November 29, 2013

 
Rather than my usual heavy-duty health topic, this week I thought I would share a bit of delicious holiday cheer.  A couple of weeks ago, Hyla shared a simple chocolate pie recipe with me that I have been playing with this last week to tweak it to my standards of sugar-free and yet very tasty.  The pie is so simple that you don't even bother with a crust.  The texture is almost like a flour-less cake - very smooth yet strangely solid.  What with Thanksgiving coming up in a few days, an extra dessert is always welcome.

Chocolate, when done well is a decadent taste treat. When made with untreated organic cacao powder and natural cacao butter it carries some high value nutrition along with it.  Many different health claims are made about such chocolate unlike the kind of chocolate we usually get in this country.  Untreated cacao is a little stronger in taste, a little sharper, which is why most chocolate in this country has been alkali treated; a process known as Dutching.  This makes a smoother and milder tasting chocolate, but unfortunately it destroys most of the health benefits.  Plus the majority of chocolate consumed in this country has had milk added to it, which wipes out any remaining health benefits.  As I am using the good quality cacao powder I find I have to reduce the amount of cacao powder in the recipe to balance the stronger taste.

A second bonus to this recipe is that it is made with coconut milk.  Coconut milk is filled with medium chain triglycerides, which provide direct nutritional energy to the brain.  Many people's brains are becoming insulin resistant - a kind of brain diabetes - and as a result their brain cells are literally starving for nutrients to make the energy they need to function well.  Coconut milk and coconut oil bypass this problem and give the brain the power food it needs to perform at its best.  In its extreme form, this problem is called "Alzheimer'', but in milder forms it shows up as chronic stress, forgetfulness, foggy headedness, and simple tiredness all the time.

To sweeten this pie I use my Dr Dave's Double Sugar Substitute.  This combination of a non-bitter stevia and erythritol is an ideal sweetener.  It does not affect your blood sugar levels or cause any intestinal distress so it works excellently in this recipe.  Or I can use my new Super Blend Sugar, a blend of dextrose, erythritol, and stevia that has half the calories of sugar and none of the toxic fructose.  (Sugar is half fructose.)  The original recipe called for 4 tablespoons of honey, which you could certainly use if you have no sugar issues.  But I rarely find a person that is not sensitive to sugar to some degree.

The original recipe was all done by weight in grams.  I have a gram scale at home so I tried to measure out how much the ingredients were in our more conventional cup measures.

130 grams of cacao butter chips (about 1 cup)
  45 grams of sifted cacao powder (about 1/2 cup)
 1/2 cup of double sugar or 1 cup Super Blend Sugar
  a 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
  2 eggs
 a pinch of salt
1 Tbs. Vanilla (optional)

As you see this is a very simple recipe.  I put the cacao butter and cacao powder into a microwave proof bowl and heat until the cacao butter chips are 2/3rds melted.  In my microwave that was 2 ½ minutes.  While this is heating, I turn my oven on to 350 degrees.  I then mix up the butter and powder with a mixer or hand blender until all the cacao butter chips are melted.  With the mixer still on, I add the coconut milk and mix until smooth.  I then add the Vanilla, a pinch of salt, 2 eggs, and 2/3 cup of double sugar and blend/mix it all until smooth.  The pie mix is now ready for the oven. 

Take a pie plate and wipe it with coconut oil or spray it with some oil so the pie will not stick to the pan.  Personally I use a cool kitchen gadget called a Misto that enables me to use my avocado oil as a cooking oil spray.  If you would like one they are available here.  Spray the pan and pour your chocolate mixture into it.  Pop it into the oven for 30 minutes.  When it comes out, the center will still be soft and giggly.  Let the pie set for several hours on the counter and it will firm up nicely.  Once cool you might want to sprinkle it with a little sweetened chocolate powder or some slivered almonds or some nice ripe raspberries.  Slice and serve - delicious.

After you have made the simple version you may want to experiment with some variations.  For instance you could add:
1 tablespoon of instant coffee for you coffee lovers out there, or
½ cup peanut butter for the heavenly chocolate peanut butter combo, or
½ cup dried cherries or other dried fruit, or
½ cup sliced almonds into the mix, or
mint flavoring or other flavoring of your choice, or
1 Tbs. Cardamom for a sweet-spicy flavor

When served, this pie goes great with the sugar free vanilla coconut milk ice cream made by So Delicious.

I know that at least 1 of the ingredients is hard to get in small quantities - the cacao butter chips.  For Thanksgiving I decided to put some bags of cacao butter chips into the office.  I don't know where else you might find them except on the Internet.  They are commonly used by chocolatiers in making chocolates, but not much by regular people.  I have a small supply at home and will make up some half-pound bags for only $7.00.  That is enough for 2 pies.  I already have the cacao powder, the coconut milk, and the Dr Dave double sugar at the office.  I am becoming a mini grocery store.

If you are looking for a delicious Thanksgiving treat or holiday pie to bring to a festivity this season, then give this recipe a try.  It is so easy and so yummy.

Enjoy,

David

Organic Cacao Butter Chips

Super Blend Sugar - Half the calories and none of the toxic fructose.

Tuesdays and Fridays

Consuming chocolate has already been shown to reduce cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and high blood pressure.  Now for the first time a large study has found that it is also associated with lower levels of body fat, at least in adolescents.  The thought is that the flavonoid antioxidants improve insulin sensitivity and cortisol production.  This was a European study so the chocolate they were evaluating is not the milk chocolate Americans love but the dark high cocoa content more common over there.  

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Chocolate Toothpaste Works Better Than Fluoride

Here is a fun one.  A recent study has shown that a toothpaste containing the naturally-occurring cacao extract theobromine not only got better results than fluoride toothpaste, but that the teeth actually remineralized and repaired themselves.  Considering how toxic fluoride is we now have a much better alternative.

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Depression Makes Us Biologically Older

 "No man is ever old enough to know better.."

~ Holbrook Jackson 

 

Our address is  9725 Fair Oaks Blvd.

Finding the new location is very easy.  Coming from highway 50 up Sunrise Blvd, you turn left and go up a block.  We are on the right hand side - the building just past the Subway Sandwich shop.  If you are coming down Sunrise from the Mall area then just turn right on Fair Oaks Blvd and up a block on the right.

 

If you are coming from the Roseville area you could come down Sunrise Blvd, but that is a long trek.  It is probably shorter time wise to come down Auburn Blvd - San Juan Ave like you have been for the Sunset office, but instead of turning left at Sunset, keep going straight 3 more lights to Fair Oaks Blvd and turn left.  Go down 2 lights to New York Ave, go through the intersection, and immediately turn into the turn lane once the center divider ends.  We are on the left.

 

About Dr. DeLapp

Dr. DeLapp has been a philosopher, non-force Chiropractor, medical intuitive, and health innovator for over 30 years.  He began experimenting with  medical intuition in 1972 while studying physics at UC Davis.  In addition to physics he designed and completed an individual major in the philosophy and psychology of education.  Shortly after he choose to pursue a career in the only truly health oriented profession available at that time, Chiropractic.  He graduated with honors in 1981 with his doctorate and opened a private practice. 
Since that time he has continued his research into the effects of consciousness and learning on health. 
He developed the Biomagnetic Retraining system for correcting movement abnormalities. 
Since 1991 he has focused on developing a powerful system for uncovering and assisting the mind-body connection in health and personal growth.  The in-depth coaching, guided by the subconscious direction from the body, is called Heartflow and the simpler mind-body retraining for health and unfoldment he has named Gracework.  Both are available at Fair Oaks Health.

Dr David DeLapp DC
Chiropractor

Ellen Flowers FGM
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Lorena Morales

 

 

Massage Practitioner

 

 

 

 

 Is there a sweet that is not poisonous?  Yes!


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