super snack!

I don't write as much as I should :(
I should preface that by saying...August through November is NUTS in our house...school, work, cheer, lacrosse, theater, volunteer commitments and then comes mid November...ahhh :)

Honestly, I have pics galore, recipes to share and reviews of some fantastic restaurants in the Central Florida area but haven't had a second to put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard as it were).

But TODAY I had a fantastic snack and just had to share...so while I still have a few minutes left it's EASY.

Joyva Sesame Tahini (gluten free!)

Your favorite Raw, Local Honey (mix in to taste)

Celery sticks

mmmmmm so good!

Dangerously Good Cookie!

Warning: These cookies are SO good in order to save my waistline they will NOT be a regular staple in my house.

Yes...these cookies are amazing...and the manufacturer knows it!

Banner ad from Pamela's Products

But shouldn't we all have an amazing cookie every once in a while?
By the looks of the offerings on their website, those onces may happen more often!

These mini chocolate chip morsels went too great with a big ol' glass of skim milk.
They have a crunchy texture and just the right amound of chocolate chip per cookie.
I'll definitely buy them again when I have a hanker for a cookie!
Next time, I may try the package suggestion of  making mini ice-cream sandwiches with them

NatureCrops Quinoa Nutrition Bars

A friend of mine turned me on to NatureCrops and the company sent me 3 of their Quinoa Nutrition Bars.

Now if you've never tried Quinoa...you should! Even if you aren't Gluten Free Quinoa is an awesome addition to any diet and adds great variety to dishes typically served with rice, potatoes or pasta. It's a grain, but it's also very high in protein and the amino acid lysine. I love Quinoa because it takes on the flavors of whatever you cook it with. I've eaten it as a breakfast cereal with bananas and cinnamon, or as a burrito stuffing with jabaneros and black beans!

I was very excited to get these bars...someone wanted my opinion...and my kids thought I was pretty important too (but that didn't make them clean their rooms any quicker!)

I was pleasantly surprised by their texture. I thought they would be hard and crunchy but they are chewy. They are sweetened with organic brown rice syrup and organic honey and come in 3 flavors: Quinoa, Almond & Sesame seeds, Quinoa & Strawberry, and Quinoa & Prunes.

Unfortunately, I wasn't at all crazy about their taste...they were too bland for me.  As I said, Quinoa takes on the flavor of what it's prepared with and there's just not enough of the other flavors to make this bar tasty :(

I do have high hopes for the company though!
NatureCrops bars are produced in facilities that guarantee they are gluten-free, vegetarian, Halal and Kosher. They also take their social responsibility seriously  by paying fiar prices for organic quinoa and buying from local cooperatives in the Andes mountains that support the farmers.

These don't make my list of tasty take-a-long treats,  but I will be keeping my eye on NatureCrops for future offerings! You can too check them out http://www.naturecrops.com

Nature Valley Gluten Free Roasted Nut Crunch Almond Bar

Since going Gluten Free one of the toughest things for me has been finding a quick on the go food. Convenience and GF do NOT go together often. There's no such thing as fast food or convenient store shopping...well not usually. 

Now I'll admit that's not a bad thing...one could do worse never cruising through another drive-through our perusing a 7-11 snack shelf...but there ARE times when you NEED a snack. Life happens and packing safe isn't always easy.

Today I tried a Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Almond Bar and it's another treat I'll be keeping in the cupboard. It is a bit salty for my liking but perfect for days when the fam takes a long hiking or canoe trip or when I'm stuck with the cheerios waiting on a delay of game!

The other nice perk...they were NO MORE EXPENSIVE than the other Nature Valley offerings so the fam can eat them too and I won't grumble when they do! And...at least in my grocer, they were stocked right next to other granola bars. (I personally just like SHOPPING...without being confined to a "section" of the store).