We saved the best for last… dark chocolate (yes, chocolate!) is our final healthy hearing food. Dark chocolate is rich in zinc, which increases your inner ears’ resistance to age-related hearing loss. Before you reach for that bag of M&M’s, make sure you look for dark chocolate that is at least 70% cocoa.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy this treat, including indulging in a dark chocolate bar, melting a few squares in milk to make hot chocolate, or melting some as a dip for fresh fruit. The possibilities are endless! But today, we’re sticking with the classics. Here’s a recipe for dark chocolate chunk brownies, adapted from Martha Stewart.
Makes 16 brownies
What You’ll Need:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (at least 70%) – 2 ounces melted, 2 ounces chopped
- 2 large eggs
What To Do:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 9x9 baking pan with oil or butter
- Mix together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda
- In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar and wet ingredients: applesauce, sour cream, melted chocolate, eggs, and oil
- Combine wet and dry mixtures and stir until completely moistened
- Spread batter into your greased pan and sprinkle with the chopped chocolate
- Bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean)
- Cool completely (or don’t!) and cut into 16 squares
