Living Intentions - Cacao Crunch, Banana Hemp cereals - May 1, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Living Intentions

• 1/4 cup Cacao Crunch Activated Superfood Cereal - Good + 
• 1/4 cup Banana Hemp Activated Superfood Cereal - Good + - Good ++

Weight: 1/2 cup (45 g.) for two cereals / 9 oz. (255 g.) total for each package
Calories: 184.5 calories in 1/2 cup serving (mix of 2 cereals)
Cost: $5.69 each x 2 (for 2 different packages of cereal)
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Berkeley, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

I occasionally mix cereals together to create new flavor combinations. Happily, Living Intentions (Point Richmond, CA) offered both a Cacao and a Banana cereal as part of their Activated Superfood* line, that I thought might be suitable for mixing.

Today I tried both the Cacao Crunch Activated Superfood Cereal and the Banana Hemp Superfood Cereal from Living Intentions.

Both were organic, probiotic, buckwheat-based and gluten-free cereal alternatives with several inclusions. The list of added herbs (+ cacao) and/or greens making these cereals "super" was so impressive I thought I might explode from healthiness...or transform into a super hero. I wasn't sure which.

Fortunately, I had nothing to fear. Each of these flavors was very lightly sweetened (not overly sweet—thank you!) and had a pleasant taste and texture. These had just the right amount of crunch (not too firm, not too crumbly) and were enjoyable plain, or with milk of choice.

The Cacao Crunch was cocoa colored and had a mild cacao almost malty flavor and a satisfying crunch. The Banana Hemp had a light beige-green tinge, contained naturally sweet raisins (sultanas) and had a very subtle banana flavor. And the two blended very nicely together in one bowl.

*Superfoods are generally edible items that contain beneficial nutritional properties, such as high levels of anti-oxidants and/or vitamins/minerals. "Activated" was defined by the company as food that is at "its highest nutritional potential." For example, a combination or organic, sprouted ingredients and added "CFUs (colony forming units) of friendly probiotic cultures (that support friendly bacteria and yeasts)"..."to support immune health and start your day off right."

The Cacao Crunch cereal contained maca root, astragulus, reishi and live probiotics. The Banana Hemp cereal contained spirulina, chlorella, dandelion and live probiotics.

Safeway - Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream - Apr. 30, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Safeway Signature Select
Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream
Good
Weight: 1/4 cup (33 g.) / 1.5 Quarts (1.42 Liters) in total container
Calories: 95 calories in 1/4 cup serving // 465 cals. (estimate) for 1 small banana split
Cost: $3.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

One can't have a banana theme week without at least one banana split with chocolate ice cream. Today's split featured: vanilla, walnut and Extreme Moose Tracks chocolate ice creams, walnut pieces, a cherry and, of course, a banana.

What is Moose Tracks? In the mid-1990s, Moose Tracks Fudge* became popular as part of an ice cream flavor of the same name.

The original Moose Tracks ice cream was made of vanilla ice cream, Moose Tracks Fudge and peanut butter cups. Today's Safeway's Signature Select Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream ups the chocolate ante and is made with a chocolate ice cream base with fudge cups and pieces of Moose Tracks Fudge.

*The folks at Denali Flavors, Inc. (Michigan) have expanded the Moose Tracks line to include ice creams, cheesecakes and milks.