Chocolate Peppermint Cake Pop

For me, nothing says that holidays more than chocolate and peppermint. I know that Thanksgiving gets passed over every year, but I couldn't help treating myself to this petite treat from Starbucks. This little cake pop of holiday goodness came on a fun candy cane striped stick. The outside was covered in white chocolate and dipped in sugar crystals and candy cane pieces...reminded me of the North Pole. Once you bite into this cake pop, it was an explosion of chocolate peppermint yumminess. The inside was a mix of sweet chocolate peppermint cake and icing. It wasn't too sweet, but it was the perfect way to satisfy my sweet tooth. I haven't had one of Starbucks' cake pop before, but they definitely know how to make a yummy one. If you are a fan of peppermint and chocolate, then be sure to give this a try before it disappears!

Christmas in a Cup

As much as you try to avoid it, the holidays are in full swing. Starbucks has already started using the red cups and their holiday blend is brewing (at least in my house). However...as much as I love the red cups, it's just too early. I already started feeling the pressure when I figured out there are only 8 more Saturdays before Christmas! I am not sure how this happened since the Thanksgiving blend isn't out yet, but I managed to snag some of the Holiday Blend from Bed, Bath and Beyond. This one seems to have a much more intense coffee taste, but there are notes of maple and cinnamon in the background. It's actually quite delicious with a splash of vanilla. I am not trying to force the holidays on to anyone but it's better to be prepared and to find yourself scrambling at the last minute. Maybe this Christmas in a cup is just what you need to unwind. 

Starbucks Anniversary Blend

You know that it's time to put something hot in your cup as the weather turns and the stores begin to look like fall. I know that everyone has special fall drinks, but fall is also the beginning of the special coffee releases at Starbucks. The Anniversary Blend kicks everything off and this year they were doing a promotion that if you bought the Anniversary Blend, then you got a 3 ounce espresso cup. Not only is the Anniversary Blend a new coffee, but it also gets a new package design as well. This year's coffee is spicy and crisp. I know that crisp isn't usually a word that describes coffee, but the spice stands out and the crispness comes like the chill in the air. It ends with a smooth buttery taste and doesn't have the lingering bitterness. If you want to make your coffee extra falley, than add a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice to it. It seems to really bring out the spice notes and makes it seem a bit like the Pumpkin Spice Latte. But don't get me wrong, this is definitely not a replacement for that fabulous drink! Be sure to try it before it's gone...as sure as the weather changes so does the coffee at Starbucks.

Evolution Juice

I love juice, but it is very difficult to find brands that don't have all the extra ingredients in it. I got a promo email from Starbucks introducing this new line of juice that they were now going to be carrying so I decided I would try it out. I figured that the best way to judge a juice was to try one with greens in it because to me fruit usually tastes pretty good by itself. This one was a combination of orange, mango, apple, pineapple, raspberry, spirulina, barley grass, wheat grass and dulse. Though I don't know what all the greens are exactly, I do know that I couldn't taste them because the fruit flavors mixed wonderfully with them. This juice surprised me in that it filled me up and kept me full for quite a while. Evolution has lots of different fruits and veggies juices, smoothies and flavored waters. Be sure to visit their website to check out what local retailers near you carry this delicious (and very nutritious) juice so that you can try it for yourself.  

Sweet, Natural Energy

Ok, so energy drinks have come to stay, but until now I was definitely not a fan. The smell of them is not pleasant, so I usually stuck to coffee. One day when I was in Starbucks, I saw an ad for some new drink called a Refresher. I had not idea what it was, but they were giving samples away. I came to find out that a Refresher is a natural energy drink made with green coffee beans and fruit. There were two flavors- Cool Lime and Wild Berry Hibiscus. The lime was so refreshing and there was subtle mint taste that complimented the lime perfectly. The wild berry had a touch of ginger and fresh blackberries. This one had natural sweetness and a floral taste from the hibiscus. Both of them are fantastic alternatives to the traditional energy drink and they are low calorie as well, which is even better! If I had my choice, I would go for the Cool Lime because it is such a unique blend of flavors and absolutely refreshing. Stop by a Starbucks today to try one out and let me know which one you like.