Your Gut Bacteria Makes Chocolate Healthier
April 11, 2014
Dark chocolate has been known to have a plethora of health benefits. We’ve heard it time and again that it’s good for the heart and that having chocolate regularly gives you lower body weight.
Just recently, scientists have unveiled one of the many reasons. Bacteria in the gut turn cocoa into compounds that lower inflammation and make us feel full.
Well, isn’t it a delightful time to be a dark-chocolate lover! Word has it that the magic may reside in our own bellies. Science says so. Yeah, science!
Chewy Chocolate Orange Bars
April 9, 2014
Remember the days when you got all giddy just thinking of those chocolate oranges wrapped in foil? You could only enjoy on after whacking it on a hard surface so the "slices" are separated inside. Many adults consider those one of their favorites.
To this day, the combination of chocolate and orange is still dearly loved. Here’s a chewy brownie recipe with a pleasant hint of orange and just the right amount of sweetness.
Chocolate Cravings Explained
April 4, 2014
Chocolate is one of the world’s favorite things. It’s way beyond just a treat. It’s unimaginable, even, to know there’s chocolate in the pantry and just ignore it. Why can’t we just resist its allure? Why can’t we do without it? The psychology behind these intense chocolate cravings is becoming more and more controversial a topic for researchers.
Dr. Amy Jo Stavnezer, a professor of psychology and neuroscience, can give some explanation for the existence of such cravings. “The experience of eating chocolate releases dopamine in particular brain regions. That same dopamine is released during sex, laughter and other activities that are enjoyable. Moreover, the frontal lobe creates a memory of this experience, so whenever people think of chocolate, the brain craves for that same experience again.”, she says.
Mint Chocolate Chip Milk Shake
April 2, 2014
You may not be in the warmest place as of the moment, but in some parts of the globe, it’s summer-like!!
Warm days are the perfect time to indulge in icy treats on the back porch after you’ve called it a day at work. There’s something comforting about sitting around with family enjoying frozen treats. It never fails to wake up the kid in me and makes me remember my glory days running around with nothing to stress about. Ah, childhood memories!
A milkshake made with fresh milk and cream, dark chocolate chips, peppermint extract and chocolate fudge sauce make about as good as a dessert can get in my book. Even diabetics can tweak this recipe a little bit and enjoy this cold treat!
Kentucky Derby Pie
March 26, 2014
Kentucky Derby Pie is traditionally served at the annual Kentucky Derby Horse race. This version is without the bourbon that you find in other Kentucky Derby Pie recipes.
This recipe is simple so it can be whipped up in a jiffy, making this is great last minute recipe. It actually freezes pretty decently, so try making two and freeze one for later! Right? Right?!
Chocolate Diets and Chocolate Pills
March 21, 2014
The idea of a chocolate diet seems to have new company. A new study will determine if collecting the nutrients in dark chocolate, minus the fat and sugar, and putting them in a pill, will do any good.
The key part of this study is the ‘flavanol’ that’s abundant in cacao beans. Several studies have shown how it can be beneficial for arterial health, insulin, blood pressure, as well as cholesterol.
The concepts of chocolate diets and chocolate pills may be rather new, but the health benefits of cocoa have been studied and established for quite a while. The flavonoids in cocoa are renowned antioxidants that help keep stroke and heart attacks at bay.
Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
March 19, 2014
The best way to enjoy dessert is to enjoy it with your family. No argument there. There’s something superbly fun and simple about pulling out a large dish of dessert and laying it on the table, putting it right in the middle, and saying out loud ‘dig in’. There is sheer joy that comes with such an experience, bite by messy, delectable bite. Family memories at its best. Well, in this case, gooey chocolate memories.
P. S. using a cast iron skillet to bake cake is just something else. I love the rustic result.
Chocolate-Chip Biscotti
March 12, 2014
The Italians are kind of liberal with the word biscotti, considering they call any type of cookie biscotti. Meanwhile, in North America, the term biscotti refers to cookies that are long, dry, hard, and twice-baked with a curved top and flat bottom designed for dunking into coffee or even wine. The term ‘biscotti’ is derived from 'bis' meaning twice in Italian and 'cotto', meaning baked or cooked.
Biscotti can supposedly be traced back to Columbus's time, specifically to an Italian baker who is said to have served these treats with Tuscan wines. As Biscotti became massively popular almost all the provinces developed their own flavored version. Since their shelf life was quite long, they were an ideal food for sailors, soldiers, and fisherman.
Enough with the information overload, here's the recipe!
Chocolate-Flavored Fried Chicken!?
February 28, 2014
It seems as though the prediction that we will experience bizarre food mash-ups in 2014 is coming true.
The word is on the street about a new ChocoChicken restaurant from Umami Burger founder Adam Fleischman. You read right, ChocoChicken!
Yes, that’s right, ChocoChicken, as in chocolate and chicken.
Fleischman emphasized right then and there, though, that it’s not gonna be chicken with a mole sauce, or chicken dipped in chocolate. It’s chicken taken to a whole new level. The batter has chocolate infused into it. The world has yet to experience this novelty!