A delicious healthy summer snack pimped with maca for hormonal balance and mucuna for a mood boost.
These mini magnum will be your new favorite summer treat. Since I made them the first time, I always have some of them in my freezer for when I crave something sweet, healthy and delicious! They are rich in healthy fats, magnesium, antioxidants and can be powered with adaptogens! Easy to make and great to store in the freezer for any time you want a quick and healthy snack or to bring to the next BBQ or birthday party, they are a real showstopper and everyone will love them.
For the chocolate coating you can use your favorite chocolate bar (I always recommend dark chocolate without white sugar) or create your own chocolate by melting in a double boiler about coconut oil or cocoa butter and raw cocoa and adding a tablespoon of maple syrup and a pinch of Himalayan salt.
I always use raw cacao powder for my recipes. This recipe will work even with normal cocoa powder, but I strongly recommend investing in a good quality raw cacao to absorb all its nutritional benefits. Raw cacao is the perfect way to satisfy your craving for chocolate without overloading your body with refined sugar.
ABOUT ADAPTOGENS / Maca is a starchy tuber from South America, widely used – now as a powder – as an aphrodisiac, mood & energy booster and hormone stabilizer. Maca comes in red, black and cream. Red is best for women, black for men and cream can be used by all. It has a distinct caramel or malt-like flavor. Ashwagandha has been a go-to medicinal root for thousands of years in the Ayurveda practice. When taken regularly, it can help to increase vitality, energy, endurance and has the ability to regulate the stress hormone cortisol, making it a powerful antidote against our busy modern life and promote a restful sleep. Mucuna pruriens is a climbing vine native to Africa and Asia. A legume, often called “the velvet bean” because of its hairy and leathery pods. Many indigenous cultures eat the beans as a good source of protein and because of its uplifting mood benefits. It is also used in Ayurveda as a powerful aphrodisiac and pain reliever. In fact, its seed contains a compound called L-dopa, which is a precursor of the neurotransmitter dopamine, a chemical in the brain that affects emotions, movements, and sensations of pleasure and pain. With increase dopamine signaling comes a mood boost, an aphrodisiac effect and a sensation of well-being in general.
RAW CACAO vs COCOA: Raw cacao, not to be confused for cocoa, is made by cold-pressing raw cacao beans ensuring that no nutrients are lost by heat treating. Unlike cocoa which has been roasted and heavily processed, raw cacao maintains its high nutritional profile making it a superfood loaded with magnesium (known as an “anti-stress vitamin” for its soothing power) and flavonoids (a group of phytonutrients found in almost all fruits and vegetables that are powerful antioxidants with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits). Raw cacao also contains neurotransmitters, such as Anandamide, which increase levels of specific chemicals in our brain that help to elevate mood and to promote a positive outlook. Eating cacao causes the brain to release these ”feel good” chemicals (AKA endorphins) that provide us a general feeling of well-being and help to reduce depression.
Some of the combinations I love:
You can adapt this recipe with all the nut butters and topping you want, but these are my two favourite combinations. Give them a try or leave a comment with your own favorite combi!
MACADAMIA NUT BUTTER, topped with pistachios and rose petals
PEANUT BUTTER, topped with roasted peanut and pink Himalayan sea salt
Prep. Time: 30 min, Cook Time 3 hours I Makes 4 mini magnum
VEGAN MINI MAGNUM
plant-based, refined sugar and dairy-free
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE ICECREAM
- 150 ml coconut cream (put a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight and use just the solid part on top)
- 1 tbsp Nut butter (macadamia, almond, hazelnut, peanut, …)
- 1 tbsp raw cacao powder
- 1,5 tbsp maple syrup
- optional: 1 teaspoon adaptogens of choice (Try 1 teaspoon RED MACA for hormonal balance and 1 teaspoon MUCUNA for a motivation and mood boost)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE SHELL
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
- 100 g dark chocolate 85%, your favorite chocolate bar chopped (try to avoid those with white sugar!)
or
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) melted coconut oil or cacao butter
- 30 g (1/4 cup) raw cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
DECORATION
- rose petals, nuts in pieces (peanuts, cashew, macadamia, pistachios…), pink Himalayan sea salt
ISTRUCTIONS
- Place all the ice cream ingredients into the blender and mix until you have a smooth mixture.
- Pour the ice cream mixture into the silicone molds
- Add the wooden sticks and place the filled molds into the freezer for about 2/3 hours until the ice cream is firm.
- In the meantime prepare the chocolate shell by melting your favorite chocolate bar in a double boiler or making your own chocolate. To make your own chocolate prepare a double boiler and add in a bowl over boiling water the coconut oil or cacao butter, the raw cacao powder, and the maple syrup. Mix well, until a cream is obtained. When you get a nice chocolate cream, remove from the heat and pour it in a glass.
- Before removing the Ice creams from the freezer, prepare everything you need for decoration: for example, rose petals and nuts in pieces.
- Remove the mini magnum from the freezer and dip each ice cream into the chocolate, top with crushed nuts if desired and place them on a baking sheet in the freezer to dry. Make sure to let them defrost for about 3-5 minutes at room temperature before eating!
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
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