Elegant and light in calories these individual soufflés are perfect for a special occasion! Don’t forget that this dish contains a whopping 25 grams of sugar, so make sure that your remaining meals are low on both natural and added sugar. Ideally you would want to limit your daily intake of sugar of any kind to about 10% of your total calorie intake. This translates to about 50 grams for a 2000 calorie diet.
The use of cocoa powder instead of chocolate significantly reduces the fat and calorie content of this dish. Choose a quality bitter cocoa brand for the most intense chocolate sensation!
Food and Mood
The relationship between the foods we eat and our moods is highly complex and intriguing and is a subject that has fascinated people since medieval times. Certain foods can change brain structure, chemistry, and physiology and affect our mood and performance. In turn, mood can also influence the choices we make about food and our expectations on the effects of certain foods can influence how we perceive these foods. Factors such as age, gender, dietary background and the composition and amount of nutrients further influence the relationship between food and mood.
Chocolate is reputed to be a powerful mood enhancer; some women, however, feel guilty after eating chocolate. This mood enhancing quality is not responsible for the chocolate cravings some people experience though, as cocoa powder does not satisfy the craving at all. The unique taste and feel of chocolate in the mouth is apparently responsible for the chocolate craving.
Other studies have found that diets low in carbohydrates increase feelings of anger, depression, and tension, whereas diets high in carbohydrates have a generally uplifting effect on mood. The perfect diet to enhance mood and optimise performance and health remains unknown and many findings remain controversial, but personally, I am at my happiest when I practice what I preach…and eat like a T.W.A.T! ☺
Chocolate soufflé
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 1½ tbsp. cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp. skimmed milk
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp. sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Lightly brush a ramekin with olive oil, and then sprinkle with a ½ teaspoon of sugar to coat the base and sides of the ramekin.
- Combine 2 tablespoons of sugar with the flour, cocoa, and milk in a small pan over medium heat. Cook for a couple of minutes until you have a smooth mixture. Leave to cool down.
- In a medium bowl, beat the egg white until soft peaks form.
- Add the final teaspoon of sugar and continue to beat until the whites become slightly glossy and forms stiff peaks (do not overbeat).
- Gently stir 1/4 of the beaten egg white into the chocolate mixture, then, using a large spoon, gently fold in the remaining egg white.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekin and place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until puffy and set. Serve immediately.