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    three things | the raw review

    Posted by Tanya Maher ·

    three things | the raw review

    A guest post by Michelle Aurora Hebbard.

    I get pretty darn excited about earth sourced foods and healthy snacking. I’ve been known to squeal in grocery stores on discovering aisles of healthy snacks and raw chocolates, I plan whole trips overseas around visiting raw food cafes just to taste their delicacies (and by delicacies I mean sweet treats), and I fan-girl pretty much any brand that is out there doing their bit to bring more plant based tasty goodness to the world!

    So I’m super excited to share with you what I’m digging right now in the world of plant based living…

     

    OM Bar Centres (where have you been all my life?)

    If you're anything like me on entering the raw food world you looked for ways to replicate your favourite childhood food with a raw healthy version.
    When I was a child I was mad about Cadbury's Roses chocolates. And not just any of them, but specifically the strawberry flavoured ones. There started my life long passion for chocolate combined with berry flavours.
    When I discovered OM Bar Chocolate I was immediately taken with their Strawberry Mylk bar. It took creamy to a whole new level in raw chocolate, with the sweet tart taste of strawberries I adore. Then came the Blueberry + Acai bar with its tart snap along side the rich raw cacao flavour.
    But recently those bars were trumped by the Raspberry & Coconut Centres bar. The closest thing to my childhood chocolate love, this bar is literally an Oh My Yummm experience. OM Bar have taken what is already an amazing chocolate bar and put a filling in it and made it extra wonderful! And they put a really pretty wrapper on it too - see it pictured below (right) next to my previous favourite.
    FullSizeRender (5)
    I've heard that there are other flavours in the OM Bar Centres range. Personally I wouldn't know, I've found my one and only and I'm sticking with it.
    Wanna know the best part? It's full of amazing nutrient rich ingredients so I don't even have to feel naughty!
    Organic ingredients: coconut cream*, coconut sugar*, raw cacao*, coconut oil*, cocoa butter*, raspberry powder*, ground vanilla powder*. *certified organic. Cocoa solids 60% minimum.
    Oh yeah!
    Immerse yourself in the world of nutrient rich chocolate here >> www.ombar.co.uk

    Nobo Icecream (a love story)

    One day in late November there was a report of snow on the horizon in my lovely town of Hove. I love it when it snows. I love it in the way that only an Australian can who grew up wondering what White Christmases were like.
    'It won't snow here, we live too close to the sea' my house mate assures me. I hope she's wrong.
    The day before the expected arrival of those dainty white flakes it was the coldest it had been all year. I could almost taste the snow in the air. I was pumped. 'It's going to snow, it's going to snow I just know it.'
    But on the morning of the next day my iPhone had converted the sweet little snow flake icon on my weather app to cloudy and rainy. What a disappointment.
    My house mate was not surprised, but on seeing my dismay she returned from the shop with a bounty of delicious ice cream. And this ain't just any kind of ice cream. It's the kind that leaves you feeling like you've just given yourself a mouthful of heaven. It's the kind that lets you forget that winter isn't for eating ice cream, and reminds you that good exists in this world when you can eat something so truly delicious which also just happens to be nutritious as well. It's even the kind of ice cream that makes you forget that it didn't snow...
    Introducing Nobo.

     

    Meaning no cow in Irish, this total deep freezer supermarket find has become our weekly staple for soothing anything that may not go our way.

    Made only with coconut milk and avocado it’s naturally dairy and gluten free, and just yummy beyond words. Aaaand they have a ridiculously amazing selection of flavours too, like Irish Salted Caramel, Chocolate and Toasted Almond and Vanilla and Coconut. Win, win, winner!

    Nobo is what I’ve raved about most this year, and I simply can’t wait until Summer to fill my freezer with it. Or rather, to not to be considered weird for eating it when I’m wrapped up in a scarf and thermals.

    Drool over their awesome flavours here >> www.nobo.ie

     

    POSITIVITEA (A POSITIVELY DELIGHTFUL EXPERIENCE)

    Have you ever wanted to combine your love of chakra cleansing with your love of tea?

    In all honesty I hadn’t thought of combining the two until I came across Ellie and her beautiful brand of Positivitea chakra inspired herbal blends. And then I was like: ‘why didn’t I think of this before!? It’s brilliant.’

    As someone who has been fascinated by chakras since reading Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss I relish every chance to learn more about my own energy system and how to cleanse and strengthen it.

    So I promptly purchased a tester pack (because I have so much difficulty picking just one favourite chakra) and I embarked on a 7 day chakra cleanse.

    Each of the teas have life affirming words that connect with the colour, and the nature of that chakra, which is just so uplifting in itself.

    2015_1_24_positivitea-15-webres

    There are various ways that you can do a chakra cleanse, the key component as I understand it is to simply give each chakra ample attention and focus.

    Here are just a few examples:

    + Using a chakra meditation like this one from Belinda Davidson

    + Wearing the colour of that chakra that you’re celebrating that day

    + Drinking tea that embodies the essence of the chakra of the day (this is where Positiviteacomes in handy :))

    If you’re a big tea drinker I imagine that you could do all of the above and drink each of the 7 teas in the same day. But as someone who enjoys being slow and methodical I took it 1 chakra per day, starting with the root.

    Ellie has matched each tea to the chakras so that you can truly delight in the experience, and find your favourite.

    The result? A very self nurturing and loving experience with a sense of vibrancy and aliveness.

    I love this tea. It’s more than just a cup of tasty colourful loveliness to warm me, it reminds me how alive I am. But I’m still trying to pick my favourite!

    Find your favourite here >> www.positivitea.london

     

    I hope you’ve enjoyed this bounty of nourishing treats.

    6013-michelle-hebbard-print-A4-www

    For more from Michelle Aurora Hebbard; green lover, smoothie aficionado, and hugging pro visit michelleaurorahebbard or connect with her on Insta @AuroraClementine

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    three things | the raw review

    Posted by 2 ·

    A guest post by Kelly Smith
    If there was ever a soppy lover of raw food and an insatiable bounty hunter for all things nutritious and wholesome - you've just found them on this page. For me, it doesn't get much better than raw food and warm afternoons - preferably the two together but as long as there's raw food in the world and special people to help give it a platform, I'll be there with my trusty lasso.
    I'm super excited and delighted to share with you my recent experience with some highly nutritious raw food snacks and treats that I had the privilege of lassoing :)  Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments about any of these goodies.
    Love & Light,
    Kelly :)
     
    I was really excited to try these super-raw, dehydrated Reishi Crackits for the first time as I had been reading about tonic mushrooms and their mega, immune-boosting properties.
    These particular crackits are flavoured with tangy onion, black pepper and herbs and boy, are they a heady treat for the senses - as I was to find when I got inside the packet.
    On smell, they have a sweet, smoky fragrance which I found particularly appealing. On texture, you get a nice soft chewy crunch which won't disturb your work colleagues or make you have to turn up the TV mid-munch. On taste, all those added flavours really do sizzle without being overpowering or leaving that unpleasant onion-taste in your mouth - most important if you're working around others!
    Particularly note-worthy though is how nutritionally-dense these babies are. You'll find little gems such as almonds, sunflower seeds, carrots, courgettes, chia seeds and flax seeds - all packed tightly into a single crackit. Eating this variety of nuts and seeds in a compact cracker makes getting your daily protein and omegas so much more easier - I love that.
     
    It gets better as these heavenly offerings are not only nutritiously raw but also vegan, wheat-free and soy-free. I'm a big snacker and am always seeking out healthy alternatives to biscuits and crisps. I definitely found it in the humble, nimble crackit.
    Revered as 'King of the Fruits' in South-East Asian countries, though probably better known for its somewhat funky aroma.
    I was extremely excited to try Durian for the first time, having absolutely no reference point for its taste, texture or smell but having read about its reputation as a vitamin and mineral-rich treat.
    Living in a distinctly non-tropical climate (boo hoo) means it's very rare to find fresh Durian, so to be able to try the dried variety is the best I could hope for.
    The golden jagged-edge pieces of this fruit mimic little shards of honeycomb - even down to its light, crunchy texture. Although the smell and taste bear no resemblance whatsoever. That's where Durian is in a class of its own. It has the most surprising taste - it's definitely not unpleasant - but it might not be what you would expect from its appearance.
    Most tropically-grown fruit such as pineapples, mangoes and papayas are incredibly sweet to taste - even the dried out versions - but I didn't feel this was the case with dried Durian. Maybe it started out a little on the sweet side but as you get into the chew, this unique savoury flavour begins to take over.
    I would even go so far as to describe the flavour as onion-like. I hope that doesn't put you off trying it! Just to be certain I wasn't going mad though, I asked some of my family members to try the Durian for themselves to see what they thought. Without my even mentioning the onion taste, everyone immediately said it had a soft onion flavour that was very savoury and enjoyable.
    So there you have it - a tropical fruit that tastes like a savoury vegetable. Well, sort of. Try it for yourself and see what you think.
    To fully appreciate the breadth of this super-fruit, allow me to quickly run through some of its vital statistics for you.
    1. Natural multivitamin - super loaded with vitamin C, calcium, potassium, thiamin and vitamin B6. That all means that you'll benefit from increased energy and metabolism (hooray), a reinforced immune system (bye, bye bad guys) and a reduction in tiredness and fatigue (now you're talking).
    2. Rich in Fibre - astonishingly, Baobab is 50% fibre, half of which is soluble - easier to digest.
    3. High in Antioxidants - Baobab really takes the prize here. It contains one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any fruit in the world! It has five times the antioxidants of Acai berries and twice that of Goji berries. Wow. Impressed? I clearly am.
    So how does it taste? When I got round to experimenting with this super-friendly super-fruit, I first diluted it into some pure distilled water to get the full impact. I was pleased to discover a very lemony, almost sherbet-like taste which was enjoyable and easy to drink.
    You could easily combine this powder with items in your regular juice or smoothie. I did this several times by mixing it with a combination of bananas, spinach, lemons and parsley. Whilst it's harder to pick out the delicate taste of the Baobab when its surrounded by other flavours, just knowing it was there and giving me a nutrient boost was sweet enough.
    This super-fruit even tastes good all by itself. I've taken to scooping my finger into the powder and enjoying it totally neat - as if my finger was a replacement piece of liquorice in those much-loved sherbet dips. I think I've come to enjoy those tangy tongue tingling sensations a little too much. So there you have it: three things, all raw, all delicious. Look forward to posting more reviews here very soon... Happy munching :)

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    three things | the raw review

    Posted by 2 ·

    A guest post by Michelle Aurora Hebbard...
    I am a raw enthusiast, urban green lover, smoothie slurper and a grateful explorer of conscious awakening, and life. I will try anything once... so long as it is kind to our bodies, kind to each other and kind to our planet :) The thoughts I have shared in this review are a compilation of what I totally dig right now in the world of raw. I hope you enjoy, and most importantly go out and find out for yourself and let me know your thoughts!

    Hellllooooo my new favourite raw snack!

    InSpiral Raspberry Maca Kale Chips 

    Wow! Oh my gosh! Snacks shouldn’t taste this good! The moment I placed a delicate Raspberry Maca kale chip in my mouth I was blown away by how fruity they are, in fact they’re almost juicy. The decadent combination of kale, raspberry, maca, coconut palm sugar and cacao butter is kind of like crunchy, juicy and melty heaven all in one, and the unusual combination of a vegetable with a sweet coating is like nothing I have ever tried before. But I like it, I really like it! The alchemists at InSpiral have really outdone themselves. I do believe I have found my new nutrient abundant treat AND my new way of enticing friends to join me in eating raw! Now the only question is how am I ever going to stop myself from eating them? No need, I just bought myself two more tubs! You have to try these for yourself to really get what I mean.

    More fun than I expected from a box!

    Choc Chicos Cheeky Chocolate Kits for Kids

     
    I don’t have any little ones running around me here in my very urban home in East London, but this box was so cute and contained such a delightful kit to make quick, easy and healthy chocolate I couldn’t resist. So I had a fun Sunday afternoon chocolate making workshop knowing that I was the only one to lick the spoon! It really couldn’t be more easy to make raw chocolate at home. The packets are all easily labeled, perfectly measured (something I have a challenge with normally figuring out how much solid cacao butter turns into the melted variety I need), and the whole thing is designed to be quick, fun and low level mess. The instructions are super easy, and everything I needed was provided including little paper cups to pop the chocolates in. I decided to use my chocolate mould, and also added some vanilla powder and hazelnuts.
    If you’re wondering if your kids will go for raw chocolate let me tell you that the smell of the melting cacao butter alone will be enough to send your kids wild! I was drooling just from that, and it was only the first step! I love that Choc Chic gives you more cacao powder than you need with a sweet little tip on how to make yourself some hot chocolate with it! What a yummy idea, don’t mind if I do. I love this box! It’s definitely not just for kids, but I know what I’ll be getting my nieces for Easter this year.
     

    Oohoo I finally got a chance to try out the beast –

    Tribest's Green Star Elite jumbo twin gear masticating juicer.

     
    Up until now I have been a centrifugal gal so this is pretty exciting stuff, and this is the crème del a crème of this kind of juicer! Masticating juicers break through cellulose to get you all the nutrients from the vegetables and fruit, and the two spirals in this Green Star juicer really mash through the fibre to get you the goodness! Meaning that you can consume lots of veg in a really easy to digest way. Double yay! I love how quiet it is, and as I added the kale, cucumber, melon, ginger and apple the aroma of the juice touched my nostrils in the most delightful way. It only has a small opening so you need to chop things into small chunks and be patient as you ease each piece in gently. It is easy to clean as long as you do it straight away so the juice doesn’t set. It’s a beautiful machine and I can see what all the hype is about. If you’re ready for a serious, nutrient preserving juicer, which produces maximum juice and the driest pulp, Green Star Elite could just be what you’re looking for! When I started my raw journey I was always wondering what the difference between smoothies and juices was. If you’re wondering too check out Tanya’s Blog on this very subject here.
    Have a beautiful February. Green hugs and sunshine, Michelle Aurora x

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