Thank you so much for this post.  Sometimes you need help seeing things the right way:

• The Black Forest Cake I made for my birthday was really a "health food".  Especially with the dark cherries!
• Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding for breakfast (with frozen berries on it) is better than something like French Toast.
• I need to go in to Chocolate Box more often for hot chocolate.  Really the best I have ever tasted.  So a tonic as opposed to an indulgence!

Lindt is just fine and I keep around for cooking.  (Watch Trader Joe's as not as good.)  Quality of chocolate is very important here.  Not the place to cut corners.  I use real ingredients whenever I bake.  I can always tell the difference.  (I make sure I share so don't end up eating the entire whatever.)

Seriously though, I think this thread is as much about satisfying one's taste buds as the health benefits of chocolate.  Because when one is able to eat high-quality satisfying food, then consumption of "stuff" goes down.

Which reminds me that it is time to check on the Tarte Belle Helene at Le Panier.  Chocolate pear tart, with frangipain.  YUM!

A lovely topic.  I myself am in the midst of research on the linkage between chocolate consumption and moode elevation.  Fortunately for me, I live in the Pacific Northwest.  Unbeknownst to many, the Pacific Northwest is a chocolate mecca with Seattle as the center of the universe   which makes research much much easier.

The Dagoba chocolate previously mentioned is made in Ashland, Oregon.  While the chocolate may be pricey, its fair trade and organic and oh so good.  In addition to bars in such really good albeit wierd sounding flavors like lavender blueberry, they make serious drinking chocolate and neat little 9 gram squares of single blend chocolates ranging from 68 to 78% chocolate.  Perfect for snacking.  Oh and you can visit the shop if you go there and buy the chocolate bars for $2 each!!!!!!!

In Seattle we have a number of options.  One is Seattle Chocolates maker of my current favorite bar, the Whidbey Island, a dark chocolate bar that combines blackberries with chocolate.... .mmmmmmmmmmm.

Then there's Dillante which not only has lovely dark chocolate truffles but giant dark chocolate salmon chockfull of healthy virtual fish oil and omega 3s.

I am currently in the middle of a bar from another local place called Thees which is also organic and fair trade .  The bar I am eatting combines anise, fig and some nut that I can't remember.  Its the first time I've had it and I have to say its pretty darned tasty.

I confess that in a pinch, I will raid the admin officer's candy dish which is typcially stocked with more plebian things like miniature 3 musketeers, snickers, hershey kisses and the like.  I can really tell the difference.  One 9g Dagoba bar will hold me for the afternoon but it takes 3 milky ways for the same impact.

Thus far, I have concluded that, in the interest of my losing weight, our budget must be modified to allow purchase of really good chocolate. . . . .one must do what one can for health, right?

Ah, chocolate: a topic dear to my heart!

I buy Whole Foods house brand "365" Vegan Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips for baking and snacking. No milk  products in it although it does contain soy lecithin (ingredients: Evaporated cane juice, chocolate liqour, cocoa butter, soy lecithin (as emulsifier), ground vanilla beans). One serving (1 TB = 15g = a little less than 1/2 ounce) is 70 calories; 4 g total fat, only 2.5 g of which is saturated (13% of RDA), sugars 8 g, no cholesterol, no sodium, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein. 

I used to eat Valrhona Chocolate (aka Food of the Gods, I swear!) but in the interests of saturated fat/cholesterol control I gave it up. Also, Whole Foods stopped carrying it which means my only source is online; since they cost $5+ per bar it's probably a good thing for my budget!

 But for "Budget be Damned" Chocoholics, here's the best online source: www.chocosphere.com/Html/Products/valrhona.html#v_70g  They carry all good chocolate brands, btw... just scroll down the bottom of the page for links (if you dare! )

40 gr of dark chocolate -NO MILK, organic if possible gives you 100% of the daily required antioxidants. Yes, dark chocolate is good for you.

Happy Easter!  

Made sure I had some primo hot chocolate along with my breakfast sandwich prior to church.  Considered it a tonic, especially the whipped cream I had them add  

I make it a point to eat dark chocolate everyday!  Haven't noticed the hair growing fast but perhaps I'm not eating enough

has to be at least 70% cocoa for the health benefits......so the kisses are just for fun

2 thumbs up on Theo's chocolate!  Its yummy!   And, as I live in Seattle, I can even tour the factory!