Homemade Chocolate Recipes

Homemade chocolate recipes provide the chocolate lovers not only with a vast variety of choices for delicious, mouthwatering dessert but also with flexibility to substitute some of the ingredients so they will have an enjoyable eating experience while having a healthy dessert.

Chocolate... healthy?

It's not a secret that chocolate eating is associated with a feeling of guilt - guilt of blowing out weight loss diet or eating unhealthy food.

Well, I have good news. The main ingredient of pure (dark) chocolate, cocoa, actually contains lots of vitamins and minerals.

I don't think I need to convince anybody to eat chocolate but in case you think it is unhealthy addition to your diet here are some details:

- Among other vitamins and minerals cocoa contains B group vitamins, vitamin E and magnesium. Just do a quick search on the Internet to see the major benefits of these nutrients.

- A research in the United States showed that cocoa contains more anti-oxidants than green tea and red wine!

- Cocoa contains L-Tryptophan that improves the mood and hence can help combat cravings for unhealthy food.

- Cocoa butter is widely used as a cosmetics base in natural and "not-so-natural' cosmetics industries because of nourishment it provides for the skin.

In order to see the weight loss benefits of chocolate you need to eat a small piece of dark chocolate daily, no more than 200 g per week.

Unfortunately many ready-made chocolate products are very low on cocoa so they actually do not provide any of the benefits mentioned above. They also contain lots of sugar and need to be avoided if you care about your health and healthy weight.

You need to choose chocolate products that contain over 65% of cocoa in order to see the health benefits of cocoa.

Why to make your own chocolate desserts at home?

1) As I already mentioned, homemade chocolate recipes provide you with flexibility to choose your own ingredients and replace some of "not so healthy" ones with healthier alternatives.
Here is a list of ingredients for one recipe, for example:

Chocolate Ice-Cream

2 ½ quarts of cream
1 ½ pint of milk
1 quart thin cream,
2 cupfuls of sugar,
2 ounces of plain chocolate bar,
2 eggs,
2 heaping tablespoonfuls of flour

To make this dessert healthier use dark chocolate, for example, substitute some of the cream with milk, reduce sugar and add vanilla to improve taste. I never tried it with whole wheat flour but this might work too! Imagine the title "Whole-wheat ice-cream for weight loss and health"!

2) You can make your favorite dessert without any preservatives, colorings or other artificial elements added.

3) You can use your creativity and make exquisite desserts for the entire family that will bring your whole family together to enjoy food prepared with love and care.

4) Making chocolate desserts at home will also fill your house with homey, "cozy" aroma that will make the place you live a real Home.

Homemade Chocolate Recipes page provides lots of information on chocolate including recipes. If you are a real chocolate lover visit http://www.homemadechocolaterecipes.com for over 100 delicious, mouthwatering recipes.

Leanne enjoys researching and writing about different topics that can help others solve problems.

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Maca & Cacao Superfood Milkshake

Healthy desserts can be very hard to find and they inevitably lack in taste. Everyone gets those cravings for something sweet, but it can be hard to find something that can satisfy your sweet tooth and also be nutritious. I know your thinking to yourself "how can a milkshake be healthy?" Finally here is one great recipe for those that love milkshakes, but want a healthier version that offers a lot more nutrients. Raw and organic cacao contains extremely high quantities of iron, zinc, copper, serotonin, tryptophan, and vitamin C. Cacao also has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. Maca root is also another power player in this milkshake. Maca Powder offers great energizing effects and helps with overall emotional well-being. This amazing root contains amino acids, vitamins, minerals, sterols, fatty acids, and glucosinates. What a great way to get all these nutrients but in a tasty form! So get those blenders out and get ready to enjoy a dessert that you won't end up regretting.

To start you will need to get the following list of ingredients:

2 Brazil nuts
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup dates
2 Tbsp organic cacao nibs
2 Tbsp organic cacao powder
1 Tsp maca powder

Blend on high until dates and nuts are liquefied. Add 1 cup of ice (or more) and blend again until frosty.

What a simple way to get in your nutrients without sacrificing taste!

To your health!

Your health is directly related to what you put into your body. Not all supplements are created equal. View our choice for the best Organic Cacao here.

Maca is a key ingredient to this recipe. Organic Maca Powder came out on top, check it out.

To Your Health!

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Great Banana Cake Recipes

Here are two great banana cakes. Both are made from scratch. They are both very moist and delicious.

Hummingbird Cake

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple
2 cups chopped nuts
2 cups chopped ripe bananas

Put the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, oil and stir until moist. Do not beat. Add vanilla, pineapple, nuts and bananas. Pour into 4 well greased 9 inch pans. Bake 25 - 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost this cake with cream cheese frosting. The recipe is below.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1 stick butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 box powdered sugar

Mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar. Frost and serve.

This is a very popular cake at my office.

Next is a big family favorite.

Tropical Banana Cake

2 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together into a large bowl flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Add shortening, bananas and 1/3 cup buttermilk. Stir to dampen flour. Beat with electric mixer 2 minutes. Add remaining buttermilk, eggs and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Pour into 2 paper-lined 9-inch pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Now while our cake is cooling, we move on to the frosting.

Lemon-Banana Frosting

2/3 cup butter or margarine
4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoon mashed banana
2 tablespoon lemon juice

Cream butter and sugar. Add banana and lemon juice. Blend until smooth and frost your cake. Do not serve this cake right after you have finished frosting. It will be too sweet. This cake needs to be refrigerated for at least 24 hours before serving. Then, it is fabulous and ready for company!

I have been baking for my family and friends for over 40 years. For more great cake recipes and other dessert recipes, please visit My Sweetie's Favorite Dessert Recipes at http://www.favorite-dessert-recipes.com.

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