Healthy Chocolate!
YUMMY AND HEALTHY CHOCOLATE
The basic concept is this:
You mix unsweetened cocoa powder, virgin coconut oil, and raw honey together, refrigerate until solid, and cut into pieces. That’s it! Here are more details.
Ingredients:
1. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (Raw* is best, but if not available, use any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder with no extra ingredients).
2. Virgin Coconut Oil–
Most coconut oil in the store is very poor quality; get “Virgin” oil from the health food store or order from Tropical Traditions. I get the “expeller pressed” kind which has the coconut taste removed, without damaging the oil. Otherwise, I think it overpowers the taste of the chocolate, but that’s just my personal preference, and a lot of people like the regular virgin coconut oil.
3. Raw (unheated) honey. (See below for a source of the most heavenly raw honey).
4. Optional - any of the following:
seeds or chopped nuts, especially hemp seeds are great
a few drops of vanilla extract
shredded coconut.
There’s really no recipe necessary. You take a shallow bowl or plastic container, pour in a cup or two of the cocoa powder, then slowly pour in enough coconut oil while stirring, just as much oil as it takes for all the powder to get mixed in. The consistency is now like chocolate syrup. (But don’t be tempted to taste at this point - it’s horribly bitter!)
Now add a few big spoonfuls of honey to taste, and seeds or nuts if you’re using them. You’ll be surprised how little sweetening it takes, but keep adding honey until you cross the threshold of “ugh, too bitter” to “wow, intense but good!”
If you want measured amounts, try:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons of honey, or more to taste
Then when the ingredients are mixed and the sweetening is right, you can use it as chocolate syrup, or put it in the refrigerator and it will harden. Then cut into pieces and enjoy!
If you are desperate, you can put it in the freezer for a few minutes and it will harden up so you can cut it.
Chocolate like other bitters is good for digestion, and it contains lots of beneficial nutrients. Virgin coconut oil is perhaps the healthiest fat there is. See articles on the Tropical Traditions website to to release any last vestige of fear of fats!
All that aside.. chocolate tastes divine and makes you feel heavenly!
If anyone wants to get the most heavenly honey, go to Honey Gardens Apiaries.
Even with shipping, it comes out cheaper than in the store. I’ve known this beekeeper in VT for years, and I’m honored to do business with him. He sends his bees to sunny SC to vacation for the winter!
*Look for “Raw Chocolate Powder” from www.rawfood.com
2 comments
My father is a choco-holic, but because of price will only buy the chemical laden processed junk you find at the supermarket.
I’m going to try this out on him and hope he likes it well enough to stop buying that other garbage.
Question: I know when I chill my jar of coconut oil it becomes hard as a rock and liquid if left at room temp. I’m presuming once cut, the chocolate needs to be kept in the fridge?
Yes - it gets soft at room temp, but it’s certainly not bad that way either! For someone who’s used to store-bought chocolate, you might need to increase the amount of honey at first. After a while, many people get used to the bitterness and actually like it less sweet.
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