FOUR INGREDIENT CACAO MOUSSE
Let me set the scene: You’ve finished dinner about an hour ago, you’ve been so good with eating well all day, but that little chocolate gobbling monster is coming out to play. You know you don’t have any chocolate in the house because you’re avoiding refined sugar and dairy. You’re deciding if you can be bothered going up to the shops for a cherry ripe or block of dairy milk. You’ve done this plenty of times before, but you want another option so you don’t feel deprived, but also that doesn’t undo all of your great work. Cue the Four Ingredient Cacao Mousse!
COMMON CAUSES OF CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS:
Our bodies give us signals all of the time. It is important to listen to them. If you find you are craving chocolate consistently it can be a sign of:
Not eating enough protein or healthy fats during the day
Magnesium deficiency
Emotional eating
When we have possibly eaten too many refined carbs during the day and not enough healthy fats or protein, our bodies need more energy and demand it in the fastest way possible - sugar. By instead eating something that is high in good fats and protein to curb your nightly sugar cravings, it will leave you feeling satisfied, so that you won’t be left wanting more.
Another reason we may be craving chocolate is that our bodies are letting us know it needs more magnesium. Cacao and avocado are rich in magnesium and our levels can be low if we don’t have enough in our diet, or if our need for magnesium is higher when we are stressed or exercising frequently.
During times in our lives when we may be reacting for chocolate more frequently, if may be due to the fact that our brains release serotonin (our happy hormone) when we eat chocolate. If we’re feeling down, it makes sense that we crave chocolate to boost our mood. By looking at our habits in an objective manner and noticing what emotions we may be feelings when we partake in these habits, we can get a clearer understanding of what we actually need. Do we need to exercise, meditate, talk to a friend, journal, cry? What self care activity can we do to help us feel better that is good for us?
FOUR INGREDIENT CACAO MOUSSE RECIPE
Gluten Free | Dairy Free | Vegan
INGREDIENTS
1 over-ripe banana
1 tbsp cacao powder
1 cup plant milk
1/2 avocado
METHOD
Add every ingredient into a blender.
Blend until mixture is smooth.
Enjoy on it’s own in a bowl, over a fruit salad, with muesli or over pancakes.