Health-Conscious Rich Chocolate Spread: easy; no nuts, sugar, gluten or dairy

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Chocolate spreads have magical qualities to charm adults as well as kids...and not just on Pancake & Valentine's Day.

Healthier Chocolate Hummous Dip with Banana, Apple & Pear Slices 
delicious, more-ish treat (here with nut garnish)

And though some chefs (who 67 chooses not to name!) consider something like Nutella 'vulgar', its popularity is staggering, despite - or maybe because of - high levels of sugar and more-than-a few preservatives. 

67's own home-made Chocolate Hazelnut Spread (low-sugar & preservative) when posted several years ago went down a storm, and is among the blog's top picks.  It's easy, relatively wallet-friendly and nearly as luxurious as speciality jars at say, posh Venchi, near Hampstead tube.  

But with the emphasis on healthy eating, the latest version of Chocolate Spread ( from Austrialian Woman's Weekly) has no nuts, no refined sugar, gluten or dairy.  

It's popular in nut-free nurseries, taking just 10 minutes to put together.

And for anyone who doesn't have the palate of a toddler, or hasn't tasted 67's low-sugar chocolate spread or Nutella, it's pretty okay.  It will probably grow on you.

67goingon50 appreciated its healthy qualities...after all, who expects to find good protein & fiber (chickpeas) in a chocolate spread? 

And for someone on a pre-diabetic diet, this is a good-enough replacement, especially at 4 p.m. when something sweeter then fruit is yearned for.  

All the same, the Blogger choose to amp up the flavour by adding  melted chocolate, which coincidentally made it easier to blend in a not-very-powerful blender.  The result was Perfection!    

Give it a try.  It'll be great on leftover Scotch Pancakes or Waffles, on toast or as a dip with fruit. 

Cost:  £3'ish (Feb' 24)

Makes: 1.75 cups (singletons/couples: make 1/3 the quantity)

ingreds;

400g/14oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed or equiv reconstituted

170g/6oz Medjool or other dates (5-6), pitted, cut into eighths

35 g cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 tablespoons light veg oil (canola, grapeseed, sunflower)

35gm/1.2oz melted dark chocolate (optional)

min 1/3 cup/80 ml water

Garnish: nuts, blueberries, raspberries, cherries

Method:

1. If dates have been preserved, drop into 1/2 cup boiling water for a minute, scoop out dates with spider or slotted spoon, drain; remove pits; cut into eighths
2. Place ingredients (incl melted choicolate if using) apart from water in processor/blender; blitz till smooth
3. Add liquid; blend again 2 mins or until as smooth as you can get it; if needed, add a little more water OR water and oil 
4. Spoon into jars, seal with lids
5. Store in refrigerator up to a month

Comments:

'It tastes better than the stuff in the jar; do not change your recipe at all!' The blog's Handyman/taster, a sweet-lover.

'A good adult substitute for Chocolate Nut Spreads whether you have blood sugar issues or are a health freak. Finding something sweet that's also full of protein and fibre is a godsend.'  Retired writer

Tips:

Use in sandwiches/wraps (esp with banana); frosting/icing; in small tubs with wedges of fresh fruit

 Australian Women's Weekly The Stress-Free Lunchbox

is available at good booksellers and aww-cookbooks.com.au

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B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises has modified a recipe from Austrialian Woman's Weekly, for which, thanks for the inspiration.