Everyone's crazy about Chocolate this time of the year so I thought I'd share a few of my favorite (Chocolate) things.
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| Justin's Organic Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups |
The day I discovered Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups was one of the happiest days of my life. Well, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but not much. Since going vegan I find that I sometimes miss things that I never thought I cared about - things I hardly ate before I shifted my diet. After years of not touching a peanut butter cup, one day I suddenly had a craving for one. I think it was Halloween and there was a commercial on TV (in addition to those cute little bags of them being everywhere I went). Knowing what goes into them, I easily curbed my craving, but I wished for a healthier, more humane version. Then one day, voila! I was roaming the aisles of Whole Foods (what I do for fun) checking out new-to-me products and I happened upon these little beauties! I immediately bought one because, though I had often eschewed sugar and chocolate in my earlier days, I wanted to know that being vegan wasn't holding me back from such an indulgence. Plus, I was feeling a little reminiscent about my childhood (something which has been happening way too often lately).
I immediately checked out and eagerly opened the package, pinning all my hopes and dreams on these two little chocolate peanut butter cups. My whole childhood was riding on this moment. I prayed that it was good. But really, could it not be?! With chocolate and peanut butter, how could it go wrong? I bit into the first one and . . . oh man, I was hooked. It was even better than I remembered and I don't think it was just because I hadn't eaten one in years. I think it's because it was made with high quality ingredients and, dare I say, love? A girl can dream, can't she? If you haven't tried these little gems yet, do yourself a favor and head to your nearest health food store, Costco (not if you're in Michigan, at least not yet), Whole Foods Market, or specialty grocer and pick up some
Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups.
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| So Delicious Coconut Almond Minis Bars |
I think I went through a period of my life where I was addicted to these things. And I might have even passed that on to my parents (not vegans). Every time I went over their house, I would buy these and we'd all eat them together. Sometimes more than one box was necessary at a time.
These cute little pops have it all - crunch from the almonds and the hard chocolate shell, creaminess from the coconut milk ice cream inside, and the decadence of chocolate. When you put them all into one amazing bite after another, it's easy to see why I was addicted. If you are new to non-dairy desserts or even if you are a dairy lover, try these out. They're not kidding when they say
So Delicious!
Wondering if they're gluten free? Kosher? Non-GMO project verified? Certified Vegan? Yes, yes, yes and yes!
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| Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss Chocolate Walnut Brownie |
If you are a serious chocolate lover, this one is for you! If you love layer upon layer of rich, chocolatey flavor combined with the baked bliss of delicious brownies and the crunch and health benefits (oh yeah, we can pretend this is a health food) of walnuts, this is your new best friend.
I first tried
Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss at Vida Vegan Con in 2013. The food at that conference was incredible. There was a big buffet for every meal and you'd get stuffed just trying to sample everything. And just when you thought you were done, they'd come by handing out the most amazing ice creams and popsicles! Yes, so amazing that you'd risk getting sick to your oh-so-full stomach just so that you could eat them.
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| Endangered Species Vegan Chocolate Bar with Cranberries & Almonds |
Endangered Species Chocolate will always hold a special place in my heart because it was one of the first vegan chocolates I found. You don't have to be a vegan to enjoy them. I used to buy them for my (non-vegan) dad and mom and they loved them. Vegan Endangered Species Chocolate bars were a staple in the Christmas stockings at our house. The Dark Chocolate with Cranberries & Almonds is a particular favorite of ours. The crunch of the almonds combined with the fruitiness of the cranberries really complement the dark chocolate well. And you feel like you just had some super foods combined together in one delicious package. I just learned that they have new filled bars too! Time to hit the grocery store.
Who doesn't like chocolate that's Rainforest Alliance Certified, Non-GMO Project Verified, Gluten Free, ethical trade, certified kosher and certified vegan? Plus, on top of that 10% of the net profits are donated to help support species, habitat and humanity.
Not all varieties are vegan, so check for the
Vegan Certification on the back. This is really great if you are a super strict, super skeptical vegan (and even if you're not) because Vegan Certification means that the product: "(does) not contain meat, fish, fowl, animal by-products (including silk or dyes from insects), eggs or egg products, milk or milk products; involve no animal testing of ingredients or finished product by supplier, producer, manufacturer or independent party; provide supplier verification that animal products were not used in the manufacturing of ingredients; contain no known animal-derived GMOs or genes used to manufacture ingredients or finished products" Also, the 'Certified Vegan' label means no sugar that is refined though bone char and any companies that use sugar in their products must send a statement from the sugar supplier that guarantees that they do not use animal products in the production of the sugar.
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| Larabar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip |
The humble
Larabar has helped me through many a workday, travel adventure or unexpected hunger pangs. They're convenient, portable, tasty, and made with real ingredients! Imagine that! My favorite flavor is cherry pie, but when you're in the mood for chocolate, the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip bar really hits the spot! I think peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Whereas Chocolate Walnut Brownie Coconut Bliss is an indulgence, this bar is more like an everyday food, but no less delicious because of it.
The Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Larabar is made with Fair Trade Certified ingredients, gluten free, kosher and vegan. The Larabars containing chocolate chips (not including the Uber ones which are not vegan) do not say 'vegan' on them like the other Larabars, but this is because "while no dairy products are used to make our chocolate chips, they are made on a line which also produces chocolate chips made with dairy products. Due to the potential for cross-contact between the types of chocolate chips made at the facility, the chips we use may contain trace amounts of dairy from those other chips."
What are your favorite vegan chocolates?
Note: I did not receive any compensation or free products for writing this, except for the free ice cream mentioned last year at Vida Vegan Con and that came with no strings attached!
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