Five Fact Friday

1. Last night I went to my first Zumba class. It’s like a mix of aerobics and Latin dance and it’s a lot of fun. I went by myself so it was a bit weird to start with as it was quick and I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but by the end I was picking up some of the moves and felt like I was getting a good workout. At least I could do the salsa bits without too much problem!

2. My liquidiser has died. BOOOHOOOO! The jug has a crack in it and soup was flying everywhere so I need to try and find a replacement jug [and wash my jumper].

3. I heard today that people are panic buying chocolate due to a predicted chocolate drought. Apparently sustainable resources are running out due to political unrest in the Ivory Coast. I’m sure this is just media hype and things will be sorted out, but can you imagine not having chocolate available? I once tried to give up chocolate but it’s everywhere!

4. I’ve been researching spiritual gifts again because it’s surprising how many people think that they don’t have any. According to this test I have the gift of serving, giving, leadership and teaching. I think it’s hilarious that leadership and teaching have come up because I’m the most reluctant person to be in front of people. I much prefer to hide under my duvet, but it’s obvious too how God has used Josh and me and has equipped us. I love seeing how he works.

5. I am very excited to be participating in the Blog Bible Study from 1^st Feb. We’re going to be going through the book ‘A Woman after God’s Own Heart’. There’s still chance to grab a book and join in. Check back after the 9^th for our discussion on the first chapter.

Quick questions
1. Have you ever done Zumba?
2. Could you live without chocolate?
3. What are you spiritual gifts?

Happy Friday friends!

Chocolate Brownie Recipe

This is a recipe which has been passed down to me by my Mum. I have good memories of eating it with my best friend when we got home from school!

The way is goes crispy on the outside, while still staying gooey on the inside is just amazing, especially considering it is such a simple recipe!

It can be served as a snack, as part of afternoon tea, or could be served warm, with ice cream or cream as a yummy pudding.

 

• 4 oz Butter
• 1 – 1 ½ oz Cocoa Powder
• 2 Eggs
• 8 oz Caster Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 2 oz Self Raising Flour
• 2 oz Raisins / Nuts/ Chocolate Chunks

 

1. Grease and line an 8” tin (I normally just use a normal round cake tin) and preheat the oven to 180º.

 

2. Melt the butter over a low heat and stir in the cocoa powder until melted and combined.

 

3. While the butter is melting beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl – then add the combined chocolate mixture, along with the vanilla essence.

 

4. Sift the flour and slowly combine into the mixture. Add raisins, nuts or chocolate chunks as required. I don’t normally add anything so it’s just really to taste.

 

5. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

Caffeine Crazed

I can’t remember if I have already mentioned the fact that I don’t drink caffeinated drinks. I cut out caffeine around 4 years ago when I was doing my A Levels. I felt very ill and stressed over a long period of time, and my Mum suggested that I cut down my caffeine intake to see if it would help. I now occasionally drink hot chocolates, and I obviously eat chocolate, but I very rarely drink caffeinated tea or coffee.

 

So yesterday I got taken out by a work colleague to discuss an insurance issue, and he tells me that the “Mocha is to die for”, and I think, oh what is one shot of coffee going to do? Well, I can tell you, it can apparently do a lot! I felt sooo ill all day!

 

First came the buzzing brain, and lack of ability to concentrate on my work. Then after lunch I just felt unbelievably drained, with tired muscles like I hadn’t had enough sugar. Then came a slight headache and feeling of nausea along with a slightly ‘manic’ feeling. I was still feeling the effects 12 hours later as I tried (and failed) to sleep. My thoughts were just spinning round my mind, and I felt very anxious.

 

I looked up the effects on the internet and I matched many of the side effects that I felt, although they suggest you would feel these after 6 cups of coffee! I must have totally lost my tolerance and be particularly sensitive to its effects. It makes me glad that I have cut out caffeine when I can tell it obviously has a negative effect on my body. I was just glad to wake up this morning and realise I wasn’t going insane after all!

Credit Card Update

I have just been into the bank to sort out my credit card dilemma from yesterday, and thankfully the story has a happy ending.

The bank had frozen my card because they thought someone was using it fraudulently. However, it was just me! So that’s all good, and the fact that they picked up on it is quite reassuring. I’m just hoping that the money that they blocked doesn’t now go through because I will have paid it twice. Also, how long was it going to be before they told me? Or am I just meant to work it out for myself?!

 

Anyway, good thing of the day is that I just remembered we have £50 which I forgot to include in the budget. It’s nice when you find money you forgot you had! Now…I must remember, it’s not an excuse to spend it on chocolate!

Buy Nothing Challenge Confessional 2

I don’t think that we are taking this challenge seriously enough.

I confess that there have been a couple of covert missions to the corner shop to buy chocolate, pre made sandwiches, tonic and other ‘luxury’ goodies this week. I know, I know, I’m ashamed…after all I said last week about being good.

We’ve been okay everywhere else though and they have only been small purchases but it all adds up. Josh and I have just been chatting about the need to tighten the purse strings so I refuse to give in this week to the temptation of chocolate!

 

Another worry is that, for some reason my bank has removed my credit card from my online account and won’t let me re-add it, saying that the information is incorrect. I’m more than slightly concerned about this as we have bills that are due to be paid from it! I can’t get down to town until tomorrow lunch time so I’m trying to forget about it for now, and NOT PANIC!!!

 

Detox Diary – Day 3 and 4

I am grumpy.

It is stunningly beautiful outside and I am stuck inside with quarter of a stained-glass window (which lets in pretty much no natural light), I can’t have chocolate and I’ve just had annoying people ranting at me about the price of the car park because I put a warning notice on their car.

The price of our car parking has gone up to £2. This might seem steep but the county council car parks are £2.50. We would like to tarmac the car park but obviously need to raise some money as of course, we are a charity.
People don’t seem to realise this though and appear to enjoy getting round paying at all costs which makes my afternoon job of playing carpark attendent all the more fun.
Having said that they are probably the people who complain first about the state of the carpark in bad weather. 

Anyway, eeek, rant over…Here is my detox diary for the weekend. I can’t wait for Thursday when I can eat what I want. However I keep telling myself there is no point detoxing if you just eat loads of junk afterwards!!

Day 3
Breakfast
Porridge with raisins and dried apricot; 1 glass of water with lemon 
Morning 1 glass of water; Flapjack (made with oil and honey) 
Lunch Leek and Potato Soup with rice cakes; 1 Pear; 1 glass of orange juice 
Dinner Vegetable Bolognese with brown rice; Yoghurt with honey and fruit; Flap jack; Glass of water 
Evening Raw carrot; Plain popcorn; Glass of water and orange juice

 Day 4
Breakfast Porridge with raisins and dried apricot; 1 glass of water with lemon; 1 glass of orange juice 
Lunch Cod fillet with potatos, kale and sprouts (all steamed); Banana 
Dinner Leek and Potato soup with rice cakes; Flapjack 
Evening
Porridge with dried fruit

(I lost count of the amount of water I drank as I was here there any everywhere!)

Do you like Chocolate?

Hopefully you have already read my entry about chocolate production.
Stopthetraffik want to give the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon one million signatures to show a unified voice and help put an end to people trafficking and modern slavery.

They have already received one-third of the signatures they need. However there are only 58 days before they hand the petition in. This isn’t just about chocolate, this is about stopping all types of modern slavery.Please, please, please just take a few minutes to sign this declaration. It won’t take up much of your time but could make a huge difference to thousands around the world.

Sugar highs and lows

Hello,

My name is Rachel, and I am a chocoholic.
I have been a chocoholic for many years now and I have realised that it is a negative addiction and must be controlled… 

…no, but I really do have cravings if I haven’t had chocolate in a while, so to curb them (and having turned over my new ethical leaf) I bought some Green and Black’s chocolate. I feel that is important to add here that scientists have proven that coca powder and dark chocolate is actually good for your heart so I felt it was important to have a correct diet!!  

Anyway, while I was munching away on the chocolaty goodness at work I started to wonder why some chocolate is more ethical than others and did some research.Obviously some is fair trade which is better than others but when I logged on to this website I was really surprised. 

It turns out that my ‘ethically sound’ chocolate isn’t that ethical after all as it can’t be guaranteed that humans haven’t been trafficked to make it. It’s horrible when you stop to think about it, especially the amount of chocolate that most of us eat without even thinking (chocolate biscuits, hot chocolate drinks, cocoa in cakes/biscuits).
Check out that website as it gives a list of all the chocolate that can guarantee that people haven’t been trafficked to make it. It has really challenged me.

Fine, I can buy Divine chocolate bars now, instead of cheap Somerfield ones, but am I going to be so willing to swap all my chocolate products? 
For example Traidcraft cocoa costs £12.90, whereas the Cadburys I get at the moment for cooking is about £10 cheaper. Traidcraft drinking chocolate costs £13.20!
Either I will have to save money else where or cut out many of the chocolaty products that I consume every week. I think perhaps I will just have to break my habit.