Living, Learning, Eating: Chocolate

Showing posts with label Chocolate. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Chocolate. Show all posts

Aug 1, 2017

Review: Stabilyze Protein Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 12:00 PM

I really like protein bars a handy, shelf-stable snack to keep in my bag during travel, long days on set, and general busy day-to-day life. But while some protein bars can make a healthy on-the-go snack, there are SO many protein bars out there and many are little more than glorified candy bars!

Since no one wants to waste time, money, and stomach space on protein bars that aren't worth it, I'm sharing a review of a new bar I've tried recently! Stabilyze sent me a few of their bars to try and here are my thoughts.

Low Carb Protein Bars

I tried three flavors - dark chocolate thin mint cookie, dark chocolate coconut cashew, and dark chocolate peanut butter cup. All three boast nutritional stats that fit into a low glycemic lifestyle, for the carb conscious and anyone else who's disinterested in riding a blood sugar roller coaster.

Jun 19, 2017

Recipe: Whole Grain Dark Chocolate Walnut Zucchini Bread

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 12:00 PM

I was trying to come up with something the other day that would be a great food gift to bring along to pick someone up from the airport. It didn't need to be easily eaten on the go, but it would be something that didn't require any extra steps, didn't assume that the person had anything at all at home to go with it (like cream or jam) since he was returning from a longish trip and likely had an understocked fridge, would be delicious at any time of the day/night (jetlag!), and still wholesome enough to provide some nutritional value after a long trip (and since it probably wouldn't be paired with anything else.)

This bread is what I came up with and it went over very well!

The whole wheat and ~2 medium sized zucchinis that went into the loaf make it virtuous enough to eat on its own/for breakfast, but it's also extremely chocolatey, moist, and has a flavor depth from the zucchini, Dutch processed cocoa (do not substitute!), and toasted walnuts that makes it a joy to eat.

Read on for the recipe!

Mar 1, 2017

New Arctic Zero Lineup!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:30 AM

There are three new chunky pints of Arctic Zero! Plus a new chocolate-dipped bar.

For those of you who aren't familiar with my past reviews of Arctic Zero, and haven't heard the buzz about the frozen dessert in the grocery store or at the gym, here's why Arctic Zero is the ice cream that the #fitfam an #healthnut crowd goes nuts over.

Arctic Zero Low Calorie Frozen Dessert

Arctic Zero is a frozen dessert (technically not an ice cream, since it isn't made out of cream) that's fat-free, lactose-free, gmo-free, certified gluten-free, kosher, and low in sugar.

It's made of whey protein concentrate, so it's high in protein, and sweetened with monk fruit concentrate, so it's much lower in sugar than traditional ice cream and won't send you on a blood sugar rollercoaster. It's enriched with fiber to keep you full and *cough, cough* regular. Sure beats bran, doesn't it?

Arctic Zero Review

With all of that, it's surprising that it not only tastes good, but is also creamy (especially after sitting out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, since it freezes firmer than traditional high-fat ice cream). And now there are three new chunky pints in the lineup, plus a new kind of chocolate-dipped bar!

Arctic Zero Review

Feb 28, 2017

SmartCakes: A Review

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:30 AM

SmartCakes and SmartBuns are the low-carb, low-calorie products from Smart-Baking Company, a company that strives to make traditional carby snacks accessible to dieters and anyone else looking for a lighter alternative.

Low calorie snack cake

It's great to offer a healthy cake alternative, but what good does it do anyone if it doesn't taste good? So many diet foods taste like cardboard, plastic, or just not the food that they're modeled after. I liked the variety of flavors offered by SmartCake - Chocolate, Coconut, and Cinnamon - and was excited to try them.

Diet Review

Feb 10, 2017

More Delicious Mornings with Erin Baker's: A Review

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

I love getting mail. I also love breakfast foods and mornings. So getting this in the mail was wonderful!

Erin Bakers New Products Review

Erin Baker's focuses on making delicious foods out of whole grains and without preservatives. Whether they're eaten as a standalone snack or part of your breakfast, they're food that nourishes you and fuels you for a great day ahead.

The two new products I got to try were The Original Breakfast Cookies Minis:

Healthy Breakfast Cookies

They taste just like the full size cookies - hearty, just the right amount of sweet, and always fresh (never stale) but they're a smaller size that's great for crumbling over yogurt or oatmeal or slipping into a lunchbox as a sweet, but nutritious, snack.

Dec 16, 2016

Review: Wink Dessert Dark Chocolate

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

There's a new flavor of Wink Frozen Desserts!

It's Dark Chocolate (aka the best thing ever) and, like all other flavors of Wink Frozen Desserts, is a gluten-free, nut-free, egg-free, dairy-free, soy-free, non-GMO vegan substitute for traditional ice cream.

Low Calorie Vegan Ice Cream

Whether you have an allergy, a plantbased diet, lactose intolerance (guilty), or a diet, Wink's Dark Chocolate Frozen Dessert works for you.

Vegan Ice Cream Review

And it's sugar-free, too, for diabetics and health-conscious ice cream lovers alike!

But how does it taste?

Wink Dessert Dark Chocolate Review

I'm all about honesty in my reviews, so I'll tell you right off the bat that it has a much icier consistency than dairy- or most coconut- or soy-based ice creams. Think more along the lines of Italian ice, though not quite.

Wink Dessert Dark Chocolate

If you let it thaw for a few moments, it scoops pretty well.

Vegan Ice Cream Review

The chocolate flavor isn't as intense as I'd expect for dark chocolate, as you're probably not surprised to hear, given the relatively light brown color.

Wink Dessert Dark Chocolate Ice Cream

That said, it is sweet, without a weird artificial sweetener aftertaste, and it is chocolatey.

Allergy Friendly Desserts

Especially if you're planning to make an ice cream sundae or ice cream sandwich out of it, or top it with syrup or other toppings, I seriously doubt you'll miss anything over the sugar, fat, and dairy packed traditional alternative.

Dark Chocolate Vegan Ice Cream

If you don't have allergies or intolerances, normal ice cream can fit into a healthy diet as an occassional treat. For something sweet and cold for every day, or that you can eat a pint of without feeling bad, however, this is a great option!

What's your favorite ice cream brand?

What's your favorite ice cream flavor? It's probably cookies and cream or southern praline for me!

What do you look for in an ice cream? Creaminess, lightness, and lots of mix-ins.

Nov 29, 2016

New Detour Simple Bar Review: Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

There's a new Detour Simple bar flavor and it's chocolatey, nutty, and delicious!

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond sound delicious and the bars don't disappoint! They're sweet and taste like candy, but their nutrition stats are quite different.

With 20g of protein, no gluten, no GMOs, and only 4g of sugar, it's the fittest candy bar you'll find.

I like that a protein blend is the first ingredient, as it should be in a protein bar, but the list is a little long for my liking. The nutritional stats are great, but with these bars that comes at the sacrifice of all 'whole foods' ingredients. That said, the nutritional stats are still great, the bars are a better replacement for a traditional chocolate bar, and overall they get a thumbs up!

The chocolate coating is creamy and delicious and chocolatey with no weird artificial sweetener aftertaste.

The inside is chewy, like a thick layer of nougat topped with perfectly crunchy almond and a bit of caramel. I don't distinctly taste the sea salt out of the bar, but I wouldn't change a thing about the flavor. They're delicious! They're a great snack and even, in a pinch, a tasty lunch when paired with greek yogurt and a banana.

Have you tried the new Detour Simple bars?

What are your favorite protein bars?

Oct 28, 2016

Review + Giveaway: GoMacro's Thrive Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

MacroBars are delicious and GoMacro, the company behind them, has recently released a new line of Thrive bars!

Thrive bars are made up of a superfood ancient grain blend, are vegan, and provide plant-based protein, essential fatty acids, and prebiotic fiber.

Thrive by GoMacro

I tried six delicious flavors - chocolate, nuts & sea salt, blueberry lavender, chocolate peanut butter chip, ginger lemon, almond apricot, and caramel coconut.

Healthy Vegan Superfood Bars

How delicious do those flavors sound? Especially chocolate, nuts & sea salt, peanut butter chocolate chip (noticing a trend?), and caramel coconut.

Thrive Bars are all USDA-certified organic, non-gmo, kosher, certified gluten-free, soy-free, and 100% vegan. There's nothing in them that you don't want in you!

And unlike some bars, where it feels like you either have to suck it up and pay shipping fees or you have to go on an epic journey to hunt them down, Thrive Bars are available in stores at Whole Foods as of this month, October 2016. Yay!

GoMacro Thrive Bars Review

I can definitely stand behind their front of package pitch 'Ingredients: Grown Not Made.' Works for me!

Especially because they're chewy, the right amount of sweet, and flavorful.

Thrive by GoMacro Review

They're filling, hearty, chewy, and have a nice crunch from the ancient grains. I liked all the flavors, but was surprised to find that I liked the fruit flavors, like Ginger Lemon (above) a lot more than I expected! They're not boring or flat at all, likely due to the spices that they mix in.

But don't take my word for it - try them yourselves! The team at GoMacro is giving away one box of assorted Thrive bars (MSRP $26.28) to one lucky Living, Learning, Eating reader.

Just enter below by midnight on 11/05. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you don't want to wait, get 30% off of your order of Thrive bars using the promo code Thrive30.

Oct 13, 2016

Review: Halo Top Creamery Ice Cream

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:30 AM

Once upon a time, there was a girl who loved ice cream.

Her very favorite ice cream of all time was Edy's Loaded Cookies & Cream Ice Cream. Her freezer was never without a tub and her wonderful mother always made sure to have some in the freezer when she came home for break from boarding school (because her mother was/is wonderful).

Then, one sad sad SAD day, Edy's discontinued their Loaded Ice Cream line. The girl experienced her first heartbreak and was inconsolable.

But slowly, oh so slowly, she learned to love again. This time, she fell for Edy's Slow Churned Yogurt Praline Crunch. There were many delicious afternoon snacks, a toppling birthday ice cream cake she insisted on making out of her love, and infinite apples dipped into ice cream. Until...

...Edy's discontinued her love. AGAIN. The girl's faith in the ice cream industry was shattered. Alas! She was not meant to be allowed to keep a love.

And then she met Halo Top Creamery during a leisurely stroll through a Whole Food's freezer aisle.

Halo Top Chocolate Mocha Chip:

Halo Top Creamery Review

Sep 22, 2016

Review: Vitalicious Deep Chocolate VitaTops

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:30 AM

Sometimes it can be hard to marry a vicious sweet tooth and the desire to eat healthy. Fruits make a delicious and healthy dessert, but sometimes you just want chocolate!

Deep Chocolate Vitatops

VitaTops Deep Chocolate is the solution. It's whole grain, loaded with vitamins (but tastes way better than taking a multivitamin) and so, so chocolatey. I had tried (and enjoyed) VitaTops before, so I was excited to try the new formula.

Deep Chocolate Vitatops

Aug 27, 2016

Back to School with Garden Lites!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 7:00 AM

It's back to school time! My little sister is eleven years old now (how did that happen?!) and heading into her second year at her new school in Germany. She loves it!

Though we have a later start here in the USA, my coworkers' kids are all heading back to school soon, too. Back to school is the perfect time to refocus on goals (consider it a mini New Year's Eve) and set your family up for a happy, healthy, and successful academic year.

Garden Lites are the perfect delicious lunchbox treat, after school snack, or breakfast component. Kids (and big kids) love them and parents love that they're packed with 3g of fiber, 5g of whole grains, and vegetables at the main ingredient.

I tried two of the three delicious muffin varieties - chocolate and blueberry oat.

Both are delicious! They're the right amount of sweat, flavorful, not heavy, and neither greasy nor dry. They're perfect!

Jun 11, 2016

Bhu Fit Bar Giveaway

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Remember when I reviewed Bhu Fit Bars a while ago? Now it's your turn to try them!

We're giving away a 14 bar variety box of assorted Bhu Fit Bars to one lucky US-based reader! They're all delicious, low in sugar, and made of simple, whole food ingredients. They're great!

Enter below through next Friday, June 17, for your chance to win a box of your own!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Jun 2, 2016

Review: Bhu Fit Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

As the temperatures rise and summer sets in, many of us find ourselves on the go much more than during the cooler months. Whether it's traveling or simply spending more time outside at parks, beaches, lakes, and so on, summertime is all about going out and having adventures!

Bhu Fit Bars from Bhu Foods are the perfect grab-and-go choice for healthy snacking away from home. They're conveniently packaged, like traditional protein bars, and they're made of only healthy, whole foods. That's rare to find in a protein bar!

The bars are no-GMO, gluten-free, and full of healthy protein and digestion-regulating fiber. They're also wonderfully low in sugar, without relying on unhealthy chemical sweeteners, like sucralose.

They come in three main types, all of which are oh so delicious and oh so good for you!

There are the vegan bars, which are made with organic pea protein and come in three great flavors. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip is my favorite, but Chocolate Tart Cherry Pistachio is delicious, too!

Bhu Fit Chocolate Tart Cherry Pistachio Vegan Bar

Many chocolate-flavored protein bars feature chocolate as the main flavor, but these bars have just a little bit of chocolate, so that the other flavors still shine, too. The bars have a chewy texture and aren't too big, but also not too small! They're perfectly snack-sized.

May 21, 2016

The Old and The New

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Life is full of old things that appear in our lives in new ways. Sometimes we re-purpose old belongings, sometimes we re-visit old places, sometimes we try new versions of old things.

I love the old-new combination and here are some of the old-new things in my life right now!

Old jacket, new shoes -

Remember this jacket from last year? Pairing it with new pieces makes it more fun and great for late spring/early summer in Boston!

The gold sneakers give it some warm weather pizzazz.

Mar 16, 2016

Review: Kit's Organic

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I love Luna Bars! They're made by women, for women and they're both vegan and (as of fairly recently) gluten-free, so they fit into many different healthy diets! They're as delicious as dessert, but as healthy as a busy millennial's snack ought to be.

But this post isn't about Luna bars!

Kit's Organic is another line of delicious snack bars from Clif Bar, the healthy snack company that makes Luna Bars!

Like Luna Bars, Kit's Organic bars are vegan and dairy-free. But for those with soy sensitivities, or who just like to avoid much soy, Kit's Organic are the perfect choice. They're soy-free!

The fruit and nut bars are made of just a few simple ingredients, combined in really delicious ways, and are, as you could probably have guessed from the name of the line, certified organic!

Mar 9, 2016

Review: Luna Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Spring is a fun time full of renewal. We clean our houses and our closets, coax our gardens back to life, and try out new outdoor adventures, to celebrate the beautiful weather!

Some of our favorite companies, like Luna Bar also like to refresh things every now and then. Along with our long-time favorites, there are new Luna Bar varieties to enjoy!

It' always fun to try something new!

Mar 2, 2016

Five Pies to Celebrate National Pie Day!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

It's already March! Spring is coming (the official start this year is March 20), my birthday is coming, and, before either of those, Pi Day is coming! March 14, aka Pi or Pie Day, is a great excuse to bake a pie!

...or lots and lots of pies...

Here are five great pies to consider making this Pie Day!

Southern Living's Classic Southern Buttermilk Pie

Classic Southern Buttermilk Pie

I grew up in North Carolina and, though my family has since moved out of the South and I don't expect to have any personal connection to the South in the future, I still fondly recall the sweet, slow, summer (but really spring and fall, because summer is an unbearable sauna). This pie is as smooth and sweet as a southern summer Sunday!

Feb 25, 2016

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Banana bread is a classic. Chocolate is delicious. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is a no-brainer!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

This loaf is sweet, with the delicious moist crumb that makes banana bread a favorite for many, and it's studded with chocolate chips for a yummy surprise in every bite!

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe

Read on for the simple to follow recipe. It's great for a sweet breakfast or a snack, either on its own or toasted and topped with whatever spread you desire!

Feb 19, 2016

Review: Sundance Vegan Milk Chocolate

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

For those of you saw my recent Sundance Bar review and despaired that the only dairy-free chocolates seem to be dark chocolate, I have good news. Sundance Bar makes a delicious vegan "milk" chocolate bar, as well!

The milk is coconut milk powder!

Feb 13, 2016

Four Fun February Foods

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Trying new things is always so fun! It's no secret that I love to cook and bake and generally play with food in the hopes that something awesome (and edible) happens. Here are four fun February foods that I'm trying this month!

Since Valentine's Day is tomorrow, don't worry - if you're super behind this year, it's not too late to retreat to the kitchen, cover things in flour, and emerge with a sure-to-please food gift for your special someone!

I give these toasted coconut and cherry hand pies a glowing recommendation.

They're really cute, super festive, taste great, and make a beautiful gift. If you follow Kim's recipe exactly, they're also pretty quick and easy to make! I like to make my own pie crust so that the whole recipe is from scratch, but that's the only thing that I did differently.

Read on for more great gifts, festive foods, and even something for those who like to avoid all things Valentine's Day!

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