“Inside some of me is a skinny girl struggling to get out, but she can usually be shut up with a few pieces of chocolate cake.”
Hi there and happy Saturday! I love Saturdays, don’t you? This morning the first thing that went through my head when I woke up was, “Why can’t EVERYDAY be Saturday?” What a wonderful life it would be. But I guess if everyday were Saturday, then Saturday too would get a little old. Even though I didn’t sleep the day away, just the thought of not having to set an alarm last night was an incredible feeling.
Naturally, my body woke up around 7:30ish and then just shortly after, little G let me know that he was awake too and ready to be let out. They have now taken over our guest bedroom as their room but still his little whine was easily heard. Not only was he ready to get up, he was ready to play.
I threw on my tennis shoes and out the door we went. We started our day with a long run (3 mi for the guys and 4 more for me, 7 total). I always laugh when I say “we,” referring to Boss, Gunner and myself. Once, I was on the phone with my mom, letting her know that “we” were on our way and a quick pause of confused silence followed my statement.
“We?”
“Yeah, me, Boss and Gunner.”
As if it’s totally normal to refer to your dogs as just another person traveling along. When you’re separated from your family and friends for quite some time that tends to happen, right? 
After our run, we (yes, I said we) returned back to the house to have breakfast and coffee outside (one of the few advantages of living in south Georgia in February) with Dustin. We (I’m now referring to Dustin and I) then hit the recycling center, bringing in quite a large load (I was way over due for a trip) of the past month’s recycables. After an entrapment,
a few hours later we made it over to the GSU baseball game for a few innings to enjoy this weather and our Saturday as well.
Anyways, back to the quote that I opened this post with.
“Inside some of me is a skinny girl struggling to get out, but she can usually be shut up with a few pieces of chocolate cake.”
A painting of this quote hung in my college apartment (thanks to my best friend and foodie just like myself!) and I never really thought anything of it then. But it’s true, isn’t it? We all have good intentions until that one piece of something that we just can’t resist comes into play: for some of us, it’s the chocolate pie and for others, it’s the bag of salty chips.
Well, tonight friends, I’m here to bring you some good news. Fat does not make us fat. Calories do. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie. Because of this, it’s up to us to select our foods with optimum nutrition in mind. Although fat does contain more calories per gram (9 kcal/g) as opposed to the other to macronutrients, protein (4 kcal/g) and carbohydrate (4 kcal/g), fat is not the one to blame for weight gain. So if a calorie is a calorie is a calorie, shouldn’t we choose the most nutrient dense calories that we can? Hey, while we’re eating, shouldn’t we kill two birds with one stone and eat foods that can help restore our health rather than wreck our health. Healthy fats over disease-causing, artery clogging unhealthy fats? I think so.
With that in mind I bring you one of my favorite bloggers, Angela @ Oh She Glows, recipe’s, the Chilled Double Chocolate Torte (Raw, Vegan (if using vegan chocolate chips), and Gluten Free).
Chilled Double Chocolate Torte
Recipe from Angela @ Oh She Glows
Ingredients (8-12 servings)
- 2 cups pecans
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (I used EVOO and it worked)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Chocolate Avocado Mousse
- 2 cups avocado flesh (approx 3 small avocados), pitted and scooped out
- 1/3 cup almond milk
- 2/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter (or other nut butter)
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder (I used corn starch and it worked completely fine)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate chips, melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy
Instructions
- Crust: Oil a 7-10 inch springform pan and line it with a circle of parchment paper. In a food processor, pulse the pecans until crumbly. Be careful not to over process them as you still want them a bit chunky. Now add in the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse until just mixed. Scoop mixture onto prepared pan and press down firmly and evenly with slightly wet fingers or a spatula. Pop into freezer to set while making the mousse.
- Chocolate mousse: Place all mousse ingredients (except chocolate chips) into food processor. Process until smooth. In a small bowl, melt your chocolate chips in the microwave and scoop melted chocolate into food processor mixture. Process until smooth.
- Remove crust from freezer and scoop this mousse on top of crust. Smooth out as much as possible and then place in the freezer for 2 hours to firm.
- Once firm, remove from freezer and allow to sit on the counter for about 5-10 minutes before serving chilled. Place leftover torte in the freezer wrapped and placed in a seal container.
Note that this torte should be served chilled as it gets soft at room temperature.
This is desert is absolutely delicious! We enjoyed it post dinner on our wedding china with a cup of coffee to follow!
It was the perfect way to end a Saturday night. I hope you all had/have a wonderful Saturday night as well! We’re off to rent a movie.
Good health!
Ashley
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds soo yummy!!
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It is! We made it this summer, remember? You should make it for dad! He would love it!
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