Ohhh I am so excited about my Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters! It’s February, and if you didn’t know, you’ll certainly find out walking into the grocery store. There are Valentine’s Day chocolates left right and centre! And while picking up a box to snack on is so so tempting, I’m reminded of the fact that refined sugar and dairy (staples in most store-bought chocolate), do not do my body well.

So what is the solution? I put down the box of delicious treats, head through the aisles, and instead, I’ll make my own! Introducing my Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters! 

They’re my own healthy spin on Turtles chocolates but without dairy and refined sugar! These healthy turtles are surprisingly nutrient-packed thanks to all of the yummy whole-food ingredients I use to make them. Best of all, they contain THREE incredible mood-boosting ingredients to help you beat those winter blahs!

Scroll for my Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters Recipe so you can surprise your sweetheart (or eat the batch yourself), and for the amazing mood-boosting properties this recipe has!

Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters Recipe aka Healthy Turtles Chocolate

Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan

Prep time: 30 minutes | Chill time: 2 hours | Serves: 20 Truffles

Ingredients

• 2 cups pecan halves
• Coarse sea salt

Vegan Caramel Ingredients

• 10 Medjool dates, pitted
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup date soaking water
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp vanilla

Healthy Chocolate Ingredients

• 3/4 cup cacao powder, sifted
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat a dry frying pan to medium heat and add pecan halves. Toast until fragrant and slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. This step is totally optional but adds a really nice flavour so I highly recommend it.
2. To make the vegan caramel, soak dates for 5 minutes in boiling water to soften them. Save the date soaking liquid. Place dates, ¼ cup melted coconut oil, ¼ cup date soaking liquid, 1 tbsp maple syrup and vanilla in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. 
3. To make the chocolate, whisk the cacao powder, ½ cup coconut oil, and ¼ cup maple syrup together in a medium bowl until smooth. Add additional melted coconut oil as needed. 
4. To assemble the Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters, place 4 pecans on a baking sheet, add a dollop of vegan caramel in the centre, cover with chocolate and top with a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. Repeat until all of the pecans are covered and place in the freezer to set for 2 hours. 
5. Store in the freezer and enjoy straight out of the freezer. 

NOTE: Assembly takes a bit of time. If you are pressed for time, chop the pecans and mix them into the vegan caramel then top with chocolate.

Mood-Boosting Benefits of Coconut Oil

I love baking with coconut oil because it’s so versatile! I can use it for high-heat cooking without worrying about it becoming denatured, and I can use it to stabilize chilled desserts, like in these Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters!

Coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid. Before I jump into the health benefits of coconut oil, let’s talk about MCT oil first. MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride. This is a type of fatty acid chain, aka fat, that is shorter than the chains you find in foods like meat. Compared to long-chain triglycerides, medium-chain triglycerides are easily broken down and absorbed by the body so it takes less energy to metabolize them. They are also smaller so they can permeate the cell membrane more easily.

This means MCT oil has a ton of health benefits such as:

• Boosting energy
• Fighting bacteria & fungi
• Aiding weight loss

Consuming this type of fat could reduce depressive symptoms. This might be because these triglycerides help our body make ketones which act as a secondary source of energy to sugars. These ketones are considered anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, which helps our brain to function more optimally. 

Coconut oil reduces symptoms of stress. It helps the body recover after stressful events and improves brain chemistry restabilization post-stress. It also has a positive effect on the adrenal glands which can become overworked as a result of constantly releasing stress hormones. 

Learn more about the benefits of coconut and MCT oils here!

Mood-Boosting Benefits of Pecans

Pecans contain hefty doses of tryptophan, an amino acid that you might be familiar with during Thanksgiving! There’s a reason turkey makes us feel tired and happy. Tryptophan actually boosts our serotonin levels and reduces our need for a stress response. It curbs aggression, helps with sleep, and improves the mood! Pecans (or any other nuts and seeds) are a great way to get more of this mood-boosting nutrient into our diets!

Mood-Boosting Benefits of Cacao & Chocolate

Chocolate is one of my favourite superfoods because it’s both healthy and indulgent! Now not all chocolates are alike, you’ll only find these health benefits in high-quality dark chocolates, cacao powders, or nibs.

Magnesium helps to regulate our brain function, and deficiency is directly linked to mood disorders like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and more. Eating high-quality cacao can make a significant dent in our daily magnesium intake. With some products on the market containing over 25% of our daily recommended value!

High-quality cacao also contains phenylethylamine (PEA) which has been studied and shown to significantly improve depressive symptoms in most individuals. It does this by stimulating the production of dopamine and norepinephrine to give us an instant mood boost! Yay!

Spoil Your Team This Valentine’s Day With Dark Chocolate Desserts!

Yes I mean literally! This month I’m inviting you and your team into my kitchen for a dark chocolate cooking class! Together in this delicious Dark Chocolate Desserts Cooking Class, we’ll make indulgent Dark Chocolate Chili Brownies and Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Both are perfect for Valentine’s Day!

These classes will allow you to reap all of the incredible mood-boosting benefits of dark chocolate while you work! This class makes such a fun team-building activity or holiday mini party for your office! 

I’m so excited to bring your team into my kitchen for this healthy virtual cooking class. These classes are engaging virtual team-building events that everyone can benefit from! Let’s liven up the office with these delicious, mood-boosting recipes!

Email info@jesselanewellness.com for additional information and pricing.

Dark Chocolate Recipes To Rival My Vegan Toasted Pecan Clusters

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles are a decadent dessert with a creamy hazelnut centre encased in a dark chocolate shell. These delicious truffles are gluten-free, vegan and super easy to make. I sweetened the dark chocolate shell with maple syrup and sweetened the creamy hazelnut centre with stevia. Your sweetheart will love these as a healthy Valentine’s Day treat!

Raspberry Yogurt Bark with Dark Chocolate Drizzle

What’s pink, red, and white, tastes like cheesecake, and is perfect for Valentine’s Day? My Raspberry Yogurt Bark with Dark Chocolate Drizzle! This healthy take on frozen yoghurt is super refreshing, kid-friendly, and the perfect festive treat to have on hand this Valentine’s Day! I love all the fibre, probiotics, and of course – mood-boosting dark chocolate in this recipe!

Chocolate Monkey Power Smoothie

This is the perfect chocolatey breakfast for any day of the week! This recipe highlights raw cacao powder for that boost of happy energy! I added lots of protein, fibre, and even some sneaky veggies! This is a great kid-friendly one thanks to all of the yummy chocolate! They’ll be so excited to have dessert for breakfast, they won’t even notice the kale!