chocolate Archives - Page 2 of 3

Breakfast, Dairy-free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Holiday Favorites, Nut-Free, Paleo, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Dark Chocolate Mousse (Dairy-Free!)

My chocolate cravings are insatiable. I have a hard time keeping them at bay so I must have healthy chocolate options available at all times. At home I keep raw cacao powder and honey on hand to whip up a quick chocolate sauce and I try to have a dark chocolate bar stashed in my purse for emergencies. You never know when you’ll get stuck on an airport runway for two hours. Chocolate helps during these frustrating times.

Sweet potatoes have become one of my staple breakfast items. Back when I began my days with a heaping bowl of oatmeal, I often added cacao powder to get my chocolate fix. So of course I experimented with cacao in sweet potatoes and created the most amazing chocolate mousse ever! Ever. I’m obsessed with it and eat it several times a week now. The sweet potato’s texture is perfectly creamy, reminding me of the dairy version I used to love.

I know raw cacao powder is not something most people have stocked in their pantry. If you want the full nutritional benefits in this recipe though then it’s worth the investment. You could use cocoa powder as a substitution and the taste will be just as rich. What you’re missing out on is the abundance of antioxidants, fiber content and higher amounts of calcium, sulfur, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and copper.

Cocoa powder undergoes a higher heat process than cacao powder, which decreases it’s nutritional profile.

So don’t feel guilty when you dive into this delicious chocolate mousse. It’s full of nourishing ingredients!

Makes 4 servings.

2 cups sweet potato – cooked and mashed
1 tbsp coconut oil – melted
1 tbsp raw cocoa butter – melted
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk – I use the canned Native Forest brand.
2 tbsp + 1 tsp raw cacao powder – Navitas Naturals has the best quality.

►In a large bowl, mash together all ingredients except the cacao powder. Once well combined, fold in the cacao powder.
►Transfer to a food processor and blend for 3 minutes until smooth.
►Pour into individual dishes and pop into the fridge for 2 hours. Take out 10 minutes before serving and give it a good stir. You want it to have that whipped consistency.
►For a frozen treat, pop this into the freezer for a few hours!

Resource:
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/cacao-vs-cocoa-what-you-need-to-know/

Appetizer, Breakfast, Dairy-free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Paleo, Raw, Sauce, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Nutella is too good to be true. Fact.
Perfect straight out of the jar. Fact.
Entire jar does not equal one serving. Fact. (Unfortunately.)
Highly addictive. Fact.

It is for all these reasons that I had to create a healthy version of this delectable treat.

Makes one small jar.

1 cup roasted hazelnuts – thin casing removed.
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/8 tsp Pink Himalayan sea salt
2 tbsp raw honey
Dash of ground cloves (optional)
4 tbsp boiling water
1/2 tsp coconut oil

►Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Evenly spread nuts on a cookie sheet. Roast for 10-15 minutes, until skins crack away from the nuts. Let rest out of the oven for 10 minutes. Place in center of a dish towel, pull the corners to the middle so the nuts are covered. Rub vigorously until the casings are removed.

►Place nuts in food processor and grind for 5-10 minutes. When you have a creamy consistency, add in all other ingredients. Process until well combined. I found just a dash of cloves enhances the flavor of the hazelnuts. This is totally optional though.

►Pour into a glass jar and store for up to two weeks.

Note: Make sure to use high quality raw cacao powder. My favorite is Navitas Naturals. Their cacao is sourced sustainable from Peru and it packs a powerful, rich chocolate flavor.

Dairy-free, Dessert, Egg Free, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Nut-Free, Paleo, Raw, Vegetarian

Cayenne Dark Chocolate Truffles

Sometimes we just need to get our fix, our daily dose of chocolate. I try my best to keep homemade healthy options near-by in these emergency situations. When the hormone alarm sounds, all I have to do is reach for the secret stash. It removes the internal conflict over fighting my craving or saying, screw it, I’m eating that brownie. Then feeling the guilt of consuming something I know is bad for my body. The brownie is never the solution. So I created these delicious melt-in-your-mouth truffles that can be whipped up in a couple of minutes. Warning though, these babies have a powerful kick so you only need one!

12 Dried Dates

3 1/2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

1/4 Cup Raw Cacao Powder

1-2 Teaspoons Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil (optional)

►Place all ingredients in your food processor. Turn on and keep running for three to five minutes.

►Once the mixture becomes fine and crumbly test to see if it is sticky enough to roll into balls. This all depends on the quality of your dates. If they are a bit dry, add a teaspoon or two of melted unrefined coconut oil and blend another minute.

►Pour the mixture into a bowl. Pinch a bit into your hands and form into a small ball. For consistency, use a mini-melon baller.

►Pour a 1/4 cup of raw cacao powder into a shallow bowl. Roll each ball into the powder. Place on parchment paper and refrigerate until serving.