Angela Hofmann makes organic, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and “raw” crackers, granola, bar cookies, nut tarts, and other nibbles. The name of her company, Nussli118, combines the Swiss German word for little nut and the temperature, 118 degrees, to which foods can be heated and still considered raw to maintain their vital nutrients and enzymes. The entrepreneur spent years perfecting her delicious products so that you won’t miss the typical (and refined) ingredients in most sweets and snacks.
It was Hofmann’s own health issues that pushed her to study nutrition, experiment with various diets, and figure out which foods made her feel better (or worse). Initially, she bartered her products, such as trading vegan seed crisps for a round of acupuncture. She’s come a long way: Hofmann operates a small store and commercial kitchen in Cambridge and also sells online and in various specialty food shops. (Products range from $7 to $12; gift boxes from $20 to $75.) Her most popular savory items are Everything Crackers and Kale and Onion Crisps. Her Sprouted Nut Clusters and bags of sprouted nuts are all about healthful snacking. Sweet favorites include Chocolate Pecan Squares, Lemon Ginger Squares, and Super Dark Chocolate Rounds, which are her version of chocolate truffles, made with dates, raw cacao powder, and coconut. Hofmann’s brownies and blondies boast flavors so true you’ll wonder how they taste so good without eggs, butter, and refined sugar. (Cashew “flour” and “cream” are part of her secret arsenal.)
Hofmann buys raw nuts and seeds and sprouts them in water, which, she says, “unlocks and increases the nutrition of the nut or seed.” Then she dehydrates them at 118 degrees to improve their crunch and help preserve them. Same goes for her crackers, granola, and sweets, which are dehydrated (versus baked) for 24 hours for thin crackers and up to 72 hours for the thick brownies. She also produces Superfood Blends, including the antioxidant-rich Mushroom Cacao, Ashwagandha, and Matcha Blend, that can be added to your favorite cold or hot “milks” or yogurt to make healthful beverages. All of Hofmann’s products are nutrient dense and made with the utmost care for your (and her) healthful eating.
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Nussli118 is at 2259 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 857-242-4188. Products are also available online (www.nussli118.com) and at Cambridge Naturals, 23 White St., Cambridge, 617-492-4452, and Picnic & Pantry, 1 Bow Market #3, Somerville, 617-764-3387.
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LISA ZWIRN
Lisa Zwirn can be reached at lzwirn9093@gmail.com.