Omega Heavy Darkest-Ever Chocolate
Let’s address the sugar cravings of early sobriety, shall we? It is no doubt a rite of passage to have a raging sweet tooth once your off the sauce. It hit me pretty hard for the first few months & then I found myself once again wondering if I had a problem I needed to address. All the sugar was screwing with my circadian rhythm, making my skin break out & jacking up my anxiety. I managed to negotiate a better relationship with sugar over time. Nowadays fruit is more appealing to me than any of the gummy candies I once truly adored… but I have never been able to end my love affair with chocolate. I don’t feel bad about it. It is a legit health food & I have a recipe to share with you that bumps up the health benefits & addresses a lot of nutrient deficiencies that go hand in hand with addiction.
So rather than suggesting that anyone quit yet another thing - how’s about we just have some chocolate?
You will need…
1/4 cup Cocoa powder (the roasted form of the bean)
1/4 cup Cacao powder (the raw form)
2 Tbl Almond butter
1 Tbl melted coconut oil
2-3 Tbl maple syrup
pinch of sea salt
Makes 8-12 servings
Sift your cocoa/cacao into a bowl and follow the instructions in the video —->... & keep scrolling for toppings!
Why is this a healthier option you ask? Lemme tell you! Our bodies need fat, fiber & protein to function properly. This chocolate bar has all of that & then some. The almond butter alone has all three of these necessary components + almonds have a prebiotic effect that is much needed for our gut health. It get’s bonus points for having a good dose of omega 3’s (which reduce inflammation) & vitamin E - making it great for your skin - our bodies biggest organ. Then there’s the B vitamins that give our bodies energy (& are generally wiped out by alcohol). The fiber content helps to keep things moving literally, if you know what I mean. We need that internal flow if we want to experience it in the world around us. Then there’s the magnesium which acts as a natural mood stabilizer that helps us keep calm and carry on. It’s full of flavonols that are kinda magical. They improve cardiovascular & cognitive health by reducing blood pressure & increasing blood flow to the brain. Take a second and imagine that feeling with me.. a lessening of tension in the body & blooming of the mind. Fantastic! All of these things, mixed with a little maple syrup to sweeten the deal. I chose this as my sweetener for a few reasons.. 1. It hits a little lower on the glycemic scale - meaning that it raises your blood sugar a little slower. 2. It adds to the micronutrient load of the recipe (zinc, potassium, magnesium, thiamine, calcium, iron and more). 3. It is vegan & therefore harms no one.
OK - Toppings! I switch up my toppings almost every time I make this recipe. Sometimes I do bits of dried fruit or dried flowers (like rose or calendula petals). In the video I added Walnuts, Hemp hearts & Pumpkin seeds for extra omega 3’s.
After you roll out your chocolate simply sprinkle your toppings on top (obviously), cover in parchment & give it a gentle press to secure everything to your chocolate bar before you stick it in the fridge. Let it chill for an hour or so & enjoy!
Spitballing some topping ideas… dried coconut, pistachio, toasted hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, cocoa nibs, dried lavender flowers or rose petals, sea salt, dried cherries, blueberries or mango.. the options are endless.
If you give this recipe a go please let me know what you think & what toppings you decided to roll with.
Animation & Recipe by me, Bonnie Rue.
Background music: The Source by Bridge Farmers. Heavy Psych rockers & good friends of mine here in Austin, TX. Check them out on Bandcamp.