Not to perpetuate the stereotype that Mondays are the worst, but sometimes after a fun-filled weekend, jumping back into responsibilities just hits you like a sack of potatoes. Cooking is a perfect way to unwind and check out after a long day, but when those Monday blues hit, roasted vegetables or grilled chicken just don’t cut it.
Luckily, there’s a cheap and easily-accessible remedy for a rough start to the week—it’s called chocolate. Here are seven reasons why Mondays don’t have to be so bad after all!
Triple Chocolate Cookies
Monday is not the time to be conservative with your chocolate usage. We crush normal chocolate chip cookies every day of the week, so when we’re craving something extra comforting, this triple chocolate cookie recipe is our go-to. The secret sauce is using a blend of semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate chunks, so every bite delights your tastebuds without being too sweet. While there is no such thing as too much chocolate, there is definitely such a thing as too much sugar.
Homemade Chocolate Truffles
There is no scenario in which the combination of butter, heavy cream, and chocolate is not delicious. Plus, these truffles come together in a matter of minutes, and they only require an hour or two of setting in the fridge before you can dive in. These are guaranteed to be more satisfying than that bag of candy you pick up on the way from work and instantly regret.
Dark Chocolate and Walnut Zucchini Bread
There’s no better way to start your Monday than with a hefty dose of chocolate. We’ll never understand the science behind zucchini somehow completely disappearing into bread, but you won’t catch us questioning it, since it gives us an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast. Make this on Sunday night so all you have to do in the morning is cut yourself a solid wedge before diving into those emails.
Sheet Pan Brownie Thins
After a long day, we’re typically running pretty low on patience. That said, this is the perfect recipe for days that you’re craving brownies but don’t want to wait an hour for said brownies to cook. These crispy brownie thins are basically like a whole pan of edges, which is all we’re interested in anyway.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
A sleeper hit, the humble flourless chocolate cake manages to toe the line between elegance and simplicity in a way that almost makes us jealous. Perfect for a Monday night date night or a hot date with you couch and a fork, this cake is a surefire way to cure even the worst case of the Monday blues.
Hot Fudge Sauce
Ben and Jerry are always going to be there for us, but we reserve this recipe for special occasions and Mondays exclusively. Ice cream and hot fudge are a timeless duo that has somehow fallen into obscurity, but we’re happy to bring it back. We promise you that it’s impossible to have a bad (or even just an ok) day when hot fudge is involved. Trust.
Double Chocolate Biscotti
This last recipe is actually a good remedy for the Sunday scaries, since it’s a perfect weekend project. Throw on a jazz record, bake some biscotti, dance around your kitchen, and ease into the week. By the time Monday rolls around, you’ll be more than prepared. Might we suggest dunking your biscotti into your 3pm espresso while you dream about the good food you’ll be eating next weekend?
We’ve tested all of these recipes, and we can vouch—they all get the Kitchen Critic stamp of approval when it comes to taste as well as mood-boosting ability. Pro tip: make a double-batch of any of these recipes and bring the other half to a friend to make their week.
