The Nutritionist Reviews

July 26, 2012

Pulse Uniform Review

Last year, I reviewed a lab coat from Pulse Uniform . I was about to start my dietetic internship and was scared, excited, etc. Now, I am done with my internship and ready to take my test to become a registered dietitian. My how time flies! I was sent a Grey's Anatomy lab coat from Pulse Uniform last year.  I love this lab coat. I wore it for 15 weeks straight, everyday while I was in my clinical rotation at a hospital. This coat is good quality, looks professional, and does not stain easily.  The pockets fit all of my goodies including my BMI calculator, notebook, pens, chapstick, calculator, enteral tube feeding formulary, etc. This lab coat brings many good memories to me! This time around, I was sent another Grey's Anatomy lab. It is the Juniors 32 inch Heartline embroidery lab coat . It retails for $37. It is similar to the last one which is good because I loved how the last one fit. I do not have to wear a lab coat at my new dietitian job but will be throwing it ove

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July 25, 2012

Fran Kramer Review

Today, I bring to you a review for a product made in Michigan. I love, love, love to feature Michigan products on my blog as that is where I have always lived and have lived all around the state.  The company is called Fran Kramer and they make pure shea butter. The company is in East Grand Rapids which is about 20 minutes from where I did my clinical rotation for my internship! The shea butter comes in 3 different flavors including lavender, natural, and palmarosea. They come in cute little round containers. My skin is extremely dry so I knew that this would be a product that would be able to help my skin. The first thing that I noticed was how rich it is.  The shea butter is solid and you need to rub it a bit to get some on your hands.  It is extremely moisturizing and smells good. Something to note is that it is kind of greasy so be careful about rubbing it on anything such as furniture. I think that this product would be perfect for the winter when many people's skin get

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July 24, 2012

Metromint Review and Giveaway

  Metromint is a product that I have been wanting to try for quite some time. It is a mint flavored water that comes in different flavors (ex: spearmint, peppermint, orange mint). I love most things minty so was excited to see how this water tasted. The water has no calories or sugars added. It is just water and mint which is nice to get a water that has flavor but no sugar/calories. The first one that I opened was the spearmint. This one was tasty. Spearmint is the only kind of gum that I really like and I liked drinking it in water form.  It has quite a strong mint taste and I liked drinking it more as another type of beverage instead of like water. It was very refreshing and made my mouth feel very clean. The other one that I tried was the peppermint. This one was my favorite. It was perfectly flavored- not to strong or too weak. I think that this Metromint peppermint water would be awesome in making a mojito when you do not have any mint leaves.  As an alternative to water

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July 23, 2012

Cheribundi Review and Giveaway

Sour cherries are one of my favorite things to eat in the summer. My parents have a tart cherry tree in their yard that blooms every June. The fruit gets ripe quickly and lasts only a few days. I love these tart cherries and wish that they had a longer season. Then, I found Cheribundi which is a company that sells different kinds of tart cherry juice! The best part about this brand is that all of the cherries are from Michigan (!!!) and New York! I was sent a variety to try including whey cherry, skinny cherry, tru cherry, ginger cherry, and cacao cherry.  The first one that I tried was the ginger cherry. I thought that this sounded unique, odd, and interesting all at the same time. I poured about 1/2 of the bottle in a glass with some ice. It was quite tasty. I ended up adding water to dilute it though since I don't like very sweet drinks. It definitely had a strong ginger flavor which was neat mixed with the cherry. The next one that I tried was the tru cherry. I shared th

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July 22, 2012

ChicoBag Reusable Bag Review

I have reviewed ChicoBags reusable bags in the past and loved them so much that I contacted the company again to do another review. They are reusable bags that fit into a tiny pouch that is attached to the bag. I use my ChicoBag for different things including weekend trips, an extra bag to haul books, or groceries.  They are surprisingly strong for such a lightweight bag. I love that they can become so compact so they are very easy to transport anywhere. Sometimes, I will bring one of these in it's little pouch in case I need an extra bag. They are also easy to wash. Once, I left some ripe fruit in the bag and it got smashed and washed out very easily. This Vita Blossom Lotus Flower bag retails for $12.99. It is able to carry up to 40 lbs which is amazing. The company sells all different patterns and bag shapes and sizes. I love that they have girly patterns as well as manly or neutral ones. The other ChicoBags that I have are hot pink and purple polka dot which is awesom

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July 19, 2012

Core Power Review and Giveaway

My husband loves to try new to us protein drinks and this was no exception. I was sent some Core Power high protein recovery drinks to try out and review. The flavors include vanilla, chocolate, honey, and strawberry banana. The first one that I tried was the vanilla. I mixed half of one bottle in with my smoothie. It was tasty! No chalky or overly sweet flavor.  This 1/2 of a bottle added 13 grams of protein to my smoothie which helped to keep my full throughout the morning.  It is 240 calories, 26 grams of protein, and has 70% of your daily calcium!! My husband took the strawberry banana one for in between his summer classes. He really liked it. He said that it was pretty sweet but not chalky or weird at all. This was one of the light varieties and has 150 calories, 20 grams of protein, and 50% of your daily calcium. I am impressed with the amount of calcium in these shakes. It is like drinking over 2 glasses of milk plus you get a ton of filling protein. To help keep you f

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July 18, 2012

Country Gourmet Review

Country Gourmet is a company that sells all different types of food mixes, jams, dip mixes, soup mixes, and much more.  I was recently sent some unique products of theirs to try including peach butter, no sugar added raspberry spread, low sugar sun dried tomato parmesan beer bread, and Daddy's bean dip mix. The products that I was most excited to try were definitely the fruit spreads. I am a huge fan of any kind of fruit, especially peaches and raspberries. The raspberry spread is awesome. It is very fresh tasting and even though it is no sugar added, is plenty sweet. This tastes amazing on whole wheat bread with peanut butter. Also, I have been stirring it into my oatmeal which is another favorite. The peach butter is pretty good too. I was expecting more of a fresh peach taste but it takes like cinnamon and other spices. It tastes similar to apple butter. This one is great on toast as well. Finally, I made the loaf of beer bread which turned out great. Beer brea

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July 17, 2012

Yogi Tea Review

Yogi Tea Review Did you know that dogs love tea? I'm guessing not. I have quite a funny story for you. So recently, I was sent a package of Yogi teas to try.  I had them laying out on a high table. One day I was in a different room and I hear rustling around. I go into my red room and see 4 boxes of tea bags strewn all over the room.  My terrible dachshunds took all of the bags out of the packages. I tried to be mad but honestly just laughed. At least they did not eat the tea leaves! Yogi Tea Women's Energy Anyways, I was sent 6 boxes to try: green tea kombucha decaf, soothing caramel bedtime, ginger, raspberry passion perfect energy, women's energy, and green tea blueberry slim life.  The women's energy was flavorful! Lately I have a new strategy when reviewing products. I try the one that I think that I will like the least first. In this case, it was the ginger. Typically, I am not a ginger fan but decided to give this tea a chance.  Buy Yogi Tea on Amazon . Yog

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July 16, 2012

Wholly Salsa Review and Giveaway

I have reviewed tons and tons of products here on my blog. When I tell you that this Wholly Salsa is one of my favorite products that I have ever reviewed, you have to know it is good. This package came to us as a surprise one Friday evening.  My husband and I were so excited that we immediately busted out the avocado verde salsa.   Since that night a couple of weeks ago, we have tried all but one of these salsas (can you tell we love salsa?).  Our favorite of all of them was definitely the avocado verde.  It is a mix of green tomatillo salsa and avocado.  It is so fresh and tasty. All I can tell you is that you MUST try it.  The entire container was gone in 10 minutes : ) I also really liked the roasted tomato salsa. This one was more simple than some of the others and did not have chunks of onion or cilantro but I really enjoyed the true tomato flavor. It reminded me of the salsa that my husband's Mexican family makes. Every single one of these salsas are completely de

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July 15, 2012

Stumptown Coffee Review

I love my morning cup of coffee. Even in the summer, I love a cup of hot coffee. In the afternoon, sometimes I will make an iced coffee once the coffee is room temperature in the pot. Recently, I was sent a couple bags of Stumptown Coffee to review. I was sent the trapper creek decaf and the hair bender. Both of these coffees are very delicious. I tried the trapper creek decaf first. I am a fan of weaker coffee and this one fits the bill. It is not too strong and tastes perfect with a bit of skim milk. The hair bender is also great. Here is a description of the blend : Hair Bender is a complex blend featuring coffee from all three of the major growing regions; Latin America, East Africa and Indonesia. We devote constant attention to Hair Bender and are proud of its status as our most popular coffee. We often say our dedication to coffee at the farm level, including how the coffee is grown, picked, separated and processed is what sets Stumptown apart. The Hair Bender is no e

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July 14, 2012

Lovesac Pillow Review

Lovesac is a company that sells beanbag type sacs, pillows, slippers, and other comfortable things for lounging.  There is nothing better after a long day than throwing on your pajamas and cuddling up and watching a movie. Lovesac sells several things to make your relaxing time cozier. For my review, I was sent two of the throw pillows in taupe rhinoplush . These pillows are extremely well made and retail for $40 each. One of the first things that I noticed was how thick the fabric was. This means that it would be much harder for my dachshund friends to rip up! : ). The pillows are a mix between a grey and a taupe color. They look different on different furniture and in different light. Right now, these pillows are on one of our couches as you can see in the picture but I think that they are going to go on our chocolate bedspread. We don't have any decoration pillows on there and these are perfect. Here is some information about these pillows:  Rhinoplush is the loftiest,

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July 13, 2012

Swanson Vitamins Review

Swanson Vitamins is a company that sells all sorts of supplements, tea, beauty products, healthy foods, etc. They have thousands of options and many of them are at a reduced cost. For my review, I was given a $25 gift certificate to the company and this is what I chose (I did pay a little out of pocket since it went over $25).  I chose the Swanson Ultra Vanilla Whey Protein Powder, Burts Bees lip balm, Hawaiian tropical fruit tea, Yogi green tea kombucha, and apricot tea.  As you can tell, I am a huge fan of tea and love trying unique flavors. I had not tried apricot tea before so when I saw that product, I immediately added it to my cart. It was quite good! It had a fruity, slightly apricot flavor and tasted great iced. I made some for my sister and I and we both enjoyed it unsweetened. The vanilla protein powder was good too. I just started to use protein powder. I love to make smoothies but needed some extra protein to keep me full for longer. This one is tasty and not t

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July 12, 2012

Dexas Review

Dexas is a company that sells kitchen products, office supplies, and pet products- what a combination! I have read great things about them and when I was contacted by the company to review their products, I was excited to choose some things out. For my review, I was sent a watermelon cutting board (!!), a slimcase, over the sink cutting board, and the nib mitt mini.  The watermelon cutting board is just plain awesome. It is so fun for summer and I love cutting my fruit up on it. Did you know that watermelon is one of the lowest calorie fruits per serving?? The slimcase is perfect too. I actually just got a job (surprise!) and do not have an office at this point. I am going to use this slimcase to carry all of my important papers around with me.    We recently got a new sink because the old one was rusty when we moved in. It came with a cutting board that fit in the sink and we instantly fell in love with how convenient it is. The problem is that it is wood and is not going t

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July 11, 2012

MikaRose Review and Giveaway

MikaRose is a clothing company that is all about modesty. What first attracted me to this brand is that their clothes are not only beautiful but also work appropriate. These days, it is hard to find cute dresses that are long enough for work. This company has tons of cute options. For my review, I was sent the Ashley dress in plum. This dress retails for $44.99. It is also sold in cinder, stone, and pink. The dress is very comfortable. It is stretchy which is nice as well. I just started my first dietitian job this past week and will definitely be wearing this dress there. I like that it is fitted but not too tight which is perfect for work. I would also wear this dress to church or out to eat. It seems to be very nice quality as well. Check out my other favorites from MikaRose: Giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

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July 10, 2012

What an Almost Dietitian Eats

I thought that it would be a fun feature on the blog to share with you some of the meals that I eat. A lot of people assume that a dietitian only eats super healthy foods but that is not true. Some are healthy and some are not as healthy. Let me know if you are interested in seeing more of what I eat and I would be happy to share!  Salad with romaine lettuce, beets, tomatoes, onions, lentils, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and nutritional yeast  Conte's gluten free ravioli with red swiss chard, onion powder, garlic, and a creamy sauce  Swiss chard in everything: smoothies, salads, cooked, etc.  Breaded and Baked Zucchini- one of my favorites  Salad with spinach, beets, and lentils  Father's Day meal-  Mom's breaded BBQ chicken, dijon green beans, grilled summer squash, and zesty mashed potatoes Salad when my sister came over: spinach, romaine, jicama, tomato, cucumber, turkey, cheddar cheese, green pepper, and broccoli With all of the summer produce available for che

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July 09, 2012

DownEast Basics Review and Giveaway

DownEast Basics is a company that I became a huge fan of 2 years ago when I reviewed one of their dresses. It was a classic dress with roses on it. I wear that dress to work often and get many compliments each time! It is well made and has had no issues in these last couple of years.  This time, I was able to choose an item that I liked and I loved this Be Happy Tank right when I saw it. What first attracted me to it was the very fun design with the flowers. Also, I thought it was unique as I had not seen other items like this before. This top comes in the yellow color that you see above as well as a grey color. Yellow is my favorite color so I knew that I would love this one. This top retails for $39.99. It is well made and when I put it on, my sister said that it was very flattering. I will definitely be wearing this top all summer with a skirt, shorts or capris. It can be worn casually or worn with heels all dressed up. Here are some of my other favorite DownEast Basics

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July 08, 2012

Gigi Hill Review

Gigi Hill is a company that sells all different types and patterns of purses and bags. Here is some information about how the company started and about their quality: "As Gabrielle and Monica shopped for fabrics and gathered ideas, they knew their bags had to be made of the highest quality and fashion-forward designs. They spent many months researching and crafting their unique line of Gigi Hill signature pocket design products. In each bag there is a pocket for everything from water bottles to cell phones to lipsticks, and a key fob to ensure keys can be found in an instant. Finally, their vision became a reality: a line that is modern and chic yet feminine, a collection that bridges the gap where fashion and function collide." When I emailed the company to review one of their bags, I was able to choose which one I wanted and had a hard time deciding. There were several very cute ones that I liked. I chose the Sophia bag in Lulu/Aqua.  The bag is a different mat

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July 07, 2012

Jem Chocolate and Nut Butter Review

I love trying new kinds of nut butter and when I saw these unique flavors that Jem makes, I knew that I had to try them.  I was sent the cinnamon red maca almond butter and the coconut cardamom almond butter. They also sell chocolate bars as well. The first product that I tried was the cinnamon red maca almond butter. This almond butter is extremely smooth (similar to the consistency of caramel sauce) and creamy.  It is a raw and organic nut butter and is sold in little 6 oz jars. It is made with sprouted almonds, coconut palm sugar, red maca, cinnamon, and vanilla.  I like the simple ingredient list with no unknown ingredients. This nut butter is very sweet which is different than some.  It is very good on plain oatmeal or plain bread. It is more like eating a dessert than nut butter. I did not care for it on sweet bread as it was too sweet then. The coconut cardamom almond butter is very unique as well.  It has a medium cardamom flavor (you can taste it but it is not too st

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July 06, 2012

Pretzel Crisps Review

Pretzel Crisps Review My family and I have been long time fans of Pretzel Crisps ® . I first reviewed them a couple of years ago and love every flavor.  My dad is a huge fan of the buffalo wing. I love the everything and the original. My husband loves the new jalapeno jack. I also wrote about Pretzel Crisps ® in Women's World magazine a couple years ago when I declared them my favorite pretzel. In this review,  I will be sharing the different Pretzel Crisps flavors and what I think of each one. Pretzel Crisps Flavors Chipotle Cheddar Pretzel Crisps For this review, not only was I sent the classic flavors but also a couple ones new to me. I was sent the chipotle cheddar and the jalapeno jack.  The chipotle cheddar ones are different than I expected them to be in a good way. I thought that they were going to have a very strong chipotle taste but it was milder than expected. Each pretzel is covered in a good amount of flavor powder. I love these plain but any savory topping could g

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July 05, 2012

Schermer Pecan Review and Giveaway

I love pecans and when I saw Schermer Pecans , I knew I must try them. Not only do they have plain pecans but they also have dark chocolate covered pecans and cinnamon glazed pecans. Yum! I was sent those two kinds and a bag of the shelled pecans. One of my favorite ways to eat pecans is toasted and crushed on top of a salad. It gives you a dose of healthy fats, protein, and tons of flavor. The dark chocolate pecans are delicious. I have been enjoying eating a couple of these as an after meal sweet treat. My favorite are the cinnamon glazed pecans. They have almost a cinnamon powder on them and taste great. I think that these would be awesome crushed over some ice cream. Also, they are great plain too. These pecans seem to be very high quality and taste great! Giveaway The giveaway will be for 3 packages of Schermer Pecan Mammoth Halves. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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July 04, 2012

My Freshwater Pearls Review and Giveaway

My Freshwater Pearls is a company that sells all things pearl. I was sent a pair of their Simply Pure freshwater pearls which retail for $27.99. They seem to be great quality! I wore them to lunch with my grandma and running errands all day long. They can dress any outfit up and look very nice. Me in my new pearl earrings The company sells earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pendants, anklets, etc. I love pearls because they are so classic and will never go out style. This company's pearls affordable and would make a great gift for someone you care about. Also, the company has some promotions going on right now: $5 off when you spend $20.00 or more-code: freefive $10 off when you spend $40.00 or more-code: freeten $15 off when you spend $60.00 or more-code: free15 Giveaway  The giveaway will be for a pair of Simply Pure 8-9 mm pearl earrings from My Freshwater Pearls to TWO lucky winners. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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July 03, 2012

Cutting Edge Stencils Review and Giveaway

I bring to you this review and giveaway with so much excitement. Cutting Edge Stencils is a company that sell stencils for your walls, floors, etc.  For many years now, I have loved anything with a damask pattern. Many things in my home are that pattern and whenever I see it, I just love it. My husband and I have been working on redoing our basement bathroom and could not decide exactly what to do with it. We knew that we wanted grey but it is too big of a bathroom to have plain walls. When I found Cutting Edge Stencils, I knew that I had to work with them on a review and try out one of their stencils. The stencil taped up and painted   Cutting Edge Stencils offers tons of different stencils to choose from including many damask designs (!!!). I had a hard time choosing which one to get because they were all so amazing.  I ended up going with the Gabrielle damask stencil which I think looks amazing. I am a first time stenciler and was nervous for a few things. I was nervo

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