May is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) awareness month.
Some of you might be wondering what EDS is. There are definitions and summaries all over the net, but I can only tell you what it is for me.
It’s living life on a roller coaster.
It’s never knowing how you will feel from one day to the next.
It’s invisible and it’s painful. So very painful.
It is physical and it’s emotional and it’s mental.
It’s unexplainable and it’s isolating.
It affects strength and stamina, digestion and diet, mood and mind.
It’s frightening and it’s confusing.
It’s exhausting and excruciating.
But it is also what led me to Wholefood Simply. It is what led me to doing something that I love.
While it means I may never return to the workforce, it also means I spend many days lying on the floor with my babies cuddling me.
While it means I cannot lead an active life, it also means I soak up many precious moments at home with my family.
While it means I hurt, it also means I become exhilarated on the days that I feel well.
While it means my life has turned out very different to what I once dreamt, it has also taught me to be grateful for the simple things I once took for granted.
EDS is a part of me, but it isn’t all of me. It has given me gifts and it has taken away things I once held dearly. It’s the cards I have been dealt and I’ll be playing them as best I can.
Double Crunch Peanut Butter And Chocolate Chip Fudge
- 6 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons honey*
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons crushed peanuts
- 50 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped**
- Place the peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt into a heat proof bowl. Heat the ingredients until the oil starts to melt. Remove from the heat and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add the crushed peanuts and mix to combine. Pour the mixture into a silicon loaf tin. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top and place the slice into the freezer to set.
- Slice. Serve. Eat and enjoy.
*you can use rice malt syrup if you prefer.
**I use 90% dark chocolate.
notes – one sliced this can be stored and served straight from the fridge or freezer. It will not be stable at room temperature.