“There are four basic food groups: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles.”  Author Unknown

What effect does chocolate have on your emotions?

Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.  (Isa. 5:20; NLT)

Remember the questions on some of the standardized tests that were designed to test your logic ability to see patterns in groups of things, numbers, letters, pictures, etc.?  An example of such a question might be:

If you chose cacao beans, you’d be…wrong!  Actually, it is a trick question because every item on the list is a food that is rich in flavonoids.  Yes, even the cocoa is rich in flavonoids.  (Yes, there is a difference between cacao and cocoa, but most people use them interchangeably and I will follow that convention here.)

In an article about the benefits of dark chocolate, Dr. Steve Tuggle wrote, “The flavonoids found in cocoa serve as antioxidants when ingested. These flavonoids protect blood vessels from undergoing oxidative changes that result in certain diseases. The result is stronger capillaries and other connective tissue that leads to enhanced health and wellness.”  Dr. Tuggle continued, “Plants are protected from microbes and insects by their flavonoids. For humans, these ingested antioxidants trigger the production of natural enzymes that protect us from disease just as they do the plants that contain them.”

Before you get carried away with this information, please note that the above facts only pertain to dark chocolate.  They do not apply to milk chocolate, white chocolate, nor chocolate truffles contrary to the humorous quote given above.  And there are a few other caveats which should be heeded as well which are covered in an outstanding, short video by another doctor which actually inspired me to write this post.  I’ve included the link to that video by Dr. Natasha Kassam as today’s link of the day.

Don’t you just love it when you’ve got a group of doctors telling you to eat chocolate?  Reminds me of the words on the tee-shirt of one of our friends at church which says, “I’d give up chocolate, but I’m not a quitter.”

Don’t forget — all things in moderation.

Prayer Power
Father, Your creation is so amazing.  We truly thank You for making chocolate good for us.  Guide us into the wise use of this particular Super Food.

Link of the Day
Healthy Chocolate Choices

Blessings on you as you rekindle your affinity for chocolate but this time without the associated guilt.

Photo by A30_Tsitika

“Nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love.”  Charlie Brown

“Do you have a favorite food from your growing up years?  What could be done to make it in a more healthy fashion?

They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.  (Psa. 36:8; NIV)

I didn’t set out to have this month be a month of chocolate recipes.  As I mentioned previously, no form of chocolate touched my lips for years.  I was allergic to so many foods and my diet was extremely limited.  I would occasionally enjoy a homemade carob treat and had totally forgotten the taste of chocolate until a few years ago.  At one time, I developed a healthy version of the “No Bake Cookies” many of you might be familiar with from your growing up years (using carob instead of cocoa).  Most “No Bake Cookie” recipes call for white sugar (and lots of it), and milk along with the other ingredients.  Today’s recipe does use organic cocoa instead of carob but I also use honey (lots less than the white sugar) and no milk.

Over the past few years I’m sure we’ve all read or heard of chocolate’s controversy and/or its benefits.  This won’t be a treatise on chocolate.  However, Dr. Joseph Mercola says, “If you eat chocolate, eat only DARK chocolate. Dark chocolate has antioxidant properties, which can actually help to protect the body from damaging oxidative stress. It also is far better than milk chocolate, as adding milk cancels out the chocolate’s antioxidant effects.”

Dr Mercola goes on to say, “Only eat chocolate if you’re healthy. Chocolate, even if it is dark, still contains large quantities of sugar, and eating sugar is a profoundly negative influence on your immune system. So the key point here is that if you are sick, the absolute last thing you want to do is eat any sugars.”

And always consume chocolate in moderation. A small bit of chocolate can be very satisfying if you savor each bite, rather than just wolfing it down. Also, if you are constantly craving sweets, your body is lacking in specific nutrients and you’re likely not eating the correct balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates for your body’s needs.

So, if you’re taking responsibility for your own health and caring for your body in a proper fashion with exercise and a diet of whole, natural and healthy foods, enjoy a “No Bake Treat.”

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You that we can delight in You and that You delight in us.

Link of the Day
Healthy No-Bake Treats

Blessings on you as you enjoy a healthy treat.

“Money talks.  Chocolate sings.”  Unknown

What is your relationship with “chocolate?”

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Ps 34:8 NIV)

This is the last day for smoothie recipes for a while, so I thought I’d be indulgent with this recipe.  Now, I’m not advocating drinking a chocolate smoothie for breakfast, although this smoothie may well be healthier than what many folks normally eat for breakfast.  Think of this as a treat or dessert smoothie. 

Almonds and cherries are actually from the same food family and taste great when combined.  And most of us would agree that chocolate goes well with many foods!  So, I’ve combined these flavors to make a healthy, yet yummy treat.

I use organic cocoa powder.  According to www.rawguru.com, organic cocoa powder is made by cold pressing high quality organic raw cacao beans into a dark brown paste called chocolate liquor. The paste is cold pressed at 112 degrees F to separate out its fat (cacoa butter). What remains is a “cake” that is then cold milled to become organic, unsweetened cocoa powder.  This has the highest level of cocoa flavonols because it’s the least processed. Also, because the fat has been removed and it contains no extra ingredients such as sugar, it’s the healthiest form of chocolate you can find.

No doubt you’ve read and heard that research now indicates certain health benefits in dark chocolate.  Dark chocolate is now considered a “superfood” due to the high content of polyphenols and phytonutrients which have potent antioxidant properties.

If you’re not familiar with almond butter, you’re in for a real treat.  We’ve used almond butter for years instead of peanut butter.  Peanuts are actually a legume (bean) instead of a nut, making them harder to digest.  They are also one of the most pesticide-contaminated crops.  Peanuts are also frequently contaminated with a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin.   So, if you eat peanut butter, my suggestion is to buy an organic brand.  Almond butter is found along with peanut and other nut butters in the grocery store.

Frozen dark sweet cherries are also included in the recipe.  They’re not as abundant as other fruit but they are well worth the effort when you can find them.  Other frozen fruit such as raspberries or strawberries can be used as well.  Enjoy!

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You that You delight in our happiness.  We thank You that you have provided many healthy, yet special “treat” foods for us to eat and enjoy.

Link of the Day
Chocolate Cherry Almond Smoothie

Blessings on you as you enjoy a healthy chocolate treat!