This content was created by Holland and Barrett UAE
As well as boosting both your body and your mind, a daily dose of Cacao Powder has many other health benefits. But did you know that simply swallowing a couple of teaspoons isn’t the only way to get it into your diet.
It’s easy to be creative with Cacao. It can be added to everyday meals to supercharge them, or you can decide to make sweet treats like vegan brownies and raw fruit nut bites.
Whatever you fancy preparing, be inspired with our 5 quick and easy ideas for a nutrition-filled treat or snack.
Here are five simple ways to use cacao powder:
1. Warm yourself up with cacao powder hot chocolate
Pour some boiling water into a mug containing one teaspoon of cacao powder, some Total Sweet Sugar Substitute and then stir. Add a dash of almond milk and voila, and you have a rich hot chocolate to warm you up on cold days (and nights).
2. Treat yourself to a chocolate and banana protein smoothie
Perfect for after a workout, this smoothie can be made by blending one large frozen banana (cut into slices), two tablespoons of cacao powder, two tablespoons of almond butter, 235ml of almond milk and one level scoop of Precision Engineered Whey Protein Chocolate.
3. Kick-start your morning with energy-filled cacao porridge
Next time you reach for a bowl of your favourite cereal, you could spoon in one teaspoon of cacao powder and a small handful of your favourite dried fruits. If you prefer to kick-start your mornings with porridge, you can still add the cacao and fruits to make it extra tasty and nutritious.
4. Mix things up with flavoursome yoghurt
It’s easy to add a sprinkling of cacao powder to your yoghurt, and it shouldn’t alter the taste too much if you use a small amount. If you’d prefer to mix up the flavours, just keep adding more until the chocolate flavour comes through.
5. Bake your own treats with cacao powder
Baking with cacao powder can be great fun, as you’ll find out if you make these peanut butter bites for yourself.
Ingredients:
- 90g gluten-free rolled oats
- 2 tbsp. flax, chia seed, apple & cinnamon
- 125g organic peanut butter
- A pinch of sea salt
- 2 tbsp. cacao powder
- 150g chocolate chips
Method:
Step 1: Grind the oats in your food processor before adding the chia and flax seeds. Blend well.
Step 2: Add the sea salt, cacao powder and peanut butter. Continue to blend until your mixture resembles a ball.
Step 3: Melt the chocolate chips (either in a microwave or on the hob).
Step 4: Form small bite-sized balls from your large ball. Use a spoon to cover each ball with melted chocolate.
Step 5: Place balls on a tray covered with parchment paper. Put in your freezer for forty minutes to set.
Step 6: Remove from your freezer and store in an airtight container.
The post 5 simple ways to use cacao powder appeared first on Holland & Barrett UAE Blog.
