this is nuts – dark chocolate without the guilt

If I have one weakness (besides coffee) it is without a doubt, dark chocolate. There is rarely a night that I don’t crave a piece of dark chocolate after dinner. The best nights are when I find either an Almond Butter or Peanut Butter Cup made by Clean Conscience Chocolate in my pantry. This is rare indeed, as both my husband and my oldest daughter also love these chocolates.

Going beyond how good they taste, I love that they can be eaten without the guilt that usually accompanies any kind of sweet treat. My guilt-free attitude is justified because these chocolates are made with 70% single-origin, organic, Demeter biodynamic-certified, and raw cacao. They are also all made in small batches using the finest organic ingredients and are deliciously suited for those on a Paleo or Vegan diet, as they contain no dairy, gluten, soy, or refined sugars.

Before I go into how fabulous these nut butter cups are, let me quickly tell you about the folks that make them. They are a small family-owned chocolate company based outside of Charlottesville, Virginia (yay for small businesses!), and Mary Kennedy is the extraordinary confectioner. Her husband Steve is more on the marketing and delivery end of the business – but just as delightful as Mary. When asked why they make their chocolates the way that they do, they state that their mission is to convince people that the right kind of chocolate is indeed a FOOD – and not candy. Although that might sound overly ambitious, I think they are off to a good start.

Here is why. Before I started carrying these in my store, I did not know that dark chocolate (the good kind) is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. And to think, I just liked the way it tastes! Because of these superfood properties, dark chocolate can improve your heart and overall health by increasing the blood flow to the brain, reducing inflammation, lower blood pressure, increase in “good” HDL cholesterol, and reduction of “bad” LDL cholesterol by preventing it from oxidizing.

Dark chocolate has also been proven to affect your mood and mental attitude by boosting endorphins and providing a source of tryptophan to act as an antidepressant and help relieve pain. Now it makes sense why I always feel better after having a piece of dark chocolate! An additional benefit to dark chocolate, that many of us do not know about, is that it increases beneficial bacteria in your intestines, and acts as a prebiotic. That may fall under the category of TMI, but don’t let it be said that I am not informative!

My daughter and husband love these primarily because of the kinds of nut butter. My daughter, Zoe, is a huge fan of the peanut butter; whereas my husband and I are more fans of the almond butter. Both kinds of nut butter are home-made by Clean Conscience Chocolate and are full of delicious flavor. The almond butter is made from roasted almonds, accented with a hint of maple syrup and sea salt. The peanut butter is accented with sea salt and just a hint of unrefined cane sugar. Zoe loves them so much that she always asks for a dozen of them for her birthday and holidays. She also really likes them as an after school pick-me-up. My husband, like me, enjoys being able to eat a sweet that is actually healthy.

Clean Conscience Chocolate also makes other delectable and healthy sweets such as Coconut Joys, Peppermint Patties, Raw Nut & Seed Bark, and Raw Ayurvedic Superfood Bark. All of which are just as tasty but not the focus of this particular blog. Give these or the nut butter cups a try and I can promise that you will not be disappointed (unless you are just plain nuts)!