Chocolate: Mother's little helper.
When you're blue, there's nothing like chocolate to cheer you up. On Sunday morning I made Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins before Daughter Number Two left for college, thinking something cheerful was in order. They were so chocolatey I almost did a happy dance right in my kitchen.
St John's Wort, move over. Prozac, you're so last decade.
Chocolate is what we need more of around here.
And here's why:
British researchers used brain scans to investigate subconscious reactions to the confection and found that the pleasure centres of chocolate lovers' brains lit up more strongly in response to the food than those who are less partial.
I used Green & Black's industrial strength, 72% baking chocolate. (You can see it scattered on the cutting board.) American tastes may prefer a less intense chocolate. Or not.
Read on to see how to light up your brain.
Double Chocolate Coconut Muffins
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup shredded coconut
1 1/4 cup soy milk
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 ounces dark baking chocolate, cut into chunks
Prepare a 12-muffin tin, either with cooking spray or with paper muffin liners. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350F/180C.
Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, sugar and coconut) in a bowl.
Stir in the soy milk and canola oil just until mixture is combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.
Scoop by spoonfuls into the muffin tin. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry. Let cool before eating.
