Nothin' But Bars: Best Granola Bar in CT?

In a world all about “grab and go,” I was happy to stumble upon “Nothin' But” snack bars after a spinning class at Joy Ride in Westport recently. That same week, we spotted them at the Westport Farmers’ market and the Village Market in Wilton. Seems that the chewy little bars, packed with ‘nothin’ but’ organic oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruits and hand-mixed with organic cane sugar, olive oil and honey have found a cult following in Fairfield County. Not only are these the tastiest and most nutritionally dense snack bars we’ve tried (not too dry, not too sweet, loaded with fruits, nuts and all-natural ingredients), they’re also packaged in re-sealable Ziploc bags so that you can eat half in the morning and save the other half for a midday pick-me-up (if you have the willpower).

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o.a.t.s: A Modern Take on Granola

What does “o.a.t.s.” stand for? Outrageously addictive tasty snack?   Obscenely arduous to stop [eating]? Yes, but no. Simply put, o.a.t.s. is oats. Plus a handful of other identifiable ingredients (all of which I can pronounce), combined to create a truly delicious “granola for the foodie.”

o.a.t.s. granola was developed only a year ago by two Westport women, Julie Gaines and Dana Noorily. Both women are busy moms – between them they have five kids under the age of seven – and passionate foodies.  Disappointed by commercial granolas, Julie set out to bake her own at home.  After sharing the results with Dana, they joined forces, selling hundreds of mason jars of the granola through friends and family last holiday season.  

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Caroline's Crêperie Opens in New Canaan

Walk under the blue awning and into the open doors of Caroline’s Crêperie and you’ll feel as if you’re walking into Caroline’s very own French home. With the warm, helpful service and Caroline herself standing at the helm making crêpes and welcoming clients into her buzzing restaurant, you can’t help but be charmed by this new restaurant on New Canaan's Elm Street. 

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Chip’s Family Restaurant on Black Rock Tpke Fairfield

The following is our first mother & daughter review.  Jessica Ryan is in the 7th grade. 

Rebecca: The other day my mother, brothers and I went to try Chip’s, a new restaurant on Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield (where Blockbuster’s was) for lunch. The restaurant was busy, sunny and clean. As soon as we walked in a waiter brought us to a booth by the window. The restaurant is spacious with lots of tables in the middle and booths all along the sides. There were a couple of large TVs hanging from the ceiling and we could see the kitchen from where we were sitting.

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Breakfast Quinoa via The Parsley Thief

When I saw this recipe Breakfast Quinoa with Berries & Bananas in the current issue of Whole Living magazine, I was very intrigued. Quinoa is technically not a grain because it's not part of the grass family {it's a relative of chard, and spinach}...but, because of it's grain-like texture it's marketed as one. It seems I'm always hearing about how good it is for you, and I've had the good intention to use it more in my cooking...but, really don't all that often. It's very high in protein, making it an ideal breakfast choice for me, or my kids. 

This recipe is very adaptable. You can substitute any fruit for the raspberries, blackberries and bananas I used here. I used 2% milk, but you can use whole, skim, soy, or almond milk too. Quinoa is low on the glycemic index...if that's important to you, you can use agave nectar, or stevia as the sweetener. I used maple syrup, but brown sugar would also be delish. If you like a bit of crunch in your hot cereal, chopped nuts would be great. 

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Brunch @ Sugar & Olives in Norwalk

The weekend morning meal. This sacred cow for many, consists of copious amounts of coffee, newsprint (for you digital hold-outs), and a healthy combination of carbs and protein. In addition to providing fuel for the errand-filled, kid-chaffeuring day ahead, brunch can also be one of the most frequently debated destinations of your weekend.

Since they began serving brunch just a month ago, Sugar & Olives in Norwalk has easily moved to the top of my brunch list. House-made ingredients, a green certification and a happy space make Sugar & Olives the type of place you can drop-in with your friends, a gaggle of kids or simply fly solo and enjoy this most important of weekend meals.

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Sono Baking Company is Opening in Westport

Yep...You heard me correctly. The Sono Baking Company is expanding their bakery mecca and opening up shop in Westport. This Sono institution has just signed a lease on the charming new barn at the A & J  Farm Stand, right on the Post Road (seen above). The Westport location will feature a cafe serving grab-n go-items as well as a full espresso bar to accompany their wide selection of baked goods, cakes, pastries, cookies and artisan breads. Owner John Barricelli says "We hope to be open in late August or early September."  We hope so too. A good espresso is hard to come by around here. 

Welcome to the neighborhood.

The Sono Baking Company @ The A & J's Farm Stand 1680 Post Road East, Westport. 

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Brunch @ Bartaco in Port Chester

Thanks to Bartaco, your brunch options just got a whole lot more interesting. Lazy weekends, newsprint-stained hands, Bloody Marys and now tacos are firmly in the domain of this weekend morning ritual. 

The popular Port Chester taco joint owned by the Barcelona Group, has recently unleashed a brunch menu for Saturdays and Sundays that is a fitting extension of the brand’s signature breezy Mexican beach food. For those of you who aren’t familiar with this scene, think Mexican street food influenced by the tides (and an enviable location on the Byram River) with a backdrop fit for a Hampton's weekend of beach-going and people watching minus the traffic on the LIE.

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A Field Guide to Fairway Market's Smoked Salmon

Gossamer thin slices of novy, redolent of smoke, salt, and the sea, layered on a bagel with a schmear  -- I salivate as I write the words --  used to be a food group you couldn't easily find in Fairfield Country.  We might as well have been in Kansas.

Then, as if by wizardry, a piece of the Upper West Side was transplanted to Stamford's South Side last year.  That's when Fairway Market opened its new 80,000 square foot foodie emporium on Canal Street.  And the most outstanding feature of this wonderland greets you just past the spectacular array of cheeses:   a deli case featuring 10 varieties of smoked salmon and lox from oceans around the world.

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Big News @ Wave Hill Breads: New Location...New Bread!

When husband and wife team Margaret Sapir and Mitch Rapaport first began delivering their signature bread to farmers markets in 2005, it was with a signature bread crafted from one recipe. Not that this has been a bad thing. Their Pain de Campagne is what started it all and has brought them the recognition they receive to this day. 

Now, in addition to the fabulously addictive three-grain country loaf that we all know and love, Wave Hill Breads is proud to announce the launch of two new breads for your dining pleasure (+ spoiler alert...come May, you can dine in their new bakery/cafe in Norwalk). But first, let's talk about these magnificent loaves..

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Easter & Passover Eats in Fairfield County, CT

Easter & Passover are just around the corner, and we've been vigilantly scoping out interesting holiday sweets & savories, restaurant reservations, and catering tips to share with you. Here are a few nibbles to get you started on your holiday planning, but this is just a sampling. If you have come across an holiday event or product find, please let us know by posting a comment below. 

What's Easter Without Chocolate?

Belgique Chocolatier in New Canaan is Easter central with 3-feet high chocolate rabbits weighing in at approx. 23 pounds. They also make smaller sizes, as well as chocolate nests with chocolate/hazelnut speckled eggs, chocolate hens and chicks, chocolate eggs to fill with chocolates, bunnies pulling carts with chocolate eggs, etc.

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Michele's Pies (& Cafe) Opens in Westport

Michele's Pies of Norwalk has arrived at its latest home in Westport! Situated at the old Baskin and Robbins location at the corner of Bay Street and the Post Road, Michele's Pies is a welcome newcomer to the area - finally, a great place for a patisserie-style breakfast in Westport. Michele Albano and fiance' Kelly Stuart opened the new pie haven last month and it's time to "sing a song of sixpence!" With a variety of delectable treats, Michele's Pies has something for every craving. From scrumptious CHOCCOLATE/BOURBAN/PECAN to KEY LIME to COUNTRY APPLE to the many savory delights including CHICKEN POT PIE, AUSTRALIAN BEEF, and outrageous LOBSTER QUICHE, Michele's Pies are sure to satisfy. And the pies are just the beginning! The shop opens for breakfast at 7:00 a.m. and serves BEAN & LEAF coffee (single origin, fair trade and organic) out of New London.

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It's All Good At Lakeside Diner in Stamford

How many CTbites contributors does it take to order chicken salad, a breakfast burrito, a Grecian omelet, a reuben sandwich, grilled blueberry muffins, pancakes, apple pie, coffee milkshakes and the worlds' BEST homemade donuts to top it all off? Apparently only 3. But the full bellies and groans were all worth it due to the great food and fantastic retro atmosphere at the LAKESIDE DINER in Stamford. Located at the bottom of the ramp of exit 34 off the Merritt, this joint offers the quintessential diner experience. So much so, it has been used as a location in several films including "College Road Trip." It isn't large and it isn't fancy. This is authentic diner fare done right. Mel, I would kiss these grits anytime. 

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Cherry Pecan Granola via The Parsley Thief

I've been going through a granola obsession lately. I eat it for breakfast, sprinkled on low-fat Greek yogurt, with some agave syrup over the top. I was intrigued by this recipe from the new cookbook, Power Foods, (published by the people of Whole Living magazine), because it's packed with healthy ingredients...I love the addition of ground flaxseeds. I did adjust it quite a bit, because as written, it was a bit flat. I think they were going for a more healthy, low calorie take on granola & of course, I made it a bit less healthy. This is my take on it.

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Lucky Corned Beef Hash via Sugar & Olives

If you can't make it out for St. Patty's Day, why not try enjoy a taste of the Irish in the comfort of your own home. Jennifer Balin of Sugar & Olives knows her way around a simple but tasty Corned Beef Hash, and what better to serve up on March 17th? Bonus: This recipe also features her "secret" for extra delicious overnight shredded hash browns. Check it out:

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