With Valentines Day just around the corner hearts are a flutter with thoughts of chocolate, romance and indulgence. I say why wait for Valentines Day? Every day is the perfect day to indulge your *health* tooth!

I have seen many truffle recipes online and have come up with my own. These little guys are so yummy they will have you screaming, kicking and crying for more…well no…but they are so yummy that you will run back to the kitchen to make more!

Better for you ingredients, makes 6 truffles (2 for you and 4 for me):

1/2 cup of almonds (preferable sprouted and dehydrated if you’re into that!)
3 deglet dates (or 1.5 medjool dates)
1 tablespoon of gogi berries (or any dried fruit such as raisins)
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder (alternatively can use carob)
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
sprinke of cinnamon
dash of sea salt ( I use Himalayan pink sea salt)
1 table spoon of water

1. Grind almonds using a food processor until it they become a fine meal.
2. Add all the other ingredients except water and process until mixed well.
3. Add the water and process again until mixed well.
4. Remove from food processor and roll into small balls. Makes about 6 x 1” diameter balls.
5. Enjoy and repeat 🙂

Quick ingredient facts:

Almonds provide you with a source of healthy fats.
Dates provide more than just a sweet taste, they are mineral rich.
Gogi berries are chock full of antioxidants.
Cacao is full of antioxidants and that special love chemical. But be ware it also contains some controversial ingredients. See below for more details on cacao.
Coconut oil is an antibacterial agent in the body and helps to burn off body fat.
Cinnamon helps to balance insulin levels.
Sea salt provides the body with a multitude of minerals.

So what’s the deal with chocolate?

Cacao versus cocoa.

I had a coworker challenge my use of the term cacao and cocoa after a recent trip to Costa Rica. He claims that the 2 are the same. I beg to differ, of course 🙂

Cacao is unadulterated raw chocolate. When I say raw I am referring to the heating and processing of the cacao bean. Heating food above 40 degrees Celsius destroys many of the vitamins and enzymes in the food making it less nutritious.

Cocoa on the other hand is heated and treated. It may look like raw chocolate, it may smell like raw chocolate but it doesn’t have the health benefits of raw chocolate.
A word to the wise if you are planning on having cocoa have make sure it’s 70% cocoa solids and not made with milk (proteins found in milk inhibit the tooted antioxidant benefits in chocolate).

Antioxidants in my chocolate?

Yes, raw chocolate has an amazing ORAC score (a scale that ranks the amount of antioxidants in a food) but that doesn’t mean you can eat chocolate like it’s a mandatory food group (although I would like it to be!). Cacao contains two controversial elements; theobromine, a powerful stimulant which affects our nervous system and oxalic acid, which inhibits calcium absorption. Eating cacao a few times a week is more beneficial than harmful but shouldn’t be consumed daily (uh oh!). That’s something I have to get used to myself!