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Monday's Leftovers: Cocoa-Roasted Turkey

YumSugar — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:00:38 -0800

Still craving all things chocolate? You're in luck - the aphrodisiac takes on well with savory dishes like this recipe for cocoa-roasted turkey. For a Caribbean twist, rub leftover turkey thighs with a blend of cocoa and salt. The result is a crisp-skinned turkey imbued with a dark, roasted flavor. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility: If you're feeling wary of peanuts these days, sub in chopped cashews or pine nuts. Want more fiber? Use brown rice instead of white rice. To make this dinner tonight, read more.

Cocoa-Roasted Turkey
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
3 turkey thighs (about 3 3/4 pounds total)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cup white rice
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts
2 bananas, halved lengthwise
Special equipment: Instant-read thermometer

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine the cocoa and 1 tablespoon salt. Rub the turkey with the oil and sprinkle with the cocoa mixture. Roast the turkey, skin side up, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°, about 50 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and tent with foil.
Add 3/4 cup water to the roasting pan and simmer over medium heat, scraping up the browned bits.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and coriander and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups water, the rice and 3/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the peanuts.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the banana slices and cook until lightly browned on each side; season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve the turkey with the peanut rice, fried bananas and pan gravy.

Serves 4.

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Celebrate National Cocoa Day

FitSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:30:00 -0800

According my pal PartySugar, today is National Cocoa Day, and that is one day I feel like celebrating. Cocoa is good for your brain! Yep, it promotes blood flow to your noggin by dilating your arteries. This arterial dilation is good for your heart too and maybe this is why I love a nice, hot cup of cocoa on a cold day.

One of my favorite cocoas is Dark Chocolate Truffle Hot Cocoa by Godiva. Just 2 tbsp. of this powder contains 6 g. of fiber and 4 g. of protein! Just be sure make your little cup of indulgence with nonfat milk!

Happy, healthy National Cocoa Day to you. Celebrate by taking the cocoa quiz over on YumSugar.

Fit's Tip: One little reminder though: Everything in moderation, even cocoa!

Source

Think You Know Cocoa?

partysugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:10:09 -0800

Today is National Cocoa Day! To celebrate, you could whip yourself up a glass of hot cocoa, nibble on some cocoa beans, or take a quiz to see how much you know about cocoa. FitSugar would recommend taking the quiz because it's 100 percent fat and calorie free!

Source

Take the quiz

Chocolate is Even Better for Us

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 13:30:00 -0700

OK. OK - You don't have to twist my arm. I'll eat dark chocolate already.

Recent reseach has discovered yet another health benefit of chocolate. Right On!!! Based on a study where patients consumed 8 oz of cocoa (without sugar) daily for 6 weeks, researchers found the patients had increased blood flow. Good news for your heart and your taste buds.

Cocoa and dark chocolate products are considered one of the most concentrated sources of flavenoids. Red wine, green tea, fruit, and vegetables also contain flavenoids, which are the pigments in plants that act as antioxidants.

This test does not suggest that everyone start devouring Hershey's kisses and Bon-Bons daily (darn), but it does suggest that we pay more attention to how dark chocolate and other flavenoid-rich foods might offer help to our heart and body. Who knows, maybe down the road your doctor will prescribe heart medication made out of cocoa.

The antioxidants in dark chocolate can also lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol. So if you're a chocoholic, make sure you're consuming the dark stuff. It has a higher percentage of cocoa than milk-chocolate.

Augustus Gloop knew this all along. No wonder he took a dip in Willy Wonka's chocolate river. Knowing what I know now about the health benefits of chocolate, I would too.

Health By Chocolate

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 16:55:00 -0800

I know when I have PMS, I crave sweet treats, particularly chocolate. I just found a chocolate bar that's specially formulated to soothe my PMS symptoms.

Ecco Bella, known for its beauty products, is branching out and has created Health by Chocolate bars, made with organic, dark chocolate and enhanced with herbs, antioxidants, and minerals to soothe your mood, build your bones, and help your skin. The Women's Wonder Bar is made with a blend of soy, Chaste Tree berry (clinically proven to relieve symptoms), and pampering rose oil to soothe and alleviate the symptoms of PMS and menopause.

Their Beautiful Bones Bar is fortified with calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin K to support healthy bones. It is flavored with a hint of orange.

The Instant Bliss Beauty Bar is a delicious way to "feed" your skin. It contains lutein, lycopene, beta-carotene, and astaxanthin. These powerful antioxidants are derived from marigolds, tomatoes, carrots, blueberries, and algae and have great skin protecting powers.

Well, now you can eat your chocolate knowing not only does it soothe the soul, but it's great for your body too. You can buy them directly from the Ecco Bella website in packages of 24 bars for $82.

Drink Cocoa for Your Brain

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 13:05:00 -0800

There are so many reasons to enjoy a nice, hot mug of cocoa, and now there are even more.

A recent study found that cocoa increases blood flow to the brain, which means it may be helpful in treating dementia since it is marked by decreased blood flow in the brain.

Cocoa is high in the anti-oxidant known as flavanol, and flavanol promotes
dilation of the arteries. Hence the increase in blood flow to the brain. The wonders of cocoa don't stop there, it has been found to help decrease blood pressure as well. Chocolate companies are positioning themselves to break into the lucrative health food market and Mars announced plans to market a line of products under the name CocoaVia which will be high in flavanols. Looks like Hershey will follow suit and increase flavanols in their dark chocolate products.

Studies will soon be performed on folks with compromised brain function to see if drinking a nice, hot mug of cocoa increases blood flow to their brains as well as the young lasses that participated in the original study.

Lose That White Flour Residue

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 15:13:47 -0800

Have you ever made a chocolate cake, or a pan of brownies, only to turn it out of the pan and discover that the flour from dusting the pan has adhered to your otherwise gorgeous creation? Well next time, instead of dusting the pan with flour, try dusting with cocoa powder. There will still be a bit of buildup, however it will now be hidden. To checkout my gal PartySugar's latest brownie adventure, read more

On Saturday night I was catering a dinner party that my mom was hosting. She doesn't cook so I was doing it all on Saturday. I wanted to make the chocolate puds I saw featured here but I was in a rush to get the groceries when I realized I would have to convert the measurements. I hate anything to do with numbers so I decided to make my fall back recipe, easy-peasy brownies. Seriously these are the easiest brownies and taste super good. If you ever need a to-go quick dessert, make these brownies! I first posted the recipe in my party plan for a knitting party but I have copied it here for you all to see.

Truffle Brownies
From The Hearty Boys

2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 stick margarine
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Chocolate ganache for topping, recipe follows
Special equipment: 9-inch round foil cake pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a hand held electric mixer, beat the eggs and salt together in a large mixing bowl until frothy. Add the sugar and beat until the eggs are thick and pale yellow, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Put the margarine and chocolate in a microwave safe container and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir to ensure that the chocolate has melted. Microwave an additional 30 seconds, if needed.

With the mixer running, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Add the flour and beat 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat an additional 30 seconds.

Spray the cake pan with a pan release spray and pour in the brownie batter. Place the pan on the top rack of the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes until the center is barely set.*

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool. Top with the ganache and place in the freezer for at least 1 hour.

To serve, remove from freezer and slice immediately. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

*Cook's Note: If tested with a toothpick the center will still be gooey. If tested by touch, the center will be soft. It will set once frozen.

Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 cup (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put the chocolate chips and cream into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Remove the bowl and stir with a whisk or fork until well mixed.

Use immediately. If using the ganache later it will need to be reheated.

Yield: 3/4 cup

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DIY Spa Treatment: Delicious, Softening Yogurt Cocoa Mask

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:25 -0800

Want something that smells good enough to eat and is incredibly moisturizing for dry, cold-chapped skin? Try a simple yogurt cocoa face mask. You just need a tablespoon of cheap cocoa butter ($1) and a half tablespoon of yogurt. Melt the cocoa butter in a saucepan over low heat, then mix in the yogurt until smooth. Pour your concoction into a bowl and let it cool to a comfortable temperature, then apply for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water.

Do You Still Believe in the Healing Power of Cocoa Butter?

LilSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:00:12 -0700

Lots of mothers swear by the benefits of slathering their growing bellies and boobs with cocoa butter. The ingredient is mixed into affordable balms and creams that women often purchase as a preventative measure upon finding out they are pregnant. But, new research suggests that cocoa butter lotions and potions have little to no benefit. One report said:

The largest study on the subject was published in 2008 by a team of dermatologists and obstetricians. It followed 175 women in their first pregnancies, some randomly assigned to apply a cocoa butter lotion each day and others assigned to use a placebo. Neither the subjects nor the researchers knew who was using which treatment. After many months, the researchers found no difference in the development or severity of marks, known medically as striae, over the abdomen, breasts or thighs.

The piece suggests Vitamin E as an effective alternative. What's your opinion?

Cocoa Butter Quiz: In Your Mouth or On Your Body?

BellaSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 11:00:51 -0800

I've already confessed to my love for cocoa butter, and I've also been known to have an nagging sweet tooth as well. As I helped my wintry dry skin to a healthy serving of cocoa butter this morning, I reveled in the chocolaty aroma . . . which then made me think about the differences between the sweet-smelling lotion and the sweet-tasting treat. Can you pick cocoa butter truths from my made-up myths? Test yourself and take this quiz.

Take the quiz