Categories: organic

28 Mar 2011, Comments (7)

Organic Ragu Garden Veggie Pasta Sauce

Author: Healthnuttxo

Yesterday night, it was decided to have spaghetti & meatballs for dinner. I cooked up myself some whole wheat spaghetti, vegetarian style meat balls, and this Organic Ragu Garden Veggie Pasta Sauce to have. I don’t always buy organic, but whenever I can, I like to!

The nutritional facts were pretty good. For a half cup serving, there was 2.5 grams of fat and 80 calories. The sodium level was a tad high, at 480 mg, and the sugar content was a bit high as well, at 8 grams. However, on the front of the jar, it says that there is “MORE Than a Full Serving of VEGGIES in Every 1/2 Cup of Pasta Sauce”, so that was something I certainly liked.

I cooked it in a small saucepan on the stove, separate from any thing else, as I didn’t want to effect the taste. I noticed it wasn’t super thick, but not overly liquidy either. It actually had a nice consistency to it. It was certainly a sweeter sauce, but wonderfully spiced, with a bit of parsley flavor. It was also a bit salty, but I feel as if most pasta sauces are.

Overall, a great pasta sauce. I would totally eat this again. And, when I paired it with my the meatballs, it was SO good! Versatile, and delicious. Don’t tell, but I think this one tasted better than my mom’s homemade sauce I used to eat when I was a kid! =P  4 stars

What’s your favorite thing to put on pasta? I like mine with sauce, veggies, and some parmesan cheese!

1/2 cup is 80 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein.

28 Feb 2011, Comments (2)

Stonyfield Farm Organic Mango Honey Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

One of the greatest inventions of food for me was definitely yogurt. But not just any yogurt- real, natural yogurt. One of my favorite brands is Stonyfield Farm- they produce some really delicious and organic products!

Today’s review? The Organic Mango Honey Yogurt. I  usually eat yogurt with some cereal, or something like a slice of banana bread for a snack before dinner.

I opened up this container and gave it a stir. It was  a creamy yogurt, that was a pale yellow in color. I took a scoop and really enjoyed it- no overpowering flavors at all. Just a tinge of honey and a tinge of mango. Just enough were it was sweet, but not sugary tasting. It had a very fresh flavor to it, and was actually quite delicious. The honey gave it a bit of a tang, and the mango provided a slight aftertaste as well.

Overall, this one gets 4 stars from me. Nothing like real yogurt. Stonyfield Farms has my heart (and my spoon) forever!

1 6oz cup is 130 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 23 grams of sugar and 7 grams of protein.

Whats your favorite Stonyfield Farm yogurt (if you tried one?) My favorite is the Banilla!

27 Feb 2011, Comments (6)

Amy’s Kitchen Cheese Pizza

Author: Healthnuttxo

Sometimes, all I want ( make that NEED) is a good piece of pizza. Since I happen to be a fan of Amy’s Kitchen, why not try one of the pizzas?

I preheated my oven to 425 F and let it cook for about 10-12 minutes on a pan. I also put it on broil for about a minute before taking it out to give a final melt to the cheese. Here’s how it looked

Next, I cut it up into 4 slices, and ate it with some steamed veggies. It wasn’t too greasy looking, so that was a plus for me. The first thing I liked was the crust- nice and doughy, yet a slight crisp on the bottom. The pizza kind of reminded me a Sicilian-style pizza. Doughy, with fresh tasting marinara-like tomato sauce, and a good amount of mozzaralla cheese. The cheese itself was chewy, in a good way, and slightly salty. I really couldn’t believe this was frozen, it tasted just like it would from a pizzeria!

Overall, this is pretty much everything I could want in a cheese pizza (besides the fact it didn’t have a 100% whole wheat crust, but this is too delicious to pass up!). Great flavor, freshness, a good portion size, and made with organic ingredients! 5 stars for sure, and I’m definitely buying it again!

1 pizza (176g) is 420 calories, 17 grams of fat (6 saturated), 49 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 18 grams of protein.

What’s your favorite type of pizza to get at a pizzeria? I happen to like good ol’ cheese, but I also like Grandma Style pizza!

26 Feb 2011, Comments (5)

Annie’s Organic Peanutty Chewy Yet Crispy Granola Bars

Author: Healthnuttxo

everytime I look at this picture, i think the peanuts in the top corners are my fingers holding the box up. hah.

Browsing Target, I spotted something new by Annie’s- Organic Peanutty Chewy Yet Crispy Granola Bars! Since I love new products (aaaaand I’m a total impulse buyer) I bought them and took them home.

On the box, it states that these have “NO Artificial Ingredients, Preservatives or High-Fructose Corn Syrup- EVER!”, so I could tell I was already starting to like these!

I opened up the box, and was a bit disappointed at the size. They were about the size of a LARAbar, but not as wide. Usually I prefer a more heftier sized bar for a snack, but then again, taste is what it’s all about!

I took a bite, and found it to be rather dense. It indeed did live up to the name, it really was “chewy yet crispy” in consistency! I also thought it had quite a bit of a sticky feel. It had a good peanut flavor, but really wasn’t all too sweet. I also detected just a hint of vanilla flavor.

the last bite.

While these won’t replace my love for Annie’s Chocolate Chip Bunny Grahams, they were still pretty good. I do wish they were a tad bit sweeter, and also a bit bigger. 3 1/2 stars

1 bar (28 grams) is 120 calories, 5 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 5 grams of sugar and 3 grams of protein.



14 Feb 2011, Comments (1)

Green & Black’s Organic White Chocolate with Vanilla Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo

as you can see... I helped myself to about half the bar =)

What’s Valentine’s Day without some CHOCOLATE?

Reviewing one of my favorite types of chocolate today… white chocolate! I’m also a fan of milk chocolate, but whenever I see white chocolate, it feels special, and it’s just so yummy!

I bought this bar the other day at Whole Foods, I believe it was on sale for 2 for $5.00, so I thought why not? I opened the bar to find that the squares were rather small, and had a nice, sweet vanilla aroma. It sort of reminded me of Easter time, when there’s a lot of chocolate bunnies and other treats around the house.

So I broke off a few squares and indulged. Mmm. Now this is really good white chocolate!! Super smooth and buttery in consistency, sweet without being sugary tasting, and a great vanilla flavor. I liked that the flavor was light enough so it wasn’t overpoweringly sweet, but rich enough to make a few squares all I needed to  be satisfied. Delicious! 4 1/2 stars.

12 pieces (40 g) is 230 calories, 15 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams o fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day treat?

6 Feb 2011, Comments (3)

Amy’s Kitchen Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Author: Healthnuttxo

This is the BEST frozen lasagna I had ever had- and the most unique. I cooked this in the microwave, and let it sit for 2-3 minutes as directed (certainly difficult to do since I was hungry and it smelled GOOD!!). Here’s how it looked out of the microwave

Cheeeeesy goodness.

To start off, unlike any lasagna I ever had, it had breadcrumbs on the top, kind of like baked macaroni & cheese. It also had a creamy, cheesy sauce on top, followed by lasanga noodles, veggies, and then marinara sauce on the bottom.

First bite, I fell in love. The gooey and cheesy sauce on top had a cheddar flavor, which went so good with the breadcrumbs on top and the noodles. I do wish the breadcrumbs were a bit crunchy, so perhaps I’ll put this on broil in the oven for a few minutes before I eat it in the future.

The noodles were chewy and soft, and I saw broccoli, zucchini and the occasional small mushrooms for the vegetables. The veggies were soft, but still had a bite to them, so they weren’t mushy. There was also a bit of a black pepper flavor.

The sauce on the bottom tasted fresh, and reminded me of a more traditional lasagna of tomato sauce and cheese with noodles.  I noticed throughout the lasanga everything wasn’t dry at all, even a tad bit liquidy.

Overall, really, really good. Unique, and delicious, and quite filling too! I had it with some steamed broccoli (you know me!) and thought it was a perfect dinner. This one gets  4 1/2 stars : )

1 lasagna is 350 calories, 11 grams of fat, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar and 16 grams of protein.

What’s your favorite thing to use bread crumbs with?

4 Feb 2011, Comments (2)

Nature’s Path Love Crunch

Author: Healthnuttxo

Ooh- not only something new, but also a limited edition!! I was offered a free box of Love Crunch by Nature’s Path, and well, seeing as 1. I love cereal and 2. I love Nature’s Path… how COULD I say no? : )

I got the box in the mail and instantly couldn’t wait to try it. A granola with dark chocolate chunks and fruit- what’s not to like? According to the box, there is also coconut and flax in this granola, which I certainly didn’t mind either.

I opened up the box and was a tad disappointed. Not as many dark chocolate chunks or freeze dried raspberries/ strawberries as I wanted or was hoping for. In fact, there really wasn’t a lot at all! Anyway, I tried the granola first. It was crunchy and sweet, with a coconut and a slight chocolatey taste- really good actually. I found  a dark chocolate chunk which I actually thought was very tasty, and I’m not even a *huge* dark chocolate fan. It was slightly bitter, but very smooth and quite sweet as well. There were very sporadic pieces of freeze dried fruit, and when I tried a freeze dried piece of strawberry I was surprised that it was crunchy! Usually freeze-dried fruit for me is rather soft, but these were a nice twist!

Overall, really good! I ate it right out of the box, but I’m sure it can be enjoyed a bunch of other ways as well! I think with some fruit and yogurt it could be a very delicious breakfast : ) I just wish there was more yummy strawberries and dark chocolate chunks! 4 stars.

3/4 cup is 260 calories, 9 grams of fat, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar and 5 grams of protein.

What’s your favorite type of granola?

1 Feb 2011, Comments (0)

Rising Moon Organics Macaroni & Cheese Original Dinner

Author: Healthnuttxo

Time for a good ol’ mac & cheese review! This time, one by Rising Moon Organics that I got for free with a coupon from Rising Moon Organics. I boiled some water, added the macaroni, and began!

After cooking it, I added the cheese powder and milk, but didn’t add butter. The cheese stuck on the macaroni no problem. Here’s what it looked like on my plate.

I was excited to try it- but unfortunately, was less than excited once I actually did. It had a very off cheese taste, almost like a soy cheese flavor. Not that cheesy flavor I normally got from boxed versions of mac & cheese. It kind of had that sharpness of flavor that white cheddar had, yet tasted also like yellow american cheese. Hmm….

It wasn’t very salty tasting, either. Just kind of an off flavor, I wasn’t really a fan. What I did like was that the noodles were soft and plump- really good noodles!

Overall, not my favorite. The only thing I really liked about the macaroni & cheese, besides being organic, was the noodles. 2 stars.

What’s your favorite brand of boxed mac & cheese?


31 Jan 2011, Comments (4)

Amy’s Kitchen Veggie Loaf Whole Meal

Author: Healthnuttxo

Alrighty. Here goes the Amy’s Kitchen Veggie Loaf Whole Meal review. Ok, so the name isn’t exactly super exciting, but then again I don’t really find the word “loaf” all that exciting either. Anyway, I’m assuming Amy’s Kitchen is taking a veggie stand on meat loaf.

Sooooo in this meal is a veggie loaf with some sort of gravy, peas and corn, and mashed potatoes. After I cooked it, here’s what it looked like.

much prettier on the box, indeed.

I started with the peas and the corn. I took a spoonful and almost instantly noticed a texture problem. These were, well, mushy. I was expected them to be crisp, even slightly firm. The taste was really good, but they had a uniform texture- I couldn’t distinguish a kernel of corn from a pea as I chewed it. However, everything was pretty flavorful and the peas were pretty sweet.

Next up, the mashed potatoes. I was a bit let down at the portion of the potatoes, as it wasn’t very large. I took a scoop and they were fluffy, slightly pasty, and slightly salty. The taste reminded me of those thick wedged potato fries. Pretty good.

Lastly, the loaf. On top was a sweet tomato-flavored sauce/gravy. It wasn’t super sweet, but it wasn’t really salty either. The loaf itself was dense, chewy and had a lot of vegetables in it. I easily detected a black pepper flavor, and some garlic as well. It was a tad bit dry, but not too bad. It’s kind of hard to explain- it was almost like oatmeal and veggies in a loaf shape. Here’s a picture of what a piece looked like.

Overall, I actually really enjoyed this meal. It was a light meal, not super filling but substantial, and really quite tasty. It’s a little low on protein, only 9 grams, so I think having a glass of milk or something along the side would be a good option. I also think it’s safe to say I filled my vegetable quota for the day  ; )   4 stars.

1 meal is 290 calories, 8 grams of fat, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar and 9 grams of protein.

What’s your preference- Vegetable Loaf or Meat Loaf?

23 Jan 2011, Comments (3)

Crofter’s Superfruit and Concord Grape Spread

Author: Healthnuttxo

Jelly, jams, marmalades- I like ‘em all. On toast or an english muffin is the way I usually eat them, but something about the sweet and fruity flavor that makes them delicious.

Enter Crofter’s spreads in Superfruit and Concord Grape that I got the other day at Whole Foods using a free coupon I recieved.  Each one is organic, and according to the jar, are products of Canada. Also according to the jar, they are both “made with Fair Trade Cane Sugar”.

I picked the Superfruit spread with “Black Currants and Pomegranates blended with Morello Cherries and Red Grapes” because it sounded interesting, and then I picked old reliable Concord Grape because grape jelly is my favorite.

I spread both on two pieces of toast. Can you guess which is which?

Let’s start with the Superfruit spread. A deep purple in color, it was pretty thick and sort of bumpy. It looked like there were tiny blueberries in it, but there were not blueberries listed on the ingredients. The taste was sweet but tart at the same time, assuming from the pomegranate. It had an overall blueberry-grape flavor, with even raspberry undertones.  I found that kind of odd that it tasted like blueberry and raspberry to me, seeing as neither were listed in the ingredients. I wasn’t crazy about this spread, but it was still good.  2 1/2 stars.

Moving on the Concord Grape Spread, now this one was TASTY. Very smooooooth and very sweet, but really good. A genuine grape flavor, no artificial taste whatsoever. No lumps at all, and it spread very easily. My favorite of the two. 4 1/2 stars.

As for the picture, the one one the LEFT is the Superfruit Spread, and the one of the RIGHT is the Concord Grape Spread.

Have you ever tried a product from Crofter’s? Which was your favorite?

Superfruit- 1 tbsp (18 grams) is 30 calories, 0 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Concord Grape- 1 tbsp (18 grams) is 35 calories, 0 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of sugar and 0 grams of protein.

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