The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads “Wow.” Very scientific!

By the numbers

A Boeing 747 400-passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 4,500 times in 2010. That’s about 11 full 747s.

The busiest day of the year was May 18th with 93 views. The most popular post that day was Review: Theo Chocolate.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were katheats.com, eatliverun.com, j3nn.net, carrotsncake.com, and peasandthankyou.com.

I hope to be able to post more in 2011 — especially the dozens and dozens of cooking/baking shots I have stored away from the past year, including fig & date bars (FatFree Vegan Kitchen), falafel, chocolate-covered pecan bourbon balls (Hannah Kaminsky, c/o VegNews/The New York Times) , quinoa zucchini lasagna and faux NutriGrain bars (PeasAndThankYou.com), apple crisp (Mission Impossible: Pies), and more (all vegan).

Homemade “Pecan Pie Truffles“

Blueberry Cobbler “NutriGrain“ Bars

Quinoa Zucchini Lasagna with Daiya

I also recently purchased: a ["factory reconditioned"] VitaMix, Appetite for Reduction (by Isa Chandra Moskowitz), The Joy of Vegan Baking (by Colleen Patrick-Gordreau — outstanding!), VegNews’ 2 holiday cookbooks, and a VegNews subscription. Inspiration abound! Stay tuned.

I am still reading all your blogs. New favorites in 2010 include Oh She Glows, Healthy Food for Living, Love Veggies and Yoga, Chocolate-Covered Katie, Fooducate, and Peas and Thank You.

New favorite sites for buying health goodies 2010 include iHerb.com (supplements, bars, etc.), NutsOnline.com (dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, grains; OVERNIGHT shipping), Gnosis Chocolate (raw, vegan, organic, soy-free), and Eden (BPA-free beans, whole-grain pastas; nice samplers and gift baskets). Great coupons and deals at OrganicDeals.com, RecycleBank, and MamboSprouts. Check ‘em out.

Stay with me. There will be far more posts in 2011. And find me on Twitter @MasPublicHealth, where I post frequently!

As you may see just above , there’s an eating area in one corner of the store, which is also a kitchen/casual cafe serving healthful breakfasts and lunches. Whole wheat breads and buns galore:

Veggie sandwich, pea soup, carrots, multigrain chips, pickle.

Lean corned beef sandwich with multigrain chips, carrots, pickle.

There is also a bakery in the other corner, offering a variety of tempting, natural items. I picked one up: a “Wheat-Free Peanut Butter Granola Bar.” It was a huge square — honey-licious and filled with peanut-buttery-raisin goodness — so ginormous and decadent, I ate it for dinner on the train ride home. No regrets here.

When I got home, I had to find the recipe… and Bob’s Red Mill delivered.

I have made these bars at least three times since, and, each time, I cut the excessive sweetness a little more. Guess what: it doesn’t change a damn thing about how stellar they taste.

I also cut them into three different sizes for unpredictable snacking needs. Did I mention they’re no-bake?

With my adjustments, the full square contains 266 kcal, the halves 133, and the little ‘bites’ 67 — great stats for something so dense and satisfying. I believe the original was in the 400s.

Obligatory extreme close-up. Praise natural light.

These have an extremely chewy, sink-your-teeth-into-it texture.

I gather you want the recipe by now. I used all organic ingredients.

Wheat-Free Peanut Butter Granola Bars

…

*For gluten-free, use certified GF ingredients, including oats, and swap barley malt for brown rice syrup. **To make vegan, omit honey and instead use more syrup, but know that the honey flavor practically makes this.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and add in wet; mush/mash (scientific directions) all together until completely incorporated combined. (I used jumbo raisins that I “ripped up” for ease of congealability (appetizing!)… and more raisins throughout.)

In an 8×6 dish (i.e. Pyrex glass, below), press down ‘batter’ firmly until all is even. May be knife-sliced immediately to your liking and devoured. Refrigerate and enjoy! Makes a great lunchbox snack. Leftovers may also be frozen.

Nutrition facts per whole square (big — the largest cut pictured above): 11.33g fat, 2.08 saturated, 61.25g sodium, 34.58g carbohydrate, 3.33g fiber, 17.62g sugar, 7.37g protein. Low sodium, high fiber, high protein. It may not look it, but one whole bar is quite heavy.  Halve these numbers, depending on how/if you divide.

Feel free to get creative. You can’t mess this up. I’ve switched amounts/types of seeds and have also tried chia for some omega-3s; next I plan to try an almond butter version. Feel free to also take a look at the original Bob’s Red Mill recipe, off of which this was based.

According to testers, this coffee treat tastes “just like something they’d sell at Starbucks” … for a pretty penny, no doubt. Alas, their hypothetical version would neither be vegan nor organic. Plus, these pack fruits and veggies (?!) — (see second-to-last ingredient).

Caution: Will shatter coffee-lovers’ willpower. You’ve been warned!

These squares are flourless, wheat-free, and peanut-free; have very little added sugar (depending on chocolate/applesauce); are low sodium; and can be made gluten-free (GF) with GF oats and an easy barley malt swap or soy-free depending on the chocolate. They pack healthy monounsaturated fats + protein (nut butter), complex carbs + fiber (oats), antioxidants (raisins, dark chocolate), and more.

Vegan Chocolate-Espresso-Raisin Delights

Ingredients (+ recommendations):

1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (Country Choice Organic)

1 c. puffed brown rice crisps (Nature’s Path Whole Grain Brown Crispy Rice cereal)

1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (Sunspire Organic 65% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate or Dagoba Organic 73% Cacao Chocodrops)

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. raisins (Newman’s Own Organics)

1/4 tsp. salt (Hain Sea Salt)

1/2 c. (4 oz. or 1 mini-peel-top cup) applesauce (Vermont Organic Cinnamon)

2 tbsp. barley malt syrup (Eden Foods) (or brown rice syrup or agave nectar)

1 packet (8g) Amazing Grass Chocolate Green SuperFood Powder (or 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder)

1 packet Starbucks® Via® Extra-Bold Italian Roast (or 1 tsp. powderlike coffee grounds)

Makes 12 bars (or 24 two-bites, see below)

Directions:

Mix all until well combined. Spoon batter evenly into an 8×8 baking dish as neatly as possible:

Just before going into the oven.

Bake at 350* for about 20 minutes. You will be tempted to bake them longer — like I was: went for 25 minutes — but resist because the texture will be a tad too crumbly if over-baked. For less mess, use a piece of parchment paper (with sides extending out the pan) in the bottom of your dish before adding batter and, once baked, lift the entire square out onto a cooling rack. After cooling, cut into 12 even bars. I sliced one row of cut bars in half for quick two-bite minis (see below picture) because these are pretty rich-tasting:

Cooled ‘n cut.

These bars were serendipity: in the midst of collecting ingredients for another recipe and cabinet-combing for my missing vanilla extract, I came upon a packet of Starbucks® Via® (the not-so-secret secret ingredient) that was sent as a sample long ago and knew it must be used. Vegan Chocolate-Espresso-Raisin Delights were born.

AKA “I-Can’t-Believe-They’re-Not-Coffee-Shop-Calorie-Bombs”!

Nutrition Facts, per serving (1 bar/12): 163 kcal, 7.5g fat (.4g sat.), 77g sodium, 21.5g carb, 3.4g fiber, 9.8g sugar, 4.2g protein. (Halve for two-bites.)

Oats, raisins, cocoa, brown rice, dark chocolate — can it get more wholesome?

Prepare for some fancy brownie-meets-cake-meets-crumbly cookie-meets-granola bars.

Enjoy with a morning cup ‘o joe or with non-dairy milk as dessert and revel in the nutrition… and savings.

Rich, bold, and decadent-tasting. These won’t last long! Report how it goes.

Too pretty to eat? Think not.

Cocoa contains antioxidant polyphenols known as flavanoids. Flavonoids are a particular grouping of polyphenols that exist in other nutritious foods, such as berries and tea. These antioxidants protect against “free radicals,” or “unstable, highly reactive forms of oxygen” that wreak havoc on the body and are associated with many ailments + aging. In addition to numerous other causes, free radicals result from pollution, smoking, and sun exposure (The Hershey Company, 2010).

Antioxidants neutralize these free radicals by pairing up with their out-of-control, unpaired electrons. The higher the cocoa content (ideally, 70%+), the more antioxidants. Dark chocolate fans, rejoice. (Milk has been found to counteract the cocoa’s antioxidant benefits).

Note: The common stuff found in drug-store candy aisles is generally just baaarely “dark” (i.e. 55%) and usually loaded with dairy (antioxidant-thwarting milk) and soy fillers, “confectioner’s glaze,” artificial flavors and colors, etc. Not exactly healthy, despite marketing claims.

Enter Theo Chocolate -

Why Theo? For starters, take a look at these principles:

Adapted from a screen shot of Theo’s “Our Story” page.

In addition to the above, Theo is superior to other brands of organic dark chocolate for many reasons:

1. Theo is soy-free. Most all other organic dark chocolates (Dagoba, Endangered Species, Green & Black’s) contain soy; usually, lecithin. To me, this cheapens them and reduces their purity.
2. Theo is vegan. Many other organic dark chocolates contain some form of dairy (milk).
3. Theo is Fair Trade Certified.
4. Theo is charitable. Proceeds from the “Jane Goodall” line are donated to “benefit cocoa farmers, promote conservation in the tropical rainforest and directly contribute to the Jane Goodall Institute’s efforts to save chimpanzees, develop community-centered conservation efforts and direct youth education programs around the world.”
5. Theo uses 50% recycled paper wrappers.
6. Theo is gluten-free.

70% Dark Chocolate Orange bar

This bar is from the Classic Collection.

Don’t mind the crumbs. These were the last pieces and suffered splintering from previous breaks.

They say: “Dark Chocolate with Orange features rich 70% dark chocolate infused with the essence of fresh oranges.”

MPH says: This bar has a definite orange-zesty scent. If you were a fan of those tropical-looking chocolate oranges (you know, in the big gaudy orange wrapper with the break-off slices), you’ll love this. The orange taste isn’t at all in-your-face or overdone, but is definitely evident, which — together with the scent — makes a for pretty dreamy experience. The flavor is not bitter, but creamy and satisfying.

File photo. Credit: Theo

Nutrition Facts panel + ingredients

For once, serving size is extremely generous. Eating 1/2 (1.5oz.) of this large bar at once is just too much, especially saturated-fat-wise. (“Save some [richness] for lat-ah, Augustus!”)

The next bar is a Fantasy Flavor, a more traditionally-sized (2oz.) line -

70% Dark Chocolate Coffee bar. Again, ignore shards from prior in-wrapper breakage.

They say: “Dark chocolate and a robust locally-roasted organic, Fair-Trade-Certified™ coffee from Caffé Vita combine to create a full-bodied flavor.”

MPH says: This is phenomenal. Truly a dark chocolate lover’s dream, this bar is smooth and silky. Coffee lovers will go crazy for its java aroma, full-bodied flavor, and dispersed ground coffee bits that lend a subtle crunchiness. Even to a non-coffee-drinker, this was wildly good.

Look for this whimsical wrapper. Credit: Theo

And, finally -

Cherry & Almond Credit: Theo.

Though the Cherry & Almond bar was also sent, it was eaten by others in a hurry. Fear not; they left a positive report: yay to the bits of — surprise! — finely-chopped almonds throughout; minor nay to cherries not as plentiful as they might have been. It would likely please the retired Hershey’s-with-Almonds fan, who now clearly has much more refined and health-conscious taste. (Right?)

So, instead -

70% Dark Chocolate Mint bar

Just happened to have this extra Classic Collection bar laying around….

Can you almost smell it through the screen?

They say: “Dark Chocolate with Mint features rich 70% dark chocolate with a unique blend of spearmint and peppermint oils to create a surprisingly smooth bright version of this classic combo.”

MPH says: True to its word, this bar is fabulously minty. I sampled this before reading the above description and noted that the spearmint flavor shines through. To all the recovering Andes Mints (or, dare I say, Junior Mints) addicts, track this down. It is cool and refreshing, and the scent alone is intoxicating.

Classic Collection. Credit: Theo

All in all, Theo Chocolate is excellent, with the dark bars especially great for vegans, the lactose intolerant, soy-allergic/avoidant, health-/eco-conscious, or anyone who just digs organic chocolate. Stick to the dark chocolate for the most antioxidants (and deliciousness — OK, minor bias).

Nicobella Truffles. Credit: NicobellaOrganics.com

While these are available online, I pick ‘em up at Westerly Natural Market (AKA health food mecca) in New York, but have also seen them at Whole Foods and smaller natural grocers. Theo also makes caramels and other confections, including a partnership with Nicobella, producer of organic, vegan, soy-free, Fair Trade dark chocolate truffles infused with superfood goodness, which MPH has tried pre-blog and strongly endorses. To read all the health benefits, click here.

Crave more chocolate + coffee + cherry action?

Behold: Mother’s Day dessert, featuring a warm Vitalicious VitaBrownie topped with Living Harvest Tempt Coffee Biscotti non-dairy/soy-free ice cream (words can’t describe its awesomeness), and cherry sauce graciously sent by Krista’s Kravings. Though fortified, MPH cannot endorse Vitalicious items as “health” foods, but they certainly make immensely tasty, lesser-evil, waistline-friendly treats for special occasions. This was a mom-winner!

I feel like Willy Wonka. Farewell from chocolateville … *cue creepy “if you want to view paradise….”*

—–

References:

The Hershey Company. (2010). Chocolate products: nutritional information. Retrieved May 16, 2010, from http://www.hersheys.com/nutrition/polyphenols.asp.

Do not underestimate the difficulty of staging cardboard boxes.

The company’s effort to shrink its packaging to reduce waste is commendable. They say: “the new box is 36% smaller than a standard 6.2oz box.” I appreciate that this may be a marketing risk, as the smaller box may be perceived by some consumers as their receiving less for the money. However, Nature’s Path has a reputation as an environmentally-conscious company with strong principles.

First up -

Pumpkin-N-Spice reverse

Nutrition facts: This 35g bar contains 140 kcals, only .5g saturated fat, a scant 80g sodium, 65mg potassium, 2g fiber, 10g sugar, and 3g protein. It also contains 2% of daily needs for calcium and 8% for iron. (Of course, these %s are based on a 2,000 calorie/day diet — as mandated by FDA packaging requirements — though this daily intake is certainly not appropriate for everyone!)

Ingredients: “Granola* (rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*), tapioca syrup*, brown rice flour*, pumpkin seeds* (pumpkin seeds*, salt), invert cane syrup*, flaxseeds*, acacia gum*, soy oil*, evaporated cane juice*, sea salt, spice*, molasses*. *Organic. Contains soy. Produced in a facility that uses dairy, peanuts, and tree nuts.”

This flavor is not intended to taste like pumpkin (i.e. puree), but instead has green pumpkin seeds (AKA pepitas) scattered throughout the bar. The bar has a nice chew, with the familiar gooeyness of a marshmallow rice treat, so one can definitely see why it would be a hit with kids. The spice is tasty but not strong, which young snackers might also appreciate; the size is also appropriate for children. I like the lack of dairy here but wish soy oil would have been substituted by another out of sensitivity to those allergic. Overall, it made a tasty, unique morning snack.

Nutrition Facts: This 35g bar contains 150 kcals, 1.5g saturated fat, 105mg sodium, 2g fiber, 10g sugar, and 2g protein, with 2% DV Calcium and 4% DV iron. The oats contribute to its 10g whole grains and the flax seeds contribute to its omega-3 content.

Ingredients: “Granola* (rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*), tapioca syrup*, pecans*, brown rice flour*, maple icing* (evaporated cane juice*, palm kernel oil* and/or cocoa butter*, cultured buttermilk powder* (skim milk*, starter culture), flavor*, non-fat dried milk*, citric acid, caramel color*, natural maple flavor, sea salt, soy lecithin*, annatto extract*, tapioca starch*), invert cane syrup*, dried coconut*, flaxseeds*, acacia gum*, soy oil*, sea salt, evaporated cane juice*, maple syrup*, natural maple flavor, molasses*. *Organic. Contains dairy, tree nuts and soy.”

I didn’t get a chance to sample this flavor, but my mom took one of these to work. She reports: “It was delicious! Soft and sweet and maple-y gooey. Very fresh.” Disclosure: my mother is an admitted sugar fanatic.

Looking at the ingredients, though, the overwhelming sweetness of evaporated cane juice in the granola + tapioca syrup + evaporated cane juice in the maple icing + invert cane syrup + dried coconut + evaporated cane juice + maple syrup + natural maple flavor + molasses is somewhat unsettling — but explains why she liked it so much. This would probably make a nice dessert and, again, would likely be a kid- (or sugarholic-adult-) favorite.

Nutrition Facts: This 35g bar contains 140 kcals, 1.5g saturated fat, 70mg sodium, 2g fiber, 12g sugar, and 2g protein, with 2% DV Calcium and 4% DV iron. The oats contribute to its 9g whole grains and the flax seeds contribute to its omega-3 content.

Ingredients: Granola* (rolled oats*, evaporated cane juice*, soy oil*), tapioca syrup*, dried apricot* (apricots*, rice flour*), almonds*, brown rice flour*, yogurt icing* (evaporated cane juice*, palm kernel oil* and/or cocoa butter*, cultured buttermilk powder* (skim milk*, starter culture), cultured non-fat dried milk* (skim milk*, starter culture), natural flavor, soy lecithin*, sea salt, citric acid, tapioca starch*), invert cane syrup*, dried coconut*, acacia gum*, soy oil*, sea salt, evaporated cane juice*, natural flavor, molasses*, citric acid. *Organic. Contains dairy, soy, tree nuts. Produced in a facility that uses peanuts.

In very rare exception to my dairy avoidance, I broke of pieces of the Lotta’ Apricotta for dessert. This had a much more subtle apricot scent and taste than I expected, but it was good. The frosting lent a creamy touch, but put things over the top because I felt the bar itself was a tiny bit too sweet. Again, the bar was nicely chewy/crispy (in a good way) and was so fresh that it kept wanting to break apart. I can also see this being a hit with kids. The pieces of fruit made this bar ‘prettier’ than the Pumpkin-N-Spice, but that’s probably not totally relevant to include in an evaluation….

This made a fun evening snack. Suggestions: a bit less sugar in the base and more fruity apricot flavor. Slightly more sodium may also help balance the sweetness.

Thank you to Nature’s Path for the opportunity to review these products. My favorite was the Pumpkin-N-Spice for its hint ‘o spice and dairy-free-ness (lack of frosting).

*Kudos to their lack of soy protein isolate/concentrate (“soy protein crisps”), which is made via dangerous hexane rinse and overabundant in these kinds of bars.

*Pairing this with something like whole-wheat crackers or pretzels + nut butter or hummus would increase satiety.

Side tip: try Nature’s Path organic waffles and oatmeal. Support a responsible organic company. (Their Buckwheat Wildberry gluten-free waffles were the stars of Mother’s Day brunch!)

It will be worth the wait. There are many product reviews coming your way, including Sunshine Burger, Newman’s Own Organic, and Theo Chocolate.

Teaser: Did you think I’d kid?

Second,  let me say that I had always been one to scoff at “Twitter” ( use of quotes to emphasize perceived absurdity). In fact, I once came across a cool–though oddly-capitalized–Venn diagram that summarized my feelings about Twitter: what could possibly be useful or interesting about a 140-character blurb? (Well, often, nothing, I’ve learned.)

That said, since beginning Mastering Public Health, there have been a number of times where I haven’t had time to create a full post but still did have something relevant to share with you all.

...That's me!

So, if you’re a fan, please follow me on Twitter at @MasPublicHealth, where I post under this nerdy but important-looking avatar and spend half my time attempting to condense my verbosity into an allowable number of letters.

I pride myself on rarely, if ever, abusing my followers with personal/non-blog-related content. For the past two months, I’ve shared health news, discounts + coupon codes, food finds, giveaways, new products, etc., that I hope to be able to blog about more fully ASAP. Just don’t expect me to use any derivation of the word “tweet” any time soon.

Lastly, thank you all so much for your comments and support. It’s so nice to read each and every one of your different health interests and experiences. Keep the enthusiasm coming!

More news and articles to come. Until then, enjoy this awesome time of year.

Sidewalk by Candle 79 in NYC — review to follow.

PS- Snag 20% off any Eden Foods gift basket until 5/9 with the checkout code “MOTHER” — they’re a fantastic, principled organic company and users of the only BPA-free cans on the market.

They sent along their Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread, Cinnamon Raisin Bread, Spelt Ancient Grain Bread, and Multigrain with Flax English Muffins.

Overall, the ingredients are simple and wholesome and the nutrition facts are impressive:

Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Spelt Ancient Grain Bread

Multigrain with Flax English Muffins

I was especially glad to see that none of these breads contain soy. All too often, I see other organic breads whose ingredients include soy lecithin or soybean oil, which, in my eyes, is a cheap filler. Today’s consumers are exposed to enough soy; we don’t need it in our breads! Thankfully, these Rudi’s products omit this in favor of better-quality oils, such as sunflower and safflower.

Each of these products contains 4-5g protein and 2-3g fiber per serving, which are traits one should always look for when evaluating an item’s potential staying-power. Double those numbers if you’ll be eating two slices, open-faced or sandwich-style. These breads are also low in sugar (even the Cinnamon Raisin Bread, for its variety: most of the sugar is from the raisins, apparent by its top spot in the ingredient list) and also contain no saturated- or trans-fats. Each product also contains a multitude of vitamins and minerals.

The Spelt Ancient Grain Bread was a real hit in my house. Its seedy, chewy texture – reminiscent of Panera Bread’s Artisan Multigrain Bread — and hearty, nutty flavor was perfect for breakfast with spreads like Earth Balance, Naturally Nutty peanut or almond butter, Crofter’s fruit preserves, or even a savory spin, as enjoyed by my dad, such as whitefish or smoked salmon salad. This versatile bread is also firm and dense enough for lunch sandwiches that you can really sink your teeth into.

A hearty, satisfying slice… in sub-par lighting

Rudi’s Organic Multigrain with Flax English Muffins were also a favorite. Although I have purchased the Whole Grain Wheat variety before, this flavor was a nice change.

Extreme-close up: true to claim, flax seeds and grains throughout

These muffins also have a chewy texture, but are a bit lighter than the Spelt bread. English-Muffin-authenticity is reached by the flour-dusted exterior and the multigrain flavor is very apparent, but without a topping (which most everyone would opt for anyway), these are a tiny bit on the dry side, as compared to their Whole Grain Wheat variety that I normally buy. Nonetheless, they were tasty and satisfying at breakfast — with the abovesaid toppings or done-up “Egg McMuffin”-style, as I did — and make for a convenient packed lunch or veggie burger dinner bun. They’re also great for make-your-own-mini-pizzas: just add organic sauce and cheese (real or vegan) and pop it in the toaster!

Angle #2: unnecessary, but fun

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

I have not yet gotten to try the Honey Sweet Whole Wheat Bread or Cinnamon Raisin Bread (half of each is frozen for later), but, judging by how my family has been working on these, they must be great. My brother seems to be an especially big fan of the Cinnamon Raisin Bread + cream cheese combination.

I feel that Rudi’s Organic Bakery is a company whose products are high-quality, wholesome, nutritious, and versatile. These breads also freeze and unfreeze excellently, tasting just as fresh and soft afterward. Though I do sometimes wish whole-wheat flour was the first ingredient more often, I do understand that this may cause issues with taste and texture. I look forward to more from Rudi’s soon, including their newly-announced gluten-free line.

*Full disclosure: These items were received at no cost; no monetary reimbursement was received for this review.

Stay tuned for extensive reviews of Newman’s Own Organics, Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Sunshine Burger, and more. Though I will fully disclose a preexisting belief that I believe these are all fantastic companies, I promise to be (constructively) honest when it comes to their products in my reviews.

***

There have been many interesting things going on in the natural products/food and environmental worlds lately:

1. Earth Hour. This growingly-popular ‘green’ event will tonight (3/27) at 8:30-9:30 p.m. local time, worldwide. They explain: “On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. The movement symbolizes that by working together, each of us can make a positive impact in this fight, protecting our future and that of future generations.”

2. The Natural Products Expo West, (“Expo West” to those in the ‘biz), the world’s largest natural products trade expo, took place on March 12-14, 2010 in Anaheim, CA. This year’s show set record attendance, drawing 56,000 people. This giant, closed-to-the-public industry-insider event is where companies traditionally announce plans for or release new products, lines, flavors, and packaging designs. For example, it is where Lärabar unveiled their Peanut Butter & Jelly and Fruit Tart flavors last year. Many exciting announcements were made at this year’s Expo West, some of which are highlighted here Twenty New Dairy-Free Foods: 2010 Expo West and Beyond (Go Dairy Free, 2010). (See my summary below).

(Credit: Natural Products Expo on Facebook)

Though I did not attend, to review some of the most exciting announcements:

(Packaging Digest, 2010)

Turtle Mountain’s So Delicious is adding an organic-coconut-water sorbet line (a VegNews Best of Show winner); Rudi’s Organic Bakery is getting a packaging makeover and launching Rudi’s Gluten Free Bakery (to be available July 2010); Honest Tea introduced six new beverage varieties, adding Maqui Berry Grapefruit — (Maqui has intense antioxidant activity) — and Apple Jasmine to its Kombucha line, as well as Maqui Berry Mate, Half-Tea & Half-Lemonade, Honest Kids Berry Berry Good Lemonade, and Honest Kids Super Fruit Punch;

Hemp Bliss announced their launching the “only certified organic hempmilk”; Van’s announced their “8 Whole Grains” and “Lite” waffle lines; Tofurkey introduced their vegan frozen pizza line; Pure Bar is getting a packaging makeover; ReVita Pop introduced their 3.6-mg vitamin B-12 lollipop; and perhaps most exciting of all, Daiya is finally taking its previously food-service-available-only “cheese” (soy-free and vegan) shreds retail.

(PR Web, 2010)

That’s a lot of schmoozing, tasting, and selling.

(Credits: Natural Products Expo on Facebook)

I am excited to try Daiya products, which are already used in the Amy’s Kitchen soy-free Gluten-Free Macaroni and Non-Dairy Cheeze as “DAIYATM VEGAN CHEDDAR-TYPE CHEEZE (PURIFIED WATER, TAPIOCA AND/OR ARROWROOT FLOUR, EXPELLER PRESSED HIGH OLEIC SAFFLOWER OIL, COCONUT OIL, PEA PROTEIN, SALT, YEAST, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, NATURAL FLAVORS, XANTHAN GUM, RICE EXTRACT, ENZYMES [NO ANIMAL RENNET OR ANIMAL ENZYMES], BACTERIAL CULTURES, CITRIC ACID, ANNATTO).” Their food contains no cholesterol, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives, or common allergens, previously won the VegNews 2009 Product of the Year award, and was also a VegNews Best of Show winner. The pictures on Daiya’s Facebook fan page look phenomenal — reportedly, it is delicious and actually melts.

(Credit: Fan photo from Daiya Vegan Cheese Facebook page)

Mmm.

I don’t know about you, but I am so tired of seeing soy “cheese” — enough is enough with soy. And “rice” cheese, yadda yadda. I’ve never used them because these things often have shady ingredients like fake colors, carrageenan, etc., and zero protein. Bring it on, Daiya. Any notable experiences with vegan “cheese”?

3. Earlier this month, Kraft announced that it will be reducing sodium in its North American foods by about 10% within the next two years (Reuters, 2010). This is, clearly, a positive thing, but some believe it doesn’t go far enough. What do you think?

The salt-cutting trend is everywhere, with Cambpell Soup Co. and ConAgra Foods, Inc. doing the same, but with a catch: “Amid rising government pressure and consumer concern, food makers are taking a new tack in their long-running effort to sell products with less salt. Instead of offering foods labeled as low salt that few people eat, they are gradually reducing the salt from some of their most popular items—and not making a big fuss about it on the label” (The Wall Street Journal, 2010). Heinz will also be lowering sodium in its main ketchup line starting in summer 2010 (Heinz, 2010).

4. Kraft’s news came one day following PepsiCo‘s announcement that it will “stop the sale of full-sugar soft drinks to primary and secondary schools on a global scale by 2012″ (Reuters, 2010). I read something elsewhere saying that sports drinks like Gatorade will be permitted. This does sound good, though I personally don’t believe that diet (aspartame) sodas are much better. But, clearly, this may help to reduce obesity. Thoughts?

So, let’s get this right: 56,000 people attend a natural products trade show and major companies make huge announcements on a daily basis. Exciting times for health, indeed.

—

Go Dairy Free. (2010). Twenty new dairy-free foods: 2010 Expo West and beyond. Retrieved here.

H.J. Heinz Company. (2010). Press release. Retrieved here.

Packaging Digest. (2010, March 12). Rudi’s Organic Bakery launches new bread and packaing design. Retrieved here.

PR Web. (2010, March 13). Honest Tea introduces six new beverage varieties at Expo West 2010. Retrieved here.

Reuters. (2010, 17 March). Kraft to cut sodium levels in food products. Retrieved here.

The Wall Street Journal. (2010, January 11.) Food makers quietly cut back on salt. Retrieved here.

Back story: Since taking advantage of the promotion on Chocolate-Covered Katie weeks ago, I’ve become a big fan of Love Street Living Foods.

“Love Street offers the highest quality, hand-selected raw and organic foods and ingredients from around the world.”

Natural goodies galore: fruit, nuts, Artisana, grains, chocolate…

You bet I tried the 100% Organic Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Spread above. Quite honestly, it’s out-of-this-world. After eating it, I just got the urge to smile. Frosting meets nutrition! In fact, I finished the 1-oz. sample so fast, I forgot to take a picture.

Here’s the scoop on this great company, straight from their “About Us” page:

“Unique characteristics of Love Street ingredients:

• All life-giving nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals intact and available as nutrition
• Free from toxins and carcinogens created when food is cooked
• 100% unprocessed
• No animal testing
• Grown without pesticides and fertilizers
• Free from contamination by human or industrial waste
• Processed without ionizing radiation or food additives
• No genetically modified ingredients

Love Street Living Foods DO NOT contain:

• refined sugars
• hydrogenated oils
• gluten
• natural flavors
• MSG (Monosodium glutamate)
• additives
• pesticides
• highly processed ingredients
• refined flour”

Score! I also sampled their 100% Organic Vegan Chocolate with Goji Berries, which is 70% Cacao and gluten-free. It was crisp – almost crunchy – and fantastic. Plus gogis! Unlike any other chocolate I have ever tasted.

(Ate the bar before photo!) File photo:

Lastly, I got to try the 100% Organic Rare Vanilla Powder, which has a rich, full-bodied, warm taste and has been outstanding in my morning oats. If you’re gaga for vanilla extract, this stuff’ll blow you away.

I just put in another order today, and can’t wait to try the fudge:

Best of all, it’s all nutritious. Are you convinced you need to try some yourself?

Good news: you can snag 10% OFF your Love Street order, plus 3 FREE samples of your choosing(!), with the code MastPubHealth until March 12!

This is an awesome deal.

*I purchased these products myself and was not compensated in any way for this content.*

(Minus one - Paradise Walnut Pistachio - that I kindly offered someone else)

As mentioned in my last post, the kind people at Bora Bora foods mailed me a really nice package, including their newly-reformulated bars to try. Honestly – and I’m not “just saying that” – they’re GREAT.

*Pros of Bora Bora bars over other similar bars: USDA organic, OU kosher, certified vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO. Plus, the flavors are UNIQUE.

Though I don’t suffer from any allergies, their being organic is very important to me, as I try not to buy ‘conventional’ items as much as possible (especially when there’s (dried) fruit involved). I also like that they’re vegan and non-GMO. I was going to add that they’re soy-free (as this is also a positive in my eyes — we’re inundated with that stuff), but I don’t see any official statement to that effect, despite not seeing soy on the ingredient lists.

Also in the package was this awesome mug with the company logo on the back. To my happy surprise, this guy was made in the USA!

This is the Tropical Sesame Cranberry flavor. Look at that! Delicious! Extremely fresh-tasting, gooey-chewy (in a good way), and the tart cranberries really stand out and make your mouth water.

If you like fruit-and-nut/granola bars but hate that they’re often tooth-breakingly hard as rocks, you’ll love these.

This is the Tribal Cinnamon Oatmeal. Again, the flavor was awesome and not at all vague. Funny, because I couldn’t remember the exact name at first and started typing “apple” because there are chunks of dried apple throughout. The cinnamon flavor is bold and this TRULY tastes like a bowl of apple-cinnamon oatmeal (reminded me of those flavored Quaker packets from my childhood). Plus peanuts and raisins for fat, fruit, flavor, and staying power!

Everything came in this cool box. There was also a t-shirt included, which I gave to my mom. Shouldda snapped a pic.

Lastly, these fun tattoos were in the mug!

And, now, for the blog world’s tiniest giveaway ever (since I’m supposed to review the bars, the t-shirt has been claimed, and I’m still considering what to do with the mug): who wants five Bora Bora tattoos?? Don’t all shout out at once. Link to this post on your blog or tweet about it and leave a comment telling that you did so and I’ll randomly pick a winner (probably among the two readers who might “comepete”)! But, really — who couldn’t use
Polynesian-style tattoos?

If the folks at Bora Bora ever want to offer some bars up for grabs here, I’ll let you know.