Chocolate is not just a happy treat. It’s loaded with nutrients and benefits, so it’s actually good for you.
When it comes to living foods, coastal Angelenos know where to go—a tiny storefront on Main Street in Santa Monica. This is the home of Euphoria Loves RAWvolution Café, where Matt and Janabai Amsden have been dishing up delicious raw eats for close to a decade. Here they share two favorite chocolate dessert recipes: Chocolate Ganache Cake and a perennial forbidden indulgence reimagined—Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
Rich, buttery coconut cream balls, with cacao nibs and maca.
1 c coconut butter
½ c coconut nectar
2 tbsp cacao nibs
2 tbsp maca powder
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead the mixture by hand. Refrigerate until somewhat hardened, about 20 minutes. Scoop out 2 tablespoons and roll into a ball by hand. Use coconut oil on your hands to make the rolling smoother, if necessary. Continue rolling to make 11 more balls. Store until ready to eat. (Makes approximately 12 balls.)
Chocolate Ganache Tort
This dark chocolate cake was created in heaven by raw pastry chef Krisztina Agramonte to be enjoyed one small slow bite at a time.
For the torte crust
½ c cacao nibs
¼ c coconut sugar
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of vanilla bean powder
For the torte filling
8 c raw cashews
2 c coconut nectar
2 c almond milk
2 c cacao powder
½ tsp vanilla bean powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
1 c coconut oil
1 ½ c melted cacao butter
To make the crust: In a high-speed blender blend all of the ingredients into a semi-coarse powder. Sprinkle the crust generously into the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan.
To make the filling: In a high-speed blender, combine all of the ingredients except the coconut oil and melted cacao butter and blend until smooth. Add the coconut oil and cacao butter only after the other ingredients are well blended and blend again.
Pour the filling into the springform pan and place in the freezer. If you have any crust mixture remaining, use some to decorate the top of the cake. Torte will be completely set up and ready to serve in 12 hours.
Copyright © 2013 by Matthew Amsden and Janabai Owens-Amsden, authors of
The RAWvolution Continues, 
published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster.
❋ If you love desserts, but also love your body, try these great healthful recipes . . .
~ To-die-for Raw and Vegan Desserts
~ 5 More Desserts that Only Taste Decadent
~ Chocolate for Your Health with David Wolfe
~ Gluten-free Chocolate Brownies
