“Chocolate” without cocoa powder or carob (zero phytic acid)

 

Chocolate without cocoa powder probably doesn’t have the right to be called chocolate. Neither does this raw chocolate recipe contain carob, a popular chocolate replacement. Before proceeding, let’s go quickly over the reasons you may want to cut back on your chocolate indulgence.

Don’t get me wrong, chocolate has its health perks and a little raw chocolate now and then is wonderful.

By the way, when roasted and crushed, cacao beans are called cocoa powder, so any conventional cocoa powder is not a raw product anyways.

 

 

Cacao beans are very high in phytic acid

 

One of the reasons you may want to limit chocolate is because cacao beans are exceptionally high in phytic acid. The level is very similar to that of Brazil nuts which contain more phytic acid than any other nut. While carob, because it is a legume, biologically a seed, has some as well. Currently, to strengthen and remineralize my teeth I am eliminating phytic acid (so all seed foods) and anything excessively sweet from my diet, so this unexpected culinary discovery was right in time.

 

 

Cacao beans are bursting with stimulatory and mood-enhancing compounds

 

Another reason to be easy on chocolate is because of stimulation induced by theobromine and caffeine. Chemical structure of theobromine is similar to that of caffeine. Consequently, theobromine effects on body are similar to those of caffeine, on a milder scale though. Like coffee, cacao beans also have some caffeine. Both compounds make you alert – your heart starts to beat faster. You know how it goes. In the morning, when you overdose on dark chocolate or coffee you feel energetic and ready to overturn the world but at the end of the day you drop like a fly.

Moreover, chocolate is addictive. Theobromine, caffeine and several other compounds such as phenylethylamine and anandamide trigger the release of mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain. Hence, the majority  of people have difficulty resisting all kinds of chocolate goodies which ultimately results in additional pounds on their waists. Wouldn’t be wrong to assume that humankind’s love affair with chocolate is one of the strongest in the universe…

Finally, you may need to avoid chocolate simply because you are unlucky – you get a bad reaction to this devilishly seductive treat.

Whatever the reason is, this cacaoless chocolate will delight your tastebuds. I guess its downside is that it becomes soft and a little smudgy at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need

• True cinnamon
• Coconut oil
• Vanilla extract
• Organic egg yolk (optional)
  
• Honey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mix all ingredients, make into dough, and freeze

 

1. Melt ¼ cup of coconut oil.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract and 1 organic raw egg yolk. If you are not used to cinnamon, add 1 tablespoon of honey to sweeten up and slightly hide the spiciness. I added egg yolk for a more sophisticated flavour, and the weekly helping of B12. Feel free to skip it if you are a strict vegan, won’t change the chocolate flavour too much.

3. Stir the ingredients with a fork until the mixture is homogenous. Then stir in cinnamon until a dough-like consistency. Remember, true cinnamon is what you want since the regular one is hard on the liver. Plus, the true one is sweeter and less spicy.

4. Transfer dough onto the wax paper and using fingers spread it out until about 0.5 cm thick. Wrap it and put it into freezer. Within an hour your chocolate should be ready. Savor it with green or herbal tea, and realize that life has its moments!

 

In the other chocolate batch, I threw in a couple of frozen cherries – really paired well with cinnamon.

 

 

 

 

How the recipe came to life

 

The recipe was born spontaneously. Once sitting on the balcony I wanted something sweet and rich, but at the same time it had to fit my temporary change in diet. Usually, whenever my sweet tooth is awake, I turn to true cinnamon. Weird, I know. This time, to my cup of cinnamon I added coconut oil and… long-forgotten memories associated with chocolate rushed through my mind. Haven’t had anything close to chocolate for years…

 

 

 

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Main reference:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/nuts-and-phytic-acid/