Any form of chocolate is one of our favorite desserts, but chocolate is just one thing cocoa is known to make. Way before we used it for chocolate, Mayan civilization in Central American thought cocoa was the food of the gods. In the 16th century, Spanish conquerors introduced cocoa to Europe and it quickly became popular as a health-promoting medicine. Remember, Healthy Highlight brings ingredients to attention that have health benefits, not all of the recipes are truly 'healthy', but it won't hurt to try a couple right?
- Polyphenols are found in many foods, including cocoa. These are naturally occurring antioxidants that have been linked to many health benefits like reducing inflammation, better blood flow, improved cholesterol, and more. Cocoa is one of the richest sources of polyphenols.
- Cocoa powder and dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and enhance the function of your blood vessels
- Cocoa also has properties that may reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. It has flavanols which improves your level of nitric oxide in blood. This relaxes and dilates your arteries and blood vessels and improves blood flow
- Because it helps blood flow, cocoa can help age-related mental degeneration as well as symptoms of depression
Recipes:
Best Healthy No Bake Cookies (buildyourbite.com)
- 2/3 cup Honey
- 1/2 cup raw Cacao Powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
- 1/2 cup Coconut Oil
- 3/4 cup Peanut Butter
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 4 cups Rolled Oats
- Add honey and cacao powder to a medium sauce pan
- Heat pan on medium low heat (do not boil), stirring with a whisk, until honey and powders mix to form a sauce that resembles chocolate syrup
- Add coconut oil and almond milk
- Stir with a whisk until coconut oil melts and combines (less than a minute)
- Stir in peanut butter, sea salt, and vanilla extract, whisking until the sauce is smooth
- Add in oats and stir to combine
- Drop by large spoonfuls onto baking sheets covered in wax paper (ease of cleanup)
- Allow to harden for at least an hour in the fridge, or until set
- Store in fridge or freezer
Healthy Hot Chocolate (hummusapien.com)
- 5 Medjool dates
- 2 cups unsweetened Vanilla non-dairy Milk of choice
- 2 tablespoons Cacao Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Remove pits and place dates in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
- Drain dates. Place them in a high speed blender or Nutribullet with milk, cocoa powder, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour mixture into a small saucepan. Heat over medium low for about 3 minutes, or until hot. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into a mug and enjoy with toppings of choice!
Old Fashioned Chocolate Fudge (allrecipes.com)
- 2 cups White Sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted Butter, sliced and softened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Gather ingredients.
- Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
- Place sugar and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan; pour in milk and stir until blended. Set heat to medium-high and stir constantly until mixture comes to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and place a candy thermometer in the pan. Let the mixture simmer without stirring until the temperature reaches 238 degrees F (114 degrees C) when measured with a candy thermometer, about 10 minutes.
- If you don't have a candy thermometer, drop a small amount of the mixture into cold water; if it forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface, it's ready.
- Remove from the heat. Allow to cool to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C), 50 to 70 minutes. Do not disturb fudge as it's cooling.
- Add butter and vanilla to the fudge. Beat with a wooden spoon until well incorporated and fudge loses its sheen; do not under beat.
- Pour fudge into prepared pan and press to flatten. Let cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator before cutting into 1-inch squares.
