Tags: snack

12 Apr 2010, Comments (3)

Nature’s Path Mmmaple Pecan Granola Bars + health benefits of Maple Syrup!

Author: Healthnuttxo

Perfect time for a Nature’s Path review, seeing as my GIVEAWAY for granola bars, granola, a box of cereal AND reusable tote is going on AS WE SPEAK (or, as you READ, rather). One of the granola bars a reader has a chance to win is the Mmmaple Pecan Flax Plus Granola Bar, which I was so kindly sent to review from Nature’s Path.

These granola bars come in several flavors, in different groups. The Sweet & Salty fans can try the Peanut Buddy, Mmmaple Pecan and Peanut Choco flavors, those of you who like yogurt bars can try Lotta’ Apricotta and Berry Strawberry, trail mix fans can try Sunny Hemp and Pumpkin-N-Spice, and chocolate lovers can try Chococonut.

Today, I’m reviewing the Mmmaple Pecan Flax Plus chewy granola bar. It has 10g of whole grains per serving, provides .33g of Omega 3’s per serving (25% daily reccomendation), is all natural, and organic too. I’m super excited, we all know I LOVE MAPLE SYRUP! (who doesn’t, really?)

Upon my first bite, my first thought really was Mmm! What a perfect name for this bar, “Mmm!” fits the bill!! It has a sweet, buttery taste to it, and reminded me of buttery waffles drizzled with maple syrup. Ohh..delicious. It was definitely more sweet than salty, but still provided a little salty flavor due to the pecans. I really liked how there were chunks of pecans, not just itty bitty pieces. It was a  nice “crunch” in the chewy granola bar, which provided more satisfaction. The maple-butter drizzle on top was the best part- rich and sweet. Why can’t companies SELL things like this on it’s own!? :)
On the down side, the bar is a little tiny (35 g), about the size of a Quaker Chewy granola bar, but a bit thicker. There also is 6 grams of fat and little protein for a bar that is 150 calories.

Overall, I give this bar 4 stars. It deserves 4 1/2 stars on taste alone, but considering that it didn’t really fill me up by itself, and is low in protein and fiber, it lost half a star. However, it really was delicious, and is perfect for a light snack with some yogurt or an apple! Don’t forget to enter the giveaway and try one of the new granola bars for yourself!! :)

1 bar is 150 calories, 6 grams of fat, 22 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

Granola* (rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*), tapioca syrup*, pecans*, brown rice flour*, maple icing* (evaporated cane juice*, palm kernel oil* and/or cocoa butter*, cultured buttermilk powder* (skim milk*, starter culture), flavor*, non-fat dried milk*, citric acid, caramel color*, natural maple flavor, sea salt, soy lecithin*, annatto extract*, tapioca starch*), invert cane syrup*, dried coconut*, flaxseeds*, acacia gum*, soy oil*, sea salt, evaporated cane juice*, maple syrup*, natural maple flavor, molasses*.  * indicates Organic

Anndd…
 we have a Guest Post!

Sandy Harris at www.diabeticsnacks.org has provided us with some health benefits Maple Syrup has to offer, and how it can help a serious disease, Diabetes!

“The Secret to Prevent Cancer and Diabetes with Maple Syrup

Are you looking for a natural solution to reduce the risk of diabetes and
slow down the growth of cancer cells?  Your search is probably over
because recent studies have shown that maple syrup holds the key to these problems. US researchers have found that maple syrup has the ability to
substantially decrease the risk of diabetes.

The syrup also showed great potential in slowing down the growth of
cancerous cells. Maple syrup has thirteen active antioxidant substances.
These antioxidants were previously unknown but were discovered only
recently.Because of these antioxidants, researchers have firmed up that
maple syrup has a great potential in fighting cancer growth, diabetes, and
infections.

An Effective Solution or Diabetes Sufferers

Considerable amounts of the phytohormone, abscisic acid, are found in
maple syrup. This acid is a powerful defense against diabetes and
metabolic syndrome, because it encourages the release of insulin through
pancreatic cells and enhances fat cells’ sensitivity to insulin.

Seeram revealed the results of his tests on Canadian maple syrup during
the annual meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

Maple Syrup as the Best Anti Cancer Food

A study punished in the Journal of Medicinal Food showed that maple syrup
can significantly inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. This study was
conducted by Quebec scholars. It seeks to prove the impact of maple syrup
against cancer cells.

Based on the Quebec research, the growth of cancer cells can be inhibited
by maple syrup. Specifically, the syrup is very effective against brain,
prostate, and lung cancer. Unfortunately, maple syrup has minimal impact
against breast cancer growth.

A Delicious Option in Fighting Cancer and Diabetes

The following is from a study titled: Antioxidant Activity, Inhibition of
Nitric Oxide Overproduction, and In Vitro Antiproliferative Effect of
Maple Sap and Syrup from Acer saccharum, published in the Journal of
Medicinal Food, and written by Jean Legault, Karl Girard-Lalancette,
Carole Grenon, Catherine Dussault and André Pichette:

Maple sap and syrup from 30 producers in three Quebec, Canada, regions
were evaluated concerning the time of harvest and abstract antioxidant
activity, inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) overproduction and the
antiproliferative effect of ethyl acetate extracts.

The harvest time does not have an analytically notable incidence on
antioxidant activity of either maple sap or syrup extracts. Their Oxygen
radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) values are 12 +/- 6 and 15 +/- 5 mumol
of Trolox equivalents (TE)/mg, respectively.

A cell-based assay also confirmed the antioxidant activity. The ORAC assay
was also used to establish the antioxidant activity of pure maple syrup.
The results show the pure maple syrup ORAC value of 8 +/- 2 mumol of TE/mL
to be lower than the blueberry juice value of 24 +/- 1 mumol of TE/mL but
similar to the strawberry juice value of 10.7 +/- 0.4 mumol of TE/mL and
the orange juice value of 10.8 +/- 0.5 mumol of TE/mL.

Lipopolysaccharide-induced NO overproduction in RAW264.7 murine
macrophages was considerably inhibited by maple sap and syrup extracts. It
is believed that transforming maple sap into syrup enhances NO inhibition
action, because the syrup extract was considerably more active than the
sap extract.

The maple syrup extracts induced the highest NO inhibition at the season’s
end, and the darker syrup was more active than the clear syrup. This
indicates that the activity could be partially attributed to some colored
oxidized compounds.

Maple syrup extracts (50% inhibitory concentration = 42 +/- 6 mug/mL) and
pure maple syrup have a discriminating in vitro antiproliferative action
against cancerous cells.

Reference: Journal of medicinal food. 01/02/2010; ISSN: 1557-7600, OI:
10.1089/jmf.2009.0029″

Thanks, Sandy! :) Don’t we all love maple just a little bit more ?

4 Apr 2010, Comments (3)

Vitalicious 100 Calorie Muffin Tops

Author: Healthnuttxo


Vitalicious- I’m sure you guys heard of this company. Promoting healthy, delicious, and filling muffins, brownies, muffin tops and even cake, these desserts/snacks are also all natural, and perfect to be reviewed on an all natural site like mine :)

The generous folks at Vitalicious (thanks, Frank!) sent me a HUGE sampler pack of vitatops, so I figured I would break it up in a few posts rather than all at once.

These muffin tops are all natural, have 5-6 grams of fiber, are fortified with vitamins & minerals, made with whole wheat flour, and have very little fat. The Vitatop, according to the website, is a ” “one-hand” satisfying snack food with the portability of an energy or granola bar, is easy to eat anywhere, anytime”. They also come in a bunch of varieties, satisfying almost everyones palate.

SINCE EASTER is tomorow,(where are you Peter Cottontail??) today, we are covering the chocolate varieties of VitaTops :)

The Chocolate Varities of the VitaTops come in Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip, Deep Chocolate, Chocolate Mint, Banana Fudge, Triple Chocolate Chunk, Double Chocolate Dream, Dark Chocolate Pomegranate, and Sugar Free Velvety Chocolate.

I was sent a variety of flavors to try,  including the Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip, Deep Chocolate, and Triple Chocolate Chunk (sooooo. EXCITED.) Let’s dig in!

Fudgy Peanut Butter Chip- yummmm. When does peanut butter and chocolate let me down? There are decent sized peanut butter chips on top of a chocolatey, cake like muffin top. The chocolate muffin part had a nice chocolate flavor, not too sweet, and was just a tad bit dry. However, nothing a glass of milk couldn’t solve :) . My only complaint was that my muffin top only had 3 peanut butter chips on top. I want more peanut butter !!

Deep Chocolate- This one was more moist than the fudgy peanut chip, and had a better chocolate flavor. I liked the chocolate chips on top the best, especially after heated in the microwave. This one was sweeter, and didn’t need anything else to make it satisfying

Triple Chocolate Chunk- yum! Think of the Deep Chocolate flavor- but better! A generous sprinkling of milk, white and dark chocolate chips on top of the chocolate muffin. My favorite was the white chocolate chip, sweet and savory. This was my favorite of the 3, and the sweetest.

Overall, I  give these 4 stars. They were a bit dry, and had more of a cake consistency than a crumbly home-made muffin. I found that microwaving them for a few seconds gave them a more decadent consistency. However, they kicked  my hunger cravings to the curb, with a small price to pay of only 100 calories. They are also pretty big, at 2 oz each, and about the size of a CD. Plus, the added benefit of no artificial ingredients or sweeteners, 5-6 grams of fiber and added nutrients/minerals. My favorite way to eat them was smeared with a bunch of peanut butter (AMAZING WITH PEANUT BUTTER!).

So, maybe Peter Rabbit should bring you THESE chocolatey treats on Easter instead of the usual chocolate candies? :)

Here’s the ingredients for the Deep Chocolate flavor. For the others, along with nutritional information,  visit the site.

Water, whole wheat flour, organic sugar, egg whites, chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin added as an emulsifier and vanilla), cocoa (processed with alkali), soy fiber, erythritol, inulin, dried honey, wheat gluten, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, potassium bicarbonate),fruitrim (grapejuice, brown rice syrup), tricalcium phosphate, natural flavor, sea salt, xanthan gum, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, folic acid, iron, biotin, zinc.

29 Mar 2010, Comments (2)

Chobani Raspberry 0% Greek Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

Let’s start off this post with a wow.
I just reviewed Chobani’s new strawberry banana greek yogurt, and thought it was quite tasty. So, I figured, why not also try the 0% raspberry flavor (which Chobani just happened to send me :P ) ?

I am happy to say, I have one of my new favorite flavors of yogurt!

This raspberry Chobani was, in a word, perfect. It gave me the sense that I was getting a fruit serving in with my yogurt- as in the flavor was REAL. Real raspberry flavor, no artificial flavors or dyes, and there were actual little bits and seeds dispersed thoughout the yogurt. The yogurt was a paleish pink (even without stirring), so you could tell it was bursting with flavor. Unlike the other fruit on the bottoms (peach, strawberry and bluberry), I found this Chobani was more like the strawberry banana flavor, and had the fruit dispersed and blended throughout, rather than the bulk of it on the bottom. It was sweet, but not overpowering at all. Of course, it was super creamy, but also refreshing. It was so nice to have a refreshing yogurt.  I almost wanted to have a glass of lemonade, grab my sunscreen/sunglasses and  hit the beach with this yogurt! (But, sadly, it was 7am and still a bit too nippy outside to break out the bikini). So, instead of that plan, I whipped out the last of my Cascadian Farm Dark Chocolate Almond granola and some fresh berries (with of course, a sploosh of whipped cream!) and I had yet another decadent, delicious and dessert-worthy breakfast (it really is the most important meal of the day, isn’t it? :) )

Overall, this Raspberry Chobani deserves 5 stars. It really is one of the best greek yogurts I have had. Surprising to me, because I’m not a *huge* raspberry fan- I often think they are a bit bitter and I prefer juicy strawberries or apples (Chobani- come out with an apple flavor- please!!). But definietely try this yogurt!

1 yogurt is 140 calories, 0 grams of fat, 22 carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 14 grams of protein.

Cultured Pasteurized Nonfat Milk, Evaporated Cane Juice, Raspberries, Natural Flavor, Locust Bean Gum, Pectin, Fruit and Vegetable Juice.

6 Mar 2010, Comments (4)

Wallaby Organic Maple Yogurt

Author: Healthnuttxo

Ahhh, yogurt. One of my favorite foods that I would seriously DIE without. I’ve had so many different types of yogurts- plain, flavored, fruit on the bottom, greek, “diet” (YUCK), and now Wallaby Yogurt brings me an organic version that is a Creamy Austrailian Style Yogurt.

Australian? Whhhhhat? Well, the company was founded in 1992, when the founders Jerry and Faith went to Australia on vacation. While they were there, they discovered yogurt, and decided to make their own factory back in the United States and name it after the place they came up with the idea- Wallaby Yogurt.

Wallaby Yogurt makes nonfat, lowfat and fruit on the bottom flavors, called “Down Under”. There is a cute Wallaby named Joey who I would assume is the mascot of the company (he really is adorable!) I have tried the Down Under Strawberries & Cream flavor once before, and it was AWESOME, so I was excited to try a flavor I spotted at my local Whole Foods- low fat Maple.

I loooove Maple. Maple sMapleyrup. Maple cookies. Mighty Maple Peanut Butter (made by PB&CO). So  YOGURT must be good, no?

So I bought two of these (I like to have things a couple times before writing anything about them), and dug into one when I got home. The texture is a little runnier than the yogurt I’m used to. For example, Stonyfield Farm has yogurt that has a bit more body to it. But, perhaps this is just the way Australian yogurt is supposed to be? The flavor, however, was very good. More than just a subtle Maple flavor, it was sweet but not overpowering. It had a smooth feel to it, and just a hint of vanilla flavor. It was delicious, in fact. I was also happy to discover that the sweetener was evaporated cane juice and maple syrup instead of refined white sugar, or artificial ASPARTAME or SUCRALOSE (yucky).

The second time I tried it, I popped it in the freezer for a half hour or so. What a difference it made! The yogurt thickened up a little, and it was like my own little frozen treat. Absolutely delicious with sliced bananas and waffles (with just a drizzle of maple syrup, of course :D )

Overall, I give it 4 stars. The taste is really delicious, sweet without being too sweet. I wish it was a bit thicker in consistency (for those of you who are die hard greek yogurt fans, you will be surprised by this variety!), but overall a very good yogurt. I will buy this one again, and I’m excited to try the other flavors, especially more of the Down Under varieties.

1 yogurt cup (6 oz) is 140 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 24 carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.

Organic Cultured Pasteurized Reduced Fat Milk, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Maple Syrup, Natural Flavor, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Pectin, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate.

 

chhheck out this nutty giveaway!

10 Feb 2010, Comments (0)

Ian's Natural Foods Organic Cheddar and Wheat Crackers

Author: healthnuttxo

Polly want a cracker?
Maybe not, but I do!

We all love crackers! With cheese, jelly, peanut butter, or even straight out of the box. Crackers are a perfect munchy, salty snack. A lot of them, however, are packed with hidden hydrogenated oils, sodium and artificial flavors and colors. THANKS, but I prefer my crackers au naturale.

So, I got to try some delicious cheddar and wheat crackers provided by Ian’s Natural Foods that are organic & quite tasty.The crackers are about the size of your standard Cheez-it, and are square in shape. Each variety comes with conveinent 100 calorie packs, with about 15-20 crackers in each pouch. There is actually a decent amount of crackers in each pouch, and I was satisfied with the portion given. Normally with 100 calorie packs, the calories may be low, but so is the nutrition and the amount of product you get. (Has anyone had the “100 calorie pack Mini Muffin” variety? HELLO- you get like, TWO muffins! What is THAT!? )

Anyway (rant over)-
Onto the tasting…

Cheddar- Yummmy! Forget Cheez-its- these are going to be my new cheesy cracker in my closet! They had a nice cheddar cheese flavor to it, and while they were a bit salty, they definitely satisfied. They are very crunchy and actually quite addictive. Although satisfied with 1 bag, I totally ate 2 in one serving (whhhhat! They were delicious! ;) )

Wheat- Oooh. These are also good. They reminded me of a nuttier wheat thin. Slightly salty, and had a slight buttery taste to them. These were great as is, and also with some Laughing Cow Cheese spread on top, and as mini PB&J “sandwiches” (but when do you ever go wrong with peanut butter & jelly?) I also liked how they were made with some whole wheat flour as well.

Overall, these get 4 stars. Perfect for snacking and for on the go. I preferred the cheddar to the wheat, but both are quite tasty. I also love how the ingredients are organic and healthier than other cracker snacks. Plus, the box is 100% recycled paperboard- eco friendly too. Gooooo Ian’s!

1 serving (1 pouch) is 100 calories, 2-3.5 grams of fat, 15-18 carbohydrates, 1-2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Cheddar- Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Oils (safflower and/or palm fruit oils), Organic Cheddar Cheese [(organic cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes), Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Whey, Salt, Disodium Phosphate], Salt, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Leavining (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate), Natural Annatto, Yeast.

Wheat- Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Oils (safflower and/or palm fruit oils), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Salt, Organic Malt Extract, Leavining (baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate), organic paprika, natural annatto.

8 Feb 2010, Comments (2)

Simply Scrumptous Fit & Flavorful Cupcakes

Author: healthnuttxo

I have already reviewed some products by Simply Scrumptous from their Fit & Flavorful line, and I really enjoyed them. So, I was not hesistant at all to try their cupcakes, which is also part of their Fit & Flavorful Line of products.

First off-let’s start by asking when is the last time you ate a cupcake (with icing!) and didn’t feel a ton of guilt after? Hmm, was that maybe when you were in elementary school and they brought in cupcakes for one of the kids birthday? You never thought twice about the calories or the sugar in each of those sweet, delicious cupcakes.

Well- I’m here to bring back some of those good feelings! Seriously- the cupcakes that Simply Scrumptous makes  are really quite good.

It is a chocolate cupcake with a thick layer of icing on top, designed in a cute flowery arrangement.
It was kind of small, only 2.1 ounces, but I cut it in half and ate both “halves” which made it more satisfying. It was also the perfect compliment to my sandwich & apple at lunch time when my sweet tooth hit. The icing was very sweet, and had a vanilla flavor. It tasted like the frosting on Dunkin Donut’s donuts in my opinion. It was slightly hardened, like when you ice a cake and let it sit overnight without any saran wrap on it-but I enjoyed that! You could also heat it in the microwave for 10ish seconds to melt it a bit.

The cake part was very moist, with a strong cocoa flavor. It wasn’t as sweet as the icing, but still very delicious. I would eat it on it’s own. Eaten together- it was fantastic! The sweetness of the icing paired nicely with the cocoa and mellow sweetness of the cake. I have a sweet tooth, so the icing was really a nice touch for the cupcake.

I’m giving the cupcake 4 1/2 stars. low in calories, high fiber, all natural- You can buy some now! Also,  get 35% off your first order using the code HNXO!

3 Feb 2010, Comments (3)

Attune Chocolate Probiotic Wellness Bar

Author: healthnuttxo

That’s right. This is totally a CHOCOLATE review. But not just any chocolate- an actual HEALTHIER chocolate you can feel good about eating!

Attune Chocolate Probiotic Wellness Bars are exactly that- healthy, delicious, CHOCOLATE! Attune’s bars may have approximately 6.1 billion CFU’s in each bar, but those probiotics don’t alter the taste at all! These are the same probiotics you find in yogurt that help keep the digestive system running smoothly.

These bars are found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store to keep those probiotics alive & running. Each bar has 2 squares each, which are actually rather big (its a 20 gram bar). The bars also come in 7 flavors, chocolate crisp, mint chocolate, blueberry vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee bean dark chocolate, raspberry dark chocolate, and almond milk chocolate. I got to try the chocolate crisp,  and blueberry vanilla varieties.

Chocolate Crisp- ooh. This one reminds me of a Crunch bar. Smooth milk chocolate with little rice crisps embedded in each square. The smell of the bar is really delicious- just pure, smooth milk chocolate bliss. I wish they had a milk chocolate flavor without the crisps, as I prefer my chocolate plain, but it was still very good.

Blueberry Vanilla- I really enjoyed this one! Just the SMELL of the bar was delicious- a true blueberry scent! I was a little hesistant to try this one at first-but glad I did! It was a sweet white chocolate with a nice addition of vanilla and blueberry flavors (and actual blueberry pieces!). This one was my favorite of the two. I wonder what it would taste like melted and drizzled on some icecream or with yogurt (too bad I already ate my bar!!).

Overall, these get 4  stars. I love how Attune made chocolate a healthier indulgence, and didn’t blow calories or sugar content out of the park. I also like how they are a good source of calcium (and I got to skip my yogurt for the day without guilt knowing I ate some probiotics!). I found breaking off one square when a little sugar craving hit and letting it melt slowly in my mouth was just perfect.

Chocolate Crisp- Milk Chocolate Coating (evaporated cane juice, chocolate, cocoa butter, inulin, non fat milk, calcium carbonate, Anhydrous Milk Fat, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), Organic Brown Rice Crisps (organic brown rice flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate), Probiotic Cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis).

Blueberry Vanilla- White Chocolate Coating (cocoa butter, evaporated cane juice, yogurt powder, lactose, inulin, nonfat milk, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), Organic Brown Rice Crisps (organic brown rice flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate), Freeze Dried Blueberry Pieces, Probiotic Cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis), Natural Flavor.

 

1 Feb 2010, Comments (7)

Simply Scrumptous Fit & Flavorful Cookies

Author: healthnuttxo

Simply Scrumptous (yes, spelled without the “i”), makes delicious, gourmet cookies & brownies. They use only all natural ingredients, with not a single preservative or additive. They make giant cookie cakes, muffins, brownies & cookies, all with a rich and truly decadent taste. They also have a Fit & Flavorful line for those of us who don’t have any extra wiggle room in our diets for sweets, or for those of us who are just health conscious. The Fit & Flavorful line provides fat free (yes, FAT FREE!) cookies, cupcakes, muffins, donuts, and carrot cake. They are all natural, low calorie and individually wrapped (yay portion control!).

I know what your thinking… fat free? low calorie? all natural? “these gotta taste like cardboard…”

NOPE! I was skeptical at first too..fat free products are normally nasty in place of the real deal. But these products are GOOD! Today, I’m going to review the cookies. And boy, were they a pleasure to eat :D

Each cookie is actually pretty big, approximately 3 inches in diameter, and have the normal thickness of a homemade cookie. They come in 4 flavors, and all have such a unique consistency- crisp on the outside, and very soft and moist on the inside. It rocks! It’s like getting the best of both worlds- soft & crunchy cookie! In order from my favorite to least favorite, here are the 4 cookies…

Super Snickerdoodle- wow. Literally in love when I bit this cookie. It’s SUPER soft and almost has that fresh baked gooey/yummy consistency in the center. It’s also covered in cinnamon, and has a sweet cinnamon sugar taste, with just a hint of vanilla. I can’t believe it’s fat free- it’s soooo delicious!! This one gets 5 stars for taste.

Ooh La-La Oatmeal Raisin- ohh goodness. This one’s amazing too. There are TONS of raisins in it too- no scrimping here! It was also sweet and similar in taste with the snickerdoodle- it has a vanilla/sugar cookie taste. The raisins were perfect in the cookie-made the cookies extra chewy and soft. Yum. This one also gets 5 stars for taste :D

Double Fudge Chocolate- this one has a strong cocoa powder taste rather than a “Hershey bar” chocolate taste. It’s still very good- and I don’t think it’s as sweet as the other ones. It does remind me of eating fudge-  just not as dense. It was really good with some peanut butter smeared on it. (But, when is PB& chocolate ever a bad combination?? :)   ) This one gets 4 stars for taste.

Sensational Sugar- I tried 2 of these, and had 2 different experiences. One was okay and not that sweet, but soft, and the other was really good, sweeter, and harder/crispier. The sugar is my least favorite of the 4, I feel like it was missing something, and surprisingly, despite the name, wasn’t as sweet as the others. It was still a good cookie, but just needed a little more oomph. This one gets 3 1/2 stars for taste.

Simply Scrumptous- you make excellent, mouth watering cookies, all fat free and under 100 calories. (Can you please make a PEANUT BUTTER flavor!?! :D :D :D ) The only thing keeping me from eating this ALL DAY LONG (and I’ve already had the sugar one with my breakfast, the snickerdoodle flavor for a snack…) is that they are made with Unbleached Flour, and use refined sugar. If they were whole wheat- or even partially whole wheat- and used  a less refined sugar like molasses or honey, these cookies would be 5 stars for sure! I do think that using refined sugar might play into the awesome texture of the cookies, as sugar often alters the consistency of baked goods a lot. However, taking nutrition, taste and calorie count into effect, I’m giving them an overall rating of 4  stars. They really are yummy and decently sized. Perfect swap for your standard cookies anyday. Check them out here! Also, get 35% off your first order using the code HNXO!


10 Jan 2010, Comments (7)

Food Should Taste Good Tortilla Chips

Author: healthnuttxo

Food Should Taste Good- unless why  bother eating it?
That’s what comes to mind when I thought of these flavored tortilla chips. Flavored? you ask. Yep! They come in a bazillion (okay, not that many, more like eleven) varieties, ranging from chocolate to lime. Yum! They are also all natural, gluten free, a good source of fiber, and made without any GMO’s.

I was sent these delicious tortilla chips in the mail from the company, and after eating them,  I will not be going back to regular chips anytime soon! Of the ones I was sent, I tried the Cinnamon, Sweet Potato, and Chocolate  Flavors provided so generously by Food Should Taste Good.

anyway-
Cinnamon- These weren’t quite what I expected. I was expecting a sweet cinnamon sugar chip-instead what I got was a very strong corn flavor with a hint of ground cinnamon. Now sweet cinnamon as I had expected. It is slightly sweet, but no where near a dessert sugary sweet.

Sweet Potato- this flavor tricks you! At first I was like “oh, normal flavor, where’s the sweet potato?”. But after-! You get the sweet aftertaste of a sweet potato! It has a very smooth flavor and just the right amount of salt. I like to think it’s one of the healthier ones because I’m technically eating 2 veggies at once- corn & sweet potatoes :P

Chocolate- This one was my favorite, and not what I expected. I thought it was honestly going to taste funky, but it was actually really good! The flavor is caught between a chocolate graham cracker and a tortilla chip. It’s salty at first, then you taste the corn tortilla, and then a dark chocolate flavor shines through. It was very good, and left that “I just ate CHOCOLATE” flavor in my mouth.

Overall, I give these 4 stars. They are a healthier alternative to potato chips, have some rather interesting flavors & pack some fiber as well. They can also be combined with various spreads and dips to create really-good concoctions. Let me know if you have any of your own!!

The ingredients are also pretty much the same for all, with spices and extra flavors added depending on the variety. Check the website here if you are interested.

29 Dec 2009, Comments (2)

Medora Snacks Pogos

Author: healthnuttxo


Medora snacks are 100 % natural, and were created by a mom who wanted to give her family healthy and nutritious snacks. The word Medora actually means A Mother’s Gift. They have a “unique baking process” that allows them to make wholesome and tasty snacks that are actually GOOD for you. Pogos are one of the snacks they manufacture, and are a blend of real cheese and potatoes, as well as other spices, and come in White Cheddar, Hickory Smoked and Jalapeno Cheddar.

But….What’s a Pogo? Immediately upon hearing “Pogo”, I thought of my childhood Pogo stick. Bouncing aimlessly for hours trying to get consecutive times and such- a truly fun activity. I guess you could compare a Pogo stick to Medora’s snack “Pogos”. These  potato cheese sticks even sort of resemeble a “bounce”! They are wavy in shape and resemble crinkle cut fries-Guess i wasn’t too far off with my “pogo stick” vision! They are harder and smoother than your typical crunchy cheese doodle, and also more airy.

White Cheddar-yummmm. Even opening and taking a whiff of these made my mouth water. The smell of Cheeeeseee :) These reminded me of a blend of white cheddar popcorn and those skinny potatoe stick snacks I used to have when I was younger. Really good, sharp white cheddar cheese flavor. Not too salty either- just right. These were so good, I ate both servings in one sitting :D

Hickory Smoked- wow these are good too. They also have a white cheddar flavor, with a hint of paprika. The flaovr is more robust, and certainly delicious. They actually have a real “Hickory Smoke” flavor- I even felt like I tasted a bit of a “bacon” flavor! You can bet I gobbled these down too!

*Added

Jalepano Cheddar-these were good, but not my favorite. I’m not too fond of spicy/hot things, and these certainly had a spicy tang to them. I did like the savory salty cheesy flavor, mostly a white cheddar flavor, but there certainly was some HEAT from the Jalapeno! I think these are good if you like spicy or the flavor of jalapenos!

Overall, these get 4 stars. They taste amazing and are very addicting. A perfect and healthier swap for potato chips, and are perfect for when you have the munchies :) . I like also how I can have a cheesy snack without all the annoying residue left on my fingers (and inevitably, all over the table, my clothes, etc. :D ) They would get 5 stars if they had a weee bit more fiber-they have less than 1 gram per serving , and they are also a little high in sodium (10% for 1 serving). Other than that- you need to try these. Delicious!!

1 serving (1 ounce) is 110 calories, 4 grams of fat, 16-18 carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
   
Beaded Watches