Food Review #28: The Power of Fruit Original All-Fruit Bars

I saw this new product in my grocer’s freezer the other day. I’d never seen anything like this before. I mean, sure, I’ve seen fruit bars and popsicles, but just fruit? NO sugar? Amazing! And the taste? Even better.

Why?

• Completely natural. 100% all fruit
• Real Fruit chunks
• No Gluten, Dairy, Sugar, Preservatives, Additives, Colors, etc!
• Low Calorie and Low Fat.
• Delicious!

What’s inside: strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, mangoe chunks, pineapple, bananas, white grape juice concentrate, water and nothing else. No added sugar, color, or preservatives. None. Zero. Zilch.

What to do with these:

1. Enjoy one of these at your next picnic
2. Enjoy one on a hot summer day.
3. Keep the kids cool and happy with a healthy treat they will actually enjoy.

Have you tried these? Let me know what you think!

Food Review #27: Purely Decandent Dairy Free Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert: Turtle Trails

OH MY! That’s all I have to say! This is DELICIOUS!!!!

Why?

• Caramel swirls
• chocolate covered praline candy that is almost ok it is, too sweet (actually try it, and let me know what you think )
• smooth,ice-cream like consistency
• tastes like “normal” ice-cream and even better! It’s definitely decadent
• So good, I almost ate the whole pint in one sitting!(Believe it or not, I don’t usually do that anymore.)

What’s inside: INGREDIENTS: FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYMILK (FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYBEANS), ORGANIC DEHYDRATED CANE JUICE, CHOCOLATE COATED PECANS [BEET SUGAR, PECANS, COCONUT OIL, COCOA PROCESSED WITH ALKALI, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, SOYA LECITHIN (AN EMULSIFIER),VANILLA, PEANUT OIL, SALT], CARAMEL SAUCE (ORGANIC TAPIOCA SYRUP, WATER, MOLASSES, NATURAL FLAVORS, SOY PROTEIN, COCOA BUTTER, SODIUM CITRATE, SALT, CARRAGEENAN), ORGANIC BROWN RICE SYRUP AND/OR ORGANIC TAPIOCA SYRUP, ORGANIC SAFFLOWER OIL AND/OR ORGANIC SOYBEAN OIL, CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM, ALGIN (KELP EXTRACT), CARRAGEENAN, YUCCA EXTRACT, POTATO SUGAR, SALT.

What to do with it?

1. Enjoy a big scoop with “dairy-free whipped cream-SOYATOO!

2. Enjoy it on a cone.

3. This would make one heck of a banana spilt!

4. Any other ideas? Let me know!

Food Review #26: Suzanne’s Ricemellow Creme (FLUFF)

I love peanut butter and “fluff” sandwiches, also known as fluffernuter! For those who don’t have fluff (the west, think of it like marshmallow creme only better). I grew up with them. And so I was sad, when I realized I could no longer eat them! But, I found this product and was extremely excited to try it! And I think it is pretty good!

Why?

• It’s sugar-free, sweetened only with brown rice syrup. (NO CANE SWEETENERS YEAH!)
• It’s gluten-free
• It’s dairy-free.
• It taste is close enough to “fluff” that I use it when I’m craving it and for recipes.
• Although it is not as fluffy as “fluff” and isn’t quite as tasty, it’s still 100% better than none!

What’s inside: Brown rice syrup, soy protein, natural flavors, natural gums

What to do with it?

1. Serve yourself (0r your kids) a “fluffernuter” or ricemellow-nutter!

2. Make yourself some yummy, rice crispy treats! See my recipe here.

3. Dollop some on your hot chocolate

4. Make a s’more!

Food Review #25: Smucker’s Reduced Fat Natural Style Peanut Butter (Creamy)

Again, in my search for a good peanut butter product I could handle, I tried this one. I got to say, I like this one more than “Better than peanut butter”.

Why?

• After eating natural peanut butter for so long, I love non-sweetened nut butters.
• Reduced fat
• Tastes great and very peanut buttery!
• natural!

What’s inside: PEANUTS, MALTODEXTRIN (REPLACES FAT)**, FAT REDUCED GROUND PEANUTS**, SALT. **INGREDIENTS NOT IN REGULAR NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER.

Use it in:

1. A pb and j

2. PB protien smoothie

3. Peanut butter cookies

Food Review #24: Better N’ Peanut Butter

I have struggled with finding something that agrees with me as far as peanut butter goes. I think it’s because I’m sensitive to too much fat at once. Anyway, when I found this, I decided to give it a try. After using natural, unsweetened peanut butter for quite a while, I forgot that regular peanut butter was sweetened. After getting used to it though, I find this to be pretty good.

Why?:

• It has a mild peanut taste
• It also has an almost chocolaty flavor.
• It contains 85% less fat, 40% less calories (100 calories serving)
• It has no refined sugars (although it has cane syrup and tapioca-which i still try to avoid when I can)
• Sweet
• Almost candy like flavor

What’s inside: PEANUTS (AS DEFATTED PEANUT FLOUR AND NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER), TAPIOCA SYRUP, PURE WATER, DEHYDRATED CANE JUICE, RICE SYRUP, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, SOY FLOUR, SALT, TAPIOCA STARCH, NATURAL FOOD FLAVORS, PAPRIKA & ANNATO, CALCIUM CARBONATE, LECITHIN, VITAMINS E & C (ANTIOXIDANTS).

What can you do with it?

1. Spread it on a pb and honey sandwhich.

2. Make pb cookies with it

3. Make fudge. I have a feeling this would make good pb fudge!

Food Review #23: Woodstock Farms Organic Kosher Whole Dill and Baby Dill Pickles

I have searched and searched for organic pickles before I found these. I went without pickles for quite a couple years before I found these. I practically (ok, actually I did) jump up and down when I saw these. Something about regular pickles (the preservatives and additives I’m guessing) makes me sick. And to find organic ones? Boy, it definately made me happy!

How do they taste? Great!

Why??

• Although they seem to have a slightly different than your regular pickle, I like them.
• My sister and mother (who do not eat organic) thought they tasted a little different but I thought they tasted fine.

What’s inside (for both) : Organic Cucumbers, Water, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Salt, Calcium Chloride, Organic Garlic Chips, DillWeed Oil, Organic Gum Arabic, Organic Natural Spice Flavors, Garlic Oil, Xanthan Gum.

Food Review #22: Spectrum Light Canola Mayo, Eggless, Vegan

Before the mayo I use now, I bought this mayo thinking that hey, I could save some calories and be healthier and still use mayo. The verdict: YUCK!

Why?:

• I hated the taste of this mayo so much that I rarely touched it.
• I would pretty much rather go without mayonnaise than eat this.
• I have heard that other vegan brands taste fine, but this one was awful!

What’s inside: Filtered Water, Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Cornstarch, Distilled White Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, Sea Salt, Soy Protein Isolate, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Xantham Gum, Onion Powder, Natural Vitamin E, Oils of Rosemary, Mustard, Turmeric and Paprika. (Gluten Free)

Food Review #21: Spectrum Organic Mayonaise

I bought this mayonnaise a while back and thought I would review it since I use it a lot. Not originally a huge mayo fan, but knowing I needed it for tuna salad, macaroni salad, etc, I bought some. I don’t particularly love this mayo.

Why?

• it is pretty strong (as far as flavor and tang) for me but for you it might be perfect.
• I find I don’t need a ton of this mayo for the flavor goes a long way!
• it’s good enough though that I use it when I need it.

What’s inside: Expeller Pressed Organic Soybean Oil, Pasteurized Organic Whole Eggs, Pasteurized Organic Egg Yolks, Filtered Water, Organic Honey, Organic Distilled White Vinegar, Sea Salt, Organic Dry Mustard, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate.

Do you have a mayo that’s healthy, light, and a favorite of yours? If so, please share!

Food Review #20: Ian’s GF Fish Sticks

After my last review and test of one of Ian’s products I was a little skeptical to try this one. I tried it though and actually liked it.

Why?

• I tried two in the microwave, which, weren’t bad.
• I thought they tasted best and crispiest after cooking them in the oven according to the directions.
• They were a little greasy but pretty good.
• I liked them pretty well
• I thought they tasted pretty much like the the glutenous versions I remembered.
• Don’t over cook or they’ll be really crunchy!
• And for serving size, it showed four small sticks as a serving with about two servings per pack.
• I was starving and ate all them that were in there…which to my surprise was about 12 small sticks. Filling meal for an adult. A kid might eat half I suppose. (Since they are kids food )
• I think though that they are a decent meal to have on hand if you don’t mind spending over $5 a box!! I’ll be looking into making these myself in the future…watch out for that post hopefully later!

What’s inside: Fish Sticks (Minced Pollock, Coated With (Cornflake Crumbs (Milled Corn, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt, Caramel Color [Natural Color Derived from Corn]) Water, Yellow Corn Flour, Corn Starch, Sea Salt, Baking Powder, Granulated Garlic)). Cooked in Canola Oil.

Serve them with: potatoes, fries, or whatever you like!

Food Review #19: Ian’s Mac and No Cheese

I found a new sections at Wegman’s the other day and was soooo thrilled to find this! I had seen dairy-free mac and cheese or gluten-free mac and cheese but not one with one that was both gluten-free and dairy-free mac and cheese. I haven’t even found a recipe I like so far really that is a gluten-free mac and cheese, so I hoped this recipe would be great since it was especially for kids. I tried it last night. It was not so great!

Why?

• Although I was not trilled at the cost (over $5 a serving!), I was really excited to try something already prepared that was gluten free and dairy free and sugar free! Amazing! Especially since this is such a classic food that I love.
  
• I found the texture to be ok, similar to regular mac and cheese.
• But, the taste, to my surprise, was not cheesy at all! It tasted like celery to me and was not something I wanted to keep eating.
  
• I had tried this because I was sure if kids liked it, I would too. I was very sorely disappointed and frustrated to waste my money on this product.

What’s inside: Brown Rice Pasta (Whole Grain Brown Rice, Rice Bran, Water), Vegetable Base, Rice Milk Powder, Water, Cornstarch, Canola Oil, Nutritional Yeast, Sea Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder.

Food Review #18: Good Karma Organic Rice Divine Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Here’s another one for you. I got this because I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate. And this looked amazingly good with its peanut butter fudge looking swirls and chocolate pieces. Overall, it turned out to be pretty good, although not exactly what I expected.

Why?

• Well, it turns out the chocolate pieces are supposed to be chocolate cookies. They taste alright but would be fine left out or I don’t know exchanged for chocolate pieces, or chocolate peanut butter cups!!!
• Despite the misleading package, there aren’t really any fudge swirls (at least that you can see), it just looks like chocolate ice-cream.
• It didn’t have much of a peanut butter chocolate flavor. Maybe, a little, but not really discernible.
• It was pretty good over all but I would definitely choose another flavor next time.
• It was basically chocolate ice-cream.
• Still a good ice-cream texture and taste though.

What’s inside: Organic Rice Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Rice Syrup Solids, Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice), Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Organic Sunflower Oil and/or Organic Canola Oil and/or Organic Safflower Oil, Organic Peanut Butter Variegate (Organic Peanut Butter, Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Organic Soybean Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Lecithin), Organic Chocolate Cookies (Organic Brown Rice Flour, Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Organic Palm Oil, Organic Cocoa Powder, Organic Vanilla, Natural Chocolate Flavor, Sodium Bicarbonate, Lecithin, and Xanthan Gum), Organic Chocolate Flavor (Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Water, Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder, Organic Tapioca Starch, Salt, Natural Flavor), Organic Cocoa Powder (Dutch Process), Chicory Root Extract, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.

What to use it for:

1. Place in a bowl and sprinkle on Peanut Butter cups!

2. Peanut butter cookie ice-cream sandwiches!

Food Review #17: Good Karma Organic Rice Divine Mint Chocolate Swirl

OK, OK! I know! More “Ice cream!” But hey, I what can I say, I really love ice-cream! That, and I lived on it today, as I got my wisdom teeth out this morning. I love mint and chocolate so this was a great combo for me! I loved this ice-cream!

Why?:

• It is nothing like “Rice Dream” even though it is made with rice milk.
• It reminds me sooo much of regular ice-cream.
• I loved it!
• It is creamy, tasty, and just like regular icecream.
• Plus, it’s not exceedingly high on calorie and fat content.
• I think this is my favorite “ice-cream” so far!

What’s inside:

Organic Rice Milk (Filtered Water, Organic Rice Syrup Solids, Organic Whole Grain Brown Rice), Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Organic Chocolate Fudge (Organic Dehydrated Cane Juice, Water, Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder, Organic Tapioca Starch, Natural Flavors, Salt, Carrageenan), Organic Sunflower Oil and/or Organic Canola Oil and/or Organic Safflower Oil, Chicory Root Extract, Natural Peppermint Flavor, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Locust Bean Gum, Soy Protein Concentrate, Organic Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Xanthan Gum, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt.

How to enjoy:

1. On a cone
2. In a sundae with hot fudge
3. In the middle of an ice-cream sandwich!

Food Review #16: AppleGate Farms the Great Organic Hot Dog

After not having hot dogs for several years, I decided to give these ones a try. Why?

Taken from their website they claim, “Made from 100% organic grass-fed and finished beef, these lean hot dogs are bursting with old-fashioned classic hot dog flavor—juicy, flavorful and delicious! These dogs have only 8 grams of fat compared to the average 15 grams in most brands, and because they’re made from grass-fed beef, they’re also high in omega-3 fatty acids (the good fat). Great on the grill or steamed on your stove top any time you’re craving a taste of summer.”

• I really liked the fact that these were made with organic grass-fed beef, less fat, and didn’t contain nitrates, sugar, gluten, dairy, or a long list of processed and questionable ingredients.
• And as far as taste! Still pretty juicy, yummy, just like you’d expect a hot dog to taste in my opinion, actually better, because it tastes like real meat, not some, well you know, questionable ingredients.

What’s inside: Organic Grass-Fed Beef, Water, Contains Less Than 2% Of The Following: Sea Salt, Organic Spices, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Paprika, Celery Powder, Organic Onion, Lactic Acid Starter Culture (Not From Milk).

What to use it for:

1. Barbaque it

2. Cook it on the stove.

3. Take them camping!

Food Review #15: Galaxy Nutritional Foods Rice Pasteurized Process Cheese Food Alternative, Mozzarella and American

Warning: While this is “lactose free and milk free”, it is not caesin free. It has a very small amount though so if you can tolerate it, you may want to try it.

I tried this product and found it was the best cheese substitute I have tried! And actually edible!

Why?

• I liked the mozzarella the best. It had the best closest flavor to what mozzarella tastes like.
• The American cheese wasn’t as close to what American tastes like and what this version tasted like.
• I liked them both though.
• I wouldn’t use them for mac and cheese
• I tried Rice Shreds and found them to be pretty great also.
  
• I haven't yet tried the rice topping but I intend to in the future.

What’s inside Mozzarella: Organic Rice Base (Filtered Water, Organic Rice Flour), Casein (Milk Protein), Rice Bran Oil, Sodium Phosphate, Contians 2% or Less of Sea Salt, Lactic Acid (Non-Dairy), Calcium Phosphate, Natural Flavors, Yeast Extract (Inactive), Carrageenan, Rice Starch, Vitamin A Palmitate, Riboflavin (Color).

What’s inside American: Organic Rice Base (Filtered Water, Organic Rice Flour), Casein (Milk Protein), Rice Bran Oil, Sodium Phosphate, Contians 2% or Less of Rice Starch, Sea Salt, Calcium Phosphate, Lactic Acid (Non-Dairy), Carrageenan, Natural Flavors, Salt, Yeast Extract (Inactive), Carotenal (Color), Vitamin A Palmitate.

What to use it for:

1. Goes good on sandwiches

2. I loved it ripped up over pizza (or just get rice shreds instead)

3. In a tuna melt!

Food Review #14: Soyatoo! Soy Whip

Mmm…I love Soyatoo! Soy Whip!

Why?:

• It tastes great!
• Tastes like whipped cream (although like a slightly lighter verision.)
• Natural
• It’s dairy-free fun!

My only complaint is that I can’t seem to ever get all the contents out. It always breaks on me. I would suggest buying the whipable topping instead of the can.

What’s inside: organic soy beverage* (water, soybeans), organic coconut oil*, organic fractionated palm kernel oil*, organic sugar-beet syrup*, organic maltodextrin*(**), tartaric acid, carrageenan, sea salt, natural vanilla extract // propellant: nitrous oxide

*= organic ingredients, verified by Quebec Vrai
** organic maltodextrin is derived from organic corn

What to use it for:

1. Spray some on top of icecream.

2. Use it for your banana split.

3. Spray some right into your mouth!:)

4. Decorate a cake with it.

Food Review #13: Earth Balance Organic Buttery Spreads

This is one of my absolute favorite products! I love these spreads!

Why?:

• They all taste about the same to me
• The taste is very “buttery”!
• It subs extremely well in any recipe calling for butter or margarine.
• I love the original whipped the most
• All-natural!

I haven’t gotten to try the soy free variety yet but it’s out there for those of you who need soy-

Original: What’s inside: expeller pressed natural oil blend (soybean palm fruit, canola and olive), filtered water, pure salt, natural flavor (derived from corn, no MSG, no alcohol, no gluten), soy protein, soy lecithin, lactic acid (non-dairy, derived from sugar beets), and beta-carotene color (from natural source).

Whipped:What’s inside: Expeller-Pressed Natural Oil Blend (Soybean (Organic Ingredients), Palm Fruit (Organic Ingredients), Canola (Organic Ingredients), Olive (Organic Ingredients)), Filtered Water, Salt, Crushed Soy Beans (Organic Ingredients), Natural Flavor (Organic Ingredients) (Derived from Corn, No MSG, No Alcohol, No Gluten), Soy Lecithin (Organic Ingredients), Lactic Acid (Non-Dairy, Derived from Sugar Beets), Naturally Extracted Annatto for Color.

Soy garden What’s inside: Expeller Pressed Natural Oil Blend (Soy, Palm, and Olive), Filtered Water, Pure Salt, Natural Flavor (Derived from Corn, No MSG, No Alcohol, No Gluten), Crushed Soybeans (Defatted), Soy Lecithin, Lactic Acid (Non-Dairy, Derived from Sugar Beets), Natural Annatto Color.

What to do with it:

1. Spread it on toast, potoatoes, rice, and pasta.

2. Use it to make toffee.

3. Make cookies!

Food Reviews #12: Rice Dream Original Enriched and Vanilla Enriched

This is probably one of my favorite non-dairy milks that I purchase.

Why?

• I love the creaminess
• I love how it comes out well with recipes.
• I don’t particularly love drinking it but hey, that’s just me.
• Also, I don’t notice any difference in taste between enriched vs not enriched.
• Also, the shelf quality and the refrigerated quality taste the same to me.
• And a note about vanilla, I don’t particularly like it and find it a little too sweet but for those of you who love vanilla give it a try.
• I love that it’s not sweetened!

What’s inside: filtered water, brown rice (partially milled), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, tricalcium phosphate, sea salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D2, vitamin B12.

What to use it for:

1. Pour it over cereal.

2. Use it in recipes

3. Make a “milkshake”

Food Review #11: RICE DREAM® Cocoa Marble Fudge Frozen Dessert

Actually, of all the “Rice Dream Frozen Desserts” this one isn’t too horrible.

Why?

• That’s definitely due to all that chocolate!
• I love the gooey fudge.
• I like the good chocolate flavor.
• But still, not the best flavor and texture for “icecream”.

What’s inside: Filtered water, natural sweetener mix (brown rice syrup, chicory syrup), rice mix (brown rice syrup solids, inulin, natural flavors, soy lecithin, salt), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, natural fudge variegate (organic evaporated cane juice, water, organic dutch cocoa powder, organic cornstarch, natural flavors, salt, carrageenan), cocoa (alkalized), contains less than 2% tapioca starch, guar, locust bean, carrageenan and xanthan gums, natural flavor.

What can you do with it?

1. Eat it plain, on a cone, etc
2. Make an ice-cream sandwich.
3. Make a brownie sundae.

Food Review #10: Rice Dream Carob Almond Frozen Dessert

Yuck, Yuck, and Double Yuck!

Why?

• I don’t know about you but I guess I’m just not a carob kind of girl.
• Plus, combined with the properties of this already not-so-yummy dessert, it just does not taste so good.
• Horrible taste and texture

What’s inside: Filtered water, natural sweetener mix (brown rice syrup, chicory syrup), rice mix (brown rice syrup solids, inulin, natural flavors, soy lecithin, salt), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, toasted almonds, carob, contains less than 2% of: tapioca starch, guar, locust bean, carrageenan and xanthan gums, natural flavor.

Food Review #9: Rice Dream Mint Carob Chip

This is probably the best flavor I’ve tried of rice dream. That’s not saying much.

Why?

• Since the mint flavor covers up the normal blandness, it’s it ok sub if you have no other options.
• The carob chips though-they are pretty gross. I don’t recommend eating them. And they’re not GF either.
• Texture is nothing like you would expect for ice-cream.

What’s inside:: Filtered water, natural sweetener mix (brown rice syrup, chicory syrup), rice mix (brown rice syrup solids, inulin, natural flavors, soy lecithin, salt), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, carob chips (malt powder, [barley, corn], fractionated palm kernal oil, carob powder, soy lecithin), natural peppermint flavor, contains less than 2% tapioca starch, guar, locust bean, carrageenan and xanthan gums, natural flavor.