More Vegan Reviews: Chocolate, Stevia, Sprouts, and More

Theo Chocolate - I tried the Salted Almond Dark Chocolate bar and the Orange Dark Chocolate bar. Both were delicious, and really good sized. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I did love the chunks of almonds in the first bar. Lately I have loved baking with flavored chocolate bars. I used part of the orange one here to make some delicious orange-scented chocolate chunk cookies. But I can attest to the fact that both flavors are also delicious on their own.  Another thing I really love about this company is that they are on the Food Empowerment Project's list of chocolate they recommend. You can learn more about what that means here. 

Canary Confectionery - First of all, isn't the name and logo for this Chicago-based bakery cute? Everything they make is vegan (of course) and gluten-free. I had never tried any gluten-free cookies or brownies, so I enjoyed getting a chance to sample them. It is great that more and more gluten free stuff is available for people with sensitivities. And of course I love that all of their products are also cruelty-free. I tried the Raspberry Truffles (these practically melt in your mouth!), a Chocolate Chip Cookie, a Sugar Cookie, a Chocolate-Drizzled Raspberry Brownie, and a Chocolate-Dipped Brownie. If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be one of the brownies. I loved how they were dipped in chocolate. Speaking of chocolate, the cocoa flavor of these was really rich and delicious. They also have a beautiful presentation. I also liked how the size of these is also just right. Be sure to check this company out online, or if you are ever in Chicago.

Bumble Bar - Despite the name, these are vegan (and also gluten-free)! Check out this funny video to learn more about what makes these bars unique. I tried the Junior Bars in Amazing Almond, Original Peanut, Chocolate Crisp. They were all really good, but the chocolate or peanut were probably my favorite. These are very seedy bars and they taste a lot like sesame (the main ingredient is sesame seeds). It was a little different at first, but I thought they were pretty good. I also like the fact that they aren't heavily processed and don't include any fake ingredients.

Moonlight Micro-Farm - With spring just around the corner, this the perfect time to plan your garden. This Etsy store has a wonderful array of heirloom and organic seeds. I really encourage you to check out the site if you are a gardener. Everything is beautifully photographed with lots of helpful information provided. You can also visit them on Facebook. If you are impatient for the growing season to begin and are craving something fresh and homegrown, check out the sprouting seeds and kits they offer. That's what I tried out. Sprouting is one of those things that sounds intimidating but really isn't. It doesn't take much work at all, and in less than a week you will be eating fresh, crunchy sprouts! It's also a wonderful feeling in the dead of winter (or anytime!) to see the dormant seeds spring to life with just a little care. My favorite mixes of seeds that I tried were the French Salad Mix and Clover Field. These are both very versatile sprouts that work for a variety of recipes--in sandwiches, on salads, as a garnish on soups, in smoothies or juices, in wraps or stir-fries…I even like them eaten plain! I also sampled the China Rose Radish seeds, a nut milk bag (use to sprout seeds, make your own nut milk, strain vegan yogurt, make cashew cheese, etc.), the Organic Lentil Trio (I just harvested these the other day!), and the sprouting screen (just fit this over a wide-mouth canning jar and that is what you can use to grow your seeds! It's a simple tool that keeps the seeds from falling through when you drain them). So what are you waiting for? Get sprouting! (Or, if sprouting still isn't your thing, check out all the wonderful garden seeds they offer!)

NuNaturals Stevia - NuNaturals has been my go-to stevia brand for a couple years now. I love the variety of products they offer, which makes using less sugar even easier. I like to use the liquid stevia drops for things like smoothies and shakes, where I can add a few drops and then taste.  The packets are very versatile and I use them for all kinds of things--from subbing the sweetener in a dressing or soup (sometimes recipes just call for a little bit, and in that case I like to use stevia) to making lemonade. I treat each packet as about equal to 1 T. of sugar, but I'm not sure if that is the exact conversion. I just find it works well for most recipes when substituting. The baking blend is probably one of my favorite products they offer, because it makes baking really easy--just sub one-to-one for sugar! I also like the stevia extract for baking. I find it works great in things like quick breads. I have experimented quite a bit with stevia, and one thing that I have found when baking with it is to mix it with a different sugar or sweet fruit. I do sometimes use all stevia to sweeten my baked good, but usually only if the recipe includes some fruit like dates, bananas, apples or pineapples. I find that this makes it taste better than either would alone. I also will sometimes just sub 1/4 or 1/2 or 3/4 of the sugar in a recipe for stevia. Doing it gradually like that is a great way to cut back on the sugar without affecting the recipe much. If you are new to stevia, I would encourage you to experiment and see what you like. A great place to start is with the many recipes that NuNaturals offers on their site.

Endangered Species Chocolate - All of their products that I have tried so far have been delicious, but All-Natural Dark Chocolate with Mint bar is easily my favorite. It's such a perfect pairing of deep chocolate and refreshing mint. As I mentioned previously, I have also enjoyed baking with chocolate bars lately. With this bar I made Dreena Burton's Chocolate Mint Melties from her book Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. These cookies actually suggest this bar in the recipe. Let me tell you, they are amazing! I've made them several times already (I make a half batch at a time) and I just love them. I am on a real mint-chocolate kick right now, so it's not surprising that I'm crazy about this bar. I also enjoyed the All-Natural Dark Chocolate with Cranberries and Almonds bar. I mean, it's chocolate, cranberries, and almonds…how could you go wrong? Finally, I received their Organic Dark Chocolate bar, which is from a different line and thus smaller than the rest. However, it promises to be perfect for dark chocolate cravings. I haven't tried it yet, but I am actually thinking of doing another baking experiment with it. Quality chocolate can really take so many recipes to the next level. I encourage you to give it a try. Get creative!

Erewhon Cereals - I love freeze-dried strawberries, so the Strawberry Crisp cereal was naturally a favorite. The flakes were just lightly sweetened and paired well with the berries. One thing that most people would probably love about this cereal is that the flakes stay crunchy and hard and don't get soggy from the milk. However, I'm one of those weird people who likes her cereal to get a little softened! But thankfully that didn't stop me from enjoying this cereal. I also received some Corn Flakes, which I have yet to try. I keep meaning to make a dessert of some sort with them--perhaps a vegan version of the marshmallow ones my mom used to make (similar to rice crispy treats)? I have loved all of Erewhon's products so far, so I'm sure these won't disappoint! I love that both cereals are organic and gluten-free, and that they are made with such simple ingredients. For example, the only things in the corn flakes are organic milled corn and sea salt!

Sugar in the Raw - I have used the Sugar in the Raw from this company for years, but just recently have I become aware that they now offer both Agave in the Raw (a wonderful liquid sweetener) and Stevia in the Raw. The great thing about these brands is  that they are very readily available. Most big chain grocery stores around where I live now carry these products. The stevia is available both as a cup for cup substitute for sugar and in packets. I love the convenience of both products (the former is perfect for baking and the latter is wonderful for portable or individual sweetening). I look forward to experimenting more with this brand. Next time you are in the store look around for it near the sugar and baking aisle.

Rhythm Superfoods - Everything they make is raw, vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO.  My favorite thing I tried was the kale chips--both the Zesty Nacho Kale Chips and Mango Habanero Kale Chips were incredibly delicious. I loved that they really did have sort of a sour/cheesy flavor and that the habanero ones weren't too spicy. I thought they were pretty near perfect. I now really want to try the other flavors (especially Kool Ranch--that sounds amazing)! These are made with high quality ingredients, and both the taste and the nutrition facts reveal that. Their sweet potato chips--I tried the Hickory BBQ Sweet Potato Chips and Sea Salt Sweet Potato Chips--were also very yummy. These are basically just dehydrated, seasoned organic sweet potatoes, so they are really healthy. They are fat free and the whole bag of Sea Salt ones is only 100 calories. Pretty awesome when you compare that to regular old potato chips. As you can tell, I loved trying this company's products. I really recommend checking them out. Especially the kale chips, and especially if you think you don't like kale!

Thank you to all the companies that sent me products to review!

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were sent to me free of charge for the purpose of reviewing on this blog. I received no monetary compensation. These samples were not unsolicited.

Snacks and Treats for Vegans on the Go

Clif MoJo Sweet & Salty Trail Mix Bars: First up, the White Chocolate Macadamia - VEGAN WHITE CHOCOLATE! Do I need to say anything else? Well, I should probably mention the salty pretzel pieces, and chunks of macadamias and cashews.... In short, these are seriously good! The second flavor is the Chocolate Almond Coconut, which I also loved. It was not too sweet, is low-glycemic, and had great chew and texture from the crunchy almonds and chunks of chocolate. In addition, each bar has 8 grams of protein and is made from 70% organic ingredients. These get two thumbs up from me. :) [Note that not all the MoJo bars are vegan, but these two new flavors are!]

PureFit bars - These were a lot different than I thought they would be. They are soft and chewy instead of crunchy or crumbly--almost like a pasty taffy. I think the Almond Crunch was probably my favorite. I liked all of them okay except the Berry Almond Crunch (it had a fake berry taste that I didn't like). The main feature of these bars is that they boast an impressive amount of protein (18 grams per bar). They are a bit processed, so it's not something I plan on eating a lot, but if you are an athlete or looking to find a convenient and portable bar with a lot of vegan protein, these are definitely for you! They are also gluten-free, use non-GMO soy, have no artificial sweeteners, and no hydrogenated oils.

NuGo Dark bars -These are covered in chocolate so they are almost like a candy bar! I see them more as a treat than an nutrition bar, but they do provide a nice amount of protein. Oh, and they taste delicious! Unlike other protein bar manufacturers, NuGo never uses waxy vegetable fat compounds in place of real dark chocolate. I tried all the flavors except the Mocha Chocolate, and the Mint Chocolate Chip was my favorite. I'm not usually a huge mint-chocolate fan, but something about this bar just made it really tasty. It reminded me of a peppermint patty! It had just the right amount of mint--not too overpowering. The Peanut Butter Cup one must have been near the mint one in shipping, because it also tasted a little like mint (which I don't think it was supposed to!). The Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt and Chocolate Chocolate Chip were both really good, and like all the bars they had a nice chocolate flavor and were a little chewy and crunchy.

OCHO Coconut Bar - OCHO Organic Candy Bars so far only makes one vegan flavor, the coconut. I thought this one was really delicious, with a perfect sweetness and lovely coconut flavor that pairs beautifully with the dark chocolate shell.  The flavor was really everything you could hope for. These aren't exactly a low-fat or low-calorie treat, but they are probably better for you than the majority of candy bars out there, if you are craving one. Since they got this bar just right, I hope that in the future they will consider making all of their flavors vegan! 

Erin Baker's Breakfast Cookies - I tried the Chocolate Chunk (vegan) and Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk (vegan). Both were absolutely delicious! The cookies are generously-sized, have a nice boost of protein, and are very satisfying. They almost taste homemade. I think the chocolate peanut butter was my favorite, but it's hard to pick. It would be nice if they used all whole grain flour, but at least the oats in them provide some fiber. I hope they add more vegan flavors in the future! 
 

Funky Monkey Snacks - These are really fun snacks made from 100% freeze-dried fruit. My favorite was the "Applemon" (Apple Cinnamon). I loved how sweet/tart and crispy/chewy they were! I shared these with my brothers, sister, and mom and they all thought they were really good. My one brother LOVES fruit so he was crazy about these. I thought this was a really fun snack, and it's definitely something that kids will love. There is no sugar added, no preservatives, no coloring, no flavoring, and they are a raw food and non-GMO! It looks like some flavors are organic, but not all.

Everyday Gourmet Vegan Bakery - Both cookies I tried were diabetic-friendly, meaning that they are sweetened with agave, xylitol, and/or coconut sugar. I really like the fact that this bakery uses alternative sweeteners. That's not something even most vegan bakeries do! They are also wheat-free (not gluten free). These cookies were huge, too. Even though these are made with more wholesome ingredients, I'm not sure I would consider them healthy. But I'm sure they are way better for you than processed, commercial, non-vegan treats. They do pack a lot of calories and fat, but it's okay to indulge once in awhile. It's good to know that when you do, you aren't harming humans (they use fair-trade ingredients) or animals (they're vegan, of course)! The rest of their stuff looks amazing, too (especially the cakes!).They ship anywhere in the U.S.! The Fudge Stripe Cookie was dense and cakey. Like I said, these cookies are really big and satisfying. The bottom of this one has a layer of fudgey chocolate, too, and then the top is striped with the same fudge. These kind of reminded me of those other fudge stripe cookies I used to have when I was a kid, except these are WAY better! Chocolate Chip Cookie: I think the one I tried was diabetic-friendly, but I can't seem to find that listing on their website. It might be new. This had a terrific flavor, and the taste and texture is really everything I could hope for in a chocolate chip cookie.   Diet Enhance: "Diet Enhance, offered in a convenient shaker bottle, is a patent pending blend of organic algae and carotenoids." I wasn't really sure to expect with this (the name is kind of vague), but it's basically just a green powder. It doesn't taste great on its own, but a sprinkle here and there on soups, smoothies, salads, and casseroles would be sure to up the nutrition and I think it would blend in more subtly with the other flavors.

Desiderio Chocolates - They sent me some of their Caramellas (All Natural Vegan Caramels), which are actually chocolate-covered caramels. Yum! These look beautiful and taste amazing. The chewy caramel is firm at first but it softens as it melts and there are nice notes of dark sugar and a touch of salt. Absolutely delicious! As you can tell, these really impressed me. They were unique yet completely mouth-watering. I would love to try their other treats!

Sun Chlorella -  I tried the Sun Chlorella tablets and granules. The tablets did get stuck in teeth a bit, eaten plain, but I think they would be great for throwing in a smoothie. They taste a little grassy and also a bit like seaweed. I found that I liked the granules a lot better. The individual packets are really handy and I actually think it tastes kind of refreshing mixed with water. This company also sent me some Sun Eleuthero tea and tablets, which I had never heard of. I haven't tried these yet, but they sound intriguing! In addition, I also received a few other products, including the Pet Sun Chlorella and Sun Chlorella Cream. I didn't use the latter because I was a bit iffy on some of the chemicals it contained. If you've never heard of chlorella before, there is a great post on Choosing Raw that explains more about it.  

Thank you to all the companies that sent me products to review!

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were sent to me free of charge for the purpose of reviewing on this blog. I received no monetary compensation.

Reviews of *Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar* and *Fresh and Fast Vegan*

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero -
This wonderful little book is jam-packed with mouthwatering vegan cookies. There is something here for virtually every occasion, from classics like Deluxe Cocoa Brownies and Peanut Butter Crisscrosses to sophisticated originals like Chocolate Chip Chai Spice Shortbread and Macadamia Ginger Crunch Drops. There are also vegan makeovers of old favorites like Nutter Betters Sandwich Cookies and Lazy Samoas. Whatever you choose, you really can't go wrong. The book is compact, includes 100 recipes, and has plenty of photos. Recipes aside, this book is fun to read because of the authors' witty writing. For example, on page 8 when describing different gluten-free flours (they provide suggestions for how to make many of the recipes gluten-free!) they write: "The tastes and textures of these flours are so interesting and yummy that sometimes we go gluten-free just for fun. But, ya know, we also organize our spice rack for fun, so take that with a grain of salt." That's just one example, but it gives an idea of the style. So far, I have made the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (75), Chocolate Chip Cookies (35), Lemon Bars (141), Citrus Glitters (70), Caramel Pecan Bars (111), and Fruity Oat Bars (101)…and I have a bunch more that I want to try. This book is one of the indispensable guides for vegan baking.

Fresh and Fast Vegan: Quick, Delicious, and Creative Recipes to Nourish Aspiring and Devoted Vegans by Amanda Grant -
For some reason this book just didn't catch my fancy. The cover is bright and inviting, but there are no photos in the book at all. This is a major turnoff for me because I am a very visual person. I would say that these recipes are for a more sophisticated palate than mine. I'm sure the dishes probably taste amazing, but none of it just really sounded like food that I would make in my kitchen. For some reason I just found it very unapproachable. I do appreciate that they include the nutrition facts for things, but unfortunately a lot of the dishes are really high in oil. The menus in the back were a nice touch and would be helpful if one was looking to prepare an impressive meal for guests. I would classify this book as gourmet vegan fare. It would be a perfect gift for adventurous foodies.

Disclaimer: I received these books free from Da Capo Press in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way and all thoughts expressed are my own. Please note that I have not read these books cover-to-cover.

Reviews of *Blissful Bites* and *Everyday Happy Herbivore*

BenBella Books recently sent me two beautiful cookbooks to review. I've spent the last several months happily trying out many of the recipes they contained, and today I'm going to share my thoughts on them. Just so you know, I haven't actually read either of these volumes cover-to-cover, but I've spent quite a bit of time flipping through, reading sections, and trying out the recipes.

Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet by Christy Morgan - The first thing that caught my attention about this book was the beautiful photography and design. The colorful aesthetics just drew me right in. The arrangement of the book is also really well-thought out: before each section there is a list that divides the recipes up into seasons, there is a very helpful index, LOTS of pictures (this is a major plus for me), inspirational quotes, helpful tips, and more. The recipes incorporate a wide variety of tastes and preferences--there are options for gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free, raw, etc. There are also lists of the chef's and testers' favorite recipes, which is a fun feature. The recipes themselves include both comfort classics and unique creations. These are the ones I tried: Mac 'n' Cheese Kale Salad (100), Pan-fried Tofu with Carrot-Orange Sauce (198), Goddess Mint Dressing (88), Spring Kale Salad with Sweet Miso Dressing  (88), Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie (41), Zucchini "Pasta" with Mint-Cashew Pesto Sauce (92), Barley Malt-Glazed Tempeh (195). I had mixed results with the recipes themselves, but most of them I found to be quite creative and flavorful. There were a few that I really didn't care for, but I imagine that everyone has different tastes. The great thing about this book is that there is really a great variety of recipes, so there something that will appeal to just about everyone. I definitely have a bunch more that I plan on making! There are some recipes that call for unfamiliar ingredients (at least to me), but I actually really enjoy trying new things. It's one of my favorite aspects of cooking. There are also a lot of flavor combinations that I never would have thought of. I recommend this book to anyone who is looking to mix-up their everyday cooking routine, wants ideas of how to cook more seasonally...or just loves delicious vegan food! (P.S. There is a bit of new-agey type stuff in this, but nothing too distracting.)

Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes by Lindsay S. Nixon -   This cookbook has really grown on me since I first got it. At first I flipped through it and saw the lackluster photography and simple recipes and thought "meh." But then I actually tried some of the recipes. In fact, I made quite a few of them: Pineapple Sponge Cake (256), Chickpea Tenders (182), Tropical Bliss Smoothie (14), Garlicky Spinach (222), Tex-Mex Shepherd's Pie (157), Cajun Chickpea Cakes (188), Lemon Jam Biscuits (61), Rainbow Greens (235), Granola Bars (23), Butter Bean Cookies (241), and Sweet Potato Dal (114)…and I have to say, for the most part I really liked them. There were a few that were a bit "blah," but none that I really disliked. In fact, there were even a few that surprised and impressed me. I think the fat-free baking is something that I am still kind of warming up to. The baked goods I tried from the book are very different than regular ones, but none of them were inedible. :) I do eat fat, but I think that most of us probably don't have trouble getting more than enough of it. For that reason, it's nice to try recipes that are lighter, but still full of flavor. It's the kind of food that I feel good about eating. Several of the recipes are very simple, but there is a nice mix, and I even found some of the dishes that sound really simple to be quite creative and delicious. There are also lots of helpful tips sprinkled throughout, and I thought the section on making one's own Sauces & Gravies to be quite useful. It's nice to have a handy source to reach for when I need to mix up my own Cajun Seasoning, for example. Over all, I think the book has a very unintimidating and approachable feel. It's perfect for the cook with simple tastes who is craving some fast and healthful food.

Disclaimer: I received these books free from BenBella Books in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way and all thoughts expressed are my own.

Reviews: Truffles, Spirulina, Soups, and More

Energy Truffles - The presentation on these is great, and even comes with a little card to identify each flavor. These definitely aren't your typical truffle--they deliver lots of good stuff like hempseeds, chia seeds, nuts, and other whole foods.  The inside is kind of like an energy bar (thus the name, I imagine!) with differently flavored chopped nut fillings. My favorite flavors were probably the Orange, Salted Fudge, and Cinnamon. The Coconut was also good (it had a nice buttery coconut flavor), and the Cayenne was surprisingly fun (not too spicy; just right). All truffles are vegan, gluten-free, and made with 100% organic or wild crafted ingredients.

Pinkies Vegan Sweets - This Etsy shop sent me quite a few things to try. My favorite of the bunch was the Vegan Chocolate Caramel Corn. It was amazing! Imagine really good caramel corn drizzled with white and semisweet chocolate, and sprinkled with peanuts and almonds...and that's what you get! Sweet, salty, crunchy…mmm! I found the Vegan Snickerdoodles to be a little doughy, but if you like super soft cookies you will love these. They tasted incredibly "buttery"...I wish I knew the baker's secret! The Vegan Peanut Butter Fudge was sweet, peanut buttery, and kind of addictive. Plus, it's made with all organic ingredients! My family loved the Vegan Whoopie Pies. Their favorites were the the mint one and  the chocolate one. My mom said she would give the Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars a ten. She even asked me, "Are you sure these are vegan?" My little sister replied, "Mom, some vegan stuff is GOOD." :)

Spirulina Energy Bites

Green Tara Spirulina - Spirulina is incredibly healthy and a wonderful food to add to your diet. The Spirulina Energy Bites-- made of organic bananas, organic sesame seeds, organic coconut, organic dates, and spirulina--make it easy to get a boost of green power on the go. These are bite-sized and mostly taste like banana and coconut with a little crunch from the sesame. Green Tara also makes Spirulina Crunchies which, as the name implies, are crunchy little spirulina pieces. These would be great for sprinkling on cereal, yogurt, or salads, or blending into smoothies. All products are non-GMO, vegan, raw, and use no preservatives. (P.S. I'm a little confused by the packaging; the image is kind of strange.) 

Cusinart Handheld Blender - I reviewed this handy device for Wayfair. I thought it would be good for blending soups, salad dressings, and other small jobs that don't require getting the big blender or food processor out. I love how easy it is to use and to clean, and that it comes apart for easy storage. However, I found that it was very tippy when using the plastic blending jar. The cord also seemed to really get in the way. As for performance, just as I hoped, it works great for dressings, soups, and even some smoothies. The chopping attachment is also very handy.

 

Kettle Cuisine Soups - Not all of Kettle Cuisine's soups are vegan, but a few of them are. I recently tried two of the vegan flavors-- the Roasted Vegetable Soup and the Tomato Soup with Garden Vegetables. Both soups were delicious and so handy to have in a pinch. They are rather low in protein, though, and the first one is also a bit higher in oil then I would use if making at home. I added some nutrition by bulking them up a bit with extra beans, greens, and veggies. This made for a very satisfying bowl of soup and also stretched them a bit more. (I didn't try the other vegan flavor, the Three Bean Chili, but I imagine that has more protein than the other two.) Over all, I would definitely recommend these for a healthy meal in a pinch. I know that I was sure glad to have them waiting for me in my freezer.

Thank you to all the companies that sent me products to review!

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were sent to me free of charge for the purpose of reviewing on this blog. I received no monetary compensation.

Vegan Chocolates and Sweets for Valentine's Day

From salted caramels to coconut truffles, it's time for a round-up of some great places to find vegan chocolates and sweets this Valentine's Day. Whether you buy them for your valentine or for yourself, you will definitely want to check some of these companies out.

Feed Your Face Vegan Caramels - Vegan caramels? Oh, yes! I sampled a bunch of different flavors and they are delicious! My favorites were the sea salt, mulled apple cider, maple, eggnog, carrot cake, green tea chai…well, I liked a lot of them. They also sell really unique flavor combinations, like pomegranate balsamic.  These aren't skimpy portions, either. Each piece is big and chewy and melts in your mouth (unlike those hard caramels that stick to your teeth). I loved having a chance to try these. Be sure to check out the Etsy shop and order some as a gift or for yourself! You don't want to miss these!

Fine & Raw Chocolate - This stuff is delicious--smooth, rich, and dark without being bitter (there is the perfect amount of sweetness). They are made without refined sugar, dairy (obviously), or additives. I tried the Two Piece BonBons, the Sea Salt bar, and the Cacao & Coconut Chunky BonBon. I think the bonbons were my favorite--I loved how the firm shell enclosed a toothsome silky center. In the coconut bonbons a hint of coconut was perceptible but not overpowering. Also, extra props for fun packaging!

  

Go Max Go Vegan Candy Bars -  Go Max Go manufacturers vegan candy bars that are free of hydrogenated oils and made with “nothing artificial.” That said, they contain palm oil, corn syrup, and other things which I consider less than ideal. But… everyone needs a treat once in a while, and these are certainly a delicious alternative to most candy bars out there! The peanut butter cups were probably my favorite thing that I tried. I love the combination of chocolate and peanut butter but I found the filling to be a little greasy and having a weird mouth-feel. The flavors were spot on, though. It was just a consistency issue.  These candy bars are perfect if you are missing the not-so-vegan kind. I found them to be a bit over-sweet for me personally (even though I don't like bitter chocolate, I think there is a happy medium between the two extremes), but still pretty delicious. I am really impressed with how they can get the nougat and caramel so perfect. These are great if you miss milk chocolate, because they are made with rice milk chocolate!

Taza Chocolate - If you are looking for a chocolate that is unique, but still incredibly tasty, you definitely want to check Taza out.  I honestly was not sure what to expect. Sometimes I can find dark chocolate to be bitter or boring. This chocolate is neither. The packaging is creative, the texture is unique, and the flavor is great. It's not your dull old chocolate. This stuff has a delicious, almost fruity chocolate flavor and because of being stone ground, it has a grainier texture than most chocolate (but grainy in a good way!). There's really no way to describe it; you just have to try it for yourself. When I first read the flavors they didn't really excited me, but having tried it, I can see how things like Salt & Pepper and Guajillo Chili could really complement the unique method of processing.  I tried the Cinnamon (slight but not overpowering hint of cinnamon spice), Salted Almond (my favorite of the three I tried--nutty, delicious), and Vanilla Bean (fruity, not a very present vanilla flavor). This was so fun and different than I expected! I now want to try all the flavors! I also really appreciate the company's commitment to quality ingredients and ethical practices (you can learn more about these things by visiting their site). They are also 100% USDA certified organic!

Birdcrumbs - If you are looking for something quirky, original, and epicurean, check out this Etsy shop full of creative offerings. I sampled the: Raw Organic Lavender & Lemon Macaroons (My favorite of the three, these have a delicious fresh lemon flavor and an appealing but subtle hint of lavender. They are rich, but not too sweet and with just a pinch of salt to balance everything out. I didn't think I was a fan of lavender sweet treats, but these changed my mind!), the Organic Vegan Apple Maple Bacon Bits (Wow, really unique. Would be great on a salad), and the Organic Raw Apple Kale Pecan Bits (What a creative combination--a little sweet and a little savory. The kale is not overpowering.). As a bonus, this company has really cute packaging. The box I got was even wrapped up in brown paper, so it was like opening a present!

Vegan Delights - This is another great Etsy shop that makes vegan baked goods and candies. My favorite thing that I tried was the Chunky Monkey Cookies. These bite-sized cookies have the perfect texture--chewy but not gummy--and the combination of banana, walnuts, and chocolate chips is a definite winner (there is also peanut butter in them but I didn't really detect that). So good! I was worried that the banana would be over-powering, but it was not. I also tried a Gluten-Free and Raw Coconut Candy (this was different, but good. It was small--about the size of a large marble, buttery from the coconut, and very soft and fruity.), a Peanut Butter Corn Flakes Cookie (I loved this. I am a big peanut butter fan and that coupled with the crunchy flakes made for a delicious sweet treat.), and a Chocolate Granola Bomb (a chocolate-covered ball of granola. Definitely creative!). 

UliMana - Everything I've ever tried from this company has been really outstanding. I was recently blessed to sample the Goji Cherry Truffles (These were my favorite. They are soft and sweet like fudge inside, but crunchy from cacao nibs on the outside. The goji and cherries also make them a little chewy. YUM!),  Dark Cacao Raw Truffles (These were rich and dense with a wonderful deep chocolate flavor), Mayan Raw Truffles (I thought these were really unique. They are sweet from the cinnamon and spicy from a hint of cayenne!). Everything I tried was also raw, vegan, dairy free, organic, and agave sweetened. These truffles would make the perfect gift to pamper your favorite chocoholic! These were one of my favorite things mentioned in this post. 

 

Righteously Raw - These are not very sweet and I found the chocolate a little strong for my taste. My favorite was probably the Lucuma Caramel (fun filling), with the Maca (earthy with a slight saltiness) being a runner-up. The Goji had a little crunch from the seeds and it and the Acai was okay. I was not at all a fan of Maqui Rose. I wasn't really too crazy about any of these, but if you love really dark chocolate and enjoy trying exotic superfoods, then these are probably for you! These are certified organic, kosher, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, include no refined sugars, and are made in a nut-free facility.

 

Coco Confections - The flavors and texture for these were spot on, and they are really pretty with cute packaging. However, I found them a bit lacking in sweetness. The chocolate isn't really bitter, though, it's just kind of a more "pure" chocolate taste. If you love things that aren't too sweet but are still healthy treats with terrific flavor, you will love these! I sampled the Coconut, Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Almond truffles. As an extra bonus: everything is organic! 
 

Hippie Cakes - Another great Etsy find. I love this business' motto: "Always vegan. Mostly organic. Definitely tasty." Hippie Cakes is 100% vegan, purchases most  ingredients from local retailers, and accommodates food allergies--including filling custom requests. I sampled the Peanut Butter Cups (Absolutely delicious! They were very good sized and had just a hint of pleasant crunch from the finely chopped homemade graham crackers. Note that they also make a gluten-free version.) and the beautiful Vegan Fruit Crèmes (These come in a variety of flavors. I sampled the cherry, coconut, banana, orange crème, and rootbeer. Each one was individually wrapped in a corresponding color of bright foil. The exterior was a rich chocolate shell and the filling was a very sweet fruity crème. I thought the rootbeer was such a fun flavor, and the banana reminded me of those Laffy Taffy candies...but I enjoyed them all! I didn't know what they would send me, so I think I kind of squealed a little when I opened the package and bit into one of the crèmes…and then again when I realized they were each a different flavor! It reminded me of those chocolate sampler trays that get passed around during the holidays. I wish I knew if they used natural colors and extracts, though.) The package as a whole was really fun to open. I know that I keep mentioning packaging--and maybe I'm the only one who notices stuff like that--but it's always fun to know what looks impressive if you are planning on giving it as a gift. These came wrapped up really prettily, and I could just tell that everything was made with love!

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I would also like to point out that three of the companies I reviewed today (Taza, UliMana and Righteously Raw) are on the Food Empowerment Project's list of chocolates they recommend. You can learn more about what that means here. 

Disclaimer: All products mentioned in this post were sent to me free of charge for the purpose of reviewing on this blog. I received no monetary compensation.