XO Baking Co. - Double Chocolate Chip Cookies - Jan. 24, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

XO Baking Co.
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Good++- Very Good
Weight: 2.65 oz. (75 g.) / 15 oz. (425 g.) in total box of mix
Calories: 270 calories (estimate) in 4 cookies
Cost: $5.99 for 1 box of mix
Purchased from: HomeGoods/T.J. Maxx, Santa Clara, CA

Welcome to Day #4 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookies Theme Week.

These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies were from XO Baking Co. (Woodland Hills, CA).

Solid chocolate with chocolate chips—not surprisingly today's XO cookies offered the most chocolatey tasting gluten-free cookies yet this week.

These buttery dark beauties were crispy and slightly chewy, providing textural appeal for both crunchy and soft cookie fans.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Milton's - Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies - Jan. 23, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Milton's Baking Company
Milton's Craft Bakery
Gluten Free Soft Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies
Good
Weight: .74 oz. (21 g.) / 5.9 oz. (168 g.) in total box
Calories: 90 calories in 1 cookie
Cost: $1.99 for 1 box of 8 cookies
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookies Theme Week.

Milton's Baking Company (Carlsbad, CA) offers a line of gluten-free crackers and cookies. Today's Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies came packaged in a box of 8.

These soft-baked cookies held their shape, weren't too crumbly and, as promised, had a soft bite and slight chewiness to them. A fairly generous sprinkling of chocolate chips added some rich flavor and melt in a sea of cookie sweetness.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Goodie Girl - Quinoa Choco-Chip Cookies - Jan. 22, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Goodie Girl Inc.
Quinoa Choco-Chip Cookies
Good +
Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 6 oz. (170 g.) in total bag
Calories: 130 calories in 2 cookies
Cost: $1.99 for 1 bag
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today was Day #2 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookies.

I sampled two Quinoa Choco-Chip Cookies from Goodie Girl Inc. (NYC).

The upbeat, colorful (resealable) Goodie Girl package set the stage. Enter company founder, Shira Berk. She had a decade-long career in punk rock PR*, a stint as a plus-size fashion model, and has a cafe in Manhattan.

She's juggled family and work, and focused on mastering "the perfect dose of sugar." Give this woman a hand; she knows how to live life fully. Like many entrepreneurs, I hope she also is able to squeeze in a rest now and then.

To the marketing tagline "Just the right amount of wrong," I would add: and just the right amount of crunch. these cookies were flatter and crunchier (and less crumbly) than most gluten-free cookies. And sometimes you just need something with a buttery snap to satisfy that urge to crunch.

These semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies were certified gluten-free and made with a gluten-free flour blend that included white rice flour, quinoa flour, corn starch and tapioca flour.

*Her closing words/advice on the packaging: "Eat up and rock-on." Words to live by. Thanks, I'll give it my best shot.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Among Friends - phil 'em up, cj's double chocolate cookie mixes - Jan. 21, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Among Friends, LLC
Phil 'em up Chocolate Cranberry Cookie Mix
Good +
Weight: 2.26 oz. (64 g.) in 3 prepared cookies/ 14 oz. (397 g.) in 1 package of dry mix
Calories: 280 calories (estimate) in 3 prepared cookies
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package of mix
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Among Friends, LLC
CJ's Double Chocolate Cookie Mix
Good +
Weight: 2 oz. (56 g.) in 3 prepared cookies/ 12.4 oz. (352 g.) in 1 package of dry mix
Calories: 220 calories (estimate) in 3 prepared cookies
Cost: $2.99 for 1 package of mix
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #1 of Chocolate and Gluten Free Cookie Theme Week.

I'm kicking off this week with two gluten-free cookie mixes from Among Friends, LLC (Ann Arbor, MI). Nothing smells better than freshly baked goods coming out of an oven.

Among Friends is the creation of two friends: Suzie Miller and Lizann Anderson. These two moms (who had six kids and seven pets between them) had a common vision: "Happy healthy whole grain."

The founders named each cookie or cake mix after someone they knew; Phil and CJ are friends.

The phil 'em up, gluten-free oatmeal cookies were studded chocolate chips and whole dried cranberries, and had a slight, sweet coconut flavor. Oat flour and rolled oats gave these cookies a satisfying, slightly chewy, hearty texture.

cj's double chocolate cookies had an earthy, brownie chocolate flavor, and were lighter in texture and sugar than one would expect. (This second mix also contained two eggs vs. one egg in the oatmeal cookies.)

Finding cookies that aren't overly sweet (made with high-quality ingredients you want to taste) is always a win in my book.

Both these mixes were made with certified gluten free and non-GMO verified ingredients.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Three Twins Ice Cream - Banana Nut Confetti - Jan. 20, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Three Twins Ice Cream
Banana Nut Confetti ice cream
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (85 g.) / 1 Pint (473 g.) in total container
Calories: 180 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $1.99 for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

Today's chocolate came in the form of chocolate chips. More specifically, it was part of a scoop of Banana Nut Confetti organic banana ice cream from Three Twins Ice Cream (Petaluma, CA).

I'm a fan of Three Twins ice creams -- a local San Francisco Bay Area ice cream brand. There's more of the good stuff (organic ingredients), and less of the stuff we don't really need (like preservatives, gums, etc.).

The Banana Nut Confetti ice cream was a little lighter than the caramelized banana chip gelato from yesterday, but just as enjoyable. And who doesn't like some relatively healthy ice cream with chocolate confetti* on a gray winter day? Count me in. The specks of confetti allow for more chocolate flavor accessibility (than larger, frozen chunks of chocolate).

Tiny bits of walnut rounded out the flavors nicely; nuts often helps balance out the sweetness of fruit and sugar and add some texture and richness.

Today was Day #8 of Chocolate and Banana Theme Week.

*Today's Banana Nut Confetti joins Chocolate Orange Confetti and Vanilla Chocolate Chip flavors in the Three Twins confetti hall of fame.

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Haagen-Dazs - Caramelized Banana Chip Gelato - Jan. 19, 2016

Chocolate of the Day:

Haagen-Dazs
Caramelized Banana Chip Gelato
Good - Good +
Weight: 1/2 cup (105 g.) / 14 fl. oz. (414 g.) in total container
Calories: 260 calories in 1/2 cup serving
Cost: $4.79 for 1 container
Purchased from: Piazza's Fine Foods, Palo Alto, CA

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

I'm ending Banana Week with two more frozen desserts—the first is from the Eastern U.S., and tomorrow's (bonus Day #8 entry) hails from the West.

Today's Caramelized Banana Chip Gelato "Italian Style Dessert" was from Haagen-Dazs (a division of Nestle Ice Cream, that originated in the Bronx, NY).

I couldn't resist piling this gelato atop fresh banana slices. I was hoping to create an homage to a large exotic looking (maroon-colored) banana flower. Instead it looked like a tribute to cartoon character Marge Simpson* and her famous, if slightly askew, beehive hairdo.

No matter. This caramelized banana gelato with chocolate chips was sweet, creamy and delicious with a hint of bananas foster** flavor. You could serve this gelato with sauteed or flambeed banana slices and whipped cream if you wish; however, I'd suggest eating it unembellished. You don't really need chocolate sauce and toppings here. And, the chocolate chips provide periodic bursts of chocolate flavor already.

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*Marge Simpson is the lovable wife of cartoon protagonist Homer Simpson, on the long-running television cartoon series, The Simpsons, that debuted in 1989. Marge sports a very tall tower of beehive-style hair, that sometimes seems to lean to one side.

**Bananas Foster is a dessert—made with bananas, vanilla ice cream, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and dark rum—that became famous at Brennan's Restaurant in New Orleans, LA. This was a city that served as a destination port for bananas coming into the U.S. in that time, and perhaps an example of taking advantage of "local" ingredients. I saw this dish flamboyantly prepared at a restaurant many years ago in the southeastern U.S.; and my fascination grew as the server lit it on fire. 

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.

Theo Chocolate - Kids' Whole Grain Crunch Banana bar - Jan. 18, 2016

Chocolate of the Day: 

Theo Chocolate
Kids' Whole Grain Crunch Banana bar
Good - Good +
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) in 1 bar
Calories: 150 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $2.19 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Country Sun Natural Foods, Palo Alto, CA

Theo Chocolate, Inc. (Seattle, WA) makes a wide variety of chocolate bars. But, this was the first small kids* bar I'd seen or tasted. The small bar size will likely appeal to kids and grown-ups.

If you ever loved the crisp rice embedded in a milk chocolate bar (think Nestle Crunch), you should try today's Kids' Whole Grain Crunch Banana bar from Theo Chocolate, Inc. (Seattle, WA).

This updated version of a crunch bar was certified fair trade and organic, and made with (still sweet) 45% milk chocolate. The traditional rice crisps have been replaced by puffed brown rice and quinoa. There's also a whisper of subtle banana flavor and texture (from bits of freeze-dried banana).

Happily there are some missing ingredients as well, such as certain preservatives and additives.

And, no need to fear the term "whole grains" if you're gluten-free. There is brown rice and quinoa, but no wheat or barley ingredients.

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

*Theo Chocolate's milk chocolate Kids' Whole Grain Crunch Banana bar was one of three, smaller-sized, flavored kids' whole grain crunch bars that Theo rolled out in 2015. (Other flavors include Almond dark chocolate and Raspberry dark chocolate.) 

The content and images in this post belong to ChocolateBanquet.com.