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How to Make Nutritionist-Approved Candy

You'll never crave peanut butter cups again. Promise.

Nutrition
How to Make Nutritionist-Approved Candy
If there’s anyone who knows how to make a plant-based, largely vegan and gluten-free diet a more delicious and actually exciting undertaking than order-in Thai, it’s Sarah Britton of My New Roots. Leading up to the release of her first cookbook on March 31 (aptly titled My New Roots), we asked the holistic nutritionist and cook to share some of her all-time favorite recipes right here. Check back weekly for plenty of healthy inspiration.


Superfood Nut Butter Cups



Makes 12 standard muffin cup-sized candies


(I found these quite large however, so make minis if desired)

“Nut butter cups, I mean… So good. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were my favorite growing up. I believe that desserts are the gateway food to healthy eating, because if you can convince someone that they can eat dessert and it’s just as good for them as a salad, then you’ve got ‘em! Really, what more could you ask for? It’s proof that the universe really wants us to eat healthier! It’s on our side. The fact that these foods exist that are so unbelievably health supportive, but also so delicious… there are no excuses! I will never eat a peanut butter cup again.”

Basic Raw Chocolate


Makes about 1 ½ cups


INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
3 Tbsp. melted cacao butter
¾ cup raw cacao powder
1/3 cup raw honey
2 Tbsp. lucuma (optional – add 2 Tbsp. of maca or cacao powder if not using)
¼ tsp. sea salt
extra sea salt for garnish, if desired. A good, flaky salt is best.

Nut Butter Filling


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut butter: cashew, pecan, hazelnut…)
1 Tbsp. raw honey (or maple syrup)
1 Tbsp. lucuma powder (optional – add 1 Tbsp. of sweetener if not using)
sea salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:

1. In a double boiler (or a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water) melt coconut oil and cacao butter. Add honey and whisk to combine. When completely uniform, remove from heat and sift in cacao, lucuma and add sea salt. Taste for sweetness and saltiness, and adjust accordingly.

2. In silicon or paper muffin cups spoon enough liquid chocolate to cover the bottom (the amount is up to you – I kept mine rather thin). Place in the fridge or freezer and cool until solid, about 15 minutes. Remember that you are only using about 1/3 of the chocolate at this stage.

3. Make the nut butter filling (you can find recipes here for almond butter and hazelnut butter) by combining all of the ingredients until a “dough” is formed. Add more lucuma if it is too wet and runny. Taste for salt. This dough should be quite salty, but if you are using store-bought nut butter with added salt, don’t go overboard.

4. Spoon the nut dough into ½ tablespoon amounts, roll into balls, and flatten between your palms to just under the size of the chocolate in the cups.

5. Add nut butter filling to each cup on top of the solid chocolate and drizzle the remaining liquid chocolate on top, making sure to cover the filling completely. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired. Place in the fridge to harden for at least one hour.

6. When you have patiently waited, try removing one of the forms from the nut butter cups. If the chocolate sticks at all, return to the fridge until completely solid.

7. You can keep the chocolates in their forms or remove them, but either way store the nut butter cups in the fridge in a sealed container. Enjoy!
Read more about this recipe on My New Roots. Photography courtesy Sarah Britton.
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