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Raw Chocolate – Walnut Fudge

This fudge is ridiculously easy to make and delicious (addictive really, I had to stop making it because I couldn’t help myself).  It has a melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to the coconut oil and can be eaten directly out of the fridge or freezer (which means that even keeping it in the freezer didn’t slow me down!). Enjoy these amazing little bites of creamy chocolate.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups extra virgin coconut oil (not melted)
  • 1 cup raw or natural unsweetened Cacao Powder
  • 1/3 cup Grade B Maple Syrup (you could also substitute Honey)
  • 1½ cups Walnuts (Raw or Roasted), roughly chopped
  1. Whip coconut oil in the bowl of a standing mixer until fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  2. Add cocoa powder and maple syrup and continue to whip until completely combined (about 1 minute, but you might need to scrape the sides a couple of times).
  3. Add chopped walnuts and mix just to combine.
  4. Spread into a 9”x9” baking pan.  Chill in the refrigerator until set (at least 1 hour).
  5. Cut into squares and enjoy (store in the fridge or freezer).

Serve here with Coconut whipped cream.

NOTE: Because the coconut hardens in the refrigerator, it can be a little tricky to cut nice squares when it hard (it becomes quite brittle), it will help to pre-cut the squares in the pan before they are completely set (say after about 20 minutes in the fridge).

Enjoy

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Coconut yogurt power breakfast

I have decided to share one of my favorite breakfast creations. I like to call it “Coconut yogurt power breakfast”.

It is something that makes me smile in the morning and keeps me full for quite a while. You have all the goodness and energy of the young coconut and the power of superfood added to it.

I have created a video that will give you the step by step:

Ingredients:
1 Young coconut
4 Tbls chia seeds
1 Tbls pumpkin seeds
1 Tbls sunflower seeds
1 Tbls goji berries
1 Tbls dry raisins
1 Tbls walnut
1 banana
1/2 cup mixed berries

Optional ingredients: (one or a combination of)
Raw cacao nibs
Dry cranberries
Maca powder
Lucuma
Maple syrup
Crushed nuts
Anything else you might like

Directions:
Open the young coconut as shown in the video
Blend the coconut meat and coconut water in a blender
Pour into a bowl
Add the chia seeds and mix well
Add other ingredients

Enjoy

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Amazing benefits of chia seeds

Don’t be fooled by the size… these tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.

A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains:
• Fiber: 11 grams.
• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).
• Calcium: 18% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.
• They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B2.

Combat Diabetes
Chia is being studied as a potential natural treatment for type-2 diabetes because of its ability to slow down digestion. The gelatinous coating chia seeds develops when exposed to liquids-can also prevent blood sugar spikes.

Get More Fibre
Just a 28-gram or one-ounce serving of chia has 11 grams of dietary fibre — about a third of the recommended daily intake for adults. Adding some chia to your diet is an easy way to make sure you’re getting a good amount of fibre, which is important for digestive health.

Stock Up On Omega-3
Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, with nearly five grams in a one-ounce serving. These fats are important for brain health. “There’s better conversion of omega 3s into the plasma or into the food than with flax seed,” said researcher Wayne Coates.

Stronger Teeth And Bones
A serving of chia seeds has 18 per cent of the recommended daily intake for calcium, which puts your well on your way to maintaining bone and oral health, and preventing osteoporosis.

Don’t Forget Manganese
Manganese isn’t a well-known nutrient, but it’s important for our health: it’s good for your bones and helps your body use other essential nutrients like biotin and thiamin. One serving of chia seeds, or 28 grams, has 30 per cent of your recommended intake of this mineral.

Plenty Of Phosphorus
With 27 per cent of your daily value for phosphorus, chia seeds also help you maintain healthy bones and teeth. Phosphorus is also used by the body to synthesize protein for cell and tissue growth and repair.

Pack In The Protein
Chia seeds also make a great source of protein for vegetarians and don’t have any cholesterol. One 28-gram serving of these super seeds has 4.4 grams of protein, nearly 10 per cent of the daily value.

Fight Belly Fat
Chia’s stabilizing effect on blood sugar also fights insulin resistance which can be tied to an increase in belly fat, according to Live Strong. This type of resistance can also be harmful for your overall health.

Get Full. Faster
Tryptophan, an amino acid found in turkey, is also found in chia seeds. While tryptophan is responsible for that strong urge to nap after a big Thanksgiving dinner for example, it also helps regulate appetite, sleep and improve mood.

Improve Heart Health
According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol while lowering total, LDL, and triglyceride cholesterol. All good news for your ticker!

Thanks to these sites for the references:
www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/06/03/chia-seed-benefits-_n_3379831.html
authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/

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Raw sesame, balsamic vegetable sauce

I discovered this sauce a little while ago and I love it. It is very smooth and sweet with a little tanginess to it. I use it on many different types of vegetables. I have had great comments from my guests with that sauce. Now it is your turn to impress your friends.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sesame tahini
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Asparagus (or any vegetable)
Pine nuts for garnish

Directions:
Place all the ingredients (except the asparagus and pine nuts) in a blender and mix well.
Blanched the asparagus very lightly.
Here’s the way I do them: I use a deep pan and I boil about one inch of water. Once it is boiling I place the asparagus into the boiling water for a very short time. No more than 30 seconds. If you want to stop the cooking process, rinse them in cold water and they will stop cooking. You don’t want them soft, just a little softer than raw.
Place the asparagus on a serving plate and pour the sauce on top and garnish with pine nuts.

Note: You can use that sauce for salad dressing or on everything you like. It is very tasty.

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Chocolate Bark

Once you eat this chocolate bark you will not be able to buy a chocolate bar from the store anymore. This is so easy to make and you can’t really go wrong. You taste it as you go and you can make it exactly the way you want.

Basic ingredients:
½ cup cacao butter
½ cup cacao powder
Maple syrup to taste
Salt to taste

Optional ingredients: (one or a combination of)
Dry raisins
Dry cranberries
Pumpkin seeds
Sunflower seeds
Hemp seeds
Crushed nuts (almonds or walnuts or pecan)
Chili pepper (for a nice spicy chocolate)

Directions:
1. Place the cacao butter in a double boiler.
2. Once the cacao butter starts to melt, reduce the heat or even turn it off. You don’t want it to become hot, just melted. If it stops melting, raise the heat a little.
3. With the help of a sifter, slowly sprinkle the cacao powder on the melted cacao butter.
4. Mix the cacao butter and cacao powder together as you are sifting.
5. Add the maple syrup to the chocolate liquid and keep mixing.
6. Add salt.
7. Taste and adjust to the darkness, sweetness or salt amount to your liking.
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8. Place a parchment paper with the side raised in the bottom pan or Pyrex.
9. Uniformly sprinkle the dry fruits, nuts, and seeds in the bottom of the pan.
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10. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the seeds and nuts.
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11. Place it in the refrigerator or freezer for 20 minutes or so. You can also sprinkle coarse salt, hemp seeds or sesame seeds on top for garnish.
12. Before it gets completely hard, you can cut into the preferred pieces sizes and place back in the refrigerator.
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Or once ready you can just break it by hand into pieces and enjoy.

The nice thing about using cacao butter is that your chocolate will not soften or melt when outside refrigerator, unlike coconut butter that melts with the temperature of your fingers and is very soft at room temperature.

Have fun and be creative.

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Why am I doing this?

I would like to share with you why I am so passionate about what I do. I am passionate about cancer and finding natural way to treat this disease because when I was 24 years old my father died from pancreatic cancer and in 2009, my mother died from lung cancer. It was really difficult for me to be standing by and not know anything about the illness and what could be done to stop it or even just slow it down.

After my mom passed, I found Marcus Freudenmann and his work. He was promoting a book and movie named “Cancer is curable now, with common sense”. I was really impressed with his approached. He didn’t sound like a charlatan or a crook, like so many others. He based his work on science and research. He traveled around the world to find answers about how to heal cancer and other degenerative diseases.

Since then I have followed him and listened to other people like him who believe that cancer is not the end of the road. Unfortunately the big-pharma, money-making cancer industry; doesn’t want people to stop using their products and services because they have too much at stake, i.e. money $$$. There is an interesting movie called “Cut Poison Burn”, which talks about how the medical industry can only promote these solutions when a patient is diagnosed with cancer… Click here to watch the movie preview.

I strongly believe that cancer is preventable and I want to make it my life mission to promote this idea to as many people as possible. So, when Marcus announces his second world tour, I immediately contacted him and told him that he had to come to Vancouver. I know that people here are very open minded about living a healthy life. We are an active community that loves the outdoor and smart and healthy living. This is why you joined this group in the first place. You wanted to find ways to eat better and to learn tips and tricks about health. This is why I am telling you more about Marcus visit now, as I would hate for you to have missed the opportunity to attend his workshop.

Follow the post to find more details about the “Truly Heal Workshop” that is coming here on April 18-19 2015.

Please contact me either by email or write a comment below to ask me questions or just to share your opinions. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time, be happy and healthy
Denise Belisle