I LOVE coffee. I kind of have to. I was told once that coffee basically courses through my veins (it’s the Colombian thing again), and I don’t think that’s totally untrue. Unfortunately for me, I just can’t drink it everyday. This was a sad realization, and it was even sadder when I actually had to act on that realization.
Eventually, I kicked the habit with the help of peppermint tea and green tea and some very dark chocolate on the days it was particularly tough. The chocolate helped a lot with the head aches I used to get from the caffeine withdrawals. That was a few years ago. Now, I have this! Oh, if only I had known about the magic that is maca and cacao powder, mixed with a touch of sweetener and, when you feel like it, some milk. Leaving coffee behind would have been a piece of cake.*
I’ve talked about the virtues of “the food of the gods” before. Cacao, especially raw, is a rich source of minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, and magnesium. It also has phytochemicals that are bliss-inducing…actually! They’re called phenylethylamine (PEA) and anandamide. And, if you’re getting raw AND organic cacao, you’re getting some serious antioxidants into your system. Remember, quantity destroys quality, so everything in moderation!
Then there’s maca root. Another South American resident, and another super food! This root is actually a tuber and has been used for centuries by, you guessed it, the Incas. It was used for energy as it contains a boat load of B vitamins. It’s also a vegetarian source of B12. (Wish I had known this, too!) What maca is most known for however, is hormone balance.
Maca is an adaptogen which means that it adapts to the needs of each individual, regulating hormones as needed. If this doesn’t convince you that food is utterly amazing and healing, I don’t know if anything will! For those of you with hormone issues, you know that an imbalance wreaks all kinds of havoc. Hormones play a role in mood, tissue function, fertility, and also many diseases. Suffer from PMS or entering menopause or need a little libido lift? Maca just might be the answer for you. A bit of maca can correct these imbalances naturally by “nourishing the hypothalamus and pituitary glands”. Read more about it here.
So, I’m taking this opportunity, one week after the New Year, to sit with my new “coffee” to work on my intentions for 2014. I’ve adapted well to the slower pace of the desert!
What are your resolutions? Whatever they are, add this goody to your repertoire of magical drinks.
Happy New Year!
You’ll need:
2 C water
1T + 1t cacao powder
2 t maca root powder
1-2 t coconut sugar, optional
milk or coconut milk, optional
To make:
1. Bring water to a boil.
2. Mix cacao, maca and sweetener in a coffee pot (if it helps to keep using your coffee paraphernalia).
3. Pour water over mixture and mix well. Add milk if using and then divide into 2 beautiful mugs.
4. Enjoy often! (But maybe not everyday…start with every other day for a bit and see how you feel. Adjust as necessary!)
*I do still occasionally indulge in “tintos”, espresso like coffee as drunk in Colombia.