Salted Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark
If you know me personally, you probably know how much I love chocolate. If there was ever a choice of flavor as a kid, I always picked chocolate, cake, ice cream, lip gloss flavor…and to this day I do.
About a year ago, Brad and I watched a documentary on chocolate, called The Dark Side of Chocolate. I highly recommend wathcing it if you are chocolate lover (even though it might make you slightly depressed for a couple of days). Ever since I became a nutritionist, I had switched to a higher quality of chocolate, but I didn’t realize how much our rainforests are destroyed in the name of chocolate, and how much children are slaves to the chocolate industry. The documentary stresses the importance of fair trade, organic chocolate as your main source of chocolate, that way you are not participating in the dark side of the chocolate industry. So I became a chocolate snob, determined to not be part of the problem. Which is a ignorant idealization I know…but the small steps count, and we change the world each day with our choices.
Why Chocolate is Great for Your Body
So, off the soapbox I step…and on to how chocolate is great for your body! Chocolate has such amazing nutritional properties (especially when you are eating a higher quality, fair trade of chocolate). Chocolate is high in magnesium, has polyphenols that can help with brain, heart, and hormonal health. So dive in and enjoy!
I heart pistachios, as they are high in b vitamins, several minerals, and claimed as the highest food containing melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that can help you sleep, as well as keep you in a proper circadian cycle. A handful as been shown to be equivalent to one melatonin supplement.
Salted Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark Recipe
Measure one and 1/2 cups of dark chocolate and place in double boiler. Turn on medium heat and slowly melt. Why a double boiler? Cause chocolate likes to burn. And we want to melt it low and slow.
While its heating, measure 1/2 cup pistachios and course grind in mortar and pestle. Can also use a food processor, or a crafty knife skill chop.
Lay down parchment paper, wax paper, or foil. When chocolate is melted, scrape out into a pan. Spread thin and evenly across. Sprinkle pistachio pieces and course sea salt on top.
Place in fridge for 30 minutes. Take out and break into pieces.