Thursday, February 7, 2013

Chocolate Knight and Giveaways


Evolve Truffles, our #1 this year

I apologize. I know many loyal Foodtrainers’ blog readers are single and Valentines Day is especially annoying with the hearts, the love, the whole thing. I’m married so who am I to complain about the day of love, right? Monday, we sent out our February Chocolate Newsletter and I was in the office talking about the week’s schedule with Carolyn and up popped this on my screen.
I’m going to take the boys to the Rangers/Islanders game on the 14th, is that Valentine’s Day? Have an extra ticket, let’s all go.
Let’s dissect. A loving father sees two New York hockey teams are playing each other next week. He plans to take his children and perhaps one of their friends to the game. He starts to enter it in his calendar and has a strange feeling something else is happening that day. He has four tickets and reasons that inviting his wife solves any potential conflict. Plus, in his male mind, is there really anything more Valentiney than Madison Square Garden, beer and beer? After many years together, I can totally laugh at this but let’s be clear I’m not going to the game. When I posted this on FB a friend suggested a spa night but I have a better idea. Chocolate Night. Let me tell you who’s invited.

Numi Chocolate Pu Erh Tea
Pu Erh tea is a fermented black tea that has been shown to improve weight loss.  Numi infuses their pu erh with cocoa taking "healthy chocolate" to a whole new level. And Numi wanted one of you to sip this tasty tea too, more on that below.

Evolve
These truffles are gluten free, soy free and dairy free. They are also low calorie with two approximately 100 calories but that’s not the whole story.  The co-creators of Evolve truffles started making them as an experiment and let me tell you, they are a home run. They are insanely delicious with flavors ranging from coconut to bacon (nitrate free, not to worry). If I were presented these as a gift, I would change my thoughts on Valentines day. Feeling unloved? Evolve has generously offered a $25 gift card for one of our readers.

Sun Warrior Chocolate Protein

I am a smoothieholic and this is one of my favorite ingredients. It's not your run of the mill protein powder. It’s raw, vegan and also non-GMO and soy free (very important when it comes to protein powders). I love to blend Sun Warrior with homemade almond milk, fresh mint, kale and avocado. Vitamix romance at its best.

Dark Chocolate Kind Bar

Perhaps you know about Kind bars but did you know a handful of their bars have less than 5 grams of sugar? I'm crushing on their Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Pecan bar. These treats may be the only reason to go to Starbucks.

Cocoa Pili Nuts
pili+nuts.jpg






A client brought these back from a trip to Asia and I was swooning from the first bite. Pili nuts are super nutritious loaded with magnesium and omega 3s and taste similar to macadamias. To top it off they’re dusted with cocoa. No more boring almonds, these are are heavenly.

So, whether you’re single or married or somewhere in between, whether you love Love Day or hate it chocolate (good, dark, high quality) never lets you down. One lucky reader will receive a Chocolate Care Package with each of these treats. To enter comment below and tweet about chocolate love @Foodtrainers by Sunday February 10th.
 And get this. When I joked to the boys about the hockey game my younger son looked at me and said “I’m not going”. I asked why not and he said “I’m going to stay with you on Valentines Day". Love.
Are you a Valentines Day lover or hater? What will you do on Thursday?And what about chocolate? What’s your favorite healthy chocolate?

28 comments:

  1. Aww, that's so cute!! Well, I am not a huge V-day fan, at all. I am married too, how weird. I've never really liked it. BUT I do love the excuse to eat chocolate!
    I really want to try that KIND bar. I wish we send the ones with only 5g added sugar, but we don't, in fact I've never seen the one you have on this post!

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  2. That is a really great son! Although I have to say, I would have gone to that hockey game with them. I am not much of a valentine's day person - I don't love or hate it, just indifferent. In the old days, it was an excuse for us to go out and try a new (and fancy) restaurant, though always a day or two before or after the big day because those overpriced price-fix menus will really get you.


    That said, who doesn't like a little extra chocolate? And if someone were to bring me a little treat on any day of the year it would be most welcome :) Those truffles sound delicious and I love Kind bars, though I have not heard of that flavor and will have to hunt it down. I always bring them with me when I travel, great to have on the plane and in a hotel room in place of whatever other junk might be around you!

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  3. Hilarious. Your son is so adorable. I personally love any excuse to have a great dinner out and chocolates. And maybe flowers too. I'm a big fan of Righteously Raw...especially their Maca Cacao Bar!

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  4. Oh what a guy (your son), a lady killer for sure. We don't do that much on Valentines - well a little - we watch movies and ignore all pleas to do other things and I bake a cake.

    I'm fascinated by that chocolate protein powder. Sounds strange; but I want to mix it with flax milk and green apples.

    Oh, and I tweeted: https://twitter.com/AnnaZed/status/299544227845652480

    margueritecore [at] gmail [dot] com

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  5. oh my gosh so so cute! v-day's not my thing but I love me some chocolate - I think my fave is the noir spread. feels so indulgent.

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  6. LOVE what your son said and I can imagine mine saying the same :-) Since hubby and I are (alone) in Key West right now and next week is super busy every night, I am counting this trip as our Valentines celebration. Love the dark chocolate KIND bars and I could seriously get in to those Evolve truffles. Tweeting now!

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  7. Dark chocolate with 80%+ cocoa is for me.

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  8. Tweeted as well (@squirrelbread).

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  9. I actually prefer being single on Valentines Day—no pressure, no disappointment, no waxy but well-intentioned chocolate to get rid of...
    That said, if a guy bought me my favorite Green & Black's dark chocolate with ginger, I might be compelled to grab him by his ankles and not let go. With my luck, though, he'd turn out to be some mind-reading freak who lures his prey using antioxidant-rich foods. There are worse things, I suppose. Tweeting now!

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  10. I'm a chocolate lover and a lover of Valentine's Day - it's my birthday.

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  11. I do not celebrate Valentines day but I do celebrate Chocolate :) Love me some 80%.

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  12. a few great under 5 gram KIND bars, kids love ginger/vanilla.

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  13. so with you on overpriced holiday meals. Trust me Jen, I've been to my share of hockey games and truth be told I may end up there (don't tell you know who).

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  14. kathy you never cease to amaze me with items I haven't heard of.

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  15. apples...hmn no combo sounds strange to me but chocolate/apple isn't my first thought.

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  16. some find noir spread too good and yes, at times, I am "some" ha.

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  17. ooh want to hear about Key West, ever been. Are you there for something special?

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  18. somebody is a little cynical (somebody other than me). Maybe just stand near the green and black display and see if any cuties purchase it. That way, you know there's no weird motive. Then you follow the handsome fellow home, my theory is be the freak then the chanced of meeting up with another freak reduced.

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  19. is that a fun birthday or is it annoying to have something overtaking "your day"? At least you love chocolate, can you imagine if you didn't?

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  20. I say no vday/80% you have great taste.

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  21. I kind of like it. I'm treated well by my husband (and now son). The only bitch is never going out to eat in my actual birthday due to Valentine's Say specials and prices. Oh well, small price to pay, I guess.

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  22. #1: Best valentine's day giveaway ever. #2. I tweeted :) https://twitter.com/KayDay3/status/299867786816155648

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  23. A chocolate night sounds great ;) And your son is great, so sweet. I love that he wants to stay with you-awesome :)

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  24. hot chocolate chip cookies with milk. cant be beat.

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  25. agreed though i'd vote gfree cookies, almond milk.

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