Living, Learning, Eating: Dark Chocolate

Showing posts with label Dark Chocolate. Show all posts

Jul 17, 2017

Recipe: 100% Whole Grain Dark Chocolate Coconut Quinoa Cookies

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

Who doesn't love cookies? Especially when they're packed with coconut and dark chocolate? Unfortunately, most cookies can be nutritional black holes - fine for now and then, but not the best as a regular snack.

These cookies have all the chewy, sweet, chocolatey deliciousness of decadent cookies, but are packed with fiber and protein (they're 100% whole grain and feature protein-rich quinoa), and are pretty low sugar for cookies.

I'll stop blathering on about them, because the best way to convince you will be if you try them yourselves. They're pretty quick and easy to make, so give the recipe a try!

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.

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

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

But how does it taste?

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Feb 10, 2016

Review: Nookie Bars

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

An afternoon snack is great for so many reasons, especially when working or traveling. It gives us energy, fights off hangriness, and keeps us from being ravenous by dinner time!

But what we choose for our snacks matters just a much as choosing to have a snack. Nookie Bars are a nutritious snack that are both healthy and delicious!

We don't have to compromise taste or convenience for good nutrition. Nookie Bars have yummy chocolate, healthy fats and sugars for the energy we need to make it through the rest of our days, and even the superfood spirulina!

Dec 25, 2015

Review: Eating Evolved Chocolate

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

Merry Christmas!

Since many of us start the day dumping our favorite treats out of our Christmas stockings, it's the perfect day for a chocolate review!

Growing up half-German, good chocolate was treated as much as a staple food as bread. Eating Evolved Chocolate agrees!

A company that believes 'Chocolate is Food, Not Candy,' an assertion that's printed boldly inside their chocolate bar boxes, Eating Evolved creates all natural, paleo dark chocolate bars out of just a few simple, whole foods ingredients to keep the nutritional value of their huff-cocoa-content dark chocolate bars intact.

Once again, my belief that healthy is delicious is proved right!

Dec 11, 2015

Review: Pure7 Dark Chocolate

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

Chocolate is delicious and dark chocolate is the most delicious - as far as I'm concerned, the darker the better! Chocolate is an artisan food and there is a huge range in quality, taste, and nutrition from bar to bar, even within the same flavor or cocoa percentage.

Why waste precious time and stomach space eating subpar chocolate? High quality chocolate has the potential to be delicious, indulgent, packed with healthy cocoa flavanols, and an all-around positive addition to your diet!

I recently had the pleasure of trying fair-trade, organic, paleo Pure7 dark chocolate from artisan chocolatiers Julie MacQueen and Carrie Raho.

Like me, they believe that healthy can be delicious and craft all of their bars without the use of chemicals, dairy, soy, gluten, and refined sugars. All ingredients stay under 110F throughout the process, to keep all the essential nutrients intact!

Trying to cut back on refined sugars during the holidays, or at least keep an eye on your intake? All of the varieties of Pure7 dark chocolate (with the exception of the stevia bar) are sweetened with honey, instead of sugar!

Dec 6, 2015

Top Five Tips for A Healthy Holiday Season

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

Who else can't believe we're already a full week into December?

Since the holiday season is clearly in full swing by today (though, let's be real, I've been watching Christmas movies and listening to my (six) favorite Christmas Pandora stations since October) I have teamed up with goodnessknows to put together a list of my top five tips for a healthy holiday season. Let's be healthy and happy this holiday season!

1) Be gentle with yourself.

This one comes first on the list, because it's so important. Especially in NYC, where everyone is so high-powered and high-strung and ambitious, being unnecessarily strict with ourselves isn't a rarity. Whether it's expecting ourselves to be perfect nutritionally, or throw the perfect party, or stick perfectly to our fitness goals, or prepare the perfect holiday dinner, all that perfection is very unhealthy!

Dec 4, 2015

Review: Nibble Chocolate

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

It's December, so I'm officially in all-Christmas, all-the-time mode! AKA I'm incredibly happy and loving my favorite month of the year.

Today I want to share a great stocking stuffer for your chocoholic, health-conscious, and/or foodie loved ones!

Nibble Chocolate is organic, made with just two ingredients (organic cocoa beans and organic cane sugar) and hand-crafted in San Diego California!

Forget about GMOs, artificial flavors, chemicals, or anything else that you wouldn't want in your chocolate (or your body). Nibble Chocolate proves you don't need any of that to make delicious chocolate!

Nov 20, 2015

Review: Energems

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

The holidays can be a really busy time for us all, with gift shopping, decorating, hosting friends and family, hosting and attending parties, and just generally trying to pack as much fun as possible into just a few short weeks.

But let's face it - that's not the only reason we all battle exhaustion at some point or the other during November and December. Maybe it's necessary because no one will be working for multiple days, or maybe it's schemed because our bosses figure we have the days off to rest and recover, but somehow it always feels like work picks up both in intensity and length of the day right before the holiday break.

So what do we do when we're overworked, we've played a little too hard, and sleeping more just isn't an option until the days off begin? We eat chocolate.

No, seriously.

Energems are the snack that picks you right up out of your mid-afternoon slump and powers you through to day's close. Best of all, each serving of Energems not only delivers an energy burst whose impressive effectiveness I can personally attest to, but each serving also comes in the form of what's basically three oversized (and absolutely delicious) M&Ms!

Oct 18, 2015

Review: The Bliss Bar

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

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?

Oct 10, 2015

Review: Raw Chocolate Love

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

It's October and not only does that mean that it's now fall, but also the start of the unofficially official candy season!

Let's face it, from when we start in on the Halloween candy to when we finish the last chocolates from our Christmas stockings, it's a solid three months of sweet indulgences. Wouldn't it be nice if there were healthier options that are as delicious as the highly refined, sugar-packed treats we grew up with?

There are!

I was on the hunt for a line of yummy chocolates that is creamy, sweet, rich, and indulgent, but plantbased, dairy-free, low in refined sugars, and features healthy fats instead of hydrogenated oils and butter.

I found what I was looking for in NYC's local chocolate company, Raw Chocolate Love!

Free of preservatives, colors, additives, and animal products, Raw Chocolate Love is made in Ridgewood, New York and is kosher, gluten-free, low glycemic index, raw vegan, soy-free, high in antioxidants, and made with love!

Sep 17, 2015

Review: Sinless Raw Chocolate

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

I love dark chocolate.

In most cases, I'm a fan of the-darker-the-better and tend to enjoy 99% dark chocolate bars or even Ghiradelli's 100% baking bar. Dark chocolate is rich, creamy, satisfying, and can even be quite good for you!

Here is a quick list of some of the health benefits of dark chocolate:

* Naturally high in antioxidants

* May lower risk of heart disease

* May help control insulin sensitivity

* May help against headaches

That last one really works for me! Sometimes a square of really dark chocolate (perhaps the caffeine in it?) can alleviate a headache for me. If your problems are more digestive, it's worth noting that dark chocolate was used to treat diarrhea in the 16th century - and recent studies suggest that there may actually be something there!

Since dark chocolate is high in fat, you don't want to overdo it or you might face some stomach upset just from that. But another great thing about dark chocolate is that since it is so intensely flavorful, you really don't need very much to satisfy a craving.

While I often choose plain dark chocolate because I can get darker chocolate that way, I also love dark chocolate with other flavors (like nuts, berries, etc.). I was excited to discover a new brand of healthy dark chocolate with high cacao content (85%) and some great flavors.

Sinless Raw Chocolate is raw, vegan, sugar-free, paleo, and sweetened naturally with erythritol. And did you ever think you could possibly get in your greens by eating yummy dark chocolate? Now you can!

True to its name, Sinless Raw Chocolate really is a healthy indulgence. It has raw organic greens hidden in its tasty chocolate! I swear you can't taste it at all, I was surprised when I saw it on the ingredients list!

Mar 4, 2015

Review: Chinoa Bites

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

I love breakfast - it's my favorite meal of the day! So much so that I even eat breakfast for lunch and/or dinner often.

But sometimes, no matter how much you love breakfast, it's tough to get up early enough for a leisurely sit-down breakfast.

Chinoa Bites have all the goodness of a healthy granola in convenient on-the-go bites that are easy to eat at your desk at work, in class, on the train, or wherever you are.

With this breakfast, you get that extra bit of sleep and you get to start your day on a healthy, satisfying, and delicious note.

Dec 12, 2014

Diabetic-Friendly Stocking Stuffer!

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

My little sister's good friend is one of the most active, bubbly, sweet little girls you'll ever meet. And at the age of ten, she has type one diabetes. Luckily for her, the candy world of today doesn't have to be as sugar-packed as Wonka's!

There are so many options out there for people with all different kind of diets and now there are even some really great tasting chocolate options that are entirely free of sugar!

Peg Art Creations Sugar-Free Bark is one such excellent stocking stuffer option!

They're a small Etsy business and each batch is made fresh to order, so you can choose what you want in your bark and what kind of chocolate. I chose the dark chocolate with cranberries and almonds!

The delivery was quick, the packaging was cute, and the size of a packet is great for a stocking stuffer.

But best of all, it's delicious! The chocolate is really creamy and there's no weird artificial sweetener aftertaste, like you find in some sugar-free products.

The chocolates are hand-crafted, so it's also more special than just the usual packaged candy bars that often end up in stockings. They're made in Jamaica, New York, so New York Locals can take advantage of the NYLOCAL coupon code to make arrangements to pick up their order themselves and save on shipping!

If chocolate bark isn't your thing, or you want to mix it up, Peg Art Creations also accommodates requests to make their other yummy treats - like their Granola Chocolate Bar - sugar-free too. Nice!

How often do you order from Etsy?

Do you like trying new things?

Do you, or does someone you live with, have any dietary restrictions?

Nov 18, 2014

Chocolate For A Cure

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 8:00 AM

Wouldn't it be awesome if you could stuff your stocking with something that's crazy delicious, good for you, and does good for the world?

Helloooooo, Jojo's Chocolate Hope. It's stevia-sweetened sugar-free dark chocolate that comes in three amazing varieties and 15% of the company's profits go to finding a cure for cancer!

I love that they're actually high cacao dark chocolate, because so much dark chocolate is only 45% or 50% cacao.

These have 75-79% cacao, which is really quite high! The Smooth Criminal (I didn't try it, but it's their plain dark chocolate) even has 81% cacao.

Not only is higher cacao dark chocolate healthier (whoo, antioxidants!) but it's also just so much more chocolate-y!

You can definitely tell which bar is which, because their particular flavors are expressed clearly and well, but the dominant 'red thread' tying them all together is really rich, really intense, really high quality dark chocolate.

Made of just a few simple ingredients!

Each bar is over 2oz of chocolate, so there's a convenient sticker on the back to reseal the bar and save a little for later.

That way you can enjoy the chocolate twice, without worrying about it drying out in the interim!

The Mocha Munch is probably my favorite.

Sultry coffee and indulgent dark chocolate are just a match made in heaven!

The Currant Crush is really quite unique (in a delicious way, not a 'oh, that's...unique' way) so it's a great choice for your epicurean Secret Santa.

I can't be the only one who's already planning for Christmas, right? At least the department stores definitely are!

The Raspberry Spice was also really great - sweet, fruity, but not with such a strong berry flavor as to overwhelm the delightful chocolate flavor.

All of them were a total delight and knowing that 15% of proceeds are going to cancer research is the (awesome) icing on top!

Do you like darker dark chocolate or lighter dark chocolate?

What's your cause of choice?

When do you start planning for the holidays and really getting in the holiday spirit?

Oct 31, 2014

A Grown-Up Halloween Indulgence

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 8:00 AM

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Everyone thinks being a kid on Halloween is the best - you get to dress up, go trick or treating with your friends, and collect bags full of free candy.

Sure, it's great. But I'd like to make a case for Halloween as an adult being even better.

Think about it - you still get to dress up, but now you have either (a) the skills to make a cool costume or (b) more than the $4.67 in loose change your piggy bank to buy a cool costume with.

I'm a belly dancer this year! And yes, I'm totally rocking the costume all day long.

You also still get to hang out with your friends, but instead of having to traipse about in the cold, soliciting candy from strangers, you can do it inside at a party with a nice ambient temperature (okay, okay, parties can get a little too hot).

And okay, the candy isn't free. But assuming you have some sort of job, or have had a job at some point, chances are that you have a few dollars to buy your own. And then you can get exactly what you want! It's all about quality over quantity - instead of collecting a bag full of cheap candy that tastes okay, you can order a few of your favorite treats that taste amazing!

I recommend Caveman Chocolates Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Cups. They're paleo, vegan, and - above all - amazingly delicious!

Every order has five packets of two delicious dark chocolate cups each.

The ingredients list is short and sweet. It's just 70% dark chocolate, almonds, golden honey, organic vanilla extract, and sea salt.

Certainly more wholesome than the generic half-stale chocolate bars of childhood Halloween hauls, and also a million times more delicious.

The chocolate is rich and dark and intense, but not too intense. It's sweet, but grown up.

The almond butter filling is nutty and the perfect amount of salty, just like a really high quality homemade almond butter.

Can we just take a moment to appreciate that amazingness?

Caveman Chocolates is a small company started by two brothers in Pennsylvania, who still make every batch themselves. Pretty cool!

Check 'em out. They make all of their chocolates by hand, so you know every piece is high quality and made with care!

Have a happy Halloween, everyone! Whatever you're doing tonight, be safe :) And don't forget to involve chocolate!

What's your favorite Halloween treat?

What are you doing this Halloween?

What is your favorite chocolate treat?

Oct 21, 2014

Review and GIVEAWAY - Enjoy Life Not Nuts! Seeds & Fruit Mix

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

Want a snack that's salty, sweet, and crunchy all at once? Want it to be school lunchbox-friendly, in days when many cafeterias are going nut free to avoid dangerous allergy situations?

Enjoy Life Not Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mixes fit the bill perfectly!

They come in two varieties, Beach Bash and Mountain Mambo, both of which are entirely free of peanuts (as well as any other nights!) and all eight of the most common allergens.

Both varieties are delicious and available in both a larger 6oz bag for multiple occasion snacking and an individual pack for convenience!

The Beach Bash features sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried pineapple, dried apricots, and cranberries for a tropical-flavored treat that will warm you right up as the winter approaches and sunny 85 degree afternoons become a distant memory.

The Mountain Mambo is a throwback to old school trail mix, with dark chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruits - but made allergy friendly!

They're healthy and delicious snacks for a quick pick-me-up at any time of day. Yum!

But don't just take my word for how great these snacks are - try them yourself! We're giving away two big 6oz bags, one of each flavor, and two individual packs, one of each flavor, to one lucky winner!