Chocolate + Chia Covered Strawberries

Little strawberry children

On a relevant note, valentine’s day is approaching. Should this holiday even exist? A day to celebrate and acknowledge the love of another…Why can’t this just be everyday? I feel as if each day of the year should be a day that one appreciates another, rather than just one day to celebrate. 24 little hours to show off that you know how to “show” what love means. It’s easy to make dinner reservations, or buy some flowers once a year..but to do those nice gestures of appreciation on a daily basis means so much more. I feel as if there shouldn’t be a holiday, one day, to signify the love for another. It should be everyday, because being in love is enough of a privilege to be on a holiday 365 days a year…

To those who have a significant other with them, be thankful for such and for those who do not, be thankful for such. Whether single or not, each fragment of life is meant to teach you something, I believe. Even if you think you can only keep happiness with another, try and be content with the present. What you’re living in now. How can you enjoy life if you’re always hoping, yearning towards the future? Or longing for the currently unattainable?  Perhaps there is something for you to learn in this period of being in solitude. Perhaps you’re missing out on that part of yourself you haven’t even uncovered yet, that part that makes you happy to be yourself with yourself, out of a relationship…

Moreover, I have created these raw chocolate covered strawberries for you to enjoy with or without a significant other, on or off the day of Valentine.

These are petite little bits of raw cacao joy that you can feel good about eating. No artificial ingredients, nor detrimental sugars. Organic virgin coconut oil, raw cacao powder, raw local honey, local organic strawberries, and perhaps organic chia seeds. I question nothing here, and that’s how it should be. You may use any substitution for the honey if you please, this recipe shall still turn out delightful. Certain sugars you may choose will void this recipe of its true rawness, but that’s ok :). I dipped these in chia seeds as an experiment; my original intentions were for hemp seeds but alas my pantry is hemp depleted. Hemp seeds would be fun alternatives as well. The chia provided a bit of crunch, a quirky alternative to the traditional choc. covered strawbs.

Mr. Strawberry

+Ingredients:

~15 strawberries*

1/4 cup unrefined/virgin coconut oil

1/4 cup raw cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)

2 tbsp raw, local honey (or any sweetener of your choice will do)**

1 tsp vanilla

Toppings:

chia or hemp seeds, cacao nibs, coconut flakes, chopped nuts, dusted cacao etc.

Notes: *Depending on the size of your strawberries and how much chocolate you put on each, this number may change and is just a relative suggestion. Also, if you can try and purchase organic strawberries please do as strawberries are amongst some of the fruits that contain the highest pesticides.

**In my original raw chocolate recipes, I’ve used coconut palm sugar in place of the honey. So feel free to use dry or liquid sweetener. Maple syrup, or even a combo of brown rice syrup and honey shall work. Sweeten to your taste buds, you can’t really go wrong. Keep in mind the chocolate gets a bit sweeter once it solidifies in the fridge.

+Directions:

1. Wash and dry the strawberries, set aside. Keep green leafy tops on! Long-stemmed strawbs would be a plus.

2. Mix all ingredients for chocolate in a small bowl until all is combined. If you need to melt the coconut oil, place the current small bowl in a slightly bigger bowl filled with hot water. This will efficiently melt the coconut oil without destroying the nutrients. Coconut oil melts at degrees of 76 F and higher.

3. Put the chocolate mixture in the freezer for about 30 seconds-1 minute. Be careful to not leave it in too long or it’ll solidify. If this happens, and you need to remelt the chocolate, simply put chocolate bowl back into the slightly larger bowl containing the warm water. The purpose here is to slightly solidify and thicken the chocolate so it layers nicely on the strawberries.

4. Line some sort of baking dish or sheet with wax or parchment paper, set aside.

5. Dip strawberries in chocolate and dip in toppings (optional) and place on above lined dish/sheet.

6. Once all strawberries are done, place tray in fridge or freezer (for quicker results).

Eat soon and store in fridge.

Yes, you may even have some fun times with other fruits :)