A chocolate protein-rich breakfast with a spicy kick that is easy to make, energizes for hours and allows you to have a chocolate dessert for breakfast! And bonus recipe for homemade chai chocolate granola!
Black Forest Mayan Chocolate Parfait & Chai Chocolate Homemade Granola
Consider this: Which is a better way to start your day: a breakfast cup with chocolate? Or a breakfast cup with spicy Mayan chocolate? I thought so.
This chocolate mayan cream here is basically chocolate cashew cream with cayenne pepper. You want to be eating this chocolate cream. Do you know why? Because this spicy chocolate boosts your mood, stimulates digestion, supports your heart, helps with weight control, stimulating your metabolism, and more. Ok, ok, I will give you facts and scientific studies.
What is Mayan Chocolate?
What is Mayan Chocolate? The Ancient Mayans of Central America (900 AD.) were thought to be the first to discover chocolate, and they worshipped it. (A peoples after my own heart!).They drank it as a bitter tonic however. No sweetener in sight for them. They mixed up crushed cocoa beans, water and chili peppers and poured it from cup to cup to create a froth. The word “chocolate” is said to descend from the Mayan word “xocolatl” which means bitter water. Modern society has since altered their recipe to use sweetened dark chocolate (around 70% cacao) and to spice by adding a pinch or more of ground cayenne pepper.
The spicy bite makes the chocolate seem oh so much more chocolate-y.
How Healthy is this Spicy Mayan Chocolate?
Dark chocolate has flavanols that are components that lower blood pressure and cholesterol, improve cognition, lower the risk of heart disease, stabilize blood sugar, control appetite, reduce cravings and more. Harvard University scientists studied it here. And Healthline has a helpful rundown here.
Add in cayenne pepper, and you include that spice’s benefits which include vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, and more.
These work to help the heart and circulatory system work more efficiently.
Hello! Wake up time! See why this recipe is perfect for the morning?
Cayenne pepper is also known for being effective at reducing inflammation (the condition that triggers disease) and accelerates metabolism, perfect for weight control. Need convincing? Listen to the NIH.
This particular parfait pictured is actually built with a black cocoa, a mysterious chocolate powder that makes recipes dark and chocolate-y.
Of course you don’t have to use this black cocoa. You can use cacao powder or even melt some quality dark chocolates like HU, Valrhona, Pascha, and Eating Evolved.
If you do go for the black cocoa, realize one thing: while fun for drama, it is alkali-processed or “dutched” so it actually has half the healthy phytonutrients of raw cacao powder.
And don’t forget the awesome granola recipe – homemade granola is truly a gift from the gods.
All you have to do it toss into a bowl rolled oats, nuts, maple syrup, spices and mix it all up.
Want to make it chocolate flavored? Add in cacao powder and maybe some coconut oil to hold it together better and up the nutrition.
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Black Forest Mayan Chocolate Parfait & Chai Chocolate Homemade Granola
A chocolate protein-rich breakfast with a spicy kick that is easy to make, energizes for hours and allows you to have a chocolate dessert for breakfast! And bonus recipe for homemade chai chocolate granola!
Ingredients
Mayan Chocolate Smoothie Layer
- 1/4 cup cashews (soaked at least 4 hours to render them creamy)
- 1/4 cup nut milk
- 2 tbsp Black Cocoa
- 2 tbsp maple syrup (more if you want it sweeter)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
- pinch each of cayenne and Himalayan salt
Chai Chocolate Granola
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp Chai spice mix (equal parts cardamon, cinnamon, ginger but only a pinch of clove)
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp cacao nibs
Instructions
Make Chocolate Cashew Cream (Mayan Chocolate Layer)
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Set raw cashews in water and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight to render them creamy and more digestible.
When they are ready, blend up the cashews, milk, black cocoa, syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, cayenne and salt. Taste test. If need be, add a bit more syrup to make it sweeter, and a bit more cayenne pepper to make it hot to your taste.
Make Granola
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Mix up granola ingredients in a bowl. Pour on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, and toast at 350 F for 20 minutes or until crunchy. Do not burn. Store in a cool, dry place in an air-tight container for a week for optimum nutrition.
Build Parfait
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Layer a jar with yogurt, the mayan chocolate cream, and top with cherries, berries, your new granola and more! Then eat. Don't forget to eat.
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