Luv Michael: Locally Sourced Organic Granola that Gives Back #Review #LuvMichael #LuvMichaelCo

Being a yogurt lover sort of makes me a granola junkie. I love that crunch combined with nuts and fruits that tends to take the bore out of my geek yogurt. In other words, granola is what adds happiness to any cup of plain yogurt. As granola became more and more popular, many companies sort of got off the beaten path of just oats and sweeteners. Many add other ingredients like Chia seeds to Hemp and antioxidant rich berries like Acai to Cocoa nibs, plus your typical nut blends. Even the sweeteners have changed. Honey is no longer the only thing that bonds the clusters. I have seen from agave to rice derived sugars that really anymore we really have so many choices. Like with everything, being able to siphon out the fakers as I call them is really the only thing to watch out for.

 

 

In comes Luv Michael granola, which took the approach of not only making a “cleaner” product but also took the challenge of making changes happen with the products they produce. They contribute back and not just to your taste buds. Luv Michael is a company that invests in people with Autism, just like it’s founder Michael Kessaris. They produce a gluten free product with natural derived ingredients. Foods that benefit many with autistic symptoms. Luv Michael then again took a step further and when the company started with aid from his parents, they employ from the community people with same challenges. Talk about giving back in every way possible and this is why I took interest in such a company. Many companies give back but very few really take their mission to heart like Luv Michael has. The company and it’s members went full circle in every way possible to create not only a welcoming environment for autistic adults but one where they can help contribute and distribute a product for everyone.

 

Verdict:

Like I stated being a a self proclaimed granola junkie means I have tasted many combinations and overly elaborate mixes. Many have been great and others just stop being granola and more like trail mixes when you really look at the combos. Finding an original one or what I call plain variety is what is really hard to find. So many even add chocolates to their mixes that a snack turns into a dessert at one point or even an ice cream topper. My hunt for a good plain granola was starting to look murky until I found the company Luv Michael. First of all, finally a resealable package! Air is great for humans but very mean to granola. Some goes stale while other gets sticky when exposed to air for any amount of time. Mostly because of all the sugars and other non-granola ingredients making a simple thing not so simple. The granola from Luv Michael has even a cute name, Originola. Each packet is 2 ounces and masterfully done by not just chefs but Granologists. They use natural and organic ingredients and the end result is a not super sweet but plenty crunchy granola. The oat clusters are decent in size and not just what I call granola dust, when a product has been over processed or worse, those tooth breaking granola boulders. Each package contains perfectly sized chunks that you can enjoy as-is or pair it up with yogurt if you so desire. There is care in how everything is made at Luv Michael and that really is seen in the appearance of the product but more importantly, in the taste! Not super sugary but enough to add some brightness to a breakfast mix or snack. I really liked the oats used because they did not taste like they had been packaged on a shelf for months. There is freshness here and care. Luv Michael has captured what was lost and that is making one awesome plain granola mix that is rare to find anymore. A throwback to what use to be easily found before and from a girl that missed the plain original……she is very glad to count on Luv Michael to fill that knitch for her.

 

Connect with Luv Michael at:

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• #LuvMichael #luvmichaelco

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Luv Michael Company. I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion. I received no other compensation in exchange for my review. My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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“MELT”ed Chocolate? Yes, Please!

I’ve been able to try every single kind of Rich & Creamy Melt Organic spread they make (feel free to take a gander at my review from a while back), and I have yet to find one I dislike, even a little bit. From the Original, the Honey, and now, the Chocolate. Oh, the chocolate. How do I love thee?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Let’s start with, it’s chocolate.                                   Not that fake, weirdly sweet, waxy, sugary, nasty pseudo-chocolate that everyone seems to like to use. No, I’m talking the real deal. To quote their website, it’s a: “velvety blend of rich organic cocoa”. Boy, howdy is it. It also adds wildflower honey to the mix, along with the Melt Organic to make a truly good and good for you spread. With just 1 gram of sugar per serving and being dairy free, vanillin free, and nut free,everyone can enjoy it. Each square of Chocolate MELT Organic is certified organic, non-GMO (Non-GMO Project Verified), kosher and made with Fair Trade Fair for Life certified virgin coconut oil and Rainforest Alliance certified palm fruit oil. Chocolate Melt is also soy free, gluten free, dairy free and trans fat free. Each serving of Chocolate Melt is a rich source of the ‘good fats‘ with an ideal balance of Omega-6 to Omega-3 ALA (that are optimally metabolized with virgin coconut oil), and has 425 mg of Omega-3 ALA (or 26% RDA) and Vitamin E (or 15% RDA). Now that’s a mouthful, and a darn good one, too.

The best part is, since it’s good food that’s good for you, you can truly enjoy it any time, breakfast to dessert. Want to enjoy it on some toast? Aces. Want it with some fruit? Pile it high and deep. Want to bake with it? You had to know I was going to go there, and oh…I went there. But that’s for another post. 😉 Icings, filling, just drizzled on a slice of warm panetone bread. It’s something I can’t recommend enough that you try immediately. They even have coupons to print right from the website. It’s like it’s meant to be!! You really should dip a finger into their butter 2.0, it’s something you’ll wonder how you did without.

 

Connect with Melt Organic!!

• On their Facebook page
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• Plus many, many more ways!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          I received the above product(s) free of charge from MELT Organic. 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.

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.