Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

While I am no longer dieting, I am still focused on eating healthy food.  However, I no longer define healthy food is as strictly low calorie and/or fat.  Instead, "healthy" food means that it is made with real, unprocessed ingredients that pack nutritional value.  Amazingly enough, I have somehow managed to continue to lose inches on my non-diet, which includes eating Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge nearly every night. That's right, I found HEALTHY fudge!  And it is decadent.  It is made with only 5 ingredients; with no egg, butter, or refined sugar.  It is full of healthy fat, which is great for your metabolism, heart, and even hair.  This fudge is also incredibly easy to make, and has gotten rave reviews from everyone I've served it to.  

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Recipe Adapted from Creating Naturally

INGREDIENTS

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

1/2 Cup Natural Peanut Butter

1/4 Cup Honey or Maple Syrup

A few pinches of Sea (or Kosher) Salt 

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a glass measuring cup, measure out the coconut oil, and microwave until it is completely melted.  Pour into a medium bowl, along with the cocoa powder and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

2. In the now-empty measuring cup, add the peanut butter (don't wipe clean first--the residual coconut oil will make it easier to get the peanut butter out).  Microwave for about 10 seconds, or until slightly warm.  Add to the bowl. Measure out the honey in the once-again-empty measuring cup, and then add to the bowl.  Add in a few pinches of Sea Salt.  Stir until smooth. 

3. Line a glass baking dish (I used an 8 x 8) with plastic wrap. Smooth the wrap so that it is flat against the sides and bottom (pictured below).  Pour the fudge into the dish over the wrap, and put in the freezer for about an hour.  

4. Remove from freezer, grab the sides of the plastic wrap, and lift up the so that the plastic wrap and fudge is lifted from the baking dish. Flip over onto a cutting board, so that the plastic wrap is on top, and peel the wrap off the fudge.  Cut the slab of fudge into 12 squares, and store in an air-tight container lined with wax paper (with wax paper separating the layers of fudge, so they don't stick together).  Make sure to do this all relatively fast, so that the fudge doesn't melt.  

 

5. Store the fudge in the fridge or freezer. Remove pieces of fudge from the fridge just prior to eating; if you let it sit out too long, it will melt.  

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size:  1 Piece of Fudge

Calories: 177

Fat: 15

Carbs: 8

Protein: 3

Sugar: 6

TIPS

* The fudge should last pretty darn long in the fridge; I'm thinking a few weeks at the very least, but probably much longer.  And if you freeze it, well, it'll probably be good forever :)

* Use REAL raw honey! You wouldn't believe how much commercial honey is mixed with other ingredients.  Try to use local if you can.  

* Use NATURAL peanut butter.  For most of my life, I never liked peanut butter, and now I know why.  Most commercial peanut butter is filled with hydrogenated oils, and who knows what else. When I finally tried real, natural peanut butter (made with just peanuts and salt), I was astounded by how much I liked it. Now I adore peanut butter and can't get enough of it! My favorite kind?  Kroger's Natural Peanut Butter. Seriously!

* This fudge is a little firmer than traditional fudge. My husband thinks it tastes like a giant truffle. Others find it tastes like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup.

* Feel free to sub out peanut butter for any other kind of nut butter, if you prefer.