Mango Meets Chocolate

One of my favorite cookbooks for family meals is Feeding The Whole Family, by Cynthia Lair. I use some of the recipes exactly as they are written and others as a jumping off point for creations of my own. Imagine my happiness that Cynthia is sending a signed copy of her book which will be kicking off monthly give aways on my blog. More on that to come. Mangoes are ripe and really affordable at the store this week. I was dreaming of a creamy, rich pudding using these mangoes, and the idea of pairing it with chocolate kept dancing it's way into my thoughts. I have eaten my fair share of this one, so please...your turn!

Mango Pudding with Chocolate Sauce

4 mangoes, flesh diced

1 1/2 cups soaked (8 hours) cashews

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tb raw honey

1 Tb vanilla

In a high speed blender place mango, nuts, lemon, honey and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. You may need to add just a splash of water to get things moving, though nice ripe mangoes should be juicy enough.

1 can coconut milk (not low fat)

1 cup 70-80% dark chocolate

1/4 cup raw honey

2 Tb vanilla

In a small saucepan, heat coconut milk to a simmer. Reduce heat, add chocolate and honey and stir on low for about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in vanilla and allow to cool.

Place pudding in small bowls or cups, leaving room at top for chocolate sauce. Pour the cooled sauce over top, refrigerate for about 5 hours until smooth and cold. Enjoy in the sun with your feet up!

Travels, Time and Tahini

Photo shoot with Eli trying to take some pictures for the site.

He is so happy to have 15 pictures with mama, he even shows them to people when they come over.

Ah, I'm back to this space that does more to lift my spirits than chocolate! With the shift from my former blogspot blog and website, to my now one complete site, I am starting to relax. It has been a process that has taken me far out of my comfort zone. With amazing support from my tech guy (thank you Mike) we are working on making the site mine. It's a work in progress and one that you will watch go through ups and downs until it reaches the place where it really is me.

I am headed to Florida for a conference with The Institute For Integrative Nutrition on Friday and it doesn't feel like my life. I have never left a baby before, I know Lucas will be loved and safe and supported while I'm away, yet I won't be there for his morning nurse and I wonder what he'll think. Time means so little to children, so much to us. I will experience for the first time in almost 8 years the quiet of sleeping in a bed alone, no children, no pregnant belly, no nursing, no snoring. I wonder if I will dream, how settled will I feel being away from my family? I think of the time when Patrick and I can go away together for a couple of days; could we perhaps go to Florida together some day?

Florida is a place I have never been. Stretching my comfort zone, meeting up with incredible Health Counselors and reuniting with a friend who has made her home in this land of sun and lizards...it must be my life.

Now what will I bring to eat?

I have no picture at the moment as the batch has been devoured, but these little tahini chocolate balls are something else.

Tahini Chocolate Balls

In food processor place:

1/2 cup tahini

1/2 cup almonds, sliced or chopped

1/2 cup cashew butter

1/3 cup coconut oil

splash of vanilla

1 TB raw honey or maple syrup (only if needed)

6 dates, soaked for 2 hours, water discarded

Blend it up, remove and place into bowl. Using 70% or higher dark chocolate, mix in 1/3 cup chocolate bits. (I used a knife and thinly shaved the chocolate bar)

Roll into balls using about 1 TB of dough per ball. Place on a tray and freeze.

Enjoy!