Better Than the Inspiration…

It is Monday…. Again. It feels like it was just Monday yesterday. I know that I point that out a lot, but I am not even joking when I say that the weeks do not feel seven days long. I have so much to do, and even though I am busy from sun up to sun down, it seems like nothing is getting done. Like I haven’t even made a dent in my “to do” list. I have eighteen days left to get everything wrapped up here, but as soon as I blink those two and a half weeks will be gone and I will just be grabbing stuff and throwing it in boxes. Time certainly didn’t pass this fast when I was waiting to turn 18!

Over the next couple of weeks my recipes may be a little sparse, but don’t go away. I will still have plenty to enjoy on my Facebook page even if there isn’t a new blog post coming out daily, or even a couple of times a week. Once we get moved all bets are off. Fall will be in full swing and I will have tons of new, inspiring recipes, just flowing from my blog that will satisfy your tummy, and make your mouths water. Until then, there are going to be some quickie recipes that even the busiest person will have time for. (You know who you are. 😉 )

My inspiration for today’s recipe is a new bar that just came out called “Goodness Knows”. I got a promotional sample a week ago, and decided to buy another to try and “clone” it. There are good ingredients in it, but there are too many ingredients in it. If I can, I like to stick with FIVE ingredients, or less, and all ingredients that I can pronounce, and are real. I threw this recipe together, then opened the new bar to taste and compare…. Mine is better. 😉 I’m not even kidding. Cheaper, fewer ingredients, less calories, and all real food. Not to mention, super quick to make!

I will admit, I kind of took a short cut on the seeds, nuts, and dried berries. I grabbed a bag of Kirkland organic seeds (pumpkin), nuts (almonds and cashews), and berries (dried blueberries and cranberries) from Costco. You can absolutely make this recipe yours by swapping the ¼ cup of premixed seeds, nuts, and berries for your own combo. Before I sprinkled them over the “chocolate” I did a quick, rough chop and called it good. Just a reminder, the quality of coconut oil, and cocoa powder, you use does matter. It will determine how your chocolate tastes. I also used Truvia as the sweetener, but you can use Stevia if you prefer. Regardless of what you choose to use, throw a quick batch together, sit back, relax, and enjoy.

What is your favorite mix of nuts?

Do you like sweet, and savory, components in your dark chocolate?

Sweet and Savory Dark Chocolate

By Angie Gouchenour

8 pieces

Ingredients

¼ cup mixed nuts, seeds, and dried fruit (I used Kirkland organic nuts and berries with pumpkin seeds)

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder – sifted after measuring

2 teaspoons Sugar 2.0, or sweetener of your choice

Directions

In a small bowl melt the coconut oil

Combine the coconut oil with the sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, and Sugar 2.0

Pour the mixture onto a plate, or dish covered with wax paper and chill for 3 minutes

Roughly chop your seed, nut, and berry mixture

Sprinkle over the lightly chilled chocolate

Return to the refrigerator for about 10 minutes

Peel away the wax paper and cut into roughly 8 pieces

Store the chocolate in a container in the fridge, or freezer

1 piece – 50 calories