Summit Nutritions Instantized Whey Protein Isolate Powder (3-pack)

While I am a fan of and can appreciate a good protein powder, Hubby is the real “house expert” here, so I will again defer to him for this coming review, Summit Nutritions Instantized Whey Protein Isolate Powder in natural dutch chocolate. Take it away, Hubby:

I’ve tried more than a few protein powders, and mostly through much trial and error have found out what works best for me and my exercise routines. Summit Nutritions has made a very decent Isolate product that can stand on it’s own with the likes of BSN, Muscle Pharm, and Optimum Nutrition. A little bit about this product and others like it. All whey proteins are not created alike. All protein powders aren’t created alike either. Whey is created by separating the components of milk. The differences between concentrate, isolate, and hydrolysate. The differences between the three are the purity of protein, available protein by weight, and the purest forms can be virtually lactose free, carbohydrate free, fat free, and cholesterol free. Whey proteins are quickly absorbed, have a high amout of BCAAs, and lately, the better ones can be very expensive. Isolates especially. To find a good isolate powder, that isn’t spiked, and tastes good is a tricky endeavor. “Spiked” powder is pretty cheap and unfortunately pretty common. The practice of spiking protein powders with certain amino acids and other substances to artificially boost the protein count. Brands like Body Fortress are notorious for this, and are actually being sued in a class action because of it.

 

Summit Nutritions isn’t playing that game. Just whey protein isolates, some natural flavors, sweeteners, cocoa powder, and some thickener. And for it’s minimal ingredient list, it tastes pretty dang good. A little on the sweet side, but for anyone who’s tried “unflavored” whey proteins knows that the sweetness is much better than the alternative. No sugars, no cholesterol, minimal carbs and practically no fat. It mixes well, leaves no clumps, and actually tastes better than my usual isolate product. It’s premeasured in 30g individual pouches, and one can easily add your BCAA powders or creatine with minimal effect on the taste and consistency of the shake. I use these powders for my post-workout shake, but I can see this being an occasional meal replacement shake too. Be it a quick liquid breakfast or a liquid lunch on the run. The sealed single serve packages lend themselves to quick and easy mixing that you can do anywhere, anytime with just a half bottle of water. If not for one glaring thing, I could see this becoming my go-to powder for regular use.

 

That one thing is price. At $8 for 3 servings, you’re looking at almost $200 to match the leading brand’s 74 serving tubs of concentrate, or $133 to match the leading brand’s 50-serving isolate tub. That’s prohibitively expensive. I’m not sure I’d pay an additional $80 for the convenience of pre-measured powder to mix on the go. Currently, the company sells a package of 3 single serving pouches at $7.99, 2lb tubs at $36.99 and 5lb tubs for $69.99. That’s still pretty expensive, more than one would spend for similar products of equal quality on Amazon, which is currently the only place Summit Nutrtions sells their protein powder. So while 3 days of mixes do not really give you enough of a sample size to see whether you get the usual benefits of a good post-workout whey isolate shake, it is enough to tell you it tastes good, smells good, mixes good, & seems to have everything you want in a protein powder, nothing you don’t.

 

Thanks, Hubby. I appreciate you being my designated sports nutrition testing try-out fella.

 

Connect with Summit Nutrtions:

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I received the above product(s) free of charge from Summit Nutritions. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Healthy Surprise: Subscription Snack Box filled with goodies and delivered right to your door

Healthy Surprise is a company, which delivers snack filled boxes to your door on a monthly basis. The company also offers specialty themed boxes, like their Chocolate Box that is filled with anything and everything having to do with that cacao bean we all love. You also have different box levels and they just get fuller and fuller as you go up the scale:

• Starter Box- $40.00 a month and filled with snacks for 1 to 2 people. Each box has 11+ full sized snacks to enjoy.
• Big Box– $60.00 a month and filled with snacks to satisfy 1 to 4 people. This box comes with 16+ full sized snacks to indulge in.
• Combo Box– $95.00 a month and filled with snacks to satisfy 2 to 6 people. The Combo Box is huge and filled with 27+ full sized snacks that will satisfy any taste-bud and then some.

All treats are soy free, gluten free, natural to vegan. Snacks are corn free and even plant based. I also found they research very carefully what they offer in their boxes from products not made in China to the ingredients used. You won’t find MSG to High Fructose Corn Syrup. Worried about allergies? Healthy Surprise hunts for dairy free, peanut free, shellfish free, no artificial flavors, dyes, color, to even no artificial sweeteners used in their health friendly boxes. No Partially Hydrogenated oils or yeast extracts to upset your taste buds! It’s munching but at a higher level of quality and some can same say less guilt. I’m always for feeling better and less guilty about snacking!

One thing I dislike about monthly subscription boxes is the wait. You miss that delivery window and you are waiting 30+ days to get anything. Not with Healthy Surprise!  They even have a count down and I ordered one day in the early hours and I am not kidding, I was opening up my box within 48 hours. Healthy Surprise is a California based company, so I got quick delivery and so can you, as they ship for free anywhere in the U.S. You can also set when you want a box shipped and I like that level of control when ordering.

Now to the box we go! I received the smaller box called the Starter Box and calling it small is an understatement, with 13 items but does it live up to it’s price tag? Let’s see….

• Hail Merry Macaroons Blonde– The bag comes with 1.75 of puck shaped macaroons. They are small but packed with flavor and no skimping on the coconut. I loved these and ate them with fruit, then dipped some in chocolate and two macaroons swam in an almost empty jar of Fleur de Sel Caramel that was too good to waste. Love these and they are addicting. The product is gluten free and Vegan friendly. Hail Merry uses top notch ingredients from organic maple syrup, shredded coconut, extra virgin coconut oil to raw almond flour. You add vanilla and sea salt and that makes up the entire list of contents. Simple and delicious and I’m a fan. A bag this size retails for about $4 to $5.

 

• Gorge Delights, Just Fruit Bar in Apple Cherry– 100% grown U.S. fruit, this bar is sort of like the “fruit leather” you find at Trader Joe’s. A little thicker and it’s made of apple puree, apple concentrate, and cherry concentrate. The bar is simple but delivers more of an apple punch than a cherry one. Due to it’s ultra minced texture, the bar is a little on the gummy side but not satisfying in texture like a gummy bear is. It’s more gummy and smashed. Was not a fan of the bar and stopped at two bites because the cherry was just not there for me and it started to taste like fermented fruit. I really wanted to like this bar because it does satisfy 2 fruit servings of your daily requirements and I would try it again but in another flavor. This bar retails for about $1.16 when purchased in bulk sizes (for retail).

 

• Oloves in Basil and Garlic– These are natural green pitted olives and they have a touch of salt, sunflower oil, basil, garlic, vinegar, and acidifiers listed as lactic and citric acid. The pouch weighs 1.1. ounces and safely keeps the green olives intact. No broken or smashed ones and I added them to a salad, which made my dinner look like a beauty and my taste buds were 100% satisfied when it came to the flavor and texture. You get a nice brine that is not over loaded with acids or too high in flavor when it comes to the marinade. Oloves found the perfect balance where the other flavors compliment versus taking away from the olive. A bag this size retails for a little over a $1.00.

• Hail Merry Grawnola in Orange and Cranberry– Another hit for the Hail Merry family and this raw nut and fruit blend is packed with flavor that is perfectly balanced. Many orange flavored items are over powered with a poor tasting juice that smells better than it tastes, but not here. You get the hints of citrus and the granola is crunchy and not coated with that honey/orange juice glaze that gives you sticky fingers. You have ingredients like raw almonds, maple syrup, buckwheat groats, fresh orange juice, dried apples, raw pecans, and cranberries. The blend continues with raw sunflower seeds, walnuts, flax seeds, vanilla and a touch of cinnamon and salt. Perfect and craveable, plus energy packed. Most ingredients are organic and this product is gluten free, Vegan friendly, grain free and packed with Raw Omegas. Hail Merry products make you look at the label twice and it’s not a trust issue, it’s that you can’t believe something so good is not doused in sugars and bad stuff! This 1.5 ounce bag retails for between $2.50 and $3.00.

• Buddy Fruits in Mango Passion & Banana– The drink comes in a resealable container and Buddy Fruits is simple in the ingredient list. You have pure blended fruit derived from Mango. Apple, Banana, and Passion Fruit juice…..that is all. The pouch delivers a taste just like you would imagine the fruit combination would be. Great product to drink as it is or even add to smoothies. I semi-froze mine to enjoy on a hot day and it got a nice slush consistency that made me wish I had 2 of these in my box. The 3.2 ounce pouch retails for about a $1.00 to $1.25.

 

 

• Freshly Wild Super Foods, Kale Joy in Jazzy Sweet Mustard– Healthy surprise sent me another thing I’ve been dying to try, kale chips. Because let’s face it, everyone gets “munchy” from time to time, but potato chips are all kinds of unhealthy and bad for any diet in excess. From Freshly Wild, a small Portland, Oregon-based health food company, comes Kale Joy in Jazzy Sweet Mustard flavor. Not just your average dehydrated kale chip, these are handcrafted and carefully dehydrated in a small kitchen “powered by renewable wind energy”. Cool. Gluten-free, non GMO, and vegan, three things that are quite popular right now. Using “… only the best juices, nuts, seeds and spices”, this little guy is coated in crunch and flavor, with little bits of nut and seasoning all over. Neat-o. In a resealable .75 ounce package to boot. Crispy without being crumbly, and a satisfying crunch that fills that “munchy” feeling I mentioned earlier. Tangy and sweet. Two things jump out at me: 1 is that unfortunately, a lot of the chips became “shards” at the bottom of the bag. And 2 is that for only an ounce, you’d be paying between $4.50 and $6.00 a bag. Yowza. Fortunately, a little bit goes along way.

• Snip Chips in Dill Pickle– This is a Parsnip and Coconut snack mix. I have never even sniffed a blend like this or much less had one but I’m a try it all and then decide type of gal. The product is parsnips, raw coconut, raw cashews, apple cider vinegar, dill, garlic and lemon, plus a touch of chipotle, mustard seed, and Himalayan crystal salt. I dive in and it’s not crispy but more of a dehydrated like texture, I have seen these at my local Sprout’s Market and they come in other flavors. I like dill pickles and found myself puzzled by the blend as I knew it.  I did go back for a second and third piece. The verdict is still out on this one for me as much as I tried to make-up my mind about it. I guess I’m in the middle about it, I don’t love them or dislike them but unsure if I will be having more. Sun Chips does have other flavors and maybe the cheesy one would be better. This bag at a weight of 2 ounces retails between $5.49 and $5.99.

The Daily Crave Veggie Chips– Remember that “munchy” feeling I mentioned? The one that comes between meals and runs diets? Yeah, that one. Here’s another product that should make you feel a little less guilty about munching. Note that I said “should”. I’ll explain that in a minute. The Daily Crave is a snack food company that boasts on their website:

*100% All Natural
*100% Vegan
*No Artificial Ingredients
*No Dairy
*Non GMO
*No Artificial flavors
*No Artificial coloring
*No Hydrogenated Fats
*Perfect for Dipping

That’s a mouthful. And it’s got a neat package, a good price, clever marketing, what’s not to love? Well, a close look at the ingredient list reveals that these are not all that different from, say, those chips in a tube shaped can that stack so nicely. Potato flour, potato star hotel, and oil are the first 3 ingredients. And while there is salt and sugar, it’s thankfully in very small amounts. Almost as small as the amounts of actual veggies in these veggie chips. Now, that’s not to say they aren’t tasty, because they are. But for all they got right, they also got quite a bit wrong. Snazzy packaging and trendy buzzwords do not a great product make. A small filled bag at just 1 ounce retails for $1.33 (retail bulk price).

• Snapz Premium Grilled Zucchini Crunch & Snapz Premium Pineapple Crunch– I hate being a snack buzzkill, so let me mention a couple of yummers that I loved. Snapz Crisps makes an entire line of gently dehydrated fruit and veggie crisps, so there’s something for everyone. They are a “Brand leader for non fried fruit and vegetable crisps, 100 % natural, not fried or baked. Using unique technology to ensure the products are very crisp (?) they combine the fun and enjoyment of crisps with the goodness of fruit and vegetables. Appealing to all ages groups — young and old alike.” I got to try both sweet and savory with their Premium Pineapple and Grilled Zucchini flavors. While I appreciated the subtle flavors of the grilled zucchini, a little touch of sea salt would have really livened it up. But the pineapple crisps were a hit all around. Too often there are added oils and sugars in dried fruit that completely drown out the flavors of the fruit, but not here. I love the one item ingredient list: Pineapple. Winner! Tasty, crunchy, tangy. Not oily, not overly sweet. What’s not to love? Fat free, gluten free, nut free, GMO free, sugar free, salt free, preservative free…can it be true? It is, but I came crashing down to earth when I went to buy some more: 12 bags (0.46 oz each) were over $17 plus tax and shipping at Amazon. That stings. I really hate that the closer you get to real foods the more it costs, but that’s the reality in America anymore. I will say I really, really enjoyed these and will be on the lookout for them when next I darken the market’s doorstep.

• Righteously Raw Chocolates in Mint, Rose, and Dark chocolate– The Dark has a nice creamy and intense cacao notes. It’s not perfume-y, just chocolate satisfaction all the way through at 83% pure cacao you can believe it’s good and no bitter notes at all. It’s the espresso of chocolates! The Mint version has 82% cacoa and it’s not your typical mint that is creamy, think more of a “dry mint” taste where your mint is derived from peppermint so you get the sharp notes combined with the dark chocolate. A good combination and I liked that it was different than the typical mint flavors I have tried before. Then comes the Rose. I love roses and have even indulged in pastries that contain rose water……I took a bite and the flavor was so off, that I quickly chewed and opened the Dark version for salvation. It tasted like something bad had been infused and not like any rose I have eaten or even smelled. The tricky part is the bar smells like just dark chocolate but when you bite, something bitter and sour just takes over your mouth. It says red raspberry powder, brown rice protein powder to red beet are mixed in with the chocolate. Rose hips is last on the list and maybe it’s the flavor combination but it’s a no-go on the Rose and I love chocolate and have even continued to eat chocolate that when asked how it is, I reply “ummm, it’s okay”, but continue munching. Could not do that with the Rose. Righteously Raw did well with the Dark and surprised me nicely with the Mint, so go there when buying this one. The 3 chocolates I received are considered “bite-size”, so finding a price point was a bit difficult but buying in bulk of a bag of dark was 16 pieces for $22.99 via Amazon, making it under $0.70 per bite size bar.

• A $25.00 gift card– was also included and can be used towards the purchase of a Healthy Surprise box, making the smaller one more than 50% off. Good company when it comes to continuing patronage with their customers.

I liked being able to try some brands I had never heard of, brands that I have seen but knew nothing about, and seeing the familiar ones like Hail Merry but trying new items from a company I know and purchase products from. Exploring is fun and The Healthy Surprise Company does the hunting while you do the munching. I believe every subscription company should at the very least be tried once and to get a good idea, try it a second time. I did feel some items were overly priced by companies but that is not Healthy Surprises’ fault. It did let me adjust my shopping list by making sure to add some companies to my list and knowing what products to just walk away from. If you are into exploring new items and new flavors, but in a “better for you” way, try Healthy Surprise. I found a great link you can use, which is via Groupon. For a limited time you can get the $60 box for $30!!!

Visit Healthy Surprise and get the Groupon deal at:

• Groupon Deal– groupon.com/deals/healthy-surprise
• Healthy Surprise on-line– https://healthysurprise.com/
• Healthy Surprise link to purchase box- Healthy snacks delivered to me each month? YES! #healthyeating #Iwantthis http://mbsy.co/6jQWq
• Twitter– https://twitter.com/healthysurprise
• Facebook– https://www.facebook.com/healthysurprise
• Pinterest– https://www.pinterest.com/healthysurprise/
• Instagram– http://instagram.com/healthysurprise

I received the above product free of charge from Healthy Surprise. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Almondina: Delicious Cookie without the Guilt Review & Giveaway

Last week, I shared the Valentine’s Day Almondina ice cream hearts recipe and today I wanted to not only recap some of the flavors, but also have a giveaway 🙂  Yes, one lucky winner will receive the same assortment I did courtesy of the wonderful people at the Almondina brand.

You can visit here to get the Valentine’s Day Almondina recipe to make a treat that is delicious all-year-round-

https://samplesandfreebiesgallery.wordpress.com/2014/02/11/almondina-cookies-no-bake-valentines-day-gelato-sorbet-and-ice-cream-heart-treats/

It was difficult to choose a favorite among all because they were all delicious.  This is the type of cookie that when I shop at Trader Joe’s, if they did not have my first selection…..it does not matter. I will pick-up the flavor they have in stock.  Yup, not passing it up!  I love to pair the thin cookie mostly with ice cream because it’s like having a treat after dinner but I don’t pay for it a day later at the scale!  It tastes good, maybe so good that you forget that each sweet cookie is just around 30 to 35 calories.  The selection is bountiful and you can choose from chocolate based cookies to just the Original.  No added fat, salt and a cholesterol free product…..so, your heart will thank you as much as your taste buds.

AlmonDuo:

I love pistachio nuts, so this one really was the perfect little cookie for me.  Almondinas are thin, but do not mistake that for being dry because they are not.  They are crisp and light and the cookie is just studded with with perfect slivers of almonds and pistachios.  It’s a happy cookie that will make anyone smile!  Dip in chocolate ganache and you may even get the giggles 🙂

Chocolate Cherry:

This cookie has a rich chocolate base that is deep in flavor.  You have a great combination of plump dried cherries that just complement the cocoa perfectly but also almonds.  I enjoy having this cookie with ice cream because in my eyes it’s almost a sundae with the fudge, nuts and even cherry on top!  Also, you can have your chocolate and enjoy it too with 4 cookies only at 132 calories.

Cinnaroma:

I love cinnamon but tend to avoid it in products because manufacturers forgot the words, “a touch of Cinnamon”,  Almondina thankfully has not.  You taste the spice but you will find it compliments versus just engulfing your mouth with it.  Your taste buds still enjoy the almonds, and the raisins really make me think of a loaf of cinnamon bread when I have this cookie.  You also pick up the malted barley flour, giving this cookie a distinct flavor.

GingerSpice:

This is what I call my “breakfast cookie” because I enjoy it with a pear based yogurt I like having in the morning.  The Almondina is like the cereal that never loses it’s crunch in milk but yogurt in it’s place.  I start my morning with this healthy parfait and you get to enjoy the diced Australian ginger they used that really gives it that gingery-snap taste.  Nice to have a cookie like this available year round!

Almondina cookies come in several varieties and flavors, you are sure to find one (or three) you will love:

• Original – America’s all natural favorite with almonds and raisins
• Chocolate Cherry – We combined the world’s finest dark chocolate with plump cherries to produce an irresistible, decadent treat without guilt.
• Choconut – Rich tasting crunchy chocolate, but low in calories
• Cinnaroma® – The original biscuit for cinnamon lovers
• Gingerspice – Trend setting, with chunks of Australian ginger
• AlmonDuo® – Double-nut wonder with almonds and pistachios
• AnniversaryT – Award winning delight with a touch of anise
• BranTreats® – Made with oat bran and the finest cinnamon “Cookies For Breakfast”
• Sesame – Irresistible, exotic, flavorful
• Seasonal Pumpkin Spice – A seasonal attraction with a delightful touch of fall spices combined with the highest quality almonds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

Try Almondina’s Newest Products:

• Chocolate Dipped – the Original® dipped in the finest, pure, rich dark chocolate was previously offered only certain times of the year is now available year round
• Delights – The Original® Almondina totally encased in Milk chocolate
• Yogurt Dipped – Brantreats® dipped on one side with a layer of all natural yogurt

Stop by and thank Almondina for sharing with us their Grandmother Dina’s cookie, a delight since 1929:

• Online
• Facebook
• Twitter

**Now for the Giveaway**

Very easy to participate and have a chance at becoming the winner of the same selection of goodies I received from Almondina.  All you have to do is-

1. Like Almondina on Facebook
2. Please Follow them on Twitter
3. Then please leave a comment on this review……that is all 🙂

I will announce the winner on March 3rd!

I received the above product free of charge from Almondina. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

Peeled Snacks: Apple Clusters in Cinnamon Crunch

Apple Clusters in Cinnamon Crunch

Peeled Snacks came up with their own version of delicious clusters because we all have had that craving that can only be satisfied by something crunchy. This snack is 0% in fat and preservatives. I love the simplicity of the ingredients, as you have Organic Apples, Organic Apple Juice concentrate, Organic Potato starch and Organic Cinnamon. That is all! No fillers or fats to interrupt that apple munching. Each bag comes with 4 servings, which comes to 1/4 cup for each serving and only 60 calories. That is snacking without the penalty!

Taste and Texture:

Each ball is made up of these little squares that are made from the potato starch (as a binder) and just absorbed the apples and juice, with just a hint of cinnamon. The apple clusters come in Cinnamon and I like from the start when you open the bag, you are not overwhelmed by the spice and the cinnamon is used as it should be, to compliment the apple not drown it. The clusters are shaped into these bite size balls that are just fun to pop in your mouth. The apple flavor is intensely real and there is no “faux” anything in your mouth when you eat these clusters. I could not believe the amount of apple flavor that came from them and it was delicious and balanced well, not super sweet. You get tartness and the crunch imitates well the idea of biting into apple pieces. I liked that the balls were not hard and broke apart with one bite. No oats or grit left behind because again no fillers that get in the way of your snacking.

I would definitely buy these because I found myself popping and indulging in them as I typed this review. Most times I behave and try a product and then type but because these left my hands clean and I craved more, I sort of caught myself going back to the bag several times. The snack is very low in calories for what I now refer to as my simple apple pie bites! As with all Peeled Snacks, the product is USDA Organic, Gluten free and zero grams of fat. You get only 10 grams per serving of sugar and 0% sodium. I can already imagine this being my movie night go to snack and on Saturday these clusters will be saying, “Hello” to my yogurt and I call that having my apple pie a la mode!

Please check out Peeled Snacks and their other Clusters at:

• Available at you favorite retailer, from Amazon.com to Starbuck’s, so you can get your Peeled fix at anytime
• Save 10% on your first order if you sign-up for their Newsletter, so you can keep up with Peeled Snacks adventures (also savings); http://peeledsnacks.com/
• The Fruits at Peeled Snacks also tweet, so check them out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeeledSnacks
• Very social fruit and even have a Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/Peeled
• Maybe you are into pictures and Peeled Snacks are not shy, so check them out on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/peeledsnacks/

 

I received the above product free of charge from Peeled Snacks.  I am not obligated in providing a favorable/positive review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the products, which may differ from yours.

Peeled Snacks: Paradise Found Fruit

As a few of you may recall, I tried the Peeled Fruit Mango Snacks and wrote a not too favorable review. I felt bad because going by everything the company advertised, the product was below my expectations and obviously not the common experience, so my guilt made me reach out when I launched my review.

Just like I expected the Mango to taste, is just like how the people at Peeled Snacks treated me, NICE! I received a very kind response and they sent a beautiful array of snacks for me to share with you.

You will notice that Peeled Snacks keep things simple and I like that. The less you mess with my food, the better it will taste to me and I seek these types of foods for my family. These fruits are described as “gently dried”, so you don’t get that dried fruit like I recall when I was a child, drenched in a sugar bath and gummy. Peeled snacks take a step further and are USDA Organic certified, Non Genetically Modified, All Natural and Gluten Free. You can see why I was lured by Peeled Snacks because the idea of food like this just tends to draw me in!

Let’s get started…..

Paradise Found

The Paradise Found features a mix blend of Organic Bananas, Organic Mango and Organic Pineapple. You look at the ingredient list and it matches the contents, just the fruit and NO SUGAR added. You can see by the picture below that the fruit slices and pieces have a pleasant look and resemble exactly what they are with no artificial anything. I call it Naked Fruit!

Taste and Texture: First, you do smell a nice fruity scent that can be described as tropical so it is properly named Paradise. The banana slices are just delicious and not mushy in texture or leathery, just soft and when you chew, the taste does satisfy the craving. Great in yogurt to even cereal. I liked the bananas so much and felt they were better than the dehydrated type you usually find in markets as “cereal toppers”, so I was glad with the large amount provided in the mix.

Next comes the Pineapple and one thing that always got to me with Pineapple in this manner, was that because it is a fibrous fruit, when they would dry and sugar them, you got this horrible crystallization crunch that drowned any pineapple that was left from the over-processing. Not with Peeled Snacks! The pineapple tastes and varies just like it does in nature. One bite may be sweeter and the other may have more of the bitter notes and I like that variety in my fruit.

The Mango is much better in this mix and I enjoyed how each fruit tastes like it’s own even though they share a bag, they don’t blend in flavors. The Mango is peeled pieces and tender when you bite. Sweet and completes the tropical blend perfectly and this is coming from someone who is not a Mango lover but more a liker:)

Stay tuned for my Peeled Snacks Apple Clusters in Cinnamon Crunch coming very soon, plus much more from this great company!

In the meantime please check out Peeled Snacks at:

• Available at you favorite retailer, from Amazon.com to Starbuck’s, so you can get your Peeled fix at anytime
• Save 10% on your first order if you sign-up for their Newsletter, so you can keep up with Peeled Snacks adventures (also savings); http://peeledsnacks.com/
• The Fruits at Peeled Snacks also tweet, so check them out on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PeeledSnacks
• Very social fruit and even have a Facebook Page at: https://www.facebook.com/Peeled
• Maybe you are into pictures and Peeled Snacks are not shy, so check them out on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/peeledsnacks/

I received the above product free of charge from Peeled Snacks.  I am not obligated in providing a favorable/positive review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the products, which may differ from yours.

Swaggable: YumEarth Naturals Sour Beans

Being a Swaggable member, my newest item to review was the YumEarth Naturals Sour Beans. The company advertises these little guys as the Jelly Bean with Attitude. Made with real fruit juice and is a gluten free product. This Jelly Bean packs 100% of your daily Vitamin C but is also fat free….who doesn’t want that when it comes to candy?

I have always loved Jelly Beans but I am an addict of the sour stuff, from the ropes, candies, to just dipping my finger in a sour powdered mess, I shall have it! Being such an addict, I was overjoyed when I was picked to try these. I love how they look and being that it was just in time for Easter, they looked like mini Easter eggs for me and they just got me into the whole “Welcoming Spring Feeling!” These little buddies have no artificial dyes and if your little ones (or your big self) have allergies, they are also Soy-Free, Peanut-Free, and Tree Nut-Free. No MSG and I really so not want to know why someone would poison a little Jelly Bean with such things, but I know they do!

The Taste Test:

I started off with the intent to share. I poured part of the bag onto a plate and then had a pink colored jelly bean and my husband did too. He liked them and I had a second one but I must admit the rest is a fog. I will speed up to the ending and it pretty much was me asking if he wanted the last Jelly Bean and he thought I meant the one on the plate and not the last…LAST Jelly bean. I gulped them and I’m not a midday snacker. They were the perfect sweetness and that tartness just smacks your taste buds but in a good way. I then with fear turned the package over because I feared that this fog of goodness was going to end but to my surprise, one pouch that is 7 ounces is a mere 69 calories. I now did not feel bad at all for having them……well I still feel bad I gobbled them up but let’s say the guilt was lifted .

I have been a fan of YumEarth from the Pomegranate hard candies, lolly pops to now these cuties called Sour Beans. I have purchased them at Sprout’s but also Amazon carries a great selection at good prices. I love that they make the simple stuff the good way, so you can smile while you eat because their products not only taste great but they do not punish you for rewarding yourself. You can check them out at http://www.sourbeans.com and I highly recommend you pick up anything from YumEarth because you will not regret it. Have a smile with me because I am so picking up a bag of these Sour Jelly Beans but I promise to share….promise!

I was provided the product above free of charge from Swaggable.  I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My opinion is based on my experiences with the product that may differ from yours.