Review - WB Kitchen Brownie Honey Cookies

Brand:  WB Kitchen

Flavor:  Brownie Honey Cookies

Where to get it: here @ BarefootProvisions.com

                I grew up with a mother who baked quite often. I had two mortal kitchen enemies – vanilla extract and baking chocolate. They both smell wonderfully delicious, but taste like absolute mortal peril. These cookies were a lot like that first bite of baking chocolate that 6 year-old me had. Really bitter, really not good, really heartbreaking. Honey is the first ingredient, but the cocoa is unsweetened, and let me tell you – they create a really terrible harmony. Maybe other flavors are better?

               

Tastes like:   Bitter sadness

Taste rating:  0/10

Qualities:   Gluten free, all-natural

What’s in it:

Review - Yes Bar

Brand:  Yes Bar

Flavor:  Macadamia Chocolate Chip

Where to get it: here @ TheYesBar.com

                 200 calories and 140 of them are from fat, so I guess saying it tastes “seedy” is kind of stating the obvious here. Keep in mind that “low fat” usually really means “high carb” before you start putting your eyebrows up at a stick of anything that isn’t butter with that high of a percentage of calories from fat. Nuts and seeds are our friends, remember? Weirdly enough, I don’t remember ever having a nuts and seeds bar that also had a good dark chocolate presence in it like this one does. The texture is nice and soft without being crumbly, and the bold chocolate flavor is a really nice complement to the nuttiness of it all.

               

Tastes like:  Dark chocolate & seeds  

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, Non-GMO, vegetarian

What’s in it:

Review - Hemp Pro Protein Powder

Brand:  Manitoba Harvest

Flavor:  Hemp Pro Chocolate Protein Powder

Where to get it: here @ VitaCost.com

                I mixed this powder with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and blended it up with a few ice cubes. It has 7g of sugar in it, so I didn’t add any Splenda…big mistake. This mix is really, really bitter. It probably needs a banana or some berries, as well as some of your favorite no- or low-calorie sweetener, just to make it palatable. These guys could just save the money they are spending on the organic coconut sugar, because it’s not making this protein power even a little bit sweet.

               

Tastes like:  Bitter sadness

Taste rating:  1/10

Qualities:   Vegetarian, vegan, organic

What’s in it:

Review - Righteously Raw Brownie Mouthful

Brand:  Righteously Raw

Flavor:  Brownie Mouthful

Where to get it: here @ RighteouslyRaw.com

                I was surprised by this little treat, I was expecting something like a little smooshed-together blob or really dense brownie-type situation. What this really is, is an individually wrapped dark chocolate truffle, plain and simple. There’s a harder dark chocolate shell, softer chocolate ganache filling. If you love dark chocolate, you will love this, absolutely. I can’t help but think that this would be the perfect snack to unwind with on a Friday night, with a glass of red wine…even before dinner. You only live once, right?

               

Tastes like:  Dark, dark chocolate

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Kosher, vegetarian, vegan, Gluten free, Non-GMO, organic, raw

What’s in it:

Review - Greens Plus Protein Bar

Brand:  Greens Plus Bar

Flavor:  Chocolate

Where to get it: here @ GreensPlus.com

                 Do you like dark chocolate? Most people do, but what most people don’t know is that this bar tastes exactly like a bar of dark chocolate. Sure, the texture is a bit different than that log of Ghirardelli that you’re slobbering all over, but the flavor is nearly just the same. Swap that for this and get yourself 15g of protein in the process. You’re going to enjoy it, I promise. Red wine and a protein bar is the new black.

               

Tastes like:  Dark chocolate, straight up

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free, Non-GMO

What’s in it: 

Review - E & C's Heavenly Hunks

Brand:  E & C’s Heavenly Hunks

Flavor:  Oatmeal Chocolate Chip

Where to get it: here @ EandCsSnacks.com

                I’m kind of a sucker for cute packaging, and if you put a red heart on it, you’ll have my attention. If you put a red heart on a package that also contains the words “oatmeal” and “cookie”, I’m getting out my wallet. These Heavenly Hunks are very appropriately named, but they didn’t look quite like the picture on the package (most things don’t, I’m not complaining). They looked like weird little cylinders that made me think…”Oh man, have I overestimated the experience that I’m about to have?”

                Fear not, fellow munchers! The taste on these guys is truly heavenly indeed. They taste like an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie that has just a smidge of concentrated brown sugar in the middle of them. When I was scavenging for a treat the night after I had eaten them (the whole package, natch), I found myself wishing that I could just eat these again…that’s how you know you really liked something. Anyone who eats gluten-free…I don’t know why you’d buy any other cookie.

               

Tastes like:  Oatmeal brown sugar tasties  

Taste rating:  10/10

Qualities:  Gluten free

What’s in it: 

Review - Attune Foods Probiotic Chocolate Bar

Brand:  Attune Foods

Flavor:  Probiotic Chocolate Bar

Where to get it: here @ VitaCost.com

                 I haven’t done a lot of research about probiotics and the like, but from my uneducated standpoint, chocolate with them has to be more nutritionally useful than chocolate without them, right? That’s what I’m going with anyway. Only problem is…this isn’t very good chocolate. Do the probiotics affect the taste? I have no idea. If you’re a die-hard probiotics person (is that a thing?), then I am sure this bar is more convenient, and more enjoyable, than trying to eat six cups of yogurt in a day. If you’re looking for some good chocolate that you haven’t tried before, this probably isn’t it.

               

Tastes like:  Not great chocolate

Taste rating:  5/10

Qualities:  Kosher, gluten free, vegetarian

What’s in it:

Review - Pure Organics Ancient Grains Bar

Brand:  Pure Organic Ancient Grains

Flavor:  Peanut Butter Chocolate

Where to get it: here @ Shop.ThePureBar.com

                The first ingredient in this bar is peanuts, but when you unwrap it, it kind of looks like pasted-together birdseed. Don’t dismay! The smell is wonderful, like a fresh jar of peanut butter. The taste is also pretty great, very peanutty, subtly chocolatey, and all the crispy grains give this bar a firm but not hard texture. It’s low in sugar (8g), and at 160 calories, it just about as perfect as a snack bar can get when you need something between meals, or even before bedtime. Anything to keep me  away from the Reese’s at midnight…

                 

               

Tastes like:  Lightly chocolate-d peanuts

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:  All natural, Gluten free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Organic

What’s in it:

Review - Hail Merry Macaroons

Brand:  Hail Merry

Flavor:  Choco Macaroons

Where to get it: here @ HailMerry.com

                Tiny little sweet balls of coconut sweetness, you’re just SO GOOD! Looking for a treat? Like coconut? Grab some of these Hail Merry Choco Macaroons. I’m not even a big fan of chocolate and I absolutely LOVED these. The bag I had contained 3 little macaroons – the perfect amount for when you really need to feel like you’ve had dessert. Even better, you can enjoy one here, one there, one later – just to squelch that nagging voice in your head that tries to send you to the office vending machine around 3 pm. They pack a great flavor and sweetness punch, so I’m really not being unrealistic when I say you CAN just eat one and feel pretty good about it, and that’s almost no calories at all. Plus…coconut is healthy, right? These are basically vegetables.

               

Tastes like:  Chocolate coconut YUM

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  Vegetarian, Vegan, Non-GMO, Kosher, Gluten-free

What’s in it:

Review - Ginny Bakes Ginny Minis Cookies

Brand:  Ginny Bakes Ginny Minis

Flavor:  Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bliss

Where to get it: here @ GinnyBakes.com

                Little cookies on the hillside, little cookies in my mouth. I think the thing that I liked best about these Ginny Minis was how…girthy they were. They’re like sweet little pucks of chocolate and cinnamon sweetness. This means when you open the bag, there they are! Whole tiny cookies, not a pile of worthless cookie dust that you can only dump on top of ice cream or yogurt. I would have liked these better without the chocolate, but that’s just me, being a weird chocolate hater. They are super sweet, and have a strong spice-presence. I feel like this would be the thing that you give your toddler when they have been SO GOOD all day. I feel like children would just FLIP for these little goodies.       

                 

               

Tastes like:  Spicy chocolatey tinykins

Taste rating:  7/10

Qualities:  Gluten free, organic, non-GMO, Kosher

What’s in it:

Review - Coco Libre Protein Coconut Water

Brand:  Coco Libre

Flavor:  Chocolate Protein Coconut Water

Where to get it: 

                Believe it or not, this was my first time trying coconut water in any form. I have friends who love it, and friends who hate it. After drinking this Coco Libre chocolate protein coconut water, I will definitely be trying more coconut water products. It tasted a lot like chocolate milk that had been watered down a bit, and I don’t mean that in a bad way (it sounds kind of gross). It was just less rich than traditional chocolate milk. I also found this to be a very satisfying 130 calories, and it had a minimal impact on my blood sugar since it has no added sugars. I can’t wait to try the vanilla flavor.             

                 

               

Tastes like:  Weakened Chocolate Milk

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Fair Trade Certified, vegetarian

What’s in it:

Review - Ratio Peanut Butter Cup Protein Bar

Brand:  Ratio

Flavor:  Peanut Butter Cup

Where to get it: here @ Bodybuilding.com

                                Sometimes when I review a product, I eat the whole thing…but sometimes I only eat a bite or two. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m the weird kind of girl-creature who doesn’t really like chocolate. Unfortunately, chocolate and protein bars are pretty inseparable. As my civic duty placed upon me by no one at all, I figure that once in a while I need to try some mainstream flavors for the greater good of the internet.

                This bar actually wasn’t terrible, due almost exclusively to the layer of peanut butter substance across the top of the bar. I’m not sure what it really is, but it tastes like real peanut butter, and it’s stinkin’ delicious. I took one bite of the bar-proper, then shucked off the top layer with my favorite Santoku knife and gobbled it all up. This probably defeats the purpose, but I do what I want. And I’d actually do it again, in a pinch. It was really that good.

                 

               

Tastes like:  Real peanut butter and fake chocolate

Taste rating:  6/10

Qualities:  Non-GMO, Gluten free, All natural, Made in the USA

What’s in it:

Review: Detour Neapolitan Whey Protein Bar

Brand:  Detour

Flavor:  Neapolitan Whey Protein Bar

Where to get it: here @ BodyBuilding.com

                Another bro-bar with a delicious looking picture on the wrapper, I think I’m just a glutton for punishment for this blog sometimes. BUT WAIT! This one actually had a very similar look on the inside as the picture on the wrapper. Could it be?? Yes! There was a definite “Neapolitan” look to the cross-section of the bar. And the taste? Pretty good! Strong on the strawberry for sure, but in a good way… when they pack so much whey protein into these bars, they get “that taste”. I think the strong berry component helps to neutralize some of it, and that’s a very good thing. Just keep in mind that this IS a “bro-bar,” aka not a low-calorie casual snack. I advise us girls who aren’t looking to build competition-size muscles to either eat this in 2 servings, preferably after a workout, or as your entire meal if you’re strapped for time.

                 

               

Tastes like:  A chocolate strawberry protein shake

Taste rating:  6/10

What’s in it:

Review: The Love Bean Superfood Fudge Spread

Brand:  Love Bean Superfudge Spread

Flavor:  Essentially Raw & Original Coconut

Where to get it: here @ Love Bean

                I didn’t know what to do with these little packets when I first got them. There are all kinds of suggestions on the back, and one of them is basically “Squirt it into your mouth and commence swooning” (I may be paraphrasing a tad). So, that’s what I did. At first I was like, “This is weird.” And then I was like, “Unnnngghhhh.” The texture is basically that of butter (at room temperature, you can also refrigerate these). I expected it to taste like coconut oil, which I’m not a huge fan of to begin with. It really didn’t though - it tasted more like chocolate, but a very smooth, comforting chocolate. (I’m also not a big fan of chocolate, if you haven’t gathered that yet.)            

                It’s really different. It tastes good. You need to try it for yourself. I feel like it would be absolutely KILLER on some sweet strawberries. Or toast. Man, I love toast. And the Love Bean offers them in little 1oz. packages, which I want to shuffle like playing cards with my grabby little hands.

Tastes like:  You’ll never buy another bottle of that chocolate syrup

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Organic

What’s in it:

Review: Health Warrior Chia Bars

Brand:  Health Warrior

Flavor:  Chia bar (variety)

Where to get it: here @ Health Warrior

                Hello, you perfectly-sized tiny little powerhouse of a snack! 100 calories per bar? Yes, please! I love, love, love the texture of these Health Warrior Chia bars. If you’re the kind of weirdo that gets excited when a glob of chia seeds get stuck together in your smoothie and then you get to chew them (why is that so fun to me?), then you will love these as much as I do. They come in all kinds of flavors, I devoured the apple cinnamon one before I remembered that I needed to take a picture. These are a definite winner in the “so many bars, help!” snack race.

               

Tastes like:  Fig Newton-granola bar-fruit casserole

Taste rating:  9/10

Qualities:  Gluten-free, Kosher, Vegetarian, Vegan

What’s in it: (Mango flavor bar)

Review: Emmy's Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Brand:  Emmy’s

Flavor:  Chocolate Chip Macaroons

Where to get it: here @ Emmy's Organics

                Raw stuff turned into other stuff is usually gross. It just is. I applaud those who can subsist off of a raw diet, but I will never be one of those people. I was expecting these cookies to taste like either dates or seeds, because that’s what all raw stuff tastes like. BUT WAIT. There must also be some raw sorcery in these Emmy’s Chocolate Chip Macaroons, because ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…they are wicked good. I can honestly say that I would rather eat these than a traditional, cooked macaroon – which are almost always overcooked and dry to me. Just 100 calories per little cookie puck, toss a pack of these in your desk drawer for that 3pm pick me up!

               

Tastes like:  Heaven

Taste rating:  10/10

Qualities:  Raw, Vegan, Gluten-free, Non-GMO, Kosher, Organic, All-natural

What’s in it:

Review: Skinny Girl Banana Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Bars

Brand:  Skinny Girl

Flavor:  Banana Oatmeal Dark Chocolate

Where to get it: here @ Drugstore.com

                I LOVE all things banana. Unfortunately, it’s one of the WORST artificial flavors ever invented. When banana-flavored things are bad, they are OMG-GET-THIS-AWAY-FROM-MY-FACE-DO-YOU-HAVE –ANY-DIRT-I-CAN-CLEANSE-MY-PALATE-WITH bad. In this particular product, they do it the right way. I didn’t have high expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. The chocolate isn’t too bitter or overpowering, the banana flavor comes through, but not in a slap-your-mama kind of way, and the bars are really soft and oat-y. A bit high on the calorie side (180) for me to pound these as snacks on a daily basis, but if you’re under your calorie threshold, or just worked out super hard, this is a great treat.

Tastes like:  The perfect balance I’m always trying to find between chocolate and banana

Taste rating:  8/10

What’s in it:

Review: Ratio Oatmeal Protein Bars

Brand:  Ratio

Flavor:  Oatmeal

Where to buy: here @ BodyBuilding.com

                I’m forever in search of good protein bars that aren’t just the same old combination of chocolate, peanut butter, caramel or nut. I was also that one weird kid that always preferred oatmeal cookies to chocolate chip, even if they had raisins. Yes, RAISINS BE DAMNED. I have to admit, I got pretty excited about the picture of the bar, on the packaging around the bar…like a rookie. Sadly, this bar was not filled with giant chunks of brown sugar-soaked oatmeal-y goodness. It’s mostly just chocolate-looking inside, with a disembodied oat shoved in here and there.

Tastes like:  Chocolate soaked in sugar alcohols

Taste rating:  4/10
Qualities:  Non-GMO, Gluten-free, All natural

What's in it: