Saturday, September 14, 2013

Manna Organics Sprouted Bread and Kale Chips (Review & Giveaway)

I grew up eating home made Southern biscuits that were made with white flour, shortening, and buttermilk. Also, our bread of preference for toast and sandwiches was "sliced-white" "enriched" bread. That was a treat in that it was light, fluffy, and soft.  Then times changed and folks thinking changed. "Sliced-white"  and soft-fluffy were not deemed good. They were deemed bad for you. Bad for your digestion. Bad for your nutrition. Bad for your teeth. Just plain bad. So we looked for "wheat" bread. Well, all the bread on the shelves was wheat bread, but the darker bread was suppose to be better for your health than "sliced-white." Then we found out that the darker wheat bread wasn't that good, either. We needed "whole-wheat" and/or "whole-grain" breads.  So our bread eating evolved.

Somewhere along the time all of this was happening, a segment of society branched out into healthier eating by pursing whole foods, unprocessed foods, more natural foods, organic products, etc., etc. That brings us to today's review of Manna Organics. We're going to look at something entirely different from "bread" as most folks know it, and we're going to look at "chips" different from what most folks think of. 

Manna Bread© is a type of bread that is made by sprouting grains based on old scripture recipe found in ancient manuscripts. Its ancient origins is due to the Essenes that once lived near the shores of the Dead Sea, whose legacy survives through the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Aramaic manuscripts. It is named after the heaven-sent Manna that sustained the Israelites as they wandered the desert for forty years. Manna Bread© is remarkably simple and wholesome, made entirely from sprouted organic grains, fruits, and nuts and contains no salt, leavening, yeast, oil, or sweeteners. By fully germinating our grains and seeds, we convert the starches into easily digested natural complex sugars, similar to those found in fresh fruits, hence the sweetness. The sprouts are ground and hand-shaped into loaves, baked at a low temperature, then packed and frozen to preserve shelf life, without any chemical additives. (from the bread wrapper bag)

Cinnamon Date Manna Sprouted Bread
I was sent the Cinnamon Date Manna Bread and the Multigrain Manna Bread. Both breads are delicious and so different from "bread." I enjoyed the Cinnamon Date simply by itself along with my meals, with a cup of coffee, or a cup of tea. It was sweet with just a hint of cinnamon and I could definitely taste the delectable dates.  The Multigrain bread, too, was sweet but not quite as sweet as the Cinnamon Date. It was delicious with home made pimento cheese that had a hint of pepper. Wonderful at lunch with soup or along with a fruit and veggie meal. As said earlier, NO SWEETNER was added. This is wholly natural sweet from the grains and fruits.

"It’s not really bread. It can be best described as a meal of whole sprouted grains, moist and denser than bread. Muffin- or cakelike in consistency. Baked at low temperatures for a short time – almost raw. Nothing like other sprouted breads out there! It doesn’t rise, has no yeast, no salt, no flour, no oils. Very delicious and different. "
I would love to try their other Manna Breads made from sprouted grains and also their sourdough breads.

They also sent me the two bags of Kale Chips to try. These are definitely different and while I thought them tasty, they will take a little acclimating for my taste buds to grow accustomed to. They are NOT salty potato chips or "veggie" chips. These are leaves of Kale dried and seasoned. They are light, crisp and have a unique taste. Do I like them? I think it best described as "I don't DIS-like them." Will I purchase them? I probably will again at some point. But I can say that they will definitely fulfill a need for a crispy snack for those who desire to eat foods naturally better for them.

I've been married a long time. I've raised five children and that was a lot of "sliced-white" bread. But I've learned that there is a better way to eat and there is better bread and that really and truly whole grains are much better for you.  Also, I try (most of the time I don't succeed here) to eat less sugars and more natural fruits to satisfy that sweet tooth that I have. It is absolutely wonderful that there have been folks who have forged ahead and learned how to prepare and present foods that are good for us and that actually taste good.  I recommend you look into purchasing Manna Organics, and you can find them online as well as at select grocery stores and whole foods markets.

GIVEAWAY:  Now it is your turn to try Manna Organics. Just jump aboard the "flight-Vera" Rafflecopter and enter to see if you win all 4 products valued at $25. Begins September 14 & ENDS October 7 @ 12:01 a.m. ET. Open for Continental US addresses only. 
a Rafflecopter giveaway  
DISCLOSURE: I was provided two loaves of Manna Organics Sprouted Breads and two bags of Kale Chips to facilitate this review. I received no compensation for this review. The giveaway prize will be sent directly to the winner from Manna Organics.

19 comments:

  1. I learned that the Manna Whole Rye no wheat has 5 grams of fiber per 3/4 of a slice so that would be 10 grams of fiber for 1.5 slices which is good for my mother who has a very restrictive diet. I also found out that their Kale chips say cheese gets their cheesy flavor from cashews and nutritional yeast. I never would have thought that those two together would give a cheesy flavor.

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  2. I enjoy sprouted breads. Sprouted breads are made with live grains. Sprouted breads are moist and made without yeast. They sound delicious.
    may_dayzee@yahoo.com

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  3. I learned that Manna Organics is a family owned and operated bakery - no huge chain! I also learned you can buy sprouted breads by the case - wowie!

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  4. I learned that they have gluten-free products, & make small batches by hand.

    Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!

    bonnieroof60(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  5. i LOVE sprouted breads. i learned that there are no leavening agents, which i think is great. i also love that they offer gluten free breads!

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  6. I learned that they are family-owned and operated! They only make things in very small batches with superior quality standards!

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  7. It's great to find a bread that is not made with yeast, or wheat. thank you.

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  8. Learned its a family business and they use sprouted grains without any yeast of preservatives inside. Thanks!

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  9. I think it's fabulous they use sprouted whole grains and totally avoid yeast and preservatives! Love that Manna is GMO-free and free of any artificial ingredients and they manage to keep it a small business too!
    Georgiana

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  10. I learned everything Manna Organics makes is done in small batches, by hand, as well as all of their products are vegan, kosher, organic!

    Thank you for this great giveaway :)

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  11. Hi I learned that Manna Organics has a new bread flavor with fennel that I haven't tried yet. I also learned they have a "wholesale" section that isn't really wholesale prices. ;(

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  12. I learned that the highest quality organic, locally grown kale is lovingly mixed by hand with the purest ingredients and then dehydrated below 115 degrees to keep all enzymes and nutrients fully intact, creating the ultimate chip and also that Kale is high in iron, calcium, Vitamin A, K, and C.
    twinkle at optonline dot net

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  13. I learned sprouted grain breads are very healthy. Moreover, they have a low Glycemic index - important for people with dietary restrictions due to their health conditions.

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  14. I learn there products cover vegan organic gluten free. Also there products are made by hand.
    Me4Wrest@gmail.com

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  15. I learned Manna Bread is hand crafted from sprouted whole organic grains and slowly baked at a temperature much lower than conventional bread. It is not a raw food. Precise specifications for sprouting, humidity, baking temperatures and length of oven time is proprietary.
    twinkle at optonline dot net

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  16. I learned that the sweetness of Manna Bread® is solely due to unique sprouting process, which converts starches into maltose and other complex carbohydrates. There is no added sugar, no yeast, no salt, or preservatives.

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  17. I found sprouting, also known as malting, a very fascinating process -- a seed changes into a plant. During this time extra nutrients are produced and starches convert to sugars to give the sprout nourishment to survive and prosper during the germination process.So their bread is much healthier for us than store-brought bread, made of highly process ingredients

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  18. I would love some kale chips! YUM!

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  19. I love that their products are sprouted, nonGMO, and made from quality ingredients!

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