by: Karen Arluck, LMSW
While I try to eat as plant-based as possible, sometimes I have a morning like this one. I got home late last night starving. Because it was already 7pm, I didn’t feel like cooking, and I picked up a vegan pizza from Conan’s Pizza. (If you live in Austin- I HIGHLY recommend the Veggie Supreme on Whole Wheat Crust with Daiya- yum).
Anyway, there are a few logistical problems with doing this. Besides my stomach being less thrilled than when I make a home cooked oil free meal, we rarely have leftovers. I know some of you probably order pizza and have the leftovers for breakfast. In our house, those leftovers don’t stand a chance of making it until the next morning.
Well what does this have to do with my meal planning? I’ll tell you. Usually lunch (and even breakfast sometimes) for us = leftovers from home made dinner the night before. I should also tell you that our built in microwave broke a month ago and we decided to try to live without one, as its healthier and I can think of more fun ways to spend $600.
That being said, cooking can take a little longer and involves a bit more planning on my end. And since there are no leftovers, I found myself staring in my refrigerator trying to decide the following:
1) What am I going to eat for breakfast and lunch today?
2) What am I going to pack for my husband to eat for breakfast and lunch today?
3) What am I going to make for dinner tonight that will be fast and easy so I don’t get pizza again?
While I could make oatmeal, I just wasn’t feeling that this morning. A tofu scramble seemed like too much of a mess to deal with at 6am. Hmm what to eat, what to eat? All of a sudden while drinking my morning coffee, I had an epiphany! Cocomojoe generously sent me a box of their most popular products for a review, and a CocomoJoe JoeBar box came to my rescue!!
In looking through the box of goodies, I found Cocomo Corn, a box of Cocomo Joebars, and Cocomojoe Salty Chocolate Granola. The box of bars included six flavors: Cocoa, Coffee, Mango, Fig, Green, and Cranberry I decided that the Coffee Joebar would be a good compliment to my, well, coffee. (Creative I know, but what do you want from me at 6am?)
To be honest, I am not always a fan of bars, as I tend to pick a piece of fruit instead. Sometimes they can be overly dense, heavy, high in calories or set off cravings for me. However, on mornings like this one or while traveling, they can be a life saver. And let me tell you, this bar was AWESOME. The coffee flavor was very light and not overpowering at all and the texture of the bar was light and almost like a healthy breakfast rice crispy treat! Calorically they clock in at 330 calories per bar, which for me is more of a meal replacement then a snack. For my husband this bar could really be either.
After trying everything, I am a huge fan, and we literally finished the whole box in a few days. Clearly we are fans.
Cocomojoe is generously offering a giveaway of a box of goodies including:
- one of each Joebar
- one Cocomo corn, and
- a bag of Cocomo Granola.
I follow chic vegan on twitter!
I forgot to include my email: horseluver100@gmail.com 🙂
Liked Chic Vegan on FB.
Followed CV on Twitter.
Liked Cocomojoe on FB.
Followed Cocomojoe on Twitter.