tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58535175242089021622024-03-20T04:56:58.917-07:00Tea Is Happiness Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09256485843504475520noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853517524208902162.post-50776456418020222732015-02-16T07:33:00.000-08:002015-02-16T07:33:24.063-08:00Raw Cacao Bliss Balls & Raw Cacao Brownie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
There's a lot of hype around raw chocolate (Cacao) at the moment. So I thought why not give it whirl, as I love chocolate & if I can make a healthier option then why not try!</div>
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Ill be honest I bought the cacao powder from Holland & Barrett months ago and its just sat in my cupboard as I wasn't 100% sure what to do with it. Till I finally took to good old trustworthy Google and Pinterest to get some recipe ideas.</div>
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First recipe I tried was for the <strong><u>Raw Cacao Bliss Balls, </u></strong>probably the most simple & easiest things I've ever made! So do not ne afraid. They only have 6 ingredients and no baking is involved.</div>
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I then made the <strong><u>Raw Cacao Brownie</u></strong> which is even more simple which has all of 4 ingredient and again no baking. </div>
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<strong><u>Cacao Benefits:</u></strong></div>
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Can lower blood pressure </div>
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Improve digestion</div>
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Known to enhance physical & mental well-being</div>
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It is a huge antioxidant</div>
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Its an aphrodisiac</div>
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The best one of all it is pretty much guilt free (in moderation of course)</div>
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So there are just a few reasons why Cacao is good for you, with it being raw & completely untouched.</div>
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Below are the recipes for both.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SMWwiTAD6LiV9gxVbdMl0Zl14fCq9YdmKLeq9bLmZeSyHbHf03H91bV_pvNbRnhx2bSFTppsAxULD-98BZ1drIIYwwyHAjePhUwp_EQ9P0lSlwo50NpiM7W9KxjUOYNiVc0CN4V_mLc/s1600/balls+n+brownie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1SMWwiTAD6LiV9gxVbdMl0Zl14fCq9YdmKLeq9bLmZeSyHbHf03H91bV_pvNbRnhx2bSFTppsAxULD-98BZ1drIIYwwyHAjePhUwp_EQ9P0lSlwo50NpiM7W9KxjUOYNiVc0CN4V_mLc/s1600/balls+n+brownie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZcfi4xduDfwwiTMS-IbjG7X8cbh2Oz7WKNdhM-ofO3KqbsbAn9k6qQ-ajYrXn7AVtlSweG-9z7bWyT3n4CI7RVAbsJMRrZjrsW7L9wVlzEPCgSn3IeNXe8tRxMfNyJnFIxeK7VoswNY/s1600/cacao.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZcfi4xduDfwwiTMS-IbjG7X8cbh2Oz7WKNdhM-ofO3KqbsbAn9k6qQ-ajYrXn7AVtlSweG-9z7bWyT3n4CI7RVAbsJMRrZjrsW7L9wVlzEPCgSn3IeNXe8tRxMfNyJnFIxeK7VoswNY/s1600/cacao.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<strong><u>Cacao Bliss Balls</u></strong></div>
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<u><strong>Ingredients:</strong></u></div>
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1 cup of cashews blended until smooth (or cheat and but cashew nut butter)</div>
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2 tablespoons of raw honey or agave nectar</div>
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1 teaspoon of vanilla extract</div>
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8 pitted medjool dates</div>
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2 table spoons of raw cacao powder</div>
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1 cup of desiccated coconut (for coating)</div>
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1 cup of chopped nuts (for coating) </div>
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<strong><u>Method:</u></strong></div>
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Place all of the ingredients in the blender (except the coconut & chopped nuts) mix well until smooth</div>
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Use your hands to roll the mixture in to small balls</div>
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Pour the coconut & chopped nuts on to a chopping board and roll each of the balls until coated</div>
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place on baking tray and pop in fridge till hard</div>
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These will keep for around 2 weeks</div>
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<strong><u>Raw Brownie</u></strong></div>
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<strong><u>Ingredients:</u></strong></div>
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1 1/3 cups walnuts</div>
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1/2 cup almonds</div>
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1/2 cup cacao powder</div>
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1 cup pitted medjool dates</div>
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<strong><u>Method:</u></strong></div>
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In a food processor, process 1 cup of the walnuts and the almonds until they are nearly at a crumbly consistency.</div>
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Add in the cacao powder and process till well combined</div>
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Add the dates a couple at a time and continue to blitz until the mixture is sticky and holds together</div>
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If the mixture is a little dry or crumbly, add a few tablespoons of water.</div>
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Press mixture into tin/baking dish lined with baking paper.</div>
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Chop left over walnuts roughly</div>
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Place the chopped walnuts on top of the brownie & push them in slightly</div>
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Place into fridge for 2-3 hours</div>
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If you cannot wait that long, place into freezer for at least 1 hour.</div>
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As you can see, I put dried fruits & desiccated coconut on top of my brownie as well.</div>
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Hope you enjoyed reading this. Let me know if you try any of these recipes :)</div>
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Enjoy x</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09256485843504475520noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5853517524208902162.post-39367544538449297802015-02-10T06:01:00.000-08:002015-02-10T06:01:00.191-08:00Panic Attacks & Anxiety<span style="font-size: large;">Well, what a subject this is! I think we either suffer with it, have a family member or friend that suffers. We all know someone these days that suffers with panic attacks or anxiety of any form.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Story goes,</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In 2012 I started suffering for panic attacks, they started off very small when I was in busy environments, like a small feeling in my chest & my heart felt weird, my body felt strange then I would feel okay. I completely ignored this as I wasn't sure what it was. Then later on in the year I was on a motorway and I started to feel very weird, my eyes went funny, heart palpitations, tight chest, felt like I couldn't breath. Which wasn't safe as I was on a busy motorway. Luckily I was with a friend, she managed to keep talking to me and try and keep me calm. We pulled over off the motorway and I had to get my mum and sister to come and meet us and drive my car home. Ever since that day life has never been the same for me. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The panic attacks got worse where I was having 10-15 panic attacks a day. I got signed off work & eventually had to leave work altogether. I became scared of the outside world & wouldn't leave the house let alone my bed. I was so scared and confused I really didn't understand what was happening to me or what was going on inside my body until I went to the doctor. He diagnosed me with Panic Disorder & Agoraphobia. He also prescribed me with anti-depressants on a high dosage & diazepam. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once I had been diagnosed a part of me felt better as I could now research what it was, have more of an understanding & work towards getting better. I took the anti-depressants he prescribed to me, I was so desperate to feel normal again I didn't even research them, I took them & I had the worst side effects for 2 weeks. I felt so incredibly rough, I went back to the doctors and told him what was happening to me, he told me this was normal & just be persistent. The side effects passed in time. I still had such bad anxiety & panic attacks I was getting so frustrated as I thought the tablets were going to stop it all & make life easy again. Turns out they didn't do that.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">As time went on, the panic attacks eased up & I wasn't having 15 panic attacks a day any more, I was able to leave the house again. I started to feel a little bit more like me again which was such a nice feeling, Although I couldn't do all the things I could once do like be a normal 22 year old & go out to a bar with my friends or go shopping. Even going to the supermarket was hard for me, I really had to work hard to get my self in to the shops etc.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I started having counselling over the phone (CBT Therapy) I really didn't enjoy that approach. I found it hard to connect with the councillor & in the end I stopped using the service because I just felt it wasn't helpful for me. I then started having face to face counselling. I found this incredibly helpful and I loved the lady I saw! She really put things in to perspective for me & made me realise I'm completely normal and this was just a phase in my life and it wasn't going to be forever. She taught me ways to deal with my anxiety. Techniques and ways of thinking which helped. I would 100% advise anybody to see a councillor panic attacks or no panic attacks!</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Its now 2015 & I have my panic attacks and anxiety under much better control. I mean don't get me wrong the anxiety still tries to visit me most days but now I've learnt to shoo it away. I still cant do things like get on a plane etc but I know in time I will be able to. It all takes its time and you have to be patient. I am still on the anti-depressant but 25mg instead of 100mg and slowly but surely I will no longer be on them</span><span style="font-size: large;">. I also still have counselling</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and still find it so helpful.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I wanted to write this post as mental health is such an unspoken about subject and a lot of people just seem to brush it under the rug! I think talk about it, get it out there, engage with others about it. Once one person stands up and speaks, others will & you never know how much you help another person just by being honest & speaking about your own experience.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My family, friends & boyfriend have been absolutely incredible the whole way through. I cannot thank them enough <3 </span><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09256485843504475520noreply@blogger.com0