“Eating local” has a lovely ring to it, until about the middle of December. Then, as I’m opening (yet another) jar of applesauce I put up in the fall while visions of raspberries dance in my head, I’m ready to jump ship. If you’re up to your eyeballs in Front Range kale and acorn squash, remember that local isn’t limited to produce. You can still fill your fridge and pantry with plenty of wares from Colorado companies.

In honor of Thanksgiving and the holiday season, here’s a small sampling of some of our favorite locally made natural treats. From entertaining to gift-giving, from sprouted grains to grain-free, you can enjoy local all year long.

Adaba Foods offers a line of unique and delicious cookies, bars and other treats, all organic, gluten-free and dairy-free, and based on truly nourishing ingredients like buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, teff, coconut and nuts. Email founder Julia Hellerman at Julia@AdabaFoods.com, and she’ll deliver amazing treats to your home (don’t miss the cashew-coconut macaroons). AdabaFoods.com

What I love: they’re made from sprouted grains, with many raw selections, and Julia uses whole, natural sweeteners like dates and coconut sugar to make treats so clean you can eat them for breakfast (we did!)

Boulder Ice Cream makes their natural and organic ice cream and gelato in small batches, with more than 100 flavors from traditional to trendy. Serve them in a variety of ways: sprinkle a few drops of rosewater over Pistachio ice cream; scatter goji berries and cacao nibs on a scoop of Tropical Coconut; create an upscale float with Limone gelato and lemon sparkling water; or serve Sweet Cream in dark chocolate dessert cups, dusted with Black Onyx cocoa powder (get it at Savory Spice). Find them at Whole Foods and many Colorado eateries; see more at BoulderIceCream.com.

What I love: they have lots of organic varieties, made from milk and cream from Colorado dairies, and they’re impossibly rich and creamy.

Coco’s Raw Chocolates. Made entirely of raw food ingredients – cacao, cacao butter, cashews, coconut butter, maca and yacon syrup – these raw chocolates actually taste like fine chocolate candy bars. Coco (that’s her real name) sells a selection of gorgeous truffles as well. Buy several of the slim bars, tie them with a cotton or silk ribbon, and slip them into holiday cards. You’ll find both the truffles and the bars at Vitamin Cottage, Ideal Market, Alfalfa’s and Whole Foods Boulder locations.

What I love: the cool, zippy mint flavor, and the compostable, biodegradable packaging.

Fiona’s Granola Made from organic oats and barley, with lots of nuts, dried fruit and spices, and affordably priced, Fiona’s is old-fashioned granola at its best. Fiona’s also carries a full line of roasted nuts, granola bars, quinoa bars and trail mix (all the quinoa products and trail mixes are gluten-free, and the trail mix and muesli are raw). We loved the Fruity Almond muesli for breakfast, steaming hot with coconut milk and chopped macadamias on top, and the Cinnamon Crunch was a delicious topping for coconut ice cream. You’ll find them in many Vitamin Cottage and Whole Foods locations, or order online at FionasGranola.com.

What I love: the simple, hearty old-fashioned taste, and the generous amount of nuts in each serving.

Goodbody. Completely grain-free, made entirely of nuts and whole-foods sweeteners, these low-glycemic little treats are the Paleo plan dieter’s dream. They’re not at all what I expected; when I tried them, I had to call owner Carolina Fryer to ask if they really were grain-free (they are). Made from a blend of almond butter, almond flour, cocoa butter, coconut sugar and other yummy ingredients, Goodbody cookies and brownie bites are also free of soy, dairy, corn, gluten and white sugar. You’ll find them in Alfalfa’s Market, with other retail locations soon to follow.

What I love: the Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and the moist, chewy layers of flavors.

Justin’s Hazelnut Butter It’s like a natural Nutella; spread it on apple slices or thin crackers (try 34° Crispbread, made in Denver). Even better: warm it gently, then pour it over Boulder Ice Cream Vanilla Bean, and sprinkle on toasted hazelnuts for instant dessert.

What I love: the company’s dedication to moving toward sustainability, and their openness about sharing the journey (check out the carbon footprint details on their site at JustinsNutButter.com). And, of course, the fact that it tastes even better than Nutella.

Lillabee, founded by husband and wife team Indea Leo and Jared Lovenduski, offers a line of amazing allergy friendly baked goods mixes, all free of gluten, dairy, soy, oats and nuts. The four varieties – pancake/waffle, muffin, fudgy brownie and yellow cake – are designed to be adapted to a number of different recipes. It’s fun to experiment; we made Walnut-Cranberry Muffins from the muffin mix, and added pumpkin purée and pumpkin pie spices to the pancake/waffle mix. Don’t miss the Ancho-Pecan Brownies and the Pumpkin-Flax Muffin recipes at Lillabeebaking.com. Look for the mixes at Alfalfa’s, Lucky’s, Whole Foods, and other locations in Colorado.

What I love: they’re ready to mix (great for last-minute holiday entertaining), easy to adapt, and yield a fine, light end product that anyone can enjoy.

Seth Ellis Chocolatier creates nut-free, artisan truffles made with painstaking attention to every gorgeous detail (raspberry and blueberry syrups made from fresh berries; candied whole lemon slices; ginger sourced directly from a small vendor in Hawaii). Even the green dots on the mint-chocolate truffles are made from organic peppermint powder, instead of food coloring. Don’t miss their SunCups, like peanut butter cups but filled with sunflower butter; the cups also come in mint and caramel flavors. You’ll find them at Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, Alfalfa’s, and other Colorado retailers. SethEllisChocolatier.com

What I love: they’re all organic, made from Rainforest Certified chocolate, with home-compostable packaging, and they’re amazing.

Outrageous Baking offers a variety of quick-bread mixes, all gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free, and ready to mix. You’ll find them in Lemon Poppyseed, Chocolate Zucchini, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Pumpkin Bread, and a basic baking mix. Add chopped pecans to the Cinnamon Coffee Cake and bake it in a heart-shaped pan, for a sweet holiday breakfast. Order them at OutrageousBaking.com, or look for them at area coffee shops (they’re sold in more than 40 coffee shops from Longmont to Eagle).

What I love: the kid-friendly, traditional flavors, the short ingredient list, the ease of making them, and the wonderfully moist, light and even texture.

Lisa Turner is a food writer, intuitive eating coach, and cooking and nutrition instructor at Bauman College of Nutrition and Culinary Arts in Boulder. Visit her websites at www.TheHealthyGourmet.net and www.InspiredEating.com.

Check out Lisa's New Inspired Eats iPhone app featuring hundreds of original recipes--from creative appetizers and salads to clean, beautiful desserts--for every dietary choice.