·product review· Ener-g Gluten Free Vegan Ginger Cookies

The team at Ener-G is always so kind, and I was so happy to receive this package on my doorstep.  Total surprise!  Inside, I found the above: two light loaves of GF bread, a box of pretzel cookies, and a bag of Ginger Cookies!

I was so excited to try out these ginger cookies, especially since they were so macro-friendly!  

Here's what I thought:

Texture:  They aren't soft and chewy cookie like a chocolate chip cookie from a cafe- they are those delicious crunchy and crumbly cookies, like what I remember Chips Ahoy being like.  They are easy to bite into yet they have a nice crumb-y cookie texture, and they aren't too messy!

Flavor:  These tasted exactly like the gingersnaps my mom used to make- sweet, spiced, and a little buttery, but they are 100% vegan!  Best cookie flavor I've had in a while.

Afterthoughts:  Absolutely delicious and a pretty good size for the calories!  Two cookies would be a delicious dessert/nightcap.  I'm excited to try the rest of their products out!

Here's a list of stores where you can find Ener-G products!  I recommend these highly!

These products were provided free of charge from Ener-G for sampling.  All opinions are authentic.

·product review· Arctic Zero NEW Salted Caramel Bars

Arctic Zero, you've done it again!  The fit frozen dessert company recently released new Chunky Pint flavors (read my review of those here!), but these are just as exciting and not talked about nearly enough!  Arctic Zero also carries ice cream bar with a hard chocolate shell coating, and these new ones are in a salted caramel flavor!  

A foodie's true love, salted caramel is that perfect marriage of sweet and salty that sings in delicious desserts.  I had high hopes for these bars!

These bars are not available in stores except for a few Sprout's locations.  They will be launching soon!  Thank you to Arctic Zero for teaming up with me on this review!  

Here's what I thought:

Texture:  The chocolate coating is a little thinner than what I remember on a Klondike Ice Cream bar, but it is incredibly smooth and provides a nice crunch on the exterior.  The ice cream inside is soft and creamy.  The coating melts into the ice cream when you take a bite, making for a delicious mouthfeel.

Flavor:  The chocolate coating was absolutely delicious- very rich in cocoa flavor.  The inside ice cream didn't taste all that much like salted caramel to me, unfortunately.  It was sweet and delicious, though!  I think if you had blindfolded me and not told me it was caramel, I would have thought that it was a mocha flavored bar.  Even though there isn't coffee in it, I kind of got that note.  While it didn't taste like salted caramel to me, I thought it still tasted absolutely divine.  I sprinkled some himalayan pink salt on the exterior for some added salty-sweet contrast, and it was heavenly.

Afterthoughts:  The bar is a pretty good size and nicely satisfies an ice cream craving.  It almost made me feel nostalgic for my childhood, when I ate Klondike bars with reckless abandon.  This is a wonderful nightcap or after dinner dessert, and these treats will be making a reappearance in my freezer!

Watch for these in your stores soon!

These products were provided free of charge from Arctic Zero for sampling.  All opinions are authentic.

·product review· Arctic Zero NEW Chunky Pints - Brownie Blast, Snickerdoodle Dandy, and Banana Pudding

Today's healthy food review is on the new Chunky Pint flavors from Arctic Zero!

I love love LOVE the Chunky Pints by Arctic Zero, and these three new flavors made me so excited!  I already reviews the Brownie Blast pint here, but today I'm trying the other two new flavors, Banana Pudding and Snickerdoodle Dandy!

These flavors are not available for sale yet, except for in a few select Sprout's locations.  They will be launching soon!  Thank you to Arctic Zero for teaming up with me on this review!  

Here's what I thought:

BROWNIE BLAST

Texture:  The ice cream itself, while it's no full fat ice cream, is soft and scoopable, especially after a few minutes left to temper on the counter.  I loved the chunks of chewy brownie bits throughout to add some mouthfeel appeal, and the chocolate chips for some crunch.  Overall, it was wonderful!

Flavor:  The chocolate base tastes very richly of cocoa and didn't taste too strongly of monk fruit, which is the natural sweetener used in these pints.  The brownie chunks were sweet, buttery, and rich, which added some decadent appeal to this dessert.  

Afterthoughts:  Satisfying (I was fine with a 1/2 cup serving), light in the stomach, and easy for me to digest, since it's lactose free.  I loved this one the most, and will definitely be making this a staple in the freezer!

SNICKERDOODLE DANDY

Texture:  Again, it's not like a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream in texture, but it's nice and smooth.  Arctic Zero has really improved the texture of their pints over time!  The chunks in this one were sugar cookie, and they were a a little more crumbly and less solid than the brownie bits or cookie dough chunks in their Cookie Dough Chip pint.  

Flavor:  The ice cream's scent was the first thing I noticed, and goodness, it smells like one of those amazing fall candles.  Cinnamon and oatmeal cookie flavor and scent are the first things that came to my mind when I tasted the ice cream base.  No monk fruit taste, as the cinnamon does a great job of masking it.  Nicely spiced, and they did a really great job of capturing the Snickerdoodle flavor.  It's not just straight up cinnamon, there is a warm, hearty cookie flavor in there that I can describe as oaty, nutty, and sweet.  The chunks of sugar cookie were really cinnamon heavy and delicious.

Afterthoughts:  Again, I was satisfied after a serving, but you can definitely have more with these pints!  I'll be rebuying this as well!

BANANA PUDDING

Texture:  Arctic Zero has actually recommended on their Instagram to pop a pint in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it up, and I wanted to try it out with this one.  It was nice and scoopable after about 15 seconds in the microwave!  The vanilla wafer crumbles in the inside have the texture of a broken-up graham cracker, and the ice cream itself is lightly creamy and smooth.

Flavor:  It's super banana flavored, which you can tell just by looking at it.  The ice cream is yellow!  It's not just straight up banana, though!  I would describe it as a bananas and cream flavor, like banana mixed with some white chocolate.  The vanilla wafer crumbles were awesome, and this was kind of reminiscent of a banana cream pie!

Afterthoughts:  This leaves a bit of a banana aftertaste, but it doesn't turn gross in the mouth after a few minutes and was really satisfying and pleasant!  This fruity flavor was a refreshing change!

In terms of price, this is available at my Sprout's for $5 per pint.  Pricey, but definitely worth the occasional splurge for these chunky pints!

Overall, I loved them!  Arctic Zero's ice creams are getting better and better, and these new flavors are awesome!  Stay tuned for a review on another new product that's not out yet!  

These products were provided free of charge from Arctic Zero for sampling.  All opinions are authentic.

·product review· Enlightened Ice Cream Bars in Salted Caramel

These were an awesome find last month at my Sprout's, and they've been a staple ever since!  I'm in love with these Enlightened ice cream bars, and here's a review of the salted caramel flavor!

They have awesome macros, high in protein and low in fat.  Their line has a ton of flavors and even delicious ice cream sandwiches, which I will also review on here soon!

 Here's what I thought.

Texture:   Smooth and creamy, especially after being left to soften for a minute or two.  The caramel swirl is fudgy and not too sticky.  

Flavor:   The base ice cream has a soft, light flavor of a vanilla mixed with a touch of caramel sauce.  The caramel swirl is hands down my favorite part: the caramel has a hint of fruity flavor that I LOVE.  And there's a little bit of saltiness too, which really holds up the "Salted" Caramel end of the name.  It's so delicious, and definitely doesn't taste healthy.

 

Afterthoughts:  No gross feeling after this!  One time I treated myself to a Haagen Daaz ice cream bar, and could get through half of it before my stomach felt burbly and sluggish.  These bars actually satiate without the bogged down feeling afterwards.  That's why I keep buying them!

 

In terms of price, this is on the expensive side.  My Sprout's has them for anywhere from $5 to $5.49 per box, and they are occasionally on sale.  4 come in a box.

9/10
-1 point for price

·product review· Arctic Zero Chunky Pints in Brownie Blast

When I saw this at my local Sprout's, I almost screamed!  Arctic Zero has released new flavors of their chunky pints and I am so excited to try them all!  I'm a lover of their Cookie Dough Chip flavor, so I was really excited to try out this Brownie Blast!

The base ice cream flavor is chocolate, which little brownie chunks scattered throughout the frozen dessert.  Arctic Zero's ice cream has great macros and their chunky pints are really great tasting!

Here's what I thought.

Texture:  It's not like regular ice cream in texture.  It's better in texture if you leave it out on the counter for a bit before scooping.  I thought it was nice and relatively creamy. 

Flavor:  The chocolate flavor base was super delicious.  I'm a chocoholic, and this chocolatey flavor was rich and delicious.  While the monk fruit flavor is there, the chocolate flavor masks it and is delicious.    There are chocolate chips throughout that contribute to the cocoa flavor.  But the real kicker is the brownie bits.  They are buttery, decadent, and filled with cocoa flavor.  SO GOOD.

Afterthoughts:  I didn't feel tired or sluggish after having this.  A serving was satisfying, and the triple chocolate was really delicious.

In terms of price, this is available at my Sprout's for $5 per pint, but I got it on sale for $4.   Still a bit pricey, though.

9/10
-1 point for price

·product review· Arctic Zero Chunky Pints in Cookie Dough Chip

Arctic Zero's frozen desserts are a healthier alternative to ice cream!  These pints have low macros and come in an assortment of delicious flavors.  I tried their "creamy" pints a while back and wasn't too much of a fan, so I was excited when they released their chunky pints, especially this flavor.

The base ice cream flavor is a light vanilla, and there are mini chocolate chips and balls of cookie dough through the ice cream!

Here's what I thought.

Texture:  It's not like regular ice cream in texture.  It's definitely better in texture if you leave it out on the counter for a bit before scooping.  It's not super icy, but not all that creamy either.  The texture could use some work, but I didn't mind it.  

Flavor:  The vanilla base was tasty and sweet, but I was glad for the chunky add ins to break it up a bit, as I definitely would have tired of the plain ice cream after a cup or so.  You can definitely taste the monk fruit, and that "Arctic Zero" flavor, but it was still much better than my past pints.  Maybe they reformulated?  The chocolate chips tasted like normal chocolate chips, so there's not much to say there.  But the cookie dough was the saving grace.  It tasted like real cookie dough!  Buttery, sweet, and like chocolate chip cookies dotting the ice cream.  

Afterthoughts:  I didn't feel tired or sluggish after having this.  A serving was satisfying, and definitely helped my cookie dough craving!

In terms of price, this is available at my Sprout's for $5 per pint, but it's usually on sale for $4 so I'm able to get a deal!  Still a bit pricey, though.

8/10
-1 point for price
-1 point for monk fruit flavor

·product review· D's Naturals No Cow Bars

I first heard of D's Naturals No Cow Bars through Instagram, and I was eager to try them out!  They currently come in four flavors (but look for new ones hitting soon!)  They are incredibly natural and have only the best ingredients.  I decided to try these out as my Quest bars were upsetting my stomach with their corn fiber, whey protein, and sucralose.  

The main sell for me was that they are vegan.  Not only that, but these No Cow Bars are:

All Natural

Non GMO

Vegan

High Fiber and Protein

Gluten Free

Low in Sugar

Dairy, Soy, and Lactose Free

AMAZING MACROS!

Here's what I thought:

Flavor:  This bar was my favorite of the bunch.  I don't think it's a cookie dough bar, though.  I think a more accurate name would be Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip.  The protein bar part has a very prevalent peanut butter flavor, which I love.  The roasted peanuts and cacao nibs throughout the bar add great peanutty and chocolatey flavor.  It's just sweet enough, but not overwhelmingly sweet.  They taste very natural, clean, and delicious.  I loved this one!

Texture:  A wonderfully chewy texture.  Softer than a Quest bar, it's like a protein fudge texture, but way better.  I really liked the contrast in texture that the nibs and peanut pieces added.  

Afterthoughts:  This bar has 170 calories, 20g of protein, 2g net carbs, and 5g fat.  The macros are amazing, and it's a really great sized bar.  Unlike Quest bars, I noticed that I didn't feel it in my stomach afterward, and felt lean and amazing.  They also aren't so saccharine sweet that you're craving more after you finish.  Just perfect!

Flavor:  The mint flavor was really strong.  I got a little bit of chocolate, but mostly mint.  I did like the flavor of the cacao nibs throughout the bar, as it added some much-needed chocolate flavor,  If you're not a huge fan of mint, you probably won't like this bar.  I didn't mind it, as the cacao nibs saved it for me, but I was expecting the flavor of a Thin Mint and didn't get that.

Texture:  Nice and chewy like the other bars, and the cacao nibs offered some contrast.  Texture here was great.

Afterthoughts:  Not bad, but not my favorite of the bunch.  The mint flavor is a little overpowering, but I wouldn't mind eating it again!  Again, I didn't feel bogged down after eating this one, which is great.  This one has 160 calories, 2g net carbs, 5g fat, and 20g protein.

Flavor:  This one was my second favorite.  The blueberry flavor was nice and fruity, and it did have a dessert-y flavor, and not just "fruit".  This one was really great.  I would have loved some kind of extra flavor to add some contrast, like maybe some oats or vegan graham crumbles.  

Texture:  Very nice and chewy, although there were no chunks in this one like the nibs in the other flavor.  I would love some textural contrast to counteract the chewy protein bar component.

Afterthoughts:  I loved this one, and its macros were exceptional.  170 calories, 3g net carbs, 21 protein, and only 2.5g fat!

Flavor:  When I first tried this one, I thought I loved it, but the second time, I wasn't such a fan.  There is a very light raspberry flavor, and the nibs are my favorite part.  However, I got quite bored of the flavor about halfway through and it kind of fell flat for me.  Maybe I got a bad batch?  Anyways, first impression was great, second impression was less great.

Texture:  Nice and chewy as always, and the nibs were great for added texture.  

Afterthoughts:  I really wanted to like this one.  Maybe I would like it more with a dark chocolate touch?  The macros are 160 calories, 4g fat, 21 protein, and 4g net carbs.  

OVERALL

These are my new staple protein bar.  I love love LOVE the peanut butter flavor and like to keep that and the blueberry cobbler stocked up.  I can't wait to see what new flavors they come up with!

·product review· Quest Bars [multiple flavors!]

 1st Place ~ Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Flavor:  YAAS BAE.  This one is my favorite.  The protein bar part has a wonderful cookie dough flavor that is sweet, slightly buttery, and has a hint of cocoa butter flavor.  The chocolate chunks are amazing and totally make the bar.  Sweet, delicious cookie flavor.  This is also great baked, as it really brings out the cookie taste.

Texture:  Delightfully chewy, and the chunks melt in your mouth and taste divine.  I love the contrast between big and small chunks throughout the bar.

Afterthoughts:  Left behind a sweet aftertaste.  My number one flavor!  It has 190 cals.

2nd Place ~ S'mores

Flavor:  The protein bar component totally nails the s'mores flavor.  It has a slightly toasty graham cracker flavor right in the protein bar part, not to mention actual graham chunks and chocolate chunks.  The bar has a subtle toasted marshmallow flavor, yet no actual marshmallow, making it suitable for vegetarians.  The graham chunks are really nice and honey-flavored, and the chocolate chunks are the same ones used in the cookie dough ones, so you know how I feel about those.

Texture:  Chewy bar, with delicious crunch from the graham cracker chunks, and rich chocolate chunks scattered throughout.

Afterthoughts:  Left behind a sweet aftertaste.  It's great baked, but I prefer almost all Quest bars plain out of the wrapper.  This is another one of my favorite flavors, and I rebuy it.  It has 180 cals.

3rd Place ~ Cookies & Cream

Flavor:  Really really good.  I love the little chunks of oreo cookies throughout the bar, accompanied by the white chocolate chips.  Chunks are my favorite part of Quest Bars.  I love the flavor of the protein bar component, Quest did a really great job of nailing the cookies and cream flavor.  Some of the cookie chunks had a weird over roasted flavor, but most of them were perfectly sweet and added some crunch.  

Texture:  Chewy bar, with crunchy cookie pieces and melt-in-your-mouth white chocolate chunks.  

Afterthoughts:  Left behind a sweet aftertaste.  This is one of my favorite flavors, and I rebuy it.  This flavor has 190 cals.  Before Quest reformulated their bars, this one had 180 cals and I'm hoping they go back to the original recipe, since I really preferred the texture of their old bars.

4th Place ~ White Chocolate Raspberry

Flavor:  This is my favorite when I want a fruity flavored Quest bar.  The protein bar part has a nice flavor of raspberry and cocoa butter.  The white chocolate chunks are pleasant and add a nice sweetness to the bar.

Texture:  Nicely chewy, and the white chocolate chunks add a nice contrast and smooth richness.

Afterthoughts:  Leaves a sweet aftertaste, even sweeter than the other bars.  This is one of my favorite flavors, and I rebuy it on occasion.  This flavor has 200 cals, a bit on the higher side of Quest's spectrum.  Before Quest reformulated their bars, this one had 190 cals.

5th ~ Double Chocolate Chunk

Flavor:  This bar has lots of chocolate flavor.  I'm less of a fan of the chocolate based bars, even though I LOVE chocolate.  Weird, right?  The chocolate chunks make up for it a little, but I find the chocolate base to be a little boring and bitter at times.

Texture:  Delicious chewy texture like all other Quest bars.  The chunks are the saving grace of this flavor.  I think if it didn't have chunks, I would get tired about 1/3 of the way through.

Afterthoughts:  I buy this bar very occasionally.  Sometimes I think that I should try it out again, and while it's not my favorite, it's still good.  This bar has 180 cals.  Before Quest reformulated, it had 160 cals.

6th Place ~ Chocolate Peanut Butter

Flavor:  If you go in expecting the flavor of a Reese's Peanut Butter cup, you're going to be disappointed.  For me, the chocolate flavor overwhelmed the peanut butter flavor, leaving me underwhelmed.  As much as I love my chocolate, I'm not that big a fan of Quest's chocolate based protein bars.  The chocolate was also a little bitter at times.

Texture:  Delicious chewy texture like all other Quest bars, but with no chunks.  I would have loved some peanut butter flavored chunks to contribute to the whole "chocolate peanut butter" experience.

Afterthoughts:  I haven't bought this one again.  I was really excited to try this one and am kinda sad I didn't like it as much as I wanted to.  This bar has 170 cals.  Before Quest reformulated, it had 160 cals.

7th Place ~ Cinnamon Roll

Flavor:  The cinnamon flavor is quite strong here.  I wasn't that big a fan of it, because it just tasted like cinnamon and got a bit boring.  It would have been nice with some white chocolate chunks to emulate the glaze?

Texture:  The texture of this one is on point.  I like how chewy it is, but it's kind of boring without anything else to add appeal.

Afterthoughts:  I haven't bought this one again.  It was a little mediocre for me, and boring since it just tasted like cinnamon.  This bar has 170 cals.

8th Place ~ Coconut Cashew

Flavor:  This didn't taste like coconut or cashew to me.  I was really disappointed, as I love coconut and I was expecting some toasted coconut action going on.  I'm not as big a fan of cashews, but I didn't taste any of that either.  It just tasted kind of bland.

Texture:  I don't mind the texture of the raw coconut shreds in here, but I wasn't really into this one.

Afterthoughts:  I haven't bought this one again.   It was just really bland to me.  I think it might be better baked, but after the initial disappointment of this bar, I haven't repurchased it to find out.  This bar has 190 cals, although it had 170 before the reformulation.

OVERALL

Quest bars have awesome macros.  Although they are a little pricey at $2.49 per bar, certain flavors are worth it.  I am able to find them at my Trader Joe's, Sprout's, and Ralph's locations.  

·product review· Trader Joe's Queso Cheese Dip

photo compliments of Peanut Butter & Peppers

This Queso Cheese Dip is one of the craziest food finds I've stumbled upon at Trader Joe's.  Check out those macros!  That's 165 calories for the whole jar.  It's also marked as vegetarian.  

These are over by the chips where the salsas are, and I don't normally wander down that aisle.  One day I was going to pick up some Pineapple Salsa, and I saw this.

Here's my thoughts:

Flavor:   If you are expecting pure cheese, you're probably going to be disappointed.  There is a ton of cheesy flavor, though.  It's delightfully mixed with the tomatoes and peppers, and has a hint of spice.  

Texture:  Definitely not the texture of a full fat cheesy dip, although I've never had real queso before.  It's still deliciously smooth and has a nice creamy texture.  

Afterthoughts:  This is a great find and I'm so glad I saw it!  I'll be using this to make some healthy nachos or quesadillas.  

Price is pretty good.  Most of Trader Joe's products are at great prices, which is why I like doing a lot of my shopping there.

·product review· Go Veggie Lactose & Soy Free Cheese Shreds

Today's review is on Go Veggie! Lactose and Soy Free Cheese Shreds.  Go Veggie makes cheese alternatives for people with lactose intolerance or special diets.  They make three different product lines: Vegan, Lactose Free, and Lactose & Soy Free.  Not only are their cheeses suitable for different diets, but they have amazing health benefits!  These are cholesterol free, and 1/4 cup of these shreds has 70 calories.  

These Lactose & Soy Free shreds have the best macros of the three varieties of shreds, so I picked them up at Sprout's.  Here's what I thought.  

*vegans, please note that this cheese is not vegan.  It contains casein.  Go Veggie has a vegan line, which is also delicious.  I will review that as well.

Packaging:  Go Veggie recently redesigned their packaging.  What you see in these pictures is their old packaging, which is still sold at my local Sprouts.  The Lactose & Soy Free cheeses come in blue packaging, the Lactose Free cheeses come in green, and the Vegan cheeses come in purple.  

Appearance:  These looked like... well... regular cheese!  They were mostly in shred form, with some broken up pieces at the bottom of the bag.  They don't stick to each other and are easy to measure out with a measuring cup.

Flavor:  The cheddar shreds are amazing on a grilled cheese sandwich.  In fact, my favorite way to use them is a serving on two slices of Nature's Own Whole Wheat bread, with 1/4 tsp vegan butter on the outside of the bread and garlic salt (see above photo).  The cheddar flavor is great.  They are a bit salty.

The mozzarella shreds are a little blander.  I don't buy them very often, as they don't have much flavor.  I know that mozzarella is a milder cheese, but these tasted like nothing.  Maybe I got a bad bag?

Meltability:  This is the weird part: the melting ability varies from bag to bag.  Sometimes, I'll get a bag of shreds and they melt perfectly, like real cheese.  And sometimes, they need a lot of help or a higher temperature.  When they do melt right, they get stretchy, gooey, and perfectly creamy.  When they don't, they still retain great flavor, the texture is just a bit off.

Texture:  These are not meant to be eaten cold.  They are best when melted or hot.  They do work sprinkled over soup.  I commonly use them for grilled cheese sandwiches or light pumpkin mac & cheese.  

Afterthoughts:  These satisfy a cheesy craving and are great in recipes.  The cheddar is a staple in my pantry.  

Overall, these are amazing!  I buy mine at Sprout's.  It's usually $4-5 per bag, and I am always able to find an online coupon.  I love using Go Veggie's other lines and products, so stay tuned for more reviews of those.  

·product review· PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter

Today's review is on PB2, one of the most popular brands of powdered peanut butter on the market.

Powdered peanut butter is basically peanuts pressed to remove most of the oils, leaving a powder that has exponentially less fat than traditional peanut butter.  You can mix up the powder with water to form a peanut butter consistency (above you can see one serving mixed with water to make a spreadable peanut butter).

PB2 comes in two flavors.  I have tried the regular flavor.  The macros are amazing, with very little fat and still a great amount of protein.  45 calories for two tablespoons, 1.5g fat, 5g carbs, and 5g protein.

Here's my thoughts:

Flavor:  This has a great roasted peanut flavor, with a touch of sweetness.  Of course, it tastes like a natural peanut butter.

Texture:  Mixed up with the right amount of water, I couldn't tell the difference between this and regular peanut butter.  Maybe it's not as rich and smooth on the tongue, but it is definitely a suitable substitute.

Afterthoughts:  The lower fat content didn't leave a sluggish feeling after eating it, which was great.  Still, the protein helped to keep me satisfied and it was a delicious peanut butter.

The price is pretty fair.  It can be found in Whole Foods, Target, and many other locations.  I get mine on Amazon, which is the best deal I've found.

I love using this to make a peanut butter sandwich, adding it to a smoothie, or using it in Thai sauces.

·product review· Explore Asian Gluten Free Soybean Vegan Noodle Soup

Today's review is on Explore Asian Gluten Free Soybean Noodle Soup bowls!  These bowls of noodles are amazing and quick options to whip up, and they are very tasty!  They come in three flavors: Vegetarian Beef, Vegetarian Chicken, and Vegetable.  Although they are called Vegetarian, they are certified Vegan.  

I have tried all three flavors.  They boast amazing macros: each bowl is 3g fat, 20-25g carbs (10-12g of which are fiber), and 20-25g protein.  These are perfect for my HCLF diet.  They also come with the salt in a separate package, so you can control the sodium level.  I am usually fine with 1/8 tsp from the packet.

Packaging:  These come with a tiny fork, which I usually don't use because I like to use my chopsticks, but it's super convenient on the go.  They also have the noodles in a package, a seasoning sachet, and a separate salt packet. You can either add boiling water and let them cook, or add cold water and microwave them.  I prefer the boiling water method.  Either way, these cook up quick.  The noodles expand with cooking, so you get a fair amount of volume.

Texture:  The soybean noodles don't have the texture of your typical ramen, but they grow on you with each bite! 

Flavor:  I really like the vegan beef flavor.  It was slightly szechuan-style spicy, but not overwhelmingly so.  I tried the chicken flavor next, which was okay, but I preferred the beef flavor.  The vegetable flavor is good and simple, and tastes the most natural.

The vegan beef flavor was my favorite, followed by the vegetable and then chicken.  

Afterthoughts:  The protein and fiber in these is really satiating, and the warm broth felt great in my stomach.  These were my favorite convenience lunch and dinner when I was sick, since I really didn't have the energy to cook anything else.  

Overall, they were amazing!  I bought these at Sprout's and they were on sale for $1.29 per bowl.  Regular price was $1.79.  Amazing price, super convenient, really tasty, and amazing nutritionals!

10/10

·product review· So Delicious No Sugar Added Pints

Today's healthy food review is on So Delicious Dairy Free's No Sugar Added Pints!

This vegan ice cream by So Delicious is made with a coconut milk base.  It comes in four flavors, and while the main nutritional focus is that they are low in sugar, the vanilla and chocolate flavors are 100 calories per 1/2 cup serving, and the mint chip is 120 calories per 1/2 cup serving.

Left: Vanilla Bean                        Center: Mint Chocolate Chip         Right: Chocolate

Although I am a vegetarian, I am semi-lactose intolerant, forcing me to avoid dairy or take a lactase enzyme pill whenever I do have dairy.  I don't like to eat eggs for ethical and health reasons (cholesterol bomb!), and my diet is primarily plant-based, so I am working on transitioning to veganism!  

I have tried the vanilla bean, chocolate, and mint chip.  Here's my thoughts:

Texture:  These are so creamy.  Unlike other lighter ice creams, these actually aren't low fat ice creams, so they have a rich and decadent texture.  They do freeze a little hard, so it's best to leave this out on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping them.  I found that the vanilla was a little softer than the other flavors for some reason.

Flavor:  The coconut flavor was definitely prevalent in the vanilla and chocolate pints, so if you want just a neutral ice cream that is just vanilla flavored or chocolate, these aren't for you.  That being said, I loved the hint of coconut.  It worked amazingly with the vanilla bean flavor.  You could see little flecks of vanilla bean throughout the pint, which I loved.

The chocolate flavor also had notes of coconut, but it was really rich and definitely suitable for a chocoholic.  Although I preferred the vanilla, I typically favor that flavor so I wasn't surprised that I liked the vanilla better.  This is still wonderful and I have re-bought both flavors.

The mint chocolate chip tastes more authentic.  There is not a coconut flavor that I noticed, since the mint masks it.  This was amazing.  I liked that the chocolate was less like a chip, more like a chocolatey ribbon throughout the pint.  It tasted exactly like the mint chip ice cream I used to get at the parlor, but the chocolate ribbon made it more enjoyable.

All in all, I think my favorite is the mint, with vanilla in a close second and chocolate last.  However, I loved them all and have repurchased. 

Afterthoughts:  The good thing about these being a little higher fat is that I never have more than one serving at a time.  It's perfectly satiating after a serving. 

Overall, they were amazing!  I've actually had varying results with price.  At Whole Foods, they are $6 per pint, so I never buy them there, but they are usually a dollar cheap for $5 at Sprouts, and often go on sale.  I like getting coupons for the brand and using them.  I believe these are also available at select Target locations.  Check for availability on their website. 

9/10

-1 point for price

·product review· Halo Top ice cream

Today's healthy food review is on Halo Top ice cream!

This ice cream is high in protein, low in fat, and has 240-280 calories per pint.  I have tried many other light ice creams, and this one is by far the best one.  Plus, their gold-detailed pints are so cute!

I have tried the vanilla bean flavor and chocolate flavor, and I plan to get my hands on the rest of the flavors soon.  Here's what I thought:

Texture:  This is maybe not as creamy as a full fat ice cream, but it is not icy like Arctic Zero's desserts, and is still quite creamy.  Leaving it out on the countertop for a minute before scooping does improve the texture a lot.

Flavor:  These taste AMAZING.  I preferred the vanilla bean flavor: you could see little flecks of black vanilla bean in the ice cream, and the vanilla bean flavor came through.  It was so much deeper than a plain "vanilla" ice cream.  

The chocolate was great too, even though I preferred the vanilla by far.  It kind of tasted like a packet of hot chocolate mix in ice cream form.  Still delicious, though!

Afterthoughts:  While it's definitely not a bad thing to eat the whole pint at once with Halo Top, I didn't feel like I needed to.  I was perfectly satisfied after one 1/2 cup serving.  I probably would have felt bad for blowing $5 worth of ice cream in one sitting anyways.

I also noticed that I didn't feel gross after dessert.   Higher fat ice creams (like coconut milk based ones) make me feel sluggish after a serving, but this one was easy on the digestion.

Overall, they were amazing!  The vanilla is definitely going to be a staple.  They are a little pricey at around $5 a pint, depending on where you find them, but it's always important to treat yourself. ;-)

9/10

-1 point for price

These products were provided free of charge from Halo Top for sampling.  All opinions are authentic.