Gardein

I like going out to eat with my husband, but I hate that I can never find much to eat from the menu...I love a good salad, but they always have chicken, steak, or fish on them.  Yes, I order one without it, but then I am paying $12 for a salad and not even getting my protein! 

I am so thankful for companies like Gardein! They have high quality, yummy tasting, and healthy meatless options for vegetarians.  I saw the products in Target for the first time and was intrigued! The company sent me some coupons to pick a few products to try and review.

I always love when they include a hand written note!

It was hard to choose, but I narrowed it down and finally picked three.

BBQ Wings, Beefless Grounds, and Crispy Chick'n.  

Before I got to tasting, I had to check out the nutrition facts.  

Everything looked great, but I really with they had the stats for the sauce.  I am pretty particular when it comes to my food so I usually like to know the macros.  It would have been nice if they had numbers without sauce, but then had numbers for the sauce as well.  

The good thing is that the sauce comes in a seperate packet.  

That way you can use all of it, none of it, or just a taste.  

I tried the Sweet & Tangy BBQ Wings first. My husband actually asked me if they were boneless...ha...last time I checked soy protein didn't have bones...silly silly carnivore...

Each serving is 120 calories 5F 5C 14P.  

The directions said to cook in 1 T of oil, but I ignored that part.  

I just used a little non stick spray and they cooked up perfectly!

The directions also said to cook the sauce in with the wings, but I decided to keep it on the side.

Looks good to me! Gotta have some celery with my wings!

I wanted to be sure to do a thorough review, so I did try the sauce.  

It was really really tasty! Nice and sweet! Not spicy at all which I love.  I thought it was great for dipping. 

The bag has 2.5 servings, but I ate them all for lunch! 

The texture of the wings was really nice.  Not rubbery or chewy at all.  I would be very happy if these were on the menu next time I went out to eat!

Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n was up next.  

These also came with a sauce packet which I decided to keep separate.  

I cooked them up the same way, omitting the oil.  

 These have a very light breading which got nice and crispy!  The chick'n had a really nice texture once again.  My husband even took a little nibble and said that it had more flavor than real chicken!! 

The orange sauce was very good as well.  

It was a thinner sauce with just the right amount of sweetness.  This would be great over some brown rice.  Vegetarian Chinese food!

I ate one serving just like this. 

It was a great little snack coming in at 150 calories 7F 6C 17P.  

I didn't have any rice on hand, but I wanted to try something else with the remaining Chick'n. 

Why can't restaurants have this Chick'n Salad on the menu!? I would pay $12 for this dinner!

I drizzled a little balsamic vinegar on top and dug in.  

This was a great lunch! I loved having all the added protein to keep me full and satisfied.  

Last but not least...

Basically ground hamburger meat.  Except it didn't come from a cow :)

I cooked up half the bag in a skillet on the stove just like before.  

Half of it went on this glorious plate of nachos for a movie snack!

Chips, salsa, low fat cheese, and lots of meatless grounds!

I like that the grounds aren't greasy like real meat would be.  

I am quite sure you don't have to be a vegetarian to enjoy this bite!

Breakfast wrap time!

This might have been my favorite creation.  Nice and simple.  Soft tortilla, fat free american cheese, and some grounds.  

Such an amazing breakfast! The grounds have a nice, mild flavor.  I like that because you can add whatever seasoning or sauce you want to fit your taste!

Each serving only has 80 calories 1.5F 5C 12P.

So what do I think of Gardein?! I think restaurants need to start using their products so I have yummy things to eat when I go out with my husband!!

They have lots of other products too! Fishless filets, Beefless tips, Crispy chick'n patties, Burgers, and more!! Check out all of their products here.  

I got my Gardein products from Target, but I have seen them at my local grocery store too.  Use their store locater to see where you can buy them near you.  Vegetarian or not, I suggest you give them a try!

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Zing Bars

I am on a mission to try all the different brands of protein bars! Next up - Zing Bars. 

I got to choose four different flavors to try and review.  It was not an easy decision! There are flavors like Chocolate Coconut, Dark Chocolate Hazelnut, Coconut Cashew Crisp, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Double Nut Brownie, Cranberry Cashew, and more!

I chose Chocolate Coconut, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Dark Chocolate Sunflower Mint.

They have 3 flavor profile of bars which include chocolate covered, soft cookie, and fruit & nut.  They also use 3 different protein sources.  These include brown rice protein (vegan), pea protein (vegan), and whey protein.  They are all gluten free, with no preservatives and no synthetic vitamins and minerals. 

I have said it before and I will say it again...it is easy to make a "healthy" protein bar...

Making it taste good too is the real challenge! 

 First up was the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip.  This is considered one of the soft cookie bars.  

I loved the texture! Soft and slightly chewy with lots of chocolate chips and oatmeal pieces.  

The taste was really great! It had the perfect sweetness without tasting artificial.  The sweetness comes from all natural ingredients like pecans, sunflower seeds, and cinnamon.  

This bar comes in at 210 calories 9F 25C 10P.  

Let's switch it up with a bar covered in chocolate! 

Dark Chocolate Coconut contains 210 calories 10F 25C 10P.  

If you like coconut, and you like chocolate, you will love this bar!

The chocolate has a great flavor and the bar is nice and soft.  My favorite so far!

You really can't go wrong with Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, right?!

Soft cookie texture again.  Very very good!! I could really taste the peanut butter and it had just enough chocolate chips throughout the bar.  Similar macros here with 210 calories 9F 25C 10P.  

Dark Chocolate Mint was saved for last.  Covered in that smooth chocolate once again.  

I could really smell the mint and was hoping for an Andes Mint or Thin Mint Cookie taste.  

Unfortunately I was quite disappointed with this flavor.  At first it tasted good, but then it had almost an alcohol flavor to it.  It might have been from the natural mint oil? 

I don't always love the chocolate/mint combo, so I had my husband try it too.  Sadly, he was not a fan either :(

I really enjoyed three out of the four bars!! I absolutely want to try more flavors because I think the people at Zing are really onto something here!

Overall, I love the texture of these bars.  With the exception of the mint one, the flavors were great! I wish they had a little more protein, but 10 grams is still quite good for a bar this size.  I also love the fact that they are gluten free and have vegan options.  

I decided to have a little more fun with the rest...

I loved cutting half of the Dark Chocolate Coconut into bite sized pieces.  It seemed to last longer this way and was a perfect little chocolate treat.  

Half Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and half Oatmeal Chocolate Chip into the microwave for 10 seconds.  

It was like warm cookie dough! This was awesome!! I loved how the little chocolate chips got all melty.  

Take some of those bite sized pieces, place them into the freezer for a few minutes, and you have yourself a super tasty chocolate treat! 

This is now my favorite way to eat Zing Bars! 

Would I recommend Zing Bars??? Yes! With all the different flavors, I am sure you will find some that are perfect for you.  

I have seen Zing Bars at some local grocery stores, Whole Foods, and some specialty stores.  Try using their store locator to find them in stores near you.  You can also just order some online! 

There is one really really bad things about these bars...

Eating the last of them...

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Quest Creation - Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Bars

I think it is time I come clean...I am...a Quest Bar addict...There, I said it! I am not ashamed either! These bars taste amazing, are super healthy, and you can turn them into crazy creations! For example, how about some Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Bars?!

This dessert is fantastic! It is a great way to satisfy that sweet tooth.  Plus, it is packed full of protein and very low in fat.  

Don't worry, it is very easy to make! You only need four ingredients.

Vanilla protein powder, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, sugar free fat free strawberry jello mix, and that wonderful Strawberry Cheesecake Quest Bar. 

Unwrap the bar, place on microwave safe plate, and warm it up.  

It only needs 8-10 seconds in the microwave.  Just enough to make it soft enough to mold. 

Place the bar between some parchment paper and roll it nice and thin.  

I am using a small 5x7 baking dish, so I made it to fit.  You could use any shape and size dish.  If your dish is much bigger, you may want to use two bars.  

Coat the dish generously with some non stick spray and just lay the flattened bar in there.  It doesn't have to be a perfect fit because the bar will expand some as we bake it.  Into the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes.  

Ta-Da! 

Now we have a beautiful and tasty crust for our bars. Stick this in the fridge while we mix up the jello part. 

Add the whole package of jello mix to one cup of boiling water.  If you want, you can add a sweetener to two.  I used one little Splenda. 

Make sure all the powder is dissolved and stick this in the freezer, just to take the chill off.  

In a shaker cup, add 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder and 1/2 cup milk.  Shake it up real good!

If you don't have a shaker cup, you can just use a whisk or spoon.  I find the shaker works really well though! 

Now add the jello mix.  It's ok if it a little warm, you just don't want to add boiling hot liquid to milk...Mix it up some more!

Really work those arm muscles! 

Now you should have a very pretty pink mixture.  Don't worry, we are almost done!!

Stick this back in the fridge or freezer for a bit.  You want to make sure your Quest Bar crust, and jello mixture are completely cool before we do the next step!!

Once you are sure everything it cooled, slowly pour the jello mixture over the crust.  If the jello mix is even a little bit warm, it will start to melt and break apart the crust.  

Stick the in the fridge for about an hour or until the jello has set.  I know...waiting is the worst part!!

 It is so worth it though!! As you can see, I was a little impatient and forgot to take a finished product picture...I couldn't wait to eat a piece!!

 I got six nice sized bars from this recipe.  Let's be honest though, I ate the whole dish by myself...And why shouldn't I?! The whole dish is only 260 calories! That is much less than any teeny tiny piece of cheesecake you might get at a restaurant.  

 That bite is pure perfection! 

The jello is cold and creamy, the crust is sweet and crunchy, and together it is simply amazing!

Yum!!!

 The whole dish also has a whopping 36 grams of protein! I really look forward to this treat after a tough workout!

If you're only excuse for not making this is that you don't have any Quest Bars, then let me stop you right there!!! Go here and buy some now! I promise you will be glad you did :)

Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Bars

• 1 Strawberry Cheesecake Quest Bar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (120ml)
• 1 package sugar free fat free strawberry jello mix
• 1/2 scoop MTS vanilla whey (15g)
• 1 cup water
• sweetener if desired

1. Microwave Quest Bar for 10 seconds.
2. With a rolling pin, flatten the bar between parchment paper. Make is fit whatever size dish you are using. 
3. Coat dish with nonstick spray and place flattened bar on bottom.
4. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes
5. Let cool completely.
6. Mix together entire package of jello and 1 cup boiling water.  Let cool.
7. In a shaker cup, mix milk and protein powder.  Add jello mixture once it is cool. 
8. Once crust and jello mixture are both completely cooled, slowly pour jello over the crust.
9. Place in fridge for 1-2 hours or until jello is set.
10. Enjoy!!

Makes 6 Bars

Whole Dish - 260 calories

7g Fat

29g Carb

36g Protein