New Bread - Gluten Free 100% Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie - April 11, 2024

Chocolate of The Day

New Bread
Gluten Free 100% Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie
Good + Good ++
Weight: 1.41 oz. (40 g) / 2.82 oz. (80 g.) total container
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) in 2 cookies
Cost: $7.99 for 1 container of 4-5 cookies
Purchased from: Missing market information (Palo Alto, CA)

Welcome to Day #2 of Baked Goods with Chocolate Series.

Today's Gluten Free 100% Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies were from New Bread, a Gluten-Free Lifestyle Company, LLC, based in Alameda. CA. 

Like many gluten-free product companies, the founders had family members with food sensitivities, and started their own operations after finding existing gluten-free baked goods dry, crumbly, or wanting in some regard. 

Aroma notes included: subtle baked good (cookie, cake); very faint chocolate and mild nut notes.

Texture?: soft cookie base that was almost cake-like and that had a non-crumbly (coherent) texture. Very slightly chewy. (what is soft bake?), with a sprinkling of small chocolate chips.

Flavor notes included: soft-baked cookie base with very faint vanilla, eggy cake, and chocolate-y chips. These cookies had a very slight menthol flavor that is sometimes present with artificial sweeteners. (Made my nose run.) 

I liked that they used almond flour and olive oil were the top two ingredients. (I'm not a fan of artificial sweeteners; but it was nice to taste less sugar, and to be reminded just overpowering granulated sugar can be in a baked good. 

Ingredients: Almond flour, olive oil, non-GMO allulose, organic eggs, organic almonds, organic coconut flour, chocolate chips [unsweetened chocolate, chicory root fiber, erythritol, milk fat (rBST free), cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, stevia extract, vanilla extract], organic almond oil, baking soda, chocolate flavor, sea salt, xanthan gum.

Allergen-related information: Contains: milk, egg, almond, coconut. "Processed in facility that uses soy, almonds, tree nuts, milk, eggs and sesame" 

Miss Jones Baking Co. - Keto Double Chocolate Fudge Ready-to-Bake Cookies - Sept. 3, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Miss Jones Baking Co.
Keto Double Chocolate Fudge Ready-to-Bake Cookies
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .99 oz. (28 g.) / 11.84 oz. (336 g.) in 1 package of 12 cookies
Calories: 110 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package of 12
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA 

Welcome to Day #2 of Dark Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Keto Double Chocolate Fudge Ready-to-Bake Cookies were from Miss Jones Baking Co. (San Francisco, CA), and distributed by The Purple Mixer, Inc. (Corte Madera, CA).

Aroma notes for these grain-free chocolate cookies included: chocolate (brownie) and faint nut (almond) and vanilla. The fact that these cookies emerged freshly baked from the oven enhanced the aroma quite a bit. Nothing like the smell of freshly baked cookies. 

Texture for these chewy-crunchy cookies varied slightly depending on how/how long they were cooked. They got crunchier when I let them cool down a bit.

Flavor notes included: chocolate-y, nutty, brownie cookie, very faint vanilla, and a very slight non-sugar sweetener (erythritol) note. (I'm not a fan of erythritol; at least the taste wasn't too strong.)

It can be tough to make a truly wonderful gluten-free cookie. It's great to see more Keto-friendly and lower sugar options out there for gluten-free cookies--that are tasty and not too crumbly. I look forward to tasting the other gluten-free cookie offerings from Miss Jones.

Ingredients: "Almond Flour, Erythritol, Butter, Chocolate Chips (Unsweetened Chocolate, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter), Water, Cocoa Powder, Tapioca Fiber, Tapioca Starch, Salt, Natural Flavor, Baking Soda, Monk Fruit Extract."

Allergen-related information: Contains almonds, milk. May contain: peanuts, eggs, soy.  

Taitau - No Sugar Added 46% Milk Chocolate (bar) - Sept. 1, 2023

Chocolate of the Day

Taitau (Tai Tau)
No Sugar Added 46% Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good 
Weight: .706 oz. (20 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 100 in 1 serving (3 squares)
Cost: $3.39 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Crossroads Specialty Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Lithuania Theme Week.

Today's No Sugar 46% Milk Chocolate (bar) from Taitau (Tai Tau) Exclusive Selection (Lietuva, Lithuania) was imported into the U.S. by B&I Overseas Trading Inc. (Van Nuys, CA).

This bar was made using "premium quality Granada cocoa beans." 

Aroma notes for this bar included: dark chocolate, subtle vanilla, very faint light spice (cinnamon), and even fainter spice-wood.  

The texture was uniformly smooth and creamy, almost buttery.

Flavor notes were similar to the aroma notes, and included: balanced, dark milk chocolate (cocoa, ganache), subtle vanilla, followed by a sizable uptick in erythritol (slight menthol sensation, overly sweet).

I'd hoped this might be a milk chocolate bar without any sweeteners, i.e. where only the natural sugars in the milk supply the sweetness. (I love the few chocolates that offer this experience.) This chocolate may be a welcome offering for those who can't have sugar; but the taste of erythritol (alternative sweetener) was too strong for me to enjoy.

Ingredients: "Cocoa butter, sweetener - erythritol, skimmed milk powder, cocoa mass, emulsifier - rapeseed (canola) lecithin, flavouring vanillin. Contains naturally occurring sugars. Contains at least 46% of cocoa solids, and 22% of dry milk solids."

Allergen-related information: "Contains milk." "This product may contain traces of hazelnuts and wheat gluten." "Excessive consumption may cause laxative effects."

Lily's - Peanut Butter Cups Milk Chocolate Style - Apr. 7, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Lily's Sweets LLC

Peanut Butter Cups Milk Chocolate Style

Good +

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 8.7 oz. (245 g.) in total package

Calories: 140 calories in 2 cups

Cost: $9.99 for 1 package of 15 individually-wrapped cups

Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Peanut Butter Theme Week.

Today's Milk Chocolate Style Peanut Butter Cups were manufactured for Lily's Sweets LLC (Boulder, CO). The company offers a variety of stevia and erythritol sweetened chocolates.

These individually-wrapped peanut butter cups had an aroma with tart green-lemon herb (oxalis) and cocoa that evolved into cookie and vanilla notes.

The milk chocolate cup coating was creamy and smooth in texture.

Flavor traits included: faint roasted coffee, a very faint, slightly odd perfume-y sweetness, milk chocolate, graham cracker and nutty notes.

The sweetness level was satisfying and balanced, and did not taste artificial. The sweeteners used (erythritol and stevia) "felt" different than sugar, which may have been due to the lack of small sugar "buzz" one gets from most cane sugar-sweetened chocolates.

As with many sugar-free chocolates, I suggest eating a small quantity (single serving of two cups) first if you have digestive sensitivities. (These chocolates also contained chicory fiber.)

Ingredients: Milk chocolate style coating (unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, Non-GMO erythritol, chicory root fiber, Non-GMO dextrin, whole milk powder (rBST free), milk fat (rBST free), sunflower lecithin, stevia extract, vanilla extract); peanut butter (peanuts, sustainably sourced palm kernel oil, Non-GMO erythritol, peanut flour, chicory root fiber, coconut oil, sustainably sourced palm oil, salt, sunflower lecithin, stevia extract).

Allergen-related information: Contains milk and peanuts."Produced on equipment that also processes product containing soy and tree nuts."

Birch Benders - Chocolate Chip Waffles - Oct. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Birch Benders 
Chocolate Chip Keto Toaster Waffles
Good +
Weight: 2.96 oz. (84 g.) / 5.92 oz. (168 g.) in total package of 6 waffles
Calories: 270 calories in 3 waffles
Cost: $4.99 for 1 package of 6 waffles
Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Waffle Theme Week.

Today's Chocolate Chip Keto Toaster Waffles were manufactured in Belgium for Birch Benders (Denver, CO). The self-described "micro-pancakery" offers pancake and waffle mixes and frozen waffles. 

These gluten-free chocolate chip waffles--sweetened with erythritol and stevia--were substantial and filling (primarily due to relatively high levels of protein and fiber). And, happily, these were not too sweet.

A light scattering of small chocolate chips added a chocolate-y rich accent flavor. (Optional: Top with some 100% dark chocolate chips/shavings (with maple extract perhaps) instead of sugary syrup for amped up chocolate flavor.)

Depending on how these frozen waffles are defrosted and heated, the texture can be soft, with a light chew, or a bit crispier. 

Ingredients: Eggs, high oleic sunflower oil, dark chocolate chips (unsweetened chocolate, erythritol, cocoa butter, stevia extract, sunflower lecithin), organic coconut flour, cassava starch, tigernut flour, buttermilk powder, leavening (monocalcium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate), skim milk yogurt powder (skim milk, cultures), psyllium husk powder, spice.

Allergen-related information: "Contains: egg, milk, coconut."

 

Rowe of Venice - Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks - Jan. 31, 2021

Chocolate(s) of the Day

Rowe of Venice
Coconut Organic Gourmet Super Snacks
Good +
Weight: 1.5 oz. (42 g.) in total package
Calories: 240 calories in 1 package
Cost: $5.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Farm Fresh To You CSA box delivery service, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and ABCD Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Covid-19 has made travel to chocolate shops and destinations more challenging. So, I was happy to learn that my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm-to-home delivery service offered chocolate items, including craft (bean-to-bar) chocolate (from Theo Chocolate, Cru Chocolate and others) that I've featured previously, as well as several chocolate-related snacks.

Today's first of two chocolate and coconut snacks was from Rowe of Venice Super Snacks (Venice, CA/Los Angeles, CA). Rowe of Venice is the "nutritional love child" of Rowe Samieian, who, inspired by autoimmune issues, consulted with Ayurvedic, Chinese and other medical practitioners to create a series of natural snack offerings.

Today's Rowe of Venice's Organic Coconut Gourmet Super Snacks were vegan dairy free and gluten free. They had a refreshingly authentic, real coconut and almond aroma, flavor and chew with a rich carob flavor note, accented with a faint hint of Himalayan sea salt. Coconut oil and blue agave nectar provided cohesiveness, a touch of healthy fat (satiation) and bit of sweetness. (Note: do watch for nut shell fragments.)

There was one "missing" ingredient here...cacao or cocoa! 

Carob can be a good substitute for people wanting to avoid cacao. Understood. But clearly, Chocolate Banquet welcomes all things cacao. And, more to the point, to qualify for a daily chocolate entry on this site, an item must include some form cocoa solids. 

Thankfully, I'd ordered a second snack item from Farm Fresh To You (with cocoa solids). Both were from the L.A. area. And I've added this item (below). Close call. Cacao withdrawals avoided.

Ingredients: Organic raw almonds, Organic carob powder, Organic unsweetened shredded coconut, Organic raw blue agave nectar, Organic cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil, Himalayan Pink Salt. 

Foodstirs Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

Foodstirs
Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Good 
Weight: Portion: 2 small baked cookies / 7.94 oz. (225 g.) in total package of dry mix
Calories: Approximately 110 calories in 2 small cookies
Cost: $7.00 (estimate) for 1 package of mix + cost of additional, required ingredients
Purchased from: Farm Fresh to You, CSA box delivery service, online add-on

The second item sampled today was a finished cookie made from a Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie mix created by Foodstirs (Santa Monica, CA). The company, founded in 2015, sells baking kits, mixes and baked goods. One of the three founders was actress Sarah Michelle Gellar.

I added the required ingredients to this gluten-free cookie dry mix: a generous, lump of butter, almond milk and vanilla extract, and baked them in the oven. 

The resulting cookies didn't taste too sugary sweet which was a plus. There was, however, a noticeable non-sugar, sweetener flavor--from the erythritol used as a sugar replacement, that made the Keto label possible. (The mix also contained stevia, and a bit of organic cane sugar in the chocolate chips.)

The small chocolate chip cookies hung together and browned up fairly nicely (thank you butter). A cookie fresh out of the oven is a pleasure on a cold wintery day.

Ingredients: Organic almond flour, organic erythritol, organic pea protein flour, organic chocolate chips (organic cane sugar, organic cocoa liquor, organic cocoa butter), organic coconut flour, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), sea salt, organic cacao powder, organic stevia extract, organic chocolate extract, organic vanilla extract.

Garden of Life - Organic Whey Protein Grass Fed Certified Fair Trade Organic Chocolate Cacao - Oct. 7, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Garden of Life LLC
Organic Whey Protein Grass Fed Certified Fair Trade Organic Chocolate Cacao
Good
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 130 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: Rainbow Grocery, San Francisco, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Grass Fed Milk Theme Week.

Today's Organic Fair Trade Chocolate Cacao Grass Fed Whey Protein was from Garden of Life (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida).*

Milk adds protein. Today's single serving package provided an impressive 21 grams of protein (42% of daily value), and only 7 grams of total carbohydrate.

Once mixed (thoroughly stirred) with water, the texture was smooth. The (de-acidified) cocoa used to supply the "chocolate cacao" flavor provided a chocolatey aroma and uniform cocoa flavor. 

The flavor was sweet, but a bit too (slightly artificially) sweet for me. This mix did not contain sugar, and was sweetened with erythritol and stevia extract (leaf).  

As an added bonus, this contained 2 billion colony forming units (CFUs) worth of a strain of beneficial (probiotic) bacteria thought to improve immune function.

*Note: Garden of Life became part of Nestle Health Sciences in 2017.

Ingredients: Organic Whey Protein Concentrate, Certified Fair Trade Organic Cacao, Organic Creamer Flavor, Organic Erythritol, Organic Chocolate Flavor, Sea Salt, Organic Stevia Extract (leaf), 2 billion CFU Bifidobacterium lactis B1-04.
 

Scandal-less Mocha Chip - May 20, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Lucerne Foods, Inc.
Open Nature Scandal-less Chocolate Mocha Chip Light Ice Cream
Good
Weight: 1/4 container (65.25 g.) (118.25 mL) / 1 Pint (473 mL) total container
Calories: 85 calories in 1/4 container
Cost: $3.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate, Coffee and Vanilla Theme Week.

Today's Open Nature Scandal-less Chocolate Mocha Chip Light Ice Cream was distributed by Lucerne Foods, Inc. (Pleasanton, CA).

A lot of people have created light ice creams, hoping to deliver the rich, creamy essence of ice cream, without all the fat and sugar. And the resulting products have mostly improved over time.

Today's "Scandal-less" ice cream had relatively creamy texture and light chocolate mocha flavor with a touch of authentic coffee taste, and tasted naturally sweet (erythritol) without an artificial sweetness.

The "only 340 calories in 1 pint" claim might encourage someone to have more than one serving, which may defeat the purpose. We still prefer a smaller portion of ice cream with the shortest ingredient list possible; but, people do enjoy having options like this.

The Good Chocolate - 65% Dark Ginger bar - Apr. 1, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

The Good Chocolate
65% Dark Ginger bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 109 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.99 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Draeger's Market, San Mateo, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Spices Theme Week.

Today's 65% Dark Ginger bar was made with the company's "Signature Dark" chocolate mixed with granulated ginger (crystallized without sugar). Instead, erythritol, mesquite and stevia were used to sweeten this bar.

The ginger (bits of ginger root and ginger oil) in this dark chocolate tasted authentic. And the bar didn't taste too sweet (thank you).

At less than 100 calories per ounce (88 calories for 1 oz. according to the packaging), this might be a great bar for those either watching their sugar or their weight.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Erythritol, Cacao Butter, Ginger Root, Mesquite Powder, Ginger Oil, Stevia, and Vanilla.

No Cow - Raspberry Truffle Bar - Jan. 31, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

No Cow LLC
Raspberry Truffle Bar
OK + - Good
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 2.12 oz. (60 g.) in total bar
Calories: 105 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $2.89 for 1 bar
Purchased from: CVS Pharmacy, Mountain View, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and Raspberry Theme Week.

This Raspberry Truffle Bar was from No Cow LLC (Denver, CO), a company that specializes in non-dairy, high protein and low sugar bars that are also vegan, gluten-free and soy free.

Today's bar had chocolate and raspberry flavors and a slightly granular texture that accompanies some protein bars. The bar contained no added sugar, and was sweetened with erythritol, monk fruit and stevia.

ChocoRite - Dark Chocolate Almond Bar - Feb. 20, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

HealthSmart Foods, Inc.
ChocoRite
Dark Chocolate Almond Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) in package of 5 bars
Calories: 120 calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $N/A - sample (for 1 package of 5 bars)
Purchased from: N/A - sample from vendor

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Almonds Theme Week.

Earlier this year, I featured a week of sugar-free chocolate offerings, and included some dark chocolate bars from ChocoRite.

Today's Dark Chocolate Almond Bars were similar, only they contained almond bits, that added a hint of mellow nut flavor.

These gluten free, maltitol-free, individually-wrapped bars were sweetened with Erythritol and Stevia. There are several reasons one might want to stay away from processed cane or beet sugar, including the desire to manage blood sugar levels.

These conveniently sized, single-serving bars also were only 120 calories each—about 20% less than the average 1 oz. chocolate bar that might be 150 calories or more.

HealthSmart ChocoRite Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Bar - Jan. 25, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

HealthSmart Foods, Inc.
ChocoRite
Sugar Free, Dark Chocolate Bar
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 5 oz. (141 g.) in total box of 5 bars
Calories: 110 calories per bar
Cost: $ N/A - sample from vendor
Purchased from: N/A - sample from vendor

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Alternative Sweetener Theme Week.

I've found many more sugar-free and sugar-alternative chocolates than I first planned for, so this will be another deluxe/extended "week."

I met the folks behind ChocoRite Dark Chocolate Bars (HealthSmart Foods, Inc., Evansville, IN) at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco last weekend. Thank you to this group who shared product samples and told me a little bit about their product line.

This company specializes in sugar-free chocolate items. Today's Dark Chocolate Bar was sweetened with stevia.* I liked their packaging (boxes containing smaller 1 oz. (28 g.) individually wrapped bars), as I frequently share chocolate with others and/or take along chocolate for snacks during the day, at work, or while on a hike.

The stevia sweetener blend* (with erythritol and inulin) tasted fairly natural and didn't completely overwhelm the chocolate; and there was no adverse after-taste. It's nice to have sugar free and gluten free chocolate options.

Ten years ago, if I'd run a theme week like this, the sugar-free alternatives would have been more limited, and likely would have contained more artificial ingredients and sweeteners.