I’m a big fan of having a little something sweet after a meal. Not exactly a full dessert, but something to punctuate the end of a meal, like a little piece of chocolate. I came across several primal and/or paleo fudge recipes on Pinterest and decided to make my own version with one of my favorite things in this world: peanut butter. I also made them mini-size, just right for a “lil’ somethin’ sweet.”
This recipe contains coconut oil, which I think is very good for you. Although high in saturated fat, coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). The MCTs are converted to energy instead of being stored as fat. There is also some evidence that regular consumption of coconut oil may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and increase immunity.
The other thing I like about this recipe is that it is low in sugar. I used pure maple syrup, which I seem to tolerate fine in small amounts. The type of sugar that is found in pure maple syrup is mostly sucrose (equal amounts glucose and fructose, so it is OK to consume in small amounts for a low-FODMAP diet). I figured out there is 1/2 teaspoon syrup in each cup, which is only 2 grams of sugar per cup. That’s amazing! And definitely something I can feel good about eating after a healthy meal.
Healthy Peanut Butter Fudge Cups
Low-FODMAP, Vegan, Dairy-Free
adapted from Practical Paleo
makes 12 mini cups
Ingredients
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup natural, creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt the coconut oil.
- Stir in the peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. Remove from heat.
- Line a 12-cup mini muffin pan with liners. Pour about 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each cup. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until fudge is set. Remove cups from pan and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
