Attune Foods

There are bars out there that supply your protein, there are ones that are raw, ones that taste like dirt, yadda yadda...well, when I heard about Attune, I was excited to try them out. Attune is a probiotic granola bar. For those of you who don't know, probiotics help support healthy digestion and protect the body against harmful bacteria, keeping your immune system healthy. A common source of probiotic is yogurt so I thought it was interesting to see a granola bar promoting the benefits of probiotics. According to the packaging, since the granola bars have a lower water content, the probiotic cultures live longer.

I found these bars at my local Whole Foods in the refrigerated section. In the strawberry bliss bar there are 170 calories, 6g fat, 3g fiber and 5g protein. The bar packs a lot of punch for only 170 calories. The granola bar itself is really good; very chewy with whole grains and nuts. Then there's a yogurt-flavored coating which I wasn't really a fan of. The coating tasted a little artificial. A single bar costs around $2.00, which seems to be the norm these days, but I still think it's sort of pricey.

If you're interested, their site is advertising a 14 day challenge right now to prove you'll feel the difference probiotics make in your diet. Here is the info directly from the site:
Feel the Attune Daily Difference - if, after trying one Attune probiotic chocolate bar daily for 14 days, you don't experience a difference, we'll refund your purchase price (up to $18).

I also wanted to mention that these bars should be refrigerated until your ready to take them on the go and eat them. That's a big pain in the butt to me. If I'm going to eat a bar, it's usually stashed in my bag for an emergency when I need something unexpectedly. While I wouldn't purchase these again, I'd by lying if I said I wasn't interested in the 14 day challenge...

I'm giving Attune 3 biscuits.

Pacific Natural Foods

All I read about these days is almond milk! I had never tried it until recently when Pacific Natural Foods was generous enough to send me some samples. I can't even begin to tell you all that there is to know about this company, I learned so much just looking over their site! One of the coolest things I learned is that they started a program in 1997 called Certified to the Source. It's a standard they follow to ensure they know the source of every single ingredient that goes into their products. Another thing that I really liked is that their cows are fed an organic, vegetarian diet and are free to roam the open pasture. I really encourage you to check out this company...I know I'm definitely interested in trying more of their products.

Now as for the nut beverages...who knew there were so many kinds!! In addition to almond, they also sell rice, hemp, hazelnut and oat. Oat!?! I haven't tried that one yet but I can't wait to! My first taste was the chocolate almond flavor and I was shocked by how good it was! Why haven't I tried this stuff before? I knew instantly what all the talk is about! The beverages also have vitamin A and D and riboflavin for added nutritional value. Another added bonus...they are dairy free for those who are lactose intolerant.

In a 1C serving of original unsweetened almond beverage, there's only 35 calories (that's less than a cup of milk and you're getting a lot of healthy nutrients in this drink!), 2.5g of fat and 1g protein. I have so much experimenting to do with these...the possibilities are endless. First up, oatmeal with the hazelnut! I definitely see myself making these drinks a staple in my diet so I'm giving Pacific Foods 10 biscuits.

Words to Sweat By

Work out towels seem to be all the rage these days. No more just grabbing a hand towel from your linen closet, now there are cute ones with fun sayings on them to keep you motivated. I was given the opportunity to tell you about a new line of work out towels by Words to Sweat By. The towels are designed and manufactured by Whimsical Walney and each towel has a cute, original mantra to motivate you while you stay fit!

Each towel is made of terry cloth with a fabric applique and measures 16x24. It's the perfect size for carrying to the gym or yoga studio. The towel isn't super soft, but it is very absorbent, which I desperately need since I sweat like a pig. You have to check out the site...they have some really cute sayings like "there will be no jiggle in my wiggle." :-) But my favorite saying...

One other thing I really like is the packaging they use. No waste here!! Woo hoo!! Each towel is packaged in a drawstring organza bag which can be reused. It looks so cute all packaged up and would make a great gift...for only $8. Yup, only $8!! What a cute idea for your workout buddy!

I'm giving Words to Sweat By 8 biscuits...love the creativity and the no waste packaging!

Feed Granola

I love trying different kinds of granola. Recently, I tried several varieties of Feed Whole Grain Granola, which I loved. Feed Granola was started by two guys (former models acutally, who refer to themselves as "the granola guys"), who were making granola in their apartment in NYC. They soon learned that other people liked their granola and Feed Foods came to be in a very short amount of time. Their mission is to provide the best foods they can make, using the best ingredients they can find. The packaging has this statement on it which I really like: "we believe what you feed your body determines how you live." Very true and I forget that from time to time as I eat too much crunch n munch while sipping on wine. The granola is 100% natural and has 230mg omega 3's!

The granola comes in a lot of different flavors from sweet mango to blueberry almond. In a 1/4C of the blueberry almond, you're looking at 140 calories, 3g fiber and 3g protein. One thing I really liked is that there's only 3g of sugar. I hate when granolas are full of added sugar. The base of the granola is a whole grain blend consisting of oats, barley, rye, oat flour, and brown rice crisps. I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of freeze dried fruit so I was happy to see they had actual dried fruit in the granolas and it was delicious. I found myself picking out all the pieces of dried fruit first!

A lot of times I think granolas taste pretty much the same but this was not the case with Feed. Each flavor really had it's own unique taste. While the blueberry had a lot of spice in it, the mango had mint in it! Oh, and I forgot to mention....BIG chunks!! I love the big chunks you can pick out and eat with your hands.

I never really comment on packaging but there as also something about their packaging that I like. It's simple but cute and I like the little descriptions for each flavor and the see through window on the back of the bag letting you know it's time to get more! Speaking of getting more...I can't list prices because their site is down right now and I forgot to check at the grocery store this week. But I'm not too concerned about price. I really liked this and definitely see myself buying it again. I just hope I can show some self control next time and not eat the whole bag. I'm giving Feed Granola 10 biscuits.

Granola Gourmet

I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about the glycemic index of my foods, but many other people aren't so lucky, especially those with Diabetes. Granola Gourmet was founded when one of the owners was diagnosed with Diabetes and was looking for a tasty snack that didn't cause a spike in blood sugar. The ingredients in Granola Gourmet bars are chosen based off their glycemic index and choosing ingredients with a low glycemic impact.

There are 4 flavors: brownie, chocolate espresso, spiced orange cranberry and very berry. The bars contain no wheat, no dairy, no sodium and no refined sugar (LOVE that last one!!). Before tasting, I thought these would taste "different" because they are energy bars designed for diabetics. I have no idea why I thought that, but I did. Well, to my surprise, the bars were really good!! I sampled the chocolate espresso and loved it. There was a chocolate chunk in it that made the bar. The bars are packed with good for us ingredients including organic oats, organic agave, honey, organic sunflower seeds, organic flaxseeds, almonds, etc. In one very berry bar (which is sort of small), there's 140 calories, 5g fat, 3g fiber and 4 g protein. Definitely not a huge, dense bar but very moist, satisfying and tasty. A 10 bar package costs $13.95 and a portion of your purchase helps the American Diabetes Association fight diabetes. Nice touch!!

Now, these bars aren't only for diabetics, they are great for athletes and anyone looking for a healthy snack. I thought they were a nice alternative to the processed, dense, chalky energy bars that are out there. For those out there who need to monitor their blood sugar, definitely check these out. So I'm basing the biscuits on the fact that these are a great choice for diabetics and I'm giving Granola Gourmet 8 biscuits.