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If you would like to find out more on how Dolly can help you, drop her a line with your enquiries and she will get back to you as soon as she can.
Meet Dolly, an advocate for healthy eating and a holistic lifestyle for over thirty years.
With a deep spiritual motivation and a commitment to self-care, Dolly has mastered the art of healing through mindful practices and nutritious foods.
Whether you’re looking to improve your diet, enhance your spiritual practices, or adopt a more mindful lifestyle, Dolly's insights and guidance can help you achieve your goals.
She has applied proven self-care steps and methods to maintain her health and wellbeing and is eager to share this wealth of knowledge and experience with you.
You can find more in her new release, 50 Beyond & Flourishing and her pending 3 book series 'A Short Guide to Healthy Living', on self-care practices and lifestyle choices for morning, afternoon and evening.
TRANSFORMATIONAL FOODS & THEIR IMPACT ON MY HEALTH.
by Dolly Richards
Before the pandemic, I was traveling and working abroad for my job. While it was exhilarating to be paid for doing what I love, the experience wasn't without its challenges. I went with the flow, following the lead of my fellow musicians and associates, but it took a toll on my health. I often felt terrible the day after, and it was clear that changes needed to be made.
As I grew to understand how foods have the potential to heal or harm, and can be one person’s elixir and another person’s poison, it set a path for me to explore all the options of foods and their nutritional benefits so I can utilise the information and apply it to my symptoms and in my self-care processes. It has been through trial and error that I eventually worked out that nutritional synergy and its benefits can transform my health issues into positive outcomes with manageable and sustainable lifestyle practices for my health and wellbeing.
My passion is deeply rooted in all my creative endeavours by honing and expanding my knowledge and skills in various areas of interest in health, wellbeing and wellness and among these, I find great joy in creating foods that ignite all my senses as I craft tasty and healthy dishes that have delighted family and friends at spontaneous gatherings like dinner parties, Christmas celebrations, and birthdays.
I still have to overcome some of my health issues but in comparison to what it was and to what it is now, I feel more in control on how I care for myself to meet my health and wellbeing needs and not to take it for granted.
Everyday is a new day with a few set routines which are non-negotiable and exploring for new and wonderful remedial and transformative ways of nourishing my mind body and soul.
You can read more about my other passions, music and chocolates for the Health Conscious below!
Music has always been part of my life and continues to bring me joy through creating, performing, and collaborating. My love for music remains steadfast and ever-evolving in my professional life.
While I am still actively engaged in music to this day, I have scaled back on distant travel and international performances. This shift allows me to explore other interests and passions that I have discovered in recent years, showcasing my versatility and creative abilities.
Looking back, I have never regretted my travels as they provided me with inspiration for my music from the talented musicians and singers that I have worked with, and the dishes I create from the incredible meals I enjoyed in the countries I visited.
Being a transformational food enthusiast has been a game-changer for me! It's like having a secret weapon against surprise health hiccups from respiratory health issues, inability to use my voice fully to low physical stamina when I was touring and being on the road constantly.
Here is a brief overview of the different musical projects I have pursued under the name
Dolly James.
Jazz came into my life when my dad cranked up the tunes and I fondly recall his rendition of "Mack the Knife" that he sang when I was just a seven-year-old, surrounded by his musical buddies jamming away.
It wasn't until later that I discovered his hidden Louis Armstrong-like talent. Jazz to me became a genre as diverse as a mixed tape, blending soul, RnB, and funk, drawing from the greats like Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Sarah Vaughan, to modern muses ranging from Diana Krall, Esperanza Spalding to Candace Springs.
These legends sparked my musical journey, shaping my take on classic tunes to my very own creations.
My tribute journey commenced with an all-female musical group at an event in New Orleans in the mid-nineties, performing to audiences at the Ford International Convention singing "Simply the Best". Subsequently, I was signed up with an agency named Stars in Their Eyes, a name that was also a national television talent show in the UK.
I found myself working nationally and traveling the world, delivering high-energy performances for over twenty years. Tina Turner has been my idol and an inspiration to me and the opportunity to celebrate her music and her dynamic performances is a privilege that I will always treasure.
At eleven, inspired by soulful singers like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, I began writing songs and lyrics and much later on, acquired music publishing deals with A&M and Sony Music. Registering with a music agency led to touring with Simply Red and James Taylor Quartet, as well as recording sessions with Van Morrison and Mike Oldfield, shaping my diverse musical career.
I still enjoy dedicating my free time to collaborating on song ideas whenever the opportunity arises. Despite my busy schedule, I make sure to carve out time for these musical and creative projects to bring some joy into my life.
During the pandemic, I found a wealth of creative inspiration and discovered innovative methods to create healthy treats that maintain taste and flavour.
Over the course of a year, I refined my skills as a chocolatier and launched my business, inDolgence UK.
Chocolates used to be my favourite treat, however, after discovering my allergy to refined ingredients, especially sugar, and realising that my sweet tooth cravings were causing my health problems, I chose to craft my own healthy chocolates using organic cacao, nuts, seeds and spices, my dehydrated fruits and berries and their powders, along with sweetening ingredients of coconut sugar, Agave, and carob syrup.
The result was wholesome and delicious healthy plant-based chocolates with natural ingredients that are high-protein treats, suitable for the health-conscious and especially those with dairy, refined sugar and gluten intolerances.
BBC Good Food Show 2022
Our customers come from all walks of life with dietary requirements placing their orders by direct sales or through the website.
All products were created, designed and packaged by inDolgence UK where the packaging was either recyclable or biodegradable.
The business was voted Food Champion and was invited to exhibit at the BBC Good Food Show in 2022.
“Best Vegan Chocolates that I have tasted” Customer's feedback who were converted when visiting our stall.
inDolgence UK will be re-launching in due course which you will be notified and hope that you will be able to join me for this special event.
The photo above captures a moment in preparation with my friend and chocolate enthusiast, Carol Power.
Mighty Mint & Orange Burst Cacao Chocolate Bars
The Mighty Mint has caramelised peppermint and mint herbs in peppermint flavoured cacao chocolate with cacao nibs for that extra crunchy goodness.
The Orange Burst is an intensely, citrusy, dark cacao orange chocolate with added flavour from the zest and powder from our dried oranges.
Cacao Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Bars
This the first range of my cacao chocolate products, the Chunky Brownie. It is packed with peanut butter granola with superfood ingredients such as oats, nuts and seeds, encased in dark cacao chocolate with a hint of caramel from the sweetening ingredient, coconut blossom sugar.
Promotional Spring Event 2023 @ Buttercrumble HQ
It was a pleasure supplying Buttercrumble, an innovative, design and branding company my Cacao Treat boxes for their clients.
Their Spring Event was held at the beautiful stately home, Bowcliffe Hall near Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
Here is a little insight into why I have started my plant-based chocolate company.
CACAO! This wonderful, magical healing food that has been around since 460 AD and staple food to the Aztec, Mayans, Peruvians, Incas throughout the centuries to energise, heal and strengthen because of its healing properties.
Cacao is packed with incredibly powerful antioxidants that support cellular health, as well as essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and iron, making it a true “miracle food.” It surpasses even dark chocolate, kale, and blueberries in health benefits.
Cacao also contains anandamide, a chemical compound known as the 'Bliss Molecule,' which promotes feelings of happiness. Its softer flavour compared to traditional dark chocolate makes it a delightful daily indulgence. This versatile ingredient can be used in both savoury and sweet dishes, bringing a touch of healthy indulgence to a variety of recipes. I shall continue creating innovative recipes for my 'inDOLgence' chocolate range for next year's relaunch, and I hope you can share my enthusiasm for cacao.
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