Portobello Mushrooms with Merlot-Chocolate Sauce

Serves 4

• 4 portobello mushrooms, caps only (about 3 ounces each)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup merlot wine
• ½ cup unsalted vegetable stock

Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• ½ cup Merlot
• ½ cup unsalted vegetable stock
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
• 1½ ounces dark chocolate (72% cocoa), roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Brush mushrooms free of dirt and coat each with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place face down in a baking pan. Whisk 1 cup wine and ½ cup vegetable stock in a bowl and pour into pan with the mushrooms. Bake mushrooms for 15 minutes, then turn face up in pan and continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes until mushrooms have softened and are cooked through.

While mushrooms are cooking, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add shallots and cook until they just start to brown. Add ½ cup wine and stir to loosen any shallots sticking to the bottom of pot. Add ½ cup vegetable stock and salt. Cook sauce over medium heat until it’s reduced to about ¾ cup. Add butter and chocolate. Whisk until melted and sauce is smooth.

After mushrooms are cooked, slice each one thinly on the bias and fan out on a plate. Top with the sauce.

Calories: 187 / Protein: 3 g / Carbohydrate: 10 g / Dietary Fiber: 2 g / Total Sugars: 6 g / Total Fat: 14 g / Saturated Fat: 5.3 g / Cholesterol: 8 mg / Potassium: 441 mg / Sodium: 185 mg

Arugula Salad with Balsamic-Chocolate Vinaigrette

Serves 6

• 1 ounces dark chocolate (65% cocoa)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 10 ounces baby arugula
• ½ cup dried cherries, chopped
• ½ cup raw almonds, chopped
• 1 tablespoon cacao nibs

Melt chocolate in microwave for 30 seconds or in double boiler. Whisk until smooth and shiny.

In a separate bowl, add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine, then whisk in melted chocolate. Stir in shallots.

In a large bowl, toss arugula with vinaigrette, making sure it’s evenly coated. Add dried cherries, almonds, and cacao nibs. Toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Calories: 224 / Protein: 4 g / Carbohydrate: 19 g / Dietary Fiber: 3 g / Total Sugars: 13 g / Total Fat: 16 g / Saturated Fat: 3.1 g / Cholesterol: < 1 mg / Potassium: 333 mg / Sodium: 113 mg

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Chili and Chocolate

Serves 6

• 1 medium butternut squash (2 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups no-salt-added vegetable stock
• 1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, diced
• 1½ ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
• ¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400°. Cut squash in half from top to bottom; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash halves cut side up on baking sheet. Coat each half evenly with 1 teaspoon olive oil. In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over squash. Bake squash for 35-45 minutes until flesh is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh and discard skin.

In a large pot, add 2 teaspoons olive oil plus onion and garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until onion and garlic begin to brown and soften. Stir in ¾ teaspoon salt and chipotle. Add vegetable stock and cooked squash. Bring to a simmer, then turn off heat. Blend the mixture until smooth, either using an immersion blender in the pot or in batches in a blender. Once the soup is smooth, stir in chocolate until it is completely melted and mixed in. Divide evenly among 6 bowls. Top each bowl with some cilantro.

Calories: 150 / Protein: 2 g / Carbohydrate: 25 g / Dietary Fiber: 4 g / Total Sugars: 8 g / Total Fat: 6 g / Saturated Fat: 2 g / Cholesterol: < 1 mg / Potassium: 630 mg / Sodium: 597 mg

Jackfruit Molé Tacos

Serves 6

Sauce

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 2 chipotle peppers from canned chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from can
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• 1½ ounces dark chocolate (72% cocoa)
• ¼ cup (1 oz.) slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Jackfruit

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 20-oz. cans jackfruit, drained
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• Tomato juice from canned tomatoes (should be about 3 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
• 1 cup shredded lettuce or red cabbage
• 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
• 12 6-inch corn tortillas

To make the molé, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté another minute. Add cumin, cinnamon, coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, raisins, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, and vegetable broth. Cook over low heat until tomatoes begin to soften and raisins plump. Turn off heat and stir in chocolate until it melts.

Pour tomato mixture into blender and add almonds and sesame seeds. Blend until smooth. Set aside while you cook the jackfruit.

Cut out cores and remove seeds from the jackfruit and break into smaller chunks with your hands. Discard any pieces too tough to break apart or cut. Finely chop cores and seeds. Add olive oil and jackfruit, including chopped cores and seeds, to same pan used to make the molé. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper and continue to cook over low heat until jackfruit begins to soften. Add vegetable broth and juice from canned tomatoes. Continue cooking until liquid is absorbed. Add mole, and stir until jackfruit is coated in sauce.

Divide jackfruit mixture evenly among corn tortillas. Garnish with the cilantro and lettuce or cabbage. Squeeze fresh lime juice on each taco and serve.

Calories: 337.1/ Protein: 5.77 g / Carbohydrate: 43.4 g / Dietary Fiber: 11.5 g / Total Sugars: 8.117 g /
Total Fat: 16.2 g / Saturated Fat: 3.377 g / Cholesterol: 213 mg

Dark Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Serves 4

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1½ oz dark chocolate (72% cocoa)
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Slice avocados in half from top to bottom and remove pits. Scoop out avocado into bowl of a food processor.

Microwave chocolate for about 30 to 45 seconds or melt it in a double boiler. Stir until chocolate is smooth and shiny, then pour into food processor. Add remaining ingredients to food processor and mix until smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape the bowl down once or twice and process again.

Divide pudding between four 4-ounce ramekins or small bowls. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Calories: 252 / Protein: 3 g / Carbohydrate: 27 g / Dietary Fiber: 7 g / Total Sugars: 15 g / Total Fat: 16 g / Saturated Fat: 4.1 g / Cholesterol: < 1 mg / Potassium: 466 mg / Sodium: 83 mg