
Chocolate Cups without Refined Sugar
You might need to adjust all these things to your taste, but here is what worked for us
Recipe Ingredients
Coconut Oil – approx. 3/4 cup
Butter – 2 teaspoons
Cocoa Powder – 1 or 2 heaping teaspoons (less if needed for taste or more for some extra awakening power)
Almond Flour – 2 to 4 Tablespoons -depending on your preference for consistency – the almond flour absorbs some of the stevia taste and helps to bind ingredients – while the almond flour also adds some nut benefits
*Stevia Powder – five very small scoopers – the scooper comes with the stevia (more or less to your taste)
Fresh cranberries – 1/2 cup
Fresh walnuts – 1/2 cup
Almond Butter (or peanut butter if you can tolerate it) – 2 tablespoons
6 to 8 baking cups (we use the ones for making cupcakes and they make large treats – if you use smaller cups – this recipe will make more)
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Melt down the coconut oil in the microwave – usually less than a minute in a medium-sized glass bowl.
Add the stevia to the melted coconut oil and mix well.
Add in the cocoa powder – stir well.
Melt the almond butter separate
Melt the regular butter separate
Then mix in the almond butter and butter into the melted mix and stir well.
Add in the Almond flour – stir well.
Pour the liquid-mix into the baking cups.
If the mix is getting too hard, microwave it for 20 to 30 seconds (or as much as needed)
Fill the baking dishes halfway and then add in a few walnuts and cranberries to each one. You can drizzle more on top.
Place in freezer or fridge.
Serve cold or room temperature
Enjoy!
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*I do NOT suggest using Stevia with Malodextrin added – ulk (Dr. AXE article here) be very cautious about the type of Stevia you consume – some stevia mixes are bad.
We use the all-natural Stevia powder from Whole Foods (under 10$) and Trader Joe’s sells a similar one (under $10 as well).
Extra options: add chia seeds, few dashes of vanilla, or different types of raw nuts.
These treats are so satisfying and will not suppress your immune system the way refined-sugar treats suppress immune function (and I am not a sugar hater, I am just reminding you that we look the other way too often – because refined sugar is bad news for the physical body – especially if you need to heal from something….)
Oh and because these treats are all natural (no chemical stabilizers added) they might not travel well in the heat – not sure yet because we only had them in winter.
Let me know if you try making some – we are still experimenting with recipes – and this is my fav so far – but others here prefer them without the cranberries and large nuts – but I think the cranberries taste like tart cherries.
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Definitely like the sound of these, Yvette, though stevia isn’t so easily found over here. In fact I’m not very keen on it. I tend to use coconut flower sugar, although I don’t know if that’s any better than ordinary cane sugar.
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Very interesting! I do wonder how they would hold up in a hotter climate, like Houston. 😀
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Yum.. I need these in my life, like NOW? x
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wish I could send you one….
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Looks yummy, Yvette.
janet
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🙂
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What do you think of using coconut flour instead of almond flour? I’ve just bought some and am looking now for recipes to use it. 😄 And what do think of maple syrup instead of stevia – because I really hate the stuff!! 😂
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Hi – well in this case it would NOT work – because coconut flour is closer to a real flour, whereas almond flour is really “almond meal” or a ground nut powder – so it probably should not be called flour.
and I will see if we have coconut floiur recipes – I am not a huge baker – but had to do more of it to make stuff that I could enjoy – if that makes sense.
and I heard (esp. on Diane’s blog) that coconut flour is dense and you need less.
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and I have a few thoughts on maple syrup….
so thx for asking…
1) it depends on what your “goal’ is – and in my case it is to try and not put sugar in my body….
I have an infection about 4 years ago and healed from it with cleansing, supplements, and clean eating.
My healing journey really turned a corner when I “got off all sugar” and so this is one reason I am speaking out a little – I have lived it – I have felt the powerful impact of not putting refined sugar in my body – and it pisses me off that cancer clinics often serve cookies, sugar laden granola bars and juice drinks that look as if they are healthy – but none of those things will help someone rebuild the bioterrain and cancer is a process that indicates suppressed immunity – ands so doesn’t it make sense to do what it takes to fortify the immune system?
so if “no sugar” is the goal (because it will feed pathogens or feed systemic fungi) then maple syrup is not going to help.
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2) If someone wants a health sweet, well maple syrup could be a natural alternative.
I recently heard “grade b” was better than grade a-
and all natural maple syrup is part of the lemonade cleanse – where people cleanse with cayenne pepper, fresh lemon juice, and maple syrup – this trio has changed many lives (and if you look it up there is tons of info) but I heard the maple syrup part helps open cells and brings in some natural and abosorable b-vitamins to the mix – the trio is synergistic.
an mark’s daily apple has a hydrating drink that has water, dash of salt, and dash of maple syrup (maybe a bit of olive oil) but it is supposed to be an electrolyte booster superior to water alone.
3) not all “oses” do well with baking – and again, baking is so not my area (although my cakes come out pretty decent) but I have heard that some sweeteners can ruin a dish if the wrong type –
but I would try it and see – I bet it would add a nice maple taste that added some complexity – mmmm
— and how do you feel about honey?
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Thanks so much for your informative reply, Yvette! I love reading about stuff like this and only started to find my way to a healthier eating lifestyle. My “goal” so far is only to reduce the amount of refined sugar I put in my body since I don’t think cold turkey would work for me. Which is why I now use mostly maple syrup, honey or coconut blossom sugar or syrup. Luckily they all taste great and do well with baking which I have a passion for! 😊
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well I have not heard of coconut blossom sugar – but have heard that agave nectar is bad – well in the sense of how the body needs to process it and how the pancreas performs.
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and it sounds like you are on the right path to go so natural – and like I heard High fructose corn syrup scars the liver – and then canola and vegetable oil is “industrial” oil that the body does not like…
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and enjoyed comment sharing – gosh – it can be so enlightening to learn, eh?
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Coconut blossom sugar is supposedly quite healthy and has a lot of minerals etc. And I’ve heard the same of Agave nectar which I’ve never tried anyway.
And totally agree about the enlightenment of learning 😄
Have an awesome weekend! xoxo
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my closing thought is just to remember that even healthier sources of sugar can suppress immunity and without realizing it – that intake is pulling from health and not helping it….
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and wishing you a wonderful weekend too (oh and I actually have a photo coming up that is dedicated to you… – the pingback should come soon) ttys
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I will give it a try! I try to reduce the sugar intake 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
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oh nice to “see” you Indah – and hope they come out for you
Peace
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Looks delish! 😀
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I’ll love to try this recipe! It looks delicious!
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keep me posted if you do ….
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I shall do so. 🙂
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They look so good. I have a question. I see lately more stevia is used in place of sugar. Is it really safe?
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thanks for your feedback –
and my reply to the stevia question is that first, “not all stevia products are created equal”
and so some folks have reactions to stevia but it is actually the blends and additives –
in its pure form stevia is just an herb with a sweet plant – and some argue that not only is it safe, but it also offers some health benefits.
ahhh
I am still learning and as we both know 0 moderation in all things – right
but for me personally –
the pure powdered stevia has been a guft and to much can have a slight after tatse – which is why the almond flour seems to help in this recipe.
but I also use unsweetened almond milk and a bit of stevia to make the most comforting sweet drink – that does not jack my body up with immune suppressing cane sugar. that maters to me and if more people really understood that “sugar” and refined carbs are a minus food in the body – and they also pull from health – but even more so if the person has a body that is already experiencing issues (which can vary) and so it took me years to fully “see” because we are so conditioned in our culture to just accept sugar in almost every single thing we eat –
for example, today I shared snacks with a class and it was plain full fat yogurt with a few blueberries and raspberries and I shared how back in the 80s – I could buy yogurt cups almost like this – breyers used to make “fruit on the bottom” cups that had plain, tangy flora filled yogurt.
but nowadays?
almost every yogurt cup is packed with sugar and even the fruit on the bottom ones have “vanilla sweetened plain yogurt” instead of the real unsweetened plain.
sorry to ramble – but it means so much to me- L(
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No, no, please don’t be sorry. You gave very good information about stevia. I know it is plant based but still could not get over the concern yet. It is probably my resistance to changes. Thank you for the information.
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oh I hear ya on the resistance to change – and sometimes a stubborn stance on what challenges my beliefs or what I have been taught- and I can be slow getting things – but I guess that very resistance is what keeps us from “being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” that comes our way.
and remember how emily Dickinson said, “Truth must dazzle gradually. Or every man be blind…”
well part of a slow process of change is that some things need to resonate for us to “see” – ya know?
and with food these days – there is so much that is “off”
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In your recipe accidentally you wrote add with 2 “s” ‘s. Just like it when people help me out. . .
I like dark chocolate, cranberries and your having walnuts. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Yvette.
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Thanks for the visit and I need to try this recipe with dark chocolate – that is a good idea (mmm) and keep you posted
PS Thanks so much for the typo – they sneak in and I REALLY appreciate you noting them anytime you see them – I am not sure if everyone likes to get that feedback but I love it – cos I only spend so much time editing and I do try to be error free – but well, you know – so many thanks, Robin
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I’m glad you didn’t mind. That’s what friends are for. . . 😙 🎶
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xxoo (and you have such a nice joy left behind after you visit – thanks for that)
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You’re sweet to add this and hope you have a wonderful Wednesday! 💐
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one more note – ouch – that double “s” was a yucky typo – thanks again
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That sounds so good! I have almost all the ingredients. The cranberries are raw? I have never tried them that way.
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HI – well I just started enjoying them this winter season – many stores still have them (well the three or four we visit) and the bags range from .99 cents to 3 dollars – (not bad) and they add a pop of sweet and tart – but I did not eat them quick enough so I froze them and they were still good in the recipe.
I also take a snack bag to go and add the cranberries – coconut flakes, and walnuts – so satisfying
oh and I forgot all about the possible health benefits of eating the cranberries- the C, the phytonutrients, etc – I just like how the tatse makes the other flavors pop too
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Now I can’t wait to try them raw. I have only had them cooked. That is the same as asparagus, my brother told me to try it raw. It is so much better that way!
Cranberries are so full of goodness, especially good for UTI and the bladder.
About sugar, did I ever tell you my cousin is a scientist and most of his studies has been on sugar. Deadly stuff. IMO.
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that is what we are realizing a lot these years – sugar really is bad news – but when you say this – people can jump on you – and they just respond from comfort and familiarity (and misinformation) – but I agree with you…
and I agree with the UTI Info – but have heard it would take too many cranberries to eat to really make a dent in an infection – although eating them can always offer small pros to the bitoterrain – but I think for an infection I would suggest capsules or those gelcaps – and Nature’s Bounty makes a potent one….
oh and the asparagus sounds so good raw? need to try it sometime – thanks for sharing that
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Great flavor combinations AND a healthy alternative? SOLD!
You’re right about how refined sugar is bad for the bod (under the hood). Nothing brings perspective like healing and learning how to enhance the healing process.
Love this!
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thanks and lobe the term “under the hood” – and sometimes I actualy use a car analogy whe n I share about nutrition – like the enzymes we need are our sparks – like a car has spark plugs that need to fire too –
and so I may keep using the under the hood if that is cool
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Oh yes please. 🙂
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This is an interesting idea, Yvette. I am going to share to my Facebook baking page.
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well I am honored – and I noticed that your son has to watch what he eats – well can he tolerate pure stevia? if so – he might like these – the oils/fats are also brain food (as I am sure you know)
and side note- I just made a version of these without chocolate – I am making them for a small get togther at 6 pm and did not want folks to be kept up by the cocoa powder. so I added raspberries and a dash of chocolate – not as tasty (IMO) but great alternative
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I shall give this a try with Michael. Thank you, Yvette.
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🙂
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