Tested: Maple Walnut Blondie, Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal, Double Chocolate Brownie.

Courser Farm Kitchen a little home based business located about 2 hours north of me in Warner, New Hampshire. I love supporting small local business and though they aren’t super local to me, they are local enough! I will definitely be placing orders in the future for these super awesome treats! They make cookies, brownies, bars, blondies and breads that are all gluten free and vegan! They also take special orders for cakes and cupcakes!

When I got the little box of heaven in the mail from Emma it may as well have been Christmas! I ripped it open and took a few nibbles of a few of the products but found the strength to wrap them back up (well, almost all of them…) and wait for my neighbor to be available to come taste test with me since he is gf. We had a blast eating them. The goodies we got to try were the Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie, Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Double Chocolate Brownie and the Maple Walnut Blondie!

I am a sucker for Cranberry Oatmeal cookies so those were definitely my favorite, I just wish they had a little more cranberry in them. But then again, I always almost double the amount of cranberries in the recipe I use… The cookie was nice and chewy and perfectly spiced. The Chocolate Chip was pretty fantastic too, it reminded me of the Cookie Crisp cereal I used to eat when I was a kid. It would have been perfect dipped in an ice cold glass of almond milk. Molasses cookies rock my socks in general so it’s no surprise this one was another winner! Give me chewy cookies or give me death! The dark sweetness of the molasses with the gentle hint of ginger really made me wish I had a whole truckload of these bad boys.

Now, I am very against combining chocolate with fruit flavors like cherry, orange, raspberry, etc etc, but I was extremely surprised at how much I liked the Orange Chocolate Cookie. It is a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips with a touch of orange, which was the perfect amount for me. It actually has me rethinking my hatred (yeah, really) of fruit flavored chocolate. I wouldn’t say that I’m a convert, but I’m going to be more open minded about it. See what a good product can do?! Speaking of good products, Double Chocolate Brownies? Hell to the yes! Fudgy, chewy and wicked chocolatey? The brownie was so good it didn’t last long enough to be photographed!

New England is pretty awesome to begin with, but the fact that we have the best of the best maple syrups makes it that much better. And that is exactly what you get with the Maple Walnut Blondie. New Hampshire maple syrup in a cake like little bar sprinkled with walnut chunks. Are you salivating yet?

(Left: Maple Walnut Blondie. From Top to Bottom: Orange Chocolate Cookie, Molasses Cookie, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Cranberry Oatmeal. Not photographed: Double Chocolate Brownie. I inhaled it.)

Course Farm Kitchen sells there goods at a few local cafes and farmers markets, if you live in the New Hampshire area, or happen to be passing through, definitely stop by any of the places listed on their to grab some! If you don’t live in the area, get your butt over here and order some! What are you waiting for?!

Pros:

• Homemade.
• Local (sort of to me).
• Delicious!

Cons:

• None. Seriously.

Reviewed by Liz Whitaker

eBook Reviewed: Anti-Candida Feast: Holiday And Special Occasion Recipes
Ricki Heller, Diet, Dessert ‘n Dogs

I didn’t know much about the anti-Candida diet, but after following the link to the website (Whole Approach) that Ricki Heller explains outlines her own anti-Candida diet (ACD) in the intro to Anti-Candida Feast, I learned that 1) Candida is a yeast allergen that can exacerbate and even cause many health issues such as depression, arthritis, asthma, and more; 2) a three-stage diet plan exists to fight Candida (or Candidiasis); 3) this diet focuses on whole, minimally processed foods; and 4) normally xgfx ingredients such as nutritional yeast, peanut butter, most vinegars, and mushrooms are to be avoided. Fitting with gluten-free, all wheat products are a no-go. There is a lot more to learn about Candidiasis so I urge all of you who are curious to read up on it.

I wouldn’t have immediately spotted all of these restrictions just by (virtually) flipping through Heller’s e-book. What I saw was normal foods that I eat all the time (or at least desire to eat all the time!): pâté, mini cupcakes, cookies, salads, pancakes, tofu scramble. The “weirdo” ingredients that are already well known to most vegans include agar, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, chickpea flour, miso, and stevia. I must say, as a gluten-eating vegan, the recipes looked delicious, with the possible exception of the desserts relying on stevia as a sweetener. Some people don’t mind stevia, and I can tolerate it in chai tea, but I find it far too bitter for desserts.

I’m a huge fan of nut roasts (heh), having tasted some excellent ones at restaurants in the UK and long wondering why they aren’t more popular across the pond. So when I saw Heller’s Holiday Nut Roast with Smoky Almond Gravy, I knew we were about to embark on our first anti-Candida feasting adventure.

I’m not wealthy, and I live in an area where food is quite expensive, so in the future I would definitely save the Nut Roast for, as is suggested, a very special occasion. After a costly trip to my health food store picking up elite ingredients such as organic brazil nuts and cashews, I was intent on a truly astonishing roast.

And it was! It sounded more finicky in the directions than it actually was, since it’s essentially just some cooked veg and a bunch of nuts ground up in the food processor. I had worried that it would be dry due to the long baking time, but it was perfectly moist. The gravy, based on Isa Chandra Moskowitz’ Smoked Almond Gravy from Vegan Brunch, (can I just point out how appreciative I am of authors who actually credit a recipe’s inspiration?), was delicious. I’d made the Vegan Brunch version in the past, and despite using raw then toasted almonds rather than the smoked ones Moskowitz calls for, they tasted really quite similar. Altogether, the result was a moist, savory, protein-packed nut loaf smothered in a thick, tasty gravy. I certainly didn’t feel like I was following any kind of special diet or compromising taste and/or essential ingredients.

Heller has a pleasant conversational writing voice, and her recipes are free of typos and skewed instructions. I hope to try some of the other savory dishes; namely the Carrot Paté, Crimson Salad with Pecans and Pumpkin Seeds, and Millet “Polenta” with Roasted Garlic and Caramelized Onion. I might even take another stab at conquering my stevia trepidation in order to try the Chocolate Pots de Crème.

Pros:

• Nice layout, tempting recipes, solutions for special occasion foods.
• Simple, whole food ingredients. Everything relatively easy to find.
• Full color photos, eco-friendly e-book format.
• Avoidant of most allergens, with the exception of nuts (though they aren’t used heavily).
• Essential information about cooking for the Anti-Candida diet, xgfx-style.

Cons:

• Heavy on the desserts. Not a ton of savory and main-dish recipes.
• Most of the sweet recipes rely on stevia.
• Could use more scintillating photos, but hey, it’s a self-published e-book, stop being so picky!

Kale chips, raw chips…..oh you wonderful, delicious chips! If you’ve yet to make your own or pick some up you’re truly missing out on so much tastiness. Not only are kale & raw chips packed with all kinds of amazing nutrients, they come in some amazing flavors and flavor combinations that will make your tummy sing. If you haven’t the time to make your own, the resources to do so, or you simply just don’t wanna there are a multitude of options to choose from. Check out the varieties at your local natural food store or poke around on the interwebs and suss some out. It’s a sea of yum out there just waiting for you to dive in and make your mouth most happy.

Brad’s Raw Chips

Tested: Kale, Red Bell Pepper, Naked (Plain Vegan Cheese), Vampire Killer (Garlic & Vegan Cheese), Nasty Hot (Jalapeno & Vegan Cheese) Flavors

I’m a busy mom, who also prides herself on eating and cooking healthy. Let’s be honest, it’s not always easy to do. We all know the challenges of finding healthy, vegan and gluten-free items on the go. Then Brad’s raw chips appeared on my doorstep and healthful snacking got a whole lot easier. Not only are all of his snacks vegan and gluten-free, they are also raw, which means you can truly snack guilt-free. All of Brad’s products are dehydrated at low temperatures to retain healthy, active enzymes and nutrients. The flavor comes out naturally, rather than from flavoring agents and chemicals.

Brad’s products are mostly vegetable based and the remaining ingredients are healthy nuts and seeds, nutritional yeast and sea salt. His products are loaded with Iron, Vitamins A & C and have a good amount of protein and fiber as well. They are a great snack for a breastfeeding mama like myself who is constantly hungry and can feel “depleted” quickly. I need to snack all day long to maintain my energy, vigor and milk supply. The iron, calcium and protein in these snacks are just what I need to keep up with my daughter and her schedule.

I’ve been vegan for a long time, but a couple of years ago I was reading a lot about the rawfood lifestyle and decided to give it a try. For 45 days I ate entirely raw and I felt amazing. The only thing that kept me from maintaining it full-time is my love of salty snacks, especially tortilla chips. At that time, there was nothing on the market that satisfied my salty, crunchy chip craving. There were raw crackers, yes – thick, flax overloaded crackers, but they weren’t the same. Had Brad’s chips been around, I think I could’ve maintained the raw diet even longer. I especially love the red pepper flavor. They are light, crispy, crunchy, a little sweet and a little savory. They are flavorful enough to eat on their own, but would be great dipped into hummus, guacamole or raw pate as well. I only wish they were organic! Brad does pride himself on using local ingredients, which I commend. They are a little spendy, but you can’t put a price on health, my friend. Well, maybe you can if you own your own dehydrator (like I do) and grow your own Kale (like I do) and make your own Kale chips (like I have.) But, if you don’t have these things going for you, or if you’re out and need a quick, healthy snack, I highly recommend his products. My daughter is not old enough to eat nuts, but they would be a great snack for a toddler or teen.

Brad offers 9 flavors of chips and 3 flavors of Leafy Kale snacks to satisfy almost any palate. I was invited to experience the Kale and Red Pepper flavored chip, the red pepper being my favorite and the naked (vegan cheesy), vampire killer (vegan cheese & garlic) and nasty hot (jalapeno & vegan cheese) flavored Leafy Kale. All three flavors rocked my world. If you or someone you know has trouble getting their greens in, this is a nice option for them. If you just love healthy, tasty gluten-free, vegan and raw foods, then they are a must try.

Brad’s Raw Chips, Kale Flavor
Net Wt. 3 oz.
$6.99

Pros:

• Crunchy, Crispy, Chip like texture.
• Would be great for dipping because they have a neutral flavor and not much spice/salt.
• Great healthy snack alternative to fried chips or for people with corn allergy.
• Low in saturated fat, High in fiber, High in Vitamin A and Iron.
• Dehydrated and raw to maintain high levels of nutrients.
• A very satisfying raw chip.
• The most chip-like raw food I’ve found for sale.

Cons:

• Definite noticeable Kale flavor, but could be saltier/spicier.
• Would probably not eat alone, but rather paired with a nice dip.
• Not organic.
• Price $$

Brad’s Raw Chips, Red Bell Pepper Flavor
Net Wt. 3 oz.
$6.99

Pros:

• Crunchy, Crispy, Chip like texture.
• Great flavor and sweetness from the bell pepper.
• Flavorful enough to eat alone.
• Great healthy snack alternative to fried chips or for people with corn allergy.
• Low in saturated fat, High in fiber, High in Vitamin A and Iron.
• Dehydrated and raw to maintain high levels of nutrients.
• Satisfies the crunchy chip craving when on a raw diet.
• The most chip-like raw food I’ve found for sale.

Cons:

• Not organic.
• Price $$

Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale, Naked (Plain Vegan Cheese) Flavor
Net Wt. 2.5 oz.
$7.49

Pros:

• Great, cheesey flavor.
• Light and crunchy.
• Dehydrated at low temperatures to maintain healthy, active enzymes and nutrients.
• Great source of Protein, fiber, Viamins A & C, calcium and iron.
• Raw!
• Would be great as a snack or sprinkled on salad.

Cons:

• Not organic.
• Contain cashews, so not suitable for persons allergic to tree nuts.
• The pieces are kind of small (may have crumbled in shipping), which is great for salad, but harder to eat as a snack.
• The packaging is a large, recyclable plastic tub. I would prefer to see them in compostable packaging.
• The price is a little steep considering they are not organic and they are so light, I could eat a tub in one sitting.
• Price $$

Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale, Vampire Killer (Garlic & Vegan Cheese) Flavor
Net Wt. 2.5 oz.
$7.49

Pros:

• This is my kind of flavor! Garlic & cheese. How can you go wrong!
• Light and crunchy.
• Dehydrated at low temperatures to maintain healthy, active enzymes and nutrients.
• Very satisfying savory raw snack.
• Great source of Protein, fiber, Viamins A & C, calcium and iron.
• Raw!
• Would be great as a snack or sprinkled on salad.
• Tastes like pizza.

Cons:

• Not organic.
• Contain cashews, so not suitable for persons allergic to tree nuts.
• The pieces are kind of small (may have crumbled in shipping), which is great for salad, but harder to eat as a snack.
• The packaging is a large, recyclable plastic tub. I would prefer to see them in compostable packaging.
• The price is a little steep considering they are not organic and they are so light, I could eat a tub in one sitting.
• Price $$

Brad’s Raw Leafy Kale, Nasty Hot (Jalapenos & Vegan Cheese) Flavor
Net Wt. 2.5 oz.
$7.49

Pros:

• Spicy, if you like it!
• Light and crunchy.
• Dehydrated at low temperatures to maintain healthy, active enzymes and nutrients.
• Very satisfying savory raw snack.
• Great source of Protein, fiber, Viamins A & C, calcium and iron.
• Raw!

Cons:

• Not organic.
• Contain cashews, so not suitable for persons allergic to tree nuts.
• The pieces are kind of small (may have crumbled in shipping), which is great for salad, but harder to eat as a snack.
• The packaging is a large, recyclable plastic tub. I would prefer to see them in compostable packaging.
• The price is a little steep considering they are not organic and they are so light, I could eat a tub in one sitting.
• The spice overtakes the cheese flavor in these, but if you prefer spice, these are for you!
• Price $$


Reviewed by Katie Kunze