indulge Archives - Womens Post

Winter and chocolate go together like…summer and ice cream. Canada experiences some truly brutal storms throughout December and January, so to make up for it I like to consume as much chocolate as possible. What’s the relevance, you may ask? There is none — I just love chocolate!

Last week, Women’s Post profiled Jennifer Snider, founder of SugarMommy, and it got us thinking: sending chocolate is great, but what if you just want to eat chocolate on your own? While I’m sure Snider would have no objection to creating a personalized basket for one…it is a little awkward. So, where do you go if you If you are looking to indulge in some tasty chocolate, here are five place you can go!

Cacao70

There are three locations in Toronto – that isn’t enough! Cacao70 is a chocolate lover’s paradise. There are no canned or powdered hot chocolates to be found in this restaurant. Originating from Montreal, Cacao 70 specializes in fondue, crepes, waffles, and of course, dessert pizzas. It started with sipping chocolate, melted pure cacao that you could drink in a shot glass. It has since transformed to become one of the most talked about chocolate-themed restaurants in the city. I’ve eaten at this restaurant a few times, once for fondue and the other for a breakfast waffle and it was divine! The fondue is thick, creamy, and comes with loads of dip-able items like fruit, cookies, brownies, and marshmallows you can grill at your table. For brunch, I tried the apple bacon waffle, which has vanilla ice cream, white chocolate, bacon, and apples on top of a fluffy waffle with caramel drizzle. Just thinking about it makes me want to go back!

SOMA

This chocolate factory has a “bean to bar” philosophy that ensures top quality products you can’t get anywhere else. Founded in 2003, cacao beans are roasted and winnowed on site. Creators David Castellan and Cynthia Leung love to play around with different concoctions and mixtures of dark and milk combinations. Their bars are truly unique, topped with real ingredients like coconut, ginger, orange peels, or nuts. These ingredients aren’t mixed into the chocolate as is typical of a bar you would get from a regular grocery store. Instead, they are placed on top of the chocolate so as not to take away from the pure taste. There are two stores in Toronto, with the one in the distillery district being the most popular, especially around the holidays. They also have drinking chocolate, ice cream, truffles, cookies, and toffee.

Soul Chocolate

Chocolate really does affect the soul — in all the best ways that is! This storefront specializes in single-origin chocolate bars, which means every bar is unique. They roast and refine beans from around the world, making sure to keep each bean’s special flavour and history in tact. The owners also pay top price for the beans they use in what they call a 100 per cent Direct Trade business model. Everything is ethically sourced and pure in taste. All of the bars sold at Soul Chocolate is vegan, with only cacao and organic cane sugar as ingredients. Visit their storefront on Gerrard and Broadview for a speciality coffee or a sipping chocolate shot.

MoRoCo Chocolat

While many will mourn the loss of MoRoCo Chocolat’s restaurant in Yorkville, where you could go and experience high tea like any self-respected Brit, their new storefront on Madison Ave is worth checking out. The owners now specialize in small chocolate delicacies like truffles and macaroons. This french-inspired boutique is beautifully classy, and will make you feel like purchasing a treat is a luxury you absolutely CAN afford. All the products are made in small batches to ensure freshness and quality.

Peace Treats

This is for the kid in all of us. Think back to your childhood and remember sitting down with your mom or dad and sharing a giant chocolate milkshake. Well, these milkshakes aren’t your typical childhood drink. Peace Treats on Ossington have a variety of incredibly gourmet concoctions available. They also have some pretty amazing hot chocolates if you aren’t feeling like ice cream in the winter (although who doesn’t feel like ice cream?)!

Do you have a favourite chocolate store in Toronto? Let us know in the comments below!

Winter can be hard. Over the past six months, you’ve been working hard, going to the gym, eating right, and then winter comes along. But, like an old friend, winter comes back into all of our lives to remind us how great carbohydrates can be. Why were you avoiding hot chocolate and marshmellows? I don’t know, it’s delicious, winter says. How about a donut or muffin with your coffee? Shouldn’t you start that Christmas baking now? I mean, it’s almost December.

Stop it winter! Just stop it! Why can’t you just let us be!

It’s the unfortunate side effect of cold weather. Our bodies tend to crave carbohydrates and sugars no matter what our brain tells us, and that can make it extremely difficult to keep on track. Luckily, Women’s Post has your back. Here are some tips to help deal with those pesky cravings:

Don’t stop working out: Did you eat half a dozen donuts last night? Well, nothing you can do about that except try to work off some of the calories. Make sure to continue hitting the gym, even if it means leaving a few minutes early to take into account the slow snow traffic. If you don’t like to make the trek to the studio, try going for a walk. Yes, it’s cold, but it’s also beautiful. Tell your honey to bring a thermos of hot chocolate and make an afternoon of it. Have a snowball fight or go tobogganing. Doesn’t matter, as long as you remain active.

Drink tea: Instead of grabbing that expensive peppermint white mocha with the extra espresso shot and mound of whip cream, try having a peppermint tea. The best part about tea is that there are so many flavours they can be substituted for dessert. How about apple or pumpkin tea? Maybe a chocolate chilli chai is what you need to warm up after time spent outside in the frigid air? Tea also has the benefit of antioxidants, which can help strengthen your immune system and aide in weight loss. Plus, it has the added benefit of tasting good too.

Take vitamin D: Yes, vitamins are annoying. It’s easy to forget to take them, but in the winter, with the clouds covering the sun, it’s extremely important. Winter can be beautiful, but it’s also quite dark, and this darkness can bring out emotions and feelings you didn’t know you had. This weather can also trigger symptoms of seasonal depression. I’m not saying taking vitamins will relieve all of those symptoms, but it will help in controlling some of those intense cravings and lifting your mood.

Try to make “healthy” versions of comfort food: There is nothing Women’s Post can tell you that will make those cravings disappear entirely, so why not indulge a bit and make healthier versions of the comfort food you desperately desire. For example, mac and cheese is a winter favourite. Instead of pasta, try using cauliflower. You can still enjoy the cheesy goodness, just without the extra carbs. Or if you must get that mocha, make it skinny.

Eat what you want, just in moderation: At the same time, don’t deprive yourself. It doesn’t work. It’s hard enough to resist the temptation to gorge on carbs and sugars without the added pressure of eliminating it entirely from your diet. Have a couple of cookies and enjoy that peppermint mocha. Just make sure not to over indulge. Plan for a small daily sweet — a cookie or a chocolate — and don’t you dare feel guilty! It’s winter for goodness sake!

Did we miss something? Let us know in the comments below!

indulge

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How to deal with winter cravings