Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Remember, you have until the end of tomorrow (Thursday 2/13) to enter our Valentine’s Day Giveaway for your chance to win…
- 1 pound of Pete’s Paleo bacon -AND-
- A Hylete Cross-Training Convertible Backpack!
One lucky winner will be notified via email and announced on Facebook this Friday 2/14! Speaking of Valentine’s Day, if you’re looking for a treat to win over that someone special, you’ve gotta make these Sweet & Crispy Coconut Chips that Simone posted on the blog last week.
I made them last weekend and the only word I can use to describe them is INSANE. Get wild and add some smoked paprika to make it taste sweet & "bacon-y". You won't regret it! Get the recipe here.
If you’re more of a chocolate person, that’s cool too.
Just keep in mind that not all chocolate is created equal. Most of the chocolate on the shelves are packed with sugar, soy, corn syrup, and other ingredients that are harmful to our bodies.
Here are 3 Tips for Selecting the Healthiest Chocolate:
- Select dark chocolate containing at least 60% Cacao (the higher the percentage, the less sugar & the more health benefits) — You will not experience the same health benefits from milk chocolate or white chocolate
- Choose organic chocolate (they won't contain harmful pesticide residues or GMOs)
- Read the ingredients and choose chocolate that does NOT contain high fructose corn syrup, fillers, emulsifiers, artificial flavoring, and any ingredient that sounds like it belongs in a chemistry lab
If you'd rather make your own chocolate-y treat, check out my recipe for Decadent Raw Chocolate. It's so rich that all you need is a couple of bites to satisfy your craving.
Decadent Raw Chocolate
Yields 2-4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Coconut Oil (melted)
- 1 tbsp Raw Cacao or unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- A couple drops stevia (or sweetener of your choice like honey, maple syrup, or coconut palm sugar) to sweeten
- A TINY shake of sea salt to bring out the flavor (optional)
Directions
- Put coconut oil, cacao/cocoa powder, stevia (or other sweetener) and sea salt in a small bowl
- Use a spoon to mix until smooth
- Line a small plate or ramekin with parchment paper or wax paper (alternatively, candy molds work great too)
- Pour mixture into the lined plate/ramekin or mold
- Place in freezer for 10 minutes (or until solid)
- Peel chocolate away from the paper or mold
- Enjoy immediately!
- Store leftovers in freezer
Variations
- To make Raw Chocolate Bark: Add crushed nuts and/or seeds to the mixture in step #1 (e.g. almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds) and/or goji berries, shredded coconut, or cacao nibs
- To heat up the flavor: Add cayenne pepper to step #1
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