Quaker reached out and asked if I’d be willing to review their latest product: Real Medleys. Before agreeing I asked a few questions…

Can I have a little more information on the product before I agree. My readers are looking for natural and low calorie options. Do you have ingredient lists and the [...]]]>

Quaker reached out and asked if I’d be willing to review their latest product: Real Medleys. Before agreeing I asked a few questions…

Can I have a little more information on the product before I agree. My readers are looking for natural and low calorie options. Do you have ingredient lists and the nutritional information? 

They sent back…

I’m including the Nutrition label for the Cherry Pistachio flavor oatmeal. All of the oatmeal varieties range from 250 -290 calories. The ingredients are not on this label, but I included them for your reference below as well. Let me know if it sounds like something your readers would be interested in.

Thanks!

Ingredients: Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Dried Sweetened Cherries (Cherries, Sugar), Multi Grain Blend (Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Rolled Barley,Whole Grain Rolled Rye),Brown Sugar,Pistachios, Almonds, Nonfat Dry Milk,Whole Grain Rolled Wheat,Natural Flavor,Salt.

Contains: Wheat, Almond, Pistachio and Milk Ingredients

After seeing that I agreed! I get all excited when big brands make convenient products with real food.

Our shipment arrived last week and I, again, put Little Guy to work helping me review…

He’s such a goof ball!

Anyway, as I said/showed in the video, Quaker Real Medley’s com in 4 flavors: Apple Walnut, Summer Berry, Peach Almond and Cherry Pistachio. To cook just add water and microwave for 45 seconds. You can’t get much easier than that! They are tasty, satisfying and convenient. A great combination for busy mornings and I love that you could eat them in the car on the way to work.

On to the Giveaway!

Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win a sample of Real Medleys and a $75 gift card. I will randomly pick a commenter and announce next Wednesday. Prize can only be shipped to the USA. Sorry my international friends. :(

Good Luck!

Update: People are asking about price in the comments and I realized I only mentioned it in the video. They are $1.79 each. Compared to bulk oatmeal it’s pricey but you have to take into consideration the additional ingredients and convenience. As they say, “Fast, Good or Cheap. Pick two.” These definitely fall in the fast, good category. Hope that helps!

This post is sponsored by Quaker. All opinions expressed are my own.

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As you can see, my favorite VitaCake pairing is Hot Cocoa. I love, love, LOVE a frozen VitaCake dipped in a hot cup of chocolate.

This gave me an idea. What if I hosted a VitaCake [...]]]> A few months ago Little Guy and I had a blast reviewing the new Vitalicious VitaCakes. Check us out…

As you can see, my favorite VitaCake pairing is Hot Cocoa. I love, love, LOVE a frozen VitaCake dipped in a hot cup of chocolate.

This gave me an idea. What if I hosted a VitaCake Date Mate contest where you share your favorite or most creative way to eat a VitaCake.

Never had a VitaCake? No fear! You just need to leave an idea to enter. How fun and creative can you get with a 50 calorie piece of chocolate cake? Maybe a little frozen yogurt on the side for an a la mode? What about cut in slices and made into a parfait with berries and whip cream? The possibilities are endless!

We are looking for the most creative idea while still being in the lighter/healthier realm. No smothering the VitaCake in butter and topping with decadent ganache. Think fruit, yogurts, granola, nuts, etc.

The most creative idea (as judged by Vitalicious) will be featured on the Vitalicious Facebook page and the winner will receive a 24 pack of VitaCakes and 3 additional packs for 3 of their friends. This contest is all about sharing the love. Share your VitaCake ideas and then share your prize with your friends! It’s a win-win-win-win-win!

For inspiration click here to see the VitaRecipes on vitalicious.com. There is a fun list there using all sorts of Vitalicious products.

We will accept entries until Monday April 23 and I will announce the winner on tuesday the 24th.

Sorry winners can only have prizes shipped to the U.S. Product must be frozen on arrival.

If you’d like to order a case make sure to use the code RonisWeigh for 10% off! Click to check out their other products.

Full Disclosure: Vitalicious is a paying sponsor of Roni’s Weigh. However, all opinion expressed in this video and all my reviews are my own.

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We’ve signed a new sponsor….

Reebok will be hosting a Crossfit class and [...]]]> I might have to start my weekly wrap-up post back up because, to be honest, I can’t remember what I have or have not told you. For example, did I announce my latest exciting FitBloggin’ news? I don’t think I have!

We’ve signed a new sponsor….

Reebok will be hosting a Crossfit class and the FitBliggin’ 5k run/1 mile walk!!

HOW FUN IS THAT?!

I really couldn’t be more excited about this opportunity to work with Reebok and have them at this event. My goal is to offer as many opportunities as possible for bloggers to experience new things (healthy foods, workouts, products, etc,) inspire readers and help spread a culture of health while having fun, making friends and networking.

That’s what FitBloggin’ is all about.

As the organizer of said event, I get a few perks like sneak peaks of products.

Get it SNEAK peeks?

Ok, bad joke, but seriously Reebok was nice enough to send me two pairs of the sneakers they will be showcasing at the conference.

The first was RealFlexTransition. Click here to check them out.

Look how stinking cute they are! Believe me, I’m not a pink shoe type of person, but these things ROCK!

The shoe is designed to adapt to your movement making it perfect for cross training. Honestly, when I put them on, I felt like I was walking on a cloud. I never felt a shoe like this before. Responsive is the only way I can describe it. I will be wearing these for my crazy mudder training from now on. Not kidding.

The second was ZigNano Fly 2. Click here to check them out.

As you can see, I was a little hesitant at 5 AM this morning. I was preparing for my Thursday run to the gym and decided to give these a shot. According to Reebok, the ZigTech Nano is designed for running, walking or hiking with "responsive cushioning." They were comfortable but I would need some time to get used to the "Zig." The sole felt much thicker then the running shoes I’m used to. However, the "spring" concept is definitely there. I really felt light on my feet. Almost like I was bouncing. It’s a really cool shoe.

As I said, Reebok did send me these products free of charge and they are sponsoring the FitBloggin’ conference but I was not paid (or even asked) to write these reviews. That was my decision.

Click here to visit the FitBloggin’ page. I’ve been a little slow on announcements but rest assure we are working feverishly in the background, negotiating with sponsors and planning the event. I hope to see you there! Tickets are on sale now.

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Vitalicious is currently hosting a Walk It Off In 7 Minutes Sweepstakes on their Facebook page. You could win a desktop treadmill or a case of VitaCakes! Click here to check it out. [...]]]> I couldn’t help myself. He was home from school. I had a review to do. Why not put him to work?

Vitalicious is currently hosting a Walk It Off In 7 Minutes Sweepstakes on their Facebook page. You could win a desktop treadmill or a case of VitaCakes! Click here to check it out.

Also, don’t forget to use the code RonisWeigh for 10% off any Vitalicious order! Click to check out thier other products.

Click here to see my other Vitalicious product reviews.

Full Disclosure: Vitalicious is a paying sponsor of Roni’s Weigh. However, all opinion expressed in this video and all my reviews are my own.

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My first video product review. How fun are these? Well, for me at least.

Less Writing = Less Typos. Considering my track record, that’s a bonus. HOWEVER, instead of a typo I made a ‘speach-o.’ Throughout the video I say “Peach” when I really mean “Apricot.” The three flavors are Cherry, Pear and [...]]]>

My first video product review. How fun are these? Well, for me at least.

Less Writing = Less Typos. Considering my track record, that’s a bonus. HOWEVER, instead of a typo I made a ‘speach-o.’ Throughout the video I say “Peach” when I really mean “Apricot.” The three flavors are Cherry, Pear and APRICOT. Not Peach. Oy vey.

Here’s the deal. Watch the video, leave a comment and be entered to win your very own box of That’s It to try for yourself. That’s 12 free bars! I’ll pick a winner on Wednesday. Sorry, U.S. residents only. :(

Disclaimer: This is a paid review. ‘That’s It’ compensated me for posting as well and provided the bars free of charge. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Larabar reached out to me after I posted a review for Pure Bars. Before Pure I never had this style of bar before. I always gravitated towards granola based bars, if at all. Pure [...]]]> These have been brewing for some time. Finally took a minute to get it all out of my head!

Larabars

Larabar reached out to me after I posted a review for Pure Bars. Before Pure I never had this style of bar before. I always gravitated towards granola based bars, if at all. Pure and Larabars are nut and date based. Their texture is unlike anything I’ve had before. The only way I can describe them is a sweet, soft and dense. Does that even make sense? Not sure if that actually sounds appetizing but I must admit.. I love them!

Most Larabars have about 2-6 ingredients. I LOVE that about them. I don’t need a medical dictionary to decipher the label. Here are a few examples…

• Larabar: Cashew Cookie – Cashews, dates.
• Larabar: Apple Pie – Dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon.
• Larabar: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough – Cashews, dates, chocolate chips, salt.
• Larabar: Key Lime Pie – Dates, cashews, almonds, unsweetened coconut, lime juice concentrate.
• Larabar: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip – Dates, peanuts, chocolate chips, salt

I could go on and on with this–they have 19 flavors–but I think you get the idea. The bars are fun and simple. I haven’t found a flavor I didn’t like although I prefer some over others. The ones I listed above are among my favorites.

Because they are nut based, Nutritionally these bars will be a bit higher in calories then you might be used to. Calories range from 190-240 per bar (3-4 WWP or 4-5 WWPP) and most have about 3-6g of protein and 4-6g of fiber. The Fat content is a little higher–8-14g but this makes sense based on the amount of nuts used.

For me they make a great snack between meals or even a quick breakfast when I’m in a hurry. I love that they are upping my nut intake which is something I’ve been wanting to do. In a way I look at them as a pre-portioned nut serving which is cool in my book as I tend to go overboard sitting in from of a pile of almonds.

Even the 5 (almost 6–yikes!) year old loves them. His favorites are blueberry muffin and chocolate chip cookie dough. Surprisingly he doesn’t like any peanut based ones. The kid has never been a fan of peanut butter. Isn’t that crazy?!

Anyway, I really do like them. My only complaint is price, as usual. Buying them individually at the grocery story can cost you around $2.00 a bar. You can get a better price buying them in bulk even on amazon but I wouldn’t suggest doing that until you try a few flavors so you know what you like.

Besides truly enjoying the product, I like the company. Like I said, they reached out to me, sent me samples and sponsored the FitBloggin’ conference. They are very accessible on twitter and responsive overall to emails and requests. I’m a big fan.

Uncle Sam & Erewhon Cereals (Attune Foods)

Attune, the company behind Uncle Sam and Erewhon was another FitBloggin’ Sponsor. They supplied breakfast for all attendees on Friday morning of the conference. This is another brand that is new to me.

I have two boxes of cereal left from the conference and I’ve been wanting to share both with you.

First up, Uncle Sam Original Cereal. This stuff is FABULOUS! My favorite part, as usual, is the ingredient list.

Whole wheat kernels, whole flaxseed, salt, barley malt.

You can’t get much simpler then that! And nutritionally it packs a punch (of fiber and protein that is.)

3/4 cups (55g) is 190 calories, 5g of fat, 38g of carbs, 10g of fiber and 7g of protein. That’s 3 WWP OR 5 WWPP.

The cereal is not sweet at all, as expected since there is no sugar added, but the texture is fabulous. It’s like a flake but better almost resembling an old fashioned oat.

It’s the kind of cereals that absorbs the milk and takes on the flavor of anything you add to it. It’s also fabulous on top of some yogurt. I love it with a splash of almond milk and a handful of blueberries. If I’m in a sweet mood I’ll use chocolate almond milk for a treat. Either way it’s one of my favorite breakfasts in rotation right now.

Even the Little Guy likes it! Although he LOVES the Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice- Gluten Free Cereal

Which has the same type of awesome ingredient list..

Organic brown rice, Organic brown rice syrup, Sea salt.

This stuff is just like rice crisipies but better!

1 cup (30g) is 110 calories, .5g of fat, 25g of carbs, 0g of fiber and 2g of protein. That’s 2 WWP OR 3 WWPP.

Add some fruit to bump up the fiber and you have a fabulous breakfast!

Attune is another company I’m quite impressed with. I have loved working with them.

VitaBuns

My final review today is for Vitalicious. As you know I’ve worked with them for quite some time now. They sponsor my newsletter and RonisWeigh code for 10% off any of their products.

Recently they have introduced the VitaBun. An English muffin style "bun". Each muffin is 100 calories, 1g of fat, 19g of carbs, 6g of fiber and 5g of protein. That’s 1 WWP OR 2 WWPP.

The muffins are great! Just like traditional english muffins but a bit denser. I’ve been using them has hamburger buns and for English muffin pizza.

Vitalicious recommends freezing them on receipt and I agree. Since they contain no artificial additives or preservatives the grow mold fast. Freezing them doesn’t change the texture at all, just pop them in the toaster!

Along with the muffins, Vitalicious also launched a 150 calorie Egg ‘N’ Cheese sandwich. However, unlike the VitaBun, this item cannot be shipped. You have to purchase it from the freezer section of your grocery store. Has anyone see or tried them? I’m REALLY curious.

Click here to check the VitaBuns out online.

Full Disclosure: All opinions in this post are my own. Larabar and Attune both sponsored the FitBloggin conference but we have no relationship beyond that at the time this post was written. Vitalicious is a paying sponsor. That relationship does not effect my opinion on the product. I only work with companies whose products I use and love.

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First up…

Let me start by saying I’m NOT a big bar person. I used to stock granola bars as a quick snack on the run but since I started working from home [...]]]> Each of these things warrants their own post but I’m so far behind I have to consolidate!

First up…

Pure Bars!

Let me start by saying I’m NOT a big bar person. I used to stock granola bars as a quick snack on the run but since I started working from home I’ve eased off them. Most have tons of extra ingredients I’m not that into anyway. Remember the conversation this quick review of Fiber One bars started? HYSTERICAL!

Anyway, when Pure contacted me and asked if I was interested, I hesitantly said yes. An organic, vegan, raw bar full of Omega-3s, could there any more buzz words in there? Honestly, most health food labels cause involuntary eye rolls anymore. I’m tired of seeing products littered with these descriptors only to be disappointed by the ingredient list and nutritional information. But I was willing to get them a shot anyway.

When the pure bars arrived I immediately turned one over to see the ingredient list and it made me chuckle, in a good way.

Organic Dates, organic apples, organic agave nectar, organic walnuts, organic cashews, organic almonds, organic rice protein concentrate, organic cinnamon. That’s all!

That list is from their Apple Cinnamon bar, my favorite. Let’s take the word organic out just to see how simple the list really is.

Dates, apples, agave nectar, walnuts, cashews, almonds, rice protein concentrate, cinnamon.

In my opinion, for a convenience food, that’s not too shabby! But what about the taste?

Honesty, DIVINE! Sweet, moist, FULL of flavor. I really wasn’t sure if I was going to like them but I have to admit they are tasty and FILLING! Or should I say satisfying? A really great option to keep in your bag those days you aren’t sure you’ll be able to grab lunch.

Nutritionally they are a bit higher in calories then your average dieter may be into but a bargain for the fullness factor if you ask me. Not too mention I’d rather eat REAL food at slightly higher points then "light" fake foods and lower. This wasn’t always how I felt, but over time I learned to value real food more and more. At 190 calories, 8g of fat, 28g of carbs, 3g of fiber and 5g of protein they weigh in at 4 WWP and 5 new WWPP

The bars come in 6 flavors, Apple Cinnamon, Chocolate Brownie, Cranberry Orange, Wild Blueberry, Cherry Cashew, and Trail Mix. All are tasty but that’s the order I like them in as well. Seriously, Apple Cinnamon ROCKS!

Click here to learn more on the Pure Web Site

Crio Brü

Yet another product I was VERY hesitant to try. I actually turned down the opportunity until the the company convinced me otherwise. This was in their original pitch…

I thought you might be interested to learn about a new chocolate drink that brews like coffee. It’s called Crio Brü – www.criobru.com. Crio Brü is incredibly delicious and made from 100% pure cocoa

All I saw was "brews like coffee" and I was completely uninterested. See, I HATE coffee. I just do. Never liked it even though it smells divine. When I taste it, blech!

So I wrote back,

Thanks Jon, but I’m not interested. I don’t "do" coffee. But it sounds interesting!

To which he responded.

That is what makes this different, however, is that it isn’t coffee…it’s made from 100% cocoa.

Hmmm a ‘coffee like’ drink made with cocoa beans INSTEAD of coffee beans? Ok, I’m game.

When I opened the bag I was overcome by the GLORIOUS smell. Oh my word.. chocolate lovers will understand. I seriously wanted to bath in it.

The grinds looked like coffee but not as fine and uniform…

I brewed a cup not knowing what to expect and was pleasantly surprised! It was like a non-creamy, less sweet hot chocolate. That may sounds odd or bad but it was actually pleasant. A warm cup of cocoa, complex with flavor and deliciously satisfying. I added a spash of vanilla almond milk to cool it down and simply fell in love. For the first time ever I think I understand the lure of coffee.

According to the Crio Brü site a cup has about has 20 calories and 3g of carbs. They also make a lot of health claims I tend to take with a grain of salt. All I know is I like the way it tastes. And as a non-coffee drinker, I think it’s fun to have an alternative to tea when I’m in the mood for a hot beverage.

Click here to learn more on the Crio Brü web site.

A Cherry-rific Giveaway

Finally! The giveaway. Are you still with me? I feel like this is the longest post ever!

Here’s the deal…. The Cherry Marketing Institute is hosting a fabulous Recipe contest using, what else but CHERRIES! I outlined all the details here on FitBloggin’ BUT I forgot one teeny, tiny thing… they are giving away an awesome Cherry Red Gift pack to not only the winners of the contest but for one of my readers as well! Look at it up there, it’s a beautiful set! Simply leave a comment below to be entered to win the Cherry Red Cookware giveaway pictured above.

Click here to learn all about the Cherry Recipe Contest and how you can enter your cherry recipe!

Full Disclosure: Pure and Crio Brü both sent me products to review free of charge. However, they did not pay me for the review. My opinion about their products are my own. The Cherry Marketing Institute is a paying sponsor of the FitBloggin’ conference and they sent me the gift pack pictured above in exchange for publicizing the Cherry Recipe contest.

Update: Winner announced! It was Brooke! – A big thanks too all those that entered!
Winner selected using the Pick Giveaway winner plugin. Click here to learn more.

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Have you heard? There’s a new VitaTop flavor! Pumpkin Spice! If you are unfamiliar with their products, Vitalicious was originally made famous for their 100 calorie brownie (at least that’s how I found them) but now have a line of VitaTops, VitaMuffins, VitaMixes, VitaCake (which I had for me 32 birthday :) and [...]]]>

Have you heard? There’s a new VitaTop flavor! Pumpkin Spice! If you are unfamiliar with their products, Vitalicious was originally made famous for their 100 calorie brownie (at least that’s how I found them) but now have a line of VitaTops, VitaMuffins, VitaMixes, VitaCake (which I had for me 32 birthday :) and even VitaCoffee! Which I’ll never try as I’m not a coffee drinker (and no one will convert me, not even Jim Doran who’s been trying to forever!) ;)

I’ve already reviewed Golden Corn, Dark Chocolate Pomegranate, Banana Nut, Chocolate Mint and Apple Crumb. They are all pretty good but the choclate ones dominate in my opinion. How did the Pumpkin stack up? Well let me walk you through my little taste test via the web cam.

Upon initial inspection, I’m not that impressed with the pumpkin seeds on top…

I think I might of gotten gipped on this one. It sort of reminded me of that scene in casino. You know…

Oh how I love Deniro but I digress. :)

Looking past the seeds, I broke it in half and I must say the inside looked moist and delicious!

So I took a bite…

Oh.. My.. Word.. SO good. I mean really. I didn’t think I’d ever like a VitaTop flavor as much as I like the chocolate line but Pumpkin Spice is giving chocolate a run for it’s money! The flavor was spot on to cure that pumpkin baked good craving that seems to happen in the fall and winter months, all for 100 calories, 1g of fat, 26g of carbs, 8g of fiber and 3g of protien. That’s 1 old WWP and 3 new WWPP.

I like the idea of the seeds on top but honestly, they didn’t do much for me. For some reason I think of the seeds as a savory/salty snack and the pumpkin baked good as a sweet/dessert like snack and the two just don’t mix BUT it’s not a deal breaker. I actually popped off the few seeds I had and ate them separately. In my opinion Vitalicious could ditch them altogether but I’m curious what others think who’ve gotten a chance to try them.

Overall I give the Pumpkin Spice VitaTops a thumbs up.

Oh! and I ate mine after popping it the toaster on the highest setting right from the freezer. It came out perfect!

If you’d like to order don’t forget to use my code RonisWeigh for 10% off. Click to to check all their products.

Full Disclosure: Vitalicious is a paying sponsor of Roni’s Weigh and they supply me free products to try for review. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own, as always. I specifically seek to work with companies who’s products I like and are willing to support.

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