Looking for a different Valentine′s Day treat this year? Create your own chocolate berry/fruit and nut clusters! They are easy to make and the ingredients — chocolate, dried fruits or berries, and nuts like almonds, cashews, pecans or hazelnuts — are inexpensive and readily available in the bulk food section of any supermarket. Make sure though you buy quality dark chocolate, preferably the semi -sweet variety. Try the following recipe — it′s simple and delicious:

Chocolate almond cranberry clusters

200 g    dark chocolate
75 g    almonds
75 g    dried cranberries

Cover a baking sheet with wax paper. Mix the nuts and berries. Heat the chocolate in a water bath and fold the berry/nut mixture into the melted chocolate, Grab a tea spoon, scoop out bite-size pieces of the mixture and drop them on the covered baking sheet; try to keep the clusters from touching. Refrigerate the whole thing for an hour or two and you have delicious chocolate almond cranberry clusters.

Appropriately enough for a Valentine′s treat, these chocolate clusters are actually quite heart-healthy — when consumed in moderation of course. All three ingredients contain polyphenolic and other antioxidants that have been shown to help reduce LDL oxidation, which in turn lowers the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. They contain many other important nutrients as well with additional health benefits. In fact, you′ll find nuts, berries, fruits, and even dark chocolate on every list of healthful snacks.

Use dried fruits like apricots, pineapples, papayas or prunes instead of cranberries. Try pecans, cashews, or hazelnuts instead of almonds. Use your imagination. Experiment!

Enjoy!