Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snacks. Show all posts

Sunday, September 27, 2020

With the FITBar, I Will...

This has a been a crazy year. I don't know about you, but I haven't been as driven to keep up with my personal health goals. Let's face it. I don't have to leave the house often enough. But then... I don't want to just snack on junk food. My health has been declining again. So I need to reapply myself. Get serious. The past couple months, I have been trying to do just that. Which is why I was so excited to try the following product! 

*Disclaimer: I was sent a party pack for the following products in exchange for hosting a party and sharing the samples with my guests as well as submitting reviews. I was not otherwise paid or endorsed. All opinions are mine and my guests.*

Eating Healthy

There are times when I'm snackish, but not really hungry. What to munch down on? Chips aren't usually healthy for you. I avoid anything with artificial colors added. As well as MSG and GMO's.... That narrows down my list pretty tightly as it is. But I also have to have good flavor. Fruits, nuts and vegetables are great - so long as I don't have to put in too much work when I'm busy. Sometimes, however, you just want something a little more. That is where the FITBar comes in! It was created by a chef with a penchant for physical fitness. He wanted to have something that was everything you need in your diet, while tasting good as well. He started quite the product line called FITCrunch. But there were requests coming in that showed other needs. Vegan, dairy free, soy free - dietary restrictions are plentiful these days. I blame a lot of the junk in pre-packaged foods. There are more food allergies now than ever before. Chef Robert Irvine decided it was time to do something about that. To create a culinary masterpiece that was safe for all dietary needs. Okay, maybe I should say 'most' dietary needs. So he came up with the FITBar.

Great beginnings start off small!

There are currently only two flavors available, but hopefully with more to follow! For now, you can choose from Cranberry Vanilla Almond or Peanut Butter Chocolate. They are both made from rolled oats. Plant-based, non GMO, vegan, dairy free, soy free, gluten free, and kosher! He really did his homework on this one. 

Where can I find these products?

So glad you asked! You can find them on Amazon. However, he has other products as well from his previous line. You can get them all HERE on Amazon. His FITCRUNCH protein bars come in flavors I'm dying to try. Like Lemon Pie and Mint Chocolate Chip = MMMMMMM. 

Our opinions

I always face trying protein bars with a sense of trepidation. It can be wonderful! Or it can be terrible. Out of these two flavors, my husband and I (and the toddler) definitely preferred the Peanut Butter Chocolate. We had a taste testing that the toddler wanted to participate in. Her reaction to the Cranberry Vanilla Almond was pretty comical. We both agreed there was a slight aftertaste on that one. Possibly the hemp? I didn't notice it on the Peanut Butter Chocolate ones though. 

At the party I hosted, my guests loved them. The Cranberry Vanilla Almond one was the preferred choice. 

Two of my guests couldn't be at the face-to-face event, so I got their opinions after delivery of the samples.

Matt: I ate two of them in a row. I preferred the cranberry one. Felt they bordered on dry. Could have used some more cranberry in my opinion, and a bit more sweetness, but maybe that's just my sweet tooth talking. Considering the nutritional statistics, the bars were a bit high in fat. I'd like to see less fat than protein for something called a fit bar. This also adds to my perspective of the bars needing to be a bit sweeter - if I'm going to eat something with 12-15 grams of fat, I'd like to thoroughly enjoy it. I agree though, the bars did not taste like a protein supplement - fake sweeteners masking an undesirable protein flavor. For that reason I suppose they gain some favor in my eyes. Good over all. I feel like it really would be a great option for those with restrictions. It makes a lot of sense for that category.

Mel: Luckily I was able to taste the cranberry one before Matt scarfed them down 😂. We liked the ingredients and packaging on both. I really liked the flavor of the Peanut Butter Chocolate one best, even though it had sugar, it wasn't overly sweet. And it didn't have the strange taste that protein bars normally have, that weird sweet flavor. The texture of the cranberry one was better - it was softer where the peanut butter one was a little tough, but overall I liked the PB bar! Also, I REALLY liked that it was a pretty good tasting vegan protein bar that was non GMO. It's normally so difficult to find that combination! I'm on the fence if I would purchase. If I was trying to get fit then this had too much carbs and sugar and I probably would not buy it; if I remember correctly, sugar was the first ingredient. On the other hand, if I wasn't on a fitness plan and was just wanting a convenient snack that I didn't feel too guilty about - I might buy this. It's the same mentality of those "protein cookies" that make you feel ok about eating a cookie because it is filling and has protein. I think ultimately I would buy this. I actually really like Robert Irv and used  to watch his show all the time. I know he has high standards, so his name being on the front kinda sold me as well.

Curious to try your own?

I can offer you a great discount! Get 10% off your first order! Just use the promo code: FITBAR10 at checkout. While writing this, I also noticed on Amazon that they have a $5 off coupon! A case pack of 12 bars is $32.99 with free shipping on there. That is about $2.75 a bar. Not bad if you have ever gone shopping in the grocery store for protein bars. 

Let me know what you think about this in the comments below!

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Light but tasty snack ideas

Sometimes you want something to snack on that might not be the healthiest, but its just oh so good! One that I like doing is bacon wrapped, cheese smothered tater tots. Simple to make, takes only 3 ingredients… how can it get better than that?

What you need:
Bag of frozen tater tots

1 package of your favorite bacon (turkey doesn’t work too well for this one)
1 package of cheese (any of your favorite kinds)  

I like to deviate from the way I’ve seen them made online. I own a deep fryer, so I fry some tater tots first. Don’t need to crisp them too much though! Then you will want to let those sit on a napkin while you prep your next step. I cut my bacon strips in half. Get out that baking sheet and preheat your oven to 375. I cover mine in aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. This helps to keep it from sticking too badly.
Grab one of the bacon strips, wrap up the tater tot, and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat this step with the rest of your bacon and tater tots until you have the desired amount. Bake for about 10 minutes. Then add your cheese and bake again for another 10 or so minutes. You want the bacon to be cooked and the cheese to be completely melted around your tots. You can make as much or as little as you want, based on how many people you are serving. I've also added chili to it and then covered it with cheese.
Another recipe I love is Doritos Nachos.
You know how Taco Bell has those tacos in the shells with Doritos flavoring? Well, you can pull that off with nachos as well.
What you need:
Your favorite Doritos chips (I use the HEB brand of them sometimes)
Cheese
ground beef
salsa
First thing you want to do is get that baking sheet ready. Preheat your oven to 375. Spread your favorite tortilla chips on it.
You can then top it with your favorite nachos ingredients such as ground beef, cheese, etc.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is all melted.
At my house, the kids like when I pour the Taco Bell sauce over them and then serve. You can use your favorite sauce and sour cream as well.


And lastly, I made bacon and cheese crescent rolls. I took a can of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, some bacon strips cut in half, and cheese that I sliced into strips and rolled them up together.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown. You can use any kind of cheese and your favorite bacon. Or you can switch it out for pepperoni or sliced deli meats.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Time to tailgate!

Football season is in full swing now. Tailgating has begun. But we don't want to start packing on those pounds with the snackage. So here's some great snack ideas to keep you on the right path as you cheer on your favorite teams. 
My family has always been a fan of Mediterranean Snacks. Especially their new Bean Stalks. Add hummus or a fat free dip!

Peanut butter and crackers is another one we love. Its easy and doesn't require refrigeration. 
Even better is that you can add in other flavors by melting a little chocolate or white chocolate morsels to sweeten the taste just a touch. 

Nuts.com inspired me to post about my favorite snacks that were healthy and light.
But they also shared some of their great suggestions. So check them out by going to their Healthy Snacks Page and see what they have to offer. Nuts are high in protein, encourage a healthy digestive system, and can be so many styles! 

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

After school snacking made easy

I spent the day getting stuff done. But the kids are done with school and in the midst of being overwhelmed, I have to get a snack ready so I'm not hearing "Mom, I'm hungry" every 5 minutes before I make dinner. 
Today's choice is cupcake pizzas. It's quick and tasty. 
You will need: 
1 can of pillsbury biscuit dough
1 pack of pepperoni 
Shredded cheese
Pizza or even spaghetti sauce

Remember, you're making pizza. You can add whatever you like. 

Pop open your dough. Knead it out in your hands until you have a flat round piece. Lay it out in your muffin pan.
Once each on is flattened and laid out, it's time to put sauce in each one. Spread just enough to cover the muffin circle like you were making a mini pizza.
Add your toppings and put them in the oven to bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the dough is a golden brown. Even if you don't want them in cupcake shape, you can flatten the dough and make mini pizzas. My kids preferred the pizza shape but still weren't that into them. 
Which brings me to another alternative in the snacking realm. Mediterranean Snacks! They sent me another case of their latest product, the Beanstalks.
My kids and I love these! Three flavors of crunchy that are packed with fiber.
These are straw-like chips made from beans! Extra crunchy with that salty flavor that is still better than your leading brand chips. Plus the beans give these snacks added fiber value which is better for your digestion. You won't have colorful fingertips for your kids to decorate the furniture or their clothing with either. They use cannellini, green and pinto beans to make these. There are three flavors; BBQ, cheddar, and sea salt.
My kids definitely devoured the BBQ and cheddar ones first. I love the crunchy and flavorful addition they bring to our snacking habits. They have 50% less fat than regular chips. This is how its put when you pose the question, Why beans? 

"Beans have been a staple in the Mediterranean region for centuries, packed with protein and nutrients our bodies crave.
This modern day super food, allows us to create better-for-you snacks with simple, ancient ingredients."
So check them out and look for them in a local store as there are many that carry the Mediterranean Snacks. 

Thursday, April 9, 2015

March Bulu Box review

This months box had a lot more samples than the two previous boxes I've gotten.
The ad included had a scratch off for a discount towards ordering from Bulu.
The first thing I tried was Bean Fields Bean and Rice Chips. I got the ranch flavor.

They are a vegan snack, corn free, gluten free, all natural and a great source for fiber and protein. They have an interesting texture. Really love the flavoring. It's not overbearing. These chips are high in protein and fiber with less fat than leading brands. The beans used are farmed here in the United States. No sugar, gluten, dairy, peanuts, seeds  or corn. So whether you are a vegan or have peanut allergies, they make a great snack.
There is something called E-Hydrate packs that are supposed to provide natural energy. I tried using the orange flavor one but it just fizzed right out the bottle as it made contact with the water.

So the second try, I had to pour it slowly while letting it settle in between pours. It's made here in the US. On top of providing energy, it adds minerals and vitamins to your diet. They also donate 5% of their profits to benefit veterans and their families through IAVA (Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America). I liked the lemon lime flavor. It does have a strong sweet taste though and feels slightly carbonated.
Then I started using these capsules that were included. Vivioptal capsules are a multivitamin and multi mineral supplement.  The good thing is, they are gluten free. The bad thing is, they have a bad smell at first with an aftertaste. 
There were a few other things in the box that I don't have a personal interest in. Not everything in every box is for everyone. But they do have some great things to try out before you buy.