Chia Chocolate Spread


1 cup chia seeds*
1 cup sesame seeds*
5 strawbs (optional)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup melted cacao
2 tbsp carob powder

* pre soaked for 8 hours - this way they blend much better and are also much better for digestion..releasing those magic little things called enzymes!

Blend all up in blender and transfer to your favourite pots.
Keep in fridge to set and enjoy!
Yum :)

She brings with her chocolates (of course) and flowers, and love. And, through the kindness of her heart, she was sweet enough to even leave me her secret recipe for these tasty chocolates, of which she says she stumbled upon by accident (and by getting a little messy in the kitchen)..

Ingredients
1 cup coconut oil - melted
2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp carob powder
1 heaped tbsp ground flax
1 cup dates - soaked for 1 hour
2 pinches Himalayan rock salt
3 tbsp goji berries
handful of walnuts

Start by melting the coconut oil on low heat in a bain marie, once melted, stir in the peanut butter and stir until all combined and melted together. Rinse the pre soaked dates and pop into your blender, adding the cacao and carob powder, flax and salt, and then blend..

Now, the maiden tells me that she intended for this recipe to be chocolate fudge, but when she went to prepare her dates and blend them up in the blender, she realised she hadn't soaked them for long enough and they were too hard to blend. So, determined not to give up on her chocolate creation, she put her creativity in the hands of the universe to see what would happen, and, oh my word did she end up creating such a delight!

If you find yourself in the same sticky date situation, I'll fill you in with what the maiden tells me is how she went on to create these choccy delights..

Transfer the date and cacao mix into a large bowl and stir everything up with a trusty wooden spoon, the mix will be sticky, but keep on stirring, and then pop in the gojis. Stir some more and then, with a masher, mash the mix until the dates are softened a little, but still firm enough to give a good texture, and why not thrown in a little of your own initiative too..being as creative as you like..whilst also not forgetting to  lick your spoon every now and again ;)

Once the mix is all mixed, pour over the melted coconut oil and peanut butter combo and mix until all combined, then sprinkle some chopped walnuts into your preferred moulds, and then spread the choccy mix evenly over the top. Leave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours..and enjoy!

The texture of these little beggars is beaut. They are wholesome, decadent, and perfect for when you're craving something naughty..but nice.  As well as a good banana, they shall bring a smile to your face indeed..especially on those days when you need it most!

As well as sharing with me her secret creations from the kitchen, the maiden also tells me that she prays..
She prays for love, She prays for peace, She prays for happiness.
But above all else, She prays for the Wild..the Wild that lives within every being on earth.

Stay grounded. Stay true.
Just be you
x

..and of course..she also prays for chocolate ;)

To bring a little warm sunshine in your heart during these cold and dark Winter months..

Warming sunshine porridge
1 cup organic oats
1 banana - chopped
1/2 sharon fruit - chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp maca
2 tsp bee pollen granules *
1 cup soya/rice/almond milk

Start by warming your dairy free milk on low heat in a small pan, then stir in the spices and the maca, gradually adding the oats. Stir well and gently, then add the chopped fruit and stir until all warmed and combined.
Serve in your favourite breakfast bowl and sprinkle on some bee pollen granules. 

* These are a new addition to my daily medicinal superfood collection. As a vegan, I went a  long while without having honey in my diet, then after researching and developing my own opinion on the idea, I began to start using it again, not only for it's health benefits, but because I liked it, and I wanted to, and I no longer wanted to deprive myself of something I really enjoyed. I think there is a fine line between food choices for health and for pleasure, after all, isn't true pleasure the golden key into good health? And if your body likes something and there are certain health benefits..then why deprive yourself of it any longer? If it feels right for you, go with it. Every body is different and we all have things that are good for us that may be not so good for another. It's good to try new things and experiment, maybe trying something that once you swore on your beloved peanut butter you would never try again. Our bodies are our teachers, our healers and our guides, and the more we intuitively listen and love our teaching temples, the more we learn, the more we grow and are able to open up to ever more love and a deeper understanding of the true workings of nature.

I came across bee pollen when reading 'Raw Magic' by Raw foody Kate Magic (mentioned in my earlier post). When I was fully vegan and restricted myself of honey, I did so because I was under the impression that I would be helping to save the bees, and I felt that by having honey in my diet I was adding to that line of people that were taking the beloved food from these amazing creatures. ''Strictly speaking, pollen is not a vegan food, but I personally feel it is unlikely that Mother Nature would have designed the perfect food for humans and not meant us to eat it.'' *

Bee pollen is different from honey in that it is 100% natural, pure and raw - totally untampered with. 
''Bee pollen is a bit of a misnomer because pollen does not come from bees, it comes from flowers, and is collected by the bees and brought back to the hives. The bees bind it with enzymes and carry it back to the hive in their pollen sacs. Beekeepers place fine brushes at the entrance to the hive that brush the bees' legs as they enter releasing the pollen from the sac, to later be collected by the beekeepers.''*
The list of health benefits of bee pollen are endless, here are but a few:

* Preventative against cancer - reduces tumors
* Good for fertility and improves libido
* Increases stamina and endurance
* Rich in complex B vitamins - particularly good for veggys and vegans
* Rehabilitates the gut - strengthening the intestines
* Great pet food - boosting their immune systems and increases longevity
* Treats anemia, boosting circulation, regulating blood sugars and treats a variety of weaknesses and illnesses


* (From the book 'Raw Magic' by Kate Magic) 

For more information on this magic food, have gander here: http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-bee-pollen

And if you're lucky enough to find locally harvested fresh bee pollen, then go for it. I am yet to find it, but found a great online shop in the UK that make and sell their own pollen in granules. I found the taste a little odd at first, but when sprinkled on porridge and in cereals it is quite nice, and it certainly gives a warm and boosting buzz that I so do need in these cold Winter months..

...as well as a good hot dinner in the evenings - 

Soothing Sunshine Squash
1/2 organic squash - chopped
3 cups red lentils
half pint water
2 cloves garlic 
1 tbsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp Himalayan rock salt
sprinkle of ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180oC, put the squash onto a baking tray along with the garlic, I like to leave on the skins whilst they roast and then slide them out of their skins like butter..yum! Whilst the squash is roasting, pop the lentils in a pan and cover with the water, bring to the boil and simmer gently until the lentils have absorbed the water. Add the spices and the squash and garlic when cooked. This will make a good 5 servings. Of then which you can add any veggys of your choice. For this dish I added some mushrooms, tomatoes and some fresh organic orange chard. So nice and so warming. I'll probably be turning orange by the end of the week..eek!

Happy cooking and happy health..

x

With the cold Autumn mornings now present I've been favouring warmer breakfasts to cold smoothies, such as porridge, and toast..mmm the smell of warm toast and coffee on a morning..so nice. Although my tummy seems to disagree, so instead I opt for sprouted rye bread, which I discovered the other week in my local health food shop, Zeds. The loaf is only small but it suits my portion size just fine and lasts me the whole week. I've been having it toasted and topped with various toppings such as yeast extract and tahini, or carob and hazelnut spread to satisfy my sweeter side. It also go very well topped with avocado. The bread reminds me a little of malt loaf but not as sweet, the texture is soft and moist and is very filling and also super good for you. It is made from sprouted rye and nothing else and is baked using an old traditional recipe.

In replacement of using coffee, (which I haven't drank for almost five years now, and if I did it would probably send me the wrong side of wappy land!) So instead I use barley cup or chicory root, which tastes very much like coffee but without any of the nasty side effects, it is delicious with either rice or almond milk, and also great mixed with superfoods, such as maca and suma, and a pinch of cinnamon tops it off just nicely too.
I enjoyed mine with a light breakfast the other morning with a home-made juice of beets, carrots and apples, and a narna for afters..yum :)

Hope you're enjoying a variety of warming breakfasts this Autumn and managing to banish those colds.

Enjoy good food, good health and stay creative..
x

Wholesome raw nutty goodness..good for your soul..and your tastebuds :)

Bottom Layer
1 cup pitted dates - pre soaked for half and hour-1hour
1 cup chopped walnuts - pre soaked overnight or around 5 hours*

Middle Layer
1/2 cup pre soaked dates
1 cup chopped hazelnuts - pre soaked
2 tbsp carob powder
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1/2 cup raisins
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp coconut oil/creamed coconut melted over bain marie
1 tsp all spice

Top Layer
2 cups oats
3 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp honey
1 banana - mashed

*pre soaking makes nuts easier for your tum to digest and also makes them blend a lot easier too.

Start with your bottom layer by blending the walnuts and dates until all combined.
Transfer to your preferred tin and press down firmly.
Pop in fridge while you work on the middle layer.

In a large bowl mix together all dry ingredients, stir in the dates and transfer to blender, blend for 1 minute.
 Over a bain marie melt the coconut oil/creamed coconut and stir in the honey.
Transfer to carob mixture and blend until all combined.
Pop this layer over the bottom layer and set again in the fridge.

For the top layer melt together the honey and tahini, and in a separate bowl mix together the oats and banana.
Mix all together then add on top of middle later.
Set in fridge for up to two hours and enjoy with a cup of tea..or two.
Also a yummy treat for breakfast on the go.

I enjoyed a slice this morning with a homemade super-brew of maca, barley, suma* and hemp milk..

Suma is a new addition to my daily dose of medicinal superfoods.
Known as Brazilian Ginseng, suma is a vine that grows in the Amazon rainforest, and is quite powerful when taken in its powdered form. You only need 1/4 of a tsp of this magical stuff for your body, mind and soul to reap the benefits.
More than this dosage is not recommended.
Suma, like maca, is an adaptogen - creating balance and harmony without any side effects or come downs.
''Adaptogens have a normalizing effect on the body, and can be taken daily for long periods of time without overstimulating the system. Suma is such a potent adaptogen, it is a medicine for the soul. It shakes us right back into our central core, and reminds us of ways in our lives that we are out of sync with ourselves. It shines a light on dark corners of our personalities that are neglected and hidden. Suma contains a strong plant spirit, and is practically shamanic in its effects.'' *

The effects of suma are vaired for each individual.

I've been taking the powder daily for almost a week now and have felt the benefits right away.
On the morning I took it, a 1/4 of a tsp mixed with my daily brew of maca, barley and lucuma, I was feeling quite down and low in energy after an all too hectic and stressful week, on top of that my stomach was swollen to the size of a beach ball due to bloating and my monthly cycle. I had to be at work in just under an hour and all I could do was flop on my bed in a state of despair, not knowing what to do about my states of low energy. I felt so tired. I had been trying almost everything I could think of, eating more protein, increasing my intake of cacao (which I found seemed to make me more anxious and jittery, - a topic I'm aiming to write a little more about in another post). After about two hours of having this magic suma brew, my bloatedness and pms pains had gone completely and I had a surge of sustained energy that seemed to appear out of no where, I felt alive; glowing, positive and buzzing, and the best part was that I had no come down, the buzz that I felt wasn't a quick surge of drastic energy, but one that came gradually and brought me into my conscious state completely. I've also been feeling states of incredible oneness with nature and the elements around me, I'm taking my time with things more and remembering to breathe and relax when life seems to get a little too much.
I've been taking suma daily with my morning maca brew, and each day I feel something different, sudden surges of creativity, magikal mellow moods, and feelings which otherwise may have gone unrecognised, but with awareness and the realisation that whatever feelings/obstacles come my way daily, they are there for me to work on and for myself to develop openly and freely in any way I see fit.

This morning, I'm chilling with the hares..

and the cat..

In my experience of taking medicinal superfoods, I would recommend suma and maca indefinitely.
But if you'd like to find out more about them, I highly suggest you seek out this lady and her super book..
http://www.realitysandwich.com/Raw_Magic

*Kate Magic - Superfoods for Super People.

Thanks for reading, and happy baking!  

x

A summer vibed breakfast of museli, raspberry and banana smoothies and some little snippets of pure love - homemade raw chocolates infused with raspberries..yum :)
x

1 magic melon
1 banana
1 avocado
1 tbsp maca
..and some gojis and raisins for their beautiful features!

Chop your melon in half and begin your magic by scooping out the flesh (discarding the seeds) and popping in the blender.
Add chopped banana and avocado and blend until smooth.
If mix seems a little too thick then add a little water or rice milk for your preferred texture.
Add the maca at the very last minute and blend for 20 seconds or so. 
Then pour into your melon halves and decorate with whatever toppings you fancy.

Have fun getting creative with your magic! :)

x