Groupon: $10 Starbucks Gift Card . $5 - HOT HOT HOT!

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TfOfdK8D7Aitlvq26aTZbWHfgc50ASIqcy0j3HeW_9l7CT902EQny34G22biaVDG6GVbED_hCM8UD5VqUqgw0phT4vkL8zKbP51MbW30tDzSqupnqqGAjRIi97laqFQwrZh7JmVrmts/s1600/starbucks_LPimg-570x325.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1TfOfdK8D7Aitlvq26aTZbWHfgc50ASIqcy0j3HeW_9l7CT902EQny34G22biaVDG6GVbED_hCM8UD5VqUqgw0phT4vkL8zKbP51MbW30tDzSqupnqqGAjRIi97laqFQwrZh7JmVrmts/s320/starbucks_LPimg-570x325.png" width="320" /></a></div><center><br /></center><center><br /></center><center>Groupon Deal!</center><center><br /></center><center><a href="http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-3386509-10872943?url=https%3A//www.groupon.com/deals/starbucks-search" target="_blank">$10 Starbucks Gift Card . $5</a></center><center><br /></center><center>HURRY - quantities are limited.</center><center><br /></center><center><br /><br /><img align="center" src="http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y483/thesavingasian/sig_zps2858aa20.png" style="border: 0;" /><br /></center>

asian gift card groupon groupon deal saving starbucks the the saving asian Groupon: $10 Starbucks Gift Card . $5 - HOT HOT HOT!

Groupon Deal! $10 Starbucks Gift Card . $5 HURRY - quantities are limited.

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Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha

Alright buds, I did the research today on the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha (SCM), and here's what I came up with....<br /><br />First off, it's always important to give credit where credit is due.  WE ALL have <a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/" target="_blank">Kelly @ No Thanks to Cake</a> to thank for this concoction.  Let me make that clear! Sometimes you have these moments in life where you're like, "Why didn't I think of that?"... and Kelly does that a lot for me.  She tends to make the obvious even more obvious for myself :).  Case in point - if you're trying to enjoy some 'bucks, but you don't want to splurge on the full drink recipe/calories, why not modify it?  We do it with food, so why not beverages?  There's clearly no better place to do this than at a Starbucks, where customizing your drink is the norm.  Still, I would have never thought to ask my barista to go easy on the pumps.  Duh!  Thank God someone is a genius out there!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE06UAtZYcZwZUWSSSkbPaOUglZ_kmW35WTSrKVGqeyT3i6o5P6KJBXIuRg6mKo8vv18HLr_Li8Jr2MBGOQBENT0JDNa3_fih-r28x-IeADmFDjicHUG-qd1aM6Dt7xWkHeVyNGVRtRsk/s1600/starbucks+syrups+nutrition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE06UAtZYcZwZUWSSSkbPaOUglZ_kmW35WTSrKVGqeyT3i6o5P6KJBXIuRg6mKo8vv18HLr_Li8Jr2MBGOQBENT0JDNa3_fih-r28x-IeADmFDjicHUG-qd1aM6Dt7xWkHeVyNGVRtRsk/s400/starbucks+syrups+nutrition.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />So, with that being said, I took the research that <a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/2011/09/16/two-airport-finds-and-the-truth-about-the-salted-caramel-mocha/" target="_blank">Kelly has already generously done</a>, and added on to it.  She learned that your baseline tall, nonfat SCM contains 3 pumps each of the mocha and toffee nut syrups.  Based on the nutri-stats, that is 25 calories per pump of the mocha syrup, and 20 calories per pump of the toffee nut (reference chart above).  That means, in a tall SCM, you're swallowing 135 extra calories just in syrups. However, when you only do <b>1 pump mocha + 2 pumps toffee nut in a tall (no whip!)</b>... NOW we're talkin'!<br /><br />What the NTTC queen discovered is that the SCM is simply a prettied up version of a caffe mocha.  That's great!  Why?  Because not all that long ago, Starbucks debuted a SKINNY version of the caffe mocha, which is good news for us!<br /><br />Still, here is where things get a <i>little </i>hairy, and we learn why this is only an estimate.  At this time, I'm not 100% certain that the mocha syrup they use in the skinny version is totally sugar-free and totally calorie free.  So, for now, I am accepting that<i> the baseline tall skinny mocha's nutri-stats already has 3 pumps of the skinny syrup included in their calculations</i> <i>below</i>.  In order to get our estimated PointsPlus, just add on 2 pumps-worth of nutri-stats of the toffee nut and you can achieve a close estimate of your PointsPlus value.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkg9KPwknYScn3kvQ2WP7o8-YVN9shUDf5M8anhUYC7TUOxH2VZdacV8aOgbZG8J26feeyW4ycGZJjwrB2miWQMAtuuS9AoiGWjxUdQXwijAwyaQRDwM-v7gmyzZvbq614bLZWyMyy3o/s1600/SCM+tall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYkg9KPwknYScn3kvQ2WP7o8-YVN9shUDf5M8anhUYC7TUOxH2VZdacV8aOgbZG8J26feeyW4ycGZJjwrB2miWQMAtuuS9AoiGWjxUdQXwijAwyaQRDwM-v7gmyzZvbq614bLZWyMyy3o/s400/SCM+tall.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Calories - 165</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(110 cals from skinny mocha + 40 cals of 2 pumps toffee nut + 15 cals caramel drizzle)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fat - 1.5g</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(no fat in syrup + 0.5g fat in caramel drizzle)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Total Carbs - 26g</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(14g from skinny mocha + 10g from toffee nut + 2g caramel drizzle)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dietary Fiber - 3g</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(no fiber in syrup)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Protein - 11g</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(no protein in syrup)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Total PointsPlus = 4</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">(I calculated a grande at 5 PointsPlus - </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #999999;">2 pumps skinny mocha + 3 pumps toffee nut)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In conclusion, if the mocha syrup is sugar free, then the PointsPlus total would stand as is because it would not affect the nutrition stats based on the other sugar free syrups (refer to chart above).  However, if the mocha syrup is "light", and we're only doing 1 pump of it versus the 3 pumps for the baseline drink, then we've most likely over-estimated our PointsPlus value, but I'm sure not by much, even if at all.  I'd rather estimate more than less in this case!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>And by the way, I tried the SCM today and fell immediately in love.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k8uMFzMuQd8jiBKsSBJ0MpYXTRCmxzunIWwMlydZtBK8sVsz4xURRGGm_BOzdLV7lKC4R73cyEsfFWnMR3KnVMaOq8a2b1PH392FhtPwXw9y8khvdR_xvobSW6r5hSnu550PwrAVCyk/s1600/skinny+scm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6k8uMFzMuQd8jiBKsSBJ0MpYXTRCmxzunIWwMlydZtBK8sVsz4xURRGGm_BOzdLV7lKC4R73cyEsfFWnMR3KnVMaOq8a2b1PH392FhtPwXw9y8khvdR_xvobSW6r5hSnu550PwrAVCyk/s400/skinny+scm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And I won't lie to you when I say this: I enjoy it <i>more </i>than my beloved pumpkin spice!  The SCM has a lot of nice flavors melding together.<br /><br />The PSL.... well, let's just say we've "separated" for now!<br /><br />

starbucks Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha

Alright buds, I did the research today on the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha (SCM), and here's what I came up with.... First off, it'...

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I Luv Fall

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, summertime was my favorite season hands down.  Not only was school out, but I got to spend as much time as I wanted in my parents' pool, lazily floating around on the lounge chair deep into the pages of a book.<br /><br />Summer in PA meant mildly warm days, and refreshing nights (mostly!).  But perhaps most importantly, summer meant the bitter cold temperatures were over, and there was no more drudging up and down the steep driveway of Wayne & Cindy's because, despite having SUVs and trucks with 4 wheel drive, Cindy was simply too afraid to travel up the driveway when it was covered in snow! <br /><br />As a college student, summer meant working at my job at the drugstore (which I loved), or eventually, living my last 2 summers at Penn State - enjoying micro-brews at my favorite restaurant.  In hindsight..... <i>those </i>were the days!<br /><br />*sigh*<br /><br />Once I moved to Virginia, summertime became my worst enemy.  Summertime in our nation's capital goes something like this:<br /><ul><li>boggy, hot, humid temperatures - where by the time I arrive to work for 6:30 AM, I already need to another shower.   </li><li>tourists jammed packed into Metro trains (which, without fail, causes delays) </li><li>air conditioning units on trains simply shutting down, resulting in Ovens-on-Rails.  </li><li>major traffic delays due to "sun glare" in both the a.m. and p.m. commutes.   </li></ul><br /><br />By the time September roles around in these parts, I am about to reach my peak of the year.  Friends, these next 4 months are my <i>absolute </i>favorite!  Fall means pumpkin carving with my niece and nephew, watching the leaves change into vibrant shades of red and orange, and partaking in a few fall winery tours.  I. love. it!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEFy2lF0F5odAfWba31GwVNM5PsDgX9EiKbZmRwDMJJFRCmX4kKkjXD_i_-vsgP6jyF4UI8B0yrsVh2t13cc4Kzqlbbz0UVXsA-Mramy5BRrYUQ_m0Poy9K9s4Rdekf3fHt6QI7hilMM/s1600/Williamsport+October+2011+047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEFy2lF0F5odAfWba31GwVNM5PsDgX9EiKbZmRwDMJJFRCmX4kKkjXD_i_-vsgP6jyF4UI8B0yrsVh2t13cc4Kzqlbbz0UVXsA-Mramy5BRrYUQ_m0Poy9K9s4Rdekf3fHt6QI7hilMM/s400/Williamsport+October+2011+047.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br />But you know what else comes with fall?  Starbucks. Pumpkin. Spice. Lattes.  *HUGE sigh*<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwViZTZdD68f0-6gKvCrwPOY4lzIySykmysK1anxpGa9uuRZn4gHMfM5ACFb2DxLDkcv9iaWEOe-OG-oZgsErrS-AGKuyEUBjQUuwtJzkbgFZGV2NJGQUimbDCQ2E6ui_gIJcaIbPT01Y/s1600/starbucks+sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwViZTZdD68f0-6gKvCrwPOY4lzIySykmysK1anxpGa9uuRZn4gHMfM5ACFb2DxLDkcv9iaWEOe-OG-oZgsErrS-AGKuyEUBjQUuwtJzkbgFZGV2NJGQUimbDCQ2E6ui_gIJcaIbPT01Y/s400/starbucks+sign.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />I LOVE these drinks!  What I don't love, however, is the 7 PointsPlus value for a freaken grande!  That's nuts!  As much as I adore this taste of fall in a cup, this year, I am putting my foot down and simply not indulging like I have in years past.  While all the health experts preach non stop about how you shouldn't drink your calories, I still need a nice brew in the morning.  But not one for 7 PointsPlus!  <br /><br /><a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/2012/09/03/weigh-in-update-and-an-epic-return/" target="_blank">Kelly</a> has shared her concoction for the other fall hit - the salted caramel latte: tall, nonfat, 2 pumps toffee nut and 1 pump skinny mocha.  I have yet to give this drink a try because I have <i>yet </i>to figure out a good estimate for the PointsPlus value.  However, thanks to the <a href="http://www.nothankstocake.com/2012/09/03/weigh-in-update-and-an-epic-return/" target="_blank">NTTC queen</a> herself, I was able to finally uncover the nutrition facts for their syrups. (I couldn't find this particular info anywhere on their website.  Can you?)  I picked up this brochure today at the store:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE06UAtZYcZwZUWSSSkbPaOUglZ_kmW35WTSrKVGqeyT3i6o5P6KJBXIuRg6mKo8vv18HLr_Li8Jr2MBGOQBENT0JDNa3_fih-r28x-IeADmFDjicHUG-qd1aM6Dt7xWkHeVyNGVRtRsk/s1600/starbucks+syrups+nutrition.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE06UAtZYcZwZUWSSSkbPaOUglZ_kmW35WTSrKVGqeyT3i6o5P6KJBXIuRg6mKo8vv18HLr_Li8Jr2MBGOQBENT0JDNa3_fih-r28x-IeADmFDjicHUG-qd1aM6Dt7xWkHeVyNGVRtRsk/s400/starbucks+syrups+nutrition.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />This drink is on my "to try" list!  Once I figure out the PointsPlus.. I will share with you to see if you got the same estimate. <br /><br />What gets you excited about fall?

starbucks I Luv Fall

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, summertime was my favorite season hands down.  Not only was school out, but I got to spend as much time ...

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