If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I tend to get on what I call "kicks" in the kitchen. They are the things that I can't stop making, over and over until I can pump out the recipe in my sleep.

There was the summer of tomato/basil/mozzarella salads, the winter of shortbread, the fall of meringues, and of course, the best snack ever--r oasted garbanzo beans.

Just before the holidays, I decided it was time to start getting serious about my health. I started working out with a personal trainer (which has the best thing I've done for ME, in a very long time) and I've been making a lot of changes in the kitchen.

The over-arching principle is clean eating. I'm trying to be much more careful about the ingredients I'm using in meals--keeping them simple and whole, really re-vamping what I'm eating for breakfast (oatmeal and I are best friends.) and finding ways to tweak things I already love to make them a better version of themselves.

The results are self-motivating. I've been losing weight, but more importantly I'm feeling so much better. Like life-changing better. Like pulled out of the funk, welcome to the light better. And stronger. Like woah, it's the end of the day and my back isn't killing me stronger. Like I just ran up the stairs and I'm not out of breath stronger.

I'm convinced it's all about the baby steps and each little bit of progress helps to keep me on the path to a healthier version of me.

But, come on. I'm not a superhero. And no matter how healthy, we still need chocolate. (My children, who just finished a "study of chocolate" in their homeschool co-op like to wax eloquent about the benefits of chocolate. Good girls.)

So, I've found a way to make my own, with ingredients that are all healthy-me approved. And people, this chocolate is crazy-easy, crazy-good and perfect to have on-hand when you need a fix.

HEALTHY HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup almond butter (My kids prefer peanut butter. I prefer almond butter--but it does make the chocolate a little more grainy. But I think the flavor is less overwhelmingly-sweet with almond butter.)
1/4 cup honey

Line a cupcake tin with cupcake papers. On the stovetop, combine all the ingredients and melt over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. Pour into cupcake papers and fill a little less than half full. (I find that anything over a half is a little too much for one serving.) Chill in the refrigerator until firm and set, or if you're really desperate, freeze for a quick fix. This recipe will make about 12 chocolates. I should really try doubling it, huh? Once they've chilled, I toss all of mine into a baggie and keep them in the refrigerator.

They'll keep for about...I have no idea. Mine are eaten, shared, and devoured by small children in a matter of days.