Paint and chocolate

Earlier this spring I spent many hours of many days working on this painting on canvas:

but in the end I didn't really like it. I've been looking for someone to give it to as a gift, but it's hard to give away something you don't like yourself. Today Myriam, a friend who I see much too seldom, came over to hang out and paint. She doesn't paint herself but has always wanted to, and knowing that feeling well I encouraged her to come try it out with me! It was a really wonderful day, and as an added bonus I was granted the opportunity to give the above painting to someone who liked it! 

yummmmm

We spent a really nice afternoon eating my sugar-dairy-gluten-free chocolates (recipe to come), drinking tea, talking together and painting up a storm. The painting she left with at the end of the day is so hopeful and bright and happy, looks rather Moroccan and really reflects her personality! Best of all she did the whole thing herself, from the design to the finishing touches, with very minor guidance from me. 

 At the same time I worked on a piece I had begun a week or two ago, which I think I'm done with now. It's a different style from what I've done before and I like it!

I, in turn, got guidance and help from Ingrid—the catalyst of my own painting adventure—who stopped by at lunchtime to share in our wonderful afternoon for an hour or two. 

Myriam went home all smiles, with two paintings and some coconut oil in hand, the better to make chocolates with! Assessment: friendship, conversation, chocolate, painting and Yo-Yo Ma's Bach Cello Suites make for some seriously lovely times.

Easy, guilt-free GAPS chocolates

We all know that chocolate is good for our health, it's just all the junk and sugar that come with it that are bad. With this recipe you skip the nastiness and have total control over what goes in, and makes your guilty pleasure guiltless! It's like being a kid all over again.

Ingredients:
-good quality coconut oil
-cocoa powder
-honey
-salt


Optional:
-vanilla extract
-shredded coconut
-coffee grounds
-chopped raisins

Mix equal parts coconut oil (in liquid state) and cocoa powder with a fork till smooth. Add honey and salt to taste. That's your chocolate! Easy!

Now comes the fun part, where options abound: pour it into silicone molds, pop them in freezer and be done, or add one or more of the optional flavorings above and follow same procedure, or freeze some chocolate in the bottom of the molds and add shredded coconut (mixed with a bit of honey to make it pack-able) on top and then more chocolate, etc etc etc. So many options, so much yumminess, so little guilt!

Keep them in molds in the freezer, as you can see from the photos the coconut oil melts very quickly—too fast to take a decent picture—but that melt-in-your-mouth goodness is simply an added bonus. 

Eat, smile, enjoy!