A Lighter Way to Sweeten Your Valentine’s Day

This Valentine’s Day, show your sweetheart just how much you care by whipping up delicious — and nutritious — homemade treats!

Your loved ones will melt over these decadent chocolate strawberry truffles, a special Valentine’s recipe (below) from our good friends at Lighter. They’re loaded with animal-friendly and heart-healthy ingredients like cashews, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and almond milk, and they’re 100% indulgent without the guilt.

Are you ready to impress? Check out this recipe below — and be sure to check out Lighter’s tips for making Chocolate Covered Strawberries with any leftover chocolate sauce. Enjoy!

Chocolate Strawberry Truffles, courtesy of Lighter

Ingredients: Truffle center

• ¼ cup + 2 Tablespoons cashew meal
• ¼ cup dehydrated raw strawberries, crushed into a meal
• 1 Tablespoon hemp hearts (raw hulled hemp seeds)
• 1 Tablespoon flaxmeal
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons almond milk
• 1 teaspoon agave or other liquid sweetener2
• Sprinkle of Coconut shavings, if desired.

Ingredients: Chocolate Sauce

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips (I used 50% because I found fair trade on sale, but a higher percentage will be healthier and just as delicious!)
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil, melted.

Directions:

1. Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Make sure to turn off the heat as soon as it’s a liquid, because coconut oil can overheat and get smoky quickly, which doesn’t taste good!
2. Melt the chocolate chips slowly in a separate pan. You can do this in the microwave, on a nonstick pan, or over a hot water bath. Once the chocolate is completely melted, turn off the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of melted coconut oil.
3. Add all of the dry truffle ingredients to a mixing bowl. Blend the ingredients thoroughly with a whisk. Add in the wet ingredients and mix with a spoon. The consistency should be a little bit sticky, but it should roll into a ball and hold it’s shape pretty easily. The structure will become firmer when it’s cooled.
4. Roll the truffle dough into small ½ inch balls and place them on parchment paper about 1 inch apart. Cover each truffle with chocolate sauce and place them in the refrigerator to cool.