Whole Foods Greens With Envy Juice

Welcome to spring! According to the Spring Vernal Equinox, the season arrived on March 20, 2014 at 12:57 p.m. EDT. Even though my calendar says it is spring, and I should be basking in warm sunshine while frolicking through daffodil meadows, the reality differs. In Washington, D.C., it is still overcast, cold, and even a chance of snow in the near future! SNOW! Join me now as I grimace, "ew."

Trying to get in the spring mindset, I cleaned my apartment (i.e. light dusting while watching Parenthood) and I have been detoxing. Since green juices are all the rage now, I joined the party by picking up a cold-pressed raw Greens With Envy juice from my local Whole Foods Market. Boasting six juice blends, Whole Foods prepares in-house raw juices to maintain vitamins that are lost during the pasteurization process.

How does the Greens With Envy juice blend perform in the Sans Soy test?

Quality: Just thinking about the consumption of this bright emerald green juice makes you feel healthy. Drinking it makes you feel robust and complacent with your life choices, like you should be featured on Gwyneth Paltrow's website, Goop. The juice is not thick, and has been expertly strained to remove any little pieces of pulp that may squeeze through in the filtering process. As with all fresh and raw juices, consumption closest to the juicing date ensures the freshest liquid.

Taste: It may be hard to believe, but the Greens With Envy juice blend has a fresh, sweet taste with slightly bitter undertones. But, this is bitter in a "wow-I'm-so-healthy-for-drinking-a-raw-juice" way and not at all in a "this-tastes-really-gross-but-I'm-trying-to-be-healthy-and-trendy" way. Comprising kale, parsley, spinach, broccoli, cucumber, pear, pineapple and lemon, this juice tastes clean and is best drunk cold for a richer palatableness.

Price: One 16-ounce bottle costs $6.99 at Whole Foods Market.

Overall grade: A. This raw, cold-pressed juice receives Stephanie's gold star of approval. A plethora of vitamins are in one bottle that is reasonably priced considering the amount of fresh produce in each vessel. In addition to the health benefits of raw juices, any product that would be a stellar edition on Goop is worth trying in my book.

Cava Mezze Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Have you ever wondered how hummus became popular with a cult following in the last few years? It seems it is on every menu, a staple party food, and coveted work snack. In fact, there is even this Buzzfeed article explaining hummus obsessions, and I relate to many of the claims.

Pureed chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice and a healthy dose of tahini paste are the building blocks of hummus. But the opportunities for the spread creations are endless. Cilantro, roasted garlic, and jalapeno are the tip of the hummus-ingredient-choices iceberg.

Similar to most people, I, too, have a slight obsession with hummus. There is something about the creamy and satisfying texture that I love. It is satiating without feeling heavy, velvety without using dairy, and zesty without using synthetic flavorings. Although, I do recommend reading ingredient labels because some generic hummus brands sneak in soybean oil, those cheats!

Cava Mezze brand does not use soybean oil in its hummus, and it is delicious. How does the roasted red pepper hummus perform in the Sans Soy test? Let's see.

Quality: In case the bright orange color did not alert you, the thick texture and garlic aroma make an authoritative stance to show this hummus means business! Tiny, crimson specks of roasted red pepper swirl around the dip. Moister than competitor's hummus, the spread is dexterous, and does not fall off carrot sticks or slip out of a makeshift tortilla.

Taste: As a result of the roasting procedure, the red peppers create a delightful sweet undertone. This perfectly complements the fiery garlic presence. As the main ingredient in hummus is a garbanzo bean, hummus may have a tendency to have an earthy undertone. Yet, this hummus is vibrant.

Price: One 8-ounce tub of hummus costs $3.99 at my local Whole Foods Market.

Overall grade: B+. This is a great hummus, and I enjoyed dipping, smearing and sandwiching it between bread. Although I liked the sweet, roasted red pepper flavor, the intensity of the flavor could be a bit much after awhile. Bonus points are given because Cava Mezze has local restaurants in the D.C., area, and are always wonderful to grab some nibbles, a glass of wine and catch up with friends.

Goldilocks Goodies Double Chocolate Pecan cookies

Once upon a time there was a little blonde girl named Stephanie who was on the quest to find the perfect cookie. Her expectations were high, but she was positive the ideal cookie would be found. She ventured into her local grocery store to search the endless aisles of healthy junk food. "But, these cookies are made with soy," she exclaimed when looking at one box. "And these cookies taste like glorified dog treats," she thought after tasting a sample of other treats. Disappointed, she left the supermarket. 

On her way home she decided to grab a cup of tea at a local coffee shop that also sells food products from small businesses. What did Stephanie find at the coffee shop? She found the cookies that were just right: soy-free chocolate cookies. 

Goldilocks Goodies is a bakery company creating small batches of sweets in Lancaster Country, Pennsylvania. The sweets are a dream for those wishing to avoid allergies as every product is gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free, corn-free, vegan, and made with natural, wholesome ingredients. 

Let's see if these cookies would satisfy a particular Goldilocks in the Sans Soy test.

Product: Goldilocks Goodies Double Chocolate Pecan cookies

Quality: Density is the name of the game with these cookies. As they are gluten-free and dairy-free, the cookies do not contain wheat flour, butter or eggs. To compensate, the cookies are made from a batter comprising finely ground peanuts, almond meal, and almond butter. As a result, the texture is very chewy and the consistency is on the sticky side. Eating a few cookies is a major jaw workout. The chocolate chips are made soy-free from a mixture of chocolate liquor, vegan cocoa butter, and evaporated cane sugar.

Taste: Finely ground peanuts are the backbone of these cookies and replaces the flour used in traditional baked goods. The combination of this with the chocolate results in the cookie version of dark chocolate peanut butter I previously reviewed. Following the nut and chocolate flavors is a strong cinnamon undertone. The visible salt crystals on the exterior of the cookie help to offset the sweetness from the sugar and cocoa.

Price: One pouch of six cookies of about two inches in diameter cost $7.75.

Overall grade: B+. Yes, Goldilocks Goodies Double Chocolate Pecan cookies were just right for a soy-free, vegan, gluten-free treat. An extra effort of jaw power is needed to power through the cookies because they are dense. I feel the cookies are pricey at almost eight dollars for six small cookies. Overall, the cookies are a tasty and somewhat healthy treat that would please even the most food allergy-laden critic.

Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams

We are still in the month of February. This time of year seems to move at a glacial pace. Short days, cold weather, and dark winter skies do not assist with the enthusiasm I find myself lacking mid-winter. However, as I keep attempting to eat well and drink hot tea, I have been on the lookout for a soy free, sweet way to cheer myself up from the “blahs.”

One way I like to treat myself without feeling too guilty is by pairing my indulgence with a healthy partner. Yesterday, it was +Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams with a side of fresh, Fuji apple. The chocolate satisfied my sweet tooth, and the apple was fresh. In my book, that is a win-win scenario.

Previously, I wrote about my experience with another Peanut Butter & Co. product, White Chocolate Wonderful. The peanut butter and white chocolate spread performed well in the Sans Soy test, but did its dark chocolate sibling fare the same?

Product: Peanut Butter& Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams

Quality: The peanut butter has a consistency that is thick and velvety. A chocolate aroma with peanut undertones quickly fills the air once the jar is opened. As previously noted with the white chocolate spread, this butter does involve extra effort to smear on bread. Unlike more common peanut butter brands, the ground peanuts and oil do not separate to create an unsightly top layer when initially opening the jar.

Taste: Peanuts are detected in this spread, after all, it is peanut butter. However, the shining star is the chocolate. Ever so sweet, and slightly bitter, the chocolate enables the spread to be sweet without rotting teeth. A faint taste of vanilla rounds out the flavors.

Price: One jar of the dark chocolate peanut butter costs $6.00 from the Peanut Butter & Co. online store.

Overall grade: B+. I enjoyed the pairing of dark chocolate with peanut butter. The consistency, even being thick, was easy to blanket my apple slices without fear of slipping off. Also, it would be delicious topping a banana. In line with organic nut butters found at health food stores, the price is reasonable. But, this is not a product made with organic ingredients, which would be an addition I would happily enjoy.

P.S. The Dark Chocolate Dreams Sandwich at the Peanut Butter& Co. NYC Sandwich Shop looks delicious. A sandwich made with dark chocolate peanut butter, cherry jam, and shredded coconuts? Yes, please! 

Five Soy Free Treats to Enjoy this Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day! In keeping with the commercialization theory about the basis of the holiday, here are five, soy free sweets. Though all of the items may not be healthy or organic, none of the items contain soy, and many are vegan! It is the day of love, so why not treat yo self? 

1.  Theo Chocolate Bars: Two Flavors

Just in time for Saint Valentine’s Day, Theo Chocolate has produced two limited edition flavors perfect for the holiday. My Cherry Baby is a 45% milk chocolate bar sprinkled with dried cherries and vanilla bean. Cinnamon Love Crunch is a chocolate bar comprising 70% dark chocolate and the spicy crunch of cinnamon brittle. Both would be excellent to share (if you are generous) or keep for yourself. 

2. Butterscotch Peanut Butter from Mimi’s Cookie Bar

Decadent with a savory side, the Butterscotch Peanut Butter is divine to spread on a saltine cracker, smother an apple slice, or even plop on a bowl of oatmeal. Although the peanut butter is not vegan, it does not contain soy.

3. Fuego Salsa from La Fundidora

Even if Cupid did not add spice to your love life, you can add some pizazz to Valentine’s Day by diving into a jar of salsa. Created with tomatoes, tomatillos and a variety of chiles, the Fuego salsa makes chips, eggs or tacos more exciting.

4. Buddha Chocolate BuddhaCup

Made with love in Brooklyn, New York, the chocolate at Buddha Chocolate is raw and sweetened with coconut palm crystals. No need to feel guilty after consuming a Buddha Cup, each treat is filled with almond butter and surrounded by dark chocolate. What a tasty way to fill up on protein and antioxidants, no?

5. inFUSED Spreads Strawberry Lavender Jam

Perfect to befriend afternoon tea or breakfast toast, this jam contains simple, soy free ingredients: strawberry, sugar, lemon juice and lavender flowers. On an ordinary day, this jam would be great, but why not sweeten up Valentine’s Day by adding it to your mid-afternoon snack routine.

Restaurant Review: Pei Wei Asian Diner

Happy {Chinese} New Year! For many, the new year began on January 1. However, last weekend was the celebration of the Chinese New Year, marking 2014 as the year of the horse. In honor of the Asian celebration, I decided to look at a popular American Chinese restaurant chain, Pei Wei Asian Diner, and evaluate their menu for Sans Soy. Chinese food is delicious, but it is also a well-known fact that the dishes oftentimes are full of additives such as MSG and soy sauce. 

Growing up, I enjoyed plenty of food from my neighborhood P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, only to sacrifice my health for the following days. It took me a while to connect (one of my slower moments) the swelling and crankiness I endured after Chinese food consumption to the ingredients. Now, I rarely consume Chinese food. However, a brand new +Pei Wei Asian Diner, the little brother of +P.F. Chang's, opened in my Dupont Circle neighborhood in the District. As I walked by the diner, I started to think about the ingredients which must go into their wonton soup, steaming noodle bowls and crispy spring rolls.

Reviewing the menu for Pei Wei is not surprising: almost every dish and condiment offered contains soy. However, the Chinese fast food restaurant does an excellent job clearly indicating allergens through its nutritional info chart. In addition to labeling menu items containing soy, other allergens that are marked include corn, mushroom, sesame and sulfites.

Overall grade: C-. The Chinese food chain gets major points for easily displaying food allergens to its customers. However, someone who wishes to avoid soy would have difficulty doing so at Pei Wei Asian Diner due to the limited number of soy free plates. The sweet chili sauce may be soy free, but it is hard to enjoy when the vegetable spring rolls, crispy potstickers and Vietnamese chicken salad rolls are laden with soy. I would gladly eat here if there were a wider array of soy free food choices.

Wasa Sourdough Crispbread

Hello readers! Cold season has arrived in full force here in Washington, D.C. I have been blessed with two monstrous colds in the past month, which has resulted in countless hours in bed, plenty of mugs overflowing with tea, and, sadly, a bland diet of soup. Out of desperation to find a snack with equal amount of crunch and flavorlessness to keep my stomach happy, I found Wasa Sourdough Crispbread. These Swedish babies offer a minimal ingredient list, all which are soy free! The brain baby from the Swedes—people who live in a country much colder than Washington, D.C.—I hoped the crackers could help me kick my colds to the curb.

Let's see how Wasa Sourdough Crispbreads performed in the Sans Soy test.

Product: Wasa Sourdough Crispbread

Quality: Initially, I was unsure what to expect prior to opening a package of Wasa crackers. I am ignorant about Swedish culture and foods; I insultingly think a main food group must be meatballs as a result of the meals available for purchase at IKEA. Dark brown in color, each rectangular cracker had a light dusting of leftover baking flour. Crisp and crunchy they were, almost reaching the staleness state. Nary a grain of salt was present on the crispbreads. However, when paired with a bowl of hot soup, the dry and crisp cracker was perfect for absorbing the simmering liquid without becoming a pile of mush.

Taste: True to its description as a sourdough crispbread, a small amount of tang is present in every bite. The tang, however, is the only exciting attribute possessed by the crackers. There is a lack of salt, spice or anything else nice, and the crackers are best enjoyed when supporting a decadent dip. I cannot help but dream of using a crispbread as the backbone for a goat cheese and smoked salmon tartine.

Price: One package of crispbreads cost me $2.98 at my neighborhood grocery store.

Overall grade: C+. Lacking flavor with questionable freshness, these crispbreads are the perfect accompaniment when unable to fathom much food. However, what the sourdough crackers lack in flavor, they make up by serving as a supporting character with soup, creamy spreads, or a sinful dip looking to be in the spotlight.