Tip for February 2010:
Raw Chocolate Mousse
In honor of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share this unbelievable raw chocolate mousse recipe that I came across. It’s rich, creamy and decadent, but it’s not a chocolate dessert you’ll have regrets about later. Raw cacao is super high in nutrients, particularly antioxidants. It also contains numerous minerals, including magnesium and iron.
This recipe features raw cacao powder, which you can find in many natural foods stores and raw organic cacao butter. I like the thick texture it imparts to the mousse and how it hardens when chilled, but if you don’t have cacao butter, you can use an additional avocado and a bit more coconut oil instead.
This is one of those recipes that I suggest tasting as you go. You may prefer it with less cacao and more honey, for example. You can also make substitutions as you see fit. To keep the recipe vegan, you can use agave (or your favorite alternative sweetener) instead of the honey. You could use almonds instead of the cashews and almond milk instead of the water. Go ahead and play around with it.
It keeps well in the refrigerator, so feel free to keep a little bowl in there for when you need a little (healthy) chocolate fix.
Raw Chocolate Mousse
Ingredients:
Flesh from 1 avocado; 1/2 cup raw cashews; 3/4 cup raw cacao; 3/4 cup raw cacao butter; 2 Tb. organic coconut oil; 6 Tb. raw honey, pinch of Celtic Sea Salt, filtered water, raw cacao nibs for garnish and fresh berries or sliced bananas for serving.
Directions:
In a high speed blender, process all ingredients, adding water as necessary, until you have a smooth puree. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving, if possible. Garnish with cacao nibs and/or fruit, if desired.
Enjoy! Happy Valentines Day!
For more raw chocolate recipes, you might want to check out the book Naked Chocolate: The Astonishing Truth About the World’s Greatest Food. This book describes the many health benefits raw chocolate, also contains recipes for natural chocolate treats made with cocoa nibs, raw cocoa butter, nuts, coconut oil, and natural sweeteners.