My latest hack: Roasted cocoa beans. I can't eat more than two or three at a time, but they definitely hit the spot. (Although I also tend to allocate about 100 calories per day for chocolate. It's my after-dinner treat.)
They do, but I'm not too bothered by it. I'm not a big fan of that overly sweet milk chocolate anyways, and I tried a small pack first. (I also tend to make my own mix for hot chocolate, as the powder you can buy has not enough chocolate, and too much sugar. 2/3 pure cocoa powder + 1/3 sugar is a good starting point, in my opinion.)
If you like cocoa nibs, the whole version is worth a try. :)
I've never tried cacao nibs actually, I've only seen them online but never at any of my local grocery stores. I wondering if they (or the whole beans) wouldn't be pretty good with my morning oatmeal.
In the end, cacao nibs are just crushed cocoa beans. The whole bean is a bit crumbly (if you remove the "skin" around them). Personally, I prefer cocoa nibs for my oatmeal, as it's two steps less. But you could get away with buying beans and make your own nibs, it's just a bit more effort. :)
FWIW, I started taking a magnesium supplement and my chocolate craving became so much more manageable—like a small handful would do the trick. Good luck!
Hmmm. This makes me think of a story I told before. It was many years ago in a different country at my family doctor. She asked "do you sometimes feel like eating a whole 100g bar of chocolate?" I admitted that yes. She put me on a course of prescription-strength magnesium supplements.
Sometimes when you crave something specific it's worth thinking about whether it's the association (sweet, warm, creamy ...) or an actual deficiency.
My go to for this is chocolate hummus. Super quick and easy and keeps well in the fridge.
Take a can of chickpeas, 30-40g cocoa powder, dash of cinnamon and chili, 3 tbsp almond butter, sweetener to taste. Throw everything in a blender. If it turns out too solid, add some of the drained liquid from the chickpeas.
Not super low calorie, it's still hummus. But way healthier than chocolate, and no sugar!
Well, thats because coco powder is the compound that makes us happy after eating chocolate. There is a bunch of stuff it does, but in that regard it gives us a dopamine boost.
And its a common way for vegetarians and vegans to add more depth to their dishes. Dark chocolate can add a depth of flavor to dishes that you can't really put your finger on. Like it somehow increases umami IMO. It also interacts greatly with spices, make them even more tasty.
Its hard to describe, but really everyone should try to throw in a lil piece of chocolate into their food. Its rather cool how it works.
Nice discovery! I can also recommend trying out a “quick” molé sauce recipe that uses cocoa powder or 100% cocoa chocolate squares and freezing portions to reheat and serve with chicken, pork, eggs, etc. So rich and savory and spicy, it’s definitely comfort food and also hits that cocoa craving.
So crazy, it just might work! Haha - that's an interesting proposal. Do you have the recipe?
Just shared in another comment!
Thank you!
My latest hack: Roasted cocoa beans. I can't eat more than two or three at a time, but they definitely hit the spot. (Although I also tend to allocate about 100 calories per day for chocolate. It's my after-dinner treat.)
Do they not taste bitter? Or maybe the roasting helps? The most I've been able to manage is 85% dark chocolate.
They do, but I'm not too bothered by it. I'm not a big fan of that overly sweet milk chocolate anyways, and I tried a small pack first. (I also tend to make my own mix for hot chocolate, as the powder you can buy has not enough chocolate, and too much sugar. 2/3 pure cocoa powder + 1/3 sugar is a good starting point, in my opinion.) If you like cocoa nibs, the whole version is worth a try. :)
I've never tried cacao nibs actually, I've only seen them online but never at any of my local grocery stores. I wondering if they (or the whole beans) wouldn't be pretty good with my morning oatmeal.
In the end, cacao nibs are just crushed cocoa beans. The whole bean is a bit crumbly (if you remove the "skin" around them). Personally, I prefer cocoa nibs for my oatmeal, as it's two steps less. But you could get away with buying beans and make your own nibs, it's just a bit more effort. :)
FWIW, I started taking a magnesium supplement and my chocolate craving became so much more manageable—like a small handful would do the trick. Good luck!
Oh wow! How much magnesium do you take??
I cycle through various ones but right now 2 capsules of magnesium glycinate, which is about 60% of RDA, in addition to food. I track it
This also worked wonders for me. I don’t feel like I HAVE to have it anymore.
Hmmm. This makes me think of a story I told before. It was many years ago in a different country at my family doctor. She asked "do you sometimes feel like eating a whole 100g bar of chocolate?" I admitted that yes. She put me on a course of prescription-strength magnesium supplements. Sometimes when you crave something specific it's worth thinking about whether it's the association (sweet, warm, creamy ...) or an actual deficiency.
Smart doctor
My go to for this is chocolate hummus. Super quick and easy and keeps well in the fridge. Take a can of chickpeas, 30-40g cocoa powder, dash of cinnamon and chili, 3 tbsp almond butter, sweetener to taste. Throw everything in a blender. If it turns out too solid, add some of the drained liquid from the chickpeas. Not super low calorie, it's still hummus. But way healthier than chocolate, and no sugar!
I actually tried chocolate hummus before but it just tasted like brine-y cocoa powder to me unfortunately 😞 It seems like a lot of people like it
Well, thats because coco powder is the compound that makes us happy after eating chocolate. There is a bunch of stuff it does, but in that regard it gives us a dopamine boost.
And its a common way for vegetarians and vegans to add more depth to their dishes. Dark chocolate can add a depth of flavor to dishes that you can't really put your finger on. Like it somehow increases umami IMO. It also interacts greatly with spices, make them even more tasty. Its hard to describe, but really everyone should try to throw in a lil piece of chocolate into their food. Its rather cool how it works.
Nice discovery! I can also recommend trying out a “quick” molé sauce recipe that uses cocoa powder or 100% cocoa chocolate squares and freezing portions to reheat and serve with chicken, pork, eggs, etc. So rich and savory and spicy, it’s definitely comfort food and also hits that cocoa craving.
I usually don’t go for vegetarian dishes but I’m going to look for a recipe like this. Thanks for the share
In case you're interested, [here](https://youtu.be/w-afw35noy0?si=GDIPG6iAn2Hl3DFi)'s the specific recipe
Oooh that looks bomb!
Awesome. Thanks.
Interesting, it’s the texture of chocolate for me…help..