Chocolate Covered Strawberries

What to BRING Wednesday... to that holiday party!

I have chocolate covered strawberries on the brain.  And not because I have had these recently or have even seen them in stores lately, but I think they would make a great holiday treat.  If you have all those holiday parties to go to and need a treat to bring, why not bring something sooooo delicious AND adds a little nutrition bang for that buck?

So this week, I take out the "eat" and replace with "bring" for "What to BRING Wednesday!"  My holiday party is Dec 13th where I am to bring a treat so I plan on following through with this idea.  What about you?  Have a healthy, but TASTY holiday treat?

I have not made chocolate covered strawberries myself and if I had to guess, they are probably pretty messy.  But, getting a little messy in the kitchen never hurts anyone.  So here is a recipe I think I will try from Real Simple:

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

1 lb strawberries (~20)

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop the chocolate.  Wash and dry the strawberries.
2. Place the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
3. Holding a strawberry by the stem end, dip in the melted chocolate, letting the excess chocolate drip off.  Repeat with the remaining strawberries.
4. Place the strawberries on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.  As you set each berry down, slide it 1/2 inch to the side to prevent the formation of a chocolate "foot".
5. Refrigerate the strawberries until the chocolate is firm, at least 30 minutes.  They will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, covered.

Original site for this how-to can be found here:  Real Simple Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Eat well,

Bri

Halloween treats

Trick or treat- give me something good to eat!

Before you go reaching into that candy jar and have a free-for-all, hear me out.  Halloween treats are just that- treats.  But, since it isn't everyday that you have a bowl of candy in front of you for a whole night, why not have a few?  Key word being "few".  Here are a few tips to enjoy your Halloween treat and not feel like a brick wall after all the little goblins, zombies, and witches have gone to bed.

1. Pick your favorites.  Is Snickers your all time favorite candy?  Can't live without Twix or Kit Kat bars?  Choose wisely and forget the mediocre stuff.  If you could care less about Tootsie Rolls or Starbursts, leave them for the trick or treaters.
2. Limit yourself.  Pick your number.  Are you going to eat 5 small pieces of candy?  2 bigger pieces?  Have your number ahead of time and stick to it.  Stick with the single digits or you may be praying to the porcelain god later if you aren't careful.
3. Pace yourself.  If your magic number is 5, spread those 5 pieces out.  If you have them all before you carry that bowl to the door, you may fall into temptation later.  Think about it: you will be dangling that carrot stick at least 100 times in one night.
4. Focus on the fun.  Halloween is exciting!  Whether you are out at a party, on the streets smashing pumpkins, or at home passing out candy- focus on the fun.  When you are having fun, you are not worrying about what to eat and what not to eat.  That is how life should be.  Enjoy every moment!  Have a scary movie on, light some candles, or play some spooky music (Thriller tops my list).
5. Be good to yourself.  If you do overindulge, know that you can get back on track tomorrow.  It takes 3,500 calories to gain 1 lb. of fat.  You know what that means?  Your extra calories from the candy jar are not going to kill you.  Heck, they probably aren't even going to make you gain weight overnight.  Go ahead, sigh of relief.  I got ya.  Eat a little extra veggies the next day.

What is your favorite Halloween treat?  Mine would have to be Twix.  And my magic number is 3.

Eat well,

Bri

Can I Get A Hail Merry?

Hail Merry is based in Dallas!

So picture this...  you are walking around a Central Market.  You know exactly what you want and you are heading straight for it without taking a look around, because let's face it- that place is like a game of bumper cars on Sunday afternoons.  You have to dart out of the way every now and then so the lady reaching for every free sample doesn't hit you.  Anyway, you are focused on the task at hand when all of a sudden you get handed a Hail Merry macaroon.  This is where the halos come in and the church-like symphony starts playing....

I had never tried a macaroon before and didn't know if I would really like it.  But then again,  if I were a girl scout cookie I would be a Samoa so perhaps I have a thing for coconut-flavored treats .  It was delicious!  And what is even better is that this company is local, raw, vegan, and gluten free.  Now, I will never tell you to jump on the next diet fad and go all gluten free (unless you have a sensitivity) or be like the next celebrity to go vegan (unless you have values/morals against eating animals).  But, the fact that this treat was tasty and some TLC went into the baking puts a huge smile on my nutritionist face.

My favorite?  The chocolate flavor.  Other flavors include strawberry almond, caramel sea salt,  and blonde.  It's portion-controlled  & the price was about $3.50 for 8 small macaroons.  Kinda pricey, but I love supporting local, healthy businesses AND when I pay a little more for something, I usually savor it more (yep, it must be a mind thing for this frugal chick).

Hail Merry makes a few other sweet treats too.  Check them out & replace your next cookie craving with a macaroon or miracle tart.  

Eat well,

Bri

The Truth About Chocolate

Chocolate, chocolate, oh my!

 With Valentine’s Day around the corner and a heart of chocolates possibly coming your way soon, let me share with you the truth about chocolate.  I know you have all heard it before, but it sure is true that dark chocolate is the most nutritious pick when it comes to chocolate. 

Before all you milk chocolate lovers start to sigh and dream of regular Hershey kisses dancing in your head, hear me out.  Dark chocolate does not only offer more benefits than milk chocolate, but it also tastes good.  Not a believer?  You may have to try a few until you find the one you like best!  And besides, I am not a proponent of deprivation.  If you like milk chocolate and want it every so often, so be it.  But consider trading in a few pieces for dark when you can!

Notice the "cocoa processed with alkali"

The Scoop:  What’s so great about dark chocolate versus milk chocolate?  According to the Mayo Clinic, dark chocolate contains a higher amount of antioxidants (flavanols to be exact) and has been linked with improved blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  The raw cacao beans used to make chocolate products are of course the source of these flavanols, but sugar and processing make chocolate products tastier.  The more processing that occurs the less the flavanol content.  The best options for high flavanol content are dark chocolate that does not list sugar as the first ingredient and unsweetened 100 percent cocoa powder that has not been alkalized (or Dutch processed).    

A study done at Italy’s National Institute for Food and Nutrition Research in Rome showed that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate and may negate the potential health benefits that can be derived from eating moderate amounts of dark chocolate.  What this means for you?  Don't drink milk with your dark chocolate or you will decrease the health benefits of that dark chocolate you are eating.  And yes, milk chocolate contains milk as well (hence the name) so the antioxidant content is much lower.

Bri’s Take: I love having a square of dark chocolate whenever a sweet craving arises.  However, for me it has always been hard deciphering whether or not all dark chocolate is created equal.   It’s far too easy to grab the first “dark chocolate” bag or bar that you see, but here are a few tips to make sure you grab a good one:

My fave- Endangered Species brand!

• Sugar should not be the first ingredient
• Choose a cocoa content of 65% or higher (I like to go even higher- 75% or above)
• Some dark chocolate bars even help a cause (Endangered Species brand is a GREAT one!)
• Most bars also come in bag options with individually- packaged squares, which are perfect for those of you who have a hard time resisting temptation & need the built- in portion control
• If taste is a barrier, choose a dark chocolate with something in it (like almonds, mint flavor, espresso beans, or sea salt) or eat a square with a few raw almonds if you already bought the plain version

No need to go overboard either.  Dark chocolate still is high in calories so if you treat yourself daily, keep the calories to around 100 by choosing just 2 squares or breaking off a few smaller squares on a chocolate bar!  Yum!

Eat well,

Bri