Just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a sweet treat! These Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios are a rich and better for you indulgence that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth!
While I absolutely love the fresh start of a new year, I’ve heard a lot of people say that while it’s a new year, it’s just like any other day. That new year’s resolutions don’t work, and well, a lot of other negative talk, especially about the start of this particular year due to the current political, social and economic situations.
But as 2016 dwindled down to just a few days and the enticing promises of a new year quickly crept in, I sat down to write out my goals for 2017. You see, I do like the start of a new year because I get to bust out a brand-new calendar, filling it with upcoming events and new goals. I also find that after the relaxing and sometimes chaotic holiday season (which lasts from October to the end of December), that the new year is a good time to re-focus, get back on track and get back to a normal schedule.
While some of this involves goal setting, and pushing myself to conquer new challenges and achieve new things, many common new year’s resolutions (I personally prefer the word “goals”) are actually things I normally already do or have done in the past, and through relaxed holiday schedules and added holiday commitments, have gotten lost from my daily routine.
Others are things that I have longed for, dreamt of or written down as new year’s goals for several years in a row, and it is after reflecting on the previous year’s accomplishments and failures, that you realize what you can change or start doing differently to finally accomplish these tasks.
For me, one goal that I am revisiting is getting back to a regular fitness routine, something that I hadn’t realized I was missing since the end of the summer, as well as getting back to a balanced way of eating. Since I don’t like using the word diet, for me the 80/20 rule, eating healthy 80% of the time and not feeling bad about enjoying more indulgent food the other 20% of the time, is what works best. Unfortunately, the months of November and December were more like indulgent foods 80% of the time and healthy only 20%.
So, like many, I have been trying to make smarter choices the past week or so without totally giving up the foods I love. One thing I could never do is a no sugar diet (which I have seen EVERYWHERE in some form or fashion the last few weeks). I am not going to deny I have a sweet tooth and it is when I try to deny it that bad things happen. So, I believe in allowing a small treat daily. It doesn’t have to be a whole chocolate cake or cookies at breakfast lunch or dinner, but a small piece of chocolate or a small bowl of frozen yogurt with some fresh fruit, to me is ok.
And these Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios are my absolute favorite healthier treat!!
The rich and indulgent dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the plump and juicy clementine oranges (trust me, if you have never had the chocolate/orange flavor combo you are REALLY missing out!!), and the salty, crunchy pistachios is a perfect way to finish these little babies off!
These are a great better for you treat that I like to make several of at one time to keep in the fridge to treat myself a few throughout the day; yet is fancy enough that you could package them up and gift them to a friend, neighbor or loved one as a thank you gift or Valentine’s treat. Yeah, chocolate covered strawberries are SO last year… Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios are the new Valentine’s Day treat!
Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios
These Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios are a rich and better for your indulgence that will surely satisfy your sweet tooth!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons chopped pistachios
- 5-8 clementine or mandarin oranges,, peeled and separated
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate candy bar
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet or plate with wax paper and set aside.
- Heat a small, non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add pistachios and toast until lightly browned, about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and place in bowl. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, place 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Return to microwave for an additional 30 seconds. Stir again and repeat heating and stirring process until chocolate is smooth and melted. Once chocolate is smooth and fully melted, stir in remaining chocolate chips. Continuously stir chocolate until all chocolate chips are melted.
- Working with one orange segment at a time, carefully dip each segment into the melted chocolate. Slowly pull the orange segment from the chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drip off. Dip chocolate covered oranges into toasted pistachios, making sure to coat all sides.
- Place chocolate covered oranges on wax paper lined plate.
- Repeat dipping process with remaining clementine segments.
- Allow the chocolate to cool and harden at room temperature, approximately 30-60 minutes. Serve immediately or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you like this Dark Chocolate Covered Clementines with Toasted Pistachios recipe, then you’ll love these other recipes!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark
How To Make Candied Orange Peel
Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Toasted Coconut and Almonds
Chocolate Truffles
You picked two of my favorite things – pistachios and dark chocolate – and combined them onto an easy and cute snack. A+ from me!