Delicious Raw Chocolate Mousse Berry Cake

A 5 Ingredient Dessert Recipe from Nutritionist and Chef Alexa Gray

The lovely, utterly sweet, and knowledgable nutritionist and chef Alexa Gray came over and taught me how to make the most incredible healthy, and delicious raw dessert recipe made with only 5 ingredients. She uses superfood ingredients in her recipes and this berry chocolate treat is with a cacao frosting.  I personally am addicted to cacao. I now have cacao in the morning instead of coffee or tea and sometimes a bit in the afternoon. Cacao is rich in antioxidants, and simply makes me do the happy dance! Alexa created this heavenly dessert and added some extra elements for a super food boom. The berries and hazelnut crust are a delicious combination, and it keeps for days in the refrigerator.

For more organic, raw and all-natural recipes, see The Local Rose.

Ingredients:
1) 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
2) 1/2 Cup Hazelnuts
3) 3/4 Cup Cacao Powder
4) 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
5) Optional we added powder Reishi

How to Make The Crust:
Place 1/2 cup of hazelnuts in a food processor and blend until it becomes a flour consistency.
Combine ground hazelnuts with 1/3 cup of cacao, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1/4 cup coconut oil.
Pat this mixture into pie dish to make crust.

How to Make the Epic Frosting
Whisk together 1/2 Cup Cacao powder, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup coconut oil.
Pour onto crust.
Add berries in a pattern.
Place pie in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to solidify.
Enjoy!

Interview with Alexa
1) What got you onto the road to cooking nourishing foods?
I was definitely influenced by my mother. She was a healthy eater, an athlete and a yogi. She took very good care of herself. Most of the time I thought it was sort of ridiculous but eventually I finally gave in and now I know why. When you eat nourishing foods it’s like sending a love letter to your body, letting it know that you love it very much and you’re going to take very good care of it. Growing up in LA, especially in high school, I struggled to write love letters to myself. I think I was hard on myself for being curvy and not stick thin. I definitely tried to eat healthy but I would overeat “health food” snacks and didn’t understand basic principles of nutrition. Over time I gained weight and became even more judgmental. While I was in college one of my family members was very ill and so when I graduated I decided to dedicate most of my time to helping them heal. That’s when I took nutrition much more seriously. I started by reading books by Dr. Gabriel Cousens and also David Wolfe who emphasized that consuming raw fruits and vegetables could help heal even the most deadliest of diseases. So I took their advice and fed my family and myself a more “plant-based” diet. Right away I noticed a change. I lost weight, my skin cleared up, I became much more calm and happy. Then, within a year I saw that same family member come back to life and was better than before. There was definitely something special going on here. I decided to pursue a career in this field so I signed up to get a degree in Raw Food Nutrition form the Body Mind Institute and a degree as a Certified Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and haven’t looked back since.

2) What three culinary ingredients can you not live without?
Ancient organics ghee, Hepp’s white or black truffle sea salt and fresh herbs.

3) Can diet affect our emotions?
Absolutely! I think like most situations it’s something you have to experience for yourself first hand to truly know the power of eating a nutrient dense diet. My whole life changed for the better when I improved my diet.

4) Are there some beauty enhancing super foods?
Some of my favorites include Goji berries, Pearl Powder, Shisandra or Tocos. You can add these into your favorite smoothie recipe!

5) What or where is your dream meal?
I recently went to a talk where chef/ writer/ James Beard award winner Dan Barber spoke about his restaurants and his new book, The Third Plate. He has two restaurants in New York: Blue Hill farm and blue Hill at Stone Barns. He is one of the most mindful, bright and talented chefs out there. He believes in utilizing the whole farm including all the crops planted that to keep the soil healthy, not just the “top crops” into his menus. I respect his choice to look more holistically at the farm to table movement. I love food that is delicious and also respected from where is came from. So my dream meal would be to eat at one of those restaurants and maybe alongside Dan and his team to hear all about where my food came from.

6) Are you a mermaid or forest fairy?
A hybrid! What could be cooler than to be able to breathe under water and be able fly?

7) Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
My dream would be to open up wellness centers & clinics around the world that offered free and paid programs in nutrition, mindfulness, cooking and the like. I would love to have counselors on site to conduct one on one guidance and experts who would come to lecture. If there could be a store or restaurant on site that sold ethically sourced food and wellness products that would all be a dream come true!

8) Where do you usually shop for produce and staples?
I think joining a local CSA is a great thing. I love groups like Summerland LA and Good Eggs who deliver foods and support local businesses. For anything else I like Erewhon in West Hollywood, Dragon Herbs in Santa Monica, farmers markets, Co-op in Santa Monica, and most of my online shopping is through ultimatesuperfoods.com or Gabriel Cousens website.