Naked Chocolate

I LOVE getting stuff in the mail. Today was doubly great, because I received a pound of organic vanilla beans from the organic vanilla bean company and the book Naked Chocolate by David Wolfe and Shazzie. I can’t wait to digest both.
I’ve been on a raw chocolate kick I guess you could say. You see, ever since the reception of the bag of Chocolate Bliss and the afore said consequent Happy Energy Buzz, I’ve wondered if it was just the raw chocolate or the combo of all the other super ingredients. And since I’ve had raw cacao beans—2 large bags—for the last year or so that I didn’t know exactly what to do with (and because I’m out of the Bliss already!!!), I figured I’d try to make a chocolate shake with mainly the raw cacao beans, even though it’s a bit grainy. (I only have a regular blender.) But, blend for a couple minutes, add ice, and it turns into a milk shake thick enough that you hardly notice the grainyness. And since I also have quite a few “super” ingredients that I’ve had for forever and not quite known what to do with, into the shake they go. Today’s super shake was super packed since I went to the store yesterday and totally stocked up on every kind of nut and seed that was raw that I could find. Normally I wouldn’t blend more than one or two nuts together, but I figured what the hell. Plus, I overstocked from the bulk bins a bit and couldn’t quite fit everything into the containers I had at home.

Today’s Super Chocolaty Super Good For You Shake:
raw cacao
hazelnuts
pecans
macadamia nuts
cashews
brazil nuts
hemp seeds
pumpkin seeds
black sesame seeds
maca root powder
tahini
goji berries
golden berries
carob
coconut
coconut oil
agave
honey
maple syrup
vanilla
sea salt
flax oil

Wow. Didn’t realize how much stuff was in there. Think I got it all. Blended the nuts and berries, strained it, added the sweetners and oils and salt and vanilla. Oh, and saved the pulp, added some flax seeds (ground) some coconut flakes and some soaked oat grouts, a little agave and vanilla, and made cookies for Rowan, which she loved. And mom loves that a cookie (or three) can be a healthy and filling on-the-go meal. Basically it’s a raw protein bar in the shape of a cookie that my baby loves!!

Today Rowan ate:
green smoothie w/ mixed greens, carrots, apples, bananas, kelp, orange, strawberry
raw chocolate ‘elixir’
more ‘elixir’ (actually she wouldn’t leave my shake alone and drank half my glass when I wasn’t looking!! - - AFTER finishing her own glass!!!!!)
fresh sugar snap peas from the garden
more smoothie
fresh carrot, asparagus, and more peas from the garden
raw cacao-oat-coconut cookies
apple slices

~~Rowan and Sharilyn