Review of 'Florida's Natural' Stiks

Florida's Natural -- Stiks (vegan)
Overall Rating: 3.5/5
Summary: this was a treat that actually provided significant nutritional value, making it a great kiddy snack. It's definitely not an overly-exciting 'grown-up' snack, but I'd definitely reach for it if I knew I neglected my daily intake of Vitamin C. It is very sweet, but definitely not overly sugary like similar snacks--you could actually taste the individual flavours (though the flavours were more subtle than I would have preferred).

Where to buy: Sears, Shopper's Drug Mart, Pharma Plus

Ingredients: 68% FRUIT INGREDIENTS (CONTAINS CONCENTRATED PEAR AND/OR CONCENTRATED APPLE PUREE, CONCENTRATED FRUIT JUICES (APPLE, PEAR, ORANGE, STRAWBERRY, BLUEBERRY, ASORBIC ACID {VITAMIN C})), RAW CANE SUGAR, TAPIOCA STARCH, RICE SYRUP, CITRIC ACID (FOR TARTNESS), NATURAL FLAVOURS (ORANGE, STRAWBERRY, BLUEBERRY, APPLE), SODIUM CITRATE, MALIC ACID, PECTIN, PURPLE CARROT EXTRACT, COLOUR.

Nutritional information:
Serving: 1 unit
Calories: 35
Fat: 0
Cholesterol: 0
Carbohydrate: 9g
Sugars: 5g
Vitamin C: 40%

The ingredients are pretty decent (nothing too scary!) and unlike most kiddy snacks, it's actually relatively low in sugar and provides a nice portion of vitamin C.

I tried the Strawberry and Orange flavours and they were distinct from one another. It could have used more 'strawberry-ness' and 'orange-ness' to provide a bigger slap in the face of flavour. With that said, I do appreciate that it was not all sugary flavour and I could actually taste the fruits.

I still have to try the Blueberry and Green Apple flavours and will try to remember to update this post with my impressions.

I was a bad girl today and didn't get in my regular workout, so I was happy to have this low-calorie (35 cal) treat. If I didn't have it to munch on, I would have probably reached for wayyyy too much chocolate.

I've been reflecting lately on whether anyone is actually reading/enjoying these posts and would love to get some feedback at some point!

*Update*
 So I tried the Blueberry (finally!). I found that it smelled good and blueberry-licious but didn't taste very blueberry-licious until the aftertaste kicked in.

Also, I realized that these are a little too sticky and chewy for me as an adult. I suppose they're meant for kids who tend to not give a crap about stickiness and chewiness.

The Green Apple had a more authentic flavour. The sourish apple taste was prominent but I think I'd opt for the Blueberry even though it wasn't 'actually' true to the flavour.

Brand:

• High in natural fruit content and vitamins
• Gluten free
• Gelatin free 
• Fat free
• Participates in 'Candies for Cause' with the Wildlife Conservation Society to help save wildlife and wild places

Review of 'So Delicious' Chocolate Velvet Organic Quart

So Delicious -- Chocolate Velvet Organic Quart (vegan)
Overall Rating: 3/5
Summary: So Delicious' soymilk "ice cream" in the Chocolate Velvet flavour was satisfying, though I generally prefer sweeter flavours (such as Natura's Maple flavour, and So Delicious' Purely Decadent Praline Pecan). If you're a dark chocolate lover or a lover of more subtly rich flavours, this one's for you. Unfortunately the dessert reminded me of the elements I did not like in Natura's frozen dessert. It was icier than Toffuti and So Declicious' Purely Decadent line), not very soft, and very difficult to scoop.

Where to buy: Freshco, Fortino, US store finder

Coupon: http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/ (click the blue circle on the right hand side)  

Ingredients: ORGANIC SOYMILK (FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYBEANS), ORGANIC DEHYDRATED CANE JUICE, ORGANIC BROWN RICE SYRUP AND/OR ORGANIC TAPIOCA SYRUP, ORGANIC SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR ORGANIC SAFFLOWER OIL, ORGANIC COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), VANILLA EXTRACT, CAROB BEAN GUM, TAPIOCA SUGAR, GUAR GUM, CARRAGEENAN

I will compare the nutrition values with Natura's, since they are quite similar in ingredients and rating.

Nutrition:
Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories     130
Fat     3.5g (vs 5g)
     Saturated .5 (vs 4g)
Cholesterol     0g
Sodium     50mg (vs 15mg)
Potassium 0 (vs 85m)
Carbohydrate 23mg (vs 17mg)
     Fiber 1g
     Sugars 14g (vs 16g)
Protein      2g
Vit A and C     0
Calcium     0 (vs 4%)
Iron     4% (vs 2%)

So the ingredients are *much* better (healthier) than those in Tofutti and comparable to those in Natura's frozen desserts.

So I enjoyed this dessert with a couple of add-ins: a banana and about half of a vegan chocolate chip brownie cake (mmmm). Yes, I do have an unhealthy relationship with dessert foods! To balance out the iciness and hardness of the "ice cream", I actually warmed up the brownie cake so hasten the melting process. Indeed, the texture was quite disappointing.

Note: I will try to start taking pictures of these desserts pre-consumption so you can enjoy/be disgusted by just how much I over-indulge on the weekend heheh

I'm quite happy to say that the nutrition isn't bad at all and so chocolate lovers can feel relaxed about enjoying this brand.

You can enjoy So Delicious' other soymilk "ice cream" quarts in (all vegan):

• Chocolate Peanut Butter (reviewed here)
• Creamy Vanilla
• Mint Marble Fudge (reviewed here)
• Mocha Fudge
• Neapolitan
• Dulce de Leche
• Butter Pecan

Brand (quoted from purelydecadent.com):

• None of the containers and lids that our products are packaged in contain Bisphenol-A (BPA's)
• All of our coconut based products are Non-GMO certified by the NonGmo Project. For more information, go to www.NonGMOProject.org. All of our other products are internally verified to be GMO free.
• None of our products contain MSG, yeast, yeast extract, or autolyzed yeast.
• The natural flavors in our products are flavor analogs that come from botanicals and extracts from natural sources. Care is taken to utilize components from the original substrate when possible.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, TBHQ, either as direct ingredients or sub- ingredients.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, BHT, either as direct ingredients or sub-ingredients.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, BHA, either as direct ingredients or sub-ingredients.
• Some of our products contain flavors which include of a small amount of ethyl alcohol as a carrier. The amount of ethanol in these products is so small that there is no physiological impact. There is no gluten in the alcohol.

Review of 'So Delicious' Purely Decadent Praline Pecan

So Delicious -- Purely Decadent Praline Pecan (vegan)
Overall Rating: 5/5!!
Summary: Purely Decadent Praline Pecan is simply the best of both worlds--it's both intensely flavourful and delicious *and* a healthier alternative than Tofutti's Better Pecan (read the review here).

Where to buy: I bought So Delicious's Purely Decadent line this past weekend from Fortino's and finished the entire container in one sitting (along with two peach-plum muffins...holy fatty!) on Saturday. US store finder

Coupon: http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/ (click the blue circle on the right hand side)
 
After indulging in Toffuti recently and feeling very very guilty after reading some of its shadier ingredients, I was super pumped to read the ingredients in the So Delicious brand. The guilt-free specs:

Ingredients: FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYMILK (FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYBEANS), ORGANIC DEHYDRATED CANE JUICE, PRALINE PECANS (BEET SUGAR, PECANS, PEANUT OIL, SALT), ORGANIC BROWN RICE SYRUP AND/OR ORGANIC TAPIOCA SYRUP, ORGANIC SAFFLOWER OIL AND/OR ORGANIC SOYBEAN OIL, CHICORY ROOT EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CAROB BEAN GUM, GUAR GUM, ALGIN (KELP EXTRACT), CARRAGEENAN, YUCCA EXTRACT, TAPIOCA SUGAR.

Ahhh, feels great to read that...especially since I'm a dessert fanatic and cannot possibly understand 'portion control' in the realm of all things sweet.

I'm providing the nutrition information in comparison to Tofutti's Better Pecan for some perspective:

Nutrition:
Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories: 210 (vs. 210)
Calories from fat: 90 (vs. 117)
Total fat: 10g (vs 13g)
Saturated fat: 1g (vs 2g)
Trans fat: 0 (vs 2g)
Total carbs: 33g (vs 21g)
Sugars: 15 (vs 17g)
Protein: 2g (vs 1g)
Sodium: 20mg (vs 220mg)
Iron: 4%

The protein content is a plus for me as a vegan...I'm always trying to incorporate added grams wherever I can...particularly because I am also a fairly active person (cardio and weight training 5 days a week on average).

The praline pecan flavour was deeply luxurious and satisfying...very sweet and intense depth made this is most satisfying part of my weekend. There were so many chunks of praline pecans--they are definitely not skimming us on these added goodies! The scooping process went very smoothly and the actual dessert was sooo creamy and soft.

So, if you're both health conscious and a lover of pecan-flavoured frozen treats, DO opt for So Delicious' Purely Decadent Praline Pecan...you won't be sorry!

I also bought a So Delicious' Organic Quart in Chocolate Velvet on the weekend (which I finished on Sunday (yes the entire 946ml ALONG WITH an entire bag of Mary's Gone Crackers Chocolate Chip Cookies from Costco and a homemade banana, vanilla soymilk, and honey concoction). I will likely review the Chocolate Velvet frozen dessert for my next post.

Other flavours:

• Chocolate Obsession (reviewed here)(vegan)
• Cookie Avalanche (vegan)
• Cookie Dough -- Gluten Free (vegan)
• Mint Chip (vegan)
• Mocha Almond Fudge (vegan)
• Peanut Butter Zig Zag (vegan)
• Pomegranate Chip (vegan)
• Turtle Trails (vegan)

Brand (quoted from purelydecadent.com):

• None of the containers and lids that our products are packaged in contain Bisphenol-A (BPA's)
• All of our coconut based products are Non-GMO certified by the NonGmo Project. For more information, go to www.NonGMOProject.org. All of our other products are internally verified to be GMO free.
• None of our products contain MSG, yeast, yeast extract, or autolyzed yeast.
• The natural flavors in our products are flavor analogs that come from botanicals and extracts from natural sources. Care is taken to utilize components from the original substrate when possible.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, TBHQ, either as direct ingredients or sub- ingredients.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, BHT, either as direct ingredients or sub-ingredients.
• None of our products contain the food preservative, BHA, either as direct ingredients or sub-ingredients.
• Some of our products contain flavors which include of a small amount of ethyl alcohol as a carrier. The amount of ethanol in these products is so small that there is no physiological impact. There is no gluten in the alcohol.

Song of the day: Fergie -- Fergalicious

"So delicious (it's hot hot), so delicious (I put them boys on rock rock), so delicious (they want a taste of what I got)"

Review of 'Tofutti' Better Pecan frozen dessert

Tofutti -- Better Pecan frozen dessert (vegan)
Overall Rating: 2.5/5
Summary: I would have loved to award this a 4/5 for its great flavour and creaminess, however every time I think about the not-so-great ingredients, I cringe! The Natura I reviewed (read it here) had much healthier ingredients and I would certainly prefer it for that very reason.

Where to buy: Foodland, Metro, US store finder
Coupon: http://www.monctoncouponlady.com/2012/03/1-off-tofutti-product.html (printable) 



So I tried the Tofutti Better Pecan frozen dessert two weekends ago after purchasing it from Metro. I realized only after eating the entire pint in one sitting how crummy Tofutti's ingredients are! Bummer...feelings of guilt still abound today when I think back.

Ingredients: WATER, SUGAR, CORN OIL, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SOY PROTEIN, TOFU, COCOA BUTTER, PECANS, BROWN SUGAR, PECAN FLAVOUR, VANILLA FLAVOUR, CARAMEL COLOUR, MODIFIED FOOD STARCH, GUAR, LOCUST BEAN AND CELLULOSE GUMS, CARRAGEENAN*, CARAMEL FLAVOUR, SALT, VEG. MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, AND ANNATTO COLOUR.

*Read about some potentially harmful effects of carrageenan here.

So, the corn oil, corn syrup solids, and veg. mono and diglycerides are definitely some ingredients you should look into if you're a health conscious person. These are all huge turn-offs for me and I will not likely be indulging in Tofutti's Better Pecan again.

Nutrition:
Serving: 1/2 cup
Calories: 210
Calories from fat: 117
Total fat: 13g
Saturated fat: 2g
Trans fat: 2g
Total carbs: 21g
Sugars: 17g
Protein: 1g
Sodium: 220mg

The protein content is disappointing and I would have at least liked to see a minimum of 2g.

The better pecan flavour was amazing!  It was intense and rich and the bits of pecans were the icing on top. The dessert scooped very easily and was creamy and soft (unlike Natura's Maple flavour). If the ingredients weren't so worrisome, I would have no issue ranting and raving about how delicious this dessert was.

If you're not too concerned with consuming unhealthy ingredients or looking to indulge a little bit, then Tofutti's Better Pecan will definitely satisfy your taste buds!

Other flavours:

• Vanilla (vegan)
• Chocolate Supreme (reviewed here) (vegan)
• Wild Berry Supreme (vegan
• Vanilla Almond Bark (vegan)
• Vanilla Fudge  (vegan)
• Chocolate Cookie Crunch (vegan)

Brand (quoted from tofutti.com):

• "All of our products use non-GMO soy protein. In addition, if available, we use other non-GMO ingredients, such as our tofu powder and maltodextrin."

So, this implies that ingredients other than the soy protein may be genetically modified.

Song of the day: Unpredictable by Keshia Chante

Review of 'Natura' Maple-flavoured frozen dessert

Natura -- Maple-flavoured frozen dessert (vegan)
Overall Rating: 3/5
Summary: the pleasant maple flavour is unfortunately undercut by the icy texture and lack of creaminess. Nutrition-wise, the ingredients are better than other non-dairy frozen dessert brands, such as Tofutti. I may purchase this again if I'm craving maple-flavoured 'ice cream' simply because the Natura brand itself it so very impressive (brand details below).

Where to buy: Metro
Coupon: http://www.nutrisoya.com/rabais.php (sign up to receive; name and email)



So I mentioned in my last entry that I'd tried Natura's Maple flavour frozen dessert. I bought this from either Metro or Fortino's. I'll have to double-check this (I hadn't had the idea for this blog's creation when I made the purchase). Time for my not-quite-so-expert assessment!

So I've tried Natura's Soy Beverages before (which were delicious from what I can recall) settling for daily consumption of So Nice Unsweetened soymilk. I actually plan on trying Natura's unsweetened soymilk again very soon, for it's low-calorie, high protein edge (80 cals, 8g protein versus So Nice's 60 cals, 6g protein). As someone who's keen on weight-lifting and fitness, protein is always under special consideration when I'm selecting products. Back to Natura! I had very high expectations for this dessert, since I had great experiences with their soymilks in the past. It turns out that although this dessert packs a punch in flavour, it is lacking in a few important ways.

First, a breakdown of the ingredients and nutritional value of Natura's Maple-flavoured frozen dessert:

Ingredients: ORGANIC SOY BEVERAGE (FILTERED WATER, ORGANIC SOYBEANS), ORGANIC CANE SUGAR, ORGANIC COCONUT OIL, NATURAL FLAVOURS, SOY LECITHIN, ORGANIC LOCUST BEAN GUM, ORGANIC GUAR GUM, SEA SALT, XANTHAN GUM.

Nutrition:
Serving: 125 ml
Calories     130
Fat     5g (8%)
     Saturated 4g (21%)
Cholesterol     0g
Sodium     15mg (1%)
Potassium 85mg (2%)
Carbohydrate 17mg (6%)
     Fiber 1g (2%)
     Sugars 16g
Protein      2g
Vit A and C     0
Calcium     4%
Iron     2%

Who can have only a 125 ml serving of ice cream and be satisfied?! Not I!

So, as I mentioned earlier, the maple flavour is pretty intense and satisfying. However, the dessert was not very creamy or soft so I had to let it melt quite a bit before digging in (which seemed to take forever). It was a mission to scoop compared to the Tofutti I had earlier in the week (review coming shortly!)--very hard. So hard in fact that my spoon bent with the pressure!

So the texture of the dessert was icier than it was creamy, which was disappointing and which took away from the flavour. I imagine that a little bit of creaminess would have really enhanced the maple and made this fantastic!

The nutrition isn't bad. It's comparable to other non-dairy frozen desserts, I suppose. I normally try to look out for products with at least 3g protein per serving, but I'm a sucker for dessert, so that rule is often thrown out of the window. I do like that it only has a few ingredients (about 10) and you can pronounce them quite easily (if you're going with that popular rule of thumb). There are no artificial flavours.

You can try Natura's other flavours:

• Chocolate (vegan)
• Strawberry (vegan)
• Vanilla (vegan)

...or you can wait for me to be the guinea pig and report back ;) As a chocoholic, I'm keen on trying the Chocolate flavour, so be on the lookout for that review soonish.

Brand:

• uses only whole, non-genetically-modified (non-GMO), certified organic soybeans that are grown in Quebec.
• almost all Natur-a products are certified organic by an independent certification organization that is government-recognized and internationally accredited.
• all our ingredients and flavourings are 100% natural. They contain no animal by-products and are vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.
• we do not use any ingredients that contain gluten, and soybeans, rice and almonds do not contain any gluten naturally.

How about a 'song of the day?' I'm into Queer by Garbage today. Enjoy!

"I can't help myself, I'm addicted to a life of...decadence!"

Hello future readers! This is my second attempt to maintain a blog and I am 100% committed to its longevity.

As my Gaga-inspired title states (The Fame), I am indeed addicted to decadence in all things dessert-related. I have an enormous sweet tooth and as a semi-vegan (to be further explained in future blogs), this often translates into a very deprived life. When I do indulge, it's often a messy scene...for instance, on Sunday, I consumed 2 pints of frozen dessert (Tofutti's Better Pecan and Natura's Maple) and half a chocolate brownie pudding cake...after all-you-can-eat sushi.

This blog is motivated by my drive to indulge in the vegan* options offered in Brampton, with particular zeal for dessert options. I will be including restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores in my scope and will try my absolute best to provide reviews and pictures of available vegan options.

For any other vegans in Brampton, I know you will appreciate the challenge of this blog's objective. Any suggestions for restos, bakeries, and grocery stores are welcomed!

 * You may notice that not all the products reviewed are vegan. This is because my philosophy is not that I should not *ever* consume *any* animal-derived products. If I am sufficiently satisfied with the manner in which these products are sourced (based on environmental, ethical, and societal considerations), I am willing to purchase them. For example, my family visits local farms every summer and we buy local meat and dairy (free run, no antibiotics, etc.). Certain brands (e.g. Organic Meadow, Nature's Path) are more trustworthy in my opinion and I am happy to support them.