I haven’t had the energy lately to create, or do much of anything for that matter. I mentioned my current state a few days ago on Instagram. Thank you so much for your kind words, and well wishes and positive vibes. I am hopeful things are on the up and up but still, there is lots to mend.
I’ve been working on reducing screen time. Downing green juice. And, reevaluating the work that I do as a blogger, freelance artist, and health coach. And as a chronic over-extender, these changes are a long time in the making. As a result I’m retiring my 21 Days to Lean and Green program, after running it for nearly two years. My last group will take place this January. If you want to get on board more details are here.
My Lean and Green program afforded me great opportunities, and introduced me to some wonderful people. Like my friend, Maggie. The powerhouse woman behind the award winning online shop and recipe site, Eat Boutique. I first met Maggie when she became a client of mine in January 2015. Since then, I’ve witnessed her drop nearly 50 lbs, extinguish inflammation and joint pain, and gain enough energy to bounce around the country to promote her new book, Food Gift Love.
Food Gift Love is a beautiful masterpiece that contains over 100 recipes to make, wrap and share, and I’m kind of obsessed with it right now. It’s perfect for the holiday season, and I’m giving away a copy to one of you! If you’d like to win a copy of Food Gift Love, leave a comment below telling me what you love most about the holiday season. I’ll choose a winner at random on December 7 at noon Central, and notify them by email. Sorry folks, this giveaway is open to US readers only.
Making this dark chocolate ginger bark
About the chocolate ginger bark—it’s easy. Really, really easy. Which is good for me, because that’s about all I can muster right now. It’s also so flexible, and you can add really any toppings you’d like. Maggie’s recipe from the book has dried fruit (cherries, apricots, cranberries, etc.) along with the ginger. But, I decided to simplify the toppings using only ginger, and add in a subtle hint of cinnamon for a more prounouced holiday vibe. And salt, because salt and chocolate. Trust me, it all works.
And one last tip. After you’ve spread the dark chocolate onto the baking tray and topped it with ginger, put it in the freezer until it’s just set. But not rock hard. This will allow you to cut the chocolate ginger bark evenly, which is nice for gifting. After you’ve cut the chocolate ginger bark, pop it into the fridge until fully hardened.
Dark Chocolate Ginger Bark with Sea Salt
Ingredients
- 7 ounces dark chocolate {at least 70%}
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup crystallized ginger
- sea salt
Instructions
- Chop the ginger into thin strips or chunks, and set it aside.
- Heat the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat until about ½ is melted. Remove from the heat, and continue to stir until all the chocolate is melted. Then stir in the cinnamon.
- Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and smooth the chocolate into roughly a 8 x 10 rectangle.
- Sprinkle the ginger evenly on top, and finish with a pinch of salt.
- Pop the tray into the freezer for about 25 minutes, or until set {not hard}. Remove and cut the bark into square or triangles with a sharp knife. Pop the chocolate back into the refrigerator for 2 hours or until hard.
(This giveaway is closed.)
Thanks to the folks at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for gifting me an advance copy of Food Gift Love! Recipe adapted, and reprinted with permission from Food Gift Love, by Maggie Battista, copyright © 2015 published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Whitney @ Jewhungry says
Making Chanukah decorations with my kiddo now that she’s old enough to know who’s going on.
Natalie says
It’s my first holiday season in the US, I guess I love the the atmosphere more than a physical thing I can describe. Happy holidays!
Nicole says
I love getting to try and share holiday desserts with friends and family! It always gets me into the Christmas spirit!
Erin says
What I love most about the holiday season is getting to spend time with my family and all of our special holiday traditions! I also love all the beautiful lights and decor everywhere, I wish they were up year round. Thanks for the giveaway!
Liz @ Floating Kitchen says
Oh I just love giving edible gifts at the Holidays. It just feels special. So Maggie’s book sounds right up my alley! The thing I look forward to most at the Holidays is making cookies with my mom. We usually dedicate one whole weekend to making 6-8 different kinds of cookies. I usually need a sugar detox by the end, but it’s still fun to spend that time with her in her kitchen. Hope you’re feeling better. Sending you good vibes.
Laura says
I love all the time with family and memory making!
Erin Chavez says
My favorite thing about the holidays is really just winding down with my family. College gets pretty hectic and sometimes it’s difficult to stay in touch with those that really matter the most. I’m excited to head home, sit by the fire and eat real meals for a month! I’d love to share the recipes in this book with my mom and big sister.
Charlene says
I love being with friends and family! But really, the food, and the excuse to eat all the food I want!
Alexandra robertson says
I want some of this in my life. Love ginger. My favorite part of the holidays is Christmas music and slow cooker meals. so comforting. I also love cookies lol. Hoping to win!
Mary ladesic says
I love pulling out the family recipe books and baking our traditional Christmas cookies to deliver to Loved ones. There is something so special about the smell of freshly baked gingerbread and sugar cookies bark filling the kitchen.
Grace Kim says
One of the things I absolutely love about the holiday season is something I have realized more and more since living overseas. It’s the sense of shared spirit and community you can find everywhere you go. The understanding that this is a special time to share memories together over mulled wine and spiced cider; the time to stop and bake gingerbread cookies, to deck the halls however big or small your halls may be; the time to stop and smile a little more often; the time to give a little more to others and give thanks for what we have been blessed with.
Julia says
Traipsing through the snowy forest with my dad in search of the perfect tree!
Mindy says
My favorite part of the holiday is making gifts!
Shelley | Sevengrams says
I totally feel you on not having energy in the kitchen these days – and I too had been thinking that bark just seemed right, and easy. Looking forward to seeing what fabulous new things you will your new ‘free’ time with, xx.
Shoshana says
I love driving around and looking at all of the decorations.
Danielle says
I love the anticipation more than anything else. I love anticipating Christmas Eve dinner with my family, Christmas morning breakfast at my house, seeing my kids’ faces, feeling the joy, being with family and celebrating the birth of our Saviour – all of the wonderful things that go with the season.
Natty Nice says
I love celebrating the winter solstice by being amongst trees & nature. Seeing the snow line the tree branches, the cute cardinals flying everywhere and hearing the crunch of the snow underneath me are some of my favorite things.
Ginger Stark says
I bake for everyone as thank you’s for the holidays.
Emily says
Oh my goodness the smells! I love love love the smells of the holiday season. Balsam fir trees, Christmas candles burning, chocolate melting, cookies baking. It’s all wonderful.
Trisha P. says
I love the blanket of snow, the twinkle of lights, the smell of pine. Such a special, cozy time of year to be as a family.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
This is so yum! What I love most about the season is just that feeling of “joy” and happiness you can just smell in the air and sense everywhere you go!
Amanda Paa says
You know I’m sending all the healing vibes! And I’m glad you’re taking time for yourself, and also to foster more growth in the areas you feel like you’re pulled towards. I love Eat Boutique and I was so excited when I found out Maggie was writing a book. This chocolate bark is creative and pretty. And delicious I’m sure. xo
Casey the College Celiac says
I love having some time off from school to spend time with family, relax and cook with my mom!
Jennifer says
I love being at home when its snowing and doing nothing but baking or cooking with my family.
Kristina N. says
Glad that you’re taking time for yourself and doing more of what satisfies you. I love the food and family time during the holidays, but most of all I love having some time off for myself — read some good books, take a small trip, get my dang nails done. It’s a nice time to slow down and appreciate my life and myself.
Nickie says
What do I love most about the holidays? Three things: Food, gifts, love.May all of the above be in your life this holiday season. And thank you so much for the opportunity to own this lovely book. Be well always, Nickie.
Dana S says
It’s my and my older sisters birthdays and Chanukah so there is just so much celebration all the time!
Amy says
Beautiful chocolate, so thin and lovely to look at. I hope you feel better soon and can take time to relax over Christmas, xx.
Ally says
For me, it’s a tie between a happy reason to see family and the awesome food!
Ashley Chew says
What I love most about the holidays is the excuse to do extra baking and plan exciting holiday menus. I love to bake & the holidays are the perfect reason to bake lots of goodies to gift and devour. I love showing people just how amazing and delicious vegan food can be.
Jeri says
I am lucky to live in NYC. Starting with the tree in Rockefeller Center, to the store windows, street music everywhere, and of course lots of great food, it’s a magical place to be.
Melanie says
I love this time of celebration and gratitude – and I look forward every year to listening to Vince Guaraldi’s Charlie Brown Christmas album.
ali says
I’m a sucker for christmas lights and good chocolate!
Karen Mele says
I love seeing the holidays through my kids eyes. It is still magical to them even as they get older. This year is especially special because my youngest is 2 and there is nothing more magical than watching a 2 year old get excited about Christmas!!!!!
Lyn M says
I love the smell of a real tree and the fun decorating it plus all the lights.
Abbie says
I love giving gifts! So much better to watch someone open up a package then to open one for yourself.
Anne says
I appreciate the holidays give me the chance to reflect on the good in life, to contemplate ways to give back to others, to make those others may forget feel special,
Tanja says
I have lived in New Zealand for the last 24 years and let me tell you, planning your summer holidays as well as Christmas stuff is just all wrong, even though I have now been here half my life. Hailing from Germany originally I love Christmas markets, short days so you can actually see the Christmas lights (!), the decorations in everyone’s houses, the wonderful smells of baking, cinnamon, pine trees, being able to hold a cup of hot Glühwein and seeing my breath in the cold air, candles…sigh. Instead I am planting out the vegie garden, closing the curtains at 20:00 (although it’s still light outside), so the children can see the tree lights before they go to bed and all the while wondering if I should clean the BBQ before or after Christmas day!
Jen says
I love how the pace of life changes for a few weeks and there is more time to spend with friends and family. I always try to make time try new recipes as well as old favorites, sharing food is such a satisfying experience.
LynneMarie says
My favorite thing about the holidays is spending time with my niece who I unfortunately don’t get to see the rest of the year.
Christy Qualin says
Decorating the tree, making cookies, being with family & friends.
Lisa M says
What I most love about the holiday season. Family Time. My family has either moved, or passed away. My dinner table has gotten smaller. I like to enjoy every moment I have with those I still have around. I also like teaching my four girls how you can keep old traditions, and bring in new.
Sarah Backes says
Holiday traditions with family and loved ones!
danielle is rooting the sun says
Hello sweet lady – although our time acquainted has been brief thus far, I wish you strength and happiness while you adjust/deal with certain aspects of your life. You are a huge inspiration in all you do.
Celesta says
I love the way I feel when I’m out and about doing holiday chores and we are all smiling at each other!
Virginia says
I love the Christmas holidays because I take time to reflect on the year past and plan for the year to come.
Yfat says
My husband and I share our different traditions – we do both Hanukkah and Christmas!
D K e e l s says
I appreciate the spirit of the Holiday season when people slow down to pay attention to their family and friends. Also, when people take time to extend a kindness (often anonymous) and when they let civility rule in their activities. Of course, I love the food (chocolate! chocolate! chocolate!) and the music, too!
Wehaf says
My favorite thing about the holiday season is how much time I get to spend with loved ones.
Micah says
I absolutely love the special holiday traditions that everyone partakes in during the holiday season. They’re all unique and are normally shared with loved ones.
Samantha says
I love the music, the decorating my home with my kids, the smells and smiles around the house during the holidays, it’s just so joyous. Lovely recipe, I can’t wait to try it, I love dark chocolate and candied ginger.
Sandy Rinks says
I love the holiday food. This chocolate bark recipe will be something I’m going to make for my girlfriends get together which is at my house this year. Along with a red sangria with cranberries and oranges.
Holly says
I love seeing family that lives far away and travels home for the holidays!
Melissa says
Family. The good parts and the bad parts nothing beats being together and seeing how deeeply happy it makes my grandma
Anne says
Decorating the house and spending time with family and friends.
Anna says
I love getting to see my dad and brother again and seeing the look on my dad’s face when he sees how muh I’ve changed, physically and mentally and in my study (classical singing). I especially love sharing my newfound knowledge of food with him so that he can profit from it as well! Cooking with him is a regular occurrence whenever we see each other again and the holidays make it just that much more exciting!
Mary Beth says
This time of year, I spend more quiet time, reflecting on my life and all of the things I am grateful for.
Maureen Sutherland Weiser says
OMG, I am now totally obsessed with the Eat Boutique site and want to teleport myself to Boston for that amazing Holiday Market!! It looks so amazing! I am a personal chef and I’m always looking for new food gift ideas to make for the families that I cook for. I would LOVE this book! And chocolate bark is one of my very favorite things to make for the holidays (and making Stollen is always a fave, too)!
Cheers,
Maureen
Nancy says
I am going to run out and get some dark chocolate and get cranking on some holiday gifts. For me the holidays are simple and with the kids flown the coop just not the same, but seeing friends and family is what counts the most and of course, cooking as much as I can.
cat says
Just the pure joy of the season.
Emily Salvatore says
There is nothing more dear to me, than family. I love spending time with them.
Judith says
I love the smells!
Thia says
So much to love about the holidays. Quality time with friends and family, lingering long into the wee hours around the dinner table in conversation, all the glorious food, experimenting in the kitchen with new, luxurious recipes, returning to old tried and true favorite recipes that come wrapped in dear memories of other good times. Sparkling lights inside and out, travel to see distant loved ones, hours of creativity and laughter in the kitchen, cookies and candies and indulgences of every kind. So much to love.
Shelley says
Love the lights in the darkness. Love the holiday cheer and celebration. Love the food and drink.
Lily | Kale & Caramel says
You know I’ve been beaming all my love to you from LA these past weeks, sweet friend. I hope a few moments of dark chocolate ginger therapy helped, because these photos are just gorgeous. And the book sounds wonderful! YUM!