Long Lost File No. 4: Almond Butter Cups

One of my favorite candies of all time are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I mean who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter?! I love me some vegan goodies which got me thinking, why don't I make a vegan and healthier version of my beloved Reese's? And I'm so glad I did because they were even better than the real thing! What can I say, they're the perfect treat to have after a long day's work.

Almond Butter Cups

Yield: 8

Filling:

1/2 Cup Almond Butter (or other type of nut butter)

1 Tablespoon Natural Maple Syrup

1 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil

A Pinch of Cinnamon

Shell:

1/4 Cup Cacao Powder (I also mixed in some PB2)

2 Tablespoons Natural Maple Syrup

1 Tablespoon Melted Coconut Oil

Filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and cinnamon and mix until batter is smooth.

2. Pour mixture into a muffin tin lined with cupcake liners and fill each cup up about 1/4 of the way.

3. Place muffin tin into freezer and freeze for at least half an hour.

While your almond butter cup filling hardens, let's make the shell.

Shell:

1. Combine the cacao powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a bowl and stir until all ingredients are mixed together well. The mixture will be runny before adding the maple syrup.

2. After freezing the almond butter mixture, remove from freezer and spread the chocolate shell over the filling.

3. Return to freezer for 10-15 minutes.

4. Remove from cupcake liner and indulge!

They turned out so well that I practically devoured them in an hour! What is your favorite candy of all time?

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xoxo, Emily

Long Lost File No. 3: Vegan Brownies

Valentine's Day is over, but that doesn't mean you can't still give some yummy goodies for your loved ones (or yourself!) Although I'm not vegan, I do enjoy making/eating vegan food when I can, so I whipped up some healthy, delicious, and vegan brownies to drown in on any day of the year! And did I mention they only require three ingredients?! It's like a dream come true!

Vegan Brownies

Yield: 6

3-4 Large Pitted Dates

 1 Tablespoon Cacao Powder

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

1. Soak dates in water for 30 minutes or until slightly softened.

2. Blend all ingredients in high speed blender until mixture is smooth.

3. Form mixture into balls/bars/whatever shape desired and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Remove from refrigerator and enjoy!

*Blend mixture with a little bit of water for easier blending

Mix in nuts, dried fruit, or cacao nibs to switch up flavors! I added some PB2 to the mix for a nuttier taste since I don't digest tree nuts well. :-)

These babies are great for a snack or for dessert, and the best thing is, you can yourself indulge and not feel guilty about it! What's your favorite Valentine's Day treat?

Have a lovely day!

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xoxo, Emily