Vampire Killer Kale Chips from Brad’s Raw Foods

Photo from Knoshy.
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Product Information:

There is no better way to start the new year with a healthy snacking plan! Our favorite kale snack is hands-down these organic kale chips from Brad’s Raw Foods. The ‘vampire killer’ is crispy, nutty and has a great garlic flavor. Organic, kosher, and vegan.

I received a package of these kale chips in my January box from Knoshy.

Tea Suggestion:

When I eat chips, I usually like a glass of iced tea to go with it … and kale chips are no exception.  The iced tea I had chilling in my ice box when I snacked on these kale chips was this Cherry Limeade Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas.

What I Think:

I really like kale chips.  I’ve had a few different kinds in the past, and I’ve enjoyed what I’ve tried.  My family has been less receptive to the idea of kale chips.  Which is both a blessing and a curse:  when I do happen to buy (or receive as part of one of my monthly subscriptions) a package of Kale Chips, I get to enjoy them for myself and not have to worry about them disappearing before I have a chance to taste them.  That’s a blessing.  But on the curse side, because I’m the only one who likes them … I don’t buy them often because I don’t like buying things just for me.

I like the flavor of these Kale Chips … I love the garlic-y taste!  The cheesy flavor is there too, but it is less apparent … or perhaps I should say that it doesn’t stand out quite the same way as it does in some of the “cheesy” flavored kale chips that I’ve tried in the past.

But the garlic-y notes are delicious.  Not too sharp on the garlic, just enough to let you know that what you’re tasting is garlic … it’s an easily identifiable flavor but it doesn’t go overboard and make your mouth feel like its in desperate need of a thorough brushing, flossing and a handful of breath mints before anyone’s gonna kiss you.

On the downside, I didn’t like that most of the kale pieces were small “crumb-ish” size.  It was a bit more like eating a handful of peanuts than it was like eating chips, you know?  I also didn’t like that I came across a couple of large stems in my package.

My Final Thoughts:

I loved the flavor of these, I just wish that there was a bit more attention paid to the details of the chips.  Less large stems in the package and more large, leafy crisps.  I have seen this product in Chuck’s Produce, and have been tempted to purchase because I did enjoy the flavor … but I’ve found myself looking for another brand that carries a similar garlic-y flavored kale chip because I didn’t like having a package that was mostly crumbs.

Apple-2-The-Core Dried Fruit from Peeled Snacks

Product Description:

Peeled snack’s Apple-2-the-core are one of our favorite healthy snacks to eat on the go. Stash a bag in your purse or car for healthy snacking at any time. These dried apples are organic, gently dried and all natural- no sugar added.

I received a pouch of these snacks in my January Box from Knoshy.

Tea Suggestion:

I think that these tasty pieces of dried apple would taste good with just about any tea, but I wanted to choose a pure tea so that the flavoring wouldn’t compete with the flavor of the apple.  I chose this Hoji Cha Gold from Kyoto Obubu Tea Plantation, and I loved how the nutty, sweet flavor of the tea complemented the sweet flavor of the apple.  A really nice pairing!

What I Think: 

After having tried the Pine-4-Pineapple from Peeled Snacks, I was fairly certain I’d enjoy this dried apple snack from Peeled Snacks.  And I do!

The apple has been sliced and they’re fairly thick slices so I get lots of apple-y flavor in every bite.  These aren’t like the crisped apple chips that you can find in just about any grocery store these days (I like those too though!)  These are softer and chewier, and the way these have been crafted allow for a lot of true-to-the-fruit flavor.

That is to say that this tastes like apple.  It doesn’t taste like sugar.  It doesn’t taste like cinnamon or caramel or anything else (not that there’s anything wrong with cinnamon or caramel … love ’em!)  These snacks have one ingredient:

Organic Apples.

Nice ingredient list!

My Final Thoughts:

I really like these dried apples.  I love the texture:  soft and chewy!  I love the sweet taste, and there’s just a hint of tartness to them too.  I love how the drying process has concentrated the flavor of the apple so I’m just getting APPLE in every single bite.  There’s only one thing I don’t like about these snacks … I don’t like that the pouch is now gone.

Organic Dark 70% Chocolate from Green & Black’s

Learn more about Green & Black’s here.

Buy Green & Black’s chocolate on Amazon.

Tea Suggestion:

Chocolate is one of my favorite tea time treats because … well, I’m a chocoholic!  This is an exquisite dark chocolate bar, and I chose to drink this Black Tea from Shan Valley with the chocolate.  The roasty flavor as well as the other notes (hints of smoke, caramel, nut, earth and toast) of the tea complemented the deep, rich flavor of the chocolate in these mini-bars.

What I Think:

These tiny bars that were in my November Love with Food box are so cute!  They are .53 ounces, and when you open the wrapper, it looks like a miniature chocolate bar, complete with the “break lines” that you’d find on a larger bar.

Put simply, this is rich and delicious.  One of the better dark chocolate bars I’ve encountered.  There is a good snap to this.  The chocolate tastes rich, sweet with just the right amount of bitterness to keep things interesting.  There is a deep fruity character to the chocolate.

My Final Thoughts: 

This is definitely a chocolate bar that I’d pick up again when I’m craving dark chocolate.  I’m glad that I have seen this chocolate in my local Whole Foods.  I’ll be grabbing a bar next time I shop there!

Cherry Chocolate Bumble Bar

Photo from Knoshbox.
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Product Information:

Bumble Bars are crafted by hand in Spokane Valley, Washington. These tasty snack bars are organic, gluten free, non-GMO and provide a great energy boost.

I received this Cherry Chocolate Bumble Bar in my September Knoshbox!

Tea Suggestion:

For this flavorful energy bar, I chose something equally as energizing:  Green Tea Powder!  Specifically, I added a couple of these Japanese Organic Green Tea Powder Packets from Shi Zen into my water bottle, gave it a vigorous shake and enjoyed this invigorating – power packed! – snack!

What I Think:

This is the best Bumble Bar that I’ve tried yet.  So far, I’ve had the opportunity to try the peanut Bumble Bar and the Chocolate Crisp Bumble Bar.  (My review of both of these can be found here.)

But I’m favoring this one because I love the sweet-tart note that the cherry brings to the bar.  Yes it’s chocolate-y and that’s AWESOME … but I love the combination of the chocolate and the cherry.  It’s sweet, fruity and just deliciously yummy!

I’ve tried quite a few different energy bars, and of all the ones that I’ve tried, the Bumble Bars really stick out in my memory as certainly one of the tastiest (if not THE tastiest) that I’ve tried.  There’s a good balance of flavor here, and I love the crunchy crackly texture of the seeds.

My Final Thoughts:

I really like the Bumble Bars!  I love that Bumble Bars are a locally crafted product, and some of their other flavors sound very appealing to me like their Chai Almond (you know I’m going to love that one!) and Awesome Apricot … just to name two!  They’ve got a bunch of flavors though … I’m definitely going to have to try some more flavors out soon!

Organically Grown Utah Cherries from All Good Provisions

Product Description:

Organically grown cherries, straight from the farm! These delicious dried cherries are coming to you from Utah’s organic farms thanks to All Good Provisions.

In 2011 this Park City, Utah startup began their journey to bring healthy snacks to the world. They’re proud contributors to 1% for the planet, where a percent of their sales go to support global environmental efforts.

I received a pouch of these cherries in my August Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

These dried cherries make a great tea time snack along with just about any tea, but, I chose a pure tea since the cherries pack enough flavor on their own.  I love the way the toasty flavor of this Autumn Houjicha from Yunomi along with its nutty tones and hints of caramel complimented the sweet-tart flavor of the cherries.  A really unexpectedly delightful flavor combination!

What I Think:

These have a sweet and tart taste, with a texture that reminds me of Craisins except that they aren’t quite as sticky as Craisins … nor are they quite as tart as Craisins.  Because … well … these are cherries!

What surprised me from the first moment I bit into one of these dried cherries is just how much juicy flavor they offer!  They pack a real punch of cherry taste in each little morsel!

Cherries aren’t really a fruit that I often look for as a dried fruit as I tend to prefer them as a fresh fruit.  What can I say?  I grew up in Southern California, and every summer, as our school vacation came close to being over … my father and step-mother would take all of us kids (I had three step-siblings and one half-brother) south to Cherry Valley and we’d pick bushels and bushels of fresh cherries.  It was a pretty good deal to pick the fruit ourselves – we got the cherries for a fraction of what you’d pay in the store, and the quality was better because these were picked right at their prime … plus, we were known to pop a few in our mouth as we were picking them!  YUM!

So, I’m not really one to eat a lot of dried cherries.  I love ’em fresh (or frozen … they’re really yummy frozen … like little tiny, bite-sized popsicles!)  But these … these cherries could make a believer out of me.  I like the way these taste.  It’s making me think how they’d be in a bowl of oatmeal made from steel cut oats (I can’t eat the rolled oats oatmeal anymore … I love steel cut oats!) or perhaps in a chocolate chip cookie.  Now that … sounds amazing.

These are really tasty!

My Final Thoughts: 

Yeah, I’m liking these!  I’ll admit that I wasn’t like overjoyed that these were part of the Knoshbox for August … I was kind of ho-hum about it and much happier to dig into the cotton candy or the kettle corn, but, these are really good!  They’d be a great addition to a homemade trail mix.

Cheddar Cheese OrganicaSaurus Baked Organic Corn Snack from Good Boy Organics

Product Information:

Think all good food has gone extinct? Think again!

Thanks to Good Boy Organic’s, lunch has become fun again. No need for a time machine: one bite of the certified organic, non-GMO, and gluten-free cheesy Organicasaurus and you’ll be transported back to the cave man days! Tame your hunger and let your inner dinosaur ROAR! Oh and did we mention it’s also baked and not fried and therefore has 40% less fat than regular corn cheese puffs?

I received a bag of these “cheese puffs” in my September Love With Food box.

Tea Suggestion:

I like iced tea with snacks like this, and in the fridge chilling was a pitcher full of this Secret Garden Tea from Kaleisia Tea.  Refreshing and deliciously fruity … a nice contrast to the slightly salty, crunchy cheese snack.

What I Think:

Taste wise, these are basically “cheese puffs.”  Fluffy, crunchy, corn puffs with cheddar cheese flavor, but shaped into fun dinosaur shapes that would be especially appealing to younger children.  Me, personally, I don’t need my cheese puffs to be dinosaur shaped.  Then again, I don’t really eat a whole lot of cheese puffs.

In comparison to the commercial cheese puff that we are probably all most familiar with, these are less cheesy tasting.  My fingertips don’t turn orange when I eat these.  They also don’t feel greasy after handling them, which is a big bonus in my book.  They do have a slightly different taste to them … which I attribute to the baked and not fried aspect of these.

A quick label comparison told me that these have less fat than the commercial cheese puff, and I like that these are organic.  They taste less cheesy, though, and there is noticeably less cheese flavoring on each puff.  Overall, though, I found these to be an enjoyable snack.

My Final Thoughts:  

They’re alright.  I’m not big on snack chips to begin with, and cheese puffs are not something I eat regularly.  But, for an occasional snack, I think I could see myself preferring these over the commercial, mass-produced cheese puff that is readily available everywhere.  I like that its organic, I like that it’s baked and not fried, and overall, it’s a healthier snack choice than your average cheese puff.

Blueberry Almond Awesome Bars

Product Description:

These Blueberry Almond granola bars are a delicious as a breakfast bar with a cup of coffee or enjoyed as a snack throughout the day. Made with organic oats, agave nectar, dried wild blueberries, almonds, flax seeds and a touch of sea salt.

I received an Awesome Bar in my March Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

With a granola bar like this … I wanted something equally as wholesome and nourishing, so I went with this Green Tea Powder from Nuvola Tea!  I don’t know that the flavors here necessarily were “complementary” but I still enjoyed the combination … it was a very energizing tea time!

What I Think:

This is – indeed – pretty darned awesome!

The texture – it’s not sticky the way some soft granola bars can be.  I get every ingredient … I taste every ingredient.  The oats have almost a nutty, toasted quality to them.  I taste almond, I taste blueberry, I taste the thin chocolate coating on the bottom of the bar.  The agave nectar and brown sugar provide sweetness without making for a cloying, overly sweet bar.  I can even taste the hint of sea salt.  And yes … I do taste the love that went in to these!  (Love is listed as an ingredient on the label!)

My Final Thoughts:

One of the tastiest granola bars I’ve tried.  It has a wholesome, nourishing quality to it, but it is still delicious enough to be enjoyed as a treat as well as a healthy snack.

Organic Original Crackers from Mary’s Gone Crackers

Product Description:

We have combined organic, gluten free, whole grain brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds and sesame seeds into an organic gluten-free cracker with a rich, nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch. Delicious on their own or with your favorite topping Mary’s Original Seed Crackers are a staple in
households all over the US!

I received a package of these crackers in my March Love with Food box!

Tea Suggestion:

I love eating crackers with my tea … and these delicious nutty crackers were a perfect accompaniment to a nutty green tea like a Genmaicha … specifically I ate these with this Laoshan Genmaicha Green Tea from one of my favorite tea companies:  Verdant Tea!  A truly delightful pairing!

What I Think:

There’s something different about these crackers.  You can just tell from the moment you take one out of the bag.  They have a sort of slick back side to them, as if they were once a dough that was spread on flat surface, and then baked.  They don’t have that uniform, processed sort of look to them.

These are really tasty.  Lots of seeds add a cool, crunchy texture to these thin crispy crackers.  And what I like is that they’re NOT uniform.  Every once in a while, I’ll get one that’s just a little thicker than the others.  Slightly denser … they’re still tasty, but my favorite ones are when I find one that’s thinner than the rest.  So thin that the cracker is almost transparent.

These remind me of florentine style cookies.  You know, the super thin cookies that look more like clusters of slivered almonds than of cookies?  These look more like clusters of seeds – sesame seeds and flax seeds – than like crackers.

My Final Thoughts:

These were really delicious crackers.  I love the thin, crispy texture and the crackle of all the seeds as I bite into these.  I love the nutty flavor.  These are really very tasty, and I’d definitely get them again if I were to see them while out shopping!

Organic Spicy Falafel Chips from Flamous

Product Description:

Like a bold tortilla chip, these spicy falafel chips are a fun way to explore the exotic flavors of the East Mediterranean. Made with organic corn, beans, veggies and spices, they’re packed with flavor and also rich in protein, fiber and antioxidants.

I received these falafel chips in my January Goodies Box.

Tea Suggestion:

Because these chips are on the spicy side, I chose a white tea to enjoy with them – white tea has natural cooling properties and helps to calm the palate after eating something spicy!  I found this Silver Needle tea from Enjoying Tea to be just the thing to sip while munching on these delicious chips!

What I Think:

Having tried the “Original” variety of falafel chips from Flamous, I was pretty sure that I’d enjoy the spicy variety as well.  But I had no idea that I’d enjoy them as much as I do!

I think I may have just found a new favorite chip.  These are unbelievably good.  They have a nice, satisfying crunch and a similar texture to a tortilla chip.  They are hearty like that … but they’re thinner than most tortilla chips – which I really like – and they are not greasy.  I even did the white paper test … I opened the package and poured the chips out onto a piece of white paper to see how much residual grease the paper would absorb.  Usually with most conventionally produced chips, there are grease spots, usually quite a bit!  But with these there are only the tiniest grease spots.  And more importantly, they don’t taste greasy either.  They just taste delicious.

This particular variety is SPICY, and as someone who favors spicy things, I like that too.  They certainly don’t need a salsa dip … but you might want to consider a ranch dip or sour cream (or perhaps a cucumber yogurt dip might be delicious!) to help cool things off.  Me … I like the spice.  It warmed me up!  Delicious!

My Final Thoughts:

These are absolutely delicious.  I prefer them over “traditional” chips like tortilla/corn chips or potato chips … I prefer the texture, the flavor and the fact that they are not greasy like those other products.  These are just … really REALLY good.

Happy Jack Granola from Nate’s Naturals

Product Description:

This limited seasonal release sells out at every Connecticut farm market Nate’s Naturals attends. After making granola for over 20 years, they decided to start selling the delicious creations in 2008. An electrical engineer by trade, Nate knows that even the smallest details matter.

Made with organic rolled oats, wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, honey and a touch of molasses. They then add real pumpkin puree, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie spices. These natural & local ingredients are then baked slowly to toasted perfection.

I received a pouch of this Happy Jack Granola in my October Knoshbox.

Tea Suggestion:

While snacking on this granola right out of the bag, I chose something refreshing to sip along with my snack.  I chose this green tea: Kenya Rift Valley Green Tea from Grey’s Teas because I hoped that the fruit notes of the tea would accent the granola in a beautiful way … brighten the flavors and help coax the pumpkin notes to express themselves.  I was right – the sweet pumpkin notes seemed to really pop! – and I was very pleasantly rewarded.

What I Think:

For the purposes of this review, I tried this granola a few of different ways.  First, I tried it right out of the pouch by the handful.  YUM!  Then, I tried it sprinkled atop some plain, unflavored yogurt, and finally, I tried it as a cereal:  in a bowl with milk.

Generally speaking, I like granola, so I was pretty sure I’d enjoy this offering from Nate’s Naturals.  I didn’t really get a good look at the product or read any information about it until I opened the pouch to try it … so I was surprised to learn that this is a pumpkin granola.  I can’t recall ever trying a pumpkin granola before!

I think I prefer this as a yogurt topping than as a cereal, mostly because I wasn’t really fond of how the pumpkin seeds tasted in the milk.  It was OK as a cereal, but it really was amazing as a yogurt topper.  The tangy notes of the yogurt provided a delicious contrast to the sweetness of the granola, and I loved the different textures:  smooth, creamy yogurt, chewy raisins, crunchy granola … I had purchased this tub of yogurt originally to make smoothies, but I might end up using it all for with this granola before I get a chance to blend a smoothie!

Then again, it is really tasty as a snack, right out of the bag.  It is crunchy but not too hard, and I love the toasty taste.  It is sweet and lightly spiced, and every once in a while, I bite into a cranberry and I get a lovely tart note that sort of brightens it all up.

But what makes this granola truly special is the pumpkin.  Not just pumpkin seeds or pumpkin pie spice, this is made also with pumpkin puree, and you can taste a little bit of pumpkin goodness in every single bite!  It isn’t an overwhelming taste, but it does give a really nice, unique flavor to this granola.

My Final Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this granola.  It makes an awesome yogurt topper, and it’s quite tasty right out of the bag.  I see that Knoshbox is currently sold out of this granola, which is too bad, because this is delicious … something I’d definitely consider repurchasing!