I got an email the other day from a website that sells american sweets etc, and I was very tempted by a jar of Dark Chocolate Dreams. Today I decided to buy one (browsing websites was one way of distracting myself from my work!) only to find that it was out of stock! Oh no! I hunted about on google for a bit- it was on amazon for £15 per jar, with £4 postage! Daylight robbery! I found it on another site, but then I ummed and ahhed a bit because the postage was still more.
Anyway, in the end, I made some. This, I think, is the best batch of fake dark chocolate dreams so far. I started with melting some chocolate (a few dark chocolate chips) but then I thought the reason why last time it needed improving,was because it was too thick. DCD is quite runny, which I love. So, into the mini chopper went some meridian smooth pb, the melted chocolate chips, a tsp cocoa powder and some agave nectar (hoping that the agave would thin it out and help it stay more runny at room temp).
The result? Amazing. I think it is the closest yet. On the website it lists the ingredients- peanuts, cane juice, cocoa, cocoa butter, palm fruit oil, vanilla, lecithin, salt. I think cane juice is a sweetener (?), and I suppose the palm fruit oil makes it more runny. Anyway, although my list of ingredients is not the same, it is more similar. And it was delicious.
I also made my final green smoothie of the week (no more spinach)- this one was lovely- I am glad I went for it.
1 banana, 40g spinach, 200ml Kara coconut milk, 1tbs cocoa powder. Simple, yet delicious. Although a rather unapetising colour, the chocolate flavour came through- I think the coconut milk is the perfect addition to it as well.
I also took a picture of my breakfast. I have not had porridge this week (shock!)- instead I have been having muesli with apple. That Rude Health stuff is amazing.
With regard to the sports massage, today when I woke up I felt like new! If I squeeze my ITB band (I had an anatomy lesson too you know) then they feel a bit tender, but when walking about it is all fine. I am a little obsessed about that now! Now I need to decide when to have the other 2.
I also updated my blogroll- I don’t think I have added to it for about 6 months and I read a lot of blogs now! So have a look. Oh, and if you know I read your blog and you are not on there, let me know.
Lastly, I made some mini peanut butter cups. This was a bad idea because they are very easy to eat (I call it brain fuel to help my work?? Which I did actually finish today, despite spending ages on facebook, reading blogs etc!)-
See the pb leaking out- they were scrumptious! So as you can see, a very dark chocolate-themed day!
Body pump later, which I am looking forward to, although I just remembered how hard the abs track is- my eyeballs will be sweating later (probably sweating out chocolate haha!).
Enjoy the long weekend folks 🙂
I’ve just finished my jar of White Chocolate Wonderful. Perhaps I should take a tip from you and try and create my own!
Have you tried shineyshack.com? I’m pretty sure they stock DCD at a decent price.
Love those mini PB cups: they’re so cute! And I’m massively relieved that the cocoa powder was not a flop…not that it could be, being that it’s chocolate 😉
That abs track gets on my wick…I think the song belongs in a Zumba class personally! I’m loving the Back track though, mostly because I feel like my shoulders are going to explode 😛 And I’m very pleased they’re using my favourite Bon Jovi song for squats, although it’s much easier than most squat tracks. And the music for biceps is fab (I think it’s Shinedown, one of my favourite bands?) Enjoy, anyway!
xxx
I love the mini PB cup! It’s so cute!
And yup cane juice is a sweetener used in a lot of foods here in the US 🙂
I love home made peanut butter cups – especially my frozen avocado versions! Your home made DCD sounds incredible. I’m planning on getting a jar in NYC 🙂
|I haven’t tried dark chocolate dreams, I’m kinda scared to to try it cos I’d probably eat the whole jar in a day! I noticed tat I’ve been added to your blog roll-second one this week, how exciting!
Your jar of dark chocolate dreams looks amazing, I’d be too scared to try in case I finished the whole lot though 🙂
That peanut butter cup looks absolutely dangerous – delicious AND dangerous HAHA I could see ten or so easily disappearing into my mouth without a moments thought!
Yeah those mini pb cups are very easy to eat too many- luckily I have some left!
Yeah when I next go to the USA I am planning on bringing back a suitcase of all the flavours- will have to clear a cupboard for them haha!
Jessica- they do it!!!!!!!! And free postage!!!! I should not be this excited by it!! And yes the squats are easier, but then by the end of the lunges those extra 8 at the bottom actually nearly kill me!
That’s really cool that you are trying to make your own dark chocolate dreams, I just bought my first jar yesterday and tried it today – I am hooked! soooo good. Maybe next time i will make my own! Those peanut butter cups look pretttty tasty too! I could probably eat so many of those >.<
Mmm I LOVE DCD but I’ve run out… that, along with seeing this, is definitely a cue for me to make my own, no? 😉
Oh and I loveee homemade peanut butter cups. If I tried mini ones i’m sure i’d use it as an excuse to eat the WHOLE batch, though. Haha!
Just catching up on all your blog posts this week. Thanks so much for the shout out the other day!
I’ll put all my comments on here!
Massage – I get actual bruises on my ITB just above where it joins the knee when my physio decides it needs a lesson! Hurts a lot but definitely works its magic so worthwhile. I would save at least one of your sessions for the week before the marathon and have the other one somewhere in the middle of the time remaining before then. I wish that I could afford one every couple of weeks as it definitely pays off.
DCD? Never heard of that either? Do you spread it on stuff or just eat it? I’m such a doofuss when it comes to all the lovely food you seem to find.
Spinach – I don’t have smoothies but I do have a bit of a spinach obsession at the moment and ate loads of it the week before the marathon – maybe it helped?
I love your tulips, they are one of my favourite spring flowers. I’ve got some lovely ones in my garden but want LOADS more, I just keep forgetting to get them at the right time!
Rosexx
Dark chocolate pb is amazing on toast, or in a pitta, but also just yummy on it’s own. 🙂
Thanks for all the other comments too!
Do you live anywhere near London? Whole Foods stocks BIG jars of DCD, although your homemade looks DELICIOUS!! And those mini PB cups are so cute!! 😀
Yeah I went to a little wholefoods last week, but it only had the smooth ones, no chocolate!
I’ve never tried Dark Chocolate Dreams, sounds delicious though and everyone raves about it. I totally know what you mean about surfing on the internet – I spend so much money when I’m bored or procrastinating.
Sounds great, thanks for sharing the recipe! I’ve never found any of those PBs in the UK, only the plain flavours!