Raw Chocolate Truffles

Do you really need a better intro than that?

I recently named the raw food chef Ani Phyo as being one of my favorite people. All of her recipes are simple and quick, and I finally took a crack at the one I've been drooling over for the past month: Raw "Superfood" Chocolate Truffles.

It's just a few ingredients, and since they're a little tricky to find in your local health food store (at least they are in Tampa), she has them packages in a Ready Made Kit that you can order for less than $10 and have it delivered to your doorstep.

I love dark chocolate, but the thought of eating a truffle comprised of nothing but pure cacao butter and pure cacao powder left me a little confused. Bitter is good, but that bitter? I don't know...

I was so wrong! These are delectable. They taste as if you're eating something right out of the Halloween candy stash, but they're packed with antioxidants, healthy fat, and minerals. Pure, raw cacao is one of nature's superfoods, so eat up and enjoy!

Five Romantic and Unique Gift Ideas for Your Girlfriend

The romantic gift is difficult to choose. You don’t want to make the mistake of being too trite, but you also want to make sure it’s special. So I came up with five great and unique romantic gift ideas for the guys out there drawing a blank.

1. Tango Lessons

Dirty Dancing, Moulin Rouge, and even Mr. and Mrs. Smith had some kind of romantic, sensual dance sequence in it, so taking tango dance lessons would put her over the moon. It may take you a few classes to dance like an Argentine, but the fun of doing it together will be just as exciting.

2. Swimming With Dolphins

This is totally romantic and will stand out in your partner’s mind as one of the most memorable experiences you two shared together. It’ll take you both outside your comfort zone and provide a little bit of excitement that you just can’t get at a weekend away at the Holiday Inn.

3. “What I Love About You” book

I saw this in a local boutique when I was shopping last week, and I loved it. It’s a full book of questions and fill-in-the-blanks that tell your love why you adore her in original and playful ways. For example, “I adore this little daily routine or ritual we have…,” and “If we’d first met in a comic strip, the bubble over my head would have said…” It’s romantic because it inspires you to reflect on other aspects of your relationship that you may not normally think about every day.

4. Couple’s Yoga Lessons

I teach yoga and pilates, so I may be a little biased, but give me some credit here! The benefits of yoga are real and phenomenal, and couple’s yoga offers a unique experience. You rely heavily on one another in couple’s yoga, so it slows you both down and really pushes you to pay attention to your partner. It’s the perfect romantic gift because it will strengthen the relationship and your intimacy.

5. Hot Air Balloon Ride

A hot air balloon ride is innately romantic. It’s just the two of you sailing through the across the sky, admiring the views and the sunset with a class of champagne. With crisp, cool Christmastime air, you’ll have to snuggle close to keep warm. If your girl is a hopeless romantic, this is the epitome of charm.

Keep in mind that it’s always more about the surprise of the thing than the actual thing sometimes. This doesn’t mean you can make a six-pack of beer romantic – just keep in mind that it does have to be heartfelt but it doesn’t have to be big.

Good luck shopping! And I’d love to hear of any more ideas that you guys have!

Best Beauty Bargains - For a friend or yourself!

I'm on the edge of my seat writing this - I'm so excited to share this list with you guys! I've picked the Ten Best Beauty Gift Sets that are perfect for Christmas, Hanukah, birthdays, or just for you. I've used 90% of these products and they're by brands that I trust and adore.

Sephora Lipgloss Sample Set
I chose one of these lipgloss samples for free after placing an online order through Sephora's website and was hooked as soon as I tried it. The color is light but adds just enough to dress you up a bit, it's tasteless, and has only a very light scent, which I love.

I think most of us use an every-day kind of gloss more often than a show-stopping one, and for this price, you can't go wrong with getting a whole collection of casual colors in one fell swoop.

Fragonard Parfum Miniatures
This set has a special spot reserved in my heart because I found it in France. It comes from one of just three genuine perfumeries in the country and the fragrances can't be beat. They're real, and they're powerful. They're made with highly concentrated essential oils of rose, lavender, sandalwood, and more. The lucky recipient of this will swoon. I'm addicted to Fragonard and as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to perfumes, this is the absolute top of the line.

Bare Minerals Pure Luxuries Gift Set
I'm not a fan of wearing heavy make-up, which is why Bare Minerals is a great product for someone who likes to feel Bare. This set is awesome because it gives you a smattering of eye and cheek colors to play with while still keeping it light.

Best of Bliss
Ah, Bliss! I went to a Bliss spa in New York and bought a few products and loved them. The body butter is exceptional. It's rich and moisturizing and perfect for dry winter days where staying hydrated is essential. The other products in this one smell delectable and you'll feel so pampered you may just mistake your bath tub for a jacuzzi in a ritzy spa in Manhattan.

Perricone MD Camera Ready Kit
I haven't used this one myself, but I came across it the other day and was intrigued. It's a bit pricey, but it claims to smooth the skin's surface and improve the overall look and health of the complexion.

I'm mainly interested in the No Foundation Foundation. It delivers flawless finish without looking like you're wearing make-up? Sold.

Philosophy "Birthday Girl"
This one is so much fun and really feels like such a personal gift when you receive it. I was beaming and so tickled when I got this, I couldn't stop talking about it. It's festive, girly, inspiring, and will just make your girlfriend shine.

Obaji Clenziderm
I use Clenziderm every single day twice a day and my skin stays clear without any prescriptions whatsoever (until I throw myself on something sugary, of course). It's unusual for me to unquestionably spend so much on a single product, but skincare is of the utmost importance to me, and for this stuff I'll splurge. It's a staple on my vanity and I don't think I've gone a day without using it in the last three years. If you know someone who feels similarly, this is a fantastic gift set.

This may ease your trepidation a little bit: The set will last at least 5 months, and that's if you're very generous when applying it. I'm reasonable and mine lasts about 10 months, which I'm happy with.

The Urban Traveler Set - for Men
We can't forget about the guys in this category, now can we? For someone who likes to take good care of himself, this is a great set. It comes with an "aching muscle super soak," an eye recovery gel to reduce puffiness, a facial wash, and about eight more personal products for men on the go.

Bumble & Bumble Hair Care Trio
To be perfectly honest with you, my hair isn't all that pathetically fine. But as of late, I want my hair to sway like a Victoria's Secret model, so I'm all about volumizing shampoos. Bumble&Bumble is a high-end product that wears very well. The hairspray holds (really holds - I went 2 days without washing and my 'do was still pretty intact after sleep and yoga) while miraculously not feeling at all crunchy or stiff. Like, you can still run a brush thru it with ease!

This gift set comes with the shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, and an extra little accessory - a headband.

Kiehl's "World of Kiehl's" Set
Kiehl's makes a wonderful and premium quality product. They're often infused with herbs

and other natural pharmaceuticals, and this set gives your recipient an ideal sampling of their products. From shampoos to body lotions to lip treatments - this is a yummy sampling that you can feel good about because their products are all natural.

Phew! You've got a lot to think about. I'll leave you to it!

Parched

I've hardly cooked lately and I've been having separation anxiety from my kitchen.

So tonight I made some pitiful looking asparagus (I've never been able to make these guys properly) that were a little on the stringy side, BUT compensated with a DEE-LISH salad (I flatter myself, I know!) made with baby spinach, tomatoes, sea kelp, and salmon with a home made dressing... Olive Oil, Balsamic Vin, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, and Kelp Powder (in lieu of salt).

A dinner like tonight's is pretty standard in my house. Adrien and I are very health conscious and eat strictly organic foods and vegetarian and raw when I feel like it. But every once in a great while I see something that, despite breaking every food rule I follow, absolutely must be in my possession.

Thanks to CNBC and their stupid Biography show, Ben and Jerry's sold me on some seriously sinful ice cream called Half Baked.

Anything that boasts "gobs" of brownies and cookie dough is O.K. in my book (DON'T JUDGE ME!). You can't take a spoonful that's not brimming with something chewy and heavenly, and really, it took some serious self-examination before deciding on the high road and only taking a dainty few tablespoons.

I find it reprehensible that I - a yoga teacher and an organic food-aholic - would even have this in my freezer, but man. There it is.

Hats off to you, Mr. Ben and Mr. Jerry!

Muckduck

My time spent in the kitchen these past few days has been minimal, I'm sad to report. I've been busy until much later than I'm used to and being a grown-up and stuff really cuts into my slacking-off-and-blogging time!

But, despite my lack of culinary adventures to tell, I DO have two things worth sharing.

One.

I eat a lot of different protein/raw/whole food/meal replacement bars. Not because I'm super weight conscious or anything, just because I happen to like trying the many varieties they come in. SO, with that said, I'm obviously an expert.

Also, since I'm 3, usually if I'm going to buy a bar like this there's an unspoken requirement that it has to have chocolate in there somewhere. I don't care if it's milk or dark or cacao or even that BS poser carob - just get it in there. So it was actually Adrien who hooked me on this berry one in particular. It's so delicious and satisfying to eat! It's just a teeny bit on the heavy side (so it actually feels like you've eaten), but with very little fat (5g) and calories (compared to other brands) and PACKED with raw sprouts and fruits and veggies - so you can't really go wrong.

Two.

Ani Phyo! She is such the cuteness! She prepares the easiest raw food that I've seen so far and with as few ingredients as possible, so it's easier on your budget than the 20-ingredient seaweed salad that requires every obscure kitchen accessory you can think of.

She also has about a dozen videos to hold your hand through the process if you're a raw food newbie.

I haven't made any of her recipes myself yet (that's next week's goal!), but I can't wait because they look dee-lectable.

It's 55 degrees here in Tampa tonight, so I'm gonna take advantage of the fact that my feet feel cold and shuffle off to bed in some cozy PJs.

G'night and happy Saturday!