A Raw Deal: a chocolate lover's path to health

You know it makes sense

We are in relationship with everything in our life and our relationship to food is fundamental to health and well-being.  So a couple of weeks ago, in the interests of research, I spent all day eating chocolate.  

The good news was it didn’t contain sugar or diary and was full of amazing health giving properties.  I attended a workshop called Raw Chocolate & Desserts Alchemy held at Hampshire's lovely Sustainability Centre and run by gourmet chef, Sarmado Sibley.

Not just a gourmet chef.  Sarmado, a keen advocate of raw food, is a gourmet raw chef  – and the purpose of this workshop was to introduce delicious, healthy alternatives to our (well, my) worst health enemy – sugar.

No sugar, wheat or diary.  No cooking.  No problem!

Along with his lovely assistant, Hayley, Sarmado created a glorious Raw Chocolate & Berry Cheesecake as well as introducing us to Almond Milk chocolate smoothies and raw chocolate delights.

The cacao that goes into making raw chocolate is organic, minimally processed, contains more than 300 nutritional compounds, and is high in anti-oxidants, essential minerals and feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.  Making raw chocolate is easy: melt and whisk.  No cooking (that's what makes it raw), no fiddly stuff, except a trip to your local health store for the ingredients!

I've since made healthy Raw Chocolate ‘Bounty Bars’ which seduced the whole family; sweet, tasty and nutritious they are a great snack and packed with antioxidants.   The oil in the coconut contains lauric acid, a powerful support to the immune system.  So, here's a snack that not only makes you beautiful, it improves your health, what’s not to like?? 

And my rose infused raw chocolate with blueberries got my husband's vote.

For anyone wanting to live a more holistic lifestyle, having a healthy, conscious mindset about your diet is a great foundation and Sarmado’s informative, enlightening and delicious workshops are great introduction and education.

I'm always keen to share what I learn and I'd share my homemade 'bounty bars', too, if our relationship wasn't virtual!

(Only one 'bounty bar' was consumed for the purpose of this blog.  Honest.)