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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups…

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Ok… Lets be honest. Who can resist those delectable little…peanut butter filled… chocolate capsules of deliciousness!??

I know that I have a HUGE weakness for things that include both peanut butter and chocolate.  So I had to find a way to create my own recipe but carried a healthier nutritional profile.

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate BUT I suggest other baking chocolate)

2 tbsp. vanilla protein

2 tbsp. peanut butter (I used natural creamy peanut butter)

1/4 cup chocolate PB2 (you can also use the regular peanut butter flavor PB2.  This is what makes these “double chocolate” protein cups)

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk


Directions:

  • Combine protein powder and PB2 into a mixing bowl.
  • Add almond milk and mix contents until smooth and creamy.
  • Add peanut butter and mix until thick and creamy.

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  • In a small sauce pan, melt the chocolate chips at low heat (stirring occasionally).
  • Add a small layer of melted chocolate to silicone baking cups (you can also use wax paper but silicon works best for this recipe). My layer is literally just enough to cover the bottom of the baking cup.  You do not want to add too much, just a few centimeters thick.
  • Place baking cups with chocolate into the freezer until hardened (this will take about 15 -20 minutes. Make sure they are sitting on a flat and even surface while in the freezer)
  • Take the baking cups out of freezer and add about 1/2-1 tbsp of peanut butter mixture into the chocolate cup. (DO NOT overfill the cup! Just enough for a small dollop of peanut butter protein mixture to sit in the middle of the cup)
  • Cover the peanut butter protein mixture with more melted chocolate. ( I add enough chocolate so that the peanut butter mixture is “hidden”.

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  • Place chocolate cups (with the added peanut butter protein mixture) to the freezer until hardened. (This will take about 30 – 45 minutes).
  • Remove chocolate cups from silicone baking cup (or you can leave them in the wax baking cups if you chose to use those) AND ENJOY!

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  • Keep these stored in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. I typically place the cups in a Tupperware container to help store them in the freezer.

 

Nutrients:

This recipe will make approximately 12 cups
Serving Size: 1 Peanut Butter Cup
Calories: 120
Fat: 8 g
Protein: 7 g
Carbs: 8 g
Sugar: 5 g

Try these healthier peanut butter cup alternatives and let me know how you like them! Like stated above, you will want to keep them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them.  This will also allow them to last longer.

These are a great treat for you, your family, or even for your friends! I made these and took these to work and NO ONE was able to tell that they were not the “regular” peanut butter cups. You can get creative and add things to your cups. I prefer dark chocolate so that is what I decided to use instead of milk chocolate.  It is your treat so make it however you like!

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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Peanut Butter Protein Fudge…

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Just because you want to eat healthy and lose weight does not mean that you have to cut out ALL things that are yummy! Reaching your goals is all about a balance.  You have to figure out when the proper time is to have the items that you crave and love.  And the other battle is figuring out foods you can add to your diet to help take the place of unhealthy treats that you would usually have.  And in all honesty, some of these healthy recipes taste just as good (or BETTER) than the unhealthy version!

Today I would like to share with you a recipe that was made by my close  friend Melissa. When I tasted these they were MOUTH WATERING! So it was an easy choice for me to try to make them and have them stored in my freezer as a quick and healthy sweet treat.

What you will need:

  • ¾ cup peanut butter (preferably all natural peanut butter) 
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • 3 scoops vanilla protein powder (you can even possibly use peanut butter protein powder or possibly chocolate!)

What you will do:

  • get a small Tupperware container (or a glass or regular baking pan.  Use something that you can easily mix all of the items together and also place it in the freezer)
  • Mix all of the above ingredients into the same container
  • After mixing them together very well make sure to spread it out evenly throughout the container.
  • Place container in the freezer and allow it to get HARD (the time will this will vary!! The best way to monitor this is by sticking a tooth pick in the corner or middle.  If the tooth pick easily slides in, the fudge is not ready.  But if the tooth pick does not go in easily your fudge is done!)
  • After it is frozen, cut the fudge into desirable pieces.
  • It is advised to keep them stored in the fridge or freezer! If not they will become room temperature and somewhat melt.  Keeping them in the fridge or freezer also extends it shelf life and allows you to keep the fudge for a longer period of time.

*** You can also add other things to this fudge if you like.  This can include things like nuts, chocolate chips, pretzel pieces, or any other types of goodies.  BUT remember to not add too much because the more you add, the more you risk making this healthy alternative into an unhealthy sweet treat. But it is fun to get creative and just have fun when making this recipe.

This is a perfect treat to grab when you have a sweet tooth and want to grab something small.  This treat will guarantee to satisfy! You can even get your family member to enjoy it (and they will not even know that it is healthy! 😉  )

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…healthy “butter”…

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Peanut (and other nut) butter is a great food to incorporate into your diet (if you are not allergic to it).   When searching for your favorite peanut butter try to find the most natural peanut butter that you possibly can. When you find your peanut butter grab the jar…and turn it around and look at the ingredients label.  The only ingredients that should be in the jar should be peanut butter, salt, and possibly oil.  NOTHING ELSE. Buying the peanut butter that is “Low in Fat” or has other health phrases on it are usually not the best for you.  They usually have MORE ingredients, more calories, more sugar, and are not as healthy for you!

Peanut butter has a good serving of fiber and protein.  You will not want to go overboard with the peanut butter seeing as there is 180-200 calories per servings (which is typically 2 tablespoons).  Try to stick with the serving size and you will be ok!

Peanut butter has a ton of the “good fats”.  These fats are called “monounsaturated fat” and are great to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

There are some companies that have made peanut butter that are nut free (they have the flavor or peanut butter) but they do have a lot of ingredients as well.  They also have powdered peanut butter (you simply add water to the mix and stir it up).  These versions are lower in calories and fat and are a great options for those who have to watch those macro-nutrients.  They have also made some peanut butters that are higher in protein and that come in various flavors (such as dark chocolate, white chocolate, and many other sumptuous flavors.

Spreading peanut butter on vegetables, fruit, crackers, or even a slice of bread can be a great snack or small meal for you and your family. You can also get almond butter, cashew butter, and a variety of nuts made into butter.  But also be cautious because those may have higher calorie, fat, and sodium macro-nutrients.

So the next time you head to the head to the grocery store make sure to stop when you are walking down the aisle with the peanut butter and try to find a new treat to add to your menu!

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