No food is so connected to our emotions like chocolate. There is something about it that transforms you to a moment of bliss. And while dark chocolate have been tooted for having health benefits like promoting better heart health and lowering blood pressure, store bought chocolate in all its varieties is still too processed, high in sugar and other additives.
The beneficial ingredient in chocolate is the cocoa bean, one of the world’s most nutritionally dense food. I recommend to use organic raw cacao powder, like this one, because regular cocoa powder has been processed and roasted and most of it’s nutrients have been destroyed. Raw organic cacao is high in antioxidants, in fact it has 40 times the antioxidants in blueberries! It is full of minerals like iron, magnesium and calcium, it is the world’s highest plant source of iron! Cacao is a natural “feel happy” food because it is high in phytochemicals like serotonin, tryptophan, tyrosine and phenylethylamine that help elevate mood and fight depression. It is considered by many health experts to be the world most superior food.
My home-made chocolate recipe is so easy and so chocolaty, you will fall in love with it. It’s a win-win recipe, full of good-for-you ingredients that taste so so good!
1/4 cup coconut oil melted
1/4 cup organic raw cacao powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup (you can also use stevia extract to taste)
*use more or less sweetener according to taste, I like mine on the bitter side
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix all ingredients together to a smooth consistency.
Pour into silicon molds and freeze.
I like these heart shape molds 🙂
You can also spread it on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze, breaking it into bite size pieces once it’s frozen.
Keep frozen, you can eat these right out of the freezer.
Enjoy!
I can’t wait to try this! Looks amazing! Can’t go wrong with dark chocolate!😋
Glad you like it, let me know how it goes xx
Holy Smokes! If I’d known it was that easy, I would have been doing this long ago! Thanks so much!
Yup, it’s that easy and yummy!
I really wanted to try making chocolate candies and this looks like a wonderful place to start. The kind of chocolate I have been craving is peppermint and sea salt. Do you have a recommendation for making this combination? What kind of salt would be best? How do I get the peppermint flavor in the chocolate easily?
Use peppermint extract like this one: http://amzn.to/2tlG8za instead of the vanilla and I recommend pink himalayan salt, sprinkle it right on top.
Wow, thank you Rachel, I may make these today. You know I love gluten free chocolate delights!
Yay, enjoy xx
Ready to try it. Thanks to much!
Pleasure xx
Looks delicious Rachel! I love chocolate.
Me too Lisa 🙂
What an amazing and healthy recipe for all the chocolate lovers reading this! There certainly is something about chocolate that appeals to the senses and as it turns out, has so many health benefits too! Thanks for the wonderful recipe, Rachel!
You are very welcome Beverly xx
Love this and the exact same recipe I use with the heart shaped mould too xx PS often add organic raisins , raspberies etc
YUM!!! Yes, adding dry fruits and nuts is super good Suzie.