POM Wonderful

POM Wonderful recently sent me several bottles of their basic pomegranate juice for review. I must admit, I am really excited to try their product. I adore pomegranates, but have always been hesitant to purchase an actual bottle of pomegranate juice. I think my main concern is using the juice for nothing more than drinking, and pomegranate juice just seemed a bit too extravagant and pricey for breakfast juice.

But when POM Wonderful offered a sample of their product, my wheels started to turn. I began brainstorming about ways to put this product to good use in the kitchen. The great thing is, pomegranate is very versatile and can really be used for a wide variety of culinary applications. It can be used in both savory or sweet recipes,  served both warm and cool, and used with meat, on a salad or in a baked good. The possibilities are really endless. I feel so inspired. I've have an entire list of pomegranate recipes I plan to make this week.

According to the folks at POM Wonderful, not only do pomegranates taste great, but they are also very very good for you. Pomegranates are a great source of antioxidants. According to the makers of POM Wonderful, a bottle of their juice contains more antioxidants than red wine, grape juice or blueberries. Clinical research has also found that pomegranate juice improves heart health, prostate health and diabetes. These health benefits are really just extra perks, pomegranate is delicious and an absolutely fantastic ingredient that is the perfect match for special holiday cocktails and recipes.

Pork Loin with Pomegranate Balsamic Reduction Sauce

Enter to Win a Cuisinart Elite Collection 4 Cup Grinder/Chopper

Happy November. I heart November. The weather cools down. The end of the hectic fall semester is near. And best of all it means Thanksgiving is only a few short weeks away. I am so excited! I've even already purchased a shiny, new roasting pan!

In celebration of November and the Thanksgiving feast, I am eager to offer an Elite Collection 4 cup Chopper/Grinder. I have a 4 cup Chopper/Grinder and I adore it! Don't get me wrong there is definitely room in my kitchen for the traditional 12 cup Processor, but for everyday jobs the 4 cup Chopper/Grinder is so handy.

To enter please leave a comment on this post telling me your very favorite Thanksgiving food. The winner will be chosen by random drawing and will be announced on the Simply Yummy Goodness blog on Monday, November 9.

I'll get things started. I love stuffing! Especially my dad's recipe. It encompasses Thanksgiving in one dish.

Win a PUR Flavor Options Pitcher

Win a PUR Flavor Options Pitcher !

The PUR filtration system as added a Flavor Option. This new pitcher allows users to enjoy filtered water by adding extra flavor with the touch of a button. Flavors cartridges include: Grape, Lemon, Raspberry, Peach and Strawberry. The particular PUR Flavor Options Pitcher I'm giving away includes a Raspberry cartridge. If you aren't interested in adding flavor to your filtered water, the pitcher can also be used to filter and store regular old unflavored water in your fridge.

To enter tell me which Simply Yummy Goodness post you like best in the comments section of this post. The winner will be selected by a random drawing on Thursday, October 22, one week from today. Good Luck!

Trio at the Four Seasons Austin

Trio, is a lovely restaurant housed inside of Austin's Four Seasons Hotel. Recently, the folks over at the Four Seasons were lovely enough to invite me for wine and appetizers and I am so happy I took them up on their invitation. Trio is housed in a truly lovely space, located just downstairs from the Four Seasons main lobby, the dining room over looks lovely landscaping as well as Lady Bird Lake.

I know the Four Seasons can seem intimidating, but the atmosphere at Trio is both stylish and upscale while also being very comfortable and welcoming. The space consists of a hip wine bar, elegant dining room and relaxing outdoor patio. It is a great location for a indulgent ladies night, a nice glass a wine with your beau, a swanky dinner date or celebratory brunch.



Trio also has a very fun appetizer menu, and for those watching their wallet, appetizer menus are a great way to enjoy good food for a more reasonable price. Trio's menu features many familiar favorites enhanced by interesting twists, trendy flavor combinations and fresh ingredients. I ordered the Truffle Fries and Lamb Sliders, both were great. I especially loved the fries which were large hearty steak cut fries, fried along side whole cloves of garlic, an abundance of fresh rosemary and topped with good coarse salt and truffle oil. These fries are outstanding. How could they go wrong with garlic and truffle oil?

The only snafu was that the Meyer Lemon Aioli promised by the menu was replaced by ketchup. Although the fries were still super tasty, I am looking forward to trying that aioli sometime soon. The sliders are pretty tasty too, they are made with local lamb, topped with tzatziki sauce. They were moist, flavorful and super cute. These two made a great pair and would be even better with a great beer.

Trio not only has yummy eats, but boasts a very nice wine selection. We enjoyed several great glasses of wine, including a lovely Spanish Rioja and a really great Argentinian Malbec, both had great depths of flavor and paired wonderfully with the lamb sliders. Trio is truly a lovely place to grab a good glass of wine and an interesting appetizer even if you aren't passing through Austin on a visit.

The only trick is parking. Four Seasons does provide discounted valet for restaurant guests, but I recommend finding street parking and taking a stroll to the Four Seasons if you can. Happy Hour is available Monday - Saturday from 5-8 and more information of the Four Seasons and Trio, including a list of menus can be found on their website.

Enjoy!

Fage Greek Yogurt

*This is a compensated review from Blogher and Fage Greek Yogurt.

I adored Fage yogurt long before I was invited to review their delicious products. I’ve been a fan of their 2% plain yogurt flavor for quite some time. I just love the blank canvas that their line of plain yogurt provides. It can be topped with good honey and crunchy granola. It can provide just the right amount of creaminess to a sweet, healthy homemade smoothie or lay the best foundation for a good homemade curry or tzatziki sauce. You might suppose that these culinary creations are possible with any plain yogurt, but the thick density that Greek style strained yogurt possesses is just so much more satisfying than the run of the mill familiar big box brands.

Now I must be honest. Although I have a deep love of the plain flavors I was a bit more hesitant to give the combination line of flavors a fair shake. I don’t know, something about a side car of fruit or honey seemed sort of strange to me, but I have been converted. The combination yogurts feature an approximate four ounce serving of Fage Greek Yogurt with a side car of sweet fruit or honey. I’ve sampled cherry, strawberry and honey. Fage also makes a peach flavor, but I am not a fan of peach and had to share that one with friends. My very favorite flavor is cherry; the combination of sweet and creamy flavors is a great way to start any day. Their convenient container and dense texture make them perfect for a weekday breakfast on the go. I am always looking for something I can grab in a hurry and eat at my desk and Fage yogurt does the job in a tasty way for a healthy snack or quick breakfast.

If you would like to give Fage Greek Yogurt a try, Blogher will give away a case of Fage Yogurt a day. Enter to win by clicking here: Blogher Review/Giveway .

For more information on Fage Greek Yogurt check out their website at www.fageusa.com.