by Danielle Omar on February 21, 2012
What do you get when you combine dark chocolate, dried cherries, and crushed pretzels?
Well, you get something awesome!
This month’s recipe redux is inspired by….chocolate. Dark chocolate. These luscious clusters are deliciously rich and dark chocolatey with a crunchy, salty bite from pretzel bits and a tart tang from chunks of chopped cherries. They are super good…and kinda healthy (well, they aren’t unhealthy). Another bonus…no baking required! That was my first priority when deciding what to make this month. If you’re looking for delicious baked chocolate goodness, just scroll down. I’m sure my fellow reduxers baked their brains out for their chocolate posts. 
Did I mention you only need 3 ingredients? Just good quality 70% or higher dark chocolate + salted pretzels + your favorite dried fruit.
Melt the chocolate (I used a double boiler, but you could also microwave), then mix in the pretzels and cherries.
Plop them onto a cookie sheet using a spoon…try to give them a little height. Then let them cool in the fridge for 20 minutes.
What’s your favorite way to enjoy dark chocolate?
Dark Chocolate Pretzel Cherry Clusters
Ingredients
- 6-8 oz Dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
- 6 oz thick pretzels (I used rods)
- 1/2 cup chopped sour cherries (or any dried fruit)
Place wax paper onto a baking sheet. Crush pretzels with a rolling pin in a ziploc baggie; chop dried fruit. Chop chocolate and melt over the stove using a double boiler or the microwave. Remove from heat and stir in the pretzels and dried fruit until well coated. Using a spoon, drop chocolate covered pretzels onto wax paper. Let cool and set in fridge for about 20 minutes. Store in air-tight container.
by Danielle Omar on February 17, 2012
It’s Friday Food Finds! Time for some fun food/kitchen finds that will make your life a bit easier (and tastier)!
This kitchen gadget might be the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. I’m always getting on my husband for microwaving food either right in the baggie it comes in or in a cheap plastic container. Unlike me, he has no fear of chemicals leaching into his food. That’s why these bags from Lekue are pretty awesome. You can store, freeze, reheat, and cook in these cool silicone, resealable bags. Basically, you can pull your food straight from the freezer and toss into the microwave. Super simple and solves the “how do I freeze this?” problem. Shop around for the best price. I found mine at Amazon, but fair warning, they are not cheap. :)
Since Trader Joe’s stopped selling my beloved Tongol Tuna, I’ve had to find a replacement. This Wild Planet pole-caught skipjack light tuna is sustainably caught and hand packed raw into BPA free cans without added oil, water, or fillers. It’s super rich in omega 3 fatty acids and because it’s light tuna, the mercury levels are low.
Every time I use my Baggu bags the grocery clerk asks me about them or makes a comment. They really are the best reusable shopping bag. They hold so much (up to 25 pounds!) and fold down into little squares that fit in my purse. They’re made of durable non-rip nylon (that you can put in washing machine). I can’t say enough about my baggu bags. They now have 50+ colors and designs…order a few of these and you will be hooked.
I’ve tried every stevia product on the planet and have yet to find one I like. Until I was introduced by a friend (thanks Lisa!) to Nu Naturals liquid stevia. This stuff is awesome. It’s concentrated so you only need a few drops. I’m not a baker and don’t really add sugar to my foods, so I only use it for liquids (tea/coffee and smoothies). If you were going to use it on cereal or for baking, I would suggest the Nu Naturals Stevia powder. You can find both on my Amazon store or at Whole Foods and Wegmans!
Enjoy!
Danielle
