Team Chocolate

For those experiencing winter at the moment here is a quick tip. As the coconut oil sets at 24 deg C you might need to warm all the ingredients in a bowl placed in a bowl of hot water. Otherwise the ingredients will set hard as you mix them together in the processor. If this happens scrap the ingredients out of the processor into a stainless steel bowl and but into a warm oven at about 50 deg C till it softens. BE CAREFUL as the bowl will become hot when it comes out of the oven.

This oil is extracted from fresh or dried coconut meat using mechanical pressure and low temperatures. It keeps its natural antioxidant properties which gives it a shelf life of up to 10 years. Coconut oil is a pale yellow to colorless oil with a distinct scent. It has a melting point of 23° C (73.4° F) so is perfect to make chocolate sauces that set when poured over cold or frozen foods.

Even though coconut oil has a high saturated fat content it has been described as ‘the healthiest oil on earth’ Without getting too technical coconut oil is made up of medium chain saturated fatty acids which are beneficial to us. They reduce cholesterol, help prevent against heart disease and protect against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Lauric acid, accounting for about 50% of the oil found in coconut oil, is necessary to build and maintain the body’s immune system. Mothers’ milk is the only other natural food where lauric acid is found in such high concentrations.

Coconut oil has antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial and antiprotozoal   (all the nasties that make us sick!) properties and like all whole, raw foods contains copious nutrients for a healthy body.

I am feeling generous today so I am going to give you our simplest and most kid friendly recipe for free. Just tick the like button and copy. 

It is easy recipe to make about 30 seconds and the kids will love. The ingredients are available at any health food shop or online.

Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients

½ cup coconut oil

½ cup cacao powder

¼ cup agave

Method

Melt coconut oil (if solid) in a basin over very warm water. Combine with cacao powder and agave and mix well. Taste and adjust the sweetness if necessary. Place in pantry ready for use.

Get some bananas and cut them in half. Place an ice-cream stick or toothpick in the end and put in freezer overnight. Dip the frozen banana in the runny chocolate sauce (if solid place in a basin over very warm water till runny) and wait till the chocolate sets hard. They are yummy, healthy and the kids will be back for more.

Enjoy

Team Chocolate

Andre & Pam

to the healthy fat you will find in my chocolate.

When you eat high calorie junk food with very little goodness in it the body has no option but to store those calories as fat. There are far too many calories in one hit for the body to use. Most of the fat in junk food is what is called trans-fatty acids. The body does not recognize this type of fat as fuel so puts it in the too hard basket – your hips, thighs and tummy!

When you eat nutrient rich foods, such as my chocolate (the most nutritious food on the planet!) the body uses those nutrients to function. The body says thank you very much and gets busy making new cells, maintaining organs and tissues  and all the other wonderful processes needed to keep us alive.

A chocolate treat my will to defeat,

The sumptuous taste to make me replete.

I crave the sweetness a rich creamy dream.

Am I denied this? So it would seem.

A guilty feeling when desires are met.

My fondness for chocolate I cannot forget.

Help me here I beg of thee.

A healthy chocolate how can this be?

You have shown me the truth where I can now go

With chocolate so healthy it gives me a glow.

So no more guilt, no shame and torture,

This divine chocolate is now my future.

Pamela Vinten

A Rescued Chocolate Lover

Did you know that child obesity and overweight kids is now a world wide epidemic. Australia has 1 in 4 kids/adolescents that are either overweight or obese, America has 1 in 3. Government are starting to take note and various campaigns are starting to appear. The USA has a program called "Lets Move", Australia had recently launched "Don't Stop It Swap It". They realize that the heath of a nation is at risk and the medical bills to deal with these obese adults will be staggering. 

Now is the time to start teaching our kids the benefits of having a healthy diet and exercise. If we don't teach our kids the right things to eat how will the next generation fair? 

Eat More Chocolate.