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VerMints
October 15, 2007 by Renee @ 10:07 AMMy sendee will be happy to know I have finalllllllllly gotten my procrastinating but around to sampling all the goodies in my Fitness SWAG! I taste tested so much one morning, I didn't even need to eat breakfast.
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After all that soy butter and candy, time to freshen the breath no? Which is the perfect seguew to dish about Vermints. I'm an Altoids kinda chick, when I get my mint on, I want the back of my throat to burn w/tingling freshness. But I was intrigued by the flavored and fancy Vermints. When I say flavored, I'm talking:
Chai, CinnaMint, WinterMint, Cafe Express, GingerMint, PepperMint
And by fancy I mean getta load of this:
So if you haven't figured out yet what makes these special...they are organic. Of all the listed benefits, the three that I am most interested in are "No chalky aftertaste, No high fructose corn syrup & No artificial sweeteners.
I seriously couldn't try all @ the same time, I think my tummy would revolt, so I picked a "normal" flavor, PepperMint and an exotic one, Chai.
Continue reading VerMintsGoody2Chews
October 12, 2007 by Renee @ 10:15 AMI was sent a literal box of Fitness Swag, so the next few posts will be me catching up to doing the reviews.
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Have you been looking for a nutritious answer to your sweet cravings? Show of hands. I know I have. Well I got my sweet tooth wrapped around Goody2Chews. The premise is:
Goody2Chews fruit & nut snack are bite-sized squares made from fruits, almonds and whey protein and coated with creamy caramel, chocolatey and yogurt coatings.
I sampled the Chocolatey, Yogurt and Caramel.
Continue reading Goody2ChewsSimple Soynut Butter
October 11, 2007 by Renee @ 09:20 AM
I got sent the CUTEST soynut butter ever made by Simple Food. Cute b/c the packaging design is nicely drawn, but more than cute, tasty. I sampled their soynut butter in the Cinnamon Sugar and Slightly Sweet varieties. Note the sugary twist? I think that's what makes them so tasty to me. Unless I buy the honey version, I'm used my peanut butter having a slightly tangy taste.
Roasted Nut Crunch
October 05, 2007 by Renee @ 08:42 AM
This week I got a box of Nature Valley® Roasted Peanut Crunch Bars & Nature Valley® Roasted Almond Crunch Bars. You know what the operative word in both these bars are? CRUNCH!
I made the mistake of thinking it was a box of cereal, so before I even opened the box, I poured milk into a bowl. Then I opened the box and saw that it was bars. Since I do not drink milk room temp, must be ice cold, I did what any normal person would do and crumbled the bars up into the milk. And ate them.
Continue reading Roasted Nut CrunchFibersure
July 03, 2007 by Renee @ 11:43 AM
I am a HUGE believer in fiber. I'm not sure why I got on the fiber bandwagon, but I ride it pretty hard 
I guess it came from hearing how much waste we carry around. Or that going to the bathroom once a week is so not cool. Or realizing eating so much refined carbs had me feeling sluggish and stuffed. Whatever the case, I love fiber. Preferably in the raw form, fruits, veggies and my beloved Fiber One.
The Fiber GAWDS must have heard my prayer, b/c low and behold, I got an email asking if I'd like to try Fibersure and not meaning to be a total cornball, I said, "Sure!"
Nature Valley Crunchy Cereal: Oats 'N Honey
April 06, 2007 by Renee @ 02:38 PM
Have you ever read the healthy eating tip about crumbling your granola bar and adding it to say...yogurt? The fine folks over @ Nature Valley did you one better and crumbled a whole bunch of granola bars and added it to breakfast cereal!
Fiber One Chewy Bars
February 06, 2007 by Renee @ 09:36 AM
So a few weeks back, raiding every Kroger for Lean Cuisines on sale, similar to how Elaine raided every drug store to stock up on the sponge, I found myself heading down the cereal aisle just to see what's new on the market.
There I spied a sole box of something called Fiber One Chewy Bars in peanut butter flavor. I picked up the box and sniffed it.
Could this be real?!?! My precious Fiber One in a tasty bar format?
Looking over my shoulder to see if I was being Punk'd then realizing I was just being silly, I tossed it in the cart.
Continue reading Fiber One Chewy BarsAll-Bran Yogurt Bites
January 16, 2007 by Renee @ 01:13 PM I got suckered. Normally I'm a plain ole Fiber One kinda gal. Though I mix it up w/a bit of Cheerios just for fun. But, in the last few weeks, I saw the commercial for these things a lot. And despite the fact that I am stocked up on enough Fiber One (they had a 2 for 1 sale!), to last me till Spring. I succumbed.
As I trolled the cereal aisle, I noticed how many yogurty variations are on the market, Special K Fruit & Yogurt cereal, Yogurt Burst Cheerios (Strawberry & Vanilla), Life Vanilla Yogurt Crunch, Total Vanilla Yogurt.
Kudos to the person that thought this one up, I can see them all around the table, brainstorming:
"What on earth can we put in cereals now?"
"Strawberries?"
"Already done."
"Raisins?"
"Done to death."
"More fiber and nutritious stuff?"
*SLAP*
As everyone else rambles on, the lone health nut sits deep in thought. As he spoons yogurt into his mouth, he drops a bit in his 100% Bran Flakes. "By Jove. Let's add yogurt!" The rest is history.
Continue reading All-Bran Yogurt BitesBada Beans
January 09, 2007 by Renee @ 01:40 PM
Not to be confused with Bada Bing Bada Boom 
I got samples of Bada Beans, a new fangled coffee flavoring, from my favorite sample lady, Holly. It sorta works the way you add flavoring to water. In this case, you drop 1 or 2 Bada Beans into your coffee cup, let it dissovle and guzzle it down.
I got three flavors, McCoy's Dream Vanilla Bean, Hazel's Nutty Hazelnut and Crazy Carl's Caramel Fudge. You know which flavor I tried first dontcha? Yep, anything w/chocolate isn't safe around me, Crazy Carl's Caramel Fudge it was.
Continue reading Bada BeansLean Cuisine: Chicken Club Panini
September 26, 2006 by Renee @ 12:06 PMI've been meaning to try these Panini's forever. Okay, I lie, they've only been out a few months. Let's say I've been meaning to try these since I was in my last apartment, for 3 months. I actually bought some, but in the haze of moving, left them in the freezer so long, they got freezer burn and didn't cook well. I was not going to be bit by that bug again.
Doing some light shopping this week, as I really intend to cook, but for the near future will be nuking most of my meals, I got some frozen dinners, which I haven't bought in forever, ok I'm lying again haven't bought in 3 months, for lunch.
Appalled that frozen dinners are now 3 bucks, geebus back in the day they used to be 2 and a quarter, I got the Panini b/c it was on special.
Continue reading Lean Cuisine: Chicken Club PaniniMorningstar Farms® Veggie Breakfast Sausage Patties
August 22, 2006 by Renee @ 12:31 PMWelp.
I've got some bad news, some good news, some great news and some disturbing news…all of which depends on your dietary preferences.
For my vegan/vegetarian readers, the news is bad: I can officially say, I don't like veggie breakfast meats.
For my meat eating readers, the news is good: I'll be back to taking real meat w/my breakfast eats.
For my pork eating readers, the news is great: I'll take my breakfast meats w/extra pork and pork by-products more pork sausages mom, please.
And lastly, for my carnivorous readers: Ick, get away from my site. You skeeve me out. Go on. Scram.
Onto the review.
Continue reading Morningstar Farms® Veggie Breakfast Sausage PattiesBoca Meatless Breakfast Links
August 08, 2006 by Renee @ 12:11 PMI wanted to ♥ these links...*sobs softly*...I really did...*honk*...
If one word can sum it up, that word would be: bleahyuck! If you need more words, keep reading.
Continue reading Boca Meatless Breakfast LinksBoca Meatless Chili with Boca Ground Burger
August 01, 2006 by Renee @ 12:06 PMThis week, I was going to attempt to make my own chili...then I fell over on the floor cackling @ the absurdity of it all, acted like I had some sense and bought pre-made chili. 
I got veggie style chili for a reason. True indeed I'm a hippie @ heart, but I'm not that far-gone. Yet. Scroll back a few days and you can see I've been eating beef burgers for a few weeks now. The vegetarian road is a path I want to go down @ some point in time. When I can, I pick veggie over meat.
That said, let's get to the review on how this tasted.
Continue reading Boca Meatless Chili with Boca Ground BurgerWater Sensations®
July 12, 2006 by Renee @ 12:44 PMWay more than I hate paying for things I used to enjoy for free, I'm lQQking @ you Gold's gym, I LOVE getting free stuff!!
Normally, I get my water str8 from the water fountain and drink it @ room temperature or when I eat out, I ask them to hold the ice. My hook-up, Holly, gifted me the cutest looking water flavoring, Water Sensations®. She sent 4 flavors, Grape, Mixed Berry, Lemon & Strawberry Kiwi…I got giddy over which one to try first. Mixed Berry and Strawberry Kiwi fought for my attention. In the end, Strawberry Kiwi won.
W/o even tasting it, I'm already lovin' that it's 0 calories. That way I can combine the taste of having juice, which I sometimes crave but hate wasting money on, and still have the benefits of water.
I check out the back of the packet to see how I use it. It is shaped like a little water bottle…heh…nice job packaging design people...
According to the directions, for single use, pour 1 packet into a 16.9oz (why not say 17oz?) bottle of water or tall, 2 cups (much better), glass. For a ½ gallon (now that's what I'm talkin' bout) pitcher pour 4 packets.
No Stirring or Shaking Necessary
*slaps hands together*
Now we are in business…
Oh wait…there's more…what's this fine print?
Do not consume directly from liquid-pack ™!
Here I was, seconds away from ripping them all open pretending to knock back shots…rats...
Continue reading Water Sensations®Lean Cuisine: Spaghetti and Meatballs
April 13, 2006 by Renee @ 12:48 PMI made a mistake.
I thought I picked up Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce both for Lean Cuisine and Weight Watchers this week. What was to have been an epic food battle has now turned into a food review.
There I am, on my way to lunch STARVING and smelling someone else's food, smelled like KFC which always smells so great till I bite into the chicken. Sadly it never quite tastes as good as it smells. Anywayz, I am a good 2 secs away from Boy am I hungry! to If I don't eat my lunch RIGHT NOW, hunger will overtake me and drive my ass over to Subway which according to my debit card statement...I haven't throttled a Sandwich Artiste since 2/22.
Continue reading Lean Cuisine: Spaghetti and MeatballsTrue Dat
April 03, 2006 by Renee @ 12:11 PMHave you ever heard of True Lemon®? or True Lime® for that matter? Am I the only one who hasn't heard of these things? Man I need to get out more.
Anyhoo, I was sent a box of each by Holly, hiya Holly!, to sprinkle on my veggies. Holly musta read my entry where I admit to slathering my veggies in the sauce of my frozen foods dinners. Hey, it's the only way I can get them down my gullet. So today I cracked open a packet which for my fellow # crunchers I'm pleased to tell you contains 0 calories, 0 fat, 0 carbs and 0 protein, it does have 25% of Vitamin C though 
oh and no sweeteners.
According to the back of the box it's a crystallized lemon substitute for use in water (yum!) tea (thank Zeus they didn't say sweet tea else I'd be in a coma) and recipes.
But there are other creative uses for it, you can use it in place of salt, rub it on fish, meat or chicken, sprinkle it on salads and veggies and add it to olive oil for salad dressing. Since 1 packet = 1 tablespoon, I grabbed a few packets, being calorie free helps, to sprinkle on my plain (eek!) broccoli and well…
Continue reading True DatSouth Beach Diet Wrap: Sesame Chicken
March 23, 2006 by Renee @ 12:32 PMLast time I reviewed this product, let's see if my major concerns were reassured.
Pluses:
* Fairly expensive, need coupons or 2 for 1 deal as incentive.
Nope, still expensive
* Having no likka, makes you feel like a child eating plain old Jell-O.
Jello-o still alcohol free, no chance of doing shots during lunch
* WTF is up w/1500 mgs of sodium, aren't you trying to save my heart?
WoW you are trying to save my heart, 920mg of sodium
* Kraft, I so get it. It's your brand. You own good ole Dr. Agatston. It's understood: He sold his soul to you. Point made. Enough w/the branding for chrisesakes.
Either I'm now a mindless zombiefied consumer OR you've toned down on the packaging, I barely noticed.
Ok, enough of the flashback/update, let's get to the nitty gritty, how was it?
Continue reading South Beach Diet Wrap: Sesame ChickenBattle of the Santa Fe Style Rice & Beans
June 23, 2005 by Renee @ 11:35 AMThe ongoing food battle to earn my repeat business rages on:
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Battle of the Chicken Enchilada Suizas
June 20, 2005 by Renee @ 12:30 PMI don't know who came out with this meal first, I suspect Lean Cuisine, but I was shopping by price over the weekend and found myself walking past the green Healthy Choice meals over towards the red Weight Watchers Smart Ones. After I randomly picked a few up I noticed they had the exact meals Lean Cuisine had. So in an effort to populate yet another category, I decided to start a Food Battle subcategory of the Food Review section. This is where the same meal, different brand, will go head to head for my repeat business.
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By the numbers:
It's funny how LC wins all the initial categories: calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium by being the lowest, but WW makes a comeback by having less carbs & sugar and more protein.
By the looks:
LC - this dish is divided in ½. Rice on one side, a single enchilada in a yellowish cream sauce on the other.
WW - the rice and enchiladas are mixed together in one dish. I like the one dish better b/c I end up scooping the LC enchilada into the rice anyway.
By the taste buds:
LC - Once you mix the rice w/the enchilada, it is very very yummy. Not too spicy or peppery, the chicken is well seasoned, though it can be a bit tough. There is a slight taste of sour cream and though you can't see the melted cheese, when you lift your fork, you can see the stringy trail.
WW - Muy Caliente! *pant* *pant* *pant* Yet...I like it. They don't even taste like the same meal. Granted the LC has more rice, hence the 49gms of carbs but the WW version has 2 enchiladas and a spicier seasoning. Plus the chicken is softer.
Who wins?
It's a tie. The only thing that gives LC a slight edge, is the 280 calories vs. 340. What one lacks in one area, the other makes up for somewhere else. With a 10 cent price difference, either one is good to get and both of them worthy of licking the bowl.
Now, where's my water? *pant* *pant* *pant*
South Beach Diet Wrap Sandwich Kits
June 13, 2005 by Renee @ 12:27 PMThe South Beach Diet™ Refrigerated Wrap Kits - Wrap Kit Turkey & Bacon Club 
Instead of a Lean Cuisine meal I picked this up yesterday. And because my food reviewing skills aren't limited only to Nutrisystem foods, today debuts an irregular feature over @ reneegetsfit.com, succintly called: Food Reviews.
