Michele Borboa, MS is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health, fitness, food, lifestyle, and pets. Michele is a health and wellness expert, personal chef, cookbook author, and pet-lover based in Bozeman, Montana. She is also...
It's true: A bite of dark chocolate a day is good for your heart. But who can -- or wants to -- stop at a bite? To give you delectable nibble after nibble of the rich, delicious treat, here are three healthy chocolate dessert recipes that are big on chocolaty flavor but easy on your waistline.
Chocolate coconut brownie recipe
Shredded coconut and extra virgin coconut oil give these chocolate-dense brownies a welcome change in flavor as well as adding a boost of healthy fats.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8-inch square baking dish with aluminum foil, hanging two inches of foil over the sides of the dish (to help lift baked brownie out of the dish). Spray foil generously with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt coconut oil. When melted, whisk in sugar until dissolved.
Whisk in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated; then whisk in vanilla. Stir in flour mixture and then coconut.
Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with chocolate. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
Cool brownie completely in dish on a wire rack for two hours. Carefully lift brownie out of dish, using the foil, and onto a cutting board. Slide foil out from under brownie.
Use a sharp knife to cut brownie into four strips; then cut each strip crosswise into four squares.
Spicy chocolate silk pie recipe
I can't help but add a little spice to my chocolate dessert recipes. This silky smooth dark chocolate pie delivers hints of chipotle and cinnamon to your tongue for a tantalizing and deceivingly healthy chocolate sweet.
In a small bowl, combine crumbs, cinnamon and butter, mixing until moist. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate to cover the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes or until just dry. Set aside to cool.
Heat chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Keep warm.
In a food processor, combine tofu, yogurt, cocoa and sugar, and blend until smooth. Add chocolate and blend until smooth.
Pour chocolate filling into prepared pie plate. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is just set.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool; then loosely cover and refrigerate overnight. Slice and serve garnished with grated chocolate.
Kicked up chocolate milkshake recipe
Forget the drive-thru milkshakes and whip up this amazingly thick, rich, chocolate-dense shake. What makes it special? Reduced-fat chocolate ice cream shaves off calories and fat, a little Kahlua gives it a spirited coffee flavor and broken pieces of premium dark chocolate and almond biscotti instantly turn it gourmet.