Flourless Chocolate Cake for Valentine's Day has healthy chocolate and almonds

How's this for a yummy sounding Valentine's Day pitch that came my way from the PR team for The New Sonoma Diet?  Since I'm always on the hunt for desserts that are low on the glycemic scale, this looked perfect:

 

Chocolate is the ultimate pleasure food, and good news – dark chocolate also has health benefits.  The antioxidants in dark chocolate and cacao protect arteries and help them relax, thereby easing blood flow and lowering blood pressure (without increasing weight!).

New York Times best selling author, Dr. Connie Guttersen suggests pairing dark chocolate with almonds. A dream team combo, Dr. Guttersen calls it, almonds and dark chocolate go perfectly together to provide an antioxidant boost as well as a hunger-suppressing sweet treat which means you get to indulge without overdoing it and packing on the pounds.

Dr. Guttersen’s newest book, The New Sonoma Diet, has the perfect recipe for incorporating this dream team combo into your diet. The Flourless Chocolate Cake calls for both dark chocolate and almonds as ingredients.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Start to Finish: 1 hour

Yield: 12 servings

 

4 ounces good-quality bittersweet chocolate (72% cacao), in small pieces

¼ cup butter

¼ cup nonfat yogurt

3 eggs

1/3 cup white sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 ¼ cup finely chopped almonds

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

3 cups fresh raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries

 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with a nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and spray again on top of the parchment paper. Place chocolate and butter in a bowl. Place over a pot of barley simmering water. Gently heat until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in yogurt and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and fluffy, about 4 minutes on high speed. Stir in salt and vanilla. Add nuts; then gently fold in chocolate. Do not overmix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with ¼ cup of fresh seasonal fruit.

 

Culinary Notes:

• Do not melt the chocolate over boiling water or the chocolate may scorch. Gentle heat is best, and stir periodically.
• Whip the eggs and sugar until light in color and full of air. This leavens the cake and gives it a light texture.

 

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 207 calories, 5 g protein, 14 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 17 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 63 mg cholesterol, 97 mg sodium, 5.8 glycemic load.

 

St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve

Here's a great post I found on 365 Things to do in Silicon Valley - Sounds like fun so I thought I'd pass along this link to the blog.

by Dawn Thomas on January 25, 2011

In getting reacquainted with outdoor exercise once again this year, my husband and I have been to St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve twice in the last couple weeks...read the rest on the original site.

Today on San Jose Fitness Examiner: Boston Market touts healthy menu options: low-cal, low-sodium, gluten free

Boston Market touts healthier menu options; low cal, low sodium, gluten free

Just in time for that comfort food attack that hits you about this time of year, Boston Market is highlighting the healthier eating options now available at the popular chain's 490 locations.
Various Boston Market locations, including the four in the immediate San Jose area may not exactly be fitness eating, but the menu does fill a need

Continue reading on Examiner.com: Boston Market touts healthier menu options; low cal, low sodium, gluten free - San Jose fitness | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fitness-in-san-jose/boston-market-looks-to-highlight-healthier-menu#ixzz1Bunt8ZZA

Most Romantic Recipe Contest calls for Valentine's Day strawberry recipes

88 percent of the strawberries grown in the United States come from California, and 50 percent from right here in the Silicon Valley area: Watsonville, Salinas, Santa Cruz.

PRNewsFoto/California Strawberry Commission

So it's only fitting that the competition to showcase sweet ways to use strawberries in Valentine's Day recipes should originate with the Watsonville-based California Strawberry Commission.

The prizes in the recipe contest for "Most Romantic Valentines Day Dish" (aside from bragging rights about how romantic you can cook) are: Amazon gift cards: First Place - $500, Second place - $350, Third Place - $150. Winning recipes will be featured on the California Strawberries website for all to enjoy.
 
How to enter the Valentine's Day recipe contest: 

1. Submit recipe online at the California Strawberries Recipe Submission Page by Friday, February 4th, 2011.
2. Upload the recipe photo at: California Strawberries Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/castrawberries).  Be sure to  include recipe name and the words "Most Romantic Recipe Contest."

Contest Rules:

• Eligibility – Must be a U.S. citizen, 18 years and older.
• Online Submission Deadline – Friday, February 4th, 2011
• Prizes – $500, $350, $150 Amazon Gift Cards will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
• Who can enter? – Anyone who enjoys cooking and food bloggers of all levels are invited to participate.
• Criteria –The dish must include fresh or frozen strawberries. It could be for any meal of the day and be categorized by main course, salad, side dish, appetizer or dessert. Additionally, it should have a romantic quality. Visual appeal, taste, creativity and ease of preparation will also be considered in the judging.
• Judging – Winning recipes will be selected by the California Strawberry Commission staff. Particular consideration will be given to recipes submitted with clear and creative photos. Further attention will be given to recipe photos that receive the most comments or "likes" on the California Strawberries Facebook page. Contestants are welcome to invite friends to "vote" for their photos.

Get Inspired!
For a little sweet inspiration, visit California Strawberries' recipe pages for romantic and alluring recipes such as Souffle Omelet with Balsamic Strawberries or Chocolate Dipped Strawberries!

Win trip to luxury fitness spa

My email box this morning had a note telling me about a chance to win a vacation at the Lapa Rios Ecolodge in Costa Rica...hikes, surf, yoga and more.  Ok, it's winter and frankly, a week any place where there are beaches, sand and trees sounds pretty great.  

Here's the info: 

Enter for a chance to win

 

a spectacular vacation at the beautiful Lapa Rios Ecolodge in Costa Rica. Set in 1000 private acres of rainforest, Lapa Rios overlooks the gorgeous wild Pacific Ocean. Staff naturalists will guide you on hikes in the rainforest; you can hang 10 in the surf, kayak into the sunset or marine watch via ocean mangrove boats. Need more? You can also do yoga, massage, or just indulge yourself in a hammock overlooking the heavenly beaches. 

 To enter:  Just complete the entry form

 and share a lifetyle tip on the Pure Bar Facebook page.  On February 21 they will draw a winner (each week, winners will also win some Pure Bars. )

  

So if you are ready for a chance to get away, or win free Pure Bars, CLICK HERE