Rediscovering Energy

The GeniSoy soy protein bar (peanut butter with fudge coating) totals 230 calories, 5 grams of fat, 14 grams of protein and 32 grams total carbohydrate (of which 10% is dietary fiber). This is my favorite brand. It's reasonably priced. They have other flavors, too. I find that half a bar usually satisfies my hunger. Most of the time, I save the second half for another snack.

There are a couple of other brands of protein bars that are made with soy. For instance, Clif Bars are my second favorite soy protein bars. The two reasons I like them are these bars are reasonably priced and they taste good. My favorite is chocolate chip with crunchy peanut butter. Clif Bars also make Luna bars. These soy protein bars are more expensive, but I really like the lemon zest and key lime pie flavors. Luna bars are nice for a change.

Soy Crisps are little soy crackers fro GeniSoy. I like them a lot. A serving of 25 crisps contains 100 calories, 2 grams of fat (0 saturated fat), 7 grams of protein, and they taste good. A variety of flavors are available including ranch, barbeque and others. See www.genisoy.com.

The nutritional information for Dr. Soy soy protein cookies are calculated at four cookies per serving. A serving of their oatmeal raisin cookies contains 170 calories, 3 grams fat (.5 grams saturated fat) and 8 grams of protein. As the name implies, the cookies are made with soy, but also with whole grain flours and unrefined sugars. If you're used to eating bakery foods, this is a good product to have on hand when a snack attack hits. See www.drsoy.com.

And in the true spirit of healthy hedonism, the product that wins the prize is (drum roll, please) Planet Harmony's organic chocolate soy nuts. A serving size is a 1/4 cup and it includes 190 calories, 11 grams of (5 grams saturated fat) and 7 grams of protein. Okay, so it's not the lowest fat or the highest protein. The spirit of healthy hedonism does not demand that. See www.harmonyfoods.com.

For the makings of really tasty Mexican food made with soy, I recommend El Burrito Food Products, Inc.'s Soy Taco (Meatless Taco Filling) and Soyrizo (Meatless Soy Chorizo) Call 800-933-7828 or visit www.elburrito.com.

Keeping Work in Balance

Stonyfield Farm makes an organic yogurt that's very tasty, and this product has the advantage of being sufficiently drinkable that you could drink it on your way to work in the car. It's also low fat. The yogurt contains live cultures of probiotic bacteria. You should be able to find this brand in most health food stores.

Corning Ware makes a small 15 oz. glass-ceramic food container, with a tight-fitting plastic cover, called the "Grab It Bowl." I've had a set of them for years. They're very durable and are perfect for storing an individual portion of food that you intend to heat later in the microwave. Like its other products, the dish is oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe (the lid isn't oven safe, but because it's flexible plastic, you wouldn't expect it to be.). It costs $6-$7, depending on where you purchase it. Definitely a good investment for bringing planned-overs to work for lunch.

Home, James!

For kids who won't eat apples in the car, MadMeals L.L.C., Mt. Kisco, NY, makes applesauce products with resealable caps and cute packaging specifically for kids. These products can be eaten without a spoon. Consult the website (www.madmeals.com) or call 914-241-9015.

Tasty Right-Fat Snacks

Harmony Foods Corporation in Santa Cruz, CA, makes an entire line of candy (Planet Harmony) made with organic ingredients, no preservatives, natural colors and flavors, and no hydrogenated oils. The line includes gummy bears, gourmet jelly beans, chocolate peanuts, chocolate soy nuts, and pectin fruit snacks. For more information, see the company website (www.harmonyfoods.com) or call 931-457-3200.

The New Art of Bathing

 If you are remodeling your bathroom, a "spa" tub is an item that's not that expensive. And it would certainly pay for itself, not only in pleasure, but also in the resale value of your home. I tried one recently at a hotel. Though it was a bit noisy, which might make it inappropriate for use late at night, I found the two pressure jets at the back worked nicely to relieve tension in the shoulders.

I tried a couple of appliances to achieve the same effect. Conair's Dual-Jet Bath Spa creates a rather nice whirlpool effect without being overly noisy. It's about $70. I also tried a bubble bathmat, but found it to be so noisy and cumbersome that the device didn't create a nice mood for a bath. The best recommendation might be to save your money for either a new bath tub or to pay for a real massage.

A Time of Peace

Drinkable Vitamins are available from Ola Loa, L.L.C., Call 888-2OLALOA, or visit www.drinkyourvitamins.com.

Try AllOne Nutritech for protein powders that include optimal quantities of nutrients. Call 800-0235-5727 or visit www.all-one.com.

Also, check out Body Response Dietary Supplements from Bio International of Fullerton, CA. For more information, call 800-246-4685.