Woman in Real Life: What I Ate Wednesday and The Simply Bar Giveaway

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

What I Ate Wednesday and The Simply Bar Giveaway

Welcome to What I Ate Wednesday and The Simply Bar giveaway!

My dad had surgery last week, and I knew that mom and I would need some snacks while we were waiting at the hospital. So, I made us date squares (a favourite of both me and my mom), along with these All or Nothing Granola Bars, above. They are not only delicious...they also contain some good nutrients to keep your stomach full in between meals.

On Sunday night, my husband made this yummy dinner of lentil burgers, vegan gravy, roasted potatoes, peas cooked with mushrooms and cranberry sauce (from a can). You have no idea how much I love it when someone else cooks!

And now for yesterday's meals. For breakfast, I had grapes, watermelon and a protein bar...The Simply Bar's cocoa coffee flavour.

I didn't have leftovers available for lunch, so I had my "lazy lunch" of tortilla chips with salsa, hummus and guacamole.

For dinner, I made a vegetable chickpea soup in the slow cooker.

And spelt bread in the breadmaker. This time I added dried cranberries, flax seeds and sunflower seeds to liven up this simple bread.

I have been eating all kinds of The Simply Bar vegan protein bars this week. The makers of The Simply Bar were kind enough to send me bars in six flavours to sample, as well as two bags of protein chips.

Benefits

The Simply Bar is a high protein, low sugar, low fat, low glycemic bar made with a handful of natural ingredients. Founder Cathy Richards, who has Crohn’s Disease, created the gluten-free bars after having difficulty finding snacks that didn’t upset her stomach. Each bar contains 16 g of protein and is low in sugar and fat. The bars are also certified non-GMO. For more about the benefits for athletes, click here.

Taste

But what does The Simply Bar taste like? To begin with, the main ingredient is soy crisps, which are similar to a crispy rice cereal. I personally love a crispy bar.

Most of the bars have a slightly bitter taste, some flavours more than others. I thought I would like the lemon coconut bar the least, because I don’t always like lemon added to foods. But, I actually ended up enjoying that flavour the most. It has a fresh, lemony taste that hides any bitterness. Caramel peanut doesn’t necessarily remind me of caramel, but it has a nice sweetness to it. Cocoa with raspberry has a pleasant hint of…well, raspberry. And, my husband’s favourite variety is the peanut butter chocolate bar. I guess others agree, because it’s the best selling flavour. Cocoa coffee has a stronger taste that should appeal to coffee fans. I’m not a coffee drinker myself, except for the occasional decaf. Finally, cinnamon pecan. I can’t tell you what that one’s like. The last one disappeared today when my husband left for work. Funny.

Simply Protein Chips

Protein in a chip? That’s the idea. There’s 15 g of protein in each bag, with 140 calories. Like the bars, the chips are gluten-free, vegan and all natural. Of the two flavours available, my husband preferred the herb variety, which is slightly spicy and a little bit sweet. The chili flavour has a gentle kick for those who like some heat. While they are not comparable to a traditional chip, they are a great option for a healthier snack.

Win The Simply Bar and Simply Protein Chips!

One winner will receive the top four protein bar flavours, as well as two bags of Simply Protein Chips. This contest is open to residents of the US and Canada. Enter using the rafflecopter below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I am once again linking up with the lovely Jenn: