All Roads Lead to the Kitchen: dark chocolate

Raise your hand if you can't resist those high-quality chocolate bars that are studded with fun, and sometimes unexpected flavors. Mine is raised. It's true. I was seriously contemplating hard... like 10 or 15 minutes hard... in front of a little (big) display of them at the drugstore the other day. Dark chocolate with chile. Dark chocolate with candied ginger. White chocolate with cacao nibs. White chocolate coconut. Creamy milk chocolate with almonds and cherries. It's torture.

At one point I had three different boxes in my hand. I also love the fact that they come in boxes that you have to open to get to the fun wrapper inside. I peel that crinkling wrapping back with all the care of Charlie Bucket, I tell you.

I wound up putting them all back. I was like "this is crazy". Or maybe something more ghetto like "yo, bleep this bleep. I'm out." Oh yeah. I'm as ghetto as they come. I could not decide. And I wasn't going to drop a minimum of $7.50 on chocolate bars.

Although I did wind up passing another one of those evil displays at a different store a few days later. I zeroed in on the white chocolate with cacao nibs, snatched it from it's shelf, faced forward, and walked away. All fast like. I made sure the bag containing that chocolate made its way into the car with me instead in the trunk.

This has been my idea of dessert and sweets lately. I've been steering clear of cakes and brownies and cookies and pies. And indulging in scrumdiddlyumptious ~~squares~~ bars of chocolate instead. I have a feeling that my cravings for those things will make their way back into my being soon, though.

Along the same lines of scrummy chocolate studded with goodies are goodies bathed in scrummy chocolate. Like these plump little nuggets of sunshine. They go swimming in a pool of lightly sweet dark chocolate. Then they take a roll in salty shards of nuttiness. As far as desserts go, I consider them virtuous.

What about you? Virtuous or not really...

Dark Chocolate-Dipped Apricots

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: less than 5 minutes

Keywords: snack dessert vegetarian soy-free apricots chocolate nuts

Ingredients (3 dozen)

½ c. dark or bittersweet chocolate chips (or equivalent chopped chocolate)
36 dried apricots
~¼ c. finely chopped SALTED pistachios

Instructions

Line a baking tray with wax paper (or parchment).

Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl and microwave for about a minute. Stir with a heat-proof spatula. If not melted all the way, heat in 15 second intervals until smooth.

Dip the apricot (halfway to three-quarters of the way) into the melted chocolate. Sprinkle or gently dip one side into the chopped pistachios, then set on wax paper, nut side down; sprinkle pistachios on top. Repeat with all of the apricots.

If you like, slide the tray into the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so - the chocolate will harden quickly this way.

notes:

Once the chocolate has set, these can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

If you want a thicker coating of chocolate, slide into the fridge after the first dip (leaving off the nuts). Once hardened, dip into the chocolate another time and then finish as written. And yes, you will probably need more chocolate than listed if you do this.

adapted from Eating Well

Oh, and post script - if you like these, you'll probably also like Alyssa's Chocolate Covered Apricots w/ Crushed Almonds. I know I want some hanging out side-by-side with these little bites. They'd be besties.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of True Healthy Products. All opinions are 100% mine.

What's your favorite healthy snack? What's your favorite secret indulgence? Are they one and the same? I love a handful of nuts as a mid-day snack. I also some fresh fruit or even a handful of dried fruit as a snack. And a square or two dark chocolate snapped from the bar or a rich, fudgy brownie are definitely ranked among my favorite secret (okay, not so secret) indulgences. The thing is, I don't often crave a candy bar or even anything sweet when I'm hungry in the middle of the day. Unless it's balanced with a bit of salty. How about my handful of nuts...dipped in a thin coating of dark chocolate. Please sir, can I have another? For dessert, why not some fruit dipped in dark chocolate. Deceptively healthy...as long as you don't over do it. What's my point? Sometimes our secret indulgences can actually be beneficial.

Let's talk dark chocolate and its health benefits. There's actually a reason behind that mood-lift you feel after you've eaten that dark chocolate. I'm sure the joy of eating it lends to that feeling of higher spirits, but there's more. Dark chocolate actually releases seratonin, which is an anti-depressant. It also stimulates your endorphins. The release of endorphins lifts your spirits. Not to mention the little boost of energy you feel from the caffeine. But it's not just your overall sense of well-being that benefits. Dark chocolate contains antioxidants (disease-fighting compounds) that help fight against aging and disease by reducing ongoing cellular and arterial damage and polyphenols (or flavonoids) that help inhibit oxidation of LDL cholesterol, which can make your heart healthier. Dark chocolate has also been shown to be an ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitor. What does this mean? Well, less ACE means lower blood pressure. More benefits of antioxidants and polyphenols: reduce risk of clot formation, lowering inflammatory response, help arteries function properly by increasing nitric oxide. The magnesium, potassium, and calcium in dark chocolate help muscles to relax and contract. All of these factors decrease your risk of developing heart disease by contributing to better blood flow.

For the highest health benefits, you want to choose dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa. And I've also read that eating your dark chocolate with milk actually decreases its effectiveness...which is a total bummer, because I love washing down a brownie or a slice of cake or a simple square of chocolate with a cold glass of milk. I don't think I can completely give up the dark chocolate-milk combo, though. And as with all things, moderation is key. Chocolate still has calories...so eat slowly and let the feeling of "secret indulgence" linger on your tongue. Don't ignore that craving. Satisfy it with a square of dark chocolate...or some fruit dipped in dark chocolate...or a piece of dark chocolate cake or a brownie. Why not start the day off with a hit of dark cocoa stirred into your oatmeal or a square broken up and baked in a blanket of puff pastry? Or maybe stir some minimally processed chocolate into your molé for dinner? How will you choose to work that dark chocolate into your life?

*I'm not a doctor (just a dark chocolate aficionado). Everything stated in this post I have learned, read, or heard over the years. Please consult your physician with any questions or health concerns or before you start any diet regimen.

references:
Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate

Simple Chocolate Diet

The Doctor's Chocolate (dark chocolate)