Happy 2022!

I know the last few years have been very strange for all of us. I hope that things start to normalize soon, whatever the “new normal” may be.

I’m trying to catch up on the products I have for testing, but also wanted to write a bit about a not so new bargain brand of cosmetics I fell in love with. As usual, there are affiliate links in this column and I always appreciate earning a little when my readers click on them.


Spread the fruit…

A selection of jam is something that’s always in my house. Whether it’s on an English muffin or a waffle, with peanut butter, cream cheese, or on its own, I love spreadable fruit. The only problem is that many brands are filled with tons of sugar and additives.

I was more than happy to try Crofter’s Organic in three of my favorite flavors: cherry, raspberry, and peach. Crofter’s is a family business that not only makes organic fruit spreads that are low in calories and sugar, and don’t cost a fortune.

 I loved all the flavors. You can purchase Crofter’s Organic fruit spreads at your local store, or on Amazon.


I’ll have the sweet potatoes…

Since gluten-free became as much of a lifestyle for some as it is a health issue for others, I’ve seen vodkas made from a lot of different products (I was not a fan of the milk). Most don’t really taste much different than what you are used to and, let’s face it, vodka doesn’t have a huge flavor profile to the untrained mouth.

I was intrigued by a vodka made from produce I eat all the time: sweet potatoes. It’s not an easy one to make as it requires 10 pounds of sweet potatoes to make one bottles, plus harvesting, curing, cleaning, cooking, and fermenting before the distillation even begins.

The question here is whether all this work is worth it. In my opinion, yes. This central California distillery has been around since 1917 and is known for its farming as well as award-winning spirits. This is another winner, with a hint of the potato’s sweetness that makes me think of getting out the cinnamon and marshmallows. That makes it a great addition to a Bloody Mary.

At about $30, Corbin Cash Sweet Potato Vodka is reasonable and well worth trying.


More peanut butter and chocolate to love…

Peanut butter is a food group of its own around here and I use PBFit products all the time. My favorite is the peanut butter chocolate blend. I love to mix it and pour it over pancakes, or add some powder to my cereal. I have made smoothies with it, but I always added in protein powder – until now.

PBFit now has Chocolate Plus, a peanut and plant protein powder with chocolate. Three scoops has only 150 calories with a whopping 20 grams of protein. There are no sugar alcohols and the sugar content is still only at five grams. Since its protein comes from peas, it’s also vegan and dairy free (the chocolate is from cacao powder, not chocolate made with milk).

I mix mine with soy or cashew milk, and a frozen banana. PBFit Chocolate Plus is available on here.

My makeup discovery is also a bargain…

It was a tough year and I started looking at ways to save money. Even though I wasn’t wearing a lot of makeup, I realized the brand I was using did cost quite a bit more than most. I decided that would be one of the first budget cuts I would made.

I did some experimenting and fell in love with e.l.f. cosmetics. They cost about a tenth of what my previous brand did and I actually found I liked them better-especially the putty. It is the best smoothing primer I’ve ever had. All of these items are less than $10, and some half of that! Just click on the pictures below to purchase.

Here’s a list of my favorites:

Poreless Putty Primer

 

(It goes on great with the Flawless Face Brush)

Hydrating Camo Concealer

No Budge Shadow Stick

Mist & Set