Saturday, March 30, 2013

Energy/Meal Replacement Bar Review: Core Defender Bar

 
Core Bars

 
 
 
Organic Raw Almond Raisin Oatmeal Bowl Bar.
 
(vegan)
 
 
(whey protein)
 
(whey protein)
 
This bar comes in handy when I don't have time to cook or soak raw oatmeal and pack it and keep it fresh in the car when I'm out and about all day. I eat one bar almost daily during the week in between classes. I've heard from others that this bar keeps them full and energized for hours. Agreed!
You don't have to consider these a meal replacement if you don't want that. I eat these as a snack and I rather eat something more fresh for a decent meal. However, these are great when you are on the go and need something satisfying and these will sure give you good lasting energy.
 
After about 3 weeks of having started eating these bars, I ran into Dave Eckel, who is one of the team members of Core bars. He was outside Aptos Natural Foods in Santa Cruz giving out samples to people with a big smile in his face. I approached him and of course bombarded him with questions about his products. (I eat a lot of these so hey, I wanted to know what they are all about!) He was so nice and very outgoing. He answered all of my questions with a lot of information and he seemed so excited talking about his product. I have come to appreciate this bar so much. The group of guys behind this bar really care about the environment and what goes into our bodies. They are fit guys who search for ways to properly fuel themselves. They have a raw vegan bar and a whey protein bar. They take good care of the quality of their core bars and keep it down to all natural ingredients consisting of oats, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, spices, and a good source of whey protein. I picked at him about the whey protein they used and he reassured me that their whey protein comes from pasture-raised cows with no hormones and antibiotics and all that good deal. Ooo another thing that was really great to hear was that they soak their oats. I thought they used plain dry oats, but Dave told me they actually soak their oats! That is so great because this bar is mostly made of oats. It is good to soak them in order to reduce the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors found in oats in order to make them easy on digestion.
 
My favorite one is the Almond Raisin Defender Bar.
 
I've tried all of them. I sampled the Cashew Cacao bar with Dave and I didn't like that one at all. I thought it was too dry, bland tasting, and a little bitter. Some people do like it though. 
 

Texture & Flavor : Delicious, mildly sweet, and chewy. It is like eating a big healthy oatmeal cookie.
 
Calories: Each bar ranges from 300-400 calories with good carbohydrates, good fats, and good protein.
 
Ingredients: Ingredients vary depending on the flavor you buy and whether its vegan or not: Oats, Almonds, Raisins, Flax, Whey Protein, Cacao, Cashews, Banana, and Spices.
 
Here is a fun recipe. I sometimes eat it for breakfast, lunch, or after a workout.
 
 
 
Topped with Goji Berries, Hemp seeds, & Macadamias
Recipe:

-1 cup plain yogurt (I like St. Benoit Creamy Yogurt, they have Jersey Cows, they semi-pasturize their dairy, and the taste and texture is amazing.)
-2 teaspoons Mesquite powder (You can also use Cacao powder, Carob powder, Acai Powder, a flavored protein powder, or any flavorings that come to your mind.)
-1 Core Defender Bar crumbled into small pieces.
-Sweetner is optional. For me it tasted sweet enough.

Toppings: Add some nuts of your choice, fresh or thawed berries, chopped banana, etc.

Mix yogurt with Mesquite powder, or your choice of powder.  The Goji berries and the Core bar give enough sweetness for my taste buds. You can add some stevia, honey, or maple syrup for extra sweetness. Mix everything in a bowl. Then add the Core Bar pieces and your toppings. Enjoyy :)


 
Almond Raisin Core Bar crumbled into chunks with Hemp Milk.
You can buy hemp milk from the store with no added sugar or make raw homemade fresh hemp milk.
 
For Hemp Milk:
-1 cup water
-3 tablespoons hemp seeds
-sweetener to taste: raw honey, maple syrup, stevia.
-optional: 3/4  vanilla bean scraped.
 
Blend in a highspeed blender until it turns milky.
 
Check them out here:
http://www.corefoods.com/pages/about-us
https://www.facebook.com/COREfoods



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