Five Star Organics - Ocho Peanut Butter milk chocolate bars - Feb. 9, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Five Star Organics LLC
Ocho Peanut Butter milk chocolate bars

Good

Weight: 1.3 oz. (38 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total package

Calories: 210 calories in 3 pieces

Cost: $ missing information for 1 package of 8 mini bars

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

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's individually-wrapped Ocho Peanut Butter - peanut butter in milk chocolate small bars were from Five Star Organics LLC (Oakland, CA).

These organic, peanutty, miniature candy bars were covered in smooth, creamy milk chocolate and would be easy to share with others. Ocho is the Spanish word for eight. And there were eight little bars in this package.

JoJo's - Peanut Butter Delight bars - Feb. 8, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

JoJo's Chocolate LLC

Peanut Butter Delight bars

Good - Good +

Weight: 1.2 oz. (34 g.) / 8.4 oz. (238 g.) in total package

Calories: 160 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $10.99 for 1 package of 7 bars

Purchased from: Sprouts Farmers Market, Mountain View, CA 

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

Today's package of Peanut Butter Delight bars were from JoJo's Chocolate LLC (Orem, UT).

These satisfying* bark-style, rectangular bars, with just the right amount of crunch, were made of 70 percent dark chocolate, peanuts, hemp protein, peanut flour, sea salt, and "organic peanut butter flavoring oil."

While not individually wrapped, these bars would be great on a hike. Wrap them in some dry greens, or tuck them into a tiffin or bento box or baggie. They'll fit right in with almost any snack choices, and as long as they're protected from heat and, as with any chocolate, the possibility of melting in your pocket.

*Each dark chocolate bar contained only 6 grams of sugar (and no other sweeteners). And the 6 grams of protein helped fulfill the company's tagline "kick the craving." 

DZA Brands, LLC - Peanut Butter Chocolate Gelato - Feb. 7, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

DZA Brands, LLC
taste of inspirations - Peanut Butter Chocolate Naturally Flavored Gelato
Good
Weight: 1/3 cup (53 g.) / 16 fl. oz. (1 Pint) ( 473 mL) in total container
Calories: 135 calories in 1/3 cup
Cost: $2.99 (estimate) for 1 container
Purchased from: Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Palo Alto, CA

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

This morning's "taste of inspirations" Peanut Butter Chocolate Naturally Flavored Gelato was from DZA Brands, LLC (Salisbury, NC).

It offered subtle chocolate and peanut butter flavor and a relatively creamy, uniform texture with a very slightly granular mouthfeel.

Justin's - Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Organic - Feb. 6, 2019

Chocolate of the Day:

Justin's
Organic Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Good +++
Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 4.7 oz. (133 g.) in total package
Calories: 210 calories in one (3-piece) serving
Cost: $5.19 for 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA 

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

True confession: I had a childhood love affair with chocolate peanut butter cups. And I still like them a lot. However, making my own became more appealing as I grew older, and as I started reading ingredient labels. Fortunately, there were others who felt the same way.

Today's Organic Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups from Justin's (Boulder, CO) were a yummy, adult version of a childhood milk chocolate classic.

Each individually-wrapped little dark chocolate cup was filled with authentic tasting peanut butter; and the packaging and size made them a bit more shareable and transportable than their full-sized counterparts. (Justin's also makes full-sized dark and milk chocolate peanut butter cups—and full-sized almond butter and cashew butter cups as well.)

And, yes, there really is a "Justin" behind Justin's. Founder Justin Gold got his start by developing his own nut butters, and then started to sell these at the Boulder Farmers' Market. Nut butters led to nut butter cups...And the rest, as they say, is history. Justin's products can now be found far and wide in the U.S.

These gluten free peanut butter cups contained peanuts and soy.

Theo Chocolate - peanut butter and jelly chocolate clusters - Feb. 5, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

Theo Chocolate 

peanut butter and jelly chocolate clusters

Good +

Weight: 1.4 oz. (40 g.) / 2.8 oz. (80 g.) in total package

Calories: 220 calories in 1 serving (5 pieces)

Cost: $3.93 for 1 package

Purchased from: REI, Mountain View, CA 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Raspberry Theme Week, and Day #2 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's peanut butter and jelly chocolate clusters were distributed by Theo Chocolate (Seattle, WA).

These gluten-free* clusters contained a jumble of ingredients besides elements of the aforementioned peanut butter (peanuts and peanut flour) and jelly (freeze-dried raspberries), including coconut, dates and sweet potatoes. (Yes, sweet potatoes.)

These Organic, mini hay-stack shaped chocolate clusters had a chocolate and coconut aroma. They provided a hearty and sweet blend of coconut, nutty and berry-fruit textures and flavors, with an occasional tiny sparkle of pink salt.

Marketed as an "Excellent source of iron" with 200 mg** of cocoa flavanols per serving, these Non GMO and Kosher Dairy snacks would transport reasonably well during a hike or adventure. Just keep them away from direct sun and high temperatures, as you would any chocolate.

*For those watching allergens, these chocolate clusters did contain peanuts and coconut. They were free of ingredients containing soy, wheat or gluten, but were manufactured on shared equipment with products containing soy, milk, eggs, wheat and other tree nuts.

**Flavanols are phytonutrients found in cocoa beans. And flavanol levels in chocolate can vary due to many factors. According to USDA database figures, unsweetened baking chocolate has about 206 milligrams (mg) of flavanols per 100 grams of chocolate. As sugar is added and cacao percentages drop, the flavanol levels tend to drop as well. Some dark chocolates may contain only half this 206 mg amount. Commercial milk chocolate may contain less than 20 mg of flavanols per 100 grams of chocolate. 

By this standard, the 200 milligram number for a single 40 gram serving of today's chocolate clusters is fairly high. And it's not clear why this dark chocolate might have been higher than average. Cacao origin, processing and other factors can play a role. (The 200 mg number is also tied to European Union (EU) threshold requirements about advertising around what constitutes"healthy chocolate" and claims of circulatory and heart benefits. To make these claims a chocolate must contain at least 200 mg. of flavanols.)

Whole Foods - Raspberry Beret trail mix - February 4, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

365 Everyday Value (Whole Foods Market brand)
Raspberry Beret Trail Mix
Good ++
Weight: 1/4 cup (28 g.) / 14 oz. (397 g.) in total package
Calories: 150 calories in 1/4 cup serving
Cost: $6.99 for 1 package
Purchased from: Whole Foods Market, Palo Alto, CA

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Raspberry Theme Week, and Day #1 of Chocolate and Peanuts Theme Week.

Today's Raspberry Beret Trail Mix was made in Canada and distributed by Whole Foods Market (Austin, TX). This sweet and salty snack/trail mix was full of crunchy roasted, salted peanuts and roasted almonds.

Organic dark chocolate chips—and raspberries (raspberries, sugar, rice flour, ascorbic acid)—provided a sweeter, darker, and softer taste and texture component, with the raspberries adding an occasional micro-burst of tart-sweet, natural berry flavor.

For those with allergies, this mix contained peanuts, almonds, soy and milk. It did not contain gluten-containing ingredients but was made in a shared facility.

le Preziose - fruit jellies with raspberry covered in milk chocolate - Feb. 3, 2019

Chocolate of the Day: 

le Preziose
"fruit jellies with raspberry covered in milk Chocolate"
Good
Weight: 1.625 oz. (46 g.) / 5.3 oz. (150 g.) in total package of 15 pieces
Calories: 190 calories in 1 serving (4 pieces)
Cost: $6.49 in 1 package
Purchased from: The Market at Edgewood, Palo Alto, CA

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

Today's le Preziose "fruit jellies with raspberry covered in milk Chocolate" were made in Italy, and produced by Silagum s.r.l. (Lamezia Terme, Italy).

These individually-wrapped milk chocolates were candy-level sweet.