Homemade Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Oh chocolate, you taste so good!

I’ve been struggling with a bit of a sugar addiction lately – it totally crept up on me. Sneaky little thing, that sugar! I guess the more sugar you have the more sugar you want to have?  I remember not too long ago (back when I was not such a sugar fiend),  I used to be able to enjoy the sweetness of fruit, or even of unsweetened hot tea.  My palette was able to pick up on the fine traces of sweetness and be fully satisfied.

So in an effort to eat for optimum health AND enjoyment, I have been on the lookout for some seriously healthy ways to get my chocolate fix. Now, THIS one is especially delicious on a stack of pancakes!

The recipe is not my own, so I gotta give credit where it’s due.  I found this hazelnut spread recipe through one of my favourite health coaches, Joy of Joyous Health, and you can find it here.  Seriously check her out for fantastic tips on healthy living!

I have to say though, with all respect to the fabulous Joy, my palette is used to more sweetness, so I added about 1/4 cup of powdered sugar to the recipe. Ah sugar!

You will see one ingredient that may not be a pantry staple for you (yet!), and that is coconut oil.  I have been using coconut oil for the last year or so as an occasional substitute for butter or olive oil, especially in stir fries.  Coconut oil is also incredibly amazing as a body moisturizer.  Moisturize your skin with coconut oil right after  you get out of the shower for extra soft and smooth skin.  This is especially wonderful during the drier winter months.

Don’t have enough time to whip up a batch of pancakes? Here are some of my other favourite ways to consume this ultra healthy chocolate hazelnut spread:

• Mixed into my morning bowl of heart healthy oatmeal
• On toast with peanut or almond butter (so good when it gets all melty!)
• In a banana and yogurt smoothie

What’s so awesome about hazelnuts?

• excellent source of vitamin E
• wonderful source of protein
• kick-ass source of folate
• fantastic source of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
• super source of antioxidants

What’s so awesome about cocoa?

• mighty fine source of antioxidants
• incredible mood booster as it increases the levels of serotonin and endorphins in the brain
• fantastic source of magnesium, which cuts the risk of diabetes and also relieves PMS (yes!)

Phew! I think I almost ran out of adjectives!

Speaking of chocolate: Who likes FREE chocolate??

Adora is a calcium supplement in the form of creamy and smooth chocolate disks!  I love having a guiltless Adora chocolate as my after dinner treat. At only 30 calories per disk I get to satisfy my sweet tooth AND get my daily calcium and vitamin D.

Leave a comment on this post by 8pm EST Tuesday, Feb 29 to enter the draw to win a bag of each of the Adora Milk and Dark chocolates!

image source

Nutritional info from here and here and here.

{Disclosure:  I received 2 sample bags from Adora in return for an honest review}