Quorn

In case you didn't know, I am a vegetarian.  Lots of reasons why, but I won't bore you with that now.  It is sometimes hard for me to get enough protein in my diet.  I eat a lot of protein bars, nuts, and protein powder, but sometimes I want some "real food".  I was browsing the aisles at the wonderful Target when I stumbled across some products by Quorn.

They looked fantastic! I was a little hesitant to buy because usually meatless products are kinda pricey.  

I emailed the company and they sent me some coupons so that I could pick out a few products to try and review!

I went to the store that day!!  I picked up the Chili, Chik'n Tenders, and Chik'n Cutlets.  Quorn makes lots of other products, but these were the only ones in stock at my local grocery store.  

Since it was about lunchtime when I got home, I decided on a chik'n sandwich to start the tasting.  I figured the Chik'n Cutlets would be perfect for this.  

I will admit, it didn't look too appetizing yet, but I was ready to get cooking.

 Now that is starting to look pretty tasty!!

I wanted to get the true taste of the cutlet, so I didn't add any spices or seasoning.  I simply browned it  in a pan with nonstick spray.  

I used a nice big roll, some sweet BBQ sauce, and a slice of fat free cheese.  

I bet I could have fooled my carnivore husband with this creation! 

I absolutely loved the texture! A lot of meatless options tend to be rubbery but this wasn't at all.  

It has been about 15 years since I had a bite of real chicken, but this seemed pretty close to the real thing! On it's own, the cutlet didn't have a ton of flavor, but with the BBQ sauce and cheese, it was a fantastic sandwich! 

Paired with a side of Popchips...perfection! 

Each cutlet is 80 calories 2.5F 5C 11P.  Those macros are awesome!! Enough to make a huge sandwich!

My husband and I like to eat dinner together, but it is hard to find something a carnivore and an herbivore can share.  We both enjoy salads so we decided on Chik'n Salads! He used real chicken while I tested out the Chik'n Tenders.  

 Each serving is just 90 calories 2F 9C 10P.  

 I wanted to add a little more flavor to the chik'n this time, so I used a little Mrs. Dash.  

I actually really like that these products don't have a ton of flavor, because this way I can add whatever seasonings I like! 

Looks pretty awesome to me! 

These cooked up so quickly!

I tossed the tenders on top of a beautiful salad! 

Homegrown tomatoes, lettuce, and cucumber.  Store bought carrots and balsamic dressing...

Once again, these had a great texture! Not chewy or rubbery at all.  

The little bit of seasoning I added was just enough to make this an amazing meal. 

This is the best meatless product I have tried so far.  I will absolutely buy the Chik'n Tenders again. 

I can't wait to try them in a stir fry! And a wrap!

Last up was the Chili.  Each box is one serving.

I was thinking these would be great to toss in my lunchbox for work.  

 Macros are pretty great for a big bowl of chili! 

Low fat and lots of protein.  

I have to warn you...I am not really a fan of chili...I usually just don't like soup, chili, or anything like that.  My husband was actually very shocked that I even got it to try. 

It was super easy to make.  Microwave and done!

 It had a great chili flavor.  Not too spicy which is good for me! 

Lots of beans, ground "meat", and big chunks of tomato.  

It was not my favorite, but if you are looking for a meatless chili, I think you would love this! Like I said, just not a huge chili fan overall.  

 I decided to try it with a little sprinkle of cheese.  That is how people usually eat chili right?! See...not a big chili consumer...

This was quite tasty! 

 I probably wouldn't buy this again, but I did enjoy this quick and easy lunch.  

Ah, I was missing the cornbread!! Maybe I will try it one more time when I have some cornbread for dipping :)

 Overall thoughts?! Quorn has some really amazing products!! I absolutely loved both chik'n options, and the chili was a quick and easy lunch! 

The best part is that they have so many other products!! Things like spaghetti & meatless balls, turk'y, burgers, and lots of breakfast items too.  

You can find their products in most grocery stores and I have seen them in Whole Foods too.  If you are vegetarian, or just looking for some healthy meal options, I highly suggest giving Quorn a try :)

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Eat Smart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale

Some people may find it strange or odd...but I weight and measure just about all of my food.  I don't do it to diet, I actually do it to make sure I am getting enough of everything I need on a daily basis.  Unlike a lot of people, I tend to underestimate portions.  I love using a kitchen scale because that way I know I am getting the amount I need or want!  

I have been using a food scale for over three years now and really do love it.  At first it was a bit of a hassle, but now it is just how I eat.  

The scale I had was acting up so I was in search of a new one.  I have a bathroom scale from Eat Smart which I love, so I looked into their kitchen scales.  

I was very excited when the company agreed to send me one in exchange for a review! Batteries are included and you also get a Calorie Factor Guidebook. 

This scale is very easy to use.  Weighing and measuring your food can be a bit complicated at times, so you don't want to make it harder on yourself with a complex scale.  

Turn it on and off with the touch of a button. 

Use that same button to tare or "zero" the scale. 

 This scale measures in grams, ounces, pounds, and kilograms. It has a max weight of 11 lbs / 5 kg.  I have never needed to weight anything heavier than that!

Of course you will use the unit button to change between measurements.  I mostly stick to using grams and ounces, but it is good to have the other options.  

While I don't always weight my fruit and veggies, you can see how easy it is to do.

Make sure scale is zeroed, place apple on, and then you can record it if you track your food.  I love using MyFitnessPal! It is a great food diary app that you can use on your phone.  You can also use the website on your computer.  

I especially love this scale for weighing my snacks! I don't want to be shorted on my favorite pretzels! 

Each serving of pretzels is 30 grams.  Just place the bowl on the scale, hit the tare button, and start weighing your snack.  I wanted to two servings, so stopped when I got to 60.  

If you do struggle with portion control, this is a great tool for you.  If you are anything like my wonderful husband, you can easily eat five or six servings of peanuts in an single sitting!

That is all you get for one serving of peanuts! My husband was shocked, and a little sad, when he realized how small one portion was.  That doesn't stop him from occasionaly eating five or six servings...he just makes sure to keep track of it now.  

One of my favorite things to do with my new scale is make homemade trail mix! It is great because I can just add all the good stuff! Notice how I left out the raisins...

I love making single servings of trail mix to toss in my lunch box.  This way I know exactly what is in each portion so I can properly track it.  Plus, homemade trail mix is much cheaper than the store bought kind. 

Even if you don't weight your food, you will love this scale for baking!!

One bowl, one spoon, and one scale! Just tare the scale after each ingredient. You know you are getting exactly the right amount of everything.  

This scale is way more accurate than any measuring cups or spoons.  Say goodbye to all of these!

You can also say goodbye to washing all those cups and spoons :)

So whether you want to weigh all your food, just use it on certain snacks for portion control, or be more accurate with baking, this scale will certainly serve you well!

I am very pleased with it! 

 You can order this scale on Amazon.  They come in five different colors so you can even match it to the rest of your kitchen appliances. 

Check out the Eat Smart Precision Digital Bathroom Scale while you are there! I have tried a lot of different scales and it is hands down the most accurate one I have used.  You even save a little if you buy them together :)

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LARABAR

I have been on a wonderful "trying new bars" streak lately! Not complaining at all! I absolutely love  trying new flavors from different companies.  I have been seeing LARABAR posts all over Instagram so I was becoming very intrigued!  I contacted the company and was thrilled when this package arrived at my doorstep!

They asked me to pick four flavors to try and review.  Let me tell you, that was not an easy task! With flavors like Banana Bread, Blueberry Muffin, Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (just to name a few) how was I going to decide?!

I finally narrowed it down and decided on Chocolate Chip Brownie, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, and Key Lime Pie.  I love that they even included a thoughtful little note :) 

 I have said it before and I will say it again...it is easy to make a bar taste good...but the real task is having a bar that tastes good AND is good for you!  If I just want something that tastes good I will go eat a Snickers bar! After reading more about these bars, I was very happy about how healthy they are! LARABARs are gluten free, and made from a blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts, and spices.  With the exception of the UBER bars, which contain honey, LARABARs are vegan friendly too! Each flavor has no more than nine ingredients. 

So they got the healthy part covered, but how do they taste?! Eeny Meeny Miny Moe! Key Lime Pie was up first.  

You can see all the pieces of nut and fruit! Unfortunately for me, my husband loves Key Lime Pie so I had to share this bar with him.  

I love the texture of these bars! Soft and chewy.  The flavor was great! I could really taste the citrus and coconut.

My husband really really enjoyed this flavor!! This bar has 220 calories, 10g fat, 31g carb, and 4g protein.  We would both absolutely eat this bar again!

 While my husband's favorite dessert is Key Lime Pie, my top pick is Carrot Cake! 

Similar macros on this bar.  Only 190 calories, 8g fat, 32g carb, and 3g protein.

 Still that same great chewy texture.  The fruit and nuts give this bar the perfect amount of sweetness.  

I will say it wasn't exactly what I was expecting in terms of taste.  I was expecting a little more carrot flavor.  I will say that it still tasted amazing! I could really taste the cinnamon which I love! 

Let's try something for all those chocolate lovers out there!! Chocolate Chip Brownie! 200 calories, 9g fat, 31g carb, and 4g protein.  This was awesome! Nice and chocolately, but I still felt like I was eating a healthy bar.  It wasn't too chocolately or too sweet which I liked.  

Actual chocolate chips throughout the bar gave it a great texture.  Yum!!

I saved the one I was most excited about for last. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough!  210 calories, 11g fat, 28g carb, and 4 protein.

I actually took this one to work with me.  I work as a nanny and we just happened to be at the park on that particular day.  It was very hot and I had this bar in my lunch bag...getting all melty...

Oh goodness was it fantastic! It was slightly messy because of all the chocolate chips, but I was not complaining! It was like eating warm, gooey, cookie dough!! Hands down my favorite out of all four!

I would absolutely recommend giving these bars a try! If you cannot decide which one to try first, try two at once! 

I will be trying more flavors in the very near future! These are sold at most local grocery stores and at Whole Foods.  You can also order them online.  LARABAR is just one of the five different lines of bars that they carry.  They also have UBER, ALT, RENOLA, and JOCALAT. So many different kinds and flavors of bars! Good luck just picking a few :)

Thank you LARABAR for allowing me to try some of your tasty and healthy bars! I really enjoyed them!

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Peanut Butter & Co.

Peanut Butter has got to be one of my all time favorite foods!! That's right, I love it so much that I don't even consider it a condiment, it is a food!! I came across Peanut Butter & Co. a while ago when I first tried their White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter.  I heard they had lots of other flavors and was dying to try some! This amazing company sent me an extremely generous box of goodies to sample! 

So much peanut butter!! It was better than Christmas Day when I open this package! Seriously! 

They sell these really nifty boxes that contain six different flavors.

What an amazing gift this would be! I can already think of at least four people that will be receiving one of these next Christmas! 

Ok, make that five...I will have to send one to myself too!

There are so many amazing flavors! Dark Chocolate Dreams, White Chocolate Wonderful, The Bee's Knees, Mighty Maple, Smooth Operator, Crunch Time, Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, The Heat is On, Old Fashioned Smooth, and Old Fashioned Crunchy. That is a total of 10 different flavors!

Not only did I receive enough peanut butter to last me for months, but I also got a super sweet tumbler! 

You can never have too many of these! 

I could not wait to start the tasting party! 

I am a very indecisive person so you can imagine how hard it was for me to choose which flavor to try first! 

Since it was breakfast time, I decided to start my day off with some oatmeal.  Not just any oatmeal though....

Some Mighty Maple Oatmeal! I cooked my oats nice and thick, drizzled some sugar free syrup on them, and put a BIG spoonful of the Mighty Maple peanut butter right in the middle.

Oh my goodness was this delicious! I kinda sorta have a maple syrup addiction...legit put it on everything! 

  I let it get a little melty and dug in!! That bite was to die for! 

Ok, snack time...

I am huge fan of dipping...

This little lion was not complaining at all when I dunked his head in a pool of Dark Chocolate Dreams!

And I was not complaining at all when I bit his head off!! This stuff is so chocolatey and creamy.  Way better than Nutella! 

Time for lunch!! 

Honestly, what is better than a good old peanut butter and jelly sandwich!? 

Nothing, nothing is better!

This just might have been the best PB&J I ever had! The Smooth Operator is so creamy! Childhood memories :)

Ready for another snack yet? Well I am!

The White Chocolate Wonderful is perfection! Seriously one of the best things I have ever tasted! I am pretty sure I could eat only this peanut butter with pretzels forever and be perfectly happy :)

 Need a healthier alternative for dessert?

Frozen banana slices topped with a generous amount of The Bee's Knees!

 It is cold, creamy, sweet, and actually good for you!

Something about peanut butter and bananas. Can't beat it! 

 Now if you are fan of crunchy peanut butter, you will not be disappointed with Crunch Time!

Look at all that chunky goodness!

This was amazing on a caramel rice cake! 

Crunchy rice cake with crunchy peanut butter! 

Such an amazing snack!

Would make a nice breakfast too! Just don't try to eat this in a quiet place...CRUNCH!

 I will admit I was a little apprehensive about The Heat Is On...

But then I thought...why not use it as a dip for some carrot sticks and pretzel nuggets? No different than any other spicy dip.

Not gonna lie, this was a little too spicy for my mild tongue...

No worries!! My spice loving husband will gladly take care of this jar for me! He is actually pretty excited to try using it as a spicy peanut sauce for his next stir fry! So if you love spice, you will love this peanut butter!

If you know me at all, you know how much of a snacker I am!! Snacks, snacks, snacks...all day long!

Love the Cinnamon Raisin Swirl! So much great cinnamon flavor and there are even little bits of raisins swirled throughout. This is great as a dip or spread for crackers, pretzels, or animal crackers.  

Need another idea for breakfast!? 

Ok, well I actually had this for lunch...but you get the idea.  Mighty Maple on a cinnamon vanilla english muffin! Oh my! "Yum" is all I have to say! 

Now the hardest part is picking my favorite...

I am going to have to call it a tie between White Chocolate Wonderful and Mighty Maple! Coming in at a VERY close 2nd and 3rd would be Dark Chocolate Dreams and The Bee's Knees! 

They are all amazing as a spread, dip, or my favorite way...

Just the jar and a spoon :)

Oh yea, and we all know peanut butter can make you thirsty!

Good thing I got my super cool Peanut Butter & Co. tumbler! 

The great thing is that a lot of local grocery stores carry these peanut butters! If you can't find them near you, just place an order online! They also have jams, jellies, marshmallow fluff, snacks, nuts, oat, and baking mixes.  Don't forget to check out their YouTube Channel too! Lots of great recipe ideas there. 

Thank you Peanut Butter & Co.  I will be enjoying my peanut butter for quite some time :)