Cocoa Pebbles Treats

I like Rice Krispies today, just as much as I liked it before as a kid. As a kid my parents could never afford to buy me packaged kind so we always just bought the cheapest cereal on the shelf and mixed it with marshmallows and butter to make our own homemade krispy treats. Granted they were quite delicious, but one thing I hated about them is the fact that if you did not eat finish them within two days after they were made, they tasted stale. Oh how I wished we could just buy the packaged kind.

And now that I am all grown up I and can take my ass to the store, I can pick whatever the hell I want to buy. To tell you the truth, I did not set out for Rice Krispies on my last trip to the grocery store. I was just on the search for something new to try and review.

I found Post Cocoa Pebbles Treats, thinking they were a new product because they still had the "New!" sign on them. Turns out they aren't that new considering that they were invented in 2006.

Well I paid $1.50 for a box of them which contained 8 bars. While I was there I also chose the Fruity Pebbles version as well, which I will review in another post.

So I opened the box and these tiny ass things came out. They were smaller than Snicker's candy bars, and therefore can hardly be called a treat.

Nevertheless I opened one and noticed the lovely chocolate drizzle at the top. I almost protested that the chocoalte drizzle was a waste of calories, and should be taken out to simply increase the size of the bar. But we all know that they threw in that drizzle to make this crap look more appetizing - which it truly does. But then I took a bite and realized that, for once, the chocolate was not a waste. It actually added a nice burst of chocolaty flavor to the bar.




Despite the delicious chocolate at the top, the bar still lacked the delicious chocolate flavor that I was craving from the Cocoa Pebbles. One thing about Cocoa Pebbles cereal that I love is the heavy-chocolate flavor compared to, oh let's say, Cocoa Krispies. But I cannot say which is better: Cocoa Pebbles or Cocoa Puffs. I have never had both at once to compare. Another project for later =]

The texture of the Cocoa Pebbles Treats were just as chewy and delicious as Rice Krispies. Many people actually prefer these to Rice Krispies, but, even a chocolate lover like me, has to say that I prefer Rice Krispies treats (the plain ones not the chocolate ones).


There is something oddly salty about this bar. Obviously the answer is that it is completely artificial; containing all the hydroginated oils and unnatural sugars. You can hardly say this bar is a healthy snack.

Don't be fooled by the 6 vitamins and minerals that are contained by this bar. You can get the same and more of those vitamins from a 10 calorie bite of an apple.

Basically, go into this knowing that you are getting nothing more than a brownie would give you.

Don't be misguided by my negativity though. These are delicious, but would probably taste better dipped in chocolate (Doesn't everything?). I at the whole box, if that means anything.

Ritz Crackerfuls Four Cheese

• I've been looking for something like this so I can enjoy fresh cheese and crackers whenever I want without having to eat the whole bag of crackers in one sitting because (a) they are so delicious, and (b) before the get stale
• Lower in calorie
• Portion control
• Only 130 calories
• Has four different types of cheese, which I am not sure what kinds of cheeses they are
• The more cheese the better.
• Cute little shape
• Great packaging with cool looking wrapper
• Package is easy to open
• Comes on a little white tray
• Cracker is crispy and cheese is soft
• Cheese reminds me of a dry feta cheese
• Taste is magnificent, almost like you are eating actual cheese and crackers
• The crackers don't taste like Ritz crackers, but nevertheless are still delicious
• Cheese is nice and salty, but does no taste like there are four different cheeses in there...it just tastes like regular cheese

• Too small
• Finishes way to quickly
• I cannot help but take big bites when I want to take small ones.
• Leaves a lot of crumbs
• Cheese gets all over your face cause it squirts out a little when you bite into the cracker.

Quaker Granola Bites Cinnamon

I'm not exactly sure how long Quaker Granola Bits has been around, but I am pretty sure it is a fairly new product that comes in a box with six pouches that contain 90 calories worth of granola "balls", as I would like to call them. The come in three flavors: cinnamon, chocolate, and peanut butter. Now I have a fixation for all of this flavors but the cinnamon one was on sale, so in this recession, we need to go for the cheap stuff.

Although I love Quaker's flavored and plain oatmeals, and tasty breakfast bars; lately I have been unsatisfied by many of their products. Their chewy bars pretty much suck due to their crumbliness and lack of sugar and flavor.

Turns out these bites are freakishly delicious. The cinnamon and sugar flavor is amazing and honestly tastes natural. Obviously, each package of twelve bites is filled with foreign chemicals, it's pretty impressive that it doesn't taste like it at all. Each bite is the about 50% bigger than a Cocoa Puff with the same texture as a Cocoa Puff. They aren't as hard as granola and they sort of taste like cookies.

But I don't know how you can stop at one pack. Only 12 pieces? I need about 3 packs to satisfy my munchies. Once again, this product is overpriced.

Temptations by Jell-O Apple Custard Pie

Kraft seems to own just about everything these days and one of their newest line of products is Temptations by Jell-O. On their taste testing website, people have ranked the Apple Custard Pie flavor the least appealing flavor of the varieties.

Well I for one think that those people are idiots. From what I understand, the Strawberry Cheesecake flavor seems to be the most popular of them all. Personally, that flavor made me want to vomit along with Mousse Temptations. Both have a rotten and airy texture that is simply sickening.

So back to the Apple Custard Pie. I have never been a fan of pie due to the mismatch of textures. The stale crust does not go well with the watery inside. But lately I've been trying some delicious pies and it has been growing on me.

I've always loved apples and frequently make cinnamon-apple compotes and oatmeal that taste better than any apple pie I know of. So I was appealed to this particular flavor of Jell-O Temptations.

Turns out this stuff is amazing. There is a nice, thick layer of jam on top of the little black cup of pudding that has little chunks of apple in it. The bottom is an extra creamy vanilla pudding like substance that obviously represents the custard. It has the perfect amount of tart in it that reminds me of frozen yogurt.

The after taste is just like regular apples with an odd twist.

Temptations by Jell-O, nevertheless, still hasn't put a lasting impression on me. I keep buying them with hopes that each flavor is better than the next. So far I am in love with the chocolaty ones.

Fresh & Easy Spiced Apple Cider

As a little girl I always thought of apple cider as a hot version of apple juice. The first time I tried it was at the pool facility that is part of my aunt's condominiums. I was pretty much in love. For a while I even preferred it to hot cocoa (which is huge because I am chocolate obsessed.

Yes, that was a crappy intro, but I'm not in a creative mood here so bear with me. I'll just cut to the chase and make it short.

I bought a 7 cup/ 56 oz bottle of spiced apple cider from my local Fresh & Easy supermarket. It's a new product that contains organic apple and orange juices mixed with seasonal spices. It was quite expensive for $5, but I guess that's what you get for organic.

For some reason I thought that if it came in a bottle from the refrigerator section, it should be drunk cold. So I did. It was absolutely fantastic! I must say I was highly impressed with the almost perfect combination of spices, sugar, and juice. Yes, there is a tiny bit of pulp in the bottle, but shake it before you drink it and it immediately goes away. I don't know why people are afraid of the pulp anyways?

Well I drank about half the bottle before I realized that it should be drunk hot, so I warmed it up and it tasted just as good. Some might say better because it brought out even more of the sugar.

It's a great product overall...too bad it's so gosh darn expensive. Well if you compare it to a cup of Starbucks for $5, it doesn't sound so bad.

Smart Ones Double Fudge Cake

Of all the weight loss programs out there, I would say Weight Watchers is most probably the best. Their science-driven program really gives you a life changing view on healthy and normal habits. Too bad it is too $%#^% expensive for my taste, and you can lose weight without making a multi-billion dollar company even richer. I did it myself a couple years ago but losing 40 pounds.

Now, although I have never joined the Weight Watchers program, I have tried some of their products from the frozen food aisle. Today's review will be on Smart Ones Double Fudge cake. Each box comes with two cakes in a square paper-plate like box with a thin plastic wrap film on it. There isn't much description of the product other than the face that it has chocolate sauce and shavings on top of each cake; which ended up being true once you opened the package and looked inside.

I wanted to eat one as a snack so I took one out of the freezer and popped it in the microwave for 10 seconds, just like the package says. After putting it in the microwave I expected the sauce to melt over the cake, but it just stayed there like frosting. I didn't smell anything chocolate and it honestly reminded me of those Betty Crocker Brownie Bowls.

I would have loved to eat it with a spork (spoon and fork), but since I had non available I decided to go with a plain old spoon. The flavor was nothing like normal chocolate cake. It was actually quite sickening at first with a heavy-processed unnatural flavor. It wasn't very sweet either, even though the 10 seconds in the microwave made the cake warm. The warmer things are, the sweeter they taste.

The chocolate sauce was probably the worst part of the entire ordeal. But I was glad to say that I love the little chocolate shavings.

Well I did not want to waste the other cake so I decided to put it in with my to-go lunch for the next day. I took the last cake down to thaw in the morning. According to the package I was supposed to take the film off the top and thaw it for an hour. As a rebel, I decided not to take the film off so my bag doesn't get caked up and take it with me. Two hours later I popped open the film and took a bite. It's like Weight Watchers read my mind and slipped into my house and switched the cakes. The cake tasted amazing. Maybe it was just me and my thing for liking chocolate, and only chocolate, cakes cold. But the frosting was suddenly magical, and the already good tasting chocolate shavings tasted even better. It went great with my hot coffee.

But this stuff is nothing compared to the All American Chocolate Cake from Costco. I wouldn't say I would pay for this again, mostly because it is expensive; but it was nice to try it (cold off course).

Serving Size 62g
Calories 170
Total Fat 4g
Cholesterol 30mg
Sodium 260mg
Total Carbohydrates 31g
Protein 3g

Cinnabon Caramel Pancakes

We often hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I must agree. We all know that a healthy breakfast consists of a good balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Which is essentially true; I know that when I eat a healthy breakfast I feel satisfied and prepared for my whole entire day. But many of us think that if you do not have a healthy option for breakfast, that you should not eat breakfast at all. At least half the dieters in this world would rather eat no breakfast than eat a doughnut because they believe it is healthier. This is a mistake. Skipping breakfast is about the worst thing you can do to yourself whether you are on a diet or not. You already don’t eat all night for 8-10 hours so when you skip breakfast your body thinks that you just could not find food and will start hoarding the fat in your body.
I remember this one time when I was a little girl – about 7 years old- and my aunt and cousin came over one morning. I was enjoying a brownie for breakfast and both started the shun this apparently “sinful” thing I was doing. My mom didn’t understand what was so bad about eating chocolate for breakfast, and my stupid family kept going “blah, blah, blah”. Well now they are obese and unhealthy. Clearly, eating anything for breakfast is better than eating nothing.
The reason I talk about unhealthy breakfasts is that I believe pancakes aren’t exactly the best breakfast for you They are just pure carbs with very little protein. Even whole grain pancakes aren’t the best choice. But they are one of the best tasting things in the world. I even had a phase last year that lasted two months where I wanted pancakes all the time. I usually make my pancakes but we all know that during business days we don’t have time to whip up a batch of pancakes. So I decided to buy a pack of Cinnabon Caramel Pancakes.
These pancakes are amazing. First of all, they have 4 servings in a box of 3 pancakes per serving. Each serving is in its own pouch so that (a) you have portion control, and (b) the pancakes don’t get a freezer burn as you leave it in the freezer. For only 270 calories, you get a delicious pancake experience. As you microwave the pancakes, which are supposed to be microwaved for 1 minute and 15 seconds, you get this wonderful cinnamon roll aroma in the room.
The pancakes are sweet enough so that you don’t even need to put syrup or jelly on them. In each pancake there are some white uncooked looking portions that are actually the cream cheese frosting that you find on cinnamon rolls. These little frosting balls make the pancake sweeter and actually add a good touch to the pancake. I have never tried Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, but if they taste better than these pancakes, they must be heaven. There isn’t a strong cinnamon flavor in these pancakes, but they are definitely delicious.
The texture of these pancakes is absolutely perfect. They are chewy and soft at the same time. But if you aren’t into the chewy-ness of pancakes then one option would be to cook these pancakes for a less amount of time. These way the pancakes are more soft then chewy.
I love these pancakes and they are great for any time of the day.

Jell-o Mousse Temptations Caramel Creme

Before this day I had never tried mousse before. I had an idea of what it was, which is why I wasn't too eager on trying it. Mousse is like an aired out pudding. It just reminded me of whipped cream, so I wasn't too curious about it. But today at Walmart, I decided to pick up a pack of Jell-o Sugar Free Mousse Temptations for $2.98.



I have to say I was pretty amazing by the flavor. As usual, Jell-o knows how to make their puddings and snack packs taste good. The Caramel Creme is the only one I bought, and it honestly tasted a lot like Brach's Caramel Chews. The texture was almost exactly like Jet-puffed Marshmallows. I wasn't too wild about it; I prefer regular pudding to this any day.

The after taste of this stuff wears off pretty quickly. I actually feel something pasty going on in my mouth, which isn't too pleasing. I am assuming it is the sugar alcohol they used to sweeten this cup.

Despite the fact that the packaging looks cool - in a nice black 4 oz cup - I would have expected way more from Jell-o

Newton's Fruit Thins Fig and Honey

Once again I review a product from the ever-so-famous Nabisco company. Fig newtons have been around for a long time. But it wasn't until Nabisco created their version that it was sold in markets. Nabisco created the popular Fig Newtons name. What strikes me as odd is that most other generic brands still call these cookies Fig Newtons. I don't know if there was just a lack of creativity in naming the generic brands or maybe it was thought that Americans would be confused if they called it Fig Cookies or Fig Bars instead.

Nevertheless, Newtons have been a success, and I must say I am a huge fan of them. I love anything to do with figs, to tell you the truth. But since Fig Newtons, Nabisco has added flavors like Strawberry and Raspberry, created Fruit Crisps (which I have never tried yet, but I can guarantee that the taste something like Kellogg's Nutri-Grain bars), and their most recent addition was Fruit Thins. Newton's Fruit thins are thin crispy cookies that contain whole grains and are baked with real fruit.

I have to admit, the first time I saw these in stores, I dismissed them because who would want to eat a thin crispy cookie when you can have a thick chewy one? But that was until I sampled some and fell in love. From what I hear, people have been downgrading these cookies a lot. They are awfully delicious and quite addictive to my taste buds. So I bought a pack of Fig and Honey to try this time.

The flavor is amazing and it really does taste homemade. It tastes very similar to this Mediterranean pastry that my family makes on the holidays. Many people compared it to the Fig Newton; but I ask why? Obviously the company would not make two different products that taste exactly the same.

The fig pieces were prevalent. They were extra chewy and added a nice dried-fig flavor the to cookie. The only thing that would make these cookies better are those little fig seeds that are crunchy and delicious.

Thirty cookies come in each bag for about $3.50. It is a bit pricey for me, especially because I ate 15 of those cookies in one sitting; but cheap when you think about spending $5 on Starbucks. I would definitely get these cookies again.

100 Calorie Packs Honey Maid Cheesecake Delight Bars

At the beginning of the 20th century, in 1901, the name Nabisco was born. I can bet an arm and a leg that you were not born before 1901, so you probably have eaten something from Nabisco in your lifetime. Nabisco produces some of the most classic, and popular snacks that Americans have been enjoying for over a century. These include Chips Ahoy!, Fig Newtons, Oreos, Ritz Crackers, Triscuits, Wheat Thins, Nutter Butter, and other classics.

Some of their more recent inventions have been these 100 calorie packs. 100 calorie packs are a dieters favorite, because people have the allusion that if it doesn't say 100 calorie pack on it, it must not be a diet-friendly food. While many granola bars and packaged snacks have around 100 calories, people tend to go for the more expensive 100 calorie packs.

Well, I found them on sale, so don't accuse me of being a hypocrite. I ended being the lucky person to grab the last box of Honey Maid Cheesecake Delight bars. What can I say? I was hungry for a little dessert.

I must say, I was amazed by the taste of these. The flavor was EXACTLY like a cheesecake's. The cheesecake part of the bar was both tart and sweet. The graham cookie bottom was one of the best parts. If they made cheesecake crust with the same batter I would be in heaven.

It was pretty impressive. All I have negative to say is that it is too small and expensive. I ate the whole box in one sitting, so I am thankful I did not have to pay $3 for it.

Temptations by Jell-o French Silk Pie

• For a 140 calories, I am enjoying a French Silk Pie from a cup. Who would have heard that sentence before? I totally believe there is a way to make delicious things taste great for a low calorie count.
• I am pretty sure each Temptations cup is 4 oz, which I personally think is too small
• Each temptations is different. The Strawberry Cheesecake looks like it has a liquid-y gelatin on top with a foamier cheesecake part at the bottom. Whereas this French Silk pie has the mousse on top with extra thick chocolate pudding at the bottom
• the mousse on top tastes exactly like hot cocoa
• The chocolate on the bottom tastes exactly like Jello chocolate fudge pudding that is extra thick and creamy
• The chocolate flavor is the best
• Most people prefer the cheesecake, but I have to say this tastes better.
• The texture resembles ice cream
• No pie crust in there, so that sucks for the pie crust lovers
• It wouldn't be far fetched to say it is like fudge
• Tastes just like French Silk Pie

Jell-O Pudding Snacks Banana Fudge Supreme

What's not to love about pudding. Though most of us know what it is, and like to eat it, no one seems to know how to make it from scratch. And even if you do, you find that Jello offers an easy and delicious way to make it for a cheap price. Now I was talking about the instant powder; but Jello has long since also invented the little snack packs to pack with your lunch. How difficult our lives are...

I actually know how to make pudding myself, but like most Americans I choose to buy the sugar free Jello pudding mixes. Never before have I bought a snack pack with my own money. But this time, I decided to try the Banana Fudge Supreme. I am bananas for bananas, and crazy for cocoa.

So the top layer of the stack is a nice, deep chocolate-looking pudding, but actually turns out to taste more like banana than chocolate. My favorite sugar-free pudding mix was the chocolate, so I was pretty disappointed when it first just tasted like banana. Well, I wasn't disappointed for long because this product tastes great.


The texture mostly reminds me of the frozen yogurt from Costco. Or ice cream that is not exactly melted yet, but really soft. The texture is so creamy and smooth as well.

The pudding is sweet enough, but not flavorful enough. You definitely taste the banana with a hint of cocoa, but I feel like the flavors should be stronger.

Overall, it's a great guilt-free snack for 60 calories and 1 gram of fat.

Fresh & Easy Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake

There is a lot to like about coffee cakes, especially if you have my taste buds. The wonderful thing about coffee cakes is that they are denser than cake, yet they are still moist, unlike a bagel. Now, this is not to say they I do not like cake, I just prefer the thicker stuff like muffins and brownies.

At the beginning, I thought that coffee cakes were cakes that were flavored with coffee. In other words, cakes that tasted like coffee. That was until, well I do not know when, all I know is that I realized that coffee cake applied to other types. I think it was Starbucks that brought me this epiphany. As I am writing this blog I realized that I sound very boring. As the famous Gerard Brenan once said “Everyone is a bore to someone. That is unimportant. The things to avoid is being a bore to oneself.”

So I guess since I have nothing really interesting to say, I’ll just cut to the chase and talk about these Limited Edition Pumpkin Pecan Coffee Cake squares from Fresh and Easy. Fresh & Easy has sprouted everywhere in my town, and there are many things I love about shopping there. For one, most of the stuff there is delicious and sold at a decent price. I also love their reduced price rack. But my favorite thing about the place is their limited edition holiday foods. Like their cakes, cheesecakes, coffee cakes, muffins, gingerbreads, fruit cakes, apple ciders, pancake mixes, and other foods that have that sweet and pumpkin spice flavors. I especially love the pumpkin products.

While I already tried the Fresh & Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffin (review is also posted on this blog), I felt the urge to try the coffee cake as well. Good thing I did because it the end it turned out to taste way better.

It came in a box with 16 little 3-bite squares. Two squares were the serving size on the nutrition facts, which came out to be 230 calories; so 113 calories each. I do not have the nutrition facts on hand, but from what I remember there was less than a gram of fiber per cake square, and each cake square had 1.5 grams of protein.

The texture of the cake was amazing. I do not think it could be more dense and most at the same time. It sort of reminded me of the texture of Halva, for all you Mediterranean people who have tried halva. The sweetness was perfect and the spice and pumpkin flavors were nice and strong, leaving a great aftertaste that was not sour.

The strudel on top is where the pecans were located, but there were not that many pecans on the strudel. It is almost a lie to call it Pumpkin Pecan. It should just be Pumpkin Spice. I ate a square of the cake the moment I got it. The weird thing about the strudel was that, at first, it was pretty crunchy with the brown sugar packed on top. But then, right when I got home, I ate another one, and the strudel was, well, watery. Maybe watery is not the right term, it’s like all the moisture rose in the cake and wetted the strudel. Whatever it was, it worked out because the crunch from the sugar was gone.

These cakes were superb, and perfect for teatime, or coffee time, especially if you are inviting guests over for a party. Even if it is for yourself, the small pieces force you to eat a smaller amount. Two cakes end up being perfectly satisfying. Another great thing about this cakes is that they stay fresh and flavorful for up to a week.

The only bad thing I can say about this product is that it is expensive. A box of 16 squares for $3.99

Sour Patch Kids

• Sour then sweet, just like it says on the bag
• 16 of them are only 140
• Red is the best
• Then Orange
• Then Green
• Last is yellow because it just tastes sweet, very light lemon taste
• The orange is the best because it actually tastes like a sweet and sour orange
• Great candy with loads of flavor
• Now I see why American love to get it when they go to the theater
• soft then chewy
• Not tooooo sour
• Perfect treat for parties because you can share with friends
• Each candy leaves a great aftertaste
• A classic

Trader Joe's Lacey's Cookies Dark Chocolate Almond

• Texture is a lot like brittle, peanut brittle
• Stickiness to your mouth
• Dark chocolate is delicious
• This is the first time I tried a Lacey's cookie
• Great aftertaste
• Perfect with coffee
• Perfect snack to go
• More like candy than a cookie
• Not too high nutrition information
• I can eat the whole box without thinking twice
• Actually I'd probably be really guilty right after
• Doesn't look as good as it tastes
• Tastes best if you suck on it and let the rest of the flavors melt in your mouth
• I keep eating it for breakfast
• Can never get enough
• Yum

Minute Maid Raspberry Passion Light

What I thought about this product:

• I was initially disappointed because I expected it to be a thick drink
• The color was surprisingly lighter than I expected it to be. I thought it would be a dark red like those Red Delicious apples
• In the first sip, I felt like there wasn't much flavor-but now I am thinking maybe that was because it was too early in the morning for my taste buds to be awake yet.
• Later, after lunch, this drink tastes magnificent
• If you can't read in the pictures I posted on the bottles, it says 10% of the juice is a blend of pear, apple, raspberry, and passion fruit juices from concentrate
• That's what sucks about this drink, the juices are from concentrate
• But on the bright side it has 100% vitamin C per serving
• Vitamin C is cool because it aids in the burning of calories
• Many people may think, 15 calories per cup is a lot. But the whole carton (1/2 gallon) will be only 120 calories.
• An average glass of not-light juice is 120 calories
• You get 8 times more juice for the calories
• So drink away!
• They mixed natural fruit sugars with aspartame
• It leaves a good flavor in your mouth
• You definitely have a passionfruit taste going
• Apple is hinted in there but I cannot find the pear
• Good product, a little overpriced
• Not the best of Minute Maid's products

Vanilla Clodhoppers with Cocoa Bites

• delicious vanilla clusters that have a moist, yet crunchy texture to them
• flavorful
• leaves a sour-sweet aftertaste that is oddly tasty
• chocolate pieces taste as good as cocoa puffs
• pretty filling
• only thirty five calories
• low in fat
• low in fiber cause only one gram
• low in protein, with only 2 grams
• comes in a flimsy bag so hard to put in purse
• don't eat this in the summer cause the yogurt-vanilla coating melts off
• must have beverage near you, preferably coffee
• kids will love them
• served in schools
• from the Brookside Food Company Inc

PowerBar Pria 110 Plus Chocolate Peanut Crunch

I actually found out about these from a friend who is a health nut. She recommended them for weight loss but I just wanted to try them for the heck of it.

I'm going to try to write this review in bullet points. Why? because I want to. Maybe I'll switch to bullet points permanently. What would you think about that? Huh!?!?

• Freakin' disappointing
• Tastes nothing like chocolate or peanut butter
• Not moist and chewy
• Like hard rice krispies on the inside that just stick to your teeth
• Overpriced and waste of money
• Tastes like cardboard
• There are a million other protein bars that taste better out there.

PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bar — key features:
5 grams of protein
23 vitamins and minerals
As much calcium as a glass of milk
Only 110 calories
No preservatives or artificial flavors

Nutrition Facts
Serving size 1 bar
Calories 110
Total Fat 3.5g
Total Carb 16g
Dietary Fiber 1g
Sugars 10g
Protein 5g

Ingredients:
BROWN RICE SYRUP, CHOCOLATEY COATING (SUGAR, FRACTIONATED PALM KERNEL OIL, COCOA, WHEY, NONFAT MILK, SOY LECITHIN, VANILLA), SOY CRISPS (SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, RICE FLOUR, BARLEY MALT, SALT), RICE CRISPS (RICE FLOUR, BARLEY MALT EXTRACT, RICE BRAN, CALCIUM CARBONATE), OAT FIBER, NATURAL FLAVOR (CONTAINS PEANUT), GLYCERIN, SALTED PEANUT BUTTER, WHOLE OATS, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, ALMOND BUTTER. MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, IRON (FERROUS FUMARATE), ZINC OXIDE, COPPER GLUCONATE, MANGANESE SULFATE, CHROMIUM CHLORIDE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, SODIUM MOLYBDATE, SODIUM SELENITE. VITAMINS: VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID), VITAMIN E ACETATE, PANTOTHENIC ACID (CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE), VITAMIN B3 (NIACINAMIDE), VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN B2, FOLIC ACID, VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN MONONITRATE), BETA CAROTENE (CONTAINS SOY), BIOTIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN K, VITAMIN B12. CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT.

Information found on the website.
When should I eat a PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar?
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars are perfect for mid-day snacking when you're on-the-go and want a calorie-smart, great-tasting, nutritious snack. Perfectly sized, indulgent and nutritious, PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars are a delicious way to do something good for yourself.

What makes PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars different from other snacks?
The PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar is an excellent combination of calorie-smart nutrition and rich, indulgent flavor. With just 110 calories and 3.0–3.5 grams of fat, PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bar is the right size to get you re-energized, without weighing you down. Each bar also contains 23 vitamins and minerals, plus 4–5 grams of soy protein, so PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bar is a mid-day snack you can feel good about.

Is the PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar good to eat if I'm trying to lose weight?
To lose weight effectively, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Although not designed as a weight-loss product, PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar is an ideal snack because it satisfies your craving for something great-tasting and indulgent, it's nutritious with 23 vitamins & minerals, and it has just 110 calories.

Diet Exchanges*=1 Carbohydrate


* Based on The American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association exchange lists.

Are PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars all natural?
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar contains protein-enriched soy crisps and other wholesome ingredients but is not all natural. However, there are no preservatives and no artificial flavors in any of the bars. Please check the Nutrition Facts on the label for more information.

Is it safe to eat PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar during my pregnancy?
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars can be part of a healthful diet for pregnancy. They are an excellent source of folic acid. However, if you are sensitive to any of the ingredients listed on the label, you should not eat these bars. Check with your obstetrician for more information.

Can children eat PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars?
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar is a nutritious snack for active, growing children because it provides 23 essential vitamins and minerals including calcium, which supports growing bones and teeth. Kids love the crispy, chewy texture covered in a chocolate or yogurt coating. And because it's smaller than most energy bars, children can finish a whole bar, leaving no waste. This bar is not recommended for children under age 4, and because children need to eat a variety of foods for a well-balanced diet, we recommend those under six years of age be limited to one bar per day. PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars make a nutritious addition to a child's balanced diet. Consult your pediatrician for more information.

I'm lactose intolerant. Can I eat PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars?
PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars do contain some dairy products. However, the amount of lactose is small (approximately 0.15 g per bar), so nearly all lactose-intolerant people may consume it. Consult with your physician for more information.

I have food allergies. Can I eat PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars?
If you are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy, wheat or gluten (from oats or malt) you should not eat PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars.
• Peanuts/Nuts: All PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars are made on equipment that processes products with peanuts and/or nuts. Some flavors contain either almond or peanut ingredients. So, if you have peanut or nut allergies, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars.
• Milk: All PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars contain milk ingredients. If you have allergies to milk, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars.
• Soy: All PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bar flavors contain soy ingredients. If you are allergic to soy, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars.
• Eggs: All PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars do not contain egg ingredients.
• Gluten/Wheat: All flavors contain oat fiber and whole oats, a potential source of gluten. If you are sensitive to gluten, we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars. All bars are made on equipment that also processes wheat ingredients, if you are allergic to wheat we recommend that you do not eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars.
• Consult with your physician for more information on food allergies and sensitivities.

How should I store PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars?
For the best eating experience, PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars should be kept between 40–80° F to prevent the chocolate or yogurt coating from melting. No need to refrigerate.

How long will my PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bars last?
Each PowerBar® Pria® 110 Plus nutrition bar is stamped with a "best by" date. Although it is safe to eat PowerBar Pria 110 Plus nutrition bars after this date, we recommend that you use them by the "best by" date to ensure you're enjoying the freshest product and receiving the full nutritional benefits of the product.

Fresh & Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffin

Ho Ho Ho the holidays are finally here! Actually I felt like they were here in September because that's when all the stores put out their Christmas crap. Nevertheless, I love the holidays. Well, at least I used to. I used to feel excited, warm, and happy when I knew it was coming. But every since the depression and the technology boom (I'm talking all the iPods, iPads, iPhones that came out that everyone wants), the holidays have turned into the horrid time of the year where you empty your pockets for others. We lost the idea that the holidays are about spending time with the people you love, getting a couple days off work and school, and just being happy.

Well, despite the fact that the true holiday spirit is gone; stores, products, and restaurants still serve those holiday foods. My neighborhood Fresh & Easy just put out all their new holiday products including: my favorite pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, pumpkin muffins(new), apple cider, and pumpkin pancake and waffle mix.

I wanted it all. But I restrained myself and just bought the pumpkin muffins because they weren't there last year and they looked delicious. I purchased four muffins for $3.99. Pretty much a rip off, but they looked good and I don't have an oven.

With 530 calories, these muffins aren't really the best choice for a healthy lifestyle, but we all need to splurge. My personal guilty pleasure is baked goods, but I hear most people are in love with ice cream.

The muffin is a little bit bigger than the average Fresh and Easy muffins. The smell honestly wasn't that strong or delicious. You definitely smell the pumpkin in the muffin, but I don't know where the spices are.

But once you take a bite, you're hooked. The muffin is delicious. Unlike the Blueberry Muffin, the Pumpkin Spice has no hole in the middle. It also has some strudel on top; the good kind that doesn't just taste like a wad of sugar on top. The coffee cake from Fresh and Easy has pretty lame strudel, but I guess they really improved their recipe on this muffin. There is definitely a strong ginger and nutmeg flavor to this muffin.

The muffin is very moist, almost cakey, but not quite. The texture was perfect. The moisture balance was equal throughout the entire muffin. I was sad that there weren't any nuts in there, but I still enjoyed this muffin. It was actually very addictive because I wanted another one right after I finished the first one.

Overall, it's a great product.

Quaker Dark Chocolate Cherry Granola Bar

Quaker used to be one of my favorite brand in the world. I used to be obsessed with their mini 90-110 calorie snack/ granola bars that came in a at least 20 flavors. But I do not know if it was my view on their bars that changed, or if it was their recipe that was tampered with, but I don’t like their bars so much anymore. They have too much of a rough edge to them compared to the other chewy bars out there that tend to have a little more moisture.

But I still have hopes for Quaker and I have not totally turned my back on them. For instance, the other day I bought a box of their Dark Chocolate Cherry Chewy Granola bars to throw in my purse for a snack.

As always I thought they were small for the calories. I always thought of them as candy anyways because they always satisfied my sweet tooth rather than keep me full. My mother agrees because she jokes about how she worries about me when I just eat snacks all day until I get home. Well I honestly can say that I do not like eating or taking meals when I go out to do my daily business. I feel like they are too much to carry, they do not stay fresh, and I just do not have time to sit and eat them when I am out. That is why I live off snacks all day and pig out when I get home.


So back to the Cherry Chocolate Quaker bars. They overall had a delicious taste. They reminded me fondly of those Hershey’s Cherry Chocolate Kisses that come around during the seasonal time of the year, that taste so wonderful. The cherry flavor was prevalent, but it was not that sour flavor nor was it that nasty medicinal flavor that you usually get from cherry products. It was delicious and quite delicious.

Overall I liked these and so did the people around me.

Fresh & Easy Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffin

I love muffins. If I had no self control I'd have a giant muffin top at the moment. I think I originally fell in love with muffins when I tried those giant Costco muffins. You know which ones I'm talking about...those GIANT decadent, moist, dense muffins that come in packs of six for only $3.

But those aren't the muffins I'm really going to talk about in this blog. The muffin I am going to talk about is the four pack of Reduced Fat Blueberry Muffins that I got from Fresh and Easy. Man that chain really exploded in my city because there are now 7 stores out there that I know of just in my town.

Well, knowing how much I love baked goods, I chose to get their blueberry muffins, mostly because they were the freshest thing on the shelf.

So I ate it the moment I got home. Man they were so moist. I was licking my fingers the whole way through. That's how I eat a muffin. I noticed everyone eats their muffins differently. Some prefer forks, others spoons. Most like to just dive in and take a bite. I myself like to pick at them with my fingers. It just makes the experience more fun.

The first bite you get out of these you taste the orange zest that they through in. The cake part taste like plain white cake with a little bit of vanilla. What bothered me though was the giant hole in the center of my muffin. Yes, a hole filled with air and coated with sour blueberry filling. The same thing showed up on my second muffin too. I'm pretty sure it was just the blueberry filling that ate the middle of my muffin, but I want it back.

The muffin overall was fantastic. With 310 calories, 11 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein; this muffin makes a pretty decent snack or breakfast. I myself shared on and ate two, then saved the last for breakfast. But it ain't the best muffin on the block, nor is it worth $4. Go to Costco, cause their muffins have double the goodness, are double the size, and half the price.

Panera Bread Carrot Walnut Muffin

Hey guys. It's been almost a month since my last post because I've been so busy lately. Today was actually one of the first days I got a good break from life.

So basically I went out shopping and around lunchtime I decided to drop by Panera Bread to get a pastry and some coffee. The Carrot Walnut muffin happened to catch my eye and they just happened to be placing fresh baked ones on the plate.

I was sort of reluctant to try it because I tried their Apple Crunch Muffin and I was not satisfied at all. That stuff had the nastiest apple filling that I have ever tasted in my life. Did I just get a bad one out of luck, or does everyone agree that it sucks?

Well anyways I got it along with some plain Hazelnut coffee. I sat at one of their nice, quiet, dark tables in the back with a good book and enjoyed.

The coffee was smooth, fresh, and had the quality of Starbucks coffee. I enjoyed every bit of it. The muffin itself was fantastic! I actually ate half of it before I took the picture cause it was so delicious. It has tons of walnuts on top and you can see the little carrot slices in the muffin. I'm pretty sure there was some apple in it as well as some plump raisins. The outside was a little tough, but it was perfect. The inside had a muffin-worthy moisture. In other words, it was not as hard as bread nor as soft as cake.

My only complaint would be that the walnuts were only on the top. I would prefer them to be within the muffin as well. A little more spice in the muffin wouldn't hurt either.

Calories: 500

Fat: 21g

Carbs: 72g

Fiber: 4g

Protein: 8g

Costco All-American Chocolate Cake

We all know that when it comes to a celebration there has to be a delicious dessert that waits for you and your guests at the end of that wonderful meal. If you don't know that, well then you gotta learn that a celebration is like writing an essay. You start off with the Introduction (some nice little appetizers that WOW them), then comes the Body (where you stuff them with all the good stuff), and then the Conclusion (where you leave them with popped out eyes and drooling mouths). IBC people IBC!

Even if you don't like the people who are coming over, impress them anyways. Believe it or not there are ways that you can easily show your guests a great time with less physical effort.

So one of the best "conclusions" you can get for your party is the 7-layer All-American Chocolate Cake from Costco. You know that when it comes to cake, everybody loves chocolate. Even the people who say they hate chocolate secretly like it (Yeah I saw you eating that chocolate bar behind a wall).

This cake is amazing in many ways besides its taste:
(1) It's huge
(2) Only $16
(3) Chocolate inside, and chocolate outside
(4) Stays fresh long
(5) Has a definite WOW factor

It looks gorgeous as it is in the box, but once you slice it, it looks even better with all the layers of chocolate. One of the best things about this cake is the frosting. It is nice, thick and creamy. Usually the cakes I try have some sickening wad of gloppy icing on top that I have to scrape off so I won't throw up, but this stuff is just perfect. It's decorated on the sides with shaved chocolate pieces that taste so fresh and add the perfect touch to this cake. It's like eating a giant brownie. The actual cake part is most and delicious. It sort of tastes like the Costco Chocolate Muffins, but without the chocolate chips on the inside.

This cake leaves such a good taste in your mouth as well. Only a couple bites and you feel satisfied with it because it is so rich. Quality not Quantity guys. It's the true diet cake cause you can only eat so much of it.

Fun tip, this cake tastes way better refrigerated. It reminds me of ice cream.

I just love this cake all around and I think I'm going to have some now for breakfast =]

Trident Layers Orchard Peach and Ripe Mango

You know how how fruit is so delicious? Especially in the summertime when all the best fruit come out like melons, berries, figs, peaches, and other galor. Now there isn't a fruit out there that I don't like and I cannot choose a favorite either. However, I do have some stop favorites and one of them is peaches.

So boy was I excited when I saw this Orchard Peach and Ripe Mango gum at Rite Aid. They even had it on sale, so what more can you want? I've tried Trident Layers once before and didn't think they were anything excelent, just okay. Maybe it was because of the flavoring, I don't know. But this looked good. I actually saw the Sweet Cherry and Island Lime flavor first, but then I asked myself why I would get that when I can get peach and mango?

So I ate my dinner and decided to have this piece of gum for dessert. Boy did it smell good when I ripped open the package. The package itself looks super cool by the way. If the package is cool it must be good right?

Well the moment I bit into it I fell in love. This is definitely one of my new favorite gums. It was so sweet and juicy, yet tangy and refreshing as well. Why didn't anyone make this before? Despite the tiny period of sticky-ness at the beginning it was absolutely perfect!

It even pops great bubbles!

Trident has always been my favorite gum brand. There hasn't been a product that they have made that I am not satisfied with.

Panera Bread Cinnamon Roll

Sometimes I dream about cinnamon rolls. Do you? =)

I know, I'm lame, but they're so good. With their moisty-yeastness and their cinnamony-sugaryness. "A taste of cinnamon and sugar in every bite!" as Cinnamon Toast Crunch likes to say.

Well unlike the cereal, actual fresh baked cinnamon rolls are better. I'm talking about the ones that people mix with yeast, eggs, flour, and such and roll it together themselves. NOT that Pillsbury crap that actually comes out like a cinnamon blob.

Well I'm probably dreaming about ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls cause I haven't had one in ages. Well that changed the other day when I hit Panera Bread with my mother to get my free hot beverage. I just wanted the free beverage and didn't care so much for the food, but them my mama's eye caught the fancy cinnamon rolls and she asked if I wanted to share one. I <3 my mommy! So, I got one.

And we sat in a nice booth, drank our coffee, and split our cinnamon roll.

All I gotta say is, it ain't like a cinnamon roll, but it's damn good anyways. Why isn't it like the usual cinnamon roll? Well cause it wasn't exactly ooey and gooey. But it was damn soft, moist, and delicious. I got an orangy taste from the glaze which was a good touch. The spice filling is delicious aswell. I'm pretty sure they have another spice besides cinnamon in there. I can't put my finger on what it is, but it's good. Only 620 calories for the giant thing. Share it with a friend if you're on a diet.

It's a different cinnamon roll experience. Baked fresh every morning, it is definitely the best thing I've tried from Panera Bread so far. Usually if I were to get a baked good from Panera Bread I would get it from Starbucks. Starbucks tends to have better tasting goodies to me, but they don't have giant, delicious, unique cinnamon rolls.

I think Panera Bread is only in California, but I could be wrong. Anyways, if you are near one, hit it up and get a cinnamon roll. Their coffee is pretty damn good and fresh too. If you ain't into that, then they have tea and soda.

Check out this cliff bar giveaway!
http://healthnuttxo.com/2011/08/21/clif-crunch-peanut-butter-white-chocolate-macadamia-nut-granola-bar-giveaway/