Nob Hill Trading Co. Soups

If you're lucky enough to live in Northern California, you probably have the opportunity to shop at a Raley's, Bel Air, or Nob Hill store. They're very nice and have the best meats and produce around, hands down. They also provide a large selection of organic and all natural foods, which can be hard to find with no Trader Joe's or Whole Foods nearby. I was recently given the opportunity to try one of their Nob Hill Trading Co. All-Natural Soups by being a member of the Something Extra Try-It program.

Here's some info about the soups from their website:
Nob Hill Trading Co. All-Natural Soups are delicious because they’re simple, with a short list of real ingredients (all of which you can pronounce, even). And with no preservatives or artificial flavors and colors, these soups are just like Mom used to make. But some of the flavors aren’t like anything you enjoyed as a kid. Nob Hill Trading Co. soups come in nine heartwarming flavors in convenient 20 oz. containers (perfect for two adult-sized servings) priced at $4.99:

Butternut Squash
Farmers Market
Indian Curry
King Crab Chowder
Lentil Soup
Lobster Bisque
New England Clam Chowder
Quinoa Chili
Shrimp and Corn

I was able to go to my local Bel Air and sort through the different choices of 20oz soups and ended up picking out the Farmers Market Vegetable Soup. I know that's not on the list above, but my Bel Air only had a few 20oz soups available (most were 24oz for $4.99 instead of the 20oz for $3.99), and they only had about 5 options in total. I'm not sure if I just went on an off day and they hadn't gotten in a new shipment so I'll have to check the next time I go back. I don't eat seafood of any kind, so automatically the crab, lobster, and shrimp flavors were out, so I chose the vegetable soup. I like minestrone so I figured this would be a good choice for me.

I love that it's all natural (you can tell because it has a green lid) and was only 100 calories per serving! No unnecessary chemicals or preservatives, so you know you're getting the most for your money when it comes to nutrients. The Farmers Market Vegetable Soup was good, but not what I was expecting! It's not your usual blend of veggies for a soup. It had pumpkin seeds, cauliflower, carrots, tomatoes, and more. I will warn you that it was VERY peppery, but if you like that then more power to you! You get a generous portion that's enough to feed two people. It would be perfect with a side of grilled-cheese mmmmmm! I would definitely purchase this soup again. Hot soup is a perfect meal choice for this time of year. It's quick, hearty, warms you up, and you can eat it out of a cup or an awesome bowl (like the one that came with my kit). I love to get a bowl (or cup) of soup, snuggle up on the couch under a blanket with my husband and kitties, and enjoy. If it's raining outside, even better!

I know I will keep these in mind the next time I can't think of what to make for dinner! As a side note, if you haven't joined Something Extra yet, I would highly recommend it. I was able to purchase the soup, chips, and apple sauce shown above for only $2.59! Just for being a member, I received the soup and chips free. Can't beat that! Have you tried these soups from Raley's and Bel Air? Which one is your favorite? Would you choose a fresh all-natural soup over the canned variety?

Disclosure: I received this product free from the  Something Extra Try-It program but all the opinions are my own.

Jennifer Garner

Jennifer Garner has been one of my favorite actresses since I watched Alias way back in the day. Does anyone remember that show? You know, where Jennifer Garner, Bradley Cooper, and Victor Garber were together on screen on a weekly basis? Or how about before that when she played Hannah on Felicity, you know, Noel's girlfriend? Anyway, as I was saying, I have been a huge fan of hers for a long time and can't get enough of her work and seeing pictures of her adorable family. 

I think she's beautiful and has a wonderful sense of style. If you've ever seen pictures of her in daily life, she's usually in something fashionable, comfortable, and something you could recreate yourself. I'm not one for big poofy dresses, but this purple number on Jen is perfect. I love the color and holy cow that necklace! 

As I mentioned in my post about Jennifer Lawrence, I wasn't able to watch the 85th Annual Academy Awards this year, so I spent some time looking through tons of photos from the event. I can't get over how much in love Jennifer and Ben Affleck are. They are so cute together and I am so happy that they've been able to keep their marriage alive through the years, especially with Hollywood in their lives. They have beautiful children and seem to genuinely care for each other and seem so real.

Although she wasn't up for any awards herself, she presented and supported Ben, who was up for 7 nominations for Argo. If you haven't seen it yet, you should.

The Jennifers

During Ben's speech: "I want to thank you for working on our marriage for 10 Christmases. It’s good, it is work, but it’s the best kind of work, and there’s no one I’d rather work with." I'm not sure what everyone's problem is with this part. I think it's a real and amazing way to acknowledge what he and Jennifer have.