Chocolate Kalenola - Oct. 15, 2013

Chocolate of the Day:

Just Pure Foods
KALEnola - Chocolate
Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) in 1 package
Calories: 270 calories in 1 package
Cost: $7.00 (on sale) for 1 package
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Hemp Theme Week.

There are several different chocolate breakfast cereals available in the U.S. However, very few of them are made of leafy greens -- in this case, kale.

I enjoyed my bowl of vegan and gluten-free "Just Pure Foods" Chocolate Kalenola with cashew milk. This nutritious "green granola" was full of crunchy texture, from hemp, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, as well as sprouted buckwheat and shredded coconut.

Suitable for either a cereal or a snack, the Kalenola was lightly sweetened with coconut palm sugar. Not too sweet, it was just about right for my taste.

Askinosie - Happy Hemp Seeds bar - Oct. 14, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Askinosie Chocolate
Toasted Happy Hemp Seeds and Roasted Cocoa Beans bar
Good +
Weight: .75 oz. (21.25 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total bar
Calories: 120 calories in 1/4 bar
Cost: $9.00 (estimate) for 1 bar
Purchased from: The Chocolate Garage, Palo Alto, CA

Today was the second day of Chocolate and Hemp Theme Week.

The full name of today's CollaBARation bar from Askinosie Chocolate (Springfield, MO), was the "Toasted Happy Hemp Seeds and Roasted Cocoa Beans Become Best Buds in a Chill Chocolate Bar." A long name. But it did accurately describe the texture and flavor of this bar.

The toasted hemp seeds (from Happy Hemp in Austin, TX) added a substantial crunch; and the roasted cacao beans infused the dark chocolate base with a smoky, well-done taste. Lots of flavor for a four-ingredient bar (cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, toasted hemp seeds, cocoa butter). I thought there might be just a faint hint of sea salt, but there was no salt listed in the ingredients.

Thunderbird Energetica - Cacao Hemp Mint bar - Oct. 13, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Thunderbird Energetica
Cacao Hemp Walnut bar with mint
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.7 oz. (48 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 195 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $ 2.39 in 1 bar
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #7 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Hemp Theme Week.

Did you say Hemp?

Yes, but let me be clear. When I said hemp, I'm referring to hemp seeds, hemp milk and/or hemp fiber used to make clothing, twine and other goods.

I won't be featuring a recipe for Alice Toklas brownies, or psychoactive chocolate bars riddled with THC this week. Some of you will be disappointed by this clarification, others relieved. Chocolate has enough interesting chemical properties related to pleasure receptors that I believe it can stand on its own in this regard.

Industrial hemp (the "it's-not-marijuana" description currently in vogue) has been in the news lately. Last month (September 2013), the U.S. Department of Justice appeared to be relaxing its stance on states growing industrial hemp. It may become legal again to practice non-drug cannabis cultivation in the U.S. in the future. (According to one article I read, the U.S. currently imports $300 million worth of industrial hemp. So, why not grow it in ex-tobacco states like Kentucky and create jobs here, the logic goes.)

This may be good news, as toasted hemp seeds can be tasty; and hemp milk (made from hemp seeds) is one of the better tasting "filks" (fake milks) on the market. So, could we see hemp seeds in more chocolate bars in the future? Maybe.

Back to Thunderbird Energetica

Today's Cacao Hemp Walnut with Mint bar, from Thunderbird Energetica (Austin, TX), was loaded with complex flavors: the moist texture, and slightly fruity flavor of dates, the rich flavors of cacao and coconut, the satisfying small chunks of walnut, and an occasional sparkle of fresh mint. The hemp seeds may have lent a mild nutty taste to this bar. It was difficult to pick them out specifically.

The Thunderbird Energetica line of energy bars is the creation of Taylor and Katie Thunder, and they've been offering a range of vegan, dairy free, soy-free and gluten-free bars -- with mostly organic ingredients. The text on the (compostable) wrapper on my bar also indicated that this batch contained no added sugars, was all natural and non-GMO,...and was shaman-blessed and agave-free.

That's a lot of "non's" on one wrapper -- and a good example of how new health foods become established in the early stages. "We're against, or not like, the established products!" they seem to shout. I'm grateful for healthy, good-tasting food. I'm also waiting for the "with" language, and healthier products for all, to become the new norm.

Hail Merry Miracle Tart - Chocolate Mint - Oct. 12, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Hail Merry LLC
Miracle Tart - Chocolate Mint
Good + - Very Good
Weight: 3 oz. (85 g.) for 1 tart
Calories: 380 calories for 1 tart
Cost: $3.99 for 1 tart
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Los Altos, CA

Today was Day #6 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

Thankfully, gluten-free tart, tort and pie options have multiplied in the past decade. More important, there are better tasting and healthier alternatives now available.

Being able to buy today's gluten-free Chocolate Mint Miracle Tart from Hail Merry LLC (Dallas, TX) with a great-tasting, crunchy dark crust and a satiny chocolate mint filling was, well, almost miraculous.

All hail things chocolate and gluten free. All hail Hail Merry.

Goodbody - Mint Chocolate Chip - Oct. 11, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Goodbody Baked Goods
Mint Chocolate Chip cookie bites
Good +
Weight: 1.35 oz. (38.3 g.) / 5 oz. (140 g.) total package
Calories: 167 calories (estimate) in 5 pieces
Cost: $5.99 (estimate) for 1 package
Purchased from: Abe's Market, online order

Today was Day #5 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

These gluten-free, Mint Chocolate Chip cookie bites from Goodbody Baked Goods (Boulder, CO), were soft with just the right degree of softness and slight chewiness.

The small, square-shaped bites were sweet, without being too sweet. They were, in fact, labeled as low-glycemic treats. (The ingredients listed included almond flour, coconut flour, chocolate chips, coconut nectar, eggs, and peppermint flavoring.)

Seth Ellis - Dark Chocolate Mint Cups - Oct. 10, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

Seth Ellis Chocolatier
Dark Chocolate Mint Cups
Good
Weight: .375 oz. (10.6 g.) / 1.5 oz. (42 g.) total package of 2 cups
Calories: 50 calories in 1/2 cup
Cost: $1.69 for 1 package of 2 cups
Purchased from: Whole Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #4 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

How do you start your day? This morning I started mine with a light breakfast, and part of a Sun Cups Dark Chocolate Mint Cup from Seth Ellis Chocolatier (Boulder, CO).

These dark cups contained a peppermint-flavored white chocolate filling; and the organic, nut free and gluten free cups may provide a chocolate candy alternative for those who can't eat nuts.

John and Kira's Mint square - Oct. 9, 2013

Chocolate of the Day: 

John and Kira's
Drew Elementary Garden Mint chocolate
Very Good
Weight: .383 oz. (10.86 g.) in 1 piece / 5.75 oz. (163 g.) in total box
Calories: 57 calories (estimate) in 1 piece
Cost: $ part of larger assortment (Figs + Every Flavor) box set
Purchased from: John and Kira's, online order

Today was Day #3 of Chocolate and Mint Theme Week.

John and Kira's (Philadelphia, PA) 15-piece "Every Flavor Collection" box was a grand sampler (10 different flavors). Made with Valrhona chocolate, these pieces showcased ingredients from
small producers/farmers and local gardens.

Today's Drew Elementary Garden Mint square, filled with a creamy mint ganache (filling), was named after mint grown at a local school garden. Students learn about the growing process, and funds from mint sales to John and Kira's help fund the continued operation of school gardens.

Flavors were fresh and natural tasting, and the ganache was smooth and flavorful. The Valrhona chocolate shell was thinner (than the company's ladybugs, bees, mushrooms, and other molded shapes) -- a plus. A thinner shell meant I could taste more of the ganache.