“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” – Hippocrates

In search of an affordable, yet quality raw cacao powder, I stumbled upon a great company this week!  Terrasoul Superfoods, located in Houston Texas, is a GOLDMINE when it comes to organic & raw Super-foods.

Chocolate, the Perfect Food

Yes, chocolate, more specifically Raw Cacao is a superfood!  Loaded with antioxidants, magnesium and iron, raw cacao has been used for centuries as a health food.  Unfortunately today, MOST of the chocolate we purchase in stores has been stripped of all it’s nutrition and is loaded with sugar. Up until this past week, I have been using unsweetened cocoa (not the Dutch processed kind) in my shakes and baked recipes.  I knew to avoid the Dutch processed stuff, but I just had not made the switch to the REAL cacao because of the price.  I use SO much of it day-to-day in my shakes and in recipe development, spending $20/lb would leave me broke!  I went in search of a great product at an affordable price and I found it!  After seeing the price of $12 for 1 lb of Terrasoul Raw Cacao Powder, I quickly ordered some not knowing that I was stumbling upon a gold mine of other great foods.  I received my cacao powder very quickly (thank you Amazon Prime) and I immediately made my first shake. All I can say is YUMMY! I was so inspired by the flavor of the cacao and all the nutrition I was getting, later that night I created a new recipe, this Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake. It was DELICIOUS and now I am hooked! The next day I contacted Terrasoul Superfoods to tell them how much I enjoyed their raw cacao.  They were so gracious and sent me this OVERFLOWING box of their products to review and they offered to sponsor a giveaway of (2) $50 gift certificates to purchase their products!  How awesome is that! ?!? Terrasoul Superfoods has everything from Raw Cacao powder and Cocoa Butter to sun-dried apricots as well as super-foods such as Raw Maca powder and Acai Powder!

All of their products are:

• Raw
• Non-GMO
• Vegan
• Gluten Free
• Fair Trade
• Certified Organic
• Low Temperature Processed

In case you didn’t know, the temperatures at which certain ingredients are processed can greatly affect their nutritional content. Heat denatures many enzymes and can destroy vital nutrients just as heating olive oil to high temperatures causes it to become rancid and oxidize, get more Vegan ideas at https://yourveganadventure.com.

I learned from the Terrasoul Superfoods website that during the processing of their raw cacao powder, temperatures never reaches over 114 degrees F to insure none of the nutrients and antioxidants naturally occurring in the cacao are damaged.  So now when I add Terrasoul Raw Cacao powder to my smoothies and shakes, I am getting the most nutrition and still a delicious chocolate shake! I learned so much by looking at their site. I had NO clue of all the benefits of chocolate, certain berries and powders. And I love that the listed all of the nutritional information on their site! I am VERY excited to begin using some of their products in existing recipes as well as creating new recipes with ingredients that I have never used before, like cacao butter.

Hershey’s Cocoa Powder vs. Terrasoul Superfoods Raw Cacao Powder

Note from the owner about their products being labeled Gluten-Free: “All products that Terrasoul Superfoods labels gluten-free are naturally gluten-free and we use good manufacturing practices to ensure there is no cross contamination between any “Big 8″ allergens that are handled in our facility, such as tree nuts.”

Also from the owner about soy being listed as an ingredient processed in their facility: “I thought I was going to carry a soy sprout powder when I launched, but changed my mind after labels where printed and the website images were done. So I currently don’t handle any soy in my facility, and I am phasing those labels out and will update the images when they are all used up.”

Here are some familiar Terrasoul products I have used:

1. Raw Cacao Powder (REAL chocolate)– Contains a high concentration of magnesium and antioxidants.

• Cacao powder be used in the place of unsweetened cocoa powder in my chocolate recipes. I am updating all of my recipes that called for unsweetened cocoa powder to use raw cacao since it is a much healthier form of chocolate. Depending on how chocolaty you like a recipe, you may need to add just a little bit more of the raw cacao powder but equal amounts will still taste good.

2. Sun-Dried Apricots (unsulphured)– A great source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamin A, polyphenols and potassium.

• My husband LOVED these and I had to remind him that I need them for my recipes. He says, “We can buy more.”  My plan with the apricots is to chopping them and using them in a grain-free fruit cake! Also, dipped in dark chocolate for a nice treat!

3. Coconut Palm Sugar– Is a low glycemic substitute for sugar. It is rich in magnesium, zinc, iron and is a natural source of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and C, which aid in the slow absorption of the sugar into the bloodstream.

• I use coconut sugar in small amounts to supplement the Kal Stevia when sweetening recipes. Coconut sugar, raw honey and Kal Stevia are the only forms of sweetener I use.

4. Himalayan Pink Salt– Is rich in minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper and iron.

• I began using Himalayan salt a few months ago. Due to its trace minerals, it is great for thyroid health.  I like Terrasoul’s Himalayan Pink Salt because they sell both the large pieces and the kind already ground into a fine powder.

5. Raw Almonds & Cashews– Nuts are best eaten raw to preserve their nutritional content. MOST ALL nuts labeled raw are still pasteurized but Terrasoul ensured me that their nuts are TRULY raw.

• The raw almonds and cashews will be great for snacking or in my Granola Recipe!

Here are some berries and fruit that I got a chance to sample:

1. Raw Dried Golden Berries– contain high levels of both bioflavanoids and vitamin A. Add them to your diet to boost your intake of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich foods.

• These are quite yummy! They are sweet but tart. Kids would LOVE these (and adults too)!  I plan on covering some of these with chocolate.

 2.  Sun Dried White Mulberries– These are an excellent source of nutrients including iron, calcium, vitamin C, and fiber.

• Again, my husband WOULD NOT stop eating them!  They are not to sweet and have a great texture! I also plan on using them in my fruit cake.  These would also be good in my upcoming recipe, Kitchen Sink Cookies!

3. Dried Yacon Root Slices–  Have a delicate sweet taste and contain fructooligosaccharides (FOS). FOS taste sweet, but pass through the body undigested, so yacón root only contains about half the calories of an average sugar source. Yacón root also has a prebiotic effect, meaning it allows intestinal flora that favor colon and digestive health to flourish.

• These remind me of apple chips.  Very tasty and great make a great snack.

4.  Raw cacao nibs (fermented and unfermented)– Raw cacao nibs are made by removing the skin from the cacao seed and cracking it into small pieces. 

• The cacao nibs remind me of coffee pieces. They are bitter because they are unsweetened but would be great blended with sweetener and/or cacao butter.  I personally wouldn’t eat them straight out of the bag.

Raw Cacao Butter… the base for white chocolate!

5. Cacao Butter–  Is the cream-colored fat extracted from cacao seeds (cocoa beans). It is one of the most stable, highly concentrated natural fats known, and melts at body temperature so that it is readily absorbed into the skin. Cocoa Butter is often recommended for treatment of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. Read here for MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BENEFITS OF CACAO BUTTER

• I am VERY excited to make WHITE CHOCOLATE, REAL White chocolate! I also used the cacao butter as the oil in the Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake recipe.

6. Raw Hulled Hemp Seeds– The best sources of highly absorbable plant protein, making hemp a true super-food. Hemp Seeds also contain all the essential amino acids and fatty acids

• These will be great in my smoothies too!

Take a look at their Nutritional Powders. Here are just a few:

1. Yacon Root Powder– This powder is made from the same root as the chips above. The powdered form is a great sugar substitute.

• I tried adding it to my shakes for sweetness. It took about 2 tbsps to achieve the same sweetness that 2 small servings of Kal Stevia would achieve.

2. Gelatinized Maca Powder & Raw Maca Powder– Maca is most often regarded as a powerful stamina booster, libido enhancer, hormone regulator and exhaustion buster. Maca also provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and sterols that can support general health and immune function.

• I added this to my afternoon smoothie too! What a great supplement!

3. Mesquite Powder– Organic mesquite powder is extracted from the seeds of the mesquite plant, which is found in the southwestern United States and parts of South America. It has a sweet but nutty taste, and is used by many for flavoring in both food and drinks.  It is rich in a number of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It has high levels of calcium and is a rich source of dietary potassium.

• I have been adding this to my Chocolate shakes as well as 1 tsp to this Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake recipe to go with the chocolate flavor.

They also have nutritious berry powders:

1. Maqui Berry Powder– Maqui Berries were consumed by the Mapuche Indians for centuries to improve stamina and strength in their warriors. Maqui berries contain the highest antioxidant value of any known super-fruit.

2. Acai Powder-Acai Powder contains an extraordinary antioxidant compound called anthocyanin, which is thought to have many health and anti-aging benefits with its ability to neutralize free radicals in the body, combat tissue damage and strengthen the immune system. Acai berries contain ten times more antioxidant vitamins than grapes and twice as many as blueberries. This is why acai bowls are trending. (Source) These are just a FEW of their superfood products. Check out their website for a full list, description and prices of their products. Compared to other companies online, Terrasoul Superfoods was very competitive and on most items, beat the price of their competition.

“If diet is wrong, medicine is of no use. If diet is correct, medicine is of no need.”– Ancient Ayurvedic Proverb

In ALL honesty, I had NO CLUE to all the benefits of these super-foods!  I knew raw cacao was good for you, and that coconut sugar and Himalayan salt were good choices, but until researching for this post, I didn’t know how healthy these other foods and supplements were.  Lets heal and feed our body’s with the foods that God and nature intended!

About the Recipe

I think 99% of the human population LOVES chocolate. Maybe subconsciously our bodies crave it because it is SO healthy!  Unfortunately, due to processing and all the added sugar, soy and flavorings,  the chocolate products we buy in the store are no good for us and even harmful! If you’re looking for more delicious recipes like this one, be sure to check out jane unchained for their wide variety of vegan recipes.

I have created about 50 recipes using chocolate between the blog and my 2 cookbooks. I have used unsweetened cocoa powder in the past but I will start substituting Raw Cacao Powder in its place from this day forward.  From my experience, when replacing unsweetened cocoa powder with raw cacao powder, the same measurements will apply. If you haven’t had a chance to order any Terrasoul Raw Cacao Powder, unsweetened cocoa powder will work fine but I STRONGLY encourage  you to give it a try. Healthier and tastier chocolate!!

Nut Free version:

I have been creating more nut-free recipes, primarily by using coconut flour. The problem with using only coconut flour is that sometimes it does not create the texture you want. Coconut flour worked PERFECTLY in my Banana Bread but for this cookie cake, I needed more structure. It needed almond flour. Did you know that you can substitute ground pumpkin seeds in the place of almond flour recipes, cup for cup!  I made this recipe with both almond flour and pumpkin seed flour (that I ground in my Magic Bullet) and it worked PERFECTLY!  Both versions taste AWESOME so use either one you would like.

Dairy-Free:

This recipe is intended to be dairy-free but you can always use butter if you don’t have the cacao butter or coconut oil. The Chocolate Drizzle is made using coconut cream concentrate which is the flesh of coconut ground into a creamy butter.  If you don’t have coconut cream concentrate (or coconut mana as it is sometimes called), feel free to use THIS ganach recipe or THIS chocolate frosting recipe from my Copy Cat Little Brownie recipe.

Cacao Butter: 

I used Terrasoul’s cacao butter in this recipe and it worked BEAUTIFULLY!  It smelled like white chocolate, which is essentially what it is with out the milk solids, vanilla and sweetener.  I melted it down in a small pot and then poured the right amount into the recipe.  It was a beautiful golden color when melted.  You could also use coconut oil or good ‘ol butter instead.

Sweetener:

In this recipe, I use a combo of Kal Stevia and coconut sugar. Feel free to use whatever sweetener you would like. Just be sure to taste your batter BEFORE you bake it. If it doesn’t taste good before you bake it, it won’t taste good after coming out of the oven!

Baking tips for Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake

This is a REALLY easy recipe! One bowl, that’s it!  The recipe calls for using parchment paper (not wax paper) to line the bottom of the pan. This is not necessary if you are going to just serve it out of the pan you bake it in. I knew that I needed to take pictures and didn’t want it to stick so I opted to use parchment. This made it a little more tricky to spread the thick dough, but it worked out.

Recipes on blog that you can use Raw Cacao Powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder:

1. New-tella Chocolate Hazelnut Butter
2. Chocolate Shot
3. Truffles
4. Chocolate Dessert Pizza
5. Triple Chocolate Ice Cream
6. Old Fashioned Chocolate Cream Pie
7. Shakes
8. Molten Cake
9. Copy Cat Little Debbie Brownies
10. German Chocolate Cake
11. Elvis Cupcakes
12. The BEST Chocolate Cake Ever

Other chocolate recipes on the blog:

1. Flourless Chocolate Torte
2. Chocolate Cheesecake
3. Flourless Chocolate Cake
4. Chocolate Cake Cookies
5. Happy House Chocolate Chip Cookies
6. Chocolate Ganach
7. Whipped Chocolate Ganach Frosting
8. Chocolate Chunks
9. Chocolate Chip Dreams
10. Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies
11. Ice Cream Sandwich
12. Candied Apple

I hope you enjoy this recipe!  

Also, Terrasoul is offering 10% off to Satisfying Eats readers on their website: www.terrasoul.com . Simply use the code “SATISFYINGEATS” as the voucher code during checkout.

Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake topped with Triple Chocolate Ice Cream

Disclaimer

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Melissa, the Satisfying Eats Girl!