"Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first." - Ernestine Ulmer

Hi, I'm Jennifer Trecartin and I'm a chocoholic.

Yes, it's true: a holistic nutritionist and a chocolate addict all wrapped into one and I am not afraid to show it. Luckily, I have figured out a way to feel guilt-free when I discovered the magic of raw chocolate. Raw chocolate is a whole world apart from the cooked chocolates you find in candy bars, cakes and cookies. It is also known as Therobroma Cacao, which literally means "Food of the Gods".



Chocolate Cream Pie

This is the creamiest, richest, AND healthiest pie I have yet to create. There are over 25,200 antioxidants in every spoonful of raw cacao powder so you don't have to feel guilty when asking for seconds!

Crust:

1 cup almonds
1 cup pecans OR walnuts
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted (approximately 10) OR 1 cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon OR 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cardamom and 1/4 tsp ginger powder

Place the nuts and spices in a food processor fitted with the "s" blade and process until finely ground. Add the dates and process until well combined. Press the mixture into a deep 9 inch pie plate evenly along the bottom and sides. Once you have sculpted the crust, chill it in the fridge of freezer to set while you make the I've-died-and-gone-to-heaven chocolate cream filling.

Filling:

2 avocados, pitted and diced
1 banana, peeled and sliced
18 Medjool dates, pitted
2 tsp of real vanilla extract OR powder
1/2 cup cacao powder

Place the filling in the pie crust and use the back side of your spoon or a spatula to spread it around and to make it look pretty. Put it in the freezer to set for about an hour. While you wait, give me a call and I will be over to enjoy a slice ASAP!

Hugs and chocolate,
Jennifer xo

Cookie Heaven

These protein rich cookies are a dream! You will most likely have all of the ingredients on hand and they take about 20 mins to make from start to finish. Bonus points- they are free of gluten, eggs, and dairy and still taste like a real cookie! I think the Cookie Monster will even approve of these little morsels.

Ingredients:
(makes 8 cookies)

1 cup ground nuts (I used almonds today, but pecans and walnuts also work well.)

½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp allspice
**Use any or all of the spices listed as you see fit. I am the kind of girl that does a sprinkle of this and a dash of that. Let me know if you come up with any great combinations!**

¼ cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract or a ½ tsp of real vanilla powder

Method:

Mix dry the ground nuts and spices together in a bowl. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and stir until everything is well combined. Drop in teaspoons on a baking sheet. Bake at 300’ for 12-15 minutes. Be sure to let the cookies cool before attempting to move them or they will just crumble and fall apart.

Also, for my dear friends with nut allergies: I have tried these using sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead and they were equally as tasty. Hooray! Life is good.

Enjoy, and don't worry about feeling too guilty if you end up eating the whole batch!

Health and happiness,
Jennifer xo

"Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet." – Bob Marley

Hello summer! Finally, a sunny Saturday in Vancouver. My edible advice of the week is to kick back and relax with this delicious and refreshing drink:

Creamsicle Smoothie
Makes approximately 2.5 cups

- 1/2 cup filtered water
- 1 cup cantaloupe
- 1 orange
- 1 banana

Wash and peel the fruits. Remove the seeds of the cantaloupe. Blend all of the ingredients together until you've reached creamy smooth consistency. This also makes a great frozen treat if you pour the smoothie into a Popsicle mold and freeze for a few hours. Divine!

Your vitamin C, A and B6 stores will thank you as these tropical treats are rich in all three. Now get out and enjoy the gorgeous sunshine and enjoy the good life!

Love and laughter,
Jennifer xo

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Ok, so I was having a relatively not-so-great day until my recent discovery. I am so excited to share, my little fingers can't type fast enough! My girlfriend had mentioned in passing that she had been treated to this delicious chocolate mousse and that she would share the recipe soon. She let me know it was simple, healthy and that the secret ingredient was avocado. Sounds too good to be true, right? WRONG! I have no idea if this is the same recipe because my chocolate cravings got the best of me this morning and I opened my fridge to an avocado that needed to be eaten today. Serendipitous! So, I put on my lab coat and started experiementing and here it is folks, a healthy chocolate mouse to live for! Voilà, My Edible Advice of the day:

Chocolate Avocado Mousse

1 avocado

8 Medjool dates, chopped

1/4 cup cocao powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the real deal vanilla bean if you are fancy and wealthy

Place all ingredients in food processor. Blend, blend, blend – scraping sides when necessary – until smooth.

That’s it! I don't know, I suppose it makes 2-3 servings but I am sitting here typing and eating it directly from the food processor and I am nearly done. Oops! You can't judge, it is totally healthy.

Enjoy,

Jennifer xoxo

A healthy brownie?!

It is true! Dust off your food processor and blend the following:

-10 Medjool dates, pits removed
-1 cup of raw pecans
-1/4 cup of raw cacao (not a typo )
-vanilla bean powder, or a splash of vanilla extract will do the trick

Roll the mixture into truffles as shown above or form into a brownie shape and let it set in the fridge for as long as you can handle. I often find myself eating the "dough" straight from the food processor! For a more professional presentation you can top with fresh berries and a dusting of cacao powder or shredded coconut.

Enjoy,

Jennifer