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If you’ve got a serious chocolate addiction and you’d like to make it as healthy as possible, give this X-rated dark chocolate a try.
I call it X-rated because it is certain to not satisfy young, sugar-craving palates, but is appropriate for only the most serious chocolate craver. This is a way to obtain the rich flavors and textures of cocoa, the health benefits (e.g., blood pressure reduction, antioxidation) of cocoa flavonoids, while obtaining none of the sugars/carbohydrates . . . and certainly no wheat!
It is easy to make, requiring just a few ingredients, a few steps, and a few minutes. Set aside and save for an indulgence, e.g., dip into natural peanut or almond butter.
Ingredients:
8 ounces 100% unsweetened cocoa
5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup dry roasted pistachios
1/4 cup whole flaxseeds or chia seeds
Truvia or other non-aqueous sweetener
Using double-boiler method, melt cocoa. Alternatively, melt cocoa in microwave in 15-20 second increments. Stir in coconut oil, pistachios, and flaxseeds or chia seeds. Stir in sweetener, mixing thoroughly. (Note that the sweetener must be non-aqueous, as water-based sweeteners will separate in the oils.)
Lay a sheet of parchment paper out on a large baking pan. Pour chocolate mixture slowly onto paper, tilting pan carefully to spread evenly until thickness of thick cardboard obtained. Place pan in refrigerator or freezer for 20 minutes.
Remove chocolate and break by hand into pieces of desired size.
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If you substitute Fair Trade cacao for the cocoa you will avoid being party to child slave labor. Also, there are a lot of nutritionally beneficial compounds in raw cacao that are lost in the “Dutching” process used to make most cocoa.
Just tried it with a little Truvia. The granules did not dissolve. I’ve added some stevia which seems to mix in just fine. Agree on fair trade/organic if you can find it.
Truiva is maltodextos and stevia, not a true product.
Actually Truvia is stevia and erythritol (not sure of that spelling) and it is a sugar alcohol that has very little if any impact on blood sugar and consequently insulin.
If you add the Truvia into the coconut oil and then melt and warm the coconut oil (stir the truvia occassionally) it will dissolve better.
Yes, while I am not a fan of the manufacturer, Cargill, I believe they have a good product in Truvia, which is erythritol and rebiana.
Dr. Mercola advises to avoid Truvia and Purevia brands since they’ve undergone a ton of processing.
I personally prefer to use the NuStevia brand.
As an alternate to the pan & parchment paper (too fussy, extra equipment & cost) you can pour the stuff into quart or gallon size regular or freezer zippy bags then lay the bag flat in your freezer. Been doing this long time now with coconut oil & coco candy, works good & it’s already in a bag for storage. To eat just break it up in the bag before opening, no muss, no fuss.
Thanks, again, Cancerclasses! I also saw your wonderful suggestion on the Wheat Belly Blog.
loved reading your various blog’s, lot’s of stuff to get my teeth into. Don’t worry I’ll get through it slowly……….very slowly!!!!!!!!
May seem silly, but how much would be a serving?
AND Is coconut really OK, I have read that most of the concern was with Hydrogenated processed coconut oil, not organic? How much is ok per day if eating coconut oil?
Eat all you want, Lindas, of the non-hydrogenated organic coconut oil and dark chocolate.
Sorry for being SO serious about chocolate…in the comment above….but just wondered!
“Actually Truvia is stevia and erythritol (not sure of that spelling) and it is a sugar alcohol that has very little if any impact on blood sugar and consequently insulin.”
I am pretty sure that ANY sweet taste, including zero calories stevia and the nasty chem ones will all provoke an insulin response. Here’s one study to that effect
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20619074
Br J Nutr. 2010 Nov;104(10):1415-20. Epub 2010 Jul 12.
Sweet-taste receptors, low-energy sweeteners, glucose absorption and insulin release.
Renwick AG, Molinary SV.
Geoffrey
That most likely is an accurate observation. I know that if I indulge in too much no-calorie sweetened food (even if very low carb) it can stall my weight loss. An occassional indulgence or a little sweetner in my coffee with real cream in the morning doesn’t seem to be a problem.
My BS doesn’t seem to change but if that is because the insulin is kicking in that would explain the problem.
Yes, agreed. But I am skeptical that, with removal of wheat and limiting other carbohydrates, followed by substantial weight loss and return to ideal weight, that it has much practical significance.
This chocolate sounds great! However, I found when I was eating dark chocolate my HbA1c was too high. Also, a little chocolate was good but more was better (carb creep). Since I have restricted fruit, eliminated “safe carbs” (e.g., potatoes and sweet potatoes) and eliminated dark chocolate, I have my HBA1c in a normal range. For me that has meant retraining my relationship with food and not seeking out sweetness. At this point in time, almonds and plain cocoa powder actually taste sweet to me. I don’t want to set-off the sweet cravings, so it is best for me to avoid anything sweet. That said, I am sure many of you can eat this chocolate with joy and health–go for it!
This is the first time I’ve made anything like this, and it was wonderful. I used macadamina nuts, instead.
Beware of the negative effects of theobromine in chocolate doc.
Do you mean unsweetened cocoa powder or do you mean unsweetened chocolate? How do you melt cocoa powder? I’m confused.
Sorry for the confusion, Allison. 100% chocolate or unsweetened baking chocolate, not the powder.
Can one use undutched cocoa powder, such as hershey’s, and dissolve in the melted coconut oil? Is it ok to add some good quality 2x vanilla, and cinnamon to it? If the cocoa powder is ok to use, is the quantity the same as the baking chocolate of 8 oz?
What amount of sweetener?