We’re right around the corner from swimsuit season, people! And, by right around the corner, I mean this week it is going to be in the 80’s all week here in Kentucky. There’s nothing quite like going from winter to summer in just a few weeks flat! If you’re trying to eat more healthily, but are having trouble steering clear of sweets, I have a nutritious solution for you. They are called Dark Chocolate Pistachio Clusters. In an attempt to bulk up the nutritional value of a bar of bittersweet chocolate I had lying around, I added pistachios, dried cherries, and cacao nibs to the melted chocolate and spooned it into bite sized pieces on a baking sheet. To this mixture, I also added a little bit of concentrated coffee which takes the flavor of chocolate through the roof. You can’t really detect it, but the addition of coffee heightens the flavor of chocolate immensely, so that less of it eases your craving! These little guys are so delicious, and while not completely guilt-free, are more nutritionally dense and satisfying than the alternative!
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 2 tbsp strong coffee
- 1/3 cup pistachios
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 1 tbsp cacao nibs
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a glass bowl, heat the chocolate in a microwave oven at high power in 30-second bursts until just melted.
- Add coffee and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the pistachios, and cherries until evenly coated.
- Spoon tablespoon sized mounds onto parchment paper and sprinkle with cacao nibs.
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
