I absolutely LOVE chocolate.  It has always been a weakness of mine, and milk chocolate has always been my favorite.  When I need a little mood booster, I can grab a chocolate bar at the supermarket checkout, and be on my way.  For my son, milk chocolate is not an option.   So, when it comes to baking, I started replacing milk chocolate morsels with 100% vegan dark chocolate.  The taste is not as sugary-sweet as that of milk chocolate, but I like it, and it is better for you than milk chocolate.  This works wonderfully in recipes for chocolate chip cookies and such.  Look around your grocery store or health-food store for dark chocolate bars, and read the labels carefully.  You’re bound to find a good, vegan dark chocolate.  

Another possible alternative is carob chips; usually found in your health food stores.  However, many brands contain a dried milk powder, so be very careful. 

All of the evil that people have thrust upon chocolate, is really more deserved by milk chocolate, which is essentially contaminated.  The closer you get to pure chocolate liquor (the chocolate essence ground from roasted cacao beans) the purer it is, the more satisfying it is, the safer it is, and the healthier it is.”   -Arnold Ismach, “The Darker Side of Chocolate”

If you are looking for an extra special treat, there is a company located here in the Phoenix area that specializes in the most delicious varieties of dark chocolate.   Their products are organic, vegan and use Fair Trade cocoa.  Check out their website: http://weiofchocolate.com/    My favorite flavor is their own ‘Inner Peace Dark Chocolate’, blended with lavender, lemongrass and coriander.  It really is more than just a piece of chocolate, it is a chocolate experience! 

-Michelle