Try this mole recipe,  and let us know how it tastes!

Borlotti bean mole with roasted winter vegetables

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 25ml olive oil
• 175g canned borlotti beans
• 1 medium-sized butternut squash
• 175g winter vegetables (carrots, leeks, celeriac, swede)
• 100g kale, roughly chopped
• 50g butter
• 100g onion, chopped
• 2–4 red jalapeno chillies, halved, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 500g tomatoes, chopped
• 25g paprika
• 25g almonds, dark roasted and finely ground
• 50g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
• 10g salt

Method

• Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
• Cut the squash flesh into good-sized chunks (about 2cm square), place them in a roasting pan and toss with olive oil.
• Roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes until caramelised on the outside but still firm.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 130C/250F/gas mark ½.
• Without removing the central stem, cut the kale across the leaf into 2cm slices.
• Melt the butter into an oven-proof casserole dish (pot) and fry the onion and chillies gently over a low to medium heat for 20–30 minutes, until caramelised.
• Add the garlic and fry for three minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and paprika, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
• Add the ground almonds, chocolate, carrots, leeks, celeriac, swede, borlotti beans, kale, and a teaspoon of salt.
• Stir until the chocolate has melted.
• Cover the casserole and put it in the oven to cook gently for two hours.

This recipe and the image above comes courtesy of Blue Egg Kitchen.

Most of us feel like we should cut back on chocolate; that it’s not healthy. But actually, cocoa – the key ingredient in chocolate – is really, really good for you.

Cocoa comes from the beans of a small, tropical, evergreen tree, which are then fermented and roasted before they’re made into the sweet delicacy we know. Medical studies have shown that the antioxidants it contains are associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of heart disorders.

The chocolate I grew up on, however, was highly processed, low in cocoa content (12% – 34%) and high in fat and refined sugar. In the UK three in five of us eat this type of chocolate most of the time – and it’s this sort of thing we’re not meant to eat too much of.

You see, as with most things, chocolate should be about quality versus quantity.

My favourite type of chocolate is raw chocolate, minimally processed, with 70% cocoa and sweetened with agave nectar from the tequila cactus. It is the best breakfast food ever; uplifting, full of energy and vitality.

Did you know that cocoa contains compounds like anandamide, known as ‘the bliss chemical’ for its effect on mood, and phenylethylamine, which is released when you’re in love? While unsweetened raw cocoa is very bitter, eating it is like nothing else on earth – I heartily recommend trying it.

I believe that if we start to understand what chocolate really is, we can renew our relationship with it and start respecting, rather than ‘abusing’, it.

That’s exactly what we’re trying to do through The Chocolution. Our raw chocolate making kits are designed to help people, from school kids to foodies, learn about the ingredients that go into chocolate – and give them the opportunity to make their own healthy chocolate bars.

If you’d like to taste raw chocolate and have a go at making your own, at Eden’s Chocolate Jungle festival, keep an eye on the full event listing.

Or, if you’d like to get your hands on a chocolate kit for yourself, why not enter our competition? We’ve got five Eat Dark kits to give away, each containing the ingredients to make your own dairy-free, sugar-free chocolate bar, complete with a mould to shape it and agave nectar to sweeten it.

How to enter the competition

To win a kit, follow these two steps:

1. Finish this sentence in no more than 128 characters (including spaces): ‘What I love about chocolate is…’
2. Submit your entry by the end of Sunday 19 February 2012, via:

a. Twitter using the hashtag #chocjungle together with your 128 characters – e.g: #chocjungle because it makes me feel so much better after a hard day at work and it’s not actually that bad for you at all. It’s tasty too.

b. The comment facility below this blog story.

Prize draw terms and conditions

• Entry is free. One entry per household.
• Eden Team members will pick their favourite top five entries to receive the prizes as detailed above.
• The prizes are non-refundable, non-transferable and subject to availability. No alternative prize will be offered and there is no cash alternative.
• The draw is not open to employees of The Eden Project, their families, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the prize draw.
• All entries must be received by midnight on 19 February 2012. The winner will be notified by email or Twitter after the closing date.
• By entering this competition you are giving the Eden Project permission to contact you at a future date. You can subscribe from this service at any time.
• Prize draw open to all UK residents. Entrants must be over 16 years of age.

Eden has gone chocolate crazy this February. We’re even holding our own ‘Chocolate Jungle’ festival with everything from hands-on chocolate making workshops for kids, to learning, tasting, smelling and feeling chocolate in our biomes. In the lead up to the event, I decided to find out more about the fabulous chocolate we sell in our webshop.

I caught up with Tom from our Cornish handmade chocolate suppliers, Nicky Grant, to talk me through their chocolate philosophy. These guys are renowned for their award-winning combinations – Cornish sea salt caramel truffles, wildflower honey and cinnamon, and raspberry truffles.

The first thing that came across was Tom’s unwavering passion for fresh chocolate. This means they don’t believe in artificial sweeteners, flavourings or preservatives – shelf extenders as he called them. They don’t overload their truffles and pralines with sugar either, as they don’t want that common sickly sweet taste and ruin their subtle flavour blends.

All ingredients in their handmade truffles are made with fresh Cornish cream and real butter. They make their own fillings from scratch, from grating the organic limes for infusions, to sieving raspberries for purees. No shortcuts are taken for these truffles.

But what about the chocolate? Tom proudly explained that they source top-grade single origin chocolate to compliment each filling. Nope, meant nothing to me either.

‘Single origin chocolate’, he explained, comes from one particular place. Think of it like a bottle of wine. A good bottle comes down to the quality of the soil, the heat of the sun and the variety of grape. Likewise, each country produces different flavour notes in chocolate.

Nicky Grant’s cocoa comes from Venezuela, Tanzania, Madagascar and Peru. Tom matches Mexican chocolate with lime and chilli, as the fruitiness of the chocolate matches well with the zesty spiciness of the filling. He said to think of sweet chilli sauce – the combination just works.

Careful cocoa sourcing, also means that they have a better understanding of the ethical conditions of the plantation, and maintain control of the whole process.

All of these factors go into a box of our handmade chocolate truffles. To try them for yourselves, have a look the selection on our webshop.

To find out more about chocolate, venture into our Chocolate Jungle festival – here at Eden. Hear Tom from Nicky Grant talk about the whole chocolate making process, while you can see, smell, taste and hear everything about chocolate!

Win a hamper full of chilli goodies and a complimentary guided tour around our chocolate and chilli trails here at Eden.

This unique experience takes you from the Americas to Africa on an adventure to discover the original hot chocolate – all within our iconic Biomes.

You’ll be personally shown around the largest rainforest in captivity by one of our experienced guides. In here, you’ll learn how to see, feel, smell, taste and even hear the difference between types of chocolate. In our Mediterranean biome, our guide will fascinate you with our array of chilli, from the mild sweet bell pepper, to the Dorset Naga – measuring a scorching 1.6 million Scoville Heat Units!

Afterwards, you can enjoy free admission around the Eden Project for the rest of the day.

We’ll also send you a free chilli lover’s hamper – a sustainable wicker hamper containing sweet chilli sauce, fabulous chilli chocolate, chilli seeds and a fiery jelly.

How to enter

To be in with a chance, all you have to do is place any order on our webshop before 14 February 2012 and we’ll automatically enter you in the prize draw.

Prize draw terms and conditions

• This voucher is valid for 12 months for two people. Tours will be available on four days of the week and are not available during August. Please see our website or contact our booking line for exact tour guide timings.
• All visits must be booked in advance with a minimum of two weeks notice.
• This is a 90 minute private walking tour – on tours of the rainforest you will experience heat and humidity, if you have concerns regarding any disability or illness you must discuss this with us before booking.
• The first name drawn at random after the closing date will receive the prize as detailed above.
• The prize is non-refundable, non-transferable and subject to availability. No alternative prize will be offered and there is no cash alternative.
• The draw is not open to employees of The Eden Project, their families, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the prize draw.
• All entries must be received by midnight on 14 February 2012. The winner will be notified by email after the closing date.
• By entering this competition you are giving the Eden Project permission to contact you at a future date. You can unsubscribe from this service at any time.
• Prize draw open to all UK residents. Entrants must be over 16 years of age.

1. The Maya people of ancient Mexico used cocoa beans as money: 10 for a rabbit, 100 for a slave.
2. The botanical name of cocoa is Theobroma cacao, meaning ‘food of the gods’!
3. When the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico in 1519, he and his men were hailed as gods and given all the things the Aztecs loved – including chocolate.
4. In 1579, after taking a Spanish ship loaded with cocoa beans, English buccaneers set it on fire thinking the beans were sheep dung.
5. In 1587, when the British captured a Spanish vessel loaded with cocoa beans, the cargo was destroyed as useless.
6. Cocoa is really called ‘cacao’, but the Victorians couldn’t pronounce it so they renamed it!
7. Chocolate was regarded as a drink until the 19th century. The first advert for eating chocolate appeared in Butler’s ‘medicine chest dictionary’ in 1826. Fry’s chocolate lozenges were described as ‘a pleasant and nutritious substitute for food in travelling or when unusual fasting is caused by irregular periods of eating’.
8. Many of the people who grow cocoa have never tasted chocolate.
9. Individuals in the UK, on average, consume around 10kg of chocolate every year.
10. Cocoa butter is a useful ingredient in moisturisers and face creams because it melts at skin temperature.

More facts about chocolate

Find out more by flicking through our potted, illustrated history of chocolate.

It’s been described as liquid wisdom, and as Shayne House, co-founder of the Tea Appreciation Society says, ‘it forces you to take time out.’ Couldn’t agree more, Shayne.

We especially like this brand of tea because it ticks all the boxes for us as an ethical product. It’s produced down the road from us, it’s fairly traded, not to mention mouth wateringly delicious.

Bear in mind that when you buy loose leaves, you get more of a benefit than with teabags. The whole leaves naturally hold more oils, which result in more flavour and goodness. Teabags contain ‘tea dust’ – a lower grade version of tea.

There are so many benefits of tea, and there’s a different type for every occasion. Next time you next stick your kettle on, use this handy guide to tea and choose a brew to pick the one that suits your mood.

Fennel

Refreshing fennel has a sweet anise taste and is delicious both hot and cold. In India, the seeds are chewed after a meal to freshen the breath and soothe the digestive tract. Being especially high in soothing oils, it’s ideal after a large meal. Those lovely oils also give this tea a fuller flavour. Add a teaspoon of this loose leaf fennel tea to the pan after you’ve cooked fish, a glug of white wine and a little cream and you’ll have a delicious sauce.

Nettle

Ask a medical herbalist which tea they would take if they were to be stranded on a desert island (of course there would be a kettle and a mug there) and many would go straight for nettle. Considered the healthiest tea of all, nettle is full of nutrients including vitamin C, zinc, iron and silica. Aside from being an all-round blood tonic, its excellent anti-histamine properties make it ideal for hay-fever sufferers.

Chamomile

This plant has a long traditional use for soothing nerves and calming the mind. It is often taken as an infusion to alleviate anxiety and to encourage a better quality sleep. As it contains anti-inflammatory properties, try ringing your flannel out in a chamomile infusion and leaving it on your face for a while. It’s perfect for pepping up skin and relieving tired eyes.

Echinacea

This wonderful plant has been used for decades for keeping colds and flu at bay. North American Indians first used it for modulating the immune system, which means that when your body is under attack and needs extra defences, your immune system steps up a gear. It’s also widely used for wound-healing, so try sipping – and even gargling – echinacea tea if you have mouth ulcers.

Manuka

This tea comes from the only commercially grown manuka bushes outside of New Zealand. These bushes are celebrated for their antibacterial properties used both internally and externally and are even used by nurses to dress wounds. The honey made from the manuka bush is often used in cough remedies, for being naturally antiseptic, yet lubricating. Brew yourself a cup of manuka tea next time you need to soothe a sore throat.

Ingredients

• 100g brown sugar
• 120g butter
• 300g oats
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1.5 bananas
• 60g dates, chopped
• 60g apricots, chopped
• 60g pumpkin seeds
• 60g sunflower seeds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F / gas mark 4.
2. In a pan, melt the butter, sugar and golden syrup together.
3. In a bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients, then add the wet ingredients from the pan.
4. Crush a banana with a fork and add it to the bowl.
5. Spoon the mixture on to a baking tray and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Let it cool in the tray and then cut into portions.

If you’re keen to try our chef’s granola flapjacks, why not treat yourself at the Eden Bakery? Take a peek at the delicious food we serve at Eden

What’s so good about sprouts?

They’re nutritious
Weight for weight, they contain more nutrients than any other natural food known to man – even rivalling some food supplements. Because you eat them freshly harvested, none of these are lost in transit.

They’re a good source of protein
These tasty little things are especially useful if you’re a vegan or vegetarian. And because protein makes you feel fuller for longer, they’re ideal for dieters too.

They taste great
Even if you’re a committed meat-eater, sprouts can still add a special twist to your meal. Try topping a burger with alfalfa sprouts, or making a traditional egg and cress sandwich. Other great ways to eat sprouts are to stuff them in sandwiches, pitta breads and wraps, funk up a salad, or add a nutty taste to stir-fry and rice. If you fancy a healthy start to the morning, you can’t get better than a smoothie with parsley, apple, celery and alfalfa sprouts.

What can you sprout?
Most seeds, legumes and grains sprout easily, and even nuts will sprout with a little patience. Popular seeds to sprout are radish, broccoli and cress. However, I think the most fool-proof and delicious seed to sprout is the alfalfa.

Here’s how to grow your very own mini organic garden in your kitchen:

1. Rinse two tablespoons of your seeds in a clean jam jar – any size will do.

2. Soak them overnight in a little water – no need to refrigerate. Larger seeds and nuts may need a day for better results.

3. Drain the water (which is full of nutrients and perfect for your houseplants) and give the seeds a good rinse again.

4. Now you’re ready to put them back on your kitchen top and let nature take its course.

5. Give them a rinse twice daily just to prevent them from drying out.

6. After five days or so they’ll be perfect for you to eat straight out of them jam jar, or maybe stored in the fridge – they’ll keep crisp for up to a week.

Sprout your way into a healthy 2012.

Try making this lovely warming winter dish, using this recipe from Eden’s chefs. Or if you’re vegetarian, you might like our vegetarian Spanish stew recipe instead.

Ingredients
These amounts make four to six hearty portions.

• 1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 500g diced beef
• 400g diced potato
• 200g diced onions
• 150g diced parsnip
• 400g diced carrots
• 1 litre beef stock
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

1. Heat a large sauce pan and add the vegetable oil.
2. Add the diced beef and cook until browned on all sides.
3. Add the vegetables, the beef stock and salt and pepper.
4. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for one and a half to two hours.
5. Taste and add more seasoning if required.

Try this dish at the Eden Project – find out what you can eat, and where, on our food page.

We’ve got a tasty Christmas treat for you: the chance to win a Cornish hamper worth £74.50 and stuffed with high-quality produce from Eden’s home county.

Delicious, locally sourced food and drink

Cornwall is renowned for its excellent food and drink, and this hamper showcases some of the best, including hand-harvested Cornish seasalt from the Lizard Peninsula on the south coast, and Tregothnan afternoon tea, the only tea grown in England.

Here’s the full list of hamper contents:

• Eden ground El Salvador coffee (227g)
• Eden three-fruit marmalade
• Tregothnan Estate afternoon tea (10 teabags)
• Eden all butter shortbread biscuits (250g)
• Eden choc chip shortbread biscuits (250g)
• Eden organic clotted cream fudge (400g)
• Cornish sea salt pouch (125g)
• Eden chocolate bar 100g
• Eden kiln-roasted nuts (650g)
• Apple juice (750ml)

The unique gift hampers that contain these goodies are made to a high quality from sustainable wood, which means you can use them again and again throughout the year for picnics and days out.

How to enter

All you have to do to enter our free prize draw is visit our website and fill in the online form. The closing date is 31 December 2011.

If you’re not feeling lucky, or want to get your hands on one before Christmas itself, the hamper is one of a range available in the online Eden webshop – and if you place an order by 21 December 2011, you’ll receive your hamper in time for Christmas!

Prize draw terms and conditions

• Entry is free. One entry per household. Automated entries will not be accepted.
• The first name drawn at random after the closing date will receive the prize as detailed above.
• The prize is non-refundable, non-transferable and subject to availability. No alternative prize will be offered and there is no cash alternative.
• The draw is not open to employees of The Eden Project, their families, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the prize draw.
• All entries must be received by midnight on 31 December 2011. The winner will be notified by email after the closing date.
• By entering this competition you are giving the Eden Project permission to contact you at a future date. You can subscribe from this service at any time.
• Prize draw open to all UK residents. Entrants must be over 16 years of age.