It's finals week. I have a sudden flurry of people asking me for this recipe. So, here you go. Tumeric is often touted as a wonderful anti-inflammatory agent, and is sold over the counter in pill form. However, the phyto-constituents are not bioavailable without fat and black pepper, which is why it's traditionally cooked in curries. I love chocolate. I love embedding powdered herbs into foods. I took a "food as medicine" type herb class with herbalist Bevin Clare two years ago at a conference. This recipe is adapted from Bevin and her daughter, Penny. I tend to process a pound of chocolate at a time, bringing 3 pieces with me for my long days at school, indulging extra whenever I want more energy beyond a Camellia sinensis kick, or am experiencing premenstrual cravings. That pound lasts for months stored in a Mason jar in the fridge, and feels nutritious and uplifting beyond store-bought chocolate. Enjoy.
Tumeric Chocolate
(Recipe
adapted from mother-daughter team herbalists Penny & Bevin Clare)
16
oz bittersweet dark chocolate
8
oz Coconut Oil
1
tsp Vanilla Extract
½
- 1 cup Turmeric
½
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (coarse ground)
1
cup walnuts (finely chopped)
salt
(coarse ground Hawaiian Black Sea Salt, or Pink Himalayan Salt)
Optional:
2-3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger, other herbs/ spices
1.
Melt Chocolate & Coconut oil together over low heat.
2.
Stir in Vanilla, then add herbs (turmeric, black pepper, etc). Stir
out any lumps.
3.
Stir in nuts.
4.
Pour into shallow baking dish. Place somewhere cold to harden (ie,
fridge).
5.
When it sets a little, sprinkle top lightly with salt (and any other
optional toppings). Then, back into fridge. (If you place toppings on
too early, then they sink to the bottom. If too late, then they don’t
stay on. Try setting a small corner with your topping, before you
commit to the full piece.)
6.
Right before it fully sets, score chocolate with knife, to make it
easier to break, later. Back into fridge.
7.
Once it’s solid, break
into pieces. Store in fridge, as it melts easily. Enjoy.
Other
additions/ considerations
Nutritive:
coconut flakes, Maca
Nervines:
Rose, Tulsi, Damiana
Adaptogens:
Ashwaganda
See
my Botanica Aphrodisiaca and Botanica Erotica class handouts for
other chocolate recipes and herbal considerations/ ideas. Have fun!
(Photo from San Gabriel National Monument, my backyard. Chocolate not pictured in image, but it's a place where I enjoy enjoying chocolate, tea, and other happy healthy meals and snacks.)
