April 2026 Sales Flyer B (4/15-4/28) (larger print)
Craft Chocolate Tasting at The Annex
Craft Chocolate Tasting
Join Us at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito for this special event!
$10 to taste chocolates from around the globe! Learn and explore the world of craft chocolates with passionate professionals as your guides.
The Xocolatyl Bar– Albany, CA @XocolateBar
Dick Taylor – Eureka, CA @dicktaylorchocolate
Naïve – Lithuania @ChocolateNaive
Original Beans – Switzerland @originalbeans
Ocelot – Scotland @ocelotchocolate
Auro – Philippines @aurochocolate
Sibu – Costa Rica @sibuchocolate
and more!
Cookies and Cream Dirt Dessert with Gummy Worms Recipe
Early bird gets the worm! Or should we say… cake? 😋
Check out this delicious plant-based cookies and cream cake. It’s lots of fun for kids and adults alike!
Cookies and Cream Dirt Dessert w/ Gummy Worms (makes 12 servings)
DIETARY: Vegetarian
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 (3.4 oz) packages vanilla instant pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, softened
⅔ cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
10.5 oz chocolate vanilla sandwich crème cookies
Gummy worms
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the pudding mix and milk for 1–2 minutes until fully combined. Place in the fridge to chill while you proceed.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth and uniform.
In another bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. - Combine cream cheese mixture with the chilled pudding mixture until fully combined. Then, gently fold the whipped cream into the pudding mixture until smooth and fluffy.
- Crush cookies with a rolling pin until a coarse crumb forms or pulse briefly in a food processor.
- Spoon half of the cookie crumbs into the bottom of 12 serving dishes or a 9×13-inch pan. Top with the pudding mixture—if making individual cups, aim for a scant ½ cup of pudding per cup. Top with remaining cookie crumbs.
- Decorate with gummy worms and serve promptly.
April 2026 Sales Flyer A (3/25-4/14)
April 2026 Sales Flyer A (3/25-4/14) (larger print)
Philippine Chocolate Talk & Tasting – Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Calling all chocolate connoisseurs!
Come learn about Philippine Chocolate at 7pm on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, with The Natural Grocery Company Founder, Bob Gerner.
We will be featuring Auro Chocolate, which is an internationally awarded tree-to-bar chocolate brand that promotes sustainability by working directly with local Filipino farmers.
The name originates from the combination of “Au” which is the chemical symbol of Gold in the periodic table, and “Oro” which is the Filipino and Spanish word for gold.
Auro represents the pursuit to refine Philippine cacao and elevate the lives of local Filipino farmers who are as precious as gold.
One of the most exciting things about single origin chocolate is discovering the unique flavor profile that each bar would be able to offer. A 70% chocolate bar from two different origins could taste entirely different and at times, bars from the same origin can also vary in flavor notes because of the different protocols followed.
Join us to learn about sourcing, processing and quality!
This is a free community event at The Annex, 10387 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530, (510) 526-5150.
Vegan Crispy Bars Recipe
These vegan crispy bars are packed full of chocolate and coconut flavor!
They’re perfect for potlucks, lunchbox treats, or anytime you need a quick no-bake dessert .
Vegan Crispy Bars (6-8 servings)
DIETARY: Gluten-Free, Vegan
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour, 20 minutes
1 cup smooth peanut butter, unsalted
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups rice cereal
1 ½ cups vegan bittersweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon neutral oil
3 tablespoons shredded coconut
1: In a 6-quart pot, melt together peanut butter, syrups, and vanilla on medium low heat. Stir in cereal.
2: Spread mixture in a parchment lined 9” by 9” pan and press down flat.
3: Melt chocolate with oil and spread over bars. Sprinkle with coconut and chill until set, about 1 hour.
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
This decadent chocolate chia seed pudding is equal parts indulgent and delicious!
Whether you’re meal prepping tomorrow’s breakfast or craving a chocolate-y dessert – this is the recipe for you!
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
5 min prep + 2-4 hr chilling time
Serves 2-3
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 cup milk (whole, almond, oat, etc.)
½ cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup chia seeds
2-4 tablespoons agave syrup
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon mushroom powder
Pinch of salt
Shaved chocolate, for garnish
Sliced almonds, for garnish
Mint leaves, for garnish
Directions
- Whisk together all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Adjust sweetness to taste and place in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours to thicken.
- Spoon pudding into serving dishes and garnish with shaved chocolate, sliced almonds, and mint leaves.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
1 hr
Makes 2 loaves
Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup cane sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Directions
- Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla together until pale in color. In a separate bowl, whisk together bananas and eggs. Add the banana mixture to the creamed butter and mix until just combined. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Fold into wet ingredients.
- Add sour cream and fold the batter again until just combined then fold in chocolate chips.
- Grease loaf pans with butter or baking spray, optionally, line them with parchment paper. Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow banana bread to rest for 10 minutes before removing from pan.
Chocolate Trail Mix Bars Recipe
These delicious chocolate trail mix bars are perfect whenever you’re on the go!
Plus, they’re made of pantry staples you probably already have on hand – including oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. And if you don’t have them on hand you know you can get them at our stores!
Chocolate Trail Mix Bars
Makes 8
Total time: 35 Minutes
Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Ingredients
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
½ cup trail mix
½ cup mixed roasted nuts, roughly chopped
⅓ cup chocolate chips
½ cup roasted sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup currants
½ cup honey or brown rice syrup
⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
2 ounces chocolate, chopped
¼ teaspoon avocado oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine oats, trail mix, nuts, chocolate chips, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and currants.
- Heat peanut butter and honey in a small saucepan and stir until bubbling. Pour over oat mixture and stir until well blended and everything is coated.
- Line a 9”x9” baking pan with parchment paper. Add mixture to the pan and with wet hands, press mixture flat.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Allow bars to cool before removing from the pan.
- Cut into eight bars and place on a cooling rack.
- Fill a medium-sized pot with two inches of water and place a heatproof metal or glass mixing bowl on top. You want it to fit snugly without touching the water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the chocolate and avocado oil to the bowl and stir until melted and combined. Drizzle the chocolate over the cooled bars.
Auro Chocolate Talk & Tasting at The Annex – Tuesday, February 4, 2025
Calling all chocolate connoisseurs!
Join us for a talk and chocolate tasting of Auro Chocolate on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, with a presentation at 7:00pm at the Natural Grocery Company Prepared Food Annex, 10387 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, CA 94530 (510) 526-5150. There is not a charge for this event.
Auro Chocolate is an internationally awarded tree-to-bar chocolate brand that promotes sustainability by working directly with local farmers to create fine Filipino cacao beans, ingredients and retail products with unique and bold tropical flavors.
This event will include a tasting of samples.
Learn about sourcing, processing and quality!