Cacao dream shake

This Cacao shake is my absolute favorite! I have about 3 of these a day when I'm cleansing and 2 on a regular day. I am obsessed with chocolate and this totally does it for me, it's my healthiest guilty pleasure! Just be sure NOT to have these close to bedtime, the cacao is a stimulant. In the picture above is the cacao pod with the pod open.  The pods are harvested when they get a rich orange color. Cut open, the beans and white pulp are set aside to ferment, this helps the bitterness subside and bring out it's rich chocolate flavor.  These grow in only hot, humid climates and there are 16,000 tons of it consumed a year, I can believe that! Just make sure you get CACAO powder, not COCOA, as cocoa usually has milk solids and sugars added to take the bitterness away which dilutes the health benefits.  

My recipe: 

{NOTE: 3 important things here: make sure you soak the dates overnight in a bowl with water in the fridge.  Another note is I buy my cacao mixed with maca but you can buy these separately and very important, peel your bananas and cut them up into one inch rounds and freeze in a baggie overnight}

In the blender add:

1.  6 oz of almond milk {homemade almond milk recipe is in one of my previous posts}
2.  2 oz of coconut water or milk
3.  half a teaspoon of coconut oil
4.  one tablespoon tahini
5.  half a teaspoon flax seed powder
6.  1 and a half tablespoons of cacao mixed with maca
7.  12 small ice cubes or 6 big ones
8.  4 pieces of frozen banana rounds
9.  add 2 soaked dates (don't forget to take that pit out of the date, yes it's happened to me!)

"food of the gods." benefits of cacao
**The perfect food; cacao has more than 300 phytochemicals, including vitamins, minerals, and dietary nutrients 
**Results found that cacoa and chocolate lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation, improve platelet function, raise HDL, and decrease LDL oxidation
**beneficial for people with metabolic syndrome, including health challenges such as diabetes and obesity
**Cacoa polyphenols' effects on plasma metabolites, hormones, and oxidative stress after exercise were studied and found to increase mobilization of free fatty acids and reduce oxidative stress markers.
**Traditional uses include antidepressant, mood leveler, and improvement of cognitive function
**Cacoa contains more phenolic antioxidants and flavonoids than most other foods. 
**provides protection to the nerves, skin, and brain, and boost energy