Product Review – Page 3 – Zenaida Arroyo

Category: Product Review

11
Jul
2017

Quest Nutrition Beyond Cereal Bar

categories: Product Review, Tuesdays on the Run

I am pretty new to Quest Nutrition. I had heard of them but thought that it was just another protein bar that everyone eats and raves about. It wasn’t until I read Marcia’s post that I decided to try them out. Delicious!

When Quest Nutrition asked me to try their Beyond Cereal Bars, I couldn’t say no. I already like the protein bar so this one must be just as good or even better.

One of the cool things about these bars is that you can get them at your nearby 7-Eleven. This is perfect when going on a road trip or running errands and you are in need of a snack or a quick breakfast.

Quest Cereal Protein Bars 1

For me these are perfect as a pre-and-post workout snack. They’re tasty and filling.

Quest Cereal Protein Bars 3

I am taking swimming classes in one gym and then go to another one to run. These are great to eat in between workouts.

Quest Cereal Protein Bars 6

There are 3 flavors: Chocolate, Waffle, and Cinnamon Roll. I love chocolate so naturally the one I liked the best is the chocolate flavor.

Quest Cereal Protein Bars 2

Each bar has 110 calories, 2 grams of carbs, 6-7 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein. Plus, they’re sweetened with allulose which is a sweetener that is found in small quantities in foods like figs and raisins.

Even my cat was curious about them! <<She did not eat them but was very curious about it.

Remember, you can buy the Quest Nutrition Cereal Bars 24/7 at 7-Eleven.

Have you tried these bars? What did you think of them?

I am linking up with Marcia, Erika, and Patti for today’s Tuesdays on the Run.

TuesdaysOnTheRun

07
Jul
2017

Friday Five 2.0-Thoughts on Blue Apron Meals (not sponsored)

categories: Friday Five 2.0, Product Review

Please note that these meals were provided for free by a Oiselle friend.

I’ve always been curious about Blue Apron but did not want to pay for it. So, when a friend offered to sign me up to get 3 free meals, I couldn’t say no.

I received a box with ingredients for the following meals:

Seared Steak and Fingerling Potatoes
Shrimp and Fresh Fusilli Pasta
Cajun-Spiced Chicken

Everything came neatly packed in a refrigerated box.

Any extra (small) ingredients was packed separately.

I decided to first make the Shrimp and Fresh Fusilli Pasta. Spoiler: It was delicious.

I did not follow the steps exactly as was listed in the sheet (I cooked the squash in my toaster oven instead of the oven and I used minced garlic from a jar instead of the garlic that was sent to me). I did not add the olives because I do not like olives at all.

I love shrimp! I wished more was included in the box but I guess I could have added some that I had in my house.

It was a very simple and fast recipe. I was worried about overcooking the shrimp as well as making sure they were properly cooked. I like the taste of the tomato sauce and tomato paste. <<So much tastier than spaghetti sauce.

The second meal I made was Seared Steak and Fingerling Potatoes. It was another delicious meal.

I cooked the potatoes and onion in my toaster oven and I did not use all of the knick knacks for the salad. The butter lettuce was crispy and tasty.

I’ve never heard of crème fraîche or verjus rouge. I do not like mustard so I didn’t use it either. Those ingredients were to be used for the dressing but instead I used my own.

I am not a big fan of onion either but these were pretty good.

Finally the last meal was Cajun-Spiced Chicken.

This one took the longest to prepare. The instructions indicated that it was 15 minutes of prep time. Wrong. I think it took me about 20 minutes just to chop the pepper, celery, onion, potatoes, and cabbage. That was a bit frustrating.

I ended up cutting the chicken breast into pieces. I think that they cook better and faster this way. The cajun spice blend was not spicy at all but it was flavorful.

The potatoes and salad were very good. I went back for seconds and got these two items to eat.

Looks good, right?

Thoughts:

I like how everything you need comes in a box. No need to go to the grocery store for one pepper or 3 potatoes. Plus, the ingredients are pre measured.
Instructions are easy to follow. The pictures help in case you need to know if you’re doing it correctly.
The meals are yummy. There are two meal plans to choose from: 2-person or family. Also, you can choose from meat, fish, or vegetarian meals.
The following week’s menu are posted on the website a week in advance. This is good to know in case you want to skip a week or two. You can also cancel at any time.
Not cheap. It is $59.94 for 3 meals for 2 people, $71.92 for 2 meals for 4 people, or $$143.84 for 4 meals for 4 people. <<Yes, per week.

Have you tried Blue Apron? Thoughts?

I’m linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday 2.0.

11
Apr
2016

Green Blender Review

categories: Product Review

I first heard about this company from Erica. Check out her review here. I liked the idea and immediately signed up. However, once I realized exactly how much it was going to cost me, I cancelled my order. Fast forward a few weeks later and I found a great deal on Groupon so I signed up again.

So what is Green Blender and how does it work? Green Blender is a smoothie delivery service (kind of like Blue Apron and Hello Fresh). “Each week, you’ll get 5 new smoothie recipes and all the pre-portioned ingredients you’ll need to make 10 smoothies. Our recipes are hand crafted to ensure they’re packed with flavor and nutrients. We only use the best produce and superfoods, and focus on working with organic and local farms, to create a uniquely balanced menu.” Source: https://greenblender.com/

Each weekly box includes:

FREE delivery
5 original recipes per box
10 servings (12oz) per box
Pre-portioned ingredients

I received my box last week with all of the ingredients to make the following smoothies:

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Blackberry Apple Pie <———Delicious!
Rose Beet <——– My favorite one.
Kumquat Tart
Honey Grape Cordial

Each shipment includes a sheet with information about each smoothie and the ingredients needed for each one.

All of the ingredients are measured and stored in plastic bags. I did have to cut some of the fruit and vegetables. No big deal. Note: To peel and cut the beet was messy.

There was also a booster bag filled with items such as hemp seeds, cacao nibs, pea protein, and rose hips.

I put everything in a large glass bowl and stored it in the fridge.

What is it with cats and boxes?

Most of the smoothies I made using my NutriBullet. However, I also made a couple with my Blendec.

So what’s the verdict?

Each smoothie was very easy to make, fresh and delicious.
I like that all of the ingredients were selected, pre-packaged, and sent in one box. Definitely convenient for those that do not want to go to the store to buy the ingredients.
It was interesting and fun trying out new flavors and ingredients such as hip rose, white mulberries, kumquats, and moringa.
I don’t like my drinks to be too cold so I did not add the ice as instructed in the instructions sheet.
I also like that there was different smoothie for each day. Mine tend to be pretty boring with just the basics such as spinach and /or frozen fruit, almond milk, and protein powder. I use Vega One Nutritional Shake and Vega Sport Performance Protein.

Green Blender has weekly, monthly, and quarterly plans with a cost of $49 per week which comes out to $4.90 per smoothie. You have the option to pause or cancel anytime.

I ended up canceling my subscription. While I enjoyed the convenience and deliciousness of the smoothies, I couldn’t justify spending that much money per week.

27
Mar
2016

Dove Dry Spray Product Review

categories: Product Review

I received this product complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes but all opinions are my own.

I am very picky about my anti-perspirant. What do I look for in a brand? Well, basically to keep me dry, have a nice fragrance, and does not leave me with wet and sticky arms. Not too much to ask for right? I am a big fan of a solid anti-perspirant and have used Secret, Dove, Lady Speed Stick, Mitchum, Ban, Degree, Suave. I am sure I’ve left off a few brands but for now that is what I remember. I dislike gels, roll-ons and sprays because they always leave me with wet underarms. Thanks to Influenster I received a bottle of Dove Dry Spray.

At first I was skeptical because most sprays tend to take a while to dry hence leaving me with wet underarms. I’ve used this bottle several times after my TRX workout and will say that I like it. The instructions are pretty clear as you can see below.

The bottle states to “Make sure to keep it away from face and mouth to avoid breathing it.” However, I don’t see how that is possible because you need to hold it 6 inches from your underarm and you will definitely get some in your mouth. Fortunately I like the scent but still I do not want to breathe in all of that.

Once I applied it, my underarms were not sticky nor wet. It was definitely a dry and smooth feeling and I like it! Did it keep me dry? Absolutely! I am in a classroom for 6 hours and throughout the day get hot and then cold. My underarms were dry and still had a nice clean smell (yes, I did check). The bottle states that the spray protects for up to 48 hours. I do not know if that is accurate because I shower every day and honestly I don’t want to go a day without anti-perspirant. I do sweat A LOT. I love that there is no white residue on my clothes.

I leave the bottle in my gym to share with others. Plus, one can lasts up to 8 weeks!!

The price isn’t too bad either. I found it for $5.40 at Target and $5.30 at Amazon.

So are you a spray, solid, roll-on or gel type of person? What is your brand choice of anti-perspirant?

26
May
2014

LYFT Clean Caffeine Review

categories: Product Review

Through my relationship with Fit Approach, I received a complimentary LYFT Clean Caffeine product. As always, all thoughts, opinions and ideas are my own.

Let’s see. This was an interesting product to review. I am big coffee drinker. I drink it every single day. You do not want to be around me if I haven’t had yet a cup of coffee. I love the flavor and the energy boost I get from the caffeine. That is what keeps me going with 23 kids in a classroom.

LYFT^® Energy Stir Sticks are a zero calorie, “Clean Caffeine”™ energy product infused with all natural caffeine derived from green coffee bean extract with vitamins A and B complex that can be used with any beverage to provide a sophisticated energy experience with a clean taste. (Source: http://www.purelyft.com/)

It is a very simple product to use. Remove strip and stir in drink.

I couldn’t taste the powder in my drink. Well, just the slight taste of sweetness. Nothing to complain about. Each stick has caffeine that is comparable to a tall cup of coffee. I tried this in the evening and I was still tired.

Check out this document to see how LYFT compares to other energy giving products such as ZipFizz and RedBull.

I like the taste of coffee so if I need a “pick me up” then I will just drink a cup of coffee. However, LYFT is a much healthier choice. Plus it is convenient since you can put this in your bag and take it anywhere with you. I think they’re a bit expensive, $5.99 for a 2 pack. Again, I like coffee so I would rather spend the money on coffee.