Dark Chocolate Bark

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I wanted to share a treat that is lower in sugar, but higher in nutrients! I know that Valentine’s Day is a polarizing “hallmark” holiday - you either love it and go all out, or you hardly acknowledge its existence. But I’m here to make a case for going all out because I love an excuse to have chocolate in any form, and dark chocolate is an easy sell because it has antioxidants and gives your brain a boost in blood flow to get those creative juices going. It also releases endorphins, which are proven to make you feel good (and further proven* in Harry Potter when he eats chocolate after encountering dementors).

This particular bark is great for that special someone that could use a gentle nudge for more fibre in their diet because the carob chips are high in fibre. Tired of your hubby having the sniffles? The goji berries in this recipe offer improved immune support. There is still opportunity for getting creative by substituting in a variety of nuts - I use hazelnuts to give a break from almonds. With all of these ingredients, you get a great tasting chocolate, packed with power that won’t leave you crashing… for any extra-curricular Valentine’s Day activity you choose to engage in! ;)

*Please email me to convince me that Harry Potter isn’t real life.

Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 1 hr. Servings: 6-8

Ingredients: 

2 bars of at least 70% dark chocolate

¼ cup of goji berries 

½ cup toasted and chopped hazelnuts 

¼ cup of carob chips 

Sprinkle of sea salt 

Instructions: 

Step 1: Line a baking pan with parchment paper.

Step 2: Toast your hazlements for a few minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool. 

Step 3: Melt your chocolate over low to medium heat, stirring constantly. You don’t want it to burn at the bottom, so I mean it when I say stir constantly!

Step 4: Sprinkle your chopped hazelnuts, goji berries, carob chips, and sea salt.

Step 5: Place in the freezer for at least an hr before cutting. 

Don’t have some of these ingredients on hand? Get creative! Any nut and dried fruit combo will work!