Snack Attack: Addicted to the Shindig

Saturday glorious Saturday. I am all about putting a stressful week behind you so that is what today is about. Starting it off with a nice run and some strength work I have to make up for BBBC.

Today is short and sweet, I feel like I need a bit of a computer detox for the day before I work the next two days. Please sun, come out and play.

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Parma! Vegan Parmesan

Sister River Foods takes great care in making their vegan parmesan cheeses so that customers feel their best when eating them. Parma! is made in small batches using the highest quality ingredients. Parma! is an excellent source of omega 3′s, trace minerals and protein so you get a little boost in each sprinkle you put on your food. Parma! can be used in recipes, on salad, on pizza, in pasta, on veggies, on beans, in soup and in so many savory foods. These vegan cheeses are gluten free, dairy free and soy free.

Parma! comes in three killer flavors Original, Chipotle Cayenne and Garlicky Green Parma!. I tried a sample of each one so I could really taste the difference. The Original Parma! had a straight cheesy taste that paired perfectly over some hot air popped popcorn. The Chipotle Cayenne flavor has a smokey heat with still that cheesy punch. I added some of this to homemade turkey meatballs and boy were they tasty balls of goodness. The Garlicky Green Parma! is their newest flavor. Instead of extra organic walnuts, they exchange some of the walnuts for organic seeds including pumpkin, hemp and kelp. I put this over some roasted broccoli slaw and man did it taste like a dry pesto sprinkled on. I was digging the flavor it brought to the vegetables.

Parma! can be found at most health foods stores in the US and ordered online. Check this stuff out for some tasty cheesy eats!

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Nacheez

I guess you could say I like cheese. What I like even more is trying out different varieties of cheeses, especially ones that have been catered for us allergy folks. Nacheez is a non-dairy nacho style cheese that is made from raw cashews and bell peppers. This delicious cheese is 100% vegan, soy free, gluten free, dairy free, low fat, no cholesterol, high source of Vitamin B6, and filled with Vitamin B12. With on 20 calories per two tablespoons of the spread, it is a healthier option than your average cheese spread. 

Nacheez comes in Mild and Spicy. But the real question is, with such great stats, how does it taste? Wow, just wow. I was a bit apprehensive, all the healthier cheeses out there tend to lack flavor. But boy did this surprise me. The cheese was not too thick so I wanted to try experimenting and using it in many different ways. You could see the specks of pepper throughout. I put Nacheez on popcorn – BOMB. I put Nacheez on roasted broccoli slaw – BOMB. I put Nacheez with salsa and chips – BOMB. I am currently trying to find more ways to incorporate Nacheez into my daily eats. However, I think these two jars will not last me too long. 

Nacheez surprised me in both taste and versatility. The Spicy Nacheez stole my heart. When I say I wanted cheese, this delivered. Check out their website to order your own or find a store that carries it near you! (If they are sold out it is probably because I bought them all, I am hooked!)

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About Time

I am a firm believe in not investing a huge chunk of money into a product until I am positive I actually like the stuff. Especially when it comes to protein powders. Lately though, life has been crazy and protein powder has seemed more appealing for my schedule. About Time is a company that was developed by exercise and science experts who wanted to create a product that was not misleading and beneficial to active lifestyles. About Time is 100% whey isolate. It has no added sugar, no artificial sweeteners, no growth hormones, just 4 ingredients, diabetic friendly and simple to mix. 

About Time comes in 11 flavors – Birthday cake, Mocha Mint, Chocolate, Cinnamon Swirl, Peaches and Cream, Strawberry, Vanilla, Peanut Butter, Banana, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Unflavored. Off the bat, the first thing I noticed about the samples were that there was no chalky aftertaste and it mixed so well with almond milk. I decided to sample the Mocha Mint in a smoothie type  deal with some unsweetened almond milk and crushed ice. Holy moly I loved this flavor. It wasn’t too minty but a nice taste of both flavors. The next test though was could I cook with it. Enter my mini donut  maker. I make a simple protein pancake batter but let them cook in the mini donut maker. I used the Birthday Cake flavor for this experiment. I found a winner my friend. Compared to the other protein powders I have attempted to cook with, this by far had the best flavor and texture in the final product. Plus the donuts tasted freaking amazing. And healthy to boot!

Another little treat they included was one sample bag of their Cinnamon gluten free Granola Clusters. The granola skeptic over here opened in caution but man were these good. They were chewy so not too crunchy and you could see the ingredients in it. The flax seeds and chia seeds throughout made a great dose of healthy omega 3s. Plus for granola, the stats were pretty darn impressive. I have to say though, taste wise I could gobble these up in a heart beat. I am dreaming about them as I write this. 

Check out their website to order your own. I know I will be. (ps they are even cooler and you get a 20% discount when you use the promo lifestyle)