I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating - when it comes to pre-prepared snack foods, I like to find options with a short list of simple real food ingredients that I can recognize. I want a snack that adds to my daily nutrition goals rather than sabotaging them, and I want it to be delicious and hit the spot. By the last I mean, it has to be what it is I'm seeking - eating a carrot when I'm craving carrot cake just isn't going to cut it.
I find I usually have good luck with snack items that are paleo-compliant, even though I don't currently eat strictly paleo or even primal myself. But I know they'll be gluten-free (actually, grain-free), contain simple ingredients, and no heavily processed sweeteners, will be satiating, and usually they taste pretty good.
So, when my review package from Paleo Prime arrived, I was expecting good things, and I wasn't disappointed! I received four packages of cookies in three varieties: Chocolate Chip, Vanilla Raspberry, and Vanilla Blueberry.
Each package contains two decent-sized cookies. The package itself is simple and really functional - it's a plastic sleeve that is held closed by an adhesive foldover strip that makes it easy to open and more importantly, to reseal.
At first I wasn't sure why that might be necessary - with only two cookies, surely there wouldn't be leftovers, right? WRONG! Each cookie is 140 calories, and for me that is plenty for a snack, and because the ingredients are primarily almonds, honey and coconut oil, along with flavorings (cacoa or fruit extracts), that is 140 calories worth of nourishment, not junk.
The resealable packaging made it simple to keep one cookie for myself and send the other to work with my husband.
Each of the three Paleo Prime flavor varieties hold pretty true to their flavors, although the base ingredient blend dominates - the honey and almond especially give each cookie a mild 'molasses cookie' taste, and the vanilla brightens up the flavor.
I greatly enjoyed the Chocolate Chip cookies - they're not Tollhouse-style (my chocolate chip Holy Grail), but neither are they hard or dry (my chocolate chip nemesis) - they tasted homebaked and rich. If you didn't see the word 'paleo' on the packaging, I doubt you'd have any idea they were grain-free.
The two fruit filled varieties tasted similar to one another (think raisin cookie) although the Vanilla Blueberry was less identifiable than the Vanilla Raspberry, which was my favorite of the three.
In all cases, the chocolate or fruit was in good proportion - not sparse but not so overly dominant that it took over the cookie base.
At first I wasn't sure why that might be necessary - with only two cookies, surely there wouldn't be leftovers, right? WRONG! Each cookie is 140 calories, and for me that is plenty for a snack, and because the ingredients are primarily almonds, honey and coconut oil, along with flavorings (cacoa or fruit extracts), that is 140 calories worth of nourishment, not junk.
The resealable packaging made it simple to keep one cookie for myself and send the other to work with my husband.
Each of the three Paleo Prime flavor varieties hold pretty true to their flavors, although the base ingredient blend dominates - the honey and almond especially give each cookie a mild 'molasses cookie' taste, and the vanilla brightens up the flavor.
I greatly enjoyed the Chocolate Chip cookies - they're not Tollhouse-style (my chocolate chip Holy Grail), but neither are they hard or dry (my chocolate chip nemesis) - they tasted homebaked and rich. If you didn't see the word 'paleo' on the packaging, I doubt you'd have any idea they were grain-free.
The two fruit filled varieties tasted similar to one another (think raisin cookie) although the Vanilla Blueberry was less identifiable than the Vanilla Raspberry, which was my favorite of the three.
In all cases, the chocolate or fruit was in good proportion - not sparse but not so overly dominant that it took over the cookie base.
Another thing I really enjoyed about each of these cookies was the texture. I've experienced flourless cookies that are either too gooey and greasy to properly be called cookies at all, and those that were dense, hard and dry.
These are neither. They are a soft without being fragile or insubstantial, hold together fine unless you pull off a piece, and joy of joys, the bite texture is very much like a good homemade oatmeal cookie - chewy but not tough, too dense or dry.
Most storebought cookies don't manage to live up to that standard, much less those that don't use traditional cookie ingredients!
Lastly, I noticed that they kept very well without quickly growing stale, retaining their chewiness and flavor. This makes them a great nutritiously sound item to keep on hand for lunch box meals for both adults and kids, travel and camping, or emergencies where prepped foods are necessary.
I would happily enjoy these again - Paleo Prime products are available for purchase directly from their site, as well as a growing number of local suppliers. They recently moved to a larger commercial kitchen, so I look forward to their being able to expand their availability as well!
In addition to the cookies I tried, Paleo Prime also makes two varieties of granola (Crunch Noir and Berry Crunch) and a meal replacer protein bar that contains both chocolate and fruit as well as nuts.
If you'd like to purchase, we've got a discount code for you, and read on for a giveaway!
Between now and Sept 15, 2015, you will receive 15% off your purchase if you use the discount code RCHPRIME15 at check out.
Paleo Prime is generously offering a Large Variety Pack that will let one winner in the US try all of their current snack options: two bags of granola, 3 Original Protein bars, and 3 packs of their cookies! This is a $35 value.
To enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Rafflecopter, then leave the name you commented under and your email in the box in the Rafflecopter entry. (This allows us to contact you if you win!) This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning.
This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY
and will end just before midnight ET on 8-22-15.
The winners will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.
Once the winner(s) have responded and confirm, their first name will be posted on our Giveaways page.
Good luck everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
I WAS FEATURED!
These look just yummy; I'll look into getting some for the boys' lunches!
ReplyDeleteThese look and sound so good- and so much better for you! I would love to try the Berry Crunch Paleo Granola. Perfect for a snack and on the go breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI would love the cookies because I have a sweet tooth.
ReplyDeleteYUM! Just started Paleo - entering!
ReplyDeleteBoth the cookies,granola and bars look like something I would like, I also like that the products are made in small batches with lots of care in the quality of ingredients.
ReplyDeleteWould love to try the Vanilla Raspberry.
ReplyDeleteI would like to try the Vanilla Blueberry Paleo Cookies
ReplyDeleteI would love to try the Vanilla Blueberry cookies! Yum!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try the raspberry vanilla cookies.
ReplyDeleteI want to try the Crunch Noir Paleo Granola! Sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteI learned that the products are made in small batches with great care.
ReplyDeleteI would like to try the Paleo Prime Protein Bar.
ReplyDeleteI learned that the Paleo Diet is based on the idea that our hunter-gatherer ancestors were genetically well adapted to the foods that they could find in nature.
ReplyDeleteI always wondered what it was all about...thanks!
I like that they make their products in small batches. I think this would make their products ever more delicious and wholesome, since much isn't lost in 'processing' or making larger batches! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this great product on the #AnythingGoes Link Party.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try the Berry crunch granola. :)
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try the cookies, they'd work great for a lunchbox treat!
ReplyDeleteI would like to try the berry crunch Paleo granola.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try the variety pack! amysmeltzer21521 at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteI'd love to try their Berry Crunch Paleo Granola. I would mix it in with a salad. Delicious! Their cookies sound amazing too. Thank-you. :)
ReplyDelete