Categories: 4 Star

3 Sep 2010, Comments (0)

Jason All-Natural Liquid Satin Soap

Author: Healthnuttxo

Here we go- a natural NON food review! And this time? It’s about soap! =)

Jason sent me some coupons to get $1.00 off a product, so I ended up using them on some all natural soaps. I prefer to use soaps from a pump or container rather than a bar of soap when it comes to handwashing, so I thought these would be pretty good. As a bonus, they were all natural, AND could be used on the face!

According to the website, here’s some notes about the Lavender, and Mango & Papaya soap I chose to  buy.

“No Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates
Concentrated & Moisturizing
Never Dries your Skin
Natural Ingredients”.

I also chose the Cranberry scent, but those particular facts were not listed below the product on the website.

Anyway- onto the review!

Mango & Papaya- this one was thick and orange in color, with a light mango smell. It left my hands feeling soft, and left a very light scent on my skin. 4 stars

Lavender- this one had a stronger smell than the Mango & Papaya, but was actually quite refreshing! I loved the smooth and silky texture- a great soap! 4 stars

Cranberry- this one was my favorite of the 3. It had a very crisp, fresh and fruity smell. It sort of reminded me of fall and Thanksgiving time. I loved the sweet and fruity scent, and how it was gentle, and very clean feeling. 4 1/2 stars

Overall, I really like these soaps! I especially love that they can be used on the hands and the face- very convenient! They were a tad expensive though, I think it was about $8.99 for one at Whole Foods, so I was happy I  had a $1.00 off coupon. Another person tried this soap who has sensitive skin, and she liked it as well! Bravo, Jason! =)

31 Aug 2010, Comments (2)

Lenny & Larry’s Peanut Butter Muscle Brownie

Author: Healthnuttxo

Oh yea. Peanut. Butter. Muscle. Brownie.

The generous folks over at Lenny & Larry’s sent me one of these treats to try, and of COURSE I was excited. Not only was it  a brownie, it was a peanut butter brownie, AND it has TWENTY GRAMS of protein per 80 gram brownie!!

So, feeling hungry the other day and in the mood for something sweet and savory, I took out this brownie. It was a thick and rich brownie, with a decent layer of a peanut butter drizzle on top. Some actually stuck to my wrapper a little bit, but no worries! I took a bite, and… These are GOOD!

Very sweet, fudgy, dense, and moist. Just delicious! The brownie part was actually a bit too sweet, but still very good. The best part was the peanut butter topping- creamy, sweet and delicious.

This gets 4 stars from me. It was very good, but there are two servings in a 2.82 ounce package, with 170 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving. This brownie is too delicious not to eat the whole thing at once! I also wish that there was more fiber,  and less sugar. There is only 1 gram of fiber, and 12 grams of sugar per serving. On the bright side, I did like how it was filling, and certainly scrumptious. I can see myself using this as an on-the-go snack or mini meal for when I’m hungry but don’t have time to sit down and eat.

1.41 ounces (40 grams) is 170 calories, 6 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 12 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein.

27 Aug 2010, Comments (0)

Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Blueberries and Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Dark Chocolate

Author: Healthnuttxo

Raw Crunch Bars seem totally cool to me, and are unlike other products I have tried in the past. According to the wrapper, these bars are “Handmade, Uncooked, Unprocessed” and are also “Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Peanut Free”. That’s a lot to offer for one bar, and certainly intriguing.
However, according to the website, “All of our bars are Gluten-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free, Peanut-free & Raw, with the exception of our Organic Dark Chocolate variety. The chocolate pieces in this bar are not soy-free or raw.”

Well, the company sent me some of these bars to try, and the first thing I noticed when I opened the bars, was that these are certainly NOT like anything I have had in the past. There are soooo many nuts and seeds! I’m used to bars that are mostly oats/granola, with a few sprinkles of nuts or needs, or raisins, etc. Nope! These bars had visible flaxseeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds,sunflower seeds! Just TONS! I also noticed that both bars pretty much had the same flavor, with the exception of the variation of blueberries or dark chocolate. To me that both had a rather strong pumpkin/sunflower seed flavor, and were very lightly sweet, with a slightly salty aftertaste. I actually quite enjoyed both bars, as they were unique, yet tasty. The Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Dark Chocolate was tasty- but lacking in the chocolate department. The dark chocolate pieces were tasty, a lightly sweetened flavor, but I only got about 5 chips in the whole bar : ( 

On the other hand, the Raw Crunch Bar with Organic Blueberries, there was a LOT more blueberries! Sweet and small, they sort of reminded me of the type of blueberries that are in blueberry muffins or pancakes. Not plump and juicy, but small and sweet.

Overall, I give these both 4 stars. I love that one bar has only 10 grams of carbohydrates, with 3 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein. A really satisfying snack!

1 bar (28 grams) is 150 calories, 10 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

26 Aug 2010, Comments (3)

Chobani 0% Plain Greek Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

We all know (or hopefully know) how much I looooove yogurt! It’s my healthy and usually sweet treat I make sure I eat everyday! Along with regular yogurt, I also enjoy greek yogurt. Although I normally go for flavored ones, Chobani sent me their 0% Plain Greek Yogurt to try.

The first thing I noticed was that a 6 oz cup is ONLY 100 calories, and 18 grams of protein! I was immediately impressed by that, since I’m not a big meat eater and need dairy/soy/eggs for my main sources of protein. PLus, that is very LEAN protein! No fat, and only 100 calories! Nice!

The texture was super thick and creamy, just like I like it. Unfortunately, I do not really enjoy greek yogurt plain. I did try some of this without anything mixed in or added, and found it rather tart for my likings. So, what could I mix with this? Well, I took some regular chocolate frozen yogurt and mixed it with the greek yogurt and let it freeze for a bit in the freezer. Voila! Yummy chocolate taste, and a boost of protein, with an additional creamier texture.

Overall, I give this 4 stars. Although I would probably never eat it as is, I can always mix something in to sweeten it. I have in the past also used those ranch seasoning powder mixes with plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream, and found that to be an excellent swap. I love that this is high in protein, low in calories, has 0 grams of fat  per 6 ounce serving.

Which makes me curious…
What do you like to mix in with plain greek yogurt? If you’d like to leave a comment, please do so below! : )

1 6oz yogurt is 100 calories, 0 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 18 grams of protein.

Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk.

25 Aug 2010, Comments (1)

Michael Angelo’s Spinach Vegetable Pocket Calzone

Author: Healthnuttxo

Michael Angelo’s provided me with some coupons to try some free products, and one of them I chose was the Spinach Vegetable Pocket Calzone. These type of frozen foods are my favorite- yummy insides, doughy crust- count me in!

This “pocket calzone” wasn’t round as I had sort of expected, but rather long and in the shape of a rectangle. I decided to microwave and then put in the toaster oven for a minute or so to crisp up the outside. After letting cool, I cut open a piece, and was pleased! This was actually quite tasty! The crust was crispy yet chewy, and sort of reminded me of the ends of pizza crust. The inside was very flavorful.It had a cheesy, oniony and garlicy flavor mostly, with a very slight hint of spice.  The spinach and the zucchini were a little chewy for my likings, but not bad. It sort of reminded me of a vegetable pizza, but without a tomato sauce.

Overall, I’m giving this 4 stars. I liked that it was a good size, and had a lot of flavor. I wasn’t a big fan of the zucchini and wish it was a bit more tender. I also saw that it also only had 1 gram of fiber per pocket calzone. Either way, I had this with some steamed broccoli and applesauce to make a meal, and was quite content!  : )

1 Pocket Calzone is 220 calories, 6 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.

Organic Hard Wheat Flour, Water, Fire Roasted Vegetables (red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini), Spinach, Asiago Cheese (cultured milk, enzymes, salt), Mozzarella Cheese (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes). Tomatoes-Roasted (tomatoes, canola oil, garlic, vinegar, salt, herbs, parmesan cheese (pasteurized part-skim cow’s milk, cheese cultures, salt, enzymes), Olive Oil, Turbinado Sugar, Yeast, Salt, Garlic Egg Whites, Spices.

24 Aug 2010, Comments (1)

Kay’s Naturals Lemon Herb Protein Chips

Author: Healthnuttxo

As someone who really doesn’t eat meat, I really depend on eggs and dairy to get my protein, as well as soy products like tofu. I love when I find tasty, high protein products that are natural and good for you, too!

I got some products from Kay’s Naturals, like the Protein Chips in Lemon Herb flavor.According to the package, these Protein Chips are gluten free, and have 10 grams of protein per serving. I’ll be honest, I was a bit reluctant to try this flavor. Lemon Herb? It didn’t sound like it was going to be as tasty, but it was!

First I was impressed with the portion size. a 1.5 ounce bag (which did have 1.5 servings in it) had a LOT of protein chips!Each chip is sort of in the shape of a rectangle, and has a wave to it. They dont really look identical to the ones depicted on the front. They were light, airy and crispy in texture. The taste was slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and quite salty. I could certainly taste the lemon- it reminded me of a tangy lemon peel or lemon zest, accompanied with a oniony/garlicy flavor.  Actually they kind of reminded me of sour cream and onion chips, with a little bit of sweetness from the lemon!

Overall, these are unique, and quite good! They are a bit high in sodium, but low in fat and calories, and high in protein.  4 stars

1 ounce (30 grams) is 110 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

18 Aug 2010, Comments (0)

Figamajigs Dark Chocolate Covered Fig Bar with Almonds

Author: Healthnuttxo

Figamajigs! I think this company is great- combining healthy fruit and tasty chocolate and other treats with their products.

The company sent me some of their products to try, including the Figamajigs Dark Chocolate Covered Fig Bar with Almonds. According to the wrapper, this bar is “all natural, low fat, high in fiber, high in anti-oxidants”. Sounds like my kind of a chocolatey treat!

The bar is 40 grams, and about the size of my two fingers in both length and width. It’s actually quite dense and chewy. There is a thin layer of chocolate on the outside, which I really didn’t know it was dark chocolate until I looked at the wrapper! It really wasn’t that bitter as I am used to having when I eat dark chocolate, and I was quite happy. The overall flavor is VERY fruity- you can certainly taste the fig! It has a rather piecy consistency, and sort of stuck in my teeth as I chewed it. However, I really enjoyed it! It’s sweet, chewy and quite enjoyable. The almond pieces didn’t really add or take away from the taste, and provided a very slight crunch if anything.

Overall, I give this 4 stars. I liked that it combines fruit and chocolate, and has 4 grams of fiber and 150 calories per 40 gram bar! It is, however, a tad bit high in sugar, but very tasty! =)

1 bar (40 grams) is 150 calories, 4 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Figs, Cocoa, Dark Chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor processed with potassium carbonate, cocoa butter, butter oil), Soy Lecithin, Pure Vanilla, Sugar, Almonds, Invert Sugar, Canola Oil, Natural Flavor, Cream of Tartar, Salt).

17 Aug 2010, Comments (2)

Diana’s Bananas Milk Chocolate Banana Babies

Author: Healthnuttxo

HappyBaby/YoBaby giveaway ends Friday!**

Bananas, and chocolate? What a great combination. Now what about a frozen banana, covered with chocolate? COUNT ME IN! =)

The nice folks over at Diana’s Bananas sent me some of their chocolate covered bananas to try. The Banana Babies come in 3 varieties, Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, and Milk Chocolate with Peanuts. Today I’m doing a review of the Milk Chocolate Banana Babies.

I opened up the box of Milk Chocolate Banana Babies and thought these are so cute! Each of them are about the size of half of a banana, with a thick layer of milk chocolate. The chocolate was sweet and creamy- melt-in-my-mouth consistency. Delicious! The banana part was sweet and soft, perfectly ripened, and went perfectly with the chocolate. Who knew a fruit could taste so awesome covered in chocolate?

One thing I did notice was that it was VERY hard coming out of my freezer. I let mine thaw a little bit, and found it much easier to enjoy. Overall, I give this 4 stars as it’s delicious, and a great way to get some chocolate and fruit, all at once! The perfect treat for me on a hot, summer day! =)

1 Piece (60grams) is 130 calories, 6 grams of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Banana, Milk Chocolate (unsweetened chocolate, sugar, milk powder, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Peanut Oil.

16 Aug 2010, Comments (14)

HappyBaby and YoBaby review plus GIVEAWAY!

Author: Healthnuttxo

Today is a combined review( and GIVEAWAY!) of HappyBaby and YoBaby products. I was sent coupons to try free products from both companies.

HappyBaby- I chose the HappyBites Mac + Cheese Bites. When I purchased them from the store, they came in a pack of three Mac + Cheese Bites. However, the company recently updated the product to have 9 bites per box. I actually quite enjoyed them. They reminded me of homemade baked macaroni & cheese. A really good and “gooey” cheesey flavor, with little lumps or pieces of what I imagine was both butternut squash and noodles. I do wish it was a bit saltier tasting, as it tasted a bit bland. I simply put a grind of sea salt on top and voila! Instantly better. Tasty, too! 4 stars

Happy Baby-  I also tried their frozen fruit of Smarter Squash + Wiser Apple. While I haven’t tried the Smarter Squash yet, the Wiser Apple was quite tasty. I am a really big applesauce fan, so I thought I would like these. They came in little compartments, so I defrosted and had 3 of them for a serving. The texture was sort of slushy, but also smooth. It was really sweet, which I absolutely loved, and barely any tartness whatsoever. It sort of reminded me of a “candy” applesauce- but the ingredients were JUST organic apples. Nice!! 4 1/2 stars
I also found out from Helen Bernstein who provided me the coupons something about the frozen HappyBaby. “Since these are for baby, there is never any salt, sugar, coloring or preservatives added.  Babies certainly do not need it and additives only train their tastes to eat processed food high in sodium and sugar. ”

YoBaby- I picked up a pack of the apple and blueberry flavored multipack. They were small sized 4 oz yogurts.

That makes me feel good eating such a pure and great product! : )

The Apple flavor was very mild. It sort of tasted like a plain vanilla, with a slight bit of tartness and slight cinnamon flavor. I also thought I detected a bit fo lemon flavor. I did like that it was thick, but sort of wish it was sweeter. 2 1/2 stars

I liked the Blueberry flavor much more. Again, same awesome thickness, with a nice tang. Good blueberry flavor, and it also tasted like I was actually eating cream! Very rich and delicious. I do wish it was a bit sweeter, but overall, enjoyable. Too bad it was a smaller size than what I’m used to! 4 stars

Now, onto the giveaway!

There will be TWO winners, one for HAPPYBABY prize, one for YOBABY prize. each below. I was e-mailed the prizes that will be given from Ms. Bernstein, who said
“HAPPYBABY
2 free trial coupons for HAPPYBABY, HAPPYBELLIES, HAPPYBABYPUFFS, HAPPYMELTS, HAPPYBITES
1 FAQ on DHA & Probiotics
1 Infant & Toddler Nutrition Guide, co-authored by Dr. Sears
1 HAPPYFAMILY Recipes

YoBaby
2 free trials for YoBaby 6-packs or YoBaby Drinkables 4-packs
1 Eric Carle Growth Chart”

You can enter by (please leave a comment for EACH)
*MANDATORY*
1. Do you eat baby food products? If so, which ones are you’re favorite/which one’s do you buy? (if not, you’re entry can simply be “no”)

Optional:

2. Add me to your blogroll/reader
3. follow me on twitter/ tweet about this giveaway!
4. for TWO entries, blog about this giveaway! (please leave a comment with the link).

Contest Ends FRIDAY, August 20th, 2010 12 PM. Open to US residents only.

14 Aug 2010, Comments (0)

Ian’s Natural Foods FruitaBits Crispy Fruit Snacks

Author: Healthnuttxo

I have to say, I’m a fan of fruit snacks. Fruit leathers, gummie fruit snacks, etc., I just love things that are sweet and fruity!

Something new for me to try, Ian’s Natural Foods sent me the FruitaBits Crispy Fruit Snacks in Sour Apple & Cherry, and Berry Cherry flavors. At first I thought huh? Crispy Fruit Snacks? But then, I was actually quite surprised and pleased!

Each package contains tiny little balls that are airy, and well, like the package says, “crispy”! Also according to the package, these are “made with real fruit!”, are “Nut Free!” and are an  ”excellent source of vitamin C!”. I was glad that they were made with real fruit, including they were supposed to be fruit snacks. =)

I opened the Berry Cherry version first. WHEW! This one had a very strong sour cherry smell to it. The balls or pieces were almost a purpleish red in color. I tasted some, and I actually kind of liked it. They were crunchy and sweet, and have both strawberry and berry flavors. Yummy!

Next up, the Sour Apple & Cherry flavor. These had red and yellow pieces, which actually surprised me, I was sort of expecting green for an apple flavor. Anyway- these had a nice blend of sour flavor and sweet flavor. Neither too overpowering, but actually quite tasty.

Overall, I give these 4 stars. While they are tasty, they don’t have any fiber and have 1 gram of saturated fat for a .75oz package. But, I do like that they are crunchy and sweet, and they sort of remind me of a fruity-type cereal.

.75 oz is 85 calories, 1 gram of fat, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

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