Godiva - Dark Chocolate Blood Orange bar - Dec. 14, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Godiva
Dark Chocolate Blood Orange bar
(Chocolat Noir A L'Orange Sanguine) bar
Good
Weight: 1.03 oz. (30 g.) / 3.1 oz. (90 g.) in total bar
Calories: 147 calories in 1/3 bar
Cost: $1.99 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, CA

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate, Fruit and Nuts Theme Week.

Some chocolate and fruit combinations seem to beg for the addition of nuts, and vice versa some chocolate and nut blends are great with fruit(s).

I felt compelled to pair today's Dark Chocolate Blood Orange bar from Godiva Chocolatier, Inc. (New York, NY) with a small handful of sliced California almonds.

The 50% cacao bar had a smooth and even sweet dark chocolate flavor.* And tiny bits of Italian blood orange yielded a rich, high-end Creamsicle** aroma and provided a sweet, slightly tangy citrus sparkle in each bite.

The almonds, orange and chocolate were tres good together. The nuts helped balance out the relatively high level of sugar.

*The bar was made with cocoa processed with alkali (which tends to result in a smoother, less acidic chocolate).

**A Creamsicle was a frozen Popsicle-like treat with an orange ice covering over vanilla ice cream. Now owned by Unilever.

Sahale Snacks - Banana Pecan with Cocoa Nibs & Cinnamon bar - Dec. 13, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Distributed by Sahale Snacks
Banana Pecan with Cocoa Nibs and Cinnamon Bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in 1 bar / 5.6 oz. (160 g.) in box of 4 bars
Calories: 200 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $?.?? for 1 box of 4 bars
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate, Fruit and Nuts Theme Week.

Today's box of 4 individually-wrapped Banana Pecan with Cocoa Nibs and Cinnamon Bars were distributed by Sahale Snacks (Seattle, WA).

These bars were natural tasting and well-balanced, with a hint of banana bread and nuts. They had a pleasing chew to them (not too soft or too stiff). They had a rich flavor; the first ingredient listed was cashew butter (dry roasted cashews, date paste, brown rice protein).

Despite the sweet ingredients (bananas, dates) and tapioca syrup, caramelized sugar, they were refreshingly restrained in terms of sweetness. The dark chocolate flavor was supplied by cocoa nibs. Again, not too sweet, but flavorful. Light hints of cinnamon and vanilla gave the bar a slight warmth—a nice touch in the cooler months.

The Banana Pecan snack bar contained 5 grams of protein; and it was a satisfying bar for breakfast and as an any-time-of-day snack.

Praim Confections - Gelt-y Pleasure Dark Chocolate bar - Dec. 12, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

The Praim Group/Praim, LLC
Gelt-y Pleasure Dark Chocolate bar
Good
Weight: 1.75 oz. (50 g.) / 3.5 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 245 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $4.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: missing information

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

This week we've covered a variety of different snack items: protein bars, granola bars and cookies with chocolate, gluten-free snack mixes with chocolate—even an organic, single-serve chocolate mousse.

But, this week wouldn't be complete without a few holiday-related, novelty chocolate items.

Today's Praim Confections Gelt-y* Pleasure Dark Chocolate kosher bar (from The Praim Group/Praim, LLC, Salem, MA) appeared in a local store just in time for Hanukkah (Dec. 12-20 this year).

The outer wrapper was adorned with the drawing of "The Mensch on a Bench"** and images of chocolate gold foil wrapped "coins."

The inner gold foil wrapper contained a fairly mild (chocolate liquor processed with alkali), sweet dark chocolate bar (that contained cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin and vanilla). The bar had even taste and consistency.

**"Mensch on a Bench" is a Registered Trademark of Monkeybar Consulting LLC and is used under license here.

Urban Remedy - Raw Cacao Mousse - Dec. 11, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Urban Remedy

Raw Cacao Mousse

Good ++

Weight: 4.06 oz. (115 g.) in 1 container

Calories: 240 calories in 1 container/package

Cost: $N/A - gift from family member 

Purchaesed from: Draeger's Market, Los Altos, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Raw Cacao Mousse from Urban Remedy (Richmond, CA) may be one of the healthier snacks featured this week.

Many popular snack items contain a long list of processed ingredients. Today's mousse, not so much: "Almond milk (filtered water, almond), date syrup, coconut oil, date, cacao powder, vanilla extract, Irish moss, sunflower lecithin, Himalayan pink salt."

For creamy dessert lovers who are unable to eat gluten, dairy or soy and prefer organic foods, Urban Remedy may offer something appealing for you, such as this single serving container* of (refrigerated) organic, creamy and flavorful mousse made with raw cacao and almond milk.

*The container and packaging are made from 100% recycled ingredients. 

Clif Bar - Luna High Protein Chocolate Walnut Fudge bar - Dec. 10, 2017

Chocolate of the Day: 

Distributed by Clif Bar and Company
Luna High Protein Bar - Chocolate Walnut Fudge
Good
Weight: 1.59 oz. (45 g.) / 9.54 oz. (270 g.) in total box of 6 bars
Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.49 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

This Luna Chocolate Walnut Fudge bar was Distributed by Clif Bar and Company (Emeryville, CA). The bar was part of the company's High Protein Bar lineup.

The 12 grams of protein in this protein bar was supplied by soy protein isolate, the first ingredient listed (followed by sugar).

The fun flavors of chocolate (cocoa) and nuts (tiny bits of walnut + macadamia nut butter) took a back seat to the soy protein and sugar.  This was a snack bar more serious in its intentions than most. However, protein apparently cut the effects of sugar, as this gluten free bar was also labeled low glycemic.

Spearheaded by Clif Bar and Company co-owner, Kit Crawford, the company launched the Luna product line and initiatives (LunaFest film festival, Luna Chix Pro Team) in 1999. The Luna bar was one of the first nutrition bars marketed to women, and multiple flavors have been created over time.

General Mills - Nature Valley Sweet and Salty Nut bars - Dark Chocolate Peanut and Almond

Chocolate of the Day: 

Distributed by General Mills Sales, Inc.
Nature Valley (Sweet and Salty Nut granola bars)
Dark Chocolate, Peanut and Almond bar
Good +
Weight: 1.24 oz. (35 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $N/A - from an event (part of a larger variety box)
Purchased from: N/A - from an event

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Nature Valley Dark Chocolate, Peanut and Almond bar from General Mills Sales, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) was surprisingly satisfying, with just the right sweet dark chocolate and nut blend.

It felt lighter and less sweet than a standard chocolate candy bar.

Note: for those who are allergy-prone, this bar (made with partially genetically engineered ingredients) also contained wheat (and barley malt extract) as well as soy, milk and peanut and nut ingredients. At the time of this post, the company also offered at least two bars in their line-up that were gluten-free.

Zemas Madhouse Foods - Mini Ancient Grain Double Chocolate Cookies - Dec. 8, 2017

Chocolate of the Day:

Zemas Madhouse Foods
Mini Ancient Whole Grain Double Chocolate Cookies
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 5 oz. (141.75 g.) in total package
Calories: 130 calories in 5 cookies (1 serving)
Cost: $3.99 for 1 package/box
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Berkeley, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate Snacks Theme Week.

Today's Mini Double Chocolate Cookies were from Zemas Madhouse Foods (Highland Park, IL). They contained both chocolate and cocoa powder, and were based on a gluten-free flour blend* with a "superseed trio of hemp, chia and flax."

The small cookies were fairly crunchy and satisfying, and bore the following certifications: Certified Gluten Free, Certified Vegan and Non GMO Project Certified. They were also free of the top 8 allergens, and were rice free.

Ingredients:
Dried cane syrup (sugar); chocolate; Zema's flour blend (g-free oat flour, teff flour, organic millet flour, organic quinoa flour); palm oil; water; natural cocoa powder; tapioca starch; hemp seeds; flaxseed meal; chia seeds; pure vanilla extract; chocolate extract