Here we are – the last day of the 7 Days of Cocoa. Why 7 days and why cocoa? Who knows. Seemed like a good thing to do when I started. I am just that into cocoa right now. And if I hadn’t been, I would not have discovered how much I love white cocoa or how easy it is to add other ingredients and still have the joy of cocoa.
For Day 7, I am adding an ingredients you make think is completely ridiculous.
Sauerkraut.
This is not the first time I’ve added sauerkraut where most might think it doesn’t belong – smoothies, chocolate cake. It blends in surprisingly well.
And it’s no different with cocoa. I actually prefer adding sauerkraut to cocoa than yogurt but this is all about you choosing what you prefer.
Sauerkraut is one of the most beneficial fermented foods with a very long history. The key is to not cook it with the cocoa in order to maintain some of the beneficial bacteria. Sauerkraut is both probiotic and prebiotic.
For something else to add that’s a bit different – use date syrup as a choice of sweetener. It can be purchased or you can make it (see below) Another option is date sugar but it’s hard to find and quite expensive. And if none of these options work for you but you like the idea of sweetening with dates, then soak 10 dates in some warm water and toss them into the mini-blender with the sauerkraut. Drain the water first. This will give the cocoa a bit of a texture but you might like it.
Here’s the recipe:
1 cup milk of choice – I use organic, full-fat milk but you could also use coconut milk – the kind that contains fat is best for the gut.
1 tbsp raw cocoa powder (or cocoa of choice)
1 1/2 tbsp sweetener of choice – organic sugar, sucanat, honey, maple syrup, coconut sweetener or 2 tbsp date syrup
2 tbsp sauerkraut
Place in the milk, cocoa and sweetener of choice into a small pot. Place on the stove on medium-high heat. Stir with a whisk and bring to boil. Stir frequently. Be careful as it can boil over. Remove from the stove and let sit for five minutes. Transfer to a mini-blender and add the sauerkraut. Blend until smooth. Use a regular blender if you don’t have a mini-blender. Transfer to a mug and serve.
To make date syrup: Put 24 medjool dates in 3 cups water in a saucepan on high heat and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Remove for the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Place a piece of cheesecloth over a container. Make sure the cheesecloth is at least 4 sheets thick. Put the date mixture into the cheesecloth. Pick up the four corners of the cheesecloth and close around the dates. Squeeze the syrup through the cheesecloth into the container. You should have at least one cup of syrup or more. Put in a glass jar with a lid. Store in the refrigerator. Use as desired.
Enjoy!
Other days for the 7 Days of Cocoa
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