Pre-Spring Surprise! A Little Java & Chocolate Can Burn Fat

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

"I should have a musett full of chocolate. These I should

distribute with a kind word and a pat on the back." --Ernest Hemingway

A cuppa coffee and chocolat go together like a man and a woman in love. Like wine, espresso, lattes, and chocolate are popular in Italy. Tuscany, known as a hot chocolate spot, is a place countless people enjoy coffee and chocolate, which can be healing for the body, mind, and spirit. 
Researchers have discovered that drinking two cups of coffee will increase metabolism significantly for at least three hours afterward, according to several past nutrition studies. This effect may be due to the caffeine, which can burn calories.
For a double effect, try pairing a piece of dark chocolate with 70 percent cocoa content and a cup of quality java. Or, sip a coffee mocha. But note, moderation is key.
And yes, I can tell you that this formula will give you the drive to get a move on and get involved in a fat-burning activity. I'm not talking about vigorous high-intensity, aerobic exercise, but keep moving by doing fun fat-burning activities--like swimming, walking the dog(s)--so you are able to stay active for a longer period of time. 
--Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Chocolate [Click your mouse to read a chapter for free. Check out The Healing Powers of Coffee (coming July 31) both published by Kensington.]
 Bonus: Some fave Chocolate Companies for Springtime: Butlers Chocolates, MarieBelle, Lake Champlain Chocolates.

Lake Champlain Chocolates: A Frog to Love for St. Patrick's Day

I love chocolate and frogs. Perhaps because the little guys like to swim and are a lucky charm is why I'm hooked; and chocolate and I go way, way back in time. Combine the two and I'm in Chocolate Frog Heaven...March is the month when chocolatiers create chocolates to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day...In my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (by Cal Orey, published by Kensington), I include a section "Americans Love Chocolate." According to a survey conducted by Barry Callebaut, some tidbits may wow you.
* More than half of U.S. adults have tried single-origin chocolates, with organic and fair-trade chocolate growing in popularity.
* Americans are more likely to consume chocolate at work compared with Europeans.
* Fifty-four percent of Americans said they eat chocolate because they like it, while 4 percent eat chocolate for health reasons.
* Nearly 6 to 10 Americans are loyal to a particular brand of chocolate, but many are trying new brands.
When I was in research mode for my chocolate book, countless UPS boxes of chocolates ended up on my doorstep. One from Lake Champlain Chocolates made a sweet and long-lasting impression in my mind and chocolate recall memory. To decide which product I enjoyed the most would be an arduous task for sure. The day I opened the  handsome box of Lake Champlain Chocolates, I was overwhelmed.
Every item was impressive to the eye and palate. For a gal who eating mass market chocolate purchased at the grocery store, biting into an Organic Spicy Aztec Chocolate Square put me in another class of chocolate. I was hooked on spicy flavors in chocolate, thanks to the Lake Champlain Chocolates Selection, in an  impressives green box with an image of a lake surrounded by mountains--much like Lake Tahoe, my home. The epicurean nutty-tasting Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup haad me at the first bite. I was ready to move to Vermont, the chocolate company's home base.
Its specialties include novelty treats like a a chocolate frog and other spring treats.  Back to the past, I wasn't going to eat him. After all, I am a lover of all of God's creatures, big and small. But the thing is, on March 17th I took the risk and the adorable frog was eaten by me, bite by bite. And it was an unforgettable experience. I think it may be time for me to order a frog (or two) for luck's sake. Thank you again Lake Champlain Chocolates. Kiss the chocolate frogs for me.

Chocolate Frogs & Bees for Good Luck in March

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

Here comes buzzworthy March tagged the "hump month"--a time between winter and spring. Depending on where you live, it can be cold one day and warm the next. Despite whatever Old Man Winter brings us, with chocolate and a bit of the Irish luck will help me (and perhaps you, too) get through the unpredictable days with flying colors.

As a kid, Saint Patrick's Day was a big event in my house because my mother was part Irish. And I can't forget the corn beef and cabbage as well as the dark chocolate cupcakes frosted with fluffy green frosting.

While I was researching and writing my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), Lake Champlain Chocolates sent me an adorable Saint Patrick's chocolate frog boasting three types of chocolate: milk, white, and dark. Since I'm thinking about it now you can be that I was impressed.

Last year, on March 17th, I also received a sweet surprise. The deal was sealed for me to pen my latest Healing Powers book The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011). Could it be just a coincidence or perhaps luck was on my side because of the special holiday? Also, I just read that Victorian people believed bees were messengers between heaven and Earth. What's more, they adorned themselves with bee jewelery to help boost their financial luck. For me, during the recession "recovery" I believe eating dark chocolate and wearing a bee necklace or bracelet may be in the cards.

Meanwhile, may I suggest incorporating chocolate into your upcoming days to help you deal with rain or snow and give you a mental and physical boost? I plan to include chocolate in my March meals--and, of course, I'll give them an Irish spin with a chocolate frog (or two).

BTW: Frogs are another symbol of good luck and yes, a ceramic one is sitting indoors by my front door.

Super Chocolate's Fave Friends Are Super, Too!

Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

A new study in Chemistry Central Journal has tagged chocolate as the new "super fruit". But hey, this is no news to me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate. During my year-long research in Chocolateville, I did get to savor lots of exotic foods infused in super food chocolate--and that is newsworthy to chocolate lovers and chocolatarians, like me.
Yep, chocolate goes well with herbs, spices, and fruits--but it doesn't stop there. Creative chocolatiers are infusing dark chocolates and truffles with good-for-you foods, too. Not only do the pairing add an extra exotic touch, but they add texture and irresistible flavor, too.

*Balsamic Vinegar: For 1,000 years, balsamic vinegar hs been touted for its healing powers. As with red wine vinegar, it's grape-filled counterpart, it contains powerful antioxidants that protect against heart disease--and may even fight cancer. Best Choco Blend: Balsamic vinegar can be infused in dark chocolates and truffles (Vosages Haut-Chocolate is the go-to place online for this treat), baked desserts, and topped on dark chocolate ice cream.

* Cheese: Like other good fatty foods, cheese does have its nutritional benefits, including calcium and protein. Best Choco Blend: Italian cheeses are teamed with dark chocolates in truffles, and in sauces such as mole.

* Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil contains health-boosting nutrients, including vitamin E, essential fatty acids, phenol compounds, and disease-fighting polyphenols. Best Choco Blends: Olive oil is infused in exotic chocolates, truffles, and baked goods, including biscotti, cake and cookies.

* Peanut Butter: This good-for-you fatty food (in moderation), like cheese, olive oil, and chocolate, is high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and resveratrol. It also contains protein, vitamins B3 and E. Best Choco Blends: Chocolates (like you'll find at Lake Champlain Chocolates, truffles, cookies, ice cream with dark chocolate, and chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting.

So, now that more folks are getting the word and believing that dark chocolate is a superfruit/superfood, it's just a matter of time when savoring the combo with its fave friends becomes a household word (or study), too.

My Fave Chocolate Secrets, Chocolate Makers

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

The New Year is here and Earth changes are in the works. After coping with a three day power outage, slushy snow, ice dams, and cold temps (low will be zero on Tuesday) at Lake Tahoe, I realize it could have been much worse. Once connected to the world again, news of an outbreak of tornadoes in America during the winter and "biblical flooding" down below welcomed me. It has me recalling chilling scenes of the doomsday film "The Day After Tomorrow" .

In the real world, cabin fever is setting in early for me and fantasies of Hawaii or even Washington are toying with my mind. The pool I favor is overflowing with tourists--and I miss my exercise endorphin natural high; it's icy outdoors which makes it a challenge to walk like a penguin with my two Type A Brittanys. Maybe the town will be a bit more sane this coming week and I can sneak a swim and hot tub in before the snowboarders and skiiers do it.

Meanwhile, I'm turning to my furry companion animals and a bit of "winter" dark chocolate to get through the series of severe wacky winter weather around the globe and seasonal effective disorder (SAD). Here, take a quick look at how you can get a quick mood booster from some of the most talked-about compounds in chocolate.

* * *

My Fave Chocolate Compounds

* * *

* Anandamide: Touted as the "bliss chemical," it occurs naturally in the brain and when released to our brain recepteros can provide good feelings.
* Caffeine: This ingredient has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. But note, both chocolate and cocoa contain minimal amounts of caffeine. A 1-ounce piece of dark chocolate contains 10-20 milligrams of caffeine. (You get a lot more in a cup of brewed java.)

* Endorphins: Dark chocolate, like exercise, helps release endorphins, natural painkillers in your body that act on the nervous system to zap pain.

* PEA: Another brain chemical known as the "chocolate amphetamine" can increase blood pressure and feelings of excitement. It also has been called the "love drug" because it can mimic feelings of falling in love.

* Serotonin: This is a brain chemical that can make you feel happier and improve brain power. It can even provide a calming effect.

So, everyone asks me, the author of The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010) (embraced by The Good Cook Club and One Spirit Book Club), "What's your favorite chocolate brand?" It's a task to narrow it down to one, but here is a quickie list that works for me, a devout chocolatarian. In my chocolate book, I discuss in sensory detail about both the "food of the gods" and these specific chocolate makers' unforgettable treasures, which are found either online and/or in grocery stores, too.

* * *

My Fave Chocolate Makers

* * *

Christopher Norman Chocolates

Fran's Chocolates

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company

Lake Champlain Chocolates

Meanwhile, while I have chocolate on the brain, I just heard that we may have fresh snow come this weekend (easier to walk the pooches and a cleaner look outdoors). And I have a nice, roaring fire working its magic in the fireplace, the ice dam is hooked up (thanks to electricity), and I'm watching "Untraceable" (a spooky reminder that I have access to the Internet). It's time to grab a piece of anti-stress dark chocolate and put those feel-good, calming compounds to work.
(Photo: Christopher Norman Chocolates)

News Flash: Hot Cocoa Beats SAD

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

It's still fall but we got our first significant snowstorm at Lake Tahoe...and it's not over. More of that white stuff is going to dump outside tonight. Sure, I like the storm part--before and during. After it's all done, not so much. Tourists and some locals like to play in the white powder but if you live here it's not fun to shovel the deck, keep the wood clean and dry (more shoveling), and walk the pooches in three feet of snow and walk like a penguin on icy asphalt. (Snow removal service doesn't do these tasks.) And that's where sweet dark chocolate and/or cocoa comes in...

So I'm a fall gal, and I find myself facing Old Man Winter. It's a time when I feel irritable, and fed up with the shorter days, colder nights, and lack of sunshine and warmth. It's enough to make a person feel blue and out of whack. Welcome to the world of seasonal affective disorder. But don't despair. Hot chocolate comes to the rescue.

When your serotonin level is low, you may feel down. The happy fact is, dark chocolate contains serotonin. This is a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that can make you feel happier and improve brain power and memory. It is a compound in chocolate that can also provide a calming effect. Also, tryptophan, the essential amino acid in chocolate may react like mood-boosting, calming serotonin, helping to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress.

The bottom line: While light therapy and exercise can and do ease SAD, nutritional experts belive that happy foods--like dark chocolate and cocoa--are important, too. A bonus: Grab the best, such as Lake Champlain Chocolates to Ghirardelli Chocolate. To get a comprehensive Resource List of my fave chocolatiers and premium chocolate, grab a copy of my book, The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), available at online bookstores or have your local bookstore order it for you.

Sweet November, Sweet Chocolate Fondue

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

It's November at Lake Tahoe. The pine cones are still dropping onto the ground which is covered with pine needles not white powder. Today, the temperature was in the high 60s--like Indian summer. And I still haven't made a fire. It's too warm except late, late at night or early in the morning...
Still, chocolate fondue seems like a perfect treat at night. How decadent and healthy can chocolate and good for you tidbits be? Imagine dipping your fave fresh fall fruits into warm dark chocolate? It's ideal for a party, a couple, or even just one for the thrill of it all. And in my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), I include the perfect recipe (on page 180), straight from Lake Champlain Chocolates.
My brain is on honeycrisp apples (these are available now, pricey but worth every penny). And strawberries are still available at our stores. Marshmallows are low cal and a fun sweet; homemade brownies (made with extra virgin olive oil and 70 percent cocoa) dipped in this fondue may be the winner in this house. Sure, it would be 100 percent ideal if I waited till our first snowfall. But sometimes, doing what feels good is worth it.
And yes, I do love the unforgettable tearjerker film "Sweet November" based in San Francisco--my home. It's a place that I remember for my umpteen experiences in my post-Haight Ashbury days to artsy friends' flats, my everlasting link to SFSU, its diverse people from around the globe, a potpourri of restaurants and cafes in North Beach, culture with a capital "C" -- and the winning Giants!

Chocolate Fondue

* * *

1/2 cup half-and-half

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped or pistoles

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped or pistoles

1/4 teaspoon vanilla
marshmallows, pound cake, or brownies, peppermint sticks,
strawberries, bananas, raspberries, or apricots

In a saucepan, bring cream to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Stir in vanilla until smooth. Pour fondue into a serving bowl or individual cups. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed. Dip the goodies!

It's Healthy Chocolate Today--And All Year Long!

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

I woke up this morning with honey on the brain. After all, it's my new book in progress and yes, I'm busy as a worker bee so I can share the latest honey health buzz. As I write The Healing Powers of Honey (October 2011, Kensington), I still am having a love affair with chocolate. So when I read that July 7 is Chocolate Day it brought back fond memories of the chocolatiers whom sent me chocolate via UPS. Ah, those were the sweetest days in the fall, winter, spring and summer...

Is it time you discover the amazing powers of chocolate. Did you know?...

* Known as Mother Nature's "food of the gods," the medicinal benefits of chocolate were recognized as far back as 4000 years ago.

* Eating chocolate can help boost the immune system, lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes--even obesity!--and increase lifespan.

* A 1.5 ounce bar of quality chocolate has as much antioxidant power as a 5 ounce glass of wine--without the side effects of alcohol.

* Chocolate is chock-full of mood-enhancng ingredients, including phenylethylamine (the "love drug") and serotonin.

* Chocolate can relieve a host of ailments, including depression, fatigue, pain and PMS, as well as rev up your sex drive!

Meanwhile, last night at my friendly Safeway I craved a healthy chocolate fix so I picked up a small package of gourmet dark chocolate truffles. As an author-intuitive I must have sensed that today was Chocolate Day. If you want to give you or someone you care about the belated gift of health, check out the link to one of my fave chocolatiers (everyone always ask me what the best chocolate is)... Today's chocolate of the day in my point of view and past experience(s) is...(drum roll): Lake Champlain Chocolates . Remember, chocolate can be a year-round gift for your health from head to toe.

[The Healing Powers of Chocolate by Cal Orey, published by Kensington, 2010--available at amazon.com (delivered tomorrow!) as well as all online bookstores and your local bookstore]

Top-Notch Chocolate(s) for Father's Day

By The Writing Gourmet

"He has enough ties. Give him beer and chocolate." --Vosges-Haut Chocolat

As the author of my latest book The Healing Powers of Chocolate (Kensington, 2010), I'm often asked the question: "What's the best brand of chocolate?" Today, I'm thinking of three of my fave companies that made me smile during research--and can make the dad in your life smile on June 20. So, here you go--a quickie list of the chocolate worth writing home about and keeping some for yourself!...

Lake Champlain Chocolates: To decide which product I enjoyed the most would be an arduous task. The day I opened the box of chocolate products, I was overwhelmed. Every item was impressive to the eye and palate. For a gal who was eating Hershey's Special Dark chocolate bars, biting into an Organic Spicy Aztec Chocolate Square put me in another class of chocolate. I was hooked on spicy flavors in chocolate, thanks to the Lake Champlain Chocolates Seelection, in an impressive green box with an image of a lake surrounded by mountains--much like Lake Tahoe, my home. the epicurean nutty-tasting Chocolate Peanut butter Cup had me at the first bite. I was ready to move to Vermont.

RICHART Paris: I chose the citrus selection out of the family of seven flavors offered by RICHART. It was an exotic experience to bit into a burst of the Grapefruit Ganache fruity delight. I discovered it has a healthful 74 percent cocoa content. Its small size made me recall why the French who practice the traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle do not get fat. It's all about savoring superb food, including fruity chocolate, and practicing portion control. (There was only one Grapefruit goodie in the box of chocolates, and I was left craving another one.)

Vosges Haut-Chocolat: The Italiana collection was my choice of a box of exotic truffles. The Rooster: combined with Italian taleggio, organic walnuts, Tahitian vanilla bean, and bittersweet, dark chocolate--a spicy and nutty truffle to love. The Balsamico is a truffle to remember: 12-year aged balsamic vinegar from Modena mixed with dark chocolate and roasted Sicilian hazelnuts. Nor will I forget Olio d' Oliva, with extra virgin olive oil and white chocolate topped iwth dried Kalamata olives. It was like a box of European delights custom mad for the author who wrote the "Healing Powers" series, including vinegar and olive oil.

So, there you go. You've got time to get to these chocolates and give 'em to the father(s) in your life. One more thing. Grab a copy of my chocolate book and give it to that guy--tons of health-oriented stuff that'll keep him healthier and happier.

The Healing Powers of Sea Salt Chocolate Caramels

By Cal Orey,

The Writing Gourmet

I'm confused! It's edging near mid April and snow flurries are ba-a-ck--our Winter Weather Advisory is all on NOAA. One hour I'm swimming and spring cleaning both indoors and outdoors. The next hour I'm making a fire and baking coffee cake. So like is it spring or winter? At Lake Tahoe this year it's spring-wintertime. No worries. I'll go with the flow and reap the rewards of getting two seasons in one--and turn to sweet chocolate power...

Yes, I'm craving to die for dark chocolate and its healing powers: boosts brainpower to physical energy and so much more. Sure, in the house I've got a stash of unsweetened cocoa powder, semi sweet dark chocolate chocolate bars, chocolate chips, and dark chocolate ice cream. But it's not the same as the sea salt salt caramels covered in heavenly dark chocolate.

I was introduced to these unforgettable gems during my research of The Healing Powers of Chocolate. Now, I've tasted these chocolatey caramels created by many luxury chocolatiers, coming from the West Coast to Midwest. It's the East Coast that had me with the first bite to the last. Those homemade, all-natural Lake Champlain Chocolates' Sea Salt Caramels won my sophisticated chocolate palate. And now I can't get them out of my head.

In fact, after the chocolate book was released the popular chocolate company based in Vermont sent me these sea salt caramels. It was a thank you gift. And a gift indeed. The vanilla caramel is cooked in copper kettles, hand cut, and covered in dark chocolate. Sprinkled with sea salt. The result: You get to savor a salty-sweet combo taste--and end up craving them again and again.

* * *

A few months ago, I tried my hand at making these superb gourmet sea salt delights. I purchased a bag of storebought caramels. I splurged on the pricey 70% cocoa content chocolate chips. I melted the chocolate, and poured the creamy goo over the unwrapped caramels. Lastly, I put a dash of Mediterranean sea salt on each one. I popped 'em into the fridge. Thirty minutes later. They were doable, sort of, but not my fantasy sea salt caramels with sweet chocolate power.

So here I sit craving the real deal: Lake Champlain's Sea Salt Caramels. I'm looking outside at gray skies, white powder falling down. Perhaps a cup of hot chocolate with a dollop of whipped cream drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with sea salt and/or organic raw sugar may or may not suffice. It may provide that healing lift. I guess it will be like the Rolling Stones' lyrics you can't always get what you want but you get what you need.

Sierra Cornbread Muffin Magic

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Snow flurries, howling wind, lake advisory...these are the things that mountain folks are dealing with today at Lake Tahoe. Earlier today I did manage to get in a swim (challenging with young kids playing Marco Polo and doing cannonballs near my head). But hey, the heavenly hot tub was a solo thing and no games or noise. The dogs? No great walk today. After bringing in firewood and shoveling the snow off the deck I was whooped. Shh. I don't think they know the difference. Let the sleeping Brittanys lie. It's time to get cozy, snuggle, watch movies, and eat comforting, warm, wintertime foods...

In the beginning of the week I made cornbread muffins. This time around, I did it from scratch. It's really easy to do and the taste is worth it--better than store bought mixes and I control the ingredients. I froze a batch and am glad I did. Imagine: Taking a homemade muffin out of the freezer when the craving hits. Just pop it in the microwave and ah, cornbread muffin magic. It's warm, semi-sweet, and the texture is like a good muffin should be--moist and fresh.

Sierra Cornbread Muffins

* * *

1 1/4 cups all natural whole wheat flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup 2% low fat organic milk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 brown eggs

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Stir till mixed. Add the rest of ingredients. Pour batter into paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes till golden brown. Cool. Makes about 12 medium muffins. Freeze 'em.

So here I sit on a Friday night. As the author-intuitive, I'm working my psychic job and reading books linked to my new book project. In between these tasks I stoke the fire, pet the pooches and kitty. I just enjoyed a muffin--they are super plain--with a cup of hot chamomile tea. It gets better.

Yesterday, I received a gift of chocolates from Lake Champlain Chocolates (it's a special chocolate item tied to my new book research--a surprise). I've revisited Chocolate Heaven (again). And today, another surprise package arrived full of the awesome super food--like chocolate, vinegar, and olive oil--that I'm writing about.

Uh oh. A strong vibe is coming into my space. The energy is positive though. No need for astrology or tarot cards on this read. It's crystal clear. I'm picking up that I'm embracing my pre-golden spinsterhood years. Such is life in the sierras in early springtime. It's magical.

The Perfect Storm Chocolate Brownies

By Cal Orey, The Writing Gourmet

Today the weather is full of twists and turns for California. I just heard on CNN a Twister Warning report for Los Angeles. At Lake Tahoe we are waiting for our second snowstorm--a stronger one--part of a serial series. What's more, flooding advisories are in the works--even for the Sierra. And California, my native home, is getting wet, wet, wet (as I predicted in the my Earth Changes column in the December issue of Oracle 20/20 magazine) this year. During all this stormy weather, I was craving chocolate. After all, its feel good compounds, from endorphins, PEA (the love drug) to serotonin, make people feel good during rain or shine. So, it's time to bake a batch of brownies...

Some time ago, I did buy a gourmet chocolate brownie mix and used olive oil. So, I didn't feel guilty. Today, I'm going to share a homemade recipe from my book The Healing Powers of Chocolate. This recipe is created from one of my fave chocolate companies in the nation--Lake Champlain Chocolates. And yes, the walnuts and unsweetened chocolate--both boast monounsaturated fat--are part of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet and good for you in moderation. Ditto with eggs and coffee.

* * *

Chocolate Brownies

5 ounces LCC Unsweeteend chocolate

2 cups granulated sugar

5 ounces sweet butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant coffee

4 eggs

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

10 ounces chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chocolate and butter in double boiler over medium heat. Cover until melted, stirring occasionally with wire whisk. Stir in coffeee to dissolve. Remove from double oiler and allow to cool slightly, uncovered. In separate bowl, beat eggs and salt together until slightly fluffy. Gradually add in sugar, beating at medium-high speed for 15 minutes. Stir vanilla and almond extract into chocolate mixture. On low speed, add this mixture to the eggs. Beat just enough to blend. Next add flour, still beating just enough to blend ingredients. Fold in nuts; spread evenly in baking pan. Put in oven and reduce to 400 degrees. Bake 20 to 22 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool and cut.

Earlier this morning when I was looking at this recipe and the Chocolate Brownies caught my attention, I was thinking of this Vermont-based company. Lake Champlain Chocolates uses only the freshest natural ingredients. And about an hour ago, my intuition delivered on cue. I heard a knock on the front door. A surprise box of chocolate arrived on my doorstep. Next blog post, I will share the special gifts I received from Lake Champlain Chocolates. Till then, remember, quality chocolate is Mother Nature's "food of the gods"--a healing gift year round.

P.S. Pair a warm brownie with a cup of hot chocolate. You'll feel great whether it's raining or snowing.