Written By, Christine Chanel

These beautiful chocolate cranberry nut clusters give a perfect combination of tart and sweet. In fact, it’s a straight-up gourmet delicacy.

Time To Prep

As we inch closer to Thanksgiving, we mentally prepare while making lists of every special ingredient we need to accomplish the big day. Although Thanksgiving is a holiday that we tend to favor savory flavors—we can’t overlook the sweet side of things. Because, what’s Thanksgiving without dessert? Of course, there will always be pie. It’s out of the question to even contemplate otherwise, but, what about a little bit of sweetness to pick on before the ultimate feast?

Most of us may not be aware of what comes a few days before our beloved holiday…

 
National Eat A Cranberry Day

Did you know, chocolate also has its own fair share of antioxidants? These cranberry chocolate nut clusters are a powerhouse.

That’s right. National Eat a Cranberry Day falls on November 23rd!

Cranberries are amazing fruits. In fact, they’re a superfood. Cranberries are jam-packed with Vitamin C, magnesium, fiber, and other disease-fighting antioxidants. Not to mention, they’re only 46 calories per cup—For real. According to WebMD.Com, one cup of whole cranberries has 8,983 total antioxidant capacity! That’s huge. 

Cranberries have also been known to help nourish the skin, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and combat UTIs.

Overall, cranberries should be a staple of every healthy diet.

How Bout’ Them Coconuts

Coconut oil is greatly known to rev up the metabolism while giving you a boost of healthy fats that your body is craving. Anyone living a low-carb lifestyle knows exactly how important this pantry staple is. The fatty acids in coconut oil can encourage your body to quickly burn fat while also providing energy to your body and mind. It’s good for you!

Chocolate cranberry nut clusters are a festive treat that will satisfy the whole family and its one that you can feel good about. They also make a perfect holiday gift for your favorite foodie.
These are so easy to make, it’ll be no issue getting the kids involved for a fun indoor activity.

Ingredients:

• 3.5 oz RED dark chocolate, roughly chopped (you may substitute your favorite flavor)
• 2.5 tsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp liquid stevia
• 1/2 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, raw, unsalted (or, use whatever nut you want)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 to 1 tsp of coarse pink Himalayan salt
• A bit of fresh orange zest (use however much you’d like)
• Dash of cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan bring 1 inch of water to double boil. (Reduce to simmer and place a heatproof glass or metal bowl over the top of the saucepan)
2. Add chocolate and coconut oil into the bowl, stirring constantly until it is melted.
3. Add in Stevia and vanilla extract. Stir until all combined.
4. Remove chocolate from the heat and let cool until it looks thickened.
5. Stir in chopped walnuts and dried cranberries into the chocolate.
6.  Line a baking tray with parchment/baking paper.
7. Spoon mounds onto the prepared baking tray. 
8. In a bowl, mix salt, orange zest, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the chocolate mounds.
9. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until chilled. Enjoy!

These will gladly live in an air-tight container for up to a week.