This summer you can support local farmers by shopping locally and support a healthy gut for yourself too.
Julie Balsam, MS, RDN, joined us with a recipe for Farmers Market Chocolate Fruit Dip.
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce dark chocolate chips (about ¼ cup)
- 2-3 tbsp manuka honey (to taste)
- 1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Fruit of choice
Instructions:
• Combine the yogurt, 2 tbsp honey, cocoa powder & vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
• Using a heat safe bowl, microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second bursts until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate to the yogurt mixture. Whisk until combined. If desired, add an additional tablespoon of manuka honey!
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.
Julie says for a dairy-free version, use a coconut yogurt instead of dairy-based. She also suggests choosing yogurt brands that contain live probiotics to enhance microbiome diversity.
Be mindful of added sugars and opt for plain yogurt which you can sweeten yourself.
Manuka honey can provide relief for individuals with reflux by coating the stomach and esophagus, reducing inflammation and promoting the healing of damaged tissue.
Julie says there are healthy fruits in season right now to use with this dip, including blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe, cherries, honeydew melon, mangoes, peaches and plums.
You can learn more from Julie at nutritionbyjulie.net.
