The Food Gurus

R.W. Garcia's Spiced Flaxseed Chips

2009-01-12T15:05:00.003-05:00

Corn ships with an afterglow; these spiced chips really make a great snack. The flaxseed bits in the chips make them speckled, but don't change the flavor much, or at least, if they do its too subtle for me to notice. The spice on the chips is smoky and would go well with hummus or salsa, or the chips can be eaten plain. When they are served at my Grandmothers house, these chips are always the first to go. Little kids don't mind the flaxseeds, because they can barely taste them, but these chips are a nutritionally superior to their counterparts. They are organic, and gluten free with no trans fats, and over 500mg of Omega-3s per serving. These chips also come in veggie, berry, Thai sweet and spicy, Blue corn, and multigrain.

Betty Lou's JUMBO Fruit Bars

2009-01-12T14:36:00.004-05:00

The first difference from other bars like Nutrigrain that I noticed when I was handed these bars was the HUGE amount of fruit that was packed inside. The flavor is rich, and one of these squares, no bigger than a post-it note, proved to be very filling. The Apricot tasted just like the fresh dried fruit, and the "cookie" part of the bar was flaky and moist. These bars have NO cholesterol, 5g (20%!!!) of the daily fiber recommended, along with calcium, iron, and vitamin C. These bars are almost like Nutrigrain, only you can actually taste the fruit, and they don’t taste dry and "cooked". These Bars come in Apple, Apricot, Cherry, Strawberry, and Blueberry.

In addition, all flavors are vegan, wheat free, soy free, corn free, and dairy free.

Click to order: Betty Lou's Jumbo Fruit Bars

Plantain Chips

2009-01-10T20:02:00.003-05:00

Plantain chips are one of the many ways Islanders eat the banana, and the chips make a fantastic snack. My childhood memories of Puerto Rico vacations always included these, and their flavor is light and unique. Grab "Em Snacks Plantain chips are offered in six different flavors: Sea Salt, Cajun Spice, Black Pepper, Jalapeno, Chili Garlic, and Red Chili. The Cajun spice adds a little glow to the flavor, and would go great with a sandwich or with some grilled fish. Speaking of fish, why not try breading one with these crushed chips instead of potato chips?

Gluten free and delicious, these chips can easily replace unhealthful potato and other chips in a lunch bag. (In Puerto Rico they’re served at bars as munchies- no dip required!) If you think plantains may be a little beyond your palate, rest assured that these chips don’t taste exotic, weird, or “out there”. They don’t take the "getting used to" that some foods do, and they’re straight-from-the-bag good.

Try them now: Grab 'Em Plantain Chips

Healthy High Fiber Mac and Cheese

2008-07-11T15:57:00.002-04:00

With no artificial colors or flavors, no trans fat, and 18 grams of fiber, it's ridiculous that no one has thought of this sooner!

One of the most common complaints I get from moms is that their children will only eat one food. Often, that food is macaroni and cheese with it's day-glo orange color, loads of fat, and very little (if any) positive qualities. Fiber Gourmet Light Mac & Cheese is a healthier alternative to traditional macaroni and cheese and one that tastes just like the popular brands.

Don't get me wrong--there are healthier, all-natural versions out there (such as Annie's), but Fiber Gourmet has the added benefits of 18 grams of fiber, and 35% fewer calories (170 vs. 260) than other leading brands. Fiber has shown to have exceptional health benefits, particularly for the heart and digestive system. Unfortunately, according to data compiled by the USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intake, only 12% of children consume their Daily Reference Value of fiber each day. Additionally, with obesity on the rise, a company that can take a traditionally fattening food and reduce the calories while keeping the great taste should be commended.

Try it now: Healthy High Fiber Mac & Cheese

EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bar

2007-08-06T16:13:00.000-04:00

The first thing you'll notice is that EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bars remind you of those quintessential marshmallow and rice crispy bars first made popular by those wise-crackling, snapping and popping brothers -- only much, much healthier. EnviroKidz Crispy Rice Bars come in chocolate and berry flavor and are packed in individually wrapped 6 count boxes, making them a conveniently portable snack. My kids love the flavor of the chocolate crispy rice bars and while they could careless that these tasty bars are not only low fat, low sodium and have no artificial ingredients but they also do not contain all of the unhealthy "junk" found in the other guys rice crispy bars. Unlike Kellogg's Rice Crispy Treats, EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice Bar do not contain hydrogenated oils, artificial butter flavor and high fructose corn syrup (which is second only to toasted rice cereal!) -- in fact, the majority of their ingredients are USDA certified organic. So, if you are like me and want to give your kids an occasional treat or a little extra surprise in their lunchboxes but do not want to sacrifice good nutrition, you'll pick up a box of these tasty, healthy crispy treats and tell those three brothers to go bother someone else!

Crispy Delites 100% Natural Veggie Chips

2007-08-01T19:21:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you're just in the mood for something crunchy, right? I know I am -- especially when I'm getting ready to sit down to an overstuffed smoked turkey, tomato and cheddar cheese sandwich on my favorite whole grain bread. Unfortunately, due to their high calorie, fat-laden, artery clogging reputation I've been forced to abandon potato chips -- now finding my sandwich lay lonely on the plate with only a few cast-off baby carrots and grape tomatoes to keep it company. While I love the taste and health benefits of fresh from the garden vegetables, when you're hankering for a chip, they simply do not deliver the same crisp and crunchy satisfaction...until now! A friend recently told me about Crispy Delites 100% Natural Veggie Chips. It's hard to believe but these chips are nothing more than a blend of dehydrated vegetables that have been lightly seasoned with canola oil and sea salt. According to the product label, one ounce serving of Crispy Delites "packs the vitamins, nutrients and health benefits of almost a pound of fresh vegetables" -- and the best thing of all -- they're really crunchy and delicious! Crispy Delites are naturally low in calories and fat and come in a delicious blend of carrot, celery, red onion, sweet potatoes, taro, and string bean. They are also gluten-free.

Get Crispy Delites now.

Minute Maid Fruit Falls

2007-07-31T07:50:00.000-04:00

Fooled again! Recently I feel in love with Minute Maid Fruit Falls Water Beverage not only because it was a convenient and tasty way to get my kids to drink more water but unlike the other fruit flavored water beverages found in the juice aisle it does not contain high fructose corn syrup and artificial flavorings. In fact, the front of the 10-pouch box states it is "made with pure filtered water and a splash of real fruit juice." However, on closer examination I noticed two "minor" details that put questionable doubt in my mind about continuing to give this product to my kids. Now the nutritional detective work begins -- firstly, upon closer examination I noticed that the phrase "made with pure filtered water and a splash of real fruit juice" was followed by two small asterisks (**) -- should of been my first clue when I initially picked up the box at the supermarket! These asterisks lead me to a disclaimer that I had to hunt for and eventually found on the side of the box. This disclaimer stated Minute Maid Fruit Falls is made with a blend of juices from concentrate (OK, but still better than high fructose corn syrup, right?) and other ingredients (other ingredients, what other ingredients?!). The other ingredients comment brought me back to the nutritional contents (which I thought I had closely read in the store, what an idiot!). Upon closer scrutiny I uncovered the word "sucralose" as one of the last ingredients listed. For those of you unfamiliar with this word, it is the same chemical component the artificial sweetener Splenda is made from. While I know the scientific jury is still out regarding the potential risks of sucralose, I feel as a parent I don't want to play the odds and risk endangering my children's future health by giving them a test tube substance like Splenda. What I can't seem to figure out is why it is so difficult to produce a flavored water for kids without all of the unnecessary additions -- if I can mix up an combination of water and fruit juice at home, why can't a major manufacturer package this same all-natural combination in a convenient to carry pouch or juice box? Once again -- it's up to you to do the nutritional detective work. Even when you think you've read the label -- READ IT AGAIN!

Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame

2007-07-30T08:13:00.001-04:00

There is a green salad present on our dinner table almost every night of the week. To maintain my family's interest of this bowl of healthy, vitamin and mineral-rich greens I've learned to spice things up a bit by adding unexpected surprises to our nightly salad. While my kids would probably love to see M&M's sprinkled on their salads, I've kept these additions to the healthful nature, using things like pumpkins seeds, fresh and dried fruit, beans, cheese and unexpected veggies. While these wholesome add-ons have helped to get the salad from bowl to plate (M&M's would of probably gotten by kids eating right from the bowl) it was not until the recent discovery of Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame that got my family reaching for second helpings of salad. For those of us still in the dark about edamame, edamame are soybeans that are frequently flavored with seasalt or other types of spices for added flavor. Soybeans are exceptionally high in protein and may also help to lower cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease. Anyway, we tried Seapoint Farms Dry Roasted Edamame in Wasabi flavor. Everyone thought the roasted edamame worked really well in the salad, adding an unexpected burst of crunchy, spicy flavor against the relative mildness of the greens. Aside from the flavor, I was thrilled to find an ingredient that boosted the healthfulness of our everyday salad. I think I'll next try it sprinkled into soup or maybe a stir-fry, or how about trail mix...

Better'n Peanut Butter

2007-07-29T08:23:00.000-04:00

My family eats A LOT of peanut butter -- peanut butter and banana sandwiches, peanut butter on our pancakes & waffles, peanut butter on our morning toast, peanut butter smoothies, pretzels dipped in peanut butter and my son's personal favorite, "ants on a branch" (peanut butter on celery with raisins). I honestly could go on but I fear I'm already sounding like the shrimp obsessed character, Bubba, from the film Forrest Gump. Anyway, you name it, we've probably tried it with peanut butter. Of course I applaud my family's love of peanut butter given it's reputation for being a good source of energy, protein and fiber as well as being high in niacin (helps to raise good cholesterol) and Vitamin E. However, while it is low in unhealthy saturated fat it is still relatively high in fat and calories (16 grams of fat and 160 calories in 2 tablespoons serving) -- raising my concern of our over consumption.

When I first read about Better'n Peanut Butter I thought I finally found a way to marry the many healthy benefits of peanut butter with my desire to maintain a low fat, low calorie lifestyle. Better'n Peanut Butter promotes itself as an all natural, low fat and low calorie (85% less fat and 40% less calories than regular peanut butter) alternative to other commercial peanut butter brands. According to it's label, their source of peanuts is a combination of naturally defatted peanut flour and natural peanut butter. However, unlike the natural peanut butter my family enjoys (made from peanuts and salt), Better'n Peanut Butter also contains a lot of other ingredients, including tapioca syrup, dehydrated cane juice and rice syrup. When you first open the jar, this peanut butter looks and smells like any other, however, that is where the similarity ends. I think as the result of the syrups and cane juice, this peanut butter is disgustingly sweet tasting. And while it is made of all natural ingredients it leaves a bizarrely artificial taste that seems to linger on the tongue. Given my desire to reduce calories and fat from my family's diet, I truly tried to find a way to incorporate this brand of peanut butter into our life's and seemed to fail with each attempt. I finally came to the conclusion that it is pointless to mess with peanut butter's creamy and nutty perfection and I would have to learn to moderate our consumption of the irreplaceable real stuff.

Tofutti Mintz's Blintzes

2007-07-19T12:19:00.001-04:00

If you are looking to liven up breakfast or want a convenient addition to your next brunch menu you must try the Tofutti brand of pre-baked blintzes called Mintz's Blintzes. Mintz's Blintzes are sincerely delicious crepes that are filled with the Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese filling -- making them instantly dairy free, cholesterol free, and they contain no butterfat like most blintzes. These blintzes are sooooo good that my father, a self-proclaimed "meat and potatoes man" found them extremely delicious (although, I must admit I did not reveal the "secret" ingredient until after he tried and enjoyed one). Each tasty blintz has 90 calories, 4 grams of fat and 3 grams of protein. They are especially delicious when served with a warmed fruit compote -- blueberries are my preferred fruit at the moment. Everyone will enjoy eating these cheese filled beauties -- for those of us who like the taste and health benefits of tofu, Mintz's Blintzes are a tasty, all-natural, guilt-free treat and for everyone else -- what they don't know, won't hurt them!

Nana's Temptations

2007-07-12T07:50:00.000-04:00

All-natural, gluten and dairy free -- come on, how good could this chocolate bar be?!! VERY!!! Nana's Temptations Chocolate Confection Bar is more like a super fudgey and delicious brownie than a traditional chocolate bar. While over the last couple of years more and more products have come on the market that are gluten-free, it is still a welcome surprise when one tastes as good as Nana's Temptations. To add to their appeal, not only are Nana's Temptations ideal for anyone with a gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, but Nana's also does not contain dairy, are made with only all-natural ingredients and have no added sugar -- these tasty treats are fruit juiced sweetened. For a midday snack, Nana's may be a bit high in calories at 170, but compared to the calories in a piece of cake or a handful of cookies, Nana's makes for a relatively low calorie dessert option.

Ingredients: (vegan) tapioca flour, fruit juice, rece dextrin, semi sweet chocolate chips, coconut oil, imported cocoa, coconut, non alunimun baking soda, natural flavors. One bar has 170 calories, 9g total fat.

Try Nana's Temptations Now

Soy Joy Mango Coconut Bar

2007-07-10T17:10:00.001-04:00

By now most of us have seen the SoyJoy commercial -- the smart, sassy young woman video blogging the greatness of the SoyJoy bar. Given her pitch as well as the fact SoyJoy is an all-natural treat with the healthful benefits of soy I was intrigued to give it a try.

Recently, I had an opportunity to try SoyJoy Mango Coconut and let's just say -- I was not at all impressed and quite frankly kind of let down. Sure, SoyJoy looks promising when you read the short list of healthy ingredients as well as when you first remove the wrapper. In fact, the bar looks quite delicious -- like a homemade biscotti bursting with dried fruit. Unfortunately, the taste does not at all deliver relative to it's appearance. The bar lacked a standout flavor and the overall texture was somewhat unpleasant. Probably due to the inclusion of soybean powder, the bar left a pastiness in the mouth, which continued to linger on the tongue even after the bar was long gone. I will not purchase this product again, it did not live up to it's promise.

Bella Cucina Artichoke Pesto

2007-07-09T07:17:00.000-04:00

Bella Cucina Artful Food makes a delicious assortment of all natural pesto -- my personal favorite is it's Artichoke Pesto. Bella Cucina Artichoke Pesto is a fresh and pleasant combination of artichokes, oil, lemon juice, parmesan cheese and garlic. With summer now here I find myself using this pesto more and more -- as a dip (recipe right on the jar), as a simple pasta flavoring and my most recent discovery, as an accompaniment to grilled shrimp and feta fajitas -- YUMMY! Aside from it's diversity of uses, what I especially love about this line of pesto, is that you don't sacrifice taste and quality that you are normally guaranteed when making pesto from scratch -- and boy, is this much easier!

Try Bella Cucina Artichoke Pesto

Just Pomegranate

2007-07-06T18:57:00.001-04:00

All you need to do is take a stroll through your local supermarket or health food store to discover that pomegranate has become the rising star of health foods. Pomegranates are high in Vitamin C, calcium and potassium and are a great source of fiber and antioxidants.

While much of the attention has been placed on pomegranate juice, other pomegranate products are beginning to emerge -- like Just Pomegranate. Just Pomegranate are freeze-dried pomegranate seeds that are full of sweet, delicious flavor and offer all of the same health benefits found in the juice. Just Pomegranate makes it easy to get the health benefits of the fruit in just about anything -- sprinkled into yogurt, cereal, fruit salad or even ice cream. It makes a great addition to many baked goods, especially blending nicely with lemon-based cakes and muffins (hint: someone recommended soaking the dried seeds in lemon juice before adding to a recipe). In fact, the flavor is so appealing my son likes to eat Just Pomegranate straight out of the container, describing it as "pomegranate candy."

Wild Garden Hummus Dip

2007-07-03T18:10:00.000-04:00

Summertime is chips and dip weather. However, for those of us already feeling squeamish about putting on a swimsuit, the idea of eating greasy, fat-laden potato chips and high calorie dip sends us running for the nearest cover-up while praying for winter's speedy arrival. If you are like me and want to enjoy the summer, yet don't want to give up having a little something crunchy and creamy, I've found Wild Garden Hummus Dip to be the perfect, guilt-free solution. Wild Garden Hummus is a delicious, all natural chickpea bean dip that tastes great served with veggies, low-fat crackers or even pretzels and baked potato chips. For a satisfying, high protein and low fat lunch I also like to spread it on multi-grain bread with mixed salad greens and tomato.

Ingredients: water, chickpeas, sesame paste, sea salt, spices, citric acid.

35 calories, 2 grams fat per 2 tablespoons serving

Hummus Dip

Figamajigs Dark Chocolate Covered Figs

2007-06-28T10:25:00.000-04:00

Figamajigs are low fat, a good source of fiber, and high in antioxidants--THIS is the candy you've been waiting for! Delicious dark chocolate covered fig drops are all-natural candy pieces with the goodness of fig and dark chocolate. A serving is only 4 grams of fat, 15 mg of sodium, and 150 calories! This fantastic, HEALTHY candy will also give you 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, 15% iron, and 6% calcium (based on a 2,000 calorie diet)--when's the last time a candy did all that for you?

The best part is that these little drops are sooooooooo good that even kids love them!

Try them now: Figamajigs

LesserEvil Krinkle Sticks

2007-06-25T11:07:00.000-04:00

Our friends over at LesserEvil seem to be in possession of limitless genius. Their newest "lesser" evil snack takes on the classic diet-disasters potato chips and french fries and wins...hands down. Krinkle Sticks, takes the crunchy, potato-y yumminess of potato chips and the cute, krinkly-cut, finger food addictive qualities of french fries and combines them in a totally unique snack that won't sabotage your diet.

These potato snacks are baked (NOT fried) and come in flavors reminiscent of potato chips such as Classic SeaSalt, Sour Cream & Onion, Barbecue, and Cajun. Unlike potato chips, however, a 1 cup serving of Krinkle Sticks is only 110 calories and 2.5 grams of fat (0 saturated, 0 trans). Krinkle Sticks also boast 2 grams of fiber and protein and are gluten free. You can eat these crunchy snacks right out of the box, or, if you're more of a french-fry fan, you can dip them in ketchup. Either way, you'll satisfy your potato craving in a much healthier way.

Try them now: http://www.wellbaskets.com/lekrst.html

Gin Gins Boost Ginger Candy

2007-06-21T18:45:00.000-04:00

I recently found another great product offering from The Ginger People -- Gin Gins Boost. Gin Gins Boost are deliciously chewy ginger candies that have a great spicy flavor and provide all of the stomach soothing benefits of fresh ginger. In fact, each soft chew contains a whopping 30% fresh ginger and the makers of Gin Gins Boost are stating that these candies are a natural way to soothe motion sickness, making it the perfect travel companion.

Interestingly, I came across these candies while preparing for my family's annual road trip. My son (and husband) are prone to car sickness, so I'm always looking for new ways to make the hours we spend in the car more tolerable for everyone -- although the jury is still out on how well these little drops of ginger will perform, I'm feeling quite optimistic given what I already know about the stomach soothing power of ginger. I have to imagine, if Gin Gins Boost can effectively relieve motion sickness, they would also be a great natural remedy for morning sickness -- every pregnant woman's curse.

Ingredients: Cane sugar, glucose, ginger (30%), modified cassava starch, non-hydrogenated palm kernel oil (trans fat free), salt, soy lecithin. Each pack contains 1.1oz (12 individually wrapped candies).

Newman's Own Lightly Sweetened Lemonade

2007-06-20T08:40:00.000-04:00

With the sun shining and the temperature on the rise I wanted to treat my kids to their first taste of lemonade for the season, however, I wanted to avoid the unhealthy stuff commonly found in store-bought lemonade. Since my impression of the Newman's Own brand of products has been quite positive in the past, without stopping to analyze the nutritional label I grabbed a container of Newman's Own Lightly Sweetened Lemonade out of the refrigerator case and placed it into my cart without even a second glance. Later in the day I was pouring a glass of this lemonade for my daughter when I happened to look down at the ingredients listed on the side of the carton. To my great surprise and disappointment I was horrified to see high fructose corn syrup listed among the other ingredients on the label. Given the nature of their business as well as their marketing strategy, I made the uninformed (and slightly mislead) conclusion that Newman's Own would only put the best ingredients in their products (i.e. in the case of lemonade -- lemon juice and sugar). A warning to all -- buyer beware -- don't assume, always read the nutritional label before you buy!

Annie's Microwavable Mac & Cheese

2007-06-19T08:33:00.001-04:00

Under the category of healthy convenience foods, Annie's Microwavable Mac & Cheese is right at home. Packaged in a box of five single serve envelopes, Annie's Microwavable makes a quick, easy and nutritious lunch for my kids, especially on those colder days when they are looking for something to warm them up -- from box to microwave you can feed your little ones in just about 3 minutes. Made with organic durum semolina pasta, real cheese and buttermilk, there is nothing in this pasta that you would feel uncomfortable feeding your kids. This product provides the same wholesome goodness of Annie's other mac & cheese product offerings -- flavor has not been sacrificed for convenience. One warning, be sure not to over-microwave or you'll end up with a tasteless, dried out mess. Also, to bump up health benefits, I like to throw some frozen veggies into the bowl before microwaving.

Soy Garden Natural Buttery Spread

2007-06-15T17:10:00.000-04:00

As long as I've known my husband he has only willingly eaten margarine (in my opinion, one of several food abuses associated with his childhood -- I won't get into the green bean patties). Anyway, I'm really uncomfortable giving any member of my family margarine as the result of report after report of scientific findings stating the health risks associated with trans fats. Recently we switched over to Soy Garden Natural Buttery Spread -- it's 100% vegan and made with crushed soybeans. While at first the idea of this product was met with some trepidation by my husband, he was quickly won over my it's great taste. Soy Garden has a smooth, creamy texture and if you are not eating butter, it is the next best thing. It can be used quite successfully in most recipes, including baking recipes and has no hydrogenated oil, no trans-fatty acids, is all-natural (no preservatives), and lactose and gluten free.

Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams

2007-06-14T18:59:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago I was grocery shopping with my son and daughter. When we arrived at the peanut butter and jelly section of the store the two of them spotted a jar of what appeared to be alternating stripes of peanut butter and jelly -- of course, my children had to have it! Thinking I might humor them (and use it as leverage to gain their cooperation to get through the rest of the store) I picked it up to review the nutritional contents -- need I say more?! Anyway, as you can imagine this stuff was loaded with garbage -- tons of sugar, unhealthy oils, artificial flavorings. Needless to say, I couldn't bring myself to buy it for my kids, even if it meant hearing their cries of disappointment, which would regretfully extend my "quick trip to pick up a few things." So, in an effort to ease the blow, I suggested we go to the health food section of the store to see if they had an interesting flavors of peanut butter they might enjoy (and be more healthful). Happily, there we found the brand Peanut Butter & Co.. Peanut Butter & Co. is all-natural peanut butter that comes in a variety of slightly offbeat flavors, including Dark Chocolate Dreams, Cinnamon Raisin and White Chocolate Wonderful. On this day the kids decided to try Dark Chocolate Dreams -- a blend of peanuts and cocoa. This peanut butter is beyond delicious -- the perfect blend of dark chocolate and peanuts, making it not too sweet as well as maintaining a peanut butter flavor. This peanut butter can be enjoyed a variety of ways -- spread on toast, made into a sandwich (particularly good with sliced banana) or used as an alternative to regular peanut butter in your favorite baking recipes. Our two favorite ways to enjoy this chocolate peanut butter is on homemade banana bread and mixed into a banana and yogurt smoothie for a delicious, protein-rich morning shake. My daughter even likes it as an afternoon snack served along side pretzels for dipping.

Peanut Butter & Co. uses no hydrogenated oils, refined sugars and is gluten-free.

By the way, if you are ever in New York City, Peanut Butter & Co. has a restaurant devoted to everything peanut butter at a Greenwich Village location.

Crispy Green Crispy Apricots

2007-06-13T19:32:00.000-04:00

I recently found another tasty and convenient way to add more fruit to my families diet with Crispy Green Crispy Apricots. Crispy Green is unlike other "dried fruits" in that they use a unique method of freeze-drying fresh fruit in order to remove it's water while maintaining the integrity of the fruit's nutrients -- leaving behind a sweet, delicious, light and crispy snack. Crispy Green is 100% real fruit, with no added preservatives or additives. In fact, unlike many other dried fruit producers, Crispy Green does not use the preservative sulphur in any of their snacks -- an ingredient to which many people have a sensitivity.

Crispy Green is conveniently packed in 0.36oz. bags (by the way, for those of us drawn in by good packaging, it's attractive too), making it the perfect midday snack while on the go or especially for the kid's school or camp lunchboxes. We also like it sprinkled on yogurt and on hot and cold cereal. Although I have not had an opportunity to try it myself, I bet Crispy Green would taste great added to your favorite muffin or quick bread recipe.

So far, we have enjoyed Crispy Apricots which contains the equivalent of 2 apricots and 40 calories in each 0.36oz. bag -- Crispy Green also sells Crispy Apple, Crispy Peaches and Crispy Pineapple.

Crispy Green Crispy Apricots

Ginger People Spicy Apple Ginger Chews

2007-06-12T12:57:00.000-04:00

Frankly, all I really need to say about Ginger People's Spicy Apple Ginger Chews is they are completely addictive! That is pretty high praise given my first attempt in eating crystallized ginger resulted in a twisted face and a (thankfully) very handy napkin. Needless to say, when a friend offered me a sample of Ginger's People Spicy Apple Ginger Chews I was more than a little skeptical in giving chewable ginger another try. However, so not to be rude, with a lot of hesitation I placed one of these bite sized chews into my mouth expecting the same quick exit I'd experienced with other ginger candies. Within seconds, the candy revealed not an unpleasant taste, but rather a huge burst of bold flavor with a wonderfully spicy under bite.

Spicy Apple Ginger Chews are made with fresh ginger, apples, cinnamon and allspice -- it's like eating a really chewy, but completely healthy Red Hots candy (we all remember Red Hots from our childhood, don't we?!) Soon after discovering these bite sized treats I was completely obsessed -- they were in my pocketbook, tossed on the seat of my car, in my pantry and office...I was eating so many of these little guys my children were in the habit of asking me if I needed a "ginger chew" -- even they recognized when I needed a fix. Happily, now that the excitement has worn off a bit, I'm down to eating them once in a while, particularly after dinner. Interestingly, ginger is known to have many health benefits, including improving digestion and curing upset stomachs -- making it a perfect after dinner candy. In addition to aiding digestion and coping with nausea, ginger also contains anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties that may help to relieve headaches, arthritis, muscle aches and pains -- including menstrual pain.

With only 20 calories per chew they are a low calorie treat that provides long lasting, full-bodies flavor and considerable health benefits too.

Ingredients: cane sugar, maltose (a natural sugar derived from corn), ginger, natural apple flavor, cinnomon oil, potato starch, vegetable oil. One chew contains 20 calories, 0g fat, 5g carbs.

Spicy Apple Ginger Chews

Health Valley Chocolate Blastems

2007-06-11T12:35:00.000-04:00

Cereal is a breakfast staple in my household. My daughter practically rolls out of bed in the morning with a cereal bowl and spoon already in hand. Any mom who has had the misfortune of shopping the cereal aisle with their kids could tell you – it’s a living nightmare! Temptations galore -– a never ending sea of brightly colored boxes reaching out to grab our kids with the promise of sugar-filled fantasies featuring the latest and greatest animation or film stars. While it is sometimes difficult (and much harder) to ignore their pleas, I try to remind myself just how horribly non-nutritious the majority of these cereals are -- offering up high fructose corn syrup, loads of sugar with little fiber and in many cases artificial coloring.

Happily, there are many respectable kid-friendly cereal alternatives in the health food section of most supermarkets. One of my kids’ favorites right now is Health Valley Chocolate Blastems. Chocolate Blastems are a USDA organic chocolate puffs cereal. It’s rich, chocolate flavor make my kids feel they are eating something sinful, while I am confident they are getting fortified whole grains with a lot more fiber and a lot less sugar then most commercial brands of cereal. In fact, the flavor is so good, my husband and I are known to enjoy an occasional bowl (for me, mostly as a evening snack to tame my nightly sweet tooth). Also, my kids love it sprinkled on yogurt and mixed with another healthful brand of peanut butter flavored cereal (EnviroKidz Organic Peanut Butter Panda Puffs – I’ll get to that in a later blog) for a kind of healthy Reese’s peanut butter cup taste – yummy! With only 160 calories a serving (that’s with milk too) and 8 grams of sugar and 3 grams of fiber it is a much healthier alternative for the entire family – so, grab your spoon and dig in!