Chocolate

I have been making a concerted effort to incorporate more chocolate into my diet. Yes, you read that right. But perhaps I should use the more specific term cacao, because what I'm referring to here is the pure ingredient, not the sugar-lined candy. I love chocolate; who doesn't? But while the cacao makes me feel awesome, the sugar tends to weaken my immune system and causes my heart to race. So I've embarked on a mission to create chocolate delicacies sans sugar. I now realize that not only is it much healthier this way, but I actually adore the taste of bitter chocolate. 

As you may know, cacao is a very nutritious food when minimally processed. 2.5 tablespoons of raw cacao powder (such as Navitas Naturals, one I've tried and can vouch for) contain: 3 grams protein, 23% RDI magnesium, 7% potassium, 8% iron, as well as trace amounts of calcium, copper, selenium, manganese, zinc, vitamins E, K, several Bs, and choline. Most of us don't get enough magnesium in our diets, so cacao can be very helpful in that respect. Then there are the oft-touted antioxidants in the form of flavonoids called catechins and epicatechins that help lower blood pressure and prevent systemic inflammation. These compounds are also found in other foods, such as green tea and red wine, but are particularly concentrated in pure cacao. 

Aztec woman mixing cacao drink

The cultivation of cacao in its native Mesoamerica may date back as far as 1900 BCE. There is evidence that it was used to create a kind fermented alcoholic beverage, and was also employed ritualistically, medicinally (it was thought to be an aphrodisiac), and as a currency. The Mayans identified cacao with the rain god Kon, and consumed it in the form of a thick, hot, foamy drink made spicy with chili peppers. Much later, around 1400 CE, the Aztecs (who associated cacao with the god Quetzacoatl) were making a similar beverage. Unlike the Mayans, they drank their concoction cold. Not until the 16th century had any European tasted chocolate... and so you see, only in recent history has cacao had anything to do with sugar. Christopher Columbus and the Spanish conquistadors brought it back to the old world, where it quickly became both sweetened and wildly popular. Even the origins of the word "chocolate" can be traced back to the Aztec "xocoatl", the name of their bitter foamy drink. Theobroma cacao, the Latin name for the cacao tree, means "food of the gods." By the mid-1800s, food scientists in Europe had figured out how to process cacao into its modern form: the chocolate bar.  

I've experimented with raw cacao powder and have come up with many delicious and healthy ways to partake. Here are two.

Coconut Hot Chocolate

1 heaping teaspoon coconut oil

1 ounce coconut milk

2 tablespoons cacao powder

Dash of cinnamon 

Sprinkle of cayenne 

Boiling water

Combine coconut milk and dry ingredients in a cup; stir well. Add coconut oil and mix vigorously until the texture is smooth. Then fill the cup with hot water, bit by bit, stirring as you go so as to prevent globbing. Enjoy HOT! 

Chocolate Truffles
1 egg raw yolk
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon cacao powder

Combine ingredients and, if necessary, add more cacao until consistency is easily molded and holds its shape. Then you can do whatever you want with it in terms of flavors. (Refrigerate your finished creations prior to eating, since they contain the egg yolk). Below are three of my recent versions: the first has orange peels and clove powder, the second is sprinkled with cayenne pepper and topped with a dehydrated raspberry (grown and harvested by me own mum, I might add!), and the third has cardamom kneaded in and is garnished with toasted sesame seeds and Hawaiian red salt. The possibilities are endless. Go wild. 

Kombucha

About two years ago, I became interested in brewing my own kombucha. I've liked the stuff ever since I was a child (Mom made it at home), and buying good old GT's was not financially sustainable. As I always do before embarking on a new project, I conducted a good deal of research--- typical homeschooler behavior! I am happy to report that my efforts have paid off big-time, and I now put up about 18 bottles per week. I've experimented with many different flavors involving all sorts of fruits, flowers, seeds, spices, herbs, etc. Flavoring is the most creative aspect of the process and therefore the most enjoyable. Myer and I are able to drink a bottle each per day of the best 'booch I've ever tasted, and the cost is quite low as tea and sugar (to fuel the Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast, or SCOBY) are relatively cheap. In addition to being a delicious and refreshing beverage, kombucha is also quite nutritious, providing good-for-the-gut yeast and bacteria, as well as organic acids such as acetic and ascorbic acids, a variety of enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants called polyphenols, and vitamins B1, B6 and B12. I find it helps with digestion, can be a great energizer, and gives me an all-around clean feeling inside!

Here are instructions for starting your own kombucha:

I use the "continuous brew" system, and it really seems to work better than the batch-by-batch method. It's cleaner, safer, and makes more 'booch. Here are some good resources about continuous brew:

http://www.picklemetoo.com/2012/03/02/kombucha-continuous-brewing-system/

http://www.kombuchakamp.com/what-is-kombucha/continuous-brewing

The ceramic crock with spigot is the only equipment I bought, although "kombucha kamp" advertises a lot of other accessories. I purchased the crock here:

http://foryourwater.com/FYWCCCD/C0100.html

I started mine in a glass gallon jar and later transferred it to the crock when the "mother" was strong. I combined: 1/2 jar of PLAIN GT's kombucha (you can get it at Whole Foods) together with a gallon of sweetened black tea. This "SCOBY fuel" should consist of 1 cup sugar (raw, organic cane is best) dissolved in a gallon of tea. My go-to tea is Trader Joe's English Breakfast--- 8 bags per gallon, steeped for 10 minutes or thereabouts. You can experiment with teas, but remember that the culture likes CAFFEINATED teas. Make sure the tea is room temp when you add the half bottle of 'booch. Then you just cover the jar with a cloth and rubber band to hold it on, and let the whole thing sit in a WARMish, DARKish place for a couple weeks. Never EVER store your SCOBY in the fridge; she will die! Room temperature or a bit warmer is best. 

The really important thing is to keep your whole operation clean, so as to avoid mold problems. I've never seen mold myself, but I've heard it's obvious when it happens. You should only use glass and never touch the tea or mushroom with plastic, wood, or metal. You can use stainless steel (I use a big stainless pot to boil the water in for tea), but that's it. Always clean your hands and equipment with vinegar before you begin, and DON'T use soap--- this kills the bacteria in the culture. In addition, be sure to use filtered water to make tea, and boil it for five minutes before adding teabags.

Once you have a nice, vinegary batch, you can transfer it to the crock, add more sweetened tea, and wait a while longer--- taste as you go until it seems right to you. Now that my SCOBY is very strong, I can take out 8 or 9 bottles every four days. The culture grows pretty fast once it gets going, so you'll have to peel it apart every few weeks and discard the extra (or give it to a friend who wants to start their own). One benefit of using the continuous brew crock is ease of bottling. Occasionally the spigot gets clogged, but you can clean it out by blowing bubbles into it from the inside with a straw.

If you want to bottle and flavor, the best bottles are Grolsch bottles. I love those things! The gasket is long-lasting, and the green coloring of the glass helps keep the bacteria-guys safe (they don't like direct light). You should always put your flavorings directly into the bottle before you fill it up with kombucha, and add about a teaspoon of sugar or honey (raw buckwheat honey is divine) as well so that the bacteria have some "food" for the second ferment. When you've filled and sealed the bottles, put them in a warm place to set for about a week. I use the fridge-top for my entire 'booch operation, and it has worked perfectly. Please put your bottles in a tray of some sort, as they occasionally explode... and the tray will save you much time and stress if this happens!

Some of my favorite flavors include: fenugreek, rose petal, hibiscus, cardamom, lemon peel, juniper, basil, anise, raspberry, tellicherry pepper, beetroot, rosemary, nutmeg, and garam masala. I ALWAYS put a piece of fresh ginger in, no matter what other flavors I am experimenting with. I just love ginger so much... I can't not.

Happy brewing!