Snack Review: Living Snactive with Mediterranean Snacks

I hate the word “diet” when it is referred to people's weight loss regimes because as everyone knows, it's short-lived and usually meant for short-term success. It's the same routine, you go on a health kick and feel great, like you can conquer the world, but then it goes downhill because the motivation weens and you're back to the very start. The miserable beginning where it all feels hopeless.  So what do you do?

Well for starters, you can ditch the sugar-laden sweets, salty chips that make your hands glisten from all the grease, but don't be duped, even the “health” snacks can be loaded with sugar and tons of sodium, plus other ingredients that may be problematic, based on your individual circumstances.

We need to Live Snactive! Nope that's not a spelling mistake. Going on the philosophy of Mediterranean Snacks, having a Healthy Attitude + Nutritious Snacks + Active Lifestyle = Living Snactive! Everyone has their marketing buzz word, but I can say this really meshes well with me, and I think many others can relate.

 Now there is a full line of products by a great company called Mediterranean Snacks that offers a glorious amount of options for people who have specific dietary needs or just choose a different way to eat.

Here is the assortment that I received in the mail. I was blown away at this big haul. I will go into more detail on what we liked and ones we probably wouldn't buy again.  I ended up sharing these with my boyfriend and the rest of my family.

Before that, I need to talk about how much I love the bold packaging. It's full of vibrant colours, plus the fonts are easy to read, so you don't have to sit and squint wondering what flavour you're getting or what the main features are of the product. All the ingredients are also listed on the back, which is great because I'm a label reader.

So here we go.  I have also taken a bunch of photos, so you can get an idea of what some of the products look like.

Vegetable Medley – An absolute favourite and as you can see, you get a lot of them per bag. I love how they are slightly rounded, so ideal for dipping, or still worth munching on without any extras. Oddly enough, they are seasoned with sea salt, which I usually don't like, but these are a winner.

Baked Lentil Chips (Rosemary) – Baked not fried which is a huge plus. They were also very savoury and crunchy. My parents raved over these, especially my Dad. Due to his condition, his sense of smell has been impaired, so I was pleasantly surprised that he could taste the Rosemary.

Baked Lentil Chips (Roasted Pepper) - A personal favourite and a great chip to dip into some homemade guacamole.

Bean Stalks (Sea Salt, Cheddar and BBQ) – A whole lotta crunch to these babies! Since the number one ingredient is actual beans, they are packed with fibre and protein. Unfortunately, i'm not a fan of sea salt to begin with, so that bag was the least favourite of the bunch.

Cheddar ones were great on their own (think of a healthy version of a cheesie!) and my boyfriend liked the tangy BBQ ones.

Tapaz 2 Go – Mixed feelings here. Although these are meant to be eaten without refrigeration required, I would personally recommend refrigerating them, before taking on-the-go.  For me, it was just awful at room temperature. It had a strange off-putting taste. On my second attempt, I decided to stick it in the fridge for a while and that really made a big difference. It had a nice cooling taste. A good serving size too.

The classic hummus is very mild, the garlic hummus tastes pretty much the same, but I couldn't really taste a very strong aroma of garlic at all. The red pepper hummus has a real kick, my mouth was kind of on fire, but if you like spice, this one is for you. Keep in mind, you'll need to swirl around the mixture a bit. The pretzels were ok, but if you're watching your sodium, probably best to pack a little container and toss in some of their lentil or veggie chips.

I am truly blessed to have my Dad still with us today.  He has made huge strides in improving his health, both physically and mentally.  We all struggle in different ways and it's good to know there is a company looking out for us and providing healthier options.

I am grateful for companies like Mediterranean Snacks that exist and will probably be leading the pack for naturally-based nutritional health snacks for many years to come.

If you would be so kind to excuse me now, I have the munchies and eyeing a bag of Vegetable Medley Straws that are calling my name!

UPDATE 2018: I am not sure what has happened to this company or their website!
You can still purchase from here though: 

Cooking with Pampered Chef

Everyone loves to eat. Sometimes we are able to spend a lot of time preparing delicious food for our families and, other times, we need to be realistic and realize that short-cuts are helpful and often necessary.

After attending a Pampered Chef party, I was immediately intrigued by PC’s newest item called the “Brownie Pan.”

If you’re not a baker, but take interest in cooking, like I do, don’t shy away based just on the name. This pan actually does so much more than just bake sweets. You can prepare appetizers and full meals.

There are hundreds of recipes that you can try and, since I have been craving lasagna for the last while, I decided to try out the Pampered Chef – Mini-Spinach Lasagna Squares.

With 12 individualized wells, aluminized steel provides ideal heat distribution and offers a non-stick coating for quick and easy clean-up. Say goodbye to those awful scrubby pads that end up ruining all your cookware.

Also, if you’re a little clumsy, the extended edges are a nice touch to the pan so you have a good grip with your oven mitts. It is also safe in conventional and convection ovens up to 450°F.

So what’s the downside?

Well, unfortunately, the only negative is that it is not dishwasher-safe, so this pan needs to be washed by hand. However, for the time that you ended up saving making dinner, it’s not a terrible inconvenience.

The Pampered Chef Mini-Spinach Lasagna Squares recipe:

• 4 oz (125 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup/250 mL grated), divided
• 1 oz (30 g) fresh Parmesan cheese (1/4 cup/50 mL grated)
• 1 pkg (10 oz/300 g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 3/4 cups (425 mL) marinara sauce, divided
• 24 small (approx 1½-2-in./4-5-cm squares) frozen cheese ravioli (12 oz/350 g)

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Using Microplane Adjustable Coarse Grater, grate cheeses; place in two separate (1-cup/250-mL) Prep Bowls.
• In Classic Batter Bowl, combine ½ cup (125 mL) of the mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach and garlic pressed with Garlic Press. Mix well with Small Mix ‘N Scraper.
• Place marinara sauce in (2-cup/500-mL) Easy Read Measuring Cup. Using the Measuring Spoon Set, spoon 1 tbsp (15 mL) marinara sauce into each well of Brownie Pan; top with one ravioli.
• Using Medium Scoop, place one rounded scoop of spinach mixture on top of each ravioli. Top with another ravioli. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over each ravioli and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
• Bake 20-22 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly. Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Serve with Mini Nylon Serving Spatula.

I tweaked the recipe a little bit to meet our needs. I used a plain, low-sodium tomato sauce and added herbs and spices. For the cheese, I used a mild cheddar and about half the amount of what the recipe suggested, just to keep it healthier and not so heavy.

Lasagna squares waiting to go into the oven

This recipe is really versatile and allows for proper portion-control, so the possibilities are endless for what you can create. All the italicized items can be found on the Pampered Chef website.

I would recommend getting the Mini Nylon Serving Spatula if you’re going to use the Brownie Pan. You really can’t have one without the other. The spatula is designed to fit this particular pan, it lifts up items without scratching the finish, and it is dishwasher safe.

I was quite proud that I didn't have a lasagna meltdown on the plate. These mini lasagna squares were a hit and I even have a few leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

The pre-portioned lasagna squares are done and just waiting to be served.

The plated lasagna squares made easy with Pampered Chef.

Pampered Chef has a product line of over 500 items and, with the holidays right around the corner, this is one of the many gifts that beginner cooks all the way to the culinary chef, in your life, will cherish for a lifetime.