Berry Sorbet with Dark Chocolate and Toasted Cashews

Though I’m not super into Valentine’s Day, I still use it as an excuse to indulge in some tasty treats. This parfait hits all the right notes – soft, frosty sorbet with a warm, rich chocolate sauce and a crunchy cashew topping to add texture and a hint of salt.  It’s the perfect way to spoil your hunny with something sweet while staying on the healthy side. And look how pretty it is!

The sorbet in this beautiful parfait is made from a mix of frozen bananas, raspberries and strawberries with some coconut cream/milk – that’s it!  Super simple and super delicious. These fruits are overflowing with nutrition. Potassium from all three supports nerve, muscle, and heart health; Vitamin C from the strawberries and raspberries encourages supple skin, good vision, and balanced immune function.  The berries also provide lots of fiber for healthy digestion as well as a tangy sweetness, without spiking blood sugar.

That’s right people, you’re actually getting nutrients from your dessert, it IS possible.  Don’t even get me started on dark chocolate…. well actually, definitely let me get started because I love it.

In addition to berries, dark chocolate is a great source of flavonoids, a certain type of antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory effects, which among other things helps to reduce blood pressure. On top of that, dark chocolate can increase good HDL cholesterol, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk of blood clots.

I love using coconut nectar (also called coconut syrup) as a sweetener, not only because of its subtle flavor but because it also contains minerals (iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium) and is low-glycemic.  Refined sugar is considered “non-nutritive” because it provides nothing but empty calories, so while coconut nectar and other natural sweeteners like maple syrup should still be used in moderation, they are much better options than processed sugars. For those of you who haven’t used it, coconut nectar does not taste coconutty, you can use it in place of honey or agave without a major change in flavor.

A few preparation notes.  Start out by preheating your oven and mixing together your cashews, sesame seeds and coconut nectar.  Bake them on a piece of parchment paper until golden brown, 12-15 minutes should do it, just keep an eye on them.  No need to stir until you take them out to cool.

For the chocolate sauce, I found it helpful to start with the chocolate and coconut nectar in the pan with 1/4 cup water on medium-low heat, whisk until well combined, and then stir in the additional water 1/4 cup at a time.  Then keep it at a very low heat, occasionally stirring, until you’re ready to drizzle it on your parfait.

A high-speed blender will work best for the sorbet, since there is not a whole lot of liquid involved.  I used a tamper to push the fruit into the blades while slowly increasing the speed.  Once the blender really starts to move, blend until just after it becomes smooth.  Be careful not to overdo it because the heat from the blender will make your sorbet thinner and you need that rich, creamy, frostiness to stand up to the hot cocoa sauce you’re about to pour all over it.  Layer the sorbet and chocolate as you wish and top with the crunchy cashew and sesame mix.

I mean…serioussllyyyy.  Look at that! This dessert tastes so indulgent, even though it’s made from healthy, nourishing ingredients.  Enjoy!