Love With Food: October 2013 Tasting Box

This is LONG overdue, but here is the follow-up review of my October 2013 Tasting Box from Love with Food. If you’d like to take a peek at my unboxing video, sure to stir up a few laughs, then watch the video below.

 

dang: toasted coconut chips

 

 

OMGosh! This was absolutely delicious!!! I could not stop snacking on these crunchy, sweet, with a pinch of salt, treats. I’m glad the bag only had two servings and that I was able to share this delicious concoction with my coworkers; because I would have devoured whatever size bag was sat in front of me. However, with that said, it is also very decadent and rich tasting, so I only recommend having 1-2 servings (otherwise, your tummy might regret it). To me, it wasn’t overpowering with coconut, but it did leave a nice coconut-y taste in my mouth. It was very buttery and sumptuous and I enjoyed the crunchy, yet smooth chip-like texture.

The bag promotes that it is: “all natural, vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, no cholesterol, and a good source of fiber”. Normally when something indicates that it is that healthy, I’m expecting very little to no flavor and/or a very unusual taste; however, that was NOT the case with this snack. If you’re looking for a unique and “Hawaiian-like” treat that’s most likely better for you than candy or chips, then give this a try!

WARNING: They are addicting and slightly high in calories (115 calories for ½ of the depicted bag). If you purchase this product you will probably fall in love with them (as I did) but portion out your serving BEFORE munching! :)

 

happy squeeze: Fruit & Veggie Twist (Blueberry, Apple, and Purple Carrot)

 

First of all, I LOVE the packaging! I am a complete sucker for cute / unique packages; not to mention, being able to squeeze your fruits and veggies on the go is quite clever. When I first saw this pouch, I figured that the product would be like a puree (almost an applesauce-like texture), but after feeling the pouch, it seemed much more fluid and I assumed it would be more like a juice. After actually opening the product and giving it a squeeze, my first assumption was right; it was a very liquid-y puree (thinner than applesauce, but not quite a juice).  

The taste was actually quite delicious. I could definitely taste the blueberry and apple flavors and I felt a little more energetic after consuming the pouch (maybe it was in my imagination?). I prefer to eat my fruits / veggies whole or in a homemade smoothie, but for kids or those who are anti-fruits and veggies, this is a great solution! Easy, super portable, and it doesn’t have to be refrigerated until opened (but you WILL finish this in one sitting/serving, so a refrigerator is probably not needed).

I could easily see this as something you would pack in a kid’s lunch, bring camping, bike riding, hiking, etc. It’s quite low on calories (only 60 in the depicted pouch), but high on carbs and sugars (13g of carbs and 10g of sugar); but maybe that’s comparable to real fruit? The pouch promotes that it is: “always organic, doctor recommended, optimally formulated (whatever that means), minimal processing, and easy BPA FREE portable package”.

 

GLEE Gum (Triple Berry)

 

Another adorable package! I’m not sure if their gum normally comes in such teeny-weeny boxes, but these sample-sized boxes sure are cute! The flavor was quite enjoyable, but unfortunately it did not last very long and I needed several pieces to fulfill my chewing needs. I was honestly expecting a funky texture and for the gumminess to seize up, but that was not the case. It was a tasty treat and the elasticity of the gum lasted on and on and on; which is what I prefer.

The brand boasts that it is: “made with Chicle for rainforest conversation, natural, GMO-free, aspartame-free, uses brown rice and cane sugar as a coating, and (here’s my favorite part) the gum is sweetened with cane sugar traded in compliance with Fairtrade Standards”. Insert happy face here!

Although this was a fun gum to try and for all those health-nut / nature-lovers out there, this would be an awesome addition into a gift basket, I most likely will not be repurchasing this product. I actually prefer sugar-free gum (yes, aspartame filled!) as it is ZERO calories (usually) and my teeth prefer that as well.

 

Torie & Howard Organic Hard Candy

 

Let me first say… I am NOT a hard candy fan, I’m more of a chocolate / gummy lover. But holy heck! These were “da bomb!” I was soooo interested in these little candies that I went to Torie & Howards website to find out a little bit more information on these delectable delights.

I was gifted with the “D’anjou Pear & Cinnamon” flavor; and these sucky-candy are packed full of “the sweet flavor of ripe d’anjou pears with the luxuriousness of Ceylon cinnamon”… Yummy! These are not your typical sucky-candies. These put your average hard candies to shame and come in amazing “adult-like” / gourmet flavors.  The company states that their candies contain: “organic sugar, organic rice syrup, non-GMO citric acid, and natural flavors. It does NOT have: artificial dyes, nuts, GMOs, corn syrup, gluten, wheat, casein, soy, or dairy” (Phew! Long list….).

I would not buy these as an everyday treat (as I am not normally a fan of hard candy) but these would be fun during the fall / winter (cold season) and as an addition to gift baskets or stocking stuffers! In case you’re not a fan of pear or cinnamon, they have three other tantalizing flavors: (1) pomegranate & nectarine, (2) blood orange & honey, (3) pink grapefruit & tupelo honey. These all sound amazing and I may end up purchasing some for future holidays.

 

PIXO Pearls Original with Gingras XO Apple Cider Vinegar from Vinaigerie Gingras

 

Okay, I had NO IDEA what the heck these little balls were, but I am always willing to try something once. Before I popped open this puppy, I turned to the All-Mighty Google! According to the company’s website: “PIXO Pearls Original are pearls of Gingras XO Apple Cider Vinegar (a fancy-shmancy apple cider vinegar) encapsulated in an alginate (seaweed) film”… interesting. Apparently, they are made using molecular gastronomy… as soon as I read that, I became instantly excited. I LOVE cooking and am addicted to almost every Food Network TV show. Most of the new up-and-coming chefs, who are into making food modern, dabble in molecular gastronomy and I’ve always wondered if that type of food tasted different. NOW I GET TO TRY SOME!!!

Each “pearl” is supposed to explode with an abundance of flavor. Because of their cuteness, the pearls also allow you to make gourmet-looking food at home. The website suggests: “sprinkling them on a salad, using them the spruce up a canapé (not sure what this is) or even to add a bite to a cocktail. I decided to check out their recommended EASY recipes. (I ain’t got no time to fuss around with these balls).

The fastest recipe I found, that still looked tasty, was “Pixo, Crackers, and Cheese;” easy enough!

Ingredients

• 1 pack of your favorite crackers
• Your favorite cheese
• 1 sachet of Pixo Pearls – original

Directions

Cover your cracker in cheese, add 3-5 pearls to each cracker. BOOM! You’re done!

These were absolutely DIVINE! I am a huge fan of cheese and crackers, the more gourmet / funky tasting the cheese, the better! I could completely see myself hosting a nice meat / cheese night with my ladies and adding these fancy balls onto each cracker/cheese combo. I didn’t try adding them into anything else, but I plan on buying additional balls in the future. Oh the ball-sibilities!

If you’re into trying something fun, new, and exciting, give these pearls a try! You can check them out here! (They also have Raspberry Pearls!)

Chocolate Pizzelle Crisps

 

 

My first bite of these was not pleasant. These crisps were very bitter and lacked any flavor whatsoever…. At first. After I ate a few, I started to taste a hint of chocolate / sweetness. The crispness of the pizzelle was on-point and all of the crisps were a nice full-size. I could easily see this as being a great topping to frozen yogurt or ice cream or even a quick treat by themselves. However, they’re not for me. I prefer my sweet snack to be a little more sweet. I would buy this as an addition to a health-nut’s gift basket, as the crisp did taste good, but I wouldn’t personally purchase this for myself in the future.

New World Caveman Cookies

 

I’m sorry… but this “cookie” was disgusting! Kudos for it being all natural and healthy, but it had the weirdest flavor and left my mouth full of a nasty after-taste. The texture was exceptionally moist, so points for that, but I was not at all impressed. I will NOT be buying this in the future or putting anything “caveman-like” in my mouth again.

 

 

Kind Snacks Mini Bar

I failed miserably with this item… I didn’t take a picture, but you can check out what the bar looks like by viewing the October Tasting Box picture, courtesy of the Love With Food website below:

 

This bar didn’t rock my world. It tasted like any other healthy granola / snack bar on the market. Don’t get me wrong, it did taste good, but it did not wow me. I had no problem eating the bar, but I do not foresee myself repurchasing this again in the future.

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