Kick the Coffee and Open Your Heart with Chunky Monkey Cacao Brownies.
We live in a go, go, go, work, work, work society. The more you can cram into a day the better. Or is it? This often leads us to hitting the snooze button 4 times before we crawl out of bed like an extra from The Walking Dead to the closest source of coffee. Then the cycle starts. Once you incorporate coffee into your daily routine it no longer becomes an option or a choice, it becomes a necessity.
Energetically speaking, when we use caffeine as our fuel and energy we are utilizing energy we don’t yet have. In reference to the Laws of Thermodynamic and The Laws of Conservation of Energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed; energy can only be transferred or changed from one form to another. Thus if the energy we inquire from caffeine and coffee is not created anew, the only option is that is it transferred to us and changed from one form to another. Lack of energy/low energy is transferred into an abundance of energy through the consumption of caffeine. However, if it cannot be created where is the source of this influx of energy? Energy is transferred from our future allotment. We are loaning it from tomorrow, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, etc. This is why once coffee and caffeine becomes your motor and source of energy, you become reliant on it and without you are often left experiencing headaches, a hangover feeling, and you cannot seem to operate at a full functioning level. You start to experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you are not given your daily dose(s) just as any drug. You are reliant on the substance to operate.
Consistent caffeine consumption causes blood vessels to narrow which reduces blood flow to the brain. Caffeine is a stimulant and increases heart rate, blood pressure, and the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. When living in a stress inducing society, where stress-related illness is the leading cause of death, this is the last thing we need. This can also send off fight or flight signals in the body causing anxiety, which is another major condition in our society today. More and more people are becoming aware of adrenal fatigue and this is a result of stress, and trying to do too much while lacking to give ourselves proper sleep, nutrition, and bodily rest. Caffeine increases levels of adrenaline, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands which stimulates more stress within our bodies. Thus, caffeine is a contributing factor to adrenal fatigue as well.
We are operating on the hamster wheel of society always on the move, operating on non-sustainable energy to keep us moving. Moving at such a high pace and on borrowed energy leaves us fully lacking presence and mindfulness in our daily lives. We are not listening to ourselves, each other, or our bodies. With Uranus now retrograde in the sign of Taurus, which is affecting relationships, career/work, and money, things will be slowing down planetary to help us gain focus on what is serving us and not serving us in these areas. No matter how much this go, go, go mentality is engrained in us, embodying this energy at this time will most likely leave you spinning your wheels and getting nowhere. Uranus is all about change for the future so why not change the cycle of borrowing energy from your future self, drop into mindfulness, and be present now.
A great alternative to give you a loving surge in the morning is Cacao. Cacao is the purest form of chocolate. Cacao activates our heart chakra and opens our hearts. Allowing us to tune into ourselves while dropping into presence, mindfulness, and love. Cacao allows us to hear our true self, work through blockages and pent up traumas within our bodies, dissolve negative energy and helps us align with who we are at our core, love. Cacao also has more calcium than cow’s milk and is high in iron, magnesium, and antioxidants. Magnesium is essential for energy production, brain and nervous system health, and strong bones and teeth. Iron builds the blood and helps transport oxygen throughout our bodies. Cacao is high in flavonoids which helps increase good cholesterol (HDL), lowers blood pressure, and opens blood vessels. All of these benefits help to counteract the effects of long-term caffeine use. Cacao is additionally a complete protein, containing all of the nine essential amino acids our body requires. Cacao offers no crash, no withdrawal symptoms, and allows us to pull from our natural energy sources already within us.
Additionally, cacao contains phenethylamine (PEA). PEA is naturally found within our bodies. It is a neurotransmitter and neuroregulator that plays a large role in our mood and cognition. It is the feel good chemical that is associated with increased concentration, energy levels, elevated mood, and bliss. Cacao also contains anandamide, a naturally occurring endocannnabinoid that works with CB1 and CB2 receptors similarly to how CBD works within our bodies as discussed here. It allows negative molecules to be repelled from binding to our transmitters and aids in guiding dopamine and feel good chemicals naturally produced by the body to receptors. This is the bodies built-in anti-depressant and bliss booster.
Switch out your morning coffee for this heart opening electrifying source and I promise you won’t regret it. It is super versatile; you can drink it like coffee, throw it in a smoothie, or put it in your favorite breakfast like my plant based cakey chunky monkey brownies!
What’s in them:
1 peeled, boiled, and cooled Japanese sweet potato.
4 ripe plantains. (See all about the benefits of plantains and how to choose the right ones here)
2 tbl spoons organic cacao
1/2 teaspoon organic aluminum free baking powder
1 teaspoon organic aluminum free baking soda
8 soaked dates
2 tbl spoons flax seed
1/4 cup tahini
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add all ingredients to blender and blend until smooth.
Pour into lined/oiled brownie pan.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. We all have different ovens and they all work differently. What you want to look for is a browned top and when inserting a knife into the center it should come out clean.
Once cooked fully, leave in fridge to cool for 12-24 hours. Allowing them to cool properly is the most important part as it allows them to fully set.
Wake up, grab, go. Find the beauty, love, and compassion in your day no matter what the day brings you and how crazy work is!