MY FAVOURITE PALEO DESERT: ALMOND BUTTER CUPS - with Coconut Oil
Seasonal changes are the definition of flowing transitions. Just like in a well structured Vinyasa Flow class the sequence is build up in a way that you‘re graudually working up to possible peak poses. After summer we are gradually prepared by decreasing temperatures to store our body heat with more clothing and to change our diet to foods that give us warmth from the inside out and fruits and veggies that are being harvested at the end of summer. Nowadays you can buy any food at any time during the year, but connecting to the wisdom that we used to innate, makes us stronger and rely on our roots as humans that live in connection with nature.
One of my favourite ingedrients throughout the whole year is coconut oil. It is one of the few foods that can be classified as a ,superfood‘. Its unique combination of fatty acids can even help cure your next flu, because of its ability to kill harmful pathogens like bacteria, viruses and fungi. Coconut Oil can also help fat loss in the long term, because it reduces your appetite, it can help increase brain function and because of its medium-chain structured fatty acids, it can even have therapeutic effects on epilepsy and Alzheimer‘s disease.
Whenever you started to eat mindfully and change your diet there might have been certain cravings that were harder to get over with. Have you ever tried Peanut butter cups? If so, you know what it tastes like when this creamy, chocolatey flavoured desert melts in your mouth. This is why I was so overwhelmed when I found a recipe that tastes even better AND is healthy at the same time. I found it in the book ,Practical Paleo‘ by Diane Sanfilippo and it is Paleo, which in this case means: Vegan and Glutenfree. It is a no baking desert that takes about 40 minutes to prepare.
For 12 light shells
3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 3 tablespoons coconut butter or cocnut mann, softened 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Vanila flecks 1/2 vanilla bean pod 1 tablespoon shredded coconut
For the filling
3 tablespoons almond butter (or other nut butter) 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup Pinch of sea salt
Preparation
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the light shells. Place paper liner in a 24 mini muffin baking tin and spoon a 1/8 inch layer (appoximately 1 teaspoon) of the mixture in the bottom of 12 of the muffin spaces. Place the tray in the refrigerator or freezer to set/solidify. While the first layer of the shells is setting, combine all of the ingredients for the filling in a small mixing bowl. Next, place the filling mixture into a quart-sized plastic bag or pastry bag. Snip a tiny corner off of the bag with scissors. Take the shells from the refrigerator and begin to pipe a small amount (about 1/2 teaspoon) of the filling into the center of each one, leaving some of the edge visible. Once all of the shells have been filled, add the remaining Light Shell mixture until the filling is covered. Place the tray back in the regrigerator to set and serve cold or, my preferation, at room temperature.
Enjoy!