Bathe me in chocolate!

Bet you thought I'd gone mad...or had a really bad day...I promise neither is the case! I'm totally sane (self diagnosed of course) and I"m having  a great day back in the arms of my family.

I've spent the last week in the city of Brisbane with a bunch of other wonderful people doing prac for nutrition- almost there! It's called an intensive and for good reason! The people were fantastic but the atmosphere intense. All of us strangers in the beginning, on a learning curve that was vertical, pushed so far out of our comfort zones they weren't even on the horizon anymore. 

Add being away from loved ones and our regular routines, diets and beds and stress levels rose and rose...what depletes faster than a bottle of red at a priests convention? Magnesium! What helps with stress? Magnesium!  

Dare I add that coffee and alcohol also deplete magnesium? And yes, after a dry January I had a couple of beers and a few coffees...

After a late flight and an early morning to cuddle my wee babes I was really starting to feel like some comfort food! I've pretty much kicked the sugar but a bit of dark chocolate is still the ultimate comfort food for me. But instead of reaching for a commercial block I'd prefer to have a treat that's nutrient dense. I'm not kidding myself that this is super, amazingly good for me like a big plate of salad and a piece of fish but it's  got a lot more goodness in it than a pre-wrapped block. In fact, I'd say it packs quite a punch!

Let's start with the raw cocao which is a great source of dietary magnesium (as well as a host of other minerals) along with the almonds. Coconut oil is a bit of an indulgence but the fat means a small piece is uber satisfying! The nuts are awesome protein that, again, are satisfying and will keep you feeling full for a while as well as adding good fat to the diet to help with stress in general. A small amount of raw honey is a great alternative to sugar that supports the immune system. Small amounts though! Don't forget it's still sugar. Sprinkle over cocao nibs for more magnesium and an extra chocolately treat. Add a few goji berries and away you go! 

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I've adapted this from The Merry Maker Sisters who I admire greatly! They have some fantastic recipes that lean toward Paleo but aren't pedantic about. Go wild!

CHOCOLATE
1/2 cup of extra virgin coconut butter/oil
1/3 cup raw cocoa
1/4 cup natural peanut butter (any nut butter will be great)
1 tbs-1/4 cup of honey according to taste
1tsp of vanilla extract (optional)
a handful of raw almonds (feel free to use activated if you have them) 
a few goji berries
some cocao nibs

Pop the oil, cocao, nut butter, honey and vanilla in the food processor and blitz until well combined. 
Pour it all into a tin lined with baking paper or glad wrap.
The larger the base the thinner the chocolate. I use an ordinary round cake tin about 22cm diameter.
Then liberally sprinkle the rest of the ingredients over the top and stick it into the freezer to set!

Pop the kettle on, cut or break into chunks, sit back and enjoy with your favourite (non caffeinated) cuppa!

Resources
https://www.honeyhousekuranda.com/product-range/premium-range/
http://themerrymakersisters.com/easiest-paleo-chocolate-recipe/
Osiecki, H. (2010). The nutrient bible (1st ed.). Eagle Farm, Qld.: Bio Concepts Publishing.
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