Tags: snacks

10 Jul 2010, Comments (1)

Popchips Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips

Author: Healthnuttxo

*Before the review begins, don’t forget about the Giveaway!* Enter for a chance to win a CUTE stuffed Beanie Puffin, courtesy of Barbara’s Bakery!* :)

I’ve had and reviewed some Popchips before- they are a tasty, healthier option when it comes to potato chips in my opinion. My favorites that they have are the Cheddar, Barbeque, and Sour Cream & Onion. What’s great about these chips is that they are relatively low in fat, but still VERY tasty, as well as being all natural.

As an addition to the flavors I have already reviewed, Popchips also generously sent me the Parmesan Garlic Potato Chips.  These sound awesome to me. I’m not normally a cheese person, but one of the cheese I do enjoy is Parmesan. Something about the salty and delicious flavor it provides makes it truly enjoyable for me.

So today I “popped” open a bag of Parmesan Garlic Popchips (ha-ha) with my lunch as I was in the mood for something savory and crunchy. What I love about these 100 calorie bags is they really are the perfect portion for me. Great as an addition to lunch, or even as a light snack. Plus, you actually get a decent amount in each bag! I tried one of the chips, and, Woo!  I DEFINITELY tasted the parmesan and garlic! Two very strong flavors that went so well together. I don’t think I have ever eaten a chip with these kinds of flavors put together. The parmesan was nice and salty and tasted great with the zesty garlic. These chips were also lightly coated with what I believe was little specks of parsley. I really enjoyed these, but I do recommend having a drink nearby! They went great with my lunch, and a nice ice cold glass of iced tea. Yum!

Overall, Popchips do not disappoint. These get 4 1/2 stars in my eyes, and are some seriously tasty chips. I honestly considered going to the store after lunch to get more, so I could eat them later on in the week! :)

1 bag (23 grams) is 100 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 16 carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 1 gram of protein.

Natural Potato Ingredients (potatoe flour, potato starch), Safflower Oil and/or Sunflower Oil, Seasoning (maltodextrin, roasted garlic powder [garlic powder, sunflower oil, salt, corn starch, sugar, dextrose, natural flavor] salt, natural parmesan cheese flavor, natural flavors [includes salt, autolyzed yeast extract, arabic gum, natural flavor] crystalline fructose, modified food starch, olive oil, parsley), Rice Flour, Salt, Soy Lecithin (processing aid).

2 Jul 2010, Comments (3)

Michael Season’s

Author: Healthnuttxo

Are you a fan of chips? I never really was one to reach for chips when it came to snacking, but as of lately, I noticed that they go perfect with or after my lunch. When I’m not necessarily hungry, but still in the mood to munch!

Luckily for me, the generous people over at Michael Season’s sent me some of their snacks to try, including the Baked Sweet Barbeque Potato Crisps, Baked Original Multigrain Chips, and Thin & Crispy Honey Barbeque Chips

Baked Sweet Barbeque Potato Crisps- these remind me of regular baked chips, with a light barebeque flavor. They had a lightly sweet, not spicy barbeque flavor, with a hint of brown sugar. They had a strong potato flavor as well. I liked that they came in a 100 calorie bag, and there was actually a decent amount for that portion!  4 stars (These are also wheat & gluten free!)

Baked Original Multigrain Chips- these had a softer consistency than I thought they would, not too much of a crunch, and were airy and light (almost like a puffed snack). Again, I liked that I got a lot for 100 calories! When I’m in the mood to munch, it’s good that I can eat a lot without eating too much fat or calories. These had a mild corn flavor, and were lightly salted. 3 1/2 stars (These are also wheat & gluten free!)

Thin & Crispy Honey Barbeque Potato Chips- these chips were light and definetely “crispy”! They had a good potato flavor, which I liked, but a rather mild barbeque flavor. Not as much as I had expected for the barbeque flavor, but still tasty! I also liked that these didn’t have a very greasy feel, and had a nice crunch. 4 stars

For information about the ingredients & nutritional information, you can click here

24 Jun 2010, Comments (2)

Yumnuts Naturals Chocolate Slow Dry-Roasted Cashews

Author: Healthnuttxo

Combining two of my favorite things- chocolate and cashews, is Yumnuts Naturals. This company makes these snacks without any artifical colors, flavors or preservatives, no added oil, and they are gluten free. They come in 6 flavors, Sea Salt, Spicy Cajun, Toasted Coconut, Honey , Chocolate and Chili Lime. According to the website, “Nuts contain the protein, smart fats, like oleic acid, and essential minerals to help us perform at our best. We use the best natural ingredients to create a product with a simple ingredient statement that is both healthy and yummy. We start with premium jumbo cashews and use a special flavoring technique to add a delicate dose of delicious seasonings that ensures that every Yumnut, in every batch is truly yum.”

The folks over at Yumnuts Naturals sent me the Chocolate Slow Dry Roasted Cashews to try, and I was so excited! I opened the bag up once I received them, and had a few. I can certainly agree with the “YUM” aspect of this product! These were awesome! I especially liked that the cashews were pretty big- and there weren’t a lot of halves or pieces in the bag. Each buttery tasting cashew was covered with a sweet, light chocolatey coating, that gave a little bit of a crispy crunch to the outside. Really delicious, and what a snack! It satisfied both my hunger and my sweet tooth, and it certainly was hard to put away the bag after having some of these!

These get 4 1/2 stars in my eyes. Absolutely delicious and just a great alternative when you want something both savory, satisfying AND sweet!  The ONLY reason these don’t get 5 stars is because they have added sugar, but is still only 6 grams of sugar per serving.

*You can try these Yumnuts Naturals for yourself! From now until JULY 29th 2010, you can get 25 % discount off your purchase from the website when you put in the coupon code NUTS25 * How great is that! :)

1/4 cup is 160 calories, 11 grams of fat, 12 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Dry-Roasted Cashews, Honey, Sugar,  Cocoa Powder, Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin.

12 Jun 2010, Comments (1)

Ener-G Ginger Cookies

Author: Healthnuttxo

Doing a double post tonight, seeing as I won’t be able to post a review tomorow. Aw, man!! :( But, anyway. Enjoy !!

I’m sure you guys have heard of Ener G . They make an assortment of foods that cater to the needs of those with special dietary needs. This includes breads, pretzels, cookies, etc. According to the website, “We not only offer wheat free, gluten free products, but also products for low protein diets and dairy free products. Additionally, all of our products are free of peanuts, tree nuts, and are also Kof-K Certified. Our bakery is dedicated to wheat free, gluten free baking, guaranteeing that contamination from gluten will not occur.”

That’s great- I love companies that try to make products that everyone can enjoy! :)

Anyway- Ener-G sent me some of their products to try, and of the ones I was sent, one of my favorites was the Ginger Cookies. I’m a fan of gingerbread cookies around Christmastime, and a good ginger snap is always tasty to me. So, I was happy to try these. These cookies in particular are gluten free, wheat free, egg free and dairy free.

These cookies certainly smell delicious, with a fresh ginger scent. They are crunchy and sweet, and have a light ginger flavor, which was actually quite nice. It wasn’t overpowering at all, or too spicy. They were sweet enough to keep eating right out of the package!  A light, yet flavorful cookie. Goes perfect with a cold glass of milk, or even by itself.

The best part about these cookies… only 50 calories each! Yea! They are only 1.5 grams of fat each, so they are low fat, low calorie, and yet still quite tasty. I give them 4 1/2 stars, because although they are delicious, they lack fiber, and the first ingredient is organic evaporated cane juice. However, gluten free products tend to be lower in fiber than non-gluten free, and they are cookies, so I think they are a delicious treat. Especially if you like ginger! :)

1 cookie is 50 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 9 carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, White Rice Flour,Potato Starch, Filtered Water, Organic Palm Fruit Oil, Unsulphured Molasses, Egg Replacer [ (tapioca flour, potato starch, leavening (calcium lactate, calcium carbonate, glucono delta lactone), sodium carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose], Ginger Powder, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate, Vanilla Powder [(vanilla bean extractives, dextrose (corn sugar)], Sodium Carbohymethylcellulose.

12 Jun 2010, Comments (0)

Medora Snacks Sotos

Author: Healthnuttxo

I’m always on the lookout for healthier yet crunchy & satisfying snacks, for when the munchies occur, or as a nice addition to my lunch or whatnot. Medora Snacks has some healthier and delicious snack options that are made with better-for-you ingredients than some other snacks that are out there.

So, what are Sotos? Well, according to the website, “Sotos® Multi-Grain snacks pack highly nutritious multi-grains in each little square for a better-for-you snack you will love. Our unique baking process captures the flavor of the all-natural seasonings to give you a satisfying crunchy experience that you’ll want to try again.” They come in 3 flavors- Cinnamon Streusel, Zesty Cheese Olive Oil & Lemon, and Sea Salt.

Medora Snacks sent me some yummy Sotos to try, and I was quite happy. Crunchy? Healthy? Count me in!

I decided to review about the Cinnamon Struesel and Zesty Cheese Olive Oil & Lemon flavors, as they seemed the most exciting. Each “Soto” is the shape of a square, about the size of a Cheez-it , and crispy and crunchy. In each 1.5 oz bag, there actually are quite a large amount of these yummy Sotos, which is good in my book! :)

Zesty Cheese Olive Oil & Lemon- Very light and crispy, but definitely flavorful. The cheese has a delicious salty parmesean flavor, that’s finger-lickin’ good. It also had a bit of a white cheddar cheese flavor as well. There was a prominant parsley flavor that I noticed with the Sotos as well, that added to the unique yet good taste. Overall, it was a bit too salty, but very yummy.

Cinnamon Streusel- yum!! Coated with cinnamon and sugar, this are also crispy, crunchy and delicious. They are sweet without being overly sweet, and yet only provide 5 grams of sugar per serving. They kind of taste like a cross between a cinnamon sugar flavored potato chip and rice cake- also unique, but yummy!

Overall, these get 4 stars. I like how the portion size is quite large, and how they are made with whole grains. They are tasty and quite different than the traditional chip or snack food, and worth trying. However, even though the portion is large, the thing with “airy” and “crispy” snacks, is that they often lack in the satiety department. Eating these alone, in my opinion, will probably leave you hungry shortly after eating them. However, pair them with a protein filled sandwich and some fruit/veggies, and you have yourself one tasty meal!

1 ounce is 120 calories, 3-4 grams of fat, 19-20 carbohydrates, 2-3 grams of fiber, 2-5 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

For information on the ingredients, visit the website here.

11 Jun 2010, Comments (4)

New Morning Organic Honey Grahams

Author: Healthnuttxo

Let’s play word association- I’ll say a word, you pick what comes to mind.
Well, if the word was “graham crackers” the immediate thing that comes to my mind is S’MORES! I love s’mores, and I’m sure a lot of you do, but I always have difficulty finding graham crackers! Some brands may have not-so-healthy ingredients, like preservatives, trans fats, artifical colors and flavors, or even just too much sugar.

So, I was excited to recieve a box of New Morning Organic Honey Grahams, thanks to U.S. Mills, in the mail. Perhaps I could finally make myself a healthy s’more? I was thinking a block of organic milk chocolate, some of Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme, and some of these graham crackers. Yum!

So, I opened up the box and took out a graham cracker.  They are the average graham cracker sheet size, but I noticed they are a bit thicker. They have a light honey smell, and a crumbly texture. As for the taste, they had  a very light honey flavor to accompany the light honey smell. They also really weren’t too sweet, which was kind of refreshing, because sometimes products can be too sweet and it takes away from the other flavors the product has to offer. They were a bit dry, but nothing a glass of milk couldn’t fix :)

Overall, these get 3 1/2 stars. Not bad on their own, but I would reccommend playing with them a bit for the best taste. I think the light sweetness would be good for a s’more, as marshmallows and chocolate are also quite sweet on their own. I wish they were a little less dry, but they are also low in fat, so I would assume that is why. I also wish they had more fiber per serving. However, they are organic, all natural, trans fat free, and relatively low in sugar, fat and calories, so they are a good choice for graham crackers.

2 full cracker sheets are 120 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 21 carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Organic Unbleached Wheat Flour, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Vegetable Oil (sunflower and/or safflower), Organic Honey, Organic Molasses, Leavening (ammonium bicarbonat, sodium bicarbonate), Sea Salt, Cream of Tartar.

Last few days to enter the Nana’s Cookie Company giveaway!

7 Jun 2010, Comments (0)

No Nuttin’ Vanilla Caramel Granola Clusters and Apple Cinnamon Granola Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo

No Nuttin’ Foods Inc. makes snacks that can be enjoyed by almost everyone, as they made products that are gluten free, nut free, egg free, dairy free, and are also all natural and healthy, too! These snack range from granola bars, to trail mixes, to granola clusters, and come in several yummy flavors.

The company sent me a few snacks to try, so I decided to try the Vanilla Caramel Granola Clusters and the Apple Cinnamon Granola Bar. Those sounded most appealing to me. Vanilla Caramel? Count me in. Apple Cinnamon? We all know I love apple anything!

First up- Vanilla Caramel Granola Clusters. They came in an individually sized bag, with about a large handful of clusters. They smelled pretty good, like a light caramel. I put a few pieces in my mouth and was actually surprised. These weren’t crunchy. I sort of expected at least some kind of crunch, including they were supposed to be granola clusters. They were more chewy and kind of stuck to your teeth a bit as you ate them, almost sticky in texture. Perhaps they would have been better in yogurt rather than straight from the bag, but not too bad. They weren’t too sweet, and they only had 5 grams of sugar per serving. They had a very light vanilla flavor, but mostly a caramel flavor to me. 3 stars

Apple Cinnamon Granola Bar- Well, I opened this up, and half the bar fell off. These bars fall apart super easy! It was a bunch of crisp rice and oats, held together very loosely by brown rice/rice syrup. The texture sort of reminded me of a rice krispie treat- but as if you were making them homemade. However, the flavor saved this bar. It was sweet and had a nice apple & cinnamon taste, that was actually very good. I would have liked it better if the bar had more staying power, but overall not bad. 3 stars

Overall, these aren’t bad. They are a good option if you cannot tolerate gluten, and cannot have peanuts or nuts. I liked how the granola clusters and granola bar were low in sugar, but I just didn’t really care for the texture of either too. Also, they are both kind of low in fiber and protein, but if paired with some fruit or yogurt/protein, they could be good snacks.

1 packet of vanilla caramel granola clusters (30 grams) is 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 19 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Pure oats, rice syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, brown sugar, organic crisp brown rice (organic brown rice, organic brown rice syrup, sea salt), natural vanilla flavor.

1 apple cinnamon granola bar is 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 19 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein.

Pure oats, rice syrup, expeller pressed canola oil, organic crisp brown rice (organic brown rice, organic brown rice syrup, sea salt), dried apples, brown sugar, organic cinnamon.

6 Jun 2010, Comments (1)

Doctor Kracker Cherry Semolina and Apple Culinary Crisps

Author: Healthnuttxo

Who likes crackers!?! :)

I know I do- for soup, for spreads, or for munching out of the box. They are versatile, delicious, and just great! But, some crackers have bad things, like trans fats, or preservatives and artificial additives. Luckily, Doctor Kracker makes healthier, all natural crackers. According to the website, “use only the highest-quality organic grains, seeds, and dried fruits to make our crackers.” They also “leaven our Dr. Kracker flatbread crackers with good old-fashioned yeast, not the chemical formulation most conventional cracker companies use.” Cool!

The company sent me some of their artisan baked, crackers to try. I decided to review the fruit varieties, the culinary crisps in Apple and Cherry Semolina varieties.

Cherry Semolina- each crisp is about the size of your standard cracker, like a wheat thin, but definitely thicker. It has little pieces of cherries on it, and is also covered with baby, white sesame seeds. The cracker by itself has an unusual, yet good, taste. It’s slightly salty from the seeds, but sour and sweet from the bits of cherries. It has a nice crunch to it, and  almost has a toasted flavor. Quite good! 3 1/2 stars

Apple Crisp- ooh, I like these!  Seeing as the big apple fan I am, I enjoyed these a lot. They weren’t as hard as some of the other Doctor Kracker crackers I had tried, but still crunchy. They had a nice, mild sweetness, and a real apple flavor. They are covered with a few flax and sesame seeds, but not as much as the Cherry Semolina flavor. You can totally eat these by themselves, as they don’t need any topping (although, how awesome would CARAMEL or cream cheese be!?). I almost wish these came in a bigger variety- the more apple the better! 4 stars

Overall, these were pretty good!  Doctor Kracker also makes crackers that come in more savory flavors, like Fire Roasted or Pumpkin Cheddar, but I preferred the sweet ones. I think the Apple ones were my favorite- I like any type of cracker that I can eat right from the box (or plastic container, in this case!). I also liked that these were relatively low in fat and calories, and provided some whole grains and protein, too. Nice!

Cherry Semolina- 8 pieces is 110 calories, 3 grams of fat, 16 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein.

filtered water, organic whole wheat flour, semolina flour, durrum flour, cane sugar, organic sesame seeds, dried cherries, organic flaxseeds, olive oil, yeast, sea salt, organic barley malt syrup, fennel powder

Apple Crisps-  8 pieces is 110 calories, 3 grams of fat, 17 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein.

organic whole spelt flour, filtered water, cane sugar, butter, organic flaxseeds, dried apple, brown sugar, whole oats, organic sesame seeds, yeast, sea salt, organic barley malt syrup, vanilla

4 Jun 2010, Comments (3)

Happy Herbert’s Honey Spelt Pretzel Sticks

Author: Healthnuttxo

Here’s a new “twist” on pretzels (I couldn’t help myself! :) )- instead of being made with traditional wheat, Happy Herbert’s makes Honey Pretzel Sticks made with spelt. What is spelt, exactly? Spelt still is wheat, but it’s easier to digest, and according to the bad, “many people allergic to modern wheat aren’t allergic to spelt”- but they still reccommend you get the OK from your doctor. The bag also says spelt has a “nutty flavor and more protein than modern wheat”, and spelt is an “‘ancient grain’”.-Cool!

Anyway, Happy Herberts sent me some of their pretzels, including the Honey Spelt Pretzel Sticks. I traditionally love honey, um, ANYTHING, so I was pretty excited to try these :)

 Before opening the bag, I noticed how cute the little bee cartoon was on the front cover, and the boy on the cover, who I assume to be the “Happy Herbert”, with the saying “Spreading Joy One Crunch at a Time”. I love the cute cartoons, and I admit, sometimes they get me to buy the product (what! So I’m a total kid at heart ! :) ) Each pretzel stick is skinny, and about the size of your pinky finger. They were crunchy, but definietely softer than traditional pretzels. They weren’t salty tasting, depite the 210mg of sodium per serving, and had a light honey flavor. They were a tad bit dry, and a drink is needed (but, don’t ALL pretzels require you to drink something??). I had my mom try some, and she enjoyed them, saying they were “munchable”. As in, you could probably eat these straight from the bag in front of the television without a problem :)

Overall, I give them 3 1/2 stars. They had a mild honey flavor, and  I would have preferred a little bit of stronger or sweeter taste, since it was honey flavored, afterall. These also lack fiber, so they won’t hold you for very long if eaten alone. However, you could eat these as is, or you could dip them into whatever you please. I like that these are organic, and 10% of the profits are donated to children’s charities. Woo-hoo!

1 oz, about 11 pretzels, is 110 calories, 1 gram of fat, 23 carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 4 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein.

Organic Unbleached Spelt Flour (wheat), Organic Honey, Organic Soybean Oil, Yeast, Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate.

21 May 2010, Comments (1)

Arico Almond Cranberry Cookies

Author: Healthnuttxo

Another fruity post- but this time on COOKIES!

Arico is a company that makes delicious gluten and casein free snacks, such as cookies and chips. They are also all natural, so you can have peace of mind while snacking on these yummy goodies!

The company sent me some products to try, like the Almond Cranberry Cookies. I was skeptical at first- I’m NOT a cranberry girl. I hate it at Thanksgiving (plus the jiggly consistency turns me off), and I really don’t like dried cranberries (too tart for me, and often leave a bitter aftertaste). I’ll take raisins anyday- but cranberries?

Well, I’m glad I tried this cookie! I took a bite and immediately noticed a nice blend of both almond and cranberry flavor. Normally when you get a cookie that has two flavors, one masks the other. But, both the almond and cranberry flavors were tasted equally- and deliciously! The cranberries were not too tart, but rather a “good” tart. There were little bits of almonds dispersed throughout that added a nice little crunch. The cookie part was actually buttery and rich tasting, and it also had a brown sugar flavor as well.

Overall, a yummy cookie! They are a bit small, maybe a little bigger than an Oreo-brand cookie, but still delicious nonetheless. I would give it 4 stars, and would probably buy them again. I also like that 2 cookies provides 3 grams of fiber and 15% daily calcium needs. Woop!

2 cookies is 100 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 15 carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber 7 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Flour base (organic brown rice whole grain flour, rice starch, rice protein, baking soda), organic cage free eggs, organic cane sugar, almonds, organic almond meal, organic agave nectar, dried cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower/safflower oil), chicory extract, organic palm oil, calcium carbonate, organic sunflower oil, natural flavors, sea salt.

Related Posts with Thumbnails
   
Beaded Watches