Summer fun! This time of year it’s great to go out in the morning and play in the sun before the sun gets too high in the sky. Remember back in the day when you would play all summer long. We would swim or ride bikes, then we would go inside around lunch time and play games, and sometimes we would ride our bikes to the convenience store to buy cheap candy and chocolate bars.
Instead of indulging in those candies and chocolates full of sugar and colorings, let’s reminisce with this dairy free Vegan Chocolate Bar that’s perfect for those childhood tastes, when you want something sweet without compromising your health.
This tastes like the chocolate bars you remember, but this chocolate bar won't leave you with a sugar crash. It is packed with nutrients to help you stay balanced, energized, and feeling fantastic. This recipe is a must-try!
What Are Dairy-Free Keto Chocolate Bars Made Of?
So, what's in this tasty treat? We start with cocoa butter, giving our chocolate that rich, creamy texture you love. Cacao powder brings powerful antioxidants and minerals found in dark chocolate. Instead of sugar, we use a low-glycemic sweetener like stevia or monk fruit, keeping it sweet but blood sugar-friendly. Melted coconut oil adds silkiness and healthy fats, while hemp seeds, chopped walnuts, or coconut flakes provide the perfect crunch. To top it off, a few drops of peppermint or orange extract give it a refreshing twist.
For more recipes like this one, check out Dr. Ritamarie’s Body Freedom Nutrition Lab trial course, which includes Hormone Hacking Elixers.
How Do You Make This Chocolate Bar?
Melt, Stir, Freeze. That’s it!
Making this chocolate bar is super fun and easy. Melt your cocoa butter. I like the wafers, and I set them in the dehydrator to melt, but you can also use cocoa butter chunks and melt them slowly either in the dehydrator or on the lowest setting on the stove.
Once the cocoa butter is melted, mix in the cacao powder, coconut oil, and your chosen sweetener. Just stir it by hand. Once it’s all blended, toss in your crunchy add-ins like hemp seeds or walnuts and any flavoring you want. Adding the hemp seeds gives you super healthy keto crunch bars.
Pour the mixture into chocolate bar molds or spread it on parchment paper or a silicon mat if you're going for a more rustic look. Pop it in the freezer until it’s nice and firm. And voila! You've got a healthy, delicious dairy free, dark chocolate bar ready to enjoy.
Want to try a different gluten free chocolate treat that reminds you of your childhood? Check out these Chocolate Filled Coconut Nougats, or this Chocolate Berry Coconut Ice Cream.
How Many Different Chocolate Bars Can You Make?
There are so many ways to customize these chocolate bars to suit your tastes and preferences. What were your favorites as a kid?
1. Mexican Chocolate: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and a dash of cinnamon to your mixture for a spicy, aromatic twist.
2. Almond Joy: Mix in chopped almonds or almond butter and shredded coconut for a delightful crunch and a hint of tropical flavor.
3. Mint Chocolate: Add a few drops of peppermint extract for a refreshing minty taste.
4. Orange Chocolate: Add a few drops of orange extract or some orange zest for a citrusy flavor that compliments the richness of the chocolate.
5. Mocha Chocolate: Stir in a teaspoon of instant coffee substitute or mushroom coffee powder to give your bars a deep, coffee-infused flavor.
6. Raspberry Chocolate: Mix in freeze-dried raspberries or raspberry extract for a fruity contrast.
7. Sea Salt Caramel: Sprinkle a touch of sea salt on top of the bars before freezing, and add a swirl of caramel extract to the mixture.
8. Hazelnut Crunch: Add chopped hazelnuts and a splash of vanilla extract for a nutty, creamy flavor.
9. Lavender Chocolate: A few drops of lavender extract give a unique, floral taste.
10. Matcha Green Tea: Swirl in a teaspoon of matcha powder for a vibrant green color and a subtle, earthy flavor.
With just a few base ingredients, you can create a variety of chocolate bars. This recipe is versatile enough to accommodate countless variations. Simply melt, mix, flavor, and freeze to enjoy your custom-made chocolate bars.
How Do These Ingredients Help With Blood Sugar Balancing and Other Hormones?
Each of these ingredients helps with hormones and blood sugar. Cocoa butter is full of healthy fats that give you long-lasting energy and help keep your metabolism in check. Cacao powder is packed with flavonoids that boost blood flow, lower blood pressure, and keep your heart happy. Plus, it's loaded with magnesium which is essential for keeping your muscles and nerves functioning smoothly. Coconut oil is fantastic for its medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which your body quickly converts into energy, improving your insulin sensitivity. Low-glycemic sweeteners like stevia can satisfy your sweet tooth without causing blood sugar spikes. Adding hemp seeds and walnuts to the mix gives you a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, perfect for reducing inflammation and supporting heart health.
Cocoa Butter
Cocoa butter, from cacao beans, contains polyphenols such as flavonoids. These compounds are potent antioxidants that aid in the reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation. These flavonoids have been shown to improve endothelial function and reduce risk of heart disease.
Cacao Powder
Cacao powder, also from the cacao bean, is a rich source of phytonutrients, particularly flavonoids such as epicatechin, catechin, and procyanidins. These are powerful antioxidants. Research has shown that consuming cacao powder can enhance cardiovascular health by improving endothelial function, lowering blood pressure, and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Cacao powder is also abundant in polyphenols and magnesium. Magnesium is essential for muscle and nerve function, including the heart muscle, and supports the regulation of blood pressure. It is also necessary for the production of hormones that regulate mood and cognitive function.
Cacao powder is also a good source of iron and other essential minerals that support metabolic processes, energy production, and cellular health.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is rich in MCTs, particularly lauric acid, which have unique metabolic and health-promoting properties. MCTs are rapidly metabolized by the liver, providing a quick source of energy and aiding in weight management by promoting satiety and increasing metabolism. Lauric acid is antimicrobial, antiviral, and antifungal, as well
Coconut oil also contains phenolic compounds such as caffeic acid and p-coumaric acid which are antioxidants. These anti-inflammatory properties benefit the heart by improving lipid profiles and reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and chronic inflammation.
Low Glycemic Sweeteners (Stevia and Lou Han)
Low glycemic sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit (Luo Han Guo) provide sweetness without raising blood sugar levels. It's important to buy real stevia made from the leaves, like a stevia extract or the actual leaves, and real monk fruit, which should not be a powdery white. These natural sweeteners help stabilize blood sugar levels, support hormonal balance, and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.
Monk fruit contains mogrosides, particularly mogroside V, which are glycosides responsible for its intense sweetness and antioxidants. These compounds have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects which neutralize free radicals and reduce oxidative stress.
Stevia, derived from the Stevia rebaudiana plant, contains steviol glycosides such as stevioside and rebaudioside A. Steviol glycosides have been shown to help improve glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Both monk fruit and stevia offer sweetening options that do not raise blood glucose levels. The phytonutrients in these natural sweeteners provide additional health benefits beyond their use as sugar substitutes and support metabolic health and offer antioxidant protection.
Hemp Seeds, Walnuts, and Coconut
Hemp seeds and walnuts are excellent sources of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which reduce inflammation and support the heart. These healthy fats also aid in hormone production and maintaining hormonal balance.
Hemp seeds are rich in protein and fiber which is great for keeping blood sugar stable and promoting satiety. They are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, particularly alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). These are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and cardiovascular benefits. They also provide all essential amino acids, and are rich in vitamins and minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron.
Walnuts are packed with antioxidants and polyphenols. They're recognized for their high content of polyunsaturated fats, including ALA, and are rich in antioxidants like ellagic acid and various polyphenols that are neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory. Regular consumption of walnuts has been linked to improved brain health and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Coconut contains MCTs like lauric acid that support energy metabolism and are antimicrobial. Coconut is anti-inflammatory and heart-protective as well as rich in manganese and copper, minerals that are important for digestive health and antioxidant defenses.
Flavoring (Peppermint, Orange, etc.)
Natural essential oils like peppermint and orange not only add a delicious flavor but also bring their own health benefits.
Peppermint has been shown to aid in digestion and reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can indirectly support hormonal health by ensuring proper nutrient absorption.
Orange contains vitamin C and flavonoids, which boost antioxidant levels and support immune function and cardiovascular health.
Enjoying your own homemade chocolate bar can be a treat that boosts your health. This recipe combines the rich flavors of cacao with the nutritional benefits of hemp seeds, walnuts, and coconut to create a delicious treat that supports your heart, balances blood sugar, and promotes overall hormonal balancing. Each ingredient is carefully chosen not just for taste, but for their impressive health benefits.
This homemade chocolate bar is simple to make and bursting with flavor. It's a healthier alternative to store-bought treats. Just mix the ingredients, pour into a mold, and let it set. In no time, you'll have a delightful, nutrient-dense chocolate bar that takes you back to your childhood that you can enjoy any time of day.
The Healthiest Chocolate Bar With Just The Right Crunch
Equipment
- spoon
- Mixing Bowl
- Candy Mold or baking sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Cocoa Butter wafers melted
- 1/2 cup Cacao Powder
- 1 tablespoon Coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon Lou Han Stevia, Bocha or other low glycemic sweetener
- 1 tablespoon Hemp seeds chopped Walnuts, and or coconut, if desired for crunchiness
- 5-15 drops of flavoring like peppermint orange, etc.
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients together until well blended.
- Pour into chocolate bar molds or any mold you wish. You can even just spread out on parchment paper.
- Place in the freezer until hardened, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Where Can You Find This And Other Nutritious And Delicious Recipes Like It?
This recipe is inspired by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo’s Healing Kitchen Show in the Unstoppable Health Community. It's part of her amazing collection of healthy twists on childhood favorites, Bringing Life to Those Childhood Tastes with Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo. For more nutritious and delicious recipes like this one, be sure to check out her Healing Kitchen Show found in the Empowered Self Care Community!
For more recipes like this one, check out Dr. Ritamarie’s Body Freedom Nutrition Lab trial course More Vegan Gourmet Recipes in our FREE Ebook of our Plant-Based Keto Recipes for All-Day Energy.
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