Posts Tagged ‘Lemon’

Jackie Chan’s XGT (Xtra Green Tea) Drink Mix

No Comments » Written on September 10th, 2012 by
Categories: Drinks
Tags: ,

“He likes it! Hey Jackie!”

Product: Jackie Chan’s XtraGreen Tea Drink Mix
Purchased at: Found by Ben…somewhere
Price: FREE

What happened to you, Jackie Chan? You used to be uber-cool. I remember watching you in the poorly dubbed film: Rumble in the Bronx: on TV in the 1990s, and despite the over-dramatic annoying female voice acting, it was an overall enjoyable flick.

Nowadays kids grow up with “The Spy Next Door” and “The Jackie Chan Adventures” and miss out on glorious direct-from-Hong Kong action films with no plot or acting to speak of, but Jackie’s well-intentioned grin and kicks to the face. So maybe it was nostalgia, curiosity or just because it was pretty weird that made me try today’s product. Hell, Steven Seagal has his own “energy drink” so why can’t Jackie Chan?

The artificially sweetened lemon flavored iced tea powder comes packaged in the oh-so-convenient plastic tube-pouches that are oh-so-trendy these days for single serving diet tea drinks. The powder isn’t brown like Nestea or matcha green as one would expect green tea to be, but a grainy yellowish brown that plopped to the bottom of my handy blender bottle.

While I don’t normally like artificially sweetened green tea (I prefer it plain/hot or cold), I shook up the bottle with some Tacoma tap water and took a swig. Taking one for the team, right? (generally the motto of our website) The concoction was not undrinkable, but a cloying mixed of faux lemon, whatever additives are added for “energy” and that classic Splenda twang. The drink doesn’t have a terribly appealing color, which is probably why most energy drinks choose to come it a totally blacked out aluminum can.

Which celebrity should endorse an instant artificially sweetened iced tea mix? It’s not Jackie Chan.

Also, Jackie Chan, I see like so many aged, overweight women on social media sites, you’re also using an outdated profile pic that doesn’t accurately represent your current physical shape. However your Google+ stream brought a much needed smile to my face. Especially after drinking your green tea mix.

Come back next week when I’ve probably received a cease-and-desist letter from Jackie Chan’s agent!

Bonus: The product page for Jackie’s iced tea also features interpretations of the Chinese Zodiac symbols:

Eff you, rabbits.

“Possibly when you are using a whip and chair on them.”

Iron Man Popsicle

No Comments » Written on February 9th, 2012 by
Categories: Food
Tags: , , , , ,

Product: Iron Man Popsicle
Purchased at: Grocery Outlet (North Tacoma/6th Ave.)
Price: 3/$1 or 34 cents

One of my cherished moments as a child was the neighborhood ice cream truck. And not just the truck itself – the thrill of hearing a constant repeat of “Pop Goes the Weasel”, “Turkey in the Straw” or the classic Scott Joplin piece “The Entertainer” becoming louder and louder as the truck traveled closer to my neighborhood. Mind you, the music didn’t mean we would be going to be visited by the truck, since our neighborhood was a looped dead-end that saw the truck less often than we did a new year.

When we (my brother and I) could confirm the truck was actually headed towards us, we made the mad dash of emptying pig banks, scraping through the couch and grabbing those quarters out of conveniently placed spare change dishes.

Looking back, the selection was always generally underwhelming: maybe some Ninja Turtles with bubble gum eyes or a Mickey Mouse novelty molded to include ears. In fact, most of the treats were just popsicles instead of actual ice cream. But jack up the price of those suckers by 1000% and you’ve got scores of kids chasing after your vehicle. A $1 treat from the truck always tasted better that a Fudgesicle from Fred Meyer that your mom bought in a 48 pack.

Oh boy, fat free with natural* colors and flavors!

Liquid Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Corn Syrup.

Sadly, now I’m too old to go chasing after ice cream trucks and buying things made of pure sugar that aren’t Starbucks Frappacinos. However, I am not immune to bright colors and movie tie-ins (the children’s cereal aisle is a no-fly zone for me) so I couldn’t resisted buying IRON MAN’S FACE – in popsicle form.

Contrary to my usual modus operandi, I actually have seen Iron Man 2, instead of catching it when it appears on Saturday night basic cable. I can appreciate Robert Downey Jr.’s sarcastic character and Scarlett Johansson’s skintight leather, though I’m not sure the target audience of this product would.

I AM IRON MAN.

Iron Man’s big identity reveal in the film was a little more well-received that this unveiling. Poor frozen novelty Iron Man didn’t hold up too well after melting a bit in my grocery bag and refreezing in the meantime.

Iron Man’s face was a sickly syrupy sweet frozen mass of cherry and lemon. If you’ve ever had a “Firecracker” Popsicle, this pop was reminiscent of the first two cherry and lemon sections. All in all, a syrupy sweet artificial tasting frozen novelty that’ll make your heart race and possibly overload your Arc Reactor.

UPDATE – Last time I visited Grocery Outlet, the price of the remaining stock of these had been updated to 8/$1 or 12/$1, can’t remember which.

This Week at Grocery Outlet – Snow Day Edition

No Comments » Written on January 18th, 2012 by
Categories: Deals
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Greetings! I have emerged from my Seasonal-Anxiety-Disorder induced haze and awaken to a morning of snow! Oh, what’s that? Work in cancelled? So I have a whole day to stay cooped up in my apartment with pretty much nothing to do except for tend to my poor little neglected blog? Excellent (I’m also starting my 2011 federal taxes).

In preparation for the proposed 5-10″ of SNOWMAGEDDON or the equally frightening SNOWPOCALYPSE, as it’s been called around here (I assume East Coasters think we’re nuts), I hopped on the bus to stock up on some consumables so we wouldn’t resort to ripping open the extra MREs we have or indulging in canned tomatoes or sardines and/or herring in oil.

I hate to play favorites, but like a mother with a gaggle of kids, I do have a Grocery Outlet store that I prefer and that is the 6th Ave location. It’s closest to me, has a great selection of goods and a staff that’s always very nice.

Here’s some new stuff I spotted (and for the most part, purchased) in preparation for the big one:

1. Infinite Varieties of Lindt Chocolate Bars (Intense Mint, Intense Orange, 70% Cocoa, 85% Cocoa, Chili, White Coconut, plus loads of truffles and milk chocolate bars) – $1.99

I used to be crazy about the 85% Lindt bars. This chocolate was like the Holy Grail to the low carb community, due to its low sugar content (5g net carbs per serving, why the heck do I still know this?) but still palatable taste (though some would argue that 85% is still pretty bitter). Anywho, they reformulated the 85% bar in 2011 and lo and behold, IT NOW HAS NINE NET CARBS OH THE HUMANITY (I kid, LC dieters. Keep doin’ what you do).

I still enjoy the bar, but this time picked up the Chili flavor as well, which is a delightfully peppery bar that’s around 70% cocoa. Chocolate purists will discount the White Coconut bar, since it’s not “real” chocolate, but it’s good if you’re feeling gluttonous and apathetic.

They also had these Hageland Dark Chocolate Pear & Almonds bars for around the same price. The name didn’t ring a bell, so I did a little researching. Apparently Hageland is a brand developed exclusively for Walmart, and this bar has been review a couple times online as well. Not too sure how well pear flavor would mesh with dark chocolate, but I may pick up a bar next time I’m there.

2. Rice Dream Supreme Chocolate Chai Shelf-Stable Beverage: Dairy Free, Soy Free, Cholesterol Free, Trans Fat Free and Gluten free for your pleasure – 75 cents

Gotta love shelf-stable dairy/dairy-esque products. I’ve meant to try this stuff, but my lower carb/no sugar habits have guilted me so far(says the person who just bought a handful of chocolate bars). This stuff is also $36 for a pack of 12 on Amazon so you can stock up for the next Snowmadeggon/Snopocalypse/Snowtastrophe at a fraction of the price.

3. Cascade Ice Sparkling Cocktail Mixer Lemon Drop – 59 cents

I’ve picked up 2-3 bottles of this so far but ashamedly just drank it as a soda, instead of mixing a fancy Hollywood Martini Drink, mostly out of laziness and thirst (don’t judge me). Essentially, it’s a fizzy lemon soda that caffeine free and sweetened by sucralose (Splenda) so it’s low-calorie. Now where’s that bottle of Bloody Mary Mix to go with my lunch?

Facebook Twitter YouTube

4. Edy’s/Nestle Drumstick Sundae Cone Ice Cream (Snack Size) - 50 cents

Because you know that box of regular sized Drumstick cones in your freezer will be gone within the next few days, especially if you’re cooped up inside because of the snow. With what other dessert could you get “chocolaty dipped waffle cone pieces” (note the spelling of chocolaty – that’s not a misprint) and only 130 delicious sugar-laden calories? Only problem is with a real Drumstick, you reach a chocolate cache in the bottom of the cone (which is officially called a Super Nugget), a small paper cup only provides a flat white ending. Both provide delicious Propylene Glycol Monostearate however.

So what is the best snow day snack?