The Post Cereal Challenge

Last week I was invited to a Post Cereal making challenge and to say I was excited was an understatement. Not only would I learn HOW to make Grape Nuts and Shredded Wheat but the winner for best product won a $500 gift certificate to Williams Sonoma. Momma needed a new pair of cooper pots so I was seriously gearing up for this event. Big money, big money, big money NO WHAMMY!

I arrived early to the Natural Gourmet Institute (a fantastic vegetarian cooking school – more on that in a later blog) and was greeted by the very friendly Post Cereal staff with the most adorable light blue apron I had seen in a long time. For me? Why THANK YOU Post Cereal.  Guests were treated to a delightful healthy breakfast and a brief presentation by the Diet Doctor herself; Dr. Melina Jampolis. Dr. Jampolis spoke about her life mantra “food is medicine” and the health benefits of Post Cereal Shredded Wheat. You might not know this ladies and gentlemen but Shredded Wheat is made solely of wheat berries. Don’t feel bad, I was totally shocked when I heard that too. I mean, I knew Shredded Wheat was good for me but I never realized it was that good for me. How could I have been eating this cereal for years and not know what was really in it? I felt like a total goose…

How nutritious are wheat berries? Unlike many other types of grains, wheat berries retain nearly all of their nutrients after being cooked. Wheat berries are packed with fiber, protein and iron. They are also loaded with vitamin E, a cell-protecting antioxidant, and magnesium, which are needed to maintain healthy bones and muscles. Talk about Healthy!!! Also, Dr. Jampolis went on to point out that unlike most cereal brands today trying to first incorporate whole grains into their products, Post Cereal Shredded Wheat has always been composed of naturally occurring grain.

Although I am not allowed to tell everyone the recipe for Shredded Wheat, I will simply say: it is easy, healthy, and delicious. Go out and get yourself a box this weekend because it will surely help you with any kind of diet/health program you have laid out for yourself.  I know I bought a box during my grocery trip this weekend.

Oh…and in case you were wondering, I lost the competition. There go my plans for two new Ruffoni monogrammed copper pots…

FullBar Diet Review

I hate committing to gimmicky diets - lucky for me the local Duane Reade carry these products. I decided to give it a whirl and have very very mixed feelings on it.

The FullBars themselves are kinda tasty – depending on which ones you get. I’ve tried 5 of the 6 flavors and the best ones to me are the Cocoa Chip and the Peanut Butter Crunch. The fruity ones taste very chalky and not as enjoyable. They have a very rice cakey texture too  – which is either a positive or a negative depending on what you like. The Cocoa Chip bar has about 170 calories, 25 fat calories, 5g protein, and 4g of fiber.

I ate one 30-45 minutes before dinner with some liquid for about a week. Now I noticed that I began to eat less but I don’t think it was worth what I ended up going through. I ate less because I was so horribly bloated. Not only that but suffered from mild diarherra for days after I stopped eating the bars. What?????? Am I the only one getting this result???

So I did start to lose weight but not without having to down Pepto left and right so I don’t poop myself while running errands. Not worth it. At all. Do yourself  a favor and pass on this product.