P28 Bread Review

It's time to Mix it Up.

(see what I did there?)

Classic french toast made with P28 bread and topped with maple syrup

Today, instead of my usual recipe, I'm going to be reviewing some products that was very kindly sent to me so I could try them out.  Those products are P28 Bread and Bagels.  You can read more about the products by clicking on the link, but for now I'll just tell you that they're very high protein breads to help you reach all your fitness goals in a tasty way.

To review them, I've decided to split up this post into 3 parts.  The good, the bad, and the other things worth mentioning.  There will also be random pictures all the over the place with captions that will (hopefully) help you figure out what the heck is pictured.

A protein pizza.  Half a P28 bagel toasted and topped with cottage cheese and salsa, with a side of lettuce.

Alright, let's get started.  First...

The Good:

• The Protein Content - This may seem obvious, but it's totally a plus.  I often struggle with getting enough protein into my diet and these bread/bagels have been really helpful.  Two pieces of bread or one bagel contains 28 grams protein (hence the name, P28).  You can just grab one slice of bread, spread it will cottage cheese, and BAM 20 grams protein.  It's pretty cool.
• The Taste - I didn't mind the taste at all, and If you like whole wheat bread I don't think you will either.  Sure, it's not the best bread or bagel I've even tasted in my whole entire life but when you consider the nutrition you're getting, I think it tastes pretty darn amazing.
• The Texture - I've never had any other brands of high protein baked goods, but for some reason I have this feeling that texture could be an issue.  It's not with P28.  The texture of both the bread and bagel is very nice and spongy, much like the "normal" product.  One thing that may be worth mentioning is that it you freeze the bread (which I did) and then reheat it in the microwave it get's really spongy, and sort of floppy.  If you lightly toast it, it firms up fine though.
• The Versitility - Much like regular bread, P28 can be used for a variety of things, not just sandwiches.  It doesn't taste funny or anything if you have it with eggs, as french toast, or as a mini pizza with cottage cheese and salsa (my favorite).

I made the Pumpkin Cranberry Bread Pudding recipe on this blog with P28 bread.  It worked great! 

And now...

The Bad:

• The Size -  Each slice of bread is big (the bagels are just normal so this isn't a problem with them).  I guess this could be considered a good thing, but when trying the bread I ran into a couple problems because of the size.  When I eat sandwiches, I prefer to have them with very thin bread, unless they're really substancial.  When you make a sandwich with P28  bread slices, there'a a lot of bread.  Some people don't mind this, but personally, I do.
• The Taste -  Yes, taste is also in the "good" catagory.  This is because I liked the taste, but some others didn't.  If your not used to healthy foods, you may be one of the people who does not.  It does have a bit of that "healthy" taste that can be undesirable for some.  Another possible problem is that the bread has a bit of a fermented taste.  My guess is this comes from the protein source in it, but I'm not sure.  Again, though, I didn't find this as a problem and am only quoting another taste tester.

One slice of bread.  Half eaten plain, and the other half toasted (see how black it is?) and topped with applesauce. Celery stalk on the side (sorry for bad picture).

The Other Things Worth Mentioning:

• Freezing - As mentioned earlier, these products freeze very well.  Which is good because the folks at P28 were really generous and sent me way more bread than I could ever finish before it went stale or got moldy.  To reheat a frozen slice of bread or bagel, just pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute.  After that, it's as good as fresh, and very fluffy.  Perfect to dip into soup!
• Toasting - It may just be my toaster acting up, but for some reason whenever I put a slice of bread or half bagel in my toaster it seems to brown really fast.  As in, I set it for level 2 of heat and it came out completely black (you can see this in some of the pictures).  I'm not sure why this happened, but it didn't make the bread taste burnt so it's not much of a problem for me.  If you want your toast to look pretty, though, you should be aware.
• Usage - Because I didn't like to use the products I revieved to make sandwiches, I found a whole bunch of other ways to use them.  Most of these are featured in pictures throughout this whole post, but I though I'd list a couple here too.  First, my favorite way to have P28, a mini pizza.  Spread half a bagel, or one slice of bread with cottage cheese (or another type), and salsa.  Greens on top are optional.  You can also make french toast with the bread, dip some of the just reheated (and therefore super spongy) bread/bagel into a bowl of soup, or spread peanut butter on top.  Another idea is simply throwing a bagel with cream cheese into a plasic bag and turning it into a super easy lunch on the go.  I did this when I went apple picking and it made a great meal along with a juicy apple!

Another protein pizza.  This one is made with a bread slice and also topped with cottage cheese and salsa.

Overall, I think all the P28 products are really great.  At least, for my lifestyle.  If you're someone who eats healthy and mostly vegetarian, and wants to add some protein to your everday diet, then I definitely reccommend P28.  However, if you're someone who's just getting started eating healthy, or maybe someone who doesn't need to worry about their protein intake, than maybe P28 isn't the right match for you.  It's a bit different than the usual, and some people don't like that.

But... you never know.  I could be wrong!  Go by your instinct and the facts/opinions I've given you in this post, and YOU decided whether or not it's a product you'd like to try.

Oh, and one more thing.  I hope everyone who celebrated had a wonderful Christmas!

*I was sent bread and bagels to review by the P28 company, but all opinions are not affected and are entirely my own.

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

 5 Minute Bread Pudding (could probably be made with P28)

Chocolate Peppermint Milkshake

I have mixed feelings about artificial sweeteners.

I like them in that they aknowledge that people should be conscious about how much white sugar they consume, but I don't like that they're, well, artificial.

When it comes to foods, I like to eat natural foods as much as possible.  Sure, the occasional candy bar with tounge-twisting ingredients makes an appearance, but most of the time the foods that enter by body are nice and real.

Artificial sweeteners... they're not real.  In fact, they're the exact opposite.  Fake.  It's right there in the name.  I don't feel completely comfortable putting something fake into my body.  I've also found that fake things taste fake.  With some artificially sweetened things that I've tried, the ending result doesn't taste right.  There's just something a bit off.

But, all of that aside, I'm always up for a challenge, especially when it involves creating recipes or trying new things.  So, when I was sent a couple samples of Sweet'N Low as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemakers Program with Sweet'N Low, I didn't hesitate to get started creating a delicious drink creation.

I know that although I may not eat Sweet'N Low often, there are many others who do, so I was sure to create a wonderful recipe.  I definitely accomplished my goal.  The shake I created is creamy and chocolaty, with just a hint of peppermint for some holiday cheer.

It's also super healthy and packed with protein, even though there's no protein powder used.  Another great thing about this milkshake is that you can't tell it's not sweetened with sugar.  Like I mentioned earlier, sometimes atrificially sweetened food/drinks come with a funny taste.  Not this one!  You can't tell there's something different about it at all, which is perfect for all you with really sensitive tastebuds (like me).

Overall, though the milkshake I created is definitely yummy and I wouldn't hesitate to sip it up, it doesn't change my feelings about artificial sweeteners.  I still don't think I will be comsuming them often, simply because I don't like to think of something fake going into by body.  However, I do now know that adding Sweet'N Low to a recipe does not make it taste weird, so I can understand a bit more why some people prefer artificial sweeteners.

Thanks Foodbuzz and Sweet'N Low for the great experience!

Chocolate Peppermint Milkshake
(serves 1)

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese (if you'd like it to be vegan, tofu will also work)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 banana, frozen and cut into chunks
• 1-2 packets Sweet' N Low sweetener

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into a glass and serve immediately.  That's all!  Enjoy :)

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Protein Vanilla Milkshake

Apple Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

Currently I'm at that stage where I've got 10 million apples lying around and nothing to do with them.

Basically, in an attempt to use them before they all turn to mush, I've been throwing them into pretty much everything I make.

Dinners, desserts, snacks, you name it.  Unfortunately, only a small handful of those experiments actually work out into something worth sharing.  This cheesecake, however, is probably worth every single failure.  It is so good.

I'm actually not really a fan of classic cheesecake.  It's a bit too heavy for me.  I know there are some hardcore cheesecake lovers out there, though, so I decided to try my hand at making something similar.

My main goal was to create something that would satisfy both me, and everyone who enjoys cheesecake, and I really think I did it.

This version of a cheesecake, made with greek yogurt and apple, is very light, but also has the rich and creamy taste that is associated with the classic dessert.  There's just a hint of sweetness from the apples and honey, and a touch of tangy from all the greek yogurt.  If you don't like your cheesecake tangy, feel free to add more honey before baking.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, there's another unusual ingredient in this dessert that helps to add creaminess and good texture.  Scroll down to find out what it is!

Apple Greek Yogurt Cheesecake

• 1 1/2 cups greek yogurt (I used 0%, but for an even creamier version use 2%)
• 9 tbsp mori-nu tofu (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp)
• 1 cup chopped apples
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp honey, or more to taste
• optional: 1 prepared pie crust

Preheat oven to 350F.  Combine all ingredients (not pie crust, if using) in food processor and blend until smooth.  Taste to check sweetness, and add more honey (or other sweetener) if desired.  Once flavor is just how you want it, pour mixture into parchment paper lined circular pan or pie crust.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, then turn oven off, but don't remove cheesecake.  Let cake sit in oven for at least 1 hour before taking out, and moving, uncovered, to fridge.  Allow cheesecake to firm up even more by leaving in fridge overnight (or for at least 8 hours).  By the next day, you're ready to serve... for breakfast or dessert!

As you can see from the pictures, I chose to leave my cheesecake crustless.  This was mostly because I didn't have a pie crust on hand and was too lazy to make one.

Next time I make this (and there will most definitely be a next time) I think I'll give a graham cracker crust a try.  I think the added crunch + flavor would be really nice.

However, whether or not you use a crust is completely up to you.  The one thing I can say is that if you chose no crust, then you're definitely not missing out on the awesome-ness of the recipe, because that's what I did when I made it.

So, without further ado.... Enjoy!

Revisited Recipe of the Day:

Lemon Blueberry Scones