Kashi Go Lean Clusters: Plant Power, Vanilla Pepita
Kashi Go Lean Clusters: Plant Power, Vanilla Pepita
On a cold December night, when I was out buying cat food, I stumbled upon a display of Kashi Go Lean Clusters in a new flavor: Plant Power: Vanilla Pepita.
“Plant Power!” I mused, “Not to mention: Vanilla Pepita! This sounds interesting.”
In fact, I am a fan of Kashi products, in general. However, because I’m diabetic, eating cereal is a real treat — I have to be careful with the carbs. And despite this being such a healthy, intriguing cereal, it is still grain-based.
Nevertheless, the product, which normally sells for about $3.20 was marked down to $1.80, so I picked up four boxes. It seemed clear to me that the cereal was on sale because the local audience was frightened of its ingredients! How sad. But how utterly predictable, too.
Yet it was good news for me. My only regret is that I didn’t buy every box in the display.
Well, as breakfast the next day evolved, I had a bowl of it. And then another.
Yes, my blood sugar hit 190. But that is the fault of my pancreas – not the cereal. And I surely should have stopped at one bowl, but it was sooooo good.
Kashi products are notable for using a variety of whole grains and carrying a good wallop of protein — in this case, nine grams per serving.
This particular variety of the popular clusters is made with genuine vanilla and is gluten-free. Aside from these attributes, it is full of more surprises. First there are the pepitas. Well, pepitas used to be really big surprises, but now I see them in a variety of healthier cereals. Nevertheless, I can’t get enough of them. Fill up a bathtub with pepitas, and I will harvest them all!
Not familiar with pepitas? They are seeds of either pumpkins or winter squashes that are shelled and roasted until gleaming olive green.
Other revelations in the box include smashed red beans (seriously!), yellow pea crisps, and popped sorghum that comes close to looking like popcorn, but not quite. Well, imagine popcorn for elves, and then yes, you can visualize popped sorghum: itty bitty popped grains.
I am a baby boomer, so I grew up with bad sugary cereals and blander-than-blah healthy ones. Oh, how I remember wanting Grape Nuts to taste like grapes! Well, that was not happening in my breakfast universe.
Ironically, beans and peas and pumpkin seeds, awash in a sea of true vanilla have come to rescue me, that is, if I can ever find this cereal in my area again.
It brims with flavor and is great stirred into yogurt, with a chopped date or two added for some sugary, but not-too-sugary zing.
Let us know if you would buy this product. And if you already have, how do you like it?
Copyright 2016 by Maria Jacketti