The Nutritionist Reviews

February 27, 2012

Golden Peanut Flour Review

I've been wanting to try peanut flour for some time now.  I have seen it all over the blog world but never saw it in stores.  I read a very positive review on the Golden Peanut Company on another blog and wanted to try it myself.  For my review, I was sent some 12% fat medium roast peanut flour and some 28% fat light roast peanut flour. Besides peanut flour, this company also sells all things peanuts. They sell peanuts, peanut oil, peanut extract, etc.  To purchase their peanut flour, check out Byrd Mill which sells the peanut flour in smaller quantities. To be honest, I wasn't really sure how to use peanut flour.  I had seen bloggers mix it with a little water to make a peanut butter sauce for their oatmeal.  Then, I looked on the Golden Peanut website and found many more uses for the peanut flour: Confections Nutritional Bars Baked Goods Dry Flavor Systems Seasoning Blends Frostings and Fillings Sauces & Dressings Frozen Dairy Desserts Baking Mixes Pea

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February 25, 2012

Ballreich's Snack Basket Giveaway

One of my favorite indulgent snacks would have to be chips and love to try all different kinds.  When I found Ballreich's , I knew that I had to try their chips.  I was sent the Special All Occasion Gift Basket to review. The basket was nicely arranged with the chips and pretzels and would be great for a little gift.  I tried the flat chips first which were tasty.  They were very crunchy and salty. I also tried the Bar-B-Q chips which were sweet and flavorful.  The company sells a bunch of different kinds of snacks besides chips including pretzel, licorice, popcorn, torts, and meat snacks. Also, something awesome that I found online about the company is that if you live anywhere near their factory in Tiffin, OH, you can buy their chips hot and fresh made. If I ever make it to that area, I would love to get these. For some tasty chips, check out Ballreich's! Giveaway

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February 24, 2012

The Worst 45 Minutes

Ava                                                         Jaxen  These two dogs are pretty much my best friends. I love them very much and don't know what I would do without them.  Wednesday night, they both ran away.  I let them outside and they normally go potty right next to the house and come back to the door and I let them in.  This usually takes about 2 minutes.  This time, they were gone for about 4 minutes and I started to worry. I put my coat and shoes on and ran outside. It was already pitch black out and hard to see. I called their names and they didn't come.  Then, I ran back inside and grabbed a flashlight for each hand.  I looked all around out trailer park and could not find them.  Then, after a long 10 minutes of searching, I found Jaxen.  I was very relieved but still could not find Ava. I was calling her and searching and it was dead silent. No leaves rustling, no noises, nothing.  I got into my car and slowly drove around the park looking.  Nothing.  I

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February 22, 2012

Apparel Dynasty Review and Giveaway

When I saw these shoes on another blog from Apparel Dynasty , I knew that I had to have them.  They are a company that makes some very unique items.  The shoes seen above are called the Party Party Platform Pumps.  They typically retail for $50 but are on sale now for $37.49. I love that the shoes have three straps which makes them even cuter. The straps can criss cross for a different look.  I will wear these shoes with skinny jeans and a plain top to make them really stand out.  They could be worn to a bar or a fun dinner.  I love the bright and funky colors.  The company sells a few styles of shoes with fun and bright patterns on them. They also sell bags, flats, and scented shoelaces. Check out the bacon and eggs and hot dog scented shoelaces above. Too cute! Giveaway The giveaway will be for a $25 gift certificate from Apparel Dynasty to 1 lucky reader of  The Nutritionist Reviews.

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February 20, 2012

XO Baking Co Gluten Free Giveaway

As a soon to be dietitian (4 months!!!), I love trying gluten free products to see which ones are tasty so when I have patients with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, I can tell them which products to try.  When I found the XO Baking Co , I was interested in seeing if their products were similar to regular non-gluten free products.  For my review, I was sent the chocolate chip cookie mix, brownie mix, and the banana bread mix. Saturday night my husband and I got a rare craving for cookies. I remembered that I had just been sent this mix and pulled it out. The only bad thing was that I did not have any eggs. Then, I remembered what some of the bloggers had talked about making a "flax egg".  Just combine 1 tablespoon ground flax and 3 tablespoons of water.  Stir and wait 10-15 minutes while it thickens up.  We tried doing this even though we were unsure of the results. The result: they were amazing! The cookies cooked very quickly which satisfied out sweet tooth even

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February 17, 2012

California Avocados Direct Giveaway

My family is the biggest avocado fans. For example, on Super Bowl Sunday, my brother made guacamole with 8 avocados and we ate it all in like an hour along with tons and tons of other food. Avocados are great sliced on a sandwich, used in place of mayo, and or course made into guacamole. I found the company California Avocados Direct that ships fresh picked avocados right to your door.  I contact the company and they kindly sent me a case of their avocados to try.  I shared some with the other dietitians at the hospital since I had so many and they were excited to try them.  I was sent a different variety that what is normally sold in most grocery stores.  They are called fuerte avocados. Here is some information on this variety: The fuerte avocado used to be the "go-to" avocados until the Hass variety took over the market.  Fuertes have a delicious, nutty flavor....we can get them in California, but it's hard to find them in other states.  The Hass avocados h

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February 16, 2012

Green Valley Organics Lactose Free Review

Green Valley Organics is a company that makes lactose free dairy products. Many people cannot handle lactose but still want to be able to eat dairy products and that is where Green Valley comes in.  They make different yogurts, sour creams, and kefir. When I received this package on Friday, I opened up the kefir right away to try.    I was sent the blueberry pom acai flavor.  It is the best kefir that I have ever tried! It is slightly tart and full of flavor.  Two days later, I already have half of the container drank.  The best way that I can describe the texture of kefir to people is a mix between yogurt and milk. It is full of probiotics and live cultures and is very good for you. I would highly recommend this kind to people. Next, my husband and I tried the sour cream on a couple of different meals. We made venison chili and topped it with a dollop of this sour cream.  It was amazing! It was super rich and melted right into the chili.  You cannot tell the difference betwee

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February 15, 2012

HBL Thermal Styling Review

It is always fun to try out new hair products and see what they do for your hair. I was sent some products from the HBL thermal styling system to try and review. HBL stands for Health. Beauty. Life. and also sells other lines of hair products for different styles straightening, volumizing, shine, etc. Here is some information on the products that I was sent : Nourish, shine and protect from start to finish when styling your hair with the HBL Thermal Styling System. Leave-In Conditioner provides weightless moisture for thirsty tresses while Shine & Seal provides a smooth, high-gloss finish. Thermal Spray protects hair during all thermal applications including blow drying, flat ironing and curling with hot rollers or a curling iron. I decided to try out these products when I was getting ready for my Valentine's Day celebrating with my husband.  My hair turned out very silky and smelled good! I really like the leave in conditioner especially now in the winter where my

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February 14, 2012

Mason Jar Cookie Company Giveaway

 I love cookies and think that there is not too much better than a warm cookie right out of the oven.  When I found the Mason Jar Cookie Company , I became very interested.  They are a company that lets you create your own cookie mix with many different options. This would be perfect for any gift, it would especially be cute for Valentine's day. Check out the company's Valentine's Day cookie creations. First, you choose the mix that you want, chocolate, peanut butter, oatmeal, or traditional. I went with the traditional. Then, you choose your "Sweets, treats, and crunchies" which includes options such as toffee, jelly beans, chocolate, etc. Then you choose your nuts and then dried fruit.  For my mix, I chose oreo pieces, dried cherries, and apricots and placed my order. The order shipped very quickly and I was excited to open the cute tube packaging seen in the first picture above.  The ingredients look very nice in the jar as you can see above.  I love th

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February 13, 2012

Fruit&Fruit Bars Review

As a huge fruit fan, I was excited to try these Fruit&Fruit bars made with only fruit.  I was sent the three varieties including the coconut & raisins, mango & pineapple, and apple & berries.  Each bar has 2 servings of fruit in them.  I look for products like this to eat when working at the hospital when my blood sugar gets low. It provides some quick nutrition to get it back up.  My favorite of the bars is the coconut & raisins one.  It is full of flavorful coconut and tastes great.  I like that the bars are nice and soft and chewy.  Also, the mango & pineapple one is sweet and fruity.  These bars make a perfect snack for on the go. They are not too overly sweet like you might imagine with dried fruit which is good. Here is some information about them :  Fruit&Fruit bars are 100% natural with a unique texture and taste . Made of real fruit pieces (not mashed fruit), these bars are chewy and deliciously fruity . The ingredients list is simple –

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February 11, 2012

Mr. Chewy Review

I was recently contacted by Mr. Chewy which is a company that sells over 70 brands of pet food, treats, and supplies.  I was offered a gift card to their company and chose some treats for my dachshunds. I chose a box of Greenies and 10 large rawhides.  I have a pretty funny story that went along with this.  I received the box of goodies, opened them, and left them in my guest bedroom.  I had to load some stuff into my car and shut the dogs into the room so that they would not run outside. When I came back to let them out, my girl Ava had perfectly unwrapped one of the rawhides and was chewing on it. I could not believe that she took the wrapping off and stole one. That's the last time I will leave them laying around! The dogs love them and they keep them entertained for hours. My opinion of Mr. Chewy is a good one. The products shipped very quickly to my house and the site is easy to navigate. The prices seem pretty good. They offer free shipping if you spend over $49 a

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February 10, 2012

Jade Asian Greens Pasta Salad

Jade is a company that sells different kinds of Asian greens.  They started in 2008 and grow their vegetables in California. The produce is fresh and nutritious.  Along with the Asian greens, they also grow celery, strawberries, and other vegetables. For my review, I was sent a variety of their products. I love any kind of greens and was super excited to try some new to me vegetables.  They grow tiny baby bok choy which is awesome! Normally, bok choy is about the size of celery but these ones are about the size of a roma tomato.  They are so cute! I decided to make a pasta salad with them and it turned out pretty good.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture but  I will still share the simple recipe. Asian Greens Pasta Salad Ingredients: 1 lb whole grain pasta 3 containers Jade Asian greens (baby bok choy, gai choy, gai lan), chopped 1 cup chopped cauliflower 8 ounces chopped muenster cheese 12 ounces fat free Italian dressing Directions: 1. Boil a

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February 09, 2012

Favorite Ask the RD Posts

Over the last year or so, I have been writing "Ask the Nutritionist" posts based on your nutrition questions.  Here are some of my favorite ones that I have done: How often should I eat? Quick Healthy Meals   Food and Diet Myths Part 1 Food and Diet Myths Part 2 2011 Food Trends 100 Calorie Snacks How to Drop that Pregnancy Weight   Healthy Holiday Food Choices Potassium Fiber Healthy Foods to Eat in Autumn Healthy Vegetarian Options Diet Tips Winter Diet vs. Summer Diet Easy Ways to Your Best Bikini Body Curing Foods Dairy Free Sources of Calcium Eating an Organic Diet Vegetarian Lent Fridays Red Fruits and Vegetables Now I have a question for you. Do you have any nutrition questions or topics that you would like me to post about? Let me know!

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February 08, 2012

Rhythm Superfoods Review

Rhythm Superfoods is a company that makes sweet potato chips and kale chips.  Since both of these are a big trend right now, I was interested in trying them.  Kale is a food packed with important vitamins and minerals. It is full of antioxidants, phytonutrients and carotenoids. It's also an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, K, B6, Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Potassium, and fiber. The first ones that I tried was the zesty nacho kale chips. They are awesome! They are super crispy and taste great.  What I was worried about was that besides the kale, that the ingredients would be unrecognizable.  That is not the case at all.  The ingredient list is awesome! Here is what the zesty nacho ones contain: organic kale, organic cashew, organic red bell pepper, organic zucchini, organic carrot, organic onion, organic yeast powder, organic garlic, organic apple cider vinegar, organic lemon juice concentrate, organic spices, sea salt.  A serving has 106 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and

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February 07, 2012

Ask the RD: Weight Watchers Diet

For a project for my internship, I did a study on popular diets to research what they are, if they work, nutritional adequacy, etc. This post highlights the Weight Watchers diet. These are not my opinions but is information and research that I found.  How it works: Weight Watchers is a program that helps people to lose weight, form helpful habits, eat better, and get more exercise.   No food is completely off limits with the program but recently Weight Watchers started urging people to avoid processed foods.   Each food and beverage in Weight Watchers is assigned a point value and each member has a certain amount of points that they can have each day.   They can choose which foods to eat but must stay within that number limit. How clients lose weight is that they eat fewer calories than they are burning.  You can work with WW but in person meetings or an online only program.   They help members select a goal weight and discuss BMI. To join WW, you must weigh at least 5 po

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February 06, 2012

Ask the Nutritionist: Raw Food Diet

For a project for my internship, I did a study on popular diets to research what they are, if they work, nutritional adequacy, etc. This post highlights the Raw Food diet. These are not my opinions but is information and research that I found.  How it works: Practice of consuming uncooked, unprocessed, and many times organic foods as the main part of the diet. Common foods eaten include raw fruits, dried fruit, vegetable juices, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fish, and raw dairy products (milk, cheese, and yogurt). Many times the raw foodie is vegan or vegetarian. The followers of the diet believe that raw food is healthier for the body and that cooking food over 116-118 degrees destroys important enzymes. They also believe that cooked food takes longer to digest.   They often use a dehydrator to cook where the temperature does not reach over 118 degrees. Raw Lasagna Advantages : This diet is good for the environment. It is uses more natural foods and has less packagin

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