Health and Fitness

10 Guilt-Free Chocolate Sweet Treats to Celebrate Valentine’s Day!

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Happy Valentine’s day! Overrated or not I’m a sucker for any excuse to have a little celebration – especially when it involves chocolate.

And when last night at dinner my sister-in-law mentioned that she has a tradition of making Valentine’s Day a family affair in which she and her son bake a chocolate cake and then everyone writes a little message on it I thought – what a great idea!

So in the spirit of indulging just because – and perhaps telling someone you love and appreciate them – here are 10 of my favourite guilt free sweet treats for you to make and share (or not!). Enjoy.

10 Guilt-Free Chocolate Treats – My Personal Favourites!

1. Chocolate Protein Pancakes

Use a stick blender to blend up 2 whole eggs with 1 scoop chocolate (or flavour of your choice) Woman Incredible organic protein powder plus the following:

  • Dash of milk or water
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • A handful shredded coconut

Add a handful of frozen berries and stir the mix with a spoon. Cook pancakes in a well-heated pan; I use coconut oil for all frying needs as it’s a great fat-burning and energising fat. The first pancake is often a bit messy looking and then the pan is ready for pancake perfection! Serve for breaky with bacon and eggs (indulgerama!) or as a dessert as is. You can add a bit of honey if you like. Hey – it’s Valentine’s Day!

2. Chocolate Chia Pudding

Ingredients

  • 1 cup greek or plain organic yoghurt
  • 1 tblsp chia seeds,
  • Cinnamon – a pinch
  • Raw cacao, 1 tsp

Method

To make yoghurt pudding simply let the yoghurt ‘set’ in the fridge for 20 minutes to make a pudding, add all the ingredients first! The chia seeds expand to make a pudding so you have to be patient for it to work. I like to serve this with rhubarb or berries.

3. Kat’s 5-Minute Homemade Raw ‘Love’ Chocolate

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup raw organic cacao
  • 3 whole pitted dates (optional, depends if you want the sweetness)
  • Stevia (also optional)
  • Ice cube tray
  • *Optional: nuts, goji berries, coconut flakes – or anything you fancy to spice your choccie up!

Directions

Warm coconut oil so that it is liquid. I do this by putting the jar in a tub of lukewarm water. Slice dates thinly and as small as possible. In a bowl, mix all other ingredients till well combined and scoop/pour mixture into ice cube trays. Place in freezer for just a minute or so and it’s ready.

I have some love-heart shaped ice cube trays at home that I use quite often to make this chocolate. Sometimes I add a single frozen raspberry in the middle. Delicious!

Store in the freezer when not eating – if they last!

4. Choc-Coconut Raspberry Truffle Balls

Ingredients

  • 50 grams soft organic butter
  • 250 grams tahini/cashew butter (can substitute another nut butter)
  • 2-3 tblsp Woman Incredible raw cacao
  • 50g shredded coconut
  • 2 tblsp ground flaxseed
  • 1/2-3/4 cup frozen raspberries
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup nut meal such as almond or hazelnut

Method

Mix all ingredients well with hands, roll into balls and roll in additional shredded coconut. Resist while they set in fridge for 1-2 hours, or for faster indulgence in freezer!

5. Chocolate Protein Brownies

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup of coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup of cacao powder
  • 3 scoops of Woman Incredible Whey Protein
  • 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (melted)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon of almond butter
  • 1 dash of coconut essence
  • 2 whole eggs
  • Water to bind

Method:

Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl before adding the wet ingredients, then mix well. Add water if you feel the mixture is too dry. Bake at 180 Degrees C for 20-30 minutes … check this one as you go, as it seems to vary wildly between ovens! The centre of the mixture will still be a little undercooked, that’s how it should be. Put in the fridge to set for about two hours. The centre will be fudgy & the outside more firm.

Serve with organic cream and some berries.

6. Choc-Berry Dessert Smoothie

Ingredients

  • 2 scoops of Woman Incredible Organic Chocolate or Choc-Cherry Whey Protein Powder
  • 1 cup of Spring Water
  • ½ a cup of frozen blueberries or berries of your choice
  • 1 tablespoon of bee pollen (optional)
  • 1/2 cup ice
  • A pinch of cinnamon

Method

Throw into your blender with some ice, blend for 30 seconds and enjoy! Easy!

7. Gluten-free Chocolate Cake

I’ll be making this one later today with my daughter. Can’t wait!

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups rice flour
  • .5 cups of Woman Incredible raw cacao powder
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda)
  • ½ tsp salt – himalayan pink
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1½ cup oil – olive or macadamia, organic of course!
  • 2 cups coconut sugar
  • 3 cup raw grated zucchini
  • 1/3 cup walnuts – optional
  • 1/3 cup fine chopped 85%+ dark chocolate – optional

Method

Sift dry ingredients twice (NOT SUGAR). Beat oil and sugar well using an electric mixer. Add eggs and dry sifted ingredients.

Bake in greased and floured 22 x 32cm (I use approx 25cm diameter spring-form tin) at 180 degrees celsius. When cold, frost with chocolate cream cheese frosting if you choose.

Frosting

  • 250 gm cream cheese
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup pure icing sugar
  • 1/2 cup raw cacao powder

Frosting Method

Sift icing sugar and cacao if needed or break lumps with back of spoon. Add cut up butter and mix well. Add vanilla and cut up cream cheese. Mix well. Once frosting is on the cake it is best kept in the fridge.

This is definitely erring on the side of not-quite-guilt-free compared to the rest of the recipes, but I just couldn’t bear to leave it out. I bake this one often for birthdays and special events.

8. Raw Choc After-dinner Mints

This might be the simplest recipe on the list. Using your hands, mix 1/2 cup softened coconut oil with 3 drops (more to taste) of peppermint essence. Mix with a spoon if the oil is already melted. Allow to harden just a little in fridge – this will take only 30-90 seconds; don’t let it get totally hard!

Roll into small balls and then roll the balls in a small bowl of raw cacao (lazy option) OR in a small bowl of pre-made and cooled but not hardened homemade raw chocolate (see earlier recipe).

Set the balls in the freezer for just a minute or two and they’re ready. Store in the freezer when not eating.

9. Homemade Choc-Coconut Berry Ice-Cream (takes just a few minutes!)

Blend 1 can coconut milk with half a cup of plain or greek organic yoghurt, 1/2 cup of frozen berries plus 1/4 cup Woman Incredible raw cacao. You can add whatever you like (coconut, berries, etc) or leave as is.

Set in the freezer for at least 20 minutes in a glass dish. If you leave it too long it will be very hard, so take it out 20 minutes before serving. Simple!

 

10. Coconut, Zucchini and Raspberry Muffins

These are a favourite on-the-go or at-home sweet treat that is totally guilt-free. Great for kids big and small 🙂

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup sifted coconut flour
  • ¼ teaspoon pink or grey sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 washed and grated medium size zucchini
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup macadamia nut or extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence
  • 1 cup frozen raspberries

Method:

  1. Mix coconut flour, zucchini salt and baking soda
  2. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil and vanilla and blend well. I use a stick blender
  3. Combine all ingredients and blend further
  4. Gently fold in frozen blueberries
  5. Distribute into muffin tray (makes 9 large muffins)
  6. Bake at 180° for 20-25 minutes
  7. Try not to eat them all at once as soon as they come out of the oven! 🙂