Who doesn't love nutella?

Can you say YUM? With Valentines Day right around the corner, my thoughts turn to chocolate! Yes, of course I enjoy a chocolate moment from time to time! I'm even more excited if the chocolate isn't full of refined sugar and nasty oils. I follow a great blog, Elana's Pantry, and she posted this one today! I have to share it...homemade nutella. I'm going to make it this weekend, let me know how it goes for you!



Homemade Nutella
1 cup hazelnuts
¼ cup cocoa powder
5 tablespoons agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon hazelnut oil
pinch celtic sea salt

1.Roast the hazelnuts at 350° for 8-10 minutes until they darken a bit and smell fragrant
2.Transfer the hazelnuts to a towel and rub off the skins if you can (I didn't have a lot of luck with this)
3.In a food processor, grind the hazelnuts to a smooth butter, about 5 minutes, scraping the sides as needed
4.Add the cocoa, agave, vanilla, oil and salt and process until well blended, about a minute
5.Store in a glass mason jar in the refrigerator
6.Bring to room temperature prior to serving

Cholesterol lowering drugs inhibit Vitamin A absorption

Wouldn't it be great if all prescribing doctors were aware of drug-nutrient interactions? One of the most common overlooked issues with cholesterol lowering drugs is their direct interference with the body's ability to absorb Vitamin A. What's the big deal? Vitamin A is a catalyst (helper molecule) on which innumerable biochemical processes depend. It is involved in countless chemical reactions, so if we aren't absorbing it properly, every body system is affected!

Did you know that Vitamin A:

- aids protein digestion by stimulating gastric juices
- is critical in the formation of bone and blood
- is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps reduce the signs of aging
- boosts our immunity


How we can get it in our diet?

- Preformed Vitamin A (retinol) is found in egg yolk, liver and organ meats
- ProVitamin A or carotene is found in all yellow , red, orange or dark green fruits and vegetables. Carotenes are converted to Vitamin A in the upper intestine. However, infants, children, diabetics and those with poor thyroid function cannot make this conversion! Also of interest, are studies that show our bodies cannot convert carotenes into Vitamin A without the presence of fat in our diet. So make sure to add olive oil, butter or coconut oil to your veggies!

High doses of synthetic Vit A can be toxic, but high levels of natural Vitamin A from food have no toxic effects, despite what we have been told!