With the festive season around the corner, you’re probably starting to indulge in chocolate and other treats as the celebrations get going. Did you know there’s a way to enjoy chocolate without the guilt? Raw chocolate is a fantastic alternative, offering the same delicious experience without the heavy processing and additives of conventional chocolate. If you’re new to raw chocolate or think it might not taste as good as the supermarket varieties, let’s take a closer look – you might just find it’s the perfect festive treat that satisfies your cravings while keeping things a bit healthier!
I wanted to learn more about raw chocolate, clear up some misconceptions, and get some inspiration for healthy gifts to send to family and friends, which prompted my very insightful discussion with Heather Moncrieff, a colon hydrotherapist and raw food chef.
In our video chat, Heather shares her journey from colon hydrotherapist to crafting delicious, health-boosting raw chocolates as well as how she’s taken it a step further by adding probiotic powder to her raw chocolate creations in a bid to enhance digestive health. Heather also explains how raw chocolate is different, and why it’s a fantastic choice for the festive season and beyond.
About Heather Moncrieff
I first met Heather through her work as a colon hydrotherapist. She runs a small practice on the Shetland Isles, where she has lived for many years; she has been recommending and selling our Just For Tummies digestive health supplements to her clients for quite some time.
Heather is not only a fully qualified colon hydrotherapist, but she also holds the unique distinction of being the only certified vegan gourmet raw food chef in Scotland. She earned this qualification at the prestigious Living Light Culinary Institute in Northern California, which is renowned as the birthplace of raw gourmet vegan cuisine.
Heather’s journey into chocolate-making began during her training, where she developed a deep appreciation for the art of creating delicious, healthy raw food. However, her real introduction to organic raw chocolate happened in 2009 when she attended a chocolate class in Kauai, Hawaii. From that moment on, her passion for combining healthy ingredients into chocolate grew, and she began experimenting with ways to marry what we have come to know as ‘superfoods’ into her chocolate creations.
Over the years, Heather has honed her skills and now offers a range of artisan chocolates infused with the highest quality organic ingredients. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her product line, drawing inspiration from the stunning natural surroundings of the Shetland Isles, incorporating local flavours and influences into her new creations.
Probiotics in raw chocolate
Knowing how beneficial and versatile the powder from our Live Bacteria capsules is, Heather had the brilliant idea to add the probiotic powder to her raw chocolate recipes. This creative fusion of probiotics and raw chocolate has resulted in a delicious and health-boosting treat. You don’t need to feel guilty about eating Heather’s chocolates, in fact, you can feel positively virtuous!
In our video discussion, we dive into several topics: an explanation of what raw chocolate is, the numerous ways it can benefit health, and the types of ingredients – like nuts, seeds, and superfoods, such as matcha powder, maca, hemp powder, spirulina powder – that can be added to enhance its nutritional value.
Heather shares so much great information on plant-based food and the benefits of raw chocolate (with or without probiotics). She shares some of her favourite plant-based dishes, as well as some of the amazingly healthy ingredients she puts into her PlantBliss raw chocolate bars, explaining the difference between raw cacao powder and the stuff you buy from supermarkets. Raw cacao powder is fermented so it’s full of prebiotics. While raw chocolate products are expensive, they are worth the investment – in Heather’s case, they are artisan, made from scratch in her kitchen on the lovely island of Shetland. Almost all the ingredients are organic, and all her dishes are made with love.
You can see some of Heather’s wonderful work in the photos – just look at this incredible three-tier plant-based wedding cake she was commissioned to create!
Over the coming months, we will be sharing some of Heather’s wonderful recipes. Look out for these gorgeous (and very healthy) recipes, coming your way soon:
- Chocolate Orange Torte – a festive treat without the guilt!
- Indian Bliss Pate – a rich but healthy way to get back on track in the new year (think, Veganuary!)
I don’t know about you, but my mouth is watering!
If you would like to buy Heather’s super healthy and incredibly delicious chocolates, you can contact her via her PlantBliss Shetland Facebook page here. I, for one, plan to buy some for Christmas gifts.
If you have any questions about raw chocolate or ways that you can use the powder from our Live Bacteria probiotic capsule, please get in touch.
