Each week I teach classes back to back – sometimes up to 4 1/2 hours without a real break. Needless to say I need more than water to keep me going. I needed something low GI, low in bad fats, low in added sugar, but high in antioxidants and in flavour, that didn’t bloat or heaviness, I needed to feel sated, focused and energised. For a while I was using various protein bars but in truth, they failed the ingredients test in one way or another …then I came across this little wonder of a recipe on movenourishbelieve.com. I am very happy to move away from manufactured/processed foods anytime, so I was more than ready to give this a test run….and it passed with flying colours!
Sustenance Extraordinaire! Enjoy from Juliet! x
Cacao (not Cocoa! see below) Chocolate Cranberry Bar
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 5 medjool dates*
- 1/3 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup cacao powder*
- 2 tbsp. boiling water*
- Place almonds and oats in food processor and blend until a coarse crumb.
- Add cacao powder, cranberries, and dates and blend again.
- While blending, add the boiling water, slowly, until the mixture becomes well incorporated.
- Press the dough into a lined slice tin and place in the fridge for 1/2 hours before slicing into bars.
*I have made this many times now, and thought I should share some of my preparation experience:
- firstly I have a little hand held processor, not a large heavy duty one…so I had to do the recipe in two batches dividing the ingredients by half.
- If you do not have medjool dates and you are using ordinary dates, then you will need a few more. I have been using 8 of the smaller dates (4 each batch).
- When seeking out your dried cranberries, make sure they are not sweetened with added sugar. If you cannot get unsweetened, get the ones that are sweetened with juice concentrate, not cane sugar.
- Also I found I needed more water than the recipe advises, even before I added extra cacao. I have used up to 1/4 cup or more in each 1/2 batch….when you are beginning try according to the recipe, blend and if it is too dry and ‘cakey’ add a little more and so on. You do not want it to be too moist – so go slow here till you get your ‘stripes’.
- And lastly I found that little bite size nuggety pieces worked better for me, rather than a bar size, which the original recipe describes. I waste less… and therefore it goes further. I can just take two pieces or more at a time, depending I whether I have one hour ahead to two or more……..
- Also it is wonderful to share ‘a jewel’ with students when they have worked hard!
Benefits of Cacao:
Aids in weight loss; Promotes healthy skin; High in Anitoxidants; Mood Enhancing; Provides Essential Vitamins and Minerals; Improves Brain Function; Quells Headaches; Promotes heart health; Aphrodisiac
About juliet
Juliet Le Page has trained in many dance forms including Classical Ballet, Modern Dance, Jazz, and Flamenco and Middle Eastern Dance. She was one of the earliest exponents of Belly Dance in Melbourne and her first performance was in 1980. She soon became disenchanted with Belly Dance and stopped to pursue other opportunities in the arts, including script re-writes, directing, production as well as performance in theatre, TV and film.
In 1995 Juliet was introduced to the work of Hilal and has since traveled the world in pursuit of excellence in the art of teaching and performing Egyptian Dance. Her dedication and discipline was rewarded in 2000 when she was invited to become an Applicant for teacher training by the Hilal Art Foundation. Juliet was awarded her full licence in 2004. She continues to hone her skills under the auspice of Marie Al Fajr.
She has lectured in universities and to arts groups and has also been interviewed on National radio and for documentaries. She has performed for Arabic festivals, television and in theaters at the invitation of arts bodies. In July 2003, Juliet was invited by The Consul General of Egypt to perform at the official function celebrating Egyptian National Day. She has been interviewed and has performed on the Egyptian Show on community television.
She has completed studies in psychology, anatomy and physiology and is a qualified fitness instructor as well as a licenced practitioner of the GYROKINESIS® Method*. Her research and knowledge on functional alignment and physical form relative to Egyptian dance is an important and distinctive component of her teaching. In her purpose built studio she also offers Pilates/Yoga Core Work, and Holistic Stretch classes incorporating PNF method.
Juliet has been invited to sit as a panel examiner for professional dance and performance arts academies including the Australian Ballet School - (Spanish Dance 2001-2009). She also has professional experience in theater, film and television in various areas of production, acting and dance.
Juliet is also affiliated with Tanz Raum, an international platform where similarly trained and accredited artists share knowledge, experience and resource to inspire excellence in the teaching and performance of Egyptian Dance. She has also taught at the international workshops organised by them. Tanzraum recognizes dedication and integrity and also produces high quality C.D's of traditional Egyptian music**.
Juliet’s passion for her chosen genre is evident in her teaching and performance. Her objective is to bring to students an awareness of the intricate and rich cultural heritage of Egypt through the beauty and benefits of the dance art form.
Please visit the website for more information www.eed.com.au
* GYROKINESIS® is a registered trademark of Gyrotonic Sales Corp and is used with their permission.
** See the Music section for CD & DVD sales.
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