guest recipe...Lana Jankovic's white chocolate + raspberry cups

I first met Lana on Instagram, whilst marvelling at the beautiful images of her healthy treats (seriously hard not to lick my iPhone screen). Hailing from Vancouver, BC, Lana is a Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Coach, whole foods lover and healthy dessert advocate (a woman after my own heart).

I asked Lana to share her recipe for these incredible White Chocolate & Raspberry Cups (great for Valentine�s Day!) and a bit about herself.

Over to you Lana...

These White Chocolate & Raspberry Cups are a nourishing treat made with healthy saturated fats and antioxidant rich raspberries. Do not fear fats! Healthy fats are vital for our wellbeing; they are the building blocks for happy, healthy hormones, help regulate blood sugar, enhance immune function, and aid in keeping the nervous system content and running smoothly.

Use this recipe merely as a template and tweak as you go. I don�t normally measure when I play in the kitchen, and I always encourage adjusting the recipe to your own taste...a little less of this, a little more of that. Add raw cacao powder if you want some extra chocolate goodness! Adjust the amount of sweetness to your liking, switch out the raspberries for frozen blueberries, blackberries, or add some shredded coconut to the mix. The possibilities are endless � make it your own!

ingredients 

• ? cup raw cacao butter 
• � cup coconut oil 
• � - 1 tsp vanilla bean powder or extract 
• 1 tbsp brown rice syrup (rice malt syrup), or to taste* 
• Small pinch of salt 
• A handful of frozen raspberries

preparation

1. On the lowest possible heat, combine the cacao butter, coconut oil, vanilla, salt, and brown rice syrup in a small pot, stirring until melted. Be careful to not overheat it: you want to heat just enough to melt all the ingredients.

2. Meanwhile, set out approximately 8 small cup molds (silicone works best). Crumble the frozen raspberries slightly, and fill each cup about halfway. Spoon the melted cacao mixture into the cups, leaving a little room at the top (so it doesn�t spill over!) When pouring your mixture, make sure you are scraping the bottom of the pot, as the rice malt syrup tends to sink to the bottom sometimes.

3. Place in fridge or freezer to set: they are ready when they turn solid and white (this will only take 15 minutes or so in the freezer!). Store in the fridge or freezer, as they will start to melt at room temperature. If kept in the freezer, allow to soften at room temperature for a couple minutes before eating.

* A note on sweeteners: I used brown rice syrup as it is fructose-free, however feel free to substitue honey, maple syrup or stevia. You can adjust the sweetness to your taste, adding more or less as you go: I find I can easily omit the sweetener when making them for myself, as the raspberries add a natural sweetness to them.

a bit about me and what I do

I�m a Holistic Nutritionist and Wellness Coach located in Vancouver, B.C. My soul work is helping women realize their own version of vibrant health through nutrition and lifestyle coaching, so they can feel fabulously radiant and get back to the really important stuff: chasing after spirited dreams and living the good life. A sheer love of feel-good food inspires me to create healthier takes on old favourites. As a Holistic Nutritionist, I love inspiring people to add more nutrient-dense whole foods into their diets. This often starts by showing them that healthy eating can be super satisfying and shouldn�t feel like they�re missing out on all the good stuff! Sharing food that�s good for the body and for the soul � that�s what completely lights me up.

My food philosophy: I�m not an extremist. I�m not into strict diets. I�m a whole foods lover, healthy dessert advocate, and while I always encourage eating lots of veggies, I strongly believe that optimal health comes from the synergistic integration of body, mind, and spirit � not from a seemingly perfect diet alone. When I�m not coaching, you can usually find me: in the kitchen cooking up a storm (likely wholesome desserts/something with chocolate), at yoga, in a forest, cozied up with a pot of tea and a good book, skiing on the local mountains, or out salsa dancing.

You can find Lana on Instagram at @lanajankovic, and on Twitter at @lana_jankovic. She also has a website coming soon�so stay tuned! (I�m excited).