Tag: Review

• Vega Sport Review

  Posted at 5:17 AM by Brittany, on August 12, 2013

  I love caffeine. Give me a pot of coffee with some espresso shots on the side and I will be bouncing off the walls for hours. While I love the high that I get from caffeine, I would rather get this energy boost from vitamins. I’m a huge believer of using vitamins for natural energy. With that said, you can understand my excitement when I received an e-mail from Vega asking me to try out their new sugar free energizer.

  

  A lot of endurance or energy products are super sketchy, so I was glad to see that the ingredients were legit. Aside from devils claw (which I promptly Googled) I knew what everything was, making it easy to confidently put this into my body.

  

  I hate when people share products without sharing the nutrition label!!

  I was shocked to find that they sent me an entire box, with THIRTY packets. This meant multiple reviews for multiple activities.

  

  First up was a packet before a morning spin class. Normally I feel a bit sluggish for this class, but this time I felt great. One packet 20 mins prior to spin and you’ll feel like you’ve got the Olympic torch, pedaling as fast as you can to get it home. Faster, FASTER!

  

  Next up was work. I wanted to see how this stuff stood up to regular activity vs higher endurance activities. I was pumped so full of vitamins that I was moving at lighting speed. I was pouring lattes and blending frappuccinos like the end of the world was coming. I almost had too much energy..almost. Seriously I felt cracked out, in a good way. Good thing I work with coffee and no one noticed, I’m sure they thought I slammed some shots.

  

  Last, but most certainly not least I tested these out while running. Let me just set this disclaimer out there, these energy packets DO NOT turn you into Kara Goucher. I had to test these twice because the first time I went for a run with the energizer, I set out of the gate like I was competing for a spot in a zombie shelter. NONONO! Once I depleted all my energy within 5minutes I knew I had to try them again..and run like I do normally.

  

  So I did just that, I tried them again before an early morning five mile run. It was amazing. I didn’t even need my morning coffee!! Well I didn’t need my coffee for energy, I still needed it for other morning rituals. I also lasted that entire day until after 10pm. Long story short I really, REALLY like this product! I will be purchasing more when I run out!

  Q: What’s your go to energy source for working out? These are now my favorite, along with SHOT BLOKS! 

  

  | 33 Comments Tagged Coffee, Review, Running, Spinning, Vega, Work

• Early Morning Confessions

  Posted at 7:55 AM by Brittany, on April 20, 2013

  1. Remember the Grinch that tried to steal Christmas, only to be shocked when the people of Whoville came together stronger than ever? Even without their gifts? Yeah, that just happened in Boston. Runners unite, even without their medals.

  2. I have separation issues. Specifically with clothing, I recently gave away some too big race shirts, and old work shirts, and it was like giving away a piece of my soul.

  

  

  I did keep four TJ’s shirts…baby steps.

  3. My running has been below average lately. I blame this on the fact that my knee is killing me. The bizarre part is that it’s not the knee that was hurting me before my last half marathon. Whatever, they are trying to take me down..damn knees.

  4. On sunny days I like to spoil my children and let them outside. It’s like Christmas in April for these furry boys.

  

  He got so dirty I soon regretted my decision.

  

  5. That jungle cat in the above picture has a new name: Richard Parker. Simply because I was so blown away by the movie Life Of Pi that I now call my cat by this name. This movie rocked my world so hard I couldn’t stop thinking about it for days…

  6. I love nature…like a lot. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before.

  

  7. I’ve been obsessing over burritos lately. Better yet burritos with the entire kitchen mashed inside. Newest obsession: Beets inside the burrito.

  8. Last night I combined a store discount along with a coupon to get $2.00 off, making my total $1.99. Couponing at it’s finest.

  9 and 10. While I haven’t been running A LOT I have still been running, and I was given some gels to try out on one of my longer runs. I’ve tried GU Gels, Shot Bloks, Chia Surge, and now Huma gels, a chia energy gel. I love chia seeds so I happily accepted the gels in exchange for my honest review.

  

  This is a new company, and I am all for supporting small businesses. They have two flavors right now, strawberry and apple cinnamon. I have to admit that I am not a fan of fruity flavored gels like this, so the strawberry was not my jam. I did however LOVE the apple cinnamon gel. The flavor was amazing and I would eat it with my oatmeal or toast before a run, if not straight from the packet.

  

  The texture was smooth, perfect for those of you skeeved out by chia seeds and their gelatinous texture when wet. I was surprised when I couldn’t even tell the seeds were in the mix. I would definitely buy the apple cinnamon gel again for my longer runs. Delicious AND nutritious.

  

  

  Click photo to be taken to the website.

  You don’t have to be a runner to enjoy these gels, these are perfect for any cardio like activity. If you’re interested in trying these gels, and supporting a small new business you can use the discount code: BLISSFULBRITT  for 10% off until April 30th!

  Q: What’s your morning confession?

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged Boston, Confessions, Half Marathon, Review, Running, Vegan

• Sweet Treat

  Posted at 12:31 PM by Brittany, on April 15, 2013

  It’s no secret that I love sugar. Cookies, cakes, chocolate, anything with that sweet kick to the mouth and I’m in heaven. I don’t however, love fake sugar or anything claiming to be a healthier alternative to sugar. Don’t even try to offer me Splenda, Equal, or even Stevia. Stevia tastes just as bad as the dirt it’s grown from. Blech. Nothing beats the real deal as long as it’s raw and pure. Also, it’s all about the balance..sugar doesn’t make you unhealthy if it’s consumed responsibly, so why eat the shit your body doesn’t recognize? Beats me.

  With that said, there is one sugar “alternative” that I was willing to try: Xylitol. Heard of it?? It’s what is used to sweeten your gum and toothpaste and gives that minty cool feeling. Sugar alcohols don’t affect your teeth, but they do have one major side effect: Diarrhea. This could be good and bad…just hear me out. Knowing that if you eat too much and could get diarrhea, this could help to keep your paws out of the cookie jar eating too many cookies. A little help getting rid of waste never hurt anyone right? Kidding..sorta.

  I was asked to do a review of a Canadian company’s Xylitol product. While I still swear by real sugar, I was happy to give this stuff a try.

  

  I do have to disagree with the words at the top, if eating sweets gives you guilt, you’ve got bigger issues than needing fake sugars. BALANCE PEOPLE! If you don’t think you earned the sweet, DON’T EAT IT! No need to feel guilty! This stuff looked like sugar, and tasted sweet with a cooling after taste..in a good way! I also was given some candies, and gum.

  

  No complaints. I loved all of the candies, and I am obsessed with the gum!! This is the kind of gum that you chew so obnoxiously because the flavor is SO good and you just can’t get enough. This might explain why I have no friends..

  Now I just needed to BAKE with the Xylitol to see how it tasted in a cookie.

  Chocolate Chip Cookie 

  

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup xyla
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup applesauce
  • 1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted coconut oil, brown sugar and xyla until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, and applesauce until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
  4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted.

  

  So how did they taste?? Amazing, just as if I used real sugar. The xylitol didn’t alter the flavor of these at all. I can’t say the same for stevia, seriously baking with stevia is like chewing on nails. Horiffic.

  

  If you are interested in using xylitol I would recommend doing your research before using a lot of it. Overall the flavor was good and moderation is key.

  Q: Do you use any fake/alternative sugars? I’m a sucker for the real deal. 

  

  | 44 Comments Tagged Baking, Cookies, Recipe, Review, Vegan

• Enjoy Life: Plentils

  Posted at 3:50 PM by Brittany, on May 3, 2012

  Whenever I hear the door bell ring I jump up like my toe nails are on fire. I run to the door faster than Shalane Flanagan at the Olympics. 9 times out of 10 the door is not for me, but that slight chance that it is, is enough to set sparks to my soul. The other day the door bell rang, and the door was for me. I opened up the box and found a rainbow explosion. 

  

  Food..for me? Awww..whod’a thunk I’d be getting food in the mail. Such a shocker. This box of goodies was sent to me free of charge by the wonderful Alina with Enjoy Life Foods. This is my fourth review for Enjoy Life products and good golly, it must be illegal for an allergy friendly company like this to be so good. 

  This time I will be sharing my opinion about a new product of theirs, Plentils! These savory little puffs of crunch are made from lentils. This means more bang for your buck in the nutrition department. No more greasy chips without any fiber, bring on the plentil for a guilt free snack with a punch to the colon (a good punch) thanks to natural fiber!

  Sea Salt

  

  This is the basic flavor of the four varieties. A nice salty flavor, but not too overpowering. These won’t cause your intestines to shrivel up like a salted slug.

  Dill and Sour Cream 

  I am not a big dill fan, so I was afraid to try these. I should be ashamed of myself for ever doubting Enjoy Life because these were very good! The dill was detected, but not to the point where I felt like I was licking a tube of the spice.

  Garlic and Parmesan 
  This flavor was my favorite, hands down. Perfect balance of flavors. Love love loved this one. 

  Margherita Pizza

  I must admit this one sounded odd to me at first too, but once again..duhhlish. Due to the fact I am eating a vegan diet right now, it’s nice to know I can annihilate a bag of plentils and lick the sides of the bag clean to get my cheesey pizza fix. This tasted just like a forkful of basil, tomato, mozzarella and dough. Odd..maybe. Delicious..oh yes.

  How do you eat plentils you may ask yourself? Well I highly suggest eating them all at once. No, not the whole bag..but one of each..all in one bite.

  

  Just like that. Or, you can pair the plentils with one of these.

  

  Yes, both options would behoove you.

  So what’s the overall verdict on these crunchy lentil chips?

  

  Thumbs up from me! Please ignore the despicable phrase exiting the cartoon version of me..to heck with soy perhaps..but no, do not give me the tri-tip. I happen to be partial to that wannabe mullet I have, this could be a new look for me. That is all.

  Enjoy Life Foods are free of the top 8 allergies: dairy, wheat, gluten, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish! NO EXCUSES go try something from this company STAT.

  Happy crunching!

  

  | 35 Comments Tagged Enjoy Life, Review, Sandwich, Vegan, Vegetarian

• Kombuchaaaa

  Posted at 10:07 AM by Brittany, on February 1, 2012

  I don’t drink wine, I don’t drink beer, I don’t drink soda, I don’t drink juice (unless I make it myself) and I don’t drink anything in between. Basically I keep it really classy by drinking Dihydrogen Monoxide day in and day out. On the rare occasion that I want to get wild, I will buy myself a Kombucha. Drinking a Kombucha makes me feel like Cinderella was mysteriously pushed off the face of the earth, and I magically took her place. It’s kind of a big deal. 

  I posted a few days ago that I was ever so blessed with THREE free GT Kombucha passes. This allowed me to try flavors I had never tasted before, go places I had never been before, and buy bottles I had never saved before. Buckle your seat belts and prepare yourself for this adventure I am about to take you on. I call this: The Kombucha Review. 

  First and foremost, Kombucha has been said to have various different health benefits. If you are interested in what those may be you can go here, here, and here. Along with these benefits come individual benefits with each flavor you choose. Each flavor I will discuss has the main kombucha ingredient, a variety of probiotics, and their individual ingredients which I will break down nutritionally. 

  Multi-Green.This flavor has been, and always will be my favorite. If you want to feel like you are deep sea diving your body into a pool of feel good, this is the flavor for you. The flavor is very “green” and if you like wheat grass, spinach, lettuce, broccoli, and algae you will like this flavor. In this green foggy wonder there is kombucha, klamath mountain blue-green algae, spirulina, and chlorella. 

  Spirulina and Chlorella are both superfoods. Superfoods are known to have high phytonutrient contents, as well as high concentrations of essential nutrients. If you want to learn more about Spirulina and Chlorella you can go here, here, and here.

  Gingerade.This flavor is amazing for an upset stomach. Similar to a ginger ale or any ginger based beverage, the ginger “ade” really helps to settle any uproar or parties the flora in your belly might be having. In this orange sunshine-y fog there is kombucha, and ginger juice. If you like ginger ale, ginger beer, or anything with ginger you will like this flavor. It is a mild ginger flavor for those of you that think ginger can be a bit “sharp” tasting, myself included.  

  Ginger has a variety of different health benefits such as gastrointestinal relief as I stated earlier in simpler terms, anti-inflammatory effects, immune boosting properties, and menstrual cramp relief (can I get an AMEN!). If you want to learn more about ginger you can click here, here, and here.

  Mystic Mango.

  I include this flavor for those of you that are scared to try Kombucha. This is the mildest tasting Kombucha I have tried. It almost tasted like juice. Kombucha has a strong fermentation flavor and a bubbly kick to it, yet this mango flavor was calm and refreshing without the kick in the pants. I love the kick in the pants, but some people might not. Inside this amber city of tropical goodness is kombucha and mango puree. 

  Some of the health benefits of mango are improved digestion, lowered cholesterol, high in iron, potassium, fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6 (hey hey you vegetarians!) Vitamin C, phytonutrients and many..MANY more. Click here for more nutritional information on mangoes. 

  Along with these three flavors I also tried one of the chia seeded Kombuchas. These ones are even more mild than the mango flavor and I hardly tasted any kind of bubbly. I prefer the bubbled fermented flavor, so I won’t be buying the chia seeded Kombucha again, despite the health benefits of chia seeds. If you want to learn more about chia seeds you can click here.

  As you can see, I am a fan of the Kombucha. I would like to thank Amanda with Synergy Drinks for giving me these three free passes. All of these opinions are my own, and the nutritional information is based on my own research. If you are a Kombucha fan..high five. If you have never tried Kombucha there are PLENTY of flavors out there and I suggest starting with the chia or mango flavors. Happy fermenting! 

  

  | 31 Comments Tagged Review

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