There is nothing better than finding an excuse to eat chocolate.

So with National Chocolate Week starting on Monday (October 9), there is all the more reason to indulge in the delicious food.

Whether you're enjoying a warm hot chocolate, swirled into some ice cream or in a mousse, there's no reason not to celebrate the dedicated week to the sweet treat.

But what if you're trying to eat healthily at the moment? Fear not, you can still enjoy a chocolatey bite.

We've rounded up five of the best chocolate recipes that still contain loads of healthy ingredients.

Tesco: Chocolate and Avocado Mousse (serves 6)

Ingredients

100g dark chocolate

Four tablespoons of maple syrup

Two teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or extract

Five tablespoons of almond milk or coconut milk drink

Two and a half tablespoons of cocoa, sieved

Two large ripe avocados, flesh scooped out

Method

1) Set aside 25g chocolate for decoration and break the rest into squares. Melt in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of shallow, simmering water. Stir in the maple syrup, vanilla, almond or coconut milk, 1⁄4 tsp fine salt and the cocoa until smooth.

2) In a blender or food processor, whizz the chocolate mixture with the avocado flesh until silky smooth. Divide the mixture between
 6 small serving glasses. Chill for at least 3 hours, or for up to 12 hours.


3) To make the decoration, scrape the edge of the reserved chocolate using a vegetable peeler to make long shards. Store in an airtight container until needed. Scatter over the mousse just before serving.

Raw Vegan Chocolate and Almond Cookies (serves 12)

Ingredients

Two tablespoons of coconut oil

Two tablespoons of agave syrup

Half a teaspoon of cinnamon

Two tablespoons of almond butter

Two tablespoons of raw cacao powder

75g of rolled oats

12 almonds

Method

1) Gently melt the coconut oil, agave syrup and cinnamon together in a pan over a very low heat until liquid. Stir in the almond butter until liquid.

2) Take off the heat and stir in first the cacao powder, and then the oats until fully combined.

3) Shape into little rounds with your hands and place the cookies on a lined tray. Press an almond into the centre of each cookie.

4) Chill for 20 to 30 minutes until firm.

Tesco: Beetroot and Chocolate Cake (serves 12)

Ingredients

50g of cocoa powder

175g of plain flour

One and a half teaspoons of baking powder

200g of caster sugar

250g cooked beetroot

Three medium eggs

200ml pf sunflower oil

100g of dark chocolate, finely chopped

Icing sugar

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180C, then grease and line the bottom of a 23cm springform cake tin. Sieve the cocoa, flour, baking powder and sugar into a large mixing bowl.

2) Drain and halve the beetroot, then blend in a food processor. With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, then pour in the oil. Blend the mixture until the liquid is just smooth.

3) Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix in the chocolate. Pour into the tin and cook for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

4) Remove from the oven and set aside for 10 minutes, then turn out and leave to cool. Dust the cake with icing sugar before serving.

ASDA: Fresh Chocolate Dipping Sauce (serves four)

Ingredients

100ml whipping cream

100g milk chocolate, chopped

Fresh fruit to serve

Method

1) In a pan, bring the cream to the boil - without actually boiling it.

2) Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring it through the cream until melted.

3) Serve warm with fresh fruit kebabs.

Tesco: Superfood Chocolate Nibbles (serves 25)

Ingredients

125g of dark chocolate

40g of pecans, chopped

15g of raisins

15g of dried goji berries or cranberries

Method

1) Tip the chocolate into a bowl and set over a pan of boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Gently heat for 5-10 minutes until the chocolate has melted.

2) Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Use a spoon to make bite-sized chocolate circles on the paper. Then scatter a couple of nuts and dried fruits into each circle. Place in the fridge to harden.

Really going on a health kick? Why not try one of these delicious salad recipes ?

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