Essential Living Foods - Beyond Trail Mix (Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Dark Chocolate) - Nov. 8, 2022

Chocolate of the Day

Essential Living Foods

Beyond Trail Mix - Brazil Nuts + Cashews + Dark Chocolate 

Good + 

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 12 oz. (340 g.) in total package

Calories: 140 calories in 1 (28 g.) serving

Cost: $8.49 for 1 package

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

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Brazil Theme Week, featuring chocolate made with Brazilian-grown cacao as well as chocolates with Brazil-related flavor inclusions.

Today's Essential Living Foods Organic Beyond Trail Mix (Brazil Nuts + Cashews + Dark Chocolate) was distributed by Terrafertil US, LLC* (Torrance, CA).

Aroma and flavor notes for this trail mix included: authentic nut (brazil nut and cashew), sweet dark chocolate chip, and sweet raisin. 

Normally trail mixes are quite salty and sweet. The lack of salt, and judicious sweetening, let more of the true nut and dried fruit flavors shine through. A mix of crunchy and chewy textures added interest.

Ingredients: Organic Brazil nuts, organic cashews, organic dark chocolate chips (organic chocolate liquor, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter, organic sunflower lecithin (an emulsifier), organic vanilla extract), organic Thompson raisins, organic Sultana raisins.

Allergen-related information: Contains tree nuts (cashews, Brazil nuts). May contain milk and soy. Manufactured in a facility that processes other tree nuts.

*Terrafertil US, LLC became a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestle USA in 2018. (The company was originally founded in Ecuador in 2005.)

Essential Living Foods - Roasted and Salted Keto Crunch Low Carb Trail Mix - March 8, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Essential Living Foods

Roasted and Salted Keto Crunch Low Carb Trail Mix

Good - Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 12 oz. (340 g.) in total package

Calories: 150 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $ N/A - gift from a friend

Purchased from: N/A - gift from friend (thank you Bill!)

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and JKLM Theme Week, where chocolate items with flavors and origins starting with the letters J, K, L and/or M are being featured. Somewhat surprisingly, I found a lot of "K" entries this week.

Today's Essential Living Foods* Roasted and Salted Keto Crunch Low Carb Trail Mix was from Essential Living Foods (Torrance, CA), distributed by Terrafertil US, LLC.

I have never been on a ketogenic** diet; however, I've come to prefer less sugar over time. So I found this low carbohydrate, Keto Certified mix very appealing. It was a little sweet, a little salty, yet so different (and more satiating over a period of hours) than most highly sweetened, high-carbohydrate (often granola-based) trail mixes. 

The mix provided lots of satisfying crunchy texture with every element, toasted coconut pieces, cocoa nibs and roasted pumpkin and sunflower kernels (seeds). The cacao nibs conveyed the essence of cacao--unsweetened, slightly nutty, dark chocolate flavor.

The refreshing lack of sweetness also made it easier to taste and savor the individual elements that made up this mix. I enjoyed this as a stand-alone snack or breakfast, and even as a topping for my (non-keto) oatmeal. 

Ingredients: Organic toasted coconut chips, organic cacao nibs, organic roasted pumpkin kernels (organic pumpkin kernels, salt), organic roasted sunflower kernels (organic sunflower kernels, salt).

 

*Ecuador based snack-food company, Terrafertil Nature's Heart/Terrafertil Group, acquired the assets of Los Angeles-based Essential Living Foods (an organic, vegan, superfood brand) in 2017. In 2018, Nestle expanded their organic/plant-based offerings by acquiring a majority stake in Terrafertil (Nature's Heart and Essential Living Foods brands).

**Keto is short for ketogenic, as in a ketogenic diet that is low in carbohydrates and relatively high in fat and protein that results in the body switching to/burning more fats vs. sugars for energy. Ketogenic diets have become popular for weight loss; but when not taken to an extreme, cutting carbs/sugars in combination with eating more whole (less processed) foods can provide other benefits.

Homemade Chocolate Ginger Spumoni - Jan. 15, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

California Spumoni desserts
1.) Homemade Chocolate Ginger fudge sauce - Good - Good +
2.) Signature Select Ginger Zinger Trail Mix - Good
Weight: 4 oz. (113.2 g.) in 1 serving (small bowl)
Calories: 226 calories (estimate) for 1 small bowl
Cost: $N/A - various ingredients
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Hazelnuts Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate and Ginger Theme Week.

Today's ice cream might be best described as California spumoni ice cream, with cherries (fresh and dried) nuts and chocolate...and with a wake-up zing of spicy ginger.

Authentic spumoni ice cream is often a layered parfait of cherry pinks, pistachio greens and cream-colored chocolate (and possibly vanilla), interspersed with bits of fruits and nuts.

Today's homemade ice cream sundae with Ginger Zinger Trail Mix and chocolate ginger sauce, as well as a homemade frozen parfait could be considered California-style Spumoni deserts.

The latter contained dried cherries, hazelnuts and candied ginger (provided by the same Ginger Zinger Trail Mix + some chopped frozen cherries).

Nestle - Winter Dark Chocolate and Mint Morsels - Jan. 7, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Nestle
Toll House - Winter Dark Chocolate and Mint Morsels
Good
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 10 oz. (283 g.) in total pkg.
Calories: 161.7 calories in 1 oz. of morsels
Cost: $1.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Hit the Trail with Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Nestle Toll House Winter Dark Chocolate and Mint Morsels were distributed by Nestle Baking, a division of Nestle USA, Inc. (Solon, OH).

How might these morsels best be transformed into a portable outdoor snack? What other ingredients would they be compatible with? This was this morning's self-inflicted challenge.

The morsels had a pronounced mint and sweet dark chocolate aroma and flavor, but, surprisingly made for a good snack mix that also contained:

• Chocolate Chex (rice) cereal 
• green pistachios and pumpkin seeds
• homemade bits of almond sesame crackers w/ sea salt 

The mint gave this treat an extra refreshing kick during a winter waterside hike today.

O Organics - Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks - Jan. 5, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

O Organics
Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28.3 g.) / 10 oz. (283 g.) in total package
Calories: 150.9 calories in 1 oz. (28 g.) serving
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Hit the Trail with Chocolate Theme Week.

I made my own organic trail mix today, combining an ounce of Organic Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks from O Organics (distributed by Lucerne Foods Inc., Pleasanton, CA)* with a handful of O Organics Organic Cranberry Nut Trail Mix.

The dark chocolate helped perk up the trail mix, which provided some quick, concentrated energy for a day outside at the Palo Alto Baylands. The combination of smooth dark chocolate, bright dried fruit and crunchy nuts
was appealing, if for no other reason, because of the bright variety of tastes and textures.

Seattle Chocolate - Hiker's Trail Mix Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar - Jan. 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day: 

Seattle Chocolate Company
Hiker's Trail Mix Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.50 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #3 of Hit the Trail with Chocolate Theme Week.

Today's Hiker's Trail Mix Dark Chocolate Truffle Bar—with peanuts, California raisins and roasted sunflower seeds in dark chocolate* (no cacao percent listed)—was from Seattle Chocolate Company (Seattle, WA).

The gluten free and vegan bar had a roasted peanut and chocolate aroma and the chocolate had a smooth, creamy dark chocolate truffle melt and mouthfeel. The raisins were moist and chewy, and the nuts and sunflower seeds provided some soft crunchy texture.

This trail mix bar was an enjoyable treat after a beautiful January hike with two lovely chocolate friends by the San Francisco bay.

*Rainforest Alliance Certified, Kosher Dairy, Non GMO Project Verified

Whole Foods - Raspberry Beret trail mix - February 4, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods Market brand)
Raspberry Beret Trail Mix
Good ++
Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 14 oz. (397 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Raspberry Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's Raspberry Beret Trail Mix was made in Canada and distributed by Whole Foods Market (Austin, TX). This sweet and salty snack/trail mix was full of crunchy roasted, salted peanuts and roasted almonds.

Organic dark chocolate chips—and raspberries (raspberries, sugar, rice flour, ascorbic acid)—provided a sweeter, darker, and softer taste and texture component, with the raspberries adding an occasional micro-burst of tart-sweet, natural berry flavor.

For those with allergies, this mix contained peanuts, almonds, soy and milk. It did not contain gluten-containing ingredients but was made in a shared facility.

Kate's Real Food - Tram Bar - Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Trail Mix bar - Sept. 5, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Tram Bars LLC
Kate's Real Food
Tram Bar - Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Trail Mix Pocket Meal bar
Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 360 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

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

Today's Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Trail Mix Pocket Meal bar, aka Tram Bar, was from Kate's Real Food (Victor, ID).

The sibling to this bar (the Grizzly Bar with dark chocolate) was featured last week. Both were billed as Pocket Meals, which was a fitting description. Both were enjoyed for breakfast and fueled adventures well into the afternoon.

Today's substantial oat-based bar contained mostly organic ingredients, including organic oats, organic honey and organic peanut butter (made with dry-roasted peanuts). Rice nuggets (rice flour and bran, honey, raisin juice, salt) added some crunchy texture. Dried organic fruits (banana, apricots and raisins) and organic seeds (sunflower, sesame) amped up the fruit and "nutty" flavor, texture and natural sweetness.

The milk chocolate (not organic) was more of an accent flavor that added a bit of rich flavor. Unlike many trail and energy bars, this one did not taste overly sweet (thank you!).