Oh. em. gee.
Chocolate and I are best friends. There are no words for how dang much I love chocolate-everything.
Of course, we've all heard the research that "chocolate is good for you," and then probably stop listening to anything that comes after that... cause ya know that a piece of chocolate cake ain't good for nobody- no way, no how.
Sooooo....if I can have your attention for a fewwww moments, can we talk about when chocolate is healthy? What if I promise to leave you with a HEALTHY, genuinely delicious, balanced, chocolatey recipe in return?
Hokay, maybe I have your attention. Or maybe you've skipped this and scrolled to the bottom for the recipe. I feel ya either way.
Chocolate is good when its from a dark, undutched, unprocessed source. When it gets processed, it removes the polyphenols (antioxidants) that are associated with decreasing your risk of heart disease. A great key to identifying whether the anti-oxidants in a chocolate has been destroyed is by looking for the word 'alkaline' or 'alkalized' in the ingredient list.
Whole-food cacao also is rich in fiber & fat, which helps to keep us fuller longer and suppress appetite. Sometimes, I keep Alter Eco Blackout 85% in my desk at work and have a small piece to tie me over until dinner. Its way easier to have a single portion of dark chocolate compared to a Hershey's bar, since its loaded with fiber and healthy fat.
Hokay, so ya stuck with me. Now you've earned yo'self a protein rich chocolate shake that you can drink guilt-free.
Real Foodie Chocolate Shake
Serves 1
~230kcal, 20 gm protein
1 cup unsweetened (vanilla) almond milk
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened/undutched
1 tablespoon cacao nibs
1 small frozen banana
1 scoop whey protein powder (unflavored/chocolate/vanilla)
1 handful spinach (optional)
1 drop chocolate stevia (optional)
Combine ingredients in a blender/food processor.
Enjoy!
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