I love celebrating Valentine’s Day each year. You get to cheer others up during the long winter season. Join me as I mail words of encouragement and make healthier homemade Valentine’s Day treats.
Valentine’s Day Fun
First off, head to the dollar store and buy some Valentine’s Day cards for 50 cents or a pack of blank heart cards to mail to friends or family. These will be love notes or words of encouragement. Make it something fun to do as a family. Who doesn’t like to get a card in the mail? Some years, I may even add a gift card for a coffee date to the card.
I have always loved planning fun things for Valentine’s Day. Here is a blog link for making love notes with verses. This is another blog link for fun things you can do with your family on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Treats
I love chocolate. In an effort to make these treats healthier, I have used dark chocolate and real ingredients. Dates are loaded with fiber and real sugars. Coconut, pistachios, and maple syrup are other ingredients I use in these treats. Make all of these or pick your favorite one to make. I love them all.
Share these treats with your friends or family. Bring these treats to your coworkers or add these to a treat bag to make them a fun gift.
Chocolate Covered Coconut Balls Recipe
I made these around Easter and made them into egg shapes. Shape them into hearts if you are creative, or roll them into balls. If you like chocolate and coconut, these will be your faves. I love coconut! This recipe makes 10 balls. If you want to make more, double the recipe.
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3 TBSP maple syrup or honey
- 3 TBSP coconut oil
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Blend the coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla in a food processor or Ninja until sticky. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on parchment paper, and freeze. Microwave chocolate chips wth coconut oil in the microwave to melt. Microwave in a glass bowl for 30 seconds. Stir, and then microwave for 30 seconds and stir until melted. Dip balls in chocolate with a spoon and cover with chocolate. Place on parchment and freeze or refrigerate until serving.
Dark Chocolate Pistachio Dates Recipe
My husband and I love pistachios and dark chocolate, so making these was a no-brainer. We make our own pistachio butter, but feel free to buy yours or use another butter in this.
Pistachio butter
- 2 cups pistachios
- 3-4 TBSP avocado oil
- 2 TBSP powder sugar.
Blend the pistachios in a food processor or Blender until they reach a fine texture. Add the oil and powdered sugar and blend to the desired consistency. (Chunky or smooth). Place in a jar and store in the refrigerator.
- 10 dates
- Pistachio butter
- ½ cup Dark chocolate chips and 1 tsp coconut oil
Cut 10 dates in half and remove the seed. Add 1 tsp of pistachio butter to each date half. If desired, sprinkle coconut on top of some of the pistachio butter. Freeze in a pan.
Melt the Chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring until completely melted. Dip the bottoms of the dates into the chocolate and place them on a parchment-lined pan. Then, drizzle extra chocolate on top of the pistachio butter.
Chocolate Covered Nuts
If you have extra dark chocolate for dipping your above recipes, then throw a handful of walnuts, pistachios, pecans, and or pumpkin seeds in the bowl. You just scraped up all the chocolate and made a healthy treat. Scoop out by spoonfuls onto a pan and chill. These taste so yummy as a treat too.
I hope I inspired you to make some healthier Valentine’s Day treats and send out some fun cards to liven up your winter.
