Dairy Queen's July Blizzard of the Month - Chocolate Candy Shop

Last month, Dairy Queen gave us the Turtle Brownie Blizzard.  This month however, Dairy Queen is switching things up with their new Chocolate Candy Shop Blizzard.  The Chocolate Candy Shop Blizzard is made of cocoa fudge, vanilla soft serve, and chocolate pieces filled with hazelnut creme, fudge, and caramel. 

The nutritional information for a medium Chocolate Candy Shop Blizzard includes 960 calories, 44 grams of fat (24 saturated), 108 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

Dairy Queen's June Blizzard of the Month - Turtle Brownie

Celebrating with Confetti last month was fun and all, but for June, Dairy Queen wants to slow things down a bit with their new Turtle Brownie Blizzard.  The June Blizzard of the Month comes with, "Pecans, caramel and chewy brownie pieces blended with creamy vanilla soft serve."

The nutritional information for a medium Turtle Brownie Blizzard from Dairy Queen includes 930 calories, 43 grams of fat, 89 grams of sugar, and 18 grams of protein.

Dairy Queen's May Blizzard of the Month - Confetti Cake

In April, they delighted customers with the Caramel Delight Pie and now Dairy Queen is extending the happy mood by celebrating with confetti.  The Blizzard of the Month for May, Confetti Cake, is made of, "moist white cake pieces and confetti frosting blended with creamy vanilla soft serve." 

Last month, there was a hitch in that Dairy Queen didn't list the exact nutritional information for the Caramel Delight Pie (It has been added since).  This month, for some reason no medium size is listed for the Confetti Cake Blizzard, so I will give you the nutritional facts for the small size.  A small Confetti Cake Blizzard comes in at 650 calories, 25 grams of fat, 70 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. 

Dairy Queen's April Blizzard of the Month - Caramel Delight Pie

Is it easy to go from minty and Oreoy to caramel and chocolatey? By making Caramel Delight Pie the April Blizzard of the Month, Dairy Queen seems to think so.  According to Dairy Queen, the Caramel Delight Pie comes with "caramel, choco chunks and pie pieces blended with creamy vanilla soft serve, crowned with whipped topping."  

Maybe they are just April Fooling with us, but there is a hitch this month in finding out the exact nutritional information for the Caramel Delight Pie since it's not listed in DQ's nutrition calculator.  However, to give you some sort of an idea, a medium Caramel Brownie Blizzard, which also contains the caramel, choco chunks, and vanilla soft serve of the Caramel Delight Pie, but replaces the Caramel Delight's pie pieces with brownie pieces, comes in at 860 calories, 33 grams of fat (22 saturated), 96 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

Dairy Queen's March Blizzard of the Month - Mint Oreo

Last month, Dairy Queen themed their Blizzard of the Month around Valentine's Day with Choco Cherry Love.  Now for March, DQ seems to be going green for St. Patrick's Day with Mint Oreo as their Blizzard of the Month.  The Mint Oreo Blizzard comes with "OREO^® cookies pieces crumbled and tumbled with cool mint and creamy vanilla soft serve."

Nutritionally, a medium size Mint Oreo Blizzard comes in at 740 calories, 25 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein, and 89 grams of sugar.

JITB News: New Bacon Milkshake, Phoenix Misses Out On Fish Promo

The first new promotion at Jack in the Box is the Bacon Shake...I'll let that sink in for a second...

Made with real vanilla ice cream, bacon flavored syrup, whipped topping and a maraschino cherry.

Okay, so if you are brave enough to order one, there are a few things you should know.  First, get there fast since the quantities being delivered to Jack in the Box restaurants are said to be "as limited as limited can be." Next, according to a spokesman for the restaurant, "The shake is not listed on our menus in the restaurants, so it's more of a 'secret item' that people can order."  Finally, the nutrition of the 16 oz. Bacon Milkshake includes 773 calories, 40 grams of fat (28 saturated), 75 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein. 

Next we have a promotion that is specifically skipping over the Phoenix metro area.  The $2.99 Fish Sandwich Combo includes small fries, a small drink, and "two lightly battered fillets of Alaskan Pollock topped with lettuce and tartar sauce and served on a warm sesame seed bun"  Along with this, for $4.59, Jack in the Box is Jack "offering Fish & Chips, which includes three fish fillets and small order of fries along with a side of tartar sauce and malt vinegar."

Sadly for those of you that enjoy something fishy in the Phoenix area, at the bottom of the press release, Jack in the Box points out, "These promotions are not available in Phoenix."  If the AZFoodDude is not mistaken, these items are on the menu, so why is it that they can do the promotion in Tucson, Flagstaff, etc. but not in Phoenix?  And if they are not on the menu anymore and this is a special limited time deal, then what's preventing the distribution trucks from stopping in Phoenix when they are moving along the I-10 from California to Tucson and further east?  What's even better is the fact that we have a distribution center in Phoenix.  Not cool for the fish-loving folks in Phoenix, Jack.

Dairy Queen's February Blizzard of the Month - Choco Cherry Love

To start off the year, Dairy Queen pushed their Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard, for February however, just in time for Valentine's Day, DQ is making the Choco Cherry Love Blizzard the Blizzard of the Month.  The Choco Cherry Love Blizzard is made of "Sweet cherries lovingly blended with rich choco chunks and creamy vanilla soft serve."

If terms of nutrition, a medium size Choco Cherry Love Blizzard has 650 calories, 24 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein and 80 grams of sugar.

Dairy Queen's January Blizzard of the Month - Strawberry CheeseQuake

In December, Dairy Queen gave us the very appropriate Candy Cane Chill Blizzard, for January however, Dairy Queen is offering the Strawberry CheeseQuake as the Blizzard of the Month.  The Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard is composed of "Real chunks of rich cheesecake and strawberries blended with creamy vanilla soft serve."

If you are wondering, a medium size Strawberry CheeseQuake Blizzard has 690 calories, 28 grams of fat, 15 grams of protein and 72 grams of sugar.

New From Dunkin' Donuts: Texas Toast Grilled Cheese & Holiday Donuts

Announced today, Dunkin' Donuts began selling their new Texas Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwich.  According to Dunkin' Donuts, the new sandwich:

"...features two slices of American cheese and one slice of white cheddar cheese melted between two pieces of thick-cut Texas Toast and served oven-toasted. Guests may customize the sandwich upon request by adding bacon or ham."

The press release also mentioned two special holiday donuts:

"Dunkin' Donuts' Sprinkle the Cheer Donut is a yeast ring donut with red icing and holly berry sprinkles, while the Holiday Star Donut is a star-shaped donut with vanilla icing, filled with Bavarian Kreme and topped with silver nonpareils."

Nutrition:
Texas Toast Grilled Cheese - No information available at this time
Sprinkle the Cheer Donut - 290 calories, 15 grams of fat, 16 grams of sugar, 3 grams of protein
Holiday Star Donut - 300 calories, 13 grams of fat, 20 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein

Dairy Queen's December Blizzard of the Month - Candy Cane Chill

In November, Dairy Queen gave us the Caramel Nut Roll Blizzard, for December however, Dairy Queen is offering the very appropriate Candy Cane Chill Blizzard as the Blizzard of the Month.  The Candy Cane Chill Blizzard is composed of "Peppermint candy pieces and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve."

If you are wondering, a medium size Candy Cane Chill Blizzard has 800 calories, 22 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein and 104 grams of sugar.

Carl's Jr. Introduces Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

Late last week, Carl's Jr. rolled out their newest dessert option, the new Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich.  From the press release:

Each OREO Ice Cream Sandwich is made by hand in the restaurant, featuring a scoop of vanilla ice cream placed between two large OREO cookie wafers and individually wrapped.

The Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich comes in at 250 calories, 11 grams of fat, 20 grams of sugar and has a suggested retail price of $1.49.  

McDonald's Adds Two Peppermint Drinks for the Holidays

From now, until January 2, 2012, you will be able to order McDonald's new Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate McCafé drinks. According to the press release:

McCafé Peppermint Mocha is the perfect blend of smooth espresso, dark chocolate syrup with a hint of peppermint, and steamed milk, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. Customers can also get into the holiday spirit with a decadent McCafé Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Both beverages are customizable, and available with a choice of whole or nonfat milk, and with or without the whipped cream topping.

Both drinks are available in three sizes and the nutrition based on how the drinks come as ordered is listed below:

Peppermint Mocha - Customize drink at the link

• Small (12oz.) - 260 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, 32 grams of sugar
• Medium (16oz.) - 310 calories, 12 grams of fat, 8 grams of protein, 39 grams of sugar
• Large (20oz.) - 380 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, 47 grams of sugar

Peppermint Hot Chocolate - Customize drink at the link

• Small (12oz.) - 270 calories, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, 32 grams of sugar
  
• Medium (16oz.) - 340 calories, 14 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 41 grams of sugar
• Large (20oz.) - 410 calories, 17 grams of fat, 12 grams of protein, 50 grams of sugar

Dairy Queen's November Blizzard of the Month - Caramel Nut Roll

Dairy Queen is getting nuts this month.  For the month of November, Dairy Queen has made the Caramel Nut Roll Blizzard the Blizzard of the Month.  The Caramel Nut Roll Blizzard is made of "Gooey caramel, marshmallow and peanuts blended with creamy vanilla soft serve."

In terms of nutrition, the medium size Caramel Nut Roll has 920 calories, 34 grams of fat, 23 grams of protein, and 103 grams of sugar.

Whataburger Brings Back Chocolate Pie

Continuing with the sweet theme for today, Whataburger has brought back their Chocolate Pie for a limited time. Until January 2, customers will be able to order the pie described as having a "hot flaky crust" and a sweet chocolate filling.  In addition, Whataburger is also pushing their Chocolate Shake, which is a mainstay on the menu.

According to Whataburger, the Chocolate Pie has 280 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of protein and 16 grams of sugar.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake Back at Chick-Fil-A

For the third year in a row, Chick-fil-A is bringing back the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake.  Just like their other milkshakes, this one is topped off with whipped cream and a cherry.  Available in 14 oz. and 20 oz. sizes, the Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake will be offered until early January, according to QSR.

Nutrition
Small (14oz) - 660 calories, 23 grams of fat, 12 grams of protein, and 89 grams of sugar.
Large (20oz) - 930 calories, 31 grams of fat, 16 grams of protein, and 127 grams of sugar.

Dairy Queen's September Blizzard of the Month - Caramel Brownie

For the month of September, Dairy Queen has made the Ooey Gooey Caramel Brownie Blizzard the Blizzard of the Month. The Ooey Gooey Caramel Brownie Blizzard is made of, "Gooey caramel, real fudge brownie pieces and choco chunks blended with creamy vanilla soft serve."

In terms of nutrition, this month's blizzard, in a medium size, comes in at 860 calories, 33 grams of fat (22 saturated), 96 grams of sugar and 16 grams of protein.

Yogurtini Now Open in Downtown Phoenix, Planning Another Location

Yogurtini recently opened their fifth location in downtown Phoenix inside the CityScape development at 1 E. Washington St. #180 Phoenix, AZ 85044. The self-serve yogurt shop is also planning on opening a sixth location in the near future in the area of West Happy Valley Road & the I-17 at the Shops at Norterra.

Yogurtini was started in Tempe, AZ by Natasha and Chelsey Nelson. There are 16 flavors and over 70 toppings available daily with at least one non-dairy and one no sugar added flavor. Below is a list of the other current locations:

• 720 S. Rural Rd. #120 Tempe, AZ 85281
• 5870 W. Thunderbird Rd. #A3 Glendale, AZ 85306
• 9120 E. Indian Bend Rd. #E1 Scottsdale, AZ 85250 (Google maps incorrectly places this after the Loop 101 going east, it is actually located next to the UltraStar Cinemas)
• 475 E. Bell Rd. #170 Phoenix, AZ 85022

A Quick Sweet Treat - Orange Cream Slush

Summer officially starts today, even though our hands have been burning on the steering wheel and seat belt for weeks. Looking for a quick and easy sweet drink to cool down? I know I was last night so I did a quick look online and found a recipe from the convenient allrecipes.com website. The Easy Orange Cream Slush turned out to be a very simple, cool drink that hit the spot, albeit with a few alterations.

Some of the commenters on the recipe stated that you could use some more orange juice and the amount of ice depends on the size of your cubes, too many could water the drink down. You can find the original recipe here and tinker with it how you would like, but here is my altered version. Combine all the following ingredients in a blender:

• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 half oval shaped ice cubes

While it is called a slush, when I think of slush, I think of that very fine icy and flavored drink I used to have back in grade school. This came across as more of an orange cream drink. Perhaps I blended too much? Oh well, I would make it again because it's quick, easy and good.

Note: The above photo is not mine, it is from the allrecipes website. Unfortunately, I drank my version way too fast before I thought to take a photo. Why don't I just make another one? Today is the day my milk expires, I have never been brave enough to use milk on the day it expires.

The Food Pyramid is No More, Say Hello to MyPlate

The USDA unveiled new guidelines today for watching what you eat. Since 1992 we've had a food pyramid to guide what we eat and how much. Now we have a plate. MyPlate, as it's called, is being hailed by nutritionists as significantly better than the pyramid. They say the sectioned plate is a better visual for people who want to know how much of certain foods they should be eating during meals. The plate has four sections of varying sizes, grains and vegetables are the biggest along with the smaller fruits and protein sections. Also, next to the plate is a cup for dairy.

According to the new recommendations from the USDA, you should eat less by avoiding oversized portions, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables (more vegetables than fruit), make at least half of your grain intake, whole grains, use skim or 1% milk, choose lower sodium foods and drink more water in place of high sugar drinks.

Do you think the plate is better than the pyramid? For more information, go to the USDA's MyPlate website where you can find more tips, read up on physical activity and learn about "empty calories."

New Jamocha Oreo Shake at Arby's

For a limited time, you can now get the Jamocha Oreo Shake at Arby's. The shake is simply described as "A layer of Oreo Cookies on top. Jamocha Shake. A layer of Oreo Cookies on the bottom." According to the Arby's website, the Jamocha Oreo Shake comes in at 630 calories with 20 grams of fat and 101 grams of sugar.