Introduction: Choco-Mins

Thanks to modern science, we now know that chocolate is good for you (the darker the better.) One day I decided to try to take just that little bit of guilt I had left from eating chocolates by making some that were just a little bit better for you. This recipe includes dark chocolate chips, dried fruit, and vitamins E & B-50 Complex. Made the way I did, each Choco-Min has 266% of your DV of Vitamin E, 1111% of Thiamin, 980% of Riboflavin, 833% of B6, 277% of B12, 166% of Pantothenic Acid, and smaller amounts of Folic Acid, Niacin, and Biotin. That's not including what's in the dried fruit!

This recipe is an enjoyable way of taking those added vitamins!

Click through for the recipe and instructions!

Step 1: Ingredients


Ingredients:
1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (the darker, the better)
1 1/4 Cup Dried Fruit (Blueberries recommended, Cranberries shown here, and Raisins tested well)
5 Vitamin B-50 Complex Pills (*See Note)
3 Vitamin E Capsules (*See Note)

I recommend using a very dark chocolate. Vitamin B has a bitter aftertaste that is covered by a dark chocolate, and the darker the chocolate the better it is for you (two-fer!)

*Note: I used B-50 Complex Vitamins that included per pill 50mg Thiamin (3333% DV), 50mg Riboflavin (2941% DV), 50mg Niacin (250% DV), 50mg B6 (2500% DV), 400mcg Folic Acid (100% DV), 50mcg B12 (833% DV), 50mcg Biotin (17% DV), and 50mg Pantothenic Acid (500% DV.) The Vitamin E vitamins included per pill 400 IU of Vitamin E (1333% DV.) This recipe produces about 15 Choco-Mins, giving the DV percentages listed in the Intro. This recipe is not intended to produce a chocolate that can treat any ailment, and no claims are made that it can do so. If you suffer any allergies, please check the ingredients of all of the items listed in the ingredient list above before using them.

Step 2: Crush the Vitamin B

1. Place the Vitamin B pills in a zip-closure bag and crush them into a fine powder (I use a marble rolling pin.) The finer you can grind it, the better.

Step 3: Melt the Chocolate

2. Melt the Chocolate in the top half of a double-boiler, or (as I do) in a glass bowl or measuring cup in a microwave oven in 30 second intervals, stirring between each one, until almost melted. Allow the heat from the glass to finish melting the chocolate.

Step 4: Adding the Vitamin E

3. Poke a hole in the Vitamin E capsules and squeeze the oil inside into the melted chocolate and stir it in.

Step 5: Adding the Vitamin B

4. Add the Vitamin B powder to the chocolate and stir it in.

Step 6: Adding the Fruit

5. This one is straightforward. Just stir in the fruit.

Step 7: Forming the Choco-Mins

6. Measure out the Choco-Mins by spoonfuls and place on a sheet of waxed paper in a cookie sheet. Place in a refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes to cool. Remove them and store them in a zip-closure bag or airtight container in the refrigerator. I recommend keeping them away from children. This recipe seems to make from 15-20 Choco-Mins.

Step 8: Enjoy!

Here's the best step-go ahead and eat 'em! The urge not to overdose on vitamins keeps me from eating more than one each day.

So, let's see, I have a way of enjoying chocolate that has added nutrients, fruit, and encourages me to eat them in moderation. I really don't see a downside (but I'm sure there's a nutritionist out there who could dump cold water on this whole idea. Please, let me dream!)

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