As is true of so many of our fans, I love chocolate and do what I can to get varieties that are not only delicious but nutritious enough that it justifies the copious amounts I ingest.

While my friend Alan Frost does his best to keep the delicious flavor and nutritious flavonoids high in his FlavaNaturals bars and drink powder, many other bars do not deliver as effectively. Even if they claim a high percentage of chocolate, that number actually represents the percentage of cocoa and cocoa butter and may not deliver the nutrition that so many chocoholics tout.

What may be worse is that, in the process of making most chocolate, the healthiest parts are often thrown out!

While our friends at Blue Stripes Cacao save and even sell the entire cacao fruit, the squishy pulp is not to everyone’s liking.

Fortunately, I have found a tea that is made with the husks of cacao beans that allows me to enjoy the nutrition and flavor of chocolate with maximal benefit and without arousing suspicion that I am bingeing on bars.

MiCacao uses ethically-grown organic cacao from sustainable (and well-sustained) farmers to make a tea that is free of caffeine and full of cacao flavor and all of the health benefits that so many other cacao crafters claim.

With 40 times the antioxidant load of blueberries and far less risk of staining teeth and clothing), MiCacao tea is a great way to promote health and mood and even lose weight. Yes- I said LOSE weight from enjoying chocolate!

So when you want to wash down a FlavaNaturals bar or chase a Blue Stripes cacao fruit, MiCacao is the perfect cacao complement!

While I have sung the praises of many delicious and beneficial coffee brands, including explosively good Atomic, brain-builders like IQBAR and Kickstarter, and our Veteran friends at Fire Dept. and Military Java Group, I am still a fan of Steeped Coffee as their pre-measured, fully-compostable, teabag-inspired packets of craft-roasted, ethically-sourced, nitro-sealed coffee allow me to have fresh-brewed coffee flavor with just water and no mess.

And while I have often enjoyed waking up with Sunrise Blend or downing some Odyssey before an excursion, I am extra excited about the new partnerships that Steeped Coffee has entered with other industry-leading coffee makers!

Steeped Coffee recently brought its satisfying single-serve technology to the community-minded minority owners of BLK & BOLD and the oak wood-roasted Italian team at Mr. Espresso. So even if you do not know how great Steeped Coffee’s own coffee blends taste, you can be introduced by way of brands that are already established favorites and award winners.

The BLK & BOLD hearty medium roast introduces flavors of toffee to your morning coffee and Mr. Espresso’s famed Seven Bridges variety can help get you over any daytime challenge with a caress of caramel and a waft of smoke.

If you are still reticent, use code COFFEE15 for 15% off your first order! Once you are ready to go, their Barista Bundle gives you all you will need for great coffee any time of day or night.

Though the delivery system is new to many and admittedly unorthodox, it has never been a steep climb to come to love Steeped Coffee and, as they grow their menu of flavors and partners, it will be even easier to enjoy the easiest-to-make coffee around.

I have been talking a good deal about fermented foods of late and how good they are for you. Unfortunately, many people have been led to understand that fermented foods taste bad or that they fizz and tingle on your tongue in an unpleasant way.

Apparently, these people are not fortunate enough to have Gloucester’s Pigeon Cove Ferments nearby!

I mentioned Pigeon Cove before – introducing their amazing krauts and kimchis (all of which also act as great inroads to the fermented field). But as winter sets in and fresh fruit is harder to get, I wanted to focus on their kombuchas, which offer amazingly authentic fresh fruit taste even when the source ingredients may not be in season.

As kombucha involves fermenting which involves aging, the fresh ingredients that come in summer are ready to be enjoyed in their new fermented forms right about this time of year. This is apparently why Pigeon Cove’s recently-released batches of spiced pear and orange cranberry Hibiscus are so darn refreshing and can not only make your tummy feel better but help overcome seasonal doldrums with a tasty reminder of brighter days ahead (or at least behind).

Another great way Pigeon Cove can brighten your day is with their lion’s mane coffee kombucha, which adds brain-boosting nootropics to delicious coffee flavor. I have a few a week and love the tasty tingle!

Fermented foods are good for you, but that does not mean they have to taste bad. You just need to know where to look. I suggest Gloucester!

When I first saw a product called “Pep” that claimed to offer clean energy and helpful probiotics, it seemed like something out of a movie that did not want to use a brand name.

However, after I interviewed health expert Dr. Shawn Talbott from Pep’s producer, Amare Global, I was convinced to give the vegan, dairy-, gluten-, and soy-free beverage a try.

I must say that my body, my brain, and my bowels felt pretty peppy indeed!

In addition to offering its titular burst of energy (thanks to organic green coffee), Pep also supports alertness and concentration through a proprietary ingredient called Suntheanine® AND supports a healthy gut microbiome which ALSO helps your brain and body function better! According to Dr. Talbott, it can even help with digestion issues thanks to its combination of pro- and prebiotics, organic live kombucha, and another proprietary ingredient called Sunfiber®.

Unlike most other so-called “energy drinks,” the special blend in Pep delivers its natural energy in a way that strikes an attractive and sustaining balance between energy and relaxation, allowing you to be alert without feeling wired so you can continue to do what you need and want to do efficiently for a long period of time.

Now you may be thinking- “Can a drink that does all this taste good?”
And I am here to answer- YES!

Despite having no sugar, Pep is as sweet and refreshing as strawberry soda and offers a bubbly burst that tickles your tongue and keeps the party going all the way through your gut.  

Go to Amare.com/g10/442395 or amare.com and use promo code 442395 for $10 off your first purchase!

We all know how hard our soldiers and first responders work and how much support they deserve.

That is one of the many reasons I have long been a fan of Fire Dept. Coffee – a Veteran-run business that offers some of the best-tasting coffees around and delivers them in ways that are convenient and that also support their fellow Veterans and life-savers.

To add to their already impressive menu of alcohol-infused coffees, ready-to-drink cans, and even donut shop-worthy flavors that will give you other things to run on, Fire Dept. recently released some additional options that combine things that most of us need and want to help us all make it through a challenging day.

Their new instant coffee protein powder contains 225 mg of natural caffeine per cup along with 20 grams of eco-friendly upcycled protein that is naturally vegan and soy free and derived from plants. Sustainable and sustaining, the coffee is easy to make and can be enjoyed hot or cold, before or after a workout, a meeting, or anytime you have a “fire” that needs putting out.

Another brave combo is Fire Dept.’s Camo Blend coffee, which combines the rich and smooth flavors of their most popular light and dark roasts, offering a delicious combination that stands out in the jungle of coffee options.

Whether you are a first responder or a weekend warrior, caffeine and protein are vital to get you going and keep you moving. If buying them can help support those who support us all- all the better!