Moon Dance..

With freedom, books, flowers and the moon, who could not be happy?
~ Oscar Wilde

It’s been too long since I’ve been able to get to this space. Like most of you, it’s a busy time of year in my world. Some people thrive and come alive with an endless list of things to do and places to go. I am not that person. I need time to regroup and be still. Stillness is my battery pack. However, in the flurry of work and school and travel and grappling with the shorter days, I have been in awe of the beauty that the fall has brought to western Pennsylvania. Our days have been sun kissed and painted with an artist’s brush, punctuated by some of the biggest, brightest moons I’ve ever seen. And it has made me happy…
Now, with all of that said, a girl still has to eat. By comparison to all the years leading up to this, I have done remarkably well with all the leftover Halloween candy tempting me everywhere I go. This Milky Way bar is still in tact, sitting in my freezer. It winks at my every now and then, and I just smile at it and close the door.
Don’t be fooled by my willpower. By now I believe it is a well documented fact that I have a thing for chocolate chips. They’re probably my biggest weakness. They serve as my security blanket when I’m feeling weak and in need of just something small and sweet. I can reach for 10 or 12 (ok, maybe 20) and know that I haven’t undone or negated my otherwise mindful eating. This is a space about balance after all, not perfection.

I grew up on Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chips. To this day I cannot look at a bag and not smile and think of my mom. In my mind they will always be part of the perfect cookie. Recently however, I learned that when it comes to melting, there are other brands that I like. Guittard Chocolate has me swooning. These are waxless, creamy, dreamy little beauties and their lengthy allergen statement is something a girl with celiac can wrap her arms around. They were the perfect match for this recipe. 2 Ingredient Dark Chocolate Truffles are easy and delicious. She uses Trader Joe’s chocolate, but I was unable to find the size she recommended. The one I did find is made on shared equipment in a facility that also processes wheat, so I didn’t go that route. I used Guittard bittersweet chocolate baking bars (70% Cacao) instead.

I cut the recipe in half.

What could be better than a big old mound of chocolate?

The original recipe calls for coconut milk, but you know how I love my hemp milk.  I always have it on hand:

It was hard not to dip every finger and piece of fruit in my kitchen into this:

The first time I made them I only rolled them in cocoa powder and they were a bit too bitter for my taste.  The second time I made them I decided to brighten them up a bit:

I rolled some in coconut, some in powdered sugar, some in coconut sugar and some in colored sprinkles:

One of the simplest things I’ve ever made:

The other day I realized that somehow I have a credit over at Amazon.  So in celebration of Thanksgiving and my 30th post, I figured why not share the Guittard love?  I am giving away 1 box (4-12 0z packages) of either milk chocolate (31% cacao), semi-sweet (46% cacao), or extra dark (63% cacao) chips…you pick.   Just in time for holiday baking!  It’s just a tiny little token of love & gratitude for joining me on this journey.  If you’re a U.S. resident, leave me a comment by midnight, Tuesday, November 24th.  And don’t be shy.  After the cookbook giveaway, I had friends tell me they didn’t know if it was ok for them to toss their name into the hat.  Yes, toss your name into the hat.  Like the saying goes: You’ve gotta play to win!

And be sure to visit The Minimalist Baker’s beautiful site for the truffle recipe.