Chocolate and Beyond

From sausages to smoothies (again)

'Trust your body' is the mantra of any intuitive eater, but how can one woman go from eating sausages for breakfast day in, day out, for what seemed like about 6 months - back to fruit smoothies everyday?

I don't know. I'm just going with it - but I can barely look at a sausage now that I seem to have worked my way through every single type that exists on more or less a daily basis for about the past half a year (yes, the road to enlightenment and a diet free existence does actually seem to take this long).

Enjoy Tasty Cultural Treats at Temple Bar's Chocolate Festival!

Temple Bar Cultural Trust in Dublin will make the dreams of every chocolate fan come true with their first ever Chocolate Festival. The three day festival of tantalizingly tasty events will take place on the 25th, 26th and 27th July, when you can experience and enjoy a range of FREE cultural events and cuisine in a celebration of chocolate!

And who doesn't love a celebration of chocolate?

In memory of Alison

Just over two weeks ago my partner Jack and his family suffered a terrible loss. Alison McGuire-Baker, sister-in-law to Jack and very dear wife to Jack's brother, Alex, died suddenly aged only 32. It has been a considerable shock to us all, but obviously Jack and his family, as well as Alison's dad and her younger sister, have been left with having to face the future now without her.

Because Alison was such a wonderful and vibrant person, and had really fought through many things in her life, I really wanted to just write this post in her memory, and to acknowledge the positive and energetic life she had, despite having had cancer twice (first at age 5!) and having had a heart transplant 17 years ago. Some of Alison's story is in this news article she featured in.

PUDZ Heavenly Chocolate Pudding is just heavenly

It's a Friday evening and I could be out there having a life, but instead I'm at home, at my PC and working. Not to worry - my evening has been a delight, as I've just shared a PUDZ Heavenly Chocolate Pudding with my son (begrudgingly, I'll admit, but there was plenty of it so I don't mind really). And my my, what an utter spiral into decadent pleasure the eating part of that little experience was!

I'd already eaten the PUDZ with my eyes as it tipped out of its box and into the dish - the underside of it looks a bit boring (as the underside of anything does, really), but as soon as the gooey chocolate sauce all started spilling out and flowing over the pudding like hot chocolate lava, I knew I was going to enjoy myself.