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Show True Love: Make Chocolate-Covered Chicharrones

Susannah Chen — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:42:37 PST

Of all the crazy chocolates I've seen - among them, wasabi pea chocolate and soy-sauce-flavored Kit Kat - the most intriguing I tried was Xocolatl de David's Chicharrón Chocolate Bar. I loved the concept of crunchy mixed into smooth, savory blended with sweet, and yet I found myself wishing for more pork rind.

That's when I dreamt up my perfect chocolate snack: Chicharrónes, or deep-fried pig skins, halfway hand-dipped into semisweet chocolate. The result is simple perfection. Smoky, porky, cheese puff-like awesomeness commingled with just the right amount of smooth chocolate. Any omnivorous man (or woman) would be crazy not to love this. Get the recipe now.

20 Surprisingly Healthy Chocolate Recipes

Leta Shy — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:14:29 PST

Chocolate doesn't have to be a guilty pleasure. In fact, it can be downright good for you! This Valentine's Day, give the gift of decadence without guilt; check out these recipes that will satisfy chocolate cravings without the added calories.

Name That Chocolate's Filling!

Susannah Chen — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:15:24 PST

When it comes to a box of chocolates, you probably want to know what you're going to get - regardless of whether or not it's a parable for life. After all, there's nothing worse than expecting a caramel-filled bon bon, only to find it's stuffed with something called "tutti frutti." Well, practice makes perfect. To nail your favorite chocolates and their fillings, I'm putting you on the spot with a pop quiz! I've opened a box of Valentine's Day truffles from See's Candies. Can you guess what's inside of each of these chocolates? There's only one way to find out.

Question 1 of 10

The filling is:

Say "I Love You" With Nutella Pound Cake

Lauren Hendrickson — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:20:43 PST

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to make sweet treats for the ones we love, and since my love is a chocoholic, I get to try out a couple of new chocolate recipes every February. This month: a decadent Nutella pound cake that will make your sweetheart swoon.

Traditionally a pound cake is exactly that: one pound each of the essential ingredients - flour, sugar, eggs, and of course, butter. The cake is pretty easy to make even for a beginner baker, and the key is to never overmix the pound cake batter. You can either layer the Nutella and cake batter to create a swirled, marbled effect or fold the chocolate hazelnut spread into the cake batter entirely.

This is a dense cake, so use the toothpick trick to see if it is baked completely. Resist the urge to cut into the cake right away and be sure to let it cool for at least 20 minutes, otherwise the cake might start break apart as it cools. To serve, sprinkle with cocoa powder and pour a tall glass of cold milk. If you have a chocoholic or Nutella fiend in your life, keep reading for the recipe.

Chocolate-Covered Strawberries in No Time at All

Camilla Salem — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:11:42 PST

If there's one thing I could eat every day, it's chocolate and fruit. Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of those decadent desserts that people save for special, romantic occasions, but I don't really understand that. This technique for dipping your strawberries in melted chocolate is so simple, it can and should be enjoyed regularly. While many recipes tell you to melt chocolate and butter together, I find that the chocolate chips melt perfectly on their own and I like to keep things as simple as possible. I use semisweet chocolate chips, but feel free to use whatever your taste buds prefer. Click through to follow along.

What 100 Calories Really Looks Like: Valentine's Day Treats

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:52:19 PST

The day of love is almost here, and besides exchanging Valentine's Day cards and romantic glances, this is a huge day of sweets. We're talking boxes of chocolate, heart-shaped sugar cookies, and other decadent treasures. You should definitely enjoy some bites of your favorite desserts, but before you do, find out how many calories those little bites will run you.

M&M's Unveils a Brand-New Brown

Camilla Salem — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:49:11 PST

Time to share the spotlight, Green M&M - there's a new candy in town: Ms. Brown.

The new gal on the block (and sixth M&M color) was unveiled at two events on Monday - one at M&M's World in New York and another at The Grove in LA, with none other than Neil Patrick Harris on hand to unveil the latest M&M's character.

With her trendy thick-rimmed glasses and witty smirk, Ms. Brown joins the Green M&M to form a kick-butt girl power duo amongst a band of male characters (red, yellow, blue, and orange). She's set to make her speaking debut on Super Bowl Sunday. If Ms. Brown's anything like how NPH described her - "kind of feminine," "smart," and "savvy" - then we can't wait to welcome her to the (24-count candy) pack.

What do you think of the new hue? Are you excited for a new M&M's color?

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

Savory Sight: Flourless Orange and Sea Salt Chocolate Cake

Yum Community — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:22:41 PST

If the description of this cake doesn't get your mouth watering, then I'm afraid I don't know what will. Gabriela Une Vie Saine gives us a truly decadent dessert.

Warning: For serious chocoholics ONLY!
This rich, bittersweet chocolate cake is made with only five ingredients and yields a seriously impressive result. More chocolatey than sweet, it's the perfect dense dessert for a sophisticated dinner party.

If you're ready for this recipe, visit her blog. And don't forget to share your recipes in our YumSugar community.

Savory Sight: Tipsy Mexican Hot Chocolate Bark

Yum Community — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:26:22 PST

We've been on a chocolate kick here at YumSugar so we couldn't resist sharing this chocolate bark recipe from Gabbysgfree with all of you.

Dark chocolate bark with a layer of Grand Marnier marshmallow.

Want the recipe? Visit Gabby's blog, and share all of your killer food photos and recipes in our Savory Sights community group.