Ohhh, yea. So much yummy, deliciousness happening here! It’s official, I am truly at my most happiest when I’m in the kitchen..listening to classic rock, cooking, baking..creating. This recipe can double as a snack or dessert is nutritious, delicious, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, guilt-free! Sliced apples are one of the most convenient snacks to take on the go, so why not jazz it up a bit and add some chocolate and pistachio nuts?!
We’ve all heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” right? Well, it’s true. Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber. Without sufficient consumption of naturally occurring antioxidants, the body will not be able to fight off sickness or disease. I emphasize naturally occurring because so many sugary, chemically created beverages and foods out there have added, manmade antioxidants to their products which can cause more harm then good. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples can reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
Ohhh, yea. So much yummy, deliciousness happening here! It’s official, I am truly at my most happiest when I’m in the kitchen..listening to classic rock, cooking, baking..creating. This recipe can double as a snack or dessert is nutritious, delicious, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, guilt-free! Sliced apples are one of the most convenient snacks to take on the go, so why not jazz it up a bit and add some chocolate and pistachio nuts?!
We’ve all heard the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away,” right? Well, it’s true. Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber. Without sufficient consumption of naturally occurring antioxidants, the body will not be able to fight off sickness or disease. I emphasize naturally occurring because so many sugary, chemically created beverages and foods out there have added, manmade antioxidants to their products which can cause more harm then good. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in apples can reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease.
If you’ve been following my blog, or Instagram for quite some time you know I am an advocate for a whole foods, plant based diet as the optimal choice for both disease prevention and overall health and happiness. Our food should be our first and foremost consumption of vitamins and nutrients.
For the chocolate, I used my fool-proof three ingredient chocolate. YES, you can still enjoy chocolate on a plant based, clean lifestyle! The secret is, ditch the processed stuff. I use cacao powder instead of cocoa powder because cocoa powder is heated during processing, removing crucial vitamins, nutrients and enzymes that the cacao bean naturally has, and often time contains hydrogenated oils, milk, sugar, and artificial flavors. Whereas cacao is a superfood, it aids in weight loss, promotes healthy skin, high in antioxidants, excellent source of iron + magnesium, and is a natural mood enhancer.
Easy Chocolate Covered Apples
Ingredients: 1 organic granny smith apple
*Chocolate* -1 tablespoon organic cacao powder -1/3 cup organic coconut oil -1 tablespoon raw local honey or maple syrup
*Toppings* -Crushed pistachios, almonds or walnuts (I used nuts for an added boost of protein!) -Sprinkle pink himalayan salt (optional)
Directions: -Slice up apple and place on tray lined with wax paper -Melt coconut oil over stove top -Mix in cacao powder, maple syrup and coconut oil in a bowl -Dip apple slices in chocolate, using a spoon to help cover the apples -Place apples in freezer for 3 minutes (keep chocolate mixture mixed!) -Dip apples again, using a spoon to help (you can drizzle chocolate mixture while they are laid out on tray) -Sprinkle crushed pistachios/nuts of your choice -Freeze for 5 minutes & enjoy!
*Be generous with the amount of chocolate, if you have to cover the apples more than twice do it!