Chocolate – Page 13 – The Celiathlete

August 17, 2013

Product Review: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans

Product: Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans – $2.99+

I love chocolate covered espresso beans. They are little “pellets of power” as my roommate calls them. And she couldn’t be more right. But they have to be dark chocolate coated. Why? Because dark chocolate…as I stated before…is my favorite chocolate and the only one I prefer to consume. Milk chocolate is not for me. And white chocolate…it’s never really impressed me. Dark chocolate, with all it’s healthy antioxidants and heart-healthy qualities is the way to go.

I still remember reading one of Dean Karnazes’ books (he is the Ultramarathon Man for those of you who are unfamiliar with the name) about running in his first ultra marathon. He was at one of the checkpoints and he was given a slice of brownie. What made this brownie the most amazing thing he had ever tasted…was the espresso beans that were baked inside the chocolate fudgey treat. Runners love that extra kick that caffeine can give to their runs…and having it with a hit of chocolate is my favorite way to eat espresso beans.

Imagine my joy when I was at my local Earth Fare store and spotted the Endangered Species line of chocolate bars. They had so many varieties on their shelves and my roommate told me to pick one. ONE!!!!! How was I supposed to choose? But…I did. And while the Dark Chocolate Bar with Blueberries was very tempting (blueberries…another super food for runners!)…I ended up selecting the Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans.

And I couldn’t be happier with my choice. This chocolate bar ended up getting tucked away in my drawer of run goodies in my kitchen. And, like the chocolate bars that came before it…I totally forgot that they were in there. With sell by dates coming up…I figured now was as good a time as any to work my way through them. A nice little sweet treat for the office day. Perfection. Just what I needed for that mid-afternoon pick-me-up. With the espresso beans, that shouldn’t be a problem.

So, this past week, I opened up the bar and broke it up into 1/5 portions. The serving size on the back indicates that the actual serving is 1/2 of the entire bar. But I just needed a taste…not half a bar at 2 p.m. Just saying.

Let me say this…this bar won me over at first taste. The dark chocolate is some of the best I have ever had the chance to taste. Rich. Smooth. It wasn’t too bitter at all. Just the perfect hit of dark chocolate goodness. And it’s the perfect percentage for dark chocolate so that it isn’t too bitter and you still know you are eating dark chocolate. This particular bar sits pretty at 72% cocoa. The espresso beans…oh…yeah. Just like eating a few dark chocolate espresso beans. That’s what this tastes like. Caffeinated love with a hit of coffee flavor. Color me a happy chocolate-eating girl.

This chocolate bar is certified gluten-free, vegan, uses Rainforest Alliance Certified Cocoa, it’s kosher, and it’s non-GMO certified. The cacao is sourced from ethically traded cacao farms that ensure fair trade, responsible labor practices and sustainable farming. Are you sold on this yet? What is even better, 10% of the net proceeds of each bar purchased are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity. That means…indulging in a cause. A very good and important cause.

So…this clean eating chocolate loving lady gives this bar a huge, huge thumbs up. Honestly. I’m totally addicted. Maybe it’s the espresso beans. Maybe it’s the delicious bittersweet dark chocolate. But I’d wager it’s the combination of the two. As far as ingredients go, this chocolate bar is made up of bittersweet chocolate, and roasted coffee. No…really. How’s that? It’s sweetened from vanilla and beet sugar. Clean eating chocolate for sure.

Nutritionally speaking, by breaking it up into 5 portions of 3 squares, I only consume 84 calories and 7 grams of fat. But, if you were to consume the 1/2 bar (or 43 grams) listed as the actual serving size, you’d be taking in 210 calories and 17 grams of fat. It is cholesterol-free and sodium-free. Seriously. And, for a chocolate bar, the 12 grams of sugar isn’t enough to make my eyes bug out of my sockets. There is also 5 grams of filling fiber and 3 grams of protein as well. Love it.

If you want a sweet treat without breaking up with your diet…if you just require a hit of chocolate every now and again, I highly recommend the Endangered Species brand. Even better…if you love coffee…indulge a little in the Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans. You won’t be sorry. And it does give the right hit of bittersweet goodness and a little pick-me-up when you need it most.

Indulge in a cause. Indulge in Endangered Species Chocolate. Enjoy!

Endangered Species Natural Dark Chocolate Bar with Espresso Beans (unwrapped)

August 15, 2013

Product Review: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

If there is one treat (aside from peanut butter) that I allow myself on a daily basis…it’s dark chocolate. Why? Because I love, love, love dark chocolate. I have never been a big fan of the mild milk chocolate…and white chocolate…that’s not even chocolate. Dark chocolate has and will always be my one true chocolate love. I blame my mom for this…as she was a dark chocolate fiend when we were growing up. I guess I do get some of my best traits from mom!

Anyway…I had a stash of these Dark Chocolate Dream dark chocolate bars in my drawer at home. I got them when a local store put them on closeout…as if they were going away forever. At the discounted price…I couldn’t let them get away without me trying them. Right? Right!

Well…I forgot I had them. *hangs head in shame*

No…really…I forgot. I FORGOT I HAD DARK CHOCOLATE IN MY HOME!! What in the world is wrong with me??! Anyway, I uncovered them not too long ago, as I was digging for a protein bar to take with me in case a restaurant didn’t have food for me. It was like uncovering treasure. A stash of like…six dark chocolate bars. All different. All just waiting to be devoured…savored…or whatever.

Working my way through them…the other day, without a dessert plan in mind after dinner (dessert is important…it must happen and it always does in my home!), I remembered that I had a Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar in that drawer…and in my pantry…Marshmallow Fluff and some gluten-free graham crackers. Do you see where I am going with this?

S’MORES!

I mean…gluten-free s’mores for dessert?! Brilliant, yes? Absolutely!

So, I went to the drawer and dug out the Pure Dark bar. Prior to this, I had a couple other Dark Chocolate Dream Dark Chocolate Bars…the Raspberry and the Rice Crunch. I broke off two of the squares for the s’more, retrieved the gluten-free graham crackers from the pantry and the fluff. One graham cracker got the bit of chocolate placed onto it…the other one…layered with Marshmallow Fluff. I took my kitchen torch (yes…I have my own kitchen torch) and toasted up the fluff before sandwiching them together for the perfect gluten-free (and vegetarian) S’more.

One bite…and I knew I was in Pure Dark heaven. Because the star of the s’mores was not the toasted fluff (although that is delicious) or the gluten-free graham crackers. No…the star is that hit of bittersweetness that can only come from amazing dark chocolate. This chocolate is rich…which meant it was the perfect thing to pair with the sweet fluff and the salty-sweet graham crackers. It just brought balance to everything. And…the Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is simply that…dark chocolate. Nothing else. Just solid dark chocolate. And…yes…it is amazing. Let’s not forget, dark chocolate is actually considered healthy and good for you. It is loaded with antioxidants and heart healthy stuff.

So…what is this amazing Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar made from? According to the wrapper, the Pure Dark bar from Dark Chocolate Dreams contains evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin, cocoa powder, pure vanilla extract.

As for the nutritional value. Well…it’s chocolate. Need I say more?

But for those genuinely interested…one serving of the Dark Chocolate Dreams Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar is 1/2 of the bar. That would be four squares. This serving would provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat. This is why I only do one square at a time…which works out to 60 calories and 6 grams of fat. Regardless…let’s say you really needed chocolate that day…so you went with half the bar. This would also provide you with 15 mg sodium, 23 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. So…all-in-all…not too bad. Not great. But, this is to be a treat. I recommend 1 square a day…not half the entire bar. Much more manageable. Oh, and you get to enjoy it longer too.

Dark Chocolate Dreams has really impressed me. Honestly. I have enjoyed all three of the dark chocolate bars that I had in my drawer. Each one had something different about it that sort of set it apart from the others. But for the simple love of something dark chocolate and sweet…I highly recommend the Pure Dark bar. It doesn’t get much better than the original.

Dark Chocolate Dream Pure Dark Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

August 14, 2013

Product Review: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Product: Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix – $5.99+

Cookies.

We all know by now that I am obsessed with cookies. I love them. I’m a human cookie monster. Or…at least I was…back when eating cookies was easier for me. After the Celiac diagnosis, that had to change. Sort of.

There is absolutely no small amount of gluten-free cookies out on the market. Not just the pre-made and pre-packaged stuff…but mixes are out there…and even refrigerated tubs of gluten-free dough. Nope…gluten-free cookies are abundant throughout the marketplace. And I have probably consumed a majority of the ones that are offered.

Somewhere along the way, I acquired a box of Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. I mean…if you’re going to prove that a cookie has potential, then you have to go with the classic chocolate chip variety. I haven’t met someone who doesn’t enjoy a chocolate chip cookie. So, when choosing a cookie (gluten-free or otherwise), always go chocolate chip. ALWAYS!

I don’t remember where I got this mix…but I had it in the pantry for a long while. I know…shocker. But…I was in the mood to bake the other night. And, you see, I belong to this fantastic group of runners who meet up every Monday and run together. A couple weeks back, I made a gluten-free Minion (from Despicable Me) cake. So, I figured…why not treat them to something nice after a good run? Normally I would make these from scratch, using my mom’s famous recipe from when I was a kid. But…I was short on time that evening. So, I dug out this mix and simply got to making it.

First of all…super simple to make. I mean…easy-peasy!! I love making cookies (even gluten-free ones) from scratch…but since I had this and it was so convenient…I figured…just do it. The mix went into my KitchenAid mixer along with 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature) and 3 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. It got mixed up until it was crumbly and incorporated. One egg gets added and it mixes on low until the dough starts to come together. I ended up adding 1 tablespoon of water to mine before it really started to come together. I kneaded the dough with my hands for a moment more until it was stiff and slightly crumbly. Perfect.

One tablespoon for each cookie…that was the plan. I managed to rock out 24 cookies…and still had dough leftover. But my roomie is a dough fiend and asked if after I filled up the second baking sheet if she could have what was left…if there was any. I agreed. And she enthusiastically devoured the raw dough…saying it tasted really amazing.

Into the oven the cookies went for about 12 minutes. I watched them carefully, waiting for them to start to get that golden brown color to them. I removed them just as they were beginning to get golden so I would have a chewier cookie. I prefer a little crust on the outside with a chewy cookie. It’s my favorite way to enjoy a cookie. So that’s what I was going for.

And I succeeded. The cookies were a huge hit. And I loved the size of them. They were two to three-bite cookies, perfect for a simple snack after a run. In fact, the cookies are what got some of the runners up the hill at the very end of the run. “If I run this entire hill…I can have a cookie.” Hey…anything to get through, right? RIGHT!! Everyone gave me their opinions and all of it was positive. Quite a few people in the group are gluten-free…but there are others who are not. And they said you couldn’t even tell they were gluten-free. They had that savory hit of saltiness to them…the sweetness from the chocolate…and this chewy, but slightly-dense texture to them. They were almost the perfect chocolate chip cookie. But they baked up beautifully and they were really, really enjoyed by all who ran. Some even took 2…or even 3. WIN!

Heartland Gourmet is a family operated business that understands that time together with family is important. This is why they offer healthy, wholesome, and delicious gluten-free, gourmet, and organic baking mixes and kits. Why? Because it gets your treats cooking without taking away time from your family. Even better…get your loved ones to help you make something special.

Now…the science of it all. The Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix is made up of a gluten-free flour mix (rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, xanthan gum), granulated sugar, medium brown sugar, chocolate chips, vanilla, non-fat dry milk, salt, baking soda and butter.

A serving is 1/4 cup of the dry mix, which is about 130 calories. Each serving contains 1 gram of fat, 65 mg sodium, 22 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 1 gram of protein. So…treat it like a treat. No need to over-indulge. The entire point of making bite-size cookies was to satisfy the sweet tooth without sabotaging the hard work that goes into keeping the body fit and healthy.

Heartland Gourmet really bakes up traditional, yet very delicious gluten-free goodies. Their gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are amazing and definitely need to be shared. No one would be able to tell they were gluten-free. Honestly. They are really that good. Chewy, delicious…and somewhat healthy. Heartland Gourmet is, as their box says…naturally good.

Heartland Gourmet Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

August 11, 2013

Product Review: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

Product: Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream – $5.99+

I have to give some major props to my favorite local grocery store in my area – Earth Fare. What I love about Earth Fare is the deals that they have every now and again…especially over the weekends. Because if it wasn’t for some of those deals, I wouldn’t have even thought about getting some products that are offered.

This past weekend, the special deal going on was for a brand of ice cream that I never even noticed before. It’s a brand from New York (the Brooklyn area) known as Phin & Phebes. And in my area, only Earth Fare carries it. The deal was…for a if you spent $5 at Earth Fare, you could get a pint of Phin & Phebes ice cream (any flavor) for $1. With one thing in my cart I had already spent that much…so…I went to the freezer and eyed a few options. I already had banana ice cream from my local ice cream shoppe (YAY COMFY COW!) in my freezer, so I didn’t want to get the pint of Banana Whama Ice Cream. It turned out I couldn’t anyway…because it had vanilla wafers in it. So…good call.

Other flavors that I could find included Coconut Key Lime…which would have been like a key lime pie. I couldn’t have that one either…due to the graham cracker chunks throughout that. There was Ginger Cookie Snap…which is ginger flavored ice cream with ginger cookies and lemon icing filling. Again…one I couldn’t have. I was starting to think my roommate was going to be the one benefiting from this deal…not me. I kept looking…finding Vietnamese Iced Coffee flavor, which was one I could have…as it was simply coffee flavored ice cream with a hint of chicory and cardamom. But…I knew Cathy disliked coffee ice cream. This left…as far as I could tell…Vanilla Cinnamon…which is what I ended up grabbing. It was simply vanilla ice cream blended with Vietnamese cinnamon. I could tell Cathy was less than thrilled, so I almost said I’d get the banana one and she could have that while I ate the one from The Comfy Cow that was in our freezer…but didn’t bother. We put it in the cart and moved along.

Then…as we were perusing the freezer section just before heading to the checkout counter…I spotted it. I spotted ONE LAST PINT of what had to be the best flavor EVER of Phin & Phebes Ice Cream. It was all they had left so I grabbed the Vanilla Cinnamon from the cart, threw it into the freezer and snatched the last pint of…DARK CHOCOLATE SALTY CARAMEL. It was like it was meant to be. I love dark chocolate. And salty caramel anything grabs my attention. We called it a day and checked out.

Later that week…for two days…we each got to enjoy the awesome, awesome, awesome flavor of this ice cream.

Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream ice cream is just what it sounds like. Dark chocolate ice cream that has been sprinkled with salty caramel to create this uber rich, satisfying, and super-delicious treat. After dinner, I went to retrieve the pint from the freezer and dished up a serving (the standard 1/2 cup) for my roommate. I handed the bowl off to her and she dug in. I heard her say, “OMG! OMG!” I was like…”What?” And she said…”BEST ICE CREAM EVER!” Or something to that affect. She told me she wanted to see me take a first taste because she was having a hard time not hoovering hers. The reluctance to have a brain freeze was what kept her in check, I think.

So, my bowl now held a perfect 1/2 cup serving. The pint was returned to the freezer and I settled in to have my first taste. One bite…and it was a done deal. Whenever this flavor was in stock…it had to be in my shopping cart and then in my freezer. Holy cow!! This flavor is kept in balance by the perfect blend of rich, smooth dark chocolate ice cream with the salty, slightly sweet caramel. I mean…perfect balance. It was everything an ice cream should be. It was…it was a blend of my two favorite flavors from Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream in Columbus, Ohio. Right there. In one pint. It was heaven. It was delicious. It was worth savoring…but not too much because ice cream soup is not as much fun as ice cream. I immediately tweeted to my friend Jenn and told her she needed to venture to the other side of town to their Earth Fare and just snag a pint of it. She wouldn’t be sorry. It had to happen. That’s how much I loved it.

This treat…is certainly a treat. A dessert among desserts. And sometimes…the taste and flavor is enough to negate any thought of how non-nutritional it really is. I mean…it’s ice cream!!! Live a little. But…as always, I like to share the nutritional information with my readers. A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream, which as mentioned is 1/2 cup, dishes up 230 calories and 14 grams of fat. So as tempting as it is to make it an every night sort of thing…DON’T DO IT! It’s fine every now and again. And worth it too. Also, you will be scooping up 500 mg sodium and 20 grams of sugar. In addition, you’ll get 2 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

So…for a treat on a week when dark chocolate and salty caramel goodness is the only thing that is going to make life better…I highly, highly recommend Phin & Phebes brand. The Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream is a total WIN in my book. It does everything right. It tastes amazing. And…oh…it’s simply…the best.

You’ll want to lick the bottom of the bowl. Trust me.

NOTE: On the Web site, there is one further flavor listed that I didn’t see at all. Again, this wouldn’t be one I could indulge in, but it is Peanutty Pretzel, which is peanut butter ice cream with chocolate covered pretzels.

A serving of Phin & Phebes Dark Chocolate Salty Caramel Ice Cream

August 7, 2013

Rice Crunch puts a new bite into my Dark Chocolate Dream chocolate bar

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

Chocolate is my favorite sweet indulgence. Really.

And not just chocolate. Dark chocolate. I dislike milk chocolate. And white chocolate is…not really chocolate. Dark chocolate. That’s where it is for me. I love that bittersweet, rich, deep flavor that dark chocolate offers up. I love how it literally will coat my taste buds and I will just let anything dark chocolate melt slowly. It makes the indulgence last even longer.

A while back, my roommate picked up a few Dark Chocolate Dream chocolate bars from the local grocery store. They were on closeout, so in a panic we bought pretty much one of everything. I tucked these away in a drawer and forgot all about them…until recently. So, now I’ve been working my way through these chocolate treats…before they expire and all that good stuff.

I’ve been given a plan by sports nutritionist to move toward a clean eating diet. And while most would not consider chocolate to fit into that…I like to point out the health benefits of dark chocolate. It’s good for your heart because it has been shown it can help lower blood pressure. It helps improve cognitive function in your brain by increasing blood flow to your brain. In fact…it’s been shown to help reduce the risk of stroke. It’s a mood booster. It is full of antioxidants. Oh, and dark chocolate has high concentrations of potassium, copper, magnesium, and iron. NICE!

So this week, the drawer held a couple of choices, but I opted for the Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar. Why? Well…while I did enjoy the Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch was good and filled with the crunchy rice bits for that added oomph…it sort of had this chalkiness to it.

Dark Chocolate Dreams Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar does offer up a better alternative. Honestly. While the puffed rice isn’t as prevalent as it was in the Enjoy Life version, the crispiness is definitely throughout the entire bar. In other words, you take a bite…and it’s like biting into a Nestles Crunch bar all over again. But safe. And made with dark chocolate. Oh…and I should mention that this dark chocolate bar is vegan as well.

The Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch chocolate bars are made with simple ingredients which include all of the following: evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, roasted soy flour, puffed wild rice, soy lecithin, pure vanilla extract. No fake chemicals, no preservatives, nothing that you need to look up in order to figure out what it is you are eating exactly. Nothing like that. Everything is pure and real. Real food…real chocolate. I love it already.

As for nutrition…well…I remind you that this is a chocolate bar. So, do mind your servings. For me, I take one square with me to work, which equals out to 60 calories and 4 grams of fat. That’s not bad for one square of chocolate. But, the serving size for this treat is usually half of the chocolate bar. This serving will provide you with 240 calories and 14 grams of fat. The serving only kicks in 15 mg of sodium, which isn’t bad. However, remember…this is a treat and this is a sweet…and chocolate is still high in sugars. 1/2 of the bar will give you a huge dose of 23 grams of sugar. Aside from that, you will be provided with 1 gram of fiber and 3 grams of protein.

But…the flavor. The flavor is what does it. I love to savor my chocolate. A nibble here…another there. And that’s the way I eat this one. The dark chocolate has that bittersweet flavor to it…which is amazing and delicious. I love how it melts against my tongue, and that hit of dark chocolate just lingers…and then, as I bite into it…the crunch from the puffed rice. It’s one of the best things in the world, which is why I think Nestles Crunch bars sell so well. Crunchy, smooth, rich, dark…it’s the best of everything. And I for one love every tasty bite.

Not all chocolate bars are created equal. And not all chocolate bars are gluten-free. Thanks to Dark Chocolate Dream…I can still eat a Rice Crunch bar and savor it with the even more flavorful taste of dark chocolate. Well done!!

Dark Chocolate Dream Rice Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

July 30, 2013

A sweet and gluten-free Crispy Cocoa Rice cereal hit in the mornings by Mom’s Best Cereals

Mom's Best Cereals Crispy Cocoa Rice — Mom’s Best Cereals Crispy Cocoa Rice

Product: Mom’s Best Cereal Crispy Cocoa Rice – $1.99+

I am trying, really hard, to watch how much sugar I take in a day. Despite this, it just happens that most of my sugar gets used up bright and early in the morning. This is before I have dinner…sometimes before I have lunch. And I know part of the culprit is…well…my Greek yogurt. But on the mornings where I have cereal…sometimes that’s where much of the hit comes from.

Due to a fantastic Manager’s Special deal at my local grocery store, my roommate returned home from one of my “Oh my God, I’m in the middle of cooking something and we’re out of ______ and need it…NOW!” shopping errands with a surprise for me. She picked up one of her favorite brands of cereal – Mom’s Best Cereals – but this time, it was for me. Why? Because it was their gluten-free cereal – the Crispy Cocoa Rice.

This morning…was the day for chocolate in the morning. And, I mean, who doesn’t love a little chocolate to start out their day. I retrieved the crumpled (part of the reason it was on Manager’s Special) box from my pantry and dished up a serving (3/4 cup) of the cereal. I smiled a little…as it reminded me of Cocoa Pebbles (gluten-free)…or the Cocoa Krispies (not gluten-free) that were out on the market. It was just…familiar without being exactly the same. The thing about Mom’s Best Cereals is that they keep their products free of artificial flavors and preservatives, use no hydrogenated oils, and do not allow high fructose corn syrup to make an appearance on the ingredient list. So, it would seem to be a healthy…or at least…healthier choice, right?

Well…for the most part. Do keep in mind that this is a chocolate cereal. It might be puffed rice…but it’s still chocolate. And with chocolate comes that dreaded “s-word”…SUGAR. So before I get into the flavor of this cereal…let me just set up this comparison. Mom’s Best Cereals Gluten-Free Crispy Cocoa Rice contains 13 grams of sugar per 3/4 cup serving. The same serving size in Cocoa Pebbles contains only 10 grams of sugar. And for that same serving in Cocoa Krispies (despite the fact that those of us who can’t have gluten can’t eat these…this is for comparison only) contains 12 grams of sugar. So, the all-natural cereal has the most amount of sugar than the brands that contain hydrogenated oils and artificial flavors and artificial preservatives. I hate seeing that…but in the end, I’ll take the extra few grams of sugar over the hydrogenated oils, BHA and BHT. Seriously.

So…how did it taste? A-MAZ-ING! No, really. It’s sweet. It’s sweeter than I like most of my cereals…but it is really, really good. I mean, it’s chocolate in the morning. And…the added bonus is it turns my unsweetened almond milk into chocolate milk. Which is always a plus. These puffs of rice stay crispy, even when swimming in a sea of almond milk. They provide great chocolate flavor. And it’s sweet…without being overly sweet. It’s just sweeter than I’m accustomed to at breakfast. But…who turns their nose up at a chocolate hit in the early morning? Not me…as I am definitely a choco-holic!

This was my fuel prior to hitting the gym…the downside of that high sugar content, however, is that I burned through it quickly…and was hungry about halfway through my cardio exercises. Some of that might also have to do with the fact that this cereal provides no fiber at all and only 1 gram of protein. Therefore…it’s not very filling. Mostly sugar. But…CHOCOLATE!!!

Mom’s Best Cereal Crispy Cocoa Rice cereal is low in fat, naturally cholesterol free, and gluten-free. As for the rest of the nutrition information…a serving size, as stated before is 3/4 cup. This will provide you with 120 of your daily calories with only 1 gram of fat per serving. Aside from the high sugar content, the lack of fiber and small amount of protein, you will be taking in 150 mg sodium. That’s not bad. And…as far as ingredients go, this cereal does keep it all natural: rice, sugar, coconut oil, cocoa, salt, caramel color, and natural flavors.

Much better than the hydrogenated oils and artificial preservatives and flavors that come with the other two previously mentioned cereals. The rest of the nutrition information is relatively the same otherwise.

So, if you are looking simply to satisfy a sweet tooth…Mom’s Best Cereals Crispy Cocoa Rice will definitely do the trick. It’s one of the more nutritious chocolate cereals on the market…and it is definitely made with better ingredients than others provide. But do recognize that it won’t fill you up…and eventually that sugar rush does wear off. So keep this in mind. Aside from that…who doesn’t love sweet chocolate first thing in the morning. Treat yourself without all the extra junk. Mom’s Best Cereals at least keeps their ingredients natural. And that speaks volumes of the quality of the cereal they put on the market. Trust me…the extra grams of sugar are totally worth it in the end.

July 27, 2013

Dark Chocolate Dream adds sweet raspberry to vegan dark chocolate bars

Product: Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar – $3.59+

Dark chocolate. It is, honestly, my favorite thing in this world. Honestly.

I mean…it has this rich, deep flavor. And the bittersweet taste means you don’t really overindulge. That’s the beauty of dark chocolate. It sort of provides a serving size, because it can be rich…so a little goes a long way.

Now…enter the realm of the vegan dark chocolate bar. Yes. You read that right. VEGAN!

Okay, so vegan chocolate really isn’t anything new. But…the problem I have with vegan chocolate is that it can be hard and chalky…instead of smooth and rich like regular dark chocolate. So, vegan chocolate bars can be disappointing.

Enter…Dark Chocolate Dream. Aptly named, mind you. Dark Chocolate Dream is the chocolate bar segment of the umbrella company responsible for Rice Dream rice milk, Almond Dream almond milk, Soy Dream soy milk, and so on…

I think you get the picture. Now, I’ve many products from Imagine Foods, the company responsible for the “Dream” products. And I love them. Even the Almond Dream almond milk was good. In fact…it was really, really good. So, this company is no stranger to vegan products that focus on ingredients. I like when a company takes pride in the products they put out on the shelf.

But chocolate? Dark chocolate? Dark chocolate candy bars? That are also vegan?

Oh yes…and this one in partucular has an added burst of sweetness because the Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar adds a hit of sweetness from freeze dried raspberries to the bittersweet chocolate that forms the rest of the bar. And…honestly…dark chocolate and fruit always pair well. Dark chocolate with some sort of berry…even better.

The Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar is fabulous. It really is. No fake and unpleasing raspberry gel inside. Nothing sticky or unappealing. Just real ingredients. The pieces of fresh raspberries that are freeze dried and added to the dark chocolate just elevate this particular candy bar to the next level. Bittersweet meets sweet…and it just works. It meshes together well. Even better, this vegan dark chocolate bar doesn’t have that chalky flavor. And it isn’t tough to bite into. It’s smooth. It’s sweet. It’s very pleasing to the palate. And the chocolate is rich, and melt-in-your-mouth good. No strange aftertaste. A dark chocolate lover’s dream…

Let’s talk about ingredients and nutrition. First of all, keep in mind this is a chocolate bar. Just because it’s vegan and gluten-free doesn’t mean that it is better for you than other chocolate out on the market. It’s not. A serving of the Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar is 1/2 of the bar. This will set you back 240 calories and 15 grams of fat. YIKES, right? Luckily, this bar comes in break-away squares of 8. This means, you can certainly just take a square (trust me it’s enough) and get 8 days worth of treats. That’s what I’d do. But I’m frugal like that. Anyway…in addition to the calories and fat, you are ingesting 15 mg of sodium and then a whopping 24 grams of sugar. YIKES! Half of the candy bar contains 1 gram of fiber and 2 grams of protein.

As far as the ingredients that go into this dark chocolate bar, this list is short and recognizable. The ingredients in the Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar are: evaporated cane juice, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, freeze dried raspberries, roasted soy flour, soy lecithin, and pure vanilla extract.

That’s it. It’s nice to see such a short list when it comes to ingredients.

If you love the taste of raspberries. If you love dark chocolate. Then I encourage you to find and try Dark Chocolate Dream Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar. It’s a sweet bite of rich, smooth, vegan dark chocolate. So…break off a piece…and devour! Then take a moment to savor. Trust me…you’ll thank me later.

Dark Chocolate Dreams Raspberry Dark Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

July 26, 2013

Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie another epic frozen dessert fail

Product: Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie Frozen Dessert – $4.99+

You know, when I first heard about Arctic Zero, I was elated. I mean, how could you not like the idea of eating an entire pint of “ice cream” for 150 calories. Yep. One pint…150 calories. It sounded too good to be true. And when I finally started to see it crop up on shelves at various local grocery stores that I frequent, I couldn’t wait to work it into the budget and try it.

I think, at first, the hype got to me. Because when I first reviewed the Chocolate Peanut Butter variety, I was all about it. Thinking back, I realize it really wasn’t all I made it out to be. Even worse…it only went downhill from there.

Welcome to the land of epic frozen dessert fails.

In concept, it’s great. Especially if you are dieting and still want a little sweet, cold, ice cream-like treats in your food regimen. However…I want you to know cast aside any preconceived notions of just how amazing this dessert could be…because the fact of the matter is…it’s not. It’s not amazing at all. It’s a little…sickening actually.

First of all, it’s sickening that I bought three pints of three different flavors without first trying it and making sure it was…you know…actually consumable. That means I was out over $15. Live and learn, I suppose. Secondly, it is sickening because it just doesn’t pan out. It doesn’t work. It isn’t what it seems. Not at all. The flavor…the texture…the taste…the mouthfeel…it’s just all wrong. COMPLETELY WRONG!

I understand that Arctic Zero is not ice cream. When heavy cream is not in your ingredients, you really can’t call yourself ice cream, right? Right. And they don’t. They call themselves a frozen dessert. But the look, the packaging…it all equates in your mind as…ice cream. So…it should at least be close…oh so close to that. Yes? Of course.

First of all…you have to let this thaw for about 10 minutes before even dreaming of being able to get a decent scoop out of this container. That’s fine. I’m sort of used to that, being that I eat a lot of non-dairy based, ice cream-like frozen desserts. No problem. But once it gets beyond that…that’s where the trouble begins…and never seems to end.

Let’s talk flavor first. Once it’s scooped and in your bowl…ready to eat…you take a bite. And…YES…you actually get the flavors of chocolate and mint. It’s amazing. It’s as advertised. It’s not quite like eating a Thin Mint cookie…but…it might be close. It just might be.

But once it starts to melt…it all goes terribly wrong. Already you’ve let the Arctic Zero frozen dessert thaw to be able to scoop. You’ll probably notice this frothy film forming on the product. You ignore it, thinking it’s just the melting ice cream. No product should froth…and here’s why…

Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie frozen dessert begins to take on this slimy consistency. And it’s not just in the bowl. It’s in your mouth. Even if you are eating the more solid parts of this dessert, the moment it hits your tongue and starts to melt, you get this slimy film. It’s unappetizing. It’s disgusting. And no amount of mint or chocolate flavor can keep that texture away. It’s unappealing to look at and even more so to taste. It really turned me off. I had so many high hopes for Arctic Zero’s frozen desserts, but none of them have been any good. They’ve had issues with flavor. Texture. Taste. And now…SLIME! I’m sorry, but no dessert should be slimy. No food should ever be slimy. While this one might have won me over with the flavor…the rest of it was so unappealing and such a turn off, eating the 1/2 cup serving was hard enough to stomach.

So let’s talk about the ingredients and nutrition for a moment. A serving size of Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie Frozen Dessert is 1/2 cup. From this serving, you will be taking in only 37 calories. You will also be ingesting 80 mg of sodium and 5 grams of sugar. You will also be consuming 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. This dessert is fat free, safe for the lactose intolerant, and gluten-free. The ingredients include purified water, whey protein concentrate organic cane sugar, chicory root, dutch processed cocoa powder with alkali, guar gum, xantham gum, natural flavors, sea salt, and monk fruit concentrate. It all looks good in print…

…but once you taste it…you’ll wish you had just splurged on an actual dessert that tastes good.

Do NOT waste your money on these products. None of the three flavors have impressed me at all with flavor, with taste, with texture…and I’m now out over $15 that I could have spent on something much more appetizing. It’s dessert. Spurge and get something worth treating yourself to eating. Don’t waste it on a product that gets everything wrong. Trust me. DO NOT BUY THESE!

July 22, 2013May 11, 2015

Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch bar a melt-in-your-mouth, crispy, sweet treat

Product: Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch Chocolate Bar – $1.99+

Dear Enjoy Life:

You really do make life enjoyable. When food allergies strike…there you are…waving a white flag of sweet goodness. Just when we think we have to eliminate something from our life…you step in with an allergen-free version that makes is okay for people like me to indulge every now and again. You bring products so close to things I used to eat…that I don’t ever have to stare longingly at something in a grocery aisle and remember the days when I could simply snatch it up without a care in the world.

In other words…you take my life that was turned upside down when food allergies and intolerance happened…and you set it right again.

I will always be thankful to have you in my trusted gluten-free brands.

Especially when it comes to…vegan chocolate!

Yes, fellow readers, you read that right. VEGAN. CHOCOLATE. Not only that…but chocolate that is free of the top 8 allergens. Yes. This chocolate bar is gluten-free, wheat free, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, soy free, fish free, and shellfish free.

Loving it.

Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

So…remember Nestle Crunch bars? Remember? That sweet taste of chocolate combined with the crispy rice crunch that you got with each bite? This was my second favorite Nestle chocolate bar growing up (Mr. Goodbar being my favorite). And while Nestle doesn’t list gluten in their Crunch bars, the fact that it does have crisped rice and is made on equipment that it shares with other products that do have gluten…it means I have steered clear of this bar for a long while now. It’s sad…but necessary.

And then, while on sale one day, I spotted the gluten-free equivalent…or so I hoped. It was on the top shelf of my local grocery store’s gluten-free section. And it called to me…beckoning to me to try it out. See if it compared. So…for the sake of science, of course, one happened into my shopping cart, was paid for at the register, and taken home.

Last week…it became my 2 p.m. chocolate hit.

Last week…I discovered I no longer have to miss Nestle Crunch bars.

Because Enjoy Life’s Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch is everything a Nestle Crunch bar was…if not even better. Trust me on this one. This candy bar is packed with crispy rice and made with non-dairy rice milk. What this means is you get this great combination of crunchy, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness. And trust me…that’s exactly what this chocolate treat offers. The rice milk is sweet and a great replacement for dairy. You can’t even tell the difference. This bar is sweet and has that savory crunch in each bite thanks to the gluten-free crispy rice that is prominent throughout the entire bar. It looks just like a Nestle Crunch…but it tastes even better than Nestle’s version.

So how does this allergen-friendly chocolate bar stack up in the nutrition department? Really well. A serving is the entire bar, which would give you 170 calories and 10 grams of fat. It is a candy bar, after all. I ended up breaking mine up and spreading it out over four days, cutting that calorie and fat down to 43 calories and 3 grams of fat. I only needed a square for a snack, not the entire bar, after all. But…given that the serving size is the entire bar, the rest of that nutrition info is that you also are getting 25 mg of sodium and 14 grams of sugar. Remember…this is a candy bar after all. The entire bar also gives you just 1 gram of fiber and 1 gram of protein as well.

As far as ingredients go, Enjoy Life seeks out some of the safest and allergen-friendly ingredients out there. It starts with evaporated cane juice for the sweetness. To that it adds non-dairy cocoa butter, natural chocolate liquor (non-alcoholic), rice crisps (rice flour, rice bran, raisin juice concentrate, honey, salt), rice milk powder, and salt. I love that I recognize every ingredient that is listed. No guess work as to what anything might be that is put into this chocolate bar. I love that.

And I love the crispy bite that comes with each nibble I gave to this bar. It’s perfectly sweet. It’s perfectly crunchy. And it truly did melt-in-your mouth with this heavenly sweetness. It invites further indulgence…but it gives enough that it leaves you satisfied after just one little square. This was really good. Normally I prefer a dark chocolate…but the rice milk really meshed perfectly with the crispy rice. It was a perfect bite each time.

Enjoy Life definitely makes sweets that make life enjoyable…for everyone.

The crispy view of Enjoy Life Boom CHOCO Boom Ricemilk Crunch Chocolate Bar (unwrapped)

July 19, 2013

Reliving childhood memories at The Dairy Barn

Restaurant: The Dairy Barn, Horseheads, New York

I grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. And while this town was small, there are still parts of it that I still talk about today.

Not just school. Not just softball. Not just my friends.

But places I used to go. Even small towns have malls…and as a teenager, I spent a lot of time at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, New York. However…my most favorite place to go was what we locals referred to as “The Old Barn.” However, when this old barn was transformed into an ice cream shop, it became known as The Dairy Barn.

I spent so many spring and summer days eating ice cream off a cone. Usually I got a small chocolate/vanilla twist. Or the Dole Whip in a cone. Sometimes I’d get it dipped in chocolate or cherry topping. Sometimes I was allowed to have sprinkles. And on some rare occasions, I was able to pick from the hard ice cream flavors and have a really special treat.

When I went up to Utica, New York to run in a road race, Cathy and Jenn, my travel compatriots and two of my biggest race support crew, indulged me by allowing a rather big detour down through the Big Flats area. I had let those in the area know that I was going to be in town, briefly, on Sunday afternoon…and that should they want to get together…I would be hitting up The Dairy Barn.

Yes…this lactose intolerant girl was going to indulge in some ice cream. And why not? Ice cream is usually how I round off a race day anyway. This was no different…just somewhere else.

I can’t really write up a review of The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY. They are not like my local ice cream shop or Jeni’s up in Columbus, Ohio…meaning they don’t make their own ice cream. They do serve up Perry’s Ice Cream, however. Perry’s Ice Cream is native to Upstate New York…so at least it is somewhat local! So, I do give them that. The Dairy Barn can make up different sundaes (including banana splits…and I was tempted!) in addition to their regular ice cream in a cone or cup.

With my friends all assembled, we placed our orders. And there were definitely some fun flavors to choose from. I appreciated that The Dairy Barn had out their allergen list of all the flavors they were serving. This took a lot of guess work out and also meant that I could go with some of the hard ice cream instead of the Dole Whip, should I so choose. And so…that’s what I did.

The Dairy Barn serves up a “small” scoop of Perry’s White Lightning Ice Cream.

Now, these flavors are definitely fun and delicious. Jenn went for the flavor called Piece of Cake, which is light yellow cake ice cream with chocolate flavored frosting swirls and pound cake pieces inside. Cathy went with a unique flavor she had never seen before. It was definitely one of the more interesting sounding ones…being that it was popcorn flavored ice cream with sea salt caramel swirls and caramel truffles. My friend Karen got the same kind. As for me…I originally was going to get a flavor called Fools Gold (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter candy swirls and chocolate coated toffee pieces), but changed my mind after spotting one called White Lightning. White Lightning is dark chocolate ice cream with streaks of thick mint flavored white fudge lightning. And it was AMAZING! Rich dark chocolate with yummy fudge throughout it. It was two of my favorite things all packed into a giant “small” scoop. Mint. Dark Chocolate. Heaven. I let it just melt away on my tongue and took my time to eat it…loving and indulging in every sinful spoonful.

If the ice cream shop isn’t making their own ice cream, I give them props for choosing a company that is based out of Upstate New York and quite regional. Loved every bite of my ice cream. And at The Dairy Barn, they don’t skimp on portions either. All of us got a cup of our ice cream of choice, and it was a big scoop of ice cream…probably 2 servings packed in. I didn’t care. I was going to devour every bit of it. And each cup of ice cream was very affordable too. That large serving of delicious Perry’s ice cream ran us $2.50 each. Can’t beat that. And that was for the “small” size. I can’t imagine what the large size would be.

But the best part of this journey was getting reacquainted with people I hadn’t seen in years. It was way too short of a time, but I enjoyed every moment with Jenn, Karen, and Shannon…who I hadn’t seen in 15 years…since graduating high school. No one really has changed. We all are still goofy, still having fun, and still enjoying life. And we all got to do it together…for about 45 minutes…over ice cream.

If you find yourself passing through the Horseheads/Big Flats area…swing by The Dairy Barn and grab a scoop of ice cream. Try out a flavor you may not see anywhere else. Go with family. Go with friends. Indulge. Do it with a smile. And know that The Dairy Barn keeps a list of all allergen information for all of their flavors at the counter. So do so with a sound mind.

And if you happen to be returning to the area…get together with friends. Friendship, smiles, laughter and ice cream. That’s what these days are all about.

Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me...some of my high school friends who made it out for ice cream and some catching up. WOW...I missed them! — Jen, Karen, Shannon and Me…some of my high school friends who made it out to The Dairy Barn in Horseheads, NY, for ice cream and some catching up. WOW…I missed them!