Being a Washington State native I grew up on Liberty Orchard’s Aplets and Cotlets – and their extensive candy collection. I love the mix of gummy candy and chopped nuts. Yum!

This week we had samples of a newer line, The Orchard Bar, show up for review. Imagine if I had my favorite fruit and berry candies made over into a tasty energy bar? Well, this is it. The bars come in three flavors:

Orchard Bars Pineapple, Coconut & Macadamia Bars – sweet and tropical.

Orchard Bars Strwberry, Raspberry & Walnut Bars – summery berries.

Orchard Bars Blueberry, Pomegranate & Almond Bars – fall harvest.

Unlike their candy counterparts, the Orchard Bars are full of nuts, seeds (even my favorite flax seeds!) and soy protein nuggets. The Pineapple bar has 200 calories, 8 grams fat, 100 mg sodium, 5 grams protein and 2 grams fiber – making the bars a great snack when out hiking or well, doing anything that works up hunger! The bars are sweet, unlike so many energy bars that taste more of flours, these you get the thrill of a candy experience with a boost of energy. And as a bonus the bars are also high in Omega 3, giving one a heart healthy choice. The bars are vegan, kosher, non-GMO, Gluten-free, made in the US and all natural.

Keep an eye out for the bars and if you like sweets, give them a try! And PS: Check out their website for 2 new flavors, available through their online store. Yum indeed!

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received product samples for review consideration.

Dried plums tend to be really sticky/messy so I don’t carry them often (especially in summer when they start sweating and get even more sticky) and chopping them up is even more of a mess so I was wondering how these would fare. The plums are diced up (very toddler friendly I might add) and are not sticky, yet are still plenty soft for easy chewing.

They are delicious eaten plain and in trail mix would be even better. Perfect as well for adding to oatmeal and even rice or pasta dishes (plums work well for both sweet and savory dishes!).

Find them with the dried fruit in grocery stores (I found the 9 ounce hard sided container for $2 on sale this week).

PS: The container would also recycle well into a cracker holder for later use!

~Sarah

Citrus Lemongrass:

Mango Veggie:

Lychee:

The Lemongrass and Lychee flavors contain coconut water which is amazing for an after hike or workout. Consider coconut water to be nature’s electrolyte drink. The Mango Veggie has chickpeas in it along with a ton of veggies/fruits and is not only packed with protein but a lot of fiber.

Taste? Excellent – especially if you already love drinking fresh juice and veggie drinks!Shake up and enjoy!

How to carry? They are excellent for tucking cold into a backpack for first day out (and you get a water bottle out of it). Perfect for drinking at lunch at your turn around spot on dayhikes I might add. Or take a cooler in your car and tuck away cold for when you get back to the car. Better than beer and legal as well

Where to find? Many groceries carry the drinks in their cold coolers or over near the produce department, often near Odwalla drinks.

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received product samples for potential review.

New to the scene is Dr. Drip Coffee, an easy to use way to make fresh coffee on the trail (or really anywhere) using ground coffee, not instant. The entire packaging is compostable (and or recyclable for the outer box) – all of it – making it a friendly choice. (I am testing it out in our backyard composter btw!)

Since decaf is often the sad cousin of coffee I decided to try a cup of their Decaffeinated Premium first. It shockingly passed and well – it would have fooled me on that it was decaf. Strong fresh aroma when you open the vac sealed bag, a delicious smell (yes, Sarah loves her coffee….)

The directions are shown on the back of the outer packaging in easy to follow drawings (and in case you were ignoring that packaging the filter holder has the drawings printed on it as well).

As with a traditional drip filter you pour water slowly over the grounds, letting it filter through and then add more:

I brewed a full 2 cups of coffee that was rich, deep in flavor and taste and more so very easy to make. What I appreciated most was that the coffee wasn’t bitter in taste nor was it acidic in flavor. Now onto the packaging? Easy enough to deal with. When you take the filter off your mug, fold it closed gently and squeeze it carefully – don’t waste any coffee goodness. Then let it sit on a rock or wherever and dry out while you enjoy your cup of joe. Grinds dry out quick enough (as do tea leaves), then pack out. If it ends up in the dump at the end of the trip you at least know it will rot nicely there….

~Sarah

FTC Disclaimer: We received samples for potential reviews.

You may well not have. They are not a big company nor do they have a lot of selections but what they do carry is well thought out. The meals are very compact (one thin bag and a dessication packet) and while one pot meals, are efficient for water and fuel use. The meals are all vegetarian, no added MSG, fillers or preservatives and as far as I can see no fake colorings or preservatives. The best part is they are very good in the sodium levels. Not one of the meals in front of me has over 499 mg for a huge serving. That is fantastic! Many are in the 350 mg range as well.

Ordering was easy and straight forward, shipping by UPS and was prompt.

Originally I had gone to pick up a bag of the Green Bean Cuisine after one of our readers mentioned loving it. I also picked up Wild Bill’s Wild Rice Dinner, Meals with Wheels, Mom’s Pasta Primavera, Potato-Corn Chowder and I found a packet of Pea-Pickin Jambalaya tucked in as well.

Reviews will be coming as we try them out on upcoming hikes this month!

~Sarah

Ford and I met up with her and we drove to Mowich Lake, along the always interesting “State Highway 165″ which is not paved and is basically a 2 car wide FS logging road. You can tell the out of staters by the white knuckled grip as they drive 5 mph past you…..the straight drop offs the side and the vast views from the clearcuts only make the drive better Ah, but never fear – once you enter the park all you see is glorious low subalpine forest and then you get treated to one massive lake, Mowich. Just take a word of advice: DO NOT ever use the privies at Mowich. I learned that lesson years ago. You can smell them 20 feet away……or farther.

We had driven up into the clouds and as we stepped out into 46* temps, the clouds were flittering above.  Way behind that ridge and beyond is Spray Park…..

We wandered around Mowich Lake on The Wonderland Trail to Ipsuit Pass. Of which I realized every time I have been at this pass it has been clouded over.

Trees on Wonderland Trail:

A few minutes passed and the wind blew the clouds by for a little while – leaving us with a view of sorts.

We went back to the turn off for Eunice Lake and headed downhill. Along the way you cross a number of avy slopes that were brilliant with color from wild flowers.

Tiger Lilies:

Eunice Lake. Elevation 5355 feet. The trail to Tolmie Peak/Lookout continues on.

The lookout is visible in the middle of the photo, a square bump.

Fields of Lupine above the water – the air was very perfumed.

Even though it was only in the 50′s, Ford decided to go wading and enjoyed himself till his feet went numb….

For lunch Ford and I reviewed Packitgourmet’s Many Bean Salad.

I had picked up a bag of this meal awhile back and had never gotten around to trying it. Part of it being I just wasn’t sure about it. And it had a LOT of beans. I’d end up grabbing different meals over the past months. Finally today I told myself we would try it out.

Opening it up you have the bag of beans/seasoning, vegetable bag, 2 packets EVOO, 2 packets malt vinegar and a packet of salad dressing.

Knowing how cooked/dehydrated beans work I took a gamble and ignored the cooking directions and did it the lazy way. I boiled the called for 1 1/2 cups water, then added the bean bag and the vegetable bag to the outer heat safe bag. Poured the hot water over, sealed and cozied up for 10 or so minutes. Came back and added in the dressing, the malt vinegar and 1 packet of the olive oil.

The smell was INCREDIBLE! I honestly had been wondering up to the point of opening the bag if I’d be eating stale Luna bars instead. No, it was so good smelling that Ford popped over with his spoon. I took the leftover bean bag, cut off the top and made him a bag as well and split it up between us. He ate his half and then was trying to get mine.

And this was a VEGAN meal! Beans, beans, beans and a lot of veggies. And the kid wanted more.

We all chatted about it – it would rock tossed with pasta and Parmesan cheese to make a hearty dinner for two. Or served over rice. With bacon added.

This is one I will be buying again. And again! I’d eat this at home – that kind of good!

Ford packing up, though he is hard to see:

After lunch and packing up we went exploring. The lake is crossed by trails.

Looking back down the lake:

Looking down from above of a hidden section of the lake:

Cat took this photo of me walking on a trail above the lake:

Ford ahead of me, on a rock section we climbed up:

The view down below, of another section of the lake. This part is shallow and actually balmy. Somewhere I have a photo of a small Ford in fall of 2004 playing in this section.

One last look as we walked back above the lake, before leaving the lake basin:

Ford and I heading back up The Wonderland at the end (Photo by Cat):

Mowich Lake was nearly covered in clouds as we came back, the coves felt almost like standing at the Pacific Ocean – and not in subalpine.

Highlights of the trip were bunnies and deer. Not bad on a very misty day. And I can say that hiking in 50* weather is much preferred to 90*+ days…….

~Sarah

Starbucks newest marketing angle is “Real Food. Simply Delicious.” I can say hello to that – no artificial colors, flavors, trans fats or HFCS added anymore to their products. For me, having no chemical colors is a door opening after nearly 3 years of going dye-free due to my migraines. It is a simple joy in life to be able to have whatever I desire without worrying when grabbing a bite to eat or drink!

So you can see how excited I was to see new single serving packs of jelly beans at the cash register when getting a latte yesterday morning – photo shot on the hood of my truck:

It is the rare occasion I can enjoy candy these days. When I can get all natural versions they are often stale, something that doesn’t fly with braces on The little 1.9-ounce bags, retailing for $1 each, are super fresh and most of all extra soft.

So how does the taste compare to the typical flavored bean? If you like shoveling bags of Jelly Belly® in your maw, the Starbucks ones may not be sweet or intense enough in taste. The pale natural coloring may also not seem as jazzy compared to vivid chemical dyes. If though you like a flavor that is subtle and blooms as you let the candy sit on your tongue you will love them. Or if you haven’t eaten a jelly bean in 3 years you will LOVE them

I will be stocking up for my food bag in my pack. As well, they passed Ford’s taste testing. He eats natural colored candy typically so he was down with it. Kirk on the other hand would prefer Jelly Belly for the taste. Oh well!

~Sarah

The package weighs in at 6 1/2 ounces and retails for $6.03.

Opening up the package you get a strong smell of cumin, so do be aware of that. It is a mix of instant rice, beans and vegetables with seasonings and salt. From what I could see it is vegetarian/vegan friendly.

The directions call for 2 1/2 cups water, I would recommend 2 1/4 cups for more firm rice, less water left behind. I let it sit for 20 minutes for more of the water to absorb.

We decided to make burritos with the rice dish and that worked well. You have plenty to make at least 4 burritos – especially if you use the big burrito sized tortillas (we used soft taco size).

1-ounce sticks of string cheese diced up work well on top, I cheated and added sour cream to mine

Flavor wise this was actually good. The cumin that smells so strong doesn’t taste strong. That is a good thing as cumin can over power. This is a meal easy to replicate at home for a lot less but in a pinch I would consider it – the sodium levels were not fantastic but neither were they bad for a commercial meal. And it is one filling meal due to the beans. Still, I would recommend adding in fat or making burritos to bump up both the fat and calories. 340 calories for half a bag is not going to satisfy most people and due to the higher fiber….you won’t want to eat the whole bag!

Nutritional Stats per serving, bag makes 2:

Calories 340 / Total Fat 2g  / Sodium 770mg  / Protein 11g / Fiber 10g

~Sarah (and Ford)

As always it comes with everything you need – the scone mix is the ‘just add water’ type.

Getting going, I got a non stick fry pan heated up over medium heat. I add the cranberries to the dry mix and added in the water till I had a nice dough. I added half the oil into the pan, spreading it around then quickly sprinkled half the cornmeal on it. Swiftly I divvied up the dough into 6 sections in the pan. Lowered the heat to low and covered the scones for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile I got to thinking what should top scones. Maybe strawberry preserves? Peanut butter? Almond butter? Butter and honey are great choices as well!

You definitely need to watch the scones, adjusting the heat as needed – watch that they don’t get over done. They will act somewhat like pancakes, the top will start to get solid nearing flip time.

Take the rest of the oil and drizzle it across the top, then sprinkle on the rest of the cornmeal on top (the cornmeal helps it not burn and adds a great flavor). Using a small spatula, flip them over. ‘Bake’ covered for another 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes approximately 6 scones.

They are soft inside with a soft crunch on the outside. Not overly sweet the orange essence (they use freeze-dried oranges) is just perfect. I really like the texture.

Overall the prep was neither hard nor long – these would be worth making in camp in the morning, letting cool and then packing in a bag for lunch while hiking.

As for the fry pan and lid quandary? Well, you can use your cook pot and lid as well. It doesn’t have to be done in a separate fry pan. Any non stick pot will work just fine – though the scones need to be kept covered while ‘baking’ to keep moist.

~Sarah