Tag Archives: low fat

by | May 9, 2013

Nettle Soup with Ginger and Miso

Well, I haven’t had any success growing vegetables in my garden yet, but I have an abundance of nettles that are happily growing there ;)

Nettles

What many people don’t realise is that nettles are actually a ‘super food’, packed to the brim with nutrients.

“High in potassium, iron, sulphur, vitamin C, vitamin A and B complex vitamins nettles provide a high amount of dense nutrition with very little calories. The sulphur makes them great for the hair, skin, and nails. In addition, the tiny hairs, besides emitting histamine, also release serotonin and acetylcholine, two neurotransmitters that help to suppress appetite and also settle mood. Finally, nettles have gentle diuretic properties, which help relieve water weight gain, flush the body of toxins, and purify the blood”. [Source] 

 

Obviously you can’t eat nettles raw (unless you want to sting your mouth to pieces) but, by simply drenching them in boiling hot water, their sting is instantly removed and then they can be eaten just like other greens.

Nettle Leaf

One of our favourite ways to eat nettles is blended into a soup, flavoured with onion, garlic, ginger and miso.  We also like to include a large sweet potato in the soup, which adds a touch of sweetness as well as giving the soup a beautiful, silky smooth texture.

Just in case you haven’t come across miso before, it’s a Japanese soybean paste that has this wonderful, rich savory flavour that makes it perfect for soups, sauces and gravies.  I’m currently using the Clearspring Japanese Organic Brown Rice Miso, which is available in the UK in Waitrose and Sainsbury supermarkets, as well as in health food stores. While the jar recommends that you store it in a cool, dark place, I keep my jar in the fridge and it’s lasted months!

Clearspring Brown Rice Miso

If you’ve never picked nettles before, here are a few tips:

  • Make sure you’re wearing gloves, a long sleeve top and trousers (long pants).
  • Use a pair of sharp scissors to snip off the top leaves from each stalk (about four leaves per stalk).  Before snipping, check the leaf to make sure there are no creatures or caterpillar eggs on it.
  • Place the leaves in a colander and thoroughly wash them under running water (remember to keep your gloves on).
  • If you’re using the nettles in a soup, there’s no need to soak them in boiling water first.  Simply chop them up (still wearing your gloves) and add them to the pan.

Nettle Leaves

If you’re not fortunate enough to have a patch of free nettles growing in your vicinity, you can replace them with another green, such as kale or chard.  It’ll taste just as nice ;)

Nettle Soup with Ginger & Miso

While it’s not the prettiest soup in the world, it tastes delicious!  Lil’ L can vouch for this.  It’s his current favourite soup, and he loves taking a flask to school for his lunch once a week.  In fact, last week, he asked if he could have it for his lunch two days on the trot.  I really hope other children enjoy it as much as he does!

Here’s the recipe:

Serves: 4

Hands-on time: 10 minutes    Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 x 2.5cm / 1 inch piece of fresh or frozen ginger*, finely grated (or add more if you would like a spicier soup)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
78g / 2¾ oz / 3 packed cups nettle leaves, roughly chopped
825ml / 28 fl oz / 3½ cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp miso

* I always buy root ginger in bulk, peel it (by scraping off the skin with a metal spoon), then freeze it in 1 inch pieces.  It lasts for weeks in the freezer and I find it’s easier to grate when frozen.

Suggested toppings:
handful of lightly toasted sesame seeds
handful of pumpkin seeds, lightly fried in olive oil
red chilli, finely diced

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and ginger. Reduce the heat, add the sweet potato and nettles, cover and leave to sweat for 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the potato has softened (about 15 minutes). Allow the soup to cool slightly, then stir in the miso paste.  Blend the soup until completely smooth, using a jug or hand blender.  Add more stock, if needed.  Return the soup to the stove and gently heat through. Season, to taste.
  2. Serve the soup in warm bowls, with a sprinkling of sesame or pumpkin seeds. For small children, the seeds can be ground up in a coffee grinder and mixed into the soup before serving. Add some finely chopped red chilli, if desired, and serve with some warm, crusty bread.

Nettle Soup with Ginger & Miso

In addition to the nettles, we’ve had great success growing dandelions this year.  Dandelion pesto will be on the menu next week ;)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! xx

Are there any ‘weeds’ that you enjoy eating?  If you have any family recipes, please do share below :)

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by | April 19, 2013

Lanzarote 2013 & Three Ingredient Pineapple Cake

Hi everyone!

I’m back at long last!  Sorry I’ve been away so much longer than expected.  I hope you all had a wonderful Spring break.  While I’ve really valued my ‘unplugged’ time, I’ve been looking forward to my return to blogging world.  I’ve missed you guys!

So what have I been up to?  Well, over Easter, M, Lil’ L and I were very fortunate to escape the freezing cold weather in the UK and head to the Canary Island of Lanzarote.  It was wonderful to spend some quality time with my boys, without all the distractions and ‘busyness’ of life back home.

We enjoyed chilling out on the beach and at cafes, chatting, reading, playing card games and sketching (cartoon drawing was particularly popular this holiday!)

We’re huge fans of Cesar Manrique, and we loved spending time at the sites he designed, including Los Jameos del Agua, Jardin de Cactus and his own house (now a charitable foundation) which is situated in a lava field!

Lanzarote - Jardin de Cactus

Jardin de Cactus, Lanzarote

During the holiday, we also got to spend some quality time by ourselves.  M really enjoyed biking in the volcanic national park…

Biking in Lanzarote - 500

while I loved my daily runs along the coast path and meditation by the sea.

Meditating in Lanzarote 1 - 500

Lil’ L loved playing on the beach, rock climbing…

Playing on the Rocks in Lanzarote - 500

Lil' L at Los Jameos del Agua Lanzarote 2 - 500

and leaping!

Lil L at Los Jameos del Agua 2 Lanzarote - 500

However, in contrast to all this boisterous activity, sometimes you’d walk round the corner and find him meditating!

Lil' L Meditating in Lanzarote - 500

He also spent a lot of time reading.  He got through about seven books! (‘Big Nate’ was a popular read this holiday).

Beach Reading in Lanzarote - 500

We did some great walks along the coast and in the volcanic national park.  Away from the resorts and towns, you could easily start to feel like you were on another planet!

Lanzarote Volcanic National Park 2 - 500

To be honest, when I saw the newspaper headlines about the freezing temperatures and chilling winds in the UK, I wasn’t particularly looking forward to our return.  However, we seem to have brought the good weather back with us.  Perhaps Spring has finally arrived for sure (fingers crossed!)  I’m loving the lighter mornings and evenings too ♥

Inspired by the sunshine and warm weather, I chose to make a pineapple cake for my study class this week.  It was no ordinary cake though… it was fat free, dairy free and egg free!  A friend gave me the recipe a few years ago.  She’d spotted it in a newspaper, but I believe it was originally published by Kim and Rachael of the 4 Ingredients phenomenon.

Fat Free Pineapple Cake - 500 copy

Since it has no fat, its texture is different to other cakes, but it’s delicious none the less.  It’s one of my all-time favourite cakes and I’m happy to report that it got the thumbs up from my study group friends too :D

Here’s how to make it…

Three Ingredient Pineapple Cake

Serves: 12

Ingredients
250g / 8¾ oz / 1 2/3 cups self raising flour*
200g / 7 oz / 1 cup unrefined caster sugar
1 x 432g / 15 oz tin of crushed pineapple

* alternatively use plain (all purpose) or wholemeal (wholewheat) flour and 2 tsp baking powder.  I use chapatti atta flour, which is a very fine wholemeal flour, available in the UK from the world food aisles of Tesco and Asda.

Optional glaze
1-2 tbsp pineapple or tropical juice
2 tbsp granulated sugar

Method

  1. Grease a 22cm / 8½ inch cake tin and line the bottom with non stick baking paper.  Preheat the oven to 180c / 350F.
  2. Sift the flour (and baking powder) into a mixing bowl.  Stir in the sugar.  Add the pineapple (entire contents of the tin, including the juice).  Mix until just combined.  Bake in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.
  3. Optional glaze:  As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick it all over with a cocktail stick. Brush with juice and sprinkle on some granulated sugar.
  4. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge (or slice and freeze).

Fat Free Pineapple Cake 2 - 500 copy

I wonder if this cake will work with crushed mangoes too? I’m definitely going to have to give it a try ;)

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.  I hope the sun is shining wherever you are xx

Link of the day: Orange and Almond Cake

Orange & Almond Cake 2

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by | March 13, 2013

#WIAW Going Green: Watercress and Leek Soup & I ♥ Edamame Beans

Last Wednesday I was all set to publish a post on my current favourite lunches, including this beautiful Sweet Beet Soup…

Sweet Beet Soup

and this yummy wrap…

Seeded wholegrain tortilla with caramelised onion hummus, grated carrot, grated red cabbage, chopped raw beet root, sweet pickle, sunflower & hemp seeds

Seeded wholegrain tortilla with caramelised onion hummus, grated carrot, grated red cabbage, chopped raw beet root, sweet pickle, sunflower & hemp seeds

 

… when I discovered that the theme for this month’s WIAW parties is ‘Going Green’!  My choice of food colour was all wrong! :/

But no worries, I’m back this week with a recipe for a dish that’s very green indeed… Leek and Watercress Soup.  I’ve mentioned this soup a couple of times on the blog already as it’s one of Lil’ L’s all-time favourite soups.  He’s been eating it since he was a toddler!  A couple of my readers have requested the recipe and I do apologise for how long it’s taken me to get round to posting it.  I’ve got a serious backlog of recipes to post this year, but I’m slowly getting there!

Watercress & Leek Soup - 500 copy

For those of you that may be concerned that watercress is too peppery for kids, rest assured that when cooked in this soup, the pepperiness of the watercress becomes very subtle indeed.  The addition of potatoes contributes to the soup’s mild flavour, as well as giving it a lovely, creamy texture, without the need for milk or cream.

Here’s how I make it…

Watercress & Leek Soup

Serves 4
Hands on time: 10 minutes   Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
2-3 medium potatoes, chopped (only peel if the skin is thick). (Alternatively, use sweet potatoes for added nutrition and sweetness)
2 medium leeks, chopped
150g / 5½ oz / 3 cups watercress
1 litre / 35 fl oz / 4 cups vegetable stock
Finely chopped red pepper and sprinkling of lightly toasted flaked almonds and seeds (we love pumpkin seeds lightly fried in a little olive oil and raw hemp seeds), for garnish

Method

  1. Gently heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the leeks, potatoes and watercress, cover with a lid and allow to sweat on a low heat for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the stock, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer until the potato has softened (15-20 minutes).
  3. Allow the soup to cool slightly, before blending. If the soup is a little thick, add more stock. Return the soup to the stove and gently heat through.  Season with sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
  4. Garnish the soup with some flaked almonds, seeds and red pepper and serve in warm bowls with a slice or two of wholegrain bread.

And finally, before I go, I would just like to show you one of my latest green food obsessions…  Edamame (Soya) Beans!

edamame-beans-look-younger-14062011

[Source]

I can’t believe that I only discovered these beans last month! How on earth did it take me so long? My friend ordered them as a starter when we met for lunch in London and I proceeded to devour the whole bowl!

Back home in Bath, I’ve discovered that Waitrose sell fresh edamame beans on their sushi bar, and in bags in the frozen vegetable section.  I much prefer the unshelled beans.  There’s something really satisfying about popping them out.  Lil’ L loves them too, so I’ve been adding them to his lunch box as a ‘treat’ ;)

As well as being packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, soya beans are also a great source of protein.  If you’re interested in reading more about their health benefits, the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation have produced an informative 60 page booklet that’s available to download for free.

The Soya Story

I love the fact that even at my old age ;)   I’m still discovering new foods.

Are there any foods that you’ve recently discovered that you love?

 

 

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by | February 20, 2013

First Signs of Spring! #WIAW Butternut Squash & Apricot Tagine

The mornings are getting lighter, the sun’s starting to shine, and there are signs of new life in the garden.

First Crocuses of Spring - Feb 2013

Spring is definitely in the air and how glorious it feels :)

These crocuses have popped up in the cracked pavement on our driveway!

Each Spring, these crocuses pop up in the cracked pavement on our driveway!

Now it’s lighter in the mornings, I’m finding it much easier to get out of bed.  No need for the alarm clock anymore, I’m naturally waking up at 7am.  It feels so good to be waking up in daylight rather than the pitch black.

First Primroses of Spring - Feb 2013 - 500

The river and tow path are finally starting to dry out, which means I finally can stop wading through mud on my morning runs :)

First Crocuses of Spring 2 - Feb 2013 - 500

All around there are signs of new life and the birds are busy building nests.

Snowdrops - Feb 2013 - 500

Spring is a glorious time of year isn’t it?

First Narcissus of Spring - February 2013 - 500

 

The theme of this month’s WIAW parties,  hosted by the lovely Jenn over at Peas & Crayons, is ‘Love Your Veggies’.  As you can probably tell from my blog posts, I have a huge love of veggies.  I love eating them, and I would LOVE to grow my own.  The trouble is, everything I attempt to grow gets eaten by a plethora of creatures.  I wouldn’t mind sharing the produce with them, but they leave me with nothing!  The question is, do I attempt to grow veggies again this year? If  I do, I definitely need to find something that’s slug and snail proof. Any ideas?

Anyway, for this Wednesday’s WIAW party, I’d like to share my eats from yesterday.  All produce shop-bought but organic and, where possible, locally grown (just not in my back yard ;) )

Breakfast
- Warm water & lemon
- Bowl of chocolate porridge, made with quick oats, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, Alpro soya milk, and a sprinkling of walnuts, almonds, ground flaxseed, hemp seed, and gojis on top (Lil’ L had the same!*)
- 1 black coffee

* Lil’ L came home from his last school cookery class declaring that he now loves goji berries (big thank you to his wonderful cookery teachers! :D )  I’ve tried for years to encourage him to eat dried fruits but, up until now, he’s disliked all of them. It’s funny how extreme kids can be with their foods…. going from despising them one minute to loving them the next.  Anyway, I’m just really happy that he’s now eating this  amazing little nutrient-packed berry :)

Lunch
For lunch, I had a big bowl of Pomegranate, Beet Root, Orange and Walnut Salad, which also included rocket, mixed salad leaves, hemp seed and a sweet mustard dressing. This salad is packed with so many lush flavours, textures and nutrients and it includes two of my current food obsessions… pomegranate and beet root.  I just can’t get enough of them at the moment!

Pomegranate, Orange, Walnut, Hemp Seed Salad 1 - 500
- Lil’ L and M both took leftover roasted vegetable pasta in their lunchboxes (M’s pasta was mixed with Sacla Char-Grilled Aubergine Pesto; Lil’ L’s with Sacla Sun-Dried Tomato Paste as the school has a nut ban).  Mixed in with the wholegrain pasta was roasted broccoli, carrot, red onion, chestnut mushrooms, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. When it had cooled down, we sprinkled on hemp seeds (for omega 3) and nutritional yeast (for a B12 boost).  I hadn’t made this dish in a long while and I’d forgotten how good a simple meal like this tastes!

Drinks & Snacks
- Nettle tea, peppermint tea, Innocent tropical juice, water
- 2 Kallo Balsamic Vinegar and Sea Salt Rice Cakes (Lil’ L and I are loving these at the moment!)
- Lil’ L and I shared some pistachios after school

After School Snacks - Pistachios

Dinner
For our main meal, we had a Moroccan-inspired Butternut Squash and Apricot Tagine.  This is one of Lil L’s current favourite dinners and he always asks for seconds!

Butternut Squash & Apricot Tagine - 500

I make the tagine mild, so that it’s suitable for children, but once I’ve removed the kiddie portions, I add some harissa paste, North African spices or cayenne pepper to spice it up for the adults.

Here’s how I make it…

Butternut Squash and Apricot Tagine

Serves 4-6

Hands on time: 15 minutes
Cooking time:
Authentic version (made in a tagine pot): 1 hr 10 minutes
Speedy option (made in a sauce pan): 40 minutes

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
300g / 10¾ oz / 2 cups butternut squash, cut into bite size pieces
100g / 3½ oz / 1 cup chestnut mushrooms, chopped
1 x 400g / 14 oz can chopped tomatoes
pinch of saffron, steeped in hot water
125 ml / 4 fl oz / ½ cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g / 14 oz can chick peas, drained or 160g / 5½ oz marinated tofu, cubed
100g / 3½ oz / 1½ packed cups fresh baby spinach, chopped (or use frozen spinach)
16 ready-to-eat dried apricots (sulphur free), chopped
1½ tbsp sweetener of choice (I use agave syrup or Sweet Freedom Fruit Sweetener)
Harissa paste, North African dried spices or cayenne pepper (for a spicy kick)

Garnish
2 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
27g / 1 oz / ¼ cup flaked almonds, lightly toasted
Sprinkling of shelled hempseed (for an omega-3 boost)
Handful fresh coriander, chopped

Method

  1. If slow cooking in a tagine pot, preheat the oven to 200C (180 fan) / 400F / Gas 6.
  2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan and sauté the onion and celery until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and spices. Add the butternut squash and mushrooms, reduce to a low heat, cover with a lid and sweat for 5 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients to the pan, stir well and bring to the boil.
  3. You now have 2 cooking options: 1. Leave the ingredients in the saucepan, cover with a lid, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally or 2. Transfer the ingredients to a tagine pot or casserole dish, cover with a lid and place in the oven for about 1 hour, until the squash is tender.
  4. When ready, season to taste. If you wish to add a spicy kick to the dish, remove any children’s portions first, then stir in some harissa paste, North African dried spices or cayenne pepper, to taste. Garnish with a sprinkling of seeds, almonds and coriander.
  5. This tagine is delicious served on a bed of wholegrain couscous.  For a GF option, serve on a bed of rice, quinoa or other grain.

Here’s how I prepare couscous:

240g / 8½ oz / 1 1/3 cups wholegrain couscous
400ml / 14 fl oz / 1¾ cups vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil or margarine

  1. Place the couscous in a heat-proof dish. Pour the stock on top and cover with a lid or plate for about 5-7 minutes. Drizzle in a little olive oil or add a knob of margarine and fluff up the grains with a fork.

[This recipe has been submitted to Ricki's #Wellness Weekend]

Dessert
- I made a batch of Raisin and Oatmeal Cookies for my Tuesday night study class and enjoyed one with a cup of peppermint & green tea during our class break.
- Lil’ L and M had a cookie and some Alpro yoghurt drizzled with Clarks Original Maple Syrup (I love this stuff and bought 6 bottles from Tesco this week as it’s currently on offer ;) )

Enjoy the rest of your week everyone xx

- What’s the weather like where you are?  Any signs of Spring yet?
- Are you planning to grow your own veggies this year?  If so, do you know of any veggies that are slug and snail proof? All suggestions will be greatly appreciated :)

 

 

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by | February 14, 2013

Sweet Beet “Love” Soup

With its sweet, earthy flavour and deep purple colour, I have always been strongly attracted to beets.  In my childhood, my favourite salad ingredient was my Dad’s home grown beetroot, freshly pulled from the garden.

 

But little did I know as a child how good they were for my health.  I only recently discovered that beets are actually a super food.  Well I never!  Here’s what I’ve learned…

1. Beets are packed with vitamins and minerals
They contain a huge array of nutrients, including potassium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamins A, B & C, beta-carotene, beta-cyanine and folic acid.

2. Beets are rich in antioxidants which help to protect against disease
Beets are a very good source of antioxidants vitamin C and manganese.  They also contain a powerful group of antioxidants called betalains, which can help in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, diabetes and inflammation. (It’s the betalains that give beets their deep red colour).  The nitrates contained in beets can also help to lower blood pressure.

3. Beets cleanse the body
Beets are a great detoxifier, tonic for the liver and blood purifier.

4. Beets help your mental health
Beets, like chocolate, contain trytophan, a substance which is known to relax the mind and create a sense of well-being.  The betalains contained in beets have also been used in certain treatments of depression.

5. Beets boost our brain power
Beetroot contains high concentrations of nitrates, which are converted in the body into nitric oxide.  This helps open blood vessels in the body, increasing blood flow and oxygen.  Nitrites also increase blood flow to the brain, which may help to prevent dementia.

6. Beets are energy boosters
Beets are a great source of complex carbs and slow-release energy.  The natural nitrates found in beets also help to increase our oxygen intake and energy levels.

7. Beets enhance our physical performance
Studies have shown that the nitrates in beets can enhance physical endurance.  In one study, cyclists who drank 500 ml of beetroot juice were able to ride up to 20% longer.

8. Beets are great for weight management
Beets are high in complex carbs and fibre, but low in calories, which makes them the perfect food for weight management.

And finally, did you know that…

9. Beets are Nature’s Viagra!
The Romans used beets medicinally as an aphrodisiac, and science has proven that beets are indeed a natural Viagra.  Their nitrate content increases blood flow in all areas of the body.  Beets also contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.

If you wish to know more, there’s a clip of Dr Oz talking about the health benefits of beets (including number 9!) here.

Getting in the Mood for Love with …

Sweet Beet Soup!

With its deep red colour and wonderful mood enhancing properties, I reckon beetroot would make a wonderful addition to any romantic meal that you might have planned for your loved ones this evening ;)

On tonight’s menu for us, is a starter of Sweet Beet Soup.  Until recently, I’d only ever eaten beetroot in salad but, inspired by Candy’s beautiful blog post called ‘Simple Pleasures’ I was inspired to try my hand at making a beet soup.

Candy kindly allowed me to share her beet soup photos. Aren’t they stunning?

 Source: healthyincandyland.com via Sharon on Pinterest

 And perfect for Valentines!

You must check out Candy’s post.  It is such a beautiful read!

For my beet soup, I chose to add sweet potato (which I’ve been adding to a lot of my soup recipes lately).  As well as adding sweetness and additional nutrients, I find it gives soups a wonderful, silky texture (without the need to add cream or milk).

Furthermore, with the addition of the potato, I find that a bowl of soup is filling on its own, without the need to add a side dish of bread.

For protein, additional flavour, textures and nutrients, I add a sprinkling of shelled hempseeds, lightly toasted pumpkin seeds and dried dill.

Here’s how I make it…

Sweet Beet Soup

Serves 4
Hands on time: 5-10 minutes    Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3-4 medium beetroot, peeled and chopped (I use a potato peeler and wear kitchen gloves to avoid getting purple hands!)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 litre / 34fl oz / 4 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Toppings:
Shelled hempseeds
Lightly toasted pumpkin seeds (I like to lightly toast them in a frying pan with a little extra virgin olive oil)
Dried dill

Method

  1. Gently heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion until it starts to soften.  Add the garlic, beetroot and sweet potato. Cover with a lid and sweat on a low heat for 5 minutes.  Add the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes or so, until the beetroot is soft.  Allow to cool slightly, then blend smooth.  Add salt and pepper, if desired.
  2. Serve in warm bowls with a sprinkling of seeds and dill.

[This recipe has been submitted to Ricki Heller's #Wellness Weekend]

So I’ve got the starter and dessert sorted for tonight’s meal, just got to decide on the main course now!

Are you a fan of Beets? What’s your favourite way of serving them? 

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day everyone xx

p.s. It’s the last day to enter my Valentine’s Raw Chocolate Giveaway (ends midnight GMT tonight).  I’ve been overwhelmed by all the beautiful comments I’ve received on this giveaway.  Thank you so much guys! You really have made my week!  Since there have been so many entries, I’ve decided to make another batch of chocolates, and I’ll select 3 winners in total.  I’ll post details of the winners on FB and Twitter tomorrow, and also email directly.
Good luck everyone xx

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