[Mmmm. . . . a dessert-like treat that provides healthy carbs, fats and protein. . . great post-feast snacking!]
Hello everyone! Hope those of you who celebrated yesterday had a relaxing, stress-free holiday filled with the love of family, good friends, and fabulous food! We had a bit of an adventure over here (more on that next post), but suffice it to say we deferred our Christmas feast until. . . today!
And now. . . on to dessert (or, perhaps, a really good snack)!
I wanted to create a holiday-themed chocolate bark, but one that would offer more than empty calories and sugars. After I received a bunch of amazing products from Growing Naturals a couple of weeks ago, I began to play in the kitchen with their rice and pea proteins. I loved the fact that their rice protein is quite fine and didn’t feel gritty to me at all when I blended it with my other ingredients. So then it hit me: why not add it to my chocolate bark, and see what happens? The result was this very decadent-tasting bark that is reminiscent of milk chocolate and will stay firm for up to 30 minutes at room temperature (after which point it begins to soften because of the hemp).
With hemp seeds and protein powder as two major ingredients, this is a sweet treat that actually provides calories from all three macronutrients (protein, carb, good fats), so it should help to satisfy a sweet tooth without triggering sugar cravings. And it contains 7.5 g of protein per serving–about 1/6 of your daily needs, almost unheard of in a sweet treat! I loved this flavor combination with peppermint and gojis, but that’s the beauty of a recipe like this one–you can add whatever you like in the way of dried fruits, chopped nuts, or flavorings (I think coconut flavoring and chopped candied ginger would be spectacular if you can have it).
I’m going to be taking it easy over the next few days, but will be back with a holiday recap and new recipe before the new year. In the meantime, I hope you’re all enjoying yourselves as the year winds down.
Happy Holiday Hugs,
Ricki xo
Peppermint-Chocolate Bark with a Protein Boost
A lovely, festive chocolate snack that delivers more than mere calories. Feel free to play with the flavors in this creamy confection.
2 cups (160 g) raw unsweetened finely shredded coconut (not the large shreds) OR 1 cup (240 ml) raw coconut butter, melted
3/4 cup (120 g) raw hemp seeds
1/3 cup (80 ml) coconut sugar or xylitol
2 ounces (60 g) good quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2-1 tsp (2.5 to 5 ml) peppermint or vanilla pure stevial liquid, to your taste
pinch fine sea salt
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2. 5 ml) pure peppermint extract
1 scoop raw protein powder (I used Growing Naturals chocolate rice)
1/4 cup (60 ml) goji berries, dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries, or chopped nuts, if desired
1-2 Tbsp (15-30 ml) more hemp seeds, if desired
Line a loaf pan or mold with plastic wrap and set aside.
Place the coconut or coconut butter, hemp seeds and coconut sugar in a high-powered blender and, using the tamper to keep the mixture moving, blend until liquefied. This should take only a minute or two. (If you have a powerful food processor, you can use it instead, but it will take longer for the coconut to turn to butter, and the texture will be slightly more grainy.) Add the chocolate, stevia, salt and vanilla, and continue to blend, stirring with the tamper, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Finally, add the protein powder and blend again until incorporated.
Pour into the pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with goji berries and additional hemp seeds if desired. Place in refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours.
Once firm, invert onto a cutting board and remove the plastic. Cut into odd shapes and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Serve cold. Makes 12-16 pieces. Will keep, refrigerated, up to 2 weeks. Protein per piece (12 pieces): 7.5 g.
Suitable for: ACD Stage 3 (stage 2 with xylitol) and beyond, sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, egg free, soy-free, nut free, vegan, low glycemic.
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Hi! I'm Ricki, cookbook author, professional recipe developer, holistic nutritionist and anti-candida crusader. Let me show you how easy it is to eat plant-based, sugar-free, gluten free food that tastes great! 
Good gosh this looks good!
Thanks, Kari! It’s almost a cross between chocolate and fudge. . . very yummy. 🙂
Oh how I love desserts with protein! They leave me feeling more satisfied…I’m not tempted to eat the whole plate! And the peppermint chocolate combo is perfect this time of year. Thanks for another great recipe!
This looks fabulous Ricki! I LOVE the simplicity and deliciousness of bark. I’m eager to try stevia in chocolate, this is perfect timing! We are headed to Pete’s family Christmas tomorrow. I think I will bring some bark 🙂
I just made some Ricki! Omitted the gojis and peppermint in favour of more vanilla 🙂 Can’t wait to test it tomorrow. So glad I had some cocoa camino on hand 😉
Can’t wait to hear what you think! Which protein powder did you use?
Looks wonderful! It’s like you read my mind, I was wondering recently how to make chocolate bark healthier. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear that! I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Thank you! I was so excited to hear from Heather I’d won the cooking classes and so busy with Christmas I forgot to come back and say thank you and for that I apologise. Can’t wait for the holidays mayhem to be over, kids back to school and settle down to some serious cooking.
Glad you got them–and congrats again! Always nice to know that prizes are happily received. 😀