Raspberry & White Chocolate Bark

Although we love a good rich chocolatey cacao slice or cake as an occasional sweet treat – sometimes we want to give that caffeine hit from the cacao a miss.

This is where white chocolate comes in.

Because unlike our usual chocolate recipes, it actually doesn’t contain cacao.

Does it still have that chocolatey taste though? You betcha! It’s incredible.

Another awesome thing is that (like usual) it’s completely refined sugar free & contains only 5 wholesome ingredients.

So let’s talk about a ‘standard’ size block of Cadbury ‘dream’ white chocolate for a second. This block of chocolate has refined sugar as its main ingredient, and contains just over 30 tsps.

Now that’s not to say that our recipe doesn’t have any sugar. It does. But it comes from natural sources, rather than being refined. Here’s the difference:

Natural sources of sugar contain sugar PLUS vitamins, minerals, antioxidants & fibre. You’re actually getting nourishment from these foods rather than just a hit of sugar.

Refined sources of sugar have been highly processed, wiping out any traces of nutrients, & leaving behind nothing but sugar.

And refined sugar – this boy is bad news.

Now even though you shouldn’t go gang busters on natural sugars either, but rather enjoy a treat like this once a week or less, refined sugar is a real problem.

Here’s why:

It can lead to consistent insulin spikes. Insulin is a fat storage hormone made in the pancreas, that also removes sugar from the blood – as too much can be toxic. When this happens over & over it can be very taxing on your pancreas & the more insulin you produce…the more resistant you become. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

It destroys your good gut bugs but also feeds the bad bugs, making you more susceptible to things like candida and parasites.

It causes you to gain weight & makes it very difficult to lose weight.

It increases free radicals.

It can affect brain function, cause depression & poor memory.

It reduces your Vitamin C intake

It reduces nitric oxide in the arteries – which is essential for blood flow & stops clots from breaking down

It damages DNA & accelerates ageing.

It can increase the risk of cancer.

Alright – so we now know that the Cadbury dream block is a little bit evil, yes?

…Now let’s talk about our recipe!

Here’s a break down of the ingredients + why they rock…

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is an excellent source of healthy fats. The type of fat it contains is a medium chain fatty acid, which – rather than being stored like other fats – is used immediately as fuel…giving you a boost of energy. It contains Lauric Acid which as been shown to boost immunity. It can also fights of viruses & reduces inflammation.

Coconut Butter: Coconut Butter has similar benefits to coconut oil as it contains the same healthy fats. Plus it’s also a good source of fibre. Fibre is important for feeding good gut bacteria & preventing constipation.

Cashews: Cashews are an awesome source of healthy fats & protein + they’re rich in a number of essential minerals including copper which promotes healthy brain function & helps collagen production + magnesium which is crucial for over 300 biochemical processes in the body.

Raspberries: Raspberries are packed with antioxidants & are a great source of vitamin C & manganese – a very important but under-appreciated mineral that’s important for bone structure, gut health & helps your body to produce energy.

Medjool Dates: Medjool dates are a very popular natural sweetener. They contain fibre, potassium, magnesium & b vitamins. They can help to prevent constipation & give you a natural energy boost.

If you’re watching your natural sugar intake – you can leave the dates out if you want… however we prefer to have them in there for a nice sweet taste.

Okay, ready for the recipe?

Let’s do this!