Fuel Up with Chocolate

Instead of reaching for a standard sugar fix during your mid-afternoon slump, why not keep some of these energizing snacks on hand? There’s no reason your moment of indulgence can’t also be healthy. The best part: no baking required!

Energy Snowballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes (+1 hour chilling)
Servings: 15 snowballs

Ingredients

• ½ cup (125 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut
• 5 squares (50 g) Lindt Excellence Coconut Dark Chocolate
• 1 cup (250 mL) toasted sliced almonds or raw sliced almonds
• ⅓ cup (80 mL) quick-cook oats
• 3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) pumpkin, sunflower or hemp seeds
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) solid coconut oil
• ½ tsp (3 mL) vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Zest of half an orange (optional)

Steps

1. Place unsweetened coconut in a food processor and process until quite fine, but not puréed or wet. Set aside in a bowl to be used later.
2. Place chocolate, almonds and oats in the bowl of the same food processor. Process for about 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is quite fine. Add in chopped dates, seeds, coconut oil, vanilla and salt, and, if desired, zest from half an orange. Blend until mixture forms a ball.
3. Place mixture in an airtight container and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight. Measure 1 tbsp of the mixture and roll into a ball. Roll each ball in the coconut until completely covered. Store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

Dark Chocolate Seed Bark

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 25

Ingredients

• 3 bars (100 g each) Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao Dark Chocolate, chopped
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) raw pumpkin seeds
• 1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes
• 1 tsp (5 mL) flaked sea salt

or

• 3 bars (100 g each) Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao Dark Chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) toasted sesame seeds or 1 tbsp (15 mL) achiote or annatto seeds, crushed
• Zest from 1 large navel orange

Steps

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Temper your chocolate. See our step-by-step guide here.
3. Pour 1 tbsp (15 mL) portions of tempered chocolate onto the prepared baking sheets. Use the back of a spoon to form 1½-inch circles. Working quickly sprinkle evenly with toppings. If using orange zest, grate over chocolate rounds.
4. Let cool to room temperature or until the chocolate is firm, about 5 minutes.

Substitution Tip: Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao Dark Chocolate can be substituted with Lindt Excellence 70% or Lindt Excellence 90% Cacao Dark Chocolate.

Chocolate Espresso Power Shake

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 3 cups (750 mL) unsweetened almond milk
• 1 banana, sliced
• 4 dates, pitted and roughly chopped
• ½ tsp (3 mL) cinnamon
• 2 shots espresso, cooled (about ¼ cup (60 mL) or ½ cup (125 mL) strong coffee, cooled
• 4 squares (40 g) Lindt Excellence 90% Cacao Dark Chocolate, finely chopped
• Cocoa nibs to garnish
• Chocolate shavings to garnish

Steps

1. In a blender combine almond milk, banana, dates, cinnamon and espresso. Blend on high until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add finely chopped Lindt Excellence 90% Dark Chocolate and blend mixture on high until well combined, about 1 minute. There may be a few fine chocolate chunks in milkshake.
2. Pour into two glasses and garnish with cocoa nibs and chocolate shavings.

Substitution Tip: Lindt Excellence 90% Cacao Dark Chocolate can be substituted with Lindt Excellence 70% or Lindt Excellence 78% Cacao Dark Chocolate.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Prep Time: 10 minutes (+8 hours chilling)
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 pieces (40 g) Lindt Excellence 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate
• 1⅓ cups (330 mL) 2% milk or milk substitute (e.g., almond milk)
• 4 tsp (60 mL) maple syrup
• 4 tsp (60 mL) whole black chia seeds
• Chopped bananas and Lindt Excellence 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate shavings (for garnish)

Steps

1. Put chocolate in a bowl and set aside. Heat milk and maple syrup in a saucepan on low heat. Pour over chocolate. Mix until blended into chocolate milk.
2. Place chia seeds in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid, or four small ones about ½ cup (125 mL) each in size. Pour in chocolate milk, mix, and close jar(s). Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or up to 24 hours, stirring after 1 hour to make sure mix is even. (The longer the pudding sets, the thicker it will be.)
3. Serve topped with bananas and chocolate shavings.

Maître Chocolatier Tip: For perfect chocolate shavings, try using a vegetable peeler.

For other easy, no-bake treats, check out this dark chocolate avocado pudding and mint chocolate speckled smoothie.