the idea for this post came to me after watching some youtube videos on the since retired show, unwrapped. from 2001-2011, I watched this show religiously. informative and entertaining, it showed me how my favorite candies and treats were made. watching it now is slightly disappointing in that everything pretty much follows the same formula of sugar + machinery. still, the nostalgia will never leave me.
these days, I am much more conscience of what treats I put into my body. now it's switch the sugary cookie or chocolate bar with a sugar free one, one with simple and ethically sourced ingredients, or a vegan one. yeah they might be a little more dry, less flavorful, or less sweet, but it means less sugar on my teeth, less chemicals in my body, and less strain on my conscience. plus, the human body doesn't need sweets in the first place. it's a want and never a need and I'm much more fine with this now more than ever. so, without further ado, these are my some of favorite sweet treats.
dr. bronner’s magic bars
there are two options: oat milk base or 70% dark chocolate base. both are vegan and are made with coconut sugar and basic ingredients. I haven't tried all of them yet, but I definitely recommend this one. it is so creamy and so full of flavor. the oat milk mocha latte is a very close second. the mocha melts perfectly under a shot of espresso. 🤤
tony's chocolonely bars
the biggest bang for your buck, tony’s is a brand that actually tries to do things right. its ingredients are all fairtrade and they are 100% exploitation free. buying and eating chocolate shouldn't come at the price of labor and child abuse. they have two dark chocolate vegan friendly bars for anyone interested, but if I had to recommend just one: the milk chocolate caramel sea salt. the chocolate and caramel hit you first with their sweetness and then the sea salt comes in and leaves your mouth feeling fresh. again, break off a piece or two of this and let a creamy shot of espresso fall onto it for a perfect cup of coffee and chocolate. 😍
horchata and atole
these are both drinks rooted deep in the mexican culture. horchata is for a hot day, atole is, for me, for a cold day, specifically during christmas as made by my very talented grandma. there are plenty of recipes out there that stay true to these mexican roots but, with a little trial and error, it's entirely possible to make both of these drinks with healthier ingredients. I definitely recommend the website muy delish where the woman behind it, ana frias, gives some great recipes on lots of mexican drinks and dishes. here are the recipes for horchata and atole. 🇲🇽
here is another recipe from a different site for mexican hot chocolate, another favorite.
straus family creamery
a local creamery, it's about 1.5 hours from my house. a tour of the creamery is still in my future, but that doesn't stop me from supporting them by buying their ice cream. I don't drink milk at all these days but when I did it was straus all the way. founded in 1994, they are dedicated to maintaining ethical treatment of their cows and the environment (only their gallon of milk is in a plastic jug, the rest are in glass bottles). when their ice cream began to show up in store, I chose their vanilla flavor. simple, creamy, and filling. if you live in california, definitely try your best to buy straus products. they are worth it.
I hope you enjoyed today's post. let me know if you have ever tried one of these recipes or products before. or, let me know what sweet treats you recommend to everyone. I think my next sweet treat post will be dedicated to the beverage. 😯🧉☕🥤
until next time,
mere