Chocolate Mousse - Too good not to share!!

I am on a mission! All too often, I am met with a resounding “oh your diet must be SO boring”!! To which I say “Au contraire mon ami, au contraire!”  As I enjoy my glass of red wine (I’m only human) on this cool autumn eve, I write this post to enlighten you on the joys of experimentation (with food, for now). Really, if we are being honest here, I’m out to prove a point – that you CAN eat a 100% clean, nourishing diet that still tastes good, nay, amazing! 

Note: Chocolate Mousse tastes better than it looks!!

I, like many people, love chocolate! Unfortunately, most of the chocolate available does not contain much actual chocolate, but just some dregs of chocolate along with a vast array of other damaging ingredients. So while you may be convincing yourself that the chocolate you are eating is good because it contains anti-oxidants and all that jazz, do yourself a favour and check the ingredients label. If it contains any of the following, put it down and walk away:

• Sugar (as sugar, fructose, maltose, dextrose, agave, corn syrup, rice syrup – this baby could seriously have a thesaurus to itself)
• Wheat (or any other gluten-containing grain)
• Soy (including soy lecithin)
• Vegetable oil – these are incredibly damaging to your health! Get them out of your life! Now!!
• Milk solids – the milk used in most products is processed to death. Literally. There is no life in the milk we are sold. Real milk, which contains an abundance of nutrient-providing enzymes and beneficial bacteria is illegal for sale for human consumption. Go figure. 

What to do then?? Make your own and reap the benefits of this super-food!

‘Super-food’, you say? Tell me more!! 

Okey dokey! Cue list of benefits of organic cacao (read – “real chocolate”):

• An anti-oxidant content that blows acai, pomegranate, cranberry, blueberry and other hyped-up super-foods out of the water
• Lowers blood pressure and improves circulation
• Improves insulin sensitivity and aids in weight loss
• Healthier arterial function (read – “better cardiovascular health”) and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Lowers LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and increases HDL (“good cholesterol”) while reducing the oxidation of LDL (which is one of the real causes of atherosclerosis, rather than just having high levels of LDL)
• Joy. I don’t know about you, but chocolate makes me happy!

Alrighty then, so we have established that chocolate, in its raw, unadulterated form, is really good for you! If, however, you want to get your geek on a little more, Mark Sisson wrote an excellent post (backed by scientific evidence) on the benefits of dark chocolate which you can find here. 

Where to next? The recipe of course! I have made this Chocolate Mousse 3 times in the past week (not all for myself) and it has been extremely well received by all involved, including “real” people (as opposed to “freaks like me”):

The goods (makes around 4 non-greedy serves)

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed (OR the flesh of 1 young coconut)
• ½ cup raw organic cacao powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp vanilla bean powder (not vanilla extract/essence)
• 1/3 tsp stevia
• 1 dessert spoon raw honey
• ½ cup water (OR coconut water from a fresh young coconut, not bottled)
• 1 tbspn coconut oil
• ¼ cup dates (around 4 dates) finely chopped

The process: Throw everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place mousse into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-2hrs. Serve with fresh berries and coconut cream (I actually prefer it without the coconut cream, but Az preferred it with).

Now I’m sure you don’t need any more convincing to eat this, but if you are after some more benefits to shove in the face of your health-conscious friend, here goes:

• Avocado – excellent source of healthy fats; good source of Vitamin B6 (helps make red blood cells and serotonin to keep you happy!); high anti-oxidant and fibre content
• Cinnamon – anti-clotting properties (help prevent stroke); anti-microbial activity (prevent Candida/yeast/fungal infections); improve insulin sensitivity and normalise blood sugar levels; boosts brain function (via the scent)
• Vanilla bean powder – a healthy substitution for sugar; contains traces of minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc; anti-cancer properties
• Raw honey – improves blood lipids, lowers inflammation, and has minimal effect on blood glucose levels; anti-bacterial activity; read more here. 
• Coconut oil – this is THE super-food that everyone should be consuming on a daily basis, and no, it will not make you fat. If anything, it will help you lose fat. The benefits are numerous. If you are interested, check out this site. 
• Water – self explanatory

Is there anything negative about cacao? Yes, actually. It has quite a high caffeine content, so if you are sensitive to caffeine (or if you are a small child), maybe this isn’t the treat for you. Also, raw cacao does contain phytic acid, which can bind to minerals and prevent their absorption, so don’t go crazy – have this as a treat 1-3 times per week and ensure the rest of your diet is from whole, natural foods.

So there you go. Now you can wow your friends (if it makes it out of your house) with an insanely tasty AND nutritious dessert. 

Here are just some of the comments I have received thus far in response to this delicacy:

“F#@king amazing!!!”

“Give me the recipe….NOW!!”

“Winner!”

“Do you have to give it to her? Can’t we keep it” (this was my husband’s response when I told him he couldn’t have the 3rd batch I made as I was taking it to my friend in hospital)

Now go forth and spread the joy!