Amazing Grass Energy Bars

Amazing Grass Bars

www.amazinggrass.com

Why this product rocks

Eating wheat grass never tasted this good.

Let’s face it, most of the thousands of different bars out there these days are run-of-the-mill. Both in terms of nutrition and flavor. So the next time you’re looking for a snack in a hurry score some hippier-than-thou points and pick up the Amazing Grass Bar.

These greener than Al Gore bars are made up of whole food, organic ingredients such as dates, greens blend (wheat grass, barley grass etc.), nuts and cocoa nibs.

And yes, despite being raw and full of stuff like broccoli and beets, these are quite tasty.

The company also offers up an excellent chocolate flavored powder that can be mixed into smoothies, water or juice to help you meet your daily quota for fruits and vegetables.

Body Benefits

With an ingredient list that reads like a Whole Foods produce section, each bar ponies up a hefty amount of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

They are sweetened with agave nectar which produces a lower blood sugar rise than refined sugars pumped in many other bars.

There is also a healthy dose of ticker-friendly unsaturated fats and fiber to help keep you more regular than Norm from Cheers.

Who will dig it

Anyone with a busy, on-the-go lifestyleOf course, crunchy granola types may fancy it as well.

Who will toss it

Powerbar devotees

Find it at

Health food stores or online at www.amazinggrass.com

Naturally Nutty Peanut Butter

Naturally Nutty Peanut Butter

http://www.naturallynutty.com/

Why this company rocks

One of the very few things that sucks about traveling overseas is that it’s damn hard to find peanut butter. Many other countries don’t get grinding up peanuts and slathering it on toast. But why would anyone choose vegemite over stick to the roof of your mouth peanut butter?

Recently I came across this nut butter company that’s offering up something different for peanut butter fanatics. I admit that I like my nut butter’s au natural – just nuts and none of the added sugars, salts and what have you but these guys are turning out cool flavors that make me rethink my peanut butter xenophobia.

To up the health ante, peanut butter is mixed with organic hemp and flax seed; then to wake up your taste buds, uncustomary ingredients like coffee, cocoa powder, cinnamon and cherry are blended in. The versions I have tried are just a tad sweet and magnificently rich tasting. The Butter Toffee flavor in particular will have you going nuts (yeah, that was a bad pun).

Besides, you got a love a small company started by a mom with a single Cuisinart.

Body benefits

A growing chorus of experts agree that nuts are heart-healthy. Peanuts have loads of essential vitamins and minerals not to mention monounsaturated fat which keeps cholesterol levels in check.

With added hemp and flax seed you also get a healthy dose of essential omega fatty acids.

Who will dig it

Peanut butter snobs

Who will toss it

Mass-produced peanut butter

Find it at

Naturally Nutty products (which also includes almond butter) are still mostly available in Michigan stores but you can scoop up yours online: http://www.naturallynutty.com/

Peanut Butter and Banana French Toast

What you’ll need

4 slices hearty grain bread
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1 banana
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ cup milk
½ cup berries of choice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

How to make it

In a blender whirl together berries and maple syrup until have sauce. Slather one side of two slices of bread with peanut butter and top with sliced banana. Place other slices of bread on top to form a sandwich. In a bowl whisk eggs and mix in sugar, cinnamon and milk. Soak sandwiches in the egg mixture for a couple minutes, flipping once. Cook sandwiches in a skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes per side. Serve topped with berry sauce.

Vega EFA Oil Blend

Vega EFA Oil Blend
www.myvega.com

Why this product rocks

With green the new chic colour, why not pour this verdant oil blend formulated by vegan Brendan Brazier, a professional Ironman triathlete.

Blessed with a rich, intense nutty flavour, each bottle contains a wonderful mixture of hemp oil, flax oil, pumpkin oil, coconut oil and several hip seed oils such as green tea, pomegranate seed, and black cumin.

Unlike most of the junky oils at the megamart, this oil is extracted using cold-press techniques without the use of nasty chemicals like hexane.

Too delicate for heating, try it in salad dressings, drizzled into smoothies, mixed into dips and soups and for dipping hearty whole-grain bread into it. Or try the killer pesto recipe below.

Body benefits

Hemp oil has an ideal 3:1 ratio of essential omega-6 and omega-3 fats which offer up strong heart protection. Because of our increased reliance on processed foods and fast-food that are made/cooked with crappy omega-6 rich oils like soybean an corn, the average North American consumes a ratio that is 10:1 or higher which has been shown to promote inflammation that can spiral into several chronic diseases. Hemp is also a rare food source of a fat called gamma-linolenic acid which is showing promise in helping fend off cancer and heart disease.

Flax seed oil is the best veg source of the omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid which, according to one Harvard study, can reduce the chances of suffering a heart attack. It looks like this fat is incorporated into the heart membrane where it helps regulate heart rate.

Pumpkin seed oil is a top-notch source of vitamin E which acts as antioxidant to wage ware against cell-damaging free radicals.

Coconut oil is the best source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). Unlike other saturated fats, medium-chain triglycerides are burned for energy instead of being stored as body fat. In fact, a 2008 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study that administered four to five teaspoons of MCT oil or olive oil daily to subjects for 4 months found that those consuming MCT oil lost more body weight and fat mass than those exposed to the olive variety.

Who will dig it

Health nuts who have been all gaga over flaxseed oil.

Who will toss it

Soybean and corn oil

Find it at

Most health/natural food stores or the natural foods section of some larger supermarkets.

EFA Oil Blend Pesto

Try spreading this toothsome pesto onto toast or grilled burgers. It’s also ridiculously good mixed into cooked pasta.

Ingredients

¼ cup Vega EFA oil (straight up hemp or pumpkin seed oil would also work and keep things green)

¼ cup pine nuts or walnuts

Juice from 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, chopped

½ cup fresh basil (can also use some cilantro)

Pinch coarse salt

2 tablespoons hempseeds (optional)

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and mix until finely chopped but do not puree.