Salted Pumpkin Seed Christmas Bark

My heart, my prayers, my tears, and my love go out to those affected by the tragedy that happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

At the end of this past summer, I took my girls to a local park for one last frolic in the Seattle sunshine.  In the two hour and fifteen minute time window that we were down the road, someone with very sticky fingers and two screwdrivers broke into our apartment.  You’ll (hopefully) see a spiritual post on this in the New Year.  It occurred on my end-of-summer school break, a time where I had planned to get mega rest for the upcoming (CRAZY) fall quarter.  Unfortunately, the burglars were more concerned about hijacking our tv than they were about giving me a little sabbatical.

Then, my last fall quarter at Bastyr began.  I was seeing patients on four different shifts at the Bastyr Center for Natural Health.  I was taking two classes.  I was TAing two classes.  I was mothering two children.

Then, other circumstances prodded our family to start house hunting.  We found a house.  We bought a house!

Buying a house before Christmas is not a time friendly idea.  I’m running on sleep fumes, too much organic coffee, apples and peanut butter, and, sorry to say this, Tillamook cheese.  I’m still hoping to make an egg-free version of Beth’s Mini Gingerbread Men, but it might not happen.

What will happen is Christmas bark.  I can make it without any trips to the grocery store, since the ingredients are staples in my archerfriendly kitchen.  I kind of prefer to stay home over running an errand, since I have a tiny case of burg’ paranoia.  Speaking of which, someone with sticky fingers and no brains could make this bark.  The dried fruit sprinkled on top of the melted, unsweetened chocolate is just enough for my stevia tooth, and of course, it’s balanced with protein from the raw pumpkin seeds.

Salted Pumpkin Seed Christmas Bark

Ingredients

• 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate liquor
• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 Tablespoon coconut cream or full fat coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 20 drops liquid stevia extract
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup organic raisins, roughly chopped
• 12 Deglet Noor dates, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chunky sea salt

Makes one 8×8 pan of chocolate bark

1. Line an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 360°F.
2. Melt chocolate liquor on very low heat in a sauce pan with the coconut oil, coconut cream, vanilla, and stevia.
3. Stir the chocolate mixture religiously until chocolate is melted and all ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Pour chocolate into parchment paper lined glass baking dish.
5. Sprinkle melted chocolate with the chopped pumpkin seeds, raisins, dates, and sea salt.
6. Place glass baking dish in the warm oven for 5 minutes.
7. Optional:  Press bark toppings down into bark after removing from the oven.
8. Store in refrigerator until serving.

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