Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Smooth, rich dark chocolate, sandwiching a

luscious layer of creamy sweet peanut butter...

My husband nearly fell over when I showed these to him. He thought for sure I had finally caved in to hormone induced binge cravings of pregnancy. The easter candy isles had been beckoning, in spite of the fact that I know that they are filled with processed, empty calories and neon luminescent food dye to make your intestines glow in the dark. Why ?

I will forgo my soapbox speech, for now, and get to the good stuff. These little babies are ridiculously easy to make, nourishing (!), and a delicious treat.

Dark Chocolate Reese Cups

8oz (70%) dark chocolate

3/4 cup natural peanut butter

honey/agave/sweetener to taste

I tsp vanilla

1. Arrange a cookie sheet or muffin tin with muffin cups.

2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, melt your chocolate progressively. Add a dollop of melted chocolate to each cup, using a little less than half

of your melted chocolate. Use a clean craft paintbrush or the back of your spoon to push the chocolate up the sides. (This is the most difficult step of the whole thing-

you'll get a feel for it)

3. Put tray of painted muffin cups

in the freezer to set.

4. In another bowl, combine peanut butter, sweetener, and vanilla. Stir till smooth.

5. When the chocolate is set, take

your pan out and make little peanut butter balls for each cup. Smush the peanut butter down into the corners a little, until it is roughly even with the chocolate line. They don't have to be perfect...

6. Using the rest of your chocolate, cover the peanut butter mixture. If you run out of chocolate, just melt some more...

7. Return to refrigerator or freezer to let your

chocolate set, and viola!

per peanut butter cup:

188 cal

15.5 fat (9.5 unsaturated)

16 carb

2.5 fiber

10 sugar

7 protein

This made 12 peanut butter cups in my warm kitchen

• Dark chocolate has well documented health benefits, eaten in small portions. Many doctors recommend about 2 ounces a day for optimum benefits.
• Natural peanut butter has noble amounts of Vitamin B and E, folate, calcium, iron, fiber. It is high in protein, while being free from partially-hydrogenated oils, excess refined sugar, and other junk. Heart healthy unsaturated fats in peanut butter are essential and they Chuck-Norris-ninja-chop bad cholesterol.
• Honey is good for the immune system, and slow releasing natural sugars prevent blood sugar spikes and the aftermath (i.e. the irresistible urge to fall into a carb coma at your desk, your children bouncing off walls...). Honey also has been linked with reducing heart disease.
• Agave is sweet cactus nectar, which is has an even lower impact on blood sugar. The less processed it is, the better.
• Alternative sweeteners such as splenda and stevia boast 0 calories and no impact at all on blood sugar. Most research indicates they are both safe, so use your own convictions on this one.