a white background with a few lines on it

Easy Homemade Paleo Chocolate

Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP • May 10, 2019
Easy Homemade Paleo Chocolate

I’ll keep this short and sweet because I know you’re here for an amazing chocolate recipe, not for me ramble on and on about it.

  1. It’s dangerously good.
  2. It’s easy.
  3. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, vegan, refined sugar-free – all the things.

That’s about all you need to know!

Cacao Benefits

For all the chocolate-lovers out there that want another excuse to indulge, here you go. 

But keep in mind, these benefits are for the unprocessed cacao bean itself. You can find unprocessed cacao in the form of cacao nibs (fermented, dried and roasted beans) or cacao powder which is just ground cacao nibs.

Nope, the same benefits do not apply to the standard chocolate bar. The chocolate bar you see on the shelf probably contains alot of processed sugar, and it contains cocoa instead of cacao.

Cocoa is cacao that is processed with high heat and an alkalized chemical solution, which degrades nutrient content and destroys all of the health benefits below.

 

 

Benefits of Cacao

 

cacao bean health benefits

 

The Recipe

This is a great chocolate bar “base”. You can add anything you want on top! My favorites are cacao nibs, sliced almonds, peppermint extract, espresso powder, or freeze-dried raspberries.

For Mother’s Day I used dried rose petals for an elegant touch – they’re available at Whole Foods and, to my surprise, they weren’t expensive.

I used these silicon molds!

They smell very silicony (yes, I know that’s not an actual word) but a few hours in the sun gets rid of the smell. Silicon is safe, unlike plastic, because it won’t leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA and BPS into the chocolate.

I sprinkled my “toppings” into the mold before pouring the chocolate, so that little bits of them would peek through. I love the look of it!


Paleo Dark Chocolate

  • 1 cup cocoa butter
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup cacao powder
  • 4 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • a pinch of sea salt
  1. Heat cocoa butter and coconut oil in a small saucepan on low heat until melted.

  2. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients.

  3. Pour add-ins into silicon molds and then pour in chocolate until full.

  4. Refrigerate for 25-30 minutes until chilled.

If you don’t have a silicon mold on hand you can pour the chocolate onto a piece of parchment paper and make chocolate bark!


Comment below if you enjoyed this recipe, and share the recipe with a chocolate-loving friend!

Continue Reading

By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 18 Apr, 2024
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition that affects millions of women in the United States. PCOS results in debilitating symptoms, long term complications, and is one of the most common causes of infertility in the US. Sadly, for many women it takes years to finally get a diagnosis. For the women who do get diagnosed, they usually don’t know where to begin when it comes to addressing their PCOS naturally. I’ve worked with so many women who are just told to go on birth control to “fix” their PCOS. Birth control not only doesn’t fix PCOS - it can actually cause more issues! Although PCOS is a complex disorder, nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle changes can significantly slow its progression and reduce symptoms. In fact, many of my clients with PCOS have been able to put their PCOS in remission naturally. In this article, we’ll cover: What is PCOS? The role of hormones in PCOS Common signs and symptoms of PCOS Root causes of PCOS How to manage PCOS naturally Dietary and lifestyle changes for PCOS Where to go from here 
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 11 Apr, 2024
Our expert guide to Ashwagandha for PCOS. Learn Registered Dietitian Taylor Stolt's top recommendations for using Ashgawandha as part of a holistic approach to PCOS remission.
PCOS snacks dietitian
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 25 Mar, 2024
Taylor Stolt, Functional Medicine Dietitian and women’s health expert shares her twenty favorite snacks for PCOS, plus answers commonly asked snacking and PCOS questions
The Top 7 Ways to Improve Your Gut Health for Healthy Hormones
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 20 Mar, 2024
Discover the seven ways to improve your gut health and rebalance your hormones, according to a Registered Dietitian, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner, and women's health expert.
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 01 Feb, 2024
Fifteen years ago, my digestive issues sparked my interest in gut health. I was amazed that there were thousands of research studies showing connections between our gut and the health of our immune system, our skin, our brain, and more. I was even more amazed that no one was talking about it! Now gut health is a hot topic, and I’m glad. Our gut health is at an all-time low because of antibiotics, processed food, high stress levels, pesticides, antibacterial soaps, and other gut damaging factors that are so prevalent in the modern world. If you’re unsure about your own gut health, start by asking yourself these three important questions.
Best Teas for Hormone Balance
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 25 Jan, 2024
Our expert guide on the best teas for hormone balance. From lemon balm's stress relieving properties to red clover's menopause relief, learn how this Registered Dietitian's top 10 teas, backed by science and research, can help with a holistic approach to balancing your hormones.
Your Gut Health and Hormones: 7 Ways They're Connected
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 19 Jan, 2024
Discover the seven ways your gut health is connected to your hormones. Unravel how gut issues like gut inflammation, imbalanced gut bacteria, and constipation affect hormone balance.
The Grain-Free Pumpkin Bars You Need this Holiday Season
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 16 Nov, 2023
I absolutely love cooking, but baking is something I rarely do. When I do decide to bake my goal is to make something delicious, with simple steps and minimal clean-up. Any time I'm in the kitchen I want it to be as relaxing as possible, especially around the Holidays. I created this pumpkin bar recipe years ago, but I come back to it again and again. You can quickly mix up these healthy pumpkin bars for a Thanksgiving dinner, Friendsgiving gathering, or sweet treat for yourself. But first - Is pumpkin a Fall fad or is it a healthy addition to our Fall recipes? Is pumpkin actually healthy? Here are some pumpkin nutrition highlights: Full of fiber: Fiber keeps you full, stabilizes blood sugars, supports estrogen metabolism, and regulates digestion. Loaded with vitamin A : One cup of pumpkin contains 245% of the daily recommended amount! Vitamin A prevents collagen breakdown (aka less wrinkles), supports thyroid function, increases iron absorption , and enhances the positive effects of vitamin D. Mineral-rich: Pumpkin is a rich source of magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, zinc and iron. These minerals support energy production, promote hormone balance, keep your immune system in tip-top shape, and more. No, It’s not always healthy Yes, pumpkin is healthy. BUT don’t grab a slice of pumpkin bread and assume it’s automatically healthy. A slice of pumpkin bread from Starbucks has 40 grams of sugar.
Hormone Balance Supplements: A Dietitian's Top Ten Picks
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 15 Nov, 2023
Functional Medicine Dietitian and women's health expert Taylor Stolt shares her favorite hormone balancing supplements.
5-Ingredient Carrot Ginger Soup
By Taylor Stolt, RDN, LD, CLT, IFNCP 12 Nov, 2023
Loaded with antioxidants, lots of vitamin A, fiber to keep you full, fat to keep blood sugars stable, and ginger to fight inflammation.
More Posts
Share by: