Giving the gift of food dates back through the ages. People love to receive something luscious that they simply can't wait to sink their teeth into. One of the best gifts the women in my family like to receive is the gift of chocolate. Chocolate Truffles, to be exact.

I always think of my sister any time I see chocolate truffles on display. I have given these as a gift to her many times and she's always thrilled when she opens the package. I, however, wanted to try my hand at making a batch of easy homemade chocolate truffles and get her opinion, since she's the number one chocoholic that I know. I took them to her for a taste test and needless to say, I didn't get to bring any home with me!

This recipe is so quick and easy you don't need a special occasion to enjoy them.

Easy Homemade Chocolate Truffles

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoonful vanilla or almond extract
Cocoa powder (optional)
Chocolate sprinkles (optional)

In a heavy saucepan on low heat, melt butter. Add cocoa powder and stir until blended. Mix in sweetened condensed milk. Stir until thick and shiny - around 4 minutes or so.

Remove from heat and stir in the extract. Chill around 3-4 hours. When cool shape into balls. You may roll the balls into either the cocoa powder or chocolate sprinkles for an extra chocolate kick.

Chill 1-2 hours and keep refrigerated until ready to enjoy!

I still buy her a pretty box full of store-bought fancy truffles on occasion, but she's just as excited to get a batch of these. Truffles can be quite expensive in a chocolate shop. A batch of these can be made for half, if not less then half the price of a pound of store-bought truffles, depending on where you shop.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charlotte_Winslow

A messy chocolate bar is the perfect way to satisfy your summer cravings. Summer snacks are supposed to be comforting, but at the same time refreshing. Exactly this is what you are going to have if you follow correctly the next few steps.

All you need are five all time favorite ingredients and some basic home equipments. A bag of milk chocolate chips, or, if you want something bitter, you may use semi-sweet ones. Unsalted butter and a bag of walnuts will lower the sweetness. Twenty five to thirty Graham Crackers, but for a healthy touch you may use whole-wheat butter crackers. Last but not least, two cans of condensed milk.

Sticky is very yummy, but it has to stick to the right things. That is why we need butter, so just take a plate and melt the butter for one minute and thirty seconds in the microwave. Then, take the crackers and crumble them. My own technique is doing it inside a zip-lock bag. Remember we want big chunks, not a thin dust.

Many desserts are made of layers, and this chocolate bar is no exception. First, the crumbled crackers and on top, acting as a non-sticking agent, the butter. Adding the walnuts will give it a great body to work with. Finally, spread the chocolate chips and the condensed milk in the baking pan evenly.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes. Then lower the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then put the bars inside. It will be tempting, but still after thirty minutes of baking you should wait for it to cool for at least an hour before cutting. Then wait for a minute, and enjoy.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jose_Antonio_Rodriguez-R

Chocolate is so common these days it is hard to imagine life without it. However, when it was first brought to Europe from Central America it was considered a luxury item since it was still fairly rare in Europe. This is just one of the many historical oddities about chocolate.

There are a number of myths about chocolate that many people still believe. It has actually been shown that this delicious treat does not cause acne, and that it is actually a better candy choice than sticky or hard candies when it comes to preventing tooth decay.

In fact, one of the interesting facts about chocolate that you might not be aware of is that it actually contains a very healthy component called flavinoids that has health benefits. Of course this is more true of dark chocolate than the milk confection, and the dark kind has less sugar as well, so it is definitely the healthier option.

Many people give their pets treats of "human food" from time to time, but you should be careful about doing this with chocolate. One ingredient is theobromine which is actually toxic to pets, even though it is perfectly safe for people to eat it (thank goodness).

Chocolate has a low melting point, which is below the normal body temperature for people. This is why, as the advertisements blast on the airways, it melts in your hand but it also melts in your mouth.

Although we love our chocolate in the United States, there are a lot of countries around where people eat even more candy than we do. Looking into interesting facts about this fine chocolate treat you can discover that even though we eat almost 12 pounds per person per year, people in Denmark eat more than double that at 30 pounds per person per year.

Chocolate is made from cacao beans, which are produced in a number of different countries around the world. Many people don't realize that the confection actually tastes different depending on where they beans were grown. It is possible to actually attend a chocolate tasting where you can taste treats made from beans grown in different countries and get an idea of the differences.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Pardue

Right. When I was introduced to Xocai I was skeptical to say the least. I've seen things come to market and then leave just as fast when their real secrets are uncovered.

I figured this healthy chocolate business to be just another disappointment in a long string of "get rich quick schemes." All were the same minus the fact that my son somehow found something in this chocolate. That was different.

Oh, he had been involved in his share of multi level businesses in the past. The difference this time was his energy and enthusiasm for the product. Quite contagious, so much so that I decided to bite, no pun intended.

However, before I share my own personal testimony it is important that you understand a bit about my past.

My history with automobiles has been rough to say the least.

* 6 car wrecks
* 2 total outs

All as passenger with knees slamming into glove box. Ouch!

My knees have always taken the worst of the beating. As a result I have very little cartilage left in my poor knees. Thus when I walk up or down stairs my knees have a mind of their own by deciding when they will or will not collapse on me.

At least they did, and then chocolate.

Yes, Xocai chocolate is indeed making the difference for me. I decided to give Xocai a try just to prove that it did not work, unfortunately, or should I say fortunately it did. My buckling knees no longer are buckling in my four-story house and the pain? Well, the pain is gone.

To know that glucocameen is a thing of the past for me is reason enough to stay the course with this healthy chocolate. However, that is just the start of my story, not the end.

I went to the dentist recently. Yes, the dentist.

What does that have to do with this awesome product?

Well, he recently told me that I would need to have a root plaining. That didn't sound fun, though it did sound downright painful.

I put it off as long as I could. Hey, I know when to procrastinate. Finally I decided I needed to take care of my teeth and went back. I was told that the deep pockets I had had were gone.

I was then informed by my son of the dental report on chocolate that was available on YouTube. There is a direct correlation between this chocolate and improved dental hygiene. Yes!

The procedure was no longer necessary.

Eat chocolate instead of experiencing painful dental drills? Where do I sign up? Oh, yeah, I already am.

I'd tell you about the energy that this product has brought to my life but I have to run.

Bottom line for this 75 year old is that eating Xocai chocolate for health works. If it works for me just think of the possibilities for you.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Guy_Siverson

The thin secrets of chocolate have been discovered. It's warm weather again and time for wearing less and less clothes! Thin secrets of chocolate can put an end to the stress, in more ways than one! I do love chocolate and with all the information being released about it healthful benefits it all makes sense.

Chocolate is made from plants and that means it contains many benefits of dark vegetables. The benefits of these dark vegetables is antioxidants. Antioxidants protect us from free radicals which causes aging, heart disease and weight gain.

Dark Chocolate contains nearly 8 times the number of antioxidants than strawberries.

Antioxidants do even more;

* Relax Blood Pressure
* Balance Certain Hormones
* Lower Cholesterol
* Improve Sexual Function

The list goes on. Thinking about the few mentioned above which gives you a link to the weight loss function. All the mentioned factors increase the ability of the body to loss weight and keep it off.

The number one thing that makes a diet the worst thing we can think of to do is the horrible way we feel once we start to reduce calories. This makes us miserable.

Thin secrets of chocolate are the light bulb moment you have been waiting for. Chocolate taste good and it gives us a feeling of pleasure. Pleasure is something rarely associated with dieting and yet now it can be. Thin secrets of chocolate are a long list of great things that make it possible for you to take the weight off and keep it off.

The bottom line is that chocolate contains many healthful benefits and is a powerful tool to aid in weight loss. Get proactive and learn more about the thin secrets of chocolate. The internet is a powerful resource.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katie_McMurray

Organic Cacao beans are an awesome way to make your food a sweeter tasting treat, but yet they are extremely healthy for you. Every kind of chocolate that is out there is made from cacao beans, or cocoa beans. With the organic cacao beans though, you don't have the extra sugars added and no chemicals that will taint the healthy food that they are.

Cacao beans have some great mineral benefits and antioxidants, plus they have the rejuvenating properties for your neurotransmitters. With a cacao bean that is raw you will have one of the best super foods, and it's all natural. When a cacao bean is cooked it loses a bunch of the minerals that are in the raw bean. So why take that out? Try these raw organic cacao beans.

Just imagine a chocolate that will taste just as good and is healthy for you. What more can you ask for? The organic cacao bean has the natural nutrient of magnesium. Magnesium does so much for a body. It helps support several very important processes. They include the heart, digestive system and brain, and help to build your bones stronger. As a female you will at times crave the fix of chocolate. With a cacao bean, you have a healthy alternative to that cooked chocolate that has way less nutrients in it.

The organic cacao bean also has iron, and a whopping 314% per one ounce. Iron helps to carry oxygen throughout your blood. Chromium is also in the cacao bean. It's a mineral that the body can use to balance your blood sugar. Also in the cacao bean is Anandamide, which is the chemical or endorphin that your body will produce when you have exercised. It helps you to feel more upbeat and happy.

How about the anti-bacterial substance of theobromine? Theobromine will help your heart work a lot easier too, and it's basically the caffeine but without any stimulation of the nervous system. Like the goji berry, cacao has antioxidants like epicatechins, polyphenols, and catechins. In fact the cacao bean has more antioxidants than that of blueberries, red wine, pomegranates, and acai and, yes, those goji berries combined. That's a heck of a deal and one that will help out the largest cravings for sweets, but in a healthy way.

The cacao beans also have some of the best and most unique nutrients in any substance out there. There is manganese, which will help the blood oxygenation and to form hemoglobin. Plus there is zinc in the cacao bean, which will help out your immune system, pancreas, skin, and liver. Not only that, but there are more nutrients in the cacao bean. Copper is one, which again will help your body to build healthier blood.

The cacao beans have vitamin C in them; however, once they are cooked they will lose the vitamin. We've all heard of those healthy omega 6 fatty acids, which are great for you body. With a raw organic cacao bean you will find this. Phenethylamine is also in the cacao, which will help with your alertness and focus. Yes, another thing about the cacao bean is the tryptophan that is also in the raw cacao. This will help to alleviate stress. The same is true with serotonin, which is found in the cacao bean too.

The organic cacao bean does not have that much caffeine in it. It was found in the Amazon and discovered by Carl von Linnaeus in 1753. With no sugar in the raw cacao, the bean is a great way to still have the cacao taste but yet have all the benefits that have been listed above. Try the organic cacao nib in regular yogurt for a great added taste. There are so many ways to use the cacao bean. Don't miss out on the natural nutrients of eating a raw cacao bean.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Lesser

How busy is your lifestyle? If you have so much going on in your life, don't be surprised if you often feel tired and run down. Sometimes, you don't even have time to eat and are forced to skip a meal.

This has become an unhealthy trend. That's why many people feel inclined to eat an energy bar or a meal replacement bar. These food bars provide something quick and convenient to eat and often make big promises, like increasing energy and mental alertness, providing a source of good nutrition or even boost your athletic performance.

But have you actually found one that delivered on its promises?

Cocoa cassava bars combine all the benefits of a natural energy bar, nutritional bar and meal replacement bar. Most food bars actually contain loads of sugar and unhealthy fats, and are no better than a common candy bar.

So what sets a cocoa cassava bar apart from the rest? One of the main reasons why the cocoa cassava bar is probably the most health-promoting bar on the market today is because it contains Proserum Whey Protein, the highest quality native whey protein made from raw milk.

Whey is known as the best source of biologically active protein. Whey protein helps provide you with more energy by helping you digest and use protein more efficiently and helps promote your optimal intake of carbohydrates, essential fats and vitamins and minerals. It also contains all the essential amino acids, including gluthathione - your body's main antioxidant.

Proserum® Whey Protein is produced using proprietary filtration and drying and does not use any process that could harm the original proteins found in raw milk. Probably the finest quality, biologically active whey protein ever produced, Proserum® Whey contains a complete amino acid profile, including an exceptional amount of cysteine, the precursor of gluthathione. Proserum® Whey also contains high levels of important protein components, including:

lactoferrin - enhances iron absoption, supports your immune system and promotes optimal inflammation levels

immunoglobins - substances that boost your immune system

bovine serum albumin - contains glutamine and cysteine, which are necessary for gluthathione production

active peptides - specialized amino acids that show a helpful information transfer effect on the immune system and help boost intracellular gluthathione

growth factors - growth-promoting protein fractions that help regenerate old or injured cells, build and retain muscles, promote efficient energy use, enhance immunity, and support healthy blood sugar and brain chemicals

Proserum® Whey is the super protein that powers the cocoa cassava bars. Grab a cocoa cassava bar now to experience optimal nutrition in every bite!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shania_Smith