does a delicious tasting granola bar really exist?

i attended the fancy food show in san francisco last month.  this has become an annual event for my sister susan and myself.  we go to check out the current "foodie" trends, meet with suppliers, search for potential products to carry (we found our grapeseed oil vendor there last year) and eat, eat, eat.  everyone offers samples of their food...and this leads to 3 days of eating everything you can imagine...chocolates, cheese (tons of cheese), health foods, snack foods, prepared foods, condiments, baked goods... you name it...it is probably there to taste.  i first wrote about the show last year in a post titled "what is fancy food anyway?"

this year was a tiny bit different for me and i WAS ON THAT CLEANSE!  who goes to an event all about tasting amazing food only to be restricted by the "no white flour, white sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dairy, processed or hydrogenated foods" limits of a cleanse?  answer = me.  crazy!  so while my sister was enjoying delicious treats, i was limited to things like honey, rice crackers, vegan seafood (sounds crazy but actually really delicious...will blog about this later), organic frozen fruit, vegan cheese and mayo substitutes, the few salsas made without added sugar...an aside, it is crazy how many prepared foods contain sugar...do we really need sugar in salsa, pasta sauce, crackers, cereal, etc?  really manufacturers?  but i digress.  i also sampled about a zillion granola bars...partly because i was hungry, partly because i had to taste something.  you know what?  nothing knocked my socks off.  not horrible, just not memorable.

so i must admit that i was less than enthused to receive in the mail a few days later a box of granola bars to sample.  the request was to taste and then blog about them.  my "policy" regarding product reviews is to blog about items that i like.  you won't find me writing scathing reviews about products i dislike...i mean, just because i don't like something doesn't mean you won't. but if i like something...i mean really like something, i want to tell the world.

world...let me tell you about the granola bars from a company called Granola gourmet.  these bars are delicious.  they sent me one of each of their four flavors:

Ultimate Berry
Ultimate Fudge Brownie
Ultimate Mocha Fudge
Ultimate Cran-Orange

and, while they are all really good, i did flip for the fudge brownie...fudgy, moist, kinda like the best part of cookie dough but baked...does that description even make sense? the company's website states the bars are:

100% Natural
No Wheat No Dairy
Kosher
Vegan
Very Low Sodium (20-35mg)
10-12g Whole Grains
530-590mg Omega-3’s
Handmade in California

they are sweetened with agave syrup, are 70 % organic and really, really good.  i fell in love with the company when i heard their story:

"Founded by Jeff Cohen (a diabetic) and his family. Granola Gourmet Energy Bars are made with 100% natural and wholesome ingredients. Frustrated by a lack of snacks that did not cause a blood sugar spike, but that also tasted good Granola Gourmet was born. Granola Gourmet uses ingredients that are low or very low on the Glycemic Index, because of this Granola Gourmet Energy Bars convert to sugar more slowly.


From humble beginnings in the family kitchen the bars were made in small batches and became a family tradition. Soon his teenagers began getting requests for new flavors from their friends. Hollywood Television Shows and Movies began buying the bars for the cast and crew. Granola Gourmet became a local family business success.

Our founder, as a Type 2 diabetic, wanted to create a product that is healthy, tasty and filling that could meet the needs of diabetics, as well as athletes and health conscious consumers. Granola Gourmet™ Energy Bars contain 10-13g Whole Grains and 391-590mg Omega-3’s. For those with other dietary requirements, these Energy Bars are free of wheat and dairy, low sodium(15- 35mg), and are kosher, vegetarian & vegan and non gmo. Handmade in California.

Finally, a substantial energy bar that is tasty, chewy and crunchy and portion controlled. Satisfying your hunger and fulfilling your sweet tooth. They are an energy bar and don’t have the high sugar, fat and sodium content of some of the popular protein bars."

the company donates a portion of every purchase to fight diabetes and they are actively involved in events supporting the American Diabetes Association & Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

so there you go, a company making a delicious and healthy product using quality ingredients and they give back...i really, really admire this company.  Check them out at Granola Gourmet.  to learn more about this company follow them on twitter and join their facebook page. the ultimate bar is available on amazon right now..a pack of ten for $14.46 reg 19.99.  you can find other retailers on their website.


want to try them for free?  we are partnering with granola gourmet to give samples to one lucky reader.  all you have to do is post a comment in the box below...the contest winner will be selected on february 22nd.  you can post as many times as you like...so post away!
best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "

do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page


to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.