Chocolate, Almond Butter Delight

“Life is like chocolate: you should enjoy it piece for piece and let it slowly melt on your tongue.” – Unknown

I love chocolate. I love the rich, creamy taste as it melts in my mouth. I love how my muscles relax as it slithers through my body. I love the  burst of energy I receive when I am running on empty. Chocolate solves all problems.

Chocolate is loaded with sugar. The white, granular crack may create an instant spark, only to lead to a crash shortly after. A bulge in the belly can be everlasting and uncomfortable. What to do?

Cacao is high in antioxidants. When cacao is processed and mixed with milk and sugar, that is when it becomes toxic. When raw cacao hits my tongue, my face cringes from its bitter taste. The sweet additives are what makes chocolate intoxicating. However, there are natural sweeteners, such as raw honey and coconut oil, that can give cacao a kick. There is hope for chocoholics, like me.

I am in constant conflict of wanting to satisfy my sweet tooth and wanting to live a natural, healthy lifestyle. When I stumbled across 6 Guiltless Recipes for Chocolate Lovers, I was intrigued. Their 5-ingredient chocolate, peanut butter cups reminded me of one of my childhood favorites, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. As I scanned the ingredients, my lips curled up and my eyes twinkled. Peanuts are inflammatory; almonds are alkaline. I could substitute peanut butter with almond butter. I decided to give the recipe a try, with a few modifications.

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

• 1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chunks
• 1/4 cup Nutiva coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Middle Layer

• 1/2 cup of almond butter (My preference: Crushed almonds from Whole Foods)
• 1/4 cup of raw honey
• 2 tablespoons of Nutiva coconut oil

Top Layer

• 1 cup Enjoy Life chocolate chunks
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Himalayan, pink salt

Instructions

1. Line mini baking tins with 48 mini baking cups.
2. Add the chocolate chunks, coconut oil, and vanilla extract to a pot. Heat on low, and stir until melted.
3. Evenly distribute the chocolate mix in the baking cup liners.
4. Freeze for 15 minutes.
5. Add the almond butter, raw honey, and coconut oil to a pot. Heat on low, and stir until melted.
6. Evenly distribute the almond butter mix on top of the chocolate layer.
7. Freeze for 15 minutes.
8. Add the chocolate chunks, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and Himalayan salt to a pot. Heat on low and stir until melted.
9. Freeze for one (1) hour.
10. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.

Tasty Delights…

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Tags: alkaline, cacao, chocolate, coconut oil, gluten free, raw honey, recipe