Maca, Cacao & Chia Power Bowl

Happy first day of spring everyone! I have been very quiet on the old blog front recently, but rest assured I have been busy, busy developing new recipes and ideas for the Kitchen!

Let me introduce you to one of them…

Oh hi Maca, Cacao & Chia Power Bowl.

How you doing, good-looking?

This little bowl of goodness combines some of my favourite super foods. It is a cinch to make and looks oh-so pretty. It is an amazing combination of textures and flavours. There is something about the rich, cacao-infused chia seeds combined with cool coconut yoghurt topped with juicy, zesty fruit. It is a flavour explosion in your mouth.

It makes a great breakfast. You can whip it up the night before, and enjoy as a grab-and-go. But equally, it makes a great pudding or snack. I mean, it tastes like pudding. Who doesn’t love pudding for breakfast? I feel that I say that a lot…

Now, there is something you should know about me. I am a bit of a geek. I love history and archaeology. I wanted to try something new and create some new recipes that were inspired by history. So I was in my element creating this dish. It tied together my two hobbies: cooking and history.

I wanted to make a delicious, nourishing power bowl. So naturally three popular superfoods came to mind: Cacao, Maca and Chia. Now the term superfood may seem like a modern notion. But these three ingredients have long been coveted throughout history as powerful foods.

Now excuse me whilst I geek out for a little bit…

The cacao plant was revered by the ancient people of Central America. It served as a food source, a medicine and a form of currency. Archaeological evidence shows it was used within religious practices, and was highly coveted by both the Mayans and Aztecs. Cacao was thought to be discovered by the Gods and consequently it was celebrated and honoured with festivals and rituals.

Maca has thought to have been cultivated for at least 2000 years, and its origins lie in Peru. It is thought that the domestication of the maca root began when the indigenous people discovered the positive effects the root had on the livestock. Maca was later consumed by ancient warriors, who believed that it enhanced their energy levels and their, ahem, libido.

Chia was also enjoyed by warriors before battle. Indeed the word ‘Chia’ derives from the Mayan word for ‘strength’. Both the Mayans and the Aztecs thought that this little seed imbued those who consumed it with special powers.

Now we know that all three of these food sources have fantastic nutritional properties, this is why we feel so good when we eat them. But I love the idea of ancient civilisations believing that these foods were so special that they were magical. That warriors consumed them and believed they would be imbued with strength to face their battles. Now, I think we could all do with a little help facing our daily battles. So this little bowl of nourishment is my equivalent of warrior fuel.

I think that it is therefore very apt that I am posting this on Sunday. After all, we all need help facing those dreaded Monday mornings! So whip up a bowl tonight and start your week feeling strong. I can’t say that it is magical. But it is ruddy delicious – and any day that starts with pudding for breakfast, can’t be bad – right? Oops, see – I said it again!

Ingredients:

Serves one

30g Chia Seeds
1 tablespoon Raw Cacao Powder (I love the Choc Chick brand – all ethically sourced by a lovely Brighton based company!)
300ml Coconut Milk (the milk alternative, not the canned stuff)
2 tsp Maca Powder
1 generous squeeze of Coconut Blossom Nectar (you can use honey if you prefer!)
2 tablespoon Coconut yoghurt
Blackberries
Pomegranate Seeds
Freshly grated lemon zest (I used about half a lemon)

Method:

Mix the coconut milk, the chia seeds, coconut blossom nectar and maca powder in a bowl. Pour into your favourite pudding bowl and leave, covered in the fridge for at least one hour. I prefer to leave mine overnight.
When you are ready to serve, top with the yoghurt and fruit and scatter with lemon zest.

No cooking and minimal prep! This is my kinda breakfast-pudding-snack. Forget breakfasts of champions – this is the breakfast of the modern-day warrior.

Happy Sunday everyone!