Gut-friendly chocolate mint slice: an easy no-bake healthy treat
Chocolate mint slice that's delicious, easy to make and provides 5g of fibre per serve? Yes please.
This healthy chocolate mint slice recipe has all the things we love about a classic mint slice – a rich chocolate base, creamy peppermint centre and decadent dark chocolate topping – with a nutritious twist.
Made with ingredients including almonds, cashews, coconut, cacao and dark chocolate, each serve contains 5g of fibre, making this a delicious way to add a little more fibre and plant variety to your day.
And perhaps the best part?
There's absolutely no baking required.
At Zing Wellbeing, we believe healthy eating shouldn't mean giving up chocolate, desserts or the foods you love. It's about finding delicious ways to bring more nutritious ingredients into your everyday diet.
And if this sounds like your kind of healthy eating, this recipe is just one of more than 2,000 delicious recipes available inside the Zing Wellbeing app.
Explore the Zing Wellbeing app and get access to 2,000+ recipes here →
Why this chocolate mint slice is a great healthier treat
A traditional chocolate or peppermint slice can be made with ingredients such as refined flour, icing sugar and plenty of butter.
Our Zing Wellbeing version takes a different approach.
The chocolate base is made with almond flour, coconut and cacao, while the creamy mint layer uses cashews and coconut cream.
You still get that indulgent chocolate-mint combination, but you're also getting fibre and a range of nutrients from plant-based ingredients.
Each serve provides:
5g fibre
7g protein
25g carbohydrates
14g sugars
It's important to point out that this isn't a low-calorie slice. Nuts, coconut and dark chocolate are nutrient-dense but also energy-dense foods, with each of the nine larger serves containing approximately 430 calories.
If you'd prefer a smaller sweet treat, cut the slice into 18 bite-sized pieces instead.
Why fibre matters for gut health
One of the nutritional highlights of this recipe is its 5g of fibre per serve.
Fibre plays an important role in digestive and gut health. It helps support normal bowel function, while certain types of fibre can be fermented by bacteria in the gut.
Australian women are recommended to consume approximately 25g of dietary fibre each day, which means one larger serve of this slice provides around 20% of that amount.
But when it comes to gut health, variety matters too.
Eating a wide variety of plant foods provides different types of fibres and plant compounds, which is one reason we love that this recipe contains ingredients including almonds, cashews, coconut and cacao.
No single recipe will transform your gut health, of course. Think of this instead as a delicious way to incorporate some additional fibre and plant ingredients into an overall balanced diet.
Healthy chocolate mint slice recipe
Serves: 9
Ingredients
Chocolate base
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 3½ tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: add a serve of protein powder
Mint filling
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 1 hour
- 3 tbsp coconut cream
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 3 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp peppermint essence
- Optional: green food colouring or a small amount of spinach for a naturally green colour
Chocolate topping
- 125g dark chocolate
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
How to make healthy chocolate mint slice
Line a 10 x 20cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add all the chocolate base ingredients to a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and use the back of a spoon to press it firmly and evenly across the base.
Add all the mint filling ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mint filling over the chocolate base and smooth the surface evenly.
Place in the freezer for approximately 1 hour, or until the mint layer is firm.
Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil together and stir until smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the chilled mint layer and spread evenly.
Return the slice to the fridge or freezer until the chocolate topping has set.
Cut into 9 larger serves or 18 smaller pieces and enjoy.
Nutrition per serve
Based on 9 serves:
Calories: 430
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fat: 36g
Fibre: 5g
Sugars: 14g
Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients and brands used.
What makes this chocolate mint slice gut-friendly?
It's not the peppermint!
The real gut-health story here is the fibre and variety of plant ingredients used throughout the recipe.
Almond flour
Almonds provide dietary fibre as well as nutrients including vitamin E and magnesium and predominantly unsaturated fats.
Using almond flour also gives the chocolate base its rich, satisfying texture.
Cashews
Cashews form the base of our creamy peppermint layer and contribute fibre, plant-based protein and nutrients including magnesium, copper and zinc.
Coconut
Desiccated coconut contributes additional fibre and gives both the base and mint layer their texture.
Coconut products are also relatively high in fat and energy, so they're best enjoyed as part of an overall balanced diet.
Cacao and dark chocolate
Cacao and dark chocolate don't just provide that rich chocolate flavour.
Cocoa contains naturally occurring plant compounds known as flavanols. The amount can vary considerably between different cacao and chocolate products, so we don't rely on chocolate as our primary source of antioxidants – but it's certainly a delicious addition to this recipe.
Is chocolate mint slice healthy?
It depends on what you mean by healthy.
This isn't a low-calorie or low-fat dessert, and we don't believe in pretending otherwise.
Nuts, coconut and dark chocolate are energy-dense ingredients, which is why one of the nine larger serves contains approximately 430 calories.
But calories aren't the only measure of a food's nutritional value.
This chocolate mint slice also provides 5g of fibre per serve, alongside plant ingredients including almonds, cashews, coconut and cacao.
Healthy eating is about your overall dietary pattern, rather than labelling individual foods as either “good” or “bad”.
And there's absolutely room for chocolate.
Can I make smaller chocolate mint slice bites?
Definitely.
If you'd like a smaller portion, cut the recipe into 18 pieces instead of nine.
Based on the supplied nutrition information, that would provide approximately 215 calories and 2.5g of fibre per piece.
It's a great option if you want a little something sweet with a cup of tea or coffee.
Is this chocolate mint slice no bake?
Yes!
That's one of the best things about this recipe.
There's no oven required. Simply make the base, blend the creamy mint filling, add the chocolate topping and allow everything to set in the fridge or freezer.
It's also an easy dessert to prepare ahead of time.
Can I make mint slice green without food colouring?
Yes.
If you want that classic green peppermint layer but would prefer not to use food colouring, try blending a small amount of baby spinach through the cashew filling.
Start with a little and add more until you reach your desired colour.
How should I store homemade chocolate mint slice?
Store your mint slice in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
If you keep it frozen, allow it to soften slightly before eating for the best texture.
Is peppermint good for digestion?
Peppermint has a long history of use for digestive symptoms, and peppermint oil has been studied for some gastrointestinal symptoms.
However, the small amount of peppermint essence used to flavour a recipe shouldn't be treated as a digestive supplement or gut-health treatment.
In this recipe, the fibre-containing plant ingredients are the much more relevant gut-health story.
Want more gut-friendly recipes and healthier sweet treats?
If this is your kind of healthy eating, wait until you see what's inside the Zing Wellbeing app.
This healthy chocolate mint slice is just one of more than 2,000 delicious recipes available to Zing Wellbeing members.
You'll discover everything from:
- High-protein breakfasts
- Healthy lunches and dinners
- Gut-friendly recipes
- Family meals
- Smoothies
- Healthy snacks
- Delicious desserts and sweet treats
Plus, Zing Wellbeing gives you access to meal plans, workouts, meditations and expert coaching to help make looking after your health simpler and more sustainable.
Because we don't believe healthy eating should mean surviving on bland food or giving up everything you enjoy.
We want healthy food to be food you genuinely can't wait to eat.
Join Zing Wellbeing and get access to 2,000+ recipes
