Magical Cocoa Butter

I LOVE the days when Im chiseling off chunks of raw cocoa butter for my formulations!  LOVE IT!  I just take what ever little pieces are left and rub them all over me!  It is decadent and my skin feels like a babies behind. Same on my Shea butter days it is just amazing to have the pure butter melt into my skin. 
It is said that Cocoa Butter is great for aged skin, I can testify on this.  After years of tanning and living in a hot, dry Texas climate it has taken a toll.  I can see a difference in my skin after using cocoa and shea.
Cocoa Butter is a nut butter, taken from a cocoa bean.  Yes, the same cocoa bean used for chocolate, which gives it the same scent.  Gotta love that! Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter Cocoa Butter is the natural fat from the seeds of the fruit of the Cacao tree (grows in tropical regions), we get our PURE, ORGANIC & FAIR TRADE, from Ghana, rich in oleic, stearic & palmitic fatty acids, contains also flavors (e.g. vanillic acid), sterols, tannins & pigments.

If you would like to see what 50 pounds of PURE, ORGANIC, Cocoa Butter looks like, I have attached a picture.  We use this in our products because it is the BEST!  And, yes, that is the chisel I use! Hard work, but ohhh sooo worth it!

Lifestyle Change Anyone?

My name is Missy Clay and I am a sugar addict!  There, now that it is out on the table its time  to re-set.  Anyone that has ever known me knows this fact about me.  I LOVE sweet tea, cupcakes, even put sugar on strawberries!  God blessed me with a great metabolism and I am thankful.  However, I have four children and am 40 something; its time to do some serious work.  Not because I am over weight, I am not.  Healthy nutrition and excercise is not only healthy but it makes you feel better about yourself and increases energy levels.  With 3 year old twins, trust me I NEED all the energy I can muster.
So, ,my husband decides P90X is the workout for us, ok, I am in.  That is all fine and great but I can't do the workout and eat a bag of chips before bed!  On top of this going on I am trying on clothes thinking this is it, im out of shape and out of energy let do this thing! DONE!
You well know I am an advocate of healthy products.  A Yummy Apology is based on less chemical more goodness. This should also apply in my kitchen.  I do allow myself one indulgence as to not feel deprived all day.  My morning coffee with cream and agave sweetener.  Believe it or not it works!
My grocery list looks drastically different these past few weeks.  Here it is...Fresh organic eggs, pineapple, cantaloupe, bananas, kale, baby spinach, lemons, talapia, salmon, scallops, shrimp, tuna, cheese, whole wheat pasta, couscous, whole wheat taboule, quinoa, blueberries, strawberries, low fat  vanilla yogurt, tortillas, orange juice and milk.
For the most part yogurt and berries have been breakfast, I did oatmeal plain with raisins and honey one day. Salad for lunch with whatever is in the fridge that sounds good that day. Fish and pasta or whole grains for dinner with fruit for dessert. NO midnight snacking and its killing me, but getting easier every day.  Drinking a ton of lemon water. I also started taking Biotin supplement in addition to my daily vitamin. My energy level has increase substantially!  Also, the recipe for the salad is below if you want to give it a try.  Something Yummy added to an already Yummy life!  Does not get better than that!

I think, for me, it is a matter of finding food you truely enjoy and not fad diets. Eat clean, live clean and feel great!  If you are on a similar journey I wish you the best of luck and feel free to share your story.

Spinach Kale Salad with Raspberry Vinegrette
1/2 cup fresh organic Kale
1/2 cup fresh organic spinach (stems removed)
1/4 cup cherry tomato
... 1/4 cup talipia grilled seasoned with salt pepper only
1 hard boiled egg
1 large slice pineapple
1/2 cup cubed fresh cantaloupe
2 TBSP Raspberry Walnut Vinegrette