The Nutritionist Reviews

September 30, 2012

Goose Creek Candles Review

Goose Creek Candles is a company that sells all kinds of scented candles. For my review, I was sent an Angel Kiss candle and a Strawberry Rhubarb candle. Both of these smell incredible. The strawberry rhubarb is summery and light but I will still use it through the winter. The angel kiss is mouthwatering. It is a mix between brown sugar cookies, buttery toffee and vanilla ice cream. This is definitely my favorite. The candle comes in different sizes and is $18 for a 16 ounce candle which is supposed to burn for 90 hours. Here is some information about their American Heirloom line that I got to review: It is an early 1900’s Victorian multi-sided style jar with beautiful polished silver embossed lids. The jar is exclusive to Goose Creek and is available in three sizes. These candles are the strongest on the market. Clean burning; elegant fragrances set us apart from any other brand. If you are looking for any candles, you have to check out their line of Autumn Breeze candles

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September 29, 2012

Stuffed Collard Greens

Let me start by giving you some background on my creation of this recipe. First of all, I am Polish and stuffed cabbage is one of my family's favorite recipes. Second of all, we love ethnic food and love vegetarian stuffed grapeleaves. I got an excellent deal on a giant head of collard greens for only $.59 cents. I got to thinking about what I can make with it and thought up these stuffed collard greens. I made some with a tomato sauce and some with a lemon sauce.  They both turned out excellent and my husband and I definitely want to make them again. Also, these may not be the prettiest but they are pretty healthy and taste delicious. Stuffed Collard Greens Ingredients: 1/2 lb ground venison (ground beef or turkey would work also) 3 cups cooked whole wheat bulgur (can use brown rice as well) 1 large onion, chopped 1 XL head of collard green leaves 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon onion powder For Tomato Stuffed Collard Greens: 2 cups low-sodium toma

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September 28, 2012

G.H. Gretors Popcorn Review

I am a huge fan of popcorn and other sweet or salty snacks so when I found G.H. Cretors , I knew I wanted to try their popcorn. I was sent a bag of each popcorn including caramel, cheese corn, kettle corn and caramel nut crunch. The first one that I opened was the caramel nut crunch popcorn.  It has whole almonds and whole cashews in it which is good for some healthy fat and protein. One-half-cup serving has 130 calories, 6 grams of fat and 16 grams of sugar. This is a lot compared to light butter popcorn but as a sweet treat on occasion would definitely be worth it.  The popcorn has a hard crunchy outer layer from the caramel and once you bite into it, melts in your mouth. I love the nuts along with the popcorn. I brought this to a Detroit Tigers baseball game with my husband and we both loved it. The Just the Cheese Corn was also delicious. I love cheese popcorn and this did not disappoint. The pieces were larger than many popcorns which I liked. It was salty and cheesy and

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September 26, 2012

Bestowed Review and Giveaway

Bestowed is a monthly subscription service that provides a variety of healthy snacks. They send out a box per month with 5 or more healthier snacks. Here are some of the products included in this month's box. The box costs $15 per month and can be paid for annually or monthly. I had fun trying out the different products that I was sent. Here is my opinion on some of them: - Kashi Soft-Baked Chocolate Squares : These have 160 calories per snack bar. I ate mine as a mid-morning snack at work and enjoyed it. I spread a bit of peanut butter on it for a bit of extra protein. The bar was very soft and tasty. It was a nice chocolate fix without too many calories.   - Sunbutter Sunflower Seed Spread : I had never tried Sunbutter in the past but was excited to since I have seen it for years all over the blogosphere. It was tasty and creamy. It tasted just like ground sunflower seeds and was yummy in place of peanut butter on a sandwich with jelly. - Hail Merry Vanilla M

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September 25, 2012

Hi I'm Skinny Snacks Review

Hi I'm Skinny Snacks is a line of salty snacks that are better for you than chips and other snacks. They have a fairly large serving size which is the first thing that attracted me to them. I hate when you get to have like 11 chips for a serving. With these snacks, you get 34 straws for one serving which is 130 calories. The first kind that I tried was the Multi Grain Tangy BBQ. I brought these to a movie night with my husband and parents and they all liked them. They are perfectly crunchy and flavorful. I felt a lot less guilt eating these than I would have with a bunch of chips. You still get that salty flavor without all of the added fat and calories. Hi, I'm Skinny Snacks Review These snacks are skinny on fat, these crunchy characters come in snappy new flavors like Multi-Grain Cheddar, Multi-Grain Tangy BBQ, Multi-Grain Sweet Onion, Multi-Grain Sea Salt, Veggie Tortilla and Sweet Potato. Developed in house by Cornfields, Inc., the better-for-you snack company, Hi

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September 24, 2012

Naturally It's Clean Review

I have always liked to keep my living area fairly clean and since my husband and I bought our first home back in April, this has only increased. I love to try new cleaning products to help keep my home fresh and clean. Naturally It's Clean Review For my review, I was sent some Naturally It's Clean products to try out including a product for mildew, kitchen and tub & tile.  These are enzyme based cleaners that are effective at removing mold and grime. The company first started out in Detroit so of course I love it already! The first Naturally It's Clean product that I tried out was the one for the kitchen.  I love to cook so my counters get messy quickly. I sprayed some of this product on my new counters and they wiped clean without any struggle!! I also tried out the Naturally It's Clean tub & tile cleaner. This is an area that I often forget to clean because I do not see it unless I am in the shower. This product was easy to use and got the grime out o

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September 21, 2012

Guest Post: Essential Oils

Dear healthy people, I am VERY excited to do my very first ever guest post on The Nutritionist Reviews and to give you a heads up about something that is quickly catching the attention of health nuts everywhere! I spend my time consulting, researching and educating people about something revolutionary: doTERRA Essential Oils! So please allow me to share some of what I have learned with you! So, without further ado....    {doterra for dummies}: Everything you need to know about essential oils. WHAT ARE ESSENTIAL OILS? Essential oils are natural compounds that are found in the seeds, bark, rinds, stems, roots, flowers and other parts of plants. They always come from the LIFE ROOT of the plant. They give plants, flowers, fruit their aromatic smell and are therefore heavily used in aromatherapy. Fact: It takes as much as 12,000 rose blossoms to distill 5 ml of therapeutic- grade essential rose oil. AND It takes one TON of peppermint leaves to make one GALLON of peppermint

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September 20, 2012

Flax4Life Review and Giveaway

I have some great products to share with you from the company Flax4Life . I am a big fan of ground flax seed because it is full of nutrients and fiber. For my review, I was sent blueberry muffins, carrot raisin muffins, everything buns, cranberry orange muffins and chocolate brownies. When I received this package, I cut into one of the cranberry orange muffins right away. It was soft and tasty. You could not taste the flax which I'm sure may be a concern for some people. One half of a good sized muffin was 160 calories. I do not think that this is bad but I have trouble limiting myself to half of a muffin. One whole muffin contains 10 grams of fiber which is excellent. Women need 25 grams per day and men need 38 grams so these muffins pack a huge boost of fiber. See nutrition panel below for the cranberry orange muffins: The other muffins are also very delicious. They are flavorful and moist. Each muffin has 3200 milligrams of omega 3 fatty acids which may help in loweri

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September 19, 2012

ActivewearUSA Review

ActivewearUSA  is a company that sells all kinds of workout gear. What I really liked about the website is that you can search by type of sport that you are interested in to find clothes that are right for that activity. Also, if you are looking for jackets for example, you can also search by type of clothing. This site was easy to navigate and has tons and tons of clothing options. I was sent the gorgeous jacket seen above to review. It is very warm and is perfect for fall. The weather is getting colder here in Michigan starting today so I will start wearing this jacket during my workouts and walks with my sister. It has little thumbholes which I have not had on a jacket before but they seem comfortable. I love the purple color and like that it is bright in case I have to exercise when it is getting darker. The site seems to be affordable and carries many name brand products such as Patagonia, Alo, Merrell and NUX all in one site. I like that they also have dresses and skirts al

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September 18, 2012

Hard Luck Candy Vodka Review

Hard Luck Candy Vodka is an alcohol that comes in fun flavors. I like to have an occasional drink on a Friday or Saturday and was excited to try these unique flavors of vodka. I was sent the root beer, lemon drop, red fish and orange cream. The first one that I tried was the root beer. This had a true root beer flavor which was awesome and unique. This alcohol is 70 proof and is made right in the city that I live in in Grosse Pointe Park, MI. It originated at the Hard Luck Lounge which recently closed down and is now produced all over Michigan and California. The red fish one was also very tasty and tasted more like candy than alcohol.  I like that these flavors are unique and sweet. For a tasty beverage, I would recommend trying Hard Luck Candy Vodka. Please drink responsibly. Do not drink if you are under 21 years old.

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September 17, 2012

Superfoods for Runners

Eating a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and fluids is necessary for top running performance and to help prevent injury. Without adequate nutrition, performance may be compromised. Specific nutrient needs are based on age, sex, size and activity level, so consult your physician or registered dietitian for individualized nutrition advice. Bananas Bananas are digested quickly and provide fuel for the muscles. They make a perfect pre-run snack and should be eaten 1 to 4 hours before a run for adequate blood glucose levels. They are full of carbohydrates which provides 40 to 50 percent of the energy requirement during moderate exercise. Bananas contain potassium which helps to prevent muscle cramps when running. They are also beneficial for after exercise to help refuel. Whole Grains The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is used by the muscles for energy. Choosing whole grains is a smart choice for runners since they ar

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September 16, 2012

Oikos Greek Frozen Yogurt and $25 Whole Foods Giveaway

Have you tried Stonyfield Oikos Frozen Greek Yogurt yet? Unfortunately, I have not yet because I have not found it in stores near me but am so excited to try it. One half cup serving has 100-110 calories and 6 grams of protein which is amazing for an ice cream type product. From the reviews I have read from others, I have heard that this tastes amazing and cannot wait to try it myself. I love frozen yogurt and Greek yogurt and the combination of the two sounds amazing. For now, I have an incredible giveaway for you all to share. I know you will love this one! Giveaway Stonyfield is offering one very lucky reader a $25 Whole Foods Gift Card and 5 coupons for free pints of Oikos Frozen Greek Yogurt. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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September 14, 2012

Fresh Southwest Salad

Friday night, I wanted to make a fun dinner for Troy for finishing his first week teaching at his new job. Mexican style food is always fun so I decided to create a quick Southwest salad. It turned out incredible and we both had not a morsel left on our plates. Southwest Salad Ingredients: Salad 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped 2 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped onion 1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese 1 medium green pepper, chopped 1/2 can great northern beans, rinsed 1/2 ear of corn, sliced 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 2 tablespoons guacamole 10 tortilla chips Salad Dressing 1/4 cup medium salsa 1 tablespoon light sour cream Juice of 1/2 fresh lime Directions: 1. Lay chopped lettuce out on plate and arrange all vegetables around plate. 2. Combine chili, onion and garlic powders and mix with beans. Put beans on plate. 3. Top with cheese and guacamole. 4. Combine salsa, lime juice, and sour c

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September 13, 2012

Erin Baker's Review and Giveaway

I have tried Erin Baker's products in the past and really enjoyed them. I contacted the company again to try some more of their products and was sent some of their breakfast cookies and a sample of granola. The first product that I tried was the mini breakfast cookie in peanut butter. This cookie is soft and tasty. It did not have a strong peanut butter flavor but was good. It is a perfect treat if you are not too hungry but need something. I like eating these for a mid-morning snack after my breakfast. The next one that I tried was the oatmeal raisin mini breakfast cookie. It has 100 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams protein and 7 grams of sugar. Not bad! It is full of ingredients like whole-grain oats and wheat flour. It is sweetened with prune puree which is healthier than only sugar. The last product that I tried was the granola. One small package contains 8 grams of protein and 630 milligrams of omega-3s. It was very tasty too! I would throw this over y

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September 12, 2012

Happy Birthday Natalie!

Happy 19th birthday to the best sister in the world!!! To my exercise buddy To my trashy reality TV friend To my resale shopping companion Hope you have a great birthday!

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September 11, 2012

Croswell Swinging Bridge

Last weekend after church, my family and I went to get some lunch and took it to Croswell Swinging Bridge. It is a beautiful place and we have been going for many years. There is something about nature that is so peaceful and beautiful. Summer don't leave!!!!

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September 10, 2012

Raaw Juice Review and Giveaway

When I found Raaw juice and saw their unique flavors, I knew that I had to try some.  They make unique combinations such as pineapple cucumber, strawberry purple carrot and raspberry lemongrass. Typically, I am a supporter of eating whole fruits and vegetables as opposed to juices but as a treat, this makes a good option. These juices are 100% fruit and vegetable juices. They have no added sugar or preservatives. I like the bright colors of the bottles and that each label has how much of each fruit or vegetable is in the bottle. For example, the mano guarana has 1 mango and 1/4 cup guarana seeds in it. I had fun trying a few of these juices and had some that I liked and some that I did not.  My favorite juice was definitely the mango guarana. It has a fresh mango flavor and almost a coconut undertone. A one cup serving contains 90 calories, 120% daily vitamin A and 25 grams of sugar. While that is a lot of sugar, it does come from fruit and not added sweeteners. I was not a fa

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September 08, 2012

Sunflowers in September

My sister grew some beautiful sunflowers at my parents farm. We caught these few photos right before the sun set. Troy and I My mom, Natalie and I Did you have a good weekend?

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