OWYN - Dark Chocolate Non-Dairy Protein Shake - April 25, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

OWYN
Dark Chocolate Non-Dairy Protein Shake 
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 11 oz. (330 mL) in 1 container
Calories: 170 calories in 1 container
Cost: $9.99 for 4 pack (4 containers)
Purchased from: Safeway, Fremont, CA

Welcome to Day #13 of Chocolate and Umami Theme Week.

Today's Dark Chocolate Protein Shake was distributed by Only What You Need, Inc. (Fairfield, New Jersey). 

This single serving beverage contained a generous helping of plant protein (20 grams of protein per single serving/container.

Aroma notes included: cocoa, chocolate milk, and hard to identify sweet-savory (nut and green vegetable) notes.

Texture: smooth beverage, with a very slightly thickened texture (with a barely there creamy/silky, gel-like mouthfeel). All the ingredients were well incorporated; there was no trace of any protein "grit."

Flavor notes included: cocoa, chocolate milk; faint vanilla and caramel; and very faint (barely detectable) vegetable (green pea, greens), with a slight lingering sweetness.

The sweetness level felt right. (This protein shake drink was sweet right into the finish, but not overly so.) Monk fruit extract helped create sweetness (and minimize any bitterness).

Ingredients: Water, OWYN(TM) Protein Blend (Pea Protein, Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein, Organic Flax Oil), Soluble Fiber, Organic Cane Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Cocoa Powder, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, Guar Gum, Greens Blend (Broccoli, Spinach, Kale), Monk Fruit Extract.

Allergen-related information: ("...Independently tested for detection of the top 8 allergens every lot, every time.") For more information, visit the company website: liveowyn.com)

Good! Greens - Chocolate Raspberry bar - June 24, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Good! Nutrition, LLC
Good! Greens - Chocolate Raspberry bar
Good
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 202 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Dublin, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Cherry and Berry Theme Week.

This gluten free, Chocolate Raspberry bar was from Good! Nutrition, LLC (Cleveland, OH) contained fruits and vegetables, and 12 grams of protein (sunflower seeds, soy, peanuts).

The flavor and texture of fruit, grain and vegetable constituents were more prominent than the chocolate.

Stone Grindz - Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar - Jan. 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Stone Grindz Chocolate

Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar(s)

Good

Weight: 1.7 oz. (47.2 g.) / 4.99 oz. (141.5 g.) (estimate) in total container

Calories: 157 calories in 1 bar 

Cost: $5.95 for 1 container of 3 bars

Purchased from: Stone Grindz (online order)

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Surprise Theme Week.

You might be surprised to read that chocolate and vegetable combinations are quite edible.

Today's Kale Yeah! Raw Energy Bar was made by Stone Grindz Chocolate (Scottsdale, AZ). Their raw energy bars are quite different than most chocolate-coated candy or energy bars.

First, Stone Grindz raw energy bars (available via a Secret Store pull down option on the company's website) taste fresher and less processed than most bars. Second they have no added sugar and salt (none, thank you!).  

These organic bars are blended so that they taste and feel well balanced. The ingredients harmonize nicely; no one flavor dominates. 

While dates are the first ingredient listed, they're not overwhelming. The kale (which I venture to wager you could not identify in a blind taste test) and pumpkin seeds help balance out the date sweetness.

Cacao nibs add flavor depth, but are not the primary attraction. 

The bars have a soft chew and uniform flavor and tasting experience. You might find a stray chia seed in your mouth following the tasting experience, but the seeds were not too intrusive. 

Organic Gemini - TigerNut Cacao Bean Smoothie Mix - Dec. 31, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Organic Gemini TigerNut Smoothie Mix
Good
Weight: 2 TB (22 g.) / 9.3 oz. (264 g.) in total package
Calories: 40 calories in 1 serving
Cost: $14.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Berkeley, CA

Welcome to Day #12 of Chocolate, Holiday Spice and Maple Theme Week(s).

Cacao beans come from a fruit, and tiger nuts come from...not a tiger, but a tuber.

Today's 5-ingredient, organic Tigernut Cacao Bean Smoothie Mix was from Organic Gemini (Brooklyn, NY) and was sweetened with maple sugar.*

Organic Gemini founders, George and Mariam, developed offerings that incorporated Organic TigerNuts—a nutritious root vegetable—as part of their own journey to wellness.

I mixed this organic, paleo, vegan, kosher and nut and gluten free smoothie mix into a glass of organic milk. The drink had a slight vegetable and cocoa aroma, and slight fine-grained texture until mixed well. Letting the mixture sit for 20 min. seemed to improve flavor and texture. It had a pleasant cocoa flavor, healthy/satisfying "feeling" and no aftertaste.

Happy New Year's Eve to all who celebrate. Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2018.

Ingredients: Whole ground TigerNuts (Cyperus esculentus)*, pea protein powder*, cacao powder,* maple sugar*, vanilla bean powder*

ChocolateBet: September 4, 2012

Chocolate of the Day: 

Amazing Grass
Organic Green SuperFood
Chocolate Whole Food Energy Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 2.1 oz. (60 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 230 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.50 total bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, in Palo Alto, CA

This Organic, raw, vegan Green SuperFood bar (distributed by Amazing Grass, San Francisco, CA) was so jam-packed with gluten and dairy free ingredients, such as greens (spinach, alfalfa, spirulina, broccoli), nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cacao nibs, and peppermint, that it could have been a meal by itself. Dates and agave nectar provided a moist, slightly chewy texture and sweetness. This green, "alkalinizing" bar was coated in chocolate.

I'd seen two different versions of this bar this month in local stores (both versions shown at right), likely the result of a recent packaging change. The two bars were the same weight and the ingredients and calorie count appeared to be the same. I tried both to be sure. Sure enough, they tasted the same too.

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Nibs Theme Week. And, even though the peppermint flavor was difficult to pick out in this tasty green salad bar, today was also Day #1 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

ChocolateBet: February 7, 2009

Chocolate of the Day:
~ 1 oz. (in 2 srvgs of cake)
Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC
semi-sweet chocolate chips (gluten-free)
(used in homemade, gluten-free chocolate carrot cake recipe)
Very Good
Wt.: ~ 1 oz. (28.3 g.) of choc. in 2 srvgs of choc. carrot cake/5 oz. (142 g.) in carrot cake recipe/10 oz. (283 g.) in total bag of choc. chips.
Calories: ~400 calories in 2 servings of cake (~ 150 calories of that = choc chips)
Cost: $ (looking for receipt for chocolate chips)
Purchased from: Chocolate chips were bought at Whole Foods, in Palo Alto, CA (+ other carrots and other ingredients from Safeway stores)

Welcome to Day #2 of chocolate and veggie week on my blog. Today's treat was chocolate carrot cake (with chopped walnuts and a little coconut added). See, not so bad. Who said chocolate and vegetables together sounded gross? Not so.

ChocolateBet: March 8, 2008

Chocolate of the Day:

1 serving
"the pate of beets and chocolate frozen arugula and port sauce"
Citizen Cake (restaurant)
Very Good
Weight: 4 oz. total (guesstimate)
Calories: 350 calories (estimate)
Cost $ 11.00 for this dessert (It was part of the most expensive meal I've had all year.)
Purchased from: Citizen Cake (restaurant) in San Francisco, CA

I thought this unusual dessert was very good -- and definitely not for everyone. A chocolate "ganache" layer was topped with a beet gelee layer, and was served with a small portion of arugula ice cream and a port sauce - that seemed to have some cherries in it. I liked it - but one of my dining companions (who is not a beet fan) did not. The menu was clever, with creative word riffs unhampered by capital letters or punctuation.

I'd like to go back to Citizen Cake for brunch, or perhaps just for dessert. They offered tempting looking sweets in their adjacent take-out patisserie/shop.

P.S. Unfortunately, Citizen Cake is now closed.