By Chef Val Wilson
Chocolate and peanut butter are my two favorite ingredients when creating a dessert. I have used that great flavor combination in a few recipes in my new cookbook, Simply Healthy Scrumptious Desserts.
Although called pea ‘nuts,’ they are not a nut but a bean. They have been eaten for over 7,600 years, originating in South America, the Spanish brought them back to Europe, and later they spread to Asia and Africa. It is interesting to learn that peanut came to North America with the slave ships and was planted in the southern states. If you travel to the southern states, you will see many places that sell boiled peanuts. This is a different technique of preparing the peanut than most people are used to, and it is an old natural remedy for weakened kidneys.
Peanuts are an excellent source of resveratrol, an antioxidant that may help prevent cancer help with heart disease, and has been studied to show may help with Alzheimer’s disease. Peanuts are also high in iron, protein, vitamin E, B3 (niacin), B9 (folic acid), prosperous, magnesium, and biotin, which are important during pregnancy. When you grind up the delicious peanut to create peanut butter, you get all the health benefits in a creamy texture. One of the early promoters of peanut butter was George A. Bale, who was working with a doctor who wanted his patients who had bad teeth and could not chew well to get a healthy form of protein; peanut butter was a perfect choice.
In the following recipe, I also use dulse flakes, a sea vegetable high in iron and calcium that strengthens your kidneys and adrenal glands.
Chef Valerie Wilson has lived a vegan, macrobiotic lifestyle since 1993. The Author of six cookbooks, her most recent: Simply Healthy Scrumptious Desserts, she hosts her own radio show, REAL FOOD, with Chef and offers cooking classes, lifestyle counseling, and personal chef services. Join her subscription video, Patreon group, Chef Val’s Whole, Healthy Cooking, Connect at www.macroval.com, and FaceBook at MacroVal Food.
Chocolate Peanut Dulse Candies
4 oz. unsweetened cocoa bar
½ cup brown rice syrup
1 T. rice beverage
1 cup peanuts (cut up)
3 tsp. Dulse flakes
1. Put in a saucepan the cocoa bar, brown rice syrup, and rice beverage; on low heat, melt the cocoa. Stir occasionally as it melts.
- Add the peanuts and dulse flakes, turn off the heat, and mix.
- Spoon the mixture onto parchment paper to form small round candies. You can use a small cookie scoop to create uniform-sized candies.
- Put in the refrigerator for a couple of hours until they are cold and firm.
From: Chef Valerie “Simply Health Scrumptious Dessert cookbook” see more at www.macroval.com or Facebook at MacroVal Food.