Paleo Superfood Bark is a dark chocolate treat filled with antioxidant-rich ingredients, like berries and nuts.
Immune-boosting, antioxidant-rich foods are all the hype right now (#coronavirus2020). So, what better way to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals than in a no-bake, easy-to-make, and delicious dessert? Everyone, say hello to Paleo Superfood Bark.
PS this is not your excuse to avoid eating your daily dose of fruits and veggies, too!
What is a superfood?
A superfood isn’t just a tagline or branding tool used by health food companies. Superfoods are “foods that are rich in compounds that benefit a person’s health.” These foods are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that promote health and well-being. The most common superfoods, include: dark chocolate, blueberries, kale, salmon, avocado, almonds, spirulina, açaí, and turmeric. In a perfect world, we would consume most of our nutrients through food. While this isn’t the case for most Americans, superfoods can help increase those odds by containing various nutrients.
An important note: nutrient absorption is only possible when the digestive system functions properly. Otherwise, you cannot absorb the nutrients you eat. If you’re unsure about the status of your digestive system, consider the common symptoms of poor digestion: bloating and gas, diarrhea or constipation, acid reflux, skin issues, and food sensitivities. If one or more of these symptoms sound all too familiar, it might be time to address digestive dysfunction. When you’re ready to get started, I would love to work together to get your digestion back on track!
Health Benefits of Paleo Superfood Bark
Dark Chocolate (Dairy-Free)
Dark chocolate, which is made from cocoa or cacao, is rich in antioxidants. However, most chocolate bars and products are filled with other ingredients that aren’t so healthy, like sweeteners, sugar, oils, soy, gums, lecthin, and more. For this reason, I love Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips– a dairy-free dark chocolate option!
Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols and flavonols, which are potent antioxidants, known to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the richer the health benefits. I recommend opting for chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa/cacao and always free of refined sugar, artificial sweeteners, dairy, and soy.
Sprouted Almonds
Sprouted nuts and seeds can be hard to find, but they’re well worth the search. As shared in my post, “How to Sprout Grains,” sprouted grains, nuts, and seeds are more bio-available than the conventional alternative. These bio-available nutrients are much easier to digest and absorb. If you can’t find them in stores, you can get them on Amazon, here, or sprout them yourself!
Almonds are high in many nutrients, like calcium, vitamin E, and omega fatty acids, which are essential for regulating blood sugar, balancing hormones, increasing satiety, and more.
Dried Mulberries
Mulberries are a new favorite of mine. I recently had them on a salad at True Food Kitchen and fell in love. Soon after, I found them at Whole Foods, and have been adding them to various dishes. You can also find them on Amazon, here.
Mulberries are chewy, sweet, and rich in vitamins. They provide a hefty dose of vitamin C. In fact, 1 ounce of mulberries contains 85% of your daily value for vitamin C!
Wild Blueberries
I prefer to use frozen wild blueberries for this recipe because they are smaller in size. Alternatively, you can try using traditional, fresh blueberries or freeze-dried blueberries (without sugar added).
Blueberries are one of the most common superfoods because of their high amounts of antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to reduce inflammation and fight oxidative stress. They also provide an ample amount of fiber and vitamin C.
How to Make Paleo Superfood Bark
Making Paleo Superfood Bark couldn’t be easier! This no-bake recipe requires about 10 minutes to make, followed by 60 minutes in the freezer to harden.
Start by melting the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a pot on the stove, stirring frequently. This doesn’t take long- about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking tray or dish with parchment paper. Once the chocolate is melted and smooth, pour it onto the parchment paper. Use a spatula to evenly smooth out the melted chocolate.
Immediately, add the almonds, mulberries, and blueberries. Place the tray flat in the freezer to harden for ~1 hour. Once hardened, break the bark in to pieces. Store the bark in a glass, air tight container in the fridge.
Ingredient Substitutions
You can easily customize this paleo bark into your own recipe. Swap out or substitute any of the “topping” ingredients with your favorite superfoods. Here are some alternative ideas:
- Freeze-dried fruits, like strawberries, bananas, raspberries, or goji berries
- Sprouted walnuts, cashews, peanuts, or pecans
- Shredded coconut
- Raisins or cranberries (no sugar added)
- Oats
- Hemp seeds
- Pumpkin or sunflower seeds
Paleo Superfood Bark
Paleo Superfood Bark is a dark chocolate treat filled with anitoxidant-rich ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Enjoy Life dark chocolate chips
- 1 tbs coconut oil
- 1/3 sprouted almonds, chopped or crushed
- 1/4 cup mulberries
- 1/4 cup wild blueberries*, fresh, frozen, or dried (no sugar added)
Instructions
- In a small pot, melt chcooclate chips and coconut oil over medium heat, stirring frequently. This should only take about 2 minutes- Be careful to not let the chococlate burn!
- Line a baking sheet or dish with parchment paper. Once the chcocolate is melted, pour onto the parchment apper.
- Evenly sprinkle the almonds, mulberries, and blueberries onto the melted chocolate.
- Place the sheet/dish in the freezer for 1 hour to harden.
- Once the chocolate has hardened, break the bark into pieces (big and small- it's up to you).
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
*Wild blueberries are smaller that regular blueberries, which works best for this recipe.
