Oh hey! Whaddya know? It’s Easter again!
And what does Easter mean?
Treasure hunting of course!!
What? Is that not what your mind first
wandered to? Well, I guess given the title of this post, I can’t really blame
you. Your mouth is probably salivating in the hope that I’m going to give you
some delicious chocolate recipe. I might. We’ll see where things go….
wandered to? Well, I guess given the title of this post, I can’t really blame
you. Your mouth is probably salivating in the hope that I’m going to give you
some delicious chocolate recipe. I might. We’ll see where things go….
OK back to chocolate…’cos it’s so so good.
Interesting factoid – cacao (the only form of chocolate you should be
consuming) contains several components that make us feel all lovey-dovey. These
are:
- Anandamide, which has been termed “The
Bliss Chemical” and is apparently being studied for use in treating anxiety and
depression - Phenethylamin (PEA), which is a feel-good
neurotransmitter (brain messenger) that is responsible for the feeling of love! - Tryptophan, an amino acid that serves as a
precursor (starting point) for serotonin, our happy hormone that is often
depleted in people who suffer from depression
Plus it tastes delicious, so you probably
don’t need convincing do you?
don’t need convincing do you?
BUT – word of caution – cocoa powder and
your average store-bought chocolate (I’m looking at you, Cadbury Crème Egg) do
not contain these loved-up bliss chemicals as the processing destroys them. And
if we’re talking about aforementioned popular easter “egg”, the cocoa content
is not even the part we should be worried about. There’s the sugar, the oils,
the emulsifiers, the preservatives, the colours, the artificial flavours……just
step away from the egg, people.
your average store-bought chocolate (I’m looking at you, Cadbury Crème Egg) do
not contain these loved-up bliss chemicals as the processing destroys them. And
if we’re talking about aforementioned popular easter “egg”, the cocoa content
is not even the part we should be worried about. There’s the sugar, the oils,
the emulsifiers, the preservatives, the colours, the artificial flavours……just
step away from the egg, people.
As a side note, does the Easter Bunny freak the shit out of you, too? Clowns too. Stephen King has a lot to answer for!
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| Image via myorganizedchaos.net |
OK, so what’s a brother to do if he wants
some chocolate, sans crapola? Make your own! It’s stupidly easy. And nutritious.
And delicious. (Like what Nutella claim their product is, but they’re lying –
don’t trust those bastards at Ferrero!)
Anywho, it just so happens that I am
running a chocolate workshop at my house tonight and we are going to make lots
of yummy chocolate. Bet you wish you could come, right? Well, you
can’t, but I thought it only fair that I give you one of the recipes. This one contains gelatin (I only use GreatLakes Beef Gelatin, and so should you – all of the others are rubbish!).
running a chocolate workshop at my house tonight and we are going to make lots
of yummy chocolate. Bet you wish you could come, right? Well, you
can’t, but I thought it only fair that I give you one of the recipes. This one contains gelatin (I only use GreatLakes Beef Gelatin, and so should you – all of the others are rubbish!).
Why is
gelatin so good for you?
Lots of reasons, including:
- It supports the growth of hair, skin and
nails (it is a great source of bioavailable collagen and keratin) - It nourishes your joints and helps with
joint recovery - It can improve digestion (the glycine
content is very nourishing for the gut lining) - It provides an anti-inflammatory effect
(and considering inflammation is at the root of all disease, this is a good
thing, no?) - The glycine can also help improve sleep
quality - It helps the liver to detoxify your body
(again, the glycine helps bind up those bad boys)
I add gelatin to pretty much everything –
smoothies, breakfast, soup, broth, and now…..
smoothies, breakfast, soup, broth, and now…..
Now when I say “chocolate jelly”, don’t
expect it to be all “wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate” (what? You
didn’t sing that song when you were little?)
expect it to be all “wibble wobble, wibble wobble, jelly on a plate” (what? You
didn’t sing that song when you were little?)
This recipe actually turns out more like a
delectable, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate mousse. Here’s your how-to:
delectable, creamy, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate mousse. Here’s your how-to:
Makes 2 large serves (it’s pretty rich –
you may want to divide it into 4)
you may want to divide it into 4)
Ingredients
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- 2 T cacao powder
- 1-2 teaspoons honey (depending on how sweet you
like it) - 1 T gelatin powder
- 2 T water
Method
- Add coconut milk, cacao, and honey to a pot
over medium heat and whisk - Combine gelatin and water in small bowl
- Add gelatin mix to the pot and stir well
until dissolved - When the mixture is warm, transfer into 2-4
small serving dishes (e.g. ramekins or cups) - Place in the fridge for 30-45 minutes (or
freezer to set faster) - Serve as is or with fresh berries/coconut
flakes
Now if you’re thinking “that’s not really a
substitute for Easter eggs”, I say “stop being so ungrateful!”. Kidding. The
team over at I Quit Sugar, as per usual, have you sorted with a variety of crap-free
Easter options.
substitute for Easter eggs”, I say “stop being so ungrateful!”. Kidding. The
team over at I Quit Sugar, as per usual, have you sorted with a variety of crap-free
Easter options.
