Product Review!

Hi Everyone!

Yes, I am back with my weekly product review! I know, I know, it took me a while - but here we go!
At this blog, I review products that claim to be green, healthy, organic, vegan, or vegetarian on their packaging.

1. Fantastic World Foods "Vegetarian Sloppy Joe"
4 Stars!
Great flavorful meal, quick and easy to prepare, and it is vegan. All you have to add is water and tomato paste, so it is convenient too. The only downfall of this product is, it is too spicy for my kids. This is definitely a grown-up food. So if you like sloppy-Joe's and want a healthy, yet spicy variety, go for it. Available in most grocery stores.

2. Arnold Select Sandwich Thins - Multi-grain
5 Stars!
Perfect, thin buns with a great multi-grain flavor without all that puffiness of regular buns. Great for the sloppy Joe's above or any sandwich! Great buy!

3. Silk Creamer "French Vanilla"
5 Stars!
I love flavored creamers - and I love this one even more, considering that is soy-milk-based! Finally an non-dairy coffee-creamer I can feel good about. For those who are not used to soy-milk, this product is thinner then a regular creamer, as most soy-milk products are. But it adds great flavor to your cup of coffee!

4. Gardenburger "Mama Mia Meatballs"
5 Stars!
These little soy "meat"-balls are delicious, easy and fast to prepare, for those days when you are in a hurry, and still want quality. Non-Vegan. Available at most grocery stores.

5. Morning Star Farms "Chick Patties Original"
5 Stars!
100 % Vegetarian
When everyone else is eating chicken sandwiches, you can chow down on the healthier alternative! Convenience that will curb your cravings and temptations for the real thing. Quick, easy lunch! Great! Non-Vegan.

I will be back next week with some more morsels I have discovered along the way. Have a great, and delicious week!

Blessed Be!

Claudia
P.S. Don't forget to check out my new Wiccan Blog!

Food Reviews - New Things to Try Out!

Hi Everyone!

Here is another list of healthy living products, I have been trying out for you!

As always, in order to be featured here, a product has to fit under the following categories:
1. Indicate that it is considered a healthy choice on the package, or
2. Is a whole-grain product, or
3. Is organic, or
4. Is a green household product


Let's begin!

1. Quaker Multigrain Minis - Cinnamon Sugar
5 Stars! Wonderfully sweet little treats, that are made with whole grain, and have only 60 Calories per serving! What is not to like!

2. Activia Yogurth from Dannon
5 Stars! Great tasting yogurth, and good for you! It makes getting a shot of calcium a pleasure!

3. Oat Cluster Cheerios Crunch from General Mills
5 Stars! I love the high iron content. It takes great - okay, it taste like sweet cheerios, what did you expect? With 100 Calories per serving it is a great way to get your vitamins, fiber and the iron many of us our lacking in our diet.

4. Seventh Generation, Natural All Purpose Cleaner.
5 Stars! With no perfumes and dyes, do not expect the usual scents or smells of a cleaner - which I find such a refreshing change - but it works as well as any of the products I used to use, and which fumes I inhaled. So, do yourself, the enviroment and your family a favor and switch to Seventh Generation.

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia Blanton

Food Reviews Time Again! Yummy!

Hi Everyone!

Here we go again! It is time to try out new foods! I had fun experimenting and revisiting old favorites. I hope you will be enjoying this little trip to the grocery store, right along with me!

Keep in mind that the food products featured on this blog have to fall under one or more of the following categories:

1. Indicate that their healthy on their package
2. Are a whole grain product
3. Is an organic product.

Here we go:

1. All Bran Multigrain Crackers from Kelloggs. 5. Stars! Okay the packaging is not the greatest, looks more like a not to great cereal package, but do not let yourself get sidetracked by that, and go for the stuff inside! It is great! With a slight sweet aftertaste these crackers are a little treasure. And with 5 grams of fiber per serving, you can not beat that snack
2. "Clearly Organic" Organic Black Beans 15 oz can. 5 Starts! Beans are a must in a healthy kitchen and these canned black beans make it easy to add nutrition to any meal. Do not forget to rinse, though, even if they are already low in sodium (85 mg = 4 %)
3. Tropicana No Pulp Calcium Orange Juice 5 Stars! You already know that we should have more calcium in our diet, so there is a chance for a great, sweet, tasty way to bring more of that good stuff into your life.
4. Goldfish Whole Grain Crackers from Pepperidge Farm 4 Stars! Not quite as cheesy as the regular variety but still satisfying! Worth the switch!

Now it is your turn to be adventurous!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia Blanton

http://www.create-your-life-dreams.com/

Food Reviews - New Things to Try Out!

Hi Everyone!

Again, it is time to review some products! As always, these food products fall under the one or more of the following categories:

1. They are considered healthy.
2. They are labeled as healthy in some form on the package
3. They are labeled as whole-grain.
4. They are labeled as organic.

Here are the products:

Triscuit Rosemary and Olive Oil Whole Grain Wheat Crackers
3 1/2 Stars! Okay, they do not have the same texture, then "normal" crackers, it is more in texture like cereal, but the flavor is good. So, if you are adventurous, feel free to try these crackers.

Celestial Seasonings "true blueberry" herbal tea, caffeine free
5 Stars! Yummy! This is a great tea to relax to and wind down with! I love the strong flavor, and it's scent is also delicious. Love it!

Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal with real Strawberry
5 Stars! Smells nice, taste great, what is not to love. I like the iron contest 45 % (got a growing daughter at home! Iron is important!) Overall a good thing!

Picksweet Deluxe Steamers Edamame Soybeans in the Shell!
5 Stars! A great snack, or a crunchy addition to a healthy salad, with lots of fiber and in an easy to prepare steam bag, these little things are a stable in my kitchen.

Okay, now you have a few more products to try out! Have fun being adventurous, and step a little outside of your usual "eating box"!

Have a great day!

Claudia
www.create-your-life-dreams.com

More Product Reviews - Eating Healthy and Enjoying it Too!

Hi Everyone!

Today, I am back to post a few more food product reviews for you!

As always, for the products to be featured here, they have to fall under one or more categories:

> indicate on the package that the product is a healthy choice
> made with whole-grain
> is organic

This week we had a huge Quaker product sale, so here are a few of the products we tried as a result:

Quaker Simple Harvest All Natural Instant Multigrain Cereal:

Apple with Cinamon: 5 Stars! My daughter loves the sutle flavor of this cereal. If you are used to oatmeal, the texture is completly different. The barley, wheat and oat combination is great!

Vanilla, Almond, Honey: 5 Stars! If you like almonds and vanilla, you are in for a treat! Alone the way the cereal smells when it cooks in the microwave is wonderful! My favorite!

Quaker Granola Chocolate Bites
5 Stars!
Okay, at first, when I saw the little round things, I wasn't going to try them, but I am glad, I did! The flavor is really nice chocolaty, and the serving size is perfect.

Quaker Honey Nut Chewy Granola Bars
4 Stars!
While I prefer the Kashi bars, this granola bar is nice. For 90 Calories, this makes a smart snack. Sweet, and has a nice texture! Go for it!

Have fun trying these products!

Have a wonderful day!

For more articles on health related issues, such as emotional eating, visit my new Yahoo Group "Think Well of Food!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thinkwelloffood

Claudia Blanton
Motivational Coach, Fundraiser
813 - 531 - 8379
www.create-your-life-dreams.com

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Today's Food Review

Yes, today I am reviewing some more healthy foods, as I believe that staying motivated to achieve an healthy, balanced lifestyle, is more likely to be achieved when it is made easy.

So for all my readers, who want to eat more healthy, here is my review of the last few days of testing products (better me then you?)

Here is my list:

Chocolate Life Oat Crunch from Quaker

3 1/2 Stars
My daughter did not like this cereal. My opinion is, that while the idea is great, the quality of the chocolate pieces should be better. If I only get a little bit of chocolate, then I want it to be good.


Philadelphia Creme Cheese 1/3 less fat

5 Stars!
I can not taste the difference between this product and the full-fat version. So why buy the other one! Just as creamy as the original.


Smart Taste Ronzoni Rotini Pasta

5 Stars!
Tastes wonderful, looks like regular pasta, and has 30 % of DV of calcium as well as 25 % of DV of fiber. Toss with a vegetable based sauce and you have a powerhouse of a meal. I am impressed.


Another quick idea:

Ever since Seinfeld's wife on Oprah proclaimed her puree-filled cooking, I have tried what she suggested on the show. I do not buy cookbooks, as I do not follow recipes, but if I would buy one, then it is hers. I love the idea, having added purees to just about everything, from cakes and cookies (as fat-substitute and texture enhancer) to main dishes and sauces. Unsuspecting husband and neighbors are all coming back for more (considering that my husband is a cook, I am very happy with myself, if I get him to rave about anything I make). The only one who knew is my daughter, who volunteers for veggies any day, and grins as if she knew it would taste good.
So, if you are a cook book enthusiast, buy it! If you like to experiment, just go for it and become creative!

Have a wonderful day!

Claudia

Product Reviews - Good For You, But How Does It Taste?

Today, I am back with a few products, my family and I have reviewed within the last few days. In order for us to add the product to this list, there has to be an indication or direct claim, on the packaging, that the food is either healthy, organic, and/or contain mostly whole grain.

This weeks products:
Back to Nature Chewy Trail Mix Bars Cranberry Almond
5 Stars! Wonderfully chewy, and slightly tart, quick snack on the run!

Post Cereal Trail Mix Crunch Maple Nut & Brown Sugar
5 Stars! Both cold and warm, with milk a hit! Love the high iron content (90 %)

Libby's Organic Soy Beans 15 oz can
4 Stars! Love the taste, rinse it though first, to reduce the sodium. Kids love it!

Dannon All Natural Yogurt Peach Flavor
5 Stars! If you love yogurt with small chunks, you will love this all natural yogurt. Also comes in Strawberry and Blueberry, but Peach is my favorite!


All reports are based on my families opinion, therefore choose according to your own taste buds. Trying out new healthy foods can be a lot of fun!