Thursday, August 16, 2012

No Guilt, Sugar-Free Vegan Carob Chocolates

I’ve been addicted to making chocolates since I made Ricki’s Orange-Goji Berry Chocolates a few months ago.  Homemade chocolate is ridiculously easy – and if you’re moving into whole food eating, making your own is the perfect opportunity to have total control over the ingredients.  When it comes to chocolate in our home, I generally use carob.  I discovered carob several years ago and I have to say, I really like it.  I know, I know, chocolate is revered by many (insert picture of my husband here) and touted for healing properties, but since I’m not a huge chocolate lover (ahem, like my chocoholic husband) I therefore don’t feel an incredible urge to eat it (ahem, like my chocoholic husband).  But moreover, I’m not ready to expose my son to the stimulating effects of chocolate.  always experience this side effect when I eat or drink something with raw cacao (I don’t drink coffee either, so I can REALLY feel the chocolate). So I can only imagine what it does to a little 3-year-old (and I will let nothing stand in the way of nap time – cyber high-five to all my mommy peeps who know what I’m talking about – LOVE nap time).  But moreover, my son suffers from eczema and we’ve come to find out that chocolate aggravates my husband’s eczema (oh boy, that was a sad day).  Okay, so, long story short here on the chocolateit’s a fun treat once in a while for my daughter and husband, but carob is used far more frequency in this house and that’s just fine with meAND my family.  Less stimulating effects, less eczema, more smiles.  See HERE for health benefits of carob. 
Sugar-Free Vegan Carob Chocolates
(slightly adapted from Ricki’s Orange-Goji Berry Chocolate recipe)

Ingredients:
-2 ounces raw organic cocoa butter
-2 tablespoons organic carob powder 
-1/4 teaspoon vanilla stevia, or to taste (orange or cocoa stevia would be great too) 
-1 tablespoon homemade cashew butter
-1 teaspoon vanilla 

How To:
1.  In a small non-stick pan, melt the above ingredients on medium heat, taking care not to burn mixture.  Mix the entire time.  Remove from heat and continue mixing until everything is melted and happy.
2.  Transfer to 1 cup glass Pyrex (you will have approximately 1/2 cup of liquid).  Whisk mixture as you pour into silicone molds to prevent separation.  
3.  Transfer to freezer (for 10 – 20 minutes)
4.  Remove from molds and store chocolates in fridge in glass container.
Makes 12 small chocolates 

Shared on: Keep It Real Thursdays, Wellness Weekend, Fight Back Friday, Fresh Bites Friday. Freaky Friday, Lifeologia Summerizing Party, Friday Food,  Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Sweet Saturday, 

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Posted by Amber at

Labels: candy alternatives, dessert, sugar free, vegan.

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