October 26, 2018
Macadamia Nut Butter Cups
Writen by Naomi Whittel |
Published on: October 26, 2018
This recipe was inspired by my love of all things good fats and the fun spirit of Halloween. While I have always had a sweet tooth, I’ve been able to indulge carefully by choosing higher quality ingredients and most importantly, by looking to the science behind what sugar and bad fats do to our health. This has allowed me to quiet my cravings – the best outcome of all!
My trick is to eat more good fats. The good fats satisfy your body’s deepest nutritional needs, leaving little room (or appetite) for junky candy. So when it came time to have children of my own, it was important to me to provide them the same right to balanced health, and a normal relationship with food. Instead of giving them traditional peanut butter cups on Halloween, we switch them out for these wholesome treats, which use macadamia nut butter as the focal point. You can substitute any high-quality nut butter you like however, my biggest concerns with peanut butter are aflatoxins from mold and rancidity of the oils.
So, one way I’ve upgraded my diet has been replacing peanuts with other nuts. Macadamia nuts are one of my favorites because they are low carb, high fat and contain more of the monounsaturated fats (like olives and avocados) and less of the inflammatory fats than other nuts (and peanuts). Plus they have a natural sweetness; so pairing them with chocolate makes them perfect for this recipe!
I love cacao because it is an amazing source of polyphenols; however, most commercial peanut butter cups and other chocolate candies are made with low-quality chocolate and a lot of sugar, so it can negate the goodness of the cacao. This is an easy recipe and one you will want to have in your back pocket, not just for Halloween, but every day.
From my family to yours – Happy Halloween!
