Author Archives: Anne Downen

Mighty Maca Chocolate Energy Bar from Bearded Brothers

???????????????????????????????

Product Description:

Hand crafted in Austin, Texas these chocolate maca energy bars will power your next adventure. Made with 99% organic ingredients, 100% natural, raw, vegan friendly and gluten free.

I received this Energy Bar in my January Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

Since this is a “raw” energy bar, I decided to go with a tea that also offers “raw energy” – a Green Tea!  (Although, I guess it could be argued that steeping is a ‘cooking’ process, right?)  I chose Blissful Buds Green Tea from Mellow Monk.  The savory notes of the tea were a nice contrast to the sweetness that I tasted from the dates.

What I Think:

I am liking this for what it is – an energy bar.  Energy bars are not something that I eat often, mostly because I prefer “real” food to a condensed meal in bar form.  But this is tasty as far as a meal in bar form goes.

It has a chewy consistency with a seedy crunch.  I’d liken it to a fudge-y nut brownie texture … if the nuts were crushed.  As far a chocolate-y flavor, though, I’m not getting a whole lot of what the name of this bar promises.  That is to say the chocolate flavor is lacking.  If I had been given this bar “blindly” and not told that it was a chocolate energy bar, I wouldn’t have guessed that it was.  I do taste a fruit flavor though … dates?  And it has that sugary sweetness of the date.  I also taste the cinnamon and I’m liking that. I don’t taste the almond or cashew specifically … I taste a nutty flavor, but, it isn’t a distinct almond or cashew flavor.  I also taste the chia seeds … or perhaps I should say, I notice their texture.

I like that this isn’t overly sweet … I get the sweetness from the dates and from the other ingredients, but, it isn’t overly “honeyed” or sweetened with excess sweeteners.  I like that it’s organic.

My Final Thoughts:

Overall, this was decent.  I don’t know that I like it enough to want to buy it again, but, I didn’t hate it, and if I were ever asked for the name of a good energy bar, this one would be on a short list of ones that I enjoyed.

Roasted Chestnut Chocolate Bar from Ticket Kitchen

ticketbar

Product Description:

These roasted chestnut chocolate bars are crafted by the Ticket Kitchen of Sacramento. Roasted chestnuts are chopped up and gently mixed into fine couverture chocolate for a taste of nostalgia you won’t find anywhere else.

I received this bar of chocolate in my December Knoshbox!  (Yeah, I know, I’m behind!)

Tea Suggestion:

I prefer hot tea when I eat chocolate – they seem to go together really well.  And I usually prefer a black tea with natural cacao notes to it – like this Superfine Tan Yang Gong Fu Black Tea from Teavivre.  The naturally sweet notes of the tea brought out some of the deeper flavors of the chocolate and also nicely emphasized the flavor of the roasted chestnuts in the candy bar.

What I Think:

YUM!

This is a great chocolate bar.

First, I love it when the packaging is cute and clever like this chocolate bar is.  The shiny, gold mylar package is not all that special, but it’s been wrapped with a craft cardstock outer packaging that is folded “matchbook” style and secured close with a piece of decorative tape.  It just looks different and cool.

But, that would mean nothing to me if the chocolate inside the package wasn’t good – and this is delicious!  It’s milk chocolate, which isn’t my immediate choice in chocolate bars (I prefer dark chocolate) but, it is rich, smooth and creamy. It doesn’t taste overly sweet the way some milk chocolate bars can taste.  I can taste the deeper flavors of the cacao here.

And the roasted chestnuts are chopped very fine and give the overall bar a nice “crunch” bar kind of texture … but with tasty, toasty chestnuts instead of puffed rice.  The aftertaste (after the bar is gone … and it disappears way too fast!) is nutty and reminiscent of freshly roasted chestnuts.

My Final Thoughts:

I like this candy bar a lot!  And this isn’t my first tasting of Ticket Kitchen chocolates – I’ve had their hot chocolate on a stick in the past and enjoyed those quite a bit too.  I like it when I find a chocolate bar that’s just a little unusual – like this one with roasted chestnuts (not something you find in an everyday chocolate bar!) and check out some of their other unique flavors!  I think I’m going to have to try their Waffle Pecan Chocolate bar!

Pico De Gallo Bean & Rice Chips from Beanfield’s

???????????????????????????????Product Description:

Wake up your taste buds! These zesty chips are great all by themselves or served with your favorite salsa or guacamole.

I received a bag of these chips in my February Love with Food Box.

Tea Suggestion:

Because these chips have a little bit of a spicy kick, I’d recommend an iced tea so that you can gulp it down to help cool the palate!  This Cranberry Mango Green Tea from Zen Tea tastes GREAT iced, and I like the way it tastes with these Pico De Gallo chips!  It’s sweet, fruity and refreshing, while the chips have a nice, zesty crunch!  A nice pairing!

What I Think:

These are really different – but also really tasty!  They taste kind of like tortilla chips that have been dipped in bean dip and then taken for a quick dip into a bowl of zesty pico de gallo salsa!  They’re spicy but not super-spicy – they have a nice heat to them without overwhelming the palate with a lot of spice.

I’m really enjoying the texture of these too.  They’re crunchy, but they aren’t “hard-crunchy” like a traditional tortilla chip (or corn chip).  Instead, it’s a light yet hearty crunch.  The rice keeps the texture lighter – its more delicate than the heavier texture of a corn chip.

My Final Thoughts:

I’d definitely pick up a bag of these if I saw them in the supermarket.  And according to the supermarket locator, these can be purchased at my local Whole Foods!  I’ll look for them the next time I’m there!

Freckle Face Strawberry Flavored Dried Cranberries from Funny Face

???????????????????????????????Product Description:

Hey there!  The gang thinks I’m the sweetest fruit in the bunch but these cranberries will charm your sweet tooth not damage it!  And as if you weren’t already excited – our treats pack in 5 times more fiber than traditional dried cranberry snacks!

I received a pouch of these dried cranberries in my February Love With Food Box.

Tea Suggestion:

To be honest, I wasn’t all that thrilled with these snacks, so the tea that I’d suggest with this one is one that will help you wash the taste of these snacks off the palate!  Something clean and refreshing, like this Southern Mint Herbal Tea from Revolution Tea.  The minty taste helped revive my taste buds.

What I think:

I love dried cranberries.  I try to keep them on hand in my pantry, because they’re so versatile.  I prefer them over raisins … I used to like raisins until I had a most unfortunate experience finding something that I just shouldn’t have found in a box of raisins … now, I find raisins kind of repulsive and only get them when a recipe calls for them and I don’t think that dried cranberries will work as a suitable substitute.

That said, I’m not loving these dried cranberries from Funny Face.  They are kind of “oily” and they don’t taste really like cranberries, nor do they taste like strawberries.  At least not like true-to-the-fruit strawberry … they have kind of a funky, artificial taste to them that I’m not really enjoying.  I don’t like the oily texture, it kind of … well, I’m going to liken it to eating a strawberry flavored chapstick … it’s kind of waxy and oily and just … gross.  I wouldn’t take a bite out of chapstick, and I’m not able to finish this pouch of snacks.

My Final Thoughts: 

Not good.  Won’t buy them again.  Wouldn’t recommend them to anyone unless I was specifically asked “Hey, I’m looking for something that tastes like strawberry flavored chapstick … do you know of anything that might fill the bill?”  Only then would I recommend these.

My Goodies Box for April arrived … before May!

Yeah, I’m just late writing about it!  I’m behind writing about EVERYTHING … but I hope to get caught up eventually.

???????????????????????????????

April’s Goodies Box has all been devoured by now, with the exception of the Raspberry Acai Celsius beverage.  And since I’ve already eaten nearly all the April box, rather than writing individual reviews on each of these, I’ll just tell you my thoughts briefly on each of the products here.

The first product I tore into was the Sea Salt MultiGrain Sweet Potato Chips from Green Giant.  These are pretty darned tasty.  I loved the multi-grain aspect of these … they ended up tasting a lot like “Sun Chips” but with a sweet potato taste that made them better than most other multi-grain chips.  These are something I will definitely keep my eye out for when grocery shopping!

Next up was the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Zone Perfect Nutrition Bar.  I love cookie dough, and the consistency of this nutrition bar … before biting in to it … was very much like cookie dough, so I had high hopes for this.  But, unfortunately, after I bit into the bar and started chewing … the texture became very “diet food” like.  It tasted alright, but it wasn’t something that inspired me to want to buy another bar.  It wasn’t what I’d call tasty … it was acceptable, but the texture made it less than enjoyable to eat.

Then I tasted the Apricot Almond Chai True Bar.  This is seriously yummy!  The spice in this is very distinct and I like that.  Lots of cardamom, ginger and cinnamon!  The cardamom is especially nice here, it has a slight citrus-y tone that compliments the apricot very well.  Lots of crunch to this bar, and a whole lot of flavor.  The apricot comes through nicely.  The texture is crunchy and I like that it didn’t feel overly sticky to the fingers. This will be something that I’ll want again and again – definitely one of the very best energy/health bars I’ve ever tasted.

Angie’s Sweet & Salty Popcorn is an entirely different story all together.  I really enjoyed this tasty snack.  The popcorn is light and crispy, the sweet coating on the kernels isn’t a heavy one – it’s lightly sweet, but, there is enough of an almost-caramel-y taste there that makes me think of a salted caramel without being too cloying.  It’s a nice alternative to the overly sweet snack.

The last product that I’ve tried from this box are the Olomomo Chai Bliss Almonds.  I LOVE THESE … and it’s not just because they’re chai-ishly flavored.  They are delicious and crunchy and sweet and spicy and just about everything I want from a snack (except possibly, they’re not chocolate.  What can I say, at the end of the day, I’m still a chocoholic!) I could snack on these every day … and my only real complaint about this “goodie” from my Goodie Box is that the package was so small, and it was just a handful of Chai Bliss goodness.  This is something I WILL hunt down and get more of!

Overall, I really enjoyed my April Box, and as I said, some products were more memorable than others.  I haven’t yet tried the Celsius drink, but, when I do, I’ll post a review of it.  Until then … maybe I’ll get May’s Goodie Box article posted!  ha!

Whole Wheat Raspberry Fig Bar from Nature’s Bakery


???????????????????????????????Product Description:

While wild raspberries can be traced back to eastern Asia during prehistoric times, with certain varieties also found in the Western Hemisphere, no one thought to cultivate their deliciousness until the 16th century, historians believe. Thanks to human travelers and their animal counterparts, the seeds were carried and spread—both intentionally and accidentally, worldwide.

I received this Raspberry Fig Bar in my January Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

These fig bars make a really scrumptious tea time treat.  I enjoyed my fig bar with a cup of steamy Yunnan tea, specifically, this Golden Buds Black Tea from Spire Tea.  Because I already had a cookie with fruity flavors, I didn’t want extraneous flavors to interfere with the cookie.  This Yunnan tea was instead a delicious, caramel-y, rich and satisfying accompaniment to the cookie.  Or perhaps it as the other way around …

What I Think:

I love fig bars.  Yes, the popular brand in the grocery store.  I don’t buy them though, because I know my weakness for them and I usually eat more of them than I should, especially since they aren’t something that the rest of my household would eat, and I realize I’d be the only person eating them.  I know that they aren’t very good for me, they’re way too processed. So I tend to leave them on the grocery store shelf, opting for things that I know that the rest of the house will help me eat!

But these … are really yummy.  The whole wheat “cake” part of the bar is hearty and doesn’t taste too sweet.  The filling is delicious, tasting of fig and raspberry.  I like that it isn’t too “seedy” … Yes, there are some seeds, but, I don’t feel them getting lodged in my teeth, which is one thing I HATE about raspberry foods.  I love the flavor of raspberry, but I hate those seeds.

My Final Thoughts:

These are tasty.  I don’t know that I love them enough to buy them on a regular basis, but, I think that I might consider buying them instead of the usual fig bars when I have that craving, and that would be a healthier choice than the usual!

Alfredo Extraordinaire from Wildtree PLUS Sfoglini Bronx Brewery Pasta

Alright … I know I’m still really behind … well, that’s because I’ve not been posting.  Funny how these things just keep piling up when you don’t do anything about them, huh?

???????????????????????????????

Finished Pasta Alfredo

Anyway … this is a “combination” review, because a friend of mine sent me a sample of Wildtree’s Alfredo Extraordinaire Sauce Mix and I received a package of Sfoglini Bronx Brewery Pasta in my February Knoshbox.  So, I decided to make Pasta Alfredo with the Spent Grain Radiator pasta that I received in my Knoshbox using this VERY EASY to make Alfredo sauce from Wildtree.

???????????????????????????????About Sfoglini Bronx Brewery Pasta:

These BxB Radiators are made with spent grains from the brewery’s flagship Pale Ale beer. The five different barley malts create a unique, rich flavor in the pasta that must be experienced.

alfredoextraordinaireAbout Alfredo Extraordinaire Sauce Mix from Wildtree:  

The Name Says It All – This Alfredo Is Extraordinary!

What I think:

Just about anyone can prepare pasta … just boil water, add a handful of salt to the boiling water, and then add the pasta and let it cook until tender, and then drain. Easy peasy, right?  (Yeah, it ain’t homemade pasta, but, I lack the patience needed to make my own pasta, I’m afraid, especially since my youngest is not a big fan of pasta anyway … it seems like a lot of work for something that is going to be received with less than enthusiastic results, you know?)  

Anyway, I like that this pasta only takes about seven minutes to prepare.  The instructions on the package say 5 – 8 minutes, but after testing it at five minutes, it was still a little more firm than I wanted it to be.  However, seven minutes on my stovetop, in my kitchen … produced just the right texture for this pasta.  

And I just want to give a shout out to Jennifer of Blissful Yoga Journey for sending me the Alfredo Extraordinaire sauce mix … check out her blog here.  (She’s also my SororiTea Sister!)

???????????????????????????????

The dry pasta, up close and personal…

On it’s own, the pasta has a pleasant flavor.  It is tastier than what I’ll call “white” pasta which is something I seldom buy anymore anyway, because I like to think that the whole wheat pasta is better for me and my family.  Even if it isn’t, I like to live under the illusion of selecting the healthier option. I like the texture of this pasta, it doesn’t taste or feel mushy, and it’s comfort food taken to a tastier, more satisfying level.

When tossed with the Alfredo Estraordinaire Sauce Mix from Wildtree, this pasta goes from good to GREAT.  As I mentioned before, the sauce mix from Wildtree is extremely easy to prepare.  Simply melt some butter in a saucepan with some milk (I used a 1:1 ratio of half and half to 1% milk, mostly because we didn’t have enough of the 1% milk in the fridge tonight), Once the butter is completely melted, whisk in the sauce mix until completely incorporated and smooth.  

The sauce is a bit thinner than I thought it would be … I expected a thick sauce.  But, once added to drained, unrinsed pasta it thickened up a bit, and by the time I reached the bottom of my bowl of pasta, I kind of expected a puddle of sauce, but there was absolutely NO puddle.  So, either time to set, time to cool, or adding the pasta causes this sauce to thicken (or perhaps a combination of all three of these factors.)  

I like the way the sauce sort of infiltrates the grooves of this radiator style pasta and clings to it so that I get lots of yummy alfredo taste in every bite.  The sauce tastes cheesy, creamy and it is nicely seasoned.  I didn’t add additional seasoning to the bowl of pasta except for a couple of grinds of freshly ground pepper which is something that I add to just about every dish I eat.  I garnished the top with a light sprinkling of fresh Parmesan cheese.  

My Final Thoughts:  

It is a very flavorful sauce … not at all bland, and I like the way these two products work together.  The pasta is filling and delicious.  The two together make for a seriously tasty supper, and it took me less than ten minutes to throw it together!

Chocolate Covered Wasabi Peas from ChocWasabi

???????????????????????????????

Product Description:

Chocwasabi is based on the foundation of a basic snack item or tasty treat combined with the eclectic mixture of chocolate & the hot, exotic taste of wasabi. 

The first offering in our line of exciting new items is the chocolate covered wasabi pea.

I received a package of these chocolate covered wasabi peas in my March Love with Food box.

Tea Suggestion:

For these yummy morsels, I recommend something light and refreshing, and because the heat does build, you want something that will cool the palate too.  I chose a white tea, specifically, this Organic Silver Needle tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf.  A perfect choice!  Because the flavors were delicate, it didn’t interrupt the unique flavors in these amazing little treats!  A delightful tea time snack!

What I Think:

I was not sure what to expect with these.  I am not a fan of peas.  That is to say that they are probably the one vegetable that I DO NOT like.  And … I can’t even say that with complete confidence, because it’s been years since I’ve actually had peas with the exception of a few peas floating around in a soup or stirred into a stir-fry.  And I didn’t mind the peas in the soups, stews and stir-fries that I’ve had them in.  And for all I know, I might actually like peas now – after all, our taste buds do change every so often.

But, I’ve never had confidence enough to actually try wasabi peas.  I don’t like peas, and while I do like wasabi when it’s stirred into something like a ranch dipping sauce (this is awesome when served with french fried green beans), I don’t have a whole lot of experience with wasabi outside of that spicy take on a dipping sauce.

But, these are CHOCOLATE wasabi peas and I have plenty of experience with chocolate … and most of that experience is positive.  I can’t really think of anything that I didn’t like that was chocolate.  I’m sure that there have been occasions when I’ve disliked something chocolate, but nothing really comes to mind at the moment.

So I decided to give ‘em a try.  And these are AWESOME!  The pea doesn’t have much flavor at all … basically all I get from the pea is a dense crunch from it that is very satisfying.  A bit like biting into a very crunchy peanut.  The dark chocolate is sweet and smooth … and the wasabi is HOT!  And I am loving the burn from these babies!  The contrast between sweet and spicy is amazing, and I love the crunch.

My Final Thoughts:

These are a total win!  I want more.  I think this may have to be a re-order, because they’re so darned good.  (Note: I did reorder them – definitely a delicious and unique treat!)

My Love with Food Box has arrived!

Yeah, yeah, I’m still really behind!  This is my March Love with Food box article … sorry for the delay!

My March Love with Foodlovewithfood box went on a little detour!  I received the message that my box had been shipped, and I waited patiently for the expected arrival date … but when that day came and went and the box did not arrive, I figured something had delayed it, so I’d wait until the next day.  The next day came and went … and another … and still no box! I started to get worried.  I checked the tracking to see what the hold up might be … and it said that my box had been delivered!  Huh?!?

I contacted customer service and they were prompt in replying to me, and I got a replacement box delivered to me.  And I’m really glad that I didn’t miss out on this box, because it’s amazing!

This month’s theme is “Classics with a Twist.”  And there were EIGHT delightful goodies tucked inside the box:  Wild Berry Flat Fruit from Wacky Apple, Chocolate Covered Wasabi Peas from ChocWasabi, Fruit & Veggie Juice from Kids go, Crackers from Mary’s Gone Crackers, and Acai Green Tea from Revolution Tea!  (Yes, I said tea!)

Yeah, I know that’s only five.  There were two items that I already quickly consumed:  a Dark Chocolate Orange Good Fortune Cookie from Emily’s Chocolates (the cookie is COVERED in smooth, rich, sweet dark chocolate that has just a hint of orange-y deliciousness.  Every Chinese restaurant should change up their fortune cookies to these delightful confections!) and Salted Caramel Baked Corn from Cosmos Creations (Oh my goodness, seriously, the best caramel corn EVER! Each morsel is more like a piece of candy than a piece of popcorn.  They are coated with caramel and then baked to create a crackly, delightful, delicious treat.  These are a definite re-order!) and finally, the Granola from Ola! Foods (I was less than impressed with this granola.  It’s tasty … but it just lacked some of the oomph! that I get from other granola offerings.  I had high expectations for this too, if for no other reason than it’s from “Ola!” foods, and Ola is the name of my beloved gramma!  Silly reason, I know, but, every time I hear the name Ola, I have a smile on my face.)

Watch this blog for reviews on some of these tasty goodies!

Light Sea Salt Plentils from Enjoy Life

???????????????????????????????Product Description:

This crispy, crunchy lentil chip tastes similar to a potato chip with subtle earthy undertones. Made with lentils, one of the best sources of plant-based protein, and with 40% less fat than the leading potato chip, it’s a smart and tasty snack choice.

I received a bag of these Plentils in my January Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

With salty snack chips like this, I prefer to drink iced tea, and this Blue Shadow Black Tea from The Tea Smith is yummy iced.  It was a really nice pairing … the sweet, fruity flavor of the tea was a nice contrast to the lightly sweet, crunchy Plentils.

What I Think:

These are really … unique.  They have a texture that is similar to the onion ring snacks, only thinner and a little crispier and less “fluffy” … the flavor is unlike any other snack chip I’ve ever tasted.

I’m not generally big on lentils.  Not that I dislike them, really, there’s just so many other things that I prefer, so since it’s been a while since I’ve actually had lentils (we’re talking years here … I used to eat them pretty regularly when I was a vegetarian, but I’ve only had them maybe a handful of times since then, and not at all in the last five years or so) it’s hard for me to say that these taste like lentils.  But they do not taste like any other snack chip… so I’m guessing the difference is the lentil.  And while they are different … they aren’t bad at all.

My Final Thoughts:

The light sea salt is just right.  These taste lightly salted, not salty.  Very enjoyable, and surprisingly satisfying.