Fun fact: these paleo certified bites and bars actually began as a customer request! Now months later, they are an integral part of our core product line. 

Fad diets seem to have the ability to spring up and disappear at breakneck speeds—turn too slow and you’ll miss out. The paleo diet however, has been around for years, and so it wasn’t long before the staff at Best Express Foods began getting requests for paleo-diet-friendly-products. 

For those unfamiliar with the paleolithic diet—also known as the “warrior” or “caveman” diet—it consists of eliminating all processed foods, grains and dairy. This premise is based on the notion that our paleolithic ancestors, who did not have access to modern farming techniques and processing methods, lived generally healthier, disease-free lives as a result of their clean eating habits. 

But behind this romanticized version of our primal ancestors frolicking across sunbathed meadows, robust and immune to the threats of modern day illness, the paleo diet is really just a low-carb, high-protein way of eating. Similar to the popular Atkins and Whole30 diets, paleo meal plans and recipes typically focus on the quality of ingredients (grass-fed, organic, whole foods), and pay little attention to calorie counts—eating clean is what really matters! 

With that in mind, we introduced our line of paleo certified bars and bites in January of this year (2019), but only after thoroughly trying and testing recipe after recipe. We knew that most folks who choose to follow the paleo diet are looking to live a healthier, more wholesome life, and that not everyone is looking to turn themselves into a warrior caveman. So we set out to build a bar made of clean ingredients, that would also follow the paleo diet principles without the gimmicky “warrior” marketing. 

Although the Paleo Bites were introduced first, both our Paleo Bars and Bites are made using the same clean, all-organic ingredients. These include: honey, coconut chips, pumpkin seeds, and whole almonds. Organic sea salt and cinnamon are added to bring out rich flavor, while pumpkin protein helps add a nutritional, plant-based boost. The result is a swalty (salty-sweet) treat that goes well with everything from nut butters to coffee. 

All things considered, the paleo bars and bites were designed to solve the paleo snacking difficulties of those adhering to said diet. This was a primary factor in ensuring we attained paleo certification, a process through which all ingredients used in the making of a product are audited and thoroughly vetted to ensure they adhere to the paleo diet standards. That little certification logo is all a fellow paleo-dieter needs to look for when making a product selection!  

Whether on the paleo diet or not, we believe families deserve to have access to snacks with clean, certified organic ingredients, at a reasonable price. Today, the Paleo Bars and Paleo Bites have become two of our most popular products, making our paleo-loving hearts happy and your paleo-loving tummies even happier.

Peace, Love and Paleo,

— Best Express Staff

In certain ways, chips are solitary creatures, incomplete until their fateful dunk into the right dip. Our line of stone ground tortilla chips, Las Fortunitas, is no exception. These lightly salted beauties, love company and play well with even the thickest of guacamoles. So with the summer barbeque season in full swing, we offer you three companions to the lonely chip—one mild, one medium, and one bold (intensely bold). May your chips find their match.

Let’s dive in.

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The Mild

For our version of the mango salsa, we opted for adding both fresh and roasted jalapeno peppers, to ensure a depth of both flavor and texture. To keep this version mild, remove the seeds and veins from the inside of your jalapenos, or leave them in to enjoy some extra heat.

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Ingredients:

• 2 large mangoes diced

• 1 jalapeno diced

• 1 jalapeno roasted and diced

• 1 cup cherry tomatoes diced

• 2 tbsp red onion finely chopped

• 1 tbsp cilantro

• 1 lime juiced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

This mango salsa requires no more assembly than a quick toss of ingredients, but it can also be easily turned into a thick puree with just a few pulses in a food processor. Look for firm, slightly unripe mangoes if you fancy the traditional pico style variation (for the added tartness and crunch), or opt for ripe mangoes if making the puree. 

Store in airtight container, refrigerated for up to one week.

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The Medium

What brings this variation of yet another avocado salsa to life is the serrano pepper. Smaller, but more potent than the popular jalapeno, serrano peppers help add an extra kick of heat to this otherwise tempered salsa. Likewise, tomatillos add a delicious tang not found in red tomatoes, along with providing a beautiful green hue.

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Ingredients:

• 4 roasted serrano peppers

• 1 roasted jalapeno pepper

• 2 tomatillos

• ½ cup cilantro

• 1 large avocado

• 2 roasted garlic cloves

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• ½ lime juiced

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Begin by roasting the garlic and peppers until they become soft. Next, boil your tomatillos until they become soft and darken in color—you will know when they are done when froth begins to form near the surface of your pot. 

Add the roasted garlic cloves, peppers, cilantro, olive oil, and drained tomatillos to a food processor or high powered blender, and combine. Next add the juice of half a lime and one large avocado, continue blending (stopping to scrape the sides of your food processor or blender as needed) until a thick paste begins to form. Taste, season, mix and re-taste until your taste buds are content.  

Serve immediately or cover the surface with cling film and store in the refrigerator for up to two days.  

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The Bold:

Habaneros. Roasted habaneros, need we say more? These tiny peppers are known for their intense heat, but underneath that they boast a distinctive flavor. So, we chose to play down the supporting cast of ingredients in order to let these fiery veggies shine through. 

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Ingredients:

• 3 roasted habanero peppers

• 2 large tomatoes

• 2 large roasted garlic cloves

• ½ lime juiced

• ¼ cup red onion

• ¼ cup cilantro

• ¼ cup water

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Once the habanero peppers and garlic are roasted, add all ingredients to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until combined. Ensure that no large chunks of tomato or garlic remain. Season to taste—carefully! Like with our other salsas, we suggesting tasting with the help of a few chips since they themselves are lightly salted. 

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container, refrigerated for up to one week.

Remember to pick up a bag of our Las Fortunitas stone ground tortilla chips at your local Costco!

— Best Express Staff

Desserts make the little hearts of our BEF staff smile; we just can’t get enough of them. So naturally, we found a way to transform our fan-favorite Paleo Bites and Bars into a photo-ready treat. Our “cheesecake” uses all plant-based ingredients, is easy to put together, and can be made well ahead of time—perfect for your next summer BBQ or family get together.

This recipe comes together in three simple steps: prep, blend, and freeze. The only tools you will need to assemble it are a food processor or high-powered blender, and a 9-inch spring form pan.

INGREDIENTS —

For the crust:

• 1 cup or 6 oz of Paleo Bites or Paleo Bars broken up into small pieces

• 1 cup of raw pecans

• 2 large medjool dates pitted

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the filling:

• 4 cups raw cashews soaked overnight (~3 cups presoaked)

• 1 cup key lime juice

• 2/3 cup coconut milk

• 2/3 cup maple syrup

A quick note: Key limes—the kid brother of the larger, more readily available green lime—are not crucial to this recipe, but we highly recommend them. If you are unable to find key limes, look for key lime juice instead. Most specialty food stores will carry it, but we found a foolproof way of locating it is to head to your local spirit and wine store as it is used in a variety of different cocktails.

DIRECTIONS

Prep: Soak 3ish cups of raw cashews in water overnight. That’s it—prep phase is done.

Blend: In a food processor or high-powered blender, combine the ingredients needed for the crust and pulse a few times before running it. Keep your eye on the crust mixture as you’ll begin to see it sticking together. Turn off the processor and scrape down the sides using a spatula. Let it run once more for a minute or two. You will then press the Paleo Bite or Bar mixture into the bottom of your springform pan, making sure it is compact and carries slightly up the sides. Store the pan in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

(you’ll probably have to wash the vessel to your food processor or blender before moving forward)

Next, combine and blend all ingredients for the filling until the mixture is smooth. Pour the batter over the Paleo crust. Lightly tap the pan to remove any air bubbles that may have formed.

Freeze: After covering your cheesecake in foil or plastic wrap, place it on a level surface in your freezer to sit overnight. Remove and enjoy within the hour.

And there you have it, a no-fuss, plant-based cheesecake that also happens to be both Paleo and delicious.

Need a restock on some Paleo Bites or Bars? Order them here!

Peace, Love, and Paleo Bites,

-Best Express Staff

Here at Best Express Foods, the love for coffee percolates deep. We grind, we brew, and we sip our way through the week, trying a variety of flavors as we go. But the world of coffee can quickly turn technical, and carry along with it an air of pretentiousness that can turn most average drinkers off. We believe, that like our products, good coffee should be for everyone, not just for those that know the proper ratio of espresso to hot milk is 1:3 (don’t worry, we had to Google that).

In that spirit, our staff taste tested a variety of coffees to bring you the best recommendations. Prepare to move from good to great, as we share our favorite ways to enjoy our bites and bars with a good ol’ cup of joe.

A quick, mandatory disclaimer: We are not coffee connoisseurs, instead, we are normal people who one day tasted coffee and fell in love. Our staff is diverse in their coffee preferences; some need cream and sugar, while others take it black. These recommendations are not brand or price tag specific, and can just as easily be applied to coffees found near you. In addition, all of the products mentioned below were purchased by our staff members, and all links below are non-affiliated.

Organic Coconut Bites + Verve coffee

For warm summer mornings we suggest pairing our Organic Coconut Bites with a light, yet lively cold brew. Look for roasts with complimentary flavors like coconut, tropical fruit, or for added richness, chocolate. Our favorite from this category is Verve’s Seabright Blend, which can easily be lightened up with a splash of coconut milk or creamer for those not used to drinking their coffee black.

Petite Cinnamon Rolls + Passenger coffee

Because our Petite Cinnamon Rolls are as sweet as they are cute, we recommend a strong, no-fuss coffee. To keep things from turning cloyingly sweet, seek out medium to dark roasts that still boast nuanced flavors. For those not partial to sweet coffee, enjoy this roast black, otherwise the creamer of choice sans sweetener are enough A good choice is Passenger’s Stowaway blend, which includes notes of browning sugars and cocoa.

Dulce De Leche + Stumptown coffee

For our most delicate—yet rich—treat, we thought it crucial to find a coffee that would balance well in both sweetness and boldness. We recommend medium to dark roasts with caramel and brown sugar notes, as these will complement the existing sweetness in our pastry even when served with milk. We especially liked Stumptown’s Holler Mountain Blend, but found that the staff enjoyed most dark roasts and our Dulce De Leche Delights when paired with half and half.

Organic Biscotti + novo coffee

Made for dipping, this pastry calls for a ripe espresso that will stand up well to milk. Whether you choose our almond or organic variety with dried fruits, look for an espresso with full flavor. Otherwise, you may end up with an overly sweet mouthful and an equally sweet beverage to wash it down. Our pick, Novo Espresso Del Fuego, features notes of toasted caramel and nuts.

Organic Aussie Bites + onyx coffee

To best bring out the layered flavors in our Aussie Bites, we suggest a sweet, yet fruity coffee. The easiest way to find one is to look for roasts that are Honey processed—though we must note that there is no actual honey in this coffee at all—as the results are often both fruity and sweet. Onyx Coffee’s Colombia Aponte Village is an excellent choice, with notes of honey, cherry and fig. This was the easiest for our team to sip without sugar or sweetener, (some folks described it as having an almost “tea like” quality) but it is equally good with the creamer of your choice—just go easy on the sugar or try honey instead!

Remember….

As a general rule, it is best to both balance and bring out the flavor of the snack you’re enjoying. Look at ingredients, read labels, and think back to what your palate likes best; are you partial to sweets, do you dig the kick of a strong earthy coffee, or are you somewhere in between? Follow your taste buds and you can do no wrong.

Enjoy the tasting process and don’t forget to pick up some of our bites and bars for your next brew by visiting our shop or your local grocery store.

Peace, Love and Coffee Sips,

- Best Express Staff