I find that whenever I make a smoothie or a shake, I gulp it down uber-fast and hardly savor it. This is usually because the smoothie is a quick on-the-go breakfast and there’s no time to take it sip by sip. Not that gulping a smoothie is a tragedy--not much effort goes into the preparation, so I don’t feel like any hard work is being under-appreciated. But the recipe today isn’t created by just tossing some stuff in a blender. This one requires more work, like pre-soaking figs and processing some Brazil nut milk. Therefore, I think it deserves more appreciation on the tasting end. Today I invite you to invest some energy in building a delicious mocha smoothie - and then doing yourself another favor by taking some quality time to enjoy it.

I have a deep deep love and admiration for the cacao bean.  Cacao is a magical food that seems to immediately satisfy and comfort me.  There's something about a dripping chocolate sauce, or a spongy chocolate cake that calls to me.  Perhaps you feel the same way. I dedicate this week's Focus blog post on the magical cacao bean.  Read up on some of our favorite recipes with cacao here.

Cacao (Theombroma cacao)

Although not all cacao is roasted, it is all fermented, thus reducing its bitterness.  Full of antioxidants and phenyl ethylamine-- the chemical found in the brains of people in love-- it's no wonder people all over the world are attracted to chocolate.  Chocolate fruit looks somewhat similar to a small papaya.  It's the beans on the inside of the pod that we ferment and use in confections, potions, and brews.  Cacao is available in whole beans, nibs (bits of the full bean), and powder (ground up nibs) as well as cacao butter (the extracted fat solids).  Theombroma literally means "Food of the Gods". Human use of cacao dates back more than 5,000 years, and evidence suggests that it was used by the Olmec, Mayan, and Aztec people of Mexico shamanistically and ritualistically as well as a form of currency - and of course, as food! Raw cacao is one of the most complex known food sources, containing an estimated 1,200 chemical constituents including anandamide (bliss chemical), arginine (needed for proper cell division and the healing of wounds), dopamine (a neurotransmitter associated with the pleasure system of the brain), serotonin (a neurotransmitter needed for mood modulation), tryptophan (a precursor for serotonin and melatonin), and phenylethylamine (boosts our ability to be alert and pay attention and is noticeably abundant in the brains of happy people). In addition, cacao contains Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors, which allow more of these and other neurotransmitters to circulate in the brain). Raw cacao is an incredibly rich source of magnesium, which is needed for the heart to function well (it is the primary mineral missing when heart problems occur). Research has shown cacao also to be extraordinarily high in antioxidants - nearly twice that of red wine and three times what is found in green tea.

I admitingly have quite the sweet tooth.  Chocolate calls my name when it's within shouting distance.  Coming back from some indulgent holiday potlucks... I've been working to reinspire myself with eating better into the new year.  This is a recipe that I make for myself every morning.  It hits my sweet tooth, is easy and quick to make and clean up after, and contributes to me loving my morning and feeling good for the rest of the day.  It can also be altered for different commitments and lifestyles for less or more sugar, all raw or high raw and is always organic and delicious.  

Ingredients

Have you fallen in love with our desserts?  Do you keep coming back again and again for more cocao bliss?  You are in for a treat with this simple and quick recipe for a powerful punch of dark velvety goodness.  We like to spice it up with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper on top.  Heat up your Winter days with a mouth full of "Super Hot"!

From our recipe book: Sweet Gratitude (with dozens of other mouth watering, knee buckling dessert dish recipes)

At Cafe Gratitude, we go out of our way to support businesses that share our mission:

Crafting nutritious whole foods locally and in the most environmentally sustainable way possible.

That's why we are proud to offer a delectable selection of Coracao's signature chocolates this holiday season.  These sweet treats are as dense in minerals and micronutrients as they are in 'Yum!' 

Who doesn't love a frothy, creamy old-time milkshake?

I was recently reminded of just how slammin a vegan milkshake can be after reading Meredith Franz' review of Café Gratitude on her blog The Raw Seed.  This image is of her friend Dustin, dustin' off an 'I am Eternally Blessed' Espresso Milkshake.

This week it is my pleasure to share with you some of our masterpiece milkshake recipes.  Most of these milkshakes graced our menu in the past, but are simply too good to have been forgotten!  All of these can be made using our handmade vegan vanilla ice cream, which is available at all of our stores, and at over 33 California locations (subject to availability).  If you are adventurous, you can even make some ice cream yourself by checking out the recipe in Sweet Gratitude.

Instructions:

Begin by letting the ice cream thaw 5-10 minutes.  Combine all ingredients in recipe except ice cream and blend until thoroughly combined.  Stop blending, add the ice cream, and briefly pulse-blend until ice cream is incorperated.  Over-blending will melt the ice cream and reduce the milkshake's thickness.  Recipes make one large milkshake.