My families Thanksgiving started and ended with chocolate (and
believe it or not, for some it was the healthiest food they ate all day!) Days
like this are a rarity for me; however, with these two healthy recipes, I
envision them occurring more frequently.
Just in time for my annual holiday dessert post, I started experimenting with a
chocolate chip blondie. After a few attempts (thanks to my co-workers for the
constructive feedback!) I think it finally figured it out. The result is a
healthy, gluten and nut free blondie bar that will bring a smile to the face of
even the pickiest eaters.
Around the same time, I was also trying to create a whole-food
whole wheat chocolate chip cookie. When testing a recipe, I forgot to add the sweetener and what came out was a miserable excuse for a cookie. However when flipping through one of my
mother's cookbooks that I purchased for her two years ago when she first went
vegan, I found an interesting scone recipe. I decided to combine the
two recipes and the result is an amazing recipe for a delicious and
healthy breakfast scone. With the perfect amount of sweetness and
chocolate, these turned out even better than I expected, and surprisingly quick
and simple to make.
So how can one start and end their day with chocolate and still
claim they ate healthy? Chocolate in it’s purest form is known as cacao, and
this was a prized food by early the Mayan empire, and continues to be held in
high regard even today. Cacao is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods
available (not to be confused with cocoa which is roasted more processed and as
a result, less healthy). In a comparison ORAC test (a test which measure the
antioxidant activity of foods,) cacao was found to have more than fifteen times
the amount of antioxidants as blueberries! On top of this, cacao provides an
excellent supply of minerals including magnesium, which may help relax muscles
and reduce cramping. The American Heart Association has determined that cocoa
and cacao powder can be consumed without hesitation.
In another study, the high polyphenol content found in dark
chocolate was seen to help reduce oxidative stress during and after prolong
exercise. In a Yale conducted controlled crossover study,
they found that while the sugar and fat in most chocolate isn't healthy, the cocoa powder helps make up for
it when consumed in moderation.
Because chocolate is loved all over the world, there has been a
great deal of nutrition research done on it. One interesting study
examined the flavan-3-ol monomers,
oligomers, and polymers in commonly consumed chocolate products. Not
surprisingly, cacao is the gold standard, but other forms of dark chocolate and
cocoa still maintain much of the healthful properties found in
it's purer form. Dark chocolate bars however were still found to be highly
beneficial, although the percent of cacao is important. The higher percent of
cacao, the healthier it was found to be. I typically purchase a chocolate bar
between 70 and 80% cacao for baking. Such a high cacao content typically means
the bar is lower in added sugars than other bars and gives a beautiful and
complex taste.
Finally, that same study found that the addition of milk to
chocolate blocks the absorption of the phytonutients of cocoa and concluded
that the consumption of milk chocolate comes with all of the fat and sugar with
very few of the benefits to off set them.
As a reminder, whenever possible, source fair trade, slave free
chocolate. Slavery, particularly child slavery, is still practiced in the cacao
fields of western Africa. Check the Food
Empowerment Project for a helpful list of slave-free
chocolates.
Chocolate Chip and Walnut Whole Wheat Scones
Makes between 8 – 9 scones
1 ½ cup whole-wheat flour
1 very rip banana*
1/4 - 1/2 cup plant based milk or water
1/2 bar of good quality chocolate –chopped
1/4 - 1/2 cup walnuts - chopped
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
* - if you do not have a ripened banana, put the banana (still in
the skin) in the oven on 300 for 10-15 minutes until the skin is starting to
turn black. Let cool, once peeled, you will have a ready to use ripened banana!
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
While the oven is heating up, add the flour, baking powder, and
salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix well. Once mixed, add the banana and the
maple syrup. Simultaneously mash the banana and mix the ingredients. Now add
the milk. Start by adding ¼ cup and add more as needed. The mix should become a
thick dough. Once well-mixed, add the chopped chocolate and the walnuts and
lightly mixed.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon large balls of
dough onto the baking sheet and place into the oven. (I like to add salt
crystals to top of the scones at this point for aesthetics) Let the scones bake
for 10 – 12 minutes. The scones should start to brown and feel slightly firm to
the touch. Test to make sure the middle is cooked with a toothpick.
Once done, set the scones to the side for 20 minutes to let cool.
Enjoy while still warm. They pair very well with fruit and mate
Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Blondies
Makes 12 – 14 blondies
1 Can (15 oz) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 scant cup of old fashioned oats
2 teaspoons flax seed
1 very rip banana
1/2 bar of good quality chocolate –chopped
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
sea salt, for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8 pan with parchment
paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
In a food processor add all of the ingredients except chocolate
chips and process until batter is smooth (you can also use a hand held
immersion blender.)
Fold in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips. The batter should be very
thick
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan then sprinkle 2 tablespoons
of chocolate chips on top. (The batter may stick to your spatula, so I like to
spray my spatula with nonstick cooking spray first.) Bake for 20-25 minutes or
until toothpick comes out clean and edges are a tiny bit brown. The batter may
look underdone, but you don't want them to dry out!
Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes. Once cool, cut into squares.
G. Davison, R.
Callister, et. all. “The Effect of Acute Pre-Exercise Dark Chocolate
Consumption on plasma antioxidant status, oxidative stress and immunoendocrine
responses to prolonged exercise.” European
Journal of Nutrition. 58: 2012, 69-79.
Z.
Faridi, et. all. “Acute dark chocolate and cocoa ingestion and endothelial
function: A randomized controlled crossover trial.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88: 2008.
As always the information presented in this blog is for educational purposes only. It should not be considered as specific medical, nutritional, lifestyle, or other health-related advice.
