Ian’s Natural Foods Organic Cheddar and Wheat Crackers

Polly want a cracker?
Maybe not, but I do!

We all love crackers! With cheese, jelly, peanut butter, or even straight out of the box. Crackers are a perfect munchy, salty snack. A lot of them, however, are packed with hidden hydrogenated oils, sodium and artificial flavors and colors. THANKS, but I prefer my crackers au naturale.

So, I got to try some delicious cheddar and wheat crackers provided by Ian’s Natural Foods that are organic & quite tasty.The crackers are about the size of your standard Cheez-it, and are square in shape. Each variety comes with conveinent 100 calorie packs, with about 15-20 crackers in each pouch. There is actually a decent amount of crackers in each pouch, and I was satisfied with the portion given. Normally with 100 calorie packs, the calories may be low, but so is the nutrition and the amount of product you get. (Has anyone had the “100 calorie pack Mini Muffin” variety? HELLO- you get like, TWO muffins! What is THAT!? )

Anyway (rant over)-
Onto the tasting…

Cheddar- Yummmy! Forget Cheez-its- these are going to be my new cheesy cracker in my closet! They had a nice cheddar cheese flavor to it, and while they were a bit salty, they definitely satisfied. They are very crunchy and actually quite addictive. Although satisfied with 1 bag, I totally ate 2 in one serving (whhhhat! They were delicious! )

Wheat- Oooh. These are also good. They reminded me of a nuttier wheat thin. Slightly salty, and had a slight buttery taste to them. These were great as is, and also with some Laughing Cow Cheese spread on top, and as mini PB&J “sandwiches” (but when do you ever go wrong with peanut butter & jelly?) I also liked how they were made with some whole wheat flour as well.

Overall, these get 4 stars. Perfect for snacking and for on the go. I preferred the cheddar to the wheat, but both are quite tasty. I also love how the ingredients are organic and healthier than other cracker snacks. Plus, the box is 100% recycled paperboard- eco friendly too. Gooooo Ian’s!

1 serving (1 pouch) is 100 calories, 2-3.5 grams of fat, 15-18 carbohydrates, 1-2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Cheddar- Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Oils (safflower and/or palm fruit oils), Organic Cheddar Cheese [(organic cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes), Organic Nonfat Milk, Organic Whey, Salt, Disodium Phosphate], Salt, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Leavining (monocalcium phosphate, baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate), Natural Annatto, Yeast.

Wheat- Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Whole Wheat Flour, Organic Oils (safflower and/or palm fruit oils), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Salt, Organic Malt Extract, Leavining (baking soda, ammonium bicarbonate), organic paprika, natural annatto.

Simply Scrumptous Fit & Flavorful Cupcakes

I have already reviewed some products by Simply Scrumptous from their Fit & Flavorful line, and I really enjoyed them. So, I was not hesistant at all to try their cupcakes, which is also part of their Fit & Flavorful Line of products.

First off-let’s start by asking when is the last time you ate a cupcake (with icing!)  and didn’t feel a ton of guilt after? Hmm, was that maybe when you were in elementary school and they brought in cupcakes for one of the kids birthday? You never thought twice about the calories or the sugar in each of those sweet, delicious cupcakes.

Well- I’m here to bring back some of those good feelings! Seriously- the cupcakes that Simply Scrumptous makes  are really quite good.

It is a chocolate cupcake with a thick layer of icing on top, designed in a cute flowery arrangement.
It was kind of small, only 2.1 ounces, but I cut it in half and ate both “halves” which made it more satisfying. It was also the perfect compliment to my sandwich & apple at lunch time when my sweet tooth hit. The icing was very sweet, and had a vanilla flavor. It tasted like the frosting on Dunkin Donut’s donuts in my opinion. It was slightly hardened, like when you ice a cake and let it sit overnight without any saran wrap on it-but I enjoyed that! You could also heat it in the microwave for 10ish seconds to melt it a bit.

The cake part was very moist, with a strong cocoa flavor. It wasn’t as sweet as the icing, but still very delicious. I would eat it on it’s own. Eaten together- it was fantastic! The sweetness of the icing paired nicely with the cocoa and mellow sweetness of the cake. I have a sweet tooth, so the icing was really a nice touch for the cupcake. And- the cupcake only had 8 grams of sugar. When’s the last time you had a cupcake with EIGHT grams of sugar??

I’m giving the cupcake 4 1/2 stars. It’s such a perfect swap for today’s sugary, trans-fat laden, high calorie cupcakes (I’m talking to you Duncan Hines and Ms. Betty Crocker!! ). The only reason it loses half a star is because it’s made with unbleached wheat flour instead of whole wheat. Otherwise- low in calories, low in sugar, high fiber, all natural- You gotta buy some now! Also,  get 35% off your first order using the code HNXO!  (hey, remember that secret bloggie valentine thing I was talking about? )

1 cupcake is 88 calories (yes- you read correctly- 88!), 0 grams of fat, 12 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.

Unbleached wheat flour, nonfat milk, egg whites, cocoa, apples, sugar, water, baking powder.

 

 

chhheck out this giveaway!

Secret bloggie valentine…

So I’m totally crediting jenny from PB&Jenny here for introducing me to this AWESOME blogging valentine fun!

Don’t have a valentine? want to spread some bloggie love? (got something super delish/all natural and peanut buttery you’d like to send me? heehee…im kidding of course (or am I?))
Then check out this site here!

And- check back tomorow- I have a delish review coming up

<3Lisa

Yummy Earth Organic Vitamin C & SuperSOUR Pops

Yea-I’m feeling candy this week. It’s DEFINETELY one of those weeks where I need some sweets!

And what better way to satisfy a sugary-sweet tooth than with a lollipop? I remember my favorites growing up were Charms- the ones with bubblegum in the center- and Tootsie Pop -only in the grape flavor- which had a center of a soft tootsie roll. Well- now I’ve moved on to better and more healthier ways to satisfy my craving for a “sucker”. Yummy Earth produces lollipops unlike the commercial brands- no artificial dyes, no artificial colors, no refined sugar and made with real fruit extracts (does that mean if I eat these- it counts as a fruit serving? ) And, aside from all that good stuff, the ingredients are organic, gluten free, vegan, and soy/nut/dairy free. How’s that for a lollipop?

The lollipops come in several varieties- SuperSOUR Pops, Strawberry Pops, Fruit Pops, Fiesta Pops, and Vitamin C Pops. I got to try the SuperSOUR Pops and the Vitamin C Pops. Each pop is only 22 calories, and is round/flat in shape. They are about the size of a quarter or half dollar each.

Starting with the Vitamin C Pops- each bag has 3 flavors, strawberry smash, tooberry blueberry, and razzmatazz berry. 1 pop provides you with 25% of your daily needs of vitamin C.

strawberry smash- well if this pop isn’t smashing. I love strawberry flavored pops- and this one doens’t let me down. Sweet and  not too tart- reminds me of a strawberries & cream dessert in a lolly.

tooberry blueberry- ooh I like this one the best of the 3. It’s sweet with a nice blueberry taste- real blueberry,  not “fake” blueberry. It also has hints of grape flavors, and isn’t too tart. It doesn’t leave that “stinging” feeling sometimes lollipops give you on your tongue.

razzmatazz berry- this one has a mixed berry/fruit punch flavor. It is smooth and sweet, with stronger strawberry/raspberry fruit essences.

The SuperSOUR pops has 4 flavors- strawberry smash, sour apple tart, googly grape, and very very cherry. I was hesistant to try these- I’m so not a sour girl. In fact, I used to run my sour WARheads candy under the water when I was younger until all the “sourness” went away and it was all sweet afterwards. But, they, in fact, weren’t really sour at all- they just had a bit more of a kick than the original flavors.

strawberry smash- similar in taste to the Vitamin C variety- but with a bit more tang.

sour apple tart- I liked this one! It has a granny smith apple flavor to it, and it was the most sour of all 4 of the flavors. The tangyness really stayed the whole time eating the lollipop, and didn’t fade.

googly grape- this one is tied for my favorite with the sour apple tart. Normally I HATE grape flavored things (they usually taste like cough medicine…yuck..), but this baby reminded me of my favorite grape Tootsie Pops I used to eat when I was younger. Not tart at all- but a sweet, delicious, grape. 

very very cherry- Unfortunately- my bag didn’t have any very very cherry! And I LOVE cherry flavored pops. How disappointing

Overall, I’m giving these 4 stars. It’s a much healthier (and more eco-friendly!) alternative to commercial lollipops, and they have no refined sugar. That’s a big plus for me- if I want candy, I like to feel at least a little less guilty knowing there is no refined sugars. They are perfect when I’m in the mood to nosh, but don’t want to blow a big calorie bang, and hit your sweet tooth quite nicely. I just hope that they evenly distribute the flavors better in the future- I didn’t get to try the very very cherry flavor, and only got one googly grape (figures it would be my favorite! >:( ) in my bag.

3 pops are 70 calories, 0 grams of fat, 17 carbohydrates, and 0 grams of protein. Each pop is about 22 calories each.
Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Tapioca Syrup, and or OrganicRice Syrup, Citric Acid (from beet sugar), Natural Flavors, [may contain] Organic Black Carrots, Organic Apple, Organic Wheat Grass, Organic Black Currant, Organic Carrot, Organic Pumpkin.

Attune Chocolate Probiotic Wellness Bar

That’s right. This is totally a CHOCOLATE review (*insert woops & hollers HERE*). But not just any chocolate- an actual HEALTHY chocolate you can feel good about eating! ( I know what your thinking…”I never feel good after eating chocolate- that SINFUL food-!” Well- read on!!   )

Attune Chocolate Probiotic Wellness Bars are exactly that- healthy, delicious, CHOCOLATE! Before you get all freaked out by the “Probiotic Wellness Bar” part-don’t. Attune’s bars may have approximately 6.1 billiob CFU’s in each bar, but those probiotics don’t alter the taste at all! These are the same probiotics you find in yogurt that help keep the digestive system running smoothly.

These bars are found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store to keep those probiotics alive & running. Each bar has 2 squares each, which are actually rather big (its a 20 gram bar). The bars also come in 7 flavors, chocolate crisp, mint chocolate, blueberry vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee bean dark chocolate, raspberry dark chocolate, and almond milk chocolate. I got to try the chocolate crisp, mint chocolate and blueberry vanilla varieties.

Mint Chocolate- ever had a Girl Scout Cookie, those thin mints? Or even those York Peppermint Patties? Well if you did, then you will certainly like this flavor. A deep chocolate flavor with a hint of creamy mint, that leaves your mouth feeling both satisfied from the chocolate, and refreshed from the mint.

Chocolate Crisp- ooh. This one reminds me of a Crunch bar. Smooth milk chocolate with little rice crisps embedded in each square. The smell of the bar is really delicious- just pure, smooth milk chocolate bliss. I wish they had a milk chocolate flavor without the crisps, as I prefer my chocolate plain, but it was still very good.

Blueberry Vanilla- I really enjoyed this one! Just the SMELL of the bar was delicious- a true blueberry scent! I was a little hesistant to try this one at first-but glad I did! It was a sweet white chocolate with a nice addition of vanilla and blueberry flavors (and actual blueberry pieces!). This one was my favorite of the three. I wonder what it would taste like melted and drizzled on some icecream or with yogurt (too bad I already ate my bar!!).

Overall, these get 4  stars. I love how Attune made chocolate a healthier indulgence, and didn’t blow calories or sugar content out of the park. I also like how they are a good source of calcium (and I got to skip my yogurt for the day without guilt knowing I ate some probiotics!). I found breaking off one square when a little sugar craving hit and letting it melt slowly in my mouth was just perfect. I would really also like to try the raspberry dark chocolate and almond milk chocolate flavors- yum!!

1 bar is 80-100 calories, 6-7 grams of fat, 9-12 grams of carbohydrates, 2-3 grams of fiber, and 1-2 grams of protein. Each bar also has 25% daily needs for calcium. Yay!

Mint Chocolate- Milk Chocolate Coating (evaporated cane juice, chocolate, cocoa butter, inulin, non fat milk, calcium carbonate, anhydrous milk fat, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), dark chocolate coating (chocolate, evaporated cane juice, natural cocoa, inulin, cocoa butter, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), Organic Brown Rice Crisps (organic brown rice flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate),Probiotic Cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis), natural flavor.

Chocolate Crisp- Milk Chocolate Coating (evaporated cane juice, chocolate, cocoa butter, inulin, non fat milk, calcium carbonate, Anhydrous Milk Fat, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), Organic Brown Rice Crisps (organic brown rice flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate), Probiotic Cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis).

Blueberry Vanilla- White Chocolate Coating (cocoa butter, evaporated cane juice, yogurt powder, lactose, inulin, nonfat milk, calcium carbonate, soy lecithin [an emulsifier], vanilla), Organic Brown Rice Crisps (organic brown rice flour, organic molasses, calcium carbonate), Freeze Dried Blueberry Pieces, Probiotic Cultures (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium lactis), Natural Flavor.

 

Simply Scrumptous Fit & Flavorful Cookies

Simply Scrumptous (yes, spelled without the “i”), makes delicious, gourmet cookies & brownies. They use only all natural ingredients, with not a single preservative or additive. They make giant cookie cakes, muffins, brownies & cookies, all with a rich and truly decadent taste. They also have a Fit & Flavorful  line for those of us who don’t have any extra wiggle room in our diets for sweets, or for those of us who are just health conscious. The Fit & Flavorful line provides fat free (yes, FAT FREE!) cookies, cupcakes, muffins, donuts, and carrot cake. They are all natural, low calorie and individually wrapped (yay portion control!).

I know what your thinking… fat free? low calorie? all natural? “these gotta taste like cardboard…”

NOPE! I was skeptical at first too..fat free products are normally nasty in place of the real deal. But these products are GOOD! Today, I’m going to review the cookies. And boy, were they a pleasure to eat

Each cookie is actually pretty big, approximately 3 inches in diameter, and have the normal thickness of a homemade cookie. They come in 4 flavors, and all have such a unique consistency- crisp on the outside, and very soft and moist on the inside. It rocks! It’s like getting the best of both worlds- soft & crunchy cookie! In order from my favorite to least favorite, here are the 4 cookies…

Super Snickerdoodle- wow. Literally in love when I bit this cookie. It’s SUPER soft and almost has that fresh baked gooey/yummy consistency in the center. It’s also covered in cinnamon, and has a sweet cinnamon sugar taste, with just a hint of vanilla. I can’t believe it’s fat free- it’s soooo delicious!! This one gets 5 stars for taste.

Ooh La-La Oatmeal Raisin- ohh goodness. This one’s amazing too. There are TONS of raisins in it too- no scrimping here! It was also sweet and similar in taste with the snickerdoodle- it has a vanilla/sugar cookie taste. The raisins were perfect in the cookie-made the cookies extra chewy and soft. Yum. This one also gets 5 stars for taste

Double Fudge Chocolate- this one has a strong cocoa powder taste rather than a “Hershey bar” chocolate taste. It’s still very good- and I don’t think it’s as sweet as the other ones. It does remind me of eating fudge-  just not as dense. It was really good with some peanut butter smeared on it. (But, when is PB& chocolate ever a bad combination??   ) This one gets 4 stars for taste.

Sensational Sugar-  I tried 2 of these, and had 2 different experiences. One was okay and not that sweet, but soft, and the other was really good, sweeter, and harder/crispier. The sugar is my least favorite of the 4, I feel like it was missing something, and surprisingly, despite the name, wasn’t as sweet as the others. It was still a good cookie, but just needed a little more oomph. This one gets 3 1/2 stars for taste.

Simply Scrumptous- you make excellent, mouth watering cookies, all fat free and under 100 calories. (Can you please make a PEANUT BUTTER flavor!?! ) The only thing keeping me from eating this ALL DAY LONG (and I’ve already had the sugar one with my breakfast, the snickerdoodle flavor for a snack…) is that they are made with Unbleached Flour, and use refined sugar. If they were whole wheat- or even partially whole wheat- and used  a less refined sugar like molasses or honey, these cookies would be 5 stars for sure! I do think that using refined sugar might play into the awesome texture of the cookies, as sugar often alters the consistency of baked goods a lot. However, taking nutrition, taste and calorie count into effect, I’m giving them an overall rating of 4  stars. They really are yummy and decently sized. Perfect swap for your standard cookies anyday. (Who needs Oreos anyway!? ) Check them out here! Also, get 35% off your first order using the code HNXO!

Super Snickerdoodle- 1 cookie is 81 calories, 0 grams of fat, 12 carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Unbleached flour, egg whites, sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar

Oh-La-La Oatmeal Raisin-1 cookie is 72 calories, 0 grams of fat, 8 carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Unbleached flour, oatmeal, egg whites, raisins, sugar,  fruit puree, vanilla, cinnamon, baking soda, salt

Double Fudge Chocolate-1 cookie is 71 calories, 0 grams of fat, 12 carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Unbleached flour, cocoa, egg whites, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt

Sensational Sugar-1 cookie is 81 calories, 0 grams of fat, 17 carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

Unbleached flour, egg whites, sugar,  vanilla, baking powder, salt

 

 

 

Cookie Recipe + Chatfield’s Carob Chip & Date Sugar review

So. Yesterday I made the most mouth watering, DELICIOUS and HEALTHY chocolate carob chip cookies! Not too much sugar (yay!) and low in fat. I made some swaps with some ingredients that the PANOS brand sent me-Instead of  brown sugar, I used Chatfield’s Date Sugar,  and I also used Chatfield’s Carob Chips in place of chocolate chips (but you could certainly use chocolate chips).
 Look at these babies…

Here’s the goodies you need!

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup date sugar
2 Tbsp Brummel & Brown yogurt light buttery spread, melted
1 egg white
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup carob chips
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup oats

1.Mix all ingredients together, adding just a tad of water to moisten the dough.
2. Drop by rounded teaspoons on baking sheet
3. Bake about 11-13 minutes at 350 degrees, or until golden brown.

This recipe only makes 12 cookies, so you need to double if you want more. Also, they are “puffier” cookies- so if you like them flatter, you can use the backside of a spoon before you bake them to flatten them out. They came out rich and buttery tasting- I couldn’t even tell the swap for the date sugar for brown sugar! The carob chips also had a sweet, vanilla taste. It was a nice change from the traditional chocolate chip, although next time I think I will use all natural chocolate chips.

Either way… I already ate 3

Onto the individual components…

Date Sugar-

The sugar itself is actually a purpley-brown color, and has a grainy consistency. By itself, I tasted a little bit, and it did taste like brown sugar, but wasn’t identical. However, I couldn’t tell the difference once the cookies were baked (or in the enormous amount of cookie dough batter I licked off the bowl/spoons ).

The sugar itself comes from the Deglet Noor Date, grown in California. According to the package, “unlike refined sugar and sweeteners, where vitamins and minerals are stripped during refining, the simple drying process maintains the naturally occurring nutrients found in dates”. Sweet & healthier-nice!

1 tsp is 10 calories, 0 fat, 3 carbs, 0 fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

Carob Chips-

 these are smaller in size then regular chocolate chips, but really plumped up a bit when I cooked them. Raw, they taste slightly like cocoa at first, and then they are sweet once it melts in your mouth. It’s a different experience, but I liek them. I found myself popping them in my mouth as I was baking. Cooked- they also have a different taste. Definetely sweeter, and with a bit of vanilla flavoring. One of the chips was baked alone (it got separated from the dough!) and actually sizzled when I removed the pan from the oven- bizarre!

The carob chips are also caffeine free (so, rest assured, I can totally have my carob chip cookies at 2 in the morning, and still be able to sleep without caffeine to  keep me up. That’s a relief ).

2 Tbsp. is 80 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs, 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein.

Beet sugar, palm kernel and palm oil, carob powder, soy lecithin (an emulsifier).

LightLife Smart Wings Honey BBQ

I feel this is an appropriate review, especially with football season coming to an end and the SUPERBOWL coming into play. Plus, who doesn’t like saucy, honey, barbe-quey anything ?

And so, scanning the natural section at my local grocery store, I saw LightLife Smart Wings in Honey BBQ and Buffalo flavor. I’m a sweet kinda girl, not so much spicy, so I picked up the Honey BBQ flavor with the coupon LightLife sent me.

Each box of these veggie protein wings comes with 8 wings, or two servings. They are so cute too- shaped like actual chicken wings! But, no chicken here. These are totally vegetarian (they do contain egg white, however, for those of you who are vegan). I made these both ways as suggested, Microwave & in the frying pan. I suggest the Frying Pan, as LightLife does too. Done in the microwave, the veggie wing came out a bit chewier than when I used the frying pan to heat these babies up.

Now, onto the TASTE!
These are freakin’ delicious! They really are finger lickin’ good. They are covered in a sweet, barbeque sauce, which had hints of molasses, honey and a garlicy tomato flavor. I was literally licking the sauce off the packet it came in- so tasty! They were a wee bit salty, but still very good. Some of you may be worried about the texture- as veggie products can be chewy or..weird.. in texture. But not the case here- these wings do have a bite to them, but are chewy like a burger. Chewy in a good way if you will- they have the appropriate consistency.

I had these with some Annie’s Organic Macaroni & Cheese & broccoli (and some chocolate milk-not shown), and I was full all the way until snack time. They pack in protein and fiber, and are very satisfying. You could even have them as a snack with some raw veggies on the side, as they don’t need any extra dip. They are the 3 S’s- Sweet, Salty & Savory. And surprisingly-NO FAT!! (take THAT Pizza Hut!!) I give these 4 1/2 stars!

                                                            *I know your drooling… !*

1 serving (4 wings) is 120 calories, 0 grams of fat, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, and 13 grams of protein.

Wing: Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Wheat Fluten, Soy Protein Isolate, Egg White Powder, Less than 2% of: Cellulose Gum, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt, Onion Powder, Dried Garlic, Potato Starch, Sunflower Oil, Salt.

Honey BBQ Sauce- Tomato Puree (water, tomato paste), Molasses, Evaporated Cane Juice, Distilled Vinegar, Worcestershire Sauce (distilled vinegar, molasses, sea salt, sugar, spices, tamarind), Corn Starch, Honey, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Spices, Dried Garlic, Xanthan Gum, Dried Onioon.

Lisa’s Kick’n Chick’n Pot Pie Recipe

We all LOVE pot pies, don’t we? Well, I came up with a new recipe, “Lisa’s Kick’n Chick’n (or Tofu) Pot Pie”  that really ROCKED my dinner. It was sooo filling and soo delicious- I’m going to have to put it in rotation with Amy’s Non Dairy Pot Pie (Yes- I did just say that! :O ) 

So let us begin. First off, I used “Kick’n Chick’n” because

1. I didn’t use chicken, I used tofu, but you can certainly use chicken
and 2. It sounds cooler than ANYTHING that can possibly rhyme with tofu… (If there is even anything?)

Here’s the picture of the pot pie- it was a lot prettier, but before it was done, I added more crust mixture and then the crust looked a little blobby. But, regardless, it was amazing!

Alrighty, here’s the goodies you need to make this baby.

Crust:
2 Tbs. Skim Milk
1/3 cup Bisquik Heart Smart Baking Mix
1 egg white

Filling:
3 oz Firm/Extra Firm Tofu (any brand, I reccommend NaSoya or Mori-Nu)
1/4 cup peas, frozen but thawed
1/4 cup carrots, frozen but thawed
3 oz. potato, cubed and raw
2/3 cup Imagine Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
1 Garlic Clove
Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Cube and cook the tofu (or chicken) on a pan with some nonstick spray and garlic over medium heat until lightly browned. Set aside.

2. Place cubed potato into a small bowl, cover with a little water, and cook for about 2- 2 1/2 minutes in the microwave, until slightly soft.

3. Place tofu, thawed frozen veggies, potato cubes in a pyrex coated with a little nonstick spray. Add the soup and a grind of sea salt if desired. Mix together.

4.In a separate bowl, add 1/3 cup Heart Smart Baking Mix, 1 egg white, and 2 Tbs. milk. Mix together until desired consistency. You must be able to pour it, but you don’t want it too runny. I added a little extra milk to mine.

5. Pour the Baking Mixture on top of the tofu and veggie/soup mixture until all is covered. If desired, brush a coat of olive or canola oil on top for a bit of extra flavor and some shine.

6. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy!!

This was such a delicious pot pie. I was so satisfied after- and really full! Of course you can swap any veggies, tofu for chicken or turkey, and add anything else you want. The crust was amazing- fluffy, thick and tasted like buttery bisquits. The Imagine Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup also was excellent way to add veggies and replace fatty gravy/rue in traditional pot pies- but it tasted the same!! (dont let the word “mushroom” scare you- it did to me at first, but it’s soo good!)

Let me know how you like the recipe. I’m totally giving it 5 stars It’s healthy, low fat, and bursting with nutrition and flavor. It’s around 350 calories, 5 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 16 grams of protein, give or take, depending on what you use. But, in the words of Rachael Ray- YUM-o!!

Happy Birthday Annie’s Homegrown!

 

In honor of Annie’s Homegrown’s birthday, I think it would be appropriate to do a review on a cereal I recently bought, Bunny Love.  This cereal is an all natural, whole grain, corn & oat cereal, made without preservatives or fillers, and is vegan.

I decided to pick it up at the store because it was pretty enticing and the nutritional stats fit for what I generally look for in cereal. It was a royal purple box, with pictures of bunny-shaped cereal on the cover. Cute! It was only 110 calories per serving with 3 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of sugar, so I figured it was worth a shot.

I tried this cereal a couple of ways (including yesterday’s recipe!). I poured a bowl of it and examined the shapes- adorable! There are “bunny heads” and “bunny bodies” (in a totally non creepy way, don’t worry! ) and X’s and O’s that fill the bowl. So cute- I think it would be perfect for toddlers as finger food (okay okay- perfect for me too…I’m a sucker for cute shapes..).

Each piece certainly is crunchy and has a mild, toasted oat flavor. The taste resembles Cheerios very much. In fact, this cereal really isn’t sweet at all. I probably wouldn’t eat this on it’s own (as I had hoped for from the cute shapes!), but I found it was good paired with some flavored yogurt. Stonyfield Farm Banilla yogurt and Chobani strawberry greek yogurt were two excellent ways to pair with the cereal. It provided sweetness and a nice crunch to the yogurt. I also liked this cereal paired with some chocolate and vanilla soy milk. I’m sure you can use almond milk as well, but the flavors in the soymilk went nicely with the oaty taste of the bunnies.

Overall, given that it was not intended to be a sugary cereal, I give this cereal 3 1/2 stars, by itself, 4 paired with yogurt or flavored soymilk. The nutrionals are excellent-whole grains, fiber and all natural- but I prefer my cereal just a wee bit sweeter so I can munch it out of the box. Either way- it would be perfect finger food for toddlers, or even to add to some of those sugar-crazed cereals **cough cough cocoa puffs, fruit loops, corn pops… cough cough** to add some health & nutrition.

1 serving is 110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 22 carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

WHOLE OAT FLOUR, CORN FLOUR, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, OAT FIBER, SALT, BAKING SODA (SODIUM BICARBONATE), NATURAL FLAVOR.