Just in time for Valentines Day - two super easy and delicious recipes featuring Chocolate!

The first is Dark Chocolate Superfood Bar from Joy McCarthy’s new cookbook, The Joyous Cookbook. Her recipes are similar to mine in that they are easy to make and healthy, with commonly found ingredients. You can check her out at https://www.joyoushealth.com/

I made these for our last full day seminar and they met with rave reviews! Dairy-free, gluten-free, grain free and vegetarian!

Dark Chocolate Superfood Bars

½ cup (125 ml) + 3 tablespoons (170 ml) coconut oil
1 cup (250 ml) raw cacao powder
1/3 cup (75 ml) real maple syrup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) unsweetened nut milk
½ teaspoon (2 ml) cinnamon
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chia seeds
2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw pumpkin seeds, divided
2 tablespoons (30 ml) raw sunflower seeds, divided
2 tablespoons (30 ml) hemp seeds, divided
2 tablespoons (30 ml) dried cranberries, divided
1 tablespoon (15 ml) bee pollen, optional

Line a 8 ½ x 4 ½ (1.5 L) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving extra to hang over the edge to make it easier to lift pans out when completed. ( I used an 8 in square pan)
In a medium saucepan, melt the coconut oil over low heat.

Stir in the cacao powder and maple syrup. Once fully combined, add the nut milk and cinnamon. Stir and make sure not to burn the mixture.

Add chia seeds and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and cranberries. Stir well.

Pour the mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of seeds and cranberries. Then sprinkle with bee pollen if you are using it. (I didn’t have any so left this ingredient out).

Cover with wrap and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

To serve, remove from freezer and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing. Lift squares out of pan and slice into squares. ( I found that a small bar was quite satisfying but you can cut them to whatever size you like).
Store leftovers in freezer for up to 3 months.

The second recipe is from my cookbook, Fight Fire with Food and is one of my favorites. Not only are they addictive but they have a great combination of nuts and seeds making the texture unique and satisfying. Yum!

Dark Chocolate Quinoa Bark

½ cup (125 ml) maple syrup or honey
2 tablespoons (30 ml) coconut oil
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla
Pinch of salt
1 cup (250 ml) uncooked quinoa, rinsed and dried
1/3 cup (75 ml) pistachios, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (75 ml) sliced almonds, roughly chopped
1/3 cup (75 ml) raw seeds (chia, hemp, flax, for example)
3 ounces (90 g) dark chocolate
Cranberries, coconut flakes, and additional nuts for topping

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small pot, melt together syrup and coconut oil until smooth. Stir in vanilla and salt. I

n a large mixing bowl, combine quinoa, pistachios, almonds, pecans, and seeds. Stir to combine. Add syrup mixture to the bowl.

Make sure all dry ingredients are wet. Spread mixture onto baking sheet in a thin layer.

Bake for 25 minutes until quinoa is golden brown. While bark is cooking melt chocolate and then pour over cooked quinoa in an even layer. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Place in refrigerator or freezer to harden. Break in pieces.

Both of these recipes are nutrient powerhouses and can be adjusted to your likes and desires. Add different nuts and seeds or different spices! Have fun creating and enjoy. And, of course, spread as much love and compassion as possible on both Valentines and Family Day.

Check out more delicious recipes in Fight Fire with Food.  

What to eat versus all the things we need to avoid, however, danger lurks in our food -  everything from pesticides to artificial ingredients.  Some of these ingredients are  there without our knowledge but most are listed in the ingredient list.  We all need to start reading this list each time we buy a product.  Processed food is killing us slowly but there are options.   The first step is to be aware of what we need to avoid.  Here are a few general rules and then we will get more specific: 

• Avoid foods that are hard to pronounce – usually long, chemical sounding words
• Foods that didn’t exist ages ago, like in our grandmothers’ or great-grandmothers’ day
• Anything containing soybean oil or vegetable oils. Any refined oil high in Omega 6s. 
• Anything containing high fructose corn syrup or glucose-fructose  Any sweetener that ends in ‘ose’ is a processed ingredient. 
• Anything with Hydrogenated in the name indicates a trans fat.  (yes, they are still out there) 
• Almost anything advertised on tv or media.  The worse it is for you the higher the advertising budget.
• Anything in an aerosol can.
• Anything with artificial sweeteners or flavors. Could be labelled under Splenda, ACK-K, Aspartame.  All decrease bad bacteria in the gut wrecking our digestive system. 
• Anything with any type of preservative, additive or dye. 
• Any product with more than 5 ingredients listed unless they are all foods from the earth. 
• Emulsifiers and gums

More specifically avoid: 

• Nitrates and nitrites.  Used to color, preserve and flavor processed meats.
• MSG (monosodium glutamate) – often called isolated protein, HVP, autolyzed yeast extract, vegetable powder, glutamate, maltodextrins, etc. 
• Avoid preservatives like Polysorbates, BHT/BHA, Sodium Benzoate, diacetyl (popcorn flavoring), phosphates, aluminum additives, calcium propionate and propylparabens. 
• Avoid Antibiotics and Hormones found in factory farm animals, they cause the disruption of the gut microbiome, inflammation, weight gain and illness.
• White refined sugar and flour.  Avoid anything that has been bleached.

This is just a sample of what is lurking in our foods. There are books written that list all the hazardous chemicals and additives we consume.  Read the ingredient list before purchasing and eat as close to the earth as possible.  You’ll find more great information in my book, Fight Fire With Food, Cooking for Cancer Prevention, 2019  published by Friesen Press www.friesenpress.com  

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