Chocolate Haystacks

I'm averse to most low calorie dessert recipes. The majority of them are based on Cool Whip (which I've never been a fan of) mixed with other, powdered stuff.

Peanut Butter "Mousse" = Cool Whip + dehydrated peanut butter.
Oreo Fluff = crushed Oreos + sugar free instant pudding powder + Cool Whip.
This one (scroll down) uses colored Cool Whip as a frosting to top a cake made from a box mix and (I kid you not) a can of diet soda.

If this is the food that's being offered, no wonder people lose weight.

I did find one recipe, however, that isn't too bad: chocolate haystacks. Essentially, you melt 1o oz. of chocolate and use it to coat about 8 oz (a half package) of high fiber cereal. I'm sure that description won't win any fans. Maybe this one will: it tastes like a dark chocolate Kit Kat. (Well, a whole wheat, dark chocolate Kit Kat.) It sates a die-hard chocolate craving. Even kids like it.

So there you have it: a tasty low-cal dessert, with nary a dollop of Cool Whip in sight.

Chocolate Haystacks

10 oz. of chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
1 "sleeve" of high fiber cereal (like Fiber One) - about 8 oz.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

Place chocolate in a large, microwave safe bowl and microwave for one minute at 40-percent power; stir. Continue microwaving at 30-45 second intervals at 30-percent power until chocolate is completely melted, being sure to stir between intervals.

Once chocolate has melted, add cereal and stir to fully combine. Drop heaping tablespoons of the mixture on to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about an inch apart. Allow haystacks to set before removing them from the sheet; store in an airtight container. Yields approximately 36 haystacks.