Hey-Valentine’s can be a weekend long-right? If you’re looking for a special Valentine’s treat for someone near and dear to your heart, here’s your ticket! They will know you love them if you make them fudge. They will know you love them more, when it’s a healthy fudge.
Cacao is the raw form of chocolate. Most cocoa has been processed and looses it’s health benefits along the way. Using cacao powder (found readily in health food sections of stores now, and much less expensive on-line) gives you the health benefits of this ancient ingredient. Cacao contains a rich supply of anti-oxidants and is a good source of fiber. It’s also very high in magnesium a nutrient important in bone strength and neurological function. Cacao can help with depression, lower bad cholesterol, help with heart disease and general blood flow, can help to control blood pressure and glucose levels in the blood stream (as long as not combined with too much sugar).
This fudge is very rich tasting, and you need only a small amount to “get your chocolate fix”. Because it’s made without animal fats (and has no cholesterol), it will melt easily at room temperature. For this reason, we like to eat it straight from the freezer (where it stores well in a sealed container). This will also help you to not eat it all day long :). You can purchase these ingredients in larger sizes on-line, much less expensive.
Ingredients (makes about 1# without toppings):
- 2 cups of raw cacao powder
- 1 rough packed cup of coconut oil (when melted it measure to about 3/4 c)
- 1/2 cup of agave nectar plus 3 tbsp (could swap with honey or maple syrup for different flavor)
- Topping of choice: browned unsweetened (low fat) coconut, chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit: we used 6 tbsp of unsweetened low-fat coconut
*Note: We have made this in the past measuring out coconut oil to hard pack 1 cup. This time we cut back. The result, pieces didn’t cut as smoothly, and fractured a little more. If you’d like to make sure it’s more firm, be sure to measure out to 1 cup, when melting. Taste was great with the lower amount though.
Instructions:
- If using coconut topping: place in a small pan (like an omelette pan) and heat dry on stove until just slightly browned (about 5 minutes, but be careful not to burn it)
- Line an 8×8 or 9×9 pan with wax or parchment paper and pour coconut into bottom of pan, making sure to cover the bottom. If using crushed nuts/fruit, place these in at this time as well.
- Melt coconut oil in microwave in a glass bowl (takes about 30 seconds, but watch it)
- Add in cacao powder and agave nectar into bowl, and mix, making sure there are no clumps
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Freeze for about 2 hours until firm, and cut into small pieces. Return to freezer for storage in sealed container.
- Eat and get ready for some love 🙂
Nutritional Benefits:
- Raw; no cooking required (other than slightly melting the coconut oil): cacao maintains it’s full anti-oxidant benefits
- Full of Anti-oxidants
- High in fiber: helps to maintain blood sugar levels, and digestive health
- Cholesterol Free; heart healthy
- Coconut oil: no cholesterol
- Agave Nectar: not refined, low glycemic index, a better sweetener for maintaining blood sugar levels, decreases spikes in blood sugar
- Good source of Magnesium: needed for bone strength, proper neurological function; it’s often depleted in diabetics and people with Celiac disease. Can also help with people who suffer from migraines, as magnesium helps with vasodilation which is why is also helps with heart disease. It lowers atherosclerosis, hypertension, and overall heart disease Source: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- If nuts are added: high in protein, great for healing, good source of fats and help with lower cholesterol and overall heart health
- 2 cups of raw cacao powder
- 1 rough packed cup of coconut oil (when melted it measure to about ¾ c)
- ½ cup of agave nectar plus 3 tbsp (could swap with honey or maple syrup for different flavor)
- Topping of choice: browned unsweetened (low fat) coconut, chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit: we used 6 tbsp of unsweetened low-fat coconut
- If using coconut topping: place in a small pan (like an omelette pan) and heat dry on stove until just slightly browned (about 5 minutes, but be careful not to burn it)
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with wax or parchment paper and pour coconut into bottom of pan, making sure to cover the bottom. If using crushed nuts/fruit, place these in at this time as well.
- Melt coconut oil in microwave in a glass bowl (takes about 30 seconds, but watch it)
- Add in cacao powder and agave nectar into bowl, and mix, making sure there are no clumps
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Freeze for about 2 hours until firm, and cut into small pieces. Return to freezer for storage in sealed container.
- Eat and get ready for some love 🙂
