Emma Newlyn Yoga

So, obviously as we approach Valentine’s day, the internet is full of love-themed recipes…. Not all of them are particularly good for your heart, though….

These little bites of healthy, raw goodness taste better than any processed and sugary shop-bought treats, and they do taste as though someone else has made them who actually knows what they’re doing when it comes to cooking…. (Although you can definitely make them at home with no idea about what you’re doing, while simultaneously creating a huge mess…. trust me on that one….).

Dates are so sweet that you won’t notice there’s no refined sugar in this recipe at all, plus they’re full of fibre to keep the digestive system healthy. Raw cacao is rich in antioxidants and is considered a ‘superfood’, while also containing mood-boosting properties. Vanilla extract calms the nervous system, maca is especially good for female hormones and is also known as an ancient aphrodisiac, and mesquite powder is high in fatigue-fighting magnesium and tastes a little bit like caramel….

The chocolate topping contains extremely healthy and essential fats from coconut oil, more cacao, immune-boosting honey, and pink Himalayan mountain salt, which provides all the essential minerals our bodies need.

If you don’t have a Valentine this year, then show yourself a bit of love and try these out on yourself. You’ll be astounded at how incredibly talented and generous you are to have made such a thoughtful gift….

Ingredients:

For the raw fudge hearts:

1 cup dates

2 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp maca

1 tbsp mesquite powder (optional)

For the chocolate topping:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp honey (or another natural liquid sweetener)

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp pink Himalayan mountain salt

You’ll also need:

A small heart-shaped cookie cutter (or a lot of patience and time to cut our individual heart shapes)

A chopping board or plate

A blender

A hob and cooking pan

How To:

• Blend your dates, cacao, vanilla, maca and mesquite powder in a blender until everything is well combined and all of the large pieces of date are ground.

• Take the mixture out of the blender and separate into small balls.

• Roll the balls around in your hand so they become firm, and then flatten on a chopping board, baking tray or plate.

• Use a heart-shape cutter to cut out small hearts from the mixture until you’ve used it all up.

• Place the shapes in the fridge to set for a little while….

• After about half an hour, it’s time to prepare the chocolate coating:

• Place your coconut oil and honey in a pan and melt over a very low heat (ensure it doesn’t start to simmer or burn!)

• When melted, stir in your vanilla, cacao and salt and mix well.

• Take the mixture off the heat and continue to stir a little, so that it thickens slightly and is easier to place onto your heart shapes.

• Take the hearts out of the fridge and spoon on the chocolate mixture over each heart. This might be a little messy, but you can clean up later….

• When everything is covered, place the hearts back in the fridge and leave for a few hours or over night to set.

• After this, they’ll be ready to share! Keep these stored in the fridge or somewhere else at a low temperature to avoid melting the chocolate, and watch as they mysteriously disappear once everyone knows where they are….

Love, health and happiness is for sharing every day, but this time of year is a good excuse to treat the ones you love….