Happy Valentine’s Day!

Are one of the lucky ones who received a dozen red roses, a box of chocolate or another flower arrangement on this special day?

I hope so! If not, make sure to treat yourself. Valentine’s Day is all about love and there is nothing wrong with giving yourself a little self love. Many people are good at taking care of others, but when it comes to taking care of ourselves it can be another story. This is especially true for women. Women tend to be the care givers of the family and frequently put the needs of others in front of their own. This is unfortunate, as in order to take good care of others, you need time to renew your own body, mind and spirit.

There are a quite a number of ways to practice self-care. It can be as simple as choosing something you like doing, such as going to a movie, concert, or shopping. Having a manicure, pedicure or getting a massage are some other ways to treat yourself. You could also take some time to make yourself a nice, healthy meal or indulge in a special treat. There are many options.

Speaking of a special treat, here’s a good one to try this Valentine’s Day, or another day.

Chocolate Berry Tart

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1-1/2 cups  ground walnuts or almonds
• 2 tbsp. coconut oil, melted
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the ganache

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Whole Foods 365 brand chocolate chunks.)
• 1/2 cup mashed strawberries with 1 tsp. of honey

For the topping

• Assorted fresh strawberries and blueberries

For the crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, pulse walnuts to make a flour mix. Add the salt and shredded coconut until finely ground. Melt together coconut oil and maple syrup and add to flour mix and coconut mixture. Pulse until coarse crumbs form.

Transfer dough to a greased 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Using your fingers, evenly press dough in bottom and up sides of pan.

Bake in center of oven until golden and firm, about 12-16 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.

For the ganache

Place chocolate chips or chunks in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, just bring the milk to a boil. Pour hot milk over chocolate and let stand 1 minute, then stir until smooth and creamy. Stir in mashed strawberries.

To assemble the tart

Pour warm chocolate mixture into cooled tart shell. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, and then arrange the berries on top as desired. Chill for at least one hour or until set and serve. Note: I put my tart in the freezer for awhile to speed up the process. 

Thanks for reading!

Barb