Crazy for Luna Bars!

We started on a little journey here with Clif Bar & Company. And as we already established, Clif Bars rock. But what about another line from Clif Bar & Company? Like their Luna Bar and Luna Protein lines? Do those rock too? I’m here to say a big and enthusiastic “Yup!”. These rock almost as hard, if not harder. Because chocolate. This is a choco house, as any regular reader knows. And adding chocolate turns almost everything up to 11. So let’s turn it up to 11 right now.

Luna bars are the take anywhere for any meal plan bars that I have eaten and munched on for years. There are sooooooo many flavors to choose from, I challenge you to say you can’t find one you like. It just can’t be done. I’ll just blindly reach over into the heaping pile of yum Clif Bar sent me, and grab a random flavor as an example.

Peanut Honey Pretzel. 9g of protein, 3g of fiber, vitamins A, B(1,2,3,6 and 12), C, D, and E, 70% organic, Core 4 essential nutrients (Calcium, iron, folic acid and vitamin D), it’s a perfect snack, quick meal on the go, of addition to any meal at any time of day. Oh, a day did I mention, these taste good too? Big chunks of fruit, whole nuts, whole grains, just a touch of sweet and sometimes chocolate. There’s nothing in these I don’t love. Even Hubby has snuck a few from time to time (Stop it, girly man. These are for US!). Usually he snakes the ones with peanut butter or some variation of that theme. Luna bars are also filled with ingredients that Clif has gone out of their way to source from non-GMO suppliers. Thanks for that, because I’m tired of Franken-food. Even this time year. (boo!)

The fun didn’t stop there, though. Because there’s an offshoot of the Luna line. The Luna Protein bar. Packed with the same Core 4 nutrients, non-GMO sourced ingredients, and normal looking foods, there’s now 12g of protein in a smaller snack-sized bar. Grabbing again at the plethora of delicious Clif was so kind to send me yields me a Chocolate Cherry Almond bar. Coated in luscious chocolate, filled with dried cherries, whole almonds, whey protein, macadamia nut butter and organic vanilla extract, this bar is decadent. This 1.6 oz. bar only has 180 calories. But for those of us in a rush (and we established in my last post that we all are, for better or worse), these bars are heaven sent. Fills you up without making you sluggish and has enough good stuff to keep you powering through to the next meal. Heap big win.

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Flavors? Psssh. There’s one for everyone. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Chocolate Peanut Butter. Lemon Vanilla. Chocolate Coconut Almond. Trust me, Luna’s got you covered.

The long and the short of this is, skipping meals rarely does you any good. In our go, go, GO world, we need the fuel to keep our “get up and go” from having “got up and went”. A bag of chips won’t do it. An “energy drink” is just a seizure in a can. Candy bar? Do you really hate your body that much? Luna bars are an affordable and smart option. Throw it in your purse, pocket or bag. It fits. Not just it’s size. It fits your life.

 

 

Connect with Luna Bars!

• On Facebook!
• On Twitter!
• On YouTube!
• On Pinterest!
• On Instagram!
• On Google+!
• On their Website!

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Clif Bar & Company And Luna Bars. 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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Clif Bars are Good, to Go!

 

Every one is in a rush. I am. Hubby is. You are. It’s like we lost hours in the day somewhere. So when Clif Bar & Company offered to send me some products to test, I said “Yes, Please!”. As much as I love to cook and bake, when it’s this hot, a runnin’ oven is no bueno. Imagine my surprise when a box came loaded with treats from their Clif, Luna, AND Luna Protein bar lines! I did a little mental backflip of joy, because a physical one in this weather might just have killed me.

A small note, my bars were somewhat mushy and melty due to the extreme heat. This is in no way indicative of Clif’s Q.C. people. The weather is beyond everyone’s control and I’ve had enough Luna bars to know this is waaaaay outside of their norm.

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Clif bars are an awesome way to fill your food hole on the run. And it seems we’re all on the run anymore in some form or fashion. The first thing to suffer, after sleep, is usually nutrition. We grab something at the market to nuke or **shudder** drive through somewhere. Yes, even I’m guilty of that. How nice is it, then, that Clif packs enough good stuff in their bars to keep you motorin’ until dinner. Plenty of carbs, fiber, and protein and just around 200-250 calories per 2-3 ounce bar. A, B, C, and E vitamins. Flax seeds, rolled oats, real fruits and nuts, almond butter, fig paste, sea salt. Hey, I can pronounce these! Nice. And organic, rainforest certified and non-gmo sourced, too. Not too shabby at around $1.50 (or less) per bar! The texture is great (and remember, these had been stuck in nasty California heat for DAYS), the flavors rock, and it fits in your pocket or purse. It fills you up without dragging you down, and that’s win-win in my book. Clif says they pride themselves on “kitchen made” bars, and you can see, feel, and taste the dedication to that in every bite.

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Speaking of flavors, holy monkey are there a lot of good ones here. Black Cherry Almond. Blueberry Crisp. White Chocolate Macadamia. Chocolate Brownie. Seasonal flavors like Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Iced Gingerbread. I could go on and on. There’s a flavor for everyone, and they all ROCK.

 

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If I had one knock, it’s that the protein is soy-based. A lot of folks, Hubby included, are sensitive, if not outright allergic, to soy proteins. I would love to see Clif bars come out with a whey protein line as well, but for the price, they are tough to beat. I’ve been known to stock up during 5 for $5 sales, and the only hard parts are getting into the stores early to get my favorites and limiting myself to 5 or 10 at a time. Plenty of energy and punch to get you through the day with these little bars! You could do a lot worse with a midday meal or snack. You probably have. I know I have. I guarantee you hubby has. Now there’s really no excuse. Grab some Clif bars. Do it now. Go ahead, I’ll wait. I promise not to start my Luna Bar review without you.

 

 

Connect with Clif Bar & Company!

• On Facebook!
• On Twitter!
• On YouTube!
• On Instagram!
• On their Website!

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Clif Bar & Company.  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.

Bolthouse Farms: ALMOST Too Much Good Stuff

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Almost. But as it stands, this one is just right. I love it. Hubby loves it. You’ll love it too! For those following along at home, this is the last in the Bolthouse Farms Juice reviews. We previously covered their 100% Carrot Juice, 100% Pomegranate Juice, Daily Greens, and now, without further adieu, I happily present Bolthouse Farm’s MultiV Goodness!

The last treat in my batch of Bolthouse yum is a newer product for them, the Multi-V Goodness Smoothie. Packed with the juice of pomegranate, cherries, strawberries, apples, peaches, blackberries, cranberries and bananas, but not packed with calories (only 140 per serving) there is nothing not to love about this drink.

Did I mention the 8 grams of fiber? That’s nearly a third of the recommended daily intake already. You’re set! High in vitamins A, B, C, and D, and none of the yuck that comes in most highly processed smoothies, this one is good for breakfast, lunch or even dessert! I liked how the flavors all blended in harmony, making for a great experience. Hubby loved it too, and he’s not big on peaches or bananas. There’s no seeds or pulps like a home Smoothie would have. I love it. Hubby loves it. If we hadn’t been so quick to enjoy it, I’m sure the pooch would have loved it too. This one also comes in 2 sizes, 15.2 oz and 32, which makes it big enough to share, if you’re so inclined.

Visit Bolthouse and their Countless Juice Selections, Juices from Blends to the Plain; to Cafe drinks and even Protein ones:

• Say hello to the MultiV Goodness online!
• Veggies and Fruits on Twitter
• Visit Fun Bolthouse Crew on Facebook
• Catch the pics on Instagram
• Save $1.50 off any bottle here!

I received the above product free of charge from Bolthouse Farms. 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.

A Fridge Full of Bolthouse

Okay, we already covered Bolthouse Farm’s 100% Carrot Juice, even adding a nifty little take on going “beyond the juice”. Now, we get to the other treats Bolthouse sent, and let me tell you, in this house, we’ll always make room for Bolthouse now.

Pomegranate juice, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

No, seriously, I love me some Pom juice. Over ice cream, in my fizzy water, as a glaze on a grilled leg of lamb. Bolthouse went the extra nine here, though, and gave you the pearl in the oyster and juiced that red globe for you. There’s a “Wonderful”  version of this juice out there, and don’t get me wrong, I love them too. But let’s be real, they’re not always the most affordable, or easy to find. Bolthouse has really saved both of these issues in one fell swoop.

3 and 3/4 servings of fruit in this bottle. 5 and 1/4 whole Pomegranates. 150 little calories, 100% juice. And it tastes like a million bucks, but doesn’t cost anywhere near that much, obviously. You can find small 15.2 oz. bottle for you or to share. Giant 52 oz. bottles from your local Costco for the whole family. There’s something for every fridge and every budget. This one, this is my favorite. I’d drive across town for it. It’s not bitter, and tastes very fresh, very light, and not overly sweet. Out of the 4 juices Bolthouse sent, this has to be, far and away, my favorite.

 

Visit Bolthouse and their Countless Juice Selections, Juices from Blends to the Plain; to Cafe drinks and even Protein ones:

• Say hello to the Pomegranate online!
• Veggies and Fruits on Twitter
• Visit Fun Bolthouse Crew on Facebook
• Catch the pics on Instagram
• Save $1.50 off any bottle here!

I received the above product free of charge from Bolthouse Farms. 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.