Beautiful Blogger Award ♥

Hey guys! Today is going to be an irregular post, perfect for the first day of 2O1O. I got tagged by the lovely and artistic Vanilla Swirl AKA Eliane!

If you want to check out her blog, click here. :) I highly recommend it, her posts are so unique and filled with cute graphics and yummy eats! ^^

How was 2OO9 for you? It could have been better for me. :( I spent my 14th birthday in Disneyland, the happiest place on Earth, but I was miserable. Why? You can thank ED for that one.

Throughout the entire plane ride there and back, I was up because it hurt to sit down on my bones for so long. My hair was thin and brittle and I always wore a sweatshirt because I was ashamed of my body. People could still tell, though, and I had to deal with horrified stares everyday. I was 79 pounds at 5' 8", a deadly weight with a BMI of 12.

All I wanted was to look healthy, but I couldn't bring myself to eat. It was living hell, as I'm sure many of you can relate with. My family didn't understand me, and to this day think I lied to them about food because I wanted to. They don't feel that it's a MENTAL disorder, something I wish I could get them to understand. Ah, well, there's always something to work on.

So, on to the award!

7 Random Facts about Me:

1. I was almost named Arielle after the Little Mermaid, but that became my middle name instead.

2. I desperately am trying to teach myself guitar, unsuccessfully.

3. I am half Chinese, half Irish.

4. When I was little, I had bright red hair (COUGH Irish COUGH)

5. I have an obsession with reading; there are three bookshelves in my room!

6. My favorite band is Escape the Fate.

7. I'm only a freshman in high school!

So that's it! I've never done this before, but here's a question for you to answer in the comments. :) This is a "different" post to say the least!

Question: What's your New Year's Resolution? (very original, I know...)

EDIT: Ha, I forgot to tag people. :P

Here are my seven:

1. Jenny: Peanut Butter & Jenny

2. Karina: Like Some Cat From Japan

3. Maya: Pistachios and Rainbows

4. Eliza: Nourishing Mornings

5. Kris: Vivez Riez Aimez

6. Lisa: Healthy Product Reviews

7. Nattie: Eating to Live

There we go! If you've already been tagged, please let me know so I can tag someone else. :P Thanks!

Giveaways:

Krittie's Daves Killer Bread Giveaway!

Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews

So we all try to eat healthily as much as possible, but sometimes we just can't do it. I know I have a love/hate relationship with the sight of those Welch's Fruit Snacks in the vending machine. They're just full of sugar, preservatives, artificial junk... you name it. Still, we all have to have something sweet once in a while! Introducing... Sharkies Organic Fruit Chews!

The Sharkies company has products for both adults and kids, but you guys know me, I had to try the kid version! A lot of people have been criticizing these chews as mere candy, but they most definitely aren't. First off, they're not made with refined sugars. Secondly, half the product is brown rice syrup, which gives the chews complex carbohydrates for that extra energy boost. And last, but not least, unlike candy, there is no high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, or other artificial sweetener.

I love the fact that I can just pop a bag in my tote and go. There's no mess! I also love the fact that there's no gelatin, which truly freaks me out. Have you heard what they say about that stuff?

Click if you dare.

Gelatin is Made Out of What???

What about the taste? Well... these things are delish. I do have some cons about them though. Even though they look, and at first bite taste, like real chewies, they... kind of aren't. They're less sticky but get stuck in your teeth for a while. They have a non-rubbery texture and aren't too sweet or too tart. I wouldn't, however, eat this everyday. They're a treat! I know I usually do separate reviews for the flavors (Tropical Splash and Berry Blast), but they both taste similar.

The nutrition facts include what I stated before, but Sharkies are also gluten, nut, gelatin, wheat, and fat free. They're also kosher and vegetarian!

I know at this point you're probably wondering, "Where can I buy these lovely things?". Well, you can find them at Whole Foods or Target, but Target is significantly cheaper, as always, at $3.50 a box. Still expensive, but like I said, they're a treat!

Calories: 140 per bag

Price: $3.50 per box

Fage 0% Greek Yogurt

This has to be one of the creamiest, thickest Greek yogurts I've ever had, and it's fat-free! How great is that? I absolutely love Fage 0%. I just tried it for the first time a few days ago, but I know it's going to be a staple in my fridge already.

Now, it wouldn't be an honest review if I said I ate this yogurt straight up. I always add a packet of Truvia. I don't really like plain yogurt by itself, but I love the texture, so... Problem solved! In my opinion, why would you have a full fat yogurt with more calories if this is just as good? I love you, Fage. :)

One thing I do have to note about this Greek yogurt is that it isn't as tangy as most. I actually don't taste the tang if I add sweetener. Definitely buy this yogurt TODAY!

I know most of you are like me with the whole "I-don't-really-like-plain-yogurt-but-I-love-yogurt-itself" thing. So here's a list of things you can add to your yogurt for a delicious twist!

1. Honey - just a drizzle will do to add that desired sweetness

2. Fruit - get your daily serving of it as well as a delicious kick to your yogurt

3. Cereal - a nice crunch to go with the creaminess

4. Jam/ fruit spreads - it'll even color the yogurt!

5. Granola - need I explain more? Thought not. ;)

So there you have it. If you're a yogurt fan, go buy Fage. If you're not a yogurt fan... go buy Fage!

Here are the nutrition stats:

Definitely my new yogurt of choice, I don't know about you! I just have one issue... Sometimes the calorie count for the 0% is 80 and sometimes it's 90. Why is that?

Price: $1.99 per container at Whole Foods

Calories: 80 or 90 per container

Celestial Seasonings Holiday Tea

Hey girls. :) I know I took a short hiatus without telling you, but it was much needed, believe me. I'm so sorry I keep leaving out of nowhere! I'll try to be on the blog more often. I'm really grateful for all of the wonderful, heartwarming comments I keep receiving. They keep me going and make my day. I love you guys!

It's finally December, just that much closer to Christmas. With that in mind, I decided to try some of Celestial Seasonings' Holiday Teas to keep with the spirit of the season. I love tea, so we'll see how this review goes. ;)

The first flavor, if you can't read the title, is Candy Cane Lane. This one is nice and minty, but the taste isn't really strong. The scent is more delicious than the actual drink. It's like green tea with a peppermint kick.

This one is Gingerbread Spice. The name itself makes me want to just eat the box! It has a mild spice with some cinnamon in it. Also not strong, but soothing and complex with the mix of flavors.

This was the first Holiday Tea I bought. It smells exactly like freshly baked cookies. I literally sat there for an entire minute just inhaling the mug. As with all of the other teas, the flavor is VERY mild. Still delicious though. :D

~~~

There are two other teas I haven't tried yet. I was thinking maybe adding a packet of sweetener would help enhance them, but I haven't tried that so far. The aromas set such high expectations for the flavors, but it's a little bit disappointing. Oh, well. I'll still buy these if I see them in the store.

The nutrition facts are the same as any other tea! Don't be too surprised on that one. xD All natural, caffeine-free, and zero calories. Yum!

You can get these at Shop-Rite, Kings, Whole Foods, even online... basically anywhere that sells tea. Go get some riiight now. Now. :)

Price: $2.79 per 20 bag box

Calories: o

VitaBrownies

Ahh... Gone again. :/ I keep disappearing on you guys! I'm actually having a little bit of a difficult time struggling with ED... I feel uncomfortable just like I did before I was anorexic. Sigh. I just want to lose the weight again, but I know I can't. Any ideas? So sorry if this is triggering to any of you, but I'm really at a strange point right now.

On to more important things. :) VitaBrownies! I absolutely love these little things, almost as much as I love the VitaMuffins. I still haven't found any VitaTops though, which I find a bit weird. I can't find the most popular item in the Vitalicious company.

So... At first I was a little disappointed that there were only two VitaBrownie flavors at my store, but then I realized there are only two. I got a box each of Dark Chocolate Pomegranate and Deep & Velvety Chocolate. Both sooo good!

Deep & Velvety Chocolate: Imagine a brownie; delicious, warm and melted (from the microwave, shh...), decadent... Now imagine it healthy and GOOD FOR YOU! Sounds impossible? Not anymore. Vitalicious has achieved what we all thought to be fantasy. This brownie has a sprinkling of crunchy walnuts on the top, a con for me, but a pro for some. I'm not really a nut person. The brownie tastes great, but the texture is more crumbly than a normal brownie. I love the petite portion because it kicks my sweet tooth craving. Perfect!

Dark Chocolate Pomegranate: For some reason, I didn't like this flavor as much as the Deep & Velvety Chocolate. It was a little bit more tart than it was pomegranate-y. It's still an amazing snack that I love the taste of, but I just like the other flavor better, although I pick off the nuts. :P

A little bit more than a sprinkling there...

Now, time for the nutrition label. The brownies are almost identical to the muffins. I really think they ARE the same, just in a different mold! :D Still fun to be able to eat a healthy brownie though.

Lovely! One of the best labels I've seen in a while. :) Beware, they are PRICEY. I think these are sadly going to be a once in a while treat. :(

Price: $4.49 per box of four

Calories: 100 per brownie

Trader Joe's Cereal Bars

So I'm pretty sure ALL of you have been to a Trader Joe's before. It's kind of a food blogger rite of passage. No joke.

Anyway... A new one just opened up near me and I went with my mom to take a look. Kind of small, and there's a lot of space that isn't utilized, but still awesome. Especially the food!

I picked up these little boxes of love last week. I think they're one of my favorite bars ever! And don't you just love the title? This "Insert Fruit Here" Walks into a Bar. <3

I tried three flavors, fig, strawberry, and apple. All delicious by the way, but I loved fig the best. It tastes exactly like a healthy Fig Newton!

Fig: Nice and sweet, with that trademark fig crunch in the filling. I love those little seeds. :) I swear this one tastes exactly like a Fig Newton. I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference during a blind taste test.

Apple: Not as apple tasting as the Kashi bars, but still really good. The flavor just isn't as strong, which is good for some people. I found this one to be less sweet than the Fig for some reason. Buy this bar if you want a milder cereal bar.

Strawberry: I used to love the taste of strawberry a while ago, but now it's moved down on my list of fav fruits. I don't really know why... But anyway. This strawberry bar is definitely true to the fruit. It tastes like a squished up strawberry in a bar! I don't usually say that about bars because there's generally that fake fruit taste, but not this one.

The nutrition stats on these bars are pretty good, considering they're the cereal kind. With either 120 or 140 calories per bar, they can be an easy on-the-go snack. There are also around 2 or 2.5 grams of fat, 24-28 grams of carbs, 1 or 2 grams of dietary fiber and protein, and finally, around 17 grams of sugar. A little bit high on the sugar side, but nice for a treat once in a while.

Nutrition Facts for "This Fig Walked into a Bar..."

Serving Size: 1 Bar

Amount per Serving
Calories 120 Calories from Fat 20
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g	3%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 75mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 24g	8%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 13g
Protein 1g	2%

Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	2%
Iron	2%
Thiamin (B1)	10%
Riboflavin (B2)	10%
Niacin (B3)	10%
Vitamin B6	10%
Folic Acid (Folate)	10%
Vitamin B12	10%

---

Est. Percent of Calories from:

Fat 15.0% Carbs 80.0%

Protein 3.3%

So there you have it! I really like Trader Joe's. I hadn't been to one in a long time, and it was a good experience. :)

Ooh! And I want some ideas on what else to incorporate into my blog... Any ideas? What do you guys think?

Price: $1.99 per 6 bar box

Calories: 120-140 depending on the flavor

2 Oz. VitaMuffin

Hey guys! Sorry it's taken me so long to post. You all know how life gets. ;) If freshman year has this much homework, what am I going to do in tenth grade?!

Anyway... I'm doing a post on three flavors of the two ounce VitaMuffins. There were more at my Shop Rite, but I just got these to try them out. I know how you foodie bloggers love these muffins, but I'll do a little explaining for those of you who don't.

The VitaLicious company makes VitaBrownies, VitaMuffins, VitaTops, VitaCakes, even VitaCoffee! Their goal is to make healthy and delicious baked goods that are full of essential vitamins and minerals. Sounds impossible? I can tell you that it's not! These muffins actually taste good.

Sugar-Free Velvety Chocolate: I had to get this sugar-free flavor because it was the only chocolate one, and I really wanted to review one of those for you. :) Don't worry though, there's no Splenda or aspartame. Just erythritol, a natural sugar alcohol. This flavor did taste a little bit more fake than the others, but still rich and chocolatey. I love the mini chips in it! When you microwave it, it goes all warm and melty.

Blue-Bran: Ergh... Unfortunately, I didn't really like this one. There was a little bit too much "bran" and not enough "blue". :D It kind of tasted a bit like soft cardboard. I know that sounds disgusting, but it wasn't that bad. I just wouldn't buy it again.

Golden Corn: My favorite flavor so far! It has all the makings of a regular corn muffin. You can't even tell that it's healthy for you! I can eat this one room temp or microwaved. I highly recommend this one!

Besides the vitamins, what else is in the nutrition label? Let's take a look.

Sugar-Free Chocolate

Not bad, not bad at all... :) I especially love the fiber.

I can only find these at Shop Rite, but some Whole Foods have them. I do have to warn you, they're a bit expensive!

Price: $4.25 per four muffin box

Calories: 80-100 per two-ounce muffin

LesserEvil Kettle Corn

I don't know if you remember, but I did a review in August or something on the LesserEvil Krinkle Sticks. I really like their company because they offer a healthy alternative to the junk food most of us love! I know the picture to the left shows four different Kettle Corn flavors, but I've only seen the Classic and the Black & White. The website itself doesn't even show the other two flavors... :/ Who knows?

I really like this snack... It's not what I would call a daily staple or anything, but it's great for a quick sweet treat once in a while. And I DO mean sweet. There is definitely a strong sweetness to this popcorn, but maybe it's just me.

The Black & White flavor is basically the same pieces of the Classic Kettle Corn mixed with chocolate-y pieces. When there's a choice at the store of either flavor, I just get the one with chocolate in it because I can get two tastes for the price of one! ^^

This Kettle Corn has a strange texture... I kind of like it. It's more like Cracker Jack than regular popcorn. I would even say it's a little bit more crunchy than Cracker Jack. I love how they are sweetened with evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup rather than sugar. There are also no artificial flavors or colors, it's low fat, gluten-free, and made from whole grains. In addition, there is no trans-fat, preservatives, or corn syrup. There are only 110 calories per serving!

I found bags of these lovely little things at both Wegman's and Whole Foods, at the same price for both. Finally, WF isn't the most expensive!

Price: $2.79 per bag

Calories: 110 per 1.1 ounce serving (about 1 cup)

My Favorite Peanut Butter!

Okay, so I know I usually do a review of all the flavors for a company, but I had to make an exception for this one. Cinnamon Raisin Swirl is the best peanut butter I've had so far! Unfortunately, this was the only flavor my Shop Rite had today, but the guy at the store said they were getting ALL of the other flavors in tomorrow. :) Yay for me! I really want to try the Maple one and the Dark Chocolate one. But even if I only had this flavor, it would still be awesome.

How is Peanut Butter & Co. different from other peanut butter companies? Well, to start with, it's all natural, with no trans fats or cholesterol. It's gluten free and vegan, and there is no hydrogenated oil or added sugars in any of their products. Yum!

They have a restaurant in NYC... I really, really want to go! They have all different types of peanut butter sandwiches, and even other treats like grilled cheese. Wash it down with a cold glass of milk, or my favorite, sparkling apple cider. ^^

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl: Blended with cinnamon and raisins, this peanut butter is perfection! The raisins aren't too big, but they're plentiful throughout the jar, though not so much in the beginning. That can easily be changed with a little bit of mixing. Some say that the raisins are too hard, but that just makes them taste more like candy to me!

I think I need to invest in this cookbook.

For some reason, two tablespoons have only 160 calories instead of the usual 190 or even 210. That's a pretty good deal for me! In addition to that, there are 11g of healthy fats, 6g of protein, 2g of dietary fiber, and 9g of sugar. Go buy this PB right now!

I bought this jar of loveliness at Shop Rite, but I've seen it at Whole Foods. It's just so expensive there (by more than a few dollars), so I got it at Shop Rite instead.

Price: $3.49 per jar

Calories: 160 per two tablespoons

Three Sisters Cereal

Sorry I've been gone for so long! School is just insane. I'm only a freshman, but we get divided into different categories of classes based on our abilities. I'm in Accelerated for all my classes, and... I'm kind of worried about how hard sophomore year is going to be. :/ Anyway... Onto the review. In light of Halloween, I've decided to do a sweet, candy-like cereal review! I never ate candy when I was little, but we always had these organic treats at my house during Trick-Or-Treating time. :) This cereal has to be the best sweet thing out there! It's made by the Three Sisters Cereal company, and is currently only available at select Whole Foods locations. If you can't tell from the pic, the cereal doesn't come in a box, it comes in a freshness saver bag. With less packaging, there's less waste.

Here's an excerpt from the back of the bag:

"Each year, there are about 2.5 billion cereal boxes sold in the United States. If even half of those boxes were bags, we'd save 90,000 tons of paperboard. The energy saved could power over 11,000 homes for a year. It would eliminate 170 million gallons of waste water and avoid 1,800 garbage trucks of solid waste."

Not to mention the cereal itself is made with wind-generated electricity! But what about the taste? Well, I've only personally tried the Marshmallow Oaties and the Cinnamon Sweets, but I asked for opinions from people who've tried the other ones.

Marshmallow Oaties: Yum! This cereal is definitely what I imagine Lucky Charms would taste like. The cereal part tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios while the actual marshmallow circles are crunchy, yet melt in your mouth. So far my favorite!

Cinnamon Sweets: I've actually had Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and it tastes exactly like this. Seriously, maybe even sweeter. I couldn't eat more than a few squares of this cereal because of the overwhelming amount of sugar, but my brother could. He's the type who inhales bags of food at a time. >.<

Sweet Wheat: My little cousin tried this one because she loves Mini Wheats. She said these tasted pretty similar, but were crunchier for some reason. I told her it's because of the "organic-ness". *shrug*

Graham Crackerz: Apparently this cereal isn't quite as sweet as the others, but still sweet enough. Kind of like a real graham cracker in cereal form, but not as thick.

Honey'n Oats: This cereal is the only one with flakes in it. There are also sweet oat clusters in it. My mom liked the clusters, but not so much the flakes. She said they were too bland.

Honey Oaties: I think it's even more obvious that these are supposed to be Honey Nut Cheerios. :) I clearly didn't get a chance to try this one, but the picture on the internet looks yummy.

Here are the nutrition facts for the Marshmallow Oaties:

There is corn syrup and gelatin derived from animals (><) in this cereal, but hey, you've got to live a LITTLE, especially on Halloween. :D I hope you enjoyed this review girls! And I'm going to assume, like many food bloggers do, that my readers, or most of them, are girls. Let me know if you're not and I'll be sure to include that in my next post. ;)

Price: On sale at Whole Foods for $3.49 per 12.5 ounce bag

Calories: 120-130 per 30g serving for every cereal except Sweet Wheat, which has 210 calories per 55g serving

Popchips

I'm pretty sure we've all had our fair share of Popchips, but I couldn't resist doing a review of the greatest chips known to (wo)man. I haven't tried or seen all of them, but of the ones I have, they're all delicious!

So... how are Popchips different than other chips? Well, for starters, they're not baked or fried. They're popped! (I'm seeing where the name came from...) And what is "popping"? Start with potatoes, add a little heat and pressure, and there you have it. Apparently, they have rice and corn chips as well, but I've never seen those.

All of the chips have a texture very similar to a regular potato chip. Popchips have a nice crunch, but no grease on the outside. You know how some chips leave you feeling "heavy"? Not with these. All in all, a very innocent snack.

I'll just list all of the potato flavors, in no particular order. :) I love them all.

Cheddar: Okay, I lied. So my favorite is going first. This flavor is just... awesome. It kind of tastes like someone baked really tangy mac cheese into the chip. It's kind of like the chip was dipped in a powdered form of mac cheese. <3

Salt and Vinegar: This flavor is definitely tangy! If you like that burst of vinegar flavor, go for these. I know some kinds of vinegar chips have a subtler taste, but this one is like WHAM!

Sour Cream and Onion: This flavor is somewhat milder than the other ones, but still very good. If you haven't noticed by now, I really like strong flavors. This chip would be perfect if it was more dominant over the potato taste.

Original: Like your regular old Lays chip, just healthier! I actually love this flavor when I need something a little bit calm in the taste bud zone. They are really salty though, and I like that.

Barbeque: There's somewhat of a spice to this chip... I do like the fact that it has an authentic barbeque taste, but it's kind of hot! Some of the people I've asked don't think so though, so maybe it's just me.

Parmesan Garlic: Never tried or seen! I wish I could find this flavor, it sounds great.

Salt and Pepper: I do see this flavor often, but I'm not a big pepper fan, so I just get the original.

Sounding good, right? But how healthy are these chips? Well, they have 120 calories for every flavor, but the chip amount ranges from 19-22. That's quite a lot! They have around 4g of fat per serving, and around 20g of carbs. No saturated or trans fat, so that's good. There is also no cholesterol, preservatives, or artificial stuff. Yum!

Where can you get these? Lots of grocery stores actually have them, not just health food stores. I buy them at Whole Foods, Target, and sometimes ShopRite.

Price: Around $2.99 per bag.

Calories: 120 per serving

I'm feeling giveaway deprived... Got to win one soon. :)

Candid RD's Giveaway ends Friday, October 23rd

Mary's Hush Hush Book Giveaway ends Friday, October 23rd

Audrey: Susie Q Pumpkin Giveaway ends Friday, October 23rd

I Made Dinner's Blogiversary Giveaway ends Sunday, October 25th

Tri 2 Cook's Giveaway ends Monday, October 26th

Julie Go Lean's Nature's Path Giveaway ends Tuesday, October 27th

Audrey: TyeJ Painting Giveaway ends Friday, October 30th

Run to the Finish's Good Mood Giveaway ends next week

Sensible Foods: Dried Fruit Snacks

It can sometimes be hard to get in your fruits and veggies on a daily basis. We don't buy produce because we don't eat it in time, it's too messy (peaches! <3),>Unfortunately, I've never tried the vegetable snacks from Sensible Foods, but I have tried all of the fruit ones. :) My mom went on this crazy QVC spree and bought an assortment box of, like... 40 or something. It was insane, yet strangely awesome to witness. Our neighbors actually asked what was in the huge box on our porch. I replied dried fruit. They stared. Hm.

Again, in order from favorite to least favorite:

Tropical Blend: A delicious mix of apples, pineapples, bananas, and mangoes. The only reason that this one beat the Orchard Blend was because the bananas are so delicious. They're not like dried banana chips, they're much softer and more like... puffed, I guess?

Orchard Blend: This one is a mix of apples, peaches, and apricots. The peach bits are very good, but the apricots that I had in my bag were slightly sour. It may be just that one bag, because my mom had one as well and she thought the whole thing was sweet.

Cherry Berry: Ah, this one has apple, cherries, blueberries, and strawberries. The strawberries are definitely sour in this one, everyone in my family agreed on that. The blueberries are hit or miss, depending on the size really. The big ones tend to be sweeter. I kind of thought the cherries were kind of scarce in my bag, but it really varies.

Apple Harvest: Eh. Still good but... Apples are one of my least favorite fruits. I love the flavor, don't actually like the fruit itself. These are incredibly crunchy and flat, unlike the puffed up cubes of peach, pineapple, mango, etc...

I do believe there is a marketing strategy to having apples in every bag. Simply put, apple are much cheaper than any of the other fruits they use, and trust me, there are way more apples than the other bits. Oh, well. If you like apples, it's good for you!

The flavors range from 70 (Orchard Blend), 80 (Tropical Blend and Apple Harvest), and 84 (Cherry Berry). The Apple Harvest is the only organic fruit flavor. It's all fat free, and each bag is equal to 1/2 cup of fruit, or one daily serving. The sugars and carbs are quite reasonable considering it's fruit! Check the website here for full nutritional info.

So that's it, lovies. Another yummy review. Anything special you've seen lately at the grocery store, but haven't tried because you don't know if it's good? Leave me a comment and I'll try picking it up and reviewing it for you. ;) Yes, yes, it will be very hard work.

Price: I'm not sure how much my mom got them for, but an individual bag is $1.69 on their site.

Calories: 70-84 per bag

Dun dun dun dun! *fanfare* Giveaway time!

Lisa's Zevia Giveaway

Clif Kid Organic Z Bars

I'd bet that all you foodie bloggers out there have probably tried at least one of these bars. Again, they're aimed toward kids, but I say that just makes for a better portion size. :) These bars were definitely not what I expected, and in a good way too. For some reason, I had always thought that these were cereal bars like the Kashi ones, but they're a totally different category! I don't even know what to call them. They're not like Larabars, Luna bar, granolas bars, or really anything except Clif bars. ^^

I've tried every flavor except the elusive Spooky S'mores, which I've never even seen in stores. Here are my favorites, from the one I like the best to the one I like the least. For all of the bars, the texture is soft and chewy, like a freshly baked cookie. Yum!

Chocolate Chip: This bar is perfection! It actually doesn't even taste "healthy". The Clif site even describes this bar as, "All the thick, chewy, goodness of a chocolate chip cookie - gone healthy!". There's a good amount of chocolate chips in the bar, and a generous drizzle of chocolate on the top.

Chocolate Brownie: If you're a chocolate lover, this bar is for you. It's super rich, and almost tastes like dark chocolate. It's like a brownie/cookie. This bar would probably be my favorite if I liked chocolate a little bit more than I do.

Apple Cinnamon: This bar kind of tastes like an apple pie in bar or cookie form, if that makes sense. It's also really moist, much more than the other "cookie" flavors are. It's like someone baked a cinnamon apple and put in a bar case!

Honey Graham: True to its name, this bar tastes like a graham cracker cookie. It was a close tie between this one and the Apple Cinnamon for third place, but I had to go with the apple flavor because I love fruit too much. Sorry, Honey Graham!

Blueberry: There are actual blueberries in this bar, not just the flavor! I really like that fact, but blueberries are one of my least favorite fruits.

Peanut Butter: I only sometimes like the peanut butter taste in bars. I feel like the flavor was very subtle, almost too subtle. It does go really well with the chocolate topping, however, and the only reason this bar is last is because I like the other flavors a teensy bit better. I still love them all!

So, all in all, I love these bars. They're perfect for on-the-go, and I wish I could find Spooky S'mores. Anyone tried them? I've heard it tastes exactly like the Chocolate Chip, but still... Leave me a comment!

Chocolate Brownie <3

The nutritional facts for Clif Z Bars are all relatively similar. Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, and Chocolate Brownie all have 120 calories. Honey Graham, Spooky S'mores, and Chocolate Chip have 130 calories, and Peanut Butter has 140 calories. Each bar has between 2 to 5 grams of fat, and 2 or 3 grams of protein. All of the bars have 3 grams of dietary fiber and between 20 to 26 grams of carbs. These bars are low-fat, contain 12 essential vitamins and minerals, and are made with whole grains.

I actually find these at Target for cheaper than Whole Foods, unless they're on sale. And, seriously, someone find me the Spooky S'mores! :D

Price: $3.49 per box at Target

Calories: 120-140 per bar depending on flavor

Unique Splits Extra Dark Pretzels

I don't know if I've ever told you guys this, but pretzels are my favorite food (except I only like the hard kind). Yes, not even just my favorite snack. :) I am always on the hunt for new pretzels. I went through a ton of brands, but this one is definitely one of my favorites.

The "Splits" name comes from the top of the pretzel having a crack down the middle. Who knows? But these pretzels are deelish! They're so dark, they're almost burnt, but in a good way. You've got to like that sort of smoky flavor though.

The Unique Pretzel Bakery in Reading, Pennsyvania creates many different flavors of these Splits. My favorite are the Extra Dark, but I've also had the Cheddar, and Sprouted Multigrain as well. There are even flavors I haven't tried, such as Extra Salt, Jalapeno, Garlic & Onion, and Unsalted versions of each.

All of the pretzels are made using fresh ingredients. Most of the flavors have 110 calories per three pretzels about the size of your palm (or, well, my palm!). The Extra Dark pretzels have 1g of fiber, 3g of protein, and only 2 of fat. Yum!

I love these pretzels, and they're a great change from the regular Rold Gold ones. Pick these up at your local Whole Foods. :D

Price: $3.49 per bag at Whole Foods

Calories: 110 per three pretzels

Giveaways!!! Okay, remember how I was telling you about how I only win Zevia ones? Yup. Happened again. I was a runner-up for the giveaway I posted last time. I don't know whether to be happy or freaked out. Hm.

Julie Go Lean's Candilicious Giveaway ends Thursday, October 8th

Kreativ Blogger Award

Wow! This is my first award you guys! I have the lovely Kris from Vivez Riez Aimez to thank for this. Now, I've seen a ton of different variations for how to... accept this award, I guess? :D I'll just do it how Kris did it, so... Here goes!

7 Things About Me

1. I was born in New York City, then I moved to New Jersey, then I moved to Hawaii, and now I'm back in Jersey! It feels like my life has come in full circle. ^^ And I'm only fourteen, ha.

2. I'm half Chinese and half Irish, which makes for a very interesting mix. It's really weird because my brother looks totally Chinese and I look totally Irish. Hm. Genes confuse me.

3. I have a natural instinct to get up at 5:45 exactly every day ever since I started high school. I'm not kidding. EXACTLY. It's freakin' me out (and makes for unpleasant weekends).

4. I'm a neat person to the point of OCD. It's so annoying sometimes! Have you ever seen Monk? Yeah, kind of like that, but not as bad.

5. Pretzels are my favorite snack ever. That's pretty self explanatory! I love Rold Gold, even though they have artificial flavors. :/

6. I love winter. It's been my favorite season since I was little.

7. Reading and writing are my two favorite hobbies. I'm really excited to take two English electives this year! Awesome.

So my seven nominees are! Drumroll, please. Are you doing it? Oh, I hope I don't nominate someone who's already received this award, but if I have... Then you have two! :)

My 7 Nominees

1. Now is Now: You're trying so hard to fight ED and you're winning! Keep it up, girlie. We're all here for you!

2. Nattie Tan from Eating to Live: Nattie, I love your bar supply. :D I wish I lived in Australia so I could get the ones that they don't sell here!

3. Lisa from Healthy Product Reviews: I feel like we have a connection... Not sure why though? ^^ Love your reviews!

4. Stephanie from The Skinny Plate: I've loved your blog even before I started my own. Big inspiration right here!

5. Lisa from This Girl's Life: Lisa, you've been fighting ED for so long now, longer than most bloggers. I truly feel like you've made so much progress. Hope every thing's good with Baby!

6. Karina from Like Some Cat From Japan: I absolutely love your blog. It's been a while since you've posted, but I know that you have already helped other girls through the blogging world.

7. Eliane from Vanilla Swirl: I've saved this bloggette for last because her blog no longer exists as of today, I believe. The last post was from her sister saying she went to the hospital. I am so worried and scared for her, so this award is in honor of Eliane. Please come back to us!

That's all! Thank you very much for this award, Kris. :D And please pray for Eliane tonight. We may never hear from her again through the blog world but I just hope she actually is okay.

Yogi Granola Crisps

How many of us love granola, but avoid eating it because it's so calorie dense? Sure, it's good for a treat once in a while, but what if you want it more than that? That's where Yogi Granola Crisps come in. These crisps are like crunchy granola flakes instead of clusters. Imagine a thicker frosted flake in... granola form! :)

The three flavors that these come in are: Baked Cinnamon Raisin (favorite!), Mountain Blueberry Flax (third!), and Fresh Strawberry Crunch (second!). I liked the Baked Cinnamon Raisin because it has a very subtle, almost maple/chai taste to it. Perfection for the beginning months of fall! Strawberry and Blueberry taste similar, but Strawberry has more of a sweet flavor. All the flavors are excellent though!

These crisps are not only calorically good for you (110 for Blueberry and 120 for the other two), they contain whole grains. They are also low in fat (2.5 g) and have 3g of protein and 2g of dietary fiber.

Yogi Granola Crisps are great to eat right out of the bag (like I do!) or in a bowl with milk (haven't tried yet). Let me know if you can think of any other creative ways to eat them. I tried dipping the Baked Cinnamon Raisin ones in cream cheese for a "bagel" type thing. :D Sort of worked!

Price: $3.99 at Stop and Shop

Calories: 110-120 per 1/2 cup serving

Kashi TLC Cereal Bars

Ah, how I love my bars. I think all foodie bloggers do. It's just a way of life for us. My only gripe with them is finding actually healthy ones. There are bars like Fiber One out there that claim to be good for you, but are filled with chemicals. Kashi, of course, is a great pick for a bar if you're looking for an alternative that's good for you.

So, what do these little thingies taste like? Heaven! No, I'm serious. :) I've tried all three flavors, which are, in order from most favorite to least favorite, Baked Apple Spice, Ripe Strawberry, and Blackberry Graham.

Baked Apple Spice: My absolute favorite of the three! It tastes so unlike that fake apple flavor that you often find in bars like this. It has a genuine... "apple-ness". The outside is so soft and chewy, but the inside has a great fruit filling.

Ripe Strawberry: I think that I like this one less than Baked Apple Spice because the strawberry flavor is kind of generic. Still good though, don't get me wrong! Just like preserves or jams.

Blackberry Graham: Definitely not one of my favorites... The flavor of the filling is a little bit bland. It doesn't really taste like any one fruit, it's sort of a "mixed berry".

All in all, I love these bars! I will continuously buy the Baked Apple Spice bars. It's perfectly chewy on the outside and jam-filled on the inside.

Each bar has 110 calories, no matter which flavor you get. They have 7 Whole Grains, 3g of fiber, and 2g of protein. The filling is made out of real fruit. There are only 9g of sugar, but there are 3g of fat. Still delicious and healthy, however!

Price: $2.88 on sale at Target

Calories: 110 per bar

Is it weird that the only giveaways I've ever won have been for Zevia? It's true. :D Maybe I'll win these ones too!

Glitterful Felt Stories' Necklace Giveaway ends Saturday, September 26th

Mom's Best Bets' Tote Giveaway ends Saturday, September 26th

Beth B's Purse Giveaway ends Sunday, September 27th

PD & PB's Carolina Pad Giveaway ends Sunday, September 27th

Brown Couch Events' Seventh Ink Giveaway ends Sunday, September 27th

Krittie's Zevia Giveaway ends Monday, September 28th

Brown Couch Events' SpellQuizzer Giveaway ends Wednesday, October 7th

MoraPiggy's Apron Giveaway ends Thursday, October 8th

Stonyfield Farm YoKids Squeezers

Oh my gosh, you guys! It's been way too long, and I'm really sorry about the delay in posts. School has just been crazy! It's literally insane. My teachers hardly explain anything. :/ Oh, well, I'll learn! On to the review!

So... lunch boxes inevitably come along with school. We all love them, don't even lie! But sometimes it can be hard to find small, portable snacks for on the go. These Stonyfield Farm YoKids Squeezers solve that problem.

They're just like GoGurts, except without all of the artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. These Squeezers come in three flavors, Berry Blitz, Chillin' Cherry, and Screamin' Strawberry. There are eight tubes in each box of Strawberry, but Berry and Cherry come together, so there are four tubes of each. Stonyfield Farm basically pumped organic, low fat yogurt into a portable tube for kids (and grown-ups!). Doesn't get any better than that.

I've tried all over the flavors, and I have to say that Strawberry is my favorite, but that's just because I like that taste. Berry and Cherry are delicious, too! With these Squeezers, there are no "bad" flavors.

Each tube contains 60 calories and 1g of fat. Not bad for a yummy snack! There are also 2g of protein, 10g of sugar, and 11g of carbohydrates. It also has a small amount of sodium, only 40 mg, and potassium, 125 mg.

Pick these up at any of your local health food stores, especially Whole Foods. I've even seen them in regular grocery stores too! It all depends on where you look.

Price: $2.50 a box on sale at Whole Foods

Calories: 60 per tube

Got to have my giveaway section, girlies... Maybe I should give them their own special place! :P

I Made Dinner's Cheese Party Giveaway ends Sunday, September 20th.

Steph Chows' Custom Plate Giveaway ends Sunday, September 20th.

Run Faster's 100th Post Giveaway ends Sunday, September 20th.