Monthly Archives: September 2011

Chocolate Cravings

As a nutritarian and foodie I make sure that most of my food is crazy nourishing and satisfying.

Even chocolate.  Especially chocolate.

Two of my favorite make-at-home-and-eat-almost-everyday chocolatey treats involve only three simple ingredients.

Coconut Truffles

  • coconut oil or butter
  • cocoa
  • stevia/honey*
Mix everything together, adding cocoa and sweetener to taste.  If your coconut oil/butter is hard then soften by placing the jar in a pot of hot water or microwaving desired amount in a micro-safe container.
*I use stevia but honey works well too and adds the amazing anti-fungal, anti-microbial, and anti-viral qualities of honey.
After I mix the three components I usually spoon out 1 teaspoon portions into little silicon cups and place them in the freezer to harden.
You can also store the whole thing in a jar, leave at room temp, and use like nutella.  Or make a chocolate bark!  Just remember that it will be soft at room temp, maybe even liquidy.
Here are past posts I’ve written about coconut oil truffles and coconut butter truffles.
Chocolate in it’s usual form isn’t bad for you but I prefer not to eat sugar regularly and coconut butter is more nutritious than cocoa butter.
Chocolate Yogurt
Not so pretty.  Oh-so-delicious.
Mix cocoa and sweetener into plain yogurt.  Eat.  I use stevia for this one too but maple syrup works wonders as well.
Rich in flavonoids, protein, probiotics, calcium, and satisfaction.  This chocolate “pudding” is great when after a meal when I am still a little hungry or for a more substantial late-afternoon sweet treat.
A few other nutritious and sugar-free chocolatey treats include;
Berry Tarts (personal favorite!)
How do you get your chocolate fix?

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Filed under food, recipes, super foods

Button Up

Whattaweekend!

Filled with house guests and wedding festivities!

Two of my super intelligent, untiringly hilarious, and exceptionally creative friends tied the knot on Sunday at one of the most personal and fun weddings I’ve ever attended.

They made a weekend of it; karaoke, swimming, yoga, kickball, bbq, Indian food, taco trucks, dancing, and, of course, a ceremony.

One of my favorite touches were personalized “conversation starter” buttons that everyone wore to the rehearsal dinner.

Tate and I each got three.

They represented Napal/India (because we’ve traveled there last year and R+S have spent a lot of time in these countries), Charlottesville (“Good enough for T.J, good enough for me!”…that would be Thomas Jefferson), and the Northwest (R+S have lived there too, although we didn’t meet until Cville!).  I started up many a conversation with Portlanders because of our common buttons!

The groom wore all the buttons.

Even the plus-ones got a button!

The bride looked amazing in her custom made blue dress and sparkly headpiece.

We danced hard…and on a hard surface.  My legs are almost recovered from getting down on the concrete!

In other news, a big thank you to Renee from New Jersey who responded to my request for first hand accounts of Hurricane Irene damage.

I teach at Monroe Twp HS in central Jersey and also live in town,
 and some families just across the main thoroughfare from my home got flooded by Irene. 
I was devastated to see the disaster first hand. If you haven't already made a donation, 
these families could use the help. 
It's been amazing to see the community come together to support them as the school year begins. 

I am sending Renee  the $100 I earned on Friday in the form of Lowe’s gift cards to distribute to her neighbors and the families of her students.

It’s not a lot but I hope that it eases a little bit of stress from those whose lives were uprooted by Irene damage.

Long weekends always throw off my week…it’s Wednesday, right?

Have a fantastic day!

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Filed under goals