Sundried Tomato, Basil & Feta Hummus Crisps from Kashi

Product Description:

For the zest of the Mediterranean, our Sundried Tomato, Basil & Feta flavor can’t be beat. The tang of tomatoes warmed in the sun, along with flavorful feta cheese and a hint of basil, brings a delightful taste of the “Old World” to each crisp.

I received a bag of these crisps in my September Goodie Box.

Tea Suggestion:

I enjoyed these crisps with a cup of green tea – Organic Nonpareil Ming Qian Dragon Well from Teavivre to be specific!  I really love this tea, and together with these crisps, I had a really enjoyable tea time!  The sweet, vegetative flavor brought out the tangy quality of the feta and the savory qualities of the tomato and basil.  A really delicious combination.

What I Think:

These are something that … if I saw them on the supermarket shelf, I would have grabbed out of curiosity – I love the flavor combination!  Tomato, basil and feta?  Plus hummus?  Yes please!

And … yep!  These are really tasty.

I taste the tomato, the basil, and the feta cheese.  I even taste the hummus.  But even though these are a healthier alternative to your typical chip … they don’t taste healthy.  That is to say … they have a satisfying crunch and a savory flavor that keeps me munching on them.  Lightly salted.  Just right.

I like the ingredient list.  These don’t appear to be loaded with lots of stuff that doesn’t need to be there.  They’re popped and not fried, and there’s no corn syrup or artificial flavoring.

My Final Thoughts:

Yeah, I like these a lot.  These are definitely something that I am going to be asking my local grocer to start carrying (It doesn’t appear that these are available anywhere nearby, so I’ll take my empty bag to Chuck’s Produce!) because I want more!

ZonePerfect Greek Yogurt Chocolate Bar

Product Information:

Creamy Greek yogurt and rich chocolate combine to bring you a great tasting, nutrition bar.

I received this ZonePerfect Green Yogurt Chocolate Bar in my September Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

While I wasn’t overly impressed with this bar, I was impressed with the tea that I chose to drink with it.   I went with this Organic Nonpareil Ming Qian Dragon Well Green Tea from Teavivre!  The tea was exceptional.  The nutrition bar … not so much.

What I Think:

So, I can’t tell you that I was really excited about receiving this nutrition bar in my last Goodies box, mostly because most of these so-called nutrition bars are filled with sugars and fat … and I don’t really consider either one to be particularly “nutritious.”  In fact, a quick glance at their nutrition information suggests to me that what makes these bars “nutritious” is that they have 3 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein.

Now, during the time that I’ve been receiving various tasting boxes like the Goodies box, I have come across some really tasty energy/nutrition bars, and some of them were good enough that I’d be happy to eat them again.  This … isn’t one of those bars.

The first ingredient listed in their “chocolate layer” is corn syrup.  The second ingredient is sugar.  And … this is nutritious?

I don’t really know a whole lot about nutrition.  I’m not an expert in that field.  But, one thing that I have learned in my years on this earth is that when reading ingredient lists on the labels of foods, the ingredients are listed in order of amount that the product actually contains.  Which means … this is mostly corn syrup and sugar.   I’m not tremendously impressed here.  I certainly wouldn’t buy this because it’s really nutritious.

As for the taste … it tastes … well, it tastes an energy bar.  It has a mild chocolate flavor (and more chocolate = better … this bar did not follow that rule.) It’s crunchy.  There isn’t a whole lot of “yogurt-y” taste to this.  It’s sweet … almost like a candy bar but it isn’t.

Of the energy bars that I have tasted … I’ve tasted better than this.  This tastes like a commercially manufactured energy/nutrition bar, and that’s what it is.  I wouldn’t buy one of these for the taste.

My Final Thoughts:

I wouldn’t buy it for the taste or the nutritional qualities of the bar … in other words, I’m not buying it.  Not impressed with this at all, and after tasting this bar, I’m happy (again) that I’ve cancelled my subscription to the Goodies box.

Caramel Corn from Cosmos Creations

Product Information:

The original Creation is our trademark recipe that offers oven-baked corn with just the right amount of simple caramel, made to perfection. Pure, natural ingredients combined to make a snack that’s deliciously addictive.

I received a pouch of this caramel corn in my July Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

I enjoyed a cup of Dorchester Breakfast Black Tea from Harney & Sons with these Caramel Cosmos Creations.  YUM!  The tea has a natural caramel-y undertone to it, and these caramel snacks brought those notes forward.

What I Think:

Having previously tried the Salted Caramel Corn snacks from Cosmos Creations, I was pretty confident that I’d enjoy these too.  The big difference, of course, is that the salty aspect is missing, and if given the choice, I’d choose the salted caramel.

These are similar to caramel corn … but there is a noticeable difference too – no hulls to get stuck in between your teeth.  Nice.  These … basically taste like Corn Puffs cereal that have been coated with caramel!  YUM!  They aren’t so much popped corn as they are a puffed corn that has been baked with caramel-y goodness.

My Final Thoughts:

I like the crunch of these, I like the sweet corn taste, and I love the delicious caramel coating.  I like that I can munch on these and not encounter unpleasant hulls or unpopped corn.  They are different from caramel corn … but with enough similarities to make you think that’s what you’re eating!

My Final Goodies Box arrived…

Yes, that’s right, my final goodies box.  I resubscribed to Love with Food, and I really think that two boxes per month is enough for me (and I gotta keep my Knoshbox!) and this … Goodies Box … I hate to say it … but, I’ve come to the realization that it’s just … not up to par with the other boxes that I receive.

So, instead of receiving my box from Goodies, I decided to upgrade my Love With Food box to receive their deluxe box every month.  I’m hoping this was a winning decision.

The first thing that I notice with this box is that instead of a card explaining that there will be no product card in the box … there’s just … no card whatsoever.  OK … now, I understand … this is an inexpensive box.  $7 a month … no big deal, right?  But, come on … please make some attempt to make the box special … put more effort into it.  I’d be willing to pay more per month if I felt like there was some effort in these boxes, but I’m just not feeling it anymore.

So, here’s what I received in this month’s box:  a bottle of Acai Grape flavored Pure Life Splash water, a bag of Kashi Hummus Crisps, a pouch of pitted snack olives, a bag of Fuji Red Apple Chips from barefruit, a Zone Perfect bar, a tube of Attiki Honey, and a savory tea (Spinach Chive) from Numi Organics.

Of these items, I will be giving my youngest daughter the snack olives and the apple chips because they’re more up her alley, so I won’t be reviewing these products.  The item I’m looking forward to most (and it probably comes as no surprise) is the savory tea, as I’ve wanted to try Numi’s savory teas ever since I noticed that they are carrying them.  That review will eventually publish on the SororiTea Sisters blog.

The other items, I’ll give ’em a try and publish my thoughts about them when I do.  Anyway … my Knoshbox should arrive soon … and that’s what I’m looking forward to!

Dark Chocolate Dreams from Peanut Butter & Co.

Product Information:

Our all natural peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate. It’s like a peanut butter cup in a jar! Great on a sandwich, but just as wonderful spooned over ice cream, spread on fruits, or simply eaten out of the jar. It’s equally delicious as an ingredient in your all-time favorite baked goodies like chocolate cake and bread pudding. 

I received a sample of Dark Chocolate Dreams in my February Goodies Box.

What I Think:

For the purposes of this review, I tried this product several different ways.  The first was to slather some on my Toasted Sesame Seed Graham Crackers.  Then, I cut up a Honeycrisp Apple (I love it when my favorite apple is in season!) and dipped the apple into the peanut butter.  Finally, I tried some spread onto the Banana Nut Bread Bakery Crisps from Stacy’s Bake Shop (my review of this product will post soon!)

My overall impression of this product is very good – I like that this is very peanut butter-y … the chocolate is there but it doesn’t overwhelm.  Don’t get me wrong, the chocoholic in me is all about as much chocolate as possible, but, the parent in me is more inclined to purchase this product for my daughter knowing that there’s at least some peanut butter goodness to this.  It is sweet, creamy, peanut-y, and salty.  Luscious!

On the graham crackers, this peanut butter is insanely good.  I love the way the salty and sweet interact this way.  The salty really comes out to “play” on these graham crackers, and I like the way the chocolate tastes with the salty notes.

On the apple, I found that the sweetness came out more.  I liked how the juiciness of the apple kept my mouth from feeling dry from the peanut butter.  But my favorite way to enjoy this chocolate-y peanut butter – by far! – is atop the banana nut bread crisps.  My favorite way to enjoy peanut butter is with bananas, and then to add chocolate to it … it was heaven.  YUM!

My Final Thoughts:

I think I’m going to pick up a jar of this the next time I see it on a grocery shelf.  My daughter, who is a nutella fan, would really enjoy this, I think!   And I’m envisioning how good this will taste on a peanut butter, banana and marshmallow cream sandwich.  Oh … goodness … just the thought of that is enough to send me to a very happy place!

Black Raspberry flavored FruitWater from Glacéau

Product Information:

rich. refreshing.  naturally flavored with just a hint of tartness. taste the burst of billions of bubbles in our sparkling black raspberry flavored fruitwater®. it’s a little tart, a little sweet. all delicious. just like you.

I received a bottle of fruitwater in my July Goodies Box.

What I Think:

So, the first thing that I check out when I get a drink like this in one of my tasting boxes is the label.  Does it contain Aspartame?  No, this product doesn’t, it contains Sucralose … which is still an artificial sweetener but, it isn’t as dangerous to me personally as Aspartame is.  I’m quite allergic to Aspartame, when I consume it, I am pretty much OUT for the day.  I start feeling sick, like I’m going to vomit, and I feel dizzy – well, dizzier than usual! – and I need to lay down.  I’m just NOT good after I consume Aspartame.

But, Sucralose doesn’t affect me that way, so I felt safe cracking open this bottle of fruitwater.  Unfortunately … it still tastes very artificially sweetened.  Icky!

Once my palate can get past that yucky artificial taste, I can taste the berry flavor.  This … on it’s own, beyond the artificial sweetened taste is alright … I think this would actually be something I could drink if it had been sweetened with something like cane sugar or even agave nectar.  As it is, though, I can’t drink much of this, because my palate is just telling me NO!  I suppose I’ll give the rest of this to my husband … he’ll probably love it.

My Final Thoughts:

Didn’t like it enough to even drink half a bottle of it.  The berry flavor would be nice if it was sweetened with something not artificial.  For those who don’t mind that “diet-y” chemical-y taste and aftertaste, I can see the appeal of a drink like this, but me … I’ll stick with my tea, thanks!

Cheddar Jalapeño Pasta Chips from Pastitas

Product Information:

Crunchy wagon wheel pasta flavored with cheddar cheese and a hint of jalapeño heat. These unique pasta chips combine the look and taste of pasta with the delightful crunch of a chip. With 50% less fat than regular potato chips, it’s okay to indulge.

I received a bag of these pasta chips in my June Goodies Box!

Tea Suggestion:

With these zesty chips, I wanted something that I could guzzle when I needed to help quench the jalapeño heat that builds on the palate, so I turned to iced tea.  The iced tea that I had chilling in the fridge when I opened this pouch of chips was this Lime Cola Flavored Black Tea from 52Teas.  YUM!  I really like the way the tangy flavor of the lime contrasts with the warm spice of the jalapeño.

What I Think:

I didn’t know what to expect when I opened this package … pasta chips?  Weird!  And they are indeed weird!  These are the most unusual “chips” I’ve encountered in some time.

The size and shape is reminiscent of “Honeycombs” cereal.  The texture is crunchy, I was almost expecting them to have the texture of uncooked pasta, although I’m not entirely sure why.  They have a texture that resembles a dense corn chip, but without the grain-y mouthfeel.  Very different, but not at all unpleasant.  On the contrary, I’m actually enjoying these quite a bit.

The chip itself is very “different.”  It doesn’t taste potato-y or corn-y or like any other type of chip that I’ve ever tasted.  I like that these don’t taste or feel greasy like a potato chip usually does, I like that these have a good, crisp texture, and a really hearty taste that is quite satisfying.

There is a good balance of cheddar and Jalapeño pepper flavor.  These aren’t super hot as I thought they might be given the fact that they’re called “Cheddar Jalapeño” … this is more like a nacho cheese sauce kind of heat … you know the kind of cheese sauce that has some diced jalapeño peppers already in it?  It’s a lively amount of heat, but not so much that I have to extinguish a fire on my tongue after each chip.  The warmth builds gradually in a very agreeable way.

My Final Thoughts: 

I would definitely buy these pasta chips again.  I really liked them.  I visited the Pastitas website and found that they have six different flavors and I’m definitely intrigued!  I’d love to try them all!

Sea Salt and Butter Poplets

Product Information:

You know the crunchy half-popped kernels at the bottom of each popcorn batch? The ones with crisp, concentrated corn flavor and a healthy dose of butter and sea salt? Yeah, here’s a whole bag of those perfect, delicious morsels. You’re welcome.

I received a small bag of Poplets in my August Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

I chose iced tea to drink with these salty Poplets, and I had a frosty pitcher of Root Beer Float Black Tea from 52Teas in the fridge, so I poured a big glass.  The tea was much better than the Poplets, I’m afraid.  (In fact, I absolutely love this tea iced!)

What I Think:

Once upon a time, I received a package of Half Pops in one of my foodie tasting boxes.  I loved the Half Pops, because I love it when I pop a bowl of popcorn and I find those yummy half popped kernels of popcorn at the bottom of the bowl.  They’re crunchy and delicious.

When I received this package of Poplets, I thought that my experience would be similar to what I experienced with my package of Half Pops.

Not!

These … well, a sizable portion of my package wasn’t even “half popped.”  There were quite a few kernels that were completely UNpopped.  The ones that were at least partially popped … tasted stale.  They tasted like they came out of a bowl of popcorn that had been popped three days ago and left out on the counter, uncovered.

Very disappointing.

My Final Thoughts:

I didn’t even finish the tiny bag of these Poplets.  I was really disappointed by the stale taste of these.  At least the Half Pops … had a very memorable and fresh taste to them.  These Poplets taste like some popcorn company trying to pawn off their waste on me.  No thank you.

Veggie Sticks from The Daily Crave

Ingredients: 

Potato flour, expeller pressed safflower oil, rice flour, tomato flour, spinach powder, salt, beet powder.

I received a bag of these Veggie Sticks in my August Goodies Box!

Tea Suggestion:

I wanted iced tea with these salty snacks, so I chose my new favorite iced tea:  Pink Lemonade flavored Black Iced Tea from 52Teas!  YUM!  The sweet and tart drink went very nicely with the salt in these crunchy sticks.  Psst … click here to learn about Zoomdweebies (aka 52Teas) campaign to re-open their tea bar in Wichita, Kansas!

What I Think:

My first observation:  there a lot more potato sticks in here than tomato, or spinach or beet sticks.  They resemble an uncooked french fry from McDonalds.  (That is to say that the color is not golden brown like a french fry!)  When I bite into them, the texture reminds me a bit of my favorite onion ring snack “chip”:  Funyuns!

They don’t taste like Funyuns, though.  The potato sticks … taste like potato chips, but without the greasy feel that often comes with potato chips.  These still are slightly “greasy” but not quite as greasy as the chips would be.  I noticed some “grease spots” on the paper that I put out to catch these sticks … for my “grease test.”  As I continue to eat, I notice more of the greasy taste though.

There is very little taste variation when it comes to the greener “spinach” sticks and the reddish “tomato/beet” sticks.  The flavor is very mild here, and is most noticeable in the aftertaste.  If I eat a couple of spinach sticks together, I notice more spinach-y taste, and the same is true of the tomato sticks … and the flavor for the reddish sticks is definitely tomato (not beet), making these my favorite part of this bag of snacks.  Unfortunately, of the three color sticks … there were fewest of the red sticks.

My Final Thoughts: 

They’re tasty enough.  I didn’t really like the developing greasy taste though, especially since I would most likely purchase something called “Veggie Sticks” as a healthier alternative to chips, and if these are still greasy … that doesn’t feel “healthier” to me, you know?  Also … my favorite of the three flavors represented here was the tomato, and it was under-represented in comparison to the other two flavors.  So, I don’t think I’d buy these in the store, unless I was given an option to choose just the tomato sticks.

Original Multi-Seed Crackers from Crunchmaster

Product Information:

This gluten-free rice cracker is packed with tasty toasted seeds: sesame, quinoa, flax and amaranth, resulting in a crunchy cracker with excellent texture and nutty flavor. Enjoy them solo or with your dip, spread or cheese of choice.

I received a bag of these crackers in my July Goodie Box.

Tea Suggestion:

I thought that these would make a decent alternative to a sweeter tea time treat.  I ate these crackers with a cup of Razzleberry Flavored Genmaicha Tea from 52Teas, The natural nutty tones of the tea worked nicely with the nutty quality of the crackers, and the sweet-tart berry notes brought in a nice, treat-y element without going too sweet.  The tea was much tastier than the crackers, though.

What I Think:

These are very crunchy … almost to the point of being a bit more dense than I would like them to be.  I prefer a thinner, crispy cracker as opposed to a thick, crunchy one.

I can taste the seeds, and they give the crackers a very enjoyable texture and nutty taste.  But … they taste … healthy.  Let’s face it … we all probably would prefer to be eating healthier and making more sensible choices when we’re snacking, but, when we are snacking, we don’t like to be reminded by the food we’re eating that we’re not indulging.

These don’t feel indulgent.  They aren’t “delicious” … they’re edible, certainly, and I didn’t hate that I was eating them, if that makes sense.  But they didn’t excite me all that much either.  I wasn’t thinking to myself:  “oh yeah, I gotta go get me some of these.”

My Final Thoughts:

I liked these crackers alright, but, as far as gluten-free, multi-seed type crackers, I preferred the Mary’s Gone Crackers snack crackers that I reviewed recently.  These just … aren’t as tasty.  They’re alright, but, not anything I’d rush out to buy again.