Have a foodie New Year with tasty and good-for-you foods and drinks

Raising the keto bar

Trying go low carb but can’t sustain a steady diet of beef and cheese? Atlas Bar has the solution in their wildly popular keto-friendly protein bars made with 100% grass-fed whey protein and clean-label, real-food ingredients. These power-packed treats are delicious and satisfying, and they come in a variety of flavors to help you keep your keto commitment. Amazon Choice priced at $20 for a six-count sampler pack.

Ice ice baby

Sugary sodas are a sure way to sabotage a diet, but Sparkling Ice drinks are a perfect complement to a cleaner and leaner diet. Naturally sourced colors and real fruit flavors make this brand of zero-sugar lightly carbonated water drinks a favorite refresher for those who want to give up calories and sugar but not taste. Available in sixteen fizzy, fruity flavors, including Orange Mango, Pink Grapefruit, Kiwi Strawberry, Coconut Pineapple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Peach Nectarine, and Ginger Lime. Available in retail locations nationwide.

Liquid gold

Pure maple syrup can make the difference between so-so pancakes and pancakes with sweetness that satisfies. Sourced from nature through a “tapping” of sap from Vermont trees and boiled in sugar houses, pure maple syrup from brands like Maple Grove Farms, Spring Tree, McDonald’s and Cary’s is delicious on breakfast foods or as a sweetener in baking, roasting vegetables, poured over salmon, stirred into a cocktail and even in tea or coffee. Additionally, pure maple syrup offers benefits of the minerals manganese and zinc, and it contains no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors or colors. Available in grocery stores nationwide.

Kombucha humdinger

Often called the tea of immortality and nectar of the gods, fizzy and probiotic-packed kombucha has become a popular drink and digestive aid for the health conscious, though it can taste different batch to batch. To insure their brew of sweet tea, good bacteria and yeast is delicious every time, Bend, Oregon’s Humm Kombucha invented a patented fermenting and brewing process that provides product consistency, enhances product stability, limits alcohol production, and ensures vibrant microbial activity. The result is a tasty, verified non-alcoholic drink with 10 grams of sugar or less per serving. The brand’s exclusive blend of organic black and green tea, organic cane sugar and organic fruit juices is available in 10 innovative flavors. $1.98 per 12 fl. oz. can, $3.49 per 16 fl. oz. bottle. Available at Giant, Harris Teeter, Walmart Super centers and other grocers nationwide.

Peanut butter powder power

Peanut butter blended with banana and almond milk makes an excellent smoothie, or it makes an healthy snack spread on apple slices or as a dip for celery; but it can contain a lot of fat, unless it’s PBfit This natural wonder nut butter powder, made from real roasted, pressed peanuts contains 90% less fat and ⅓ of the calories of traditional peanut butter. With a dash of coconut palm sugar and salt, PBfit lets you keep the nutrients, without the love handles and guilt but all the indulgent pleasure of peanut butter. 8 oz jar $7.98. Available in Peanut Butter flavor or Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor at grocers nationwide.

Get mountain chic and elevate your style on your next alpine excursion

Head to the hills in fashion, equipped with attire and gear that will outfit you for the outdoors.

A little ditty

Basic economy air travel can save you a few bucks if you pack right, or it will cost you an arm and a leg if you exceed the stringent airline requirements for a “personal item.” Sling the Eagle Creek 15L National Geographic Adventure Series ($24) backpack over your shoulder, and tote along all the essentials you need while you’re in the air and on the ground. It features a 15-inch laptop sleeve, a top zip pocket for quick access items, internal zip and slip pockets, and a padded moisture-wicking back panel, and durable and wipeable bottom. Plus, this handy bag gives back, as a portion of each purchase funds the work of scientists, explorers, and educators around the world.

Thin is in

Less is more when it comes to packing for an outing in the outback, which is why though Cotopaxi Fuego Hoodless Down Jacket ($230) fits perfectly in your to-go wardrobe. This lightweight fitted jacket is big on warmth but can be compacted into its tiny drawcord ditty bag to fit in your backpack, or even a purse. It’s 800 fill RDS – certified down insulation, baffled in a ripstop nylon shell, is built to last and is versatile enough to go from a hike in the hills to your next night out.

Under the hoodie

For the man who likes to live life large and outdoors, the Black Diamond Forge Down Hoody (sale priced $149.25) jacket, featuring the super insulation power of ALLIED Feather & Down, the most premium quality down fill on the planet,  is the perfect packable, versatile outerwear for alpine missions of any discipline.  The adjustable hood can accommodate a climbing helmet, and the underarm gussets allow for added arrange of motion when you need it. When the weather warms up, the jacket compresses into its own chest pocket and can be hooked on your belt with an integrated carbineer clip loop.

Warm kid, happy kid

Kids love the outdoors, but when they’re cold, the fun is over for them and everyone who’s along on the adventure, so keep young outdoor enthusiasts warm and keep the adventure going with the Helly Hansen Jr Barrier Down Insulator ($120). It features ALLIED down in a super lightweight poly rip stop shell that’s reversible for two different looks. It has two handy pockets and Lycra bands on the hem and cuffs to keep the jacket snug. When the adventure’s over, it packs up into its own pocket.

Catch a case

In the backcountry or back at the lodge, your smartphone can be essential equipment, loaded with trail maps, navigation apps, and of course a camera to capture those selfies at the peak, so protect your device with an Otterbox case that’s made to withstand bumps and drops. The shimmering Stardust case from the Symmetry Series Clear Case ($42.46) features fortified drip protection yet has a slim profile so it can easily slip into your pocket. For extra protection cover your screen with the Alpha Glass Screen Protector ($39.95) to shield against scratches and smears.

Casual comfort

Dressing down doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish. Unwind after your alpine adventures in Mountain Khakis, the casual but fashionable clothing line built for comfort and function. The designers thought of everything when it comes to active apparel, with strategic pockets, articulated knees, and packability, such as the Classic Fit Cruiser Pant II ($94.95) in flattering styles for men and women, made of stretchy, quick-drying, wicking fabric, perfect for hiking and trout fishing or power lunching and jet-setting.

Top off your classic casual look with a the go-anywhere gauzy plaid Women’s Jenny Tunic Shirt ($74.95) or the Men’s Passport EC Long Sleeve Shirt, ($89.95), made with a silk-weight, easy-care fabric, and featuring a hidden right chest security pocket with zipper closure perfect for passport, phone, cash and cards.

If you want to really get down to nature, try Mountain Khaki’s newest collection made with soft, warm, and quick-drying SeaWool, a blend made of crushed oyster shells and blended with recycled Polyfill and PET bottles.

Global clothes

Sustainability means using natural resources in a balanced way in which the resources can be replenished, now and in the future. When it comes to clothing, Toad & Co., knows something about sustainability, as spring 2019 marked the brand’s crossover to 100 percent sustainability. The company also sustains its community with a social program that donates funds and helps people with disabilities. The eco-clothing line features garments made with a minimum of 80 percent sustainable fibers, such as hemp and bamboo, in fashionable, versatile styles suitable for outdoor adventure, or suiting up for casual day at work, such as the breathable, feminine jersey shirt, the Tamaya Tres Tunic ($65) and the comfy form-fitting Flextime Skinny Pant ($85). To find out more about Toad & Co. and their social program, check out this video.

Down under

No one will know what you’re wearing underneath, but you will know, by the comfort and performance, that in Runderwear you’re wearing power underwear. Runderwear’s Women’s Support Running Bra ($60) is designed specifically for runners looking for reduced bounce, maximum support and comfort. A soft fabric layer against the skin prevents chaffing, along with non-slip, adjustable straps, vs. a one-size-fits-all racer back. Sizing runs small, so larger busted women need to order up one or two sizes. Men can enjoy comfortable, chafe-free running adventures with maximum support in Runderwear Men’s Long Boxer Briefs ($35).

Right step

You’ve heard of slow cooking, now there’s slow fashion, which means buying items that last. Step out in style and sustainability in ethically produced Mohinders’ slippers and flats for men and women ($145-$185). These classic woven sandals are made using a 37-step process in Athani, India, by a multi-generational cooperative of master shoemakers. Made with water buffalo leather, each shoe is hand-tanned using a vegetable-based solution of water, acacia tree bark, myrobalan nuts and no chemicals. These raw-looking sandals soften with time and wear to become your favorite footwear, for years and years.