My house is quiet today as the boys are holed up in their rooms studying for exams. I must admit that I don’t envy them! I decided to take advantage of the day and make it a “Christmas” day. That meant the tree on, old black and white Christmas movies playing continuously, finishing up with the cards and me doing some of the fun Holiday stuff . . . which means getting in the kitchen for a little baking. I tried out two new treats and am happy to say that they both passed the test as good enough to share! I’ll give you the quickest and easiest one today and you’ll have to stop by later in the week for the second treat. . .
I adapted a recipe I had seen recently somewhere by Ellie Krieger, so you know it won’t be too bad in the fat and calories department. But that’s not all because I can attest that it’s also really good and one I’m taking and sharing with others tomorrow!
Here goes:
WHITE CHOCOLATE HOLIDAY BAR
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1 cup rice cereal
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 1/2 pounds good-quality white chocolate, broken up into pieces or into bricks
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
- Spread the pistachios and coconut in an even layer on the baking sheet. Toast 5–8 minutes or until coconut just begins to brown. Remove baking sheet from the oven, and let cool.
- Mix together the pistachios, coconut, rice cereal, and dried cranberries in a bowl, keeping out about 1/4 cup for later.
- Put the white chocolate and 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large heatproof bowl, and set over a medium saucepan of simmering water. Stir with a spatula until all of the chocolate is melted and creamy.
- Remove the chocolate from heat, and fold in the nut and coconut mixture. Spread the mixture out on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the reserved 1/4 cup mixture over the top. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the chocolate has completely set then break the bark into bite size pieces.
Ready to put in the fridge
THAT’S IT! It took me longer to actually clean up my kitchen afterwards than it took me to prepare this treat! It’s not too sweet or rich and the cranberries give it a little sweetness while the pistachios give it a nutty crunch. It’s pretty yummy if you ask me! You can use other nuts or other dried fruit to change it up. I like pistachios for the bit of green color and they make me think of Christmas. (In fact, I used to give my dad a jar of pistachios at Christmas. He loved to crack and eat them while he watched TV).
And if you are wondering here’s how this treat adds up nutritionally:
Nutritional Information
| Calories per serving: | 142 |
| Fat per serving: | 8g |
| Saturated fat per serving: | 4g |
| Monounsaturated fat per serving: | 3g |
| Polyunsaturated fat per serving: | 1g |
| Protein per serving: | 2g |
| Carbohydrates per serving: | 17g |
| Fiber per serving: | 1g |
| Cholesterol per serving: | 2mg |
| Iron per serving: | 0.0mg |
| Sodium per serving: | 28mg |
| Calcium per serving: | 59mg |
Not too bad!
Are you trying any new treats this year? What’s your favorite? Tried and true?
Have a great day!
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