Love … – Creative Nature Superfoods

In the season of love, how can you show your love to someone who suffers from allergies and can’t eat one of the most popular Valentine’s gifts – chocolate?

There are lots of chocolate alternatives these days, and you could always buy them flowers, or another gift, but you can also go that extra mile and make them something extra special to go with their gift …

How about cooking for your loved one?

This is a very personal gift, because you are giving your time to make the meal or bake something, for your Valentine.

How about pancakes in bed?

Raw Cacao Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 Creative Nature Pancake and Waffle Mix
• 2 tbsp Creative Nature, raw cacao powder
• 200ml of your favourite milk
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp coconut oil

Method:

1. Prepare your pancake mix as per the instructions on the back of the pack.
2. Add in your 2 tbsp of raw cacao powder and gently mix until combined.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan and take two tablespoons of mixture, spoon into the pan on a medium heat for about 2 minutes until bubbles appear on the top of the pancake.
4. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
5. Serve hot with fresh berries and any Chocolate Gnawbles of your choice.

Or how about surprising your Valentine with an amazing chocolate cake, topped with Cacao nibs and chopped Gnawbles?

Cacao Rich Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 Pack of Creative Nature Cacao Rich Chocolate Cake Baking mix
• 250ml of your favourite milk
• 110ml vegetable oil (or 100g melted coconut oil)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 C/ 400 F / Gas Mark 4.
2. Pour all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir well.
3. For a single layer cake, pour into an 8 inch (20cm) greaseproof cake tin. For a double layered cake, pour into two 4-inch (10.16cm) greaseproof cake tins.
4. Pop in the oven for about 25 mins, then remove and allow to cool before icing.

For the icing (NOT included in the baking mix packet)

• 130g icing sugar
• 3 heaped tbsp Creative Nature Cacao powder
• 80g dairy free spread
• Milk (optional)
• Extra decoration of your choice

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together, being super careful with the powdered sugar so it remains in the bowl rather than covering you!

If you want a thinner mix, add a splash of your favourite milk.

Spread over the cake and add decorations of your choice, which could be sugar hearts and chopped Gnawbles!

History of Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many places around the world, by giving flowers, chocolates and gifts, but do many of us know where the day came from?

The name comes from St Valentine, who is the patron saint of the day. There are several myths about several Saint Valentines. 

One was a Roman priest who, living in the 3rd century, performed secret weddings against the wishes of authorities. He was imprisoned in the home of a noble, and after healing his captor’s daughter, the whole house converted to Christianity This sealed his fate, and he was put to death.

Another saint living during the same time, called Valentine, and the Bishop of Terni, was also credited with secret weddings and martyrdom, and was beheaded on February 14th.

Neither of these stories are very romantic. It wasn’t until the later middle ages and thanks to poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, that the day became associated with love.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated in the UK, USA, Canada, Mexico, France and Australia on February 14th.

In other countries, love is celebrated on different days of the year, and in many different styles.

Order your cooking gifts now, ready for Valentine’s day.