How do cricket flour energy bars stack up? Exo & Chapul vs Team Favorites

We are obsessed with bars. We maintain a spreadsheet that tracks nutrition data, ingredients, and factors like texture and flavor for over 50 bars! What we know for sure is that bars are like jeans. You have to try on MANY pairs to find right one(s) -- yes plural. We have bars for different occasions...tastes...goals.

The key to finding YOUR bar is a willingness to taste. And taste them twice. But before you buy, you can do a little homework to maximize your investment in time and money:

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Acai, Banana, Apple & Blueberry Oat Breakfast Muffins

Why do we call them "breakfast" muffins? Because these muffins will help you start the day in a healthful way. The taste is mild and the nutrition profile strong. 

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Getting Smarter @ our TOP Energy/Protein Bar Picks

Just when we think we have the energy/protein bar question answered, we learn that one of the most common energy bar protein sources, soy protein isolate (SPI), is inferior to casein, whey & rice. If you have followed our data driven analyses, you know that we select our athletic-minded favorites based on taste, nutrition, ingredients AND the DATA!! See our last article here.

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Maple Water vs. Gatorade, Bai5 and other Recovery Options

Nothing is more satisfying after a hard workout, especially in the hotter summer months, than grabbing an ice cold drink. Most often our team reaches for water, but sometimes we crave more.

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Not all Salads are Created Equally: Guide to Picking the Perfect Salad Green

With the rise of the salad restaurant (think Tender Greens, Sweet Green, Chop't), the kale craze, and the vegan revolution – it’s a good time to examine the building blocks for the oldest healthy dish in the books. With a wide variety of salad greens available, it can be hard to differentiate among them– which is the healthiest? Which has the most vitamins? Which is lowest in calories? And which tastes best?

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It really is that EASY. Chicken Maple Dijon Recipe. And so good.

Time and time again we see recipes that promise to be quick and easy. And sometimes they are. But then no one in our household likes it; or the recipe really isn't that quick or easy...So when we stumble upon one that holds true to the promise, we get excited. 

It took a little Google sleuthing to find the recipe we used as our base. As a note, there are MANY versions of this recipe, and of course, we have our own suggested "tweaks". We also noticed that the recipe is "adapted from Trader Joe's Cookbook". Naturally, we like it!

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A recipe worth sharing: Shrimp, Chorizo & Corn Salad

Wow. We were right!

When we saw this recipe in our Cooking Light Magazine, we were intrigued. We love shrimp, and we know that a small amount of Spanish chorizo can go a long way toward adding robust flavor.  Other favorite ingredients were also listed: sriracha, basil, green onion, garlic and lemon juice. This dish was begging to be made.

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Stylist: Cindy Barr

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ONE simple reason to buy organic

A long while back the Wall Street Journal--Marketplace Section--had an informative article on the pros/cons of buying organic produce, meats and dairy. The article was fair and balanced and basically said that:

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All Oatmeal is NOT created equal. Which is best? And what about Starbucks’, Panera & Jamba’s versions?

Your Oatmeal Questions Answered

Steel Cut, Old Fashioned Flakes, Instant? What is the best oatmeal choice when I am making oatmeal at home? And what about instant flavored "packets" of oatmeal? Are they nutritionally bankrupt? And last, how about the oatmeal offered at fast food joints? Thumbs up or down?

We look at the variety of oatmeal available at stores, share our oatmeal recipe, and delve into what is offered "on the road." 

Oats at the Grocery Store (Home Base)

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Energy Bar Analysis and Comparison. Let the Data Speak.

Forget every other energy/protein bar review you’ve read. This is different.  We dig into the nutrition data to SHOW you how the bars stack up.  Taste is subjective. Numbers aren’t. And nothing beats a side-by-side comparison. 

Our analysis will help determine if you’re getting the “most” out of your bar. You decide what “most” means. Is it taste? Protein? Natural ingredients? Low Sugar? All of these? This post will make you think twice about your favorite chocolate covered bar.

Our ideal bar:

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