Yes, it's more energy bars here at Enlightened Cooking, but this time it's courtesy of Nature's Path. I rarely write about particular brands, but I have written about Nature's Path, because I love their organic, all-natural products. Flax Plus continues to be my very favorite cereal, and now the Nickster munches on it, too (I mix it into my homemade trail mix blends).
When they asked me to review their new granola bars, I did not hesitate.
I'm pretty picky about pre-made granola bars. Most of the options made by major manufacturer taste far too sweet to me, more like particle board bars disguised in sugar and corn syrup that are neither satisfying nor nutritious. The one exception is Nature Valley original granola bars (the crunchy one), but I've been waiting for a good soft and chewy bar to come along.
My search is over. The newly revamped Nature's Path bars are terrific. It all starts with the basics, and for Nature's Path, that means wholesome, natural, organic ingredients. No high fructose corn syrup, not multi-syllabic mystery additives, just good, clean food. The also boast the following:
*No synthetic pesticides
*No synthetic herbicides
*No artificial preservatives or additives
*No genetically engineered seeds or ingredients &
*No irradiation
Now, the flavor: that's just it, they have flavor, great flavor! The fruit bars were my favorite, especially the apricot-almond, which is loaded with big chunks of moist apricots and crunchy almonds. Second for me (and first for Nick) is the strawberry bar. It's rare to find a packaged product that tastes like real strawberries; these raise the bar. Delicious! Nick couldn't stop saying "umm umm umm!"
Kevin surprised me by announcing that he was going to try the Sunny Hemp bar; I thought he was joking, but apparently he's been reading about the health benefits of eating hemp in one's of his men's fitness magazines. Equally surprising, he loved the bar, saying it was not too sweet, really filling, and unique ("in a good way"). I bought a box so I could try, too, and agree wholeheartedly.
My one gentle criticism is that I still think the bars could be less sweet (and I have a big sweet tooth). Most of the bars have a drizzle of icing, and I think they could further revamp and leave that off altogether. They are plenty sweet as is! But they are still excellent, and I give the bars high marks.
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THE GIVEAWAY!!!!
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Now you have the chance to taste how good Nature's Path Granola Bars are, too.
One (1) lucky winner will receive a month's supply of Nature's Path Granola Bars, courtesy of the folks at Nature's Path.
It's easy to enter:
Starting from the time of this post until next Tuesday (March 23), post a comment to this post that answers the following question. I'll randomly select the winner and announce on the blog next Wednesday (March 24):
What is your favorite portable, high-energy snack, and where do you stow it on the go?
(Mine is--surprise surprise--my homemade LARA-style bars, and I have been known to tie them--well-wrapped--into the laces of my running shoes for long runs)
68 comments:
most definitely little baggies of homemade granola with a handful of different nuts and grains. best go-to snack!
cheers,
*heather*
My favortie snack for some quick energy is an apple. Its delicious and gives me just the right boost! but energy bars are also a plus!!:)
a big, green juicy apple! i sometimes find the odd banged up escapee in my gym bag or purse, which gets a little cosmetic surgery before going into my salad :)
I have to agree with some of the above commenters -- an apple is a great snack! A banana is a great choice, especially before a high-powered workout. I store them in my backpack.
a banana!! its probably one of my top 5 favorite fruits and i eat it every morning before runs
A green smoothie (milk, spinach, banana) in a travel mug!
There's usually a granola bar or a snack bag of almonds at the bottom of my purse.
A keep little baggies of raw almonds in my backpack or my purse. They are so tasty and nutritious!
I like apples or nuts of any kind to get me through!
I'd love to try these, thanks for the fun giveaway!
I always have a stash of nuts and granola bars in my desk at work.
I like dehydrated blueberries and apricots (from Costco)and maybe a few almonds. I store them in a sandwich bag and zip them into a pocket on my running shorts or shirt for energy while I'm running.
I love Paleo Kits...so delicious.
I stick em in my pocket or just eat it before I go!
Yummmers.
Carrots and almonds...always in my diaper bag for the many times I don't have time for a proper break!
My favorite snack is a Larabar and I carry it in my purse. I love Naure's Path produtcs and can't wait to try the granola bars.
Thank you, Tamar at meser dot net
My favorite snack is apples and peanut butter. I usually just put the apples on a plate and take the whole jar of peanut butter with me!
I like clif bars :)
I travel a lot, and find that when I am driving place to place I am often driving through lunchtime. I usually have a stash of Odwalla bars in my console to get me to where I am going and carry me over through to when I can have lunch.
An apple or a fiber one granola bar. Those are both easy to throw in my bag.
My favorite take along is a snack size zip-lock bag with 1/4 cup of raw cashews and 1/4 cup dried cranberries. I carry it in my saddle bags with a bottle of water when horseback riding.
I love dates! Usually smooshed in the bottom of my purse!
If you open my glove box, you'll always find a baggie of almonds. They are always there, just in case - and I have definitely needed them! I also take hard boiled eggs with me, but they tend to get a little stinky, so I don't do that unless it's a long trip and I'm by myself!
I love granola bars! My usual high-energy snack is Cliff bars, I always have 4 or 5 of them in my purse.
Larabars and they can be found in my glove box and purse at all times.
Cheese sticks if I have access to a fridge.
Luna bars and fruit strips for my purse.
GORP, and I store it in my bike jersey pockiet.
I usually have Kashi bars of some sort around here, I also like Vitatops a lot too for a snack. These sound good! I'll have to try them, thanks!
I love keeping dates and some peanut butter packets with me, they go awesome together and give me tons of energy!
Larabars are smushed at the bottom of my purse waiting to be eaten.
I like the Kashi pumpkin bars and I keep them in my purse. It would be fun to try these bars. I eat the Nature's Path Flax Plus granola nearly every morning on my light vanilla yogurt. It is my fave. I think I'm addicted to it.
I always keep raw almonds in my purse. They're so good to munch on!
Anything that can slip inside the pocket of my shorts - a half pb sandwich, a few almonds and raisins (and okay, let's be honest, a few chocolate chips, too). I'm still working on getting your energy bars to turn out right for me - but I haven't given up! :)
My homemade energy bar with walnuts and blueberries. I store them in a baggy in my running shorts or my cycling jersey!
Hi Camilla, I usually have homemade granola or some trail mix with nuts and dried fruit or seeds. They are easily stored in a purse, or even in the car, for when you have the munchies. A piece of fruit is also easily portable and nutritious.
I like to chew down a 5 pound bag of sugar and have a mountian dew chaser. Just kidding. I don't really have a favorite snack, but would love to have a chance at finding one (wink, wink).
My favorite is a small bag of almonds and dried cranberries. I usually refill it each night and keep it in my purse. It keeps me from going to the snack shop in the afternoon at work!
I recently got dragged to a sports expo by my husband and to my delight Larabar was there giving away samples. Needless to say I have Larabar samples every where. In my car, gym bag, and of course in my desk at work. I love Larabar :)
I made your homemade fruit and nut bars (mmmmm!) last week before my first long bike of the spring- I always store some homemade bar snack in my back pocket for easy access while i'm on a long bike!
Hmmmm, i'd have to say turkey jerky, mixed nuts, and an orange: in a backpack (carried by my enduring husband)!
I'm a zoneperfect bar fan. My bars stay in the fridge until they are tossed into my purse - often for breakfast at work.
Homemade trail mix with almonds, dried cranberries, peanuts and a few dark chocolate m&m's. I usually keep it in a sandwich bag in my purse.
an apple sliced up with a little PB2 on the slices..stick them together and put in a snack baggie.
i carry them in my pocket....
my go to bar is the Kashi Dark Chocolate Cherry granola bar...always stashed away in my purse
My favorite snack is definitely Larabars :) I have nothing bad to say about them!
That's a hard question. I go through stages with my snacks. There are weeks when all I want to snack on are carrot sticks, or clementines, or apples, or handfuls of homemade granola or.... It just depends. Usually I carry one of the above in my purse.
the splurge snack is organic almonds and dried cherries with a tiny bit of salt and maybe a few chocolate chips thrown in for a surprise.
lara bars have a new coconut flavor that i've been switching in the rotation with the cherry and apple.
little gemma would say clementines, and keep 'em coming!
tina
My go-to snack is definitely roasted, unsalted nuts. I love so many kinds, walnuts, peanuts, and especially, almonds. I keep them stashed in my purse or pocket. Thanks for the giveaway.
I need to get a little better with my snacking. More inventive maybe. Right now I just grab a luna bar or zone bar. Maybe still a little too much sugar for me? Oh well, better than a candy bar right?
I've just been turned into a Larabar addict (I'm totally going to try making them at home!) I usually run with a hydration pack, so I'll stow a bar there. On shorter runs, I don't need to carry it with me.
sweet dates filled with peanut butter, wrapped in plastic wrap--leave in the freezer until you're ready to pack a few in your pocket for a ride/run. easy, delicious, and full of energy!
I agree that the strawberry one comes out on top for sure!! My favorite on the go snack is either pureed kabocha squash with maple syrup or a chopped apple with cinnamon and PB. I store them in small tupperware containers and throw em in my purse or backpack.
I love apples and string cheese. I stow them in my purse.
kristenbrownnp@gmail.com
I make homemade granola bars with a yummy combination of walnuts, pecans, cranberries and coconut. Usually, I just wrap them in a bit of plastic wrap, and tuck them in the front pocket of my backpack.
My favorite portable snack is usually my homemade granola bars, which are similar to Larabars, or a trail mix of some sort. I usually wrap the bars in wax paper then plastic wrap and put the trail mix in little baggies. I either stick them in my backpack, purse or in my small bike bag if I'm working out.
I always keep a small bag of trader joe's "just almonds, cashews, and dried cranberries" in my purse.
Pink lady apple and a few nuts, throw them in my bag.
Your no-bake energy bars and brownie cupcakes, or dates and almonds if I've eaten all the bars/cupcakes and don't have time to make more. They get wrapped and thrown into my disorganized, cavernous handbag.
Raw Almonds and dried fruit! I usually have a couple of baggies of this stuff in my purse. One for me, one for a friend.
I make my own version of the Lara bar and I keep it in my cycling bag during training for the Houston to Austin MS150.
I love probars. Yum!
I always carry a kashi bar with me in my purse.
I'm a college athlete and always love trying new snacks to eat pre and post workout. My favorite things to eat are energy bars; I've tried every style and flavor and like most of them, but they're quite expensive. That's why I have recently started making my own bars, and I began with your no-bake Clif bars. They taste great and are so easy to make! You can also mix up the ingredients so many different ways! Tasty and portable. I usually just throw one in my backpack for after practice. They just might be my new favorite snack.
Erica
Homemade granola! I always have some in the diaper bag or backpack.
i rotate between lara bars (i have your version bookmarked to try!) and nuts and fruit. i usually throw them on the front seat of my car b/c i'm always so late!
yum!
Lara Bars use to be my favorite, but not any more. I would carry them in my purse or in the center console of my Tahoe.
My favorite is now your recipe. I love that they aren't overly processed so that I can chew the whole foods in the bar. It's a favorite!
Camilla, do you freeze them?
This is one of the few snacks I allow my kids to have.
You can find a lot of energy bars in the market today but some of them has misleading claims about their product's caloric, carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol, sugar, proteins, and sodium contents.
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