How about some Awesome Sauce with that?

No need – these Wild Zora Meat and Veggie Bars already exude awesomeness in every way.

Check this out:

“In early 2011 our family started to learn about Gluten-Free, Paleo, and Primal food. We just didn’t feel good about feeding the typical sugary, grain-filled snacks on the market to our kids! Jerky proved no better. So many jerky snacks contain nitrites, nitrates and MSG, and all of them are just too tough and too salty. When we’re hungry, our bodies crave lasting energy: something substantial, savory, and nutritious. Nothing on the market lived up to that standard.

Beginning in 2013, we created our own alternative. At home, we always considered meat AND vegetables a complete meal. So we started to mix and dehydrate 100% grass-fed beef from a local rancher along with fresh vegetables from our garden.  We discovered that we could make super tasty meat and veggie snacks that our family really enjoyed!

Our kids started sharing our beef and veggie snacks with their friends at school. Soon many of our friends insisted we start a business to sell them. We listened! We now make our meat and veggie bars in our own fully USDA-certified kitchen just outside Fort Collins, Colorado.

Our Vision:

We all deserve a healthy alternative to all the sugary, high-carb snacks on the market.
At Wild Zora, we believe we can be in-control of our diet and energy levels, eat healthier, and be happier!

Our Promise:

To create Wild Zora snacks made from 100% natural meat that is minimally processed, certified-organic veggies, no artificial ingredients, and still taste great.  To make for you only “real food” that we give to our own children, family & friends.

-Love, Zora”

Enough said, right?

Well, since I was graciously sent a little box of samples to review, I suppose I should delve a little deeper into the pure awesome referenced above.

I’m not sure what excites me most about these snacks.

• Veggies and meat all together in one little morsel?
• Certified organic veggies AND humanely raised, free-range, grass-fed beef to boot?
• Allergen friendly with NO grain, NO gluten, NO soy, NO nuts, NO rBST, NO MSG, and NO added sugar or sweetener?
• 100% REAL FOOD, 100% flavor, and 100% awesome?

It’s really hard to choose a highlight trait, when everything is amazing. And, the fact that Zora agrees with me that fat feeds the brain (yes, these little snacks contain all the good fats), and that smart people eat their meat and veggies (and fat) first, really makes me grin.

You’re smart like me, right?

Thus, a little on my clearly unbiased opinion of these little treats.

Taste and Texture (most likely exceedingly important in everyone’s eyes): Phenomenal. Rather than a too tough, too “jerky,” and entirely too salty dried beef snack, the little square morsels that Zora has created are perfectly seasoned and splendidly soft. It must be the fact that 1/3 of the ingredients consist of organic veggies. Who knows? But the truth is that each bite is pleasingly flavorful and easy to chew. What’s more is that the different varieties are surprisingly, well, varietal. The little snack packs do not impart the typical beef jerky flavor, taste, and feel. In fact, they are entirely unique and different. What a concept – original and creative and 100% effective.

Options: The fact that several meat, veggie, and flavor options exist leaves me quite happy. After all, “sometimes you feel like a nut, and sometimes you don’t,” as the saying goes.

Chili Cayenne Apricot – This was my first Wild adventure. I love, as you know, combining sweet and savory and this concoction of somewhat sweet apricot and super spicy cayenne certainly meets my standards. These little guys are made with beef, bell pepper, KALE (yea), red bell pepper, apricots, dates…and all the spices. Yum! Dried apricots can be a little funky, in my humble opinion, and super dry and hard to chew as well – not so this time. The Wild combination and flavor amalgamation exceeded all expectations. And, the level of heat, I believe, is satisfactory for both lovers of the flame, and those with a more mild preference. Zora meets you in the middle this time. I’d say it’s like a little “sweet heat.”

BBQ Hickory Tomato – Next up, also made with grass-fed beef, was the BBQ option. This made me a little nervous, as BBQ often leaves my stomach reeling from the  sickly sweet, sugary forward coating of the tongue and every lingering aftertaste. Yet, the promise of NO added sugar rings true for this flavor too. Just a little apricot and date, again, and a hint of both chipotle and ancho chile leaves these bites just the right amount of sweet and perfectly savory. I also don’t care for the typical “smokiness” BBQ imparts. Again, not so here. With the absence of artificial smoke, I was quite pleased with my munches.

Parmesan Tomato Basil – C’mon. Who wouldn’t be excited about tomato and basil with a little parm? This is the only variety that involves dairy – and it’s only a tiny little bit. Again, with grass-fed beef – well done. It’s almost like a mini bite of pizza from the ’90’s. (Remember those sun-dried tomato days?) I really liked the “Italian” flair to this variety … I’m actually thinking of how to incorporate this option into somewhat of a Paleo Bruschetta one day. Hmm.

Lamb Rosemary Spinach – I was super duper excited to try this one. I LOVE rosemary and spinach! Rosemary can be just as intoxicating, if not more, than fresh basil. And, that Zora paired this flavor combo with lamb was even more brilliant. Do you know the health benefits of lamb? I’ll bet you do! And, it’s a change-up from the typical beef and turkey jerky we see every day. These bites leave me dreaming of the warmth and aromas of perfectly seasoned autumn roasts in the oven – and the amazingness of New Zealand, of course. (Hold the mint jelly, by the way… these bites are perfect, as is).

Turkey Masala Spinach – Going GREEN again, these were my very favorite. You see, the intricacies of masala will always have my heart. Garam masala and the countless complexities in curry produce a mouth-watering reaction in me each and every time. Just a hint of sweet and a whole lot of everything else…I’m in heaven. I even rushed out to buy myself just a few more packages of this variety due to the “love at first bite” response that ensued. Just as a snack, yes, but I loved these guys so much I found myself topping salads, stir-fry, and my typical evening bowl of fruit and nuts with the Masala Spinach. And, of course, I even slathered the little suckers in almond butter. Yes, I did, indeed. Divine, I’d say.

Awesome Sauce and More!
Wild Zora has hit the ball out of the park.

**UPDATE**
As of September 2018, Wild Zora has added a few amazing NEW flavors! They are incredibly delicious, delectable, and irrisitable!
Taco Pork
Apple Pork

Thanks for the opportunity to nosh and nibble.