Sexy Mood-Boosting Chocolate Bark
By Julie Pecarski
This is a quick and simple chocolate recipe in perfect time for Valentine’s Day. The fun is actually in the toppings, which can be customized with nuts, seeds, coconut flakes and even sea salt.
One of the key ingredients is raw cacao. Cacao, which is what chocolate is made from, comes from cocoa: a plant native to the tropical regions of the Americas. Raw cacao is loaded with more than 300 chemically identifiable compounds, and is higher in antioxidants than green tea and wine. Since chocolate has been known as a natural aphrodisiac, cacao also has these qualities. It also contains chemicals that, when consumed, make us feel happy!
The second key ingredient is maca. Maca is from a Peruvian root. It is also known as an aphrodisiac and can help promote fertility for both men and women.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup of organic coconut oil
• 1/3 cup of local honey or several drops of liquid stevia
• 1/2 cup of raw cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons of organic maca
• 1/3 cup of raw cacao nibs
• 8 black mission figs or dates, chopped (optional)
• 1/3 cup of goji berries (optional)
• 1/3 cup of coconut flakes (optional)
Directions:
Combine coconut oil in a glass bowl set over a simmering (not boiling) pot of water, and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat and whisk in cacao, powders, and the sweetener of your choice. Feel free to adjust the sweetness with more stevia or honey.
Pour into an 8×8 glass or metal baking dish, sprinkle with cacao nibs, and freeze for about 20 minutes, or until firm. When ready, pop the bark out of the dish with a knife, and break into pieces.
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