Story #1: I was introduced to chocolate almonds through a friend. She innocently opened up this bag which beheld chocolate gems that were all too delicious and I had to withhold my wandering hand from finishing the entire bag (that was much too small for my binging taste). They fulfilled my demon sweet tooth, while being healthy for me as well. I knew I had to find out a way to get a bigger supply.
Story #2: If you knew my child, you would know what a struggle it is to get anything into his mouth that is not covered with a list full of things every mother would probably grind their teeth down to stumps if they heard/read. He is a toddler, after all, and to make it worse, we’ve had to cradle his weight gain, and fill his tummy with anything that would keep him over the 50th percentile. (Shout out to all the cystic fibrosis parent’s out there that know my pain!) This kid doesn’t eat healthy, I’m sorry to say, but he is healthy, so I’ll take it. When I tasted the above story’s chocolate almonds, I thought it might be a good idea to at least try it out on the Oscar the Grouch of food. To tell you simply, I now have to have a steady supply of almonds and cocoa powder in the house. It’s his snack time staple, and I feel great about giving it to him. (Plus, those almonds pack in a ton of those healthy calories! Whoop whoop!!)
As with many of the things I make, it couldn’t be easier. (It has to be if I’m promoting it for mom’s/parent’s right?) You probably have half if not all of the ingredients anyways.
Start with a handful of almonds (or lets be generous and say 1/4 cup).
With the almonds in a bowl, drizzle on 1/4 tsp of melted coconut oil (other oils work too, and you can even use cooking spray if you wanted, but to keep it the healthiest and spectacularly yummy, I use coconut oil. It’s the miracle oil), shake or spoon until sheen-fully covered. –Winning!
Use 1/2 tsp of good cocoa powder and put on top. Shake it up until the almonds are well covered.
This part is completely optional, but it takes just a bit of the bitterness from the cocoa powder off, sprinkle on the teensiest bit of powdered sugar.
There’s barely any calories and it makes it that much more satisfying to anyone’s sweet tooth. You can make it as sweet or as natural as you want. The crazy thing about cocoa powder is that your taste buds associate it with being sugary (with everything else that we have it in) and it makes us believe it’s more sugary that it actually is when consumed as a natural flavor. (Obviously this does not go for spoonfuls at a time, and if you’ve done that or want to do that, then, well… I don’t really know how to respond to you.)
And that’s it folks! Seriously, it’s that simple! Serve in a bowl or a bag, with a mole, or a hag. I will eat these chocolate almonds Sam I… Alright, enough.
You can make a single batch, or for road trips. Make a big one for a healthy alternative to stopping at a gas station and grabbing the closest guilty pleasure candy bar. It curbs my cravings like you wouldn’t believe. And with road trip season just ahead of us, you have nothing to lose. Or try it on your kids. If my kid likes it….
-The Wife
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- 1/4 tsp melted coconut oil (any will work, but we like this the best)
- 1/2 tsp of a good cocoa powder
- a sprinkle of powdered sugar *optional*
- Coat the almonds in the coconut oil. Put cocoa powder over top and shake until well covered. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serve whenever, and in whatever.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I love snacking on flavoured nuts so this recipe is something I have to try. It’s so easy and delicious.. healthy too!
Meg @ Noming thru Life says
I am just going to give it to you straight – I am sooo eating these tonight đ