Have some watermelon…cookie. Photo by
Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

That’s where Fancypants steps in. Their decorated cookies are as beautiful and varied as any bakery’s, but they’ve improved upon the bland sugar cookie by baking rich, buttery shortbread. We hoarded the entire box!

Because the Fancypants co-founders are former educators (a middle school teacher and an education researcher, both with masters’ degrees), they know about kids and nut allergies. So their bakery is 100% nut-free. But these are welcome gifts for nut-eating grownups too. There are cookie themes for everyone, from sports to animals to baby, wedding, holiday and custom-decorated cookies for corporate logos.

• Read the full review of Fancypants shortbread cookies.
• Find more of our favorite cookies.

Olives are full of olive oil, a heart-healthy fat. We tried the Italian-seasoned olives. The olive meat is mild, but the notes of garlic and oregano made these a tasty little snack. The brine isn’t salty but it’s very flavorful; we poured it over our salad.

For a retailer near you, see the store locator on LindsayOlives.com; or you can buy them from Lindsay’s online store. Six four-pack cartons are $14.99. The olives are certified kosher by OU.

• See more of our favorite healthy snacks.
• Check out Sonoma Farm Olives, a great gourmet olive line.
• For more information about olives and olive oil, see our Culinary Oils Section and our Olives & Olive Oil Glossary.

Healthy olives, garlic and oregano: much
better than the candy machine. Photo by
Hannah Kaminsky | THE NIBBLE.

Popeye ate spinach because it made him strong: It’s a very good source of dietary fiber and protein, lots of vitamins (A, B6, C, E [alpha tocopherol], K, folate, riboflavin, thiamin), calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and potassium…and a good source of niacin and zinc.

On top of the nutrition, spinach makes a wonderful salad.

Here’s a recipe idea:

COMBINE baby spinach with Granny Smith apples, pecans or walnuts (toast them briefly for even more flavor) and goat cheese or blue cheese.

MAKE a perfect dressing from fig balsamic vinegar and olive oil; add halved fresh figs as a garnish.

ADD protein for a main meal with Serrano ham or prosciutto, or grilled salmon.

SERVE fine artisan bread on the side (look for semolina raisin) for fun, a flavored butter.

Popeye never ate so well!

Spinach salad with goat cheese, toasted walnuts (photo © Evolution Fresh).