Swaggable: Peeled Snacks, Much-ado-about-Mango

I enjoy eating fruits and to avoid boredom, I try to eat them dried, dehydrated, baked.....you name it and I usually will try fruit anything...but canned!

I received the Peeled Snacks product from Swaggable last week and I consider myself a Mango "liker" versus a "lover". I enjoy the fresh fruit but if you have strawberries or pineapple, Mango loses.



The first thing that jumped out was that the product is Organic and the simple words, "nothing added". Naked fruit as I call it, is best in my book so this is a great start. I noticed the package has a little clear window that allows you to see the product and I love when manufactures do this because how many times have I opened a package to find it was not close to how it was pictured. So again, great beginning.

I flip the product and notice some very positive nutritional facts starting that one bag is considered 1 serving and it's a generous amount at 48 grams (1.40 ounces), with only 120 calories. You have Calcium and Iron at 2% each, 20% Vitamin C, and 30% Vitamin A. Gluten, dairy, wheat and cholesterol free. You wrap it up nicely with 2 grams each of Protein and Dietary Fiber.



I open the package and take a sniff and the product smells close to apricots mixed with a slight orange scent. Good start as it's not off in odor or like some dried fruits, they stink of chemicals or smell like they have been in a cardboard box for half a century! The fruit looks leathery but I have purchased "leather fruit" strips in the past so I am familiar and accepting of such a  texture. The peels almost look like strips of carrots (in color) that were partially dehydrated and remained bendable. I take a shaving out and notice the remaining pieces have no uniform shape to them (nice natural look). The product was a little on the chewy side so I went from biting and pulling with my front teeth, to having to put some "oompf" with the back ones but I finally won! The fruit goes from feeling leathery on your fingers and dry when biting, to instantly re-hydrating to a gummy like texture. So gummy in consistency that the molars that helped me win my battle had Mango bits embedded all around them. Very sweet and I understand the natural pectin in fruit amps up when dried but this was so sweet and intense, that Mango was the last thing I tasted. As my mouth cleared from the gumminess, I did pick-up some Mango notes but the sweetness really turned me off. I was left.....well craving a Mango. So in some ways this snack encouraged me to add Mango to the grocery list but of the fresh kind.



Does it have it's place?

Yes, I see maybe a tart yogurt being able to curve the sugar taste a bit but I'm unsure if it would help with the gummy factor. Maybe the wetness of a yogurt would aid or it could result in a bit of a mess. Baking with the product could be it's only hope! I wanted to like this product because everything outside the package called to me when it came to the brand Peeled Snacks, it just was not what I desired from a Mango. I understand nothing is added to the Mango and respect that but if they could maybe find a way to take some sugar away, I maybe could accept the gummy factor better. I would still try one more time with Peeled Snacks but just a different fruit.

You can check-out the Peeled Snacks collection at: http://www.peeledsnacks.com/

I received the above product from Swaggable free of charge. I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review. just my honest opinion. My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours.

BzzAgent: Filippo Berio® Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Not all oils are created equal and I have learned this through trial and error. As with many foods, companies add fillers or even combine oils to create a lesser quality product but still charge consumers a price point that makes you think it equates with quality.

Been there and done that.....and this is why I hold Filippo Berio's oils on a whole different level.

I received an Extra Virgin Olive Oil bottle from BzzAgent along with all the great campaign goodies they include. You have the booklet, which educates you about the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and how it can improve not only your dishes but your health. Great coupons and even a magnet that reflects the measurements you use when substituting Olive Oil for Butter. Great kit and I love it!



Filippo Berio's company exports their oils from Italy and has been sharing their great products since 1850.  Now, that is staying in business for a long time and you know you have to be doing something right if you want people to support your products.  The company makes several versions of Olive Oils from Extra Virgin, Light, and also makes vinegar (balsamics) and other products like olives and pestos.  Their distribution is massive and they now reach over 65 countries!  Now, that is reaching the masses!



The Health Benefits:

Extra Virgin Olive oil is better for you because it contains no trans fat or cholesterol.  Butters commonly used in savory cooking contain salts and Olive oil does not.  You have an oil that is high in monounsaturated fats, which is commonly known as "the good fat" that doctors want you to eat.



What is the difference between the Extra Virgin and just Olive Oil:

• Virgin means the oil was produced by the use of physical means and the oil was not treated with any chemicals.  It also means the oil is produced from the "first batch" that the seed/grain produces.

• Refined means that the oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong tastes (characterized as defects) and neutralize the acid content.  Chemicals are many times used in lower quality oils as way to preserve and slow down the oxidation that occurs with age.  Refined oil is regarded as lower quality product.  Oils with the retail labels extra-virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil cannot contain any refined oil, as it would not be Virgin if anything else was added.

• Olive Oil Pommace or Pomace, means oil extracted from the pomace using solvents, mostly Hexane.  Hexane is a carbon based chemical found in glues to gasoline.  Manufactures combine the Hexane and heat to extract from the seeds the oil.  Hexane has a low toxicity level, but nonetheless many industries that use the chemical in their processing, are seeking alternatives due to the adverse health effects.

What the above means is that it all comes down to purity and acidity levels.  Every oil has it's purpose and this is why learning about them is something I like to do because I don't want to pay for a lower end product, much less one laced with chemicals my body does not want or need.  Think about it like chocolate and cacao content.....it's the same mind set.  Don't let the labels fool you and I also try to stay within the brands I can trust because many good manufactures will not distribute to the public, a lower quality product.



Now, Extra Virgin Olive oils have a lower smoke point and this means that the oil will smoke and destabilize with higher temperatures.  You may have heard people say it's a waste to fry in Extra Virgin Olive oil because of it.  I like to do something I call "lacing", it's making my own mixes of oils as I see fit for the dish I am preparing.  I use different oils like Grape because the oil has a higher smoke point.  I decided to get creative and used a mix of Grape Oil and Extra Virgin Olive Oil and of course Filippo Berio's brand.

• Olive Oil Braised Chicken Legs with a Roasted Garlic and Herb Stuffing

• Foccacia Bread with Parmesan Cheese

I received the above product from BzzAgent and Filippo Berio.  I am not obligated in providing a positive/favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product, which may differ from yours. #GotItFree

Go Beyond the Bun with MorningStar Farms

Before you say "Where's the meat?",  please take a moment and give it a chance. I am a meat eater and a veggie lover, I also believe when you want a burger, you get a burger. I have tasted meatless products in the past and because they try to imitate an animal product without being one, they fail at being beefy and worse, they are not even a good tasting veggie meal. I was a little nervous and even thought, "Maybe I should have declined this campaign". I eat vegetables daily and in huge quantities so I am picky and especially when it comes to a frozen product. To get an idea of what I like to eat so you can see where my palette lands in all this, I love Fresh & Easy's stir fry mix to their Broccoli bags and these all come from the freezer section. I also pick up 2 heads of fresh broccoli, and other vegetables, at my local market because I know it will last me a week and the second week I go frozen. It's my way to balance freshness and convenience without sacrificing my need and want for vegetables.



So, I pick up what I call the "original" Garden Veggie Patties. I figure if they do the original right, I then will give their other varieties a try in the future. I have a meat-less meal once a week and it's not planned but sometimes I just don't want meat or fish. I know, I'm a girl with bunny rabbit habits. The patties are just 110 calories per serving, 350 mg of sodium with 10 grams of protein. Okay, a little high on the salt but I have seen much worse and I don't consume large quantities through out the day so I am safe.



The ingredients:
I looked and the first is Vegetables. Okay, I expected water or some tofu but it states Vegetables and the mix equates to mushrooms, water chestnuts, onion, carrots, green bell peppers, and black olives. Next comes the soy protein. You then have wheat gluten, water for hydration, egg white, cooked brown rice, rolled oats to corn oil. Then comes soy sauce and other items like jalapeno pepper powder, celery extract to garlic powder, and a touch of sugar. Mostly, things I can identify, pronounce, and my brain can retrieve an image to the name! My patty will not be glowing in the dark from chemicals so that is a good thing!



Is it good?
I saw the ingredients and minus the jalapeno pepper powder (I thought I would just think chili flakes for that one), I thought why bun it when I can pan-fry it and add it to my stir-fry. You got water chestnuts and soy sauce so I'm already there! I fried with just 1/2 teaspoon of peanut oil and sesame oil. I added no sauce or anything else and when it was done, I used the remainder, plus a 1/4 teaspoon of oil (peanut and sesame) to fry my veggies. I added a tablespoon of Trader Joe's Soyaki sauce to my vegetables and I'm done. I plate it with a Jasmine rice I made two days ago, that I added Edamame (frozen) too. Then topped it with the veggies, cut up the Morning Star patty into bite size, a dash of sesame seeds and I'm done. I then go crazy with the Sriracha Sauce and chili flakes but that is another blog post.



The Verdict:
I would buy these patties again. Found myself craving them a few days later and they settled well. Very filling and flavorful. I would say this is the best tasting vegetable and soy protein I have had and not to sound like everyone, it had a chicken like texture and taste. I don't know if that was the intention but yummy is yummy! I also liked how quick and well they fried up with very little oil. I had that whole golden brown action going that tasted great when you ate it. The product is not so overly milled that it resembles just patties made from baby food. MorningStar Farms treated me like and adult and I see the bell pepper and pieces of real food in the patty. Loved them and I can't wait to try their other selections. They had some that were flavored more towards the Italian to Mediterranean cuisines. I even saw a breakfast sausage......do I dare? These were so good that I'm game!

I received the above product from BzzAgent and my only commitment is to provide an honest review.  I have no obligation of sharing a favorable (or unfavorable) opinion.  The above statement are my own opinion based on my experiences with the product.  Your opinion may differ from mine.

Juicy!!

Black and Decker

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