the season of singing... & chocolate

Hello friends! Well, spring has definitely sprung here in sunny Melbourne! I'm soooooo enjoying the warmer weather and my body is thanking me for the vitamin D fix! I don't have a favourite season per se, but I love how the seasons change. And I'm not just talking about climatic change. I love how the seasons of life change. Life, after all, always moves forward. And I love that with the season of spring comes new life and renewed hope. 

For behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come... (Song of Songs 2:11-12, ESV).

We can support new life in our lives in different ways. We do this through nourishing our body, soul and spirit. Our food choices will not only affect the nourishment of our bodies but also the world we live in. And so, I want to encourage you, in this new season, to make food choices that will not only nourish your body but that also support the nourishment of the world we live in. Now, I'm not saying you all need to go hug a tree right now (you can if you want!) but if you're looking at living a greener life, the place to start that will have the greatest impact is with your food choices.

So, here are my best tips for being kind to your body and the trees! Try to buy more of the SLOP foods:

• Seasonal
• Local
• Organic
• Plants

Our food choices have an impact that reaches far beyond our bodies. Let's be conscious about our food choices so that our world is able to continue to produce food that will nourish all the generations to come. If you want to read more about sustainability and how our food choices impact the environment click on these links here, here and here. If you can't afford to go all organic, start with swapping out the most chemical-laden foods for which you can find the list here. Change starts with one step at a time - just make sure you're stepping in the direction that brings life!

Lastly, I have a confession to make... In case you haven't noticed, I have a love affair with chocolate, and though I only spend time with the real deal, I found that all those hot chocolate dates were taking me on a ride when sugar came along. So, I experimented with a sugar-free version of this beloved drink, and voila, my raw chocolate drink found me! Feel free to take this drink out to dance! 

Here's to dreaming in this season of new life and renewed hope; the season of singing!

raw chocolate drink

This delicious drinking chocolate is raw, vegan and sugar-free! Enjoy this drink hot in the cold months or cold in the warm months. Raw cacao is full of goodness like antioxidants and magnesium, which is the most deficient mineral in the western diet. Yacon syrup is both a natural sweetener and a pre-biotic, helping the digestive tract to function properly, which in turn boosts the immune system and aids in the removal of waste and toxins from the body. Mesquite powder is a sweet and caramel-like alternative to any sugar, natural or not. 

1 cup almond milk

1 Tbs raw cacao powder

1 tsp maca powder

1 tsp mesquite powder

Shake of ground cinnamon

Dash of pure vanilla extract

1 tsp raw cacao nibs, optional (for extra chocolatey goodness!)

Drizzle of yacon syrup, optional

Blend all the ingredients together in a high-powered blender, such as a Vitamix. To warm the drink up, keep blending until the drink is warm to the touch and the almond milk is frothing. For a hot chocolate, pour the drink into a mug and drizzle with yacon syrup, if desired. For an ice chocolate, add ice cubes to the blender and process on low for a few seconds to break up the ice. Pour into a glass and enjoy! Adjust measurements to taste. Serves 1.