Quest Protein Chips Review

When it comes to new health food products, I'm a bit of a skeptic. I tend to raise my eyebrow, and wonder, "what's the catch?"

The possibilities of how I will have been duped take over my mind -- "It must taste awful." "OK, it's high in protein, but watch, it'll have loads of fat, carbs or whatever." "Oh wait, I know, it's full of sugar." "Yup, that's it. Gotcha!"

Enter Quest Protein Chips.

I first saw them on the Today Show with a bunch of other new fitness products on the market, about eight months ago. I made a mental note to try them -- but of course no rush, because you know, there's inevitably something going to be wrong with them.

Well, I finally got around to trying them this week. And only because they were right front of me on a display case situated next to the kids club at my gym. And because I drop my kids off there so I can go workout, I was going to bump right into them. (Good marketing there. Target those parents -- because what mom or dad doesn't want to reach for a bag of chips while dealing with the stresses of parenthood? Right?)

To my surprise, they weren't bad. I got the BBQ flavored, but there were also sour cream & onion, sea salt, cheddar & sour cream, and salt & vinegar. Each bag is 120 calories, has 5 grams of carbs and 21 grams of protein. Can you believe that? Let me repeat. 5 grams of carbs, and 21 grams of protein.

Amazing.

I will say, they aren't delicious. But they aren't bad either. They're kind of tasty if you stop thinking about what real potato chips taste like. They are definitely a better alternative to a regular bag of chips that has zero protein and 20-30 grams of carbs.

The one downside is the cost. For a small bag, they were $2.99. That's not a price I will pay very often. But if I'm feeling a craving for salty chips that won't destroy my diet, I certainly will hand over three bucks.

Overall impression: thumbs up. Good job Quest. Good job.

If you'd like to check out my video version of this review, click below. Go ahead and be entertained by my not-so-good-but-who-cares dance moves.

How to Make an Açaí Bowl

Looking for a breakfast swap, or a snack? Then you must try making an açaí bowl.

Now, let me rewind for a minute.

Maybe you've never heard of these bowls -- and if you don't live in California or on the west coast, you may not have.
Açaí, pronounced ah-sigh-ee, is a berry that has its origins in the Amazon of Brazil. These berries are highly nutritious. They're loaded with omega-3s, amino acids and antioxidants.
You can buy frozen packets of açaí at most natural grocery stores or Whole Foods. Be sure to get the unsweetened variety because you don't need extra sugar. If need be, you can add your own honey once you make the bowl if you need a little sweetness. Adding your own sweetener will allow you to control the level of processed sugar in it.

So, how do you make these bowls?

Ingredients:

Here's what the packet of açaí looks like:

1 packet frozen açaí

1/4 cup of coconut water (less or more depending on how thick you want your base)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup granola (again depending on how much you want)

1 tsp chia seeds (optional -- I like to add them for extra nutrients sometimes)

1/2 frozen banana

1 cup frozen mixed berries

4-5 strawberries, sliced

1/2 banana, sliced

1/4 cup blueberries

Directions:
Place coconut water in blender with açaí packet, all frozen fruit and chia seeds. Blend until desired consistency. If you like it a tad more thick, like I do, start with just a little splash of coconut water and add more as you see fit. Pour mixture into a bowl, and top with fresh fruit and granola. At this point, taste and see if you want to a add a drizzle of honey on top. 

This is the consistency I like.

If you make one, be sure to use the hashtag #trainertiff on Instagram or Twitter so I can see. Enjoy!

If you'd like to see this post in video format, check it out here! 

Summertime Frozen Fruit Bars

Summer is here and so are cravings for refreshing treats. Instead of opting for ice cream or making a trip to your local froyo spot, make some healthy treats with real fruit. Check out my video on how I make these fruit bars with only two ingredients.

Enjoy!

Review: My Fit Foods

Roasted Garlic and Cayenne Kale Chips

I've been in the kitchen experimenting again, and surprise surprise, I've got another winner. In the past I've made kale chips with lacinato kale or dinosuar kale as it's sometimes referred to. The flatness of this type of kale doesn't allow for chunky nut mixtures to stick to it very well -- which is what I was going for with this recipe.

Lately, I've been buying the curly kale chips. And trying out all the different flavors has been fun and delicious. However, I don't like that they're so darn expensive. Shelling out $7 or $8 for a tiny package just won't be happening on a regular basis for me. So, what's a gal to do? That's right ... make her own. And I've done just that.

Check it out.

Ingredients:

5 stalks curly kale
25 raw almonds
1/2 lemon
roasted garlic seasoning
cayenne pepper
coconut oil (or olive oil)

Directions: Preheat oven to 150 degrees F. Place parchment paper on baking sheet, set aside. In a food processor, pulse almonds until they reach a course meal consistency. If you don't have a food processor, try a blender (though you may need to use more to get it to blend). You can also place almonds in a sealed plastic baggie and beat with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to get a similar consistency. Whatever you do, don't skip this ingredient. It gives the chips a great heartiness and helps make them a filling snack.

Wash kale and trim from stalks. Cut kale into chip-sized pieces. Place kale in a large mixing bowl. Add oil, almonds and seasoning. Take the lemons and squeeze all the juice onto the kale. Mix thoroughly. Place kale on baking sheet with the parchment paper. Place in oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Now for a little secret! At this time, turn off oven and leave kale inside until oven cools. This helps make them extra crispy without overcooking them.

Enjoy!


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Almond Butter vs. Peanut Butter

Photos via Flickr by Stacy Spensley and Daniella Segura

In the world of nut butters, peanut butter has gotten a bit of bad reputation -- and for good reason. But first, let me back up a tad. If you're trying to make improvements to your diet and are opting for peanut butter on celery sticks instead of oh ... your favorite bag of chips, that is great. No, really, that's awesome. It takes a lot of discipline to make better choices and kudos to you. Now, that said, if you really want to step up your nutrition game, listen up.

Peanuts are toxic. You're probably getting a visual of a science lab with oozing green stuff and a sign reading "hazardous waste." Well, not quite like that ... but sort of.

Peanuts which actually aren't nuts at all, but legumes, contain aflatoxin which is a carcinogenic mold that occurs before they're harvested. Aflatoxins are bad because they been linked to liver cancer. The liver metabolizes all toxins that are present in the body. Since the liver is our main fat burning organ (hello, getting rid of those unwanted pounds!), we don't want to overtax it unnecessarily. Instead we want it to work as efficiently as possible.

It should be noted that aflatoxins are also present in corn, some grains, soybeans and tree nuts such as walnuts and pecans.

If you're looking to improve your diet, I would suggest almond butter as your go-to source for a healthy nut butter. Now, if you have peanut butter on occasion, that's less risky than having it all of the time of course (for those who just love peanut butter).

Aflatoxin aside, almond butter is just better anyway. It has more vitamin E and iron. It's also a better source of omega-3 fatty acids -- which is what you want for heart health, reduced inflammation in blood vessels and joints, reduced depression and prenatal health to name a few.

If you find yourself standing in front of the nut butters section way longer than you intended, reading and re-reading labels, trying to make a decision ... decide on almond butter. And if you really want to step it up, opt for raw almond butter -- it's less processed and therefore better for you.

Resources:
Dr. Weil
Cornell University
Prevention