Wilde Chocolate - Coconut Nectar Crunch bar - June 29, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Wilde Chocolate 

Coconut Nectar Crunch bar

Good - Good +

Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in total bar

Calories: 170 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA  

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

The coconut featured in this chocolate is not coconut "meat" or "cream," but rather coconut sugar* used as a sweetener in instead of refined cane sugar.

Today's 70% Cacao Coconut Nectar Crunch bar was made with raw organic cacao and cocoa butter (giving the chocolate a relatively mild, dark flavor); organic coconut sugar and raw vanilla bean (yielding a pleasant crunchy texture with natural sweetness); and a touch of sea salt.

This dairy free, soy free, vegan and paleo bar was made by Wilde Chocolate (Santa Cruz, CA).

*Coconut palm sugar (produced from coconut palm flower bud/stem sap) generally scores lower on the glycemic index and in a less refined form imparts a bit of natural sugar flavor. It does not generally yield a strong coconut flavor.

Chuao Chocolatier - Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark - Coconut Almond Radiance - June 28, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Chuao Chocolatier

Coconut Almond Radiance - Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark 

Good

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) in total package

Calories: 200 calories in 1 package
Cost: $ missing information  

Purchased from: missing information

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

Today's Coconut Almond Radiance Organic Dark Chocolate Moon Bark was from Chuao Chocolatier (Carlsbad, CA).

This disc- or moon-shaped chocolate had a slightly crunchy texture. The base 72% (fair trade) dark chocolate was decorated, mendiant*-style, with toasted coconut, dates and salted caramelized almonds.

On the flip side (not pictured in this post), the disc was scored into quarters, the following words appeared: "Moon Vibes Only." Coincidentally we were out last night admiring our wondrous summer moon; it was shining between branches in the backyard. What a treat.

*A mendiant is a French-style chocolate confection, usually round and flat, with nuts and fruits pressed into or dropped/placed onto a cooling chocolate disc. Each inclusion was said to represent one of the monastic orders in France, and possibly to represent the colors of monks" robes.

Ben and Jerry's - Coconuts for Caramel Core Ice Cream - June 27, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Ben and Jerry's
Coconuts for Caramel Core Ice Cream
Good
Weight: 1/2 cup (106 g.) / 1 Pint (473 mL) in total container
Calories: 270 calories in 1 serving (1/2 cup)
Cost: $2.50 (sale) in 1 container
Purchased from: missing information

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

Today's Coconuts for Caramel Core Ice Cream was from Ben and Jerry's* Ice Cream (South Burlington, VT). 

Caramel ice cream and coconut ice cream—flecked with chocolate pieces ("fudge flakes")—surrounded a central well of golden brown caramel. The combination created a built-in ice cream sundae.

No flavors were particularly strong in this blend; and, in fact, the coconut flavor was fairly mild.

*The Ben and Jerry's brand is owned by Unilever.

Sun-Rype - Good Bites Chocolate Macaroon(s) - June 26, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Sun-Rype Products

Good Bites - Chocolate Macaroon(s)

Good

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total package

Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving (3 pieces)

Cost: $4.99 for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Dublin, CA

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

These featured Chocolate Macaroon Good Bites were from Sun-Rype Products Ltd. (Kelowna, BC, Canada). The company's roots date back to 1946, when Sun-Rype got its start in the fresh fruit and beverage (juice) market.

Today's Chocolate Macaroon Good Bites contained dates, seeds (sunflower, flax, pumpkin, chia), coconut and chocolate and cocoa powder, with a touch of apple juice concentrate and sea salt.

The chewy bites had balanced fruity chocolate and coconut flavor, and the softened seeds added a bit of texture.

Larabar - Larabar Bites Cherry Chocolate Chip - June 25, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Larabar

Larabar Bites - Cherry Chocolate Chip

Good

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total package

Calories: 130 calories in 1 serving

Cost: $1.99 for 1 package

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

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate, Cherry and Berry Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Coconut Theme Week.

Today's Cherry Chocolate Chip Larabar Bites were distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc. (Denver, CO). 

These soft, slightly chewy, balls of rich, fruity, chocolate and cherry flavor were gluten free, Non-GMO, vegan and dairy free.

Made with a short, well-balanced list of ingredients (dates, almonds, semisweet chocolate chips, dried cherries, coconut flour, sea salt), these were naturally sweet and satisfying.

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.

KIND - Pressed by Kind - Dark Chocolate Strawberry bar - June 23, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Kind LLC
Pressed by Kind - Dark Chocolate Strawberry bar
Good
Weight: 1.3 oz. (38 g.) in total bar
Calories: 130 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $1.67 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Safeway, Dublin, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate, Cherry and Berries Theme Week.

This Pressed by Kind - Dark Chocolate Strawberry bar was from Kind LLC (New York, NY).

Naturally fruity and sweet, this gluten free, chewy, pressed bar tasted more like dried apples than strawberry or chocolate. And, as it turns out, "apples" was the first ingredient listed.*

*Ingredients: Apples, strawberries, cherries, chia seeds, palm kernel oil, sugar, chicory root fiber, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa powder, soy lecithin, natural flavor, sea salt, cocoa butter