Repost ~ Barre Bars, Couscous, Forks Over Knives Cookbook, Sacha Vida's Chocolate Covered Sacha Inchi Seeds, & Coconut Secret's Coconut Nectar

Today I am going to post about a few things I have been gnawing on, consuming, reading, and testing.  I'll be blogging about things that have exited my kitchen as of late and things that I have been revisiting or have been using more and more of lately.  (NOTE: I'm reporting this due to some wonky coding that was messing up my blog last week) Starting things off is this Snack Bar from Barre.  It's the last one I had on hand from them and I will say I enjoy each one that I tried!  They are very yummy, filling, and made with REAL ingredients!  I know you aren't supposed to play with your food...but I do!  I enjoyed picking it apart to see all of the ingredients inside.  This is Barre's Black Swan Chocolate Berry Flavor.  The texture is between a protein bar and what I remember a Devils Food Cake being like, texture-wise.  The Berry is juicy and sweet!  The Cake-E part is full of Chocolate-Goodness!  It's chewy but plump and the Cake part is fairly moist.  It's almost like Trail Mix in the form of a bar!  I have to say it's very satisfying and filling yet light.  Sweet Tooth - CHECK, Protein - CHECK!  Another winner from Barre!

It's been a long time since I have made Couscous from a box...I have been making my own flavors via the bulk Couscous I have bought.  But there was a great sale on these a while back and I bought all of the vegan flavors they had.  I do really like them when I have had them.  I had this for dinner last night.  I had a bit leftover that I will probably eat tonight as a side.  Another thing that I ate this week that turned out great was a Stir Fry that I forgot to snap a photo of.  It was Basic White Jasmine Rice with Mixed Veggies such as Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans, and Peas.  I also added some of my Wildtree Teriyaki Sauce to it, too!  I like this sauce because it is lower in sodium than other Teriyaki Sauces I have seen.

I've renewed this book TWICE already and owe some late fees on it.  I should just purchase it online and I just might do that down the road.  As you may know I am a fan of the documentary and have watched it a few times...might have to watch it again, too!  This is the companion Cookbook.  It's great!

I may not follow the recipe completely but it gives me a bunch of wonderful ideas about flavor combo's!

I have noticed that a lot of the recipes I've seen in here so far call of Brown Rice Vinegar...I know I am out of this in my pantry at home...might have to purchase some more at some point.

Sacha Vida's Organic Chocolate Covered Sacha Inchi Seeds.  While visiting their website today I see they they are currently sold out of these.  BUMMER. These little seeds pack a powerful PUNCH!  And they have quite the history!  They're a healing plant native to the Peruvian Amazon that produces star-shaped green fruits which yield edible seeds. It has been cultivated by indigenous people for centuries, and will grow in warm climates up to altitudes of 5,500 feet. The cultivated seeds are extracted locally in the Amazon. Natives living in the Peruvian Amazon have consumed the leaves of the plant, the seeds, and their oil for hundreds of years. Sacha Inchi has been traditionally used to spur the growth of young children and keep senior tribe members in robust health. The plant was originally cultivated by the Incas and can be found depicted on pottery found buried in Inca and pre-Inca tombs.  This Super Food IS a SUPER Food!  It boosts brain activity, is heart healthy, high in omega 3, 6, and 9, and has 5 grams of protein in just 1 ounce!  They also contain a good amount of fiber for a little seed!  I have been snacking on these but I am tempted to grind some of them up and/or include them in some smoothies soon!

And then there is this Coconut Nectar!  You may have noticed it in some of my recipe posts as of late!  I love this the more I use it!  It's super sweet but good for you - it's vegan and it's raw, too!  But how?

When the coconut tree is tapped, it produces a naturally sweet, nutrient-rich sap that exudes from the coconut blossoms. This sap is very low glycemic and contains 17 amino acids, minerals, vitamin C, broad-spectrum B vitamins, and has a nearly neutral pH.

This natural sap is minimally evaporated at low temperatures (only to remove excess moisture and allow sap to thicken), never exceeding an average summer day in the tropics. Some agave syrups are hydrolyzed at temps up to 140 degrees F. for 36 hours, the end product containing 90% fructose, compared to sap nectar which is only 0.5% glucose, 1.5% fructose, 16% sucrose, and 82% inulin.

Recipe Tips:
The naturally sweet, mild flavor of our Nectar is an ideal sweetener for use on pancakes, over cereal, in tea, smoothies, and all your favorite dessert recipes!

Ingredients:
Coconut Sap grown without chemicals, pesticides or herbicides. (USDA Certified Organic)

Just some FUN finds and products I've been into lately!  Have you tried them yet!?  What are some of your new faves?

Product Reviews: SunRidge Farms Wasabi Tamari Almonds & Barre's Ballerina Spirulina

A while back I started chomping on these and have been taking my time with them because of the dental issues I have been faced with lately.  Also...taking my time because they are VERY FLAVORFUL and VERY FILLING!  SunRidge Farms offers lots of different things and I have been enjoying a few of them the last few months!

The Almonds - themselves - were darn tasty - but the Tamari and Wasabi flavor combo packed a powerful punch and had me coming back for more! 

The ingredients in the flavoring consisted of wheat, salt, soybeans for the Tamari Sauce and the Wasabi Spice was made up of salt, rice flour, can juice, onion powder, spices, horseradish powder, yeast, parsley, and garlic powder.  There was a small amount of Canola Oil in it, too.

One of my FAVORITE things about SunRidge Farms Company is their GREEN Commitment!  Of course all of their efforts are wonderful but one thing I think is REALLY great for more than being "Green" is that they have an incentive for their employees who Bike-To-Work.  They pay them $5 per day to do so!  Isn't that AWESOME?  I wish MY company did something like that!  Not only is that good for the environment and your health - it's good for your pocketbook, too!  

This is certainly a snack I would buy every once and a while especially for hiking and traveling as well as adding to other foods for a kick.

Speaking of snacks I might splurge on every once and a while if I didn't have anything on hand...

Barre Bars!  I reviewed one a while back and thought I would tell you about another one I have been able to try.

First...I LOVE the play on words with the name of this bar!  As you can see - it's a dark mossy green color thanks to the Spirulina and the small seeds do 'wonders' for texture!

This bar is 'grainy-er' on the tongue than the other bars from Barre but it's NOT dry.  It's extremely sweet and has a good amount of moisture!  I found this to be completely satisfying and filling...not to mention TASTY!

Marley Mania, When I Was A Dancer & Product Reviews - Barre Bars, SunRidge Farms Cashews, & New Earth Raw Crackers

I was in Dance for 8+ years when I was younger.  So was my sister!  I took 7+ years of "Jazz" and a year of "Tap" in the middle.  Here is a photo of a Scrapbooking Page Layout from years ago!  If you click on it you can enlarge it and read the journaling part.  I started my "Dance Career" as a student of Sylvia McDonald and her sister.  We attended Sylvia's School of Dance in Lockport, NY.  I enjoyed dance very much and will always remember - especially my early Dance Days - as a great time!  When we moved - we had to change Dance Schools.  It wasn't as fun or memorable and contributed to my overall decision to end my Dance "Career".  I still think about Sylvia and her dance studio and how much fun I had and I wish every school was as good AND FUN as hers!  Fast Forward Ahead - to present day!  When I saw Barre Food Bars online I knew I wanted to try them!  Not only because they were vegan but because they were made with athletes in mind!  They were MADE by Dancers but are enjoyed by nearly everyone and now I can say I am officially a fan of them, too!

The one I would like to tell you about today is their Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan. 

Pirouette Cinnamon Pecan is our original Barre flavor. The classic pairing of cinnamon and nuts stars in this chewy, ooey, gooey bar—think crumb cake meets cookie dough. A great, satisfying snack to power you through 32 fouettes, 100 crunches, or even just the midday office slump!

Ingredients

dates, walnuts, pecans, agave nectar, hemp seed, rolled oats, hemp protein, ground flax seed,brown rice protein, vanilla, cinnamon, sea salt, peanuts.

 I really enjoy this bar!  It's sweet but not as sweet as the Berry one I tried and will be officially reviewing in the near future, too!  It has a nutty and grainy texture with a nice and even smoothness to it as well!  The cinnamon is gentle but still noticeable!  I found this to be chewy - but creamy - too!  And it's NOT hard on the teeth with is always a PLUS!  As I continued to eat it the dates come into the play more and it was fantastic!  Then...the Sweet combo of Agave and Date!  Totally YUMMY!  My favorite part about this is that is was totally satisfying WITHOUT being over filling which is EXACTLY what the creators had in mind!  After eating this - you can go about your Dance, Yoga, and other athletic activities!  As an after thought there is a pleasant pecan/peanut aftertaste that lingers, nicely, too!

I really LOVE their website, too!  It's way-more than 'just' a place to buy their food bars!  It's a nice place to go to reminisce about dance!  The photo's are awesome!  PLUS - they are charitable!  Just take a look at this!

Last night my mother gave me a re-useable bag with Bob Marley on it.  I've always been a fan of Bob - he was taken from this world way-too-soon BUT his kids and other family members are doing a wonderful job of keeping his memory alive!  Speaking of Charity - this man and everyone in his family are VERY Charitable - yet another reason I love them!  I'm a fan of their Mellow Mood Teas on occasion and have reviewed them over on The Sororitea Sisters Site.

I have about 15 Bob Marley CDs and various collectibles throughout my home.  I was very excited to get this bag from my parents!  I'm told I my Dad scored me a Life-Sized Cardboard Cut-Out that I should be receiving in the next month or two, too!  Exciting!

Here's a photo of me in Florida at the Bob Marley Cafe inside Universal Studio's back in 2006!  I remember having a wonderful vegetarian plate of Stuffed Peppers and Yuca Fries and a smoothie!

 Another Snack I have been into lately are these babies!  SunRidge Farms Thai Curry Cashews!  They are AWESOME!  Not just awesome EXTREMELY AWESOME, actually!  The Cashews - themselves - are softer than 'standard or store bought' cashews but are completely fresh!  You can really TASTE the freshness!  There is a HINT of salt and a nice medium-strength curry flavor!  Not too hot - bit a speck of spice to keep you coming back for more!  They leave a nice 'warming' aftertaste, too!  I won't lie!  These didn't last long in my stash as I kept eating them by the fist full and couldn't wait to jump right in and have some more!  Another aspect of this company I LOVE is how GREEN they are!  I mean...check this out...

Here are just a few ways that we live green:

• Our warehouse is equipped with a 99kW solar panel system
• Seventeen delivery trucks have been converted to renewable biodiesel fuel
• Low-flow water-saving devices have been incorporated into our offices and manufacturing plant
• Recycling programs include corrugated cardboard box, ink-jet cartridges, office paper, plastics, and shrink wrap
• Our state-of-the-art purification and ventilation system has improved air quality throughout our operations

As far as the specifics with the Thai Curry Cashews - batch roasted cashews are tossed in exotic all natural spices cumin, turmeric, paprika and cayenne pepper...YUM!!!!

I do have one more thing to share with you today!  These little gems!  They are (Raw) Chipotle Chia Crackers from New Earth and they are WONDERFUL! 

They are VERY hard and crunchy but fairly easy to 'snap-off' a smaller bit if you don't want to eat that specific sized cracker!

I did break them up a bit and took smaller bites of each.  There is a good amount of mass to them and they ARE quite filling!  Not only are their Chia Seeds in these but Sprouted Buckwheat which I want to incorporate more of into my diet!  The Chipotle Flavor has just the right amount of heat to it!  They are savory and delicious!  They make a nice snack or munchie and stand alone you can also crush them into soups and salads! 

They are RAW, Vegan, Gluten-Free, and say "Texan-Proud: Go Texan" on the bag!  Also printed on the bag was "Made with gratitude and sprinkled with enthusiasm."  I totally LOVE that!

Product Description

Our Chipotle Chia Crackers have 20 grams of plant-strong protein per bag!!!

Made with sprouted buckwheat and chia seed, our crackers are hearty, thick and crispy.  They have a Medium Spice and taste great with guacamole, salads and hummus!
Each bag contains 20 grams of protein and 2.2 grams of omega 3's per serving.  Arriba!
Our Chipotle Chia Crackers are amazing with guacamole, hummus, or your favorite dip.

Our ingredients:
organic sprouted buckwheat, organic red bell pepper, organic chia seeds, nutritional yeast flakes, pure water, wildcrafted himalayan pink salt, organic chipotle powder.

Other ingredients: Joy, celebration and fun!

Another thing I like about this company is their 8 Windows To Awaken Your Super Conscious Life Page.

So...after all of this...I have one question for you...ARE YOU HUNGRY YET!?