“Going Steady” Blood Sugar Friendly Valentine’s Day Candy Raw Food Recipe

Written by DrRitamarie



It’s Valentine’s Day today, and I have a lovely little surprise for you.

I’m sharing a recipe for low-glycemic chocolates for the special day!

They are yummy and contain no sweeteners, not even dates. They are sweetened with a hint of stevia and are perfect for diabetics (and for you if you have difficulty with candida overgrowth or other gut ailments, hypoglycemia, or insulin resistance).

Actually they’re good for everyone as too much sugar is not a good idea.

Try them!

“Going Steady” Blood Sugar Friendly Valentine’s Day Candies

Recipe adapted courtesy of Chef Karen Osborne from B4 Be Gone Recipe collection

Happy and Healthy Valentine's DayIngredients:

  • 2 tablespoons almond butter, smooth
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 1/32 teaspoon sea salt, (a smidgen)
  • 6 drops Sweet Leaf Whole Leaf Stevia Concentrate, plain or chocolate flavored
  • 1 tablespoon raw carob powder or 1 tablespoons raw cacao, or 1/2 tablespoon each
  • 2 drops peppermint essential oil, food grade
  • 1/4 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Directions:

  1. Whisk or stir all ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Spoon into heart shaped candy molds.
  3. Freeze for 30 minutes.
  4. Enjoy!




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Posted in Holiday Recipes, Raw Food Recipes, Raw Foods



Vibrant Health and Lasting Love for Valentines Day

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo



How are you celebrating Valentine’s day?

Mine started with a delicious smoothie made by my beloved, followed by 2 beautiful bouquets of flowers..one for downstairs and one for my office.  Then to top it off, there was a beautiful plate of fruit, a wine glass filled with fresh coconut water and connect time with him.

I don’t know about you, but for me connection time and acts of love are my love language.  They say so much more than lavish gifts!

And to further celebrate, we have a new addition tot eh family who is due to arrive momentarily followed by a romantic raw foods gourmet meal at  Beets Cafe.  Here’s the menu.

Valentine’s Day Menu

Our Prix Fixe Four Course Gourmet Dinner:

Dolmas filled with Wild Rice Pilaf

Petite Arugula Cesar Salad with Carrot Gnocchi Croutons

Cheese Ravioli with Herbed Macadamia Cream Sauce
and
Pistachio Parsley Salad

Chocolate Lava Cake with Raspberry Glaze

Off to feel the love.

Big hugs and lots of love

Dr. Ritamarie




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3 Keys to a Vibrantly Healthy Valentine’s Day

Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo



Valentin's day background

Valentines Day is the LOVE holiday…the day when we express our love to the special people in our lives.

The tradition of Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from the pagan customs of the Third or Fourth Century B.C., when the Festivals of Purification were celebrated in Ancient Rome.   With the advent of Christianity, priests attempted to replace all ancient heathen practices, and in the fifth century A.D., they created its own holiday around the same date,  and selected a saint who to honor for his devotion to love.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is a day when health takes a  backseat as most people embellish their loved ones with chocolates, little candy hearts with sayings on them and all sorts of sweet, heart shaped treats and lavishly rich dinners.

What would it be like to enjoy the magic of your  Valentine’s Day love connections without compromising your health and your waistline?

Here are 3 key strategies that you can use to create new and memorable health promoting Valentine’s Day rituals.

1- Celebrate and thank the one person you can count on to be there every moment in your life, through thick and thin, good times and challenging ones and until you take your last breath…YOU. Do something special for yourself. Self love and care is health care. One of the bestcandle ways to improve the quality of your health and increase your energy and longevity is to consistently make time to reward and acknowledge yourself.

Take a minute right now to stroke and massage your shoulders, arms and hands. Doesn’t that feel great? Plan a time for a candle-lit hot bath, or an evening in bed to read, write or meditate. What’s your favorite pass time? What do you love to do? Reward yourself by scheduling time to do it. Schedule it right NOW.

Jot me a note in the comments box and let me know how you plan to show self love.

valentine chocolate small2- Create special treats for your loved ones using whole, fresh, organic and living foods.

As a special Valentine’s Day gift from me to you, I created a recipe sampler you can use and enjoy.

http://www.drritamarie.com/candy.htm

3- Make aphrodisiac foods a part of the celebration, to spark some passion into your love life.  These  traditionally include:

  • Almondaroma is supposed to induce passion in a female.
  • Arugulahas been documented as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D.
  • AvocadoThe Aztecs called the tree the “testicle tree”.
  • BasilIs supposed to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility.
  • Chocolatecontains PEA, a neurotransmitter that stimulates a feeling of love and connection.fico 1
  • Fennela source of natural plant estrogen, fennel was used in the early Egyptian times as “libido enhancement”.
  • FigsAn open fig is said to resemble the female sex organs and traditionally thought of as sexual stimulant.
  • Garlicis said to stir sexual desires.
  • Mustardis believed to stimulate the sex glands and increase desire.
  • Pine Nutshave been used to stimulate the libido as far back as Medieval times.
  • Raspberries and Strawberriesare described in erotic literature as fruit nipples
  • VanillaThe scent and flavor is believed to increase lust.

Do you have any favorite aphrodisiac foods?  Submit your recipes and a description of the aphrodisiac properties of the food here:

http://www.drritamarie.com/newsletter/contributions/

I’ll be choosing one to publish in this month’s newsletter, which will be sent on Thursday February 18.

Please comment below… what are your valentines day plans?

Happy Valentines Day!

Remember to download your Valentines Day Recipe Sampler HERE and have fun!

With Love, Roses and Raw Chocolate Kisses,

Dr. Ritamarie




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Posted in Articles, Gluten Free recipes, Raw and Living Foods




Medical and Site Disclaimer: The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professinoal and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie.com LLC. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners.
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