Reflections on Chocolate

Last Monday, as I prepared for the Sugar Cravings talk I was hosting later that day, I reflected on my relationship with sugar.  I find that I love chocolate (who doesn't?) but the better the quality, the less I need to satisfy me. 

I bought some chocolate chips last week, thinking I needed them to make some dairy-free, soy-free chocolate mousse, but instead the recipe called for cocoa powder.  What was I to do with all of these chips?  They are my weakness.  As my grandpa would say, this bag of chips called to me.  I open the bag, and suddenly minutes pass me by while I munch and crunch.... Wait, am I even tasting them??  Am I the only one who can eat chocolate chips by the handfuls without even knowing it?

A better choice is 73% cacao organic chocolate bars.  There's a brand of them made in Boulder, Chocolove, that I do love.  For me, the more cacao and the less sugar the better.  I like that bitter chocolate flavor.  I find I can savor one square -- just one! -- for 5 minutes.  The taste melts in my mouth, so creamy and rich.

So, what have I learned?  That, for me, I would rather eat food that I enjoy tasting and that I notice, rather than a bunch of chocolate chips that have little flavor and are gone without notice!  The former is MINDLESS eating; the latter -- you guessed it -- is MINDFUL eating.

Take some time today with your favorite sweet foods.  Do you savor and enjoy them, as if they are a true treat?  Or do they make their way "from lips to hips" without you realizing it?  By practicing mindful eating, figure out what sweet foods you can truly savor, and you may find you're eating them less but enjoying them more!

Delicious and Easy Chocolate Mousse

Your guests will never know that this contains avocado!  Use organic when possible.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 3 cups

Ingredients:

3 or 4 peeled and pitted avocados
3/4 to 1 cup raw cocoa powder
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
3/4 to 1 cup maple syrup or honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon and/or 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

1.   Put avocados in a food processor or blender.
2.   Add remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth.
3.   Taste and add more cocoa or sweetener if desired.
4.   Serve chilled with fruit slices or in small dishes by itself.

Note: Best chilled for 1 hour or more before serving to allow flavors to meld.