Monthly Archives: April 2009

Country Choice Organic Lemon Ginger Sandwich Cremes

cclemonsandwich1This is the last of the Country Choice Organic goodies I tried out. When I saw the flavor “Ginger Lemon,” I was skeptical as to how the combination would taste like. I am all for using ginger in cooking, and have been known to drink ginger tea, but ginger in cookies? Well, it turns out that the flavor is amazingly well paired up. The ginger taste is faint, the lemon is tart, the creme is sweet, put them all together, and it creates a very complex and unique flavor. The cookies (minus) the frosting, is crisp and has a light lemon flavor to it as well. The cream frosting in the middle is what stands out in these sandwich cremes. I adore them. Better than any sandwich cookies I’ve had so far. One serving in 2 cookies which has 130 calories, 3 WW, 5 grams of fat (0.5 saturated), no cholesterol, 120 milligram of sodium, >1 gram of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. These are delicious when you enjoy it with tea. I like the cute little imprint on the sandwiches which says “Country Choice Organic.” When you are serving these to some friends, at least they know you are serving them some good quality snacks.

Retails: $4.39 online @ Country Choice
My Cost: Free
Calories: 130 per 2 cookies
WW: 3

2 Comments

Filed under Cookies, Organic, WW: 3

Country Choice Organic Steel Cut, Old Fashion, and Multigrain Oats

oatmealI stopped by Jamba Juice the other day and got another cup of their yummy organic slow cooked oats. Funny that I gravitate towards my oats even when I am out and about. Guess what I found out? I saw the girl in the kitchen throwing away an empty oat container and the brand they use is Country Choice Organic Steel cut oats. I don’t know if that is true for all Jamba Juice, but it was true for my particular store. I recently got a chance to try out 3 varieties of oatmeal from Country Choice Organics:

Steel Cut: Steel cut oat are my go-to oats of choice when I am not in a hurry. I like the texture of slow-cooked steel cut oats. Chewy and creamy and keeps me up and running for ages. So far, steel cut oats are my FAVORITE kind of oats. I’ve made many bowls of delicious bowl of oats with this canister.

Old Fashion: The oats are quick and easy to whip up. When I am pressed for time, these are my go-to oats. Ready in a matter of minutes and fills me up just as well as steel cut oats. Works really well when making Fitnessista’s amazing breakfast cookies. Delish!

Multigrain: Interesting combination. I should branch out more and include more mixes into my morning oats. The shape and texture is similar to the old fashion oats, maybe a little chewier.

I like the organic aspect of Country Choice oatmeal. I eat oats a lot so why not invest a little more for organic. Oats are not that expensive to begin with.

Retails: $2.39 to $2.99 at Trader Joe’s
My Cost: Free
Calories: 150 per serving
WW: 2-3

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Filed under Breakfast, Oats, Trader Joe's, WW: 2, WW: 3

Country Choice Fit Kids Instant Oatmeal Variety

fitkidsoatmealHealthy eating is a habit that takes time to develop so start them young. I myself was never self conscious of my eating habits until after college. I wished my parents could have guided me into health and fitness when I was younger. The Fit Kids line of organic products is design to make kids enjoy eating healthier without compromising taste. I got the pleasure of trying out the variety pack of instant oatmeal which has both the chocolate chip flavor and the cinnamon toast flavor. When I had these for breakfast, I felt like a kid all over again.

Chocolate Chip: Definitely on the sweet side since they are aimed towards kids. Very easy and convenient to prepare for the little ones. One packet makes about 1 cup of of cooked oats. When I poured in the oats, I could see those cute miniature chocolate chips all in the mix. There were only a few, but they definitely did the trick to create a chocolaty bowl of oats. I think kids would like it. These are especially great when you child is sick and can only eat mushy stuff. As an adult, I  prefer my trusty stove top oats with my fruit and peanut butter add ins. (But these are great when time is tight.) One packets is 150 calories, 3 WW, 2.5 grams of fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 100 milligram of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Cinnamon Toast is another interesting flavor fit for your kids. Again, on the sweet side so kids would have no problem eating this. The cinnamon flavor is slight, but overall the flavor is good. The calories in the cinnamon toast is slightly lower than the chocolate chip. One packet is 130 calories, 2 WW, 1.5 grams of fat, no cholesterol, 100 milligram of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 3 gram of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

Retails: $4.29 online at Country Choice
My Cost: Free
Calories: 130 to 150 each packet
WW: 2-3

2 Comments

Filed under Breakfast, Oatmeal, Organic, WW: 2, WW: 3

Country Choice Oatmeal on the Run Apple Cinnamon

oatmealonthegoThese are truely “Oatmeal-on-the-run.” When I am in a pinch for time, but still craving some morning oats, these oatmeal bars really does the trick. Very dense and similar to a clif bar, but these are packed with oats. How can you go wrong with apple cinnamon flavor? I think apples and cinnamon are meant to be eaten together by mother nature. Perfect combination in everyway. The densness of the bar kept me fueled with no problem. The bar itself is very moist and chewy. Taste really great when you nuke it for 30 seconds in the microwave. When I’m in a hurry in the morning, I grab one of these along with a banana and I’m good to go. Each oatmeal square is 220 calories, 4 WW, 3 grams of fat (0.5 gram saturated and no trans fat), zero cholesterol, 180 milligram of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

Retails: $3.99 per box online @ Country Choice
My Cost: Free
Calories: 220 per bar
WW: 4

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Filed under Breakfast, Oatmeal, Organic, WW: 4

Country Choice Organic Oatmeal Chocolate Chip & Raisin Cookies

chocolatechipThe second line of products Country Choice Organic sent over were these lovely oatmeal cookies in both Chocolate Chip flavor and Oatmeal Raisin flavor. The cookies are pretty small and left me wanting more. I dug into the chocolate chip flavor first. Soft-baked with sweet chocolate chips embedded into the oaty cookie. The softness of the cookies makes it very easy to break apart. Taste great by itself, but extra home-baked feeling when you warm it up and enjoy it crumpled on anything your heart desires. I like the oaty texture of the cookie. I tried it out on some yummy morning oats and it was delicious. One cookie is 100 calories, 2 WW, 4 grams of fat, 1 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. I wished these were higher in the fiber department, but I guess I can compensate somewhere else. The oatmeal raisin cookies were equally as scrumptious. The raisins were plump and sweet. Delicious!

Retails: $8.25 for 2 pack  online @ Country Choice
My Cost: Free
Calories: 100 calories
WW: 2

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Filed under Chocolate, Cookies, Organic, WW: 2

Country Choice Organic Fit Kids Cinnamon Toast Snacking Grahams

ccgrahamHuge thanks to John over at Country Choice Organic for sending over a wonderful box of samples. There was a whole variety of items that I felt like I should really split the reviews up to give each product justice. It took me a while to get to everything, but overall, I’m loving the products Country Choice Organic has to offer. These Snackin’ Grahams Cinnamon Toast from their “Fit Kids” line is pretty decent. They are in cute shapes which makes it more fun to eat. The graham flavor is not really strong and there was a light cinnamon taste. These are great with milk on the side since just snacking on these tends to be a bit dry. Taste-wise, these are just alright. One serving is about 18 cookies (28g), 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein. These are organic and made with whole grain flour which makes snacking just a bit more healthier. Throw some in a ziplock bag and they make a great on-the-go snack.

Retails: $4.29 online @ Country Choice
My Cost: Free
Calories: 120 calories per serving
WW: 2

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Filed under Cookies, Organic, WW: 2

Fresh & Easy Lemon Cilantro Hummus

04-24-09_1534After my gym workouts, I usually find myself stopping by Fresh & Easy just to pick up something quick and easy to whip up at home. Sometimes I just stop by just to browse to see what’s new. On my latest browsing trip, F&E had their whole line of hummus on sale for $1.50 each. They had many interesting flavors, but since they do not have preservatives of any kind, the life of these are not long (approx. 1 week). I picked up the most enticing flavor, Lemon Cilantro. I remember me loving the Jalapeno Cilantro flavor hummus from Trader Joe’s, so I thought I should give another cilantro flavor hummus a try. The lemon flavor was just a hint, and the cilantro flavor was not as strong as the TJ one, but the consistency of the lemon cilantro hummus was really creamy which I liked. One serving is 80 calories, 2 WW, 6 grams of fat (0.5 g saturated), no cholesterol, 150 milligram of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0.5 gram of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. This hummus is 10 calories higher than the TJ hummus. I think that is because the F&E hummus is much more thicker and creamier so I’m not complaining. This hummus was especially good with crunchy carrot sticks. Delish!

Retail: $2.69 at F&E for 8 oz tub
My Cost: $1.50 on sale
Calories: 80 calories per 2 tbsp
WW: 2

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Filed under Fresh & Easy, Hummus, WW: 2

Trader Joe’s Whole Grain Hard Pretzel Sticks

04-20-09_1923The best thing about these Trader Joe’s hard pretzel sticks is that they are made with 100% whole wheat. 100% whole wheat pretzels are hard to come by, so I had to pick these up. These whole wheat pretzel sticks are not as addictive as my usual pretzel slims, but I’m not complaining. Makes it that much easier to stop at a few sticks. These pretzel sticks are totally dippable too. I like to dip these in a little nutella or peanut butter. Amazingly satisfying. 100% whole wheat does make me fuller longer than the enriched flour pretzel slims. The size of each stick is not too shabby either. It’s like the size of my index finger, both in length and width. One serving (about 10 sticks) is 110 calories, 2 WW, 1 gram of fat, zero cholesterol, 400 milligram of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, <1 gram of sugar, and 3 grams of protein. These do a great job to keep my hunger at bay because these are 100% whole wheat.

Retails: $1.99 at Trader Joe’s
My Cost: $1.99
Calories: 110 calories per serving
WW: 2

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Filed under Pretzel, Snacks, Trader Joe's, WW: 2

Living Harvest Hempmilk: Original and Vanilla

03-05-09_1842Living Harvest Hempmilk is my first experience with hemp milk. I didn’t know what to expect. After trying the Original Hempmilk straight, I thought the consistency was more thin and watery compared to my milk and soy milk. Seems like there are tons of options for milk out there now-a-days. Soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, just to name a few. Living Harvest Hempmilk is jam packed with omega-3, 6, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, vitamin E, riboflavin, folic acid, phosphorous, iron and zinc. The taste was light and smooth with a nutty after-taste from the hemp seeds. I was surprised to see that one cup contained 14 grams of sugar since I did not think it tasted all the sweet. Milk is usually an ingredient to the food and drinks I make since I don’t gulp it down by the glass. When I added the Living Harvest hemp milk in my coffee, it seemed like there is separation, like miso soup. Same thing when I added it into my oats and it didn’t make it as creamy as adding soy or skim milk. I enjoyed it most when I added it into my smoothies. The vitamins and minerals hemp milk has to offer is great. One cup is 130 calories, 3 WW but already contains:

800 mg Omega-3 with SDA
2600 mg of Omega-6 with GLA
All 10 essential amino acids
4 grams of digestible protein
vitamins A, B12, D, E Riboflavin & Folic Acid
Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Iron & Zinc
40% daily value of calcium

The Vanilla Hempmilk is similar to the original one, but it had a slight hint of vanilla bean flavor and it was pleasant. One cup is also 130 calories, 3 WW, 4 grams of fat (0.5 saturated),  zero cholesterol, 130 milligram of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, <1 gram of dietary fiber, 16 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Aside from the Original and Vanilla flavor, Living Harvest also offers unsweetened versions of those as well. For you chocolate lovers out there, Living Harvest has you covered too. Overall, I think Living Harvest’s line of hemp milks are high quality products that would benefit those who have dairy, soy or any tree-nut allergens  or those who just like the loaded nutritional benefits of hempmilk . Also, these are vegan, gluten free, kosher, trans fat and cholesterol free.

Retails: $3.69 at Whole Foods
My Cost: Free
Calories: 130 per cup
WW: 3

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Filed under Drinks, Milk, WW: 3

Annie’s Homegrown Bunny Snacks Variety

anniebunniesRemember me loving the Annie Honey Graham bunnies from way back in December. I fell in love and vowed that I would try the other flavors Annie Bunnies had to offer. I love Costco. They had this variety pack for $10.59 plus the coupon book had a $2.75 coupon which made this a super deal. The variety pack come with my favorite, Honey Graham flavor and 3 other flavors that I have not tried yet. It would have been perfect if it had the Sour Cream variety instead of the Cheddar one. Cheddar was my least favorite because it was not quite salty enough. The taste of Pepperidge Extreme Cheddar flavor spoiled my taste buds so I felt that the Annie version did not have as intense of a flavor. Overall, I like this variety pack. Love how these are portioned for me and I can mix up the flavors whenever I want. Beats having 4 different boxes of Annie Bunny crackers open all at once. Great for on the go. I keep a bag or two in my purse just in case I get the munchies. My favorite flavor is the Honey Graham, but maybe that will change once I try the Sour Cream flavor. I thought the chocolate chip flavor tasted really similar to honey graham flavor since the Chocolate Chip flavor is faint. And Chocolate flavor one is good to help satisfy the chocolate cravings. There is a HUGE “150 calories or less” label on the box, but depending on the flavor, the calorie ranges from 120 to 140.

Cost: $ 10.59 at Costco box of 36 bags
My Cost: $7.84
Calories: 120 to 140 per serving
WW: 3

4 Comments

Filed under Annie's, Cookies, Crackers, Organic, WW: 3