To me, a life without chocolate just sounds sad! After I discovered that I am allergic to dairy, I was so upset. Why? Because I simply love chocolate. This allergen didn't have to rain on my parade, though, because there are so many sweet alternatives to regular milk chocolate out there that won't cause you to feel sluggish, bloated and all of the other uncomfortable symptom s that go along with having a dairy allergy.
Of course, I use this as my excuse to start my day off with some chocolate! Pictured above is my dark chocolate chia seed oats recipe. This dish is satisfying, good for you, and chocolatey. This recipe is dairy-free and refined sugar free. The key here is using raw cocoa powder and finding a nice dark chocolate that you like. Remember, there is dark chocolate and then there are percentages of dark chocolate. When in doubt, make sure the label says something like, "70%," dark chocolate. It is also crucial that you make sure to read the label. Not all dark chocolates are dairy free. Make sure you check the allergen warning before purchasing.
Here's my recipe:
1/2 cup instant oats
3/4 cup unsweetened oat milk (I like my oats thick, so I don't put quite as much liquid in them)
1 heaping tablespoon of baking cocoa powder
1Tbsp pure maple syrup (you can do 2Tbsp if you like them really sweet)
2Tbsp chia seeds
2oz 70% dark chocolate broken up into large chunks.
Here's how you make it:
Add your oats and oat milk to a bowl, give it a little stir and pop it in the microwave for a minute.
Once cooked, mix in your cocoa powder and maple syrup.
Top it however you like with your chia seeds and chocolate chunks. I like to make my food pretty, so I usually make neat and organized lines with my toppings. If you don't care or you're ready to chow down, just throw it all on the top and dig in!
Side notes:
Chocolate, when in its natural form (no added sugars or dairy to it) possesses many great health benefits. Chocolate is high in fiber and it's also great for mood and energy as it has small amounts of caffeine in it. Not to mention it's heart healthy.
To top this dish off, I mixed about a tbsp of oat milk and a tbsp of maple syrup to drizzle on top. Like I said before, I like my oats thick. A drizzle of something sweet makes a nice little compliment to the thickness.
I enjoy adding chia seeds for a little bit of crunch. If you're a lady looking to balance your cycle, these are very beneficial to hormone health. Eating them during different phases of your cycle can help support that specific phase and aid in any symptoms you may be experiencing. They have really helped me in balancing my hormones. Please do your research on these that way you can customize them to your dietary needs.
** I am not a registered dietician, nor do I claim to be. My knowledge has been gained through experience, research and of course the good Lord. This section is brought to you out of my love for feel good food and making improvements to our overall health. These claims are not backed by a formal education but simply out of my desire to share what I've discovered with you. Please do your own research when customizing your dietary and exercise needs. ***
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