Tags: gluten free

18 Aug 2011, Comments (13)

Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn Smoked Gouda

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

Now, I’m not a cheese kind of person. I could totally live my entire life without eating any, and I’m even known to pull the cheese off my pizza (sorry!). So I wasn’t expecting this popcorn to be anything special.

Ok, ok. Smoked Gouda. Probably tastes like the rest of the popcorn I had in the past. I thought.

But I was so wrong.

This popcorn, is ah-mazing.

Sure, it looks like your average, store bought popcorn. But it wasn’t.

It was light, and crunchy, and fluffy popcorn. Fluffy might be a weird adjective to describe popcorn, mostly because I immediately asociate fluffy with pillows, but it was fluffy. And yummy.

It was cheesy, light and had just a wee bit of heat/spice to it. There was almost a (get ready for it) BACON flavor to it. I haven’t eaten bacon in years, but bacon is goood. Turkey bacon always hit the spot for me, and this popcorn had flavors vvery similar to bacon. Perhaps it was the “smoked” aspect of the popcorn. Regardless, I’m going to roll with it.

It was also a bit salty, but in a good way, and some other deeper flavors going on. I really, really liked this popcorn. And if I see it in the stores, I’m definitely buying it again. Minus the fact I already demolished the bad. So much for sharing.

4 1/2 stars. I may be becoming a cheese convert. Also loving that it’s gluten free, all natural, and has some healthy and filling fiber : )

What about YOU- what’s your favorite type of cheese? If I had to pick, parmesan all the way!

I received this bag of popcorn to try for free from the company. Regardless, my opinions are unaffected and genuine.
14 Aug 2011, Comments (7)

Oogie’s Gourmet Popcorn Movie Lovers Buttered Popcorn

Author: Healthnuttxo

What’s a movie without POPCORN? (Hey, I know a few people who go to the movies FOR the popcorn! =P)

But the popcorn at movies can be loaded with calories and fat (and I’m just going to go out on a limb here and assume, it’s NOT the healthy fats!). Plus, there can even be trans fats in some popcorns! So I was excited when Oogie’s provided me this bag of Movie Lovers Buttered Popcorn for free. Now I could pop my own movie in at home, and eat a bag of yummy, buttery popcorn!

Some quick facts, according to the bag, this is all natural, gluten free, and whole grain. So, if I wasn’t already digging this popcorn, I was slowly liking it more and more!

I was excited to try this popcorn. For some reason when I opened it, I was expecting a yellow colored popcorn, kind of like the buttery flavored drenched popcorn at the movies. However, it was a pale white which surprised me a bit.

Some pieces had more flavor than others, which was a seasoning. I wouldn’t say it was super buttery, but more of a mild butter and even a flavor akin to parmesan cheese. Was it good? yes. Yummy? yes. Suitable for those who drown their popcorn in butter at the movies? No… But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t delicious.

The pieces of popcorn were fresh and had a soft crunch. Like I said, some pieces were bland, and others had more seasoning on it. It was slightly salty, which made me crave a Zevia soda really badly (and let’s be honest…I was also craving a Diet Coke!!).

Overall, it was pretty good, but not as buttery as I would have liked. There was a good amount of popcorn in the bag, which made for a filling snack at 160 calories, and 3 grams of fiber. For me, it was a 3 1/2 star snack !

What snack do you get when you go to the movies? I used to actually get the soft pretzels and cheese instead of the popcorn when I was little! =)

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.

27 Jul 2011, Comments (7)

Fabe’s Sweetened by Nature Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Cookie

Author: Healthnuttxo

Along with the delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookie I was sent for free from Fabe’s, they also sent me some others, including the Sweetened by Nature Gluten Free Cranberry Orange Cookie. According to the wrapper, this cookie is also  vegan, egg free, dairy free, all natural, and has no refined sugar.

I’m always a bit skeptical when something says it’s free of a lot of ingredients, as are some of my friends who I have heard comment to me in the past. Well, if it has no refined sugar, no eggs, no dairy, no gluten…what’s it made of? And HOW could it possibly taste good?

Well. I don’t know….doesn’t this look delicious?


Well – no worries here, Fabe’s has you covered. This particular cookie was actually quite delicious. The first thing I noticed is that it was VERY crumbly. It literally started to fall apart as I opened the wrapper, but I liked how it was a bigger cookie. However, there are 2 servings (read 1 serving if you’re me) in this cookie.

There were are a good amount of cranberries, which were chewy and sweet, and slightly tart. The cookie had a melt in your mouth consistency, and had a different texture than any cookie I ever had. It was almost like a crumb cake in texture. It was VERY sweet, but delicious, with a predominant orange zest flavor, and a  coconut flavor as well!

Overall, Fabe’s has proved that even without eggs, dairy, gluten or refined sugar, yummy cookies can be made. If I hadn’t eaten the whole cookie myself (ooooops….) I would bring it over to my skeptical friends to prove them wrong. This cookie gets 4 stars, because I wish it was a tad less crumbly. Also, this cookie has two servings, and it’s WAY too hard not to eat both. So delicious!

Cranberries- are you a fan? I would say I’m on the fence. If they are sweet and dried, I like them. But if they are too tart, I could definitely do without them!


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.

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 =)

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! =)

29 Jun 2011, Comments (2)

Enjoy Life Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Author: Healthnuttxo

Recently I reviewed the Enjoy Life Crunchy Sugar Crisp Cookies, which I thought were pretty good. Enjoy Life also sent me a box of the new Crunchy Chocolate Chip cookies to try for free as well.

These cookies, as stated from the front of the box, are dairy free, nut free and gluten free, as well as being made with natural ingredients. They looked pretty tasty from the cover, and who am I to ever turn down a chocolate chip cookie?

These cookies were certainly crunchy and sweet. I liked that there were a good amount of chocolate chips as well, which were smooth, but had an off taste. There was also a good amount of vanilla flavor in this that kind of threw me off, and a bit of a brown sugar flavor, which helped sweeten the cookie.

Overall, I think I liked the Sugar Crisp cookies better, these overall were just a bit awkward for me.  They are also a tad high in saturated fat ( 3.5 grams per serving), but on a positive note, 2 cookies are only 120 calories. These get 2 1/2 stars from me

Question- Do you like your chocolate chip cookies with a LOT of chocolate chips, or not that many? When it comes to homemade, I prefer not a lot of chocolate chips, but store bought cookies, the more the better! =)

25 Jun 2011, Comments (8)

Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies Baked Carrot Fries

Author: Healthnuttxo

The other day I went to Whole Foods (which is quite a bit of a drive from my house) with $12.00. I had intentions to only buy one thing (a pot pie) and then leave. I have no idea why on EARTH I thought it was a good idea to go in with only $12.00, as that was the day it seemed my Whole Foods had a whole bunch of new products. Since I had enough to buy one other thing, I was torn  between these Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies Baked Carrot Fries and a few others. However, these looked the most unique, and at 4 servings a bag, I thought I could eat them at least more than once.

Some info on these fries from the bag…

I baked these in the toaster oven. I noticed that they really didn’t get super crispy, and there was literally NO grease at all (which makes sense, since they are fat free).

They reminded me of sort of a bread stick in texture, they were smooth on the outside but sightly crunchy on the edges. I decided to have a cheese omelet and some ketchup with these fries as well

I have no shame. I had multiple=

I have no shame. I went for multiple servings of ketchup that night.
Good thing we buy the economy sized bottle =)

So, onto the taste. I was so excited for these for a few reasons- low in fat, good way to get some extra veggies in, gives me an excuse to eat ketchup (just kidding). I tried one as is, no ketchup no nothing. And, well. bland. Very bland. Disappointingly bland. I really only tasted a hint of carrot flavor, and the first thing I thought was that these needed salt. They were slightly crunchy/smooth on the outside, with a more mushy interior. Kind of weird, actually, but not too bad.

Next, I dunked them in ketchup. This would explain why I went through, oh, I dont know, a good 1/4 of the bottle of ketchup that evening. They were good, but only when there was a lot of ketchup.

Overall, these were ok. I might eat them again given I had something to dunk them in or season them with, but I probably won’t buy them again. I do like that they are a healthier option to greasy french fries and that they are versatile in seasoning them up. However, they were not amazing enough for me to want to buy them again. 2 1/2 stars

My question- how do you think I should eat the other half of the bag? Any ideas? I was thinking about going the sweet route, and maybe adding some butter and brown sugar? ;)

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