Review & Giveaway: Theo Chocolate

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The winner is:tanyaviola “We always have chocolate in our household! My husband has a small piece everyday and I have one about every 3 days…I must eat up my one lone vegan chocolate bar very slowly. So it’d be great to get more chocolate :)”

p.s. i used random.org to pick my winner

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 I know I have been M.I.A. for the past few days with my blogging and I apologize. I spent all yesterday afternoon working on soup recipes for my upcoming interview at the Cafe at my husbands work. I am lucky that my husband has the weekly menus for the cafe so I can see what sorts of things they make- mostly soups, salads, sandwiches and then “entree” sort of dish. Anyways I have been super busy with that- but now back to what this post is all about and that is CHOCOLATE!

Theo Chocolate sent me some of their bars a little while back and I have slowly been trying all of them (except one). They make really great dark chocolate bars and my hubby and I like treating ourselves once and awhile with a small piece (or 2) of dark chocolate and this hits the spot. Theo’s entire “Classic Combination Bars” (with the exception of one) are all VEGAN/DAIRY-FREE (except for the milk chocolate bar) AND SOY-FREE.

Click to View Theo Chocolate Website

 

Now I know how much you all like chocolate and so I saved my last bar to share with you. If you would like a chance to win this bar then please leave a comment by January 25th at 8am. 

For a second chance to win tweet about this giveaway directing it @cookveganlover AND remember to post another comment letting me know you tweeted.

Blogger Disclosure:  Cooking For A Vegan Lover received these products at no cost from the company for review.

Let Me Introduce You to My Blendtec and My Day

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This morning I was lazy and stayed in bed a little later and by later I mean like 6:30 am.  Once I finally dragged myself out of bed I decided to make a green smoothie in my new Blendtec Total Blender.  Let me tell you how excited I was when I came home to this a few weeks ago.  The good people at Blendtec sent me my own red Blendtec Total Blender and I am just loving it. I have mostly made smoothies and  vegan ice cream it in it so far but I am dying to try my hand at making soup in it. This morning was a yummy green…er brown smoothie (1.5 cups water, 1 cup frozen raspberries, 1 small apple diced, 1 small banana diced, 2 handfuls of spinach). The best part about this blender is that I only have to push one button for my smoothie to be made (the button that says smoothie) and it does all the work for me! 

I did some yoga this morning and then an elliptical session where I finally finished reading The China Study – I read a good chunk of it when I was on vacation back at Christmas but just haven’t taken the time to do much reading lately but I told myself I HAD TO finish it this week.  Now I am on to working on a blog post about this amazing informative book. 

For lunch I made up some of Kristen Suzanne’s “Twilight Pecan Shallot Pate”  from her Entrees book.  I served it up on some romaine pieces and let me tell you this stuff is sooo good I will be making it again!

 

After lunch I did some yoga for abs with Rodney Yee and then headed to the co-op to pick up a couple of things.  To my delight there was a package on our steps from Tropical Traditions when I returned home.  Once I got things put away I decided it was to make my Kitchen Sink Cookies since my husband has been asking for about a month for me to make them. 

 

 

Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions

 

Kitchen Sink Cookies

 

So Kitchen Sink Cookies are crazy easy to make the base is:

1/2 cup nut butter (I used PB today)

2 T water

2 T agave

1t vanilla

1/2 t cinnamon 

Mix this all together and to this add whatever nuts, dried fruit or chocolate you’d like to it.

Today I used: 1/2 cup raw trail mix (goji berries, pistachios, cashews and a few other dried things), 2 T raisins, 1t shredded unsweetened coconut, 1 T pumpkin seeds, 2T sunflower seeds, and 1 T mini chocolate chips

These are best after they have set in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.

 

 

Blogger Disclosure:  Cooking For A Vegan Lover received these products at no cost from the company for review.

Pantry Challenge Update- Tofu Scramble

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The winner is:

busymomto5- “our house eats sooo much hummus!”
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I know that in my last update I had said that I had given up on the challenge due to a lack of pantry items however after some consideration I decided that I could do at least another week however I would need to pick up a few pantry items (4 cans of beans and 2 cans of tomatoes).   Yesterday breakfast was leftover quinoa chili I just couldn’t wait until lunch to eat it.  For lunch I had noodles with chickpeas, earth balance and curry powder, simple but yummy.

For dinner I used my sample of Wildwood Organics Sprout Baked Tofu – savory flavored.  I threw 3 shallots, 2 cloves of garlic and the tofu into the food processor and pulsed to break it up.  I threw it in a pan with some vegetable broth and toasted in some nooch, paprika and chili powder.  I added a frozen mix of corn, onions, peppers and black beans and 2 handfuls of spinach.  I had some Ezekiel bread left in the freezer and toasted it up to have with our scramble- unfortunately I didn’t photograph any of this.

I’m going to do a mini giveaway- I have a bunch of coupons for free Cedar’s products including hummus, salsa and their new creamy hummus- If you would like a chance to win, leave me a comment by 8pm on January 21st.  

Recipe Post: Guacamole

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Guacamole


I served up this delicious guacamole and some savory Flackers from Doctor in The Kitchen that I received the other day.  These flax seed crackers are delicious, gluten free, raw and full of fiber and protein. There are three flavors: dill, rosemary and savory- I have tried the dill and savory so far and they are delicious! I think I will make some white bean dip to have the the rosemary flackers.

Click to View the Doctor in the Kitchen Website

Ingredients

2 avocados, diced

1/2 small red onion, minced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 T lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mash.

Pantry Challenge Update: I know I wrote in my last pantry challenge update that I would probably not be participating any longer however I decided to give it another week.  I did however pick up some additional pantry items that I needed such as beans, nuts, and non-dairy milk this week.  I also picked up spinach, bananas, and oranges.  I spent $32 total for these items make a total of $60 for the last two weeks on groceries.  We get our share tomorrow and it should include: carrots, beets, cabbage, potatoes, onions, rutabaga, turnips, parsnips, winter squash, garlic and apple cider- our share is every 2 weeks so this will last us for the rest 0f the month.

Review: Oogave

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Click to View Website

Click to View the Oogave Website

 

I recently was able to try all the flavors of Oogave – agave sweetened soda.  I love that these soda’s are sweetened with agave and only have around 5 ingredients! There are 6 flavors- Esteban’s Cola, Mandarin-Key-Lime, Watermelon Cream, Grapefruit, Esteban’s Rootbeer and Ginger Ale.  My favorites were the rootbeer and the grapefruit; I expected the grapefruit to be much more tart but it was a good balance of sweet and tart and was refreshing.  My husband really like the cola it had great flavor with out the HFCS that normal colas have.  The Mandarin Key Lime and Gingerale were pretty good not our favorites but still good.  I really didn’t care for the watermelon cream it tasted like well bubble gum- I’d like to note that I am not a bubble gum or watermelon flavor fan so others might enjoy it. 

 

Overall loved this product and wish I could get my hands on some more of the grapefruit and root beer however these aren’t available in Vermont yet- but I am going to ask my Co-op to try and carry it. 

 

Blogger Disclosure:  Cooking For A Vegan Lover received this product at no cost from the company for review.

Pantry Challenge Update

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So I have been working on this pantry challenge and have come to realize it’s a fail.  I evaluated the contents of my cupboards and well I basically have tomatoes, tomato sauce, pasta and grains…no beans, no other fun pantry items.  My freezer is pretty sparse as well – only gin, bananas, edamame and sweet peas.  I think that this pantry challenge was a great idea but is just not going to work for me this month since I am lacking in staples. However I am considering coming back to this when i have a more well stocked pantry. 

I have to say though I have created some great meals this week.  My husband commented on the fact that they were fun and different than we usually have and actually have tasted great. I’ll leave you with some of the items I made this week:

Southwest Grits - Makes 2 servings

 

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup 5 minute grits
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 t each of  garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and paprika
  • 1 t cumin
  • 1/4 t chipotle chili powder
  • 1/4 cup frozen corn
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced

 

Directions:

  • In a bowl mix together grits, nutritional yeast and spices.
  • Bring water to a boil, while stirring slowly stream in the grits mixture.  
  • Turn the heat down to low and let cook this should take about 5-7 minutes, make sure to stir frequently.
  • Once the grits are almost done add in the corn and green onions.
  • To serve place grits in a bowl and garnish with green onion, corn and your favorite hot sauce.

 

Creamy Butternut Squash Penne - Serves 1

For dinner last night I took the bus into Burlington to meet my hubby after work for a date night.  We went to American Flatbread which is delicious.  I love their menu because it is simple – all they have are 10 signature flatbreads, create your own flatbread and a salad; however their beer menu is extensive – I’d say close to 100 different varieties as well as house made ones. 

Hubby had the Wolaver's Coffee Porter and I had Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde

We shared 2 small flatbreads- This one is Revolution Flatbread- housemade tomato sauce, caramelized onions, mushrooms and herbs

 

Our 2nd flatbread was the Roasted Tomato Salsa- house made salsa (wood fired tomatoes, garlic, jalapenos, cilantro), corn and black beans

Pantry Challenge Update

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So I started the pantry challenge this week and so far we have been going strong making some yummy dishes.  Last night was our eat out night we went to Angeleno’s for veggie pizza, salad and Badger Mountain Organic Reisling. 

Click to Visit Website

 

I was sent this great baking book a little while back and have been baking a ton from it.  I made the dinner biscuits for Thanksgiving and just this week I made the raspberry bars and the cinnamon bread.  All the recipes in this book are dairy, egg and nut free and although it is not officially vegan it just happens to all be vegan.  

I love how this book has photographs for the all the recipes it makes baking easier when you know what the final result should look like.  I honestly am not the greatest baker it’s more my husbands forte but with this book I seem to be able to do a great job baking anything (well that’s in it).

Raspberry Bars from The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book

 

Other things I have been making:

Spicy Hoisin Chickpea Lettuce Wraps

 

Servings: 1 large serving or 2 small serving

Ingredients:

  • 1 t canola oil
  • 1 cup Chickpeas, drained
  • 8 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced 
  • 1/2 T hoisin suace
  • 1 t sirracha
  • 1 t sambel oelek 
  • 1/4 t onion powder
  • 1/4 t garlic powder
  • pepper
  • 1/2 t arrowroot

 

6 Boston Lettuce or Romaine leaves for serving

Directions:

Heat canola oil on medium high heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes until softened.  Add all other ingredients EXCEPT the arrowroot.  Stir everything together and let saute for 3-4 minutes until bubbly and caramelized.  Sprinkle on the arrowroot and stir together.  

To Serve:

Fill the lettuce leaves with the chickpea mixture; fold like a taco and ENJOY!

 

Hazelnut Coffee & Oats with stevia, almond butter and banana

 

Oh and Don’t forget about my NibMor Chocolate giveaway- click here to enter

Blogger Disclosure:  Cooking For A Vegan Lover received this book at no cost from the company for review.