Based on your requests, I am offering more tantalizing ways to cook and savor cacao. This recipe is one that I learned while living in Northern New Mexico and helping a Taos Pueblo person teach volunteers how to make adobe brick housing. I got to spend quality time with him, learning building skills as well as traditional Pueblo cooking skills.

Red Chile Mole

You will need:

• 1/4¼cup coconut oil

• 1 large onion, minced

• 1 teaspoon red chile powder (ancho is wonderful)

• 1/4½teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1/2 teaspoons coriander powder

• 1/8½teaspoon clove powder

• 1/4½teaspoon cinnamon powder

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1/4¼cup raisins

• 2 tablespoons tahini (roasted sesame seed butter)

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed (in a garlic press)

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil. Add the chile and cumin seeds. Toast on low for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, chop the onion and add it to the skillet. Add the rest of the spices EXCEPT the cocoa powder. This will come later. Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

You can add a splash of water if the onions are sticking to the bottom of the skillet.

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over the raisins. Let them soak for 5 minutes. Drain ¾ of the water, add tahini, and mix well. Add this mixture to the skillet.

Now add the cocoa powder. Stir well to incorporate the flavors. Press the garlic into the skillet and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.

Enjoy over rice, grilled chicken, pinto beans, or cornbread.

Chocolate Almond Chicken

You will need:

• 1/4¼cup coconut oil

• 1 large onion, minced

• 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced

• 1/4 cup red chile mole (from recipe above)

• 1/4 cup almonds, coarsely chopped

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• 1 pound organic, free-range chicken breasts or boneless chicken thighs

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

In a large skillet, melt coconut oil. Chop the onion and ginger. Add these to the skillet.

Add the chicken, raise the heat to high and saute, stirring constantly with a metal spatula, for 5 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

Add the mole, almonds and almond milk. Stir well to incorporate.

Cover and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Enjoy over corn tortillas and with a side of cooked greens if you like.

Corn Tortillas

You will need:

• 2 cups masa harina (fine corn flour)

• water

• 1 teaspoon lime juice

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 Tablespoon avocado or olive oil

The night before making tortillas:

In a mixing bowl, place 1 1/2½cups masa harina, lime juice, salt, and enough water to make a thick batter.Cover with cloth and allow to sit for 8 to 24 hours.

Stir well. Let the dough remain like a thick batter.

Heat a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet on high heat. Add enough oil to coat skillet thinly.

Prepare dough by mixing remaining ½ cup masa harina and olive oil into batter.

If you have whole corn kernels, add a handful to the batter for texture.

Pour batter in pancake shapes on skillet and cook for 2 minutes on first side and 4 minutes on second side. Use a spatula to flip.

If the oil on the skillet is smoking, reduce heat, wipe off with a paper towel, and resume process with less oil.

When each tortilla is done, place it in a damp cloth and cover it to keep pliable.

As always, please honor the origins of any recipe you use as a way to build equity and sovereignty in a world that’s deeply in need of such healing.