Recipe Redux: Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

Happy 1st Birthday to the Recipe Redux! I’ve really enjoyed being a Recipe Redux-er this past year, and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with this awesome group of bloggers! Thanks to Regan Jones, Serena Ball and Deanna Segrave-Daly for all of their hard work to make Recipe Redux so great!

To celebrate, we are bringing you “Small Bites to Celebrate a Big Event” with a focus on small bite desserts….YUM! I love it when dessert is involved

This month I’m reaching back into my recipe library for one of the simplest recipes on my blog, Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters. 

I hope you’ll enjoy this small bite dessert and all the others from my fellow Recipe Reduxers!

 

Pears with Walnuts & Yogurt

If I had to pick a favorite fruit, I think it would be the pear. Did you know there are over 5,000 varieties of pears grown around the world? How amazing is that? Anjou, Asian, Bartlett, or Bosc, I enjoy them all (well, I haven’t tried all 5,000 varities yet, but I’ll add that to my list of things to accomplish). I just love the grainy texture, and of course the juiciness, of a good, ripe pear. And they can be quite satisfying by themselves as a snack! Leave the skin on your pears for the extra fiber benefit while also getting some vitamin C and vitamin K. Enjoy this Pear with Walnuts & Yogurt recipe as a post work-out snack or for breakfast!

Pears with Walnuts & Yogurt

Ingredients:
1 Bartlett pear, diced 1/2 inch
2 Tbsp. fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 Tbsp. chopped walnuts

Directions:
Place diced pears in a bowl and drizzle with yogurt. Top with walnuts.

10 Days, 10 Ways: Oatmeal

10 Days, 10 Ways is a new series for the Nutrition Adventures blog that will feature 10 recipes that fit into a similar category. In the spirit of all things heart healthy this month, the first 10 Days, 10 Ways is all about Oatmeal!! Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels in combination with a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Oatmeal is a blank canvas that allows you to create new flavor combinations, so the “oatmeal is boring” excuse won’t fly any longer! Just check out my 10 creations and be inspired to invent something nutritious and delicious!

1. Strawberry Yogurt: low-fat vanilla yogurt, strawberries, ground flax seeds, honey drizzle
   

   Strawberry-Yogurt Oatmeal

2. Tropical Morning: coconut milk, banana, golden raisins
3. Cranberry-Walnut: dried cranberries, chopped walnuts
   

   Cranberry-Walnut Oatmeal

4. Chocolate-Cherry: mini chocolate chips, dried cherries, chopped walnuts
5. Zesty Blueberry: blueberries, orange zest
   

   Zesty Blueberry Oatmeal

6. Honey-Nut Oatmeal: almonds, walnuts, pecans, honey drizzle
7. Elvis’s Oatmeal: peanut butter, banana, cinnamon
   

   Elvis's Oatmeal

8. Protein Power: low-fat cottage cheese, peaches, sunflower seed kernels
9. Date Time: chopped dates, sunflower seed kernels
   

   Date Time Oatmeal

10. Apple-Cinnamon: diced apple, cinnamon, honey drizzle

Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

They’re sweet, slightly salty, and super tasty.

And man do people love them. I made these for a diabetes support group meeting (there’s only 13 grams of carbohydrates per cluster!), then took some to work the following day…and I think I’ll be expected to bring more back soon!

Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

Recipe adapted from: KimGaleaz.com

Ingredients:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp. sunflower seed kernels

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in double-boiler over simmering water.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add melted chocolate to the bowl and mix well to coat.
3. Using a tablespoon, scoop mixture onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Chill clusters in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature for best flavors.