EatPastry Gluten-Free Baking Mixes

Everyone knows EatPastry from their delicious tubs of Cookie Dough, but now they've branched out and created three new Gluten-Free Baking Mixes! EatPastry knows I'm all about easy-to-make food, so they sent me all three mixes to try out: Buttermilk Biscuit, Chocolate Chip Muffin and Chocolate Cake. The only ingredients required are non-dairy milk, oil and, for the Buttermilk Biscuit, margarine. But there are helpful add-ons and other suggestions on how to use the mixes. Total Lazy Vegan food!

I started off with the Chocolate Chip Muffins. Like I said above, you only have to add two ingredients, do a bit of mixing and then bake. Soooo simple. The end result was some scrumptious tasting muffins! I don't go out of my way to buy gluten-free products, but these were great. If you didn't tell me they were gluten-free I probably wouldn't have known any better. I also don't usually think about chocolate chips in muffins, but they work great.

Next was the Chocolate Cake. I went rogue and followed the back instructions for brownies instead. This included adding chocolate chips and walnuts. Whoa, was it was good! A very tasty brownie and a piece of cake (heehee) to make. Being gluten-free presented no problems. Easily, my favorite of the three. I'm sure the basic cake is great too, but I'd say to go for the brownies.

The savory option of the three is the Buttermilk Biscuits. I don't know about you, but I still crave those biscuits from KFC. That was always my jam and I was hoping these would give me some faint memory of those. Shockingly, they did! Now I'm not saying they are identical or anything, but they taste damn good. Eat them while warm because they get a little crumbly when cold. A perfect addition to you winter stew or soup.

EatPastry said you should start seeing the Baking Mixes pop up in the Southwest region of Whole Foods and also on their website in a couple days. I enjoyed each of the mixes and I hope you get to try them soon!

Premium Chocolatiers No No's

A while back, Premium Chocolatiers had a Kickstarter for No No's, a Vegan chocolate similar to a M&M but with a Vegan marshmallow inside. No No's met their Kickstarter goal and are now available on their website. I put in a little cash and got four bags of No No's in return. It seemed like a candy I would like to try, like duh. Well, I'm here to tell you those bags disappeared in one day....

The No No's recall a flavor and colorful look of Easter candy. Kinda like malted Easter Eggs, but with marshmallows. I was really digging the flavor and can't totally describe them. Sure, they're somewhat similar to M&M's but not really. Sweet, chocolatey and marshmallowy; they melt in your mouth! And then there's the texture.... some people have complained about the bizarre shape and appearance. Premium Chocolatiers has said that they are still tweaking the shape and I'm ok with that. I think it's fun that the shapes are so random, it doesn't bother me in the least. But they may want to change the picture on the front of the packaging so people don't freak out. Bottom line: taste great, look weird, go buy them!

Sjaak's Vegan Easter Organic Chocolate Bunny & Basket

What's Easter without a giant chocolate bunny? Exactly. So I went to go find one. But that wasn't enough, I found a chocolate bunny filled with gummy bears. And on top of that, I found a dark chocolate basket with a tiny bunny in it. Does it get any cuter than that? As it turns out, Sjaak's has a ton of awesome Vegan Easter stuff.

The Organic Chocolate Easter Basket with Bunny and Eggs is adorable. Everything is edible except for the green "grass" and the egg wrappers. You can get it in dark or "milk" chocolate. Buy two so the bunny can have a friend.

Now for the greatest invention ever, the Organic Chocolate Bunny Filled with Gummy Bears. You're like, how is that even possible? But it is. Crack that sucker open and gummy bears come out. And they say Veganism is boring. Yeah right, thanks Sjaak's!

Obsessive Confection Disorder Easter Treats

Obsessive Confection Disorder just sent me an Easter sample box that is out of this world! OCD is back with their version of the Cadbury Creme Egg called the Sweet Dream Egg. Humongous and amazing, the flavor takes me back to the days of eating Cadbury eggs until my tummy hurt. These are an Easter must.

Rhesus Peanut Butter Eggs are a Vegan version of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. These too were giant and quite addicting. Best yet, OCD is donating 20% of the profits from Rhesus PB Eggs to a primate organization. Win/win! If you are a pb and chocolate lover, you'll be in heaven. So delicious.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Caramel is a newbie that OCD is testing right now and will hopefully be for sale soon. All I have to say is peanut butter caramel. Holy crap! It's a winner.

I always liked the Caramel Not Corn well enough, but the Chocolate Caramel Not Corn is on a whole other level. I'm gonna be real and tell you I just ate the whole tub today before writing this blog. It's the crunchiness equaled with the melt in you mouth flavor that makes it so addicting. A new classic, I say.

Violet Caramel is also another newbie. It's like a caramel meets a chocolate bar with apple & lemon juice plus violet extract. It is unlike anything I've ever had before and I love it. Hope you can try this and the rest of Obsessive Confection Disorder's treats soon. Have a Happy Easter!

Vegan Girl Scout Cookies 2014: Peanut Butter Patties & Lemonades

It's that time of year again when your local Girl Scout asks if you want to buy some cookies. Until recently, Vegans were left with little to no options to pick from. But thanks to ABC Bakeries, there are FOUR varieties of Vegan Girl Scout Cookies, that's twice as many as last year! At this rate, they'll all be Vegan in no time. A word of caution, some Girl Scout Troops get their cookies from Little Brownie Bakers and these are not Vegan, sorry! It will say on the order form if the cookies are Vegan. If you want a closer look at the Thin Mints and Thanks-A-Lots, check out my 2013 post. Now, let's take a look at the newbies, Peanut Butter Patties and Lemonades!

Peanut butter and chocolate? Count me in! You really can't go wrong with Peanut Butter Patties. I got a couple boxes anticipating that these would be my favorites, but strangely enough....

The Lemonades are my favorite! I thought these would be the lame duck out of the bunch, but no, they're the best! The best part is the lemon icing on the bottom of the cookie. I also love that it's an oversized cookie. They just seem fun to me. Lemony goodness!

So good luck finding Vegan Girl Scout Cookies! If you can't, here's a reminder to complain to Little Brownie Bakery HERE.

Rescue Chocolate Mission Feral Fig Chocolate Bar For The Teal Cat Project

I've been pretty lucky the last couple years helping out with The Teal Cat Project because it means I get first dibs on the special Valentine's Day candy! The first year it was Lagusta's Luscious Tabby Toffees. And last year was the Valentine's Day Sampler from Obsessive Confectionary Disorder. Those are some really awesome all-Vegan companies that you need to be supporting and their products are amazing. This year we teamed with Rescue Chocolate! A great company that donates all of their net proceeds to animal rescue groups. With the Mission Feral Fig bar, all of the money is going straight to TNR programs in Rescue Chocolate's local area. I've had Rescue Chocolate bars in the past and I LOVED them. The Mission Feral Fig is no different.

As you can see, the Mission Feral Fig bar is packed full of figs, almonds and dried cranberries. Quite chock full of goodness!

And if for some reason you are not a fan of figs or nuts, you're in luck! Rescue Chocolate has many different kinds of chocolate bars that are sure to meet your needs. Some of my favorites include the Peanut Butter Pit Bull and the Fakin' Bacon chocolate bars. Thank you again to Rescue Chocolate and thank you for everything you do for the animals!

No Whey! Halloween Chocolates

One of the drawbacks of having Vegan MoFo in September is less Halloween blogging. I'm hoping to remedy that with this No Whey! Chocolates Halloween post. I've known about No Whey! for about a year and I love their seasonal treats. They're straight outta Cleveland, so I can feel the Midwest Vegan love. Here's a few of the Halloween goodies they have to offer this year!

These Spooky's Oh's are Newman O's dipped in light chocolate. On top of the cookie is a little Halloween ghost or bat. As you can see, I had to have a little taste during the photo session. Holy crap are these good! I can't tell you the Weight Watchers points on these, but boy is it ever worth it.

The Nut Butter Crisps are big chocolate bars with a nut toffee added to the bar. I was going to compare it to another candy but I'm at a loss. If you like chocolate and nuts, you'd probably dig these.  

The Rice Crisps remind me of Nestle Crunch bars, only smaller size. Every trick or treaters dream! Do yourself a favor and check out No Whey! Chocolates today!

Vega One All-In-One Nutrition Bars

New from Vega is the Vega One All-In-One Nutrition Bar. My favorite new product of 2012 was the Vega One Shake, so I was pretty excited to sample these bars. When I heard the name I assumed they would be similar to the shake, but that isn't the case. I would have loved to see a French Vanilla bar, but maybe next time!

Basically, the Vega One Bar is a chocolate covered protein bar designed for pre/during/post workout or whenever you need a shot of dense, Vegan sustenance. Vega has been kind enough to send me some bars to try out. I've been eating them after the gym and I must say they're pretty filling. So I've had a couple weeks with the bars to form my opinions. Are the Vega One Bars right for you?  

Well, I hope you like chocolate! Each of the three bars is covered in chocolate, which makes them seem a little like a candy bar. Being that they are covered in chocolate, you don't want to leave them in your car on a hot day (like I did, whoops!) The three flavor choices are: Chocolate Almond, Double Chocolate and Chocolate Cherry. Chocolate Almond has a nice almond flavor with a little bit of crunch. Double Chocolate is a chocolate lover's dream with chocolate on the inside and outside, giving it a brownie taste. Chocolate Cherry lives up to its name with dried cherries and cherry flavor in the bar. Being that all three bars are basically chocolate, the differences are subtle. My favorite is the Cherry, but any of them would be great after a workout. 

Now, you're not going to mistake these for a Go Max Go Bars, but for the amount of nutrition packed in one bar (15 grams protein, 6 grams fiber and tons of other vitamins) I think they taste pretty darn good. My only complaint would be the lack of a non-chocolate variety. So, if you are looking for a convenient shot of protein and vitamins, take a look at the Vega One Bar!

No Whey! Chocolates Cookies and Cream Truffles

Every once in a while I eat something and it just blows my mind. Well that happened on Christmas of last year when I got a No Whey! Chocolates Holiday Assortment Box as a gift. No Whey! is a little Vegan company out of Cleveland, Ohio. They make super cute chocolates and confections. Everything in the Holiday Box was exceptional, but one thing that really stood out was the Cookies and Cream Truffle.  I'm a sucker for cookies and cream anything. The mixture of chocolate cookie and white frosting always gets me.

Can you imagine an Oreo truffle that melts in your mouth? Because it totally does. The Cookies and Cream Truffle has a homemade filling, dipped in ganache and rolled in cookie crumbles. The truffles were gone minutes after I took these pictures. I'm afraid to see how many of these I could eat at a time. Unlike the Holiday Box, the truffles are available all year round. Enjoy!

Girl Scout Thin Mints and Thanks-A-Lot Cookies

If you're American, I'm sure you're just like me and you grew up with Girl Scout Cookies. It was a once a year event that you anticipated for months. Looking though the order form, picking your favorites -- it was a ritual. Recently, the Girl Scouts have introduced a couple of Vegan cookies (depending on your location) so that we can continue to partake in this annual tradition. The two Vegan options that were available in the Omaha area were the Thin Mints and the Thanks-A-Lots.

I always get a kick when I see the word Vegan out in the non-Vegan world. It normalizes the word and makes it a lot less threatening. So chances are your mom or grandma saw the word Vegan and automatically thought of you! But anyway, on to the cookies...

Good ol' Thin Mints! Yes, these were my favorites growing up, hands down. I remember demolishing rows of these. But what do I think now? They're still minty! As far as I can tell, the taste remains the same. They obviously didn't need the dairy ingredients to taste good. If you've been waiting for a Vegan Thin Mint, your dreams have come true!

I have no idea if Thanks-A-Lots were around when I was young, but I don't remember them. Thanks-A-Lot is a gingerbread cookie with the bottom dipped in chocolate. It's a nice contrast and perfect for someone who doesn't want a totally chocolate cookie, but wouldn't mind a dab. I thought they were good! They didn't have the emotional ties the Thin Mints had, but it's still a cute little cookie none the less.

So the good news is it's 2013 and the Girl Scouts are promoting Vegan cookies. And one of those cookies is their best seller, the Thin Mint! What amazing times we live in.

Kopali Organic Chocolate Cacao Nibs & Espresso Beans

Back in October, I spotlighted a bunch of Fair Trade products. One of my favorites of the bunch was the Kopali Organic Chocolate Covered Bananas. Well, word got back to Kopali and they contacted me to see if I would be interested in reviewing two of their other products, Organic Chocolate Covered Cacao Nibs and Organic Chocolate Covered Espresso Bean. And of course I said yes!

I gave the Cacao Nibs a whirl first. Basically you are eating chocolate covered cocoa, a chocolate lover's dream. I liked that they were nice and tiny, like little pebbles. Unsurprisingly, I ate them all within minutes. Definitely something I would buy again. Next was the Espresso Beans. I'm admittedly not a coffee lover, but I have had chocolate covered beans before and enjoyed them. These were no different! Granted, I didn't eat the whole bag right away like the Cacao Nibs, but there was a nice balance between the chocolate and the coffee bean. Which begs the question, is there anything that tastes bad dipped in chocolate?

So if you are looking for a little bit more punch to your chocolate obsession, take a look at Kopali Organic Chocolate Cacao Nibs or Espresso Beans. You can find them at you local Whole Foods.

Teal Cat Project Valentine's Day Sampler from Obsessive Confection Disorder

Obsessive Confection Disorder and The Teal Cat Project have teamed up to create one of the cutest Valentine's Day boxes out there, The Teal Cat Project Valentine's Day Sampler! I've raved about OCD's Twix and Easter Veggs before, but now Melodi has brought cuteness to a whole new level. In this V-Day sampler you get 2 Mel's Ways, 2 Rose Petal Caramels, 2 Love Bomb Lollies and 4 Love Nips. A nice variety and something for everyone. But the best part is that 100% of the profits go right to The Teal Cat Project, a great organization that I'm proud to be a part of. Teal Cat Project takes used kitty tchotchkes, paints them teal, numbers them and then sells them off in campaigns. Then the proceeds go towards Cat Trap-Neuter-Return organizations around the United States. A great win-win this Valentine's Day! Let's look a little closer inside the box...     

You get 2 lavender & mint shortbread kitties with chocolate whiskers and 2 vanilla bean shortbread hearts dipped in chocolate. I've never had a lavender cookie before, but I'm here to tell you they are delicious. It's about time Meowmy (the Teal Cat Project mascot) had his own cookie, even if he got a little smushed  =^..^= 

OCD is known for their caramels and the Rose Petal Caramel lives up to the legend. Fresh rose petal tangerine caramel with bittersweet chocolate. And an interesting and eye catching addition are the 23-carat gold flakes within the caramel. I don't think I've ever consumed gold (there is a very funny David Cross joke on the subject), but honestly, if you didn't see it, you never would have known it was in there. So, it's a fancy touch that is sure to impress your significant other.

I know Mel's Way very, very well. It's basically a Vegan Milky Way (aka layers of nougat and caramel drenched in dark chocolate.) Rich and decadent just like you like it. Probably my favorite part of the box. 

And of course you can't have a Valentine's Day without a chocolate heart. In this case, it's the Love Bomb Lolly. A salted caramel pop dipped in bittersweet chocolate. I loved the sweet and salty mixture. Quite the treat...hopefully your loved one shares!

So, if you are in the market for some V-Day candy, make sure to take a look at The Teal Cat Project Valentine's Day Sampler. I think it has a lot of variety and I know it's produced with love. And the best part is that kitties will benefit from your choice!

Go Max Go Thumbs Up Candy Bar

Every year there are a couple Vegan products that I eagerly anticipate. Obviously, candy is going to be high on my list of must-haves. Because if you can have excellent Vegan candy, it's just a matter of time before the world turns Vegan. Last year I went gaga over the Go Max Go Foods Cleo's and Snap! Bars, which are the Vegan versions of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Nestle Crunch. And earlier this year I heard rumblings of a Vegan Butterfinger and I've kept my eyes peeled ever since. Well, just the other day, Vegan Essentials finally put them up for sale and I bought 100 (not really). So, what do I think?  

As you can see, the Thumbs Up is round like a cigar (or a thumb!) It definitely has the "Butterfinger crunch" that you remember. You know, the peanut buttery part that gets stuck to your back teeth? It has been reproduced faithfully. What I noticed taste-wise was the strong peanut butter flavor and a resounding sweetness. I personally would have liked it a little less sweet. I never thought I would say this, but it seems the excessive sugar takes away from the chocolate. I also would have liked to see a thicker chocolate coating.

Overall I enjoyed the Thumbs Up Candy Bar. It seems a little too sweet for me but I love how crunchy it is and the rounded shape is cute. If you miss Butterfingers, you should definitely give it a try. Now do Go Max Go a favor and tell them in the comments what candy you would like to see them Veganize next! Vegan Kit Kat anyone?

OCD Sweet Stix aka Vegan Twix

A couple of months ago, I was able to sample the amazing "Vegan Twix" from Obsessive Confection Disorder. They're called Sweet Stix and they're something I've been waiting a long time for! Twix was always one of my favorite candy bars, so I've been pretty bummed for the last 10 year or so. But thanks to Melodi, I can stuff my face with delicious Sweet Stix!

Rich and buttery caramel makes Sweet Stix light years better than your old boring Twix. Handmade with love, these Stix are wide and chubby, not the long and skinny bars of old. Also, I enjoy the high quality chocolate and assorted natural ingredients that make it so tasty. Four Sweet Stix come to a box but I guarantee you will inhale them right away. 

So if you've been longing for your Twix fix, the answer is finally here!

Rescue Chocolate Peanut Butter Pit Bull & Foster-iffic Peppermint Chocolate Bars

There is nothing better than eating something you enjoy and being able to help a cause. Well, every time you purchase a Rescue Chocolate chocolate bar, 100% of the net proceeds go to animal rescue groups. As someone who went Vegan for my cat, I really appreciate businesses that support animal groups. And as if that wasn't enough, the candy bars are slammin'!

This bar literally melted in my mouth. It was really soft with just a hint of crunch. A peanut butter center with chocolate on the outside. My only complaint is that it's so good that I need more than one! A pb lover's dream.

A yummy dark chocolate bar with peppermint notes. I would have liked a bit more peppermint flavor but it's a minor quibble. I like that you can break this bar into squares very easily. Although you're just going to eat the bar all by yourself, right? So, next time you are jonesing for chocolate and or candy bars, check out Rescue Chocolate!

Vegan Chocolate: Raisins, M&M's and Gummi Bears

Every year, I get ready for Vegan MoFo by buying a ton of stuff ahead of time. That way, I have some time to review everything, take pictures and of course, eat! I try to buy things I haven't eaten before, because it keeps things fresh and interesting. These three chocolate treats have been on my radar for awhile, but MoFo gave me a little incentive to buy them all. 

Vegan Chocovered Raisins from Fabulous Freefrom Factory. Talk about the holy grail! I can't tell you the last time I've had chocolate raisins, but they are as delicious as you remember. Soft, melt in your mouth chocolate, coating plump raisins. Why didn't I buy two packages? 

Holy Cow Vegan Dark Chocolate Beans. Miss M&M's? Well here you go! They're not as soft as M&M, but that's a minor complaint. I ate these like there was no tomorrow. Now I await the day when I can buy Vegan Reese's Pieces so I can do my E.T. impression.

Organic Chocolate Covered Gummi Bears from Chocolate Decadence. I had no idea that chocolate covered gummi bears was a "thing." I figured it was just Vegans being crazy. But no, chocolate covered gummi bears are the rage, and thankfully we are not left out. These were great! My only complaint was that the gummi bears were stuck together and I has to break them out of the chocolate. But hey, we live in a world with Vegan gummi bears covered in chocolate, and it's great!

Vega Cocoa Kissed Savi Seeds

You know that Vega makes some of the most kick-ass supplements out there, but how about snacks? I was a little surprised to see these Cocoa Kissed Savi Seeds, because to me, they look like dessert! And they are, but after learning what Savi Seeds are and the health benefits, I can see why Vega makes them. Savi Seeds are rich in protein, omega 3's, tryptophan and fiber. So you get have your cake and eat it to, so to speak. I know, I know, you wonder if they taste good...

Hell yeah, they taste good! The chocolate is rich and the Savi Seeds are tasty, kind of like an almond. If you need a post work-out replenishment, these are some monsters. Now are they chocolate candy? Not exactly, but you will be more than satisfied nutritionally and it will most definitely cure your sweet tooth. If you are not a chocolate fiend, they also have Natural and Caramelized flavors. Hats off to Vega again for another innovative product that creates it's own niche. Can't wait to see what they come up with next!

Vegan Chocolate Bar Round Up

You may have noticed that I like my share of Vegan chocolate and candy bars. Lately I've seen some really interesting takes on the chocolate bar. Below you'll find the Chocolate Fakin' Bacon Bar, the Dark Chocolate Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chip Bar, and the Organic Chocolate Pretzel Bar. Quite the variety for Vegan chocolate bars. I'm sure the Frank's Red Hot Chocolate Bar is in the pipeline... If you are a gourmet chocolate fiend, there is a bar with your name on it!

The Fakin' Bacon Bar from Rescue Chocolate. I'm so happy this bar exists! Besides the fact that Rescue Chocolate donates 100% of their profits to charity, it's really nice to have an answer the the hipster bacon craze. To me, the bar really has a bacon flavor. I think if you are on the fence about Vegetarianism or Veganism, having a fake bacon flavored chocolate bar is a nice gateway drug.  

The Dark Chocolate Smokehouse BBQ Potato Chip Bar from Wild Ophelia. I didn't know what to expect with this one. The concept sounded really yummy, but I didn't know if I was going to get bits and pieces of potato chips in the bar or what. After the first bite I had a strong BBQ chip flavor, but no visible chips. Somehow the flavor shines right through. Texture-wise it was very smooth but still had a little crunch.

The Organic Chocolate Pretzel Bar from Chocolate Decadence.  I was really excited for this bar because most of us have had chocolate and pretzels before and I love the combination. Well, I'm happy to say it doesn't disappoint. You get big chunks of salt covered pretzels covered in delicious chocolate. A crunch lovers delight.