Surf Sweets Jelly Beans

These little organic treats were brought to me by the Easter Bunny (aka my mother), who also got me some Sweet & Sara marshmallows and Primal Jerky Strips. Yay for snacky vegan foods :D Anyway, these Surf Sweets jelly beans are certified USDA organic, are made with organic fruit juice, enhanced with vitamin C, and are naturally flavored and colored. They are also made in the USA.

So, the whole bag smelled like strawberry jam when I opened it. Sometimes strawberry is good in my book, sometimes its not. There are four colors, pink, red, orange, and yellow, so I'm assuming that means four flavors.

Pink: There's a nice little bunch of these strawberry flavored beans. They have very strong flavor, I'm really not too fond of them but they're okay.

Red: There is only one of these and its cherry. Yum yum yummy. I love cherry.

Orange: Only one of this color too. Eh, its orange. mostly sweet with a little tang.

Yellow: The majority of the beans are yellow. As far as I'm concerned, they are a little bland compared to the other three flavors. They are kind of just.. sweet.

These have that typical grainy jelly-bean texture.

Ingredients: Organic evaporated cane juice, Organic tapioca syrup, Organic grape juice concentrate, Pectin, Citric acid, Ascorbic acid, Colors added (including black carrot juice concentrate, turmeric, annatto), Natural flavors, Confectioner's glaze, Carnauba wax, Organic sunflower oil.

Nutrition: A serving is 19 pieces or about one package. 90 calories per serving, 0 calories from fat. Total fat 0g, Sodium 15mg, Total carbohydrate 22g, Dietary fiber 0g, Sugars 18g, Protein 0g.

Well, I like them enough to eat the whole bag but I wish the majority of the beans were red as that one was my favorite. Definitely a great Easter basket stuffer for vegans and health conscious parents. A 6 out of 10.

Raspberry Licorice Log

This log (though I'd consider it more like a rope) of licorice is made in New Zealand by RJ's who claim to be "Making the world a better licorice place!" My mom got it for me at Natur-Tyme in Syracuse.

The bite is softer and less chewy than typical licorice. Its a great texture. The raspberry flavor is awesome, kind of like raspberry jam. However, licorice always leaves a strange aftertaste in my mouth. So any kind of licorice probably wouldn't be my first choice of a candy.

Ingredients: Wheat flour, Cane sugar, Glucose syrup, Water, Humectant (glycerin), Rice bran oil, Natural raspberry flavor, Acidity regulator (malic acid & citric acid), Salt, Natural color (fruit and vegetable concentrates), Licorice extract. Suitable for Vegetarians/Vegans.

Nutrition: A serving is 40g or one log. 140 calories, 10 calories from fat, Total fat 1g, Sodium 45mg, Total carbohydrate 31g, Dietary fiber less than 1g, Sugars 15g, Protein 1g.

Overall, not too shabby. Its all natural and I like the vegetarian/vegan statement. I can handle the aftertaste too. I would definitely choose these over something like twizzlers. A 7 out of 10.

Bubble Chocolate

Similar to Aero, Bubble Chocolate is an aerated chocolate bar. This bar is 60% cocoa, all natural, and described as "bubbles wrapped in chocolate!" It is distributed by Bubble Chocolate in Salem, MA, but this is a product of Belarus. I picked it up at TJ Maxx (of all places) for $2.99. It is much lighter than a typical chocolate bar, it feels almost fake.

The chocolate itself is alright if not kind of bland. Its certainly not a bad flavor though. The texture is interesting and very new to me. It is kind of soft and crumbly and dry at first, but it melts almost instantly.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, Sugar powder, Cocoa butter, Lecithin (an emulsifier), Vanilla.

Nutrition: A serving is half the bar (40g). 200 calories per serving, 120 calories from fat. Total fat 15g, Saturated fat 9g, Total carbohydrate 22g, Dietary fiber 3g, Sugars 16g, Protein 2g.

Well, it is interesting but it just doesn't do it for me. I don't feel like I am eating bubbles wrapped in chocolate, I'd prefer solid chocolate no matter how dense it is. I rate it a 5 out of 10.

Seitenbacher Kiwi Frogs

These are vegan gummi fruit candies by Seitenbacher. I ordered them from veganessentials and they come in a huge variety of flavors and shapes. I wish they came in variety packs so I could try them all. They are a product of Germany.

Ah, the texture is great. Too stiff to be "jelly" in my book. Its not sticky, it is kind of a bouncy texture. The taste is decent. It doesn't scream kiwi though, it tastes more like apple. There is a lingering sweetness to these that I really enjoy.

Ingredients: Apple extracts thickened, Kiwi, Apple pectine, Lemon juice thickened, Slightly sprayed with vegetable oil, Natural flavor.

Nutrition: A serving is 40g, 2.5 servings per container. 130 calories, 2 calories from fat. Total fat 0g, Total carbohydrate 31g, Dietary fiber 1g, Sugars 28g.

So, I like these. I definitely would like to try some other flavors because the kiwi doesn't necessarily wow me. These are way cuter than gummi bears or gummi worms. I rate these a 6 out of 10.

Boom Choco Boom Crispy Rice Milk Chocolate Bar

(Note: Contains Honey) This is an allergy friendly rice milk chocolate bar made by Enjoy Life. It is like an allergy friendly crunch bar. It was really stupid of me not to re-read the ingredients before beginning this post. But, since I have already eaten one square and uploaded the photos, I might as well continue my post about it.

The taste is okay. I really enjoy dark chocolate so this seems really sweet and otherwise bland. The texture is nice though. The little rice crisps' saltiness adds to the overall flavor of the bar. These seem to be a great chocolate bar alternative for kids with allergies.

Ingredients: Evaporated cane juice, Non-dairy cocoa butter, Natural chocolate liquor (non-alcoholic), Rice crisps (rice flour, rice bran, raisin juice concentrate, honey, salt), Rice milk powder (rice syrup powder, rice starch, rice flour, carrageenan), salt.

Nutrition: A serving is one package. 220 calories, 140 fat calories. Total fat 15g, Saturated fat 10g, Sodium 30mg, Total carbohydrate 22g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 16g, Protein 1g.

I guess this chocolate bar proves that animal products are lurking everywhere. I'm not going to rate this product as it doesn't fit into my vegan criteria.

Gertrude Hawk 70% Cocoa

This is a 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar by Gertrude Hawk. They are a dollar each and come in a variety of flavors (70% cocoa is the only vegan one).

It melts nicely, rich and smooth. The taste isn't bitter but its not too sweet. The texture of this makes it taste indulgent. The bar is a bit thick though, I prefer my chocolate just a tad thinner.

Ingredients: Semisweet chocolate (chocolate, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (an emulsifier), vanilla).

Nutrition: A serving is one bar (49g). 250 calories, 180 calories from fat. Total fat 20g, Saturated fat 12g, Total carbohydrate 24g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 15g, Protein 3g.

Overall I think this is a great bar. I like the natural ingredients. The taste and texture combination is really delicious. I rate it a 7 out of 10.

Sesame Snaps

I picked these up in Miami Beach at CVS for $0.69 I believe. I have never had sesame candy, but I do love the taste of sesame seeds. Sesame bagels were always my favorite. These are made by Agros Trading Confectionary and are a product of Poland.

These taste awesome. Delicious toasted sesame seeds glazed in sugar. The texture is crispy, then crunchy, then kind of a mix between sticky and melty. The whole thing is really just yummy.

Ingredients: Sesame seeds, Sugar, Glucose.

Nutrition: A serving is one package (35g). 160 calories. Fat 9g, Saturated fat 1.5g, Sodium 5mg, Carbohydrate 18g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 12g, Protein 5g.

These were different in an enjoyable way. An 8 out of 10.