This one is for the health-conscious chocolate lover… I am not a fan of milk or white chocolate. I find them too sweet. I was put off at the Cadbury’s factory in Tasmania, and the guide told us that the white chocolate was just the leftovers after they had taken the goodness out of the cocoa bean. That was back in 2006, and I haven’t had white chocolate since!
There are a lot of benefits you can get from the cocoa bean. The darker the chocolate, the less sugar the more benefits.
According to Healthline, their blog https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cocoa-powder-nutrition-benefits lists the benefits including:
It is rich in antioxidants (which can help reduce inflammation), it might help with blood pressure, and we can experience sensations of pleasure, making it a potential mood enhancer. The bitterness (from dark chocolate) can suppress appetite, it can have some magnesium, iron and zinc in it…
The darker the chocolate, the better (70%+), and RAW chocolate is even better as the heating process degrades any vitamins, minerals and polyphenols (that provide the antioxidants).
That said, you can boost the nutrient value of a bar of supermarket-bought dark chocolate…
Dark Chocolate Brittle Fiber points 13+
250g 85% dark chocolate
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons tahini
Selection of raw nuts chopped up, I used brazil, walnut, pecan, cashew
Selection of raw seeds, I used hemp, flaxseed, sunflower and pumpkin
I also added shredded coconut (unsweetened if you can get it) and topped with goji berries and sea salt.
Gently melt the chocolate (I do this in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water), then add the coconut oil and mix until it is fully melted. Take off the heat, stir through the tahini, and add your nuts and seeds. For this batch, I used a soup bowl of nuts and seeds, which was much more than I had done previously.
Cover a large baking tray with greaseproof paper, pour your mix and level it out. Because I had a bigger batch than usual, I used a couple of trays so the mixture wasn’t too thick… You can make yours as thick or thin as you prefer.
Sprinkle over your coconut, goji berries and salt.
Pop in the fridge to chill until the mix has solidified. Then, chop it into small pieces and keep it in the fridge. It’s great as a snack if you are feeling peckish but don’t know what to have, if you are craving something sweet, or want to add some luxury to your yogurt and granola. It can also make a lovely gift if you package it up.
What are you going to add to yours?
