Healthier Peanut butter cups

Who doesn't love Reece peanut butter cups?

Well for years I loved them and every holiday (Easter being the worst) I would eat way too many peanut butter cups. 

But when I have up all processed foods, that meant cheap chocolate bars too. Now I love to have a piece or two of dark chocolate and really don't miss cheap milk chocolate at all! In fact in the few times I've had another Reece cup I've been really disappointed and in satisfied from it. 

I got these awesome silicon baking cups last year and all my muffins came out of them so easily that I decided to try making my own peanut butter cups in them with Dark chocolate and my homemade peanut butter! 

I hit the jackpot!! 

Sweet and salty and no guilt! 

The only problem is that depending on how thick or thin my current peanut butter is, once you bite into the cup the tend to crack and spew peanut butter which can make them a bit messy! 

Messy but oh so good! 

I wanted to make up some peanut butter cups today since I was already baking so I decided to play around with the recipe a little and add some coconut oil to the chocolate and to the peanut butter to make hopefully help it stay together a little better when eaten!

What you'll need:

For the Chocolate:
1 cup Organic Dark Chocolate chips
1 TBSP Coconut Oil

For the Peanut Butter filling:
1 Cup Homemade Peanut Butter or Natural peanut butter 
2 TBSP Honey
1 TBSP Coconut Oil

Directions:

First melt the Chocolate chips with the coconut oil and stir until it is smooth. 

Then combine peanut butter, honey and coconut oil in a bowl and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds to get everything softened.  Stir together and set aside. 

Next you will put about a spoonful and a half of the chocolate into the bottom of each silicon cup and swirl it to come up the sides about half way. 

Follow with a scoop of the peanut butter mixture and another scoop of chocolate. 

yum!  Peanut butter filling going in

Now for the final touch.  A little more chocolate!

Put on a small tray and refrigerate for several hours or until the chocolate has hardened.  

Then just pop them out of the silicon cups and enjoy!

Adding the coconut oil to them really did help reduce their messiness, and made them easier to enjoy!

These bad boys are so tasty and a nice little cheat day treat.  But they are still a treat even if they are made with great ingredients!

Flourless Chocolate Muffins

These dark chocolate muffins are delicious and surprisingly healthy.

Total Time: 22 min.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Yield:12 servings, 1 cupcake each

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed
3 large eggs
½ cup pure maple syrup
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare 12 muffin cups by lining with muffin papers or coating with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
3. Place chickpeas, eggs, maple syrup, cocoa powder, baking soda, coconut oil, and extract in blender or food processor; cover. Blend until smooth.
4. Divide batter among 12 prepared muffin cups.
5. Top each muffin with about four chocolate chips; push into batter.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely and enjoy!

Check out the 30 second clip I made on making this recipe!

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites

In the summer I'm less likely to want to turn on the oven to bake a loaf of banana bread or banana muffins when I have a couple bananas that are ready to go.  But this simple snack uses them up in a yummy way that doesn't require an oven!

Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites

3-4 bananas (depends on how many you want  )
1 bag ENJOY LIFE chocolate chunks-dairy/soy/gluten free
Top with whatever: coconut, almonds, even add in peanut butter if you want.

Cut up the banana's into bite sized pieces, put onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and pop into the freezer for about 30 minutes (optional you can just cover them and then freeze them too).

Melt the chocolate in a bowl. 

Dip each frozen banana in the chocolate and cover completely. Place back on the parchment paper. When all the banana bites are covered and on the parchment paper, put the cookie sheet into the freezer for about an hour. Remove the pieces and place in a freezer safe plastic storage bag if you want to enjoy them over the course of the next week!

Seriously this is the perfect evening sweet treat..for me i don't need a TON to be satisfied...just need 1-2 and I feel like it helps me cure that sweet tooth without the guilt cause I don't know if i'm the only who likes an evening snack 

I would certainly consider making these for an appetizer at a healthy party!

The Frozen Banana

I can't live without my frozen banana in my shake every morning. Since I've discovered this little trick I'm hooked! 

The frozen banana is the perfect compliment to my shake because it adds coldness without being ice and I use a half banana in my shake anyway! 

This morning I was out of frozen bananas and no ice to boot! Now I like my shakes cold but I figured it woukd be fine. I threw in a half banana, scoop of peanut butter, almond milk and one scoop of chocolate vegan shakeology. It was good, but because it wasn't cold I just couldn't enjoy it! 

Right away I made sure to get the bunch of bananas down from the window sill and put them into the freezer! That way I don't wake up and not have one for tomorrow! Phew!! 

Can't live with out them lol!