Enjoy Life - No Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mix - Mountain Mambo - July 22, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Enjoy Life Natural Foods, LLC
Not Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mix - Mountain Mambo
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (2 oz.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total package
Calories: 280 calories in 2 servings
Cost: $ missing information
Purchased from: missing information 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week and Day #1 of Chocolate Chip Week.

Today's Not Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mix - Mountain Mambo was from Enjoy Life Natural Foods, LLC (Chicago, IL). The satisfying trail mix style blend contained raw sunflower kernels,  roasted and hulled pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried apples, chocolate chips and cranberries.

The mini chocolate chips* added some chocolate flavor without making the mix too sweet.

When it comes to trail mixes and energy bars, not that many are made in a dedicated gluten free and nut free facility. Happily, this Enjoy Life mix was. So, those with allergies can relax and enjoy a bit more with this snack.

*The Enjoy Life brand also includes a line of chocolate chips and other chocolate-containing snack items.

Larabar - Nut and Seed Crunchy Bar - Peanut Chocolate - July 21, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

Larabar

distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc.

Nut and Seed Crunchy Bar - Peanut Chocolate with Sprouted Chia Seeds

Good

Weight: 1.24 oz. (35 g.) / 4.96 oz. (140 g.) in total box of 4 bars

Calories: 190 calories in 1 bar 

Cost: $1.99 for 1 box of 4 bars

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

Welcome to Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.

Today's Larabar Nut and Seed Crunchy Bar - Peanut Chocolate with Sprouted Chia Seeds (Product of Canada) was distributed by Small Planet Foods, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN).

This Non GMO and Gluten Free bar contained a relatively short list of ingredients: Peanuts, honey, sprouted chia seeds, cacao nibs, maple sugar, almonds, coconut oil, cocoa powder and sea salt.

The bar had a naturally sweet flavor, a crunchy, chewy, slightly seedy texture with hints of nuts (peanuts, almonds) and chocolate. The maker's use of sprouted chia seeds seemed to make these resilient seeds a bit easier to consume and digest. 

Tosi - Cappuccino Crunch Almond SuperBites - July 20, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Tosi
Cappuccino Crunch Almond SuperBites
Good
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.6 oz. (73.7 g.) in total package
Calories: 156 calories in 1/2 package
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1/2 package
Purchased from: Transit Center Cafe, Presidio, San Francisco, CA

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

Today's Cappuccino Crunch Almond Super Bites were from Tosi (Tustin/Anaheim, CA).

The bar broke off into even, rectangular pieces or bites, that had a pleasantly sweet (not too sweet, thank you) seedy crunchiness, with hints of coffee and chocolate.

barkThins - Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt - July 19, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

barkThins

(manufactured by Ripple Brand Collective, LLC)

Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt

Good +

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) in total bar

Calories: 230 calories in 1 serving 

Cost: $3.27 for 1 package

Purchased from: Safeway, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week. Most of the seed items in this year's seed week seem to contain pumpkin seeds. More pumpkin seeds are being used with chocolate and energy bar items; however,  this finding was also linked to what was available in local shops that I hadn't tried before.

Pumpkins originated in the Americas; however most pumpkin seeds are now from pumpkins grown in China.*

Today's Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Seed with Sea Salt from barkThins were manufactured for Ripple Brand Collective, LLC (New York, NY). The brand was acquired by Hershey in 2016.

A generous helping of dry roasted and salted pumpkin seeds were embedded in slim sheets of dark chocolate. The seeds gave this bark a satisfying crunch and contributed a seed flavor and aftertaste.

*Pumpkins are now grown on every continent but Antarctica. While China is likely the top producer of pumpkin seeds; Ukraine, India, the U.S. and Mexico are also significant producers.

R.e.d.d. - Chocolate Superfood Energy Bar - July 18, 2018

Chocolate of the Day: 

R.e.d.d.
Chocolate Superfood Energy Bar
Good
Weight: 2.2 oz. (62 g.) in total package
Calories: 220 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: REI, Mountain View, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Superfood Energy Bar was from R.e.d.d.* (Portland, ME). This protein + energy + vitamin + mineral bar contained a long list of ingredients, including plant/mostly fruit extracts and powders, and yerba mate extract that contained caffeine.

Busy people presumably have a more difficult to find time to cook a healthy meal from scratch. Enter the legion of protein and energy bars on the market, including this one.

This gluten free bar claimed to be 3 products in 1: protein bar + energy shot (1/3 cup coffee) + multi-vitamin. It contained "10 grams of protein, 19 vitamins + minerals, and 35+ grams of natural caffeine," and seeds.

The number one ingredient listed was a Redd vegan protein blend (pumpkin seed protein powder and pea powder) ...followed by agave syrup and oats. The bar also contained organic chia seeds.

The chocolate came in the form of dark chocolate and cocoa powder.

* R.e.d.d. stands for Research Enhanced Design + Development.

Off The Farm - Chocolate Fudge - July 17, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Off the Farm
Dark Chocolate Fudge
Good
Weight: 2.5 oz. (71 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 290 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $3.35 for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Market, Pebble Beach, CA

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

Today's Chocolate Fudge bar was from Off the Farm (Palo Cedro, CA), a company created by a group of family and friends interested in producing a line of healthy bars and offerings that would be good for the planet.

This nutrition bar was packed with fruit (dates and apples), nuts (almonds and cashews), and four different kinds of seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower and chia.

The dark chocolate in this gluten free, vegan and Non-GMO bar came from chocolate chunks and cocoa powder; and slightly chewy fudge bar contained 7 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber.

Flax 4 Life - Chocolate Brownie + bourbon ice cream, whiskey nibs - July 16, 2018

Chocolate of the Day:

Flax 4 Life
Chocolate Brownie (muffin)
Good ++
Weight: 1.16 oz. (33 g.) / 14 oz. (396 g.) in total container
Calories: 140 calories in 1 muffin
Cost: $4.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate, Bourbon and Whiskey Theme Week; and Day #1 of Chocolate and Seeds Theme Week.

Today's mini-muffin shaped Chocolate Brownie from Flax 4 Life (Bellingham, WA) was part dessert and part health-food. (The number one dry ingredient was ground flax seeds.)

Sadly, we may have neutralized some of the health benefits by pairing this cute and delicious muffin with a shot of Bourbon Maple Blondie ice cream sprinkled with whiskey-soaked cacao nibs. The nibs helped add flavor depth and texture and helped balance the creamy, caramel sweetness of the ice cream. Cheers.