Constantly worried about keeping up with the calorie count? Or looking for a solution to your chocolaty needs for this Valentine’s Day without compromising your healthy diet? We have handpicked the solution to all of your problems! Here are our top picks to make your Valentine’s Day special; for there is certainly no doubt we could all use the warmth and comfort of some chocolaty goodness this Valentine’s!

Bonus: Read ‘til the end to find a bonus recipe.

1. Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Pancakes

There is no better way than to start your day with some pancakes! Surprise your beloved with this finger-lickingly-yummy first meal of the day; and don’t be shocked if they fall in love with you all over again.

Ingredients That You Will Need Are:

  • 1 batch flax egg
  • 1 very ripe medium banana (1 banana yields ~½ cup mashed)
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil (or sub melted coconut oil)
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk (or sub other milk)
  • ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 2 tbsp almond meal (ground from raw almonds)
  • ¼ cup gluten-free flour blend
  • 3 tbsp non-dairy semisweet chocolate chips (more for topping)
  • 1 tsp agave or maple syrup if your banana wasn’t very sweet (optional)

Procedure:

  • Prepare the flax egg in a large bowl by mixing flaxseed meal and water; letting it set for 3-5 minutes.
  • Add your very ripe banana and baking powder, then mash them up.
  • Add oil, salt, vanilla, almond butter, almond milk and stir.
  • Stir in oats, almond meal and gluten-free flour blend until just combined.
  • Then sprinkle in chocolate chips and fold gently. Let it rest for 5 minutes while preheating the griddle to medium-low heat. You want it hot but not too hot or it will burn the pancakes – about 300-325 degrees.
  • Scoop ¼ cup measurements onto the lightly-greased griddle and gently spread it to make a pancake shape. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. You’ll know they’re ready to flip when bubbles form on top and the edges appear dry.
  • Note: These need to be cooked slower than regular pancakes because they’re more dense and take a bit longer to get cooked in the middle. So if they are browning too quickly, turn the heat down.
  • Serve as is or with a small drizzle of maple syrup and a few additional chocolate chips. Leftovers reheat well in the microwave.

 Source: minimalistbaker.com

See Also: Must-have Equipment For Your Waffle And Pancake Business

2. Flourless Paleo Chocolate Almond Butter Cookies

Trying to get your hands on a gluten-free Valentine’s Day snack? This is just the thing that you need. These cookies, made with Paleo, are dairy free and they don’t have that peculiar almond butter smell to them, which makes them even better. So try these flourless Paleo gluten-free cookies with the perfect mix of yummy and healthy. Try this “Too healthy” snack this year to make your date “Too good.”

Ingredients That You Will Need Are:

 (For about 12 standard size cookies)

  • 1 cup creamy natural almond butter (use the runny kind with only almonds as an ingredient)
  • 1 tsp melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, (slightly beaten)
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (pick a good-quality cocoa powder)
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (dairy free or vegan, if desired)
  • Maldon sea salt, for sprinkling on top

 Procedure:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with a parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, combine almond butter, coconut oil, coconut sugar, vanilla and eggs until it is smooth. Add in cocoa powder, baking soda and salt; mix until it is smooth and well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Roll dough into a large ball (about 2 tablespoons) and place on a baking sheet. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand so they’re about 1/4th inch thick. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are set. Do not overbake or they will dry out.
  • Once you’re done baking, remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Sprinkle each cookie with a little sea salt.

Source: ambitiouskitchen.com

Read Also: Healthy Paleo Granola Bar Recipe| Keto, Paleo, Vegan: How to Choose What is the Best Diet for You| Best Wines Paired With Chocolate

3. Sweet Potato Brownies

Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Yes, you read it right! Brownies made from sweet potatoes. These will soon become your go-to “Healthy Chocolate Dessert”.

 Ingredients That You Will Need Are:

  • ¾ cup sweet potato puree
  • 1 cup peanut or almond butter or an allergy-friendly sub
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp flour (Oat, white, or spelt flour all work, almond flour works too)
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips + more for the top optional
  • ⅔ cup sugar (for refined-sugar-free, try these Almond Butter Brownies)
  • ¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp baking soda
  • ⅛ tsp salt

Procedure:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper or grease well.
  • Gently heat up your nut butter until easily stir-able. Then whisk it together with the sweet potato and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together all remaining ingredients – make sure that the baking soda is evenly incorporated!
  • Pour the dry mix into the wet mix (and not the other way around), and smooth it out into the prepared pan, scooping out all traces of batter and using a second sheet of parchment to really smooth it down evenly.
  • Bake on the center oven rack for 20 minutes. It will look a little underdone, but it firms up as it cools. (If, for some reason, yours is still too gooey after cooling, loosely cover and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours.)

Source: Chocolatecoveredkatie.com

 And now… It’s time for the bonus recipe!

4. Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients That You Will Need Are:

  • 1 tablespoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
  • ⅓ cup popcorn kernels
  • 4 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, chopped
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

Procedure:

  • In a medium pot, heat the oil and 3 kernels of popcorn, covered, over medium heat until all 3 kernels pop. Pour in the remaining kernels, cover the pot again and shake to distribute. As the popcorn pops, shake the pan occasionally and immediately remove from the heat once the popping slows to 2-3 seconds between pops. Pour popcorn into a large bowl, removing any unpopped or partially popped kernels you see.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Place the chocolate and ½ teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl. Heat in the microwave in 30-second increments until chocolate is very soft and becomes completely liquid when stirred gently. Immediately pour over the popcorn and stir to coat as thoroughly as possible. Spread evenly onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Let sit at room temperature until chocolate has hardened, about 1 hour.
  • This snack can be kept upto 3 days in an airtight container. But we are sure you will be making another batch by the next day!

Source: Thekitchn.com

Dig into this bowl of chocolate fantasy as you sit together, curled up in a blanket and have your perfect movie-date-night.

So what are you waiting for? Get your hands on these tasty Valentine’s Day chocolate treats and surprise your partner with your own choco-dipped date!

See Also: 4 Romantic Valentine’s Day Meals To Celebrate Your Love For Food| How To Cook A Budget-Friendly Valentines Meal| How To Make A Charcuterie Board