Category Archives: foodstuffs

Choc & Nut Spread

Recently I was sent a jar of hazelnut/cashew/cocoa spread called Choc & Nut to sample and share with you lovely readers. I was delighted to find that Choc & Nut is similar to other chocolate hazelnut butters I’ve grown to know and love, with a slightly different ingredient list.

Ingredients: cane sugar, soja (soy) protein, hazelnut 14.66%, cashew 12.15%, copra (coconut) oil, cocoa 5.61%, vanilla extracts, agar-agar.

What makes this spread stand out to me is that–along with hazelnuts– it contains cashews, where most other store bought varieties I’ve encountered include almonds or sometimes even peanuts.

The intense flavor of this spread is delicious: it’s rich, with a very deep cocoa undertone, and the most prominent flavor I recognize is definitely hazelnuts; an excellent quality to have in a chocolate-nut based spread, in my humble opinion. I also really enjoy the texture. It contains agar and sugar, so I *think* the addition of these two ingredients helps lend a stretchy, almost caramel-like pull to the spread, making it perfect for dipping or pouring (think fresh strawberries and milkshakes), as well as spreading onto graham crackers or pumpkin bread (yep, it’s as delicious as it sounds). However; the company credits “conching” to this addictive texture:

Choc & Nut is a traditionally made USDA Organic and vegan hazelnut/cashew/cocoa spread. It is palm oil free and lecithin free. the process relies in carefully selected and wholesome ingredients. Preparation includes conching, as in chocolate making, for unsurpassed texture.

Choc & Nut also makes a wonderful addition to ice cream (I highly recommend dark chocolate or a simple vanilla with a dash of nutmeg) and my son raved about it inside of a Choc & Nut butter and banana panini. Yes.

I do warn you though,  at just under 8 ounces, if you’re likely use this product as an ingredient for baking or candymaking rather than straight eating out of the container, you’ll want to double up on your order…

 Vegan Cuts is offering a great deal on it right now. For $19.00 US dollars you can grab yourself 3 jars! Also, if you order before 10/31/2012 you can receive a 10% discount by entering the code: BLOGFRIEND

 

 

 

Emmy’s Organics

A little while back, I was sent a lovely package from the owners of Emmy’s Organics, an excellent up and coming company dedicated to producing delicious goodies that are made in a dedicated vegan and gluten free facility. From their website:

Our Mission

At emmy’s we are committed to YOU having it all. We pride ourselves on the quality, creativity & sustainability of the products we offer. In respect for our bodies & the earth, we use the finest non-GMO ingredients in everything we make & biodegradable, earth-friendly resources for our packaging. Our food is derived from nature, which in return nourishes us in the best way possible. Vegan & Gluten-free foods are our passion, so you can always feel good about choosing emmy’s. All of our goods are made in a certified vegan & gluten-free kitchen.

Cool, huh? Well, after learning a little more about their company (which got its start in the co-creator, Ian’s, mother’s kitchen), I was not at all surprised to find that their products were just as great as the company’s ethics. I was able to sample two types of granola, chocolate sauce, and five flavors of their macaroons. These products are not only vegan and gluten-free, they are also raw! I especially love this aspect because, as I’ve mentioned in many previous posts, I would consider myself a raw food devotee–even though I still eat the cooked stuff too. Balance, baby.

Here’s my thoughts on emmy’s:

The Granola: I had two varieties to choose from: Apricot Flax and Original. They both had a ton of delicious, fresh tasting ingredients and a ton of flavor. Unlike other gluten-free granola I have tasted, this packed the crunch and punch of the granola that I have come to expect since growing up with the regular omnivorous varieties. There is no puffed rice, no corn, no oats!!, and no added sugars in this granola–only sprouted buckwheat, fruits, nuts and seeds that made this some of the best packaged granola I have ever eaten.

The Chocolate Sauce: I seriously put this chocolate sauce on just about anything I could find. It was unbelievably rich in chocolate flavor, and I had to keep looking at the label to make sure it was indeed a raw product. It tasted exactly like a favorite–definitely not raw nor healthy–brand of chocolate sauce that I used to devour back in the day… only better. It worked beautifully stirred into ice cream (add some crumbled up macaroons and it’s pretty much Heaven), drizzled onto my famous Apple Nachos, as a fun addition to a peanut butter banana panini, and it went effortlessly along with my family and I on a picnic with its resealable and reusable packaging. Definitely a keeper, and great to have around for when those random chocolate cravings strike!

The Macaroons: As I mentioned, I got to try a whopping 5 flavors of these wonderful macaroons: Choco-Orange, Mint Chip, Coconut Vanilla, and Chai Spice, and I truly adored every flavor. My favorites were the Mint Chip and Chai Spice, mostly due to the fact that the flavors were very prominent, and the coconut taste seemed more of an undertone. Whereas in the Coconut Vanilla and Choco-Orange, the coconut seemed to dominate, which is apropos for a macaroon.

If you are not familiar with emmy’s delicious products, you certainly should get acquainted soon. You can thank me later.

Emmy’s also sells a variety of other products that are deliciously vegan, gluten-free and raw. Check them out and spread the love. Their simple and dare I say “hip” (environmentally friendly) packaging is cute enough to give even as a gift!

 

 

Blue Mountain Organics Cashew Ice Cream

 

A while back I was contacted by Blue Mountain Organics to see if I would be interested in reviewing their newest line of cashew based ice creams. I am already a big fan of raw desserts, so after one look at the ingredients, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed.

From their website:

• Rich and Creamy
• Dairy-Free, Vegan
• USDA Certified Organic
• Raw, More Digestible
• Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, GMO-Free
• Agave Sweetened, Low Glycemic Index
• A Peanut-Free and Dairy-Free Facility

When the ice cream arrived, I had the choice of 3 flavors to dive into: Cappuccino, Mint Cacao Chip and Chocolate. Of course, I went straight for the Mint Cacao Chip flavor because it’s my favorite, and I’m not too fond of Chocolate Ice Cream in general…plus my husband was eying the Cappuccino.

We each dug into our flavor of choice and met each others’ eyes with an astonished look. This ice cream wasn’t only good, it was phenomenal. Their Mint Cacao Chip was in fact the best mint chocolate ice cream I have ever tasted, and since mint chocolate chip is my all-time favorite ice cream flavor, I have tasted a LOT. The ice cream itself was not overly minty and the cacao nibs pebbled throughout were pure gastronomical genius–the perfect balance of deep dark chocolate flavor with a refreshing mint based finish.

My husband was equally enamored with the Cappuccino flavor and we both agreed it had a very pleasant, not too overpowering coffee flavor which would be perfect in a mocha flavored milkshake. I was about to pass on the Chocolate altogether, but after trying the other flavors and falling head over heels, I couldn’t resist a taste. And then another. I was giddy to find that I even enjoyed their chocolate flavor. Since Blue Mountain only uses raw ingredients and agave as a sweetener, it didn’t taste artificial or overly chocolatey at all. Just right in my opinion. We easily crushed those three containers in just two days, and have been craving more ever since. You can order yours here if you’d like to see for yourself just how delicious this ice cream is.

Blue Mountain Organics is a small family-owned and operated business nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the famous Crooked Road Music Trail in Floyd, VA. We are a premier provider of gourmet, vegan, certified organic, raw and sprouted superfoods. Blue Mountain provided the product for this review and are generously offering a discount code for readers of this site. Just visit here and use the discount code “BLOG” to receive 10% off your purchase!