Sun Rice Multigrain Square Thin Cakes

Multigrain and Rice&Corn varieties

Introducing the newest product from Sun Rice: Multigrain Square Thin Cakes! I picked these up yesterday from my local Coles after searching the savoury snack isle for something remotely low in carbs and high in nutrients. This product's ingredient list was what sparked my interest - it even included puffed quinoa! (I will add the ingredient list when I can find a copy)
Here are the nutritional facts for one Thin Cake:

Calories	17	Sodium	0 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	4 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	0%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Not too shabby I reckon. If you know of any crackers/thin cakes that are far superior to this, please let me know in the comments. My only concern is zero dietary fiber... It would be nice to see some digits there. In regards to taste, these aren't too different to normal puffed corn or rice thins, just a bit more crunch. I will be buying them again and I recommend them.

Coles Simply Less Dark Chocolate

Yum yum yum - you are about to hear about a delicious new product! You may have noticed that Coles has brought out a whole range of products as part of their Simply Less line, for the health conscious. I've tried a few products from the range, including their Low Fat Sour Cream and Spicy Roast Pumpkin and Harissa Hommus dip. All have been excellent products and certainly don't compromise on taste. Yesterday I was checking out the health foods section of my local Coles when I came across the Simply Less range of dark chocolate. There are four choices: Plain Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate with Peppermint, Dark Chocolate with Coffee Beans and Dark Chocolate with Sweet Orange flavour. I'm a huge sucker for chocolate, and mint is one of my favourite flavours, so I picked it up and had a look at the nutritional info. I then compared it with the Well, Naturally brand of Mint Dark Chocolate, and found that the Coles Simply Less brand came out on top (84 calories per serve). So I decided to give it a try.

The taste is great! Creamy chocolatey goodness with delicious green mint chips throughout. The texture is not quite as creamy as full fat chocolate but that is to be expected.

The product consists of 5 individually wrapped bars which are 20g each. Each bar consists of 4 squares. The box of 5 bars sells for $3.99.

BNRG Proto Whey

100% pure hydrolyzed whey protein
Rapid and complete absorption technology
Rich and creamy

This is the first protein powder that I have ever used, so I'm certainly no expert, but let me tell you about it. I purchased a 910g (2lb) jar of BNRG Proto Whey Vanilla Creme flavour for around $80. It was recommended to me for three main reasons:
1. It has the smallest protein molecules of all protein/whey powders on the market, making it quick and easy for your body to absorb.
2. It contains very low levels of sugar and carbohydrates compared to other powders.
3. It tastes incredible compared to other powders.

I have been told that the Double Chocolate flavour is delicious, however, I opted for vanilla for its versatility. I use this powder on its own with water and skim milk, in smoothies with fruit, in baking, and (my favourite) to make protein pancakes. For this, I mix 2-3 scoops with a few tablespoons of cacao powder, some granulated stevia, an egg white and a dash of almond milk. Beat it all together. While it's frying in the pan push some chocolate chips into it and voila - yum!

By itself as a protein shake, I find this to be quite enjoyable. I've never had it with water alone, only with skim milk or a mixture of both. It is very sweet despite its lack of sugar, and dissolves well in liquid. The only downfall to this product it the reaction it has when it is added to liquid - it fizzes slightly. I'm not sure if this type of reaction is common amongst protein/whey powders. The price is also a little disappointing, however, it is not unusually high compared to other powders on the market, and you are also paying for the absorption technology, so it's probably worth it.

I do recommend this product, and will repurchase (probably Double Chocolate next time).

Tetley Decaf Green Tea Range

Decaffeinated naturally & rich in antioxidants

I've never been a fan of tea - especially not green tea - but I have discovered this new range from Tetley that I absolutely love! The range includes plain decaf green tea, decaf green tea with mint and decaf green tea with pomegranate. The mint and pomegranate flavours soften the bitterness of the green tea, without overpowering the taste. Mint is my favourite!

Ingredients are:
Decaf Green Tea – Naturally decaffeinated pure green tea.
Decaf Mint Green Tea – Naturally decaffeinated pure green tea, natural mint flavour (12%).
Decaf Pomegranate Green Tea- Naturally decaffeinated pure green tea, natural pomegranate flavour (15%).

These are actually the only decaf green teas on the market in Australia, so they're certainly worth a try if you're looking to decrease your caffeine intake. If you're interested in the health benefits of caffeine (for weight loss) however, I would recommend Lipton Green Tea with Vanilla or Mint.

Pick up 10 teabags for $1.75 at most supermarkets.