Raw Chocolate Vitamix Recipes

Randy says he learned how important chocolate is not just from me, but from going in & out of multiple offices all day. Through the years he's evolved from bringing home the occasional Hershey bar, to bringing home "the good stuff", ie Godiva, Vans, etc. What a good husband!

I do like the typical "good stuff" but in the last year or so my tastes have evolved to more exotic chocolate. I discovered chocolate and red chilis at Earth Fare (my favorite last year). The spicy zing along with the dark chocolate just tasted right somehow.

For Christmas I got some raw chocolate & a book about the health benefits of raw chocolate. I have seen the health claims in various places on the internet about chocolate but didn't pay much attention to them till I read the book. It was pretty interesting. For instance did you know that raw cacao beans are known as 'the food of the gods' and were used as money by the Aztecs? Ok, so you knew that.

Well then, how about this: Cacao powder and butter are the beans pressed and powdered. Both are antioxidants; rich in magnesium and potassium. Without sugar or dairy products the benefits of chocolate reach you in their pure state. When chocolate is eaten raw, the enzymes (important for health) remain intact and the amazing properties of chocolate are undiluted to be enjoyed to the full.

Tom & I have long believed that enzymes contained in raw foods are more important than mainstream media have portrayed. Tom says that what makes a cell living is the enzymes. For instance, what seems more healthy--a raw apple or a cooked one? Why do you think that is? We both have tried to up our intake of raw vegetables to some degree of success, & I think it has made a difference in our energy overall.

Back to raw chocolate. It is full of Tryptophan (the relax chemical), Anandamide (the bliss chemical), Phenylethaylamine (PEA, the joy molecule), Polyphenols (heart-nurturing), MAO inhibitor (appetite suppressant), and about 300 other nutritional compounds. But most importantly, it tastes really good! It's not sweet but can be sweetened with fruit, aguave nector, or whatever you use.

We created some raw chocolate drinks in the Vitamix & they are really good so I thought I would share:

Toms Raw Healthy Chocolate Drink

2 cups pure water
one cup raw cashews
3 medjool dates
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs

Add cashews to water & set vitamix to low for about 30 seconds
Slowly add pitted dates & cacao nibs
Blend up to one minute
Drink up

Lala's Raw Healthy Chocolate Drink

3 cups pure water
1 1-2 cup raw cashews
aguave nector
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs

Add cashews to water & set vitamix to low for about 30 seconds
Add cacao nibs
Blend up to one minute then strain.
Add aguave nector to taste.

Man, I've got to go make some right now!

Hope you like our Vitamix recipes. I am a Vitamix nut & have lots of them so if you want more let me know.

Drink up : )

Here's the link to where you can buy the book I've been reading.