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Cacao Mousse Parfait & 5 Hormone Balancing Foods

This cacao avocado mousse is also sometimes called chocolate avocado mousse. It's gluten free and vegan and good for hormonal balance.

Who doesn’t love a delicious parfait? Especially when it’s vegan, gluten free, dairy free and loaded with nutritious ingredients that support hormonal balance. Hormones are powerful so when there is an imbalance it can have a noticeable effect on your health. What we eat and the foods we include in our diets can help support our hormones. There are 5 foods in this recipe that specifically support hormonal balance, including Brazil nuts, almonds, flaxseeds, avocado, and maca root powder.

The raw brownies in this recipe are incredibly delicious and contain Brazil nuts and almonds. Both of these are a great source of healthy fat. Brazil nuts are not only delicious, but they also support thyroid function and are a rich source of an antioxidant called selenium. Selenium is responsible for protecting the thyroid gland and you only need to eat a few Brazil nuts a day to get your daily dose. Almonds are another great source of nourishing fat and they help to balance blood sugar levels, which in turn supports the nervous system.

The remaining foods in this recipe that support hormonal balance are all included in the cacao maca mousse. Flax seeds are great because they can be added to a wide variety of recipes and are helpful for balancing sex hormones thanks to the plant-based compounds called phytoestrogens that they contain. These compounds mimic estrogen, which helps to prevent more dangerous forms of estrogen (xenoestrogens) from interacting with our cells, by binding to estrogen receptors and blocking the dangerous xenoestrogens. In addition, flax seeds are anti-inflammatory because of their rich omega-3 fatty acid content and are a wonderful source of fiber to help your body remove excess estrogen.

Avocado not only provides the creamy texture in the mousse (or chocolate pudding) but it helps to regulate blood sugar imbalances. Avocados help to balance our blood sugar levels because of their high monounsaturated fat content. They also contain vitamin B5, a stress-fighting vitamin, which means stress hormones and nervous system function will be supported. The 5th food in this recipe that supports hormonal balance is maca root powder. Maca root powder helps to balance female sex hormones because it helps to balance the amount of estrogen in the body. It is not only beneficial for women, but also for men. It helps to improve male sexual health and fertility. Lastly, maca root powder is an excellent source of protein, fiber and several vitamins and minerals.

So give this recipe a try!  It’s delicious but also supports hormonal balance. You’ll love it, I promise. Let us know if you try it out on Instagram or Facebook.

 

Cacao Maca Mousse Parfait with Raw Brownies

Raw brownie
1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 cup Brazil nuts
¼ cup almond butter
¼  cup coconut flakes

Cacao Maca Mousse
2 medium ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and chopped
¼ cup dairy-free milk
1 heaping Tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 to 4 tsp maca root powder
3 Tbsp cocoa or cacao powder
1 Tbsp ground flax
3 to 4 Tbsp maple syrup, or to taste

Topping:
pumpkin seeds
berries of choice

 

Directions:

Raw Brownie

  1. Soak the Brazil nuts for 4 hours in a bowl of water, and then rinse well.
  2. Combine all ingredients except the coconut in a food processor and process until smooth

Cacao Maca Mousse

  1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor. Process until completely smooth, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides from time to time.
  2. Serve in small bowls. Top with any of the suggested toppings if you’d like.
  3. Store any leftovers in a tightly lidded container. Because avocado is so perishable, it’s best used within one day.

Putting the parfait together

In a glass or mason jar, add a small amount of brownie paste to form the base and top with cacao maca mousse. Continue to alternative between the brownies and mousse until you reach the top of the glass/jar. Make sure the top layer is mousse topped with pumpkin seeds.

 

 

Written by Rachel Moss

References:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=5
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=95&tname=nutrient
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81
https://draxe.com/top-5-maca-root-benefits-and-nutrition/

 

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