Lured in by BOGO

First things first.  After a day of travel and one too many bags of airline pretzels , all I wanted was a real meal.  Okay, really, all I wanted was a chocolate-banana smoothie.  I hereby declare this is what I want as my last meal.  In case you are taking notes, make sure those bananas are frozen when they are nice and ripe before you throw them in the blender.  So, that’s 2 bananas – frozen at peak ripeness, a handful of ice, and 3 cups lite chocolate soy milk.   I know that serves about 3.5, but I want it all to myself.  Thanks.

Being without my beloved VitaMix for a week while on vacation and forced to eat what normal people do for brekkie – cereal or oatmeal – I’ve been feeling smoothie deprived. 

So after getting Lucky’s tongue up my nose (she was so excited to see me), taking her on a long walk through the ‘hood, throwing in massive amounts of red rock stained clothes into the washer, I decided to head to the grocery store, with two things in mind – Chocolate Soy Milk and Bananas. 

Oh, I got my bananas – all 12lbs of them – and yes, Dave and I will eat them all this week, but Publix was sold out of Silk’s Lite Chocolate Soy Milk.  Bummer.  Super Bummer.

That was until I passed these gems.  Diana’s Bananas.

A quick look at the ingredients revealed they were in fact vegan with bananas and chocolate being listed. 

At first pass, I put them back in the freezer thinking, “I can make these myself” and “I really want a Chocolate-Banana smoothie, not chocolate + banana on a stick.” 

After being disappointed that there was no chocolate soy milk in sight, I found myself drawn back to them.  I was lured in by the BOGO.

Dave says chocobananas are big in Honduras.  (I’ll let you be the judge!)

Peace , Love, and Chocolate

I’ve been so obsessed with chocolate the past few days.  I might break out like a teenage boy about to hit puberty.  Except I’m a girl.

I have always had a sweet tooth and been into eating a piece of chocolate here and there, but a full chocolate bar every day for the past two days (okay three) is pretty unusual.  Must. break. this. habit. now. 

Lake Champlain Chocolates is my favorite, because they have an Organic Dark Chocolate Spicy Aztec bar that is to die for.  Chocolate meet Mexican Hot Chocolate meet my love for cayenne pepper. 

A little insight to my world.  I prefer to break my chocolate into small bites and let it dissolves in my mouth.  Draw out the experience…

Next up in line, is Endangered Species Chocolate.  Their Organic Dark Chocolate Chimp Mints is like a peppermint patty party in my mouth. 

Two little squares normally does the trick.  (But not this week.)

And when I’m in a pinch and there are no overpriced health food stores around, I’ll settle for Starbuck’s Dark Chocolate Bar.

 
Which brings me to the point of this post – Last night I was craving something sweet.  Starbucks just landed in my lamp.  I went in, bought my beloved chocolate, and told the barista about my out-of-control binge.  She sympathized. 

I proceeded to talk her ear off about how I like their dark chocolate because there is not milk in it.  She checks me out (not like that) AND THEN says, “I hate to burst your bubble, but a gal here is also Vegan and says this chocolate is not Vegan.”  I take a look at the ingredients; I don’t see any dairy listed.  It passes my test. 

Take a look for yourself: (not listed on Starbuck’s website, but found here)

Starbucks® Dark Chocolate, 34 g
Starbucks Coffee Company, Seattle, WA USA
http://www.starbucks.com/
Ingredients: cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla.  May contain traces of milk and tree nuts.
Marketing on package:  “Starbucks is committed to ethical sourcing.”, “sourced at origin, artisan crafted.”

The “may contain traces of milk and tree nuts” is what she must be referring to.  I did a little google search to see what other Vegans think (not that I really care, because the chocolate is all consumed by the time I begin my research).  The disclaimer on the packaging seems to be strictly legal jargon, but some folks still wouldn’t consume products with the “may contain this or that animal product” on it. 

Well, it ain’t going to keep me from my chocolate. 

Do the Vegans who read my blog eat products that contain traces of animal products? 

Eat well,
Carolyn