mixture

one 3.5-ounce bar bittersweet chocolate (71 percent cacao content), broken into pieces
1 1/4 cups banana chips
1/2 cup natural, unsweetened wide-flake coconut, lightly toasted and cooled completely
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup dried tart (Montmorency) cherries
2 tablespoons roasted cacao nibs (cocoa beans, roasted and shelled)

procedure

Combine the pieces of bittersweet chocolate, banana chips, coconut flakes, cashews, cherries, and cacao nibs in a bowl. Turn the mixture into a clean, dry jar, cover, and seal tightly.

creates

about two and three-fourths cups

store

up to ten days in advance, stored a tightly-covered jar

notes

◊ unsweetened wide-flake coconut, rather than the sweetened flaked variety, is preferred in this mix for its texture and flavor
◊ walnut pieces or raw pumpkin seeds may replace the cashews
◊ sweetened dried cranberries may replace the cherries
◊ roasted cacao nibs (cocoa beans, roasted and shelled) are a delicious counterpoint to the chunks of bittersweet chocolate