Archives: July 2011

14 Jul 2011, Comments (0)

Power of Fruit Berry Cherry Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo

I loooooove cherries. Not the kind on top of ice cream sundaes- but dark, purple cherries. I remember a friend of mine and I ate a whole bag of them on the 4th of July coming home in a car ride. We were left with an awful lot of pits and stems, but they were so good we couldn’t stop eating them. And really, how can there be any guilt involved eating mass quantities of FRUIT? I mean really, how DARE I? Now I ate a bunch of antioxidants with no added sugar and exceeded my quota for fruit for the day, maybe even the next few days! I’ll never learn, will I? ;)

But, ANYWAY, I was contacted by the Power of Fruit and asked if I wanted to try their Berry Cherry Power of Fruit Bar. These frozen treats are all natural, and have no added sugar, which I really liked. I’m a diabetic, so I try to stay away from sugar as much as possible. Of course, I’m not saying I never took a spoonful of icing straight from the container (tell me I’m not the only one who does that….), but when given the option for natural sugars from fruit rather than added sugar, I’m all for it!

Here’s a pic of the fruity ice pop after a bite was taken. You can actually see a blueberry!

The bar looked pretty tasty, and as you can see it was a deep purple/red in color and rather thick. I took a bite, and the first thing I thought of was how tart it was! At first I thought it was pretty good – not too sweet, and pretty fruity. As I ate it though, I thought it was just ok and didn’t like it as much. It had mostly a cherry and blueberry flavor, but they didn’t seem like they had the same luscious flavor as they would straight from the carton or bag. The pop was also just too icy in consistency for me (another friend of mine who took a bite agreed) and I actually wish it was sweeter.

I do love the fact that there is no added sugar, and these are made with fruit. I also  do take into account that they are so low calorie, and they would be a really good treat for those times when I’m not really hungry but feel like eating (which happens….. a lot.) However, it wasn’t memorable enough for me to want to eat on a daily basis, and I do wish it was just a bit sweeter. 2  stars

What’s your favorite fruit to eat in the summer? Mine would be watermelon- I think it ONLY tastes good in the summer! =)


I was provided these fruit bars to try for free from the company.

12 Jul 2011, Comments (16)

Lotus Biscoff Spread

Author: Healthnuttxo

Remember my love for Lotus Biscoff Cookies?

Well take that love, multiply by 100, and put it in a jar. Literally.

This stuff is BEYOND amazing. I’ve gone through almost 3 jars already (not at once…over a few days!!), and plan on ordering more soon when I run out. I don’t even put it on anything, I eat it straight from the jar. That’s how good it is.

The first time I bought it, I saw it at a specialty store. Biscoff? What is that? I thought (turns out, I tried Biscoff spread BEFORE the cookies!)

Once I got home, I took a spoon out and tried some. Oh my goodness. It was like candy in a jar. Not saying it was super sweet like candy, but so delicious like candy.

Why, yes. Half that jar IS gone. And lets just say I did not share...

The consistency is super smooth, and light. No bumps at all, and no oil separation. It’s sweet, and I can certainly taste the delicious-ness of the Biscoff Cookies. The best way to describe it if you never had a Biscoff Cookie is that I think it tastes almost like cinnamon graham crackers that were grinded up and made into this delicious spread. It’s soooo good! (Am I gushing too much? Is it OK that I love this spread that much?!?!)

So. Overall, I guess my only complaint is that this isn’t filling at all. As in, I could TOTALLY eat the whole jar in a day, so having it near me has my will power being tempted all day long. Which makes sense, seeing as it only has .5 grams of protein per serving. My other complaint would be is that the store I originally bought it from doesn’t carry it anymore, so I have to buy it online. But honestly, this is so delicious I could never stop eating it! 5 stars and on the list of my favorite things EVER!

Have you ever had Biscoff Cookies or Biscoff Spread? If so, what’s your favorite way to eat it? Honestly, all I need is a spoon =)

11 Jul 2011, Comments (9)

Meals to Live Shrimp Jambalaya

Author: Healthnuttxo

Growing up, I had two favorite types of fish. Shrimp, and tuna in a can, and that was pretty much it. I’m going to be honest and say I haven’t eaten fish or meat in quite a while, and when I do it’s very sporadic. Just not digging it as much as I used to.

However, hunger rolled around 5 pm today, and looking through my freezer, the Meals to Live Shrimp Jambalaya meal popped out. Mmm. This sounds good- I haven’t had shrimp in forever! I thought. So after steaming up some veggies (since I had a feeling the meal would be small), I cooked this gluten free entree.

How yummy does this look??!

A little dark, I agree. I couldn’t get a pic with good lighting since people were eating at my kitchen table and I didn’t want to be rude.

I transferred to a plate and then added veggies on the side. There was actually more food  than I had expected, which was a positive for me. Also, I noticed there was some extra juice/liquid that I just discarded.

It smelled pretty spicy, so at first I was a bit worried. I tried a piece of shrimp first, expecting a juicy, plump shrimp. However, that is not what I got. It was very tough and chewy, and had a fishy taste to it. I know, I know, “it’s seafood!”, but I have had shrimp before that tasted very good, and not fishy. I moved onto the rice, which wasn’t bad. It was fluffy in texture, but just very bland. It had no salty flavor to it whatsoever, and more tasted like bland rice with some spices. There was a bit of heat, but not as spicy as I thought it would be. There was also some peppers in the meal, that didn’t really add or take away from the meal.

Overall, I was not a fan of this meal. I liked this meal from Meals to Live much better, and would prefer it over this one. The Shrimp Jambalaya gets 2 stars from me, because I happened to enjoy the rice even though it was rather bland.

What’s your favorite seafood to eat? Or if you are a vegetarian/vegan, did you used to have a favorite?


I was provided this meal to try for free from the company.

9 Jul 2011, Comments (7)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1

Author: Healthnuttxo

Not reviewing a food today, but, an exercise video I just bought! Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I heard excellent things about it, and wanted to try it for myself. I bought it, not for weight loss as it promotes, but because I love intense workouts. Seriously- I have friends that are convinced something is wrong with me because I’m one of those “go hard or go home” kind of people. I can’t help it!

Now, keep in mind I have a background with exercise. I kickbox 5-6 times a week, strength train, and bike ride as well. So I’m certainly not a beginner, and consider myself an advanced exerciser. I used 5 pound weights for most of the video, but also used 8 lbs for some exercises.

There are 3 levels to the video, and this review is of Level 1. The video begins with a warm up, of not really stretching, but loosening up everything. Arm swings, jumping jacks, etc. I actually liked this form of a warmup because I felt ready to go once it was over. I hate going into exercise when I’m not warmed up, as I feel like I am slugging through the whole thing.

As stated on the DVD box, there are “Three 6-minute Circuits Featuring Jillian’s 3-2-1 Interval System: 3 Minutes of Strength, 2 Minutes of Cardio, 1 Minute of Abs”.

The strength training moves were quick and effective, and left a burn. I think I may use 6 or 8 pounds next time I try this level instead of 5 pounders. The cardio moves were not complicated at all, and kept the heart rate up. They were hard, but not super challenging where I couldn’t catch my breath. Lastly, the ab moves were ok. I kept in mind that it was Level 1 and as the levels progress the ab moves will probably become more challenging, but I did not feel any burn in my abs for the moves I performed.

Overall, Level 1 of this video was a hit for me. I liked that it was pretty challenging, and the fluid movement of the video. It was very quick, about 20 minutes, so I ended up doing the Level 1 twice. It was actually pretty fun for me, which is most important for me in a workout. If I’m bored, I’m out. But this was fun, and I can’t wait to try Level 2 and Level 3!

Have you tried Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred? If not, what’s your favorite exercise DVD?

8 Jul 2011, Comments (47)

Stonyfield Farm Organic Activia Review & GIVEAWAY !

Author: Healthnuttxo
I love yogurt. I could eat it every day and be totally happy. One of this things I love about it is the way I feel after I eat it. I believe yogurt is a power food, packed with healthy bacteria and more.
Stonyfield Farm came out with the Organic Activia Yogurt, that according to the sheet I was given, has no “toxic persistent pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, or synthetic growth hormones” as well as “no artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners”. Sounds like the trust worthy Stonyfield that I know (and love!!)
They sent me two flavors to try for free. Strawberry and Vanilla. I tried the Vanilla first.
It was just like a standard vanilla flavor. One thing I noticed was that it really wasn’t overly sweet. A very mild tasting vanilla, with a very clean feel. It wasn’t super thick, but not super runny either. A sort of happy inbetween for consistency. 3 1/2 stars

Next up, the Strawberry.

This one had an almost strawberry-vanilla flavor.  I could tell it was made with low fat milk instead of skim by the richer flavor. Also really not all that sweet, but a mild strawberry flavor. I think it was a bit thicker than the Vanilla flavor was,  but not by much. I preferred the strawberry over the vanilla. 4 stars

nutritional facts for the strawberry flavor

Now, for the giveaway! There will be (are you ready for this?) FIVE WINNERS! Five of you guys will get a coupon book for two FREE WEEKS of Stonyfield Farm Organic Activia!

HOW TO ENTER!
PLEASE leave a comment for EACH entry!  :)

Mandatory:
What’s your favorite flavor/brand of yogurt? One of my all time favorite Stonyfield flavors is the Banilla.
Optional….but encouraged! (:

1. Follow me on TWITTER and tweet about this giveaway mentioning  me AND the link in the tweet.
2.Add me to your blog roll!
3. Mention this giveaway on your blog
4. Leave a new comment on any of my reviews!

Giveaway ends Friday, July 15th, 2011 at 12pm. United States only. If you live in CA,ID,MN,LA,NV,ND,TN or NJ, and you win, you will receive a $1 off coupon for pack of yogurt instead.

I received 2 free weeks worth supply of yogurt for free from Stonyfield Farm, and the coupons are provided for free as well.
7 Jul 2011, Comments (5)

Amazing Grass Organic GreenSuperFood Whole Food Energy Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo

As a kid growing up, I was always told “Greens are Ninja Turtle food”. If we wanted to be strong and cool (or just be a ninja turtle for that matter), we had to eat our green vegetables. Oh and the fact that dessert wasn’t allowed to be eaten until the vegetables were gone probably had something to do with it too. But that’s besides the point.

And, well, I’ve eaten my fair share of green vegetables over the years and I’ve yet to see any transformation. Just saying.

But anyway, hoping to come to the green rescue is the Amazing Grass Organic GreenSuperFood Whole Food Energy Bar. According the the wrapper of the bar, it is organic, raw, vegan, gluten free, dairy and soy free, and has no sugar added.

It had a slighty fruity smell, almost like a date. The bar was very dense, but also soft to chew. The taste was pretty fruity, and surprisingly sweeter than I had expected. It reminded me sort of like a raspberry flavored fruit leather, but softer, and definitely not as sweet. It also reminded me of what the inside of a fig newton tasted like, but again, not as sweet. The tiny pieces of walnuts that were in the bar I liked, because it added a bit more flavor.

Overall, not too bad, but not my favorite. It was lackluster for me, but the nutritional facts were impressive. Chock full of awesome ingredients, such as organic dates, organic wheat grass, organic flax lignans and more. I felt as if it truly was a bar from nature, and green inspired. However, it wasn’t so good as to where I would buy it again (although I recieved this sample for free). And even though it was sugar free, I felt like I wanted to drizzle icing on it. Curse my sweet tooth. 2 1/2 stars

Have you ever watched the Ninja Turtles? Which one was your favorite? Leonardo was mine =)

5 Jul 2011, Comments (10)

Musselman’s/The Healthy Apple’s Strawberry Apple Ginger Smoothie/Frozen Yogurt Review

Author: Healthnuttxo

Musselman’s sent me an AWESOME picnic basket filled with some of their delicious products for free. Along with the basket, I was sent some recipes to try out for the summer!  Here’s a pic that Musselman’s provided me with of the products.

With the ingredients I had on hand, I decided to try the Strawberry Apple Ginger Smoothie/Frozen Yogurt, that according to the card, is courtesy of Amie Valpone, The Healthy Apple.

The only thing I omitted was the ginger, since I didnt have it at home. Otherwise, I halved the recipe, and used the Totally Fruit Strawberry applesauce, the top portion of a Black Cherry Stonyfield Yogurt, fresh strawberries, and a basil leaf straight from my garden.

Next, I blended!

The taste straight after blending was ok. I felt it lacked sweetness and was rather runny. Also, the basil leaf which I so closely associate with tomatoes, kind of threw me off a little bit. I think if I make this again I would omit the basil, or use less than called for.

I decided to add some ice and some stevia to cool this smoothie down even more, and add something extra to it. Here’s how the final product looked

As you can see, it was a mild pink in color, and had the tiny green specks from the basil. I thought the taste was pretty good, but not spectacular. I think I would add more sweetener or stevia if I made this again, and maybe try using frozen strawberries instead of fresh. I had some friends try it, and one of them said it wasn’t thick enough, which I agreed with, and the other said it was a bit “off”. However, I don’t think it’s anything that couldn’t have been fixed with a little sweetener and some extra ice!

So thank you again, Musselman’s, for the recipes to try and the awesome picnic  basket!

Questions for you guys- what is YOUR favorite smoothie recipe? Do you ever use applesauce in your smoothies?

4 Jul 2011, Comments (5)

Enjoy Life Crunchy Double Chocolate Cookies

Author: Healthnuttxo

Adding to the other crunchy Enjoy Life cookies I was sent, the Chocolate Chip and Sugar Crisp, I was also sent the Enjoy Life Crunchy Double Chocolate Cookies to try for free as well.

First off, I loved that there was a good amount of chocolate chips in these cookies, they really were double chocolate, and not something like “chocolate-cookie-with-a-sprinkle-of-chocolate-chips” thrown in.

They were crunchy, but not super crispy where crumbs got every where when I took a bite. I felt that they were softer than the other two varieties of cookies that I tried. They were chocolatey for sure, but not so super chocolately as something like devil’s food  cake would be. It reminded me kind of like a crunchy brownie in a way, as for what it would taste like.  There also was a little bit of a slightly salty/sweet combo going on as well.

Overall, I actually really liked these! Give me a jar of peanut butter  to smear on them alongside a glass of milk, and call me one happy camper. I liked that these had 2 cookies for a serving, were only 110 calories, and only 8 grams of sugar. Not too shabby! 4 stars

If you had to choose…. Double Chocolate Cookies? or Double Chocolate Brownies?

2 Jul 2011, Comments (5)

Baked Classics Vanilla Frosting Multigrain Crisps

Author: Healthnuttxo

Anyone guilty of eating frosting from the container?….Yea. So bad, but so, sooo good! When I heard of Baked Classices Vanilla Frosting Multigrain Crisps I was very intrigued- any opportunity to eat something that tastes like vanilla frosting (without getting the weird looks from me eating it from the container…) is definitely worth a try!

The company sent me some of these crisps to try for free. From the information they gave me as well, these crisps are gluten free, kosher, and all  natural. I even thought the saying on the front of the bag was pretty cute - “Licking the bowl is okay. Just make sure it’s your own bowl”.

light dusting of deliciousness on top =)


Round in shape, these were crunchy and light. They had a slight powdery residue on it, which was probably the flavoring. The taste was sooo yummy! Sweet, but not too sweet, and really did remind me of vanilla frosting! I liked how I couldn’t taste the “chip” flavor. For example, when potato chips are flavored, I dont like when I get some chips that have hardly any seasoning at all, and taste like potatoes. These crisps were evenly flavored for the most part, and really delicious!

Another thing I loved? Only 4 grams of sugar!! I think that’s pretty awesome, and they still have a vanilla frosting appeal to them. Due to my sweet tooth, I would like them just a tad bit sweeter (I am one to eat straight from the container, after all), but they are pretty delicious as is. 4 1/2 stars

What’s your favorite flavor of frosting? Have you been guilty of eating frosting from the container as well? It’s so hard to resist! =)

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