Archives: May 2011

19 May 2011, Comments (10)

Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch cereal Vs. General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

Author: Healthnuttxo

VS.

I opened up my cabinet the other day and saw two very similar cereals. My cereal, the Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Crunch, and another person living in the house’s cereal, General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Hmmm. I wonder which one tastes and I would like better? I thought. Suddenly, I took out both boxes and put them to the test!

First up, the nutritional facts. Here’s them straight off the boxes

Cascadian Farm

General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch

For Cascadian Farm, I liked that it was lower in calories, lower in fat, higher in fiber, lower in sodium, and lower in sugar.  For General Mills,  what the picture cut off was that it had 10% daily calcium needs, which I liked, as Cascadian Farmprovided 0% for Calcium. And obviously for ingredients, I liked that each had “whole grain wheat” as the first ingredient, but Cascadian Farm had organic ingredients and General Mills did not.

Now for the taste. Here’s how the cereal looked.

Cascadian Farm

General Mills

Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch was smaller, sweet and crunchy, with a noticeable cinnamon flavor. It had a toasted wheat flavor as well, and a good amount of topping. Some of the squares lacked cinnamon, but not too bad. Overall, a very tasty cereal.

General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch had more visible sugar on the squares, and was sweeter. However, I felt they were lacking in the cinnamon aspect, and were more sweet than “cinnamon-y”. They felt crunchier and  more sugary tasting than Cinnamon Crunch cereal, and not as dense.

In a blind taste taste, I liked Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch the best.  I thought it had less of an “airy” texture, and better cinnamon flavor.

Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch was the winner for me, I would give it 4 stars, and give General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch 3 1/2 stars.

Have you had both of these cereals? Which do you prefer?

also- Do you like this format of a review? By comparing two items? Please let me know! :)

18 May 2011, Comments (5)

EnjoyLife Double Chocolate Crunch Nut & Gluten Free Granola

Author: Healthnuttxo

EnjoyLife offered me something new they came out with to try for free, the Double Chocolate Crunch Nut & Gluten Free Granola. Being the nut about granola that I am, (and the fact that chocolate was involved), I couldn’t wait to try it.

This cereal is very “allergy friendly”, as the package states, as it is free of  ”wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, shellfish” and “also made without casein, potato, sesame and sulfites”. Wow. It’s amazing how they can still make tasty products even with excluding so many different types of food!

Once I got the package, I immediately dove in and gave it a try. Here’s what it looked like

Look at all those yummy chocolate chips!

At first, I thought it was a bit bland, since it’s not super sweet. But, as I ate it, it really is delicious, and I couldn’t STOP eating it! Handful after handful, I ate the yummy granola. I loved the fact that there were a LOT of chocolate chips, no scrimping there for sure, and they were smooth and sweet. The texture of the granola was crispy, crunchy, and it had a mild chocolate flavor, that again, was not overly sweet.

Overall, very good. It was kind of like a bag of chocolate candies, once I started eating a few handfuls, I kept saying “oh, just a little bit more”, and then proceeded to take even more handfuls! I love that this is made with good ingredients,has a bit of fiber, and is a decent portion size given that it involves both chocolate and granola. 4 stars

What’s your favorite thing that’s “double chocolate”? I love double chocolate chip muffins!


15 May 2011, Comments (11)

Peanut Butter & Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

I won an awesome contest where I got 3 free jars of Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butter. Of the three I chose, I picked one of my favorites, White Chocolate Wonderful, and this one, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl.

I opened my jar, and saw no oil separation, so that was a plus. Another thing I noticed, was a lot of the raisins were on the bottom! Here’s a pic of the bottom of my jar, so you can see for yourself.

Even after eating  a serving or so, there still was very minimal raisins on top.

I wasn’t really complaining however,  because it’s not like I couldn’t easily stir it. AND, the peanut butter by itself, even without the raisins, was so delicious!

It was a smooth peanut butter, but if you “chew” the peanut butter, you can detect granules similar in consistency to sugar. The cinnamon flavor was certainly prominent, which I liked. You can taste both the sweetness and the cinnamon flavor, with the beautiful flavor of a rich peanut butter. The raisins were soft, chewy and sweet. It was really delicious. Honestly, all I needed was a spoon, and I was happy (;

Overall, 4 1/2 stars. Certainly delicious. I liked it both when I tried it with the raisins and without the raisins. I’ll just have a few extra “surprises” waiting for me at the bottom of my jar (:

What’s your favorite food involving raisins? I happen to be fond of chocolate covered raisins (;

And here’s a snapshot of the nutritional facts.

13 May 2011, Comments (2)

Red Mango Raspberry Cheesecake Frozen Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

Yep- I tried it! I saw NEW flavor at Red Mango, and I just HAD to try it. Seeing as the recently reviewed Peanut Butter flavor at Red Mango was a winner with me, I certainly couldn’t wait to try the Raspberry Cheesecake!

I decided to go for different toppings rather than my usual granola and banana, and got fresh raspberries and Mochi as toppings. When I got my frozen yogurt, I felt I had received a little less  yogurt than normal, I was missing that classic fun “swirl” at the top! Here’s how it looked

Upon first bite, I knew I had found my new favorite flavor. I’m upset that it’s a seasonal flavor. WHY oh WHY do I ALWAYS fall in love with the seasonal items?! (;

It wasn’t as tart as the other Red Mango flavors I have had in the past. It was creamy, sweet, and had an awesome raspberry flavor. Very fresh, and very delicious. As for the cheesecake aspect, I didn’t detect much of a different flavor other than a rich raspberry flavor, but I certainly didn’t mind a bit.

As for the toppings, let’s just say I’m going back to my bananas and granola. The raspberries were SO tart! Perhaps if you are a big fan of tart raspberries, you would like them, but they were a little too tart for me. And the mochi, I was also not a fan of. It tasted like marshmallow dough would taste like, if there was such a thing. Chewy like a gummy treat, and awkward tasting.

However, I’m not grading this yogurt based on the toppings I am responsible for choosing. Raspberry Cheesecake yogurt is AWESOME. I highly recommend it. 4 1/2 stars

Do you like cheesecake? If not, what’s your favorite dessert?

11 May 2011, Comments (6)

Alexia Red Potatoes with Garlic & Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Author: Healthnuttxo

I went grocery shopping yesterday, and was looking at the frozen food aisle for something to make for dinner. Then I spotted it, mashed potatoes! I definitely wanted mashed potatoes for dinner. And how easy were these? All I had to do was cook them in the microwave, give em a stir and transfer to a bowl. I put them in my grocery cart, paid, and went home to cook.

I put them in the microwave for about 10 1/2 minutes, let them sit for a minute, and then put them in a bowl. I will admit it was a bit annoying to get all the mashed potatoes off of the bag once cooked, but I really couldn’t complain. I mean, I didn’t have to wash the potatoes, peel the potatoes, boil the potatoes, cook the potatoes, mash the potatoes, or even SEASON the potatoes. All I had to do was put them in the microwave. So, instead of complaining, I just transferred them to a bowl.

Here’s how it looked, straight from the bag!

one word. yummmmmy.

I served them up with my dinner.  They were smooth and thick, with visible black pepper and red potato skins that added a little texture. I noticed they were a tad on the pasty side, which made them super thick, but still good, and hardly any bumps.

They had a garlic and cheesy flavor, with a noticeable black pepper flavor.They were just a tad on the salty side, but really quite good, and had a very rich flavor. They were really quite delicious, and I loved the natural ingredients.

I actually think the black pepper flavor was a bit too strong, but that certainly did not stop me from eating 2 servings of these mashed potatoes (; I also loved the convenience of these, I would certainly buy them again! 4 stars

Whats your favorite way to make homemade mashed potatoes? I like good ol’ butter and milk!

And as requested, here’s  a pic of the nutritional facts

ignore my finger :D

9 May 2011, Comments (11)

Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo

I’ve seen this bar in the stores for a little while now, but for some reason never picked it up. Finally, the opportunity came the other day when I was hungry and on-the-go, so I needed a little pick me up. This was perfect to satisfy me, and not slow me down with  my hectic schedule! That’s what I like about Luna Bars- they have protein and vitamins/minerals, but are also tasty and easy to eat. They don’t fall apart or get ruined if they end up being smooshed in the bottom of my bag, either. (;

I opened up the bar, I really love the design! Even a friend of mine said it was one of the “prettiest” bars she had seen from Luna. Here’s how it looked

There was a chocolate layer on the bottom, followed by the “soy” part, and then a light coconut topping. At first bite, I noticed it didn’t have that thick of the middle soy layer as the other bars do, and actually, I thought this bar was thinner than the other bars I have had in the past. I didn’t find it to be incredibly sweet, and I found the coconut flavor to be mild.

The bottom layer had a milk chocolate, slightly salty flavor. The coconut flavor was not overpowering or really overly noticeable at all, and had a sweet yet salty flavor. The top layer, had a white chocolate flavor, with coconut undertones. I thought it tasted similar to the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bar. I also thought the coconut had a bit of an off flavor.

Overall, not bad. I do wish there was a more predominant coconut flavor. I also needed a glass of water to drink with this, as it has that “salty” flavor to it!  3 1/2 stars

Have you had this bar yet? What did you think?

1 bar is 190 calories, 7 grams of fat (4 saturated), 25 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

7 May 2011, Comments (5)

Starbucks Salted Caramel Sweet Square

Author: Healthnuttxo

Yesterday was a long day.  A super fun, but loooooong day. So, on my way home, I wanted something sweet as a little pick-me-up. I stopped by Starbucks, and this Salted Caramel Sweet Square  popped out to me. It looked really tasty, so I bought it at $1.50.

It’s not huge, but moderately sized. I would estimate half the size of my palm, in square form. I found it to be the perfect size because it was very rich and very sweet (read- very delicious!), so it was just right.

On the bottom, was a crumby, graham cracker/pie crust like layer. On top of that, was I believe some pretzels held together in a sticky substance, and then a chocolate-caramel layer on top. The chocolate-caramel layer was very smooth, sort of like frosting. Predominantly, the name was right on.  Salted Caramel Sweet Square is a perfect name for this bar. It was SALTY, sweet, and had a delicious caramel/chocolate flavor.  I couldn’t get over how delicious it was, and although I thought I would have wanted another one since it was small, I was satisfied with one because the flavors were really intense, and really delicious.

Overall, 4 1/2 stars. I  cannot give this 5 stars since it’s probably not the healthiest thing (and has 6 grams of saturated fat!), but in moderation, so yummy and so worth it. I would certainly get it again.

What’s your favorite treat from Starbucks?

1 square is 190 calories, 11 grams of fat, 24 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

5 May 2011, Comments (7)

Sunland Raspberry Natural Peanut Butter

Author: Healthnuttxo

Yep. You read correctly. Raspberry Peanut Butter. You KNOW I was excited to try this when I saw it in the store! Immediately into my cart it went for me to buy and well… enjoy !

On my drive home, I couldn’t imagine what this was going to taste like. Very tart? Very fruity? Awkward tasting?

Here’s what it looked like straight from the jar (of course, I had already eaten some at this point!)- a very thick peanut butter, HARDLY any oil separation or stirring required!

I would say predominantly, it was a sweet peanut butter, with an awesome raspberry flavor. Not a fake raspberry flavor, which I really enjoyed! It had a slight tart flavor that raspberries often have, and also a slight salty after taste. It really was incredibly tasty! I have only eaten it straight from the jar as of yet, but I think it would rock on oatmeal or toast too.

I also like that it wasn’t a super runny peanut butter. I do love super runny nut butters, but sometimes they are not practical for eating straight from the jar with a spoon (been there, done that….lets just say I got peanut butter EVERY where!!). This one literally sticked on the spoon!

Overall, pretty good. My only thing was that it was a tad high in sugar, and lower in protein than other nut butters I have had in the past. 4 1/2 stars

And, by request, here’s the nutritional breakdown in picture form, straight from the jar!

If you could put ANY fruit in a peanut butter, what would it be? I think mango or strawberry peanut butter would be really tasty!

5 May 2011, Comments (0)

Fun stuff going on at Stonyfield!

Author: Healthnuttxo

As you guys probably know, Stonyfield Farm is one of my favorite brands of yogurt. Nothing is better than some of their Banilla yogurt, or the Maple Vanilla! So, here is some cool things going on with them right now!

Starting off with… a contest! The Stonyfield Organic Family of the Year Contest . If you win, you can get some cool stuff like yogurt, or even get the chance to visit the Vermont Organic Dairy farm!

Next, Organic Movement – a fun spot to visit, and share why you eat organic food!

And lastly, the Act Bolder’s Just Eat Organic For a Day Challenge!

Let me know if you end up visiting any of the sites, they look pretty fun, and some offer some cool prizes you may be able to win!

Have a great day!

4 May 2011, Comments (3)

Red Mango Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

I don’t know if you remember my tweet about Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt on my Twitter Page the other day, but I was SO excited! I had intentions of buying a different flavor, but when I saw PEANUT BUTTER available, I quickly changed my mind! (:

I got this peanut butter flavor with bananas and granola as a topping. After I ordered, I realized they had suggested to get Jelly as a topping, which I would probably do next time I go, as it sounds yummy! I ended up getting a small, and it cost $4.98, with the 2 toppings.

Again, love the presentation. The swirl on top is too cute!

I took a scoop of the peanut butter, and was actually surprised. I was expecting a very sweet or a very peanutty flavor, and it was actually more tart than I thought it would be. However, it was pretty good! It did have a very mild sweetness to it, and was smooth. I actually really thought it tasted like peanut butter cream cheese, because I could certainly taste the  peanut butter flavor and a dairy or yogurt-y flavor. Unique, but good!

As for the toppings, the bananas were fresh and not overly sweet, kind of like a perfectly yellow banana with no brown spots would provide. The granola was crunchy and sweet, with a few pumpkin seeds and a bunch of flaxseeds as well. A good accompaniment to the frozen yogurt!

Overall, pretty good! I do wish it was either a bit sweeter, or a bit more peanut buttery, but I would get it again. 4 stars

If you could make any flavor frozen yogurt, what would it be? Since my dream flavor is already made, I would pick  cookie dough next!! (:

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