Check out my chocolate pages to see the current selections!Are you looking for support with body, mind and spirit programs and events? Meet me over at bethnaglegriffin.com to find out more!
0 Comments
Are you ready?
Living the Plant Based is transforming. Soul Full Kitchen is my heart space going forward. Why? It was time for a change. Time to go deep and really think about how I can bring my highest and best self to you in the form of connection, services and chocolate. Always chocolate. What better way to connect? It will be a bit of a slow change here on the 'Net because I am a bit techno challenged and I do all of my own website management. (Anyone out there want to barter website design for chocolate? Get in touch with me!) Why the change? 2022 came with some soul-searching, hence, the new names for my business and my chocolate. I am rekindling my culinary and nutritional coaching services under the name Soul Full Kitchen and my chocolate will be branded as Soul Full Organic Chocolate. Why? I like to think my chocolate makes a person feel good, right down to their soul. The new logo is more than just a pretty picture: for me it represents a dandelion. Again, why? Dandelion is one of the most healing plants in herbal medicine. It also represents hope, resilience, and potential. The bowl shape represents a vessel (or soil) into which we can place (or plant) these attributes (or seeds) for a soul-full life. The little dandelion seeds look a bit like cacao beans, too! Chocolate just happens to be a soul full experience for me and I'd like to share that same feeling with you by creating the most nutrient-sense, ethically sourced, and most delicious chocolate possible. In the upcoming months I'll be sharing some chocolate-covered inspiration and my story. I'll also share with you how to integrate many forms of nourishment to soothe and grow our souls. Please join me in this ever-evolving conversation with ourselves, with others, with this rich, delicious thing called Life. Sending love to you, always, in all ways. Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to my recent survey. What a pleasure it was to read your preferences and constructive feedback! Every time I would check the survey responses it was like opening a little gift, full of surprises. In case you're curious, here are the many ways you love chocolate: These results are not surprising to me since the data are consistent with your feedback. Truffles became an instant favorite as soon as I began making them. As one of you commented, " Truffles all day every day. I often don't share those...they are too special." I love that! And now for what REALLY surprises me: Almond is definitely a favorite of many. But ORANGE???? Who knew it was one of the fan faves! And Coffee/Mocha?! Wow! Raspberry and Peanut Butter are the two truffle flavors that are most requested by my customers. The fact that these are tied in flavor preference is no surprise. I am very surprised that hazelnut is not a stand alone preference. Based on your responses it is grouped in "Other" with herbal, cherry, ginger and caramel. And this is what you think about texture in your chocolate: Overall, it appears that most of you do like textures in your chocolate. Off the pie charts, but very valuable: Your comments were encouraging and insightful. A couple of comments provided essential feedback that is worthy of sharing. My responses to these comments allow deeper insight into what makes my chocolate unique and why I make certain ingredient choices. Comment: Is there another oil you can use in fudge sauce? I thought coconut oil got thumbs down. Not healthiest to use. This is such a great comment and deserves a blog post of its own! In fact, when I read this comment I went right to work on a blog draft to address it. My short answer is: there is not another oil I prefer to use in my fudge sauce. Why? Any other oil that I would remotely consider is less stable than coconut oil and would further reduce freshness, regardless of the fact that the fudge sauce needs to be refrigerated; other oils remain liquid even at cool room temperatures, making it more difficult to ship and transport and would change significantly the viscosity of the sauce; and finally, any other oil would alter the delicious flavor that coconut oil imparts. Addressing the "thumbs down" concern in this comment will be addressed in my long answer upcoming blog. Stay tuned. Comment: ...Your choc is good but unfortunately melts immediately so I only eat it right out of the fridge which limits use and flavor.
Another excellent comment worthy of a blog post with a longer, more scientific answer but I'm going to keep it as short and sweet as I can here. Making chocolate is both a science and an art. The culinary science behind dark, glossy chocolate that "snaps" is called tempering, a method of heating and cooling and heating the chocolate again, each time to specific a temperature, to get the cacao butter to crystalize properly. One nemesis to cacao butter crystalization is water or added moisture. The signature ingredient in my raw chocolate is pure maple syrup produced at my local sap house, Sap Hound Maple Company in Brownfield, ME. Yep, maple syrup introduces a lot of added moisture. Not only does any liquid sweetener make the tempering process a challenge, it also creates a "softer bodied" chocolate. The water content of the syrup/sweetener, atmospheric humidity, room heat or lack of it, and added flavorings are a few of the conditions that can influence "melt factor." All chocolate melts below body temperature, somewhere between 86 and 92 degrees Farenheit. Adding an emulsifier may help stabilize chocolate and slow melting. Some common commercial additives that act as emulsifiers are soy lecithin and PGPR. Most raw and/or organic chocolates will not have emulsifiers in them because the goal is to use the purest ingredients possible. It's important to me to craft artisan chocolate with purity and integrity. Maple syrup is my preferred sweetener for a number of reasons:
I will continue to do my best to create chocolate that is a delight to the senses and is in line with my values. Those values include listening to my customers and continually trying to find ways to improve what I have to offer. Your survey responses are my guide in creating chocolate that appeals to your tastes and senses. I look forward to keeping you chocolate-covered. Thanks again for your input. How does one follow up on a pre-pandemic blog post?
Well, I've certainly made a lot of chocolate disappear in the past year. It's my comfort food. Always has been. Always will be. I began making my own to ensure the chocolate I consume (in large quantities!) aligns with my healthy food and healthy environment values. Chocolate has given me purpose, too. It's with much gratitude that I thank all of my dedicated Chocolate Club members and the many chocolate lovers who've sought out my raw cacao at the Tamworth and Wolfeboro farmers markets and those who've found it by chance or through local advertisement. Your encouraging feedback makes the effort all worth it. It lets me know my efforts are appreciated. Some of you have expressed how positively life-changing my consciously crafted chocolate is for you. Regardless of how we've connected and however briefly, all of you have made life in these strange times seem "normal" and purposeful. This past year has been a tough one. I can't lie. Who could anticipate the significant shift 2020 would bring to our lives? I'll never take "business as usual" or day to day living for granted again. My isolationist tendencies will be tossed out the post-pandemic window as soon as it safely opens. I am going to hug people often and for extended periods of time. You are forewarned. May all of you find purpose and some positive form of comfort in this new reality. In the meantime, and forever after, take sweet solace in knowing that the active components of cacao are scientifically shown to improve mood and uplift spirits.* Be well, shine on, stay hopeful. Eat consciously created chocolate. xoxo Beth *https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3575938/ Hello, 2020. They,--whoever "they" is--say that hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to vision. Do we really see our past so clearly that it truly informs and illuminates our present now and our near future in the best possible light? I'm still working on that. How about you? I don't know if the work gets a easier but I do know the more I activate the tools of willingness, forgiveness and the act of letting go, and the more I embrace self-care, the better I feel. I am trying to take a look at my own behaviors because 1) I am willing and 2) forgiveness can be SO healing for others and ourselves and, 3) Like my friend Ted told me once, his dog Bob taught him a very important lesson: Bob, a sweet, energetic sadhu of a terrier does his elimination business, kicks some dirt over it, and walks away. In other words, Bob lets sh*t go and doesn't look back. In other words, release what no longer serves you. Let go and move on. Thank you, Bob. Interestingly and quite metaphorically, the behaviors that always seem to "dog" me, bite me in the ankles or other tender parts (metaphorically, for sure) often herd me like a boss dog, repeatedly. Oh, yeah, right: they're hounds of my own creation. When will I learn to let that sh*t go?? The big one for me is self-created stress. Whether or not one creates stress by one's own doing, by lifestyle choices or reactive decisions, or by riding shotgun in someone else's drama by choice or by chance, stress diminishes well-being. I can't magically wave a wand over you or me and say, "Done! No more stress!" but I can help by giving you some understanding of stress and some tools to help get you through it. Stress causes are absolutely everywhere. Our natural “fight or flight” stress response can sometimes go a little overboard. It’s supposed to help us escape injury or death in an emergency and then return to normal after we’ve fought or flew. But, that doesn’t happen too much in our society - it becomes a long-term reaction. It becomes chronic. When it becomes chronic your body is set up for a lifetime of physical challenges. You’ve probably heard of the main stress hormone, called “cortisol.” It’s released from your adrenal glands in response to stress. It’s also naturally high in the morning to get you going, and slowly fades during the day so you can sleep. High levels of cortisol are associated with belly fat, poor sleep, brain fog, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and even lowers your immunity. I've experienced some--okay, MOST-- of these when I am not mindful of my current environment: my work habits, my food choices, my sleep regimen and who I am spending time with. When stress builds to a point of no return, adrenal fatigue or failure can result. A body can only take so much. I've been there. It's not pretty. Nutrient-dense food and lifestyle changes can help to you lower this stress hormone naturally. Take it slow. The key to creating and solidifying new habits is awareness and consistency. Support is another key factor. Foods and nutrients to lower cortisol Let’s start with one of the biggies that increase your cortisol… sugar. Oh, say it ain't so! Reducing the sugar one eats and drinks can be a great step toward better health for our minds and bodies. Hang on, there are strategies to break the sugar addiction and have your sweet and eat it, too. See the recipe below. I've got you covered and usually chocolate is involved! High doses of caffeine also increase your cortisol levels. If coffee makes you feel anxious and jittery, then cut back on the amount of caffeine you ingest. Alternatives: yerba mate, herbal/green tea blends, kava kava, organic chocolate without cane sugar. Questions? Use the comment box. I love hearing from you! Drink water. Especially in winter. Dehydration increases cortisol. Make sure you’re drinking enough water every day, even if you don't feel thirsty. Fill up a 32 ounce mason jar or other container. Drink it all and fill it again. Try to drink those second 32 ounces before the day ends. Eat a variety of nutrient-dense whole foods. Eating to thrive helps reduce stress hormone and supports all aspects of your health. Ask me what nutrient dense options are and check out the sweet recipe below. Herbal tea, green tea and dark chocolate (not the sugary milky kind) are highly antioxidant, nutrient dense choices to help you unwind and uplift your mood. Again, I've got you covered. Check out The Chocolate Club HERE. Don’t forget your probiotics and prebiotics! There is so much new research about the gut-mind connection, and how taking care of your friendly gut microbes is key. Make sure you’re eating probiotic-rich fermented foods and getting a healthy dose of prebiotic fiber. Ask me more on this one, too! Lifestyle techniques to lower cortisol It’s not just food, but there are things you can do with your time that can lower cortisol. Check out the suggestions below. Reduce your stress with mindfulness. KEEP READING EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE! Many studies show that reducing stressful thoughts and worry reduces cortisol. Easier said than done, yes? I mentioned previously in this post that support is a key factor. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people helps. Many hands make light work. The emphasis here is on "light" as in shine your light, see the light, be the light. Don't go it alone. Create mindfulness together and stand strong. Get enough exercise. But don’t overdo it. While intense exercise increases cortisol levels temporarily, it can reduce overall cortisol levels. Take a walk in the woods. trees know the secret of longevity and strength and they'll share it with you--and yep, I'm a cosmic tree-hugger but I do know some things and experience backs me up. Trust me on this one and there's scientific evidence to back up the health benefits of a good walk in the woods. Try gentle, strengthening yoga. If you can't do a class, get a video from the library and invite friends over and giggle and stretch and love it all up together. One of my greatest blessings is that I have a friend who gets friends together to do video-yoga at her house. So grateful! Sleep at the chance to dream. Getting adequate sleep is way too underrated. Sleep reduces cortisol levels and also helps improve your overall health in so many ways. If you have a smart phone you can most likely set a bedtime reminder. If you don't have a smart phone, write yourself a note where you will see it in time to get 7 -8 hours of sleep. If you're inclined, write down your dreams. They're telling your something. Relax and have fun. Things like deep breathing, massages, and listening to relaxing music all reduce cortisol. What relaxes you? Schedule fun time like you would a doctor or dentist appointment. Be social and bust loneliness. Science has shown health risks from social isolation and loneliness. It’s true! Maintaining good relationships and spending time with people you like and who support you is key. "Everybody come together, right now"-- and maybe do a yoga video. :) Thanks for sticking with this long post. Too much of the stress hormone cortisol can have several negative impacts on your health. There are many proven ways to reduce levels of cortisol naturally. In terms of foods and nutrients, have less sugar and caffeine. Have more water, fruit and greens (these babies are FULL of water!), tea, dark chocolate, probiotics, and prebiotics. Lifestyle factors are huge when it comes to cortisol. To lower yours, exercise (but not too much), get more sleep, relax, and have more fun. In the comments below, let me know your favorite ways to bust the stress hormone cortisol. I'll share them in an upcoming post. My 2020 vision is that we all are present, willing and can reach out if we are feeling we are not able. Find your inner light and your inner tree and stand stong. xoxo RECIPE! High fiber and Prebiotic De-Stressing Chocolate Pudding Serves 6 3 ripe avocados ¼ cup cacao powder (unsweetened) ¼ cup maple syrup or raw honey ½ tsp vanilla extract water or non-dairy milk of choice such as almond, coconut or cashew milk, as needed Instructions Place all ingredients except water or non-dairy milk into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add water or non-dairy milk, one tablespoon at a time, as needed to blend to a pudding consistency. Serve & enjoy! Refrigerate any leftovers in a tightly sealed container for up to for days or freeze for up to 1 month. Tip: Try adding a pinch of ground cinnamon and/or cayenne pepper to taste for a deeper flavor. Dedication: This post is dedicated to my friend T who consistently brings friends together for yoga and to Sara "The Beacon" who stands strong like a tree and connects others with others and provided inspiration for this post. And of course, Bob and his humans. Again, so grateful! References: https://authoritynutrition.com/ways-to-lower-cortisol/ http://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-cortisol https://authoritynutrition.com/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety/ https://www.thepaleomom.com/managing-stress/ http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/understanding-the-stress-response It's a snowy day here in NH. The dream of a white Christmas is looking like a reality and it has me inspired to create some very special holiday chocolate, such as
Rosemary, Cranberry and Candied Pine Nut Bark, one of the featured flavors in December's Chocolate Club. I'm also hard at work designing packaging, researching the best shipping rates and refining my offerings that I'll have at local holiday fairs. Consider gifting your friends, family, and special loved ones this season with small batch, artisan chocolate, consciously-created with your wellness, and the planet's, in mind. Here's how to get yours: The Chocolate Club--available for local pick up or delivery or shipped in the USA. (woo hoo!) Click HERE to view the current month's share and order form. The Valley Vegan--a hip little marketplace and bakery located at 3425B White Mt. Highway in North Conway, NH across from Moat Mountain Brew Pub Special Orders are welcomed anytime! Use the Contact Form to get in touch with me. ~~Local Holiday Markets and Fairs~~ Free admission to all fairs and events Saturday, December 7 Tamworth Indoor Farmers Market, Tamworth Town Hall, Tamworth, NH 9am until 1pm Friday, December 13 Holiday Homecoming Stroll at Settlers Green 3 pm until 7 pm Click HERE for more info on this fun-filled event! Saturday, December 14 Tamworth Indoor Farmers Market, Tamworth Town Hall, Tamworth, NH 9am until 1pm Sunday, December 15 Snowvillage Inn Artisan Fair and Inn to Inn Cookie Stroll 11am until 3pm 136 Stewart Rd, Snowville, NH Happy Fall, y'all!
I hope you are enjoying the treasure of these golden and glowing days. They pass us by so quickly. I am taking a short break from chocolate making and nutritional work to catch up on some much-needed rest and to attend to some necessary winter preparations before snow flies. There are many creative ideas flitting around in my head--seasonal savory recipes, new chocolate flavors, wellness programs, new partnerships with local businesses, holiday fair schedules, and chocolate with a purpose. Thanks for your patience and I'll be in touch soon. The Chocolate Club will resume in November and if you'd like chocolate sooner, please visit The Valley Vegan in North Conway. They are a health and planet-conscious new business in town and they sell my chocolate. Looking for a special flavor or holiday culinary treat? Feel free to contact me directly. Be well and shine on! xoxo Warming days. Crisp, cold nights. The glorious time when maple trees let loose their glistening liquid silver, soon to be turned into deep brown gold. Hey, Beautiful People! This blog post is somewhat of an excerpt of my contribution to the current Spring edition of Mt. Washington Valley's ViBE magazine. There's some tasty tidbits of info in each piece. I hope you enjoy both! ~ Beth xo This is the my first "real" winter in nearly a decade and I've spent it entirely in New England, I've fallen into the acceptance of the cold seasonal rhythm by noting the silent beauty of snowfall; bending an ear to the eerie music coaxed out of my wood stove and chimney by determined winds; acknowledging, with a bit of reluctance, the ache of muscles that moved many feet of snow that was all too often made sluggishly wet and heavy by an unwelcome coda of rain. There's also the uplifting and the soul-soothing reward of snowshoeing under infinitely blue skies through bony woods, across deep and sparkling snowfields printed and stamped by the tracks of unseen wildlife. For balance and to keep me humble, there was the stamping and tracking of my own well-worn path between woodpile and wood stove. But now I'm ready for Spring and the flow of maple sap gives me hope. My gratitude for the sap run is twofold: it's a harbinger of the coming change of season and it also brings with it the promise of pure maple syrup, my sweetener of choice for both savory and sweet recipes including the monthly Chocolate Club share. All sugars raises one's blood sugar so it's best to consider added sweeteners mindfully. Pure maple syrup far outweighs cane sugar and agave in nutritional benefits. And high fructose corn syrup? Just call that sh*t "poison!" Coconut palm sugar is lower on the glycemic index (GI), which means it raises your blood sugar more slowly than a sugar higher on the GI. The lower GI of coconut sugar can slow one's appetite in a way that higher glycemic sugars can not. Raw honey is better than processed sugars but maple syrup tops the natural sweetener charts when it comes to mineral values. Empower your mind with information and power your body with some pure maple syrup. Consciously, of course. Here's how you can put a little sweet "Spring" in your step. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)
The benefits of raw cacao can nourish your body, mind and spirit. Raw chocolate is a sweet and tasty way to boost your health. Organic, highest quality cacao. Local organic, sustainable pure maple syrup. Pure extracts and essential oils. Superfoods like almonds, chia, goji berries, mulberries, cayenne, and reishi mushrooms. Everything that nourishes, nothing that diminishes. That's how I craft living chocolate that delights your senses and nourishes your entire being. You can get your taste of high vibrational vitality here: THE CHOCOLATE CLUB Introducing my new service! The 5 Day Nutritional Feast Serving up convenience one delicious bite at a time to Mt. Washington Valley Locals Healthy food. Convenience. It's what we all crave but often can't combine the two.
We're busy. We're stressed. We're tired. We're looking to change it up so we can reach health goals or "re-set" our eating habits or just get a little relief from meal prep. I'm here to help with a tasty solution. Check out my new service available in the Mt. Washington Valley area HERE. |
AuthorSoul Full Living is about connecting with what honors and nourishes your soul. Archives
September 2022
Categories |