snacks - Matthew's Puzzle - Autism Recovery, Gluten Free, Green Living Mom Blog

Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale Review – I’m Obsessed – Sponsored Post

March 26, 2013 By Maryann

I was provided with several Brad’s Raw Foods Products to help facilitate this review.

I am truly OBSESSED with Brad’s Raw Foods! Even before I was given a few of their products to review, I tried their Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale Vampire Killer and Naked. Both are AMAZING! I am not ashamed to say I ate the Vampire Killer in just one sitting. They are really that good. As you know I’m on Weight Watchers and I think the whole container is only 4 points. They are truly some of the tastiest snack items I have ever had.

The foods are organic, gluten free, Non-GMO, Kosher and Vegan. But most importantly, they taste great while doing all of that. The Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale Vampire Killer ingredient list reads like this: *Kale, *Red Bell Peppers, *Sunflower Seeds, *Cashews, *Scallions, *Garlic, *Lemon Juice, *Chickpea Miso (Rice, Chickpeas, Sea Salt, Water, Koji Spores), Himalayan Sea Salt. The * represents Organic Ingredients! Holy cow, that is a lot of organic foods and I pretty much know what everything on the list is, except maybe the Koji spores.

If you are into the Raw movement you will be interested to know that Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale is not heated above 115 degrees when it is dehydrated. That helps keep the enzymes and nutrients intact.

Not only did I try the Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale, but I also tried their Brad’s Raw Chips Cheddar. These pack a powerful crunch. I was actually surprised at how crunchy their are, especially since their aren’t really a cracker and they aren’t baked or fried. And something else I love, they use sustainable production which means all of their residual materials are composted and returned to the fields. Does it get any better than that? I personally, as I said above, am obsessed with their products. I saw on their website they also offer onion rings, but I haven’t been able to find them in my neighborhood yet. I can’t wait to locate this product too. I bet they would be great with a good burger!

Anyway, my husband and I picked these up on a whim, and I am so glad we did. These have fast become my favorite snack, especially the Raw Leafy Kale. I hope you try some when you see them in your market and if you do, drop me a line telling me your thoughts and which ones are your favorites.

Tribe Hummus Review

March 18, 2013 By Maryann

I was given several coupons to try Tribe Hummus for free.

Do you like hummus? I do! It is really one of my favorite snacks. There is a local restaurant here that makes some of the best hummus I have ever eaten. It comes with a dense pita bread that I love, and eat, even if it is full of gluten. But I can’t go there very often, and I really shouldn’t eat all that gluten, which I will do if I get it at the restaurant. I tried making hummus at home, and even though I am pretty good in the kitchen, it just didn’t turn out very tasty. There was this acidic nature to it that was unappealing. That is also something I don’t like in many store bought hummus brands. But not Tribe Hummus! Their hummus was smooth, creamy and without even a hint of that acid I don’t like. I got the sweet roasted red pepper flavor and was eating it on raw veggies. That made a delicious and light lunch, which was perfect because I’m on Weight Watchers. 2 tablespoons of the sweet roasted red pepper Tribe Hummus is only 1 Weight Watchers Point!

I have decided to branch out and try it on some more unconventional foods, like apple slices. Holy cow was that good. I didn’t think I would like the red pepper Tribe Hummus on apples, but it is amazing and again, only 1 Weight Watchers Point. When I like something a little more substantial I use the Tribe Hummus as a spread on my Udi Gluten Free Bagels. I eat half a bagel with 1 tablespoon of the Tribe Hummus and I am good to go in the morning. It gives me some protein, flavor and is very hearty at the same time.

I recently saw a recipe for chicken coated with hummus and then baked. I think that would be a great way to try adding flavor and locking in moisture to a boneless chicken breast. Do you have a favorite recipe you like to use hummus in?