Pain à la citrouille et au chocolat

 

Bon, une autre recette de Ricardo, parfaite pour l’automne! Ce pain à la citrouille et au chocolat était vraiment très bon pour déjeuner; le crumble chocolaté fait vraiment toute la différence! La recette d’origine précise qu’on pourrait aussi en faire des muffins, en les faisant cuire de 20 à 25 minutes.

Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
40 g (¼ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à soupe de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
2 c. à soupe de cassonade
1 c. à soupe de cacao
½ c. à thé de cannelle moulue
¼ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
1 pincée de fleur de sel

Pour le pain
225 g (1 ½ tasse) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à thé de cannelle moulue
1 c. à thé de poudre à pâte
1 c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de cardamome moulue
¼ c. à thé de sel
115 g (½ tasse) de beurre sans lactose, ramolli
210 g (1 tasse) de cassonade
1 œuf
1 tasse de purée de citrouille
½ tasse de crème sure sans lactose
140 g (5 oz) de chocolat noir à 70 % ou au lait, coupé en gros morceaux


Pour le crumble au cacao et aux épices
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer un moule à pain de 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 po) et le tapisser d’une bande de papier parchemin en la laissant dépasser sur deux côtés.

Dans un bol, mélanger tous les ingrédients jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit tout juste humectée. Réserver.

Pour le pain
Dans un autre bol, mélanger la farine, la cannelle, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate, la cardamome et le sel.

Dans un troisième bol, crémer le beurre avec la cassonade au batteur électrique. Ajouter l’œuf et mélanger jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène. À basse vitesse, incorporer la purée de citrouille, puis les ingrédients secs en alternant avec la crème sure. Ajouter le chocolat et mélanger. Répartir la pâte dans le moule. Presser le crumble au cacao avec les mains et le laisser tomber en morceaux de différentes grosseurs sur la pâte dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du pain en ressorte propre. Laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille, soit environ 3 heures. Démouler et couper en tranches.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

There’s been quite a delay in posting recipes this past year! This is one that I made as a Thanksgiving side, and the problem with it is that it was SO good that it may have ruined regular mashed potatoes for me. The secret is that instead of cooking the potatoes in water, you cook them in half-and-half, which makes them extra creamy – and since you rice them, the texture is perfect! It is from Real Simple; the amounts below make 8 generous servings.

4 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-in. pieces (about 10 cups)
4 cups lactose-free half-and-half (or half lactose-free milk and half lactose-free cream)
5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
½ cup (1 stick) lactose-free butter, melted
½ cup lactose-free sour cream
freshly ground black pepper

Place potatoes, half-and-half, and 2 teaspoons salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and cook, stirring often, until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully drain mixture into a colander placed over a large heatproof bowl. Reserve cooking liquid in bowl.

Working in batches, transfer potatoes to a potato ricer; press over saucepan. Stir butter and the 3 remaining teaspoons of salt into potatoes. Fold in sour cream and enough cooking liquid to reach desired consistency. (Reserve any leftover cooking liquid for reheating.)

Serve topped with melted butter, if desired, and pepper.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

 I’m not sure how I came across this turkey and sweet potato chili, because it’s from a website that I typically don’t have anything to do with, but hey, this looked good! I’m a sucker for variations on chili, and even though I tweaked the spices, this one did not disappoint.

3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
½ serrano chili, minced (I omitted it)
1 Tbsp. chili powder (I used 1 tsp. Korean pepper)
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. sweet paprika
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 lb. dark meat ground turkey
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into half-inch cubes (or about the size of a pinto bean)
1 quart chicken stock or chicken bone broth
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

In a heavy bottom pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

Add the onion, garlic, serrano chili, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Cook down until caramelized and fragrant, about 15-20 minutes (in my case, the onion was cooked, but not caramelized, and I decided that was good enough given the time that I had).

Add the ground turkey and cook until crumbled and combined with the onions. Add the sweet potatoes and chicken stock (or bone broth) and bring to a simmer, then cover and let cook for another 20 minutes (I did 30 minutes).

After the sweet potatoes have cooked, add the beans, stir to combine and cook for another 20 minutes uncovered (I just warmed it up at that point).

Taste for salt and spice, then garnish with your favorite toppings, such as avocado, cilantro, scallions, lactose-free cheese or lactose-free sour cream.

Poudings au chocolat et petits fruits

 

Et une dernière recette de Ricardo aujourd’hui, ces délicieux poudings au chocolat et petits fruits! La recette annonçait « du bonheur en pot », et c’est exactement ça!

Pour les poudings
225 g (8 oz) de chocolat au lait, haché (j’ai pris du chocolat noir)
40 g (3 c. à soupe) de sucre
2 œufs
1 tasse de crème 35 % sans lactose à fouetter (végétalienne pour moi)

Pour le crumble
95 g (¾ tasse) de chapelure de biscuits au chocolat
55 g (2 oz) de chocolat au lait, fondu et tempéré (j’ai pris du chocolat noir)
¼ c. à thé de fleur de sel

Pour la garniture
½ tasse de crème 35 % sans lactose à fouetter (végétalienne pour moi)
1 c. à soupe de sucre
130 g (¾ tasse) de fraises fraîches coupées en quartiers 70 g (½ tasse) de framboises fraîches



Pour les poudings
Dans un bol, déposer le chocolat. Réserver.

Dans une petite casserole, hors du feu, mélanger au fouet le sucre avec les œufs jusqu’à ce que le mélange soit homogène. Ajouter la crème en remuant.

Cuire à feu moyen-doux, en remuant constamment à la cuillère de bois et en raclant le fond et la paroi de la casserole, jusqu’à ce que la préparation ait un premier bouillon, épaississe et nappe le dos de la cuillère, soit environ 10 minutes. Verser sur le chocolat et laisser reposer 2 minutes sans remuer. Mélanger au fouet jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène.

Répartir le pouding au chocolat dans 6 pots en verre d’une contenance de 250 ml (1 tasse) chacun, soit environ 75 ml (1/3 tasse) par pot. Couvrir et réfrigérer 3 heures ou toute une nuit.

Pour le crumble
Entre-temps, dans un bol, mélanger la chapelure avec le chocolat et la fleur de sel. Répartir le mélange sur une petite plaque de cuisson ou une assiette tapissée de papier parchemin. Réfrigérer 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce que le crumble soit ferme. Concasser en morceaux. Le crumble se conserve 5 jours dans un contenant hermétique au réfrigérateur.

Pour la garniture
Dans un bol, fouetter la crème avec le sucre au batteur électrique jusqu’à l’obtention de pics fermes mais encore souples. Répartir la crème sur les poudings. Garnir des fruits et du crumble. Les poudings garnis se conservent 1 jour au réfrigérateur.

Gemellis à la saucisse et aux poivrons

 

Et puis voici un plat principal, des gemellis à la saucisse et aux poivrons, également de Ricardo. J’ai apporté quelques modifications : pour me simplifier la vie, et parce que j’ai comme un ras-le-bol des saucisses italiennes, j’ai utilisé des saucisses déjeuner à la dinde émiettées de Jimmy Dean, et j’ai omis le fenouil ainsi que le piment broyé. J’ai passé les légumes au robot, et à défaut de trouver des gemellis, j’ai utilisé des casarecce. Je recommande également d’utiliser moins de bouillon de poulet, car la sauce n’a pas épaissi. Malgré tout, c’était de très bonnes pâtes!

2 courgettes, coupées en petits dés (j’en ai pris une seule)
2 c. à soupe d’huile d’olive
15 g (1/3 tasse) de persil plat ciselé
340 g (¾ lb) de chair à saucisse italienne (environ 3 saucisses; j’avais 9,6 oz ou 272 g de viande)
3 poivrons de couleurs variées, épépinés et coupés en dés (au robot pour moi)
1 oignon, haché (au robot pour moi)
2 gousses d’ail, hachées (au robot pour moi)
1 boîte de 398 ml (14 oz) de tomates italiennes en dés
1 ½ tasse de bouillon de poulet (je recommande moins)
1 c. à soupe de pâte de tomates
1 c. à thé de graines de fenouil moulues
1 pincée de flocons de piment broyé
340 g (¾ lb) de gemellis
35 g (½ tasse) de fromage parmesan frais sans lactose râpé

Dans une grande poêle à feu élevé, attendrir les courgettes dans l’huile. Saler et poivrer. Transvider dans un bol. Ajouter le persil et mélanger. Réserver.

Dans la même poêle à feu moyen-élevé, cuire la chair à saucisse en l’émiettant à la cuillère de bois jusqu’à ce qu’elle soit dorée. Ajouter de l’huile au besoin. Ajouter les poivrons, l’oignon et l’ail. Poursuivre la cuisson 4 minutes en remuant fréquemment jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient tendres. Saler et poivrer.

Ajouter les tomates, le bouillon, la pâte de tomates et les épices. Porter à ébullition et laisser mijoter à feu moyen-doux de 15 à 20 minutes ou jusqu’à ce que les légumes soient bien cuits et que la sauce épaississe légèrement.

Entre-temps, dans une grande casserole d’eau bouillante salée, cuire les pâtes al dente. Prélever ½ tasse d’eau de cuisson. Égoutter les pâtes.

Dans la poêle avec la sauce, ajouter les pâtes. Poursuivre la cuisson 1 minute en remuant pour enrober les pâtes de la sauce. Ajouter de l’eau de cuisson pour détendre la sauce, au besoin. Rectifier l’assaisonnement.

Dans des bols, répartir les pâtes. Garnir du mélange de courgettes et parsemer du parmesan.

Pain à la courgette, au citron et au pavot

 

J’écris moins souvent depuis un an, hein? J’ai l’impression que j’ai mis toute cette énergie dans mon entreprise plutôt que dans mon passe-temps… Anyway, je vais essayer de publier des trucs en rafale cette fin de semaine, on verra bien ce que ça donne! Ici, il s’agit d’une recette de pain à la courgette, au citron et au pavot de Ricardo, que nous avons bien aimée!

Pour le pain
300 g (2 tasses) de farine tout usage non blanchie
2 c. à soupe de graines de pavot
½ c. à thé de poudre à pâte
½ c. à thé de bicarbonate de soude
½ c. à thé de sel
160 g (¾ tasse) de sucre
2/3 tasse d’huile végétale
2 œufs
325 g (2 ½ tasses) de courgettes râpées
1 citron, le zeste râpé finement
¼ tasse de jus de citron

Pour le glaçage au citron
55 g (¼ tasse) de sucre
2 c. à soupe de jus de citron


Pour le pain
Placer la grille au centre du four. Préchauffer le four à 350 °F. Beurrer un moule à pain de 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 po) et le tapisser d’une bande de papier parchemin en la laissant dépasser sur deux côtés.

Dans un bol, mélanger la farine, les graines de pavot, la poudre à pâte, le bicarbonate et le sel.

Dans un autre bol, mélanger au fouet le sucre avec l’huile et les œufs jusqu’à ce que la préparation soit homogène. Ajouter les courgettes, le zeste et le jus de citron. À la cuillère de bois, incorporer les ingrédients secs. Répartir la pâte dans le moule.

Cuire au four 1 heure ou jusqu’à ce qu’un cure-dents inséré au centre du pain en ressorte propre.

Pour le glaçage au citron
Dans un petit bol, mélanger le sucre et le jus de citron. Verser sur le pain chaud. Laisser refroidir complètement sur une grille, soit environ 3 heures. Le glaçage durcira en refroidissant. Démouler et couper en tranches.

Seattle

In early June, we got to take a family trip to Seattle with the Engineer’s mother. We had a short trip (three days), but squeezed in the main things I wanted to see and do (and eat!), so here’s a quick summary.

Day 1
We got there midday, driving in from Seattle. Our first stop was Red Mill Burgers for lunch, which was quite good. I ordered the red onion jam burger, but was mistakenly given the verde burger, which was not at all what I had wanted, but I could tell that the base of the burger was great. One thing that I noticed there, and it was going to be a theme in the state of Washington, is that all of the items that registered in my brain as “disposable plastic” were in fact made from plant fibers and compostable! I wish they were standard everywhere – I know that in Texas, plastic is still the norm. And in Quebec, people complain about paper straws that don’t hold up. But these straws and cups seem like the perfect compromise!

We then went to our first attraction, the Chihuly Garden and Glass at the foot of the Space Needle. We bought tickets to visit both, and spent time in the former while waiting for our entry time at the latter. We had seen some of Chihuly’s work at the San Antonio Museum of Art, but this was so much more impressive! There are sculptures that are 20 feet tall, and in every color you can imagine! One of the docents told us that they are dusted every day before the museum opens (we were really wondering ). I really don’t know if I preferred the Sealife Tower, Mille Fiori, or the chandeliers. Most of the glass sculptures are indoors, but there are many outdoors as well, looking like alien flowers in the greenery. This was really worth the visit! The gift shop is also superb, and it took a lot of self-restraint on my part not to buy anything.

Then we moved on to the Space Needle. I liked that there are exhibits explaining its history as well as building factoids as the line of people winds its way to the glass elevators. The top has a revolving restaurant (honestly, it looked more like a bar with only small 2-seater tables); the viewing deck was nice, as we got beautiful views of both Seattle as well as Mount Rainier. This was worth the visit!

Then, we went to Pike Place Market. Honestly, this would be much better in the morning, as shops were closing up already when we got there, but our schedule was tight and this was the best we could do. I almost bought peonies, but I didn’t know if our lodging had a vase, so I ended up just taking pictures. We spent some time looking around, bought pastries at Le Panier, saw the flagship Starbucks with the original logo, and made our way down to the Gum Wall.

We had booked an Airbnb on Dayton Avenue, a nice townhouse near the Woodland Zoo. We stopped at Trader Joe’s on the way and bought our dinner there before settling in for the night.

Day 2
We started off our day with a visit to the Fremont Troll, which was just as I imagined it to be, except the surrounding area was nicer than I imagined it. You can actually climb on the troll as long as you are being respectful of the surroundings, and I think everyone in our group had fun.

We then swung by the Lake View Cemetery to pay our respects to Bruce and Brandon Lee. The site itself if wonderful, too! And it was on to our next stop.

As this was a Saturday morning, the first one of the month, we’d had to foresight to book free tickets to the Spheres. They are a greenhouse with tropical plants in downtown Seattle, and it’s a project by Amazon (the company, not the forest). As the Engineer says, it’s a bit like trying to book concert tickets, on that there’s a lot of demand and you need to keep refreshing the page until you can get through! And you can only book 4 tickets at a time. I really enjoyed the visit. Plus, we were delighted to see that there was a General Porpoise right on the premises, so of course we took a break for doughnuts – and yes, they were every bit as good as advertised! (The kids and I had a cinnamon sugar crueller, a Boston cream doughnut, and a marshmallow chocolate doughnut.)

We then went to lunch at The Whale Wins, which again was just as I had imagined it. It was much quieter than I had expected for a Saturday lunch, which was actually really nice! We ate quite well.

After a pit stop at our townhouse, the Engineer and I took the kids out for a few hours. Our first stop was to visit Frankie Feetsplinters. I’ve become obsessed with Thomas Dambo’s troll sculptures, and since there are six in the Pacific Northwest, I wanted to see some! (The map on his website is unfortunately impossible to navigate, but you can use this one for the USA.)

Our second stop was Discovery Park, where we took the trail recommended by Molly Wizenberg: “Park in the south lot, walk up and over the hill, down through the meadow that slopes toward Puget Sound, and then wind your way down through the woods to the beach. It’s beautiful, year-round.” Well, we didn’t have time to go down to the beach, but we saw the sound, and it was beautiful.

For dinner, since we wanted a broader gluten-free selection for my mother-in-law, we went to a/stir – it had a great menu, and the entire place is gluten-free! We didn’t try the dessert, because I had my heart set on a nearby shop…

We had dessert at Frankie and Jo’s. I had been waiting literally for years to go there! It’s a vegan ice cream shop with awesome flavors; even non-vegans from Bon Appétit love it! I tasted the Blueberry Lavender Pie ice cream (seasonal), and it was really great; I wish I had been hungry enough to eat that one too! I should have asked for a taste of California Cabin, too. But I went with the ones I’d had my eye on all this time, the Salty Caramel Ash ice cream and the Beet Strawberry Rose sorbet. They were out of this world! I’d really like to figure out the recipe for that sorbet in particular. And I just found out that Frankie & Jo’s ships their ice cream domestically, so that’s where my next paycheck is going…

Day 3
We drove out to Mount Rainier, which we’d been seeing from afar since we got there. You definitely have to get there early (before 9:00am) to get a parking spot, but keep in mind that the visitors’ pavilion doesn’t open until 10:00am. We had read that in early June, “it’s possible there will still be snow on the ground.” We’re Canadian, we figured that was totally fine. As it turned out, though, there was so much snow that one of the two trails we were considering (Nisqually Vista Trail) was closed, and the other (Skyline Trail to Myrtle Falls) was open, but… under a lot of snow. People starting their trek had spikes on their shoes (or snow shoes or skis), and walking sticks of ski sticks, and proper snow suits in most cases. I walked up the slope for a bit (maybe a total of 50 feet up, according to Strava), then decided that my shoes were not adequate and I went back down. (The Fox and his grandmother were waiting in the visitors’ center by then, and the Engineer and the Little Prince went up a bit further than I did.)

We did get to enjoy the scenery on the way up and down, though (at least, those of us who weren’t driving), and made a little stop at Narada Falls on the way down.

We then had lunch at Mount Rainier Railroad Dining Company, partly because it was a good location that offered some gluten-free options, and maybe partly also because in Vancouver, we hadn’t been to the “right” location of the Old Spaghetti Factory and I felt like I had been cheated out of the railroad car. This place was all railroad cars, though, and the food was really good! I ended up splitting a hamburger with the Fox because he finished his corndog and was still hungry; the Little Prince and my mother-in-law both had the salmon with blackberries, and the Engineer had the Montecristo sandwich.

On the way back, we stopped by Lincoln Park to see a second Dambo troll, Bruun Idun. I think I liked her more than Frankie! The surroundings are gorgeous, too, as she’s on the edge of the forest near the water. This was a great outing! And the kids spent a little time at the playground too.

We dropped off my mother-in-law at the townhouse so she could rest and made our way to Delancey. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might know that I’ve been wanting to go to Delancey since… before it opened over 15 years ago? I can’t help it, I’m such a big fan of Molly Wizenberg, so I was following the whole thing on her blog (Orangette) and then read her memoir about that phase in her life. And on the way there, as we were driving downhill in Ballard, I think we passed her on her bike, then met up again with her at the intersection of 75th Street and 8th Avenue. Molly Wizenberg, if you were wearing a lime green bike helmet and biking with your toddler in her trailer, just know that I was super happy to catch a glimpse of you!

Anyway, we made it to Delancey. Somehow, this was also just as I imagined it, though I couldn’t sum up all the background info I got from Molly Wizenberg (and honestly, it’s not necessary to enjoy a good pizza!). The white pizza looked great, but I decided to go the classic route and got the margherita (and I took Lactojoy, which was totally worth it). We got some of their famous salted chocolate chip cookies to go, too.

So, I hadn’t realized that there was a Frankie & Jo’s literally next door, but what we had on our schedule that evening was Salt & Straw – I’d been wanting to go there ever since I saw this on Instagram! I tasted the Strawberry and Coconut Water Sherbet, and it was good, but I got the Peanut Butter Brittle Caramel Fudge, and that was fantastic! And Salt & Straw does sell online too, including a pack of dairy-free flavors.

Of course, with such a short stay, we didn’t get to do *everything*. If I ever go back, I’d like to go to Bateau, meet up with two friends who live there, maybe explore some neighborhoods more in depth or see more of Molly Wizenberg’s recommendations. And, like, eat at Frankie & Jo’s everyday!

Coconut Quinoa with Lime Zest

 

I made this coconut quinoa with lime zest as a side, after adapting the instructions from a rice cooker to a small or medium saucepan (it’s actually faster, in this case). This quinoa was delicious! I served it with Korean chicken meatballs.

1 cup quinoa, rinsed if necessary
1 (13.5-oz.) can coconut milk
¼ cup water
¼ tsp. salt
1 small lime, zested and juiced

Place quinoa, canned coconut milk, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the liquid has just been absorbed.

Let the quinoa set for about 4-5 minutes after it's done cooking, and then fluff it with a fork.

Stir in the zest and juice of one small lime, and season with additional salt to taste. Serve warm.

Korean Chicken Meatballs

 

I saw this recipe for Instant Pot Korean chicken meatballs, which I immediately modified to use the oven instead of the Instant Pot. I used less of the red pepper flakes and I doubled the quantities to make about 8 servings (27 meatballs); the amounts below are mine. They were a hit! I served them with coconut quinoa with lime zest.


For the Korean BBQ sauce (I made it while the meatballs are cooking)
½ cup liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/3 cup + ¼ cup brown sugar (this is confusing but add both; it adds up to .58 of a cup which doesn't exist)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sambal oelek
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
½ tsp. grated fresh ginger
¼ tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. cornstarch

Bring all the ingredients (except for the water and cornstarch) to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan.

In a small bowl, make a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and water together until the cornstarch dissolves.

Add the cornstarch to pot and whisk over medium-low for 5-10 minutes and it’s rich and thick.

Store in a jar for up to a week.


For the meatballs
2 lb. ground chicken
2 eggs
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. grated ginger
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
½ tsp. salt
1 cup panko crumbs
sliced green onions, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with oil. Set aside.

Combine the ground chicken, eggs, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, and salt to a bowl and mix together.

Sprinkle the panko crumbs over the chicken, mix and let the panko soak into the chicken mixture for 5 minutes.

Form into 30 balls or so. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, then bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until they are cooked all the way through. (This cooking time is perfect for making the Korean BBQ sauce and a side dish.)

Serve the Korean chicken meatballs over quinoa or cauliflower rice. Drizzle the Korean BBQ sauce over the meatballs. Garnish with green onions, if using.

Product reviews

I’ve got a metric f*ckton of overdue product reviews here, so let me do a big post to cover most of them.

First, I was sent samples of Festive Celebrate Snacktime Chickpea Halves, which are roasted chickpea halves that come in a wide array of flavors. And they are vegan! So there’s not lactose in the white cheddar, sour cream & onion, or ranch flavors. And honestly, they taste really good! My only quibble with them is that I find them too hard – they borderline hurt my teeth, so I find them unpleasant to eat. I ended up donating the large bags to my local food pantry.

 

Ritual Chocolate is delicious (especially the fleur de sel bar and the juniper lavender bar), but what I really want to point out if the simple-yet-ingenious design of the box, such that you can close it securely between tastings. Brilliant! (Pay no attention to the expiration date here, it's an old photo.)

Japanese Kit-Kat flavors are fabulous. I have not been able to find them locally in Japanese stores, though I do have one more place to try. I’ve been reluctant to order them online because they are shipped from Japan without proper insulation, and I live in South Texas, so I assume they would melt on the way (not to mention the shipping expense…).

 

I first had an Undercover dark chocolate and sea salt quinoa crisp as a complimentary snack on a flight, and I liked it so much that I had to seek out the company. Turns out Target has some of their items, so I now regularly get a pouch of chocolate quinoa crisps as a treat, and have to beat the kids to it because they will eat the whole thing in one sitting!

 

I wanted to love Blue Stripes whole cacao chocolate bars, but… I just didn’t. This chocolate is made using not only the cacao beans, but also the pulp and the shell of the fruit. Unlike “regular” chocolate, this method doesn’t waste 70% of the pod. I love the idea, it’s just that I’ve had much better chocolate.

 

I tried Kize peanut butter chocolate chip bar in a never-ending quest to find snacks that are high in protein and low in carbs, and… this fits the bill almost too well? It is satiating, but it feels halfway between a snack and a meal replacement, which is rarely what I am after.

 

I bought a variety pack of Aloha protein bars. The Little Prince and I both think they are okay, but we both prefer IQ Bars.

Similarly, we tried a variety pack of Rule Breaker Snacks, which are made from chickpeas and contain a lot of protein. Plus, they’re allergy-friendly and school-safe, though you might need to package them in individual servings. We like them, but don’t love them.

 

I love these protein puffs! They are made by IWON Organics (which is under the Awakened Foods umbrella); I buy them at Whole Foods, but they are available at other retailers too, as well as on Amazon. I’ve only tried the caramelized onion so far, and it’s delicious! It really hits the spot when I am craving something crisp and savory.

 

I really like these salted dark chocolate walnuts! Some protein, healthy fats, and not too many carbs. And they taste great!

I tried Stryve Protein Snacks, which looks more like thinly sliced steak than jerky. It was good, but it turns out that the kids prefer jerky sticks.

 

Finally, Grüns. I was lured in by all the nutrients (including some that may protect against cognitive decline), and they taste really good! The downside to me is that each batch seems a little bit different, not just in design (the teddy bear is the new version) but also in texture and taste, so I do wish there were more consistency. And obviously, there’s no scientific proof that they “do” anything. But I like them!