Ⓥ Healthy, Easy Vegan Chocolates! Ⓥ

I looooove chocolate! I mean, who Doesn't love chocolate? Well, my only problem with chocolate is the sugar content. Even the healthy dark chocolate that I love still contains cane sugar, and the few times I have found chocolate sweetened with something else (not stuff I can usually find readily locally) seems to disappear off the shelves so I can't restock. Not to mention that dark healthy chocolate tends to be on the more expensive side--which I don't mind as a treat, but when you love chocolate as much as I do you want it to be a little more affordable. ;) Enter recipe time! 

This recipe is amazing because it makes chocolate even healthier than anything you could buy in stores--because raw cacao or cocoa have tons of health benefits, which is super awesome if you love chocolate and don't want to feel guilty about eating it. The other part of this recipe that makes it super awesome is Coconut oil--which, again, has tons of health benefits! 

Lastly, this recipe is awesome because it is super easy to make, takes no time at all, and takes very few ingredients! You can also choose to sweeten with whatever sweetener of your choice--and my choice is the healthiest of all the sweeteners: stevia! Chocolate lovers rejoice! 

Some of the benefits of Cacao: 

• High in antioxidants, which: Protect your cells from damaging molecules and free radicals--therefore reducing risk of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases. Anti-aging agents. And improve cardio-vascular health, enhance blood flow, healthy cholesterol levels, and in some cases, reducing blood pressure. 
• Increases serotonin and other neurotransmitters, therefore enhancing mood and decreasing depression.
• Rich in minerals like magnesium (deficiencies linked to heart disease, diabetes and joint problems), sulfur (a beauty mineral- helps detoxify your system and promotes healthy skin!), calcium, iron, copper, manganese and potassium.

Some benefits of Coconut Oil:

• While it is composed mostly of saturated fats, much of the fatty acids come from lauric acid, which is a medium chain fatty acid that combats both viruses and bacteria.
• Lauric acid also helps prevent heart problems like high cholesterol and blood pressure through it’s promotion of “good” cholesterol (HDL) and reduction of “bad” cholesterol (LDL). Also reduces injury to arteries!
• Promotes weight loss by increasing metabolism- the fatty acids are super easily absorbed so can be burned instead of being stored. Also supports our organs, such as the pancreas allowing us to burn more energy.
• Improves digestion and helps with digestive related problems. Also improves absorption of vitamins and minerals! 

Now, on to the recipe! ;)

vegan / gluten free/ sugar-free/ 

Healthy Vegan Chocolates

1/2 cup coconut oil, melted

6 heaping Tbs of Raw Cacao powder

Pinch of Salt 

Hazelnut Stevia to sweeten (or other sweetener of your choice)

In a double boiler, melt the coconut oil. Once melted, add the cacao powder, salt, and sweetener and stir until smooth and creamy and well mixed. Sweeten to your desired liking--I haven't measured and it really depends on your personal sweet-tooth, so add it slowly and then you can always add more! 

To keep it Raw, don't overheat or overcook, you just need enough heat to melt the coconut oil after all. 

Once you have the mixture to your desired sweetness, pour into chocolate moulds or miniature ice-cube trays--or whatever else you feel creative with. 

Freeze for at least 15 minutes, or until sets. 

Store in the fridge until ready to use.   

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♥ Amore di Mona Chocolate ♥

Love is in the air this lovely February, and that means chocolate. Am I right? Well indulging your loved ones with chocolate is only a sweet thing when you're not going to turn them into a sugar-crash monster once the chocolate is all gone. That's no fun. Plus, who wants cruelty cow milk and a clash of barely legible ingredients that you certainly shouldn't be putting in your body. Well, we can't very well give up chocolate, because life without chocolate is just not living. Fear not! Enter another amazing raw chocolate company: Amore di Mona. 

Amore di Mona are a new line of allergen-free, vegan, low-glycemic chocolates made with Belgian cocoa, French cocoa butter, and raw organic agave nectar. The thing I love about all these amazing conscious companies is that they tackle the issue of health when it comes to delicious treats and really add their own unique touch to their products. With Amore di Mona, they created an absolutely blissful, melt-in-your-mouth smooth succulent chocolate, and they took at a step further with their line of  "Caramela" bars with delicious caramel wrapped in dark decadent raw chocolate in a few lovely flavours.
These have become at the top of my list of favourite all-time chocolates. Every flavour was bursting with such wonderful flavours. My personal favourite was the cherry caremala bar--simply divine!

Not only are all of their chocolates gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and kosher, their commitment to health and excellence is astounding! Everything is created with high quality, natural, preservative-free, non-GMO, kosher ingredients. The cocoa butter is imported from Belgium and Holland, cocoa solids from Belgium. Madhava provides the sugar-free alternative of raw, organic, Fair Trade agave nectar. Any fruits used are fresh or sulfite free, sun dried organic. And the gluten free grains used are milled whole. 

How amazing is that?!

Lastly, Amore di Mona even has lovely Valentine's Gift Boxes, so you can still take advantage and treat your loved ones with truly lovely and sweet chocolate!

Even  better, indulge and treat yourself with a treat that won't make you feel guilty. Chocolate was meant to be enjoyed with all the wonderful health benefits in tact, so enjoy!

Shop Valentine's Gift Boxes 

Shop Amore di Mona at VeganCuts 

Retailers and Ordering 

Find Amore di Mona:

Website: http://www.amoredimona.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmorediMona

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amoredimona

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/amoredimona/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/amoredimona

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoredimona

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

♥ Buddha Chocolate ♥

What's funner than starting the new year with health in mind? Not much, I say! No doubt being healthy is on many of our New Year's Resolutions, and that means… no delicious desserts? Well! Not if I have something to say about it. The awesomeness of Raw is that Health is not sacrificed, AND you still get to indulge with yummy deliciousness. So, to start this New Year health kick, I introduce to you: Buddha Chocolate!  

Buddha Chocolates are an amazing Raw Vegan chocolate company that make raw "peanut butter" chocolate cups, but without peanut butter and, as I already mentioned, are actually good for you. 

Raw chocolate was not all created equally, just like chocolate in general was not created equally, and, so, my standards for chocolate mean no dairy, no animal products, no crappy sugars, no gluten, all while not compromising flavour. I have pretty high standards, and I'm glad that I do, because it means after indulging I don't feel awful afterwards, in fact, I feel great!

So, what about this Buddha Chocolate you ask? Well! Buddha Cups are handcrafted in small batches, with care and commitment. They are made from Organic, raw and unprocessed ingredients: Cacao, almonds, coconut palm crystals, mesquite pod, vanilla bean, and himalayan crystal salt. Pure plant foods. Simple! Delicious! Savory sweet almond butter slow-stirred to creamy perfection, coated with dark decadent raw chocolate. 

Why Buddha? 

Buddha means “awakened one.” Keeping the body healthy allows the mind to get quiet. Buddha Cups are our offering to you. In purity and simplicity. “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” -Buddha

Buddha Chocolates are a unique company because they are smaller scale, and because their name says it all. Their chocolates are made without sacrificing quality or integrity. They also bring meditation into creation, putting focus and intention into every product they make. Energy is such an easy thing to transfer so the thought of these wonderful people actually putting intention into their creations is so wonderful; no wonderful you feel good after eating these delicious treats!  

Slow-stirred. Hand poured. Individually wrapped.

Awesomeness of Buddha Cups:

• Handmade - Each Buddha Cup is made by hand. Hand stirred, hand poured, hand wrapped, hand packed. By continuing this tradition of handcrafting, we maintain the integrity of the process equal to that of the product. Each and every cup is perfectly unique.
• Raw - The raw scene may seem scenie, but the health benefits are real. We keep all of our ingredients in their raw state. They are slow stirred at low temperatures to retain their vital nutrients and deliver your body superior energy and enzymatic absorption. Mother Nature knows her stuff.
• Vegan / Dairy Free - Buddha Cups are Dairy Free and contain no animal products or by-products. No horse meat…for now. We hope each cup brings you a taste of the peace we put into it.
• Fair Trade - Our Arriba Nacional cacao is grown in Ecuador using sustainable & organic farming methods. It is harvested by local farmers who benefit from fair labor practices and a supported local economy. Our cacao is sun dried and stone ground to produce bold flavor and aroma and to retain the dense mineral content for superior health.
• Gluten Free - We are proud to offer a gluten free product for those who need it. Surprisingly, not all chocolates are gluten free. Some treats contain sweetened barley malt, which can agitate those with a gluten sensitivity.
• Soy Free - 91% of soy in the US is genetically modified. Processed soy contains phytates, which prevent the absorption of many vital minerals into the body. Your Buddha Cups are, and will always be, soy free.
• Free of Refined Sugar - The health risks linked to refined sugar are vast. We choose to sweeten with Coconut Palm Crystals, which are derived from the bud of the coconut palm flower. They are rich in the minerals your body craves and have a low glycemic index so your blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash. 

Best of all? These are the best damn chocolate cups I've had! Buddha Chocolate really does bring quality and taste together in this lovely fusion of tantalizing melt-in-your-mouth delicious chocolates. 

So, indulge and feel great about it! Chocolate was meant to be enjoyed with all the wonderful health benefits in tact, so enjoy, and treat yourself with Buddha Chocolates! 

Find Buddha Chocolates:

Website: http://www.buddhachocolate.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BuddhaChocolate

Twitter: https://twitter.com/buddhachocolate

Instagram: http://instagram.com/buddhachocolate

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

♥ Chocholistic: Raw Healthy Chocolate! ♥

My new favourite goodies are the kind that make you feel completely guilt-free, and even good about eating them! This is where raw chocolate comes in to save the day, and, in particular, today I am sharing with you: Chocholistic! 

"What makes Chocholistic special?

It’s the only chocolate you can eat everyday that will improve your health while you eat it!"

Chocholistic puts health on the table without compromising great taste. Taking it even further, these chocolates are actually Good For You! Who can complain about that? While the lovely raw creamy cacao goodness appeals to the chocolate-lovers senses, the bars are also packed with a variety of superfoods. These pack quite the tasteful punch that will have you devouring a bar within a matter of minutes, maybe even seconds… although, you'll probably take longer for all the indulging and "mmm"ing you'll be savouring. Good thing they're healthy for you, right?

What else is fantastic about Chocholistic? Well! They are Vegan (vegans rejoice!), free of common Allergens (free of Nuts, Soy, Corn, Wheat, Gluten, Dairy, And all animal products!), Raw (score!), and (drum roll please) Sugar Free. 

It seems so hard to actually find chocolate that is not sweetened with terribly bad for you sugar cane or any other number of blood-spiking, mood-wrecking, sugary devils. This is something I know, because I read the labels every single time as it is next to impossible to find lovely chocolate that won't leave you feeling depressed after eating it. And, let's face it, chocolate is just too good to give up. This is why I am even more excited about Chocholistic; finally a company that cares about the ingredients they put into their lovely treats. Seriously, what's not to love?  

So, what else makes Chocholistic so darn good? Well, Chocholistic is Certified Organic. Well, aside from being free of nasty sugars, Chocholistic is also free of preservatives, fillers, dairy, and does not diminish the natural health benefits of cocoa in the processing by keeping it Raw. Conventional chocolate, and most chocolates in general, are depleted of most of their nutrients, which is a shame, because cacao (or cocoa) is actually a superfood and is super duper good for you! So, now you Can have chocolate every single day, and, not only will you not feel guilty, but you will actually feel great because you're indulging on something that will actually improve your health. Wins all around!

Also, for those with candida sensitivities (which everyone should be more aware of), Chocholistic can still be enjoyed! Hoorah! Who knew you could eat chocolate and cleanse at the same time? It's like a delicious little miracle. 

WHY IS CHOCHOLISTIC SO POWERFUL?

• Sugar-Free (no dates, honey, agave, artificial sweeteners)
• 10 Superfoods
• Organic
• Raw
• Nut Free
• Soy Free
• Corn Free
• Wheat and Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Non-GMO
• Kosher
• Fair Trade

EAT YOUR CHOCOLATE THE RIGHT WAY:

• Powerful immune support
• Anti-aging properties
• Happy “medicine”
• Weight loss support
• Non-stimulant energy
• Longevity food
• Deep, dark, delicious! 

WHY RAW?

Eating a food raw means you are getting all of the nutrients from that food. When you cook your food, you lose between 30 and 70% of the nutrients. Our chocolate has amazing nutrients and antioxidants because we don’t heat it past 115 degrees.

Raw foods have their own enzymes, which are incredibly important to digestion and all bodily functions. This means that the superfoods in Chocholistic will go to work in your body without pulling from your own resources.

Eating raw food can also help:

• increase energy
• better digestion
• weight loss
• less risk of disease
• better sense of well-being
• healthy, young looking skin
• better sleep
• better mood

And as if all the health benefits aren't amazing enough, or enough to convince you to try Chocholistic's bars, well, they taste absolutely amazing! Creamy delicious goodness that melts in your mouth, with tantalizing flavours like Goji Superfruit (my personal favourite), Herbal Mint, Cacao Coconut, Mocha Chip, and even their "Superslim" Bar.

So, go ahead and indulge every day. Chocolate was meant to be enjoyed with all the wonderful health benefits in tact, so indulge, enjoy, and treat yourself with Chocholistic! 

Find Chocholistic:

Website: http://chocholistic.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chocholistic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KHolistic

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.

♥ VeganEssentials! ♥

There's been a lot of talk about being Vegan lately, yes? Well, making your vegan transition and experience as wonderful, fun, and fulfilled as possible is my personal mission. After all, I can't boast about how awesome it is being vegan and then leave you hanging. I want to make it as easy and lovely as possibly--which it absolutely is with an open mind and heart, and the right attitude of course. ;)

Many people think that being vegan means you have to sacrifice flavour and that you have to give up favourite goodies and foods. I'm here to tell you that while, yes, you will have to give up foods that contain animal products (duh! That's why you're going vegan ;)), there are so many amazing replacements and alternatives that there really isn't need to worry about sacrifice… or whine about not getting to eat a certain thing.  

The other thing that I am aware of is that it is not always easy to find those yummy alternatives--especially if you live in a small town in the middle of nowhere that is not at all alternative. I am fortunate to live in a very earthy and alternative community where there are at least a ton of vegetarians and therefor options. That being said, there are still things that I cannot get here because it is a small town and simply can't cater to everyone. 

So what do you do when you want goodies but can't get them locally? You turn to places like...

www.VeganEssentials.com   

Excuse me for a moment here while I first jump up and down and spin in excited circles shouting "omg, omg, I love love love VeganEssentials!!!"

I kid you not, you can find just about anything on this site! The customer service is also superb, friendly, and quick to reply to questions--which, to me, is important when shopping online. They carry over 1200 vegan items in stock, with a wide variety of products from snacks and candy bars, tons of food items and supplements, to clothing, beauty products, shoes, and so much more. Seriously, just about anything you may be looking for. And, obviously, everything is vegan, so you don't have to look through all the labels (yayy!). The company is also vegan owned and operated, and make sure nothing they sell is tested on animals or contains any animal ingredients.      

I recently put in my first purchase from them (don't ask me why it has taken me this long! ;p) and I am thrilled! I'd been seriously craving vegan white chocolate--it used to be a favourite and I haven't had any since I went vegan--and wanted to explore other vegan candy goodies so it seemed obvious to turn to this wonderful website. I have a pretty big sweet tooth and, again, being in a small town not everything is readily available here--such as vegan white chocolate and candy bars. When my order arrived I do believe I squealed a bit and did my happy dance. I also admit that my goodies were gone within the week (oops!). I guess that's what happens when you don't eat delicious candy for a while and then are suddenly surrounded with amazing goodies. ;)

Vegan Chocolate & Candy Bars

This time around was a chocolate delight to be sure, for two reasons: 1. me crazing various chocolates. And 2. because I wanted to share a variety of yummy chocolate brands with all of you so I could recommend more. ;) 

Let me tell you this; it was amazing to have white chocolate again! I tried two different brands: Plamil and Organic Nectars (which is also raw). Plamil was delicious and much like real white chocolate, or at least what I remember it tasting like… either way I was extremely satisfied and recommend it! ;) Organic Nectars was also delicious, a little less traditional but the fact it's raw makes me instantly love it--and it did taste wonderfully delightful. I tried another raw brand, "Righteously Raw" which was a raw Acai flavoured dark chocolate bar and I do believe was one of my favourites of them all. It had an amazing bubbly texture, rich flavour, and you could taste the raw goodness. This was also my first experience tasting raw chocolate bars and I must say I was delightfully surprised (not that I had any doubts that they would be amazing) and am excited to try more in the near future. 

Other yummy treats in my order were two chocolate candy bars; "Buccaneer" bar by Go Max Foods, and the "Dark Angell" bar. Both were amazing and similar to non-vegan candy bars I used to have when I was younger (and not vegan). Definitely a recommended treat and a satisfying alternative to non-vegan candy bars! I also had miniature almond butter and peanut butter bites by Sjaaks which are a wonderful alternative to reese's peanut butter cups and such treats--small treats packed with flavour! 

The bottom line that I can share with you is this: there are so many alternative treats that are equally (if not more) amazing than non-vegan versions that you really don't have to feel left out being vegan. You can still save animal lives, not put horrible animal ingredients in your body, and still get to eat amazing food. 

If you haven't yet, please do check out VeganEssentials for all of your vegan needs and cravings! You are sure to discover something new and exciting to leave your tummy singing with happiness--and animals will be thankful for your ethical decisions. 

www.VeganEssentials.com

Now, if you'll excuse me, I've drooled all over my computer writing this post and realize that I have devoured all my treats and need to go order some more. ;) 

If you found this article to be helpful, please consider a small donation or visit the shop. Thank you for your love and support.