Chocolate of the Gods!
May 21, 2009
Here is my all-time favourite chocolate recipe from one of my favourite cook book authors – Renee Loux, she is awesome!!
Check out her website, and a video of this recipe.
Renee shares tons of info on healthy green living and out of this world recipes. Her cook book The Balanced Plate is one of my go-to books.
Chocolate of the Gods
by Renee Loux
- 2 cups avocado (the richer, the better- Haas is a great varietal)
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2-4 tablespoons organic evaporated cane juice or organic sugar (optional- for the sweeter tooth)
- 2 tablespoons Omega Nutrition coconut butter (optional)
- 1-2 teaspoons non-alcohol vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (aged balsamic is best)
- ½ teaspoon shoyu (wheat free soy sauce)
- 1 cup pure cocoa powder (Green & Black is choice)
- 1 pint raspberries
- handful of fresh mint leaves
- sprinkle Scharffenberger’s cacao nibs (optional)
Procedure
In a food processor: Blend avocado, maple syrup, organic sugar (if choosing), coconut butter, vanilla extract, balsamic, and shoyu until smooth and creamy.
Add cocoa powder and blend until smooth. Sifting the cocoa powder before adding is a good idea so prevent lumps. A simple metal strainer works well.
Leftover Storage
Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container (sans berries and mint) in the fridge for 4 days or in the freezer for a month
Cool Team Shirts
May 20, 2009
Check out our cool new team shirts! Thanks to our sponsors – Sports 4, Back in Balance Chiropractic and Sole Fit Orthotics, because of them all the money raised from the sale of the shirts goes directly to Alexander’s Fund at the Ottawa Hospital Foundation. Alexander’s Fund is a fund Movement to Health founded to support the Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit at the Ottawa Hospital, it honours Tony and Sylvia’s dear son Alexander who was cared for at the NICU before he passed away. Funds raised support patient care. Thanks everyone for your support!!
We still have a few shirts available, they are $15.00, just email us registration@elationcentre.com and we’ll hook you up with one!
Gluten-Free Groceries
May 14, 2009
A big thanks to Erin who participated in our latest 12-day Power Foods Boot Camp, affectionately known as ‘The Cleanse’ , for the following list of Gluten-Free products. Erin was diagnosed with Celiac 18 years ago (no gluten in her diet), and these are products that her whole family enjoys even though they don’t require a gluten-free diet.
Erin says she purchase the majority of her GF products at Natural Food Pantry. Natural Food Pantry also has fresh bread products available each Friday. They are also hosting a Gluten Free Day on May 24th with guest speakers and many samples.
Breads/Grains:
- Glutino Pretzels – Gluten free, milk free, egg free, casein free and really tasty! You wouldn’t know the difference with other snack pretzels. I grind them up to use them in recipes requiring bread crumbs
Presidents Choice Organic Pastas – brown rice fusilli is a family favourite - Gluten Free Pantry Mixes – cake and cookie mixes that are delicious. I shred loads of carrots into the spice cake mix to make a really nice carrot cake. My kids actually asked for it as their birthday cake! The brownies and coffee cake are great too
- Kinnikinnick Foods – gluten free bread products (usually frozen). I like the English muffins, bagels and PIZZA CRUSTS! Great for making healthy homemade pizzas – you can put loads of greens on a pizza too!
- Only Oats Products – all of them are good. I like the quick-cook oats. Probably less nutritious, but the QUICK fits!
Seeds/Nuts
- Bumble Bar – organic energy bars for you runners! Gluten free and vegan – Perfect for you Donna!
- Chia Goodness – Different Chia/Salba mixes – the Cranberry Ginger is great in yogurt
- JK Gourmet – GF grain free granola that is sweetened with honey. Several flavours, I like the Mission fig & apricot. Good on oatmeal or in yogurt
Sauces/Mixes
- The Mix Company – great little packets of spice blends/rubs that are gluten free, sugar free, dairy free, yeast free. My favourites include the cream sauce mix, taco spice mix and roast garlic & pepper sizzler. Each packet has recipes on the back of the label
- Devya Indian Gourmet Products – Vegetable curry sauce is vegan and GF. The GF organic pappadums are easy and really good!
- World Foods Indochina Stir-fry sauce – Cambodian Pineapple Lemon Grass – my family loves this stir-fry sauce
- Organic Ville Hot & Spicy BBQ Sauce – GF, no sugar added, sweetened with Agave. Good but SPICY!!
Premier Japan Organic GF Hoisin Sauce - San J – GF Teriyaki Stir-fry and marinade
- San J – GF Tamari organic soy sauce
- Life Soy – GF Soy sauce (some flavoured ones like spicy garlic)
Treats
- Chapman’s Ice Cream – nut free and GF (yes, ice cream can contain gluten too!)
- Natural Food Pantry has a variety of fresh and frozen cakes and tarts
- Three Tarts on Wellington has a WONDERFUL GF chocolate torte ,,, hmmm I think I know how to celebrate the end of my cleanse!
Raspberry – Coconut Ice Cream
May 6, 2009
I love ice cream, but have been lactose-intolerant for almost 5 years now. While I do occasionally indulge in the “real thing”, I have been experimenting with homemade dairy-free versions for a while now. This recipe for Raspberry-Coconut ice cream went over very well with my cleansing neighbour, various children, and me as well.
Raspberry – Coconut Ice Cream
Adapted from a recipe from the Vegetarian Times magazine
Ingredients:
- 10 oz frozen raspberries (approx 2-3 cups)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
Directions:
Puree all ingredients in a food processor. Pour into a shallow container with a fitted lid and place it in the freezer for a minimum of 4 hours. To get an ice-creamy texture, I let the ice cream sit on the counter for 15 minutes or so before scooping it out into a bowl.
Enjoy!
