Homemade chocolate is SO easy and delicious and the best part is, you can customize it any way you want to. I came up with these while I was researching a project for school and I thought I would share them with y’all because I think they would be great gifts for your healthy enthusiasts’ friends. Giving a gift that comes from your kitchen is such a treat but you may want to make a double batch of this homemade chocolate because you will probably want to keep some for yourself!
I love to eat out like the rest of us but when I stay home and cook, I always feel better the next day. That’s because I know exactly what I am putting in my food and I know it will support my health and digestion. And this homemade chocolate is no different – now I put blueberries and macadamia nuts in there but you could make the chocolate holiday festive and put strawberries and pistachios, or just add pecans, or you can leave them plain and enjoy creamy rich homemade chocolates.
Health Benefits:
Cacao Powder:
- It has 40 times the antioxidants than blueberries
- Is the highest plant-based source of iron and magnesium
- High in calcium
- Has been shown to raise the feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain
Macadamia Nuts:
- They contain healthy fats
- Have flavonoids that prevent cell damage
- Have both soluble and insoluble fiber so they are good for digestion
- They have a good amount of magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus which all support good bone health
Blueberries:
- They are high in antioxidants and because of this they are anti-inflammatory
- High in fiber which supports a healthy digestion
- High in Vitamins C and K
These homemade chocolates are a powerhouse of nutrition and they taste great!! Who knew eating chocolate could be this healthy for us – count me in!!
This recipe came together while working on an assignment for a course I am taking at the Academy of Culinary Nutrition. We were assigned to come up with a cooking class for a certain health condition that we’d previously chosen. My condition of choice is SIBO, it’s an acronym that stands for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. I will share much more on SIBO later but I just had to share this recipe with you because it’s so easy, low in sugar and low in FODMAPS. It was inspired by two different recipes – one from FunWithFODMAPs and another one from the Minimalist Baker. As I mentioned you can really put anything you like into these chocolates so make this your own!
So whenever you have a sweet craving, instead of eating commercially made chocolate, take a few extra minutes and make this homemade chocolate recipe, it is worth the effort for the health benefits alone plus, they really are quick and easy and they taste delicious!!
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Homemade Chocolate With Blueberries and Macadamia Nuts, Vegan and Gluten-Free
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 chocolates 1x
Description
Quick and easy homemade vegan and gluten-free chocolates. Make these for your home or to give to a friend, or both!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
1 cup of organic cacao butter
3–5 Tablespoons of organic maple syrup
1/2 cup of organic cacao powder*
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
Pinch of finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup organic macadamia nuts, chopped
1/2 cup organic blueberries – washed and dried
Instructions
- Take a mini muffin tin and line it with cupcake liners or use a silicone mini muffin pan which is what I did. I couldn’t find the exact one I have but here is an example
- Make a double boiler by putting ¼ inch of water in a saucepan and a stainless steel or glass bowl on top, make sure the bowl does not touch the water. You can also use a microwave to melt the cacao butter.
- Over medium-low heat, add the chopped cacao butter to the bowl, stirring until it melts. Then add 3 Tablespoons of maple syrup, stir again.
- Remove the bowl from heat and add the cacao powder, vanilla extract, and salt and stir to combine.
- Now give the chocolate mixture a taste and see if it needs the remaining two tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Add the blueberries and chopped macadamia nuts in a bowl and toss together.
- Pour the nuts and berries into the melted chocolate mixture and equally fill the muffin tins.
- Now, put the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer until it hardens and enjoy them!
Notes
*If cacao powder is too bitter for you, you can use half cacao and half cocoa powder. You can also use all cocoa powder. It will be yummy but will not have the same health benefits as cacao powder does.
