Food Review #55 Walkers Shortbread Fingers

Shortbread. Shortbread is a delicious treat. It is one of the true classic biscuits/cookies. And what name is more synonymous with shortbread than Walkers. Of course, for our first review of shortbread, what better brand to review than Walkers?

Founded in Scotland, in 1898 by Joseph Walker with a loan of £50 to open his own bakery, with the dream of making the best shortbread in the world. As people tasted his shortbread, his fame soon spread wildly; and Joseph realized that he need to expand his facilities. He did just that, with an expanded bakery in the Speyside village of Aberlour, and invested in a horse and cart to deliver his baked goods further afield.

By the 1970's Walkers began exporting to over 60 countries around the world- still using his original recipe. Within a decade, they won the first of three Queen's Award for British Export, the highest accolade given to British exporters. By 1975, they had outgrown their facilities, and needed a custom-built bakery. Though, to this day they still maintain the shop in the village of Aberlour. Walkers products are all natural, and have won many accolades including five gold Mondiale Awards, and the Food from Britain Award.

The bakery is the lifeblood of hundreds of people, drawing workers from villages for miles around, like one big family. Walkers is the primary employer for Aberlour-on-Spey's 700 residents. Indeed, there are multiple generations of families working there. Many workers stay with the company for their entire lives, which creates an unusually loyal and motivated workforce. The mutual dependence of the village and the factory means that, if the factory does well, the village does well. Walkers provides free transport to work, which provides many economic and environmental benefits. Walkers feels a strong social responsibility to the folk of their locale, and supports the village with many charity and social-minded initiatives. Everyone in the village has an interest in the success of Walkers, and that is reflected in the quality of Walkers products.

Walkers is still a family-owned, and managed company. It's wide range of traditional shortbreads, biscuits, cookies, cakes, oatcakes, and puddings are exported to over 80 countries. And Walkers still use the original recipe from Joseph Walker to this day. All of Walkers shortbreads, biscuits, and oatcakes are certified Kosher OUD.

Alright, now let's get onto the review portion!

These shortbreads fingers are available in 150 gram (5.3 ounce) boxes. You can also get them in cases of twelve, and in various sizes of two-finger packs.

These shortbread fingers are packaged in a box, covered in a beautiful, traditional Scottish red tartan print. This elegant touch just further emphasizes the culture behind this product, and culture of the nation where it is made. (Yes, I know Scotland is a home nation of the UK, so thus, a nation.). The box is made of a thick cardboard. On the front of the box there is the Walkers logo, and the image of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Flora MacDonald, capturing one of the most romantic moments in Scotland's history, and reflects all the tradition and care that goes into baking every piece of Walkers shortbread. The back of the box has the GDA/Nutritional Facts label, and some further information on the product and the company. The back also displays proudly, "Product of Scotland".

These shortbread fingers only have four ingredients! That's right, only four! These are: wheat flour, butter, sugar, salt. It is rare to find a shortbread without artificial ingredients. Additionally, these shortbread fingers are non-GMO!

As I opened the package, the smell of rich, luxurious, buttery shortbread wafted out from the package. As I smelled this, I knew that this was going to be delicious.

Walkers says that these melt in your mouth, and I must agree. These have a very crumbly texture, and as I ate these shortbread fingers, they crumbled; and as they did, they melted in my mouth. These shortbread fingers are incredibly buttery, and rich. These have a light sweetness, and the light amount of salt helps to accent the flavour of the shortbread. These are so delicious. I really love these shortbread fingers. I have to always have these around in my house for a delicious snack.

The shape is the perfect shape for a delicious, rich snack. These fingers are of a nice size, and are about as long as your index finger. They are about 2-3 centimetres, or around an inch thick.

Each full-size box has eight fingers, and the two-finger packs have, of course, two fingers.

These are the perfect for tea time, or with coffee, hot or iced tea, ice cream, and more!

These would also be great in many recipes such as for pie and tart crusts, fruit crumbles, strudels, cheesecakes, toppings for desserts, trifles, and more. We will have some recipes soon that will feature this delicious shortbread.

Overall, I give Walkers Shortbread Fingers a 10 out of 10!I would definitely buy these again, and already have! I highly recommend these, and encourage you all to try these! You will not regret it. These are perfect for both the holidays, and everyday!

You can buy them in over 80 countries around the world, or directly from Walkers US here, Walkers UK here.

We Are Back And Better Than Ever!

All Natural Food Zone is back!

And not just back, but we will be better than ever! In just a preview of what's to come, read some of the changes:

More articles! That's right, get ready for many more articles from us in the coming months. More reviews, more recipes, more remedies, and more news!

More Giveways And we will soon have many more giveaways! That means that you can win free products, ones that we have already reviewed and that you know are good! All you'll have to do is keep on reading, and just enter to win!

Food News! That's right, for the first time every All Natural Food Zone, the internet's leading food site will feature news stories regarding food!

Interviews! In addition to food news, we will also try to feature interviews as well! Interviews with longtime leaders in the all natural product world, as well as newcomers to the sector.

Not Just Food and Beverages Anymore! We are also going to now review home, health and beauty, as well as some pet products. All natural products, of course. This will help All Natural Food Zone, your source for articles about natural products, recipes, remedies, and more better serve you; our valued readers!

And those are just some of the big changes coming to our site, All Natural Food Zone, in the coming weeks and months.

Remember to keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best site on the Internet in order to witness the wonderful changes coming soon.

Food Review #54 Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix

As you know, it's almost Cinco de Mayo! Also, we recently reviewed Simply Organic Cumin, and we really liked it. Since we liked that so much, I came with high hopes into this review of Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix.

First off, a little information. about Simply Organic.

All of Simply Organic's products are 100% certified organic. In addition to being good for you, they are good for the world at large. Each time you buy a Simply Organic spice, seasoning or mix, you make a small contribution; that when combined with many others; provides significant support to organizations and projects that research, develop, teach and promote organic agriculture. In fact, since the Simply Organic 1% fund began in 2001, it has provided over half a million dollars of support to organic causes.

One percent of sales on all Simply Organic spices, seasonings, flavors and mixes goes to support organic agriculture; through research, education and grower development.

The SO1% fund; determined as a percent of sales, not profits; is having a remarkable impact both here in the U.S. and internationally. For over three decades, Frontier has been a leader in promoting organic products and supporting organic agriculture around the world. It's logical that their all-organic brand, Simply Organic, funds many worthy organizations and events that support organics. We're proud to partner and offer you the opportunity to contribute directly to the continuing growth of organics with the purchase of high-quality Simply Organic products.

Now, this our first review of a seasoning. As I said before, we recently reviewed Simply Organic Cumin, but alas, that is not a seasoning but a spice.

We at All Natural Food Zone love tacos. Hard or soft, with beef, steak, or carnitas. So I was very excited to review this.

Now onto the review of the product at hand!

Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix is certified USDA Organic, and is also certified Kosher by the KSA. This is one of the few, if the only organic taco seasoning other than Simply Organic's Spicy Taco Mix (that will be reviewed soon). Which makes it even more interesting, and even more promising.

This has such premium ingredients such as organic chili pepper, organic paprika, sea salt, organic garlic, organic onion, organic coriander, organic cumin, organic cayenne; which together seem like a delicious collection of delightful parings.

Each package contains 32 grams (1.13 ounces) of mix.

The packaging is a nice, premium-feeling pouch. The outside is paper, while the interior of the pouch is lined with foil. On the front of the packaging, there is the logo of Simply Organic, along with the USDA Organic seal on the right, and on the left an orange-colored box that reads "Saddle up to this authentic flavor.", along with a photo of a finished taco prepared with this mix, along with tomatoes, and other vegetables. On the back is additional product information, along with the nutritional facts.

Upon opening the package, you smell the wonderful aroma of various delicious spices delightfully intermingling among each other. These spices include organic chili pepper, organic paprika, organic garlic, organic onion, organic coriander, organic cumin, and organic cayenne. All of these wonderfully compliment each other, and if this tastes similar to how it smells, then I would be very delighted.

Now onto the taste. Now, I used 85/15 Ground Beef with this taco mix, so your taco's taste, or results may be slightly different than mine if you use other meat.

The combination of all of the spices mentioned previously tasted absolutely delicious together, and provided a flavor that completely and absolutely blows the average taco mix out of the water. This isn't your average taco seasoning, this instead is much more unique, and much better. It has much more flavor than normal taco mix, and has a bit of spice, though not too much, and a bit of smokiness, and is overall absolutely delicious.

I must admit, it is the best taco mix I have ever tried in the entirety of my life.

Additionally, as a courtesy to you, the readers, we have provided the directions for the preparation of this products.

Directions for Preparation

1. In a large skillet thoroughly cook 1 lb. ground beef (you can also use tofu or ground turkey in the place of beef.) Drain, returning beef to skillet.
2. Mix packet contents with 1/2 cup warm water in a bowl, stir until completely dissolved.
3. Add taco marinade to ground beef and cook on medium heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer until desired thickness is reached.

Makes 4, two-taco, servings.

Overall, Food Review #54 Simply Organic Southwest Taco Mix gets a 10 out of 10! This is a delicious product, and I would definitely purchase it again! It is the best tasting taco mix I have ever tasted so far, and I highly recommend it to you all. It is available at retailers across The United States and Canada, or on Amazon here.

Food Review #53 Simply Organic Cumin

As you know, it's almost Cinco de Mayo! And, one of the most commonly used spices in many cuisines, and especially Mexican, Latin American, Tex-Mex, and California-Mex cuisines is cumin! Now, what is better than organic cumin, by the biggest name in organic spices; Simply Organic.

First off, a little information. about Simply Organic.

All of Simply Organic's products are 100% certified organic. In addition to being good for you, they are good for the world at large. Each time you buy a Simply Organic® spice, seasoning or mix, you make a small contribution; that when combined with many others; provides significant support to organizations and projects that research, develop, teach and promote organic agriculture. In fact, since the Simply Organic 1% fund began in 2001, it has provided over half a million dollars of support to organic causes.

One percent of sales on all Simply Organic spices, seasonings, flavors and mixes goes to support organic agriculture; through research, education and grower development.

The SO1% fund; determined as a percent of sales, not profits; is having a remarkable impact both here in the U.S. and internationally. For over three decades, Frontier has been a leader in promoting organic products and supporting organic agriculture around the world. It's logical that their all-organic brand, Simply Organic, funds many worthy organizations and events that support organics. Simply Organic proud to partner and offer you the opportunity to contribute directly to the continuing growth of organics with the purchase of high-quality Simply Organic products.

You can find more out about Simply Organic here.

Now, this our first review of a spice, or of any product by Simply Organic. But, I must say that I am very excited, as their products look and seem wonderful.

This particular spice is organic Cumin by Sinply Organic. The cumin is grown in India, and is also certified Kosher! The larger package that I purchased contains 65 grams (2.31 ounces) of cumin.

Now onto the review of the product at hand!

Upon gazing at the product, I could already see the premium appearance of the packaging alone. There is a beautiful pair of leaves in the front of the package, along with the rest of the Simply Organic logo. In a minimalistic font a bit below the logo, stands the word "cumin", with the weight of the product below that. On the back if the container is additjonal product information, along with the USDA Certified Organic Seal, and the KSA (Kosher) Seal, and a barcode. The container is made out of a very stuffy, and premium-feeling glass, with a gorgeous green-metal lid.

Another great attribute of the product and it's packing is that it has two areas where you can dispense the cumin. One which you can shake, and the other which you can put a measuring spoon in, and measure how much cumin you are adding to your dish.

When you pop open the lid, you smell a delicious, detailed aroma of mainly earthiness and smokiness, and subtle spiciness. If this tastes like it smells, this will be delicious.

Now, this is a spice, and I would not highly recommend tasting this straight out of the container. Instead, I would recommend it more in dishes, rather straight. However, to get the proper description of flavor, I will now describe how it tastes on it's own.

It does taste a bit like it smells, but better. It has an earthy flavor, and has a subtle bit of spice. It also is a bit smoky, and it tastes pretty good. This is not a one-note spice, such as salt; but instead is a spice of many notes.

While I have tried cumin before in the past, this is truly the best I have ever tried. And, it is a great plus for it to be organic, like it is.

Now. If you are going to use this as most people use it, great! As I subsequently have used it in may dishes such as in our upcoming guacamole recipe, hummus, tacos, chili, salsa, sauces, dips, and more. It is a very versatile spice, and Simply Organic Cumin truly provides a delicious, yet unique flavor to any dish.

Overall, Food Review #53 Simply Organic Cumin gets a 10 out of 10!, Simply Organic Cumin is a wonderful product, and I recommend it to you all. It is very versatile, and totally tasty. It is available in stores across The United States, and Canada. And also on Amazon, here.

All in all, this has been an experience for me. This has been our first review of spice, as well as of a Simply Organic product, and there will surely be more in the future, and especially the near future. Keep looking out for more reviews and recipes featured Simply Organic products, as well as more posts in our Cinco de Mayo series and celebration!

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!

Get Ready For... Cinco de Mayo!

One of the best holidays of the year is coming up! And, we at All Natural Food Zone will be here to help you celebrate it with brand new recipes, reviews, and more just for this special day!

Over the next few days, we will have our first Cinco de Mayo celebration here in our site! Keep checking to see Cinco de Mayo-themed reviews, recipes, and more!

So let's countdown to Cinco de Mayo, with our new reviews and recipes dedicated to this wonderful holiday!

Food Review #52 Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon

Our first ever green drink review. And guess what company makes it? A company that continues to impress us with their products, Evolution Fresh.

We recently reviewed some of their products recently, such as Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, as well as their Pineapple Coconut Water, Apple Berry + Fiber Smoothie, and Mango + Fiber we even made a pound cake recipe using their Orange Juice Now we review another product by Evolution Fresh, Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon.

First off, a little information about Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

Additionally, all Evolution Fresh products reviewed thus far are certified kosher. So, even if you are following a kosher diet, you can still enjoy Evolution Fresh products.

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated", this is very helpful as many would not realize this and assume it is shelf-stable. On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. The rings around the name of the variety of juice on the label are reminiscent of fine watercolors, and are very artistic in appearance.

Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Sweets Green & Lemon has the juice of 6 3/4 celery stalks, 3/4 apple, 1/8 cucumber, 5 leaves of spinach, 40 sprigs of parsley, 2/5 leaves romaine lettuce, a squeeze of lemon, a squeeze of lime, a snip of wheat grass, and a snip of clover sprouts in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.

You may be thinking, "They fit a lot in that bottle!", and you'd be right. I was even surprised when read that on the package.

Though I love Evolution Fresh products, I was a little bit scared to try this product. I never had a "green drink" before, and wasn't sure how it would taste. But, I decided to just get over this and try it.

Please note that, prior to drinking Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon that you need to shake it well to properly mix the contents.

Now for the moment of truth....

As soon as you open the bottle, you smell a refreshing scent of of various fruits and vegetables, such as celery, apple, lemon, and cucumber. The scent truly surprised me, and now I was much more hopeful about this product, especially if it tasted like it smelled.

As I tasted the product, I was pleasantly surprised. This really tasted good! Now I could see why people ranted and raved about green drinks, they were most likely referring to Evolution Fresh green drinks.

This product has a complex taste and collection of flavours. There isn't really one dominant flavour, instead the flavours of celery, apple, lemon, lime, cucumber, romaine, wheatgrass, clover sprouts, and parsley perfectly mingle together, and balance each other out well.

After tasting this, I can even think of why I was afraid of green drinks, and I am no longer (of Evolution Fresh green drinks at least.).

The consistency is a happy medium between being thick and smoothie-like, and thin and juice-like. The consistency compliments the drink well, and it is a nice consistency.

Overall, Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon truly surprised me, and I liked it very much. I would definitely, purchase it again gladly, and highly recommend it to you, the readers.

Evolution Fresh Sweet Greens & Lemon gets a 10 out of 10!

This green drink is the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh products are currently available in 12 states across The United States, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!

Recipe~ Basic Deviled Eggs

I love deviled eggs. I think they are perfect dish for Easter, or for any occasion. The recipe below is a mainstay in my kitchen, and is made quite frequently. The recipe below is great for classic, easy, and basic Deviled Eggs. Feel free to double or triple the recipe, or add herbs, or other toppings. For an interesting twist on this recipe, try topping bacon or cheese. Enjoy the recipe below, and I hope that you will make it, and enjoy it.


Ingredients

US

6 organic, or free-range large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise, preferably organic
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard, such as Koop's
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground Simply Organic Daily Grind Black Pepper, to taste
Smoked Spanish paprika, for garnish

Metric

6 organic, or free-range large eggs
55 grams mayonnaise, preferably organic
1 metric teaspoon, or 5 millilitres apple cider vinegar
1 metric teaspoon, or 5 grams yellow mustard, such as Koop's
1/2 metric teaspoon, or 3 grams sea salt
Freshly ground Simply Organic Daily Grind Black Pepper, to taste
Smoked Spanish paprika, for garnish



Directions

Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that about 1 1/2 inches of water is above the eggs. Place pan on stove.

Heat on high until the water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Now remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, and then rinse under cold water continuously for 1 minute.

Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels.

Slice the eggs in half, lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and then placing the whites on a serving platter.

Now mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites.

Sprinkle with smoked paprika for garnish. Serve and enjoy.

Food Review #51 Evolution Fresh Mango + Fiber

We recently reviewed Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, as well as their Pineapple Coconut Water, and Apple Berry + Fiber Smoothie we even made a pound cake recipe using their Orange Juice Now we review another smoothie by Evolution Fresh, Evolution Fresh Mango + Fiber.

First off, a little information about Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

Additionally, all Evolution Fresh products reviewed thus far are certified kosher. So, even if you are following a kosher diet, you can still enjoy Evolution Fresh products. Also, unlike most smoothies, this smoothie is vegan!

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated", this is very helpful as many would not realize this and assume it is shelf-stable. On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. The rings around the name of the variety of juice on the label are reminiscent of fine watercolors, and are very artistic in appearance.

Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber has the juice of 1 mango, 5/6 apple, 1 orange, 1/8 banana, as well as the water of 1/4 coconut in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.


You may be wondering, "Where is the + Fiber part of this, where does that come in?" Well, this has about 12 grams of fiber per bottle! I was shocked when I read this fact on their website, I never have seen a smoothie, ever with this much fiber. Fiber is essential for a healthy diet, and this is one of the better, easier, and hopefully more delicious ways of getting it.

Once you open the bottle, you are hit with a fruity potpourri of mango, apples, bananas, oranges and coconut water. From the way this smells, it seems like this will be a good smoothie.

Please note that, prior to drinking Evolution Fresh Mango + Fiber that you need to shake it well to properly mix the contents.

Now it's time for the moment of truth, the taste.

As soon as I tasted this this smoothie, I realized that this was not jus a one-flavor smoothie, but had many different flavors. The mango flavor dominated this smoothie, but only slightly. The flavors mango, apple, orange, banana, and and coconut water went deliciously wonderful together, and created a masterpiece of flavor that only a Evolution Fresh smoothie could provide. These flavors melded together perfectly, and made this smoothie very delicious, and a product I would definitely buy again.

Once again, Evolution Fresh makes another great product, and I doubt this will be the last great product they make. And, for the 4th time, they made a product that I love.

Now to the consistency, this smoothie has a nice, thick consistency. It is not overly thick, such as a milkshake, and is not thinner like a juice. It is just the right consistency for a smoothie.

Overall, Food Review #51 Evolution Fresh Mango + Fiber gets a 10 out of 10! It completely, and totally surpassed my already high expectations. This smoothie is one of the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh products are currently available in 12 states, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Also, don't forget to enter our Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk Gift Set giveaway! You can enter that here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!

Food Review #50 Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber

Wow, our 50th food review, it's hard to believe we've come this far. I've chosen another Evolution Fresh product, Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber. We recently reviewed Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, as well as their Pineapple Coconut Water, and we even made a pound cake recipe using their Orange Juice. We loved their products so far: but will we love this one?

Let's find out.

First off, a little information about Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

Additionally, all Evolution Fresh products reviewed thus far are certified kosher. So, even if you are following a kosher diet, you can still enjoy Evolution Fresh products. Also, unlike most smoothies, this smoothie is vegan!

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated", this is very helpful as many would not realize this and assume it is shelf-stable. On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. The rings around the name of the variety of juice on the label are reminiscent of fine watercolors, and are very artistic in appearance.

Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber has the juice of 2 apples, 18 raspberries, 3 strawberries, 33 blueberries, 1/3 mango, and 1/4 banana, as well as the water of 1/6 coconut in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.

One critical difference from the other Evolution Fresh products we previously reviewed is that this product is a smoothie, and not a juice. It is also the first smoothie we've ever reviewed on All Natural Food Zone.

You may be wondering, "Where is the + Fiber part of this, where does that come in?" Well, this has about 12 grams of fiber per bottle! I was shocked when I read this fact on their website, I never have seen a smoothie, ever with this much fiber. Fiber is essential for a healthy diet, and this is one of the better, easier, and hopefully more delicious ways of getting it.

After you open the bottle, you are hit with an intense smell of berries, you can also smell apples and coconut water in the background. If this tastes like it smells, this is going to be a good smoothie.

Please note that, prior to drinking Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber that you need to shake it well to properly mix the contents.


Alright already, let's get to the taste!

This smoothie has many notes of flavor. This has two dominating notes. The first is of berries, the flavor of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries reverberates throughout this drink. I love berries, whether it be strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or even lingonberries; I love them all (except those of the poisonous variety, of course).

The second is of apple. Apples are abundant in this smoothie. I also love apples, they are one of my favorite snacks, and juices. The combination of apples and berries may sound a bit odd, but they actually do pair well together. Though these two flavors are the dominating notes, there are other notes as well. Complimenting these flavors well are the notes of coconut water, banana, and mango. All of these flavors meld together very well, and make one of the best smoothies I have ever tried, and not even just in the bottled smoothie segment but in the smoothie segment in general.

This are even better than my own, homemade smoothies, which I thought were the best there were; not anymore after trying Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber.

I could drink this smoothie every single day, I love this smoothie, it is incredible, and absolutely, positively delicious.

Now to the consistency, this smoothie has a nice, thick consistency. It is not overly thick, such as a milkshake, and is not thinner like a juice. It is just the right consistency for a smoothie.

Overall, Food Review #50 Evolution Fresh Apple Berry + Fiber gets a 10 out of 10! It completely, and totally surpassed my already high expectations. This smoothie is one of the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh products are currently available in 12 states, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Also, don't forget to enter our Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk Gift Set giveaway! You can enter that here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more!

Food Review #49 Evolution Fresh Pineapple Coconut Water

We recently reviewed Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, and made a recipe with it, we love their orange juice. Now it's time to review another Evolution Fresh product, Evolution Fresh Pineapple Coconut Water.

First, a little information about Evolution Fresh. Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

Additionally, all Evolution Fresh products reviewed thus far are certified kosher. So, even if you are following a kosher diet, you can still enjoy Evolution Fresh products.

Coconut water is very trendy, almost every fashionable celebrity is drinking it. But, there are some reasons why. Coconut water is a great source of electrolytes, such as potassium, necessary for proper hydration. Electrolytes are also necessary for proper muscle contraction and to generate energy in the body. Also the potassium in coconut water can counteract the potential hazards, like hypertension, of a high-sodium diet of processed and refined foods. It has been used in tropical climates for ages to rehydrate the body, Many people prefer the naturally occurring coconut water to sports drinks, as it doesn’t have the added sugar and artificial flavoring and colors that other sports drinks have.

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated", this is very helpful as many would not realize this and assume it is shelf-stable. On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. The rings around the name of the variety of juice on the label are reminiscent are fine watercolors, and are very artistic in appearance. Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Pineapple Coconut Water has the water of 1 2/3 coconuts and the juice of 1/3 of a pineapple in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.

This juice only has two ingredients: coconut water and pineapple juice. That's all, no added sugar, water, or corn syrup.

Please note that, prior to drinking the Pineapple Coconut Water that you need to shake it well to properly mix the contents.

Now let's get to the taste.

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if the combination of coconut water and pineapple juice would be a good one, but in short. I was wrong.

The two juices complement each other greatly. The pineapple juice with it's very sweet taste, and the coconut water with it's much more subdued sweetness, and almost tea-like flavor. The combination is one that is sweet, but not overly and sickeningly so. It has a very refreshing taste. The two flavors contrast very nicely together. Additionally, the coconut water gives you a bit of energy, and it honestly improved my stamina. This product tastes very fresh, about as fresh if you went to the islands and tried a mixture of freshly-picked pineapple and coconut; that was juiced right before your very eyes. That fresh tasting. This is a great thing to drink anyway, especially on a hot day, or before or after exercising. This is very refreshing, and very good.

This product has a very smooth consistency, it is not a rick juice, but is no as thin as something like, water for example. It has a "happy medium" of consistency. I like the consistency.

I know I said it in the last review, but I'll say it again.

I love Evolution Fresh Pineapple Coconut Water.

I must say, this is one of the best, most delicious, freshest-tasting, highest-quality coconut water products on the market. I highly recommend this product, and I would definitely buy this again. This product is a high-quality product, just like it's parent company's (Starbucks) are, and all the other Evolution Fresh products are. Evolution Fresh products will be a mainstay in my fridge for many years to come.

Overall, Food Review #49 Evolution Fresh Pineapple Coconut Water gets a 10 out of 10! This drink is one of the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh juices are currently available in 12 states, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Also, don't forget to enter our Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk Gift Set giveaway! You can enter that here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more.

Recipe~ Evolution Fresh Orange Juice Pound Cake with Orange Glaze

We recently reviewed Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, and we really liked it, maybe we even loved it. So we decided that it deserved to be in one of our original recipes This recipe makes 2, 9-inch delicious pound cake loaves. This pound cake is one of the best there is, the homemade orange syrup and orange glaze just put this over the top. Evolution Fresh Orange Juice is perfect in this recipe, and makes this even better. This is my favorite pound cake, and one of my favorite desserts. Enjoy the recipe below.

Ingredients

USA/Imperial

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted organic butter, at room temperature
2 cups organic sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, preferably local, free-range, or organic
1/3 cup grated orange zest (from 6 oranges), preferably organic
3 cups organic all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces) Evolution Fresh Orange Juice
3/4 cup (6 fluid ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature, preferably organic
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably organic

Metric

226 grams (2 sticks) unsalted organic butter, at room temperature
457 grams organic sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature, preferably local, free-range, or organic
75 grams grated orange zest (the zest from 6 oranges), preferably organic
685 grams organic all-purpose flour
1/2 metric teaspoon, or 2 grams baking powder
1/2 metric teaspoon, or 2 grams baking soda
1 metric teaspoon, or 5 grams sea salt
58 millilitres Evolution Fresh Orange Juice
176 millilitres buttermilk, at room temperature, preferably organic
1 metric teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably organic


Orange Syrup

USA/Imperial

1/2 cup Evolution Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 cup organic sugar

Metric

117 milliliters Evolution Fresh Orange Juice
114 grams organic sugar


Orange Glaze

USA/Imperial

2 cups organic confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 tablespoons (3 fluid ounces) Evolution Fresh Orange Juice

Metric

457 grams organic confectioner's sugar, sifted
6 metric tablespoons, or 90 millilitres Evolution Fresh Orange Juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Grease bottom and sides of two 9 x 5-inches (23 x 13- centimetres) loaf pans; dust with flour, shaking out excess. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer still running, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another small bowl, combine Evolution Fresh Orange Juice, buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a straw or toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes.

While the loaf is cooling, make the orange syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the Evolution Fresh Orange Juice and organic sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat.

Remove loaves to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the loaves. Brush the tops and sides of the loaves with the orange syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cakes cool completely.

To make the orange glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and 4 tablespoons of the orange juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of orange juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the orange glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the orange glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

If you wish, garnish pound cake slices with orange zest, and remaining orange syrup. Enjoy.



Also, don't forget to enter our Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk Gift Set giveaway! You can enter that here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more.

Food Review #48 Evolution Fresh Orange Juice

Cold-pressed juice seems to be the biggest trend for juice for 2013. I decided that we needed to review some of them! Evolution Fresh, one of the largest (if not the largest) companies in the sector seemed like the perfect candidate for this.

Evolution Fresh bottled beverages are made from real fruit and vegetable juice. Fresh‐picked, and nutrient-rich. Evolution Fresh fruits and vegetables are squeezed and pressed fresh, bottled cold, never heat pasteurized and without any artificial flavors and colors to bring a fresh‐picked flavor and more nutrition in every sip. Evolution Fresh is one of the few major juiceries left in the industry that still cracks, peels, presses and squeezes its own raw fruits and vegetables. After cold pressing and squeezing the fruits and vegetables, an innovative technology called high pressure processing (HPP) retains more of the flavors, vitamins and nutrients of raw fruits and vegetables without the use of heat, Evolution Fresh is one of the only juiceries using this innovative process. Evolution Fresh bottled juices can be found at 4,000 Starbucks and grocery retailers across the U.S, as well as the four Evolution Fresh stores in Washington State and California. Find out more about Evolution Fresh here.

I found it fitting for our first Evolution Fresh review that we review their Orange Juice. I love orange juice, and it is one of my favorite juices.

The packaging is very interesting. First off, the bottle is a 450 ml (15.2 ounces) rounded rectangular shaped bottle. The cap is very easy to open, and the bottle is a great size for on the go; it also fits easily in the average cupholder. On the top of the cap there is a sticker that reads "Perishable keep refrigerated". On the front of the label, the very cool-looking Evolution Fresh logo is emblazoned. Another thing I like about the packaging is the label; the side of the label tells you how many different kinds, and how many of each kind of fruit or vegetable used in the drink. Evolution Fresh Orange Juice has the juice of five oranges in each 15.2 ounces (450 millilitres) bottle.

Prior to drinking this juice, please bear in mind that you have to shake the bottle before drinking to have the proper taste of the juice.

Alright, let's get to the taste!

You might expect this orange juice to taste just like normal orange juice. But, it doesn't; it's completely different, and much better.

Even just by looking at the bottle, the juice looks just like fresh-squeezed. But, this juice tastes exactly like homemade, fresh-squeezed orange juice. It does have pulp, and I usually despise pulp but I like it in this orange juice. It tastes fresh, crisp, and delicious. It has a great consistency that is not too thick and not too thin.

I love this orange juice.

I must say, this is one of the best, most delicious, freshest-tasting orange juice products on the market. I highly recommend this product, and I would definitely buy this again. This product is a high-quality product, just like it's parent company's (Starbucks) are. Evolution Fresh will be a mainstay in my fridge for many years to come.

Overall, Food Review #48 Evolution Fresh Orange Juice gets a 10 out of 10! This orange juice is one of the best I've ever had, and I highly recommend it! Evolution Fresh juices are currently available in 12 states, and will soon be available in even more. For information on where to buy, go here.

Also, don't forget to enter our Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk Gift Set giveaway! You can enter that here.

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet; for more reviews of Evolution Fresh products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, giveaways, and more.

Recipe~ Nocciolata & Once Again Peanut Butter Cookies

As you may know, we recently reviewed, and are now giving away a limited-edition gift set by Rigoni di Asiago! Even if you don't win that, we thought that we'd provide you with this wonderful original recipe below by us.

Chocolate and peanut butter, a classic combination. But Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata and Once Again Organic Peanut Butter are an even better combination. These delicious cookies have both, and are some of the most delicious cookies you'll ever try. This delicious recipe is below.

Ingredients

US/Imperial

1 -3/4 cups organic all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted, room temperature butter
3/4 cup Once Again Peanut Butter (Creamy or Crunchy; your preference)
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed organic light brown sugar
1 room temperature free-range, local, or organic large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably organic (Such as Nielsen-Massey)
1/2 cup Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Metric

224 grams organic all-purpose flour
3/4 metric teaspoon, or 5-6 grams baking soda
1/4 metric teaspoon, or 1.5 grams sea salt
113 grams (1 stick) unsalted, room temperature organic butter
192 grams Once Again Organic Peanut Butter (Creamy or Crunchy; your preference)
100 grams organic sugar
110 grams firmly packed organic light brown sugar
1 room temperature free-range, local, or organic large egg
1 metric teaspoon, or 5 millilitres pure vanilla extract, preferably organic
128 grams Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Chocolate Hazelnut Spread


Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the organic flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the butter, Once Again Organic Peanut Butter and both sugars. Beat on medium speed until creamy and smooth (about 5 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla extract; Beat to combine, scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Turn the mixer down to low speed, and slowly add the dry ingredients. Beat until just combined. Use a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold in the Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata. (If you want a distinct swirl, try not to over-mix the Nocciolata.)

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight).

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C.) Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Measure out a rounded tablespoon for each cookie. (I recommend using an ice cream scoop for this, as is makes the cookies shaped more professionally, and is much easier.) (Since the dough was refrigerated, the cookies shouldn't spread much, leave about 1-inch (2.5 centimetres) of space between each cookie.) Use a fork to make a criss-cross pattern on each cookie (this is Optional). Bake for 8-9 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets for about 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Makes about 35-40 cookies!

Giveaway~ Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa & Milk

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa & Milk, was recently reviewed, and received a 10 out of 10! We called it "The Nutella-killer", and said " And once you try it; you'll never want Nutella again." Nocciolata is an organic chocolate hazelnut spread, imported from, and manufactured in Italy.

~Grand Prize~

And, thanks to Rigoni di Asiago, we are now hosting a giveaway of Nocciolata Hazelnut Chocolate Spread! The Grand Prize (pictured above) is the following:

Two jars of Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa & Milk (a $20.00 value!), a one-of-a-kind Rigoni di Asiago hat or apron (a rare collectible!)

This amazing gift set, exclusive, expensive, and one-of-a-kind will be won by one lucky winner!

But in order to win, you need to enter below:

The contest ends on April 7th, 2013 at midnight! Contest is open to readers residing in the United States of America. Good luck, and best wishes and dishes! And the winner shall be announced shortly after the contest is over. Once again, good luck!

Food Review #47 Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa & Milk

Oh, chocolate, you know that we at All Natural Food Zone are big fans of it. Chocolate and hazelnuts are a delicious and classic pairing; like bread and cheese, or pasta and tomato sauce.

Perhaps this combination is most famous in the form of spread, I love hazelnut chocolate spread. But, I must admit, I used to usually use Nutella.

Or at least until I discovered Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata.

Rigoni di Asiago USA is a subsidiary of Rigoni di Asiago SPA, a 90 years old Italian company with main offices and factory in Asiago (VI) Italy, market leader in Italy, with the #1 brand Fiordifrutta, in the organic fruit spread market category, containing only 100% organic fruit and with Nocciolata, our hazelnut chocolate spread, similar to Nutella but organic.

To the best of my knowledge, there aren't really any organic chocolate hazelnut spreads on the market. I didn't even know of any; before I discovered Nocciolata.

After I came home from my shopping trip (in which I bought this product), I decided to try Nocciolata.

Some of you might say "George, I have tried Nutella, so I know what this will taste like.", and you'd be wrong. This tastes different, and much better in every way.

The jar is glass, and octagon-shaped. It has a very premium, and expensive feel. It has a gold-colored metal lid, with the company's logo that says "Rigoni di Asiago" in bold red letter, with a red squirrel bellow the text. The label has a white background with a gold border, with an illustration of hazelnuts. There is a security seal with reads in Italian (translated via Google) "seal and store in a cool dry place away from light and heat sources try to buy". The jar weigh 270 grams, or 9.52 ounces.

As soon as you open the jar, you are hit with a sweet, intense smell of hazelnuts and chocolate. This was just a precursor of the taste to come.

Nocciolata has a deep flavor, unlike Nutella. It has a rich, fresh, and intense taste of chocolate and hazelnuts. Though these are the two main flavors, there is also a strong vanilla flavor, that tastes like a good-quality vanilla (not a low quality vanilla, like some brands use). The milk in this spread adds and extra bit of richness, and creaminess. All together, all of these flavors meld together very well. And together they are all a delicious combination.

Some other reviews of Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata say that it is looser than Nutella, and is like chocolate syrup. I did not experience that, and I think they are very wrong. Perhaps they bought the wrong product? Nocciolata is very thick, and is just as thick as Nutella. You can use it for everything you can use Nutella for.

Another area where Nocciolata excels over Nutella is in the ingredients department. Below are the ingredients of both products:

Nutella Ingredients: SUGAR, PALM OIL, HAZELNUTS, COCOA, SKIM MILK, REDUCED MINERALS WHEY (MILK), LECITHIN AS EMULSIFIER (SOY), VANILLIN: AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Ingredients: Organic cane sugar, organic hazelnut paste, organic sunflower oil, organic skim milk powder, organic cocoa powder, organic cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin, organic vanilla extract

As you can see, both products have entirely different ingredients, but in my view at least, Nocciolata has much more high quality ingredients than Nutella. Another point I should make is that while Nutella is made in Canada, Nocciolata is organic and is made in Italy, the birthplace of chocolate hazelnut spread.

Nocciolata is delicious, and is better than Nutella in my view. It is good on toast, sandwiches, panini, milkshakes, cookies, pancakes, waffles, muffins, cupcakes, cake, bread, ice cream, and more, as well as on it's own. This product is truly, delicious, and is high-quality and organic.

I had never tried a Rigoni di Asiago product before Nocciolata, and I wasn't sure how Nocciolata would be. But, it surpassed my expectations, and knocked my socks off! If Nocciolata was this good, I wonder how other Rigoni di Asiago products will be, and I greatly look forward to reviewing their other products.

Overall, Food Review #47 Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata Organic Hazelnut Spread With Cocoa & Milk gets a 10 out of 10! I highly recommend this delicious, organic, high-quality chocolate hazelnut spread. It is available at Zabar's, Citarella, Kings Supermarkets, Wegman's, Di Bruno Brothers, and other store across the US. And is also available across Europe. And on Amazon here.

Nocciolata is the Nutella-killer. And once you try it; you'll never want Nutella again.

Voice your thoughts in the comments below, and be on the lookout for a Nocciolata giveaway courtesy of Rigoni di Asiago!

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet, for more reviews of Dagoba products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, and more.

Recipe~ Ultimate Six Chocolate-Chocolate Cookies

Chocolate-chip cookies are a classic baked good. In a unique, All Natural Food Zone twist; we created this original recipe using some products we previously reviewed, and that we thought very highly of. Some of the ingredients will be reviewed in the future.

This recipe is the ideal cookie recipe for chocoholics, such as myself. With 25 ounces (708 grams) of chocolate, this recipe makes some delicious cookies, and is the best chocolate cookie recipe out there. This recipe makes about 55 or so cookies. I highly recommend using Dagoba Organc Chocolate, and Navitas Naturals products in this recipe.

Below is the recipe, and I hope that you will try it, and will like it, as I sure know that I do.

Ingredients

USA/ Imperial

6 ounces Dagoba Organic Chocolate 59% Semisweet Dark Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces Dagoba Organic Chocolate 100% Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 ounces organic all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 ounces organic light brown sugar
2 large free-range, local, or organic eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces Dagoba Organic Chocolate New Moon 74% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 ounces Dagoba Organic Chocolate 37% Milk Chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces Navitas Naturals Cacao nibs
3 ounces Dagoba Organic Chocolate 74% Chocodrops

Metric

170 grams Dagoba Organic Chocolate 59% Semisweet Dark Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
57 grams Dagoba Organic Chocolate 100% Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, coarsely chopped
50 grams organic all-purpose flour
2 grams or 1/2 metric teaspoon baking powder
2 grams or 1/2 metric teaspoon salt
60 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
170 grams organic light brown sugar
2 large free-range, local, or organic eggs, at room temperature
5 millilitres or 1 metric teaspoon vanilla extract
85 grams Dagoba Organic Chocolate New Moon 74% Bittersweet Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
85 grams Dagoba Organic Chocolate 37% Milk Chocolate, coarsely chopped
57 grams Navitas Naturals Cacao nibs
85 grams Dagoba Organic Chocolate 74% Chocodrops



Directions

Place the 59-percent Semisweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate in a medium glass mixing bowl and microwave on high for two 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. If still not smooth heat for 10 additional seconds at a time and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to 90°F (32°C), approximately 15 minutes.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together, transfer to a paper plate and set aside.

Put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until combined and looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a small bowl. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add the egg mixture until fully incorporated. Pour in the melted chocolate and mix to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until integrated. Add the New Moon 75-percent bittersweet chocolate, 37-percent Milk Chocolate and the Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs and mix until combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C).

Scoop the dough using a 1 1/4-inch (3 centimetre)-diameter disher or ice cream scoop onto parchment-lined half-sheet pans, placing 2 inches (5 centimetres) apart, 12 cookies per pan. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, rotating after 5 minutes. Do not over-bake; the cookies may look wet and doughy.

Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer on the parchment paper to a cooling rack to cool completely.

The Dagoba Organic Chocolate Reviews: Part I

Food Review #42 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Xocolatl Dark Chocolate Bar







Food Review #43 Dagoba Organic Chocolate New Moon Bittersweet Dark Chocolate Bar











Food Review #44 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Lavender Blueberry Chocolate Bar












Food Review #45 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Eclipse Extra-Strong Dark Chocolate Bar












Food Review #46 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Chocodrops

Food Review #46 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Chocodrops

Our first review of a baking chocolate, let's see how the Dagoba Organic Chocolate Chocodrops what we think of them!

As you may know, we previously reviewed their Xocolatl, New Moon, Lavender Blueberry, and Eclipse chocolate bars. They all were very good, and received scores of 10 out of 10. What will we think if it? Let's find out!

First off, Dagoba's Chocodrops are made with a 74% cacao content, just like the New Moon chocolate bar we reviewed earlier. I rather liked that bar; so I came into this with high expectations for this product.

All Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are at least 95% organic, and are certified organic by the USDA. All of their products became Rainforest Alliance Certified in 2012. For more information of Dagoba Organic Chocolate, you can go to their site here

This product comes in a convenient 8 oz.(226 gram) resealable package. This is a great size for recipes, and even to eat on it's own. The resealable package ensures that the chocolate does not get stale, and it is a very convenient solution to a problem that most chocolate chip/drop products do not address. The packaging also features a small clear "window" of plastic, and allows you to view the chocolate that is inside the package more easily, and adds further convenience.

Each "Chocodrop" is a button-shaped bit of chocolate, and they are about a centimeter or two in size, each (though there are some larger drops that can be as large as 2-3 centimeters in size. This is a perfect size for baking, and can be utilized in a variety of baked goods from cookies, to waffles, to brownies, to ebelskivers.

Enough with this, what about the taste?

Well, these have a strong, and very flavorful flavor. They are similar in taste to the New Moon chocolate bar we reviewed previously. Thus, I was pleasantly surprised at how good these are. They have a rich, delicious chocolately flavor; with notes of coffee, vanilla, amongst other notes. This chocolate has a multi-faceted flavor, and it tastes good even on it's own.

The consistency of this chocolate is thick, rich, and smooth. This products melts easily, quickly, and conveniently. It is perfect to use in a chocolate-chip cookie recipe (making it a Chocodrops cookie recipe), a chocolate chip brownie recipe, chocolate ebelskivers, chocolate chip pancakes or waffles, and so many other recipes. It is also wonderful for a melting chocolate, or just as a snack on it's own.

Overall, this one of the better baking chocolate products I have tried. And for our first review of a baking chocolate, it is a pretty good start.

All in all, Food Review #46 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Chocodrops is another stellar product from Dagoba, and gets a 10 out of 10! This is a great product from Dagoba, and I highly recommend it. It is available at stores across the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and more, as well as on Dagoba's online store here.

Sadly, this is our last Dagoba review for now, at least; and we look forward to reviewing more in the future!

Keep coming back to All Natural Food Zone, the best food site on the internet, for more reviews of Dagoba products, and more reviews, recipes, remedies, editorials, and more.

Food Review #45 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Eclipse Extra-Strong Dark Chocolate Bar

Once again, we at All Natural Food Zone are doing a Dagoba Organic Chocolate review. We recently reviewed their Xocolatl, New Moon, and Lavender and Blueberries chocolate bar products. They all received 10s out of 10s. Will this perform as well as they did?

The Dagoba Organic Chocolate Eclipse Bar has an 87% cacao content. The Dagoba products we previously reviewed had 74% and 59% cacao contents. This chocolate bar has the highest cacao content of any chocolate we've reviewed so far.

I usually eat milk chocolate, white chocolate, and richer dark chocolates with lower cacao contents than this one. I rarely eat chocolate with this high of a cacao content, I often find them too be too dark, and too bitter.

I came into this review with high expectations for this product, even though this isn't the typical variety of chocolate I eat.

All Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are at least 95% organic, and are certified organic by the USDA. All of their products became Rainforest Alliance Certified in 2012. For more information of Dagoba Organic Chocolate, you can go to their site here

As I read the outside of the package, the phrase "extra-strong dark chocolate" worried me. I usually despise this kind of chocolate. But I knew I had to, and would try it anyway.

As I gently open the package, and as I am about to open the second layer of packaging, I discovered that there is some writing on the inner-side of the first layer of paper packaging. On it is a story directly from one of the founder's diaries (just as the Xocolatl, New Moon, and Lavender and Blueberries bars had). This gained more points with me, as I really like these kinds of small touches.

As soon as the second layer of packaging was opened, you are immediately hit with an intense smell or chocolate. This only further eluded to the taste of this product.

As soon as I tasted this chocolate; I could tell that this was a very strong chocolate. It was a bitter bar, but not as bitter as say, cacao nibs. This chocolate was not a "one-note chocolate bar", as many of this darkness are. Though the flavor was mainly of chocolate, it had notes of coffee, cherries, and a touch of oak. The consistency was nice and thick, and very smooth.

This bar was very good, and it completely shocked me. It is good for eating, and it would be good for use in baking applications such as chocolate chunk cookies, or brownies. I would definitely buy this bae again, and I highly recommend it. For all of your dark chocolate lovers out there this and the New Moon bar are perfect for you. For the lover of the darkest of dark chocolate, I would go with the Eclipse. So far with Dagoba's products, they are all absolutely delicious.

Overall, Dagoba Organic Chocolate's Eclipse Extra-Strong Dark Chocolate Bar gets a 10 out of 10! This bar is truly delicious, and is one of my favorite Dagoba products. I would definitely buy this again, and recommend you to as well. It is available at stores across the US, Canada, UK, and Australia. You can also buy it online directly from Dagoba here.

Food Review #44 Dagoba Organic Chocolate Lavender Blueberry Chocolate Bar

Oh, Dagoba Organic Chocolate. As you may know, we recently reviewed their Xocolatl, and New Moon chocolate bars. Both of them received a 10 out of 10.

How will this bar measure up? Let's find out.

There are several major differences. First is that the chocolate in this bar is different than the other Dagoba products we review previously. This bar is made with a 59% cacao content, while the other bars were made with a 74% cacao content. Therefore, this chocolate should be a bit lighter in flavor that the other bars, and should be a bit sweeter. The other difference is that this bar has lavender, and wild blueberries.

I have never before seen this combination, especially in a chocolate bar. I have not seen neither ingredient even on it's own in a chocolate bar. Dagoba Organic Chocolate is a daring chocolate company, and it seems they've taken a chance with this bar.

I had high expectations of this bar. The other Dagoba products I had reviewed previously were very, very good. Would this be as good as they were?

One concern I had was that this bar, because of the lavender; would be too much like perfume. Other products I had tried with lavender often did. I, personally, cannot stand products that taste like perfume. Another was the combination of lavender, blueberry and chocolate. Blueberry and chocolate are a good combination, but with lavender? I was uncertain about this bar, but I hoped for the best.

All Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are at least 95% organic, and are certified organic by the USDA. All of their products became Rainforest Alliance Certified in 2012. For more information of Dagoba Organic Chocolate, you can go to their site here

I gently open the package, and as I am about to open the second layer of packaging, I discover that there is some writing on the inner-side of the first layer of paper packaging. On it is a story directly from one of the founder's diaries (just as the Xocolatl, and New Moon bars had). This scored more points with me, as I love these kinds of small touches.

After I opened the second layer of packaging, I was hit with a smell of blueberries and lavender. I spotted some blueberries poking through the surface of the chocolate bar, I was happy that there were actual blueberries in this bar, instead of some blueberry essence, like some other companies may do.

Now for the taste.

As soon as I bit into this bar, I could feel a blueberry pop in my mouth. The chocolate in this bar was rich, even more so than the other bars I tried. The blueberries added a certain fruitiness, and paired perfectly with the chocolate; contrasting with the richness of the chocolate to make it a bit lighter. At first, I must admit, I did not really notice the lavender. After a bit, I began to notice it. I was surprised, as this bar did not lead with the lavender; but with the chocolate and blueberry. The lavender actually paired very well with the chocolate and blueberry, and was not perfumey at all. This made me feel relieved. Though the pairing of blueberry, lavender, chocolate may not be as famous, or as common as say, peanut butter and jelly; it should be. It is a great combination, and they all go wonderfully with each other.

This bar has a rich, and thick consistency. Even more rich than the other bars. The blueberries add a nice pop, and contribute to the texture. This bar is packed with blueberries, and you can see tons poking through the surface.

Below is a nice picture of the product from Dagoba, with a phrase I totally agree with~

This is one of the most unique products I have ever reviewed. And I must say, it is one of the best chocolate products we have reviewed so far. This is a truly original bar, and is a truly delicious bar. I highly recommend it, and I would definitely purchase it again.

Overall, our 44th Food Review, Dagoba Organic Chocolate Lavender Blueberry Chocolate Bar gets a 10 out of 10! It is available at stores across the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and more, as well as on Dagoba's online store here.

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