Delicious & Nutritious

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

  Did Someone say CHOCOLATE...?

I am Head-Over-Heels in Lo0ove with Dark Chocolate! I mean... Everyone has their own vice, right? So I have decided to share with you one of my all time favorite indulgences; the Dagoba Lavender Blueberry Dark Chocolate! As the picture shows, this chocolate contains 59% Cacao, is certified organic AANNDDD has an essence of Lavender in each tasty bite! I find this specific brand at my local Sprouts Famers Market, but I am assuming it can also be found at a Whole Foods store or Trader Joes :)

(Click photo for tips on choosing healthy chocolate)

BENEFITS OF CACAO/DARK CHOCOLATE

+ Contains Essential Vitamins & Minerals: magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium

+ Good concentration of Antioxidants

+ Contains Serotonin!

+ Other facts--- Can increase blood circulation, reduce cholesterol, enhances focus (caffeine), and is most potent if eaten in it's raw form (as cacao nibs or seeds)


 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
 

GLUTEN FREE Pizza Lovers Unite!

Over the past few years I have accumulated many health conscious recipes that do not include flour! Despite my undying love for pastries, pizzas and other divine treats, I have come to terms with the fact that they do not serve any nutritional purpose in my life. After my realization, I thought that I might never be able to indulge in doughy decadence again... until I discovered 'guilt free' recipes!

(Click photo for recipe)

One of the gifts for my mum this Mothers day was the delicious gem above! We are both extreme pizza lovers! But no matter how much I love my pizza pies, they do not necessarily love me back... D: 

I don't think many people understand the steps by which flour is processed. The bleaching process does not only strip away the color of the flour in its natural state, but also involves chemical oxidation. To add to its mighty list of 'cons,' enriched flour consists mainly of simple carbohydrates and can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels.

These negative effects caused by enriched flour encouraged me to find other ways to indulge in the same kind of foods (pizza, desserts, etc.). Pinterest was a huge help! One night I stumbled upon a plethora of cauliflower recipes, and found exactly what I had been searching for-- cauliflower crust for pizza! I will admit, the recipe that I chose DOES contain an excessive amount of cheese (but being a cheese lover goes hand-in-hand for me... being a pizza fanatic and all).