Blueberry-Chocolate Trail Mix Bark

If you’re looking for a great gift for Dad this Father’s Day, how about a homemade treat?  This Blueberry-Chocolate Trail Mix Bark from my book, More Quick-Fix Vegan is super-easy to make and because it’s made with nuts, fruit, pretzels, and chocolate, it hits all the right snack buttons: a little sweet, a little salty, a little chewy, a little crunchy — this stuff has it all!  Plus, Dads love gifts that you make yourself — especially when they taste this good.  (Of course Father’s Day is only one reason to make this treat — there are 364 other reasons each year when it would also be a good idea!)

Blueberry-Chocolate Trail Mix Bark
Yield: about 30 pieces
A new spin on old-fashioned almond bark, this version is the stuff dreams are made of.  That is, if you dream about chocolate, nuts, pretzels, and blueberries! This recipe is from More Quick-Fix Vegan by Robin Robertson © 2014, Andrews McMeel Publishing. (photo by Zsu Dever)
Note: If dried blueberries are unavailable, or just for a variation, you can substituted dried cranberries, cherries, raisins, or other dried fruit in equal measure.

12 ounces vegan semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup chopped peanuts, pistachios, almonds, or a combination
1 1/2 cups thin salted pretzel sticks, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped dried blueberries

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with waxed paper.
Melt the  chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave.  Stir in the remaining ingredients, then transfer the mixture to the baking dish.  Spread the mixture evenly, smoothing out the top as much as possible. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes. Invert the bark onto a cutting board and peel off the waxed paper. Cut the bark into pieces.