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Healthy "Milk" Chocolate Bars (Vegan)

The girls saw the dentist this past week, which for Little A is only the second time. Already, she has a "vulnerable" area (i.e. sign of beginnings of decay) in a top back tooth. I can't say I'm surprised since even when she does let us brush, she rarely lets us get all the way back there.

So I was excited to come across this recipe posted by Chocolate Covered Katie on her blog: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/01/13/three-ingredient-chocolate-bars/

Everyone in this house is a chocoholic, and while chocolate in its purist form has many healthful properties, the sugar added to it is not so healthy. Since Katie's recipe uses stevia, which does not promote tooth decay, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to come up with something the girls would like that won't end up costing us $$$ in dental bills down the line. I also happened to have a bottle of vanilla stevia liquid in the pantry that I've never used.

In the end I had to adapt it, because when I told Big A I was making her chocolate, she told me I better not make dark because she only likes milk chocolate and chocolate chips (semi-sweet). As a compromise, I added 1/4 coconut cream instead of milk. I figured the natural sweetness of the coconut would also offset the bitterness of the cocoa powder.

4 tbls coconut oil*
4 full droppers full of vanilla stevia liquid
1/4 cup coconut cream (creamed coconut mixed with equal part water to make 1/4 cup, or skim top off of a can of full-fat coconut milk)
1/2 cup + 2 tbls good quality cocoa powder

Melt oil and stir in stevia and cream. Add in cocoa and stir until thick. Spread thinly on wax paper (I spread it across the entire bottom of wax paper lined 9x9 pan) and put in the fridge or freezer until firm (this didn't take long). Cut or break into pieces. Use in baking, or melt for a chocolate sauce.

*Unrefined extra virgin coconut oil has a sweet, coconutty flavour, while more refined coconut oil has a more neutral flavour. For this, I would use the unrefined, if possible.

So what was the verdict??? They love it! Yay, now we can all have our chocolate (cake) and eat it too!

Just be sure to keep them in the fridge or freezer, or they will get too soft.

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