♥ Righteously Raw: Gourmet Chocolate! ♥

"The Way Chocolate ought to be."

A Gourmet Raw Chocolate Experience by Earth Source Organics

"Righteously Raw" is a decadent line of raw chocolate treats by EarthSource Organics that will have you feeling like royalty--they're that amazing. Not only do I love Earth Source for making the most delicious (and healthy!) raw treats of your dreams, but I also love that they stick to their ideals and beliefs and are putting out truly good chocolate without compromising standards, health, or taste! Earth Source Organic's standards are as important to them as it is to you, which is why they maintain allergen-free products and impressive certifications over every process of production; certified Organic, certified Kosher, certified Wheat & Gluten Free, and certified Vegan. 

What you won't find here is preservatives, chemicals, dairy, soy, gluten, nuts, or refined sugars. What you will find is a delightful explosion of flavours, chocolate in its pure form, sweetened only with sugars from fruits, and superior health benefits. You've probably heard that chocolate is good for you, and this is the sort of chocolate they are talking about, uncontaminated pure and raw cacao that delivers anti-oxidants, iron, magnesium and other beneficial minerals and superior health benefits. Now you can have your chocolate and eat it too! In fact, now you can indulge guilt-free and healthily!

Why Raw? When foods are cooked their nutritional and enzymatic structures become damaged, making it difficult for our bodies to absorb the potential benefits. Raw foods maintain all of their health benefits as they are still in their purest forms, making them superior to cooked.  

Why Superfoods? I've talked before about the health benefits of superfoods, but to skim the surface once more… superfoods are rich in phytochemicals and other disease-fighting vitamins and minerals that give our bodies a boost of health and vitality! 

Okay, so more on the chocolatey indulgence of Righteously Raw… Imagine raw cocoa goodness wrapped around decadent superfood centres. I won't lie, these may be my new favourite chocolate bars of all time.

Maca:

This lovely chocolate bar not only looks mouth-watering but tastes positively divine. A unique blend of raw cacao butter mixed with the warm nutty flavour of maca wrapped around a chocolate fudge truffle centre, creating the perfect sweet and heavenly experience that dances on your tongue. 

Acai:

This Acai dark chocolate bar, which I do believe is my favourite treat of all time, has an amazing bubbly texture, and a taste of raw goodness that is simply delightful. Silky dark chocolate, at 80 percent raw cacao, covers a rich Acai berry truffle centre that is smooth and luscious and will have you wanting more. 

Goji:

This Goji bar is like nothing I've ever tasted before. Sweet, chocolatey, creamy, chewy, like chocolate covered raisins meets truffles, meets heaven. With 90 percent raw cacao wrapped around a decadent mixture of super Goji berries, golden hunza raisins and turkish figs, this bar arouses those chocolatey senses and revitalizes your soul. 

Other treats! 

Earth Source also has simpler bite-sized chocolates for a pure cacao treat. Rich dark chocolate with subtle flavours that also still contain health benefits--like aiding digestion, relief from colds and nausea, mood enhancement, and more! "Divine Mint" has a soft minty flavour, "Pure Dark" is perfect for the dark chocolate lover with rich deep cacao, and "Synergy Spice" sings on your taste buds with a blend of cinnamon and cayenne that will wake you right up!

As if there wasn't enough wonderful treats for you to drool and choose form already, but you can't forget their sensational Raw Coconut Macaroons, coated with their award-winning cacao and packed full of coconut, these treats are everything you could ask for and more!

Righteously Raw also has two other delicious-sounding treats: "Maqui," a truffle blend of raspberries and fragrant rose wrapped in cacao; and "Caramel," a smooth truffle with a blend of dates and lucuma fruit for a marbled caramel taste. 

Whatever your preference, you can't go wrong with Righteously Raw--and did I mention how healthy these bars are? No sugar crash, insulin spike, or unnecessary stomach ache, just pure goodness that will have your body, mind, and soul happy and healthy, and your sweet-tooth satisfied! So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on some of these wonderful chocolates today! 

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

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Blueberry Super Power Smoothie! Ⓥ

This smoothie is spectacular and filled with ridiculous amounts of goodness! Perfect after a workout or in the morning and it will fill you up for hours! Yum!  

Blueberry Super Power Smoothie

1 cup frozen Blueberries

1/2 frozen Banana

2 pitted Dates

1 Tbsp Chia Seeds

1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds

1/2 Tbsp Maca Powder

1/2 cup water

1/2+ cup Almond or Hemp Milk

1/2 Tbsp Coconut oil

1 heaped Tbsp Almond Butter

2 Tbsp amande vanilla yogurt (optional)

1 Tbsp Hemp Protein powder (optional)

Soak the Dates, Chia, and Hemp seeds in the 1/2 cup water for 15 minutes (if you don't have time in the morning then soak them overnight in the fridge). What I like to do is place them right into my measuring cup fill about 1/2 cup of water and top it up with almond milk and let it soak for as long as possible. Then I add more almond milk when I'm making the actual smoothie.

Add your soaked mixture to the rest of the ingredients and blend together in a food processor or high-speed blender until smooth. I like to add the amande yogurt for extra creaminess, and the hemp protein for, well, added protein, but they are absolutely optional. Add less or more almond milk to get your desired consistency. 

Makes 1 large smoothie. Enjoy! 

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

Ⓥ Super Foods! Ⓥ

Superfoods are all the health rage these days, and why the hell not? Who doesn't want amazing exotic treats that increase your health, keep your heart healthy and fight off cancer. I know I do. Here are some wonderful special super foods and their health benefits, as well as how to incorporate them into your diet. 

Cacao is the antioxidant powerhouse! Raw cacao beans have ten times more antioxidants than blueberries, twenty times more than red wine and thirty times more than green tea! Even cooked cocoa is still one of the highest antioxidant rich foods. Antioxidants protect your cells from the damaging molecules of free radicals which are thought to the underlining cause of many chronic diseases, reducing the risk of many kinds of illness from heart disease to cancer. Antioxidants found in foods such as cocoa are also anti-aging agents and have also been shown to improve cardiovascular health, enhancing blood flow, healthy cholesterol levels and, in some cases, reducing blood pressure. Cacao also contains "blissful" chemicals that enhance mood and decrease depression. 

Chocolate lovers rejoice--but not too soon… look for raw cocoa powder and add it to your smoothies to get the most health benefits. Or, again, make raw truffles! If you are looking for it in chocolate, stay clear of sugar-laden chocolate bars, as there is so very little cocoa that you really aren't seeing any health benefits--not to mention all the sugar and other crap that is bad for you. Instead, opt for dark chocolate that is sweetened with something more natural and dairy-free. Look for a high cocoa content. My favourite? Endangered Species dark chocolate. 

Maca is a wonderful super food, usually available in pill, liquid, or powder form. Why is it amazing? Maca has a high concentration of proteins and vital nutrients, fully loaded with vitamins and nutrients that support brain function and regulate hormones. It helps to rebuild the adrenal gland, which is the body's centre for handling stress, so makes a great mood booster. Maca's root plant is also traditionally used medicinally to enhance stamina, endurance and sex drive--making it a natural aphrodisiac, and has even been shown to increase fertility in men. Because of it's ability to increase stamina, people swear by it for their workout and to help build muscle mass as well. 

Easiest way to add Maca into your diet: add anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon into your smoothies. It is also great in raw truffles or treats. 

Hemp is one the most nutritionally well-balanced foods on the planet. Usually eaten as shelled seeds, oil, butter, flour, or protein powders. Hemp is not only a healthy, raw source of protein, it is also a complete protein that is easily digestible, containing essential amino acids and omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids. Such amino acids that are necessary for cellular detoxification and for proper enzyme formation, as well as muscle growth and repair. The omegas and fatty acids reduce inflammation in the body, and is one of the most powerful nutrients for balancing hormones. Raw hemp provides such a huge array of health benefits, including: weight loss, increased and sustained energy, rapid recovery from disease or injury, lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, reduced inflammation, improvement in circulation and immune system as well as natural blood sugar control, promotes healthy skin, hair, & nails, and increases metabolism. Pretty super huh? 

The best part about hemp is that there are so many ways to incorporate it into your diet! Hemp butter can replace other nut butters. Hemp oil and/or hemp seeds (or "hearts") are great to add on a salad. Hemp protein powders can easily be added to smoothies or shakes. Oh, and, raw truffles--almost forgot. ;) 

Acai (pronounced ah-sigh-ee) is a Brazilian berry that is packed with antioxidants, amino acids and omega-3's. It is heart-healthy, preventing or decreasing heart disease, diabetes and depression, and can help lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. The extracts from the berry also help destroy leukemia cells. Açaí is known to help boost energy levels, improve digestion, promote sleep, promote healthier and younger-looking skin and cleanse the body of toxins.

Like any berry, eat as such; add some to your smoothies, over cereal or in raw treats. You can also find acai juices. 

Goji berries are a small tart Himalayan berry that has been said to be one of the healthiest foods on the planet and had been used in Chinese medicine for over 2,000 years. Goji berries pack more vitamin C than some oranges and more beta-carotene than carrots. Health benefits have been shown to treat diabetes, hypertension, malaria, fever, cancer and other ailments. They are also one of the rare fruits that contain protein, and since they are meant to be eaten raw, the protein absorption is undisturbed. They are also a perfect blend of carbohydrates, protein, fat and dietary fibre, making them, well, a superfood.

Again, eat them like any other berry and eat them raw to keep the most health benefits. Add them to raw cereals, bliss balls, truffles, smoothies, or eat them on the go. Goji berry juice has also become more and more popular and can be found in health food stores. 

Of course, there are so many other amazing super foods and beneficial foods out there to increase your health. I would also, lastly, like to remind you that eating super foods is only going to do you good if you are doing other things to keep your health up to speed. Eat plenty of veggies, fruits, and balanced meals (and go vegan!). You should also stay active, exercise, after all, is crucial for good health. And make sure you are doing things to keep stress at bay--like being happy and positive and optimistic, you know, all the stuff I always encourage here at ReLove Plan.et. 

What's your favourite superfood? :) 

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

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Avocado Super Smoothie! Ⓥ

This smoothie is absolutely dreamy and creamy and delicious! 

Avocados are great in smoothie because they add that lovely creamy texture that melts in your mouth. Some people avoid these super-healthy foods because of their high calorie and fat content, but make no mistake about it, they truly are super! Packed full of anti-oxidants, beta- and alpha-carotenes, vitamin e, high in folate (which combat heart disease, and birth defects if you're pregnant), and are a great source of fibre. Their fat content is also the super healthy kind which helps your body properly digest fats and lowers cholesterol--remember that not all fats are bad! They also help you get more of the nutrients from other food. Avocados also make you feel full (in a good way) so this smoothie is a great start to the day that will keep you satisfied for hours and hours! 

I also pack this smoothie full of goodness like Cocoa, Maca, and Hemp protein--though the maca and protein are absolutely optional but do add a lovely health boost.  

Avocado Super Smoothie

1/2 Banana

1/2 Avocado

2 pitted Dates, soaked

2 tsp Cocoa Powder

1-2 tsp Maca Powder (optional)

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup Coconut or Almond Milk

2 tbsp Hemp Protein powder (optional)

Soak the Dates in the 1/2 cup of water for at least 10 minutes--I prefer to do this overnight in the fridge. 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth--including the dates and water they've been soaking in. Add less or more water to get your desired consistency. 

Makes 1 smoothie. Enjoy! 

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

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Cherry Yogurt Smoothie! Ⓥ

Another lovely smoothie recipe to add to the list! :) This is super delicious and creamy and, well, cherry-y.    

Cherry Yogurt Smoothie

1 1/4 cup "Superfruit" Frozen fruit (cherries, blueberries, blackberries)

1/2 Banana

1 Cherry amande "yogurt" (170g or 3/4 cup)

1 tsp Maca Powder (optional)

1/2 cup water

1/2-3/4 cup Almond Milk

1/4 block Tofu (optional)

*This recipe is pretty easy to play with. You could easily omit the banana, tofu, or maca if you'd like, I just like to give my smoothies a protein boost with the tofu and super-food boost with the maca. If you omit the tofu or banana I would probably use a little more frozen fruit blend to make a bigger smoothie. 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Start with 1/2 cup almond milk and add more or less depending how thick you want it. 

Makes 1 large delicious smoothie. Enjoy! 

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

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Blueberry Chai Smoothie Ⓥ

This smoothie is a variation, or combination if you will, of the "Blueberry Maca Smoothie" and the previous "Chai Smoothie," and I do believe is my favourite between all three. ;) 

*Note: I let the Chai tea seep for a good half hour at least and the flavour was magnificent! 

Blueberry Chai Smoothie

1 Chai Tea Bag

Water

5 pitted Dates

3/4 cup Blueberries

1 tsp Maca Powder

3/4 cup Almond Milk

2 heaped tsps Hemp Protein powder (optional)

Boil about 3/4 cup water. Place water in a 1-Cup measuring cup with the Chai tea bag and the Dates so that the water comes to about 3/4 cup. Let seep for about 15-20 minutes. Add a little bit of Almond milk so it fills the measuring cup to the top and let seep another 10-15 minutes. (the longer you let it soak, the more flavour you'll get and the softer the dates become for easier blending). 

Remove the tea bag and squeeze it out. Add the dates and chai-soaked liquids (not the tea bag silly ;p) to a food processor or blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Add more or less Almond Milk (and sweetener if desired) to your desired consistency. 

Makes 1 delightful smoothie. Enjoy! 

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

Ⓥ Vegan Kitchen: Blueberry Maca Smoothie! Ⓥ

Maca is one of those wonderful super foods! It helps to rebuild the adrenal gland, which is the body's centre for handling stress. It also has a high concentration of proteins and vital nutrients. This smoothie recipe is extra fun because it takes a break from the usual banana smoothie recipes--and for those who don't like the taste of bananas, well there are no bananas ;). This smoothie is also plenty sweet with the dates and has a delightfully full flavour you are bound to fall in love with! 

If you want an extra protein boost then add the Hemp protein powder, but this smoothie is still delicious with or without it. Why I like it? Not only is it a healthy, raw source of protein, it also contains essential amino acids and omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids. And a healthy source of protein is a great way to start the morning and fill you up and give you energy for the day or after a workout! :)  

Blueberry Maca Smoothie

1 cup Blueberries

5 pitted Dates

1/4 cup Cashews

1 tsp Maca Powder

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 cup water

3/4 cup Almond Milk

2 tbsp Hemp Protein powder (optional)

Soak the Dates and Cashews in about 3/4 cup water for at least 10 minutes (if you don't have time in the morning then soak them overnight in the fridge). 

Blend all of the ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth. Start with 3/4 cup water and slowly add the almond milk. It may seem like a lot of liquid but blueberries love to soak up all that liquid and thicken out. If you want it super thick then don't add all of the liquid, add as much as you'd like to get your desired consistency--just keep in mind that it may seem thinner in the blender but once you pour into a cup you'll see it thicken up really quickly. You may also want a spoon handy to mix it up since, again, those blueberries like to thicken and kind of separate the liquid. 

This makes 1-2 smoothies depending how hungry you are and how much liquid you add. Enjoy! 

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