Connecticut Bound (And Not Yet Packed!)

Today has been incredibly go-go-go around here. My dad woke me up around 8:30 this morning to head to State College to drop off my car at Josh’s apartment. I’m taking a train to Josh’s parents house in New Haven tomorrow and will be there for two weeks. I am so excited! Josh and I are taking the Megabus home so when we get back to State College I’ll already have my car right there with me. It was really sweet of my dad to follow me to State College and then turn right around and drive us back home. He’s awesome like that. <3

To thank him I treated us to Panera in State College. My dad loves Panera and I am never one to pass up their broccoli cheddar soup, so I was pretty excited for breakfast lunch. I got the fuji apple chicken salad (hold the chicken) and then the broccoli cheddar soup with a whole grain baguette. It was delicious. We left really early today so that we would beat the torrential rain hitting PA. I was about 3/4ths of the way to State College when the rain started. I feel bad my dad had to drive home in that. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad as predicted and we made it home safe and sound. I slept most of the way back! ;p

By the time I got home and ran errands, went to the grocery store, mailed packages, and started laundry I was starving again. Before the holidays I received samples of Granola Factory granola in the mail and have been munching on handfuls of the Bethlehem Inn Granola Honey Pecan flavor almost daily. Today I was craving more granola, but in a more substantial way than just a snack. I decided to try the Quinoa Fruit ‘n’ Nut Cherry Almond flavor.

Check out the nutrition stats on this granola. Six grams of protein for every serving! The quinoa definitely makes this a more filling snack.

I was really excited to get to sample and review Granola Factory for many reasons. They are local PA company making granola in Bethlehem, PA. I actually used to live there when I was really little! Suzanne Virgilio, the creator of Granola Factory, first opened the Bethlehem Inn, a bed and breakfast, in 1988. Guests of the inn were greeted every morning with Suzanne’s handmade granola. Guests loved the granola so much they encouraged Suzanne to turn it into a business, and thus the Granola Factory was born.

Suzanne was adamant that the granola she sold would be held to the same quality and standards that she held the granola that she served to her guests every morning. The granola is all natural and made with organic ingredients. And all Granola Factory granola is entirely handmade. She employs two artisan bakers who she taught her ways of baking the granola in small batches, flipping it constantly throughout the baking process to give the granola a crisp texture and consistent taste. With just one oven and one mixer the two bakers can make 300 pounds of granola in a day. Its really amazing to hear what people who are trained and passionate about what they do can accomplish.

I was really impressed with this granola. Not only is it made of quality ingredients (rolled oats, wheat bran, honey, butter, tart cherries, almonds, flax meal, quinoa, almond extract, and salt), using baking methods you sadly just don’t see anymore in a lot of the food industry, but the taste is absolutely incredible. I have not been able to stop eating this granola! Even as I’m typing this now I’m eating some more, which I really better stop doing since its supposed to be my snack for the train tomorrow! It tastes homemade! It is bursting with flavor, is perfectly seasoned, and satisfyingly crispy. I am a huge fan! And luckily for me its available at Wegmans! If you don’t have a Wegmans near you you can also order some online. I’d highly recommend it, the price is super reasonable and the taste is ten million times better than a lot of the packaged granola products on the shelves.

I decided to pair the granola with vanilla Greek yogurt to make a filling small meal. Granola + yogurt = an amazing combo.

Wow was this delicious. It hit the spot and gave me some much needed energy after a seriously busy day!

The rest of my evening has been filled with laundry, laundry, and more laundry. I took a dinner break to use up the rest of some food that I’m only one the house that eats it before I leave tomorrow and made a pasta dish. I sauteed chopped tofu in garlic and olive oil before adding in quinoa pasta, vodka sauce, and mozzarella cheese.

It was so incredibly good. Today has been one all around amazing food day for me!

And now its time for something much less amazing: packing! Amtrak has luggage size restrictions and apparently my 31 inch suitcase is too big so I have to bring my middle sized one. Between Hanukkah presents and clothes for two weeks this is going to be an interesting task. I’m packing my purses and carrying my messenger bag for the trip, since thankfully there’s no weight restrictions for carry-ons! I’m leaving at 6am tomorrow morning so I better get a move on!

Note regarding posting while I’m in Connecticut: As you guys know I will be on vacation these next two weeks. Josh and his family and I have some really fun plans I can’t wait to share with you guys but because I will be all over the place posting is going to be very sporadic. The way its been working on here is I’ve been posting nightly Monday to Friday and then taking the weekends off. Until January 9th I won’t be following a schedule. I’ll probably only post once or twice a week and it might be on the weekends. I’m sorry for being so up in the air but I really don’t know when free time will strike and I’ll want to make use of it when it occurs. Please hang with me and know I’m not going anywhere! I’ll be updating my Twitter and tweeting about new posts from there so make sure to follow me to make sure you don’t miss a post! I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week! I cannot wait to give Josh the biggest hug tomorrow afternoon!