A Delicious Tale

NUT BUTTER CUPS

I am a reformed candy/sweets addict. If it was sweet, I loved it. So, you can imagine my excitement when Halloween approached. I grew up on a farm, with no neighborhoods in sight. My parents would drive my sister and I into town to the nearest housing development. When we got back home, our pillow cases were full of sugary bliss. We would sit on the floor, dump everything out and sort through it. All the while, trying to protect our treats from my dad. I had two favorites, Snickers and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Peanut Butter has always been my weakness, but pairing it with chocolate...talk about divine intervention. What is it about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter? My knees still grow weak when I see the coupling of those flavors, although now I am drawn to the healthy alternative.

It has always been my belief that healthy food can and should taste so good that you would believe it to be an indulgence. I do not think that negative thoughts or emotions should arise when you eat. The food that you eat should make you feel good emotionally and physically. 

What I love about this recipe is that you will learn how to make a basic raw chocolate which is so versatile. Raw chocolate can be used to make a chocolate bar, chocolate coating and any chocolate candy you can think of! The beauty is that it is made with raw, healthy ingredients full of antioxidants. Feed your body with love and it will love you back!

NUT BUTTER CUPS / Makes 12 full size cups

For the Chocolate
1Tbsp. maca
1tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup raw cacao
60 grams cacao butter
1Tbsp. honey
1/3 cup coconut oil
pinch sea salt

For the filling
1/2 cup almond butter
1tsp. maple syrup

In a double broiler or you can use a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, combine honey, coconut oil, and cacao butter and melt. 

While you are waiting for your mixture to melt, get a medium size bowl and sift the raw cacao and maca, add the sea salt and cinnamon.

When the cacao butter mixture has melted, add it to the dry sifted ingredients. Stir to combine. Grab your lined muffin tin and spoon a few teaspoons into the bottom of the muffin liner. You only want enough chocolate to coat the bottom. Place the muffin tin in the freezer for about 10 minutes so the chocolate can harden.

Make the almond butter filling (recipe can be found here) by combining the ingredients in a food processor. 

Roll a small ball of almond butter in your hands and flatten with your palms. Place the ball on top of the hardened chocolate. Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate on top of the almond butter making sure you completely cover the nut butter.

Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour until the chocolate has become solid.

ENJOY!!