Three of My (many) Favorite Ingredients

Simply, here are three ingredients that I use along with tips, reviews and ideas about them:

Here is a recipe of mine that uses all three ingredients!

1. Many healthy dessert recipes call for pitted dates. As a time saver, you can cut a chunk from a block. About an inch thick and wide, the whole block is about 2 inches tall of pitted pressed dates equals about 8-10 pitted dates. I found mine at our local Indian grocery store.

2. Make sure your cacao powder is "raw". Otherwise it may have been heated to a temperature that changes it's chemical make up and makes it caffeinated. Navitas Organics is a dependable raw brand.

Besides being an irresistible treat, dark chocolate is a source of magnesium, an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in our overall health. Magnesium contributes to muscle and nerve function, keeps our heart rhythm steady, and supports a robust immune system. When you indulge in a square of high-quality dark chocolate, you're not just satisfying your sweet tooth; you're also giving your body a little magnesium boost. So, go ahead and savor that dark chocolate square guilt-free—it's not just a treat for your taste buds, but for your well-being too!

3. When buying walnuts for a recipe like this, opt for the package sold as "pieces" versus "whole". This is cheaper; stores charge more for complete halves. Also buy nuts in the refrigerated section if you can. If your store doesn't sell enough nuts (i.e. low turnover) the oil in the nuts can go rancid.

However, I have had luck with Trader Joe's Organic Raw Walnut halves and pieces sold on the shelf.

Here is a recipe of mine that uses all three ingredients!