Description:
Chocolate has had some good press recently for its health benefits, but many people seem confused as to what types of chocolate are good for them and why. Reports on the antioxidant potential of chocolate have been coming out for the past few years. Cornell University published a study in late 2003 that tested pure coca powder for amounts of phenolic phytochemicals or flavonoids that fight free radicals in the body. The two flavonoids measured were gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and epicatichin equivalents (ECE). A single serving of coca delivered 611mg of GAE and 564mg ECE, twice the number found in a glass of red wine. While the actual coca or cacao found in chocolate is good for you, it is important to look at the ingredients. Milk chocolate usually only contains 10% coca solids, filling up the rest of the bar with things that might not be so good for you like sugar, dairy, and preservatives. Anything labeled dark chocolate must contain a minimum of 35% coca solids, but there are plenty of companies that produce premium chocolates that reach from 70-80%. At first this chocolate may taste bitter, but once you try it, you will never go back! As food writer and chef Jennifer Harvey Lang said: “dark is to milk chocolate what Dom Perignon is to Dr. Pepper.” Why is something that is so good for you so addictive? I haven’t met a lot of people with uncontrollable broccoli cravings. Chocolate has another interesting component called phenylethylamine (PEA), which is a chemical that speeds up the flow of information between nerve cells: dopamine and norepinephrine, chemical cousins of amphetamines. Dopamine makes us feel good and norepinephrine stimulates the production of adrenaline, making our heartbeat faster. This is the same combination that goes coursing through our bodies when we meet someone new and the “chemistry is right”. We get that same chemistry from chocolate. The Aztecs believed that cacao stimulated desire, and chocolate has long been a favourite gift for lovers for exactly this reason.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups spelt flour
1 cup rolled oats
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
½ cup plain soy milk
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
1 egg
½ cup honey
3 tbsp hot water
1 tsp vanilla
Frosting:
1/3 container soft tofu
1/3 cup chocolate chips, melted
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla
Pinch cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir wet ingredients together.
Make a well in the dry mixture and pour the contents of the smaller in, stirring until just mixed.
Spoon into a muffin tin and bake for 25 mins.
Using a hand mixer, combine tofu, chocolate, maple syrup and spices. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow to cool before frosting.
Category: Desserts
Submitted By: Alexis Costello
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