Chocolate and Nuts

Sometimes chocolate covered almonds or chocolate covered macadamia nuts just sound good. But I don't want to go to the trouble of melting and tempering the chocolate, scooping out bite-size portions, waiting for them to set, and then washing the bowl and utensils. Too much trouble and I know I will eat too many.

My husband and I discovered a quite a few years ago that if you have a bag of almonds in the house AND a bag of chocolate chips, you can pour a little bowl of nuts and chocolate chips and enjoy what is really the equivalent of chocolate covered almonds. Two chocolate chips to one almond is the perfect ratio.

Fast forward to 2015 where I have become pickier about my chocolate and almost exclusively use Dove Chocolate in my baking. So, that's the chocolate I have around the house. Recently, when I had that chocolate covered almond craving, I used a Dove Dark Chocolate Promise. Perfectly satisfying. I also find that if I stick to two Promises that I don't overdo the mini dessert experience. Not that I'm all about controlling everything I eat and staying (or being at all) skinny, but I do make an effort to not outgrow the clothing I have in my closet. More of a financial thing than a vanity thing, I think, but I digress...

Suffice it to say, Dove Milk Chocolate Promises and lightly salted macadamia nuts are a fabulous combo as well--it brings me back to my childhood when my Grandpa Wong from Hawaii would visit us in California. He would always bring along Mauna Loa Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts and cans and cans of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts. Mmmm... I didn't fully appreciate all of that when I was younger, but its kind of nice to be able to reminisce about those times now from my current home which is so far from Hawaii and California.

So, what you see below is formatted as a recipe, but it's really just an idea of how to enjoy some chocolate and nuts. The pic above in the little plastic cup is what I sometimes take to work as my lunch dessert. It keeps me from going off the deep end with all of the treats that people will put in the teachers' lounge. Plus, it's a satisfying sweet treat when I really don't feel like baking and making a mess. That's all I've got on that. So now do it. Go. Really. You won't be disappointed.
Chocolate and Nuts for One

Ingredients:

• 2 Dove Chocolate Promises (milk or dark, depending on your preference)
• 6 large roasted and lightly salted macadamia nuts OR 12 roasted almonds

Instructions:
Unwrap a Chocolate Promise and take a bite that is roughly 1/3 of the Promise. Pop one macadamia nut or two almonds into your mouth with the chocolate, and enjoy.
Repeat until chocolate and nuts are gone.

Makes 1 serving