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Posts Tagged ‘snacks’

bilbl_shoppingsofiA few weeks ago, SomerSaults Snack Co sent me an incredible package in the mail. They’d contacted me a couple of weeks before that, asking if I’d wanted to try some of their Sunflower Seed Snacks and write about what I thought of them.  When I looked at their nutritionals, especially their fiber content, I said I’d love to.

When I opened the box and saw these happy colors and the care with which it had been put together, I was really impressed.

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The blogger sample they’d sent me included all of their varieties: cinnamon crunch, santa fe salsa, pacific sea salt, salty pepper, and dutch cocoa.  They’d also sent me large 60z bags, as well as two different sizes  (1oz and 2oz) of individual snack packs. I couldn’t believe how generous they’d been in sending me all of the snacks to try! (Several weeks later, I still have some of these snacks in my pantry).

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Since it was afternoon, and I was in the mood for something savory, I went for the Santa Fe Salsa first.

2013-11-05 17.43.42 How cute is the cowboy on the bag?

A serving size is 14 snacks.  santafe

Those totals are really great, especially for someone like me who is trying to get as much protein in as I can.  I also really like how much fiber a serving size has.

2013-11-05 17.46.20 The nuggets are really substantial, and I have to say, after eating 14 of them, I was really full!  They’re really satisfying, and make a perfect after-school/3pm snack.

The Santa Fe Salsa were slightly spicy (I LOVE spicy food, so the more spice, the better), and I could definitely taste the jalapeno and chile.   To be honest, after tasting the other flavors, these were actually the flavor I’d be least likely to purchase, but that says more about how much I liked the other flavors.

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The dutch cocoa were delicious and just the right amount of chocolate, without being overly sweet.  I would pop 5-7 of these as an after dinner snack that completely satisfied my sweet tooth.  For people who sometimes crave a bit of sweet in the afternoon, these would be perfect.

The salty pepper were one of my favorites because they have it all – a bit of spice, a bit of salt, and lots of nutty goodness. I enjoyed these so much that I’ll be keeping these in my pantry for regular snacking.

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The pacific sea salt were hearty, and would be a great accompaniment to a piece of string cheese for a snack.  One day I was rushing out of the house without much time to prepare lunch, so I grabbed a bag of these and had them with 2 hard boiled eggs, and for me, that was the perfect meal.  I shared these with my dad one afternoon, and he really liked them, too.

The cinnamon crunch were, by far, my favorite of all the snacks.  I’ll definitely be re-purchasing these.  They remind me of graham crackers, but these taste so much better.  The heartiness of the seeds adds so much texture to the sweetness of the cinnamon.  These were a great snack when I was craving sweets, and I liked that they weren’t bad for me as so many other sweet snacks are.  In fact, the fiber in these actually enhanced my diet.

One of the things I really like about the Somersault Snack Co is that they’re based locally in the Bay Area, in Sausalito, CA, which is about 20 minutes north of San Francisco.  Their whole approach is fun and light, and I like that.

The snacks are available at lots of retailers, including Target and Whole Foods, but they’re also at lots of supermarkets.  The cost is fairly pricey at $4 per 6oz bag, but I loved these snacks so much that I’d definitely spend the money.  Plus, for me, one 6oz bag lasts quite a while.

My recommendation?  Buy them.  They are a wholesome, hearty snack that will definitely keep you satisfied for a few hours. They’ve found a permanent spot on my shopping list.

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Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Today’s post might be hard to read if you’re hungry, so go get something healthy to snack on. I’ll wait. Ok, now that you’re munching on your carrot sticks, read on.

I always feel my most organized, content, and on top of my game when I have lots of healthy food to choose from in my pantry and fridge. For example, I hadn’t gone grocery shopping yesterday when I had my first day of school, so I felt sort of out of whack all day. Luckily I stayed within my calories, for the most part, and found some healthy-ish choices at Starbucks, so I didn’t starve. (Not that that’s ever a fear, LOL).

After work and a few other errands yesterday, I headed to Trader Joe’s. I feel sorry for those of you who don’t have a TJ’s near you, because they have so many great choices of healthy foods that it really is a weight loss blogger’s dream store. Not to mention the fact that their prices are so great. And unlike Whole Foods, they have nutritional info on all of their food (plus they’re a ton cheaper, as I said).

I stocked up on salads, fruit, Luna bars (for breakfasts/meals “in a pinch”), Greek yogurt, string cheese, and a few other items that I consider essentials.

This year I spent some time cleaning out my desk drawers (which are notoriously messy and in disarray) to help me stay organized, but also with a side agenda. I decided that this year, I’m going to dedicate a good portion of my lower desk drawer to snacks. That way, I always have something to eat, even if I am running late and forget my breakfast or lunch. That bag ‘o goodies has all of the items that I’m going to put in the snack drawer. I know it seems like it’s a lot, but it’s mostly the packaging of the items.

Snack Drawer:

  • Starbucks instant coffee (love this stuff!)
  • Extra coffee mugs (in case the current one is dirty)
  • Dried mango**
  • Almonds**
  • Instant oatmeal (I have an electric tea kettle and a microwave in my classroom)
  • Luna bars
  • 100-calorie microwave popcorn
  • Pretzel Thins**
  • Dark-chocolate covered pretzel thins**

**Because some of these items can get fattening if you eat too much of them, I also brought a 1/4 cup measuring spoon and the snack-sized Ziploc bags so that I can make sure I stay within proper portion sizes.

The snack drawer:

What items do you keep in your snack drawer?

I found two new (to me) foods on yesterday’s shopping trip that I just had to share with you:

I love mixed nuts and dried fruit, so I bought these portion-controlled packets of the Mega Omega Trail Mix to have as a mid-afternoon snack. The pre-portioned packs were only 30 cents more than the regular bag, so I figured, why not, if it will keep me from over-eating it.

One of the things that I struggle with is eating protein in the morning. I’m not a huge fan of eggs, and when I do eat them, I only like them scrambled with a lot of other things in them and lots of hot sauce or hard-boiled. I found the greatest on-the-go breakfast/lunch egg item, TJ’s egg white salad with chives. Not only is the ENTIRE container 100 calories, 4g fat, 4g carb, and 14g protein, but it tastes so good! I am having it for breakfast today, paired with 28g of pita chips, but this would be great in a wrap or a pita, or on an English muffin. (Or heck, straight out of the container, with a spoon). I bought two of them, because I had a feeling I’d like it, and I wish I would’ve bought more. I’m not sure how it is in the rest of the country, but here in CA, we’re experiencing some problems with salmonella contamination of major egg producers, so eggs are at a premium. TJ’s had a huge sign up that said while none of their eggs were affected by the outbreak, eggs in general are scarce and will be for a while.

The egg salad needs to be cold, so rather than keeping it in the snack drawer, I’ll be taking it to school in my new, insulated lunch bag:

It came with another large, insulated tote bag with the same pattern, and I love it. I’ll put a blue ice pack inside it and zip it up and it will keep the food cold all day long, which is great, since I don’t have a refrigerator in my room. I’ll use it to bring the perishable items like fruit, yogurt, salads, string cheese, etc. each day.

So as far as breakfasts and lunches, I’m all set. Now I just have to make some time when I get home to cook a few healthy dinners for the week. We’re in the middle of our first real heatwave of the summer (90 degrees), so it’s not exactly Croc-Pot weather. I can’t wait until the weather gets consistently cooler (oh how I love Fall and Winter) so that I can break out the Croc-Pot and start making all those yummy, hearty recipes that I love.

What are you planning for dinner tonight?

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BTW – I haven’t tweeted it in a couple of days. Today is Smoke Free, Day 14!!! I can’t believe it’s already been 2 weeks since my last cigarette. In some ways it feels like so much longer than that. It’s getting easier and easier each day. Woot!

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