Kakawa Chocolate House
On a local street that winds around the historic district of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a small chocolate store called the Kakawa Chocolate House – an ode to all things chocolate and Santa Fe. Well known in warm drink circles as the place to go for hot chocolate, the store serves a variety of this rich intense elixir made from recipes that date back hundreds of years.Equally famous for their chocolates – truffles, caramels, mediants, and Chili d’Arbols, Kakawa is also known as an artisanal chocolate source where the chocolatiers make their own blend of 80% dark chocolate. Nary a milk chocolate in site, which is how the artisans dedicated to balancing tradition with cutting edge want it. Read more 
Food Allergies? Try the Tasterie
For people with food allergies or parents struggling to find nutritious and tasty snacks for their kids with food sensitivities, allergies or special diets, consider the Tasterie, a company whose mission is to find delicious and healthy food and snacks for a wide variety of dietary needs. Read more
On the go? Go Picnic
We all need a meal to go from time to time but often sacrifice taste and nutrition for convenience. No more. A company – Go Picnic – has finally created a boxed shelf stable meal to go that is nutritionally balanced, tastes great, and is easy to tote along. The ingredients are impressive and within each box are recognizable high quality foods that contain no trans fats, high fructose syrup, MSG, or artificial flavors or colors – just real food that tastes good. The boxes require no refrigeration, heating, or preparation and fit into a briefcase, backpack, or purse for an easy meal on the go. Read more
Mamie’s Cheese Wafers
Mamie’s Famous Cheese Wafers are an old-fashioned southern cheddar cheese and pecan appetizer made of five ingredients: cheddar cheese, flour, butter, pecans, and cayenne pepper. Crunchy and nutty with a sharp Cheddar cheese flavor, Mamie’s Cheese Wafers are convenient (kept in the freezer), super quick to make: slice and bake (12-15 minutes in the oven), delicious…and addicting. Read more
Beanfields Bean and Rice Chips with Sea Salt
I love chips – all types. When I was a child, Fritos, Lay’s Potato Chips, Pringles, Doritos, and Tostitos were a regular part of my diet. It wasn’t until I grew up and learned to read labels that I realized chips don’t have to contain artificial colors, flavors and additives to taste good; the best chips – like the best foods – are those with the most natural and fresh ingredients. Read more
Build-A-Bar at YouBar
Have you ever spent 20 minutes in the nutritional bar aisle at the grocery store reading ingredient lists on the back of energy bar labels hoping to find the perfect snack bar? Maybe you read a label and thought a certain bar would be great if only it didn’t have whey powder, or nuts, dairy products, or dried fruit, or an added sweetener. If so, YouBar is the go-to resource for you or anyone who truly appreciates customization because at YouBar, you create your own bar by choosing every single ingredient. Read more
Simple and Crisp
Simple & Crisp is an organic and gluten-free snack food billed as “the perfect pairing” with wines, cheeses, ice cream, yogurt, tea, chocolate and even prosciutto. Extremely versatile, the crisps are dried fruit slices that are not too sweet and thus offer a perfect complement to so many other foods. For those who want the crunch of a cracker or cookie but without the wheat, dairy, nuts, or seeds, Simple & Crisp offers an alternative to the usual crackers and savory cookies on the market. Read more
BAKED Granola
There are more than a hundred types of granola on the market and although I’ve never tasted a granola I didn’t like, there are only about a half-dozen that I can say I truly love: BAKED Granola is one of them. Made by a bakery called BAKED in Brooklyn, New York, BAKED Granola is the go-to granola when I want a wholesome cereal made with all natural oats, grains, lots (and lots) of nuts and a hint of cinnamon (the House Blend). Delicious with milk but downright decadent on top of yogurt, BAKED Granola is a truly nutty, crunchy, delicious treat.
Read more
Bobo’s Oat Bars
Bobo’s Oat Bars was created and founded by Beryl Stafford in 2005 in Boulder, Colorado where the company remains headquartered today. The bars are named after Beryl’s oldest daughter, who she affectionately calls “Bobo” and who serves as the inspiration for the bars. The Bobo Oat Bar was created out of Beryl’s desire to provide a nutritious but delicious snack food for her children and other like-minded people who enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle. Read more
10 Foods to Pack for an Easy and Healthy Lunch (or Snack)
Packing a healthy lunch for yourself or a child can be challenging at times because it’s hard to provide variety, taste, and wholesomeness day after day. One of the most important tips a friend gave me about packing a lunch is to purchase a lunch or meal transport system that is flexible and made to carry a variety of foods. Laptop lunches (www.laptoplunches.com) or Black and Blum (www.black-blum.com) are two companies that make top-notch lunch boxes and food transport pieces. In addition, I always keep a stock of “jello shot glasses” – small 2 ounce plastic containers (125 for about $10 through www.amazon.com) with a plastic lid that snaps on and stays on. Once you have the proper tools, packing a lunch or a snack on the go is infinitely easier. Read more
Paddock Post 