'Chocolate cough remedy' out soon

Researchers in the UK say a chemical in cocoa could soon be turned into a medicine for persistent coughs.

The final stages of clinical trials for a drug that contains theobromine, an ingredient found in chocolate and cocoa, are now being carried out by scientists, according to the BBC.

The drug could be on the market within two years.

Most current cough medicines sold today contain codeine, a narcotic, and most health agencies are against codeine-based remedies being given to under-18 year olds.

The new drug will also be flavourless, which means it could still be taken by those who dislike chocolate.

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12 Days of Christmas: Hot Chocolate On A Stick

For the twelve days leading up to Christmas, Patch brings you a new holiday treat recipe and ideas for gift giving.

.Have you ever heard of hot chocolate on a stick? It's basically a fudge-like block that you stir into hot milk to create a sweet, cocoa-y hot chocolate without the powdered mix. (And, of course, the fudge tastes great on its own, too.)

The recipe comes originally from King Arthur Flour and can be adapted to make mint hot chocolate (replace some or all semisweet chips with mint chocolate chips), dark chocolate (replace some or all of the semisweet chips with dark chocolate chips, or use more unsweetened baking chocolate), or white hot chocolate (replace half or more of the semisweet chips with white chocolate chips). Skewer a marshmallow on the stick before the fudge block to add some marshmallowy goodness to your hot cocoa.

Hot Chocolate On a Stick (via King Arthur Flour)

Makes between 25 and 36 squares, depending on how small you cut your blocks (I opt for larger).

• ½ cup heavy cream
• 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/4 cups)
• 3 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped chocolate bars or chips)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened baking chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Wooden sticks or lollipop sticks (found in local craft store)

Line an 8-inch by 8-inch pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Heat the cream and condensed milk over low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate; whisking as you allow it to gently melt. After about 10 minutes, return the chocolate mixture to low heat to completely melt the chocolate. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is thick and shiny. Add vanilla (or hazelnut, or espresso powder).

Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan; shake the pan gently to level. Sprinkle with cocoa, if desired. Set aside overnight to slowly set up.

Run a knife around the edge of the pan and turn out onto a clean cutting surface. The original recipe says to slice the fudge into 1 ¼-inch cubes, but I just cut 25 pieces (five rows, five columns). Heat a knife in hot water and wipe dry before each cut, for smoothest cuts.

Stick a wooden stick into the center of each block. Roll in cocoa or crushed peppermint candy, if desired. Wrap in waxed paper, parchment, or plastic wrap to store. The hot chocolate sticks can be stored for one week at room temperature, two weeks in the refrigerator, or at least a month in the freezer.
Try pairing this with yesterday's lemon-almond biscotti for a tasty holiday treat!

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Christmas Dessert Recipe - Take this recipe, for example. It came about as a happy accident, or maybe an overzealous little girl who was helping her grandmother and me bake cookies.

Rich, Delicious Chocolate Cookies

Adapted from Mari Pfeiffer after a recipe in “Great Cookies” by Carole Walter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sifted Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup superfine sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1/2 teaspoon boiling water
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted in a double boiler or a microwave

Royal icing, for decorating.

1. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In the large bowl of a standing mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy and light in color, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar in a steady stream, continuing to beat for 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and espresso mixture. Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, then mix in the melted chocolate.

2. Reduce the speed to low. Add the dry ingredients in two batches, mixing just enough to combine after each addition. Divide the dough in two and form into two flattened disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Roll out the chilled dough between two sheets of parchment or wax paper until it is 3/16-inch thick. Cut into shapes, using cookie cutters of different sizes, or round ones, to use as much dough as possible. (The dough will not be as good if it is rolled out a second time.) Transfer cookies to baking sheets, 1/2 inch apart.

4. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, rotating the sheets once to ensure even baking, or until cookies look set on top and have a slight sheen. Remove from oven and wait 2 minutes before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool. Frost with royal icing, if desired.

Yield: More than 2 dozen cookies.

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Christmas dessert recipe — Brenda’s chocolate chip cookies

By: Marci Nobles 11 December 2010

My daughter, Brenda SueCarol, is a sneak.

However, there are times when her natural sneakiness results in something good.

Take this recipe, for example. It came about as a happy accident, or maybe an overzealous little girl who was helping her grandmother and me bake cookies.

We thought one bag of chocolate chips was enough for our cookie recipe. Brenda disagreed and managed to dump another bag in the cookie mix before we realized what was happening. Fortunately for her (and us), her bold addition of more ingredients resulted in a great batch of cookies. Try the recipe out for yourself this Christmas season and enjoy!

Brenda’s chocolate chip cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz) Semi-sweet Chocolate chips
2 cups (12 oz) Milk Chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool completely.

More Christmas recipes here. Remember — check back every day through Christmas Eve for a new recipe.

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Recipe: Chocolate orange loaf cake

By Nigella Lawson
 

Cuts into 10-12 slices 

• 150g soft unsalted butter, plus some for greasing
• dab flavourless vegetable oil, for greasing syrup spoon
• 2 x 15ml tablespoons golden syrup
• 175g dark muscovado sugar
• 150g plain flour

• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 25g best-quality cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 large eggs
• zest of 2 regular oranges and juice of 1

KITCHEN KIT

• 1 x 900g (2lb) loaf tin

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3 and line your loaf tin with baking parchment or a paper loaf-tin liner.
2. Beat the already soft butter with the syrup – if you dab a little oil on your tablespoon measure with a sheet of kitchen roll, the syrup shouldn’t stick to the spoon – and the sugar until you have a fairly smooth caffè Americano cream, though the sugar will always have a bit of grit about it.
3. Mix the flour, bicarb and cocoa powder together, and beat into the syrup mixture 1 tablespoonful of these dry ingredients before beating in 1 egg. Then add another couple of spoonfuls of the dry ingredients before beating in the second egg.
4. Carry on beating in the remaining dry ingredients and then add, still beating, the orange zest and finally, gradually, the juice. At this stage, the batter may suddenly look dimpled as if slightly curdled. No need to panic!
5. Pour and scrape into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, though check
6. 5 minutes before and be prepared to keep it in the oven 5 minutes longer if need be. A cake tester won’t come out entirely clean, as the point of this cake, light though it may be, is to have just a hint of inner gunge. Leave to cool a little in its tin on a wire rack, then turn out with care and leave on the rack to cool.

MAKE AHEAD NOTE The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Wrap tightly in clingfilm and store in airtight container. Will keep for 5 days total.

FREEZE NOTE The cake can be frozen, tightly wrapped in double layer of clingfilm and layer of foil, for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight at room temperature.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1335366/Recipe-Chocolate-orange-loaf-cake.html#ixzz17CKXnDvC

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A dark-chocolate fix after some dark times

By Joe Mandak

Associated Press

ALTOONA, Pa. - In the last 10 years, Boyer Candy Co. has survived the death of its owner, a legal squabble among his heirs that halted production for nine months, and distribution hiccups as the firm regained its footing. Which might well have left customers wondering, "Do they still make Mallo Cups?"
They do, indeed.

This month, Boyer set about reminding folks by launching a new product, Dark Chocolate Mallo Cups, it hopes will help reestablish its reputation.

"We've been around since 1936," said Deborah Forgione, director of marketing and one of four trustees who control Boyer, once owned by her late ex-husband. "... We're an old-fashioned, family-owned company, and we don't change that quickly. This is a big undertaking for us."

Industry observers say the move makes sense for a smaller company safeguarding its niche in a field dominated by Hershey, Nestle, and Mars.

"I love it when these regional brands sort of stay true to their original heritage but keep on keeping on, you know?" said Beth Kimmerle, a candy historian and blogger who develops candy exhibits in the United States, Japan, and elsewhere.

The original Mallo Cups, coconut-laced milk chocolate cups filled with a marshmallow center, were invented by Emily Boyer, mother of R.J. "Bob" and William "Bill" Boyer, who sold candy door to door during the Depression.

Distributed nationwide, Mallo Cups account for more than 60 percent of sales at Boyer, which also makes its own Peanut Butter Cups, among other products.

Steve Almond, author of Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America, said Dark Chocolate Mallo Cups made sense, as long as the company harbored no illusions they would be Boyer's salvation.

"What Boyer is doing is called a brand extension," he said. "You want to try to expand your business, but in order to do that, you have to have something new to sell."

That's a bigger risk for smaller companies with little advertising clout and more to lose if the new product tanks. Except that Boyer officials believe the new version may be even better than the original.

"It's an exceptionally good taste, with the dark chocolate and the Mallo center," said Bob Faith, an ex-vending company owner hired three years ago as CEO to reinvigorate Boyer after years of turmoil.

The Boyer brothers retired in 1969 and sold the company to American Maize Products, a corn-syrup manufacturer that expanded Boyer's line in the 1970s with varieties including the Minty Mallo.

The new products never caught on, and American Maize sold Boyer in 1984 to Anthony Forgione, a New York entrepreneur who stabilized the company by focusing on its core candies.

His 2001 death almost toppled Boyer, however. His divorce from Deborah Forgione, made final days before he died, set off a legal battle for control between her and two of their three children.

A trust controlled by Deborah and the three children now owns the company, but management instability during the court battles shut privately held Boyer down for most of 2003, and saw Mallo Cups lose coveted space on many store shelves.

Much of Faith's job is undoing that damage. "If you cut off the supply, they're not sitting there waiting for you to come back," he said of retailers. "It's taken time to get people's confidence."

Some problems were easy to fix. Before he ran Boyer, Faith said, his vending company had trouble buying Mallo Cups because of Boyer's antiquated 1,000-pound minimum-order requirement.

That's changed. "We'll find a way to sell you our product," he said. "We'll sell to anybody: the little guys, the big guys, the middle guys."

After revamping its machinery and improving its methods, the factory now produces about 600,000 candy cups a day - about double a year ago, Faith said. And most of Boyer's 70 employees, lucky to work a couple of days not so long ago, are now working full time, with the candy line running four days a week.
"There's still a lot of name recognition out there," Faith said, "and you can't put a value on that."

Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/business/20101127_A_dark-chocolate_fix_after_some_dark_times.html#ixzz16jUQIWRG
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Business briefs: Chocolate, spirits festival aids libraries

The annual Chocolate & Spirits Festival to support the Lee County Library System will be held Dec. 3 at Bell Tower Shops in south Fort Myers.

From 6 to 8 p.m., area restaurants and businesses will feature chocolate creations and festive holiday spirits. Live entertainment by Bob Inkenbrandt and a silent auction also is planned.

Chocolate samples, beverages and silent auction tickets may be purchased at the event for $1 each. Admission is free.

Sponsored by Bell Tower Shops, Bistro 41 and CrŸ, festival proceeds benefit the library system's 12th annual Southwest Florida Reading Festival, set for March 19.

Dining room manager named at Verandah

Van Osborne has been named dining room manager at the Verandah Club community in Fort Myers. He is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations at the club, including the River House featuring Jesse Fish lounge, the 120-seat Alligator Pear restaurant and the open-air River Terrace.

Elizabeth Hodges named to board

Elizabeth Hodges, brand manager with Chico's FAS, has been elected to Island Coast AIDS Network Inc.'s board of directors. She has more than 20 years of retail experience and strong financial acumen, as well as having been a supporter of HIV/AIDS education for 15 years.

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White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies

Even non-cooks can manage baking a batch of cookies. These holiday cookies are decadent enough to make you look like a baker extraordinaire.

Pack to go: Nestle cooled cookies in a holiday tin lined with waxed paper for transport. For a dramatic display, bring a cake stand.

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White Chocolate-Dipped Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies

 Makes 4 dozen cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
1  1/2 cups pecan pieces, toasted
1  1/4 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
3 (4-ounce) white chocolate baking bars, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugars, beating well. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended. Combine flour, soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl; whisk.

Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in cranberries, pecans and oats until blended. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Microwave white chocolate and shortening in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl on high 1 minute or until chocolate melts, stirring once. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate, letting excess drip back into bowl. Place dipped cookies on wax paper; let stand until firm.

Per cookie: 148 calories (56 percent from fat), 10 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 15 milligrams cholesterol, 15 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams protein, 97 milligrams sodium, 1 gram dietary fiber.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/11/20/2441358/white-chocolate-dipped-oatmeal.html#ixzz15tCh6vA5


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Chocolate Milk a Better Halloween Treat

They may be small pieces, but when counted all together, they could add up to more calories than meets the eye. Did you know that an average Jack-O-Lantern bucket carries about 250 pieces of candy amounting about 9,000 calories and about three pounds of sugar?  The reality is, however, kids don't take home just one bucket of candy on Halloween night. They bring in pillow cases of sweets, many of which are eaten that night.

To curb this excess, the creator of Got Milk?, California Milk Processor Board, San Clement, encourages families to make healthier choices and to consider chocolate milk as the treat of choice this Halloween. As a matter of fact, it has partnered with several organizations throughout California and is sponsoring a Got Milk? Chocolate Milk Giveaway in cities like Burbank, San Francisco, and San Diego during their Halloween celebrations.

"We want to be a part of an environment where kids can trick or treat safely with other families in their community and promote healthier treat options for families," says Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board. "Chocolate milk is a great treat because it has the chocolate that's closely associated with Halloween but still has all the protein and nutrients that kids need for strong bones, muscles, teeth, hair and nails.

The following Halloween celebrations are for free chocolate milk, swag items and entertainment for the entire family:

San Francisco
Yerba Buena Gardens Halloween Walk
Oct. 31, 2010, 12 Noon to 1:30 p.m.
Children's Garden at Intersection of Howard St. and 4th St., San Francisco

Burbank
Downtown Burbank Boo-tiful Halloween Event
Oct. 31, 2010, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Intersection of San Fernando Rd. and E. Palm Ave., Burbank

San Diego
Halloween Carnival at the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA
Oct. 31, 2010, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
151 YMCA Way, San Diego

For more tips on how to celebrate a healthy Halloween, visit www.gotmilk.com.

Source:
http://mobile.californiafarmer.com/main.aspx?ascxid=cmsNewsStory&rmid=0&rascxid=&args=&rargs=9&dt=634239194261375000&lid=a8yebu2d9qxnz7lo&adms=634239194259812500X41bba8854c&cmsSid=43332&cmsScid=9


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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Inspires Flavor Changing Gum

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, a 1971 film adaptation of the Roald Dahl book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has inspired a lot of things -- a 2005 remake with Johnny Depp, a Family Guy episode, Halloween costumes, and now: flavor changing gum.  Two “food architects” from London have mastered the Willy Wonka technology and created a gum that changes flavor, from strawberry to chocolate.

Harry Parr and Sam Bompas explain that they were influenced by Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in creating their unique edible invention.  The two note that it took three years of research to bring the gum to fruition, though getting it to mimic the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory flavor change -- from soup to beef or baked potato to ice cream -- would take more time.

“That’s the ultimate challenge,” said Bompas. “It involves two changes of flavour as well as switching from savoury to sweet.”

The inventors explained that the key to flavor-changing gum lies in the colloidosomes, which are edible capsules of microscopic proportions that release flavors at different times. According to Bompas and Parr, the prototype for the flavor-changing gum will be ready for public consumption Monday.
They are also planning to launch what they call an “artisanal chewing gum factory” that will provide 40,000 flavor combinations for the public to enjoy.  However, be careful which ones you pick.

“We tried bacon and rosemary but it was disgusting, like putting bacon rind in your mouth that never goes away,” said Bompas.

For something else to chew on, pick up Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory films here or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory here.  Deals on Willy Wonka candy are here.  Enjoy “Pure Imagination,” the iconic theme from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, below.


Source: http://www.bloginity.com/blog/2010/10/23/willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory-inspires-flavor-changing-gum/#ixzz13EbXCMf2

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Man loses 90kg on chocolate diet

A guy in Florida lost more than 90 kilograms in 16 months by eating chocolate, the Daily Mail reported.

Peter Ajello, whose weight used to exceed 192 kilograms, consumed 24,000 calories per day. But he made up his mind to lose weight after he suffered a diabetic stroke, it reported. The 37-year-old confessed that he felt he might one day say goodbye to the world then.

Becoming weight conscious, Ajello quit all junk food and alcohol - except chocolate.


He chose the chocolates to satisfy his sweet tooth. These are no ordinary chocolates though - according to the manufacturer's website, these chocolates are diabetic-friendly, contain no added sugar, and are high in anti-oxidants. Ajello said in a testimonial that he originally bought the chocolate because he loved the taste and was not even thinking about losing weight when he started. However, he realised that it helped to curb his snacking He said that he could not have stayed on his doctor's strict diet without the chocolate.
Ajello recollected his past when he would devour 77 chicken wings in less than 10 minutes and rely on the junk food.

His diet was helped by his closest friends who had continuously encouraged him to get down to his workout routines. After Ajello lost the first 45 kilograms a year ago, they bet US$15,000 (S$19,752) if he could lose another 45 kilograms by New Years Day, just five months away.

By New Year's Day, he had managed to lose 9 kilograms more than he had targeted, winning the whopping US$15,000 money.

He used US$10,000 to get plastic surgery to remove fat from his belly.

Ajallo said he still eats six pieces of chocolates per day for his diet.

He also plans to write a book about his weight loss.
With additional reporting by AsiaOne.

Source 

Healthy Chocolate

Healthy plate: Even chocolate can have place in a good diet

Death by chocolate? Hardly.

We’ve all heard of the studies suggesting a few ounces of dark chocolate a week can be good for your health. And while chocolate does contain fat (from cocoa butter), a third of it is the same kind of healthier monounsaturated fat found in olive oil.

All this is good news, especially when you’re presented with a plate of rich, chocolaty brownies. But beware — all brownies are not created equally in the eyes of the nutritionist.

These dark chocolate brownies with sour cherries are rich tasting, moist and chewy, and they sport an admirable dietary profile.

To start with, the batter is made with dark or bittersweet chocolate chips combined with unsweetened cocoa powder, which adds intense flavor without additional fat.

Plus, a batch of these brownies contains only one egg and a tablespoon and a half of canola oil rather than the stick of butter some recipes call for.

As with any sweet, a brownie is dense in calories, but these pack such a powerful chocolate punch you’ll be satisfied with a relatively small portion.

If you like, serve these brownies topped with a scoop of low-fat vanilla ice cream or a dollop of thick and creamy nonfat Greek-style yogurt.

By JIM ROMANOFF - Associated Press

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Beating an Addiction to Chocolate

Chocolate Addiction affects not just your body and mind, it also affects the heart, and spirit too. Therefore to look at beating chocolate addiction is it vital to look at these aspects too; as it can be rather easy to get caught up in how your addiction to chocolate affects your body and mind.

Four Tips for beating chocolate addiction by looking at your emotions and spirit.

1. How does chocolate predominantly make you feel?

Keep a track of this in a notebook or journal, and build up an emotional picture for you to take stock of the emotional impact of your chocolate addiction.

2. What emotions do you feel you are avoiding with your chocolate addiction?

For example: is it love? Is it hate? Is it fear? It is despair? Is it joy?

Write down what feelings come up in your notebook.

Remember there is no right or wrong way of doing this and first and foremost you are writing this privately for yourself, therefore be conscious of the powerful gift you are giving yourself just through this very act of committing your emotional reality to paper.

3. Consider how your chocolate addiction is affecting your spirit?

For example: are you avoiding things that thrill you like going on an adventure, having some quiet time, connecting with your friends, or hanging out with your partner and having some serious fun! Whatever feeds your spirit, are you allowing your addiction to chocolate put up walls between you and these uplifting and thrilling activities you love?

4. How is your addiction to chocolate causing your spirit to shrink in your daily life?

For example: are you hiding in a role that serves only to keep you stuck in boredom and stress or are you just existing in your day-to-day living only skimming the surface of your relationships out of emotional numbness and fear of full acceptance of you truly being who you are destined to be.


Sign up for free mini Chocolate Rehab from Carrie Eddins just go to http://www.chocolaterehab.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carrie_Eddins 

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The Chocolate Diet - Is it Even Possible?

Maybe you've heard about the new weight loss diet plan that allows you to have as much chocolate as you want and still be able to lose weight. The new chocolate diet program is founded on the ancient principle of using cacao, the unprocessed active ingredient found in cocoa, which is used to make normal chocolate. The cacao contains important elements that enable a body to stabilize metabolism, loose extra fat and to increase the overall good health.

The chocolate diet plan claims that it allows any person to get a new vision on life, to easily have 6-pack abs, and to feel a lot more healthy and alive. This controversial new fat loss program reveals several unique ways that anybody can avoid counting calories, undertaking mind-numbing work-outs, and spending more money on fat loss products that end up failing, all the while by allowing you to eat chocolate. It's the first time when eating chocolate and losing weight, are actually on the same side.

Furthermore, this new diet program implements many other weight loss strategies like: clearing the body of harmful toxins, using colon cleansing techniques, and replacing bad foods with other foods that can actually burn fat which can drastically improve health, strengthen the body against disease, ward reduce cravings, optimize the metabolism, stabilize sugar and hormones levels, and produce energy. All these claimed benefits can be reached by using a special type of sugar that is different from the normal daily sugar. This is the secret to why you can eat chocolate and lose fat in the same time. The chocolate diet also reveals several recipes and special ingredients that will enable anybody to make some power foods that will combat extra weight and that will make the body perform and feel much better. Unlike traditional weight loss diet programs, the chocolate diet plan does not include starvation methods and instead it enables you to control your carvings thus producing desired results at a much faster rate.

If you want to know more about the diet watch the free presentation by clinking on the link below. You will then get all the information you need in order to make an educated opinion and decide for yourself why this new diet is what everybody talks about lately. This is one of those revolution products that come along only once in a life time and it would a shame to lose the opportunity you now have.

Click on the following link and watch a free presentation of The Revolutionary Chocolate Diet Program.

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Indulge in Chocolate - Sinful No More

People often face this misconception regarding chocolate that it is wrong to give into the craving, as it does not impart any health benefits. However, if you choose the right variety of chocolate, then you can prove this misconception wrong.

The Benefits of Eating Chocolate:

Having chocolates in small quantities can ensure you of a healthy life. It consists of ample amounts of potassium and magnesium, which are good for the health. Vitamins such as B1, B2, D and E are also present in chocolate, which make it as an apt health product to be eaten everyday. Chocolate is known to ease high blood pressure, and prevents blood vessels from hardening, thus promoting heart health care.

Misconceptions about Chocolate:

Chocolate has been accused of causing various ailments such as acne. But, researches have proved that there is no interlink between consumption of chocolate and occurrence of acne. Another possibility of migraines still remains as a possibility but only when the amount consumed is very large.

The chocolate that you have should have a large amount of cocoa, approximately 70% or more is suggested. The darker the chocolate, the greater are the health benefits obtained from it. It is immensely rejuvenating to have your bite of chocolate every single day, without the feeling of unnecessary guilt, but rather pure pleasure of relinquishing each bite.

Picking the Right Chocolate:

The best chocolates are the ones that contain true cocoa. The health benefits of true cocoa chocolate is by far greater than what many of us can imagine. It is good to include two small squares of a good, dark chocolate in your diet, as this will be satisfactory when it comes to taste, as well as good for the health.

The chocolates containing minimum additional ingredients are the ones that you should go for. Organic chocolate and home made chocolate, prepared with a cocoa base are equally good for the health.

How to Have your Chocolates:

There are many different ways in which you can make place for a delicious chocolate treat in your diet. A hot cup of cocoa, served with fruits dipped in chocolate or dried fruits coated with dark chocolate are good options. Nevertheless, directly having squares of chocolates are appreciated all the same.

Maintaining a Healthy Balance with Chocolates:

The fact that chocolates have great health benefits doesn't fail to underline that every good thing should be enjoyed in moderation. Chocolates are high in calories, and hence they must be had in a balanced quantity. They can always be coupled with other healthy foods for the heart as well. Whenever you feel the craving for chocolate, you can always reach out for one, without feeling hesitant about its effects.

Note: You're free to republish this article in any way you want, as long as kept in its entirety. No changes and all links intact.

Jose Vanderschoot has been writing articles for 2 years, covering a number of topics such as health and fitness. Click here to find more in depth information on resveratrol.

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A Short History of Mars Chocolate

Mars chocolate is owned by a US global corporation Mars Inc. which is a privately owned company. It was founded in 1920 by Ethel Mars and has become the one of the world's largest confectionery brands. The most famous are Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, Bounty, Skittles and of course Mars.

Frank C. Mars and his second wife Ethel started a confectionery factory in 1911 in Tacoma-Washington known as the Mars Candy Factory. In 1920, the factory was relocated to Minnesota under the name Mar-O-Bar but the name failed to inspire the brand loyalty and was changed to Mars Inc. after incorporation.
Mars were well known for their quite unique chocolate bar called Milky Way in the 1920s. It had good sales and helped the company to grow.

Mars introduced Snickers chocolate bar in the early 1930s. This bar was named in the memory of a favorite horse of Mars Family. However this did not prove to affect the sales a lot. Later its sales increased bar to levels exceeding those of the Milky Way bar. The son of Frank and Ethel Mars, Forrest Mars Sr. joined the family business after it was formed but disagreements in the family because of Forrest's desire to experiment new products and promote them outside USA led to a separation and Forrest relocated to England where he formed Mars Limited at Slough.
In 1932, Forrest was given $50,000 and the recipe for the Milky Way bar after things had reached a weak situation and he was told to follow his own destiny. When Forrest arrived in England, he discovered that Milky Way bar was not up to European tastes. The new product could not be named Milky Way so it was named Mars and it proved to be a quick success in England and other European nations.

After the death of Frank Mars in 1934, Forrest Mars Sr. took over Mars Inc and Mars Limited along with his sister Patricia. Forrest returned to US and the company was merged under the name of Mars Inc. Mars continued to sell and market the Milky Way and Snickers bars in the US while Snickers bar was introduced under the name Marathon in Europe.

Forrest was on a sales trip to Spain during the 1930s. He witnessed soldiers in the Spanish civil war eating chocolate beads. Sensing a market for small chocolate beads, he attempted to develop his own recipe.
As the company has continued to grow, new factories in new markets outside of Mars, Inc. became traditional markets of UK and US.

A chocolate factory at Veghel in the Netherlands was opened in 1963 and expanded producing other foods in the Mars family of products. It is either the largest or second largest chocolate factory in the world owned by Mars.

There was a criticism of Mars chocolate from environmentalists that the company has not publicly endorsed and supported the fair trade movement. Mars countered it by stating that their own program of sustainable development and partnership with cacao farmers was a more progressive approach.

A formerly independent company called Dove Chocolate bought by Mars Inc. in 1986. The company developed nontraditional sales channels starting with party plans and private distributors working from home. Mars Inc has successfully introduced new chocolate brands in the market since 1990s.

In 2009, Mars published a book entitled 'Chocolate: The North American Experience' in association with the Smithsonian Institute. It was a history of chocolate production and cacao processing in North America since the early times.

Learning in details history of Mars chocolate and also who invented chocolate would be an interesting study.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tauqeer_Ul_Hassan 

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Chocolate Pots - Naughty But Nice

If you are a big fan of chocolate you will love this recipe. Chocolate pots are very easy to make yet are wonderfully rich and indulgent, making them ever so slightly naughty.

Dip your spoon into the deep dark chocolate then sit back and enjoy an incredibly smooth, creamy texture and a long, rich chocolaty aftertaste. You may think when you first make chocolate pots that a small potful won't be enough to satisfy your chocolate addiction, but you'd be wrong.

Chocolate pots are intensely chocolaty, a few mouthfuls of cool creamy chocolate will have your reaching chocolate nirvana in no time (especially if you use top quality chocolate). Yet they are unbelievably simple to make, you can literally throw them together in a matter of minutes and then all they need is an hour or so in the fridge to set.

Not surprisingly, chocolate pots are a popular and acceptable dessert to serve at a casual supper party, or for for a romantic dinner a deaux. The quantities I have given below are enough for two generous portions but you can easily double or quadruple up if you want to make extra. If you don't have Baileys liquer you can use tia maria, dark rum, or either grand marniere or cointreau.

You can use heavy cream in this recipe as well, but it will be incredibly rich and have a heavier texture.

CHOCOLATE POTS 2

Serving Size:
Preparation Time: 5 minutes. Can be made several days ahead
Effort Level: Dead easy
Shelf Life: 5 days in fridge
Ingredients:100g dark chocolate minimum 80% cocoa
180ml single cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp Baileys

Here's What You Do:

Break the chocolate into tiny pieces (I use a food processor for this job, as it breaks down the chocolate to almost a powder, but you could put it in a bag and bash with a rolling pin). The point is it wants to be small so it melts quickly.

Heat the single cream and sugar in the microwave (or on the stove) just until it reaches boiling.
Tip the chocolate into the hot cream and stir until melted, it will immediately thicken.
Add the Baileys and stir well.

Pour into two ramekins and stick in the fridge to chill for several hours.

There! Told you it was easy!

Uma Wylde is a natural born cook. She specialises in creating stunning tastes. If you're having trouble getting food to taste the way you want it to or are just bored cooking the same old things, try following some of her carefully explained recipes at http://www.umawylde.com. Unlike traditional recipes, which often leave you dangling, hers show you how to bring the whole meal together, so everything turns out perfectly.

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Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Very little compares to the joy of chocolate cupcakes - both serving and consuming them! You can now stop asking yourself how to make cupcakes, especially of the chocolate variety, and get online to investigate the different recipes.

When it comes to birthdays or on festive occasions, chocolate cupcakes become a natural choice of many. The best of chocolate cupcakes need not necessarily be the most elaborate in the making. They are simple but delicious, non messy but a feast for royalty. With a few tips on how to successfully use cocoa in cakes and the combos you can try with this ingredient you will be ready to try out your own cupcakes.

It is very important to use cocoa or chocolate in any other form to the measure because the cakes could turn out a complete disaster otherwise. Also chocolate does not go well with just about any fruit or nut. You need to experiment with how to make cupcakes of chocolate after checking out ingredient combos that work well, like walnuts, raisins and cashew nuts among dry fruits. Here is one of the best chocolate cupcake recipes.

Chocolate Sins

Your line up of ingredients include 2 cups of self rising flour or all purpose flour, a teaspoon each of baking powder and baking soda, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs (large), 1/2 cup shortening, 3/4 cup each of milk and water, a teaspoon of vanilla essence, 4 ounces of unsweetened and melted baking chocolate.

Prior to getting into the final preparation of the chocolate sins, preheat the oven to about 350 degrees. On a large tray, line the cup cake pans with paper liners and set aside. Take a large cake mixing bowl or the bowl of your food processor and mix together all the ingredients. Mix well for around 5 minutes, alternating speeds low to high. Carefully fill the cup cake liners about 2/3 full. Bake your chocolate sins for around 20 to 25 minutes and allow them to cool. Frost the 'sins' only when they are cooled completely. Alternately grate fresh chocolate slabs and liberally sprinkle each one of your chocolate cupcake indulgences.

If you still want to know how to make cupcakes, then you should indulge in some quality research. Today there are a number of resources that help you in the endeavor. Making chocolate cupcakes is very easy, and like any other baking indulgence once you learn to measure the basic ingredient, you are sorted. These cakes make grand appearances at kitty parties, birthdays and even on the family night out!

There is no denying that chocolate is by far the most preferred flavor in cupcakes. Though cupcakes like chocolate sins seem elaborate, they are not. Chocolate cupcakes also go well will a filling of your choice. All you need to do is cut the baked cupcakes in half, horizontally and place a filling of any fruit of your choice in the center prior to serving the 'sins'. Also try serving them warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream!

Patrick Garde is the owner of MakeCupcakes.com where you can learn how to make cupcakes.

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Do You Crave Chocolate?

Did you know that chocolate can be good for you? Craving chocolate can be because your body needs it. However, if the chocolate has been processed improperly, it may taste like you expect it to, but some of the food value may be lost. Then you keep craving more chocolate because you did not get what you needed it for - why you craved it, and then it may to turn into an addiction.

Among other things, dark chocolate has the highest antioxidant I have ever seen charted: rated in the 13 thousand ORAC units per 100 grams compared to 980 for Brussels sprouts, 2400 for blueberries, or 5770 (the highest I have seen besides chocolate) for prunes. However, when chocolate is ruined by refined sugar, wax, lard, alkali, trans fatty acids, hormone treated dairy or other cheap fillers; the antioxidant quality may be lacking or non-existent.

There are actually many healing qualities in healthy chocolate; it helps blood platelets stick together less, therefore causing fewer blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. Healthy chocolate has been shown to decrease LDL (bad) Cholesterol and Cocoa butter contains oleic acid, which is a mono-unsaturated fat like what is found in olive oil and is considered to raise good cholesterol (HDL). It also promotes healthy blood flow and blood pressure, and has even been considered to improve elasticity in blood vessels, improve circulation, overall heart health, and reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Healthy chocolate can also improve insulin resistance and sensitivity, which can protect against the onset of diabetes, and there are also many vitamins and minerals contained in healthy chocolate. Do however be careful, and check the ingredients; it is important to get organic chocolate and a good safe sweetener, such as evaporated cane juice, no alkali, diary, or other fillers. Healthy chocolate does not have a long ingredient list.

Also, did you know that there is actually no caffeine in healthy chocolate? Theobromine is the stimulant in healthy chocolate that closely resembles caffeine, even in its molecular structure, and is often mistaken as caffeine. Fortunately it is much gentler than caffeine, which also increases emotional stress. In addition, theobromine stimulates serotonin levels as well as endorphin production, which fosters positive feelings and feelings of pleasure, making it a mild antidepressant.

And what is the most exciting news is that when you 'satisfy' your craving with a moderate amount of chocolate that is complete and processed cleanly; that moderate amount satisfies that craving! If you have a long standing "addiction", then you may need to work on that part of it, but you won't have the true need type of craving left unsatisfied to complicate the issue and thwart your efforts!

With ForeverGreen's, 100% organic, Good for you, Guilt Free, Dross Free 24 Karat ChocolateTM, WOW, what a clean tasting chocolate! Go to http://www.WholiHealth.com and look for "SmartFood: whole food nutrition products" in the right column a little more than halfway down.

There are several forms to choose from; the "24 Karat Fondue Chocolate (natural)", 2 pounds of wafers is the best value.

Also, check out my full free report "Chocolate Guilt Free? Here's how!" in a link in my blog or website.
For more about Nancy Jean, see http://www.WholiHealth.Blogspot.com

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The Many Faces of Chocolate

No matter how you fix it, chicken is still chicken, fish is still fish, and broccoli is still broccoli. You cook them using various methods, or eat your vegetables and fruits raw, or cooked, but they are always just part of a meal. Chocolate, on the other had, has a myriad of way to be used, hot or cold, used as a drink or part of your main course, as a dessert, as a snack, or as a special treat when you need a pick-me-up. So let us explore the many faces of chocolate.

Start with the lingo. You all know that there is unsweetened and bittersweet chocolate, which is usually used for cooking, or for hat chocolate if you add milk and sugar. Semisweet is usually found in those chocolate chips we love so dearly, though they also come in both milk chocolate and white chocolate (which technically isn't really chocolate at all, since it has no cocoa solids in it...just cocoa butter).

Cacao and cocoa are both used to mean the same thing, though the plant, and the bean itself (before any processing is called cacao). It refers simply to the either raw or roasted bean, without its shell, and with nothing added. If they are chopped up they are nibs, and when ground up they become powder.

Chocolate liquor is formed when you keep grinding the nibs until they become a paste (caused by releasing the cocoa butter from the powder). There is no alcohol in it. All the other forms of chocolate are made from this form of the cocoa bean.

The stuff you use for cooking or baking goes by several different names: unsweetened, pure, bitter, or baking chocolate. It is usually purchased in hard blocks, and is good for when you want to use artificial sugar or make things less sweet. You can, however, purchase a semisweet baking chocolate, which adds the sugar but still does not contain the cocoa butter.

Semisweet (also called dark or bittersweet chocolate) adds sugar and cocoa butter to it to and becomes a less sweet chocolate found in candy bars, chocolate chips, in fondues, and as the chocolate coating on ice cream bars and frozen bananas.

Milk chocolate and sweet chocolate are similar. Sweeter than semisweet, but with no milk solids added, sweet chocolate is not as rich and creamy as milk chocolate, but has a stronger cocoa flavor. And white chocolate has more cocoa butter, milk and sugar, and none of the chocolate liquor, so it really isn't chocolate at all!

The many faces of chocolate are amazing to explore. The beverage you drink is often made from cocoa powder, either sweetened or unsweetened, made with milk or without. It contains very little cocoa butter. Dutch chocolate is cocoa that was washed with potassium carbonate, giving it a darker color and a richer chocolate flavor.

To see our excellent selection of chocolates, visit our website: http://www.indulgeinchocolate.com

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The Truth About the Xocai Chocolate

If something sounds too good to be true it generally is. Yes, we would all love chocolate to be as good for us as say, broccoli, and the general consensus has always been that it is pretty much impossible. Until the introduction of a dark chocolate that claims to be 'healthy'. Recently, there has been a buzz on the internet from individuals and organisations looking to debunk the distributors of Xocai and what has come to be known as the Xocai chocolate scam have hit the headlines.

There has been a lot of attention surrounding the Xocai chocolate, and it is small wonder. Any chocolate that makes the bold claim of being actively good for people is bound to make people sit up and take notice. But what is it that makes this particular sweet treat stand out from the crowd?

Well, there appears to be a whole host of factors. It is suitable for vegans and vegetarians, contains fructose as opposed to sucrose, and does not use any of the additives, fillers, flavourings and all those other 'nasties' that makes mothers of small children recoil in horror. Not only that, it contains antioxidants that are widely believed to be beneficial, like acai and blueberry. It is not organic, but MXI claim that does not really matter.

Which it may not to some, but there are of course arguments to the contrary when you're promoting a foodstuff that claims to be actively beneficial. It is Fair-trade recognised, low-GI, and quite importantly - the MXI website claims that it is sugar-free on the homepage of their website, only to contradict that statement further down the page by saying it is low in sugar. Hmm.

Well, it obviously sounded a bit too good and people started doing a bit of digging and hey presto, we have the very newsworthy Xocai chocolate story. It is not just about the ingredients though, far from it. There appears to be a sneaking suspicion doing the rounds that it is some sort of sales swindle; reminiscent of such things as pyramid selling and bogus marketing tricks that draw potential reps in with tales of huge profits but ultimately lose them lots of money.

The Xocai chocolate scam gains momentum when you do a bit of research. The Xocai range is obtainable from a US-based multi level marketing outfit called MXI Corp, a distributor offering a home business opportunity based on a binary sales system. Which basically means that in order to earn a commission from sales, the salesperson must maintain two arms of sales which have to balance. If both sides do not balance, one must make up the shortfall, so reducing the overall value.

The truth about the Xocai chocolate is really quite simple. There are tons of marketing companies and opportunities out there, and at the end of the day, something is only worth as much money as the public is willing to pay for it. And that is true of everything, from high-end face creams to hampers from Harrods. But the Xocai chocolate is not really about what is actually in the product itself, but more about pure marketing and hype. It all boils down to this; the Xocai chocolate scam will fade away if enough chocoholics want to believe in the benefits and such selling schemes remain legal.

No matter what company you are promoting you must first have your own personally branded website to promote yourself first then the company. To learn more about setting up your own Xocai Chocolate Business website go to http://www.irishrenegade.com.

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How to Choose the Perfect Chocolate

Chocolate makes a perfect gift, for almost any occasion. Chocolate is considered an aphrodisiac in some cultures, and there are very few people that don't appreciate the chance to indulge in this popular, creamy confection. When you are choosing the perfect chocolate for your friend, family member, or loved one, there are just a few things to pay attention to.

What is Chocolate?

Chocolate has been around for centuries, and was originally used by South American Indians as a stimulating drink. When the Spanish arrived, they realized that, by mixing the substance with sugar, the flavor was greatly improved. Upon bringing the beans to Europe, a more sophisticated process was developed to separate the cocoa solids from the cocoa butter. Chocolate connoisseurs also developed methods to add the creaminess that is recognized as modern chocolate. Today, both milk and dark chocolate use the cocoa solids and cocoa butter in the manufacturing process, while white chocolate takes the cocoa butter and flavors it independently of the cocoa solids.

Quality is Important

The biggest factor for determining how suitable a particular chocolate will be for gifting is quality. There are several factors that go into determining the quality of a chocolate. First, the tempering process needs to have been done correctly. Otherwise, your chocolate will be grainy or have the wrong texture. It is also important that the beans were roasted to the optimal level. Beans that are over roasted can leave a bitter flavor. Finally, the cocoa butter to cocoa solid ratio should be correct for the particular type of chocolate that you prefer.

Low quality chocolate is a poor choice for a gift, so buy the best that you can afford.

White, Milk, or Dark?

Each person has their own preference when it comes to chocolate. Some people can not stand the strong flavor of dark chocolate, while others equally can't stand to indulge in the more mild flavor of milk chocolate. In rare instances, your gift recipient may not enjoy the flavor of cocoa at all. In that case, you will probably be looking at white chocolates to meet their needs. Some people might appreciate a mix of all three choices, if they don't have a specific preference. If you aren't sure as to their tastes, select milk chocolate, as it is generally universally liked.

Chocolates for Gifts

There are several types of chocolate that are ideal for gift giving. First, chocolate bars can make an excellent gift, if you pay attention to both quality and presentation. Chocolate bars can be personalized and wrapped in pretty papers for gifts. Truffles are another fantastic choice when you are giving chocolate as a gift. Truffles are a luxurious type of chocolate, both rich and sophisticated. Chocolate candies are another fantastic choice. Consider chocolate turtles, chocolate caramels, or chocolate covered nuts.

Gift baskets

If you need a bit more hand holding to purchase your gift, or just need a pre-selected variety, the best idea is to purchase a gift basket. These baskets can be purchased with an already determined selection, or you can custom pack a gift basket to fit your loved one's personality.

You can find plenty of places to find gift baskets, including http://www.indulgeinchocolate.com. Online retailers also sell individual chocolates that are ideal for gifts.

Ryan Wilson
To see our excellent selection of chocolates, please visit our website: http://www.indulgeinchocolate.com.

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Nut-Free Chocolate

The magnitude of having nut free chocolate accessible is frequently unseen by individuals who do not live their lives strictly as a result of dietary restrictions. For people with particular dietary requirements, the majority of which are hindered by allergies or the presence of someone in the house who has an allergy to nuts.

Why nut free chocolate? So many thousands of individuals are at the mercy of severe allergies and a large section of this group is made up of young children who in late childhood often outgrow their allergy to nuts. Begrudging a child chocolate due to their allergy of nuts is frequently an agonizing step for families but with the chocolate world developing and chocolate without nuts being created it is a step that has become easier for many families. Giving a child with severe allergies the chance to eat an allergen friendly confection gives a child with severe allergies the opportunity to enjoy one of life's guilty pleasures.

What is nut free chocolate? This type of allergen free chocolate is one that has no nut products what so ever. Possible contaminants include things like peanut pieces in addition to confections that were not created in a factory that does not handle the allergens in question. Simply because a chocolate is without nuts does not necessarily mark it as safe for people with allergies. For a confection to really be an allergy free chocolate it must have been fashioned in a completely allergen free plant or else created in a divided section of a manufacturing factory that does not process any nut products.

Where can nut free chocolate be purchased? A large array of online sellers concentrate on selling confections for families with dietary restrictions. These sellers also provide various other products to families who suffer from severe food allergies. A large portion of existing specialty chocolate items are solely available on the web due to its ability to reach a larger sector of the population and make a larger profit, there are a few local grocery stores that carry candy items that are free of nuts. One particularly large carrier of allergen free chocolate is Whole Foods, a fresh living grocery chain that focuses on selling healthier foods, fresher goods and more eco-friendly household items.

How can you tell if a chocolate is a nut free chocolate? A candy that is authentically nut free chocolate is always clearly noted as such on the wrapping. It is important to read all of the notices on the packaging to be certain that it is noted on the wrapping that the candy bar was created in a completely nut free facility.

What are some brands of nut free chocolate? Divvies is one of the largest allergen free confectionary brands. Other brands of nut free chocolate that are frequently referred to include: Vermont Nut Free, No Nuttin', Amanda's Own, Paskesz, Comet, We're Not Nutz, Enjoy Life, and Whey Out Chocolates.

Amy Katherine is a chocolate connoisseur who is always in search of new ways to redefine life as a chocoholic. Amy spends most of her time reviewing and recommending chocolate over at her blog: En Chocolat.

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The Chocolate Myth - Are Chocolate and Acne Related?

Acne is a really tough condition to deal with and if you are constantly bothered by pimples you might be wondering what's triggering it. Now that Easter is around the corner, let's just say most people affected by acne are starting to look nervous and freaking out about not being able to eat their chocolate bunnies or eggs.

Before you go on a chocolate strike, find out more about the acne and chocolate link.

There are quite a few myths regarding what triggers acne and chocolate eating seem to be of them. There are many studies that have been done, but the link between acne and chocolates is actually just a myth.

We know that some foods can trigger acne for certain people, however, this strictly depends on the person. You can check out what triggers acne for you simply buy consuming a bit of chocolate and see whether it affects you or not. Chocolate is something that you shouldn't stop eating just because you have acne.

Acne is triggered by many factors that don't have to do with chocolate. It's more likely that your acne is triggered by hormonal factors or a general bad diet, not just chocolates. Actually, chocolate has several health benefits that you should know about.

Benefits of Chocolate

Most people prefer milk chocolate but that type doesn't have half of the benefits dark chocolate has. So in other words, if you want to benefit from eating these yummy treats, you should change from milk to dark. It's because dark offers higher levels of cocoa which is what provides health benefits in the first place.

Antioxidants: The dark variety is filled with antioxidants which are what fights of free radicals. It will help to avoid cell damage which also means that your skin will be better protected. Antioxidants will even help you decrease the chance of developing cancer.

Flavonoids: These have the ability to lower your blood pressure.

Phenylethylamine: This is also known as an aphrodisiac. It works by stimulating the nervous system, which basically gives the person a sensation of being in love.

If you are still worried about what triggers acne and want to deal with the problem, don't worry. There are several natural acne products that are safe and great to deal with the root causes of the development of acne.

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Best Chocolate Chip Muffin Recipe

How to Bake Muffins

Baking muffins is fairly easy - All you have to do is decide just what kind of muffins you want to bake. My muffins are very popular with the guests at our B&B. Here is what you will need. It takes around 20 minutes to make up a delicious batch of muffins. Do NOT try to bake two batches at the same time or one will come out overcooked!

You need:
* plain flour
* one large egg
* sugar
* baking powder (to make it rise)
* flavouring

This is my easy recipe for my own chocolate chip muffins (makes 12 small or 6 big ones.) Most people find this foolproof. You will need the following on your kitchen table. It really helps to assemble everything first.

* Large Mixing Bowl for the dry ingredients (My Victorian bowl is still the best!).
* Fine metal sieve
* Smaller mixing bowl for the wet ingredients (I use a pyrex bowl)
* Cup or mug for butter One teaspoon dessert spoon
* Non-Stick muffin tray with paper cases place in holes. (paper cases are MUCH easier to use and the muffins will not stick to them)
* Wooden spoon balloon whisk (or fork)
* Packet of chocolate chips (100 g)
* Good quality vanilla essence
* 8 oz milk (just over 200cc)

Measure out the following:
* 10 ounces (250g) of PLAIN FLOUR
* 3 teaspoons (15g) (heaped a little bit) of BAKING POWDER
* 1/2 teaspoon of SALT
* 3 ounces (85g) of granulated SUGAR (I use demerara sugar but white is fine too)
* Soften 3 ounces of butter in cup in oven or microwave (on low or it gets messy) just until liquid is ok

First light your oven (around 5 to 6 is best for a gas oven).

Pour the sugar and the chocolate chips into the big bowl. Sieve above the big mixing bowl on to the sugar and chocolate. chips Pour through the sieve the flour with the salt and the baking powder (I like to sprinkle salt & Baking powder over the flour so it mixes better.)

Take the balloon whisk or fork and mix well till it all looks fairly well mixed. (Do not wash the balloon whisk you will need it again now!)

Crack the egg into the smaller bowl whisk until it is pale yellow pour in the milk and whisk again till well mixed.

Take butter out of microwave. Light oven to gas mark 5 to 6 (depends on your oven!) Pour molten butter into small bowl with egg/milk mix. Whisk like crazy or the butter will solidify and go lumpy. (they will still taste good )

Whisk into wet mixture TWO teaspoons Vanilla essence. Pour wet mixture on to dry mixture and with a wooden spoon mix well - again as fast as you can.

With dessert spoon half fill paper cups in muffin tray. Top up muffin cases with mixture till it is all evenly placed in cases. Now put tray of muffins on middle shelf of oven. Set timer/watch for 11 minutes.

After 10 minutes peek into oven press on a muffin - it should be firm to the touch. If they are still soft then close oven and come back again in a couple of minutes.

Eat your yummy muffins!

I Hope you love these muffins as much as I do.
My waist shows how much that is.
Please visit my website for more recipes at http://www.squidoo.com/howtobakeacake

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Jones 


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Chocolate Facts - Why Dark Chocolate is Good For You

Chocolate is one of the most consumed products on the planet. In fact, every day over one billion people consume the stuff... and the average American eats over 12 pounds of chocolate per year. Which begs the question: Can this stuff possibly be good for you?

What are the nutritional facts when it comes to the benefits of chocolate and why is dark chocolate good for you?

The truth is that chocolate is believed to have a host of health properties. It is a complex food that -- depending on how it is manufactured -- can be extremely high in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are considered important because the aging process and the development of many chronic and degenerative diseases, including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's are believed to be caused at least in part by something called "oxidative stress".

Oxidative stress is brought on by the onset of free radicals in the body, which damages your cells over time. It is a natural process there's no escape from. Your body has a number of systems that help eliminate free radicals, but it is not 100% efficient and ultimately fights a losing battle over time.
And many of our eating and nutritional habits simply serve to speed up the onslaught of free radicals in our bodies.

That's where chocolate -- especially dark chocolate -- comes in.

Dark chocolate is generally high in antioxidants

It has been known for a long time that diets rich in fruits, nuts, and vegetables are excellent sources of dietary antioxidants. Essential minerals and vitamins contained in those foods... such as vitamin C, vitamin E, carotenoids, flavonoids, and selenium... play a key antioxidant role in the body.

Well now we know that chocolate contains very high antioxidant properties too.

One of the most reliable measures of the antioxidant value of a particular food is something called the ORAC score. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity.

Not surprisingly, fruits, nuts, vegetables and certain spices tend to score high on the ORAC scale. Generally, a food scores highest in its raw or natural state and less well once it is cooked. The cooking process destroys much of the nutritional and antioxidant value of the food.

What may surprise you is that unprocessed cacao is the highest source of antioxidant value. Of course, cocoa powder comes from the cacao and is the principal ingredient of chocolate. Unprocessed cocoa powder has a higher ORAC value per 100 grams than the Acai berry, which is on of the so-called "super fruits".

Dark chocolate also scores highly on the list ahead of such super foods as prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries and raw spinach.

Not all chocolate carries the same nutritional value

However, not all chocolate holds the same potential health value. The more processed and cooked the product, the less of its health properties is retained. And be mindful that the chocolate candy you find on grocery store shelves has typically undergone significant over processing... such as dutching and roasting... and has added unhealthy processed sugar, milk, fats, fillers, waxes and preservatives.

In other words, while certain types of chocolate can and does carry nutritional value, know your chocolate nutrition facts. And don't go rushing out to the store and start a chocolate binge.

Generally, the darker the chocolate with the higher cocoa concentration will be healthier... although even then that isn't always going to be true. So read the label and in particular beware of any chocolate bar where the number one ingredient is sugar.


For more chocolate nutrition facts and to learn about the healthiest dark chocolate products available today, click this link now: Dark Healthy Chocolate


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Warren_Wojnowski 

Related articles on chocolate:

• Healthy Dark Chocolate 
• We love chocolate
• Recipe for raw dark chocolate
• Why Dark Chocolate is Good For You 

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