A Conscious Feast by Nicole Aloni

The healthy face of chocolate !

Chocolate Love,photo M. Rodriguez

All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt!
—Lucy Van Pelt (in Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz)

Chocolate lovers will be thrilled to discover that their cult-like fascination with this cherished, dusky indulgence has a healthy foundation. It turns out that some of that feverish appreciation may have a basis in the workings of the human mind. When stressed or depressed many of us experience a guilty longing for the comfort of chocolate (lord knows I do). In a breakthrough that has warmed the hearts of chocoholics across America, scientists are now able to explain this yearning. Chocolate contains substances that improve brain function‚ it literally makes us feel better. In response to eating chocolate, the brain releases serotonin, which has a beneficial effect on mood as well as endorphins that stimulate feelings of energy and well-being.

This is remarkably gratifying, for a couple of reasons. In a time when nearly everything we put in our mouths— from bottled water to the innocent egg— has become suspect, it’s pretty cool to find out that something I’d probably eat even if it was toxic can be regarded as health food. And it’s reassuring to know that there’s an upstanding explanation, beyond lust and gluttony, for my chocolate jones.

Research has also made discoveries that appear to prove chocolate is good for our physical health. In the past decade or so, scientists have found that cocoa beans are naturally rich in flavonals, which are beneficial to cardiovascular health; these are similar to the beneficial substances found in red wine, grapes, apples and green teas. And, of course, the fat in chocolate is a cholesterol- free vegetable fat, which is also heart friendly. Happy dance.

chocolate sauce, M. Rodriguez

Dark chocolate, which is highest in cocoa solids, seems to contain the most healthful properties. And it’s not just “okay”, many scientists assert that in modest quantities (about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces per day) high-quality, dark chocolate is a beneficial addition to your diet. If all this wasn’t enough, there are indications in on-going research projects that chocolate may contain natural substances that actually reduce the kinds of bacteria that cause dental plaque. How good can it get?

And we are so lucky that chocolate is one of those products (probably because it’s such a cult-commodity) that eco-pioneers have already brought to markets everywhere in superior organic and fair trade varieties.

Some of my favorite companies include Theo Chocolate, here in Seattle, Dagoba, Green & Black’s, Callebaut (wholesale only) and Shaman Chocolates (supporting the Huichol Indians in Mexico). For a more comprehensive list of organic, fair trade and even vegan chocolates, go to Green Promise.

Double Chocolate Granita Recipe

Conclude your Valentine’s dinner or any special evening with this intensely chocolate snow mellowed with smooth Godiva chocolate liqueur.

EASE OF PREPARATION: Pretty simple

Makes 4 servings

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, like the fair trade organic product from Dagoba
• 1/3 cup sugar
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons Godiva chocolate liqueur
• 1/2 cup barely sweetened whipped cream

1. Heat the first three ingredients in a saucepan until simmering and the sugar is melted. Remove from the heat and stir in all of the ingredients except the whipped cream. Cool.
2. Pour the mixture into an 8-inch by 8-inch metal baking pan.
3. Freeze the mixture until icy around the edges, about 45 minutes. Use a fork to rake the frozen edges toward the center. Repeat the raking several times, until frozen through, about 2 hours total.
4. Cover and keep frozen. Note: The granita can be made to this point up to 2 days before serving.

TO SERVE:

• Pour the granita into a martini glass, a frosted parfait glass, or a small dish. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream.