For the Love of Chocolate!

I have given myself permission to have chocolate everyday. This may not sound like a good thing – but let me tell you that it is, on sooo many levels! Not only does chocolate or better yet cacao possess many amazing nutrients including magnesium, antioxidants and other amazing trace minerals- it makes you feel good. So that should be good enough – right?!

I think I speak for most people (especially women) when it comes to wanting your “fix” of daily chocolate. But the truth is that most women when they “crave” and eat chocolate, they are most likely going for poor sources where chocolate isn’t even the main ingredient. In this case, it is more of an addiction because it is the sugar that many are addicted to and not the chocolate. Not to mention most chocolate bars are full of processed dairy, hydrogenated oils, soybean oil and other ingredients which just take away from the “pure-ness” that chocolate is meant to be. If you want chocolate it in things…add it yourself to your own recipe and make it yummy. But never buy a low quality and poor sources of chocolate. What a waste!

I like to enjoy the purest and most natural forms of chocolate.  Whether it is in the form of a piece of dark chocolate from Endangered Species, Zazubean or local sources such as Chocosol and Living Libations, I am happy to support good fair trade chocolate from all over. Then of course there is cacao powder (both raw and dark roasted), cacao beans and cacao nibs. I add these guys to smoothies, puddings, raw pies, granola, oatmeal, hot cocoa or any other treat that deserves being made chocolaty! When it comes to chocolate try get as pure as you can – with as little ingredients as possible. You may as well get the best chocolate you can – it will only taste better and you will feel it, right down to your core!

So for my daily creation today – being that it is the afternoon on a snowy day. I could go for a hot chocolate or I could go for something with a bit more substance but yet is still warming. I love playing with  my vita-mix and creating something new and fun. So instead of a smoothie – I am going to make a warming, spicy pudding. Here is what I am using and why I used it!

Spicy and Warming Chocolaty Pudding

1 scoop of Chocolate Sun Warrior Protein Powder – to give me a boost of pure vegan protein.

1/2 cup rice milk or almond milk – to make it creamy and somewhat wet

splash of coconut water – Yum!

1-2 dried banana – to sweeten it up naturally

1/2 pear – to thicken and sweeten

1 tsp cinnamon – to warm me up!

1 tsp mesquite powder – to give me extra energy!

1 small piece of ginger – to spice it up!

1 tbsp raw cacao powder – to make it extra chocolaty

1 tbsp raw cacao nibs – to give a chocolaty crunch

1 tbsp chia seeds – to make it thick and delicious

Blend all this goodness and pour into a bowl and enjoy!