NEW Larabars!

Incase you’re TOTALLY out of the loop, LÄRABAR has been busy creating FOUR new ingenious flavors!  In addition to the 15 other decadent flavors of these vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free bars we welcome Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Chocolate Chip Brownie, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Carrot Cake to the Lärabar family.

 

*Warning:  You may need to clean the drool off of your computer screen at the end of this post.  Or at least make sure you car keys are close by so you won’t waste time trying to find them while rushing out the door to buy some of these flavors.

I knew exactly which one I’d be ripping into first, being fully aware of my adoration for carrot cake.  I mean honestly, look at the simple ingredients list!

This had me at ‘Hello’.  I could taste the plump raisins, tropical coconutty pineapple, and spice with each bite.  Talk about heaven in a bar.

I challenge you to find a more wholesome variety of CARROT CAKE using those whole food ingredients!  Not to mention, the thing practically melts in your mouth.  They’re so dense they keep me full for hours!  How would you like to tell someone you ate Carrot Cake for breakfast and feel GOOD about it?  😉

Next up are the especially sinful tasting Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Lärabars.

These babies taste JUST like licking the cookie dough batter out of the bowl from Mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies.  

I would bet my life that your Momma’s chocolate chip cookies contain a LOT more ingredients than these bars!  Lärabar never ceases to amaze me with the simplicity of which their bars are made.  Who needs flour, sugar, and batter when you’ve got cashews, dates, and Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate chips?!

You’ll notice that there is quite a bit of sugar in these bars, but it mainly comes from the dates & other fruits.  There is NONE added!  Check out how much Potassium one bar provides, along with healthy fats and ZERO cholesterol!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip tasted like a Chocolate cookie with peanut butter chips!  You know like these?

[source]

Notice that the ingredients list is the same as the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, with the exception of peanuts in place of cashews.  This dynamic chocolate & peanut butter duo will have you begging for more.  I savored each bite of this one!

Last but not least, we have the Chocolate Chip Brownie flavor, which was basically a “death by chocolate” treat that could satiate any level of chocolate insanity.

This one is incredibly rich and luscious, like gluten-free brownie mix.

Again, the simple, wholesome ingredients have my heart ❤

I swear, no one does it like you, Larabar.  A fudgy, silky, intensely russet brownie for just 200 calories, with 4g protein, 5g fiber, and only whole foods for ingredients?  I’ll take it anyday.

I think I may have even found a new favorite!  Carrot Cake & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough now rank up in the top five for sure.  Coconut Cream Pie, Peanut Butter & Jelly & Banana Nut Bread are the contenders 😉

Thanks so much, Marissa for sharing all the new flavors with me!

Time Trial & Giveaway Winners!

Verse of the Day

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

– Ephesians 3:20-21

Breakfast was thrown together on the fly this morning (thus, a HUGE lack of creativity).  I was flying around trying to get ready as quickly as possible and instead of skipping breakfast all-together, I decided on something quick & easy.

3/4 C. ff cottage cheese (Splenda stirred in) + 1 C. Fiber Select

The most bare protein & carb essentials were there, but it didn’t make for a very photo friendly meal.  I downed my iced Campfire S’mores coffee on the way to work for a caffeine boost and I spent my break at work sipping on this.

It gave me some Vitamins & Minerals needed for studying a bit as well.  Making good use of breaks is something I don’t usually do.  In fact, I rarely stop working over my lunch break, which came around 12:15PM.

1/2 C. ff cottage cheese, 1/2 C. sweet peas, some broccoli florets, & a few sliced grapes paired with a La Tortilla Factory whole wheat wrap slathered with Sonoma Jack’s light pepperjack & Splenda.

It may not look appetizing to you, but the moment I remembered my days of indulging at the salad bar from Ruby Tuesday’s, I was inspired to try making my own concoction.  Typically there, I mixed cottage cheese, raisins, broccoli, and edamame.   The crunch of the grapes was a nice replacement of the chewiness from the raisins, and the sweet peas matched the salty cottage cheeese nicely.

After work, I munched on a gala apple on my way to the gym at school.

Again, I used the Cross Ramp for about 30 minutes, changing up the resistance level & incline every 5-10 minutes.  It was a great workout and my heart rate averaged 156!  All the while, I was watching “The Nanny Diaries” on my ipod! 

 [source]

I did some planks (45 seconds-1 min. each), “in-and-outs“, and pushups on the matted section of the floor and then hopped on the stationary bike for 12 minutes.  I wanted to get my heart rate up again before leaving the fitness room, so I did another 11 minutes on the Cross Ramp at a high incline with a bit of resistance.  I felt like I was doing “high knees” the whole time!

Since I had class at 6PM, I packed dinner & shower stuff to eat between.

Veggies (steamed green beans & snow peas, sliced red pepper, carrots, and tomato) and edamame.

A deep chocolate Vitatop for whole grains!  I also chugged about 1 liter of water after the workout.

Class only went until about ten of 8PM, and by the time I got home and repacked everything to do the same thing the next day, I was ready for bed!  Unpictured eats:  Strawberry Chobani & some cucumber tomato salad while packing!

SINCE it’s Friday, and eats were kinda lame today, I thought I’d spice things up by announcing the Galaxy Granola winners!!!

Congratulations, ladies!  Please email me at freckledfoodielove@gmail.com with your mailing address and full name so that I can get you your 2 bags of Galaxy Granola prizes!!  Don’t worry, if you didn’t win this one, you can still enter to win some MIX 1 drinks until Monday!

Still not exciting enough?  WELLL IGE aka Kristin is having an awesome ICBINB giveaway on her blog!  Enter by July 11th! ANNNND Danica is having a Good Earth Chicken dinner giveaway! It must be your lucky day because there’s ANOTHER chance to win a $50 from CSN stores courtesy of Julie GoLEAN 🙂

Happy Friday, lovlies 🙂

1.  Any exciting weekend plans?

2.  How are you coping with the heat?  Do you still run outside?

XO.