CHOCaholic Newsletter - September 2011

It’s amazing how quickly the summer has ended and we’re straight into autumn, it’s back to school for the kids and back to reality for me. After a pretty hectic summer I’ve decided I need to focus this month on my health and am embarking on a healthier eating plan (courtesy of the very inspirational  Amanda Hamilton) and trying to exercise more regularly (so far have managed to do Davina’s brilliant 30 minute workout DVD every morning this week – long may it last!). I’m hoping to not just lose weight, but to feel healthier and try and avoid the winter blues as much as I possibly can.

So to keep our spirits up (especially when the sun doesn’t shine) we’ve got some fantastically healthy back to school treats to share in our CHOCtastic recipe section.

Our CHOCMate this month is the wonderful Bethany Eaton who runs Nu You Nutrition www.nu-younutrition.co.uk and in addition to sharing with us her gorgeous raw chocolate muesli recipe she is also offering our readers a special 10% discount off her nutritional screening and food delivery plan.

I’m delighted also to showcase our newly packaged individual cacao ingredients which we launched at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair this week and am eagerly awaiting our first direct shipment of cacao ingredients from the amazing cooperative of farmers I met with on my visit to Ecuador in June.

As usual, lots to tell and share and I hope you enjoy this month’s read.

Amor y chocolates!
CHOC Chick X

CHOC News

          
We are absolutely delighted with our newly designed cacao ingredient pouches which we launched at the Speciality & Fine Food Fair this week. From next month it will be much easier to top up on our organic cacao butter and organic cacao powder which will now come in easy to use reseal-able pouches and will include our CHOCtastic recipes on the back.

This month we received our organic import licence and are expecting our first shipment from Ecuador in the next two weeks. I’m incredibly grateful to be in a position to work directly with the wonderful cacao farmers I met with on my visit to Ecuador. Ethically sourcing our ingredient and knowing exactly where our ingredients come from has been one of the most important aspects of my business and we will always strive to work with our suppliers directly, fairly and honestly.

I’m also thrilled that Amanda Hamilton has chosen our CHOC Chick Kits and recipes as a healthy alternative and demonstrated raw chocolate making on her new BBC programme “Slim Chance: Fix My Family,” which will be shown during September in Northern Ireland. I watched the first episode on BBC iPlayer and thought they handled the emotional and physical issues around weight gain brilliantly and look forward to watching everyone’s progress on her weight loss retreat. She will be demonstrating raw chocolate making in episode 3 and you can watch it all here every week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b014b6z1/  

CHOC Recipes

This month in addition to our CHOCaliciously healthy chocolate spread recipes (both the original and cheats versions) we’ve included our CHOCtastic raw chocolate and nut truffles recipe. This is an incredibly easy recipe to make and is perfect as a lunch box treat. The beauty of this recipe is that you can either roll the mix as truffles or spread the mix out and cut into brownie sized squares for delicious healthy snacks anytime of the day. We love making a batch of truffles/brownies on Sunday morning and using whatever is left over in my daughters’ lunch boxes during the week (much yummier and better for you than sugary cereal bars!). Here’s our CHOCCreative recipe page: http://www.chocchick.com/pages/Raw-Chocolate-Recipes.html  

     

CHOC Mate of the Month

This Month our CHOC Mate is the inspirational Bethany Eaton from Nu You Nutrition. After suffering for many years with pre-menstrual tension, acne, depression and bloatedness, Bethany completely transformed her life (and career, from London police officer to nutritionist and health guru!) and has set out to help others achieve optimum health and wellbeing.

Bethany runs Nu You Nutrition which is a health screening practice based at the Hale Clinic, London’s premier natural health centre. Bethany also runs Nu You Living, a wheat and dairy free diet delivery service, Bethany designs nutritionally balanced, delicious menus that are then prepared by her team of chefs; a food package of breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks is then delivered to your door each day, Bethany’s healthy yet never boring menu can help shift those stubborn pounds, improve energy and much more, tantalise the taste buds with raw chocolate muesli compote, tuna nicoise salad with a dill vinaigrette and dairy free low fat mousakka served with millet taboulah salad, snacks include fresh fruit salad, blueberry almond flour muffins, raw chocolate sugar free mousse, homemade hummus. 

Nu You are offering CHOC Chick newsletter readers with a 10% discount off a nutritional screening and/or food delivery plan, just quote CHOC10 when booking. www.nu-youliving.co.uk and www.nu-younutrition.co.uk

Bethany would also like to share one of her tasty raw chocolate breakfast recipes:

Raw chocolate muesli

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 300g rolled organic oats
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 table spoons poppy seeds
• 2 tablespoons sultanas
• 3 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 3 tablespoons xylitol or Sweet Freedom (both natural low GI alternatives to sugar, suitable for diabetics)

Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan, once liquefied add oats, stir and coat in coconut oil and lightly toast. Now add tahini and stir on a low heat into the oats. Once this is mixed in turn off the heat and add all the other ingredients, stir and mix in, taste and add more xylitol and cacao if needed. Serve with dairy free yogurt and fresh berries.