Live by Chocolates!

When I first discovered raw chocolate, there were no packaged bars in the shops, and buying raw cacao ingredients was something one had to do online. Not so much now. Over he past 5 years, raw cacao has sky rocketed in popularity, and now even some supermarkets sell it. The health benefits of choosing raw chocolate over roasted, processed chocolate have been widely publicised  and the products on the shelves have turned from low quality bars which were not quite hitting the spot, to superior quality bars, truffles, filled, shapes and even Easter

 eggs! The tempering process, essential in getting the shiny, snap-able, melt-in-your-mouth feel of pure chocolate has been learned by raw chocolatiers and made the products which we can now buy into the best chocolates you could wish for. I, for one am a convert to the raw stuff over most other chocolate bars. And without the un-desirable additions of refined sugar, dairy and soya products found in most roasted chocolate bars, raw chocolate lives up to its healthy and delicious reputation for sure. It really is a luxury to feel good about! It is also one of the highest foods in antioxidents and minerals, so can be seen as a health food! You can read about the health benefits of raw cacao in the ingredients info here.

At the cafe, we make all of our own raw chocolate bars, truffles, blocks and balls. We also only use raw cacao in our chocolate thickshakes and spicy hot chocolate. Both made with our homemade almond milk and sweetened with fruit. In the run up to Easter, we are making heaps of raw chocolates for the cafe, our wholesalers and the 'Really good Health Show' at the Forum on Easter Saturday.

I started making my own raw chocolates years ago, before things like cacao butter and coconut palm sugar were available in the shops. It can be as simple as mixing some cacao powder, coconut oil and honey together and setting in the fridge (resulting in a very morish but soft 'chocolate', or as complicated as tempering your chocolate by hand, measuring temperatures and using high powered equipment. I like to make an easy but high quality chocolate now, using cacao butter as the fat and powdered coconut palm sugar as the sweetener. You can either mix it by hand or use a blender, before pouring the melted chocolate into moulds or adding different flavours. I find this method of making chocolate the easiest for most people who want a real, hard bittersweet chocolate. Here is my recipe for a dark and 'milk' chocolate, with some of my favourite simple flavourings to add to the mix.

Who doesn't love good chocolate?! Happy Easter and enjoy the best chocolate you could possible find, especially made by your own fair hands!

Basic dark chocolate recipe

This is the richest, darkest type of raw chocolate, usually the one of choice for real chocoholics. It uses just three ingredients, and its intense flavour makes it perfect for mixing with nuts and sweeter dried fruits, or for dipping or filling with a sweeter soft filling.

250g cacao butter

100-125 g coconut sugar

140g cacao powder

Firstly, melt the cacao butter by placing it in a glass or metal bowl over a pan of simmering water until it melts. It helps to cut it into small chunks for this. .

Secondly, powder the coconut sugar to a fine powder.You can do this by whizzing it in a dry blender jug or a spice/coffee grinder. If you are using a blender, add the melted cacao butter and blend until smooth, then add the cacao butter and blend until dark and silky smooth. If doing by hand, mix the powdered coconut sugar, melted cacao butter and sieved cacao powder in a bowl until well combined. Split the mixture into smaller bowls if you want to make different flavours, before pouring into moulds to set.

Flavours and textures

Coarsely chopped nuts and dried fruits (raisins, gojis, apricots)

Candied ginger (not raw)

Orange oil and cardamom

Whole brazil/macadamia nuts

Chilli chocolate: add 1 pinch chilli powder to a 1/3 batch of dark choc. Add 1 drop lime essential oil for chilli lime chocolates

Add the extra ingredients into your melted chocolate, stirring well in the jug. Pour out into your moulds, tapping the bottom of the mould to disperse any air. Set in the fridge until set hard and ready to pop out. Store in an airtight container.

Raw ‘milk’ Chocolate 

A creamy, sweeter version of the dark version, which uses cashews in place of milk powder to create a 'milk chocolate' taste. This mild chocolate is likely to appeal to all, especially those keen on the sweeter lighter chocolates.

250g cacao butter

80g coconut sugar

50g cashews

70g cacao powder

Start off by powdering the cashews in a blender until a fine powder. Do the same with the coconut sugar, then combine the cacao butter and powder in the same way as described above. Pour into dry clean moulds ( ice cube trays work well if you don't have chocolate moulds) or split into smaller bowls and mix in flavours as above.

We will selling 'make your own raw chocolate kits' tomorrow at The Really Good health show, so you can try making your own at home, or, if you prefer, you can buy our ready made truffle bags on our stall or in the cafe! 

Pregnancy third trimester and Mummas little helpers!

Every one tells you, it flies by so fast that before you can say 'nausea, boobs and bump' you find yourself nearing the day your wee earthling finally comes to meet you face to face! How true that is! It only seems like yesterday I was writing my post on pregnancy foods during my first trimester during the summer. Now I am 39 weeks which means our babe could arrive anytime.. Eeeep!

So I thought it's about time I wrote a follow up to my earlier post and updated what I have been eating during the middle and end of my wonderful pregnancy. Yes, I have loved it and am one of the lucky ones who seem to be blessed with a fairly trouble free pregnancy. Ok, I've had pretty much all of the typical symptoms; nausea, irritable bowel, puffy ankles, aches and pains and restless nights, but I've managed to cope with them all and see them as 'baby making it's nest' pains rather than negative problems. I'm able to cope with when I see them easier when I see them in a positive light, as well as eating the right foods, rest, exercise and massage to nurture this body which is nourishing our little one!

Tonight I am experimenting with 'Lactation bars', as they are affectionately known on most resources I've found, or as I like to call them my 'mummas little helpers'. They are basically delicious superfood bars that can be enjoyed by everyone, not just milky-making mums! They contain lots of ingredients known to increase the production of breast milk, so when nursing a new born, when energy is perhaps lacking and milk flow needs to be encouraged, these are your ultimate comfort food! I have tested these out on my partner and friends, and everyone loves them , so don't be put off if you are not in the breast feeding world. I actually want to make lots of different versions of these, and will make them a regular snack in our house. I researched the ingredients thought to increase milk supply and came up with these oaty crunchy slices using all lactation-productive foods. Everything in these tasty little slices is not only likely to boost your milk, but is also really high in iron and good fats, essential things to get in after birthing a baby and recovery post partum. Although I am a few weeks away from reporting the results, I am enjoying eating these everyday knowing that I am filling my body and baby with amazing foods! I shall of course let you know if I think they do the trick.

Ingredients that are thought to increase milk production:
Oats ~ Rich in nutrients and nourishing to the nervous system. Oat s have long been recommended for lactating women, though I think the main reason that they are great for breast feeding, are that oats are the ultimate comfort food. A bowl of oatmeal helps us to relax, is warm and satisfying and thus helps us relax into the joy of nourishing our babies. Oats are well used in herbal medicine as a nervine tonic, and could help with any post natal depression.
Flax/chia seeds ~Are both high in Omega 3 essential fatty acids which are important for cardiovascular health, brain development and skin health. Eating enough Omega 3 during pregnancy is important for fetal development, brain and eye health, so keeping the dosage up during breast feeding will mean that your baby keeps getting enough of these good fats. As breast milk is made up of fats, getting enough yourself will mean that you wont deplete yourself. Chia seeds are especially hydrating and high in protein. You can read more about them here.
Coconut~ Whether fresh, dried. the water or in oil form, coconut products are amazing for lactating mothers, as coconut contains lauric acid which is an important component in breast milk. This fatty acid has antibacterial properties, which could help boost the immune system of the newborn. Have you ever noticed how a coconut resembles a breast?! Its shape, holes and leaking milk from inside if you are to pierce one is totally imitating a human breast. I love the idea that foods which resemble parts of our body are good for that part, and coconuts and their milk has to be the most obvious one! I feel that coconuts are natures gift to nursing mums, and all of their properties are amazing for us whilst beginning to breast feed. I am planning on drinking lots of coconut water whilst in labour, as it is so hydrating, sweet and easy to stomach. Coconut water is also amazing for weaning older infants, as its taste is very similar to mothers milk.
Fenegreek~Has been used for centuries as a herb to increase breast milk supply. They are excellent for digestive disorders and contain lots of minerals. Be warned however, eating lots of fenegreek will make you smell like an Indian takeaway! You will almost certainly wear a curry aroma if you eat alot of it, as I found out when I started sprouting fenegreek seeds and consuming them daily! Maybe not a great thing unless you really need it.
Molasses~ Anemia can contribute to low milk supply and is common in new mums after losing blood during birth. Enzymes needed for energy production and metabolism are dependent on iron. Blackstrap molasses is iron rich, and a traditional remedy for low milk supply. It also tastes great, and can be used to sweeten oatmeal porridge, used in cakes or eaten straight. 
Buckwheat: Contains rutin which helps decrease blood pressure, helping us stay relaxed.

Mummas Little helpers

Makes about 20 bars

Base:

1c oats (traditional rolled oats)

1c cashews

1 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp coconut oil, melted

2 tbsp molasses

1/2 tsp fenegreek powder (optional)

In a high speed blender or food processor, grind the cashews as finely as possible. Pour into a bowl, then do the same with the oats, forming a fine flour. Combine in the bowl with the chia seeds, coconut oil, molasses and fenegreek and form into a dough using your hands. Press the dough into a baking tin lined with cling film, and set in the fridge while you make the topping.

Topping:

1/2c coconut oil, melted

1/3c honey, slightly warmed

1/2 c buckwheaties (sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat)

1/2 c goji berries

1/2 c hemp seeds

1/4 cacao nibs

In a bowl, combine the coconut oil and honey until you have a paste. add all the dry ingredients until you have a chunky mixture, then spread ontop of the base. leave to set in the fridge before cutting into slices. Will keep in the fridge for many weeks and can also be frozen.

Variations:

If you dont have any buckwheaties on hand, you could use puffed rice or chopped nuts such as almonds or brazils.

You could substitute the goji berries for any dried fruit chopped small.

For an even more decadent treat, you could drizzle some dark chocolate ontop of these bars! New mums especially need all the energy they can get!

Crunchy, oaty, super slices full of good fats and lactogenic herbs! Not just for the mums out there.. everyone loves these!