Dark Chocolate Super Food Bark

Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe

I’m not particularly fond of the majority of of so-called health bars in the supermarket these days. Whether labeled  energy bars or nutrition supplement bars, granola bars or power bars, many of them are super processed with no shortage of sugar and loads of ingredients I’d need to hire a chemist to sort through. Manufacturers often pump them up with protein powders and a bundle of vitamins to give them a health halo they don’t deserve. Plus, to my mind, they just don’t taste good.

Enter this Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark.

Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe

I’m not going to claim it will give you a six pack or get you through your next triathalon as so many nutrition bars do. What I will tell you is that this healthy chocolate bark is a whole lot tastier, and to my mind more nourishing, than a Power Bar.

My kids call it  “grandma’s candy” because my mom is the brains behind the recipe. Dark chocolate gets melted down and given a nourishing boost of cashew butter along with nuts, seeds, and raisins. Real food with real nutritional value, no vitamin pill or protein powder required. It has become our family’s “go-to” when a sweet craving strikes. One piece (okay, sometimes two) does the trick while delivering antioxidants from the chocolate, healthy fats from the nuts, a hit of protein and fiber, just over 1/4 teaspoon of added sugar, and just under 60 calories a piece. That’s some seriously powerful chocolate.

Side notes: You can find a more traditional Chocolate Bark recipe by going here and a better-than-store-bought granola bar by going here.

Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe

Healthy Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe
5 from 1 vote
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Dark Chocolate Super Food Bark

This Super Food Bark is a more nourishing and satisfying alternative to many other sweet treats. If you want to skip the sugar in the chocolate entirely, you can make this with unsweetened chocolate and add 25 to 30 drops of liquid stevia, stirring it in at the very end. It will be slightly thinner than the bittersweet bark and have the mild aftertaste of stevia.

Course Dessert, Snack
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 40 pieces
Calories 55 kcal
Author Katie Morford

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (the darker, the better)
  • 1/3 cup cashew butter (or other favorite nut or seed butter)
  • 1/3 cup roasted cashews or other favorite nuts, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup raisins, dried cherries, or dried cranberries
  • 3 tablespoons roasted, salted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
  • 1 heaping tablespoon hemp seeds
  • Flaky salt, such as Maldon (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over medium-low heat and stir continuously until melted (you can learn more about this method by going here). Once chocolate is smooth, add cashew butter, and stir again until creamy. Remove from heat and stir in the nuts and raisins.
  2. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and spread the chocolate mixture out to approximately 8 ½ x 11 inches. While chocolate is still warm sprinkle the pepitas and hemp seeds over the top. Add a pinch or two of flaky salt over the top, if desired. Allow it to cool uncovered, at room temperature for several hours until firm enough to break into pieces (because of the cashew butter, it will be softer than traditional chocolate bark, but will firm up in the fridge). Break into about 40 pieces.

  3. STORE IN A COVERED CONTAINER OR RESEALABLE BAG IN THE REFIGERATOR, where it will keep for several weeks. The chocolate will lose its glossy color in the refrigerator, but will remain tasty nevertheless.

Gratitude to my intern Leah Walton, a soon-to-be RD, for helping put this post together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

05.26.2015 at6:00 PM #

yunah

do you think i can sub in pb or almond butter? or would it change the texture?

05.26.2015 at6:00 PM #

Katie Morford

Absolutely. I’ve made this with both. I like cashew butter because to me, it’s sort of naturally sweet, but the others are tasty, too.

05.27.2015 at3:21 AM #

yunah

Doh! I see i didn’t read the recipe carefully! Ok this is a go then with pb tonight – thanks k!

05.27.2015 at3:21 AM #

Katie Morford

Actually, I snuck in there after you commented and added the nut butter options 🙂 Thanks for the nudge.

05.27.2015 at7:50 AM #

Lisa @ Healthy Nibbles & Bits

I LOVE that you put hemp seeds on this! Need to make this soon!

05.27.2015 at7:50 AM #

Katie Morford

You can really play around with the nuts and seeds and dried fruit and use what you love. It’s a very flexible recipe. Thanks for the comment!

05.27.2015 at10:14 AM #

Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes

Oh, man! I wish it would give me a six pack. I think your mom’s idea to use cashew butter was a great one and I can’t wait to try it.

05.27.2015 at10:17 AM #

Katie @ Mom to Mom Nutrition

My cookie jar would be a whole lot happier [and healthier] if I had some of this stored in there! Love that you can play around with the nuts/dried fruit combo. Another great recipe Katie!

05.27.2015 at10:17 AM #

Katie Morford

Without question!

05.27.2015 at12:48 PM #

Julie

Cannot wait to try this, Katie. Been busy and haven’t visited later, but always appreciate your blog. :))

05.27.2015 at12:48 PM #

Katie Morford

Welcome back Julie!

04.12.2017 at5:20 PM #

Jk

Sounds yummy, and I already have all the ingredients, but where is the nutrition info?

04.12.2017 at5:20 PM #

Katie Morford

Hi there,

I don’t routinely run nutrient analyses for my recipes. You can do this for free at http://www.myfitnesspal.com.
Cheers.
Katie

01.26.2019 at9:52 AM #

Anne Crawford

Yum! Great way to make a dent in my nut and dried fruit stash for the pantry challenge.

01.26.2019 at9:52 AM #

Katie Morford

It’s a pretty tasty way to use up all those goodies!

08.27.2019 at6:54 PM #

Kathy

Do you think you could make this with erythritol to prevent an insulin response?

08.27.2019 at6:54 PM #

Katie Morford

Yes, you could also make it with a chocolate like Lily’s, which is sweetened with stevia and doesn’t cause GI upset as sugar alcohol sometimes does. Also, if you use very dark chocolate, it won’t spike insulin.

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