Super healthy raw chocolate

First things first. I apologise for the terrible timing of this post- I mean, it should be posted BEFORE Easter, so you don't pig out on packaged processed chocolate over the weekend, right? Well, now you know for next time. This choc is so good, I tried packaged chocolate the other day and went 'ergh...'
There is also the plethora of health benefits to consider. This chocolate is (white) sugar free, dairy free, gluten free, vegan, raw, full of antioxidants, magnesium, and brain boosting chemicals! See here for more details on raw cacao


Basic Raw Choc recipe....

To start with, make sure you have some awesome cacao, as that is the heart of chocolate. I love loving earth's organic raw cacao powder.

Melt 2 Tbspn organic raw cacao butter with 2 tpsn organic raw coconut butter/oil

Stir in 1 Tbspn agave syrup or other liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup. 

Add 2 Tbspn cacao powder (approximate -mixture should be runny, but I usually use heaped spoons).

This part is optional, but I reckon it makes a huge difference: blend the mixture with a stick blender. You can see in the photos how different the textures are between mixing it with a spoon and blending it!

Now is the time to add things: try a chai spice mix (awesome!), cinnamon, shredded coconut (pictured), dried fruits, crushed nuts, orange rind, anything your taste buds scream for!

Pour into a mold - I use a recycled plastic container, then pop in the fridge til firm!

This recipe can be variable, as I measure the ingredients in spoon measures, but while the ingedients are still solid. So  1 Tbspn of chunks of cacao butter may different to the next Tbspn of cacao butter. The coconut oil is softer, so the  more you use of that, the softer the chocolate will be. Have fun and enjoy experimenting!

Unfortunately, by the time I went to take a photo of the finished product after it had been in the fridge it was all gone....Hehe!

xx

Green Smoothies

So finally a post that includes cucumbers as a vital point. From the title, cacao and cucumbers. I eat cucumbers most days, as part of a green smoothie. There are loads of websites and books that encourage green smoothies and juices, as a way to get a big hit of nutrients in an easy to digest (and palatable!) way. I got inspired to do the green thing after reading Kris Carr’s Blog,crazysexylife. 

I started off with a hand held mixer, which often left big chunks of veg floating in my glass. The more raw food recipes I read, the more I came across the need  for a whizz bang, high speed blender. Then, all of a sudden, it was that time of year! A birthday present suggestion later, super dooper blender is mine! (Thanks Mum and Dad x). 

Here is a pic of what I put in the first green smoothie I made in my new blender: 

You’re seeing rockmelon, cucumber, broccoli, baby spinach…There’s some coconut oil too, that you can’t see.

A short 30 seconds later, 

Smooth, creamy goodness. No hint of a lump, anywhere. (That white bit on the blender is a drop of coconut oil gone solid when it mixed with cold water.)

I find with some fat added - coconut oil or avocado, a smoothie sustains me for a few hours. And looking at a whole jug full of veggies, then knowing I ate all that for BREAKFAST, well, it’s a great start to the day!

x

Healthy Sundays

I always appreciate not going out drinking and partying on a Saturday night, when I wake up on Sunday not hungover. This Sunday morning was no exception. It was a clear and sunny morning, but quite cool, perfect bike riding temperature. So, I went for a bike ride. I rode mostly along the capital city trail (http://www.bv.com.au/general/bikes-and-riding/43792/), which is about 30km around the outside of Melbourne city. I got to see a bit of this new city of mine (new to me, at least) and got a decent workout- haven’t ridden more than about 10 km’s in a long time! I also found myself down at Fed Square when an interesting competition was on - ‘Birdman’ where people jump off a barge into the river with homemade wings and see how far they can go. The health aspects of my joy ride? Well, one, obviously, the exercise of the riding. But also, I think it’s healthy to spend some time alone, from time to time. To be ok, just being by yourself. To take the opportunity to ride, without distraction from others, and smell the different air pockets as you ride through them, notice the wind moving the clothing over your skin. It was a nice ‘me’ time. 

Then I got home, ready for more healthful goodness - I almost always find that after doing exercise, I crave vegies and fruit. I whipped up this awesome salad:

What’s so good about it? 

• Spinach: Good source of folate, iron, fibre, and calcium, 
• Raw beetroot: Liver detoxing effect, fibre, vitamin  C and iron
• Carrot: Vitamin C, vitamin A, and fibre
• Quinoa: Complete protein, gluten free, manganese, folate
• Tomato: Vitamin C, vitamin A, lycopene
• Walnuts: Omega 3 fatty acids, protein, B vitamins, vitamin E
• Lime juice: Vitamin C
• Flaxseed oil: Omega 3 fatty acids
• Parsley: Vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A

Wow! After writing all that down, the salad seems even better than when I ate it. The best thing about it though? It tastes awesome. I love eating, and eating great tasting food that I know is healthy for me is just so enjoyable. Having a good mental relationship with food is super important for a healthy happy life. 

x

Bread glorious bread

This is the first gluten free loaf I’ve made from scratch, in my new breadmaker - a Panasonic model which has a gluten free setting. (I was pretty excited to learn this). It’s made using a recipe which comes with the instruction booklet, plus a couple of tweaks by me. It is: gluten free, dairy free and vegan.  

The first slice? Crunchy crust, with a soft warm centre. I chose to slather it not with butter (regrettable, but I’m moving away from that era) but with organic, raw, cold pressed coconut oil. This oil is made within hours of the nut being open, so retains a slight coconut-y flavour and smell. (I also did my research, and bought from a brand that pays above the minimum fair-trade wage, and is conscious of the environmental aspects of coconut harvesting). I then drizzled raw organic honey (I’m no longer being vegan here) and enjoyed immensely. A nice addition would’ve been a sprinkling of cinnamon powder…