Two Fab Finds

I wanted to share with you two products that have recently received the "I Wanna Be a Domestic Goddess" seal of approval. In terms of prestige, this ranks right up there with Oprah Book Club seal. I fully anticipate that both of these products will fly off the shelf.

Clif Mojo Bar Dipped, Peanut Butter & Jelly

As a rule, I do not believe in protein bars. The fake chemicals that make up the pseudo-protein always give me a headache. And honestly, I would rather just eat an apple or a yogurt. But part of my weekend job is to be knowledgeable about these products so I occasionally do try out the new products that don't look too disgusting.

This Clif Bar had two things working in its favor. First of all, it's not really marketed as a protein bar, more as a snack (or something to give you Mojo perhaps?). Two, it has peanut butter. I cannot be trusted around peanut butter. I cannot even keep it in my kitchen. I have no sense of self-control when it comes to this gooey good stuff. And pb&j's rank right up there with my favorite foods.

So I tried this bar and it is actually really good. It's more of granola bar texture (rather than protein bar texture....there is a difference, trust me) and it combines a peanut butter coating with grape jelly. It has become a nice occasional treat for me. It is really sweet so I don't think I could eat it all the time.

I bought the bar at Whole Foods but I have seen them in other grocery stores as well. I think they cost around $1.29 per bar.

I was motivated to support the Clif Bar company in any way that I could after I read in Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World some of the great things that the company does for the environment. From using organic ingredients to reducing the amount of waste it sends to landfills to offering employees a $5,000 cash incentive if they purchases a hybrid vehicle, the company is setting a high standard for environmental responsibility. You go, Clif!!! You can read more about Clif here.

And I have to mention this because I think it is an awesome story. In 2000, the owner of Clif, Gary Erickson, had agreed to sell Clif Bars because he did not think the business could sustain competition from the huge corporate giants that had encroached on the protein bar industry. The deal would have netted Erickson $120 million dollars. But he backed out at the last minute because of a "gut feeling" when he realized that when Clif would taken over by a much larger company, it would lose the priceless values that he had worked so hard to instill in it. I just love this story.

South of France Acai Pomegranate French Milled Vegetable Soap

My tastes in scents are very seasonal. In fall, I love the rich harvest scents like cinnamon, pumpkin, and hazelnut. In spring, I love the light, fruity scents. I try not to overdo it though. During the second semester of my freshman year in college, I think I applied far too much cucumber melon lotion. Nowadays, when I catch of whiff of that scent combination, my stomach turns.

The Acai Pomegranate bar of soap is a new product from the South of France line. I am loyal user of their Shea Butter liquid hand soap. I love the products because they smell delicious and they are as natural as can be. You can actually pronounce with ease every item in ingredients list.

I was a little hesitant about the acai and pomegranate mix at first. I have tried both of the food versions of these because they are so rich in antioxidants. I was not a fan; I would rather just eat blueberries. (I do think that pomegranates are a very pretty fruit though.) However, in a bar of soap, the combination is positively delightful.

You can find the South of France products at Whole Foods, World Market or online. All of the South at France bars of soap are on sale for the month of April for $3.99. The bars of soap last forever so this is such a good deal!!!