Tom's of Maine

First of all, let me apologize for being such a lazy blogger lately. Tis the season for being swamped! Now, back to business...

I've been on the search for better personal care products...mainly toothpaste and deodorant. On a recent trip to Target, I picked up both products from Tom's of Maine. The packaging claims seemed eco-chic so I thought I would give it a whirl. After a little research, I'm glad I did!

Tom's of Maine was started because a couple didn't want to use products that harmed the environment and they couldn't find any to purchase so they started making their own. Their product line has grown from
 non-phosphate laundry detergent to natural personal care products such as the first natural toothpaste in 1975 and deodorant in 1976. Jump ahead a few decades to 2006 and this company hits the big time when purchased by Colgate-Palmolive Company. This made me a little nervous, but their original mission and approach to products hasn't changed....effective natural and sustainable solutions.

For my toothpaste selection, I chose the Whole Care Toothpaste with fluoride. The fluoride offers clinically-proven cavity protection and the naturally sourced silicas help the toothpaste whiten. On their website they describe each ingredient, where it is derived from and its purpose. I like knowing how healthy my teeth are...but, admittedly, I'm a little more concerned with how healthy they feel and look. I've been using this product for a good stretch of time and so far so good! I've gotten the pass from my dentist and I've even gotten a few compliments on my smile...Thanks Tom's!

As the deodorant goes....not so good. I picked up their Natural Long Lasting Care Deodorant Stick with the apricot scent. I don't doubt that it worked. The hops, natural sourced zinc ricinoleate and the apricot fragrance took care of any odor or odor-causing bacteria. My issue was that I broke out a bit and that was REALLY uncomfortable. I almost expected this end result because about a year ago I tried to make my own deodorant with baking soda, tea tree oil and other essential oils with the same reaction. I have pretty sensitive skin so it is always a gamble trying new products. I noticed on the Tom's of Maine website that they have a stick for sensitive skin, so I'll try that and see if the result is any different.

All in all, I'm very pleased with my purchases and the Tom's of Maine company. Without question, I'm sold on the toothpaste but I'm not giving up on the deodorant either! I hope to try many more of their products soon!

What products do you use?

Atcha Bakery & Cafe

This has been the week of restaurant reviews here, my goodness! For lunch earlier this week, Chris and I headed to an old favorite, Atcha Bakery & Cafe on Nicholson Drive. We were greeted with the most beautiful and amazing site ever...

an entire menu dedicated to vegetarian options! I'm in heaven!

We both ended up going with the Atcha Special Vegetarian. Which included hummus, baba ganoush, feta salad, 2 pitas, tons of rice and 3 pieces of falafel. I kept the olives in the dips just long enough for these pictures to be taken and then Chris was charged with getting them out of there! For some reason, I totally and utterly despise olives...

Their hummus is the traditional garbanzo chickpeas blended with a tahini sauce. Although it is a little thick for my taste, I love pairing it with the feta salad wrapped in chunks of the fresh pita. I tear it up! This was my first time to have their baba ganoush, which is blended roasted eggplants, garlic, tahini, and lemon juice. Simply excellent! Chris tried to make baba ganoush once...Atcha's is way better! (but don't tell him!)

I'm not sure which rice is served with the special but it was extremely tasty! It had a few lentils sprinkled around...and lentils are one of my favorite things! Finally, the falafel, which is a fried blend of chickpeas with green garden and spices, was the perfect addition! The three little fried balls of goodness were served with a tahini sauce that I wanted to pour over the entire entree...delicious!

As you can see, this is TONS of food! Although we approached this lunch with a fierce determination, neither of us made anywhere near happy plates! Next time we head this way for our mid meal, we will probably just order one special with extra pitas. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to our next visit!

Mestizo

Let me preface this review with saying that I so badly want to write a nice, glowing review for Mestizo...but I can't. Mestizo is located on S. Acadian and is a Louisiana-Mexican restaurant, meaning they offer Mexican dishes with Louisiana flair. Chris and I were immediately interested and, admittedly, our expectations were high.

We were greeted by some of the most interesting sculptures at the entrance of the building which only fueled my excitement. When we walked in the vibe was cool, trendy and modern. The lighting was a little dark for my taste but that is really minor. It seems to me that their rush is the happy hour crowd. We walked in around 6:30pm and there was only a few tables occupied. Our server was nice but not overly helpful...again, minor.

The chips and salsa that started our culinary experience were amazing. The salsa was typical but the chips were warm and perfect...we went through two baskets! We also ordered the bean dip and it was very tasty. They tossed in a few green onions and a touch of queso...yum!

To kick things up a notch, I ordered a frozen sangria. I had maybe two sips before I passed it on to Chris. I typically love sangria but this didn't tickle my taste buds. I can't put my finger on it but it just wasn't my favorite.

When grazing the menu during our love affair with the chips and dips, I noticed that there was only one vegetarian option. Chris and I don't like ordering the same entree when we eat out so this was an issue. I ordered the Vegetarian Quasadillas and Chris ended up getting nachos, minus the meat.

The Vegetarian Quasadillas were flour tortillas stuffed with grilled squash, zucchini, portobello mushrooms and spinach with their queso mixed in. It was also served with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole and shredded lettuce with grated cheese, tomatoes, and chives. They were tasty....my issue was that they were $12 and not worth the price.

Chris enjoyed eight individual nachos topped with tomatoes, chives and jalapenos with quacamole and sour cream served on the side. When I asked him how they were...he shrugged. The nachos seemed to be taco shells just snapped in half...not impressive.

The atmosphere was great, the people were nice and the food was tasty...but we just cannot justify spending what we did on it. In my opinion, we could have easily gotten the same food with actually more options at an Izzo's or Moe's. I've heard through the grapevine that they have great happy hour specials...so who knows, we might try once more but...

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

Jimmy John's is a national sandwich joint that prides itself on fresh ingredients, great prices, and a delivery with a smile...not to mention making the world's greatest gourmet sandwiches. I must say...I was pretty pumped when a franchise opened up on Perkins Road, near the overpass.

Since this is just a hop, skip and a jump from our home, Chris and I frequent Jimmy John's often. Their vegetarian sandwiches are to die for...literally, amazing. The French bread is made in-house daily and is super tasty. We haven't seen anything by beautiful, fresh veggies. AND, I can get one of my favorite things here...a giant pickle!

Having a bit of a time crunch, we ran to Jimmy John's for lunch today. We both ordered the vegetarian subs, which come with layers of provolone cheese separated by real avocado spread, alfalfa sprouts, sliced cucumber, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. I scratched the sprouts because I wasn't feelin' them today and we both added onions and oil/vinegar sauce. Yum, Yum, Yum!

Of course, we had to add drinks, chips and a giant pickle! My favorite part about ordering the pickle is how excited they get when you order it..."PICKLE!"

When going there for lunch, remember that tons of people enjoy these sandwiches and finding a table can be tricky during peak lunch hours. A really cool aspect of this place is that you can call in your order, order on line and even have it delivered! How convenient, right!?! They can even caterer....which I must mention because they saved our tails at Taste of Tiger Tailgating this year! No other vendors had vegetarian options...Thanks Jimmy John's!

In my opinion, the prices are a little up there...but for the quality, it is worth it. Including tip, we spend around $15-$18 between the two of us each visit. Again, I think it is worth it!

LSU v North Carolina

Well...it is officially that time of year...LSU football season!

Today, the LSU Tigers face off against North Carolina in Atlanta, GA. If you made the trip out to the Georgia Dome, throw in a little "Geaux Tigers!" for me! I'm going to kick back and enjoy the game from the couch! You should tune in too...ABC, 7pm (central)! OR, follow me on Twitter @theleafygreen for updates! (DISCLAIMER: these will be relatively generic updates, not filled with macho man, detailed sports talk!)

Coconut Water

A trend among celebrities and those who believe they are celebrities (myself included) is coconut water. Have you seen this?

source

Madonna , Lady Gaga, Jessica Simpson, among many others have been seen out and about with this naturally sweet beverage. Their bodies and skin are kickin', young and smooth due to this magic drink...I'm so sure. As you can imagine, I had to try it.

I picked up some ZICO: Pure Coconut Water from Whole Foods during my last trip. For some reason, I was pretty nervous to try it and I kept imagining this overly sweet, thick liquid. To my surprise, it was a truly refreshing beverage! If I ever woke up with the urge to work out or run (unlikely), I could totally see myself grabbing this drink during cool down.

According to ZICO's website, coconut water contains five essential electrolytes that keeps your body hydrated. One bottle has more potassium than a banana, which is 15 times more than most sports drinks, to prevent cramping. And, it has zero fat, zero cholesterol, zero added sugar and lower acidity than most sports drinks. To top it all off, the bottle is made from recycled materials and can be recycled when done! It comes in natural, lima citron, pomberry, passion fruit and mango. I'm just going to stick with the natural for right now!

Another popular brand is Vita Coco. I'll try this one next. Have you tried coconut water? What do you think?

Chinese Combo King

When in the mood for a quick lunch, I'm limited to what is close to campus...which isn't necessarily a bad thing! Chinese Combo King is a staple for us because it is quick, the portions are HUGE, great vegetarian options and you can call it in for pick up!

I adore their veggie fried rice and get it EVERY time. Yep...creature of habit! It is full of goodness...carrots, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, onions and more! There is egg...so just beware!

Chris ventured off the fried rice path and got the Spicy Eggplant. A little too spicy for my taste, but still good! It came with rice and an eggroll. We couldn't tell if the eggroll had pork in it...to questionable to call...so we didn't eat it to be safe.

Now, the great thing about Chinese Combo King is the portion size. I eat until I'm full at lunch, take it home and have it for dinner that night. PLENTY! I will say, the fried rice only gets better but the Spicy Eggplant...not so much!

I think the prices are spot on. You really get tons of food for your buck! We have never actually enjoyed our food in the restaurant, so I can't speak on the atmosphere. We love calling it in and picking up the take out!