Dark Chocolate Fruit Dip:
ChefMD® Healthy Recipe
Aired on Lifetime Television
October 26 and December 7, 2008
Show 523
Download Recipe PDF
Food as MedicineSM Tip: One small piece of dark chocolate a day -- just 30 calories worth—eaten two hours after dinner can actually lower systolic (top number) blood pressure 3 points and diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure 2 points.
Culinary Taste Tip: You can use different types of fresh fruits in this dish: almost anything you can slice and keep dry.
Culinary Technique Tip: Melt the chocolate in the microwave using a microwave safe glass bowl, stirring every minute.
Healthy Dark Chocolate Dipped Fresh Fruit with Three Spices
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 195 per serving (37% from fat)
Ingredients
24 slices or sections of assorted fresh fruits, such as tangerines, tangelos or clementines, Asian pear, Bosc pear, pineapple, Granny smith apple, organic strawberries with tops, or thick slices of banana
4 ounces organic dark chocolate, chopped*
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preparation
Set slices of fruit on paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Melt chocolate in a heavy, small saucepan over medium heat stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes.** Pour chocolate into 3 shallow soup bowls. Stir cinnamon into one bowl, cardamom into the second and cayenne pepper into the third. Dip one side of each slice or section of fruit into chocolate. Place fruit, coated sides up onto a wax paper lined plate. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes.
Substitution
*2/3 cup (4 ounces) dark or bittersweet chocolate chips may replace the dark chocolate, eliminating the chopping step. It's only dark chocolate that is rich in cocoa polyphenols, which lower blood pressure.
Tip
**Or, place the chocolate in a Pyrex measuring cup or small microwave safe glass bowl. Microwave on high power 1 minute. Stir; continue microwaving 1 minute or until chocolate is completely melted when stirred.
Nutritional Analysis:
Total fat (g): 8; Fat calories (kc): 75; Cholesterol (mg): 1.8; Trans fatty acids (g): 0; Saturated fat (g): 5.3; Polyunsaturated fat (g): 0; Monounsaturated fat (g): 0; Fiber (g): 5.9; Carbohydrates (g): 31; Sugar (g): 24; Protein (g): 1.7; Sodium (mg): 1.4; Calcium (mg): 16.