Chocolate (Cacao) Coconut Ganache Tart

Chocolate Coconut Ganache Tart

By Susan from Rawmazing! She's amazing and so is this dessert of hers!

These are SO amazing!!

Crust

1 cup dried unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup soaked almonds

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pat into two 4 inch tart pans and refrigerate.

 Filling

1/2 cup cacao powder

1/2 cup agave nectar

1/4 cup coconut oil

Melt coconut oil over hot water. Whisk together cacao powder, agave nectar, and coconut oil. Pour into tart shells and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour. Makes 4-6 servings.

Of course if you look at these from Susan's website, hers are much prettier! You need to pour the filling in right away or it starts to solidify from the coconut oil. I learned my lesson. Next time, I'll add the filling quickly so it stays smooth. I am SUPER excited to share these with my hubby! I LOVE them. My mom took one home to my dad, and he loved them too! They will definitely be a staple dessert around here.

You do need to remember that these are still dessert, but a much healthier version that can be consumed with less guilt! Coconut is great for you and cacao is full of antioxidants. They taste guilty, and I like to be fooled in this case!

Coconut oil 
Hair care, skin care, weight control, increased immunity, stress relief, maintaining good cholesterol levels,  diabetes, and bone strength are just a few health benefits of coconut oil. The health benefits of coconut oil can be attributed to lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid. It contains properties such as antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, and soothing. Click here to read more from Kiran Patil at organic facts.

Cacao
Cacao has more antioxidant flavanoids that blueberries, wine, and black and green teas. It would take me forever to tell you why raw cacao is food for you, so I copied this from www.livesuperfoods.com. It will make you want to eat some cacao. I get mine from www.longevitywarehouse.com.

Why Unprocessed Chocolate is Good for You from Livesuperfoods.com

Antioxidants: Cacao has more antioxidant flavonoids than any food tested so far, including blueberries, red wine, and black and green teas. In fact, it has up to four times the quantity of antioxidants found in green tea. Health benefits of these antioxidants include:

• Promote cardiovascular health - Help dilate bloods vessels, reduce blood clotting, improve circulation, help regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
• Protect from environmental and metabolic toxins - Help repair and resist damage caused by free radicals, and may reduce risk of certain cancers.

Neurotransmitters: By increasing the levels of specific neurotransmitters in our brains, cacao promotes positive outlook, facilitates rejuvenation and simply helps us feel good.

• Serotonin - Cacao raises the level of serotonin in the brain; thus acts as an anti-depressant, helps reduce PMS symptoms, and promotes a sense of well-being.
• Endorphins - Cacao stimulates the secretion of endorphins, producing a pleasurable sensation similar to the “runner’s high” a jogger feels after running several miles.
• Phenylethylamine - Found in chocolate, phenylethylamine is also created within the brain and released when we are in love. Acts as mild mood elevator and anti-depressant, and helps increase focus and alertness.
• Anandamide - Anandamide is known as the “bliss chemical” because it is released by the brain when we are feeling great. Cacao contains both N-acylethanolamines, believed to temporarily increase the levels of anandamide in the brain, and enzyme inhibitors that slow its breakdown. Promotes relaxation, and helps us feel good longer.

Essential Minerals: Cacao beans are rich in a number of essential minerals, including magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

• Magnesium - Cacao seems to be the #1 source of magnesium of any food. Magnesium balances brain chemistry, builds strong bones, and helps regulate heartbeat and blood pressure. Magnesium deficiency, present in 80% of Americans, is linked with PMT, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes and joint problems.
• Sulfur - Cacao is high in the beauty mineral sulfur. Sulfur builds strong nails and hair, promotes beautiful skin, detoxifies the liver, and supports healthy pancreas functioning.

Essential fats: There is a misperception that chocolate is fattening. In truth, the fats in cocoa butter are healthy fats. Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, also found in olive oil, that may raise good cholesterol. Also, substances found in cacao are known to help reduce appetite.

Important note- To fully benefit from chocolate’s wide array of nutrients, eat chocolate that is as close to its natural state as possible. Whole cacao beans and nibs are best. You lose many of the health benefits when you eat commercially produced chocolate.

So, go make a good healthy dessert that tastes like it's bad for you!!