Tags: Musselman’s

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?

15 Dec 2010, Comments (0)

Musselman’s “Simple Steps, Big Impact”

Author: Healthnuttxo

Hey everyone!

Here’s a great thing going on soon, involving one of my favorite foods- APPLESAUCE! =P

Ms. George from Musselman’s e-mailed me about this promotion where they are partnering up with the National Breast Cancer Foundation. You can help out by purchasing some Natural and Healthy Picks Apple Sauce during the month of JANUARY, for 10 cents of every package is donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation!

You can find out some more information about it here.

20 Nov 2010, Comments (0)

HOMEDICS Neck and Shoulder Massager review & the WINNER!

Author: Healthnuttxo

The lovely people at CSN stores offered me $35 gift card to pick out whatever I wanted at CSN stores. I was stuck between a few items, but finally I settled on getting the HOMEDICS Neck and Shoulder Massager. I couldn’t wait to try it- I’ve been craving a shoulder massage for so long! : )

I opened the package and took out the massager. Pretty interesting! You can only use the heat part of massager if it’s plugged in, but there is the option of using batteries. Unfortunately, it didn’t come with batteries, so first I had to rummage the drawers in my house to find the pack of batteries. Luckily, I found them and put them in the compartment under the zippered exterior. Then, I tried it both plugged in and with the batteries after placing it on my neck. It was a tad bit big for me, but not too bad.

There are two options for the massage, a High and a Low, and I preferred the low, lighter option. When I put it on the High option, it almost kind of gave me a headache. The heat was a nice touch, although slightly annoying that you can’t use the heat with just the batteries, and needed the plug. It was a mild heat, which felt nice.

Overall, I would call this a neck massager, not a neck and shoulder massager. It did little really for my shoulder, and mostly concentrated on my neck. Although I can see it being helpful when neck pain is a problem. 2  stars.

and… the winner of the Musselman’s apple cider and apple butter giveaway is KAYLA with the comment “i love apple pie a la mode! :) haha.”

selected via random.org! Congrats! Please email me your information so I can ship out the prize!

13 Nov 2010, Comments (33)

Musselman’s Apple Butter & Apple Cider review and GIVEAWAY!!!!

Author: Healthnuttxo


Source

Yes! It’s that time again- A GIVEAWAY!!! But first, a review of some tasty products!

Musselman’s Apple Butter-

Oh my goodness. This stuff is TOTALLY AWESOME! It was thick, brown and smooth, and had a great apple flavor. It was sweet, sweet like candy, and absolutely delicious. The cinnamon flavor was perfect, and I can’t even describe how tasty this was. I could totally (and did totally) eat it right out of the jar with a spoon. I can’t wait to stir it into hot oatmeal 🙂

This one gets 4 1/2 stars. Although it deserves 5 stars for flavor, and it is one of the most delicious products I have ever had, it  has both added sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup : ( But, it’s still really awesome, so it gets 4 1/2 stars from me! : )

Musselman’s Apple Cider-

First things first, the person I was with said for me to shake this up, and I advise you to do the same. It was a bit piecy at the bottom, but nothing a little shake of the bottle couldn’t fix. First I tried it cold, and it was sort of like a watered down apple juice. Sweet but didn’t have that apple-y kick I’m used to with apple juice. So, the person who told me to shake it, also advised me to have it warm.

Great idea! This was much better warm than cold. It was sweeter, and had a very pure apple flavor,sort of like squeezing the juice right from the apple flesh. Mmm. 3 1/2 stars

Now…. the GIVEAWAY!

I was given  the Apple Butter and Apple Cider by Musselman’s for free to do a review(how could I refuse!? I love apples!), and was given an extra Apple Butter and Apple Cider. So, what better way to spread the love then to host a giveaway!?!

How to enter…

PLEASE leave a comment for EACH entry. If it’s two entries, please leave TWO comments, etc. Thank you!!

*Mandatory*

1. What’s your favorite product containing apples? I happen to love pretty much apple anything, but I LOVE apple pie or baked apples. MMM!

*Optional*

2. Follow me on Twitter! (link is under the About Me page)
3. Tweet about this giveaway!
4. Leave a comment on any of my other reviews!
5. Post this giveaway on your blog post. Please leave a link! (3 entries!)

Open to U.S. Residents Only. Contest ends November 20th 2010.

11 Sep 2010, Comments (0)

Musselman’s Healthy Picks Granny Smith Apple Sauce

Author: Healthnuttxo

Being the applesauce lover that I am ( I insist it’s not just for babies! =) ), how on earth could I turn down Musselman’s when they asked if I wanted to sample their new Healthy Picks apple sauce in GRANNY SMITH flavor? Obviously I didn’t! : )

What I like about Healthy Picks Granny Smith Applesauce  is that they are a bit different than other applesauces that I have tried. Aside from being all natural, this applesauce also has THREE grams of fiber and 10% of daily calcium needs per 4oz. cup! Fiber, calcium, and good taste? I’m loving that!

So, last night I opened up one of these cups to enjoy with my dinner. It was a normal colored applesauce, perhaps just a tad more green/yellow than what I’m used to. I was a bit scared or hesistant at first- even though apples are my favorite fruit, I’m really not a fan of Granny Smith apples. In fact, I really only eat them in two conditions. One- with peanut butter or Two– with a bland/unsweetened cereal and milk for breakfast. I usually find them too tart and even too crunchy for my preferences.

However, I tried this applesauce and really enjoyed it! I could certainly taste the granny smith aspect of it, but it really wasn’t tart at all! There was a good amount of sweetness as well, which I certainly enjoyed. The texture was smooth, yet still had a little bit of consistency which I liked. It had the consistency of a fruit sauce, not a super smooth puree.

Overall, 4 1/2 stars! I would most likely buy this if I saw it in stores. I really love the extra fiber and calcium, and it’s great taste. It’s mild enough to eat with a meal, but sweet enough to also eat on it’s own. Delicious!

1 4oz. cup is 70 calories, 0 grams of fat, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar and 0 grams of protein.

*** ZEVIA GIVEAWAY ENDS TOMOROW!!! ****

28 Jun 2010, Comments (3)

Musselman’s Lite Cinnamon and Totally Fruit Peach Applesauce

Author: Healthnuttxo

One of my favorite things to eat is apples, and I find that I enjoy them in one form or another pretty much every day. This includes the actual fruit, apple juice, applesauce, or even, apple pie! It’s one of my favorite fruits, and very versatile.

Which is why I was very happy to try the products I was generously sent by Musselman’s, like their Totally Fruit Peach applesauce and the Lite Cinnamon applesauce.

First up, the Totally Fruit Peach applesauce. The package these came in states that there is “no high fructose corn syrup” and, that they are “Sweetened with Fruit Juice Concentrate”. Awesome! I love when things are naturally sweetened 🙂

The taste is really good. It was sweeter than what I’m used to, because I normally go for unsweetened versions of applesauce, but still not too sweet. The flavor kind of reminded me of a peach pie filling, and was thick and slightly “bumpy” in texture. Overall it had a strong peach flavor, with apple undertones. I would give this flavor 4 stars.  I do like that it is sweetened naturally, but each 4 oz. cup is also 90 calories which is a bit high for someone like me who could probably eat applesauce all day long 😀

One 4oz cup is 0 grams of fat, 22 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar and 0 grams of protein.

Apples, Apple Concentrate, Water, Peach Puree, Natural Color and natural Flavor, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C) to maintain color.

Now, onto the Lite Cinnamon applesauce. This applesauce is sweetened with Splenda, and according to the website, this applesauce has “1/3 less calories and fewer carbs than original, sweetened apple sauce.”

 

Well, you CERTAINLY could not tell that it was a “Lite” applesauce, because it was BIG on flavor! Seriosuly, this is my new go-to cinnamon flavored applesauce. A thicker, yet slightly bumpy texture, it was absolutely delicious. It was sweet with just the right amount of cinnamon, I enjoyed it cold and I warmed up some in a separate bowl in the microwave. DELICIOUS! This one gets 4 1/2 stars in my opinion, because it does use an artificial sweetener, Splenda, but is still too yummy to pass up. 🙂

One 4 oz cup is 50 calories, 0 grams of fat, 13 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

Apples, Water, Cinnamon, Ascorbic Acid to maintain color and Sucralose (a non-nutritive sweetner).

7 Jan 2010, Comments (5)

Musselman's Natural Applesauce for Breast Cancer + GIVEAWAY!

Author: healthnuttxo

*I added a GIVEAWAY to this post- scroll down for more info!!*

Here’s a special pink post dedicated toward Breast Cancer! Musselman company sent me a very nice gift basket with a GIANT bottle of Natural Applesauce (48oz), some recipe cards, and a Pink ribbon magnet (that I immediately placed on my car 🙂 ), along with a bunch of pink fuzzies (those paper things that protect the package…haha. I loved em!) to show their care for Breast Cancer.

Musselman’s is having a big promotion during the  month of January and, are donating ten cents to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) for every package of Musselman’s Natural Apple Sauce that is bought during the month of January. Ten cents may not seem like a lot, but it really is, and every bit makes a difference. This money will be given to the NBCF to help provide education and mammograms to those in need.

 Here is a link featuring Peggy Fleming with her experience of Breast Cancer, and how Musselman’s is helping.

So the natural applesauce is quite tasty, and tastes wholesome and pure. You can tell it’s made from the real deal- crisp, sweet apples and only apples. It’s  not too sweet, and has a smooth feel, but still has a little texture to it (from all the grinded up apples, of course!!).  It’s how natural applesauce should taste-without any added sugar, corn syrup, colors, dyes or preservatives.

1/2 cup is 50 calories, 0 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 0 grams protein.

Applesauce is also a good swap for oils and butter in baking, and adds mild sweetness to dishes. I’m an applesauce fiend .  I eat it almost as much as I eat peanut butter 🙂 :). Seriously, I eat it on waffles, with my Amy’s Enchiladas, mixed with yogurt, pretty much every where! So, here’s a yummy recipe I was sent (with some of my own modifications!!) to use this delicious applesauce.

Good Morning Muffins

Ingredients:
-6 tablespoons butter ( I actually omitted this completely and it came out fine-but do as you choose. Just make sure your butter is NATURAL 😛 )
-1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or a combination of 3/4 cup whole wheat, 3/4 cup all purpose)
-1 tsp. baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-1/2 tsp. salt
– 3 egg whites (or 2 eggs, if you prefer)
-2/3 cup brown sugar
-1 1/2 cups Musselman’s Natural Applesauce
-3/4 cup sweetened carob (or chocolate) chips

Directions:
1.Preheat to 375 degrees.
2. Line muffin tin with 12 papers or spray with non stick spread.
3. In small microwave safe bowl, melt butter on high for about 30-60 seconds, allow to cool slightly.
4. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into large bowl.
5.In another large bowl,  whisk eggs and brown sugar. Stir in applesauce and melted butter until mixture is smooth.
6. Pour apple mixture over flour mixture. Mix with wooden spoon and fold in carob/chocolate chips.
7. Fill baking cups 2/3 way with batter.
8. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Enjoy!!

So not only can you fight your munchies- but you can help Breast Cancer. What are you waiting for!?


GIVEAWAY!!!!
Would you like to win the gift basket I won? It includes the 48 oz. jar of Musselman’s applesauce, some recipe cards, and a pink magnet for your car, fridge, whatever, all wrapped up in a pretty pink-themed package!

How to enter: (more you enter- more chances you have!!)
1. What are some of YOUR healthy applesauce recipes? What do you like to eat it with? leave a comment
2. Add me to your blogroll leave a comment telling me you did so
3. Get the word out about this giveaway! Put a link on your twitter/blog/googlereader, anything! leave a comment telling me you did soGiveaway will run for a few days only! Winner will be picked Thursday, the 14th! 🙂
*must be a U.S. Citizen, rules & restrictions apply*

26 Aug 2009, Comments (1)

Musselman's Healthy Picks Applesauce

Author: healthnuttxo

Healthy Picks Group Image

Yum. I love applesauce. Growing up, i would have it pretty much with everything. Chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese, as a side with my mashed potatoes. I just love applesauce! Which is why i was super excited to try Musselman’s Healthy Picks Applesauce in cool flavors like Key Lime Cupuacu, Raspberry Acai, and Blueberry Pomegranate. Their line is “designed specifically for people with busy, active lifestyles”, which is just PERFECT for me. Musselman makes this line with no artificial colors or flavors, no added sugar, enriched with calcium and vitamin C, and is a good source of fiber per cup.

I decided to have these with a granola bar pre workout. Apples supposedly wake you up better than a cup of coffee (I work out in the mornings), and according to Musselman’s pamphlet i was provided with, “Apples contain complex carbohydrates that give you energy faster than eating something high in sugar”. Energy & Antioxidants-nice!

So how were they?
Berry Pomegranate- This one had a nice blueberry flavor too it. It wasn’t too sweet, and complimented my granola bar nicely. It had a slightly bitter aftertaste to it, probably due to the pomegranate.
Raspberry Acai- this one was sweeter than the pomegranate flavor. It had a hint of a lemony taste to it, and was tartish so to speak. It wasn’t bitter, but had a tart flavor to it. In my opinion it had more of a cherry flavor than raspberry, but i liked this one.
Key Lime Cupuacu-  uh.. YUM! This one was the BEST! It also was slightly tart, and sweeter than both of the other varieties. It had a nice blend of flavors that tasted like lime, lemon and granny smith apples all mixed together. This one was my favorite of the three.
All three of the applesauces had a “heftier” feel and texture than your typical applesauce. Not saying it was a chunky variety per se, but it had a bit more of a bite and wasn’t as smooth as other applesauce I have had before. They were also suprisingly filling (probably due to the 3 grams of fiber per cup).

Musselman’s also promotes a few healthy ideas and tips with their applesauces as well. You can pop one of these in the freezer until slushy for a frozen treat (which I tried- it was yummy and low- calorie!)
You can also use applesauce to replace the fat in some recipes to lower the overall fat and calorie content. I bet if i used the Key Lime Cupuacu to replace the oil in some recipes it would have people guessing what I used to give the recipe that “kick” , but i’ll never tell! 🙂

One cup is 70 calories, 0 grams of fat,  17 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein. You also get 25% vitamin C and 10% calcium.

Berry Pomegranate-apples, water, dextrin (soluble fiber source), apple concentrate, blueberry concentrate, calcium lactate (u.s.p. grade) and ascorbic acid (vitamin c), natural flavor, pomegranate concentrate.

Raspberry Acai-apples, water, dextrin (soluble fiber source), apple concentrate, raspberry puree, tart cherry concentrate, acai puree,  calcium lactate (u.s.p. grade) and ascorbic acid (vitamin c).

Key Lime Cupuacu- apples, water, dextrin (soluble fiber source), apple concentrate, cupuacu concentrate, key lime concentrate, passionfruit concentrate, calcium lactate (u.s.p. grade) and ascorbic acid (vitamin c).

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