Smart Summer Snacking Tips from Justin’s.

As summer moves along, your friends at Justin’s want to be sure you are keeping those hard earned summer bodies in check with ease. Below you will find a full list of snacking tips from Justin Gold himself, designed to keep you full and fit all season long, including ways to satisfy your sweet tooth without over-indulging!

1. Road trip? BYO fast food. Would you like Snack Packs with that?

2. Stay energized! Outdoor activities may require extra fueling (and extra nut buttery protein).

3. Snack cooler – literally. Don’t go to the pool without one!

4. Pair protein with seasonal fruit. Fresh berries + Chocolate Hazelnut Butter = Heaven.

5. Maximize airport options. Pack your carry-on with an emergency stash of snacks.

6. Chill out. Frozen PB Cups satisfy the need for something cold and sweet.

My Thoughts: 

I am a huge fan of Justin's products for a variety of reasons. They are all natural, healthy, filling, and the best part; Justin's products let me enjoy my favorite treats like nut butters and peanut butter cups without the guilt! I was thrilled to try a variety of Justin's favorite treats for summer! 

Justin's  Almond Butter Squeeze Packs- Classic, Maple and Vanilla: 

Almond butter is something I've recently added to my diet. I love how rich and hearty it is. A good treat to have when you want something to fill you up quickly, but not skip on deliciousness. Justin's has some of the freshest almond butters I have ever tried. I love snacking on these during mid day breaks or as a late night indulgence. The classic flavor tastes just like munching on a delicious almond, but with the enjoyment of spreading it on your favorite foods! The maple and vanilla are like a gift from sweet heaven. You can treat yourself without worry! The Maple variety reminds me of natural maple syrup delight, and vanilla is reminiscent of a classic vanilla bean ice cream. 

Justin's Chocolate Treats- Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups and Chocolate Hazelnut Snack Pack:

Like many of us, I LOVE chocolate. Two of my favorite chocolate treats are Peanut Butter Cups and Hazelnut spreads. I've tried many, but Justin's has raised the bar for me. When I tried Justin's varieties of Organic Peanut Butter Cups I was blown away. The dark chocolate one is now my new favorite. It's so rich and creamy. The amount of peanut butter is also just right. The milk chocolate choice is smooth, flavorful with the right amount of sweetness. Along with these delightful chocolate treats is the, Chocolate Hazelnut Snack Pack that comes with pretzels for dipping. These are perfect for on the go treats. The pretzels have a nice sprinkle of salt, and the hazelnut is thick and bursting with flavor. The best part is the reminder that all of these are natural!  

I want to send many thanks to Justin's for allowing me to try all of these wonderful products!   

Connect with Justin's:

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Review: Dandies Marshmallows

 

A Better Marshmallow

Dandies Marshmallows are made with all natural ingredients, contain no high fructose corn syrup or gelatin (they're 100% vegan!), and are the first ever marshmallow to be Non-GMO Project Verified. Oh, and our marshmallows are kosher too!

Traditional marshmallows are loaded with unnatural ingredients and made with gelatin (a yucky animal-based ingredient, look it up). We recognized that these family-favorite treats desperately needed an ingredient-list makeover!

Dandies Marshmallows are indistinguishable from conventional marshmallows. Our light and fluffy marshies are perfect for roasting over a campfire, putting in hot chocolate (or coffee—try it!), classic crispy treats, s'mores, or just straight snackin'!



We believe that marshmallows can and should be better.  Our focus is on making Dandies Marshmallows with the best all natural ingredients we can find and using only cruelty-free ingredients (you will find no gelatin in Dandies).

Dandies Marshmallows are perfect for roasting over the campfire or making s'mores, while Dandies Mini Marshmallows are perfect for hot chocolate or even coffee. They're also fantastic for making classic crispy treats. 

• Made with all natural ingredients
• Gelatin free (100% vegan)
• Free from most common allergens (peanut, tree nut, milk, egg, wheat, fish, shellfish, corn)
• Gluten free
• Contains no corn syrup
• Made in a dedicated vegan facility

About

Dandies came to life in 2008 when our founder, Ryan Howard, wanted his son to try a marshmallow for the first time. His son, having been vegan since birth, had never enjoyed the classic campfire treat because gelatin (an animal-based ingredient) is one of the main components in traditional marshmallows. Ryan, being a trained food process engineer by trade, put his mind to work and made some marshmallows in the test kitchen for his little dude to enjoy. The spark that lit the campfire was born!

Within a year, we were putting all the pieces together in our processing plant, working tirelessly toward a product launch at Natural Products Expo West. Before we had sold even a single bag to stores, we set up our booth and hoped to sell a few cases. By the show’s end, Dandies had been placed in nearly every Whole Foods in the country!

Over time, we've been quietly evolving Dandies Marshmallows, making them better and better. We’ve also been working hard to make Dandies available in more and more stores, so everyone can enjoy the comfort food of our youth in a friendlier and more natural way. We're so proud of the work we've done and love nothing more than seeing you enjoy Dandies and share them with your friends and family.

Purchase Dandies Marshmallows online using their store locator, and visit them on social media:

Dandies Marshmallows (visit their website to find a $0.50 off coupon!)
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Our Thoughts
I freaking LOVE Dandies Marshmallows.  Since I follow the paleo way of eating, I am not exactly a vegan and not adverse to gelatin (quite the contrary!) but I AM adverse to the other ingredients in traditional marshmallows and figured they were off my eating list forever.  I first came across Dandies Marshmallows in a natural foods store a little over an hour away from me.  I don't keep treats around too much, but if I do have a bag, mostly I snack on them.  Someday, I'll actually have a bag not completely eaten when we have an impromptu campfire.  I can't wait to try them out for that.  Although, I have been known to roast the occasional marshmallow over the flame on my gas stove burners, haha. Oh YUM.

So when Dandies sent me their regular marshies and their mini marshies for review, I'm not gonna lie, I ate one bag straight away.  They aren't kidding when they say they're great for snacking.  I couldn't even stop myself, they are SO DARN TASTY!!  I took the bag of minis up to our cabin with us and enjoyed them over a spiced latte.  Perfect on a cool day looking out at the scenic lake.  Love.

For the latte recipe, I used Bengal Spice tea from Celestial Seasonings, a little unsweetened full fat coconut milk, a wee bit of raw honey, and topped it with the Dandies Mini Marshmallows.  Unbelievably delicious!!  Who wants to stand in line and spend money on fancy lattes when you can very quickly and easily make your own?

I also used the minis to make some little appetizers perfect for holidays or any gathering. 

I used toothpicks for mini-snacks, and added blueberries and raspberries, but really, your imagination's the limit here.

Now for the regular size marshmallows, I've been wanting to try making a chewy "granola" bar.  Paleo friendly - not sure if the marshmallows count or not, LOL, but with Dandies' all natural ingredients, its about as close as we're gonna get. (And I am SO glad they are allergen free!!)

The basics of this recipe are 1 part marshmallows to 2 parts "stuff" (dry goods), plus a little oil to help prevent the marshies from sticking to the pan when melted.  For the record, 10 regular sized marshmallows makes for 1 cup.  For the "stuff" mixture, I used a combination of almond slices, pecans, raw pepitas, roasted unsalted sunflower seeds, dried cherries, sweetened dried cranberries, some mini chocolate chips, a wee bit of salt and vanilla flavoring.  While the marshmallows were melting with the oil over extremely low heat, I pulsed the dry goods "stuff" through a food processer to make the bits smaller. When the marshies were thoroughly melted, I stirred in as much "stuff" as I could, then kneaded in the rest; patting it into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish. Let cool, then slice and eat! 

The result?  Fantastic! Although I think I need to either cut back a little on the dry goods, or add a couple more marshmallows as it falls apart a little quicker than I'd like.  Certainly a recipe I wrote down for next time!

One thing I'd like to note: Dandies claims their marshmallows are indistinguishable from traditional marshmallows.  I beg to differ - they are BETTER.  Fluffier, and absolutely delectable.  Thank you, Dandies, for making a comfort food healthier. HIGHLY recommend!!

Review: Sun Cups

Located in Boulder, Seth Ellis Chocolatier is buzzing around the clock churning out chocolate safe for everyone! Perfect Choice for a post-workout treat, after school snack, or midnight craving.

• Tree nut free
• Peanut free
• Egg free
• Soy free
• Fish and shellfish free

As an added bonus, Sun Cups is also exclusive of corn, sesame, coconut and mustard!

People love candy, especially chocolate. We have a particular nostalgia for the candy cup- the semi-hard shell with a creamy, smooth and nutty center satisfies every sweet tooth. Introduced in 2009, Sun Cups are made from premium cacao of only Rainforest Alliance Certified farms and produced in the only completely nut free facility in America. Their ingredients are bar none. With an extensive following based on taste alone, Sun Cups chooses to use sunflower seed butter and a nut-free, gluten-free and GMO-free recipe to cater to all individuals. It is a unique alternative to the peanut butter cup and frequently favored by sensitive stomachs.

www.suncups.com

DARK CHOCOLATE SUN CUPS
In the world of chocolate, darkness shines bright. And 60% dark chocolate is 100% amazing. In our Dark Chocolate Sun Cups, this fantastic force of nature has met its match in roasted sunflower seed butter—the most epic peanut-alternative the allergic and gluten intolerant could ever imagine. If you’ve been on the lookout for a darker version of nut free chocolate candy, look no further. And as with all our products, our Dark Chocolate Sun Cup is gluten free as well. Would you like some tingly refreshment with your dark chocolate? If you love our Dark Chocolate Sun Cups, we’ve created a cup with epic minty goodness too. Meet our Dark Chocolate Mint Cups.

INGREDIENTS: Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass†, sugar, cocoa butter†), Sunflower Seed, Organic Powdered Sugar (evaporated cane juice, tapioca starch), Organic White Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter†, milk powder), Organic Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt. †Rainforest Alliance Certified™.
ALLERGENS: Dairy. Does not contain egg, soy, gluten, peanuts or tree nuts. Our facilities are allergen free of all previous listed ingredients. Look for our Dairy Free Allergen version at the end of the year/beginning of 2015!

MILK CHOCOLATE SUN CUPS
When it comes to classics, the peanut butter cup falls somewhere between blue jeans and convertibles, delighting the masses for generations. Still, millions were unable to experience the confectionary legend. So we gave it a mouth-watering makeover, filling creamy all natural milk chocolate with roasted sunflower seed butter. Now, those with peanut allergies, gluten intolerance or just a persnickety sweet tooth can live the dream for themselves. Interested in adding caramel to that milk chocolate? Looking to sweeten your sweets? Check out our nut and gluten free Milk Chocolate Caramel Cup.

INGREDIENTS: Milk Chocolate (cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter†, organic whole milk powder), Sunflower Seed, Organic Powdered Sugar (evaporated cane juice, tapioca starch), Organic White Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter†, milk powder), Organic Cocoa Butter, Sea Salt. †Rainforest Alliance Certified™.
ALLERGENS: Dairy. Does not contain egg, soy, gluten, peanuts or tree nuts. Our facilities are allergen free of all previous listed ingredients. We believe that we are first Non-GMO Project Verified Milk Chocolate in the United States!

DARK CHOCOLATE MINT CUPS
Mint is candy’s crowd-pleaser. Sweet enough to charm the boldest of chocoholics and sassy enough to send them a shiver, it’s in a class all its own. Our dark chocolate worked wonders for our Dark Chocolate Sun Cups so we decided that it would make a perfect partner for mint too. To our delight, everyone who tries our Dark Chocolate Mint Cups seems to agree. And as with all our products, our Dark Chocolate Mint Cup is a nut free chocolate candy made with delicious gluten free chocolate.
INGREDIENTS: Dark Chocolate (cocoa mass†, sugar, cocoa butter†), Organic Cream, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic White Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter*†, whole milk powder), Organic Powdered Sugar (Evaporated Cane Juice, Tapioca Starch), Organic Peppermint Flavor (sunflower oil, peppermint oil). †Rainforest Alliance Certified™.
ALLERGENS: Dairy. Does not contain eggs, soy, gluten, peanuts or tree nuts. Our facilities are allergen free of the previous listed items.

MILK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CUPS
It’s been said that life’s most incredible indulgences require a napkin. Actually, we said that and we’re sticking to it. The gooey goodness that is our Milk Chocolate Caramel Cup often calls for a handful of them. And this sticky, nut free chocolate candy deliciousness uses gluten free chocolate and caramel. Need we say more? And if you’re looking for a milk chocolate cup filled with a delicious and safe alternative to peanut butter, try our Milk Chocolate Sun Cups. People everywhere with peanut allergies rejoice!

INGREDIENTS: Milk Chocolate (cocoa mass†, sugar, cocoa butter†, organic whole milk powder), Organic Cream, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic White Chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter†, whole milk powder), Organic Butter, Organic Lemon Juice. †Rainforest Alliance Certified™.
ALLERGENS: Dairy. Does not contain egg, soy, gluten, peanuts or tree nuts. Our facilities are allergen free of all previous listed ingredients. We believe that we are first Non-GMO Project Verified Milk Chocolate in the United States!

DARK CHOCOLATE BAR
The beauty of chocolate bars is that every bite is the best part. This rings especially true with our dark chocolate which, we dare say, is the best of the best. Rich yet sweet, free of nuts and gluten yet full of love-at-first-bite flavor. We’re proud of how well our dark chocolate works with others but experiencing it solo is something truly special.
INGREDIENTS: Cocoa Masses*, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter*.*Rainforest Alliance Certified™.
ALLERGENS: May contain traces of milk products. Produced in a peanut, tree nut, gluten, soy and corn allergen free facility.

Visit Sun Cups online on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Our Thoughts

I love me a good chocolate-y treat, and May is Allergy Awareness Month.  We do the paleo way of eating for our son's dietary needs, and although we have not tried peanuts with him, he is so sensitive to most common allergens that we're just not willing to find out beyond trace exposure.  Peanuts are off the table. 

One of my favorite old-way-of-eating treats was chocolate peanut butter cups. I stopped eating them long ago (pre-paleo) not because of the peanuts, but because of the other ingredients companies used. 

With Sun Cups' gluten & GMO -free ingredients, their treats  are right up our alley! Sun Cups sent me the Dark Chocolate cups and the Milk Chocolate cups (contains dairy) to try.

You can smell the sunflower butter right out of the package.  The cups look just like those yummy chocolate/nut treats we're all used to seeing, but their taste may surprise you! If you're looking to compare to the traditional peanut butter cups, sunflower seed butter definitely has a different flavor than peanut butter.  The texture of the sunflower seed butter center is much drier than a regular squishy-center peanut butter cup, but it's very smooth.  You might like the drier texture, you might not. It has its pros and cons - cons being well, it's drier.  But pros - it's much less messy than the traditional ones.  Still, the overall flavor is pleasing.  And while I probably shouldn't indulge in dairy, I do occasionally treat myself - and while both were delicious, I did like the Milk Chocolate Sun Cup just a bit better than the Dark Chocolate - there's just something about that sweet/salty combination!

Sun Cups make a tasty snack, and with their easily portable size and packaging, they are perfect for anywhere you want to take them.  Bon appetite! 

Ice Chips - The Good for You Candy!

Ice Chips is one of the few candies on the market today that is sweetened purely with high-quality xylitol. If you are unfamiliar, xylitol is a polyol (a fancy word for sugar alcohol) that occurs naturally in fruits, veggies, the bark of birch trees, and even in the human body! It is a great sugar replacement option for everyone from kids to diabetics, to weight or health conscious adults, as it has a very low glycemic index, exceptionally low net carbs, and can benefit in plaque and cavity prevention in the mouth! They carefully source their xylitol, and all ingredients, to ensure the candy is sugar, corn, and GMO free, as well as free of most major allergens. They pride themselves on producing a very clean product that anyone can enjoy.

Really, that's all just a fancy way of saying Ice Chips are fantastic! They offer 20 different flavors, so there's something for everyone.  You can find them online at: www.IceChipsCandy.com & facebook.com/IceChipsXylitolCandy.

My thoughts

Ice chips are a very yummy candy. I was sent a variety of flavors to try: peppermint, berry mix, root beer float, cinnamon, licorice, and lemon. They come in a cute tin. A few of them surprised me by their color, such as he black licorice. It was expecting it to be black, but instead it was white.

My kids and I tried all the flavors and there wasn't one we didn't like. The chips look like cracked ice on the inside and come in a variety of sizes. The ingredient list is low. Such as, here are the ingredients listed in peppermint

Xylitol, peppermint oil, cream of tarter, calcium stearate

Serving is roughly 2 pieces with 25 servings a tin. There are 5 calories, no fat, sodium, or sugar. 2 g of carbs.

I'm a health conscious person and I couldn't find any reason to tell myself I couldn't have a few ice chips to help with any sweet cravings, as well with my kids. I look forward to trying more flavors by this company.

Follow this LINK to find them in a store near you.