Tags: vegan

25 May 2011, Comments (5)

Fruitzio Freeze Dried Fruit Snacks Apples & Strawberries

Author: Healthnuttxo

I got some free stuff from Crispy Green (thanks again!!!) including the Fruitzio Freeze Dried Fruit Snacks Apples & Strawberries.

haha - I love it! an apple juggling strawberries!

These lovely snacks are all natural, and according to the package are also “peanut/tree nut free, gluten free, dairy free, vegan”. What I like about it also, is that there are ONLY three ingredients-”Apples, Strawberries and Cane Sugar”. At first I was a bit puzzled by the cane sugar- I have had freeze dried fruit before and I find it to be sweet enough, but the package also stated that there was “just a hint of natural sugar”. I’m assuming it was added just to bring out the sweetness a little bit. Regardless, it didn’t seem to effect the nutritional information in a tremendous way.

I opened up the package and saw big slices of strawberries and apples. I liked that the pieces were big rather than tiny.

The apple pieces were soft, yet crunchy. They had a sweet and quite yummy apple flavor. If I had to guess as to which apple it was, I would say a Macintosh. It doesn’t state what kind on the bag, so who knows for sure. The strawberries were crunchy as well, and actually quite tart! They were still pretty tasty, but I preferred the apples over the strawberries, even though I found more strawberry pieces than apple slices in my bag.

Overall, pretty good! I felt these were a bit crunchier and a bit sweeter than other freeze dried fruit I have had in the past. I also threw these into my cereal in the morning for some added sweetness and crunch. 4 stars

What’s your FAVORITE freeze-dried fruit? I have always been partial to bananas (:

In case you're wondering...

I got these to try, for free, from the company.

22 May 2011, Comments (6)

Sunwarrior Raw Vegan Protein powder

Author: Healthnuttxo

I was sent two free packets of Sunwarrior Raw Vegan Protein powder in Chocolate and Vanilla, courtesy of Andrea from Sunwarrior (thank you!!).

First off, I was impressed. This raw, vegan protein had a LOT of protein for one little packet, and very little calories and only 1 gram of sugar! Perfect for a diabetic like me!

I came home from the gym the other day, and thought it would be appropriate to give it a try. I went for the vanilla first, and mixed it with vanilla almond milk by hand. Although it mixed fairly easily, I thought it was a little difficult to get all the bumps out, and it was a little chunky. However, the chunks didn’t really bother me because they dissolved very quickly in my mouth, and almost had a velvety texture. The drink was really good! Sweet, but not too sweet, and a good vanilla flavor that was probably enhanced with the vanilla almond milk. It kind of reminded me of a vanilla milkshake! 4 stars

Next up, the chocolate. Since I had a little trouble stirring last time, I thought I would try a blender. I also thought it would be a good idea to add some ice, so it was super cold and frothy, and chocolate almond milk to enhance the flavor.

However, ice was a bad idea. Perhaps I added too much, although I only added about 4 or 5 cubes, or perhaps this protein poweder just doesn’t mix well with ice. Who knows- but I got a very icy, chunky shake. The flavor was somewhat diluted, but chocolatey nonetheless, also probably enhanced with the chocolate almond milk. The result wasn’t very sweet at all, and I think I liked the vanilla better. I got a taste of the powder before I mixed it up, and it was sort of like that chocolate powder one can use to make chocolate milk.  3 stars

I’d be interested in trying both of them again, but without the ice for the chocolate flavor!

Have you ever had Sunwarrior Raw Vegan Protein powder? How do you prepare it?

Also- have you ever tried it with ice, and how did it turn out?

15 May 2011, Comments (11)

Peanut Butter & Co. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

I won an awesome contest where I got 3 free jars of Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butter. Of the three I chose, I picked one of my favorites, White Chocolate Wonderful, and this one, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl.

I opened my jar, and saw no oil separation, so that was a plus. Another thing I noticed, was a lot of the raisins were on the bottom! Here’s a pic of the bottom of my jar, so you can see for yourself.

Even after eating  a serving or so, there still was very minimal raisins on top.

I wasn’t really complaining however,  because it’s not like I couldn’t easily stir it. AND, the peanut butter by itself, even without the raisins, was so delicious!

It was a smooth peanut butter, but if you “chew” the peanut butter, you can detect granules similar in consistency to sugar. The cinnamon flavor was certainly prominent, which I liked. You can taste both the sweetness and the cinnamon flavor, with the beautiful flavor of a rich peanut butter. The raisins were soft, chewy and sweet. It was really delicious. Honestly, all I needed was a spoon, and I was happy (;

Overall, 4 1/2 stars. Certainly delicious. I liked it both when I tried it with the raisins and without the raisins. I’ll just have a few extra “surprises” waiting for me at the bottom of my jar (:

What’s your favorite food involving raisins? I happen to be fond of chocolate covered raisins (;

And here’s a snapshot of the nutritional facts.

14 Apr 2011, Comments (3)

Pro Bar Apple Cinnamon Crunch

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

I scored  a few free bars from ProBar, such as the Sweet & Savory Maple Pecan Bar, and the Apple Cinnamon Crunch bar. I was hungry the other day, and in the mood to try something new, so I opened up the Apple Cinnamon Crunch bar to give it a try. I was sure I was going to like it- I love apples & cinnamon!

A quick few things about these bars, they are vegan, organic, and I found out online that this one is “70% Raw” and also has “Omega 3: 650 mg per bar” and “Omega 6: 720 mg per bar”. I thought that was pretty cool, a lot going on this bar!

I opened up the package was greeted to a rather thick bar, brownish in color, with visible chocolate chips scattered throughout. Examining closely I also saw a good deal of flax seeds and an occasional nut. I took a bite, and found it to be chewy and very soft, except the for the nuts providing an little bit of crunch. It was pretty apple-y in flavor, which I liked, and really quite tasty!! The apple flavor kind of reminded me of apple pie, with just a very light cinnamon aftertaste.

Overall, I really liked this bar. However. The one thing I did not like, and I also did not like with the Sweet & Savory Maple Pecan Flavor was the chocolate chips. They are way too bitter for me, and I did not enjoy them at all. Not a big deal, I can always pick them out of the bar and enjoy the rest, but I do wish that they could be swapped for something else! Otherwise, 4 stars

1 bar is 370 calories, 18 grams of fat (4 saturated), 49 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fiber, 25 grams of sugar and 9 grams of protein.

Since this one reminded me of apple pie, what’s YOUR favorite flavor of pie? I think I’d have to say, mine really is apple!

4 Apr 2011, Comments (4)

Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs

Author: Healthnuttxo

Last week I had a dinner of some pasta with this yummy sauce and some of these Meatless Meatballs from Trader Joe’s.  These meatless meatballs are vegan and vegetarian. I cooked them in the oven first and then ended up transferring them to the sauce to let them simmer.

However, fresh out of the oven, they crisped up nicely.Here’s how some looked

I decided to note what they tasted like by themselves, instead of with the sauce, just in case the sauce influenced any other kind of flavor. Right away, I could tell I liked the taste and the texture. They were “meaty” in texture, as in somewhat dense, yet soft, and a bit chewy. They were quite salty by themselves (they had 560 mg of sodium per serving), and also had a bit of a “peppery” flavor. There was also a good amount of detectable spice flavor. Next I noticed how they tasted after I let them cook and simmer a bit in some of the sauce. They were SO soft, and absolutely delicious. I couldn’t believe how soft they got, and I certainly did not feel left out when the rest of my family had beef meatballs and I ate my Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs =)

Overall, really quite delicious. I even liked how they didn’t have an overpowering soy taste, which I sometimes expect with vegetarian style foods. I will definitely continue to eat and buy these! 4 1/2 stars

6 Meatless Meatballs are 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar and 16 grams of protein.

Whats your favorite vegetarian style product? I also REALLY like this Smart Bacon from LightLife!

30 Mar 2011, Comments (3)

Trader Joe’s Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

Author: Healthnuttxo

I absolutely love almond milk. I mostly have it with cereal and fruit for breakfast before going to the gym in the morning. Although it’s low on protein, I find it’s lighter on my stomach than dairy is, and I have never had a problem with it.

So, the other day at Trader Joe’s, I went to get some Almond Milk and noticed that Trader Joe’s had their own version. I’m always up for trying new brands, so I put it in my cart and bought it.

Once home, I tried it two ways. By itself, and with cereal and fruit with 1 packet of stevia sweetener, seeing as it was the unsweetened variety.

By itself, it was really creamy tasting- almost like the cream you put in coffee. There really wasn’t much vanilla flavor otherwise, but I could have totally used it as is with my cereal.

Next, with the cereal/fruit/stevia, it had a  VERY strong vanilla flavor. I was amazed at how the sweetness I added really brought out the vanilla in this almond milk. So good! But very unique, I dont think I have ever had an almond milk with that much vanilla flavor (and I add the same amount of sweetness to my cereal every morning!)

Overall, pretty good! I would get it again. Some things to note that it stated on the carton was that this is “Gluten Free”, “Lactose Free”, “Dairy Free” and “Vegan”. It’s also a tad high in sodium, 180 mg, but I’m not overly concerned with my sodium levels so I think that’s a good level for me. 4 stars

1 cup is 40 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar and 1 gram of protein.

What’s your favorite type of milk? rice? almond? oat? Please let me know! :)

27 Mar 2011, Comments (9)

Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful Peanut Butter

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

This peanut butter. Is. Beyond. Amazing. (Yes, so amazing I felt the urge to use periods between each word!)

According to the website , this spread is “More than just a sandwich spread, it is fantastic on fruit, spooned over ice cream, when used as an ingredient in baked goods, or simply eaten out of the jar! It contains no cholesterol, no trans fats, no hydrogenated oils, and no high-fructose corn syrup. It is also gluten-free, certified vegan, and certified kosher pareve by the Orthodox Union.”

Two words to describe it? Incredibly delicious. What I liked about it, is that it is a natural peanut butter, AND there was hardly ANY oil separation! Being the white chocolate lover that I am, I had a feeling I was going to like this peanut butter!

It was smooth, sweet and creamy, and had a light vanilla flavor to it. I didn’t need anything else but a spoon to enjoy it (as that’s how I like most of my nut butters!). It really tasted as if someone melted a chunk of white chocolate into a jar of peanut butter, and turned a savory spread into something dessertlike.

Overall, BLISS! 5 stars for sure. Now excuse me as I go finish the rest of the jar. ;)

Ever had a peanut butter by Peanut Butter & Co.? Which was your favorite?

2 tablespoons is 180 calories, 14 grams of fat (3 saturated), 11 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of sugar and 6 grams of protein.

20 Mar 2011, Comments (0)

Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale

Author: Healthnuttxo

If ever there was a time to apply the saying “Don’t Judge a Book By It’s Cover”, I think it would be appropriate now. Although this snack may not look appetizing, it really is tasty!

I bought this at Whole Foods a little while ago, after previously being given a free sample of it they were handing out before that. According to the package, it is “vegan”, “gluten free”, “not baked”, “not fried”, and the flavor I got is the Naked Plain (Vegan Cheese). Before eating this snack, I never ate kale before, so I really had no idea what to expect.

Here’s what some looked like in a bowl.

When I opened up the container, it smelled cheesy, but keep in mind it is vegan. It was crunchy, crispy, and certainly did have a “leafy” consistency as the name states. It was salty and tasted like parmesan cheese, with just a slight vegetable flavor. I REALLY liked it! No one else in my house wanted to try it, probably because it resembled leaves, but it really is so tasty! I almost ate the whole container in one sitting! ;)

Overall, 4 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed it, and I want to try the other flavors! I also LOVED that there was 6 grams of protein, 139% vitamin A and 129% Vitamin C values per serving!! Talk about a healthy snack :)

1 ounce is 141 calories, 9 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar and 6 grams of protein.

What’s something you thought wasn’t going to be good tasting because of it’s appearance, but surprised you and turned out to be really yummy?

20 Feb 2011, Comments (2)

EnjoyLife boom CHOCO boom bars

Author: Healthnuttxo

Chocolate! Nothing is better than chocolate. Ok maybe peanut butter, but there’s room for debate on that one. ANYWAY, EnjoyLife sent me some boom CHOCO boom bars to try for free. I already reviewed the Rice Milk with Crispy Rice variety here, and thought it was pretty good. Today’s review is on the Dairy-Free Rice Milk Bar and the Dark Chocolate Bar.

Both these bars are free of nuts, soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, fish, shellfish,  and eggs as stated on the wrapper. They are also both vegan.

I tried the dark chocolate one first, although hesistantly. As you probably know, I’m not a huge dark chocolate fan. I love the health benefits, but not a fan of the bitterness (Why can’t milk or white chocolate be as healthy as dark chocolate!!!??) I DID like how cute the squares were. Here’s a picture

So, I took a bite of the square, which was rather thick and had a nice bite to it, and was pleasantly surprised. Not as bitter as I thought it would be! It was creamy, actually kind of sweet, and there was a vanilla aftertaste as well. Pretty good! 3 1/2 stars

Next up, the Dairy-Free Rice Milk bar. At first this one was smooth and sweet, but as I continued to eat it, I noticed it had some kind of an aftertaste. Hmm. Have you ever had sugar free chocolate? I have, and I always noticed it had some sort of an aftertaste which was similar to what this bar had. Also what I found odd was that I could almost taste milk in this bar, despite the fact that it was dairy-free. Bizarre. It was OK, but not my favorite. 3 stars

Well, look at that! I actually liked the Dark Chocolate one more than the Dairy-Free Rice Milk bar! Go figure ;)

Dark Chocolate boom CHOCO boom bar- 1 package is 200 calories, 15 grams of fat ( 9 saturated) 22 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein.

Dairy-Free Rice Milk boom CHOCO boom bar- 1 package is 230 calories, 17 grams of fat (11 saturated), 21 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

If you could invent your own chocolate bar, what would it have in it? I would have a peanut butter filled milk chocolate bar with bits of banana in it. MMM!

17 Dec 2010, Comments (3)

ProBar Sweet & Savory Maple Pecan Bar

Author: Healthnuttxo


Source

I got some free bars, courtesy of ProBar, that came in the mail the other day, and was quite excited. I’ve heard about these bars and seen them in WHole Foods, but never actually bought one. One of them I was sent was Maple Pecan. First off, I hope you all know my great love for maple flavored things and how much I also looooove Pecans. Strangely, I love them more than I love peanuts, and yet peanut butter is one of my favorite things. Anyway, that’s off topic. Moving on… =)

This was called a “Whole Food Meal Replacement”, along with being vegan and organic. Knowing that it was a “Whole Food Meal Replacement” bar made sense after looking at the nutrition. This bar, which is bigger than most bars I have eaten, but not incredibly large (85 grams), was 390 calories, 23 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein.

So I certainly wouldn’t call this a snack. Although a little low in the protein department in my opinion for a “meal” it was overall pretty good. But how did it taste?

Well, the first thing I noticed was it was a brownish colored bar with several things, such as chocolate chips, pecan pieces, raisins, some flaxseeds I believe, and a bunch of other things all mushed together. It was rather sticky and chewy, but with some crunchy consistency from all the pieces of things in there. The flavor was quite bizarre, actually. I didn’t quite pick up a “maple pecan” flavor, but more of a sweet, fruity tasting bar, with maple-orangey flavor, with a toasted nut taste, and just a teeny bit salty. I know, a lot going on. I would have preferred a bit more of a salty flavor, but that’s just me. The raisins were plump and pretty good, and the pieces of nuts were OK, if found them to have a kind of off flavor.

One of the things I really did not like was the chocolate chips. I looked at the ingredients and saw “unsweetened dark chocolate”. Now, I’m not a fan of dark chocolate to begin with as I find it kind of bitter, but especially when it’s not sweetened, I found it extremely bitter. In other words, I would have totally been fine with this bar had it not been for the chocolate chips.

So, summing it all up, I think these bars are convenient for when times when I’m on the go and don’t have time for a sit-down meal. The fact that it has a high fat content I think makes up for the low protein content as fat from nuts and such helps me stay satisfied. If the chocolate chips were omitted or swapped for something else, I would have liked it much more. Otherwise, this gets 3 stars.

Question- What do you eat when you dont have time for a “sit down meal” on the go?

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