I’m sensing another recipe video on the way…   I had a chance to play around with the chocolate again, (and to clarify that was in the kitchen) and I have to say this recipe turned out pretty extremely delicious, so I thought I’d post it here in case anyone wanted to give it a try before the video is ready.  If you love chocolate, it really is worth it!

Roasted almond chocolate bars are one of my favorite chocolate bars, and after having had such good results with our chocolate almond brownie fudge recipe, better known on Youtube as the World’s Best Chocolate Almond Brownie Fudge, I started wondering if it would be possible to recreate roasted almond chocolate bars, but an improved version using the high quality chocolate or cacao powder that contains all of the nutrients real chocolate is supposed to contain ie. magnesium, chromium, iron, bliss chemical …  As it turns out, it’s more than possible, tastes amazing and is really very easy to do.

You can do the entire recipe inside of a glass measuring cup.  Note: Although conventional chocolate does provide some great health benefits (particularly if it’s organic), using chocolate or cacao powder that has not been subjected to high temperatures means all of its nutrients remain unharmed and highly usable.  This means you not only get to enjoy a decadent treat but you are also nourishing your body!

Here’s what you need:

• ½ cup of cacao butter (organic and raw)
• 4 tbsp cacao powder (organic and raw)
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla bean (organic and raw)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp maca powder (organic and raw)
• 1 tbsp chaga mushroom powder (organic and raw)
• ½ to 3/4 C roasted almonds (optional or replace the almonds with something you like including other nuts  hazelnuts, cashews, raisins, goji berries etc…
• sea salt or pink Himalayan salt (optional for the top)

Preparation:

1. 1- Put your cacao butter in a glass measuring cup and set the cup in a pot of boiling water (once water has boiled you can reduce the heat to low to medium so that the water remains hot allowing the cacao butter to melt)
2. 2- Roast almonds (if using roasted almonds)
3. 3- if possible, place coconut sugar, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp of vanilla bean in a coffee or spice grinder as this will ensure the finest powder possible for a smoother chocolate bar.

Directions:

1. Once the cacao butter has completely melted add 1 tbsp of the mushroom powder and mix until completely blended.
2. Add the coconut sugar, salt and vanilla ( mixture from the coffee/spice grinder if you were able to grind it) and mix until well blended.
3. Add 1tbsp of maca and mix until well blended.
4. Add 4 tbsp of cacao powder and mix until well blended.
5. Place roasted almonds or substitute ingredients in the bottom of a 4″ x 7″ baking pan (a loaf or small bread pan)
6. Pour the blended mixture on top of the roasted almonds and use a spatula to get every drop.  Note: the almonds will likely move around somewhat, so try and spread them evenly afterwards.
7. Sprinkle pink himalayan salt on top (optional) (I like the pink himalayan salt here because when you grate it, it becomes a really fine powder and adds a more subtle saltiness, but for those who love the chocolate and salt mixture, sea salt will also be fine, just a little less subtle).
8. Place the pan in the freezer for about ½ hour.

Once the chocolate has hardened, simply break into pieces and they’re ready to serve.  (If you want more even squares, check the pan after about 10 to 15 minutes when they’re slightly frozen and score them into the size you want then place them back in the freezer.  Once they’re ready, they will be easy to break into even pieces.  Or you can just use chocolate molds if you have them.)

If there are any left, refrigerate.

These bars are absolutely delicious, and completely easy to make!
They are by far better than any gourmet chocolate bars I have tried and you can indulge in these  whenever you want!

State of the Market for Premium Chocolate Bars

Currently, the  majority of premium chocolate bars now on the market are unfortunately made with inferior ingredients.  Firstly, most are not organic and therefore likely contain toxic residues from synthetic pesticides and herbicides.  As well, the large majority of ingredients used in these bars have been subjected to high heats during processing, which destroys much of their nutrient value.  Also, many producers are using lecithin as an emulsifier instead of cacao butter in order to keep their costs down and profits high.  There are a few however, who are starting to add in some cacao butter.  Michel Cluizel has been leading the way here having banned the use of any soy lecithin in his chocolates since 1999.

Aside from a quality perspective, another issue with lecithin is that it comes, for the most part, from soy and most of the soy in the world has been genetically modified.  According to  International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications, 81% of the soy grown around the world has been genetically modified.  And based on USDA numbers, as of 2011, 94% of soy grown in the USA is genetically modified.  Jeffrey Smith provides a great introduction to the risks posed by GMOs in a video interview.

So although there are definitely some delicious tasting premium chocolate bars in the marketplace, it is a little more difficult to find those that have, not only a premium taste but that also have all of their nutrients intact to provide the nourishment our bodies are so desperately craving.  Making your own is the perfect solution, especially given how easy it is.
Decadence that’s good for you!

The ingredients to make these gourmet organic chocolate bars will soon be available on our site.  Watch for them.

Our new Organic Ice Pressed Rallis Olive Oil has come in!  Well actually it arrived last month and made its way into the gift baskets of a few lucky recipients this holiday season.  We are so excited to be able to bring an oil of this quality to our customers.

This international award winning oil is one of the most authentic olive oils available today.  It is a single estate organic olive oil from the Rallis family owned, centuries old, olive grove in Greece.  The time honored traditions have all been respected when it comes to producing this oil.   The olives are grown organically and are pressed within 12 hours of being hand harvested.  This, combined with the unique extraction technique developed by Theo Rallis called “ice pressed”, means the oil is not heated during the pressing process, which in turn ensures that the integrity of the flavor is maintained and preserves the health enhancing nutrients that are contained in pure olive oil.

This is a step above the premium cold pressed extra virgin olive oils currently available in the marketplace.  The cold pressed label is an unregulated one, and in many cases, the oil is heated to temperatures as high as 55 degrees Celsius or 135 degrees Fahrenheit, taking with it much of its nutrient value.

With a near flawless acidity of .1%, Rallis Ice Pressed Organic Olive Oil has an amazing taste profile and has become a favorite with chefs and foodies alike, and once you try it, it is sure to become one of yours!

Both a  true delicacy and a superfood!

Indulge to your heart’s content, (literally).  For more on the health benefits of Organic Olive Oil see here and here.

Depending on whether you’re purchasing as a gift or not, the price for a 375 ml bottle is $30.00 to $33.00.  Additional savings can be enjoyed by purchasing 2 bottles as the shipping cost remains the same whether purchasing 1 bottle or 2.

To your health!

A new year always brings hope for positive change and 2012 is no different, especially in light of the various meanings associated with this particular year.   Change, as they say,  is one of the constants of life and positive change is something many of us strive for at the start of a new year.  But for some reason, within the first few weeks, we tend to give up and return to our “same old, same old usual” ways.

Maybe it’s because the changes we try to implement are unpleasant or burdensome in some way, and a person can only take so much of that…  If you look at the main resolutions made each year, losing weight, exercising more, getting healthy, quitting smoking,  are always at the top of the list.  Based on the information we’ve been given, achieving these goals involves some type of deprivation or eliminating something that we associate with pleasure.  Is it any wonder we give up so quickly?

But what if the information we’ve been given was not entirely accurate?  What if there are ways that would allow us to achieve these goals in a purely enjoyable way?  And if this information is wrong, then what other information that we’ve been assuming as fact and basing our decisions on, is also wrong?  What possibilities are really out there for us?   Asking ourselves these and other questions may be the best way to start off the new year and may even lead us to better ways of achieving our goals.

In the course of researching the current state of our food supply, it quickly became evident to me that much of the information we get from mainstream media is either not entirely accurate (if not completely wrong) or incomplete.  And if we dig a little deeper, much of this mis-information can often be traced back to sources promoting their own particular interest.   So if we want the accurate information we need in order to create the changes we want, it is up to each one of us to look into and determine this for ourselves and to stop blindly relying on mainstream media and those in positions of authority to dictate that information to us.

This is the focus of our hope for the New Year, that 2012 will be a year for questions and answers and that we all start taking a closer look at the information we’ve been given and accepted as fact,  including the belief that our current food supply is completely safe, that our drinking water is completely safe, that those in positions of authority are always working in and looking after our best interest…  Only once we have accurate information will we be in a better position to create the positive and lasting changes we seek and to better react to the not-so-positive changes that occur around us.

So Happy New Year to everyone, and may 2012 be a question-filled and informative year for us all!

We’d like to begin by thanking all of our customers for their support in 2011 and helping us make this a great year!  We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again in 2012 and provide you with more green gift options and even more information that will help you to make informed decisions about the benefits of purchasing and consuming green products.

Just to clarify here, because the term “green” gets tossed around quite a bit nowadays, when we refer to food, skin care and clothing as “Green”, we mean that they were made with the highest quality organic and gmo-free ingredients.  When we refer to durable giftware items as “Green”, we mean exquisite  items that were made in a sustainable way ie. using recycled or upcycled materials, that were fair traded or hand crafted.

Our foundational belief is that green can not only be as luxurious, stylish and indulgent as conventional products, but is also superior because of the additional attention that goes into making sure that these products cause no harm to our health or to the health of our planet.

One of our goals at Fresh Unlimited is to raise awareness about the increasing number of high quality green alternatives that are available to consumers.   It is now entirely possible to live a greener life without depriving ourselves of the little, or even bigger luxuries we’ve become accustomed to, and we hope to inspire you to seek out these green options in all aspects of your life wherever possible.

With this goal in mind, we will be adding, in the new year, a new category to our current green gifts collection, one for Exotic Ingredients and Superfoods, a few of which can now be seen in our Wellness Collection and in our Gourmet Collection.  This category will feature premium quality ingredients that not only provide rich and intoxicating flavors, but also a high level of nutrients, which unfortunately are sorely lacking in much of the conventional foods that are available to us today.

The love of good food is one that we all share across the globe but there is a prevailing belief that decadent foods can’t also be good for us.  Now, this may be true if we are talking about conventional foods that are grown in dead soils, laden with toxic chemical residues from pesticides and herbicides and then supplemented with chemical and synthetic additives intended to increase their shelf life and add flavors so that food manufactures can meet their desired profit margins.  But if we look to foods that were grown in nutrient rich soils without pesticides and herbicides, as most superfoods are, and were then processed without chemical and synthetic additives, it becomes entirely possible to indulge in decadent and more flavorful foods that are also good for us.

The best of both worlds is possible: eating well, exploring and enjoying new and favorite flavors all while consuming the health enhancing nutrients our bodies so desperately crave.  And this is what our Exotic Ingredients and Superfoods Collection will help you to do.  Now that holds great promise for the new year!
Happy 2012!

If you’re looking for a cocktail to serve during the festivities this holiday season, the Organic Goji Berry Vodka Martini is a perfect option.  It’s festive, delicious and potentially nutritious, thus the benefits!  Though we’re not making any health claims, alcohol is known to extract nutrients and Goji Berries are packed full of nutrients.  There is a reason why they are considered the number one food in the Traditional Chinese Medicine system.  Soaking the Organic Goji Berries in the Organic Vodka allows the vodka to take in the various nutrients found in the goji berries, so the longer you can let them soak, the better – a few hours is good but overnight is better!

What you end up with is a tart, yet slightly sweet refreshing cocktail.  The color makes it perfect for the holiday season but it’s also a refreshing option on those hot summer days!

Let us know what you think if you get a chance to try it!

If you’d like more information on the health benefits of goji berries you can check here and here

Goji Berries are currently available on our site as part of our Super Foods Collection but will soon be available on their own here.

Here is the recipe for easy printing
Ingredients for the full recipe
12 oz or 375 ml your favorite Organic Vodka
½ C Organic Goji Berries
6 oz of Cointreau
3 cups of Organic Pomegranate Juice
3 cups of Organic Cranberry Juice
3/4 cup Organic Lime Juice
Small Ice Cubes (preferably made with spring or filtered water)

Prep Work:
Pour the Vodka into a glass pitcher and add in the Goji Berries. Let the Goji Berries soak in the Vodka for at least a few hours but overnight is best.

Strain the Vodka Goji Berry mixture and set some of the goji berries aside for the Martini.

Put 2 oz of the Vodka Goji Berry mixture into a shaker or container with a cover.
Add in:
½ oz of Cointreau
½ cup of Organic Pomegranate Juice
½ cup of Organic Cranberry Juice
2 Tbsp of Organic Lime Juice
Ice Cubes

Shake well
Pour into 2 martini glasses

Repeat till all the mixture is used.

And please, when consuming alcohol, always remember to drink responsibly!
Cheers!

Well, Halloween’s over and that can only mean one thing… the holiday season is now underway and with it come the invitations to the various festivities and parties.  Now is a great time to look into hostess gifts (and host gifts), especially for those last minute invitations.

Hostess gifts don’t have to be elaborate, but it ultimately depends on the occasion and whether an overnight stay is involved.  When it comes to holiday parties, however, hostess gifts are usually a small gesture of appreciation for being welcomed into someone’s home.

Wine remains one of the more popular hostess gifts.  According to many sources, wine consumption is growing in North America, with the US now the world’s largest market for wine by volume (source: Gomberg-Fredrikson), though Canada’s per capital consumption is a bit higher than that of the US.  Wine consumers are also becoming more knowledgeable and more adventurous with an increasing interest in the different varieties of wine from different geographical locations.  This presents an excellent opportunity for Hostess Gifts, particularly when it comes to Organic wines.  There are now a number of excellent organic wine options and at varying price levels including some great local Organic wines such as Frog Pond Farms in Ontario, Summerhill Pyramid Winery in BC and Bonterra in the US.  There are also a great number of excellent organic wines worldwide.

Spirits are also an appropriate gift and it is becoming increasingly easier to find Organic versions of spirits, especially vodka.  Here are a few options

Organic Vodka:

Tru Organic Vodka
Square One 
Rain Vodka

Organic Tequila

Azunia Platinum
Casa Noble Crystal Tequila 

Puro Verde Estate Bottled Tequila

Organic Gin

Organic Nation
Schramm Gin 

Organic Rum

Crusoe Organic Rum 

Organic Whisky

Pemberton Valley Single Mart Whisky
Bruichladdich Single Malt 

Food Gifts

Food gifts, whether homemade or gift baskets are also a good option for a hostess gift, but etiquette states that the recipient should not be expected to serve the food gift as part of the celebration.  Rather it should be clear to the recipient that it is intended solely for their enjoyment and left completely at their discretion whether or not to serve it.   Our Fresh Unlimited Organic Gift Baskets Collection features a number of great options for hostess gifts, from our Coffee Bliss gift basket to a more elaborate Distinctive Gourmet Gift Baskets.  Simple gourmet foods items are also excellent ideas, particularly for those who love to cook such as our Pink Himalayan Salt Gift Set or our Organic Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar Set.

Decor

Other great alternatives for hostess gifts include items that would add a touch of beauty to the host’s home without overwhelming their decor.  Our Tres’Or Beeswax Candle Cube Trio would add a nice touch of ambiance to any setting while our Glycerine Soap Trio, (three glycerine cubes in a translucent green and a translucent purple), would add a great touch of beauty and color!

For more ideas, check out our entire selection of green gifts at www.freshunlimited.com

We’ve just put the new video for our Swans Island Organic Baby Blankets up on the site.

These are heirloom quality blankets that have been hand loomed with the softest certified organic merino wool and are sure to provide warmth and comfort to that brand new life being welcomed into the world.  As in true artisanal fashion, the quality and love infused in the creation of these blankets will ensure they last for generations to come!

Blankets can be ordered as is or can also be monogrammed.  When it comes to caring for your blanket, Swans Island provides a cleaning service where they will wash your blanket with organic soap, block it and dry it.  They can also repair and depill blankets if needed.  Fees vary based on the work in question.   Swans Island can be contacted at 1 888 526 9526. Another option is to have your blanket professionally dry cleaned.

Swans Island blankets are the standard for luxury heirloom sustainable blankets. The wool is obtained from sustainably raised sheep, including Merino sheep that have been raised according to organic standards. The organic merino wool is used for the baby blankets along with one of Swans Island’s line of throws, their men’s and women’s scarves as well as women’s wraps.

Check out our selection or organic blankets and throws as well as other green gifts!

I didn’t. Just another of the food industry’s secrets that are beginning to be uncovered one by one. I recently learned that before farms were mechanized, all grains from which the different flours are made, including wheat, were left out in the fields for longer periods and ended up sprouting naturally. The end result, once the crop was finally harvested was that the flour that was made from these grains was all sprouted flour. But since farms became mechanized, the grains are harvested much faster and so this natural sprouting process is not allowed to occur.

Now you might be asking why should I care if my flour is sprouted or not but it appears that it’s a pretty big deal. According to the To Your Health Sprouted Flour Co. “Sprouting neutralizes enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid, which is a substance present in the bran of all grains that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.” Also, when grains are sprouted more nutrients are produced so the resulting flour will contain higher levels of vitamin C, vitamin B, carotenes and enzymes that aid in digestion. It’s even been said that sprouted grains digest more like vegetables than the grains we’ve been given.

Sprouted flours can be used exactly as regular flours and can be used to make breads, pastas, and all baked and non-baked goods. Sprouted flours are also said to have a milder taste than unsprouted flours.

So all this time we’ve been given yet another inferior product ie. bread made with unsprouted flour, one that has little or no nutrition, that’s difficult to digest, that has potentially lead to food sensitivities including gluten and wheat intolerances when all along we could have been eating decadent better tasting breads and pastas and baked goods that actually provide us with real nutrients.

Good thing there are companies like To Your Health Sprouted Four Co, Summers Sprouted Flour Co and Anita’s Organic in Canada to provide us with access to these flours. But I’m also finding there are some companies starting to create products with sprouted flour including pretzels and pastas. Hopefully you’ll soon be able to see pasta made with sprouted flour included in our Fresh Unlimited gifts, especially our Italian Gourmet gifts!

You can have your cake and eat it too!

It’s been confirmed, George Clooney and Brad Pitt will be among the list of celebrities attending this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. I wonder if they decided to take part to get an invite to Norman Jewison’s annual TIFF BBQ and auction so they can bid on our Fresh Unlimited green celebration package. Both are, after all, known to lean towards the green side, George Clooney with his electric Tesla Roadster and Brad Pitt’s involvement with environmental architecture and design. Our green gift would be an excellent souvenir of their TIFF experience and, all funds raised help out the Canadian Film Center in promoting Canadian film talent. What better incentive for any film maker!

Regardless of whether or not they’re able to make it to the auction, we look forward to their film screenings. George Clooney has two films showing at TIFF, the North American premier of The Ides of March and the world premier of The Descendants, while Brad Pitt’s Moneyball will be making its world premier here.

… and click here if you want a peek at our green gifts selections!

If you‘re a coffee lover, then this is for you (unless you love your coffee black, of course). I’ve been searching for a non-dairy creamer for a while now, one that would make my coffee taste as decadent as the half and half cream I’d become accustomed to using. I tried almond milk, rice milk and even hemp milk but all of them were just too watery and added absolutely no decadence to my coffee at all.

I finally figured it out and here is the recipe below. I realized that what likely made the cream so good was its fat content and so I decided to try blending coconut oil into the almond milk. A couple of little tweaks later and voila! Perfection! This creamer is so good, I often find myself having an extra cup of coffee… but the ingredients in the creamer are super nutritious so I’m hoping that makes up for the extra coffee

If you get a chance to try it, let us know how you like it!

You can find the printable version of this recipe on our site in our Superfoods Collection here