Valentine’s Day is a great time to make some delicious treats for the loved ones in your life.  Impress them with a fresh batch of strawberry chocolate chip pancakes or chocolate raspberry muffins for breakfast.  Chocolate-dipped strawberries are also a simple, yet elegant, treat.  Two recipes below, one healthy and the other indulgent, are both great options for dessert.

Healthy Chocolate Truffles

Adapted from http://detoxinista.com/2014/02/easy-dark-chocolate-avocado-truffles/

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

1 ripe avocado, mashed

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Combine the chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt over a double boiler and melt until completely smooth.  Mash the avocado until there are no lumps in a separate bowl.  Stir the avocado into the chocolate until well combined.  Place bowl in the refrigerator for 20 – 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator.  Line a baking sheet with wax paper.  Using a tablespoon, scoop the chocolate into 12 balls.  Roll with your hands until very smooth (be careful, it’s messy!).

Place the cocoa powder in a small bowl and roll each of the balls in the cocoa powder, covering completely.  Truffles can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for about one week.

Berry Brownie Trifle

Trifles are easy to put together, but stunningly gorgeous when served – certainly a crowd-pleaser!  You can make these individual trifles or one large trifle.

Your favorite batch of brownies (homemade or store-bought), cut into cubes

1 ½ cups mixed raspberries and strawberries (fresh or frozen – make sure to defrost if using frozen)

½ cup raspberry Jam

2 cups whipped Cream

Garnish: chocolate shavings, chocolate sauce, shredded coconut

Place half of the brownies in the bottom of a bowl.  Add one third of the berries and spread a thin layer of raspberry jam.  Add half of the whipped cream.  Repeat the layers.  After the second layer of whipped cream, add the remainder of the berries on top.  Garnish with chocolate shavings, chocolate sauce or shredded coconut.