Review: Marion’s Smart Delights

I had the pleasure of sampling a couple of new mixes on the market over the past few weeks. Marion’s Smart Delights are not only gluten-free, but they are healthier versions of old favorites. The 2 products in Marion’s line are Lemon Bars and a Cookie and/or Muffin Baking mix.

Here is a little more about Marion’s Smart Delights:

Founded by Marion Braswell, PhD, Marion’s Smart Delights is a small company dedicated to solving a big problem for people seeking a nutritious — and safe — way to bake mouthwatering treats. Taking good care of our valued customers means paying meticulous attention to every aspect of our business: choosing GF whole grains like quinoa and amaranth … including just enough sugar for luscious bakery-shop texture … working with a packing company that is certified gluten-free, allergen-free and certified Kosher … and providing recipes that allow the mixes to be adapted for vegan, dairy-free and heart-healthy baking, as well as for “sharing” times like parties or gift-giving. You can count on our company to meet your highest expectations for integrity and customer service, while meeting your highest expectations for ease of use and utterly reliable, incredibly scrumptious results.

The gluten-free mixes are allergen-free and there are many recipes to choose from, and they can be prepared free of various allergens. You can even use the muffin mix to make carrot cake or cranberry nut bread! View the recipes here.

Lemon Bar mix: This luscious lemon bar is not only delightfully delicious, it’s deliciously light! We use less salt and 36% less sugar than the leading lemon bar mix, so you can enjoy this healthy treat while experiencing the wonderful contrast of the tangy lemon with the sweetness of the sugar. Plus, Marion’s Gluten-Free Lemon Bar Mix makes it easy to avoid gluten and allergens. It’s certified Kosher, too, and easy to prepare.

Cookie & Muffin Baking Mix: Tasty, tender cookies and muffins fresh from your oven — it’s hard to imagine a more delightfully delicious way to consume 8 grams of gluten-free whole grains! Plus, Marion’s Gluten-Free Cookie & Muffin Baking Mix makes it easy to avoid gluten and allergens. It’s certified Kosher, too. The mix is also endlessly versatile. For example, you can enjoy the subtly sweet baking mix just as it is. Or, you can add a little extra sugar (or another sweetener you prefer).

I chose to make the Lemon Bars first, as Jon loves all things lemon. I was impressed with how easy the mix was to make. They took a little longer than what the box stated, so I kept a close eye on them. The flavor was awesome! I dusted the tops with a little powdered sugar for a little extra sweetness. I didn’t get very many of these, which is always a good sign! It means that Jon inhaled them!

The next mix is very versatile – it can be used to make muffins or cookies! First I was going to make cookies, but I found some blueberries in the freezer and I knew that muffins were on the agenda. What I liked about this mix, aside from how easy it is, was how the muffins were not overly sweet. Some muffins end up tasting more like fruity cupcakes due to all of the sugar in them, but this was not the case. I loved the texture and flavor! The blueberries were like little pots of gold hidden in the middle of the muffins. Jon didn’t care for these as much as he did the lemon bars. I am sure that had to do with them not being as sweet. These make a great, healthy snack or breakfast choice!

Marion’s Smart Delights can be purchased online here. The prices are comparable to other dessert & muffins mixes on the market with the bars costing $6.49 and the muffins costing $5.99.

***The mixes reviewed in this post were provided to me free of charge. The opinions are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.