CONTENTS
BISCUITS / COOKIESย 01. Simple Mills, Seed & Nut Flour, Sweet Thins, Chocolate Brownieย 02. Simple Mills, Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies, Chocolate Chipย 03. Partake Crunchy Chocolate Chip Cookiesย
CHOCOLATEย 04. Deliciously Ella Caramel Cupsย 05. Rawmio, Active Superfood, 70% Peruvian Cacaoย 06. Marou Single Origin Dark Chocolate
BARS / ENERGY BALLS 06. Health Lab Holy Hazelnut Ballย 07. Deliciously Ella Oat Barsย 09.Marks & Spencer Pressed Fruit and Nut Bar, Raspberry and Almond Butter ย 10. Deliciously Ella Nut Butter Balls
FRUIT 11. Bob Snail, Fruit Rollsย 12. Dried Fruitย 13. Roasted Chestnuts
Here is a list of my ultimate go-to, vetted and tested list of sweet treats I’ve been buying over and over again for years.
Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
BISCUITS / COOKIES
01.
Simple Mills, Seed & Nut Flour, Sweet Thins, Chocolate Brownie
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Corn, grain, gum-free
- Non-GMO
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients: seed and nut flour blend (watermelon, cashew, sunflower, flax), organic coconut sugar, tapioca starch, arrowroot, cocoa butter, dutch cocoa powder, cocoa extract, baking soda, rosemary extract, sea salt, vanilla extract
Simple Mills is one of my favourite brands and I’m absolutely addicted to so many of their snacks! Their focus is on making healthy eating easy, using only natural, nourishing ingredients with zero artificial additives.
I love that they use organic coconut sugar instead of cane sugar in a lot of their snacks, which is my preferred sweetener. They also do not use any kind of artificial or natural flavours in their products, which I find rare nowadays as most products are chemically enhanced.
The Taste: This chocolate brownie biscuit has a very unique texture that is crispy yet buttery, due to the special flour blend that uses seeds, which is higher in fat content compared to other gluten-free flours like brown rice, potato or buckwheat.
The seeds also impart a beautiful nutty aroma which goes really well with the chocolate.
The biscuit is not overly sweet, being free from refined sugar and using only organic coconut sugar, which has a lower glycemic index.
02.
Simple Mills, Crunchy Almond Flour Cookies, Chocolate Chip
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Corn, grain, gum-free
- Non-GMO
Ingredients: Nut and seed flour blend (almonds, organic coconut, flaxseeds), tapioca starch, chocolate chips (cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter), organic coconut sugar, organic coconut oil, arrowroot, vanilla extract, sea salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, rosemary extract
These chocolate chip cookies not only taste great, but have one of the cleanest ingredients list I’ve ever seen for a cookie!
They do not contain white sugar but instead organic coconut sugar, which has a lower glycemic index and better nutrient profile.
They also do not contain any unhealthy, highly processed oil but instead use organic coconut oil. Pretty rare for a store-bought cookie!
03.
Partake Chocolate Chip Crunchy Cookies
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Top 9 Allergen free
- Non GMO
- Gum free
Ingredients: Gluten free flour blend (light buckwheat flour, gluten free oat flour, cassava flour, tapioca flour), organic cane sugar, non GMO sunflower oil, semi-sweet chocolate chips (cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter), gluten free oats, water, tapioca starch, tapioca fibre syrup, vanilla extract, sea salt, baking soda, caramelized cane sugar, rosemary extract
This cookie first caught my attention with its pretty clean ingredient list as well as a lesser known sweetener being used – tapioca fibre syrup, which is healthier with a low glycemic index and containing minerals such as calcium and iron.
Aside from being gluten-free and vegan, these Partake cookies are also allergy-friendly and free from nuts, eggs, dairy, soy, fish, shellfish, mustard and sesame, making them suitable to be enjoyed by everyone.
The Taste: These cookies have a nice crunchy and chewy texture, thanks to the oat pieces included in the recipe. They have that classic oatmeal cookie type of taste but in the form of a choc chip cookie. If you love oats, you will definitely love and appreciate this crunchy cookie!
Check out my full review of Partake’s crunchy and soft baked cookies here.
CHOCOLATE
04.
Deliciously Ella Caramel Cups
- Gluten-free
- Plant-based
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients: Date syrup, gluten free oats, coconut oil, dark chocolate (cacao nibs, coconut sugar, cacao butter), coconut sugar, cacao powder, roasted almond butter, maple syrup, salt
Deliciously Ella is another brand where I just love so many of their products! They use great ingredients, sticking only to whole foods and don’t use any artificial or natural flavours in their products.
The caramel cups come in 3 flavours – Double Chocolate Caramel, Peanut Butter Caramel and Salted Almond Caramel.
The Taste: Each cup consists of a dark chocolate top layer followed by a plant-based caramel, their respective flavours, and an oaty tart base.
All 3 flavours are really good. The plant-based caramel is beautiful and really hits the spot when a sugar craving kicks in. It does not have that classic burnt sugar and buttery taste of dairy caramel but still shines in its own way with subtle nutty and toffee notes from the maple syrup.
I also really like the oat tart base, which is mildly buttery and nutty. Though it can get really crumbly and fall apart if not kept in the fridge. However I’m not complaining as I’d rather have clean and simple ingredients in my snacks ๐
Where to buy: Deliciously Ella site
05.
Rawmio, Active Superfood, 70% Peruvian Cacao
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- USDA Organic
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients:ย 70% Raw dark chocolate (raw cacao nibs, coconut sugar, raw cacao butter), dried mulberries, yacรณn sweetened cacao nibs, chia seeds, maca powder, mushroom extracts (chaga, reishi, cordyceps, lion’s mane)
This superfood chocolate bar is made from stone ground raw chocolate infused with medicinal mushrooms, maca and topped with chewy mulberries, chia seeds and lightly sweetened cacao nibs ๐คฉ
The addition of medicinal mushrooms in this chocolate is really what caught my attention and made me buy it, as I’m a big fan of adaptogens and their ability to help us cope with stress and fatigue.
Being completely cane sugar free is another win for this chocolate bar in my books!
06.
Marou, Single Origin Dark Chocolate
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Peanut, nut and soy-free
Ingredients: Cacao nibs, cane sugar, cacao butter
Marou has a single origin series of dark chocolate bars made from cacao beans from 6 different provinces in Vietnam – ฤแบฏk Lแบฏk, Lรขm ฤแปng, ฤแปng Nai, Bร Rแปa, Tiแปn Giang & Bแบฟn Tre.
These chocolates are made from with only 3 simple ingredients, the simplest I’ve ever seen! Who knew we didn’t need all that extra good-for-nothing emulsifiers ๐คญ
The Taste: The chocolates from these different provinces are supposed to differ in their fruity or spicy notes. I tried the entire single origin set some time back and recall that they were all pretty similar, with all of them having a deep roasted flavour that was intense and bittersweet.
My favourite of the lot, and the one I usually buy would be the one in the purple packaging – Dak Lak 70%, as I feel that it has the most prominent cherry or fruity note, which is my favourite kind of dark chocolate.
Where to buy: Marou site, Redmart
BARS / ENERGY BALLS
07.
Health Lab, Holy Hazelnut
- Gluten-free
- Plant-based
- Refined-sugar free
Ingredients: Dates, cashews, chocolate hazelnut spread (coconut sugar, hazelnuts, sunflower oil, cacao powder, sunflower lecithin), organic brown rice syrup, organic coconut, buckwheat, raw Cacao, sea salt
If you’re a Nutella lover but have since gone dairy and gluten-free, this energy ball would surely satisfy that Nutella craving of yours!
It has a surprise centre of chocolate hazelnut spread, made only with clean ingredients and is also refined-sugar free. This is also the only energy ball in Health Lab’s range that does not contain any natural flavouring, which I try not to eat too much of as it upsets my gut. So with this one, I got to town with ๐
The Taste: The chocolate hazelnut centre in this one is really good. It has a really rich hazelnut flavour and the texture is thick and smooth. I find that this ball really satisfies a chocolate craving ๐ซ
I also love the crispy bits of buckwheat added to the ball, which gives it such an interesting crunch and contrast to the different textures of this ball.
Where to buy: Official site
08.
Deliciously Ella Oat Bars
- Gluten-free
- Plant-based
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients:ย
Cacao and Almond – gluten free oats, brown rice syrup, coconut oil, raisins, coconut sugar, date syrup, rapeseed oil, almond butter, flaked almonds, cacao nibs, cacao powder, sea salt
Apple and Raisin – gluten free oats, brown rice syrup, coconut oil, raisins, coconut sugar, rapeseed oil, dried apple pieces (5%), ground cinnamon
These oat bars from Deliciously Ella make the perfect healthy snack, made entirely of natural ingredients sans any refined sugar or flavourings.
There are 7 flavours available and my top 2 favourite would be the Cacao and Almond, and Apple and Raisin.
They are perfect on the-go as they fill you up just right. I always bring boxes of these when I travel overseas as they come in handy in times when I can’t find any food that is suitable for my dietary needs.
My only gripe about this bar is the use of rapeseed oil, which they have swapped out with coconut oil from their original recipe in the early days. Other than that, everything is still kept relatively healthy.
The Taste: These bars have a nice chewy texture that is not too sticky, with the right amount of add-ins, sweetness and balance in flavour.
The cacao bar has surprise crunchy nibs throughout which I love and the apple raisin one is like eating a literal apple pie ๐๐
You may read my review of 3 of her oat bars here.
Where to buy: Official site, Redmart
09.
Marks & Spencer, Pressed Fruit and Nut Bar, Raspberry and Almond Butter
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Refined sugar free
Ingredients: Date paste, almonds, roasted almond paste, sultanas, freeze-dried raspberries, chicory fibre
I’ve always been drawn to date bars as they are basically an energy ball in a bar form. A nutrient dense and sweet treat that can satisfy a hungry tummy fast.
The Taste: This date bar is delightfully soft and chewy with a mix of tangy and sweet. Bits of freeze-dried raspberries throughout the bar give it bursts of fruity raspberry goodness as you chow through this.
I personally prefer this over a Lara bar as I find those a bit harder and drier. Check out my review of the Marks & Spencer Fruit and Nut Bars – Peanut and Chocolate Chip and Raspberry and Almond Butter here.
Where to buy: Marks and Spencer stores
10.
Deliciously Ella, Nut Butter Balls
- Gluten-free
- Plant-based
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients:ย
Almond – Almond butter, almonds, cacao, coconut oil, salt
Hazelnut – Dates, hazelnuts, raisins, almond butter, hazelnut butter, gluten-free oats, cacao
These nut butter balls are jazzed up energy balls with a delicious nut butter centre. If you’re a nut butter lover, you will definitely love these!
The concept of filling an energy ball with nut butter is so simple yet has stood the test of time. I’ve seen Deliciously Ella discontinue so many wonderful flavours ๐ข of her energy balls since 2018 but not these. Despite shrinking a little in size, these nut butter balls seem to be a fan favourite and a staple in her collection.
The Taste: This energy ball has a classic flavour that is date-centred and with an adequate amount of sweetness. The nut butter in these energy balls is thick, not the kind that is diluted with oil. You can choose to stick them in the oven for a bit to achieve a runny and gooey consistency, or eat them as they are, which is also very good.
Where to buy: Deliciously Ella site
FRUIT
11.
Bob Snail, Fruit Rolls
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients: Dried fruit
These fruit rolls are made from fresh fruit that is carefully pressed and slowly dried at a low temperature to lock in all the natural goodness!
They do not contain any added sugars, colours, preservatives or flavourings like some other brands.
These make great on-the-go snacks – simply throw them in your bag and reach for them anytime you need a pick-me-up!
The Taste: All the flavours lean slightly tangy, especially certain berry flavours like blueberry, strawberry and raspberry. Hence I’ll only recommend these snacks to those who can tolerate anything sour. If you’re a die-hard sweet tooth fan, do not get this as you will not like it!
My favourite flavours are apple black-currant, apple-pear and mango. Though I think all the flavours are great, it might be down to personal preference which fruit you like, as the taste is true to the natural taste of the fruit itself.
12.
Dried Fruit
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients: All are 100% dried fruit, except for dried strawberries (organic strawberries, organic apple juice concentrate, ascorbic acid, organic rice flour)
Dried fruit is one of my favourite snacks. It is incredibly healthy, minimally processed, nutrient-dense and satiating.
The Taste: My favourite brand is Sunny Fruit. I have tried a number of their items and the best ones are the figs, apricots, strawberries and mulberries. Their dried strawberries are literal candies and I’m really obsessed with them!
Their mango is a bit too dry, and the rest like dried bananas, dates and cherries are pretty average.
This brand Sunny Fruit may be pretty hard to find generally, so don’t fret if you can’t find the same brand. Just look for anything organic and without any added oil, sugar and preservatives like sulphites.
Where to buy: Lazada, Shopee, Amazon
13.
Roasted Chestnuts
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Refined-sugar-free
Ingredients: Organic chestnuts
Chestnuts as a snack not only taste great, but they have an impressive nutritive profile being rich in nutrients (vitamins B6, C, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron), high in fibre, low in fat and a low glycemic index.
Remember to look out for those that are organic and without the use of extra oil.
The Taste: I don’t usually have a brand I stick to, but will get whatever is available as long as they are organic and have no added oil.
These chestnuts are soft and mildy sweet with a nutty taste. If you enjoy starchy foods like potato or sweet potato, you will definitely love these. These make excellent snacks to enjoy with a hot cup of tea.
Where to buy: Lazada, Shopee, Amazon
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