Mix ‘n Match Peanut Butter Cups….and Many Roads to the Same Place

It’s no secret that I love peanut butter cups. Actually, I wouldn’t eat a Reece’s pb cup these days (maybe if I was starving), but I love the versions I’ve been making lately.

The reason I began making these is not because I crave pb cups all the time, but because I really wanted to incorporate more coconut oil into my diet, and I can only eat just so many coconut/almond flour cupcakes! I also am quite obsessed with this peanut butter – Once Again American Classic (which will be making an appearance in an upcoming giveaway of my favorite things).

Side note: Once Again is a local brand and I was so excited to see it at Earth Fare in Charleston, SC last week!

I also enjoy cocoa powder (both processed and unprocessed varieties) for their magnesium content and many other superfood qualities. I’ve found that magnesium helps me stay relaxed feeling (I’m SO good at that lately), and it also takes the edge off PMS symptoms (sorry, boys, but it’s worth mentioning!).

Some of my latest varieties:

 

 

Here’s the Recipe for the basic PB/Chocolate Cups.

Here’s the Recipe for the Super Berry/PB.

If you want to do the Berry/Chocolate ones, just mix and match the layers from those two recipes!

In any of the recipes, you can use all stevia (I prefer NuNaturals liquid), or you can add in a little maple syrup. When I make them for people who are not used to stevia, I use part stevia and part maple syrup—you should definitely taste the batter!! The type of cocoa powder you use will also impact the taste, so taste-testing as you go is imperative 🙂

When I added things to the top, I just sprinkled them on…so nothing too difficult there.

News/Notes: I’m back into my work (sort of). I took a break to write this post, and then I’ll be back at my work till I get the minimum done—so I can go to bed. I’m happy I was able to see my clients today–I missed them last week (which I didn’t really realize at the time, but when I walked into the building today it felt like I hadn’t been there in a very long time—and some people had A LOT to update me on!).

I loved visiting my friend last week, and it was so great to spend time in the South—I love warm weather and the beach…and I’ve already scheduled another trip to Cali in May (to visit my cousin—she just found an apartment across the street from the beach in Santa Monica). Oh, I also have a trip to Marco Island in Florida scheduled for June with my friend Ali. One of the biggest perks of my work-mostly-at-home lifestyle is that I can take short trips (mostly with free airline miles from my credit card) and work early in the mornings while I’m traveling! Sometimes I have to pinch myself…I spent several years getting myself into this situation, with lots of intention and strategic decisions, and it is really paying off (maybe that’s a topic for another day?).

I’ve been contemplating a lot lately about how people reach their goals and work towards being healthier, and I’ve also read some things that were very absolutist about the “right” way to eat.

However, I keep seeing this phrase in my brain—There are many roads to the same place.  (“place” being a state of health for this context)

I have friends who practice all methods of eating, and although I do think there are certain universal truths about food (i.e. high fructose corn syrup is bad for everyone), I don’t think there is one “right way” to eat. After all, isn’t there a group of people living (thriving) in Africa who subsist primarily on beef, milk, and cow’s blood?

I believe we can take a certain approach for exploration, eliminate the universally detrimental foods, and place a priority on quality (uncontaminated) food sources to find each of our best ways to eat.

The PB cups work so well for me—I thrive best on a high fat, low carb (very low sugar) diet. It only took me a few decades to figure it out, but once I did, I began to run with it.

Have you found your Nutritional Niche?