Food of the Gods

Today is a National Chocolate Day - one of three days in the year that are honored with that title. Obviously the powers that be truly understand the importance and value of this wonderful treat that is actually a nearly perfect meal. For those of you that are raising an eyebrow at my calling it a meal, here's my reasoning... chocolate comes from cacao beans and everyone knows that beans are vegetables. But, I'll bet you're saying, it's mixed with sugar... well, sugar comes from one of two sources, sugar beets (and you know that beets are a vegetable as well) or sugar cane, which is a flowering grass. Since flowering plants are fruits according to botany types, and grasses are also classified as grains, chocolate is not only a vegetable, but it is also a fruit and a grain. Now add in some milk (which is used in the production of most chocolate to some degree) which is a source of not only protein and calcium, but a wealth of other vitamins and minerals, and you'll see that chocolate is a vegetable, a fruit, a grain, and a protein. And of course the human body does need at least a little fat to function at its optimum, so the fats found in chocolate round out chocolate's nutritional perfection! [wink]

Seriously, chocolate has many wonderful nutritional qualities - in moderation. Studies have shown that chocolate, especially high quality dark chocolate, may have a positive effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, mood elevation, and general well being! And before I forget - cacao "beans" are really seeds of the flowering cacao tree - which means that these "beans" are actually more of a fruit than a vegetable! That was just a disclaimer in case there are any botanist types out there who were chomping at the chocolate bar to correct me!

For today's shopping spree, I thought I'd feature a few examples of chocolate-y goodness that can be found on Etsy - and trust me, narrowing it down to a few was nearly an adventure in futility 'cuz they all look so good! Perfect for holiday entertaining or just to satisfy your chocolate craving, I hope you enjoy my choices!

I love this Holiday Chocolate Cornucopia with Chocolate Covered Pretzels from llkaygifts! What a perfect little hostess gift it would make - and the chocolate covered pretzels that it's filled with seem like a great little sweet treat for fellow guests.






Nobody knows the truffles I've seen... and I actually saw so many wonderful flavors - like these Espresso Martini Truffles. Just one of many truffle flavors available at denisesdelectables , I chose these because I love the taste of chocolate combined with espresso!








It's winter time in the northern hemisphere, which means many people will be enjoying a warming cup of hot chocolate on those cold winter mornings or as a late night treat. What could be better than Homemade Irish Creme Hot Cocoa Mix available in 1/2 lb or 1 lb packages from tetoncocoacompany at Etsy!





I have this sudden craving for this nutritious food, so I think I'm going to try to track down a yummy bit of dark chocolate and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day! Happy Wednesday, happy shopping and remember - Chocolate may not make the world go 'round, but it sure does make the trip worthwhile!