Get your chocolate fix, superfood style…

Get your chocolate fix, superfood style…

If, like us, you’re a massive chocoholic, you may be wondering how you can get all the goodness you need while enjoying your favourite snack. The good news is that with the variety of cacao products available, it’s perfectly possible to eat chocolate and enhance your health and wellness.

Raw cacao beans, although an acquired taste, are definitely worth trying, just for their health benefits. They are categorised as a superfood because they contain so many antioxidants and micronutrients. Cacao beans help you to feel more energised, support your immune system and can do wonders for your hair, teeth, nails and skin. 

If you fancy trying something different with your cacao beans, we recommend toasting the beans in a pan. After they’ve popped, you can put the shells in a cup and pour over hot water to make cacao tea – it’s absolutely delicious! For those who prefer a rich hot chocolate, take the shelled beans and grind them into a paste before adding hot nut milk or water, along with vanilla and some natural sweetener.

Your preference may be to have something closer to the chocolate you know and love instead but without the refined sugar and dairy. If that’s the case, then you could try making your own organic raw chocolate blocks. Using coconut oil, raw cacao powder, raw cacao butter, and coconut palm sugar you can create your own version of chocolate heaven, it will taste great and you'll benefit from the wide range of nutrients that raw cacao provides. You could even try adding your own flavours, from banana powder or goji berry powder to dried mulberries and pumpkin seeds.  

We really love adding blueberry powder and hulled hemp seeds, the flavour combo works really well and comes with the added benefit of the protein, omega 3 and antioxidants found in these special ingredients.

Hopefully that gives you some good ideas but if you’re a chocoholic on a superfood mission and you’ve got any recommendations, we’d love to hear from you!

Enjoy a healthy sweet treat fix - with superfoods

A healthy diet needn't mean the end of desserts and the odd treat. Remember, everything should be enjoyed in moderation! It is also perfectly possible to maximise the nutritional value of your favourite sweet items by making a few careful swaps and by incorporating nutrient-dense superfoods - which supercharge your health and give you fantastic energy, health benefits and an overall zest for life - into your diet.

A soothing smoothie 


If you are craving chocolate, it could be a sign that you are deficient in magnesium. Luckily, you can find this in avocado and banana, both of which make a great smoothie. Whizz them up with a handful of berries and you've got a delicious, reviving smoothie that is thick and nourishing.


Chia pudding

Protein-packed chia seeds are one of the hot ingredients at the moment. They make a great breakfast pudding if you soak a couple of tablespoons in a pint of nut milk of your choice. By morning, they will have created a set pudding, which is wonderful with nuts and fresh fruit. Why not sprinkle a little maca powder on top for energy and vitamins galore?

Cacao wonder 

Pure and unprocessed cacao is packed with nutrients, including the vitamin spectrum, iron and fibre. You can use it instead of processed cocoa to make all manner of treats. Stir a spoon of raw cacao into coconut or almond milk for a soothing evening drink and sweeten with a little honey and cinnamon. Mix up cacao powder with avocado and raw manuka honey for a rich and indulgent pudding - and make little cacao bites by blending cacao powder, dates, nuts and almond butter. Serve them raw to maximise taste and nutrient profile.

Spirulina

You can even use spirulina in sweet treats! Try adding it to a green juice with spinach, banana, kiwi and lime - or add a little to a raw nut ball recipe with nuts, dates, manuka honey and chia seeds for a powerful protein and vitamin-packed health punch!

My Obsession With Mulberries

In the last few months I have become absolutely obsessed with mulberries, I’m talking in my breakfast, in a smoothie, in all raw cakes & slices and even just munching them as they are for a snack.

Now I have to admit I am not always the biggest fan of dried fruit, raisins and sultanas are not my friends (I have tried many times to like them but it just isn’t happening). But there’s something different about mulberries, something special. What I love so much about them is the soft, gooey texture and sweet, caramel like taste (the white variety in particular).

They are the perfect ingredient to add to raw caramel chocolate slices, blended with medjool dates on a ‘biscuit’ base topped with raw choc you just might eat in heaven

Here’s my ultimate recipe for indulgent and delicious caramel slices, this will make about 10-12 slices…

Base

½  Cup Almonds

½ Cup Pecans

1 Cup Dates

2 tbs Desiccated Coconut

1 tbs Coconut Oil (or more if needed)

A fresh batch of raw caramel slices, made with mulberries of course!

‘Caramel’

½ Cup Majool Dtaes

½ Cup White Mulberries

½ Cup Cashews (Soaked and rinsed)

2 tbs Almond Butter (or other nut butter)

3 tbs Raw Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup

1 tbs Coconut Oil

Pinch Himalayan Crystal Salt

Water (if needed)

Choc Top

¼ Cup Coconut Oil

¼ Cup Raw Cacao Powder

¼ Cup Raw Agave Syrup or Maple Syrup

Method - Base

- Put all ingredients for the base in a food processor and blend until it forms a sticky crumble consistency

- Spread the mixture evenly on a greaseproof paper lined tin 

- Set in the freezer for an hour

Method - Caramel

- Add all caramel ingredients to the food processor and blend well, you may need to stop and push the mixture down a few times to ensure a smooth consistency

- You may need to add a little water if the mixture is too solid / sticky, keep adding until it is silky and easily spreadable  

- Spread caramel on top of base and return to freezer for a further hour or until set

Method - Choc Topping

Add the coconut oil to a pan and heat on very low temperature until it all melts.

Add the cacao powder and agave/maple syrup to a pan and stir until it forms a chocolate sauce

Pour the chocolate sauce on top the caramel layer and spread evenly. Make sure the caramel has set before adding the top layer

Pop it back in the freezer for an hour until completely set

Once it has all set cut in to squares (best done straight from the freezer) and store in airtight contained in the fridge. 

About Sophia

Sophia Harvey is one one of the owners of the successful online health food retailer Detox Trading, and is currently studying to become a nutritional therapist with the nutritional healing foundation. Complementary therapy has been in the Harvey family for four generations, Sophia's great grandfather being one of the UK's first Osteopaths.

The Breakfast Dilemma

The Breakfast Dilemma   

For years now, since I left home  and started living on my own really (and that’s 10 years now), my morning have started the same every day. With an indecision, a dilemma, a quandary...what should I have for breakfast?

I’m sure I’m not alone in my breakfast struggle. My appetite first thing in the morning isn’t large, but also I can’t hold off until lunchtime. I want something healthy, light, fairly quick and delicious of course. Bread leaves me bloated and I don’t want all the sugar that cereals contain.

In the last year however I have discovered some amazing breakfasts that suit my lifestyle, are super healthy, are easy to make and taste great.

So here are a few of my absolute fave’s…

Chia Pudding

A new favourite with a number of the healthy cook books this is so simple to make and you can alter the flavour  depending on what goodies you’ve got in your cupboard to go with it. I love mixing it up between coconut and cacao powder, summer berries or  warm spices (cinnamon, ginger etc). Simply soak 1 tbs of chia seeds in 3 tbs nut milk of your choice. Leave for 15/20 minutes to gelatinise then mix with fruit, nuts, seeds and super food powders to taste.

Breakfast Bars

There are great because you can make a batch to last you all week. Not restricted to being bar shaped, I tend to go for pattie style squashed balls ;)

The base ingredients for these are rolled oats, flax seeds and chia seeds. Blend 1 cup oats in the food processor to make a crumble/flour texture. Mix this in a big bowl with 2 cups oats, ½ cup flax seeds, 2 tsp cinnamon and 1 cup dried fruits. I love mixing figs, apricots, dates, goji berries and mulberries.

In a separate bowl make a chia gel (soak chia’s for 15 mins,  1 tbs chia to 3 tbs water). Once gelatinous add to the food processor with ½ cup apple sauce and ½ cup raw agave or pure maple  syrup.

Once blended add this to the big bowl and stir all ingredients together well. Mold in to equal balls and squish in to pattie shapes. Bake in the oven for 20 mins on 180 and store in a air tight container. Yummy!!

Berry Smoothie

The perfect choice for those with very little appetite in the mornings, a really easy drinkable brekkie that you can cram  full of nutrients and super food powders.

Best made fresh every morning this recipe is for a big vitamix style blender so adapt if using a 1 cup blender.

Add all ingredients to the blender and pulse until smooth…

1 handful strawberries

1 handful Raspberries

1 handful blueberries

1 banana

1 pint coconut milk (or almond/hemp milk)

2 tbs maca powder

1 tsp maqui/acai powder

1 tbs lucuma powder

3 medjool dates

½ lemon squeezed

Since discovering the variety of healthy breakfasts available, my mornings have been revolutionised. So why not start the day by giving your body what it needs, a blast of vitamins, minerals and fibre. there are tonnes of other amazing breakfasts you can try, from home made raw granola to fruit salad. More recipes to come, make sure you give us a thumbs up if you found this useful.

Enjoy!

By Sophia Harvey

Deluxe Hot Chocolate Recipe from Detox Trading

Buy from Detox Trading Here

Orgasmic Raw Chocolate Smoothie

with Cacao, Banana & Avocado

Makes 1 large glass of this amazing smoothie

½ Cup of Hemp Milk or Almond Milk
1 Ripe Banana
½ an avocado
4 Dates (Medjool is best)
2 tsps of Raw Cacao Powder
1 Tsp of Agave honey of 1 Tsp of Coconut Palm Sugar
1 Tsp of Nut Butter (Almond Butter is best)
a few ice cubes

Amazing Raw Chocolate and Coconut Cheesecake

This amazing recipe was designed and made by my daughter Sophia who is a Raw Food Chef in training. I am the lucky one at the moment as its in my fridge disappearing into happy tummy. Its cake without the cream sin!!!

Ingredients

Nutty Base
1 cup nuts of your choice – e.g. hazelnuts / brazil nuts / almonds
1 cup dates
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

‘Cheese’ Cake Filling
3 cups raw soaked cashews (soak overnight and drain)
1 cup melted coconut oil
1 cup water or coconut water for extra coconuttyness
1 cup coconut palm sugar
3/4 cup organic nut butter of your choice (we went for hazelnut)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
5 tablespoon raw cacao powder

Directions
Base: Put the nuts, dates and melted coconut oil in to a blender and wizz until mixture is thick and sticky. Push the mixture in to a cake tin, ensuring it is spread evenly and refrigerate until set.

Filling: Add the cashew nuts, water (or coconut water) and coconut oil in to a blender and mix until smooth. Continue to add agave, vanilla powder, raw cacao powder and nut butter - the mixture should form a consistent and gooey paste. Pour this on top of the nutty base and again refrigerate until set. Yummy!

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