Rothbury Farms Cheese Garlic Croutons

To go along with my salad theme, I have to tell you about my crouton obsession! Every good salad needs them.

I love croutons. They're like crack for me. I can eat them straight out of the bag all day. I know a lot of people like to get fancy and make their own homemade ones, but let's be honest... it's just so much easier to buy them.

I've tried all sorts of crouton brands and wasn't really impressed with any of them. That is, until I found Rothbury Farms Cheese Garlic Croutons. These bad boys are like super power crack. I have literally chowed down half a bag in one sitting without realizing it.

Because I'm a garlic lover, I, of course, prefer the Cheese Garlic flavored version. I haven't even tried any of the other flavors. You can definitely taste the cheese, garlic, and herbs in each tasty morsel. My favorite part about these is the texture. They're harder and crunchier than most other crouton brands. They don't crumble in your salad or get soggy.

I have a tough time finding this product in grocery stores, but fortunately the manufacturer's website has a listing of what stores carry this product. When you do find them in stores, you'll realize that you're getting a real bargain... they're just $2 a bag!

Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

When I think of summertime, I think of big salads with all the fresh seasonal produce. They're delicious and filling, but still allow you to keep that beach body that you've worked so hard for.

To top off my salads, I've been really into vinaigrette style dressings lately. My favorite of those is Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar. It has everything I love - it's light, a little garlicky, and full of flavor. A little goes a long way, and only a tablespoon or two is needed on a medium-sized salad. Because it's made with all natural ingredients, the good stuff normally settles at the bottom. Make sure you shake the bottle well before using to mix up the contents. The only negative is that it's a full fat dressing, so use it sparingly if you're watching your weight.

I'm able to find this salad dressing at most grocery stores in the condiments aisle. It's normally around $3-4 per bottle. You can check out all the nutritional information and some recipe ideas using this product on the Newman's Own website, or even purchase it online if you can't find it in stores. 

Stone-Ground Express Mustard

Wowza. I found this product during a regular trip to Whole Foods. It was a sampling day, and they had a sampling station set up with Local Folks products. I think I sampled one of everything, but it was the Stone-Ground Express Mustard on a pretzel rod that totally won me over.

This is the best mustard you'll ever have. Hands down. If you're a fan of brown, Dijon, or other fancy mustards, you'll love it. The consistency is not like your typical mustard; instead of being smooth and spreadable, it is thousands of little mustard seeds in a nice mustard base. This stuff feels homemade. You can actually recognize the simple ingredients that go into it (mustard seed, honey, rice wine vinegar, bell peppers, jalapeños, salt, cilantro, lemon juice).... no weird chemicals here.

Stone-Ground Express Mustard is so delicious that I find excuses to put it on anything... sandwiches, meats, or just for dipping with pretzels. My hubby makes a killer brussel sprouts dish with this mustard... it's a must try!

Jason's Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:
2 servings fresh brussel sprouts, halved
2 TBSP Local Folks Stone-Ground Express Mustard
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
optional: 2 strips bacon, diced
salt & pepper to taste

If using bacon, cook up bacon pieces in a hot skillet. When cooked fully, add all other ingredients to the pan and sautee over medium heat until sprouts are cooked through. It's delicious and serves 2.

Overall, so good! It's a must try!