Easter 2018!

Our nutrient-dense no-crap Easter chocolates are once again available for purchase at Broth Bar & Larder! 

This is artisan chocolate alchemy made with the highest quality ingredients. To create our Easter range, I took  our original sokolata recipe and tweaked it to make it more kid-friendly for younger palates.

As usual, we have two fabulous offerings this Easter! 

1. ORGANIC YUMMY BUNNY

These little fellows are made of solid raw dark chocolate and retail for $22.50 (cheaper than the Lindt ones I saw in Woollies!). Perfect for all the yummy mummies, delicious daddies and little bunnies out there….these will get your bunny tails shaking! 

2. MINI SOKOLATA DELIGHTS

These delightful little half eggs are the perfect mouth-sized treat. Each egg is decorated with either a goji berry, an activated almond or activated cinnamon buckwheat. You can pop them into some hard plastic egg-shaped containers from $2 shops for those treasured Easter egg hunts (pictured below). 

They are retailing for $15/100g bag and each bag has a mixture of the 3 flavours. 

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THE INGREDIENTS THAT GO INTO OUR ARTISAN CHOCOLATE...

Our artisan Easter chocolate is made with the following 3 pure ingredients:

• Certified organic raw cacao powder
• Certified organic raw cacao butter
• Mineral rich pure Canadian maple syrup

In keeping with previous years traditions we have reformulated our signature raw dark chocolate recipe by reducing the amount of raw cacao powder to make it less bitter for younger palates. Because it is less bitter, we reduced the amount of maple syrup as less sweetener is needed when there is less raw cacao powder. Commercial manufacturers increase the amount of sweetener for kids’ chocolates but we did the exact opposite as we know how unnecessary and damaging an excess of sweeteners are, especially for young growing bodies. The result is a silky smooth melt-in-your-mouth buttery sensation with a hint of raw dark chocolate. We trialled these on the harshest of critics (kids!) and got the big thumbs up!

To read about the nutritional benefits of raw cacao powder and what’s in commercially-produced chocolate that you might want to steer clear of (such as soy lecithins, refined sweetens, agave syrup, preservatives, milk powders), read one of my earlier newsletters here.

If these Easter chocolates don’t take your fancy, there’s always our sokolata (raw dark chocolate slabs…choose from 4 different flavours) or our raw cacao coconut balls (sweetened with whole medjool dates). 

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AVAILABLE NOW UNTIL STOCKS LAST AT BROTH BAR & LARDER IN BRONTE

To avoid disappointment, I strongly encourage you to pre-order and pre-pay for your Easter chocolates by calling the friendly staff at Broth Bar & Larder on 0421 786 009 or emailing us at orders@staraniseorganic.com and we will put packets aside for you. We can also courier the Easter chocolates to Sydney Metro Areas for an additional courier fee.

We are closed over the Easter 4 day public holiday long weekend 30 March – 2 April.

WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY CHOCOLATE-FILLED EASTER!!

Valentines Day 2018

Valentines Day might traditionally be a celebration of romantic love but I’m drawing a broader bow and see it as a celebration of love in all its guises. The unconditional love a mother has for her children, the love for one’s family and close friends and let’s not forget where this outpouring all starts from, the deep well of self-love. Whatever we do, and why we do it, all comes back to love. To either feel loved or gift love. 

I EXPRESS MY LOVE IN MANY WAYS BUT, LIKE MY MOTHER, ONE OF THE WAYS I INSTINCTIVELY EXPRESS MY LOVE IS THROUGH THE CREATION OF BEAUTIFUL NOURISHING FOOD MADE FOR THOSE I CARE ABOUT

To that end, here is our selection of limited edition exquisite hand-made products that we make each year for the International Day of Love for you to share with your loved ones...or perhaps to enjoy yourself!

I hope they make your heart sing as much as I loved crafting and making them for you:

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1.
ROSE PETAL RAW DARK CHOCOLATE —

We liberally sprinkled our signature raw dark chocolate with Ovvio Organics certified organic rose petals to create chocolate that is almost too pretty to eat!

Each piece is individually wrapped in paper, tied with twine and stamped with a little “Love You” card. These sing artisan chocolate hand-made with love at the top of their sweet voices.

Priced according to weight at $14.50/100g. Keep refrigerated as our chocolate is so pure.

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2. RAW LOVE DOUBLE LOVE HEART CHOCOLATES —

Pre-packaged solid double love heart chocolates made with our signature raw dark chocolate sweetened with maple syrup (81% raw cacao content). There are 7 double love heart chocolates in a bag for $14/100g. Keep refrigerated as our chocolate is so pure.

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3. CHOCOLATE-INFUSED ACTIVATED MUESLI —

What happens when you combine the 3rd most nutrient-dense food on the planet (activated nuts and seeds) with the fourth most nutrient-dense food on the planet (raw cacao powder)? Our raw dark chocolate + our activated muesli = taste orgasm in a bowl. Does is get any better? Over the past few weeks we’ve saved all the off cuts of our range of raw dark chocolates and mixed them through our activated muesli, packaged it up in glass jars with beautiful ribbon and a little “Love You” card. Because I think breakfast is the best time of day to eat chocolate! $23.50/350g.

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WHAT MAKES OUR CHOCOLATE UNIQUE?

We think our chocolate is pretty special and one of a kind. Here’s why:

1. We only use certified organic ingredients where these are available.

2. We use raw cacao powder (as opposed to processed/heat treated cocoa) that has been fermented for 3 days. Raw cacao powder is ranked as the 4th most nutrient-dense food on the planet and touted for its numerous health benefits:

a. High in polyphenols (anti-oxidants) particularly flavanols (higher than green tea, red wine, goji berries, acai berries). Anti-oxidants prevent the effects of aging, DNA damage, heart disease and cancer.
b. High in minerals esp. magnesium (healthy heart and brain function; muscle relaxant; bones density; mitigates feelings of stress), chromium (assists pancreatic health and regulates blood sugar) and iron (promotes oxygen transport in the blood).
c. Positive effects on the brain, circulatory and cardiovascular system. Eg lowers Alzheimer’s risk, lowers blood pressure, improves blood lipid profile (lowers oxidised LDL), improves insulin sensitivity, improves exercise endurance, protects against pre-eclampsia in pregnancy.
d. Anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, anti-thrombotic (anti-blood clotting)
e. Anti-depressant/feel-good chemicals (eg dopamine, serotonine, tryptophan)
f. Protects the liver against alcohol (wine and chocolate = winning pair!)
g. Protects against UV damage
h. Its theobromine content (bitter compound) has a stimulating effect producing higher levels of physical energy and mental alertness. It has 1/4 of the stimulating power of caffeine.

3. We only use raw cacao butter as our fat of choice which is what is used in traditional chocolate making (and do not ‘water down’ with coconut oil or other fats and especially no industrial seed oils like vegetable oil found in conventional chocolate). Raw cacao butter is what gives chocolate that melt in your mouth smooth chocolaty taste.

4. We only use pure Canadian maple syrup in our chocolate. It is our natural sweetener of choice due to its high mineral content, delicious flavour, smooth texture and favourable glucose to fructose ratio.  We do not use agave syrup (way too high in fructose which causes metabolic and digestive issues).

5. We do not use soy lecithins, emulsifiers, milk powders, any preservatives, or artificial flavours, colours or additives, and nor to we temper our chocolate. For all these reasons, the purity of our chocolate requires that it be stored in the fridge.

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“IF YOU ARE GOING TO EAT CHOCOLATE, EAT THE BEST QUALITY CHOCOLATE IN THE WORLD. LIFE’S TOO SHORT TO EAT CRAP CHOCOLATE”  

click here to tweet

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WHAT MAKES OUR MUESLI UNIQUE?

I crafted this muesli many years ago as there was, and still is, nothing on the market that comes close in terms of source and processing.

Here’s why:

1. It is important that all nuts and seeds added to a muesli are properly prepared through soaking and long slow dehydrating to make them digestible (it also makes them so much more delicious to!). Many mueslis might claim to be “paleo” or “organic” but proper preparation is all-important to reduce phytates and make the nutrients digestible and accessible.  

2. We only use certified organic ingredients where these are available.

3. Our muesli is grain-free and in particular gluten-free. We use activated buckwheat (not a relative of wheat) as the base. Technically buckwheat is a fruit and not a grain but it behaves like a grain so it is soaked and dehydrated until light and crispy. We do not use puffed grains or any other grains for that matter.

4. We do not add any concentrated sugars or sweeteners. It is naturally sweetened with gojis, coconut flakes and dried figs which are hand-cut to size.

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IN THE WORDS OF SOME OF MY CLIENTS —

“I just wanted to let you know that your  muesli is so delicious …. It has the most amazing combination of flavours &  textures & our family love it ....there is nothing else like it on the market ....”

— Heather

“Awww Soulla, the goods arrived, and oh myyyy, they are sooo delicious! The muesli is absolutely yummy (could devour it all day long)”

— Fiona

“Soulla, your muesli is the best part of my day!”

— Kate

“Hi there, I have had many organic/natural chocolates over the last 10 years from all over the world… these ones have to be the best by far! My fav is the fruit and nut and cinnamon crunch… well done! Your macadamia nuts are the best too!”

— Peter

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HOW TO PURCHASE —

These limited edition Valentines Day products can be purchased from Broth Bar & Larder or to pre-order please drop us a line at orders@staraniseorganic.com. We have only made a limited amount and will not be making more when these sell out so please get in fast or pre-order to avoid disappointment.  

I HOPE YOUR VALENTINES DAY IS INFUSED WITH RAW LOVE IN ALL ITS GUISES...

Soulla xX

What does the end of one year and the start of a new year bring up for you?

In the past I would be so hard on myself looking back at the previous year thinking "is this ALL I have achieved?!" And I would wake up on New Year's Day feeling anxious and overwhelmed with everything I wanted to do and achieve in the forthcoming year. If those feelings come up now (and they still do to a degree) I simply sit with them to bring me back into the present. And then I put them into perspective. 

Acknowledge that everything that happened to each of us in 2017 - the good, the bad and the ugly- was all perfect and unfolded exactly as it should to bring us to where we are today. 

Now it's time to shine the light on 2018. A new chapter in our story book of life, waiting for us to write on its blank pages with endless possibilities. 

To create a life that lights you up start by writing a list of how you want to spend your time in 2018. It can be as short or as long as you like but make sure the things on there are those things that really light you up. That's step 1. Stick the list somewhere prominent where you can see it every single day. Step 2 is to find ways to delegate or outsource or kick to the curb the tasks that absorb much of your time that DON'T fall into that list.

I spent some time doing this the last couple days to be absolutely crystal clear on how I want to spend my time adding the most value (to myself and my community) in 2018, acknowledging that some goals will realistically have to wait to 2019. Rome wasn't built in a day. And then I spent time delegating every single task that either I don't absolutely want to do or is not critical for me and me alone to do. 

The path called 2018 that lies ahead may at times be treacherous, undulating, monotonous, spectacular, exhilarating or smooth sailing. But whatever twists and turns it brings, enjoy every step of the journey. While our goals and dreams are dearly important to each of us, my goal is to inject a sense of play and lightness into HOW I execute them and how I respond to the curveballs that life throws at me, to keep the bigger picture in perspective.

Whatever 2018 brings for you, know that a journey of personal growth always brings you one step closer to a life of fulfilment. And if along your path you come to the realisation that you don't like where you're heading, it's ok to start over. You're the artist creating your masterpiece called Life. Make it as delicious as possible in every sense of the word!