Guess what holiday we are celebrating today for day THREE of my #FreshFitNFestive 6 Days of Holidays Series?! (refer back to this post if you’ve missed the last 3)
And what better way to celebrate Christmas then with CHOCOLATE?!
As a kid, I always loved those Nestle crunch bars. I’m definitely a texture person, and I like something crunchy in anything I eat. Hence why I loved those over plain chocolate bars..
But of course, they are not the most healthiest of things to eat, like every other candy bar out there; I realized I needed to make a healthy alternative
But what could create that crunchy texture??
After thinking..I knew exactly what could do it. Quinoa!
What is quinoa? Quinoa is a little grain substitute that is awesome, because it acts like a typical grain in many ways, and can even be ground into flour like other grains, but overcomes many shortcomings that grains have, along with simply just being a very nutrient dense . Unlike most grains, it is high in protein, and also in healthy fats that are needed for proper bodily function. Quinoa is also a great source of phytonutrients and antioxidants like ferulic, coumaric, hydroxybenzoic, and vanillic acid (WHFoods.com) .
Which is why when I realized quinoa would probably provide the needed crunch, I was excited. Crunchy chocolate in a healthy way? Who wouldn’t be totally pumped?!
Look at that delicious bar of chocolate with all it’s crunch. Mmmm.
I actually made these awhile back for a holiday with all my family, as every single member loves their chocolate..and they were in heaven.
The best part?! Totally versatile! I made milk chocolate for my brother since that is what he likes, dark chocolate with added coconut flakes for my mom, dark chocolate with added peppermint extract for my sister who loves the mint chocolate flavor, and for me..dark chocolate with added sea salt for a sweet and salty treat! The sky is the limit..adding any special extract flavor or added ingredients such as coconut, nuts, dried fruit, or mini chips of any flavor would work great in this recipe!
What will you turn your Chocolate Crunch bar into?! It may only be August..but these would be a delicious gift for any family member or friend as the holidays roll around!
If you’ve missed day one and day two of my #FreshFitNFestive 6 Days of Holidays series, check back to the posts by clicking on the photos below 🙂
- 2 tablespoons Quinoa, dry
- 1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons Honey (can use agave as well)
- ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (regular or dark cocoa)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
- Optional: chopped nuts, chopped dried fruit, shredded coconut, mint extract, sea salt for sprinkling on top (or any other extract of choice)
- Place the quinoa on a small skillet over medium-high heat.
- Gently shake the skillet over the heat for 3-5 minutes. The quinoa should become fragrant and will pop a little. Watch for burning.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
- In microwavable bowl, melt coconut oil and honey together (about 15-20 seconds, don’t burn).
- Remove and stir in cocoa powder, vanilla, and sea salt
- Add in any optional ingredients as well at this time and stir until combined.
- Pour into chocolate bar molds sprayed with nonstick spray (or simply just into an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper sprayed with nonstick spray.
- Place into freezer until set (about 30 min-1 hour). Pop out of molds and store in freezer until eating