WIAW #16 Is Snacking Substantially Sensible or Senseless?

Go ahead, try to say this title five times fast! It's not only a tongue twister, but a brain buster too.


What do you think? Can snacking in large amounts still be sensible, or is just senseless?


Like most answers, it depends. Snacking on a copious amount of cheese crackers and a Big Gulp is just senseless, but a lot of carrots, celery, and most other produce it totally sensible! So, if you snack substantially, is it on sensible or senseless food?


I happen to love snacking on vast amounts of fresh, unpackaged produce, and consider myself quite the sensible snacker. I try to keep a healthy rotation of eating what's currently in season, and right now I’ve been snacking on crisp baby bok choy. The sturdy, wide leaves provide enough room to fill with delectable delights like cottage cheese, homemade bean dip, or maybe even peanut butter...hmmmm.

Rhubarb is another fun food that’s in season, and while it's usually made into some sugar laden baked crisp, I simply steam the stalks and eat plain. Does this make me crazy? No, I’m plenty crazy for other reasons, this just adds to it. But seriously, plain rhubarb is good eats; try some mixed into a salad with other veggies for a tangy twist to treat your palate.

For sweet and sensible snacking, I’ve been making big batches one of my Healthy Dessert Dips with soaked beans, greens, protein powder, and purees. This week I used aduki beans which are easier to digest (Kelley appreciates that part), and made enough to last through the week. Unless I get uber hungry! : )

Don't let the look deceive you, this almost peanut butter thick dip tastes like vanilla peanut butter.  Hey, they need that flavor...PB Crave, are you listening?

So, get to  snacking sensibly and substantially (on healthy whole foods!) and enjoy your week! Now let’s delve into What I Ate Wednesday!

I keep forgetting to say it, but I’d like to thank Jenn over at Peas and Crayons for making Wednesday’s so fun and interesting. Not to mention tasty too!

[B] Zilks Foods Jalapeno and Cilantro Hummus with beans and veggies; PB Crave peanut butter and Plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt on a sweet potato; French press coffee with cinnamon, clove and splash of skim milk.

[S1] PB Crave Choco Choco and homemade Strawberry-Rhubarb Chia Jam sandwich on homemade PB Banana Protein Bread; plain green tea with stevia

[L] Chilled Millet, Aduki Bean, and Salmon Veggie Salad; dehydrated okra; baby bok choi; Ak-mak Crackers

[S2] Jay Robb Chocolate Egg White Protein Drink and dry roasted soy nuts

The nice folks at Jay Robb sent me several flavors to review; I'm working on trying them all and will post my review soon.  So far...YUM!

[D] Giant salad with steamed rhubarb, veggies, and homemade salsa with lots of cilantro for dressing; kale omelette; another PB Crave and Chia Jam sandwich; Plain Greek yogurt mixed with my green healthy aduki bean dessert dip

Another good day of eats for another great What I Ate Wednesday.

Hope you all have a great day, and don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a variety pack of luscious PB Crave peanut butter here.

Q: Is it hard for you to choose healthier foods that aren’t packaged or have very few ingredients? Or do you prefer these foods anyway and it’s not a hard choice at all?

Luckily, I enjoy all fresh produce and have no problem choosing most types over anything that comes in a box or bag.

Happy WIAW!!

WIAW #15 Sweet Potatoes With Peanut Butter: What Have I Been Missing!?!

Holy peanut butter and bananas, Batman, this PB Crave peanut butter with sweet potatoes is outstanding! I’ve been seeing PB Crave peanut butter posts across the foodie blogs lately and I finally have the opportunity to try it myself. PB Crave sent me a jar of each flavor to sample and I’ll have a tasty review along with a giveaway posted in the near future. Please check back often!

Really, I have never tried PB with sweet potato until this weekend and wow, I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. I first tried the combo with plain, fresh ground PB and cinnamon which delighted my mind, body, and soul mouth. Ok, maybe soul too; who knows? Then I took it a step further by using the PB Crave Coco Bananas peanut butter and knew there was no going back.

I’m hooked; sweet potatoes and peanut butter will become a staple for me. Have you tried this combo yet? Have you tried it with bananas or PB Crave Coco Bananas? If you answered “No” to either question, do it, and do it soon!

Needless to say, for June’s What I Ate Wednesday “Sensible Snacking” theme, sweet potatoes and peanut butter have taken over. Also, veggies aren’t a problem as I thoroughly enjoy them cooked, raw, blended, or whole, but I’ve trying to eat less packaged grain foods at work lately.

Luckily, Zilks Foods sent me several of their healthy hummus flavors to review and I’ve been able to have this with cut veggies for snacks. I usually steer clear of buying packaged hummus because more ingredients than necessary always seem to be added. Not the case with Zilks, it’s the same thing (real food) you would use at home. Plus I’ve been delighted with each flavor so far. Check out their site for ingredients and nutrition information, and then get some if you can. Keep checking back for my Zilks review too.

Review Coming Soon! This is one of my favs!

Snacks are just fun to eat, and if you choose, healthy, wholesome snacks, they can become your meal! Eating snacks for meals means you get to have several different and delectable things to eat at once. I don’t see a problem with this at all. Do you?

I have a few reviews to post in the coming weeks, and so far, I’d say they are all good ones. I hope you come back often just to see what’s going on and if the next review is up and ready for you to read.

Now, lets have a look at What I Ate Wednesday…..
*Update* I just realized I haven't been mentioning the person who makes this weekly event possible.  Thank you, Jen @ Peas and Crayons for putting this all together!!







B-Fast: Sweet potato with plain Chobani Greek yogurt, natural pb, and cinnamon (I wanted to just split it like a baked potato, fill with yogurt and pb, then pick it up to eat like a burrito; but I used utensils only b/c I was at work); French press vanilla coffee with a splash of milk

Snack: Raw carrot sticks and Zilks Roasted Red Pepper and Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus (2 different flavors) mixed with tuna for dipping. The combination of sweet red pepper and fiery jalapeño was a flavor party in my mouth….that’s a good thing!

Lunch: One more superior product I have the opportunity to review; Fig Foods Kabocha Squash Soup with my own addition of mozzarella pieces and green onions. Side of Zilks Hummus with Real Bacon (amazing, try asap) and mushrooms underneath.

Have you hear of Fig Foods? They are only in the Whole Foods in my area, but looking to expand soon. They support green living and also happen sell soups with only whole foods, beans in aseptic containers, and other unprocessed products. Kelley had the Split Pea and Potato; she gives it 2 thumbs and 2 big toes up…….I concur!

Kelley's Soup

Snack: Green tea mixed with herbal Yogi Tea; Jay Robb Whey protein shake (yes, another future review; a good one too) before leaving work to workout.

Dinner: Giant salad topped with roasted Brussels, mushrooms and Zilks Salsa; cold barley cereal mixed with dry roasted pistachios, Chobani Greek yogurt, cinnamon, and a few drops of stevia; another sweet potato with Chobani Greek yogurt and PB Crave Coco Bananas peanut butter (can't get enough!)

Really, can this mix ever get old? Doubtful!

Phew, what a day, and we’re only half-way through the week! Boo. It seems like I have a lot on my plate (literally) to sample and review, but no complaints here! As long as the products have clean, wholesome ingredients, I say bring’em on! How else can a healthy foodie, be a foodie and have good food to share and mention to others?

Q: Do you get or would you like to have multiple products to sample? If I get to select what companies provide the samples, I’m always willing. If it’s McDonald’s trying to send something, they can just toss it instead.

Happy WIAW!!

Non-GMO and Corn Free Beanitos: Healthy Snack Review

Let me start by disclosing that Beanitos provided their healthy, tasty chips to me free of charge for this review and I was not compensated in any way. The thoughts and views expressed in this post are strictly my own.

These...chips....are....amazing! Why? Where do I start? Being corn free is great since it seems like almost every packaged good (healthy or not) has some form of corn in it; mostly GMO.  Corn oil, corn starch, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose; I could keep going, but this post is about flavorful, crunchy Beanitos bean chips without corn. Don't get me wrong, I love corn (especially Homemade Protein Corn Bread), but not in every single thing I buy.

I think Beanitos hits the key specifics in their description here...

Always Corn-Free™ Beanitos are made from whole beans.
A 1.25 oz. single-serve bag of Beanitos has:
• 6 grams complete protein
• 6 grams fiber
• 18 grams complex carbohydrates
• 10 grams fat
• 175 - 187 calories
Beanitos also have lower sodium than most chips, ranging
from 68 mg to 187 mg per serving. And since we’re
from Texas, a Beanitos serving is good-sized – about 35
grams or 1.25 oz.


....and here....


Low Glycemic – All Beanitos Bean Chips have a GI (Glycemic
index) of between 33 and 44, and a GL (Glycemic load) of
either 3 or 4.

Gluten-Free

 Complete Protein – A complete protein supplies essential
amino acids, our bodies’ building blocks.

High Fiber – With 5 grams of fiber per serving, Beanitos
have more fiber in a single serving than some chips have in a
whole bag.
Read more benefits on their site.

When I received the giant box of individual 1.25oz serving size Beanitos bags, I was eager to taste test the product immediately. Five minutes later, I had an empty bag of Chipotle BBQ Black Bean chips in front of me; apparently I love the chips....they are awesome! I didn't feel guilty though, because I just consumed the best tasting packaged snack with high fiber, complete protein, and "clean" ingredients that I know of.

After many taste tests, I tried them plain, dipped in plain non-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, and crushed over homemade veggie lentil puree and salad. The superior crunch and flavor really stood out from other, lesser chips, and it felt like the bag quickly disappeared each time. I guess time Beanitos flies when you're having fun crunching on good food.

It was hard to share, but I brought a few bags to work for friends, had Kelley try some, and gave some to my mom to get other opinions. The feedback was unanimous; loved by all!

I'm not a huge fan of flavored packaged goods since that usually means added sugar and sodium, but the Chipotle BBQ Black Bean chips were very addicting! I think the plain Black Bean are still my number one favorite, though. When I gave a few bags to a friend at work, he opened the Cheddar Cheese chips, finished in 5 minutes, then opened another bag.  I guess he liked them, but you can make the final call on that one.


My 2 favs....



I am always on the look out for a healthy chip that meets my criteria for acceptable packaged foods I will eat, and Beanitos fits the bill. These chips make the "healthy" whole grain chips look bad with the first ingredient being whole beans and the second ingredient is whole grain brown rice. Rice and beans create the complete protein profile our bodies need to obtain the best quality you can get. This is ideal for anyone with a regular exercise routine since complete proteins support better, faster recovery.  

Beanitos is also concerned about the health of our planet and they support many "green" initiative companies like those listed here. Buying products from "green" companies makes me feel proud to help support the cause.  Do you feel the same when purchasing "green" products?

In summary, Beanitos bean chips provide a healthy, crunchy, satisfying (protein and fiber fills you up!), and downright tasty snack I recommend to anyone. Right out of the bag, with your favorite dip, crushed over salad (very good this way), or crushed over creamy soup, you can't go wrong with any flavor or method of consumption.  So, don't delay, go out and get a bag....or five (to hide some just for yourself) and enjoy the simple satisfaction of whole grain bean goodness.

Here's a healthy and easy dip recipe I created to enjoy this chips; I know you will too.

I forgot to take a picture of the dip recipe below, but here's my Cayenne Dill Dip that works great too! A great choice if you don't want the "Sweet" part.
Sweet Heat Bean Dip
Serves 4-6

6 oz low-fat cottage cheese
¼ cup non-fat plain Greek yogurt; can use regular if needed
¼ cup salsa
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon horseradish; spicy brown mustard can be used instead
1 tablespoon dill
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste


Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Let chill for 1-2 hours to let flavors “marry”. Sprinkle chopped parsley on top and serve with your favorite Beanitos Bean Chip. If it’s too spicy, add a bit of apple cider vinegar to dull it down a little.

The puree in the pictures is my White Bean Bell Pepper Puree and pairs well with the Black Bean or Chipotle BBQ Beanitos; beer is recommended...if you're 21+.

Q: What "red flag" ingredients do you look out for when purchasing packaged products?

A: My list is extensive, but the biggest ones I avoid are hydrogenated anything, sugar in the top 5 ingredients, any "syrup", enriched flour, sucralose, or any other artificial sweetener or flavor.