The Connection Runners

Think outside the package people

The folks over at Vitalicious generously sent me a sample pack of their Vitatops to taste and review. I'm sure most of you have heard of these by now, they've been featured on the big morning shows, and on Rachel Ray. Basically they are the best part of the muffin. The TOPS. Each Vitatop has 100 calories and they come in individual servings which keep you from having the urge to overindulge.

They have tons of sweet chocolatey flavors for those of you needing to calm your sweet tooth without going overboard. Just pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and you have a warm, gooey treat.

I also tried the CranBran Vitatop and in all honesty didn't enjoy it that much, but I'm not ever a huge fan of bran muffins. This morning my son wanted one of the Banana Nut Vitatops. It had 5g of fiber and 5g of protein,and was pretty tasty. Being a busy mom, I appreciate the convienence of them.

They can be found at Whole Foods and many local grocery stores CLICK HERE to find them near you. And be sure to look around the site, they have other "treats" like brownies and cakes to satisfy those craving for only 100 calories.

Think outside the package:

Which leads me to a side point. I have a like/hate relationship with things coming in 100 calories portions. (I'm referring to a lot of food, not specifically Vitatops.) It seems like everywhere I look the words "Only 100 calories" is splashed across the front. It IS nice for people to be able to have single servings when they're working on getting portion size under control, but I think it's important not to rely on them. I like the idea behind it, but think its abused.

Things that come in pre-packaged portions are almost always "treats" and need to be treated as such. They're perfectly fine to have on occasion, but you can't live your life out of a 100 calorie pack. Go fresh, not only does it taste better and is better for you, but you can almost always have a larger, more filling portion.

This is what I've been snacking on this week:

Yes, my friends that is Roasted Brussel Sprouts. (I know a few of you just said "yuck" outloud). This was my "must have" side dish for Christmas and I have been happily snacking on the left-overs since then. For those of you that THINK you don't like brussel sprouts--forget the frozen/boil them in water variety. Buy them fresh and roast them yourself using the recipe below. The flavor is delicious!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts
-2 pounds FRESH Brussels sprouts
-3 tablespoons good olive oil
-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.Flip halfway through. Enjoy! (This makes A LOT so cut down the ingredients as needed)

-How do you feel about "100 calorie" pre-packaged portions?
-Have you had Vitatops?
-And whats your favorite vegetable and how do you prepare it?