Simply Nature Week Finale - Uncured Pepperoni Thin & Crispy Pizza

I love pizza and not being able to find that Simply Nature pepperoni pizza earlier this week was nagging at my soul. When I went back yesterday to restock the Lady's supply of banana bars, I rooted around a little and found it! So doctor's warnings be damned, today I give you - Simply Nature Uncured Pepperoni Thin & Crispy Pizza!

Busted!

I'm not sure why I had such trouble finding this thing. It was sitting in the frozen section right up front along with it's cousin, Simply Nature Cheese Thin & Crispy Pizza. Both varieties are $3.49 which is only $1.50 less than a Little Caesars Hot and Ready. Hey, can we take a minute to discuss a non-ALDI food topic? Isn't it amazing that we live in a day and age when you can simply walk into a pizza joint and walk out with a pizza for 5 bucks? I mean it's no Antico (BTW -if you haven't been to Antico, you should go right now. This post will be here when you get back.) but it's not $20 either. I kind of feel bad for the poor LC franchisee when I buy one. I mean, how much could they possibly be making on a $5 large pizza? Oh, well here's the answer. That doesn't seem too bad. P.S. I love you internet.

Simply Nature Week - Garden Salsa Brown Rice Crisps

I'm sleepy. Here's the low down on Simply Nature's Garden Salsa Brown Rice Crisps. Crushed up, Wendy's would put these chips on their "Asian-style" salad, calling them "crispy Asian noodles."

Simply Nature Week - Creamy Banana Fruit Bars

Before I talk about how flipping amazing these popsicles are, I just want to apologize in advance for the lackluster-ness of this review. Please don't let that diminish how much I loved these, but I just got home after a quick trip to Jekyll Island and back for work. That's about 5 hours each way and I am not a happy traveler. (Also, I took a muscle relaxer about 30 minutes ago so I'm sort of under the gun to get this review finished before my brain shuts off.)

BANANA POPSICLES!!

Simply Nature Week - Steel Cut Oatmeal

Hey there, I missed you all. Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I haven't posted anything in a long, long time. Kudos to the Lady for keeping this thing rolling while I recovered from the Piepocalypse. New Years resolution: post more. Anyway, keeping with this weeks theme, I needed to pick a Simply Nature product. I was going to try the uncured pepperoni pizza but luckily for my cholesterol levels, I couldn't find it in our local ALDI and since the Lady was out in the car waiting, I grabbed Steel Cut Oatmeal in a panic. Eh, I needed something to take to work for breakfast and I do like steel cut oatmeal so in my inaugural 2013 post I give you...Simply Nature Steel Cut Oatmeal!

Is it Nature? Simply.

First a disclaimer - as we probably all know, ALDI and Trader Joe's are somehow related. I think the same multinational conglomerate owns them. I've tried the same product from Trader Joe's and I didn't like it. It was lacking the thing I like most about steel cut oats - the kind of hard toothie snap you get when you bite into a spoonful. In short, it was like rolled oats - mushy. So to begin with, I was a little bit skeptical but this is what happens when you panic purchase.

Simply Nature Week - Raspberry Lemonade Twisted Fruit Rope

ALDI is really trying to encourage everyone to be healthier right now. Last week, they were selling elliptical machines, hand weights, and juicers. And next week, they're selling ab wheels and pull-up bars. This week is a push on their new brand "Simply Nature" which the ad says has "no artificial colors, flavors, or unnecessary enhancers" (I guess necessary enhancers are still on the table).

First thing I tried was the Raspberry Lemonade Twisted Fruit Rope. It was pretty good!  I really like mashed-up fruit (rolls, bars, tape, twists, I will happily eat it all). They were best when you bite a piece off and then let it dissolve in your mouth to capitalize on the flavor. If you just bit, chewed, and swallowed, it's could be a little bland. So try to remember to take your time. 

Simply Nature Sweet Potato Corn Tortilla Chips

Simply Nature Sweet Potato Corn Tortilla Chips are really great chips.

They are not really great at being tortilla chips, however. Putting salsa or any type of dip on these chips is a mistake as it takes away from how delicious they are. They are sweet and salty and buttery. I hope these chips hang around so I can buy more.

Buy these! I loved them - because of these chips, I'm going to buy any Simply Nature brand foods I find at ALDI.  They get an A+. Extra point for being semi-fall themed. Happy fall!