Cacao-late Sunbutter Cups (Vegan/Paleo/Gluten-Free/Nut-Free)

Here’s a not so secret, secret about me: I love chocolate. Vanilla is great and all but nothing beats ooey-gooey chocolate. I remember back in my teen years when I was struggling with anorexia, I used to see chocolate as a “bad food” and would punish myself for eating it. But now I have learned just how beneficial it can be for our health.

Nowadays I consume cacao on a pretty consistent basis. This isn’t to be confused with your typical packaged chocolate bars that are loaded with sugar and additives. Cacao is the purest form of chocolate. It’s raw and much less processed than cocoa powder (cocoa powder still has a lot of health benefits though)! Cacao powder is an amazing source of vitamins, minerals, monounsaturated fats, natural carbohydrates and protein. I mostly use Cacao Nibs, Cacao Powder, and Bitter-Sweet Baking Chocolate.

I use Cacao in smoothies, hot beverages, baking and sweets.

And speaking of sweets! Below is one of my favourite recipes to get my chocolate fix:

CACAO-LATE SUNBUTTER CUPS:

Makes 12 cups

Ingredients

• 200 g of Unsweetened Baking Chocolate (I used Camino)
• 100 g of Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (I use Camino)
• 1 cup of Coconut Butter (I use Nutiva Coconut Manna)
• 1/4 cup of MCT Oil
• Sunflower Seed Butter (I use Sunbutter No Sugar Added)

Instructions

1. Use a Nonstick 12-Cup Silicone Muffin Pan. I recommend placing this on top of a cookie sheet before getting started.
2. Heat a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Add the Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, Bittersweet Chocolate Chips, and Coconut Butter to the saucepan and continuously stir until well combined.
4. Stir in the MCT Oil and then remove the saucepan from heat.
5. Use a spoon to transfer the chocolate mixture to the muffin pan and fill each cup about a 1/3 of the way.
6. Place in the pan in the fridge for about 20 minutes or until the chocolate mixture has hardened.
7. Remove the pan from fridge and then scoop out about a teaspoon of Sunbutter into the center of each cup.
8. Cover the remainder of the cups with the rest of your chocolate mixture.
9. Return the pan to the fridge for about an hour so that the cups can harden.
10. Enjoy your cups! Share with your friends! Or keep stored in the fridge or freezer until you’re ready to treat yourself again 🙂