Last year Enjoy Life Foods sparked our culinary interest with Valentine recipes for Sweetheart S’mores and I’m CHOCO for you! Candies. The year before that it was Choco-Yummy Raisins and Rockin' Raspberry Truffles.

So what kid-friendly, vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, easy-to-make, chocolaty ideas do they have this year? Read on and enjoy two new super-simple, food allergy-friendly recipes ...

Chocolate Covered Strawberries
           
Ingredients:

• 2 pt. strawberries, washed and dried
• 1 bag Enjoy Life® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 Tbsp. shortening (Spectrum type, not oil)

Directions:

1) Line a cookie sheet sheet or tray with parchment paper and set aside.

2) Melt chocolate and shortening in double boiler or microwave*

3) Dip strawberries into melted chocolate let excess drip back into the container. Note: If chocolate is too thick, just heat it a little more. If the chocolate is too thin, let it cool until you reach the desired consistency.

4) Put on the prepared tray. Refrigerate until chocolate is hard.

*Microwave chocolate: Put 3/4 of Enjoy Life® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips and the shortening in a microwavable container. Heat for 30 seconds, stir. Repeat. Heat until most all the chocolate is melted. Add remaining chocolate and stir until smooth.

Yummy Mint Cookie Bites

ingredients:

• 1 bag Enjoy Life® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 box Enjoy Life® Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies
• 3/4 teaspoon natural mint extract

For Chocolate Coating:

• 1 bag Enjoy Life® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 tablespoon shortening (like Spectrum brand)

Equipment:

• 8x8-inch pan

Directions:

1) Prepare an 8x8-inch pan by lining with parchment paper. For easy removal, let parchment paper hang over 1 or 2 edges. Lightly grease paper, set aside.

2) Break up cookies, or process into crumbs. Should have approximately 1 1/2 cups.

3) Melt chocolate in microwave until melted. Melt in intervals of 30 seconds until pieces are almost melted. Stir until smooth. Add mint extract.

4) Stir chocolate mixture in the prepared pan and spread the mixture in the prepared pan.

5) Let mixture harden (quicken this process by refrigerating). The cookie mixture should be firm enough to cut into pieces. If it's too hard from the refrigerator, let it soften a little before slicing.

6) Cut the pieces into approximately 1-inch squares.

7) Prepare chocolate for coating in microwave. Dip cookie pieces in the chocolate allowing excess to drip into the container.

8) Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet or tray and allow to harden.