Engine 2 Rip's Big Bowl Banana Walnut Cereal

I'm not very knowledgeable about the Engine 2 Diet, but I'd be living under a rock if I said I didn't know about it. From blurbs on Twitter to books and DVD's for sale at Whole Foods, it's seems to be very popular. I'm definitely all for anything that gets people to go Vegan. So when I saw three varieties of Engine 2 cereal for sale, I wasn't entirely surprised. There seems to be an entire line of Engine 2 foods available exclusively to Whole Foods (including crackers, hummus, and almond milk). The three cereal choices are Original, Triple Berry Walnut and Banana Walnut. I always found bananas in cereals to be interesting, so I opted for Banana Walnut.

There are so many things going on in this cereal that I really don't know where to start! You've got oats, shredded wheat biscuits, millet, sprouted lentils, sprouted soybeans, flaxseeds, bananas and walnuts. It's probably fair to say that this is one of the healthiest cereals I've ever had, very nutritionally solid. Taste-wise, I thought it was very hearty and had a nice toasty flavor that kept me coming back for more. There is an ever slight sweetness from the bananas. I would have liked more bananas, but you could always cut up your own or add some other kind of fruit. The texture is all over the place. If you like Muesli, then this is your kind of cereal.

One caveat: I noticed that the cereal tends to get soggy pretty quickly, so make sure you eat it right away after adding your almond (or whatever) milk. Ultimately, I enjoyed the Banana Walnut and now I'm excited to try the Triple Berry Walnut. If you are looking for a super healthy cereal with no added sugar, I think you just found it!

Fair Trade Month!

October is Fair Trade Month and I'm happy to be reviewing a ton of socially responsible products. Katie from Fair Trade USA went out her way to send me some of the best Fair Trade products that are also Vegan. For those of you who aren't familiar with concept of Fair Trade, it's basically a movement to alleviate poverty in developing nations, while ensuring consumers quality products that improve lives and protect the environment. So when you see a product with the Fair Trade Logo, you can be assured that the product is a good one!  

Kopali Organic Chocolate Covered Banana. These are nom city! I ate the whole package right away. Well, after I took the picture anyway. They are little banana bits, which are easier to eat when compare to large banana slices. They taste wonderful and I hope to see them in the store soon!

Alter Ego Dark Quinoa Dark Chocolate. Who knew? Quinoa and chocolate are AMAZING! The quinoa gives the chocolate the perfect crispness. Sort of like a Crunch bar, but totally Fair Trade chocolate. Buy it ASAP.

Madhava Organic Raw Agave Nectar. Agave is a great sweetener that is usually on the counter at my house. I personally don't use it, but my coffee/tea drinking girlfriend swears by it.   

Sweet Riot Chocolate Kickin' Coconut Bar. Another amazing Organic chocolate bar, but this time it's got coconut! Oodles of sweet delicious coconut covered in dark chocolate. Another ASAP buy! 

Rishi Organic Pu-Ern Ginger Tea. A spicy, potent, gingery tea. Great for Sunday morning breakfast!

Honest Tea Black Forest Tea. A delightfully berry tinged non-caffeinated iced tea. Great when you don't want anything overpowering sweet.

And if that wasn't enough, Coconut Bliss was kind enough to include a free coupon for giveaway! (**Updated 10/16** Fair Trade USA will also send you an above product of your choice plus a Fair Trade Tote Bag!) All you have to do is comment down below which of these products you are most excited to try. I will randomly pick a winner, Wednesday at 4pm CST. Also, look for a Vegan MoFo Fair Trade giveaway soon! Thank you to Fair Trade USA for promoting these wonderful products. Remember to look for the Fair Trade label!