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Valentine’s Day will soon be here and that probably means all things chocolate will be floating around you.  Want to celebrate some sweetness with the sweeties in your life while enjoying something that is also good for your body this year?  Try these chocolate-covered strawberries and no-bake brownie batter truffles for Valentine’s Day!  These recipes get sweetness from fresh fruit, fats from healthy coconut oil and butter, all the goodness of cocoa and dark chocolate, and protein!  You just can’t go wrong with these, enjoy!

 

Challenge of the Week: Instead sharing edible sweet treats with someone you love, pick someone you care about each day this week to write a note saying how much they mean to you.  Hand write the note preferably, or email/text if needed instead.  Spread some sweetness they can hold on to and enjoy any time they read it!

 

Paleo Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

-1/2 pound fresh strawberries (washed and thoroughly dried)

-2 ounces dark chocolate chips

-1 tablespoon coconut oil

-2 tablespoons coconut butter (optional drizzle)

 

Directions:

  1.        Start by slowly melting your chocolate chips in a microwave, double boiler or pan set on the smallest flame possible. Stir continuously until almost melted.
  2.        Remove from heat and stir in a tablespoon of coconut oil, until everything has melted well. Transfer to a small, deep bowl.
  3.        Make sure your strawberries are completely dry. Keep a paper towel on hand to dab all before dipping. Grab each by the stem and dip as far into the chocolate as you’d like.

Tip: If your chocolate is too runny, you may have melted it too long. Set it aside for a few minutes to thicken up. Otherwise, you may have to dip your strawberries a second time after the first layer of chocolate has cooled.

  1.        Lay your strawberries about two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  2.        Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator and firm up berries for about an hour.
  3.        If you’d like to create a contrasting drizzle on the strawberries, I suggest coconut butter softened in the microwave or on the stovetop. Pour into a small plastic bag, and snip off the corner. Drizzle on as many of the strawberries as you’d like, and let them cool completely.

From sheknows.com

 

No-Bake Brownie Batter Truffles

Yields: 10 truffles

Ingredients:

-1/4 cup coconut flour

-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

-1/2 cup chocolate protein powder*

-3 Tbsp brown rice syrup**

-3 Tbsp nut or seed butter

-6 Tbsp non-dairy milk

-1/3 cup chocolate of choice, for melting

Directions

  1. Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor or blender and process on high until they have fully combined to form a dough. Depending on the ingredients you used, you may need to add a splash of extra milk or a small sprinkle of coconut flour to get the right consistency. The mixture should stick together easily when pressed without being overly sticky.
  2. Using a heaping tablespoon, roll the dough between your hands to form individual balls. Set them aside on a large plate lined with parchment paper, and repeat with the remaining dough.
  3. To prepare the chocolate coating, melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double broiler, stirring periodically to ensure no clumps remain. Using a toothpick, dip each ball into the melted chocolate, gently tapping the side of the bowl to remove any excess. Place back onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat until all truffles have been coated. Sprinkle with toppings, if desired.
  4. Refrigerate for ~15 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Store the truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes * author used a brown rice protein to make these vegan, but feel free to use whichever protein is your favorite. Just note that different types of powders absorb liquid differently, so you might have to adjust how much milk you add depending on which kind you use.

From runningwithspoons

Kay Simms