Written by:

Jen Cox - AdvDip NAT + WHM. @keeperandkin

Valentine’s day is just around the corner and depending on the way relationships are flowing for you right now: that may be nice, or crap.  It’s a day loaded with all the feels.  Love, gratitude, embarrassment, sadness, disappointment, arousal… it’s a bloody roller-coaster.  And you know what can help with every single one of those emotions? Chocolate. Obviously.

 That’s because raw cacao is nature’s most delicious mood enhancer.  Now, to be clear: this is no dairy milk business. I’m talking tall, dark and very handsome raw chocolate. It’s loaded with antioxidants and feel good compounds that help lift the mood just at the right moment. There’s a couple of clever words I can drop here to explain why we love the good stuff so much – one being anandamide which is something raw cacao has in spades and is quite literally considered to be the bliss molecule. Another is tryptophan, nature’s antidepressant. So, dim the lights and pop on some jazz people, cause it’s about to get real romantic over here, lover or nah. 

 This chocolate has:

• Loads of magnesium and potassium, which help the nervous system balance;
• oodles of antioxidants to keep your cells healthy and happy;
• cinnamon to balance blood sugar and prevent emotional slumps;
• apoptogenic maca to encourage healthy stress responses and nourish tired adrenals;
• broad spectrum probiotics to encourage a healthy gut-mind connection and improve stress, depression and anxiety and;
• a variety of flavour options for you to decide on (or you can make all of them, you progressive polyamorous delight).

In conclusion, this chocolate is your perfects Valentine’s date.

~ 

To make your one true love, you’ll need:

• 1 cup of raw cacao butter (if you have a block, chop it up or just get the buttons)
• 1 cup of raw cacao powder
• ¼ cup of maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of maca
• Pinch of Himalayan salt
• PONO Coconut Plus Probiotic powder

 ~ Use a double boiler (or if you are as fancy as I am, a glass bowl over a saucepan of water) to melt your cacao butter. Keep stirring it till it liquifies.

TIP: If I have learnt anything from my obsessive viewing of the Great British Bake Off, it is to not allow the glass bowl you are melting your cacao butter in to touch the boiling water.  This has something to do with creating glossier chocolate.

~ Once melted, mix all the powders in - EXCEPT your probiotics – with a whisk till the lumps are gone.

~ Get out your toppings and arrange a piece of baking paper onto a tray, then when you’re ready to go mix the probiotics in. These guys don’t like heat, so mixing them in at the last minute is better.

~ Pour onto your baking paper lined tray then top with whatever floats your boat: I have plenty of mood enhancing options below for you to try.

~ Put your tray, covered, in the fridge for ½ hr minimum (overnight is best) before snapping into bits and devouring. This needs to be stored in the fridge to stay solid.

TOPPINGS:

To lift your mood and energise.

A drop of wild orange oil stirred in at the chocolate stage and a few dried orange segments provide an uplifting, mood enhancing chocolate in arguably the best flavour combo ever.

To balance hormones and glow.

Antioxidant rich goji berries and the good fats from coconut flakes support the actions of that antioxidant rich cacao beautifully. They’ll hydrate your skin, help balance hormones and taste divine.

To level out energy and love your heart.

Eating mixed nuts is so good for cardiac health, that a handful of these each day will keep the love flowing year-round.  Sprinkle them all over your chocolate for good fats, balanced energy and some epic cardiac benefits.

To calm the nerves and mellow out, man.

Dried lavender and hemp can help balance and calm. Hemp is a verifies superfood and high in protein. Coupled with the magnesium rich cacao, this is the perfect pre-bed treat.