Cacao

Benefits of Eating Cacao:

–  40 times the antioxidants of blueberries

– Natural mood elevator and anti-depressant

– Thins blood and can prevent blood clots

– Lowers blood pressure

– Better digestion

Cacao

Cacao vs. Cocoa

Yes, there is a difference both in how they are made and the nutritional values…and how they’re spelled.  Here’s the brief overview:

Cacao is made by cold pressing the cacao bean.  This keeps all the enzymes while removing all the fat.

Cocoa is made by roasting cacao beans at a super high temperature.  This process takes a lot of the bean’s nutritional value out.

Overall: Cacao is the winner when it comes to the health benefits!

How to Cook/Use Cacao

Cacao is the best way to fulfill your sweet tooth without having the guilt.  Yes, a healthy dessert is possible…with cacao!  Check out all the recipes that are healthy but still manage to find a way to satisfy those cravings:

Cacao Banana Cookies

Ingredients:

– 2 tablespoons of cacao

– 2 ripe bananas

– 1 cup of oats

– Another mix-in if you so desire (some suggestions include: dried cranberries, walnuts, etc.)

Directions:

– Preheat over to 350 degrees F

– Mash the bananas in a bowl

– Mix in the cacao and the oats until comes to form similar to cookie dough

– If you plan to add a mix-in, this is when you do it

– Plop the mixture onto a baking sheet (Make sure you flatten and shape into cookies because baking will not flatten the cookies)

– Bake for 10-15 minutes

This dessert is has no added sugar (only sugar is from the bananas) and is gluten free.

Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

– 1/2 tablespoon of cacao powder

– 1/2 tablespoon of cacao nibs

– 1/4 cup of chocolate almond milk (you can get this unsweetened to eliminate the sugar)

– 3 frozen bananas

– 1 tablespoon of peanut butter (almond butter is preferred but it’s expensive so just use peanut butter if you don’t already have the almond butter)

Directions:

– Place bananas, almond milk, nut butter, and cacao powder into a food processor

– Pulse until smooth and creamy

– Add in the cacao nibs and pulse one more time

Wait, you’re telling me this ice cream is healthy for me?  Yes, we are!

Walnut Brownies

Ingredients:

– 3 tablespoon of cacao powder

– 1 cup of pitted dates

– 2 cups of walnuts

Directions:

– Add all ingredients into a food processor and until mixture comes to a sticky ball

– Line an 8×8 baking sheet with plastic wrap or parchment paper

– Spread mixture onto sheet

– Freeze for an hour

Well, hey there brownie!

Share with us and other truckers how you have or plan to use cacao by using #NoWCacao & join our Facebook group: Healthy Trucking