Overall Rating: 4/5
Summary (updated): something purely magical has happened...I decided to finish the remainder of this dessert yesterday and...all of a sudden...it was absolutely delicious! The flavours did NOT taste diluted -- they were rich and deeply intense. The bitterness was NOT overwhelming -- instead, it complemented the sweetness and added depth to the chocolate flavour. And...not only would I recommend you try this, I'd buy it again. I'd still have preferred a slightly sweeter version with more fudge swirls, but life's not perfect!
How could I go from giving this a 2.5/5 to a solid 4/5?? Well, here's what I think happened: I actually ate two Country Choice Organics Vanilla Sandwich Cookies (reviewed here), which are notoriously sweet...I mean, these cookies are ridiculously sweet. And I dug in to the ice cream directly after, without thinking about the priming effects of the cookies! So, I sincerely believe that my initial assessment was unfair and that this updated rating is a much more accurate appraisal of the dessert.
Where to buy: Fortinos, Shoppers' World Nutrition Centre
Ingredients: Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar Gum*), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Chocolate Fudge (Organic Agave Syrup, Water, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa [processed with alkali], Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Hazelnuts, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa (processed with alkali), Organic Vanilla Extract.
Certified Fair Trade ingredients. Kosher.
Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1/2 cup
Calories: 240
Calories from fat: 130
Total fat: 15g
Saturated fat: 11g
Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 10mg
Total Carbohydrate: 25g
Dietary fiber: 5g
Sugars: 16g
Protein: 3g
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 10%
The ingredients in this product are just too great to give up on the brand. I'm hoping that the next flavour I try will be a [bigger] hit. The nutritionals are actually so good, that this makes for a really great snack! For 240 cals, you get some healthy fats, a nice portion of fiber, and a decent amount of protein. I know the 11g of saturated fat may scare some people off, however coconut milk's saturated fats are actually linked to heart health and superior to vegetable and animal fats (read more about the benefits of coconut milk here). Moderation, as always, is key.
Coconut Bliss desserts are sweetened with agave syrup, which has a very low glycemic index, so is likely a safe for individuals with type-II diabetes. You can check with your Doc to make sure!
Check out the Coconut Bliss blog here and their recipe page here.
Since I'm *very* impressed by the brand's ingredients, nutritionals, and philosophy, I'm gonna try to make this work in my protein shakes tomorrow. I'll report on how it goes.
Update: no such protein shake will be made, since I greedily mashed the leftovers into my head last night.Other flavours (all vegan):
- Lunaberry Swirl
- Chocolate Walnut Brownie (US only)
- Ginger Cookie Caramel (US only)
- Mocha Maca Crunch
- Naked Almond Fudge (US only)
- Pineapple Coconut
- Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Naked Coconut
- Dark Chocolate (reviewed here)
- Vanilla Island
- Mint Galactica (US only)
- Cappuccino
- Cherry Amaretto
- USDA Organic
- Certified by the Non-GMO Project
- Gluten-free
- No Cholesterol
- All but 3 flavours are kosher (Mint Galactica, Chocolate Walnut Brownie, and Ginger Cookie Caramel)
- Recyclable containers
- BPA-free
- Cacao grown by fair trade certified cooperative in the Dominican Republic
- The xantham gum in the two cookie flavors (Ginger Cookie Caramel & Chocolate Walnut Brownie) is derived from corn.
- Ecologically- and ethically-minded
- Read about community and sustainability initiatives here
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