Nuts – Page 12 – The Celiathlete

February 19, 2013

Not enough peanut-y flavor in San-J Thai Peanut Sauce to suit my taste

Product: San-J Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce – $3.49+

So…as some of you are quite aware…I’m heading out of town in a couple of days. Yep. Got a half marathon that is waiting for me to run it. And, this week is quite a short one…meaning I am doing everything within my power to use up the fresh, local produce I get from my local CSA. Some of it will be fine while I’m gone for a week, but other stuff…such as my veggies…not likely.

This means…it’s time to break out the wok?

I rock the wok. For real! I mean…I haven’t met a veggie yet that I couldn’t throw into a delicious stir-fry and add either rice or rice noodles and some sort of sauce for seasoning and make a fantastic, filling meal out of it. That’s the name of the game this week as I prep to head out of town.

Veggies…meet wok. Wok…meet veggies. Let’s get some dinner made. This is normally what I refer to as “Make-It-Up-As-I-Go-And-Use-Whatever-You-Can” Pad Thai Stir-Fry.” Catchy, yes?

The great thing about a good old-fashioned stir-fry is that my roomie and I can feast off it it for at least three days. Especially with the volume of veggies I was throwing into this wok. Fresh snow peas (every bit of the 10 ounces from my bin), yellow onion, baby carrots (chopped into matchsticks), baby bok choy…oh yes…all of it went in. And then…rice noodles. Delicious rice noodles were added.

But something was missing in my Pad Thai. Oh…yes…SAUCE!

It just so happened that I had purchased a bottle of San-J’s Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce while out at my grocery store one day. I get grand ideas about making things with sauces…and then it never comes to fruition. This one…a pad thai. What was I currently doing with my wok? Making a pad thai. Hmmm…perfect.

So, I gave the bottle a good shake, cracked the seal and poured a liberal amount into the wok to season the veggies and the noodles as they finished up. It smelled absolutely crazy-fantastic. Which is a good thing. Now, I had said aloud to the roomie while we were out grocery shopping that we needed some peanuts for the pad thai, but I didn’t add it to the list and it totally slipped my mind while we hit up all 5 of our usual grocery store haunts (Hey…when you have food allergies…you make an entire day out of it…and for us, it’s either Saturday or Sunday). So, no crunch factor for the dish…but plenty of wholesome veggie goodness with light, thin rice noodles to give it some body.

With the contents of the wok ready to be consumed, I dished us each up a bowl, leaving the rest to sit until I was done eating. Then, I would concern myself with dishing it out into servings for the next two days. Food always comes first. We settled in for dinner with a bowl of my vegetable pad thai and some chopsticks.

I couldn’t wait to take my first bite. It smelled amazing. And…in the end…it disappointed me a little as far as the taste went. It was good. Oh yes…it was good. But I found that the Thai Peanut Sauce was lacking…a lot of peanut flavor. Maybe, if I had been thinking, throwing some peanut butter into the mix might have helped enhance it…but on its own, it was more…steak sauce than peanut sauce. It didn’t take away from the fact that when put into a wok with fresh veggies and rice noodles…it does kick up the flavor more than a notch. It wasn’t bad. I just expected more of a nutty flavor to it…and was a bit surprised by the sweetness factor in this one.

It isn’t spicy…which is good for some, but I like a little heat to my ethnic dishes. But, that isn’t a huge issue for me. I know how to add spice if necessary. For this dish…not really necessary. But I do wish the sauce itself brought a little more heat and nuttiness to the dish. In the end…not blown away, but not completely disappointed either. I definitely intend to play around with the remnants of the bottle in my fridge to see what I can draw out of it…perhaps discover a secret gem to getting that Thai peanut flavor I seek.

I love a lot of things about San-J. Their sauces are gluten-free and amazing. And they always label their bottles so that the words GLUTEN-FREE scream at you. I love that. And I love that they bring so many options to the ethnic sauce selection at grocery stores…because when you are gluten-free…those sauces can be so tricky. It’s good to have a brand name you can trust. For me…that’s San-J. Even if this one lacked a wow factor, you’ll see San-J constantly in my pantry and fridge. It’s a matter of taste…but more importantly…a matter of trust.

Vegetable Pad Thai made with San-J Gluten-Free Thai Peanut Sauce

February 15, 2013

Protein packed Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Crisp falters with taste

Product: Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar – $2.29+

Normally, when a gluten-free product makes it into my shopping basket, it’s because there is some sort of sale going on. Such was the case, then, when my roommate discovered protein bars that are soy-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free at our local Earth Fare store. As I often use these to fuel my runs or refuel after my runs, protein bars are never in short supply in my kitchen ‘run’ drawer. Trust me. There is such a variety in there, I sometimes have a hard time deciding which to go with next.

While most are tried and true favorites, sometimes it’s fun to try a new product.

And that’s what happened when these bars were on sale at Earth Fare a couple months ago. I selected two, because I didn’t want to stock up on something and then hate it with an intensity that I just ended up trashing them all and calling myself a bargain buying fool. Hey…it has happened before! I’m a bit more mindful of the situation now.

As I am also aware, this bar was approaching it’s sell by date, so I figured it was time to devour it and see if it was worth the investment. So, knowing that after running this morning and then doing some speed work/intervals on lunch, a protein bar would be a good pick-me-up snack for the afternoon, I packed this one for the office…with some not as healthy items to use as back-up if needed. Trust me…I’ve been burned enough by nasty tasting snacks that I come prepared…just in case.

When my 3 p.m. snack time did roll around, I pulled the Greens Plus Vegan Proten Bar from my snack drawer and peeled the wrapper open. It reminded me a lot of what Quaker Granola Bars look like…but on a bit of a larger scale…and minus the wheat, milk, soy and high fructose corn syrup that comes with each bite of a Quaker Granola Bar.

Instead, this vegan protein bar from Greens Plus combines organic peanut butter, brown rice, pea protein, and chia seeds with organic dark chocolate. And…for the first time, I didn’t cringe at the calorie count of a protein bar. So often, these top off near the 200 or more calorie margin. Not this one. Despite including peanut butter and dark chocolate, one bar delivers 170 calories toward your daily intake and 8 grams of fat. One bar also delivers 5 grams of protein. Sugar is not off the charts either. This particular bar, despite having dark chocolate in it, only contains 7 grams of sugar. Thanks to the addition of chia seeds, it also provides a huge Omega 3 punch. All of this makes it the perfect bar for athletes, travelers, students, or whoever might need a meal supplement or snack to get them through the day.

So, drawing in a huge breath and repeating…”Please be good, please be good, please be good…” I broke off a small piece and took my first taste.

I was immediately underwhelmed.

It’s not bad. I didn’t spit it out or wrinkle up my face in disgust when it crossed my taste buds. On the contrary, I ended up taking another bite, figuring that it really did remind me of something I have tasted before. I broke off a piece and walked it to the other side of the office for my roommate to try. She agreed that they did taste like something…but couldn’t pinpoint it at first. Then said it reminded her of a Luna Bar. She might be right. Before I had to go gluten-free, Luna Bar’s were my go-to snack for on-the-go snacking. And this might be reminiscent of one of them. It also kind of does remind me of those Sweet and Salty granola bars from Nature Valley, now that I think of it.

But…even my roomie said it. When she took her taste, she didn’t immediately think dark chocolate and peanut butter. What you really get first are the rice crisps. Then maybe a hint of peanut butter. Then…that bittersweet taste of chocolate. But…not strong. And definitely not where you’d immediately recognize it upon first bite. This wasn’t horrible by any means. In fact, the bar is one of the better ones I have tried on a whim…which is definitely saying something.

But would I actively seek this one out again in the grocery store? No. Would I purchase it again if it were on sale…maybe…but probably not. It wasn’t bad…it just wasn’t amazing either. And when you are a lactose intolerant, gluten-free, vegetarian athlete…you really want something that you like to eat when you need the protein fix.

I appreciate the effort Greens Plus puts into these bars, ensuring they are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free…I just wish they flavor had been as amazing as all of that sounds.

Green's Plus Vegan Peanut Butter And Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar (unwrapped) — Greens Plus Vegan Peanut Butter And Dark Chocolate Crisp Protein Bar (unwrapped)

February 12, 2013

KIND-a underwhelmed by KIND Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Bar

Product: KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar – $1.99+

When you think cranberries…you think big, bold, tart flavor, yes? I know I do. Trust me…I’ve eaten my fair share of things with cranberry in them. Even got some fresh cranberries in my CSA bin around Thanksgiving this year and turned them into a fantastic dessert. So…cranberries don’t scare me off. I know they can bring a lot to a dish if utilized properly.

But, that is where I feel something went wrong in this variety of the KIND Plus Snack Bar.

I already had my doubts. Because, while I eat cranberries…they aren’t my most favorite thing in the world. In small doses, yes…that’s fine. But, here…they were sharing the show with almonds…but when you gaze at the bar, you see lots of the sticky redness that would be the cranberries that make up this snack.

I figured, however, I would put my preconceptions of the bar on hold and allow it to speak for itself.

And it had its chance on Sunday…when I tore into it prior to a 9 mile long run for training. I split this in half with my roommate, because I always value her opinion and we were going for brekkies after I ran…so it would be a light breakfast for both of us, but still give me enough energy to at least get through 9 miles of indoor running hell (it was raining…so it was dreadmill (treadmill) and track time for me!). BAH!

So, before my first bite, this bar did have some things going for it. For one thing…the addition of antioxidants, brought about by the inclusion of numerous vitamins (A, C, & E…of which I think would come from the cranberries. In fact, KIND’s Web site claims that this bar contains 50% of the recommended daily intake of these three vitamins, which help fight free radicals and help maintain the immune system and healthy skin. Well…that is, indeed, a plus.

Aside from that, this KIND Plus bar is a blend of almonds, dried cranberries, macadamias, honey, non-GMO glucose, crisp rice, chicory root fiber, and sunflower oil. I mean…that doesn’t sound offensive at all. And, in fact, my co-worker ate this one the other day. She said it was pretty good, and she doesn’t like cranberries…but also said…it wasn’t that great and that she wouldn’t get it again if given the option.

So, Sunday morning, I had my own taste.

And I agree with my co-worker.

I really, really wanted to like this one. I mean, my co-worker and I spent good money on this box…I want to like every bar inside of it. But the fact of the matter was…this one was just…bland. Yes! BLAND! A bar with cranberries in it…was bland. The flavor was totally lacking, which was a huge disappointment for me. If I am eating something, I want to taste every component of it. But I didn’t get much of anything with this one.

And, unlike the previous one I had the day before, this one was very sticky and chewy, which is okay…but I prefer to be able to hold it without needing a napkin or a good wash of my fingers afterwards. Just sayin’.

With all of this in mind, let’s give a little nutritional walk through of this bar. An entire bar only serves up 190 calories, so it’s great for a snack of quick on-the-go breakfast. The bar contains 13 grams of fat, which most of which would come from the nuts…so at least it is the healthy kind. With the inclusion of the nuts, you also get a fair amount of fiber (3 grams) and protein (4 grams), which helps your body feel full. And, for being a snack bar, the sodium level is low, sitting pretty at 25 mgs. With only 11 grams of sugar, this really is a healthier choice than many of the snack bars out there.

It’s just…lacking in the flavor aspect. And if something doesn’t wow me at first taste…I’m not going to bother with it again.

So, from the KIND box…I’ve had one bar that I’ve really enjoyed and one that I’ve not enjoyed. So…we’re half and half so far.

If you like cranberries…this bar might be for you. I’m not a huge fan of cranberries, but I do eat them…and surprisingly, it was the lack of cranberry flavor that I disliked most. Where I expected tart…I got sweet…and not even enough of that to really satisfy. I know there are always bound to be flavor duds in a combo pack. Sadly, for me, it was the KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar. Disappointed? Totally. And definitely not going to seek this one out to buy on its own.

KIND Plus Cranberry Almond + Antioxidants Snack Bar (unwrapped)

February 10, 2013

Low sugar, a hint of spice, and everything nice in KIND Bar’s Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar

Product: KIND Madagascar Vanilla Almond Nuts & Spices Bar – $1.99+

You know what’s awesome about KIND Bars? How filling they are. And a lot of that stems back to the ingredients that go into each bar. Now, I’ve sampled a few of these, but a Groupon came over not too long ago and my coworker and I decided to split the difference and get it. So, we ended up purchasing the KIND Cube, which included 16 bars…2 of a variety of flavors.

When it arrived, we each took our share and she began to sample a different one each day. As I go to work with my snacks already planned, I decided to hang onto mine for important mornings…such as race mornings.

Today…was a race morning.

The Snowman Shuffle 4 Miler was running in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday morning, and after downing some cereal and a cup of coffee at home (along with some water for hydration), my roommate and I set out to hit Cherokee Park in time to find parking, get my packet, get stretched out, and get running. But, with most race mornings, I normally find myself starving at the start or during it if I don’t eat something at least an hour beforehand.

As we arrived at the park, I was already tearing into the KIND Bar she chose to split that morning. It was the Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar. Very intriguing. I wasn’t sure what to make of it…but none of the ingredients sounded offensive to my senses…so…I tore off the wrapper and had her take a picture of it (she needs to work on how close she puts the camera, LOL!). And then, I broke it in half, gave her a share of it…and we headed toward packet pickup, happily noshing on the bar.

And we both agreed…YUMMMMMMMMY!

The Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar is actually more than just almonds…so if you are allergic to other nuts, but not almonds, be aware…this one actually has more than the name lets on. In fact, the bar is composed of a blend of almonds, peanuts, cashews, and walnuts, mixed with honey, non-GMO glucose, chicory root fiber, crisp rice, Madagascar vanilla, and soy lecithin. Okay, so some of the ingredients don’t sound as appealing when listed out like that…but trust me…when they are all put together, KIND Bar magic happens.

The Madagascar Vanilla Almond Bar is part of KIND’s Nuts and Spices collection. And here is the best part…it is a perfect balance of sweet and salty. My biggest concern leading up to my first bite was that it was going to be way too sweet. And something sweet is good…but doesn’t always sit right just before a race. Thankfully, the vanilla didn’t overpower the bar itself. It complimented the mix of nuts and crisp rice. The honey helped bind it all together. This bar wasn’t terribly sticky so nothing felt like it was catching in my teeth or getting my fingers too sticky to put my gloves back on. It was really balanced and really, really delicious.

Nutritionally speaking, KIND Bar’s are a perfect way to go…especially for protein and the like. In the Madagascar Vanilla Almond variety, the entire bar contains 210 calories and 16 grams of fat. If that seems high, keep in mind that this fat is brought about by the nuts, so it is actually the healthy sort. The sugar content in this bar is very low, sitting nicely at 4 grams. And the protein is awesome, with this bar offering 7 grams of it. Awesome. With 15 mg of sodium, this makes for a healthy choice for breakfast or a snack. And with 5 grams of fiber, it will keep you feeling full.

And…just eating half this bar about an hour before a very chilly run…I can attest that this is true. I wasn’t hungry before or during the run at all. My appetite only began to kick in after I ran, waited in the cold for awards, and finally hopped in the car to get brunch at my favorite allergen-free bakery.

KIND Nuts & Spices bars are part of a line of bars that are crafted from the highest quality of whole nuts and some of the best spices found in nature. These bars are an indulgent treat, providing natural protein, fiber, and only 5 grams of sugar (or less) in each bar. There is nothing artificial in any of these bars. Even better, all of KIND’s products are gluten-free and produced in a certified, dedicated gluten-free facility. Love that!

So…next time you are in need of a delicious, nutritious, filling snack that is portable and just as yummy as ever…reach for a KIND bar. I highly recommend the salty-sweet taste of the Madagascar Vanilla Almond bar. I would purchase this one again in a heartbeat.

KIND Madagascar Vanilla Almond Nuts & Spices Bar (unwrapped)

February 5, 2013

XO Baking Co mixes up perfect Gluten-Free Banana Bread

XO Baking Co. Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix

XO Baking Company Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix – $7.99+

It happened once upon a time…back a couple years ago when I was instructed by my doctor to adopt a gluten-free diet. I attempted, from scratch, to make banana bread. And…it failed. Miserably. It was dense, heavy, and…WET! And I disliked it enough to throw it away. And from that moment on…I never attempted it again. Never. I designated any over-ripe bananas to another cause.

And then, while out shopping one afternoon and randomly stopping into a Home Goods store, I stumbled across their gourmet food section. Danger, Gluten-Free Will Robinson, Danger!! They actually had quite a good selection of gluten-free foods and products. And I…just had to try them. The one that seriously caught my eye, however, was the XO Baking Co’s Banana Bread Mix.

I mean…it had been forever since I had had good banana bread. I was craving. For real!

So, it and a few other items made their way into a basket I ran back to the door to get and soon I was checking out with a plethora of new gluten-free goodness. Or…at least I hoped.

And then, because my pantry is overflowing with gluten-free goodies…this had to sit and wait…and wait…and wait…and wait…

…and then I realized that the expiration date was approaching…so I dug it out and intended to make it over the weekend. Without reading the back for ingredients, I went grocery shopping for my regular items…and then came home to get to work on my bread (which would serve as breakfast for the entire week!)

It was only then that I realized that I required three large overly-ripe bananas for the bread mix. DUH! I don’t know why I assumed this would magically taste like banana on its own. So, my roomie and I dashed back out to the grocery store. And NONE of the stores had any overly ripe bananas. In fact…they were all very green. I mean…GREEN!

What to do? We finally discovered a couple at Target…but needed one more. So, we grabbed on that wasn’t quite as green as the rest and decided to just run with it. When you are handed under-ripe bananas…you attempt to do your best to make banana bread.

Back at home, mixing this together was easy. I mashed the bananas then put them into my Kitchenaid mixer. To that, I added eggs, oil, and almond milk. That got beat together until just combined. Then, in went the bread mix straight from the package. A little more mixing and it was done. As I’m working on shrinking the amount of items in my pantry, I added the rest of the chopped pecans (about 1/2 cup) and then put in 1/4 cup of Reeses peanut butter chips and 1/4 cup chocolate chips. I folded these into the batter, poured them into the pan and baked for about an hour.

The entire time it baked, I couldn’t help but return to the kitchen to steal another whiff of the bread. It smelled fantastic as it cooked up. And when it emerged, it was a beautiful golden color on the outside. I allowed it to cool in the pan before turning it out and setting it to cool the rest of the way.

The big test came the following morning when I sliced it up to make some French toast with it. O.M.G. No…for real.

I didn’t do anything fancy to the French toast batter. Just egg, a little light coconut milk, vanilla and cinnamon…dunked the bread and put it on my skillet. Flipped it once it got golden, then served it with a bit of hot maple syrup (homemade and delicious from my friend Erica).

This bread is packed with flavor. Even done up as though it were French toast (which definitely was preferred to the usual gluten-free sandwich bread I use). The nuts, the peanut butter chips, and the chocolate chips really compliment that banana flavor. The texture isn’t too dense or heavy. In fact, it seemed perfect for this kind of loaf of bread. I was enamored with the variety of flavor that hit my palate. BUT…to be fair, I needed to taste it without dressing it up too much. So, the following morning, I just gave the bread a light toasting in the oven to warm it. Then a small schmear of vegan butter and a drizzle of honey…and BAM. Banana bread perfection. The sweet honey worked well with the nuts and different flavor chips that were baked in.

Oh…this is a definite must have for your gluten-free pantry. If you can’t make a good banana bread from scratch, then you should totally give this mix a try. The guess work when it comes to what flour to use and how long to bake is taken out of the equation.

This mix is created using a gluten-free flour blend (which includes cassava flour, unmodified potato starch, organic coconut flour, and xanthan gum). Brown sugar adds a nice hint of sweetness to it. Baking powder gives it that necessary lightness to rise, baking soda, sea salt, and organic vanilla flavor. That’s it.

As for the nutrition standing…the mix contains 110 calories for 1/12 of the loaf. I went ahead and sliced mine into 12 slices so that I was certain of the servings when I began carving into it. That’s not bad. Not bad at all. This mix is also completely all natural, rice-free, trans fat free, gluten-free, wheat-free, and soy-free.

And in the end, you are left with a delicious, moist, banana-flavored bread that you can dress up however you like or just leave with simply bananas. Any way you slice it…it is AMAZING! XO Baking Co. is off to a good start and winning me over already.

January 24, 2013

Überly Nuts over Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Bar

Product: Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll – $1.99+

You know…I’m a nutty person. No…for real.

So, it should come as no surprise whatsoever that I fell completely head over feet in love with the Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll fruit and nut bar. I mean…honestly…what’s not to love?

Confession time – today was not the first time I ever ate one of these. Honestly, I was in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania at a convenience store/gas station…and in desperate need of a snack. Aside from a fruit cup, I was finding very little that this gluten-free girl could eat. And then…I spotted a stash of the Roasted Nut Roll Lärabar Über’s…and I grabbed it.

Like I said…I was a hungry girl in the middle of nowhere, so no pictures were taken. But…this bar ROCKS!! I loved it then…and I loved it even more today as I settled in for my 3 p.m. snack time.

It’s sort of nice to come into snack time on a new snack and know, for sure, that it will be delicious. I have been burned a few times by sub-par gluten-free products. But Lärabar is a name I trust. Every flavor I have ever had has been good…some great…quite a few more delicious…but this one…this one is pure awesomeness.

What I think makes this bar so amazing is that perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Even more…I think it’s the fantastic inclusion of so many varieties of nuts that gives it that super nutty flavor. The Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll contains a fantastic mix of roasted almonds, cashews, roasted peanuts, pecans and macadamia nuts. YUM!! It’s like a Planters Mixed Nut blend…but healthier…and sweeter. Why sweeter? Because in addition to the nuts, the bars also contain brown rice syrup, dates and honey. Add a dash of sea salt…and what you get is über perfection. The perfect blend of sweet and salty. Honestly…it was hard not to just shove the entire bar in my mouth and chew it until it was gone.

I think you can pretty much guess how I feel about these. And as far as nutrition facts go…these bars contain 220 calories per bar and 16 grams of fat. So…definitely not the healthiest of options…but still amazing and good. They have 5 grams of sugar and only 7 grams of sugar, which is awesome. At least the fat in this bar comes from the nuts…which means it is at least they are healthy fats.

Oh yeah…these are just yumminess personified. Trust me…buy these. Buy these now.

Lärabar Über Roasted Nut Roll (unwrapped)

January 13, 2013

Lärabar brings a taste of cherry cobler to Über line

Product: Lärabar Über Cherry Cobbler – $1.99

Who can argue with a snack that tastes like a classic summer dessert? You won’t find a lot of people complaining about that. Least of all me. As we all know…I love dessert. Love it. I could skip a meal if it mean a bigger dessert (that would be the trade-off). Of course, getting dessert isn’t easy for the gluten-free vegetarian…so I take what I can get.

With that in mind…I found myself awake on a race morning, having just eaten my cereal and knowing that I was going to need a little more closer to race time to see me through the race. If I don’t fuel about 30-40 minutes before a 5K, I normally find my stomach growling at the start of the race or halfway through. Nothing can throw you off your running mojo like hunger in the middle of a run. And with a 5K race, GU and Sports Beans are a bit excessive. It’s 3.1 miles…it’s not a half marathon.

That being said, I tend to come prepared for such things with my snack bars and protein bars. This particular morning, I found myself busting open a box of Lärabar Über that I picked up at the grocery store on Manager’s Special. I mean…the Über line is completely all natural, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, have no added preservatives, fillers, colorings, and no added sulfites.

LOVE that.

So, about 40 minutes before I was to start off on this 5K jaunt Saturday morning, I broke out my fuel, being my Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über. My roomie (who was up and there to cheer me on) decided we would split it. So, I broke it in half and she took a bite. Being that she’s not big on cherry anything, the fact that she kept eating it was a good sign.

My turn.

Oh. Yeah.

This fruit and nut bar is hearty, made with chunks of fruit and nuts, rather than having it all ground together like the standard Lärabars. I love being able to see the full bits of dried cherries, raisins, and dates mixed with the almonds, cashews, and pecans. I love the rich flavor that the brown rice syrup, the salt, and the honey bring to the bar itself. When you take a bite of this bar, you actually get the illusion that you are eating an actual cherry cobbler. That’s exactly what it tasted like. And with the blend of fruit and nuts, nothing is too overpowering. Nothing at all. It is a nice balance of sweet and salty and one that settled perfectly into my stomach before a hard run on hilly roads.

I love how nutritious these bars are as well. Despite tasting like a dessert, the Lärabar Cherry Cobbler Über bar will only set you back 190 calories and 12 grams of fat, most of which is provided in the healthy form from the nuts. This particular variety offers of 14 grams of protein and no cholesterol. Yeah! Despite the addition of salt, the brown rice syrup, the dried fruits and the nuts, there is only 135 mg of sodium in each bar. That’s amazing. And while this does have 12 grams of sugar, I’m relatively certain that mostly comes from the dried fruits that are used and the brown rice syrup and honey that help bind the bar together.

In the end, what you have is a tasty bar that actually satisfies your hunger, keeps you going, and is nutritionally sound. And…it tastes like dessert. What could be better?

January 5, 2013

Schär’s Chocolate Hazelnut Bars a grown-up, gluten-free KitKat of awesome!

Product: Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars – $4.99+

The first time I ever had one of Schär’s amazing products, I was in Los Angeles, California. One of my besties, Tawn, came down from Fresno and when I walked in the house, we hugged, we hugged more…and she looked at me and said, “I have gifts for you!” What she brought out of her luggage was a thinkThin bar and one of Schär’s Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.

I, naturally, ate them when I needed a snack or was at a restaurant where there were no real options for me. That being said…I didn’t blog about the gift snacks…because I devoured them before I took pictures of them.

Well, I remedied that already with the thinkThin bar…but the Schär wafer treat had yet to see it’s day in the blog spotlight.

Tonight…that changes.

During a major gluten-free closeout at my local grocery store, the entire section it seemed was on sale. So, while out grocery shopping that night, we piled our cart full of everything that was marked down and on closeout, fearing that the gluten-free section was being taken away from us…or shrinking. That wasn’t the case. I think they were moving out old stock to make room for a lot of new stock and new items. We didn’t know that at the time though.

One of the items that were tossed into the cart of gluten-free madness was a package of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars.

Memories of my time in Los Angeles crept back to me immediately. Happy, happy memories. But, other products had to be used up before I got to these…and so…they sat…and waited.

But today was the big unveiling of the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bars. I couldn’t really recall what they tasted like anymore. That trip to California happened over two years ago. I remembered finding them delicious though, so I wasn’t too concerned about taking this item to work for my afternoon snack without a backup plan.

Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (individual)

I had been anticipating my 3 p.m. snack most of the day. Every time I opened my desk drawer, the Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar was sitting there…tempting me. But…I behaved and waited until the appropriate time. But once the clock struck 3 p.m., all bets were off!

First of all, I love how this is the actual size of a candy bar. The picture on the cover shows a treat that resembles those little wafer cookies (the ones that come in chocolate, vanilla and strawberry that you devour as a child). So, already this bar is like that…but on steroids. After splitting it in half, and taking the required picture for the blog, I took my first bite.

Oh. My. Gluten. Free. God.

Rich. Decadent. Light. Fantastic. Heaven in chocolate-covered wafer form. One bite and I knew this was a treat to be savored.

It tasted like the awesomeness that would emerge should a KitKat Bar mate with a Ferrero Rocher. Honestly. It was more of a dessert than a snack when it came down to it. That’s not knocking the bar in the slightest. It was melt-in-your-mouth awesome from the first bite to the last. I let my teammate, Andrea, try some and she also loved it. She’s very picky…especially with gluten-free foods…but this one only garnered compliments. My roomie also tried a little portion of it…and she too enjoyed it.

Really…it’s a decadent mid-day pick-me-up…or a sweet treat when you are craving something rich, smooth, and chocolatey. The wafer crackers are thin and lend a slight crunch. The hazelnut cream is the perfect amount to lend its flavor without overpowering the rest of the bar. And the milk chocolate that surrounds this treat…exceptional. Schär managed to find the perfect balance between snack and dessert. This was definitely a decadent mid-afternoon snack.

It’s also not the healthiest option I’ve ever brought with me for that 3:00 p.m. munchie attack. One Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar packs 200 calories and 12 grams of fat. Like I said…It’s much more like a dessert than a snack. And perhaps that’s how these should be treated. But, at least these are made with recognizable ingredients, have no preservatives, no gluten, no wheat, and no eggs.

Super smooth. Super rich. Super delicious!

Super Schär does it again…wrapping up hazelnut goodness in a simple chocolate coating. The results…sweet chocolate-coated wafer nirvana.

Mmmmm…it tastes as good as it sounds!

Schär Chocolate Hazelnut Bar (unwrapped and split open)

December 11, 2012

No pastry shell needed for Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar

Product: Lärabar Über Apple Turnover – $1.99

All the taste of an apple turnover without the guilt-laden pastry shell. I kid you not.

Welcome to the wonderful new line from Lärabar. In early 2012, Lärabar launched their new line of protein bars – the Über. In four flavors, this product combined sweet and salty flavors of classic desserts and brought them into bar form. No joke.

And after a 10 mile run the other day, I was hungry and needing something to satisfy my stomach while I went to an eye appointment before getting a late lunch. I happened to pick up one of each flavor of the Lärabar Über bars on Manager’s Special at my local grocery store. Super sale on a product that is gluten-free…yeah, I’ll buy that. And since they had an abundance of each flavor on the market, I grabbed one of each. The Über bars are available in Apple Turnover, Bananas Foster, Cherry Cobbler, and Fruit and Nut Roll.

First up, by the scientific method of grabbing the box in front…was the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover Bar.

Lärabar is known for making their products strictly from fruit, nuts, and spices/seasoning. That holds true with the Über bars. In fact, the Apple Turnover variety has 9 ingredients in them. That’s it. And they are all things you could find in your pantry. It’s true. They are composed of walnuts, dried apples, brown rice syrup, raisins, dates, pecans, honey, sea salt, and cinnamon. That’s it. Nothing unrecognizable. Defintiely not made up of chemicals that you’d have to Google to figure out what they were (if you dared!) or something completely unpronounceable and unknown to anyone but a chemist. I love that about Lärabar. What you see is what you get.

The Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar contains only 190 calories for the entire bar. It contains 11 grams of fat, but is very low in sodium (125 mg) and serves up 3 grams of protein. Not too bad, overall.

The best part…the Apple Turnover bar tastes just like an apple turnover would. Seriously! It’s fantastic. The combination of dried fruits, nuts, and seasonings really lend that illusion that you are eating a sinful pastry. But you’re doing it at a fraction of the calories and fat. Honestly, you won’t even miss the flaky, fattening pastry crust. I fell in love with it at first bite. And so did my roommate. We both agreed that the apple flavor is there, without dominating. All of the ingredients get their time to shine, and when they are together…you really feel like you’re sitting down to a fantastic pastry. Just…without the guilt. Love that.

These bars are soft, chewy, and provide a hint of sweet/salty flavor to each bite. Not to mention, the Apple Turnover Über bar is gluten-free, dairy free, soy free, made from all-natural ingredients, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, has no added sulfites and no preservatives, fillers or colorings. It’s wholesome and all natural and for that, I feel confident continuing to purchase products from Lärabar. Not only do they fit my dietary needs, but they are delicious as well.

If you love to indulge in a dessert but want to do so without the guilt, I recommend the Lärabar Über Apple Turnover bar. And if you are gluten-free…I also recommend this variety. Honestly, you won’t even miss the pastry crust. Just indulge in the moment and savor every bite.

Lärabar…the Apple Turnover bar is Über delicious!

December 10, 2012

Another Lärabar treat with Apple Pie flavored bar

Product: Lärabar Apple Pie – $1.99+

It seems apple pie is everywhere these days. I guess it just comes with the time of year. Apples are always in season, but so many people associate them with the fall/winter. It is, after all, the height of apple cider time. And I do love apple cider. Heck, I just love apples. One of my favorite desserts is apple crisp, after all.

That being said, yesterday was another race morning. Nothing big. No reason to cream an entire protein bar down my throat before the run. Thankfully, I have a bunch of Lärabar mini bars still in my run-snack drawer. And the next one up just happened to be…Apple Pie.

I packed this away in my bag to take with me to eat an hour before the short 4K run. After all, the race wasn’t long…but I knew the cereal I ate when I woke up wouldn’t last through to the 9:00 a.m. start time. I always come prepared with a bar on race days now. There is nothing worse than standing at that starting line and hearing your stomach rumble. Or worse…being halfway through and realizing your cereal has burned off and now…you’re running on fumes. Best to just properly fuel.

So, the Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar accompanied on my drive over the river to Louisville, Kentucky and the park that was hosting the run. I actually pulled into the park exactly an hour before the race started. So it was perfect timing. Out came the Lärabar. I unwrapped it and took a small bite.

Okay…it actually does taste like apple pie. I can safely say that because my dessert last week was gluten-free apple pie. Honestly…this was just like having a slice. Really good. Although, even though it tastes like apple pie…it isn’t one of my favorite ones. Maybe it is the underlying hint of cinnamon that just kept creeping into my palate. But, while it was good, some of the others have been far better. But, it can be hit or miss with protein bars. That’s not to say this one wasn’t good. I would eat it again if it were offered to me. I wouldn’t turn my nose up at it. It’s just really not up to par with the other ones that have come before it. (Cashew Cookie is still my absolute favorite!)

So, a little information about this little protein bar. The Lärabar Apple Pie Mini Bar is comprised of of six ingredients. That’s it. These are dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, and cinnamon. I knew there was cinnamon in there. All together, you sort of get this illusion that you are biting into a slice of apple pie…crust and all. The apples really shine. And the cinnamon gives it that warm flavor to it, though I found it a bit overpowering at times. As for the nuts and the raisins and dates…it just lends to that illusion of crust and filling. The texture was soft and yes…this one was delicious, despite not being one of my favorites.

The mini bar offers you 90 calories and 5 grams of fat. It only has 2 grams of protein to it. Not much on that protein, now that I look at it. The full-size bar, however is a bit more. It would set you back 190 calories and 10 grams of fat. With it, you would get 4 grams of protein. But…it is definitely filling and the fiber count (3 grams in the mini; 5 grams in the full-size) is the reason for that.

Again, this was a really good bar, it just wasn’t as amazing as some of the other ones I have eaten. That being said, if you love apple pie…then you will truly love taking a bite into this bar.