Happy ♡ Day. 

I am a decent cook. Baker, not so much. But I love coming up with no-bake treats to use as desserts… ones that don’t involve flour, mixers, lots of measuring cups, cups of sugar, and endless stirring. Here is one of the best, easiest treats that also makes for sensational eye candy. I originally saw these at a tiny Japanese lunch spot in downtown Austin (now closed). The staff would pass around a bowl full of chilled, chocolate-dipped fruits and I thought, That is such a thoughtful touch! I would love to do that at a dinner party! So I did. And then my mom and aunts made a ton of them for our wedding soon after as well. I’ve changed things slightly to spice it up a bit nowadays, using fresh herbs and ginger. In addition to using herbs for their healing properties, fit them in where you can in cooking to add flavor and punch without any extra sugar or salt.

Food Facts:

Ginger: Aides in digestion, calms nervous stomachs, reduces nausea, aides in treating colds and flus, and can even help reduce pain!

Fresh Green Herbs (Cilantro, Basil, Mint,etc): Promote healthy liver function, also used in treating colds and flus, aide digestion, and are anti-inflammatory. 

I hope you enjoy yourselves today and take time to delight in the simple pleasures we may find. 

Chocolate Ginger Berries:

6 oz pkg blackberries (or blueberries, raspberries, whatever you like)

½ bag dark or semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger root

Mint and basil leaves for garnish

Use clean and dry berries. Mix grated ginger in with melted chocolate. Dip each berry in the chocolate mixture and lay on parchment paper on top of mint leaf (or basil). You can place some grated ginger on top or sprinkle turbinado sugar to give some sparkle. 

*I used a whole bag of chocolate chips for mine and had so much melted ginger-chocolate left over that I made some dark chocolate nut & fruit bark and threw it in the fridge. Great way to use up the leftovers!*

♡♡♡