Recipes

Banana & Strawberry Chocolate Wedges

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 00:35:58 -0400

Makes 6-8 Chocolate Banana Wedges
 - 2- 4 tablespoons of Casacao Cacao Powder - 1/2 cup of hot (boiled) water (to use according to desired chocolate consistency)  - 1-2 teaspoons of honey, agave, or sweetener of choice - dash of cinnamon   Optional:  - 1 banana - Strawberries
- Choice of warm milk: Almond, Soy, coconut (We like Almond) - Toasted Quinoa or nuts for variety. 
1. In a tin or plastic bowl, pour the cacao powder, and with a fork, break up any clumps that may have formed.

1. Pour in a little hot water and start to dissolve the cacao powder by mixing the cacao well with a spoon until the cacao starts to become fudge. Don’t pour too much water in at once as the cacao may become watery very quickly.

1. Mix in the cinnamon

1. Blend in the desired amount of honey (or sweetener of choice). Mix in very slowly and taste often until you reach desired sweetness.

1. Once the desired consistency and sweetness is reached, that’s it! 
Cut up some banana slices and fresh strawberries and dip away!   You have just made pure chocolate, and you can eat it without guilt, as Casacao’s Cacao Powder is 100% pure natural cacao without sugars or preservatives. It offers all the health benefits of cacao for a hearty and delicious treat.

Who new “chocolate” (Cacao) could be so good!

Cacao Power Shake!

Mon, 9 May 2011 17:31:27 -0400

Makes 1 large glass

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of Casacao Cacao Powder  1 banana 1 cup of your choice of cold milk (whole, soy, almond, coconut, etc.)  1/2 cup of acai berries (or combo of berries) 1 scoop of your choice or protein powder  
Add all items in a blender and mix well until smooth. Add some ice and blend well for a frothier shake!
Other treats you can mix in:
-Flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, acai, oats, strawberries, yogurt, etc.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:34:28 -0400

Warm up and relax with this simple and tasty recipe for a hot chocolate

Makes 2 cups
Ingredients
4 tablespoons Casacao Cacao Powder  2 tablespoons sugar  2 1/2 cups whole milk  3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces  1/2 vanilla bean, split  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon  1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg  2 cinnamon sticks  Whipped cream (optional) Chocolate flakes* (optional)

1. Mix sugar into cacao powder
2. Heat milk in a medium saucepan over very low heat with vanilla bean, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg and cacao mixture. Whisk thoroughly until chocolate has melted and milk begins to simmer.
3. Do not boil. You are done!!
Pour into two mugs and top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.   *To make chocolate shavings, use a vegetable peeler on a block of semisweet chocolate to shave off some chocolate flakes.

Spiced Cacao Tea

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:34:04 -0400

This blend will awaken all your senses and transform your mood. You’ll be in even higher spirits when you see your skin glowing!

Why You'll Glow: Women’s skin in one study showed a healthy glow after drinking 1/2 cup of cacao high in flavonoids, due to an increase in circulation that lasted about 2 hours. A daily consumption of cacao may rejuvenate your complexion even more. Women who drank 1/2 cup of cocoa high in flavonoids every day for 12 weeks in another study had significantly softer, smoother, and better hydrated skin.*

Makes 2 Cups

3 cups of water
1 - 2 teaspoons of cacao
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
A dash of cayenne pepper (Careful not to add too much or it may be too spicy. A little cayenne goes a long way)

1. Put water in a saucepan, add the cinnamon stick and bring water to boil.
1. Simmer with just the cinnamon stick for about 10 minutes.
2. Then add the cacao and continue to simmer in medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the water has reduced by half or until the cinnamon stick has unrolled and the water has absorbed the cinnamon essence.
4. Add the cayenne pepper, salt, and vanilla and simmer for another 2 minutes.

Serve and drink while hot. Enjoy!

Warning…you’ll want to have this everyday!

Tip: To reduce the boiling time, extract cinnamon essence in advance and keep in refrigerator. Combine 8 cups of water and 2-3 cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Let cool and store water with the cinnamon sticks in the refrigerator until you are ready to use. When you are in the mood to have your Spiced Cacao Tea, take 2 cups of the cinnamon water, add the cacao and simmer for 5-10 minutes until cacao has dissolved. Then add the rest of the ingredients, simmer another 2 minutes, and enjoy!

*Read one of the studies about the effects of regular cacao consumption on the skin:
http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/scientific-research/research-library/documents/Neukam2007.pdf

Cacao & Blueberry Oatmeal

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 09:33:57 -0400

This hearty and nutritional oatmeal breakfast with cacao and blueberries is an excellent way to start your day. It will keep you satisfied until lunch and will provide you with necessary nutrients, fibers, and protein to keep you functioning optimally.

Makes 4 servings
Cooking + Preparation time: 12-15 minutes)

4 cups of water
2 cups of rolled oats
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of Casacao Cacao Powder
½ cup of blueberries
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
soy or rice milk (optional)

1. Combine water, oatmeal, and salt in a saucepan.

1. Bring to a boil; then lower heat and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until water has been reduced, or oatmeal has been cooked to the consistency of your liking (about 10 minutes).

1. Take oatmeal off the heat and stir in Casacao Cacao Powder (a little goes a long way!).

(Add the optional Soy or rice milk)

1. Serve oatmeal in a bowl and add the blueberries and sprinkle ground cinnamon (equal parts per serving).

Add or substitute other fruits, such as bananas and strawberries for variety.