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
Ingredients
- 2 cups shelled walnuts
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/4 cup powdered Swerve Sweetener or powdered erythritol
- 3 tbsp walnut oil
- 1/2 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.
Recipe Notes
Serves 8. Each serving has 8.8 g of carbs and 4.4 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 4.4 g.
More Delicious Heart-Healthy Recipes:
Spicy Oven Fries by Cravings of a Lunatic
Healthy Snacking with Radish Dip by Juanita’s Cocina
Arugula, Walnut Pesto by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
Farro, Apple & Pecan Salad by It’s Yummilicious
Chicken-Quinoa Burgers with an Avocado Yogurt Sauce by The Spiffy Cookie
Pasta House Wilted Salad by Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker
Gooey Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars by The Cooking Actress
Dark Chocolate Covered Walnuts by All Day I Dream About Food
Mini Pear Walnut Crisps with Blood Orange Caramel Sauce by Chocolate Moosey
Kung Pao Chicken Tacos by The Dutch Baker’s Daughter
Honey Soy Glazed Salmon by Curry and Comfort
Apple Walnut Spinach Salad by Magnolia Days
Broiled Salmon Gyros with Cucumber Feta Yogurt Dip by Damn Delicious
Maple Mustard Glazed Salmon by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Make-Ahead Chocolate Oatmeal by Crumb
Hoisin Flounder by Taking on Magazines
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Veggie Nachos by Dine & Dish
Cheesy Quinoa and Asparagus Bake by Hungry Couple
Ahi Tuna Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
Canapes of Apricot, Goat Cheese, Almonds and Rosemary by Cook the Story
Thai Chicken Soup by From Cupcakes to Caviar
Italian Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf by Rachel Cooks
Black Bean Quesadillas by Pastry Chef Online
Sautéed Rataouille with Quinoa by Whipped
These look really yummy and I will definitely try this recipe. Shouldn’t the total nutrition actually be for 1/4 cup rather than a cup though?
That’s supposed to say “each serving”! Thanks for catching that.
HOLY YUM!!!! LOVE this idea! WANT SOME NOW and it’s not even 9 in the am!! You rock Carolyn!
What a great little snack/treat idea. This would certainly satisfy a sweet craving! (LOVE the little helper shot–so cute!)
We always have walnuts and chocolate on hand, but have never thought to put them together. That must change!
Best.Snack. Everrrrr. YUM!
What a beautiful way to remember those loved ones we’ve lost to heart disease and to raise awareness Carolyn. These chocolate covered walnuts are such a heart-healthy snack – thanks for sharing this.
Okay you totally made me cry. Thank you so much for your kind words Carolyn. It means so much to me to have you join us. I love that you did such an amazing chocolate dish. I think people think healthy is boring but who wouldn’t want a snack like this. It’s spectacular and I honestly just want to grab one or three through my screen. I’m so pleased you did this with us. And I am lucky to count you among my friends. xx
These sound great! I love walnuts and dark chocolate – yum!
I also love the t-shirt your helper is wearing. Go Sox! 🙂
yummy
What a fabulous treat…and healthy too! I know my wife would go crazy for these! And I just so happen to have some walnuts in the fridge that need to get eaten!
Thank you so much for participating with us!
It’s amazing that chocolate is so good for us and yet we think of it as bad. Sometimes it seems to me that we don’t really have a clue what is healthy and what isn’t. These look delicious, really really delicious. I’m really enjoying reading all our #RecipesFromTheHeart stories and recipes. What a great group of stories and recipes everyone has shared!
What a cool event! These look super tasty!
I love health food that doesn’t taste like health food…and your walnuts look terrific! And what a handsome young man you have as your sous chef!
Cute little helper 🙂
A simple, delicious, chocolaty and nutritious snack!
Chocolate and walnuts together sounds fantastic. I love that healthy food is so delicious!
I really like the use of walnut oil to make a coating chocolate and to reinforce the walnuty goodness!
It is a very good thing that chocolate has so many health benefits. Makes it much easier to justify eating it! =)
In every world chocolate is a health food. 🙂 You cannot go wrong with this pairing!
I’m having this for dinner tonight…
This is the kind of treat I would want to keep to myself, but would feel guilty for not sharing something healthy with the family. As always, you came up with a winner!
I agree, a life without chocolate is not a life worth living! These are definitely a healthy treat, and they sound wonderful!
Oh I very much agree with you, chocolate is the best kind of health food.
what a fabulous snack!
Chocolate can absolutely be healthy! This sounds just wonderful.
I so agree about chocolate. In fact, this post reminded me to go get my piece of therapeutic SF dark chocolate, which I consume after breakfast.
If I don’t have walnut oil, will coconut oil work in it’s place?
OMG LOVE THIS one! off to pin it
I love that sweet and salty mix!!
My mouth is watering!! Don’t you just love when healthy and tasty meet. I have to try these.
So sorry for the loss of your grandfather. I also lost a grandfather that I never had the privilege to meet.
That’s a snack I could eat every single day. I feel the same way about chocolate as you do. And walnuts are one of my favorite nuts.
I love simple, delicious snacks like this. And healthy too!
This is my kind of healthy snack! Walnuts are one of the few nuts I really like.
I think I love you. So glad to hear you don’t have to completely give up chocolate for health reasons 😀
Just happen to have a bunch of walnuts in the freezer, but now walnut oil. I’ll not be going out, and buying it because it’s way too expensive, plus I won’t be using it for anything else. I’ll be using coconut oil instead. Might even add some unsweetened shredded coconut to the mixture.
Actually, that sounds really good!
How did the coconut oil and coconut pairing work w/these? That’s exactly what I was thinking!