Cocoa Dressing to Flavor your Salads
Salads can be boring if they aren’t seasoned. This is why we’re going to offer you a vinaigrette, completely different from what you’re used to: a cocoa dressing to flavor your salads! There’s no doubt that this delicious and original idea will add a touch of flavor to your salads.
Go grab your pen and paper!
Cocoa dressing to flavor your salads
Vinaigrette combines an acidic taste with the oily texture of fat
Vinaigrette is linked to vinegar, hence the name. However, most recipes don’t include this ingredient. Vinaigrette is a sauce with an acidic element, whether it be vinegar or another ingredient such as lemon juice.
In any case, vinaigrette combines this acidic element with a fatty compound, for example, olive oil. Also, it’s not only used as salad dressing, but can also be used for meat, fruits, etc.
With this, you’ll achieve a spectacular, original, and exquisite salad. It’s true, this cocoa dressing recipe will make your dish unique. The recipe is very easy and quick to make, you’ll see!
This way, your salad will be delicious, fresh, and full of vitamins with a special flavor in no time.
Cocoa
Pure cocoa has a bitter taste which can be combined with the other ingredients in the vinaigrette.
Unlike what you might have initially thought, this vinaigrette isn’t sweet. As you know, cocoa isn’t sweet if it doesn’t have any added sugars. This is why, for this recipe, we need pure cocoa, without any additives – in powder or beans.
Cocoa is rich in minerals and antioxidants. It’s also stimulating, meaning it will give us energy. However, if you have stress problems or insomnia, we recommend you limit this ingredient.
Among its nutrients, cocoa contains magnesium, calcium, and vitamin C. However, it’s also a source of fiber, which contributes to regulate the glucose and fat levels in the blood, meaning that it helps intestinal transit.
On top of that, cocoa also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that helps serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that carries a nervous signal which produces happiness. This is why it improves anxiety, irritability, depression, etc.
So don’t hesitate to use this cocoa dressing to make your salad more nutritious and interesting.
Recipe 1 to make a cocoa vinaigrette
After seasoning with salad dressing, you can add chopped dried fruit to add a crunchy touch.
Ingredients
- 1 small tbsp powdered cocoa
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Mint leaves
- A pinch of salt
- Chopped nuts (optional)
- Vegetables for the salad. For example: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, etc.
Preparation
- Thoroughly clean the vegetables for the salad and drain well. Chop to taste.
- Blend the cocoa, vinegar, oil, mint, and salt until the mix is lump-free.
- Season your salad with the cocoa dressing and add on top a couple of chopped nuts.
Discover more: Coconut Vinegar: Its Main Uses and Benefits
Recipe 2 to make a cocoa vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp flakes peanuts
- 3 tbsp whole cocoa beans
- 10 mint leaves
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red chili
- 1 small slice of Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Vegetables for the salad. For example: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, etc.
Preparation
- Just like the first recipe, start by cleaning and draining the vegetables. Chop to taste.
- Grind the cocoa beans and peanuts.
- Grind the chili and mint leaves and add to the cocoa and peanuts. Do so until you obtain a paste.
- Add olive oil and lemon juice. Mix well.
- Prepare the vegetables and mix them in a bowl. Add the cocoa vinaigrette.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
As you can see, preparing a cocoa vinaigrette is very easy and quick to do. You simply need to make a sauce using all the ingredients and then season your salad.
This way it can be part of a balanced diet where vegetables play an important role. Also, what’s nicer than enjoying them by adding a delicious and original taste to this vinaigrette.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Ludovici V et al. “Cocoa, Blood Pressure, and Vascular Function”, Front Nutr. 2017 Aug 2;4:36. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2017.00036. eCollection 2017.
- De Araujo QR, et al. “Cocoa and Human Health: From Head to Foot–A Review”, Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2016;56(1):1-12. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2012.657921.
- Sokolov AN, et al. “Chocolate and the brain: neurobiological impact of cocoa flavanols on cognition and behavior”, Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2013 Dec;37(10 Pt 2):2445-53. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2013.06.013. Epub 2013 Jun 26.
