Heart heathy, omega 3 rich walnuts, enrobed in sugar-free dark chocolate. A truly healthy indulgence.

In my world, chocolate is a health food. I readily admit that my world might be a very mixed up, strange place to be, but chocolate as health food is not as strange as it may sound. I once declared that if chocolate were off limits to me, life might no longer be worth living and even after a diagnosis of diabetes, I stand by that statement. Chocolate in its purest form, without additives and sugars and all the junk we see in most commercial varieties, is remarkably healthy. It’s low in carbohydrates (yippeee), high in fiber (double yippeee) and has protective benefits for heart health. Really, please tell me, if you are looking for a health food, what more could you possibly ask for??? Oh, you want it to taste good too? Well, with chocolate you are in luck.

My little helper.

When my dear Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic asked me to be a part of her Heart Healthy Event, I couldn’t say no. First of all, she is a fellow Canuck. Second of all, she is sweet as pie, and you just want to be on her side of everything. And finally, sweet Kim lost her mother to heart disease when Kim was only 15. As a mother of three, this breaks my heart. Today is the anniversary of her mother’s passing and she asked bloggers to join her in raising awareness of the devastation of heart disease. From Kim and her fellow organizer, Jen of Juanita’s Cocina:

Today we are joining together to help raise awareness for Heart Disease. Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic lost her Mom to heart disease when her mother was 47, and Kim was 15. Each year on the day her Mom passed she shares stories and photos of her Mom. This year she joined forces with Jen of Juanita’s Cocina, whose life was also touched by heart disease when her Stepfather had a heart attack. Jen’s Stepfather is alive and well more than a decade later, and for that, Jen is thankful every day. The ladies got in touch with other bloggers to ask them to share their own stories about how heart disease has touched their lives. So today we share stories and recipes from our hearts to yours, in memory and honour of Momzie, Kim’s Mom. We hope you will share your stories with us today as well.

I am supposed to share a story with you about how heart disease has touched my life. I suppose I am very fortunate to say that heart disease has not touched the lives of my immediate family and friends. But it did rob me of a grandfather I would have liked to have met, who died before I was born. I suppose that is impact enough.

So for my grandfather, George, for Kim’s Momzie, and for Jen’s stepfather who has struggled and survived, I created a delicious but healthful treat which uses heart healthy ingredients to their best advantage. Health food that doesn’t taste like health food, but tastes like a sweet indulgence. And this was the first time my kids willingly ate walnuts! No sugars, no additives, nothing but pure healthy ingredients to that make you love the taste while knowing they are good for your body. Especially your heart. Take care of that heart and of the hearts of those you love.

Dark Chocolate Covered Walnuts

Servings cups

Ingredients

2 cups shelled walnuts
4 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener or powdered erythritol
3 tbsp walnut oil
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.
Over low heat, combine chocolate, powdered Swerve, and walnut oil. Stir until melted and smooth.
Stir in vanilla extract and cocoa powder until smooth.
Let cool 5 minutes to thicken.
Stir in half of walnuts and then lift each walnut out with a fork, gently tapping on the side to remove excess coating.
Place each walnut on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining walnuts.
Place cookie sheet in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
If coating is starting to thicken too much, reheat over low heat gently until a little more liquidy (should be the consistency of pourable syrup).
Working with a few walnuts at a time, re-coat by dropping into the chocolate coating again and lifting out with a fork, tapping on the side to remove excess.
Place on baking sheet and chill in freezer until firm.
Can be stored on counter in an airtight container. Use within a few days.