted a solid colour.

The only real downside that I find with these strips is that they are pretty expensive for a one shot deal and on my nails they only last about a week.

I would buy these strips again, but not on a continual basis because of the price. These are going to be my once in a while treat to myself.

Rouge Valley Veterinary Clinic

2013-03-25T16:59:00.000-07:00

I have 2 dogs: a nearly 14 year old Yorkie and a 6 year old Bichon.

A few years ago both of my dogs were going to a different clinic. My Yorkie developed what looked to be an eye infection and the other clinic did a pretty good job in getting it under control with two different eye drops (one to clear the red out and another to be used after the redness was gone); however, a few weeks later it came back. After taking my dog back to the other clinic numerous times they were not able to get his "eye infection" under control, the drops just weren't working this time but they seemed hesitant to try anythig else. Also, he had developed a tooth infection and the other clinic was not even treating him for this, even when he was having trouble eating. I decided it was time for a second opinion!

I first found RVVH on a review website. Everyone was raving about how great Dr. Serge and his team were. I decided that ,even if the reviews weren't true, it couldn't hurt to at least have my dog looked at and RVVH is actually closer to my house than the other vet clinic.

I asked my mother to make an appointment and take my Yorkie in (since I had to work). While in the waiting area my mother struck up a conversation with a woman who was coming in to return some cans of dog food. According to my mother, this woman had a fairly young Golden Retriever that was having severe seizures. The woman had nothing but praise for the care that Dr. Serge and his team provided to her and her dog. She said that Dr. Serge tried everything he could to help her dog, but in the end his seizures had gotten too severe and none of the medications that they tried seemed to help.

When my mother and my dog were called in Dr. Serge was extremely helpful. He did his exam and a few tests and determined that my dogs "eye infection" was due to dry eyes and although my dog was producing tears they were not lubricating and basically just washing out the drops that the other vet clinic had given us. My mom was given a corticosteroid and an antibiotic for my dogs tooth infection and an ointment for his eye. We also got a few cans of my dogs hepatic food, which Dr. Serge said would be better to give him at that point because it would be easier to eat.

Within a day or two my dogs eye had begun to clear up and he was eating better than he had in a month. Amber, the receptionist, even called a few days after our visit to make sure that my dog was doing alright.

From the start we have been very, very happy with the service we have gotten from RVVH. Since then, Dr. Serge performed knee surgery on my Yorkie for a cruciate tear (superdog decided to jump off of the bed) and also managed to get my Bichon's allergic reaction under control (he gets red and itchy at the base of his tail). Every time we visit, Dr. Serge and his staff are always friendly and helpful. When I book an appointment I have never had to wait more than a few minutes to have my dogs seen, which is more than I can say for some clinics where I've had to wait nearly half an hour even with an appointment.

Now, this clinic doesn't look like much from the outside. It is located in a small strip mall and compared to some of the larger vet clinics it does seem pretty small, but the care that my dogs get at RVVH is hands above the other clinics I have taken my dogs to.

Dr. Serge is always willing to answer your questions and truly cares about his patients. This clinic is also one of the cheaper clinics that I've found and Dr. Serge is always willing to work with your budget instead of trying to gouge you for your last cent.

So if you're looking for a great vet in the GTA then please consider RVVH!

111 Island Rd., Unit #8,
Scarborough, ON
M1C 2P7

T: 416 208 7800 F: 416 208 5952

Hagen Marina 5 Gallon Aquarium Kit (Style 5)

2013-03-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Recently I lost my crowntail Betta fish. He lived in a 4 gallon aquarium; however, it was plastic and did not allow for a filter or a heater. Before purchasing my next Betta fish, I decided that I should upgrade my tank a little bit. A filter was definitely the first thing on my list since I really didn't want to be doing 100% water changes all the time and I also needed something small to fit in my bedroom.

Upon visiting my local PJ's Pets I noticed that they had a number of their aquariums and aquarium kits on sale. I really didn't want to spend a bundle on the cutesy orbs or cubes (none of the cubes were really large enough anyways), but then I spotted this cute little 5 gallon aquarium kit.

This kit comes with the following:

a 8 inches long x 16 inches wide x 10 inches tall (5 gallon) aquarium
a full canopy with incandescent bulb
Marina Slim Filter S10 (plus 2 filter cartridges)
a small net
a supply of Nutrafin Max Fish Food
Nutrafin Aqua Plus and Cycle
a thermometer
a care guide

The aquarium itself is solidly built, your classic construction of glass and silicone. The canopy is black plastic with a stainless steel-like decal on the front, but it does have an annoying plastic bubble over the on/off switch. The bulb that comes with the canopy will do for now, but it casts a yellowish tint to the aquarium. The filter is very quiet and does its job pretty well (I have one Betta in my tank so I don't need a full force gun-ho filter and this filter seems to be pretty comfortable for my fish).

One downside to this aquarium is that it does not come with a heater, but I was able to pick up a 25-watt Marina submersible heater at the store. The heaters can be pretty pricy though, even for a small one to heat this aquarium.

Another downside is that it does not come with any gravel or decorations, everything has to be purchased separately. In my case, I had gravel and decorations left over from my 20 gallon aquariums so this really wasn't a big deal.

For me, this aquarium kit was pretty much everything I was looking for. It was affordable, good looking, and had most of the stuff I was looking for in a starter kit. Small enough to sit on my dresser, but big enough to give my Betta enough space to swim around and explore.

Cam's Auto Service

2013-03-18T14:53:00.001-07:00

I have been taking my car to Cam's Auto Service for a while, but have never gotten around to writing a review.

Cam's Auto Service is located in Corktown at 475 King Street East (between Parliament Street and Queen Street) in Toronto. You really can't miss it, it's the big PINK building!

The first thing that you notice at Cam's is how friendly the owner, Cam, is. Usually he's right at the front desk and will greet you with a smile (if Cam's not there then Carson will help you out in the same fashion). Cam is always happy to help you out no matter what your circumstances are. His service is generally quick (much quicker than most garages); however, if you get there first thing in the morning it is generally super quick. Early morning visits generally guaranteed you a parking spot on Cam's lot and super fast service.

Cam is pretty popular and later in the day he can get quite busy and his lot can get full very fast, which means you'll have to park on the street (feed the meter if you don't want a ticket).

Cam has been taking care of my cars for a while now. It first started out with my 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier (or the Crap-o-lier as it was affectionately called) and now he services my 2009 Volkswagen Jetta and my fiance's even older Crap-o-lier. Generally my car is just general maintenance and an oil change and my costs are pretty minimal at Cam's, definitely a lot less than a dealership or one of the larger chain service places.

My fiance recently needed a brand new exhaust system and the big box guys wanted to charge him an arm and a leg to fix it (he needed the works: new catalytic converter, new exhaust, new exhaust pipe, etc.). I told him to take it to Cam's and it was a fraction of the price.

Cam's is not like a lot of the places that will try to swindle you by telling you that you need unnecessary work done to your car. I remember sitting at Cam's and waiting for my car to be finished. There was an elderly lady who brought her car in for service and she told Cam to do whatever needed to be done because her son was paying for it. Cam came back with the diagnostic on what needed to be repaired or replaced (a pretty minimal list to begin with) and the lady kept asking Cam about a certain part that she was sure needed to be replaced because her son had told her that this particular part might not be working correctly. Instead of just trying to make another quick buck, Cam actually explained to the woman that the part was fine and that it did not need to be replaced.

So if you're ever in Toronto and need something done on your car then consider taking it to Cam's. You won't be disappointed!

Spoon and Fork - The Queensway

2012-12-30T09:20:00.001-08:00

For my birthday, my boyfriend and I decided to go out for dinner. We were originally planning on going to one of our favourite Thai restaurants, but then we remembered that a while ago we had passed a combination Japanese and Thai restaurant at the corner of Kipling and The Queensway that we kept meaning to try out.

Both my boyfriend and I love Thai food; however, between the two of us I am the only one who likes sushi.

It was a pretty last minute idea and being around Christmas (December 15) we didn't really think that we would get a reservation. We called anyway and the man that answered was more than happy to fit us in.

We arrived 10 minutes early to make sure that we wouldn't lose our reservation and were seated right away (even though the restaurant was very busy). Generally on the weekends it's a good idea to make reservations or the wait time can be very long.

Now, Spoon and Fork has 2 different menus: a standard dinner menu and an all -you-can-eat menu. We opted for the AYCE menu.

Our server was Junior N. He quickly took our drink orders and gave us a few minutes to go over the menu. I started with a combination of sushi dishes and my boyfriend started with their pad thai. Our drinks came right away and our food followed a few minutes later. Honestly, the food came so fast that at first I thought they had given us someone else's order, but it was our orders.

All of the food that we ordered that night was delicious. My boyfriend stuck mainly to the Thai menu (pad thai, mango salad, rice, etc.), while I ordered mainly from the sushi menu with a few Thai dishes thrown in.

The wait staff came around constantly to keep our table clean, remove any of the empty dishes and made sure that our drinks were full. All of the staff were very friendly and accommodating.

Our entire meal, including drinks, was less than $80 for 2 people.

The only suggestion for this place would be to up the lighting level a tiny bit. It can seem a bit too dark at times, but this is the only negative thing that I have to say about this place.

We will definitely be going back!

Pinty's Wings - Whisky Mustard

2012-12-30T08:58:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago my boyfriend's parents decided to make pizza and wings for dinner. His mother bought a box of Pinty's Whisky Mustard wings and baked them in the oven along with the pizza.

This product claims the following features:

- The ultimate pub experience in a box
- Authentic Flavours in a variety of sauce pouches
- Total customization
- Enjoy the wings plain
- Sauce them
- Dip them
- Premium jumbo roasters
- Fully cooked
- Series of booze infused flavours

While the outer coating did become nicely crispy in the oven, the first thing I noticed when I bit into my first piece was just how much fat was covered by the coating. The entire outside of the chicken was covered in a thick layer of fat that bonded itself to the coating and to the chicken, which made it nearly impossible to remove. It honestly seemed to be more fat than chicken.

The chicken itself wasn't bad. It stayed moist (probably in part to the gross amount of fat) and tasted like chicken. I didn't really find the chicken to have a "series of booze infused flavours", most of the flavour came from the sauce. I'm a dipper so without the sauce, the only flavour the wings had on their own was salt and pepper.

I didn't really find the sauce to be much different than any other honey mustard sauce. I couldn't really pick up any notes of booze in the sauce.

With all of this aside, the most disappointing feature of these wings came after I had eaten a few wings. I picked up my next wing and noticed something white on the side. At first I thought it was only some of the fat that had gotten through the outer coating, but upon closer inspection I found that there were FEATHERS still attached to the wings! Every wing that was left in my plate and my boyfriends plate had varying amounts of feathers, but they were still on EVERY SINGLE WING!

Quite honestly, I don't think I will ever buy Pinty's wings again. For $10 I can go to the grocery store and get the same amount of wings (minus the feathers and huge amount of fat), instead of shelling out $14.00 for fatty, feathery wings.

Bodylogix Shake

2012-09-04T10:58:00.001-07:00

Recently on a trip to my fiance's house (I generally spend the weekend there) I forgot to bring my protein powder with me. We made a quick trip to Shoppers Drug Mart and picked up a 4 pack of these shakes in the Vanilla Ice Cream flavour.

The ingredients are : Filtered Water, Protein Blend ( Milk Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Calcium Caseinate), Sunflower, Safflower and/or Canola Oil, Maltodextrin, Potassium Citrate, Magnesium Phosphate, Sodium Phosphate, Potassium Phosphate, Natural and Artificial Flavours, Soy Lecithin, Cellulose Gum, Acesulfame Potassium (35mg/414mL), Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides, Sucralose (21mg/414mL), Carrageenan, and Salt.

Each shake has 170 calories and 25 grams of protein.

This product advises you to shake before consuming. I shook mine for 3 or 4 minutes. My first shake started out ok, very smooth and frothy, but as I got half way through the shake I started getting small clumps. By the end of the first shake the clumps got larger and when I was finished I noticed that the bottom of the bottle had a large chunk left (it was about the same diameter as the bottle and about 1/2" thick).

The second shake we shook periodically throughout the night (at least a combined time of two hours of shaking), but the results were still the same.

I have to say that the taste of this protein shake is very appealing. It had a pleasant vanilla flavor, however it didn't really make up for having a giant solid mass at the bottom of every bottle. I understand settling and don't mind the odd small chunk, but you should at least be able to get rid of the solid pieces.

This is a product that I will not be buying again, unless they can change the formulation to make it clump less.

Chocolite Finally! Caramel Chocolate Nougat

2012-08-31T07:07:00.001-07:00

These Chocolite bars make a great snack when I'm craving something sweet. You can buy the packages individually or in a box with 16 individual packages. There are two pieces per package and each piece of the caramel chocolate nougat is 30 calories. Each flavor can have a different calorie count which is conveniently written right on the box and on each individual package. The great thing about this is that if you buy these at The Low Carb Grocery you generally get 5x the rewards points.

Ingredients are: oligofructose, erythritol, polydextrose, maltitol, fractionated palm kernel oil, cocoa, cocoa butter, milk protein concentrate, chocolate liquor, egg albume, maltodextrine, heavy cream, glycerin, calcium carbonate, milk fat, sodium caseinate, natural & artificial flavours, invertase, salt, soy lecithin, disodium phosphate, and sucralose.

The caramel chocolate nougat is my favorite flavor. It contains a light chocolate nougat on top of a thin layer of dense, chewy caramel all covered in a layer of chocolate. The individual packaging makes them very convenient to throw in your bag if you're on the go. They're a fast snack when you don't feel like preparing anything and very satisfying.

I will definitely be buying these again!

Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Egg - Chocolate

2012-08-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

I bought this product after I had finished my Jay Robb Egg Protein. I was placing an order at The Low Carb Grocery and needed a quick replacement for my breakfasts . This one just happened to be on sale so I decided to try it, especially since it gave me bonus points! This product comes in a chocolate flavor and also a vanilla custard flavor. I will review the chocolate flavor.

This protein comes in a 909 gram tub. Each tub contains 27 servings (each serving is one scoop - which is included). I make my shakes with 6 oz of water and one scoop of protein powder.

Ingredients are: Egg albumen, cocoa (processed with alkali), artificial flavour, lecithin, sucralose, and aminogen.

When mixed with water this protein shake tastes very similar to chocolate milk (although a little thinner in texture). It claims to be "INSTANTIZED to mix easily with a spoon" and it is very easy to mix with a spoon, you will get most of the lumps out. When blended, it doesn't get as thick and milkshake-like as the Jay Robb Egg Protein but does come out very smooth in a very short amount of time. I use water, but I assume it would come out a lot thicker if you blended it with milk.

This product is very convenient if I have a very short amount of time for breakfast. It tastes good, mixes quickly and fills me up pretty well. This is definitely a product I would try again

Miracle Noodles/ Miracle Rice (Shirataki Noodles)

2012-08-30T09:52:00.001-07:00

I had heard about Miracle Noodles through many HCG forums and was looking for something to buff up my meals so I decided to give them a try. The three types that I use are Fettuccine, Angel Hair and Rice.

Miracle Noodles (also known as Shirataki Noodles) are thin, translucent traditional Japanese noodles that are very low carb and low calorie. They are made from the konjac yam and are largely composed of water and glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber. They have no taste on their own but will absorb the flavors of whatever they are prepared with. On the HCG diet they are considered a "free food" and can be eaten at any time.

The packages that I buy come from The Low Carb Grocery but you can also find them at many Asian supermarkets. The noodles are generally packaged in a liquid. To prepare I generally rinse the noodles well (if they are packaged in a liquid they may have a fishy smell when the bag is opened) and dry roast them is a pan to dry them out a little before adding them to my other ingredients.

Miracle Noodles - Angel Hair

The Angel Hair variety are my favorite type of Miracle Noodle. They remind me a lot of Cellophane/Glass noodles. They are great for making stir fry's with vegetables and a little bit of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos and I also use them to make a great low cal Pad Thai.

Miracle Rice

Miracle Rice is made from the same ingredients as Miracle Noodles. They are cut into smaller "rice" shaped pieces but remind me more of barley. Miracle Rice can be prepared the same way as Miracle Noodles and will absorb the flavors of the dishes that it is added to.

Miracle Noodles - Fettuccine

These are my least favorite of the 3 types that I have tried. They are very good if dry roasted and served with minimal liquid/sauce. I found that I really didn't like the texture if too much sauce was added, they became very slippery, almost slimy.

These are definitely a product that I will be buying again. I have bought them a few different times and really enjoy having different meal options besides just meat and veggies.

Jay Robb Egg White Protein - Vanilla

2012-08-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

I got a little bored on my diet just eating an egg for breakfast so I figured I would try out a protein shake. I had read some reviews about this product and most seemed to be positive. Luckily, this was one of the protein powders that my local low carb store carries regularly. I decided on the vanilla flavour, but this product also comes in chocolate and strawberry.

The ingredients are egg albumin, xylitol, natural flavor, xanthan gum, lecithin, and stevia.

There are two different types of packaging: the container and the bag. Both come with a scoop and your basic protein shake is one scoop of protein powder plus 6 oz. of water. There are 24 grams of protein per serving ( 1 scoop).

I used my Magic Bullet to make my protein shakes, but a blender would work just as well. The only negative thing I can say about this protein shake is that although it claims to be easy to mix, it does take a relatively long time to blend if you want to get a shake without any lumps. A blender is definately needed to get a smooth shake. However, once it is blended it gets quite frothy and milkshake-like. The taste is almost like a vanilla milkshake or melted vanilla ice cream. It also tastes good if you add fruit, especially strawberries!

I will definately be trying this product again. The only thing I would recommend is that you shop around and compare prices. There are a lot of places that will grossly over price this product.

The Low Carb Grocery

2012-08-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Low Carb Grocery has quickly become one of my favorite places to shop for low carb products. They have a retail and online store that stock over 1,000+ low carb foods. Their retail store is located at Unit #8, 170 Esna Park Drive (Markham, ON, Canada, L3R 1E3), but their shipping costs are also very reasonable (they ship nationwide within Canada).

I generally shop online since their shipping costs are usually less than what I would pay in gas to drive to their store. My orders are always handled VERY QUICKLY. If I order early in the morning my order is generally shipped on the same day and if I order later at night my order is shipped the next day (depending on how busy they are, but I've never experienced a delay in shipping). I receive an email once my order has been received, when it is being processed and also once it has shipped (with a Canada Post tracking number). Basically, you're kept up to date through every step of your order.

Whoever packs their orders is a packaging genious! They generally use boxes that their store products arrive in, but they take great care to make sure that everything is snug and secure in the box. I've never had anything come in damaged. Whenever I have something shipped I use the "Safe Drop" option with Canada Post and they always make sure to label the box so that the mailman knows to leave the box on the porch if no one is home. It costs nothing but is handy if I have to work and won't be home.

Their prices are reasonable and on par with the other low carb stores in my general area.

Once you create an account you are also given a Membership Rewards Card number through which you can earn points and redeem them towards your orders. You earn 10 points with every $1 spent (excluding taxes, gift card purchases, delivery charges). They also peridically have "Extra Reward Products" which earn you 2X, 3X, 5X or more reward points.

Points Required	Redemption Value
5000	$5.00
10000	$12.00
20000	$30.00
25000	$50.00
30000	$75.00

The Low Carb Grocery is definately a place I will continue to shop at!

Carbwise Low Carb Brownies

2012-08-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I started a modified version of the HCG diet. One of my toughest hurdles to overcome was my insatiable love of chocolate and all things chocolate.

While visiting my local low carb store I ran across these Carbwise Brownies. Each brownie is 2 oz and each brownie is only 50 calories, 1g net carbs, 0 diet count, 2 diet count plus, has 5g of fiber and 6g of protein. These brownies are sweetened with erythritol instead of maltitol or splenda so there is no aftertaste and no GI distress. These brownies have been designed so that they won't cause any blood sugar spike in diabetics.

The ingredients are: Purified water, oat fiber, erythritol, egg whites, inulin, almond meal, modified corn starch, cocoa (processed with alkali), olive oil, xanthan gum, guar gum, leavening (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda), and natural flavors.

Nutrition Facts: per 1 brownie (2 oz.)

Calories 50 Fat 1g Saturated Fat 0g TransFat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 80mg Carbohydrate 10g Fiber 5g Sugar 0g Sugar Alcohol 4g Protein 6g

For being a low carb product these brownies are actually quite delicious. They aren't super chocolately or fudgie, but have just enough cocoa to satisfy a sweet tooth. They are soft and moist and great for when I'm craving something chocolately. The only problem I have with these brownies is that once I have one, I always want more!

Even though this product technically is not part of the HCG protocol, I haven't had any stalling or gaining in my weight loss.

This is a product that I would buy again (and have!).

MAC Technakohl Eyeliner

2012-06-25T16:13:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my cousins MAC splurges. I tried this eyeliner in Graphblack.

MAC describes this liner as being "

My first impression of this eyeliner is that it was well pigmented however it doesn't smudge or blend easily, but the staying power is very good. I didn't find the formula particularly creamy and it dries pretty quickly so there's not really much play time. It also stays really well on my waterline. This eyeliner is black, not super deep black, but not a steely gray like I find other liners can be.

I found this eyeliner pretty easy to apply, however it would be nicer if you could get a much thinner. This liner has a tendency to flatten out on the tip which makes getting a thin line very hard.

I would recommend this liner as the staying power is better than some other brands that I've tried.

Blackfly Long Island Iced Tea

2012-06-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I picked up this new product at the LCBO. Blackfly Long Island Iced Tea is described by the LCBO as a "Beautiful ice tea color with slightly hazy appearance; aromas of lemon/orange, green tea, cranberry nose; sweet with brisk acidity, light to medium bodied, with flavors of iced tea , candied lemon and a sweet/tangy finish". It claims to have a "Not Too Sweet" taste, is a "classic cocktail that is made with real lemon juice, vodka, tequila, notes of gin, rum and cola" and comes in a pack of 4 - 400 ml plastic bottles. It also has 7% alcohol volume.

At first I didn't really like the taste of this drink. I thought it tasted too much like alcohol, but after a few sips the alcohol wasn't that noticeable and the actual iced tea came to the forefront. The iced tea reminds me a lot of Lipton Brisk, but it definitely has a stronger undertone of lemon. There is also a touch of sweetness, but nothing too overpowering or sickeningly sweet. I think the lack of syrupy sweetness makes this drink more refreshing than a lot of iced tea based drinks I've had.

The 4 individual bottles are very convenient and great for sharing. The resealable top is great if you're having an outdoor barbecue.

This is something that I would purchase again and may become my go-to drink for the summer!

Rimmel Sexy Curves Waterproof Mascara

2012-06-18T18:29:00.001-07:00

My sister was raving about the non-waterproof formula of this mascara so I decided that I would try the waterproof formula.

This product promised to make your lashes look "70% curlier". I found that although this mascara added a bit of length there wasn't much, if any, curl to my lashes beyond their natural curl. It also promises to give you lashes that are “lusciously curled, plumped and defined" with 7 times your natural curl, but I found that this mascara performed pretty average when compared to other drug store brands. An eyelash curler is definitely a must with this mascara. I also didn't find that the pigment in this mascara was as dark or as rich as I like.

The brush that comes with this mascara is actually fairly decent and separates lashes well and keeps them from clumping, even with numerous coats of mascara. It is also relatively easy to use.

I'm sorry to say that the packaging was my favorite part of this mascara. The metallic teal tube was quite attractive.

I'm happy to say that this product was on sale when I purchased it so I didn't pay full price! It's definitely not worth more that the $4.00 that I paid for it.

Dr. Feelgood from Benefit Cosmetics

2012-06-18T18:01:00.000-07:00

Dr.Feelgood promises to "mattify shine with our invisible, weightless balm that leaves skin feeling silky-soft. Fabulous for mid-day touch-ups... this makeup artist fave can be worn alone, under or on top of makeup. Contains Vitamins A, C & E to help smooth away the appearance of fine lines".

I generally use this product as a primer on a clean face before I apply my foundation. The key to this product is to only apply a light layer, if you apply it too thickly you will both see and feel it (which is super gross because if applied too thick it becomes flaky and no one wants to look like a shedding snake!). When applied properly, Dr. Feelgood is a great base for foundation or even to wear on it's own. The product itself is clear when applied but the vitamin A, C and E leave your face feeling silky smooth. The smell of this product is a little lemony with just a hint of baby powder and it comes in an uber cute vintage tin!

This is a product that I would recommend. It definitely takes away the oiliness and shininess from my face and leaves it soft and touchable. I have heard some people complain that this product makes them break out, but everyone's skin is different.

Depending on where you purchase this product it can be a little expensive, however a little bit goes a long way and a single tin will seem to last forever.

Biosilk Silk Therapy

2012-06-18T17:55:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite hair treatments. My hairdresser was the one who introduced me to this product as I tend to color my hair every few months and it gets quite damaged. This product is great at treating damaged hair, leaving it soft, smooth and shiny.

BioSilk Silk Therapy is a silky, lightweight treatment that dehydrates and protects hair with silk proteins and shine producing botanicals.

I love using this product on damp hair prior to drying. It is also great to use prior to and after flat ironing. The smell is also very pleasant and I always have people complimenting me on how great my hair smells.

This product lives up to the saying "less is more". My hair is about 6" past my shoulder and a dime size amount will cover all of my hair, if you use too much your hair will look greasy and there's pretty much no fix if you use too much other than a slick ponytail or re-washing your hair.

This product can seem pretty pricey (approx. $15.00 for a 5.64 fl. oz - 150 ml - bottle, depending on where you buy it), but the bottle will last you a year or more if you don't overdo it.

This is a product I would recommend to almost everyone, however if you have protein sensitive hair you may want to skip this product as it can make your hair dry and brittle.

L'Oreal Everstrong Reconstruct Shampoo

2012-06-13T17:11:00.001-07:00

This product was another one of my Shoppers Drug Mart bill buffers from the sales table.

This shampoo is sulfate-free with a rosemary juniper scent, so if you're looking for a more natural shampoo that also smells nice you may want to try this shampoo. The shampoo is very creamy so you only have to use a small amount to build up a rich lather with a nice smell.

I have thick, color treated hair that can get dry and damaged at the ends. Many of the other shampoos I have tried do more damage than good but this shampoo has helped to keep my hair smooth, shiny and healthy. I also find that this shampoo makes my hair easier to style and doesn't weigh down my hair.

The only problem I have found with this shampoo is that when you get down to the end of the tube it can be a little difficult to get the last bit out of the tube.

L'Oreal EverStrong Hydrate Conditioner

2012-06-13T07:24:00.002-07:00

My sister and I found this conditioner on the sale table at Shoppers Drug Mart. We needed a few more dollars to make our bill high enough to get the bonus Optimum Points so at $3.49 on sale this wasn't a bad deal.

This conditioner has a rosemary and mint scent that smells slightly of rosemary but the mint is the stronger of the two scents. The mint is definitely a welcome scent in the morning, very refreshing and leaves me feeling wide awake! The scent does tend to linger for about and hour after I have dried my hair, but it's not overpowering and doesn't conflict with other scents like perfume.

I've had great results with this conditioner. The conditioner itself leaves my hair hydrated and very soft, which on my color treated hair can be hard for even the most expensive conditioners to do. Even with flat ironing on nearly a daily basis my hair stays smooth, soft and hydrated. I generally shampoo and then leave the conditioner on for a few minutes before I rinse it out. Nothing too special, just everyday maintenance.

This conditioner is definitely worth a try if you have dry or color treated hair and need something to rehydrate your hair.

MAC False Lashes Mascara

2012-06-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here is one more of my cousin's buys. MAC False Lashes Mascara in Extreme Black. I have to admit that I love the tube that this product comes in, the top reminds me of a chess piece!

Aside from the pretty tube, there aren't any bells or whistles with this mascara. The brush is a straight-forward traditional mascara brush and doesn't need any fancy tricks for application. The formula of the mascara is very light weight so there isn't a problem with clumping when trying to build layers.

I found that this mascara separated, lengthened and curled my lashes very well without clumping or flaking (especially my lower lashes). However, I didn't find that it gave much volume to my lashes. I also found that it wasn't very waterproof and would bleed with just a little moisture.The black color also tended to soften as the day went on instead of staying a dark, jet black.

This mascara definaitely won't give you dramatic lashes or that false lash look, but if you're looking for a mascara that will give you length and seperation with a more natural look and don't necessarily need a waterproof mascara then this mascara is worth a try

MAC Penultimate Eye Liner

2012-06-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my cousins buys. I got this liquid eye liner in the color "Rapidblack".

When I received this eye liner pen I loved it. It wasn't as intense in color as some other eye liners that I've used but it went on easily and was also great for getting the perfect cat eye. It's basically a tube of Eye Liner for Dummies, very hard to mess up when applying.

However after a few hours this eye liner smudged pretty badly and faded to a nearly grey color. It would also bleed horribly if it got water anywhere near it, so forget about using this product on your water line. After a few irregular uses the felt tip would start to dry out halfway through my eyes and would only work if I shook it really hard multiple times.

I guess I would only recommend this product if you can't really get any other eye liner to work, other than that it's not really worth the price.

Wendy's BLT Cobb Salad

2012-06-11T12:35:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I decided to try Wendy's BLT Cobb salad.This salad has the standard BLT ingredients: Bacon, lettuce and tomatoes as well as chicken, blue cheese and hard boiled egg. It also comes with an avocado ranch dressing.

At first glance this salad was packed with toppings, all neatly separated on the top of the salad. There were quite a few chunks of blue cheese and chicken as well as 2 strips of bacon. The salad itself was a mixture of iceberg lettuce and leafy greens.

The avocado ranch dressing (which they give you two packets of) paired nicely with the blue cheese and egg, not too overpowering but strong enough to hold it's own.The salad was fresh and all of the flavors blended well together.

The only negative comment I can give this salad is that I would have preferred the bacon to have been cut into smaller pieces and not just two strips laid on the top.

This salad is very filling and comes in two sizes: Full - if you want to have the salad as a main course, and Half - if you want a side salad.

Whichever size you choose, I'm sure the BTL Cobb won't disappoint you.