Product: Caveman Bakery Apline Caveman Cookies – $6.29+
Can cookies really be made the caveman way? Can paleo really go that far?
Ah, that new fad that so many people are jumping onto. Eat like a caveman, and reap the wonderful health benefits. While I find nothing wrong with cutting out refined sugars and processed grains…I go back and forth on the whole “eat like a caveman” thing. I mean…not being able to eat beans…or corn…due to sugar content or something. Nope. Not a fan.
However…paleo items are gluten-free. And when something hits the market that I’ve never seen before…my friend Jenn usually supplies me with a box. God love her! Well, I have previously tried and was not thrilled with the Tropical version of these cookies. Jenn assured me via a Twitter account that, surprisingly, the Alpine were better.
Well, it’s moment of truth week because I have no dessert on hand and these are in my pantry. Out came the box of Caveman Bakery Alpine Caveman Cookies.
Much like the Tropical variety of these cookies, these come individually wrapped inside the box. They are little flat cookies, slightly sticky as you remove them from the wrapper…probably the honey…no…definitely the honey. They smelled good. They looked deceivingly chocolatey. Would they be better than the very bland and disappointing Tropical flavor? Was it possible?
Kinda…I guess.
Here’s the thing. These cookies are chewy. Not like…soft…fresh out of the oven chewy. Not even processed cookies that are made to be soft and chewy chewy. Nope. These are just…chewy. Like…not quite gum…but almost…chewy. Which, we all know I prefer a chewy cookie to a crunchy one (although I will eat both and do so happily and without any measure of guilt!), but these…these are just too chewy. Yes…a cookie that is too chewy for me.
As for taste…Jenn was right. These actually do taste better than the Tropical variety. The Alpine Caveman Cookies have a hint of chocolate flavor. But it’s very mild and almost…not there. The honey really sort of stands out the most. I took a bite, tugging the very chewy cookie back and tried to savor it…find that flavor…find that chocolate flavor that I was craving. Only a hint. But…it was enough to cleanse the palate.
I guess.
I still wasn’t impressed. Strike two Caveman Bakery.
Sad, because I love what goes into these cookies. You want to talk about clean eating…these cookies are made from what Caveman Bakery says are ingredients that cavemen could have found while hiking in the alps. These cookies are simply made from honey, hazelnut meal, almond meal, and toasted carob seeds. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and cholesterol free.
As for the nutritional aspect of these cookies…a serving size of the Caveman Bakery Alpine Caveman Cookies is 2 cookies. Yep. Two. Get those jaws loosened up, folks! This serving will provide you with 150 calories and 9 grams of fat. Most of that fat is from the use of the nuts (hazelnuts and almonds), so that is at least the healthy kind of fat. These two cookies contain 0 mg sodium, but 14 whopping grams of sugar. YIKES!! Okay…so it’s from the honey and carob but…YIKES! Okay…they are cookies. I’ll give them that. But still. And finally, you will have 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Let’s hear it for meals made from nuts!
I don’t know…I understand the concept. I get that it’s considered a better way of eating. But I think these cookies are not what the cavemen had in mind when they thought about polishing off their saber tooth tiger consommé and needed to cleanse their palate. Perhaps some wild berries or nuts would have been sufficient.
While these cookies aren’t awful, they definitely didn’t do anything for me. Therefore, once the package is gone…it will be the last of the Caveman Cookies in my home. Kind of pricey for a product that didn’t wow me. Not one bit.
But, I think my jaw got the workout of a lifetime.
Product: KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars – $3.99+
Granola bars.
While there are gluten-free options out there for granola bars, it is something that I gave up when I had to go gluten-free. Why? I just didn’t find any that tasted…right…or good for that matter. Sure, there are plenty of fruit and nut bars out there, but when you think granola bar, you think of oats and that chewy-sticky goodness that you get with each bite. That was what I wanted. And that was not what I was finding.
Until…
KIND once again rose to the occasion.
I keep becoming so indebted to KIND because their products are superb. Honestly. I wouldn’t keep going back to KIND bars and KIND Healthy Grain Clusters time after time after time. Lord knows, these days there are plenty of delicious and gluten-free options when it comes to protein bars and granola. But there is something so spectacular about the products that KIND puts out. I trust them with my food budget. I really do.
So, imagine my glee the day I stepped into my local grocery store and went to scope out the Manager’s Special shelves and found the KIND Healthy Grains Bars on the shelf. They had the discounted price ticket on there. The only flavor being offered at the discounted price was the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars…so that’s what came home with me. Two boxes of them. That meant, without any idea of how they tasted…I invested in 10 bars (they come 5 to a box). But I didn’t even flinch…because it was KIND.
Sadly, these just sort of sat in my drawer of protein bars and race day snackies up until the other day. I was working my way through the pantry that I totally forgot about those in that drawer. And, with my sprained ankle, I hadn’t been racing or running so there was no reason for me to open that drawer. It slipped my mind. Until…I started running again. I noticed the boxes in the drawer and knew it was time to bust them out for one of my work snacks. It would be just like the old days. A morning snack of a “granola” bar. But this…this is even better than a granola bar. It tastes better…has actual real ingredients…and it has more (and better) nutritional value. Trust me.
I couldn’t wait for snack time to roll around the other day. Honestly. I had the bar out on my desk…anticipating it. Wanting to see if it was any good. Needing to know if it lived up to the high standards that KIND set for its products with me in the past. And when it was time, I tore into that wrapper and broke off a corner of the Healthy Grains Bar. The first thing I noticed was this didn’t snap away. The bar itself is very light and soft. You definitely get that hint of sticky-soft goodness from the honey, which helps to also sweeten the oats and other grains that are used in the making of these bars. The dark chocolate chunks provide this amazing sweetness that doesn’t detract from the rest of the bar, but works with it…bringing out all the other flavors. And I love that hint of coconut flavor you get right at the end. Honestly…one of the best bars I have ever consumed. EVER! Even better…I don’t feel guilty about this little indulgence, because it’s not really an indulgence. The name of this product says it all – HEALTHY Grains Bars. Add in that sweet hint of heart-healthy dark chocolate and you have my new favorite snack in life.
So, what all goes into the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars? Well, KIND never hides anything when it comes to their products. That’s why their packaging and wrappers have large open windows. They honestly have nothing to hide. At all. The KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars are a blend of whole grains (which include gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, gluten-free oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, and quinoa), tapioca syrup, evaporated cane juice, honey, non-GMO canola oil, coconut, chocolate liquor, sugar, brown rice syrup, molasses, gum acacia, sea salt, vanilla extract, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and natural vitamin E.
How does it stack up nutritionally? Not too bad at all. A serving of the KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars is one bar. This bar will provide 150 calories and 4.5 grams of fat. One bar will also provide you with only 65 mg sodium and 9 grams of sugar. You will also be getting 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein…so you actually do feel full after eating one. These are gluten-free and cholesterol-free.
If you’re looking for a healthy snack that you can easily pack and take with you…anywhere…I highly recommend KIND Healthy Grains Dark Chocolate Chunk Bars. They remind me, a lot, of the homemade granola bars I used to make. Flavor is SUPER fantastic. Texture and feel is spot on. And that chocolate…tames even the biggest sweet tooth. My snack time just got a lot sweeter….without the extra sugar and…additives. Thank you, KIND, for products that I’m proud to have right out on my desk.
Sean Astin and me after finishing the Chocolate 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
Race: The Chocolate 5K
Place: Louisville, Kentucky
Date: March 30, 2014
Time: 21:02* (UNTIMED EVENT)
There is nothing better than a race that combines three things that I love: chocolate, puppies, and running! And thanks to No Kill Louisville, there was a fun, untimed event held on Sunday that involved all three of those things. Yep. All three of them. No Kill Louisville helped put on The Chocolate 5K, which involved a 3.1 mile run/walk, Ghrirardelli chocolate (provided on the course and at the finish…not to mention two squares in your packet at packet pick-up), and…lots of animal rescue leagues.
The morning was cold. I knew it was cold because I had to go outside and do my heel drops off the stairs of my apartment complex (and the only stairs available are outside!). So, I dressed accordingly…in a long sleeve top, a pair of capris, and my compression sleeves. I was actually running as part of a team. My friend, and running compatriot, Dawn, was running with a team of co-workers and invited me to join their team (for the team discount price). I was totally about that, so I did sign up. I’m just getting back into racing and my speed is not back yet, so I intended just to see what I could manage. After all, this event was not timed. Sort of like the Glo Run and The Color Run. Go out…get some chocolate…have a good time. Worked for me!
Cathy and I headed out just about the time we wanted to, after each downing a bowl of cereal and having some coffee. I brought along some Lärabars to eat as the race time crept closer (I had no bananas on hand…which is NOT good on race morning). We piled into the car and off we went to Waterfront Park, the new venue for the race. It was originally scheduled to take place at E.P. Tom Sawyer…but due to muddy trails and the like…it was moved to the paved Waterfront Park area. I was more than happy about that. Trust me.
We made good time down to Waterfront and even managed to find a parking spot under the bridge. A short stroll through the little booths set up (for places like Earth Fare and all the animal rescue leagues that came out!), I made my way to the registration line. Recent e-mails said that the turnout for the race was not good and there weren’t that many participants. But there was a line by the time I got there for people picking up their packets. And the line only continued to grow from there. So…either people were trying to decided at the last minute whether to run or walk or not…this was actually a really, really big turn out! I managed to get up to the table and told the volunteer my name. She kept looking under BA, so finally I had to spell out my last name…”B-R-A…” But she found me after I pointed my name out on the list. She handed me a green bag that contained two different varieties of Ghirardelli Chocolate and my race bib and then sent me over to pick up my t-shirt. After that, I was standing around for a second when Dawn and a co-worker of hers arrived. They were going to get in line, so I went to go put my chocolate and t-shirt in the car so Cathy wouldn’t have to try to juggle it on top of the sign and my jacket I was going to shed before the race start.
As we were heading back toward the registration line, I was opening up my Lärabar (Jŏcalat Chocolate Mint…in case you were curious) and taking a big bite when a small group ran past. They were in race numbers (not unusual at a race) and just doing this slow little warm-up run together, talking and smiling. I eyed the guy in the middle in the yellow running jacket and the shorts as he went by. After I swallowed my bite of bar, I turned to Cathy, who was having an epic struggle with the wrapper of her bar (she didn’t want to take off her gloves), and said, “That guy looked like Sean Astin.” She heard me but didn’t respond. I think she was really focused on eating the rest of her breakfast, but first she had to get to it. I eventually helped her out and went to toss the wrappers away. Dawn said her boyfriend, Matthew (I train with him a LOT), was going to run from his house to the race, do the race, and then finish up the remaining miles of his scheduled 20 mile training run. Whew. That made me tired just thinking about it. Her other two co-workers arrived around that time and got in line to get their bibs and packets. And they all consumed their chocolate as a pre-race sugar rush. Or so I joked. But…chocolate consumed…we were just waiting on the start. Matthew arrived with a few minutes to spare and we helped him get his blinkie lights turned off.
A quick picture in front of the start line and some announcements were being made. And then…I hear it…”And now a quick word from Sean Astin…who you might know from the Lord of the Rings Movies and the Goonies…as well as many others…” And then he took the mic. You better believe that I moved up to see if I had heard that right. I had. It was him.
Cathy still wasn’t paying attention, but rather getting artistic photos of the start line when I found her and said, “That guy I said looked like Sean Astin WAS Sean Astin.”
So…I do have this running (see what I did there?) joke about how Sean Astin is stalking me on my races. He has run every Disney race I have ever been a part of and he also ran the Chicago Marathon last year when I did. So…this was just further proof that the man is following me. To come out to an untimed event for charity to run 3.1 miles just speaks so highly of his character. He didn’t have to do it. But he did. And it made me love him even more than I already did. He spoke briefly, and commented that the weather, for him, was perfect for running. We all laughed because we locals were all in compression gear and there he was in shorts just soaking it all in. God love him!
After he wished us all luck on the race, we were told to line up at the starting line. The announcer began to give us the route, then simply said…”There are yellow arrows on the ground. Just follow the yellow arrows.” And with that…we were sent off with a whistle.
I found my stride early and was out with the first five in the pack, with others right behind me. I didn’t want to push too hard. Not on an untimed race. I get frustrated with my lack of speed these days, and that is understandable, but my friend Andrea always reminds me…I’m healing. I need to heal up and the speed will return. So, for now, I can’t set time goals…I just have to run smart and run safe. And that was my ultimate goal. I followed the yellow arrows…and the people in front of me…for the first mile before I passed up the one female that was ahead of me. My strides felt good. No ankle twinges…so I kept on, just doing what I could to maintain. It also didn’t help that I woke up that morning with some chest congestion and an intermittent cough. No good. This is what happened during the Triple Crown of Running last year and I did not want to relive that. So, for the sake of being able to breathe without dying…I made sure I maintained a challenging, but even pace.
I passed up the table where they were offering Ghirardelli chocolate squares because…I was running. I can’t run and eat chocolate. So, I kept on going, rounding the corner up ahead and getting sent up a bit of an incline. I pushed up the hill, not feeling any discomfort in the ankle, rounded the corner again, and then started on the gentle slope back down toward the race course.
Now this is where it got messy. We had runners and walkers making their way up to the incline ahead, but were taking chocolate from the Ghirardelli stop as well, which was located on the side of the path where people running back toward the finish were now running. Oh well…it was a fun event…you just go with it. As I’m trucking along, I see Sean Astin running toward me and he starts applauding those of us in the front of the pack and telling us we were doing great. I held up my hand and he high-fived it. Awesome. A moment later, my co-worker’s husband was running by and we high-fived as well. It was a high-five kind of race and I was loving it. A little ways down my co-workers, Laura and Kayla, were walking past and Laura told me to go catch up to the guy in front of me (it was her son…who was banditing the race). I knew I wasn’t going to be able to do that, but as I was coming into one of the final turns, I did pass the kid in the orange sweatshirt that had outpaced me for much of the first part of the race. I managed to keep ahead of him, and came back into the familiar Great Lawn area of Waterfront Park. One final turn and I booked it to the finish line, pausing my Garmin a moment after. I was the 4th registered finisher across the finish line.
I was all smiles!! Seriously…all smiles. It has been hard for me to not focus so much on time, but what I’m discovering is why I love doing this sport in the first place. Yes…PRs are awesome and should be celebrated and should be fought for…but sometimes you have to work back into that. I have rediscovered the joy that comes with just being able to get outside and get that run in. I have found so much positivity from the people who saw me struggle with my sprained ankle and who have seen my will and determination to come back. It’s a slow process…but I’m making strides in the right direction.
Me crossing the finish line of the Chocolate 5K – Louisville, Kentucky
After crossing the finish, I went to get some water and a couple pieces of chocolate. Cathy and I each ate a square…and we waited for the rest of my team to come in. But…about four minutes after my finish…here comes Sean Astin. Seriously. I cheered as he crossed the finish line and then went down the ways a little to catch his breath. His companion (and sort of body guard) went to go get him some water and after a moment, I walked over to say “Hi.” And he was very gracious and very welcoming. We took a picture together and I told him the story about how I believe he’s stalking me. I told him the races we had run “together” and when I mentioned Chicago…he said, “You ran in Chicago…with your hair like this and everything!” He pointed to my pigtails. I laughed and nodded. We talked about our finishing times and he said his goal is to eventually, one day, run a sub-4 marathon. I told him I had every belief that he could do it. He told me that I was going to win the Boston Marathon. Seriously…can I keep him?
I knew he was busy and had a schedule to maintain (he was in town for the Wizard World Comic Con Louisville) so I said goodbye. He gave me a hug and told me to have a good day. I thanked him for coming out to run. And that was that. A few moments later…my team came in and I cheered for them all the way to the finish! It was an amazing day.
So…my official time for this untimed event, according to my Garmin was 21:02. I want to note, however, that the course was only 2.78 miles. So…I am not little miss speedy! Trust me. I didn’t even feel all that speedy. And at that pace, I wouldn’t have come close to my 5K PR. I was okay with that, but I wanted at least 3 miles for the day. So I went and did a slow, steady shake-out for the remaining mileage before returning to talk with my friends a bit longer. We were wrapping things up, and I had grocery shopping, laundry, and an apartment to clean…so I said goodbye to everyone and Cathy and I departed, stopping by the Earth Fare booth to say hi. I might have forgotten to mention (and will blog about it maybe next month) that I am, once again, an Earth Fare Athlete Ambassador. And I’m loving it. So, we had a short talk with the person at the booth, who recognized me immediately. And, after snagging some chocolate dipped banana chips, we headed out for the day.
I had so much fun at this little race. I smiled the entire time. I managed to not die from a rattly chest. I pushed a little harder than I normally would. I want my speed back. It will come. I keep telling myself…it will come. But for now…strengthening that ankle and getting myself back on track is way more important. I’m just thankful that I had the opportunity to take part in such a fun event for a great cause. And I can’t wait to do my next one.
My refrigerator has something incredible in it. Really.
I have these cartons of So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk.
Let me tell you…these were the most fantastic yogurts to ever enter into my life. And I was feeling the need to bake last night. Using a guide recipe from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring, I baked up what is turning out to be one of my favorite breads I have ever made. Made with Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Morsels, Better Batter Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, and So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk, this is a recipe that will wow your friends and family. You might even surprise yourself with how moist and delicious this bread is when it is baked and cooled and finally…sliced. All of this was from scratch and, as luck would have it, I had everything necessary already in my apartment. Check out the recipe below.
Recipe: Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread
1-3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour (I used Better Batter)
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used Earth Balance)
1 cup plain yogurt, at room temperature (I used So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk)
2 eggs, at room temperature, beaten
3 ounces miniature chocolate chips, tossed with 1 teaspoon cornstarch (I used Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease well a standard 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), place the flour blend, cornstarch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar, and whisk to combine well with a separate, handheld whisk. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the butter, yogurt and eggs. Mix on medium speed to combine with the paddle attachment (or your handheld mixer) after each addition. The batter will be thick. Add the chocolate chips tossed with cornstarch, and mix with a spatula or spoon until the chips are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Scrape into the prepared baking pan and, with wet hands, smooth the top. To create a dome shape, run a wet spatula along the edges of the pan and pull the batter toward the center. For a uniform split down the center as the bread rises in the oven (instead of a more haphazard split), slash down the center of the loaf with a sharp knife, about 1/4-inch deep.
Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F, and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, or until the top of the loaf springs back when pressed lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with, at most, a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice once cool and serve.
~*~*~
You will love this bread. Light, moist, and packed with flavor. And using the Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk meant adding flavor without the added sugar. It was fantastic. And the bread…definitely one of my new favorites. This is amazing. I can’t wait to make more breads using the Cultured Coconut Milk. Fantastic.
Love is finding a product that you can literally do just about anything with…and getting creative with it. I love to come up with new ways to make things when I’m in my kitchen. I love to see just what I can accomplish with what I have on hand.
Currently, in my refrigerator, I have two 16 ounce cartons of So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk.
What is cultured coconut milk? Glad you asked.
It’s the dairy-free, coconut milk based version of a creamy, dreamy yogurt. Yes…all you dairy-free people who have lamented the loss of yogurt in your diet…welcome to the world of So Delicious and their fantastic coconut milk based yogurts. Also known as…cultured coconut milk.
I love that So Delicious has released two new varieties of their cultured coconut milk products. I already reviewed the Unsweetened Vanilla Cultured Coconut Milk…but now it is simply the Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk. First of all, as someone trying to keep their sugar intake in check, the unsweetened offering makes me so happy. Even better…it has great texture and good flavor. It actually has a bit of a tang to it, reminding me of a sour cream. And, certainly, this could easily be used in place of sour cream. But…not in my case.
I got into my kitchen last night and decided to use some of the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk…to make bread. Yep. Bread. Delicious…dairy free and gluten-free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Bread.
Here’s what I found out…my bread cooked up amazing. The Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk made this a very light, very moist bread when all was said and done. The best part was how it tasted. Because this also adds flavor without adding more sugar. And that…that is an amazing thing. I love how versatile this product is. It can be used in dressings, breakfast parfaits, smoothies, as a garnish for meals…you name it. And it does it all with style and without upping the sugars you’re consuming. LOVE!
A serving of the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk is 1/2 cup or 4 ounces. This serving will provide you with 50 calories and 4 grams of fat. You will be provided with 95 mg sodium and 1 gram of sugar. The Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk doesn’t provide any protein, but you do get 4 grams of fiber. This product is cholesterol free, gluten-free, vegan, kosher, non-GMO, and made with organic ingredients.
I have truly fallen in love with this product. I am so glad I have two containers of it chilling in my fridge. There are tons of other things I want to try this with. But…below, take a look at how amazing my bread baked up using the So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk. I am beyond impressed. You will be too!
Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Yogurt Quick Bread made with So Delicious Dairy Free Unsweetened Cultured Coconut Milk
Many of you already know that I am a huge fan of So Delicious. Their coconut milk and almond milk (as well as products made from said non-dairy milk) are amazing. I have yet to try something that I don’t like. That’s the thing about a company named So Delicious…it has to live up to it.
Recently, So Delicious Dairy Free released a couple of new coconut milk products. And I was fortunate enough to receive some of these products in the mail. I was out of town this past weekend, so I didn’t get to dive right in…but now that I’m back…I’m was beyond eager to give these products a try.
I started…with one of the most basic ones.
My choice: So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars. These little fudgsicle like treats are a coconut milk dairy-free frozen dessert. And they are chocolate. And you know…one of the ways to my heart is through chocolate. I’m a choc-o-holic. I owe that to my grandma because she ate the heck out of chocolate. It was her favorite thing in life. And I can’t blame her. So, not only are these frozen bars made with delicious chocolate, but also that sweet hit of coconut milk. Sounds like the perfect snack, yes?
You better believe it. The Mini Organic Fudge Bar was my dessert tonight. I was so eager to rip into the wrapper and devour. But…I paced myself. Because dessert is meant to be savored. And this frozen treat is worth every moment of savoring. It won’t last too long though, because it does melt. So…do keep that in mind, okay?
First of all, this is the perfect and ideal size treat. Not too much and not too little. As Goldilocks would say…it’s just right. And it is. Honestly. The actual bar itself is around 3.5 inches in length, so in the grand scheme of things…not as mini as the product name might lead you to think. That’s a nice bonus. The consistency is so ice cream like you won’t believe that you’re not eating a full-blown-to-the-max-with-dairy ice cream bar. No cows were used in the making of this chocolate treat. Seriously. Velvet smooth. And the flavor is incredible. I fell in love with the rich flavor of the chocolate combined with that smooth coconut milk flavor. It is a winning combination in my book. I think my roommate got tired of hearing me comment on how delicious dessert was. Best of all, I didn’t have to bake it or make it. It was in my freezer just waiting for me…begging me…to just try it.
There is no going back. I want this in my freezer for life. For afterlife too, if that’s possible. This sweet tooth was beyond satisfied.
As far as ingredients go, the Mini Organic Fudge Bars contain coconut milk, organic agave syrup, organic inulin, organic cocoa, organic dried cane syrup, water, carob bean gum, guar gum, natural flavor, salt, and carrageenan. These bars are vegan, cholesterol free, and gluten-free. All ingredients are also non-GMO! I totally approve.
As far as nutrition goes, you will absolute do a flip for these. A serving is 1 bar. The box comes with 4 inside. One of the So Delicious Dairy Free Minis Organic Fudge Bars will serve you up only 80 calories and 3.5 grams of fat. You will be consuming 10mg sodium and 8 grams of sugar. Not bad for a treat! And you will be provided with 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.
Super yum!! Thank you, So Delicious, for introducing me to this new product!
I’m doing my best right now not to go raid my freezer for another one.
Because…I want another one.
Do search out this new product from So Delicious Dairy Free. Nothing is better after a long day than a sweet treat without the guilt. Enjoy!
So Delicious Diary Free Minis Organic Fudge Bar (unwrapped)
The Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Product: Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies – $5.49+
My friend Jenn knows the way to my heart. She knows what can lift my spirits. She knows how to get me to smile.
Three words.
Gluten Free Cookies.
Yep. That does it every time. And this past weekend, when I went up to visit and escape my real life where I live for awhile, she totally lifted my spirits and helped me find that smile that has been absent during this winter year. And that was before the cookies were even mentioned.
Saturday was a busy day…and one that included many culinary adventures. But, as the night was winding down and before we all settled in to watch Despicable Me 2, we (being Jenn, Cathy and I) quickly made our way to the kitchen because we were celebrating Jenn’s birthday and cookies had to be had. For real. Out of the freezer she pulled a package of Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I think I might have salivated immediately.
Cookie monster, remember?
Anyway…we knew these wouldn’t take too long to cook, so we got right to work, preheating the oven to 325°F and prepping a baking sheet with parchment paper. I tore into the cookie dough package and removed the tray of 12 balls of dough. From there, Jenn and I began to remove the cookie dough and place the little balls of chocolate chip gluten-free joy onto a baking pan, about 2 inches apart. When the oven was up to the proper heat, we popped the pan inside and let it cook for 16 minutes.
Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookie Dough
Longest 16 minutes ever. The three of us had a little snack of Jenn’s homemade pink salad…while we were waiting…because it seemed logical. And, for the last five minutes, we all just sort of stared at the timer…eagerly awaiting our chocolate chip treats. Except we were cooking from frozen, we gave them a little longer, but not much. When we removed them, they were golden balls of cookie dough, because we didn’t pay attention to the part of the baking instructions that said to flatten the cookie before shoving it in the oven. Whoops. No worries. We now had to let the cookies sit for another 5 minutes. That was sheer torture, because now the kitchen smelled like chocolate chip cookies. As those five minutes finished, Jenn scooped a cookie off the sheet to plate it. Then she said the most glorious words ever (and honestly is one of so many reasons she and I get along so well) when she exclaimed, “Screw this one cookie thing! We’re each getting two!”
There were no arguments. At least not from Jenn or I. Cathy might have looked a little bit startled but she happily complied to the 2 cookie vote.
I won’t lie. I was the first person to take a bite. It was still very soft in the middle…not raw…but close. We probably should have let them cook a wee bit longer since we were cooking them from their frozen state. But…they were really good. The cookie dough was fantastic. I loved the buttery flavor of the cookie itself and, even more, the sweetness from the chocolate chunks that were throughout the cookies. They didn’t skimp on the chocolate, and I appreciate that so much! I love that no bite was without a bit of chocolate. The flavor actually reminded me of these large cookies that my school district offered from K-12 grades that were soft and chewy and just above that half-baked level. They tasted so much like that and it brought back some really happy memories. I enjoyed these so much. I might have licked the crumbs off the plate.
The next day, Jenn sent Cathy and I on our way with two more for each of us. I found that I liked them even more on the second day. I might have gotten a little hungry halfway home so we had a bit of a snack. One part of this snack was one of the cookies. Soft in the middle. Chewy. No hard bites that break your teeth. Still amazing and delicious. YUMMY! I might be addicted to these. The other two were consumed as dessert after dinner that night. And I once again reminisced about how good they were…how amazing they tasted…but now…they were gone.
Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies are made from semisweet chocolate, palm fruit and canola oils, brown sugar, potato starch, tapioca starch, sugar, rice flour, whole eggs, invert sugar, water, natural flavor, xanthan gum, baking soda, and guar gum. No crazy ingredients that make me question what they might be doing in food…or foody treats like cookies. These cookies are also completely dairy-free as well.
Now let’s talk nutrition. I know…cookies. Cookies are treats and really not nutritionally sound…but…COOKIES! This from a true cookie monster. Let’s remember…everything in moderation. And if you stick to the serving size, these really aren’t too bad on the nutrition scale. A serving is 1 cookie. This cookie will give you 150 calories and 8 grams of fat. This serving will also provide you with 10 mg sodium, 85 mg sodium and 11 grams of sugar. Yes…that is a lot of sugar. About 3 teaspoons per serving, actually. But, remember…cookies. These are cookies. Finally, one cookie provides you with less than 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein. So, these aren’t made to be filling. And with all that sugar, they won’t be. But…yeah…they are beyond tasty.
I love that Immaculate Baking Company has a few gluten-free options in their product lineup. Honestly. Even more…I am beyond impressed with the way the Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies baked up and came out. Yes…even with the misstep on our part for baking time. They are really delicious with great flavor and at least a chunk of chocolate in each bite. I want to fill my freezer with these and cook them all the time.
Consider this cookie monster hooked!
Immaculate Baking Company Gluten Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Amy’s Kitchen does more than just organic cakes now for dessert options. In fact, as I am typing this from a hotel in Birmingham, Alabama, I have since discovered that Amy’s Organic Kitchen also does ice cream now…dairy free ice cream. No joke. I saw it at the a little natural foods store and the Earth Fare and Whole Foods down here. No joke. Where have I been living?
What I did know is that Amy’s Kitchen put out candy bars not too long ago. Yep. Organic candy bars.
Trust me, I know…slapping the word organic on the label of something that is chocolate coated, packed with gooey caramel and nuts and…honestly…candy…does not make it healthy or any better than a Snickers. Save that it is made from organic ingredients and not…well…hydrogenated soybean oil (Snickers, I’m looking at you!), it’s still candy. I understand this. I get this. It doesn’t mean I didn’t pick it up off the shelf at the grocery store when I spotted it and keep it for dessert.
Because…I did.
HA!
Let’s first talk about why Amy’s Kitchen began producing candy in the first place. According to the Web site, Amy’s father, Andy, loves candy. He was the son of a candy maker and spent his childhood sampling chocolate morsels and chewy caramels from his father’s kitchen. To honor Amy’s Organic Kitchen’s commitment to provide great flavor and pure organic ingredients, Andy’s Dandy Candy was created. Andy was the tester for the flavors and when he was satisfied with the outcome…the candy bars were put on the market.
Currently, there are four different varieties: Crispy, Crunchy, Chewy, and Creamy.
I picked up Chewy.
Why Amy’s Organic Kitchen Chewy Candy Bar? Well, it was described, on the package, as soft, chewy caramel with pecans that were coated in chocolate. That sounds like heaven to me. Pecans are one of my favorite nuts. WIN!
Amy’s Organic Kitchen Andy’s Dandy Candy Chewy Candy Bar (unwrapped)
As I was out of dessert options this past week before heading out of town, the roomie and I each had one of the two mini bars that are inside the package of the Amy’s Organic Kitchen Chewy Candy Bar. Yes…one for you and one to either keep for later or share. I highly encourage sharing. Because the more you share, the more these will sell…and they are SO worth it.
One bite…and it was like eating a hybrid of a Snickers (with less nuts) and a Rolo. There it is. It was amazing. The caramel was soft and chewy. The chocolate was a nice sweetness. And nothing pairs better with caramel than chocolate. Yum. The pecans were actually quite sizable and prevalent throughout the candy bar itself. It added a nice salty element…so each bite was perfection. I was one happy girl. And this girl doesn’t eat candy, let alone candy bars, all that often. Even Cathy was a fan.
So, let’s talk ingredients. Amy’s Organic Kitchen Andy’s Dandy Candy Chewy Candy Bar is made from organic milk chocolate, organic tapioca syrup, organic cane sugar, organic pecans, organic nonfat dry milk, organic grade AA butter, filtered water, organic palm oil, organic vanilla extract, sea salt, organic soy lecithin. It is deliciously organic, made from Rainforest Alliance Certified cocoa, gluten-free, and contains no high fructose corn syrup, preservatives or GMOs.
Nothing too off-putting, right? Right.
As for the nutrition facts…a serving size is 1 of the 2 mini bars that are included in the pack. One bar will provide you with 100 calories and 6 grams of fat, which is actually good for a candy bar, I think. This little bar has 5 mg of cholesterol, 45 mg sodium, and 9 grams of sugar. 9 grams of sugar for a candy bar is actually not bad at all. A snickers of comparable size has 24 grams of sugar, twice the calories and way more fat and sodium. One serving of the Chewy bar also gives you no filling fiber and only 1 gram of protein. But…it’s candy.
Yes…candy. Indulgent treats that I actually do treat myself to every now and again. But, when choosing a candy…choose something a little bit better for you. Less sugar. Less fat. Organic ingredients. No high fructose corn syrup of hydrogenated oils. For me…Amy’s Organic Kitchen Andy’s Dandy Candy Chewy Candy Bar is a fantastic option for when the sweet tooth hits.
Try it for yourself. And as soon as I can find the other varieties…I’ll give those a try too.
Happy indulging.
Amy’s Organic Kitchen Andy’s Dandy Candy Chewy Candy Bar (halved)
Obviously. I mean…who else in their right mind would make ice cream when it is -100°F outside. That might be a slight exaggeration on the temperature…but it has felt like that the past couple of weeks. And it’s driving me insane. And when I go insane…I make ice cream.
A local ice cream store does some seasonal flavors every year, and one of the ones that is introduced at Christmas time is called Candy Cane Lane. It’s a white chocolate base with peppermint candies broken up and incorporated into the ice cream. It is phenomenal.
With the holidays now behind us…that ice cream flavor has gone back to the vault until next December. With that being said…I set out to recreate it, but instead of using a base made with whole milk and heavy cream, I used culinary coconut milk. Once again, So Delicious Culinary Coconut milk proves that it is just as good of a base as the heavy dairy, which tears my stomach up.
What was even better…it tasted just like the flavor at the ice cream shoppe. You’d never even guess coconut milk was used to make it. So, dig out that ice cream maker and give this one a whirl!
Recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Coconut Milk Ice Cream
2 cans full fat coconut milk (I used So Delicious Culinary Coconut Milk)
1 cup coconut sugar (or your preferred sweetener)
8 ounces white chocolate, melted
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips
Directions:
In a saucepan, add a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer. Place a large bowl over the saucepan, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Break up the white chocolate into pieces, add them to the bowl, keeping the heat at its lowest, and allow the chocolate to melt slowly. The chocolate will take about 5-10 minutes to melt and will become smooth and glossy. Remove it from the heat and give it a good stir.
In a large bowl, mix the coconut milk, sugar, and melted white chocolate together until completely incorporated. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Add the ice cream base to the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.
In the last two minutes of processing, add in the peppermint candies/baking chips and continue to process until well incorporated.
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container, cover the ice cream with plastic wrap, cover with the lid, then freeze until firm.
~*~*~
Yep…it’s super simple…and REALLY good. And, no worries, you can’t even taste the coconut milk. You get the smoothness of the white chocolate and that hit of peppermint from the addition of the candies or baking chips. And in the end…it makes a delicious treat that everyone will enjoy. Even when it’s colder than Christmas out there.
Product: The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix – $7.99
Awhile back, on a return trip from visiting my family in Birmingham, Alabama, my roommate and I were hungry. Very hungry. And I got onto my Find Me Gluten-Free app to find somewhere in Nashville, TN, where we might be able to safely grab a bite to eat. My app never steers me wrong…and it threw a few options at me. But…we were very intrigued by The Pfunky Griddle. And after a quick read of the reviews, I felt confident I could eat there and not get sick.
Breakfast food! YES!! They serve salads and sandwiches as well, but if you’re going to The Pfunky Griddle…you’re probably seeking out something to put on the griddle. And that was what we did, splitting an order of the gluten-free pancake mix and topping them off with our toppings of choice.
While we were waiting on a table, however, I spotted my danger zone. They sell their pancake mixes. Seriously. And one of the options they offered was their gluten-free pancake mix. After eating the pancakes at the store, I wanted some to take home. And after working through the plethora of gluten-free pancake mixes (I seriously LOVE pancakes)…I finally got to this one today.
And…you know I can’t do anything simple. The actual making of the batter is easy. Add to mix 2 eggs and 8 ounces of milk. I used my unsweetened almond milk. That was actually the easy part. I made 4 pancakes (1/4 cup of batter each) just plain…just the batter…so I could get an unadulterated taste of it. Then, I made 4 pancakes with blueberries added to them. And then, finally, I made 4 pancakes with white chocolate chips added to them. One batter…3 servings of different pancakes. I was excited, because from what I recall, I loved this batter when I ate at the restaurant.
However…today…I was way less enthusiastic about it. Not that it was bad; it wasn’t. It just…it isn’t able to compare to some of the other mixes I have used in between eating at the restaurant and making them myself at home. The pancakes actually cook up beautifully. Thin little cakes, toasted evenly on each side to a gorgeous golden brown color. The issue, I found, was that they actually tasted…gritty. Now, sometimes gritty is good, but not with pancakes. I was feasting on the plain pancakes this morning…my roommate said hers were pretty good. Which, sometimes means she likes them…and sometimes means that she is just being polite. I should learn not to ask her sometimes…
But, yeah…gritty. Gritty is not a good thing when it comes to pancakes. The batter was well mixed together…so it wasn’t an error on my behalf. And it didn’t have a horrible flavor either. Don’t get me wrong there. They taste like delicious pancakes, but that gritty texture is a little…off putting. In fact, I was happy to down these quickly and then finish off breakfast with my coffee instead of my usual vice-versa finish. My biggest hope is that the pancakes with the added fruit or sweet white chocolate chips offset a bit of that odd, gritty texture. Perhaps that’s why I didn’t notice it at the restaurant…because I was adding blueberries and bananas to my batter on the separate griddle pan.
The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix is a blend of brown rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, salt, sugar and baking powder. Not bad on the ingredients. I managed to get 12 pancakes out of the mix. And they were all of a very decent size too.
So, they weren’t bad…but I just wasn’t as impressed with them at home. The gritty texture was a little…off for me. But, the flavor was good. I’ll give them that. However, I probably wouldn’t buy this again, even if I do stop in at the restaurant for breakfast/brunch again.
Pancakes made from The Pfunky Griddle Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
The Celiathlete 