Category Archives: Favorite Products

Get your fix: KEEN’s Haven CNX shoe

Photo credit: The Gear Institute

Photo credit: The Gear Institute

You might be a runner if…you wouldn’t dare think of doing anything else in your designated running shoes except, well, running.

Why? Athletic shoes have a limited lifespan of anywhere from 300-600 miles (it varies by person), so if you’re spending upwards of $150 per pair, you may want to consider conserving your mileage in them.

Which is why I went in search of a good cross-training shoe for anything from bike riding and hiking to boot camps and strength training (think speed and agility over endurance).

I’m not a huge fan of minimalist running shoes (I like my shoes how I like my best girlfriends: supportive!), but I do look for a more natural foot feel for other activities; so when KEEN approached me to try their new Haven CNX, a low-profile, multi-sport outdoor shoe, I decided to give it a shot.

The Haven CNX offers the same KEEN fit and protection we know and love, only lightened up with a proprietary new midsole and multi-directional flex grooves on the sole, which allow for more freedom of movement. They delivered over the course of several tests on easy-to-moderate trails, allowing me to feel a solid connection despite varied terrain.

And at a mere 8.2 ounces, these shoes fit like a glove and are as comfortable as slippers thanks to the soft,  super-breathable mesh uppers, which are adjustable for a variety of foot widths. Throw in the contoured arch and metatarsal ridge for underfoot support, and you’ve got a versatile pair of shoes that’ll give any runner a reason to shed their usual kicks on those cross-training days!

Keen Haven

Thanks to the folks at Keen for providing samples for review; all opinions are my own. 

Get your fix: HannahMax Baking’s All-Natural Crunchy Cookie Chips

CookieChipsCheck out our latest and greatest healthy living obsessions! 

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m far from perfect when it comes to healthy eating.

But when I do indulge, I’d much rather reach for whole food rather than a bunch of fat-free, sugar-free artificial junk.

Enter my latest go-to treat, HannahMax Baking’s All-Natural Crunchy Cookie Chips, which marry the satisfying crunch of a chip with that classic cookie taste we all know and love.

Made with all-natural ingredients – milled cane sugar, rBST hormone-free butter, cage-free eggs and pure Bourbon vanilla, just to name a few – this delicious snack/dessert hybrid tastes just like homemade (maybe even better…shhh, don’t tell Mom!).

In fact, one of our testers even said, “I can’t believe how much flavor they packed into such a delicate cookie.”

But perhaps just as important is what’s left out of the recipe: Cookie Chips are free of trans fats, artificial flavors or colors, preservatives and GMOs.

Available in four flavors (Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Sugar, Salted Peanut Butter and Original – we loved ’em all), Cookie Chips are great straight out of the 6 oz. bag, perfect for dipping in espresso – or crushed and sprinkled over frozen yogurt.

And at only around 120-130 calories per serving, they won’t set you back on the scale later.

Cookie Chips are available at a variety of supermarket chains, specialty grocers and gourmet stores across the U.S. To find a location near you or to purchase online, visit www.hannahmax.com.

Thanks to the folks at HannahMax Baking for providing samples for review; all opinions are my own. 

Get Your Fix: Zola’s “Fruits of the World”

Check out our latest and greatest healthy living obsessions!  Zola

If you read up on the 10 hot nutrition trends for spring, you know that coconut water is making a comeback (has it ever left?), thanks to its loyal following of fitness junkies and athletes who use it as a high-potassium replacement for sugary sports drinks.

But while I love to use the slightly-sour liquid in place of water or juice in smoothies, I’ve never really been a fan of sucking it down straight from the bottle – until now.

At the suggestion of my friend, Fit Approach co-founder Jamie Walker, I tried Zola’s version and found it is indeed all it’s “cracked” up to be (plus, as an ultra-marathoner, boot-camp instructor and yogi, I’m pretty sure Jamie knows a little something about hydration).

Not only does it contain five essential electrolytes – potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium – but unlike a lot of stuff that’s that good for you, it also actually tastes great.

How? Founder and intrepid traveler Chris Cuvelier has been trekking around the globe for more than a decade in search of the world’s best sources for the tastiest and most nutritious exotic fruits – which just happen to be Thai coconuts and Brazilian Açaí, by the way (the company also offers a yummy line of antioxidant-packed Açaí juices, too).

I guess you could say the, well, “fruits” of his labor turned out to be some pretty darn delicious and refreshing ways to replenish, re-hydrate and recover.

Thanks to the folks at Zola for providing samples for review; all opinions are my own.