Sorry boyfriend, but you’ve got some competition.
The other day, after spending the whole afternoon downtown without a snack and PMSing, I became ravenous for chocolate. This was not a proud moment, but I confess that as I was waiting in line at the grocery store, I imagined myself grabbing one of those giant, forearm-sized Belgian chocolate bars from a bin near the cash, and devouring it in one shot. I was in a desperate state.
However, when it comes to treats, I have one rule: If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.
I managed to wait until I got home and my boyfriend desperately threw some chocolate at me to quell the beast generously offered me a little organic dark chocolate that he had been saving for a snowy day. I ate that then had a good dinner and felt back to normal. Phew.
However, the chocolate preoccupation still lingered after dinner and I decided to put my chef’s hat on and get creating. I wanted to make a chocolate that was super healthy, low in sugar, and ridiculously yummy. So I did.
In honour of this upcoming holiday of love and chocolate, I present to you my Superfood Chocolate. It’s raw, low-glycemic, and FULL of nutrients! AND IT’S CHOCOLATE!!!
Not everyone knows that chocolate (in it’s unprocessed form) is actually a health food. Raw cacao is full of antioxidants, magnesium, iron, zinc, and other minerals. It also contains tryptophan, which is a precursor to that feel-good hormone serotonin. As if the taste wasn’t enough to cheer you up!
Spirulina is a fabulous, nutrient-dense food that happens to be one of the few vegetarian complete protein sources (aka. it contains all eight essential amino acids). It also contains high amounts of antioxidants, vitamin A, chlorofyll, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA- an anti-inflammatory essential fatty acid).
Maca, also known as Peruvian Ginseng, is an energy-booster and an aphrodisiac. Doesn’t everyone want more energy and more Aphrodite in their lives? This tasty root works as an adaptogen, supporting the adrenal glands and the endocrine system (including the thyroid, the pituitary, and the hypothalamus), helping us adapt to stress and combat fatigue, although it is not classified as a stimulant. It’s also a good source of fibre.
Technically, both the spirulina and maca are optional in this recipe, but you will be missing out on some superfood power if you exclude them.
Raw Superfood Chocolate
100 g raw cacao butter*
5 Tbsp raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp maca powder
2 Tbsp spirulina
1-1.5 Tbsp agave nectar
10 drops stevia
pinch of sea salt
Directions:
-Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. OR, you can melt the cacao butter over very low heat, then add the other ingredients and whisk until smooth.
-Pour into individual candy moulds, ice cube trays, or baking dish (like I did), and refrigerate until hard.
-Enjoy a piece, and send yourself over the moon.
*Can substitute virgin coconut oil, but will yield a meltier bar with a coconut flavour.
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Check out this month’s SOS Kitchen Challenge (Secret Ingredient: Stevia!) for more, sweet recipes!
Happy Valentine’s Week! 
Take care,
Alex
Thank you!! I’ve been searching the net for a sugar-free (& preferably stevia sweetened) chocolate recipe to make from scratch, for the upcoming Valentine’s Day. Everything recipe has ‘unsweetened chocolate pieces’ in their list of ingredients, which doesn’t work for me, as even the sweetener in sugar-free chocolate gives me stomach issues (I have intestinal Candida). I bought some raw cacao & raw cacao butter the other day & have been looking for recipes to get an idea of how much of each to mix together. I look forward to giving this a go. I love how dark those pieces look!
You’re welcome! Remember though that although agave is low glycemic, it is still sugar! However, most people with Candida can tolerate small amounts, so you should be ok. Or, you double the stevia and take the agave out altogether. Enjoy!
This recipe sounds oh so good! Iam a chocoholic. i have been curious about spriulina as well as maca. can you taste them in the chocolate? do they alter the taste of the chocolate in any way? Thanks for a great recipe! this is the first time i have been to your site. I will be back.
Hi Theresa,
You can taste the maca and the spirulina in this recipe, which doesn’t bother me or the other people I’ve offered it to, but all tastes are different. Maca, which has a slightly carameley taste goes quite nicely, but spirulina definitely imparts an earthier flavour that is less “mainstream”. Try it or reduce the amounts…your call!
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I have stevia in a powdered form, do you happen to know how much of it is equivalent to liquid stevia?
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Pooja,
Ten drops of stevia is approximately equivalent to 1/4 tsp of powdered stevia. For more info: http://www.stevia.net/conversion.html
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