Chocolate lowers blood pressure 

 It’s packed with compounds called flavanols — compounds like epicatechin, catechin and procyanidins, which are extracted from cacao beans and are thought to be responsible for the formation of nitric acid in the body. Nitric acid, in turn, serves to relax blood vessel walls and lower pressure. 
100% Cocoa powder would be better than chocolate bars because it is minimally processed and contains no sugar or additives. . When choosing chocolate go  for 70% and above. 

Oreo Cake 

A  super delicious chocolate oreo cake. Gluten-free grain-free egg-free dairy-free and no sugar added chocolate cake with a cashew coconut frosting. A secretly healthy chocolate cake that you won't feel guilty about eating!

Ingredients (these are for one layer and  you need to make 2 layers) so make sure you have double of everything listed.  The author says it is easier for her to make one layer at a time. You do whatever you like. 

• 2 green-yellow plantains ( 8oz weighed raw, about 1 1/3 cups plantain cut into large cubes)
• 1/2 cup applesauce (4 oz)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid (2 oz)
• 2 tablespoons coconut butter (1 1/4 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
• 4 tablespoons protein powder (1 oz)
• 2/3 cup raw cacao powder (2 1/2oz)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and chop up plantain.
3. Place coconut oil, coconut butter, plantain and applesauce into vitamix blender
4. Blend together.
5. Next add in baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, protein powder and cocoa powder.
6. Blend until everything is well blended and smooth.
7. Lightly grease a 9 in circle cake pan.
8. Pour cake batter into pan.
9. Set aside while you make the second layer.
10. Make second cake - place ingredients in blender and blend.
11. Pour into the second 9 in circle cake pan that has been greased.
12. Bake in oven for about 25 minutes.
13. Make frosting while cakes bake.
14. Let cool in pans before removing.
15. Carefully remove from pans.
16. Spread the frosting on one of the cakes.
17. Carefully top the second cake on top.

And for substitutes:

For the plantains you can use a GREEN unripe banana.

For the protein powder we used hemp protein. You can use any protein powder just know it might change the flavor and texture.or gluten free flour. 

For the coconut butter you can use any nut or seed butter.

Frosting Recipe
• 1/4 cup coconut butter
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• few drops of stevia (we did about 8 drops)

Recipe: Homemade Butter with a stand mixer

Summary: It takes just minutes to whip up this batch of homemade butter (& buttermilk) in your stand mixer! or if your feeling very frugal - you can put it in a mason jar and shake for 20- 25 minutes (you do not have to shake very hard just shake- can take a short rest also) _ you can also freeze it! 

Ingredients

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Pour cream into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add salt. Cover mixer with a towel–trust me on this one, it will be messy! Turn mixer on high.
2. Continue mixing, checking on mixture frequently. It will first turn to whipped cream, then begin to get grainy and separate into butter and buttermilk, and the splashing will get much worse. The butter is ready when it sticks in a clump to the paddle.
3. Place a colander over a bowl, then strain the buttermilk off of the butter.
4. Using your hands or a spatula, press out excess buttermilk under cold running water until water runs clear. Shape into stick or ball. Butter will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. Serve with bread and enjoy!

Preparation time: 30 minute(s)

Cooking time:

Number of servings (yield): Approximately 1 pound of butter + 2 1/2 cups of buttermilk

Read more at http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2013/02/18/how-to-make-homemade-butter-in-a-stand-mixer/#u6SLGddDkFGqxtPm.99

TOMATO BASIL PARMESAN SOUP

 

Author: Jen@CarlsbadCravings.com

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 stalks celery
• 4 medium carrots
• ½ large onion
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (14.5 oz.) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
• 4 cups chicken stock (pacific)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup flour (Pamela or other gluten free brand)
• 2 cups half and half, heavy cream or milk (or a combination) (organic)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 
  Garnish
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic to a food processor and pulse until finely minced (or mince by hand).
2. Heat oil in a 4 qt. soup pot. Add minced vegetables and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add basil, oregano, bay leaf, tomatoes, and chicken broth.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until carrots are tender.
5. While soup simmers, melt butter over low heat; add flour and cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Slowly stir in 1 cup hot soup. Add another 3 cups of hot soup and stir until smooth. Add soup/flour mixture back into soup pot. Simmer, stirring constantly, until soup begins to thicken.
6. Add Parmesan cheese and whisk to blend. Stir in warmed half and half/cream/milk, salt and pepper. Simmer an additional 15-20 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. Remove bay leaf and serve. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).

NOTES

Bryers New ice creams not ice cream

YES! I am having reactions (I have not consumed Bryers ice cream in awhile so I am noticing the new changes.....UGH ) Well be researching homemade ice cram makers in the near future...although I do not eat ice cream often hubby loves it and its 100 degrees outside ;) 

• Breyers was bought by Unilever. Everything has changed.
• Natural Flavors can mean anything and can be changed at any time and the company does not have to disclose what the natural ingredient is. 
• Legally natural ingredient can be a natural substance that can be manipulated in the lab. These "franken" foods can cause major disturbances in people with sensitivities.

http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/breyers-ice-cream-changing-ingredients-on-some-flavors

When you think supermarket ice cream, many of us think Breyers for wholesome ingredients.

It has been making "all natural" ice cream -- with just five or six ingredients -- for generations.

But take a close look some new Breyers cartons. Some now have an ingredient list that's grown to a more than a dozen ingredients including mono and diglicerides, guar gum, carrageenen, and corn syrup.

Breyers says the change makes it have a smoother texture and says it contains less fat. The company also says the new formulation scores very well in taste tests.

Doesn't That Stink?

But from the "doesn't that stink" file, news that Breyers reformulation doesn't meet FDA standards for ice cream, according to the consumer website Mouseprint.org.Under federal law, to be called “ice cream”, a product must meet a certain standard of identity, which in this case requires that there be at least 10% milk fat in the product. That generally would come from the cream in the product. If the product does not meet the federal “recipe” for ice cream, it has to be called something else. In this case, they are calling it frozen dairy dessert which has no federal definition (other than it does not meet the standards to be called ice cream.)

Mouseprint reports that Breyers now has to call its new recipe " frozen dairy dessert" instead. 

WWW.truthinlabeling.org  (the label has changed even on the natural brands)

Recently, Good Humor-Breyers, producer of Breyers ice creams, eliminated "vanilla" from their list of ingredients and replaced it with "natural flavors."

We suspect that Good Humor-Breyers replaced "vanilla" with "vanillin" in order to save a little money, but even if they are now using "vanillin," an apparently safe ingredient for MSG-sensitive people, the term "natural flavor" is a suspect term for MSG-sensitive people and, in more cases than not includes some processed free glutamic acid (MSG). The content of "natural flavor" can change at any time without notice since congress has declared flavors and flavorings to be proprietary, and do not require disclosure by food companies.

One webpage said they knew something had changed when the cat would not even lick the empty bowl.  Maybe our animals should all become taste testers!