A Delicious and Nutritious Chocolate Spread That You Can Make in 10 Minutes

A Delicious and Nutritious Chocolate Spread that You Can Make in 10 Minutes

I don't usually write recipes. Today, however, I felt a marching-penguin determination to release this chocolate spread recipe out to the World, as if the very survival of our species depended on it. Because, in times when sugar is king, most, if not all, of the super-market available spreads start their ingredients list with sugar. We are so addicted to the ubiquitous sweetener that we give for granted that there, at the top of the list, resides its royal place. But it does not. Really.

So, I went on a mission to produce a healthy snack, one that could be used at breakfast, or with an evening tea, or at any other time without caramelizing our bodies. A healthy spread that is more nutritive, tastier, and cheaper than those available in stores. And very, very simple to make.

After weeks of experimentation, this is what I came up with:

The Three Ingredients:

1. Almond Butter, one cup, or approximately 240 mL

2. Cocoa (unsweetened cocoa powder), four tablespoons or approximately 30 grams

3. Maple syrup (100% maple syrup), between 1/8 and 1/4 cup, or approximately between 30 to 60 mL.

Method:

Put the almond butter in a large mixing pot and add the cacao to it, slowly, so the powder does not cloud your kitchen. Mix them with a large spoon. First, you need to envelop slowly the cocoa with the butter until the powder is somehow moist. Then, you will need some muscle power—a good opportunity to work out your flexors, biceps, triceps and so on. Once you don't see any dry, unmixed cacao powder add maple syrup to your likening and mix. The goal is to sweeten the mix a little and make it more spreadable. It takes less than 10 minutes.

Here are graphic step by step instructions:

Step 1: Put almond butter and cocoa powder in the mixing bowl and mix.

Step 2. Add the maple syrup and mix with the almond butter and the cocoa powder.

Step 3. ENJOY!

Try it on bagels, toast, crackers, breadsticks, etc. I have it every day on Maple French toast bagels.

All three, cacao, almond butter, and maple syrup contain antioxidants and minerals; including copious amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamin E, and phytochemicals that control blood pressure, lower low density lipoproteins (LDL) or "bad cholesterol" concentration in blood, reduce arterial plaque and promote general health.

Almond butter provides additional cardiovascular benefits because of its fiber and "good" fat content which is made up principally of unsaturated fatty acids. These fats provide energy to help you go on with your day unhungry while improving your blood cholesterol levels to combat cardiovascular disease.

Cacao needs no preamble; everyone—including the ancient Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs, who called it the food of the Gods—knows chocolate makes you happy (or happier if you are already happy). Chemicals in the cacao are responsible for boosting your mood. What a better prelude to your stress-loaded work day than a scoop of cheer-filled spread at breakfast. It is also said that chocolate makes your skin glow, reduces the chance of skin cancer, improves your metabolism, prevents tooth cavities, improves brain function, and thins your blood. And, yes, you are right, it is also an aphrodisiac. So, there you go, this tasty chocolate spread can be consumed at any time of the day or the night.

Maple syrup contains numerous phenolic compounds and antioxidants that have shown anti-colon cancer properties.

The syrup does contain sugar, right; but its proportion in the spread is so small that if the syrup's sugar was a separate ingredient it would be placed down there, at the bottom of the ingredients list. The place it belongs to.

All in all, this delicious spread is Panamerican: It includes almonds from California, cocoa from South America and a very Canadian Maple Syrup.

I hope you try—and enjoy—this superb-spread, and boost your health. One scoop at a time.