Now You Can Eat Chocolate and Keep Your Resolutions!

You're welcome.  Or actually you should be saying thank you to Kristi from Mommy Crib Notes.  She is sharing two recipes that are a sure way to satisfy the sweet tooth and make sure you have no regrets!  Need I say more?  I think not.  Read on my peeps, read on.

Whoever said, “A woman cannot live on chocolate alone,” must have been a man. Like many, one of my New Year’s resolutions is be healthier in 2012. That includes cutting back on sugar. But give up chocolate? No friggin’ way.

After being told this year by my doctor that my triglycerides are too high, I called up my svelte, Raquel Welch-type grandma to ask her what dietary changes she made to bring her cholesterol down. How thrilled was I when her sole recommendation was to eat one or two pieces of dark chocolate after lunch and dinner? Done!

But, being a gal who thrives on variety, I needed a more than my bag of Dove chocolates to get by. So, I found two rich desserts that have become my go-to staples because:

1. Their primary ingredient is chocolate.
2. They include fiber and antioxidants.
3. They take five minutes to make.

If you’re a brownie woman, then you’ve likely heard of pairing vanilla yogurt with a box of brownie mix to make a low-fat version. Even better is to take that box of brownie mix and pair it with pureed black beans. You will be amazed by how fudgy and yummy these fiber-rich brownies taste. For specific directions on how to make black bean brownies, click here.

If you want a beautiful and tasty treat to give yourself, or your gym-worshiping girlfriend, try Health magazine’s Holiday Fruit and Nut Bark. I actually made this up to give to a co-worker, but couldn't help but snag a few pieces for myself. The bark is made from dark chocolate sprinkled with dried cherries, pistachios and crystallized ginger. A small piece seems more satisfying because of all the flavor and crunch.

If you’re looking for true decadence, pair one of those indulgent treats with some bubbly.  Hey, it’s New Year’s and a glass of champagne has fewer calories than wine. Now that’s a treat worth toasting!

Thank you, Kristi!  And for those of you who are wondering, here is a bit more about our author today:

Kristi Valentini does whatever it takes, a diet heavy on chocolate and caffeine, Gregorian chants, whatever, to maintain inner peace among motherhood, career and the pursuit of domestic glory. Like other moms today, she strives for balance but makes do with a multi-tasking juggling act. Kristi began her blog, MommyCribNotes.com, to give other moms a "cheat sheet" of discoveries, tips and gadgets that can make parenthood easier. When not changing diapers or playing dolls with her two little beauties, Kristi is a marketing communications strategist and a freelance writer.