@NibMor Dark Chocolate-Covered Pineapple

I was lucky enough to get this amazing box of goodies from NibMor (I got the chocolate gratis; I was not paid to write about the products). Gorgeous chocolate bars, packets of hot chocolate mix...

...and these bite-sized treats, a "Daily Dose of Dark."

So I got out a spoonful of peanut butter and did this...

...and then I did this...

Delicious! It was a perfect little post-workout, protein-n-carb treat. 

But I had lots more chocolate to play with, so I decided to use some of it for a dessert for my mom's upcoming 75th birthday party. Although I was baking a cake for the party, I figured it would also be great to use NibMor for a gluten-free option, to ensure that everyone at the gathering had a dessert that worked for them. The NibMor chocolate is luscious; it's also organic, vegan,  dairy-free, non-GMO, ethically-traded, and made with no refined sugar. 

I opted to make a fruit platter featuring gorgeous red grapes, and chocolate-covered strawberries and pineapple. Now, if you've never paired dark chocolate with pineapple, you're missing out! The sweetness of the fruit wonderfully balances the slight bitterness of the dark chocolate. It's also a nutritious pairing: pineapple is an excellent source of Vitamin C, which actually helps boost the absorption of the iron in chocolate. Plus, chocolate-dipped fruit is ridiculously easy—yet looks super elegant. It's a win all around!

I used two of the Original Dark Chocolate Bars (2.2 ounces each, 72% cacao) and a fresh pineapple, cored, sliced, and quartered. I also dipped a handful of strawberries. If you want to cover your fruit more, you'll need more chocolate; I like the way it looks and tastes with just an edge dipped in that glossy chocolate.

I melted the chocolate and dipped the edge of each piece of pineapple. Then I placed the chunks on wax paper.

I just chilled the fruit in the fridge until the chocolate hardened. 

Arrange all the fruit on a platter and you've got a fabulous dessert—and it's vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free, to boot. Perfect for entertaining a crowd with disparate dietary requirements. Who wouldn't enjoy this bright, delicious show-stopper on a holiday buffet?