Peanut Butter and Chocolate Drizzled Apple “Pie”

Who doesn’t love a treat every once in awhile (or maybe every day?)!  I am always talking to my clients about balancing their diet with the foods that they love and the foods that will keep them on track to meet their goals.  I love that chocolate, yes chocolate!, can do both.  Study after study proves that dark chocolate is not just delicious, but also good for you.

Cacao is packed with nutritionally powerful, naturally occurring chemicals called flavonioids and theobromine; known to have antioxidant properties as well as potential benefits to the cardiovascular system.  But remember, chocolate is only as good as the ingredients it’s ingredients.  Look for organic or fair trade dark chocolate that is at least 60% cocoa in order to reap the benefits.  And make sure to watch out for unhealthy add-ins like marshmallows, caramel, etc or unhealthy added fats (especially hydrogenated fats).

Since Monday is the last day of National Nutrition Month I thought it would be fun to share my new favorite recipe that is delicious, fun to make AND good for you!  ENJOY!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Drizzled Apple “Pie”

1 medium organic apple

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon organic peanut butter (nut butter of your choice)

1 ounce organic dark chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon of liquid (milk, coconut milk, almond milk, coffee, etc)

Cut the apple into thin slices with a knife, a mandolin or (my favorite new gadget) a Paderno Spiral Vegetable Slicer.  Sprinkle apples with cinnamon and sauté over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.  Add in the peanut butter and sauté another 2 minutes, mixing as you cook to distribute the peanut butter.  Remove from heat, transfer to a bowl.

In a separate bowl, melt the dark chocolate and the liquid of your choice in the microwave.   Heat for about 30 seconds, mix and heat again until melted and runny.  Drizzle over apples and enjoy!