NoGii protein bars - a review

Snacks are a big deal in my house. My kids have a snack mid morning and then one in the evening, when hunger strikes in between lunch and dinner. But finding a healthy, filling and minimally processed snack has always been a challenge. Either the product has too much sugar or is not filling enough or doesn't entice my kids' taste buds. When I got the opportunity to review the NoGii product line, courtesy GreenMomsMeet, I was really curious. I hadn't heard of the products before. The 'G' stands for gluten, so NoGii would mean that the products were gluten free. Although my family does not need to be gluten free, we do relish traditional Indian food that is quite often gluten free.
Back to the product, the shipment from NoGii left me quite speechless. They sent the entire product line, which meant that we got to sample all the different flavors of protein bars that were manufactured under the NoGii line!

Here are a few facts about the protein bars:
* These bars were created by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, gluten free mom, Emmy Award winning talk show host and Best Selling Author of " The G-Free Diet" and "Deliciously G-Free".
* It is a line of certified gluten free protein bars, protein powders and paleo bars.
* NoGii's High protein Peanut Butter and Chocolate bar is a certified gluten free and Non-GMO protein bar with 20g of high quality protein. Its also delicious!
* They are made with sustainably sourced premium ingredients and have an ideal balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates. They do not contain HFCS, hydrogenated oils or transfat.
* They are extremely portable, can be enjoyed by the entire family at any time.
* NoGii's High Protein Peanut Butter and Chocolate bar retails for $2.50 to $2.99 for one 1.93 oz bar

Our Experience:
My family, including my two school aged kids enjoyed these bars, mainly for snacks, to tide them over until the next meal. With high protein content, they provided enough satiety. These bars were also vegan, which made it easier for our vegetarian household to enjoy them. I could easily pop a few in my handbag or in the car for easy on-the-go snacks.
They made excellent school snacks as well.

The only concern I had was the soy protein used in the bars. These bars are predominantly soy based and I am not yet sure about frequent consumption of soy products. But, with some moderation, these are a really nice option, especially for people who have to follow a gluten free diet for health reasons.

Readers, you can have a the chance to win a trip to New York, where you will meet and have lunch with Elisabeth Hasselbeck.To enter, visit www.facebook.com/nogiigluten, look for the link for the contest and the complete the entry form. Hurry, Contest ends on July 31st 2015!

Please visit the following links for more information:
www.nogii.com
www.facebook.com/nogiigluten
www.twitter.com/nogiidiet
www.instagram.com/nogii_nogluten


Disclaimer - I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I have agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily refelct those of May Media Group LLCor the manufacturer of the product.

Dave's Killer Bread - a review

It has always been fascinating to me how different cultures view food differently. What is a daily oft eaten food in one country could very possibly be a luxury in others. And so it was with sliced bread when I was growing up in India in the 80s and 90s. It wasn't a luxury, per se, but we definitely didn't eat it everyday. It was available in all the mom and pop grocery stores that are so common in India, but my mother cooked traditional Indian food most of the the times and bread didn't show up regularly on the menu.
It was only after I came to the United States in 2003 that I realized how pervasive the humble bread was in American diets. I was also stunned at the variety of breads available here, such as I had never seen, let alone eaten before. Whole wheat, white, honey, oat, English muffins, rye, boules, sourdough and what have you!

                                                                        Picture - courtesy of Dave's Killer Bread.
Although I have followed in my mother's footsteps and cook traditional Indian food on a regular basis, my family and I also indulge in breads much more frequently than my husband or I ever did when we were children. We generally have a couple of loaves of bread at home and I have even tried my hand at baking bread at home with good results.
As I became more and more aware of the ingredients in bread, I realized that not all loaves were made equal. In an effort to reduce the amount of artificial colors, flavors and preservatives in bread, I try to purchase only whole wheat or whole grain bread, without HFCS and other additives. Reading labels has become a norm and finding a good brand that is healthy, versatile and delicious and also has a short ingredient list has become a challenge.
That's why when I realized that I had been selected by Moms Meet to review Dave's Killer Bread for my blog, I was pleasantly surprised. I had seen the loaves at the stores where I shop, but had never purchased them because they were slightly outside my budget.
I received two loaves to review - Dave's 21 whole grains and seeds and Dave's Thinly sliced Good Seed.

 

                                                                                               Picture - courtesy of Dave's Killer Bread.
Even before I sampled the bread, the following points stood out for me:
* All the breads were made using organic ingredients.
* Most were vegan with high levels of protein and fiber.
* They are also certified non-GMO
* The breads contain no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.

When I looked at the ingredient list on the breads that I had received, I was able to read, pronounce and recognize all of them! The sheer variety of the grains and seeds used in the bread amazed me.
I used the bread to make sandwiches for myself and my kids. I also used them to make croutons.
Both the varieties were hearty, filling and stayed fresh tasting even without preservatives of any kind.
I like having seeds and grains in my bread, I like the contrast in the textures. The breads made good toast too. Also, the thinly sliced Good Seed bread had only about 70 calories.

I have seen the loaves available at Costco and Sprouts Farmers market. For stores that sell this bread in your area, you can visit the store locator on the website and find out. The breads generally retail at 4 - 6$ per loaf.

On the website, I read about the history of the company and the concept of second chances that were offered to the employees of the company and was even more impressed. A company that makes amazing bread and also offers people with a past
a chance to turn their lives around - I can get behind that!

Read more about Dave's Killer Bread here http://www.daveskillerbread.com.
Visit the following links for more information about Dave's Killer bread.
www.facebook.com/Daveskillerbread
www.twitter.com/KillerBreadMan





If you eat bread regularly and are looking for a good, natural bread without unnecessary ingredients, do give Dave's Killer Bread a try.



Disclaimer: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms MeetSM program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms MeetsSM blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.