Review: The Bliss Bar

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If you've been reading the blog for a while (thank you!) you know that I am and always have been a big fan of food bars.

They're sweet, energy-sense, convenient, (can be) healthy, and super portable. What's not to love?

Unfortunately, you'd be surprised by how many food bars are hiding mile-long ingredients lists of less-than-healthy ingredients to lend them their candy bar-Raquel flavors and textures. 

That's why it's a real treat to discover a new energy bar that's plantbased with a simple ingredients list, just healthy fats, and minimal added sugars. 

The Bliss Bar fits the bill perfectly!

The Bliss Bar comes in five delicious flavors, three of which (my favorite three, of course) are chocolatey through-and-through!

Among the three chocolatey flavors (Amazon Chocolate, Chia Mulberry, and Chocolate Goji) I honestly can't pick a favorite. They're all delicious and the dense, sweet, disk-shaped bars taste like super fudgy brownies. But they come with a boost of natural energy, instead of a weighed down icky stomach feeling.

Just look at that! They're minimally processed and you can tell, because you can still see the nutritious dried fruits, seeds, and chopped nuts they're made with. 

The bars are true to their slogan (superfoods that taste like dessert)! Even the Honey Gold and Coconut Goji, which are based around other scrumptious flavors instead of chocolate, are really yummy.

And they're all made with just a few healthy, organic ingredients - plus love & light! 

Love & light, ingredients featured in every flavor of Bliss Bar, must be the secret behind the bars' great flavor and excellent nutritional profiles. 

Whatever the secret is, I hope they never change it! I have a new favorite bar!

Do you want to try the bars yourself? Use the coupon code LIVELEARNEAT for 10% off sitewide (EXP 12/31/16).

Have you tried the Bliss Bar?

What are your go-to snacks?
Do you like food/snack shopping online?

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(Better) Brownies - Raw Vegan Style!

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We're heading into the second week of the shiny New Year and resolutions - like eating healthy, being nice, and texting less than 50 100 times per day - are threatening to break, if they aren't broken yet. 

I can't do much about the slow walkers who tempt you to let out your inner snark or the fact that you're battling a severe iPhone addiction (hang in there, we'll fight it together), but I can help prevent fits of hanger and feelings of deprivation!

How? By encouraging you to partake in the above fudgy, sweet, rich, scrumptious brownies.

Before you throw your hands up in the air - 'But Danai! I want to be healthy this year' - let me clarify. These are not your usual from-a-box overly processed and nutritionally void brownies. There's space for those in a healthy diet as an occasional treat, but these are the kinds of brownies that you can eat every day as part of what makes your diet a healthy diet!

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Recipe Review: Peanut Butter Jam Bars

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I love peanut butter and peanut butter and jelly (or honey) sandwiches are delicious, so today's recipe is what happens when a PB&J has an identity crisis and decides to become a dessert! Or, Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine's Peanut Butter Jam Bars.

Basically, you make a peanut butter dough, press part of the dough into a pan (I didn't measure to make sure I had the right sized pan), and top with a pre-made jam (probably best if you use homemade jam, but I didn't have the time attention span for that today).



Then you drop the remaining dough on top in globs and sort of connect them with your wooden spoon (or fingers - WASH YOUR HANDS before you start baking, always, please). Don't worry about gaps in the dough where the filling shows through.



Now you top with chopped walnuts, pecans, or peanuts. I used chopped pecans because I had a huge bag in the pantry (WHOOT, Sam's Club).



The pan ended up being a little small for everything that needed to fit into it, so I decided to make a little round on a baking sheet, as well.

To make it a little more interesting than just a little leftover from the big, proper thing, I topped it with peanuts and did half raspberry jam and half grape jelly (shhh - I actually sort of preferred the grape half).

I decided to blacken the smaller one to achieve that gourmet smoky flavor that really accents the richness of the peanut butter and develops a more nuanced flavor profile...or I was reading and completely forgot that I had something in the oven, so the little one burned.

It's whatever one you choose to believe.



Burn or no burn, the sun decided to swing around for its gorgeous mid-afternoon warm lights display through my window right as I was photographing the poor little burnt puck of a thing, so it became the subject of a mini-photoseries.

It actually tasted pretty good, considering how over-baked it was.

I just scraped off the burnt bottom and the rest was still delicious and moist. 

I know how you guys love that word. You're welcome, dears. 

Anyway, this is how the large pan turned out. The time was perfect, though it was longer than suggested in the recipe (just check the center to make sure yours is done, since I don't have an exact time to give you).

However, let's have a quick reminder of how the bars looked on Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine.

Lovely.

In reality, the bars are crumbled.

Disclaimer - I used margarine instead of butter (since I didn't have any of the latter) and I probably cut the bars too warm, anyway, since the ragamuffins from next door were over and what under ten has any sort of patience?

Let's be honest - I'm 20 and have no patience. So maybe that will show up around menopause? 

The next day they cut much better, but are still very moist and gooey and a little messy.

These bars are delicious but also very rich, so a small slice suffices and we ended up having to freeze/give away most of the pan because it way just way too much to eat by ourselves, even over the few days/week that it would probably stay good.

These bars are great if you want to make a sweet treat to keep in the freezer or just a fun dessert spin on a PB&J for a party or to share with friends/neighbors.

What are your favorite nuts?

What's your favorite dessert?

What is your favorite type of sandwich?

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Happy November and a Review!

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Happy November, everyone!

I swear - I said this back on October 1 but I have to say it again: I can't believe how fast this year is flying by! It's already November, whaaaaaaaaat? But I always get really excited on November 1, because that means we're heading into late fall, which means Thanksgiving is coming up, which means Black Friday is coming up, which means I can start celebrating Christmas!

My general policy, to try to keep my crazy levels of holiday spirit somewhat in control (I should come with a warning label, no joke) is that I try to hold my celebrating off until Black Friday and then only let myself crank it up to 100% Christmas Craziness on December 1.

Pixie Dust? Snow? It's all equally magical to me.

Anyway, it's November now. YAY!

To kick off a month full of delightful indulgent treats (I'm most definitely most excited about the pecan pie a la mode and candied, roasted winter squash - oh haaaiiiiiii sweet tooth), I have a light review for you today!

ThinSlim Foods makes a variety of light treats that taste surprisingly good and are surprisingly decently portioned for treats as light as they are. If you've had an indulgent day/week/month and want something sweet, but not as heavy as a proper brownie or big pie, these are great for a little something sweet! I tried some bars and muffins, which have a pretty similar consistency.



I like that they're not too artificial - unlike a lot of preservative-packed snack cakes, these need to be consumed either immediately upon delivery or frozen. Maybe not super convenient, but definitely worth the (tiny) inconvenience when you consider how much better for you that is!



I was expecting a really light, cakey consistency when I saw that these are decently sized, but they were actually really moist and flavorful!



They aren't particularly dense, by any means, but they're definitely not as light-tasting as I'd expected.

And they're moist! What??? I was pleased.



The brownie was delicious, of course, and you don't even need to ask about the peanut butter bar (yum) but I was curious about the banana bar. Banana-flavored treats can often taste really artificial and just generally icky. This one didn't!



It was fruity, but not overwhelmingly so, and overall just a night light little piece of cake. Perfect to finish off the night with or have after a big lunch for a little something sweet!

There is one con to these treats and that's that they're pretty pricey - $2.75 for one small bar! I can bake half a batch of brownies for about the same amount - or buy an enormous bakery brownie for just a bit more.

I'm obviously still going to eat the 'real thing' most of the time (I love baking and you have to eat what you make - I also love travel and there are always great cafes and better treats to try!) but these are really great to mix it up!

Have you tried these?

What are your Thanksgiving break plans?

Are you going to go shopping on Black Friday this year? I generally don't - I guess I was never big enough of a shopaholic. Unfortunately for my finances, however, I've become more and more a fan of shopping over the years. Uh-oh...

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Lenny & Larry's Protein FIT Brownies Giveaway!

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Did you enjoy my Lenny & Larry's Protein FIT Brownie review yesterday?

Today I have a giveaway for y'all! One lucky Living, Learning, Eating reader will win an assorted box of Lenny & Larry's Protein FIT Brownies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Vegan Cuts Subscription Box Review!

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I love subscription boxes.

Trying new things is always really fun and subscription boxes take some of the financial risk out of trying new things. For a set price ($19.95 per month, in the case of Vegan Cuts)  you get to try a variety of new products without having to pay as much as it would cost to buy full size boxes of each snack.

Vegan Cuts is specially developed for vegans, but is great for anyone - the snacks are wholesome and healthy, but not at the cost of taste!

This is what the June box consisted of:

Vegan Cuts had a great mix of snacks - there's something for everyone! That's one of the things that makes a well-chosen subscription box a great gift option (hint hint, haha).

For the salty snack lovers, these Beanfields chips are a real treat! With lots of fiber and protein, they're a healthy snack that satisfies much better than the standard potato chip alternative.

Though the Sweet Cinnamon Good Bean roasted chickpeas aren't exactly a 'salty' treat, they're crunchy in a way that'll help satisfy that craving.

I love apple chips and the Snapz - made of just apples, cinnamon, and a squeeze of lemon juice - didn't disappoint!

 They were crisp and sweet and delightful.

I also love baked goods, so these vegan treats were great! The Earnest Eats baked whole food bar isn't quite a brownie - it's more like a super chocolatey oat cake. Yum! 

The Michy's Vegan Cran Rustica cookie also was very flavorful and moist, you wouldn't guess that it was vegan, and hearty from the whole oats.

I haven't tried this vegan parmesan style-topping from Go Veggie yet, but it's intriguing. It's made with coconut oil and soy and is shelf-stable until opened (then you should store it in the fridge). It's also a great example of what I like about these boxes. I don't think I would have tried something like the on my own, since I hadn't heard of it before!

I was pleased to see a packet of MacroGreens drink mix, as I've tried mixes from the company before and really enjoyed them.

There was also a flavored water mix, Ultima, that tasted great and was sweetened with stevia and enriched with vitamins and electrolytes. I enjoyed it and would pick up more if I saw it in a store!

The Salba Chia Seeds have more nutrients than regular chia seeds (I don't know how, but I'm sure you could check out their website). A one serving packet to try it is great and it came with a coupon for more, in case you enjoy it!

There was multiple coupons, including one for a free jug of almond milk! Coupons are great and completely free ones are the best.

I really enjoyed the mix of treats in the June Vegan Cuts Snackbox and the best part is that you can cancel at any time, so there's no risk!

Do you use a subscription snack service?

Which of the snacks looks best to you?

Have you tried any of the products above?

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Happy Millionaire's Day!

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Seriously, who comes up with these holidays? I have no idea, but today is Be a Millionaire Day (celebrated every May 20).

In case you feel like celebrating, here are some millionaire-themed desserts to share with your friends! Suggested party activities include pining over the great travel you'd do and beautiful couture you'd wear if you actually were a millionaire. Travis McCoy's Billionaire is appropriate party music today, even though he overshoots the day a bit.

There's nothing wrong with being zealous.

Erika's Missouri Millionaires (GF)

These are actually a yuletide dessert, but you can feel free to be the Christmas-in-July folks to the punch this year, with your own Christmas in May. Why can't Christmas be every day?

That would actually be pretty perfect...

Mr. Food's Millionaire Pie

London Bakes' Billionaire's Shortbread

This one is for all the zealots out there, for whom being a millionaire just isn't lofty enough of a goal. Fun fact: it's known as Caramel Slice in Australia, but B(m)illionaire's Shortbread everywhere else.

Whatever you call it, it looks delicious!

Carnation's Millionaire's Salted Caramel Tart

Is anyone else sensing a theme here? I guess millionaires tend to love caramel?

A Zesty Bite's Millionaire Brownies

It's a zillion degrees here in NYC today (yhee!!! yaya, NYC! even if it's wicked hot) but I'm seriously contemplating turning on the oven, anyway, just to make a batch of these. Seriously, they look just like the sort of ultra-fudgy brownies that I love. I'm not much of a cake person at all (I don't like the fluffy, airy texture) but stick-to-your-front-teeth brownies get me every time! Especially with vanilla ice cream and nuts.

Both of which I happen to have...

So tempted.

Have you ever heard of Be A Millionaire Day?

How would you celebrate?

What's the oddest holiday you've ever heard of?

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Friday Foodie Finds #36: White Chocolate Perfection

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It's Friday Foodie Finds time!

This week, let's satisfy our white chocolate cravings. I tend to lean towards dark chocolate, but sometimes white chocolate can be really delicious, too (even though it's not really chocolate).

Since last week's Friday Foodie Finds (all about greek yogurt!) totally left out the vegans, I've made sure to include a vegan (V) recipe this week. Enjoy!

Adam's Cream Cheese White Chocolate Oat Bars (V)

Faith's White Hot Chocolate

Helene's White Chocolate Brownies

Gerald's White Chocolate Rocky Road

Dana's White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Pancakes (V)

Hmm, I may have to go make those pancakes...

What's your favorite kind of chocolate?

What's the most unique pancake you've ever had?

Do you have any weekend plans?

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Dairy-Free Desserts Galore!

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Happy Saturday!

I know we've just been back to regular life for a bit (vacations just ended) but it's still nice when the weekend swings around.

Today I have a new treat for you guys - or rather, four!

I've tried paleo foods before and, even though I'm not even close to paleo (I love my carbs and grains, y'all!) I have found that paleo snacks can be really high quality and a healthy, tasty addition to my normal diet. There's normally a lot of coconut, dried fruit, seeds and nuttiness involved and what can I say? I'm a fan!

Paleo Treats are no exception. Paleo Treats make four varieties of delicious paleo goodies - Brownie Bombs, Cacao Now, Mac Attacks, and Mustangs.

My favorite of the four is, without a doubt, the Cacao Now! because it's basically a good sized round of smooth, creamy, premium chocolate packed with healthy antioxidants and peppered with scrumptious goji berries, raisins, pistachios, and almonds.



Peppered? No, that doesn't quite describe it - it's like a big handful of trail mix covered in dark chocolate - it's loaded with nuts and seeds!



There are no icky preservatives, dyes, or unnatural sweeteners (just honey!) and the ingredients list is mercifully short. They also melt super easily in your mouth - no chalkiness here! It's rich, it's indulgent, and it's good for you. Did you know dark chocolate triggers serotonin release in your brain and makes you happier? Cacao Now certainly made me happier :)

The Brownie Bomb is also really good - it's actually two servings in a packet, because the brownie is just that decadent. It's so yummy that you'll be tempted to eat the whole thing at once, but so rich and nutritious that you'll be satisfied at the halfway point.



There are just six delicious, nutritious ingredients (honey, pecans, eggs, coconut oil, cacao powder, almond flour) and I really liked the smattering of pecans on the top of the brownie - it added that great bit of nutty crunch to perfectly round out the stick-to-your-teeth richness of the brownie.

If you're a coconut macaroon fan, the Mac Attacks were made for you. 



Made with egg whites and coconut, there's a nice balance of healthy fats and essential amino acids to keep your hair long and strong, your skin glowing, and your nails manicure-worthy.

It's a beauty-booster treat and the cacao nibs are a nice touch.



Check out all that shredded coconut! I know a lot of you are probably all over that :)

I liked the Mustang bar better than the Mac Attack but not quite as much as the amazing chocolate creations (simply because it didn't have chocolate and chocolate = The Shizz).



It's best straight out of the freezer, for optimal melt-in-your-mouth effect, and there's a definite softness/chewiness to it. Even straight out of the freezer it's definitely soft enough to eat easily (probably because it's based on almond butter and coconut oil).

The seeds and nuts add a nice crunch, while the coconut oil and almond butter make for a mellow nutty base. It's lightly vanilla flavored and the raisins provided delightful bursts of sweetness (though I could go for a few more raisins - what can I say? My sweet tooth is rabid). 

It's a nice, filling snack and a Mustang in the mid-afternoon held me over to a late dinner. Thumbs up!

Have you tried Paleo Treats?

Do you like chocolate and dried fruits together?

Coconut : Love it, Hate it, Meh?

What's the yummiest new-to-you thing you've 'discovered' this week?

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Vermont Brownie Company Review and Giveaway!

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Today's giveaway in the 25 Days of Giveaways is a 6 brownie sampler pack from Vermont Brownie Company! They come in a cute box, so while they make a lovely treat for you they also make a great gift!
 

I got to review the same treats with my family and we all really enjoyed them - even my dad, who has just started warming to chocolate in the past few years and really isn't much of a sweets guy!

Clockwise from the upper left: Walnut, Peanut Butter, Apple Blondie, Espresso, Signature, Maple Toffee Crunch

I'll start with the Signature Brownie, off of which all of the others (with the exception of the Apple Blondie) are based. It's rich, indulgent, decadent, and delicious. It's not caky or dry at all, it's fudgy, stick-to-your-teeth goodness! I recommend enjoying it warmed for just a few seconds in the microwave and with a glass of frosty milk on the side :)

Next up is our collective favorite: the Espresso Dulce de Leche Brownie. It has a strong coffee flavor, but not overpoweringly so. If you like coffee, you'll love this! And for those of us (ahem, me) who aren't into the bitterness of coffee, the chocolatey brownie base is indulgent enough to sweeten that bitterness away!

Another one that we all really loved was the Maple Toffee Crunch. Who would have thought that maple and chocolate go together well? But they do! We also really liked the toffee crunch topping, because the different textures made this bar really fun to eat!

I'm usually a huge fan of walnut brownies, but this walnut brownie wasn't my favorite of the bunch. Don't get me wrong, it was still delicious. But there just weren't enough walnuts! We divided the brownie up to try it and my dad said he didn't get any walnuts in his piece, at all! The chocolate definitely overpowered the walnut in this brownie and while that's not a bad thing (who doesn't love chocolate) I would have a liked a little more walnut action. What can I say? I'm a walnut-in-every-bite girl!

The Peanut Butter Brownie is in the front left of this picture - the Apple Blondie is the one white one, the Maple Toffee Crunch Brownie is directly behind the Peanut Butter Brownie and the Walnut Brownie is behind it.

The peanut butter brownie had the peanut butter layer inside the brownie instead of on top of it, which I really liked. Flavor-wise, it was a really solid peanut butter brownie and we all enjoyed it. It wasn't, however, as special or unique as the Maple Toffee Crunch or Espresso Dulce de Leche Brownies - but it's a good, simple brownie and chocolate-peanut butter is a golden combination!

For anyone who isn't as chocolate crazy as me and my mom, the Apple Blondie is also a real treat (we enjoyed it, too, but we were so into the fudgy chocolate brownies that this one didn't pop quite as much for us). My dad really liked it and the apple flavor is nice and prominent. It's also not at all dry (all of these tasted super-fresh).

Who wouldn't like to come home to a plate like that?

When natural and preservative-free gourmet brownies taste this fresh, there's no need for any other kind!

And so that you can try these brownies yourself this holiday season (these are a perfect treat to enjoy by a cozy fire with a glass of milk or a mug of hot chocolate, if you really want to push the envelope on chocolatey goodness) here's a giveaway for a 6 brownie sampler pack!

This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada, and you have until December 10 to enter. Good luck!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

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