Hemp Heart Bars: Review & Giveaway Details

Manitoba Hemp Heart Bars were provided to me for review through my partnership with Sweat Pink. All opinions are my own.

Since eliminating dairy from my diet, I've been on a quest to find snack bars made from plant-based proteins that have a decent taste and texture. There are few brands that I already enjoy, but I think it's always good to find a few varieties that you like in the event that one brand/product is discontinued, or is difficult to find. So I was pretty stoked when I was selected to do a review of Manitoba Harvest's new Hemp Heart Bars!

Perfect for pre-workout fuel!

I'm already a huge fan of Manitoba Harvest's other products (especially their hemp seeds), so I knew that I would enjoy the new Hemp Heart bars. The new bars are available in three flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, and Apple Cinnamon. I received samples of the Chocolate and Apple Cinnamon flavors. I liked that each of these bars had a subtle flavor, but you could still taste the distinct nuttiness of the hemp seeds.  Chocolate in general isn't really my jam, so naturally I favored the Apple Cinnamon!

Nutrition Information

Hemp Heart Bars are made from 10 or less simple ingredients, and contains 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of omegas. Each bar has 230-240 calories, 15-16 grams of healthy fat (the first ingredient is Hemp Hearts), 13-15 grams carbohydrate, and 8-10 grams of sugar. 

Uses

Manitoba Hemp Heart Bars are perfect for anyone living an active lifestyle. Throw it in your gym bag for a pre- or post-workout snack, or in your bag so you have a healthy snack when cravings or hunger hit. You could also pack it in your lunchbox, and crumble the bar to use in place of granola in yogurt or smoothie bowl!

It's like apple pie without the guilt!

Want to win a box of your own? Enter Manitoba Harvest's photo contest on Instagram and Twitter! Just share a photo using the hashtag #fuelledbyhemp, and tag @ManitobaHarvest to enter! Get all of the details HERE. One winner will be chosen each month! Open to U.S. and Canada residents only.

You can also save 15% on any variety of Hemp Heart Bars using discount code hhbarlaunch1015 at the Manitoba Harvest's online store. Each caddy contains 12 bars, and is retailed at $31.99 (before discount). Hurry, this offer expires 3/31/2016!

Have you tried the new Hemp Heart bars? What did you think?

What's your favorite Hemp Hearts product?

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Review, Recipe, and Giveaway!

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Manitoba Harvest and the Sweat Pink community in exchange for a review of Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts. All opinions expressed are my own.

Almost exactly three years ago, I become a vegetarian. Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday, so I decided that my last time eating meat would be at my family's Turkey Day feast. I enjoyed my last few bites of turkey at my grandparent's apartment, and haven't had a bite of meat since.

Even though I no longer eat meat, and my Thanksgiving dinner plate is usually loaded with salad and side dishes, I love all of those traditional Thanksgiving flavors. Cranberries, pumpkin, cinnamon, all those nutty fall flavors...the best! And since becoming a vegetarian, I've explored tons of new foods, especially those that help me meet my daily protein needs.

One of my favorite discoveries since transitioning to a plant-based diet is hemp hearts. So when FitApproach provided me with an opportunity to do a review and giveaway on my blog for Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts, I applied immediately!

Hemp hearts are tiny seeds that have a slight nutty flavor, along with a whopping 10 grams of protein in each 30-gram serving. And there are so many ways to eat them! These seeds can be sprinkled on top of salads, cereal, or yogurt, blended into your favorite smoothie, or whisked into the batter of your favorite baked goods. You can even eat them straight out of the bag! The possibilities are endless.

Now, you're probably wondering why I mentioned my love of Thanksgiving foods earlier. FitApproach and Manitoba Harvest asked that I try out a new recipe with the 2oz bag that I received. I looked up several recipes using hemp hearts on the Internet, before selecting a Fruit and Hemp Seed Muesli recipe from Whole Foods that I altered to taste just like Thanksgiving dinner (minus the bird).

Everything-But-The-Thanksgiving-Turkey Muesli

Ingredients:

• 1 1/8 cups quick-cooking oats (I used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats)
• 1/2 cup Manitoba Harvest Shelled Hemp Seeds
• 1/2 cup Craisins
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (I used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Spiced Pumpkin Seeds)
• 5 pitted dates, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and toss to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

To serve warm, combine 1/2 cup muesli with 1/2 cup liquid of choice (unsweetened non-dairy milk, water, etc.) and simmer on the stovetop until oats are softened, 1-2 minutes.

Want to win a bag of your own? Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite Thanksgiving food is and you're automatically entered! Winner will be announced on November 13, 2015. Good luck!

Bulu Box Review!

One of the MANY perks of being a #SweatPink Ambassador for Fit Approach is that I am often given opportunities to review products or services, and share discounts (or even giveaways!) with my readers and followers. This month, I was notified that I was selected to participate in a campaign with Bulu Box!

You're probably wondering what Bulu Box is. To be honest, I hadn't heard too much about the company myself before this campaign (which is another reason why Fit Approach is so awesome...I've learned about so many great companies from them!). For those of you familiar with Birchbox or Ipsy, consider Bulu Box to be a similar service geared toward those interested in fitness and/or weight loss. The company describes itself as "the best way to discover the health, nutrition and weight loss products that are right for YOU!"

Here's how it works:

1. Try Samples: Each month, Bulu Box will send you 4-5 samples to try based on your profile before buying full-size so you don’t waste your money.
2. Earn Points: Each month you can earn up to 100 Rewards Points (that’s $10!) just for subscribing and sharing your thoughts. Log in to your account to fill out your sample surveys about the products you just tried.
3. Cash Out: Once you’ve earned Rewards Points you can use them like actual cash towards a full-size purchase of your new favorite product. Some Bulugans even get their order completely free! 

About 2 weeks ago, I received a Bulu Box of my very own to review! Here's what was inside:

RUNA Tea: Runa (which means "fully alive") is a tea that "offers clear, focused energy by balancing as much caffeine as one cup of coffee with twice the antioxidants of green tea." I tried this tea before my morning (about 5am) 4-miler this week, and it definitely helped wake me up. I liked that this tea was a hybrid of two of my favorite drinks (coffee and green tea), but I generally only drink (caffeine free) tea at night. I have tried to cut down on my coffee consumption, but I think I'll stick to my morning joe pre-run. This tea did what it promised to do, but I wasn't too crazy about the taste.

Shapeology Garcinia Cambogia: I definitely had to fight with Autocorrect while typing that product name out! Each Garcinia Cambogia capsule supports weight loss, and serves as a "dual action fat-fighter that help burn and block fat without leaving you feeling jittery." As instructed, I took one capsule 30-60 minutes before eating. As promised, I didn't experience any jitters, and the capsules were pretty easy to swallow. I'd have to try the product for an extended period of time to report how functional it is.

Movit Energy Gummies: These dummies use power-boosting ingredients like guarantee, CoQ10, and folic acid to combat fatigue and help you perform your best. I stuffed a few of the gummies in the pocket of my running shorts for last Sunday's 10-miler, and consumed 2 about every 30-45 minutes. In the past, I have used Clif Blox, and these gummies serve the same purpose. I liked that the dummies were small because it made them easier to both store and consume, but I've recently switched to dates to eat on my run in my effort to eat all or mostly whole foods.

Earth's Care Anti-Itch Cream: THIS CREAM WORKS WONDERS. The package states that the product will relieve pain and itching associated with skin irritations such as poison ivy, sunburn, and minor cuts and scrapes. I have some skin irritation on my ankle (probably caused by running/sweating) that gets super itchy at night. Like I've had to sleep in high wool socks just to prevent myself from scratching it. Each night, I rubbed a small amount of this cream on the affected area and the itching stopped immediately. It even lessened each night! I would definitely buy a full-size jar of this product!

Quest Protein Powder: I was reluctant to try Quest protein powder, as I am trying to eliminate dairy from my diet completely (Quest contains whey), and I only use plant-based protein powder. However, there were several reasons why I decided to try it:

1. I do consume Quest bars from time to time, and they are incredible (especially when microwaved for 15 seconds).
2. For the sake of this review. I had a feeling I would have a positive experience with the product, and since most people I know like Quest bars, I thought they might be interested in trying the protein powder.
3. The back of the bag revealed that I could find recipes at the following link: QuestNutrition.com/Kitchen. I typed the URL into my web browser and was SO impressed with some of the things that I saw! Did you know you could bake a loaf of bread using a Quest bar??? There was even a recipe for Cookies 'n' Cream Crusted Chicken! Now that's not something I would personally eat, so I decided to browse the site for something I *would* eat.

That "something I *would* eat" turned out to be Pumpkin Pie Pancakes. I chose this recipe for a few reasons.

1. PUMPKIN.
2. I had all of the other ingredients in my kitchen, or at least things that I could use as substitutions.
3. Fall marathons are approaching, and many runners I know enjoy pancakes post-long run. I thought this would be a good thing to share here on the blog!

BOOM.

I would definitely recommend this protein powder to anyone who does not mind that it contains whey. For now, I'll stick to my beloved Vega.

Interested in trying Bulu Box for yourself? Use discount code SWEATPINK for 50% off a 3-month subscription!

What are your thoughts on Bulu Box? Which of the above products would YOU try?

Freekeh Foods Review & GIVEAWAY!

Remember when I said I wouldn't go another two weeks without updating?

So that didn't happen.

I tried my best. I really did!

Well TODAY I am pairing up with my friends at Freekeh Foods to share a favorite recipe and provide YOU with a chance to score your own bag of freekeh!

A lot of you are probably asking yourselves, "WHAT IS FREEKEH?!"

Freekeh Foods describes freekeh as "a process which means 'to rub' in Arabic. Freekeh was created by accident nearly 2,000 years ago when a Middle Eastern village was attacked and their crop of young green wheat was set ablaze. Most folks would sulk over their misfortune, but the crafty villagers rubbed off the chaff, cooked it up, and 'Eureka!' Freekeh was created." Freekeh Foods offers the grain in three flavors: Original, Rosemary Sage, and Tamari.

When I gave up meat almost three years ago, I began searching for new foods to eat that were nutrient-dense and contained protein. Freekeh became one of my favorite ancient grains because not only does it contain more nutrients than other grains like wheat and rice, but it's absolutely delicious! As a busy plant-based athlete, I'm always looking for recipes that I can make ahead of time and store in the refrigerator or freezer so that I don't have to cook every night. This week, I used my Original Freekeh to make Roasted Sweet Potato Stew with Kale and Freekeh, a recipe straight from the Freekeh Food's website!

Sweet Potato Stew with Kale and Freekeh

1 8-ounce package cracked freekeh, any variety (I used Original)
3 sweet potatoes, scrubbed, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 bunch of fresh Lacinato kale, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 12-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
2-3 garlic cloves, diced

Scrub the sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and drizzle a little olive oil on them. Bake in 375° oven for about 25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside. While the potatoes are cooking, pour all ingredients into a large pot on top of the stove over high heat. Stir with a spoon and heat for about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add roasted sweet potatoes. Cover partially and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Check occasionally and give a stir.

Continue to cook longer for richer flavor, adding water or more broth if desired.

Options:

• Sprinkle a little nutritional yeast on top for a “parmesan cheese” flavor without the fat.
• Try using roasted pumpkin or butternut squash instead of sweet potato for a delicious twist.

GIVEAWAY!

Want to get your freekeh on??? Leave me a comment telling me which flavor of freekeh YOU would like to try (Original, Rosemary Sage, or Tamari) for your chance to win a bag of your own! Contest ends Friday, August 14th at 11:59PM EST. Winner will be announced Monday, August 17th!