La Créme de la Créme of Summer 2010!

I love nice candles and I also think candles make a home feel warmer. The scent of a candle can change the whole mood of your house, and I much prefer the smell of a candle to aerosol air freshener or the "plug-in" versions. So, needless to say I'm always on a search for the right candle. I've experimented with a lot of candles and enjoy a nice essential oil candle or a simple scent that is not too overbearing. But, recently, at Wholefoods I found the perfect candles! The brand is Wick'd Bean. These candles are made from 100% natural soybeans coupled with botanical oils. I have two very favorites scents: Coconut or Cilantro Pineapple. These candles burn evenly and they exude a very even beautiful scent. They make nice gifts too!

Another great find at Wholefoods (also carried at Bristol Farms) is my new favorite cracker/crisp. Well, I feel like I'm demoting this fine snack by calling it a cracker, but I'm at a loss for another descriptor. At any rate, if you are a person who loves certain foods for texture you will love this snack! The Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisp is to die for! With several flavors each one is this perfectly thin crisp with a mix of salty and sweet ingredients that is hand made/baked. These crisps come in several flavors: Original, Rosemary Raisin Pecan, Cranberry Hazelnut, Fig and Olive, Salty Date and Almond (MY FAV!), and Cinnamon Raisin. For one box of these delicious crisps I paid $7 at Wholefoods and $8 at Bristol Farms. And, if you open the box and want to ensure the crispy-ness stays in tact, I take the remaining crisps out of the package and store in a ziploc, but the box also says you can heat them up in the oven to re-crisp them!

And, for those of you not inclined to drink regular milk for whatever reason, may I recommend Almond Milk?! Seriously, I don't drink milk because it is too heavy and I don't feel good after consuming dairy products. So, I've spent a lot of time trying out many brands of soy milk and rice milk. I like soy, and when at a coffee shop I always order my coffee with soy milk, but too much soy is not a good thing. This is true especially for women because soy is a natural source of estrogen, and unless your body is in need of more estrogen, too much soy can throw off your natural hormonal balance. And, I don't really care for rice milk because it is too watery. BUT, I have found my new best friend: Almond Milk! I prefer Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla or Original Almond Milk. And, the best part is that this milk is very creamy and it only has 40 calories in 8 ounces! Yep, you must try it! Oh, and did I mention 1 quart at Trader Joe's is just $1.99?!