Archives: August 2011

11 Aug 2011, Comments (9)

Athenos Greek Strained Strawberry Non Fat Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

Ok, let’s be honest….

I love yogurt.

It internally pains me when my friends turn their noses up to yogurt, especially ones like Pineapple Chobani, or Stonyfield’s Banilla yogurt. HOW?! It just doesn’t make sense to me. In fact, I have a friend who won’t even try the yogurts I eat, because she “knows” she won’t like them. Hasn’t anyone ever taught them to “not judge a book by it’s cover”?!! Guide to Online Schools has info on nutrition classes, for those of you who also love yogurt and healthy foods. The more we learn from each other, the healthier we can be.

Anyway- now that my rant is over, let’s get back to the yogurt. I had been told by a commenter in the past to try this Athenos yogurt. So, the other day I saw the Athenos Greek Strained Strawberry Non Fat Yogurt, and decided to buy it and give it a try.

Here’s how it looked


The yogurt part is EXTREMELY thick. I think this is one of the thickest yogurts I have ever had. By itself, it’s a little tart, but not so tart where it induces lip-puckering and squishy faces like a lemon war head would do. It’s creamy and has a bit of tang.

Onto the fruit part, which went really well with the yogurt. I thought the amount was too small, but it ended up being just right. It wasn’t super sweet, and also had a bit of tartness to it, but I actually enjoyed it. It was a thick syrup/jelly-like side, that tasted like defrosted strawberries. There were tiny chunks of strawberries as well, that were sweeter than the rest of the fruity side that I enjoyed. Together, however, the two complimented very well with one another. Creamy, slightly sweet, and tart with a little bit of tanginess to it!

Another thing, even though I love Fage yogurt, it’s really hard to get all the fruit part out on the side. With this brand, I was able to get almost everything out since it was wider and I could fit my whole spoon on it. So yay for that! :)

4 stars. Wish it was a bit sweeter, but AWESOME thickness and creaminess!!! I would buy it again.

So…are you the type of person who won’t try something because you think you won’t like it? Or do you try any kind of food? Interested to hear! :)

anyone else digging my nail polish color? anyone?? :)

8 Aug 2011, Comments (4)

Stouffer’s Farmers’ Harvest Chicken & Parmesan Pasta Bake with a Vegetable Medley

Author: Healthnuttxo

Not going to lie….I didn’t expect this to be as good as it was. I’m almost strictly an organic frozen meal kind of girl, or one that’s made with the best ingredients possible. I normally go for Amy’s Kitchen Meals, like this one, or sometimes even Kashi, like this pizza here. Online Colleges is a resource for finding information about health and nutrition. There is always more to learn about what the best ingredients in foods are.

Regardless, browsing the frozen food section, I saw this and was intrigued. I took a peek at the ingredients, and approved. I didn’t see any ingredients I didn’t really approve of, so I thought it would be worth a try.

mmmm.

Once it was done cooking, I could certainly smell the sauce throughout the kitchen. It smelled really good, and seeing as I just did a weights workout, I was hungry. This meal I felt was perfect post workout- protein, carbs, and some healthy fats alongside some veggies. I also had a chocolate chip cookie….but that’s besides the point ;)

I have a complaint when it comes to frozen meals and the vegetables sides. For the most part, I feel like the vegetables on the side are either

1. Too chewy/hard

2. Too mushy

3.Too plain.

THESE vegetables, however, were different. They were almost sitting in what I’m assuming is olive oil, and had a bit of seasoning to them. There were peppers, carrots, and broccoli, all perfect consistency. Not mushy, not chewy. So delicious. In fact, I kind of wish I could buy just the side compartment on vegetables and eat them alone. Yes, I am talking about broccoli and carrots. The peppers I could have done without, but I’m not a pepper kind of person.

Moving on, the pasta was a little on the soft side, but pretty good. It rested in a sauce that was a tad salty, but had a good flavor and even soft chunks of tomatoes. On top was the chunks of chicken and some pieces of cheese. The cheese was sparse, but certainly delicious. The chicken, not going to lie, was the letdown of the meal. It was a bit chewy, and I had some fatty parts I wasn’t happy about. It was juicy and not dry, so that was good, but I really wasn’t digging it. There was a mild pepper flavor I noticed too.

Overall? I really liked this meal! I would definitely buy it again. 4 1/2 stars

What’s your favorite product by Stouffer’s? I haven’t had much that I remember in the last few years, so this is my new favorite!

6 Aug 2011, Comments (12)

Fabe’s Sweetened by Nature Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Cookie

Author: Healthnuttxo

I think I should start off by saying I don’t like dark chocolate.  I will eat it, but I find it too bitter, hardly sweet, and just unenjoyable for my taste buds. My taste buds much prefer milk chocolate, and white chocolate (with my FAVORITE white chocolate review here!) Nutrition courses via an accredited online college for people who have decided they want to
pursue their knowledge about health and nutrition further. It is helpful to learn from each other as well as experts and books.

So, before eating this, in the back of my head I thought, aw man, DARK chocolate? Boo! But who am I to judge based on the name? Who knows what it will taste like? It could be cookie heaven.

And it was…

As you can probably see, it was a bit crumby, and broke apart very easily. Kind of like the other gluten free cookie by Fabe’s. It was dense, and a bit “piecy” as I chewed it, but wow was it DE  LIC  IOUS. And yes, delicious is three words now, you didn’t know that? ; )  (kidding). Literally, this cookie melted in my mouth as I ate it. It was very sweet, and tasted like a brownie. Or just like chocolate frosting. Actually, how about a brownie WITH chocolate frosting on it. SO GOOD!

Seriously, Fabe’s knows how to make cookies. Yes, there are some crumb issues going on, so I wouldn’t reccommend eating this while your wearing white or at a friend’s house who can’t stand crumbs anywhere. In fact, I advise you don’t eat this cookie at that friends house, or I predict he or she will be very angry at you. However, feel free to eat it on your way out the door because you can’t wait until you get home. It’s that good. It’s so good I made up an imaginary friend for you who doesn’t like crumbs. Your welcome.

ANYWAY, this one gets 4 1/2 stars. Again, the crumb/consistency of the cookie is a bit off, but the flavor is right on. And the nutritional facts will set you back 280 calories if you polish off the whole cookie (hey…don’t point your finger at me. I only ate 3/4 of the cookie this time! =) ). Regardless, I think you should try this if you have the chance to!

I got this cookie to try for free from the company.

4 Aug 2011, Comments (6)

Newman’s Own Organics Organic Cranberries

Author: Healthnuttxo

Ok. I have a confession. And is has something to do with Newman’s Own Organics Organic Cranberries.

The confession is…

I think I like these more than candy.


No really. SERIOUSLY. I think I’d rather eat a bag of these, than a bag of gummy bears. Or gummy worms. Or maybe even a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup (oh yea…I said it).

Now I know what you’re thinking. Please. She’s just saying that, there’s no way FRUIT can taste better than candy.

But these cranberries my friend, are AMAZING. To eat out of the bag…

Or on top of a salad… ( highly reccomended).  Online cooking schools are an option for indulging your passion for food, nutrition, and healthy cooking. Home-cooked meals combined with healthy packaged meals are a realistic option for many families.

They are just perfect. Chewy, sweet, not even the slightest bit tart. They taste so fresh and so pure and so GOOD. You know when you go to the mall, and there is that counter that sells dried pineapple slices with sugar all over them (or….at least I hope you know what I’m talking about)? And it tastes soooo good? Well, picture that, but in cranberry form. And not drowning in sugar.

Yes. One of the ingredients for these cranberries is sugar. In fact, from the bag, the exact ingredients are “Organic Cranberries, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Sunflower Oil”.  But, it’s not like the cranberries are rolling around in sugar where it’s visible.

Either way, these rock. Even though I got my bag for free from the company, I plan on buying these over and over again (and again…).

Oh. And I have another confession. I don’t even really like cranberries. So, now you know that these are amazing. 5 stars

What about you- any healthy food that you adore more than an unhealthy food? Do tell!

blurry out of excitement for me to eat more cranberries. Obviously =)

3 Aug 2011, Comments (0)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 2

Author: Healthnuttxo

This review is of Level 2 of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. I already reviewed level 1 HERE.

Level 2 was the same format as level 1, but with more intensity. 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”.

What I noticed this time is that my core and balance were challenged a lot more than in level 1. There were strength moves that required standing on one foot, as well as a good deal of plank work. The strength moves were much more challenging than Level 1, and I felt a significant burn even using 5 pound weights for a few moves. One move toward the end, which was a simultaneous chair squat while raising dumbbells in a V formation was particularly challenging, and the first time I did it I took a brief rest during that segment.

The cardio moves also were bumped up a notch, and I felt as if I burned more calories during these cardio moves than the ones in level 1.  They were fun, yet speedy, and helped the DVD progress quickly.

Lastly, the abs, I found to be fair. They were not super challenging, but definitely not super basic either. My lower abs got a good workout, and I felt pretty satisfied.

I almost wish Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred had 4 minutes strength, 3 minutes cardio and 2 minutes abs, because I feel like doing the video just once isn’t enough for me. I ended up doing the Level 2 segment twice, as I did Level 1 the first time I tried it, for me to feel like I had a more complete workout. But then again, I’m an avid exerciser, and I live for the intensity. My family and friends swear I’m crazy, since I crave the intensity of exercise, and maybe I am, but whatever floats your boat right? =)

Overall, Level 2 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is my favorite so far, and I can’t wait to try Level 3 !

Have you tried Level 2 of Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred? What are your thoughts?

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