July 20, 2011 11:44 am
If you’re not a chocolate lover, I would suggest you stop reading this right now. Actually, keep reading because this might just change your mind. To me, chocolate is the one food group (yeah, I said it—food group) that, the second it touches the tongue, turns me into an addict. Once separated, the swirly, sugary, melty, crunchy, sweet, salty world of cocoa has me licking tables, napkins and even a hand or two for just one more crumb. But the problem is, sugar and I are just not friends. We fight all the time; I leave and say I’ll never be back; I come back, and in return, I get fat. It’s quite the relationship; let me tell you.
The concept of “life changing food” is something I’ve encountered only a few times in my life. And the day I come in contact with a life changing food is, as I’m sure you can imagine, a great day. Well, today is a great day, as I’ve recently discovered; a term that has probably never crossed the lips of any nutritionist, doctor or trainer—healthy chocolate. Gnosis Chocolate prides itself on being the World’s most nutritious chocolate. You heard me, nutritious. Gnosis uses entirely organic, raw cacao, raw superfoods, low-glycemic sweeteners, fruits and herbs from every corner of the world. And let me tell you, it’s fantastic. Each ingredient is specially picked, paired and put into Gnosis’ Cacao bars, OrigiNib bars and truffles, ensuring that every bite is full of health-benefiting herbs and flavor-packed superfoods. With out-of-this-world ingredients like blue-green algae, Siberian ginseng and Burdock root—to name a few, each bar has a specific function, ranging from enhancing cognitive function to aiding digestion to protecting your body from free-radicals and literally everything in between.
I was incredibly lucky to be able to try a variety of flavors; flavors that made my taste buds hop from one cloud of smile-inducing chocolate to the next. My first venture into one of Gnosis’ creations was the Coconut Almond cacao bar. I broke the silence of a quiet room with, “Oh my gosh,” prompting jealous heads to look up and stare at me as I closed my eyes, smiled and I think even danced a little. The sweet, distinct taste of the coconut was reminiscent of my trips to the Caribbean—minus me shaking from a sugar overload—and the almond added a crunch and homey feel that blended insanely well with the smooth chocolate. Each bar is rich and creamy, but somehow light and airy all at once. The quality of the chocolate could be tasted in the first bite, immediately putting anything made with sugar and in a factory on my “never again” list. I made my way through Aphrodisia, Fleur de Sel, SuperChoc and Pomegranate Açai, literally giggling to myself about how good the chocolate was, attracting resentful chocolate lovers to eye me down. But I wasn’t done. The Bali, Grenada and Madagascar OrigiNibs were each special and spectacular, bursting with so many detectable flavors I wasn’t exactly sure what to do except continue giggling with chocolate smeared all over my face like a four-year-old. And good news, the chocolate is finally off my face, I’ve stopped receiving dirty looks, I feel smarter and more energized, and I’ve officially become a chocolate snob. I told you it was a great day.
Photo credit: Gnosis Chocolate
— Written by Zoee Silber
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Tags : Zoee Silber, Gnosis Chocolate, Organic, Raw, Chocolate, Product of the Day
July 8, 2011 4:23 pm
You know that feeling of waking up, walking to your kitchen and having a great cup of coffee waiting for you? Neither do I (I make my own coffee, thank you very much). I just get tired of the same, boring coffee that is starting to lose its ability to make me shut my eyes and drift into sweet coffee bliss for a few morning moments. As someone who craves sweets but doesn’t often indulge, I usually make my morning cup of joe (first and last time referring to it as that, I swear) pretty sugary (naturally, of course), and was looking for a way to enhance my morning routine without enhancing my waistline. I dabbled in sugar-free syrups, but it just didn’t feel or taste right. Then I had my a-ha moment; flavored coffee.
From the moment I picked up my bag of Melitta Hazelnut Crème Brulée, I knew I was in love. The sweet smell of caramel, vanilla and hazelnut filled my nose immediately, and I just couldn’t wait to taste it. Just as I thought—the delicate flavors all complemented each other perfectly with a hint of unexpected burnt sugar at the end. Though I wouldn’t consider myself a coffee connoisseur, I was able to taste the complexity that came along with this nutty brew and appreciated its subtly.
Dessert for breakfast? Don’t mind if I do.
Photo credit: The Wic Project
— Written by Zoee Silber
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Tags : Zoee Silber, Melitta, Coffee, Product of the Day, Creme Brulee
September 1, 2010 11:37 am
As seen on Oprah's Favorite Things, these vivacious knives are sure to pop in any kitchen. This 8-piece set includes all the essential knives that will slice through anything: one for paring, tomato, citrus, bagels, Santoku-style, bread and, of course, a multi-use and Chef's knife.
The color-coding simplifies the selection process, resists corrosion and helps prevent against cross contamination, while the ultra modern 8-slot translucent storage block shows off the brilliant colors and sharp blades. Despite the plastic-like appearance, these knives have a stainless steel blade sharp enough for your most trying culinary endeavors.
Technique: These knives have a lightweight and contoured handle for optimal control and precision.
— Written by Alix Weiner
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Tags : Product of the Day, Pure Komachi2 Knife Set, Colors, Stainless Steel, Sharp, Alix Weiner
August 16, 2010 7:57 am
The perfect glass for Chardonnay, these Lenox Napa Valley Chardonnay wine glass feature a wide bowl that is tapered at the top— perfect for swirling and taking in the full aroma of your wine. Brand new for 2010, this glass is break-resistant, made of non-lead crystal and holds 12 full ounces of the good stuff.
Tip: For spirited whites like Chardonnay, choose a more narrow glass with a narrower opening— this ensures the best deliverance of the aroma.
Photo credit: Lenox.com
— Written by Lindsay Rubin
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Tags : lenox nappa valley chardonnay wine glasses, lindsay rubin, product of the day
August 22, 2011 6:52 am
On my long list of pet peeves, sitting comfortably between ’chewing with your mouth open“ and ’complaining about the weather“ is ’declaring yourself a chocolate lover and only liking Hershey‘s.“ (Note: there is a difference between someone who loves chocolate and a chocolate lover) Personally, I feel that if you‘re someone who simply loves chocolate, you‘re craving can be satisfied by a regular candy bar from the rack underneath the checkout counter at CVS. If you‘re a chocolate lover, however, the thought of sugary, gritty, poor quality chocolate makes you cringe. Seriously, how many times have you found yourself nauseous, shaking and crashing from your sugar-high after eating an entire bar? That‘s why when I eat chocolate, I make sure it‘s organic, there are no refined sugars — you know the drill.
NibMor, an organic, vegan, refined sugar-free and gluten free chocolate bar, has recently been added to my list of indulgences (I have a ton of lists). From the first bite of the Original bar, I was hooked. It‘s thicker than a classic chocolate bar — no skimping here — and smoother than the majority of bars deemed ’the best.“ The dark chocolate is rich with a bit of bitterness to it, but is sweet enough to have you coming back for the second, third and fourth bite (the fifth is just finishing the entire bar — I have no shame). And my favorite ingredient added to this wonderful mix of bliss, sea salt. The subtle hint of salt lingers on after all of the chocolate has, sadly, disappeared.
I had the pleasure of trying not one, but two types of NibMor chocolate bars. The Crispy bar, crisped with toasted brown rice, was flat out fantastic. Again, I was sucked in by the decadence of the chocolate, while the crackles of each bite had me finishing off an entire second bar. But hey, no sugar-high shakes here. It‘s hard to believe it‘s actually healthy; but if you don‘t believe me, feel free to check out their Health Beni‘s and Nib-tionaryfor everything you need to know about Agave, Cacao and weight loss benefits. Yeah, you heard me, weight loss.
Well done, NibMor, well done.
Photo credit: Wellsphere
— Written by Zoee Silber
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Tags : NibMor, Chocolate, Vegan Chocolate, Organic, Zoee Silber, Product of the Day
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