There’s a new ancient grain in town, and it goes by the name of teff. The tiniest grain in the world is native to Ethiopia, where it’s mainly used to bake injera; the flatbread that’s a national dish and eaten daily in households….
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It’s almost impossible to ingest all the superfoods we’ve been instructed to eat on a daily basis. There aren’t enough meals in the day—and even if there were, not all of the listed produce are readily available. ); return…
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Susan O’Brien founded snack company Hail Merry on the island of Maui, crediting yoga and meditation as the inspiration for creating healthy food. We sampled the line of raw, vegan and gluten-free macaroons and tarts at CH HQ and were pleasantly surprised with how satisfyingly rich the treats seemed…
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Gluten-free energy bars from Vermont
Born from founder Leslie Kielson’s energy snack recipe experiments, Vermont’s Battenkill Brittle makes bars and crumble full of healthful seeds. A departure from the dense concoctions found in oatmeal bars, Battenkill’s version is light, crunchy and lightly sweetened. The gluten-free energy bars serve as the perfect treat or snack,…
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Whole food candy bars inspired by the roaring ’20s
Bixby & Co. is a fledgling candy bar company with a knack for making delectable sweet treats from whole foods and organic ingredients. Hoping to reinvent the classic American snack, McAleer began producing vegan, non-GMO and gluten-free treats with half the sugar of a traditional candy bar, drawing inspiration from her adventurous great-great-grandparents, Lillian and William K. Bixby, for the chocolate’s 1920s packaging and irreverent attitude. Combining a health-conscious culinary sophistication with that sense of sporty nostalgia, Bixby bars are all about the fusion of whole foods and silky chocolate in a compact treat.
First launched in December 2011, McAleer’s unlikely education spanned Chinese, art history and design before settling in the pastry arts. Her shop, located in New York’s Hudson Valley, produces each of Bixby & Co.’s handmade bars. Eco-conscious to the last, the packaging is composed of soy ink printed on FSC-certified paper. McAleer’s sustainability efforts have won the bars Rainforest Alliance Certification and a membership in Youth Trade.
McAleer’s art and design education shines through in the throwback packaging. Cheeky names like “Whippersnapper” and “Knockout” theme the bars, which are mostly inspired by leisure sports of the ’20s. “Heart’s Delight“—a seductive combination of dark chocolate, almonds, dried strawberries and ceylon cinnamon—features an etching of famed ballroom dancers Vernon and Irene Castle. The newly introduced “Mulligan” and “Birdie” flavors are a his-and-hers pair that pay tribute to McAleer’s days as a golfer.
As the popularity of bean-to-bar chocolate compels confectioners to reconsider sweets, Bixby & Co. is turning that same passion for ingredients toward the candy bar. The flavors are inspired by McAleer’s time abroad in China, where unlikely flavor marriages along the silk road have bred rich regional cuisines. McAleer’s tribute to China, “To the Nines” brings together white chocolate, goji berries, pistachios, almonds and cardamom. “I had this equation of chocolate, fruit, nut and spice that occurred to me,” says McAleer. After a a dose of sweet chocolate and sour fruit, the lingering taste is often a spice—ranging from savory fleur de sel to spicy tellicherry black pepper. The addition of organic brown rice crisp lightens the bar considerably, separating elements and making for a more delicate texture.
Bixby & Co. chocolate bars are available from the company’s online shop.
Images by James Thorne
Tastier than you might think
With archeological evidence tracing their roots back as far as 13,000 years ago in India and Pakistan, lentils have been a protein-packed part of mankind’s diet since the Neolithic times. Like various other healthy chips we keep on tap, Simply 7’s Lentil Chips make the legume accessible to those less familiar with its many nutritional benefits. The crispy, gluten-free snack gets its flavor from just the right amount of garlic and spices, but with 40% less fat than potato chips makes a significantly healthier option.
We tried all three flavors—sea salt, bruschetta and creamy dill—at CH HQ, and found each of them well seasoned and satisfyingly crunchy. As a bonus, the trans fat-free chips are a good source of protein and iron. Head to Simply 7 online for recipes and more information, including where to buy.
A flavor-neutral milk alternative with the healthful benefits of oats
One of the most exciting finds at the winter 2012 Fancy Food Show came in the form of a non-dairy milk made from oats. Oats? Milk? Yes—and the result outshines other alternatives like soy and almond because of its neutral taste and dairy milk consistency. Plus, Simpli Naked Oat retains many of the vitamin and nutritional qualities of the oats. The beverage is available unsweetened, or lightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla.
Simpli also makes the creamier dairy-free, gluten-free OatShakes, which are available in chocolate and tropical fruit flavors, offering a new snack option that can be served cold or warm. As part of Simpli’s mission to encourage healthy lifestyles, they offer an extensive list of gluten-free baking tips and recipes on their website. Both Simpli Naked Oats and OatShakes are available through Amazon where a 25oz box sells for around $5, and at retailers nationwide.
Superfood snack-makers combine all-natural, gluten-free ingredients for a surprisingly tasty treat
Touted as the only whole grain that’s a complete source of protein, South American quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids and has thus become one of the most favored superfoods in recent years. To harvest the health benefits of the gritty grain in a tasty way, I Heart Keenwah makes surprisingly delicious little snack squares packed with gluten-free, all-natural ingredients.
Of the four available flavors—almond, cranberry cashew, ginger peanut and chocolate sea salt—we preferred the chocolate sea salt and almond for their modest, yet distinctive flavor. Although some of us were a bit apprehensive to dive headfirst into the superfood snack when Josh and Evan brought them in to the office this morning, after one little Keenwah cluster I was hooked. The salted almonds added to the intense crunch from the quinoa, while the sweet honey flavor was the perfect compliment to really pull the natural ingredients together.
Unlike artificial snack foods these tasty little morsels are filling, healthful and actually taste really good. For now Keenwah is only available in stores across Chicago, Milwaukee, Mineapolis and New York, with additional availability through their online store where a four-ounce bag goes for $5.
A new snack perfect for the couch or the bar gives you half the pop and all of the crunch and flavor
One of the great joys of eating a bowl of popcorn is picking out the half-popped kernels that settle to the bottom. Imagine the gluttonous excitement of finding Halfpops—a bag full of only half popped kernels. What it takes away from the satisfaction of the popcorn bowl search it makes up for with its all natural, nothing artificial, gluten free and tasty crunchy goodness.
CEO and co-founder Mike Fitzgerald (a former professional race car driver) came across a patent for the process and acquired it in 2009. It took more than a year to find the right methodology and tweak the otherwise standard industrial popping equipment to create Halfpops. The process involves both “manipulating the moisture content” of the kernels and then preventing them from fully popping. Interestingly, the process doesn’t produce any fully popped kernels, so nothing is wasted. Mike says that the process is “actually pretty difficult to do.” Now if they could only remove the shells…
Halfpops are currently available in two flavors—Natural Butter and Pure Ocean Sea Salt and Natural Aged White Cheddar, though voting has already begun on their site for the next flavor. Halfpops are made in Seattle and available in local markets. The rest of us can order online directly from Halfpops. A case of 16 2oz bags sells for $24.
New sweet-and-salty flavors from the better-tasting nutrition bar brand
When you’re out and about, pumping iron or just running a busy schedule, it’s nice to have a nutrition boost handy. Next time you’re in a spot, give NuGo’s above-average bars a try. Their use of pure natural ingredients comes through in their taste, giving them an obvious edge over the competition. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find that the brand’s commitment to quality is even stronger. For their chocolate-covered bars, they go so far as to make their own chocolate in-house.
The latest additions to the Dark collection, peanut butter cup and chocolate pretzel flavors, introduce a sweet-savory mix to the line. These delicious new options, like all Nugo bars, can be enjoyed guilt-free. Each contains 10 grams of protein and contains all-natural dairy-free ingredients. On top of that, the bars are also low fat, vegan, and certified kosher.
For those looking for a gluten-free snack, NuGo bars have a rice-based version too, selling for $19 per box (includes 12 bars) on their website. They have low-fat and high protein organic and vegan bars as well to suit a variety of dietary needs.
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