These heart-healthy recipes are a breeze to make and don’t require any cooking. By making your own treats, you can adjust the ingredients and swap saturated fats for beneficial unsaturated fats. Chocolate makes life a little sweeter, so share with someone you love!
Dark Chocolate Cherry No-Bake Bites
These bite-sized snacks are easy to make and are packed with nutrients. Dried tart cherries help reduce inflammation in the body. Unsaturated fats like walnuts and nut butters promote heart-health.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup to 3/4 cups natural nut butter of choice
- 1/4 cup honey or other liquid sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, walnuts, cherries, chocolate chips, nut butter, sweetener, and vanilla.
- Using a spatula, mix until combined.
- Chill mixture in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Remove from fridge and form into balls.
- Serve immediately and store leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
- Start with 1/2-cup of nut-butter, but add more if mixture seems dry while shaping it into balls.
- Makes ~24 balls. Per ball: 80 calories, 5g fat, 11g total carb, 2g protein
Chocolate Pudding
This recipe is delicious and also kid-friendly. By replacing the usual cream with avocado, we keep the richness while using heart-healthy unsaturated fat. Cocoa powder adds beneficial flavanoids.
Ingredients
- 2 medium, ripe avocados
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 TBSP vanilla almond milk
- 1/3-1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2-3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee
Instructions
- Puree avocados in a blender or food processor.
- Add cocoa, sugar, vanilla, milk, and coffee until combined. No lumps should be present.
- Serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
- Per 3/4 cup serving: 260 calories, 11g fiber, 4g protein, 16g fat
