I love chocolate. I really, really do. I love to have just a little bit everyday. Well, soy and dairy don’t agree with me so this limited my options….completely. When I found fudge recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie, I just had to try it. I found her recipe a little too coconut oil tasting for me. Instead of giving up and grabbing a Hershey’s, I decided to see if I could come up with something I enjoyed. Initially I made this in mason jars. It doesn’t take up a lot of room in the fridge, you can easily grab a spoonful which totally satisfied the craving, plus it keeps your hands clean. Total bonus if you are trying to hide your treat from the kids. My son calls this chocolate ice cream. Kids LOVE their sweets and I enjoying knowing I can give them something healthy and they are none the wiser.

No Cook Healthy Fudge (Jar Version)

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup raw almond butter*
• 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, softened but not completely melted**
• 1/3 cup raw cacao powder
• 5-7 tbsp raw honey (to taste)
• 1-1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
• 1/4-1/2 tsp salt (I used Himalayan pink salt)

Directions:

1. In an 8 oz mason jar or other 8-12 ounce glass jar, layer the ingredients in order.
2. Mix really well and place on the lid.
3. Let sit in the fridge at least 30 minutes before you enjoy.

*You can use natural, no oil added peanut butter. No stir butters turn out kind of weird textured and don’t mix well.

**If you accidentally nuke it too long, just let it cool then proceed with making it.

I find that even when I’m craving sweets, I want to give myself the best version possible. Yes this recipe is fat heavy but it is all good for you I promise. Here’s why:

Raw Almond Butter: Almonds are high in monounsaturated fats which is the good kind of fat that lowers cholesterol. They are also a great source of protein. Combined, the fats and proteins help keep blood sugar levels stable, are satisfying and keep us feeling satisfied for longer than a carb-rich food will. Almonds are rich in manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2, and phosphorus.

Virgin Coconut Oil: Oh coconut oil. This stuff is amazing. A rich source of saturated fats, which we DO need. Saturated fats are not a four letter word. Our brains and cells need some saturated fats. However, coconut oils’ saturated fats are different from the saturated fats in animal products. These fatty acids are medium chain fatty triglycerides and because of this, is metabolized differently. They go straight to the liver and are a quick energy source and have healing properties for our brains. Pretty awesome stuff. I could go on and on and on about the many, many uses and health benefits of coconut oil, but for now, just know they are really good for you. Now, just so you know, fats don’t make you fat, they make you full! Often times our “sweet tooth” is actually a “fat tooth.” Sugar and fats go together. Low-fat diets are bad! Fats give food flavor, they make us full, they stabilize our blood sugar, our brains run on fat (not carbs) and our bodies need healthy fats to make hormones. You cannot overeat on fats. Your body will literally tell you to stop. This mechanism doesn’t work very well with carbs. How many of us can say we’ve easily eaten over 1000 calories of carbs in one sitting? An example would be eating a huge bowl of pasta at an Italian restaurant. Easy. Or all those Oreos? Yeah….

Raw Cacao Powder: Why not cocoa powder you might ask? Well, cocoa powder is a highly processed form of cacao and all those amazing health benefits are gone. The magnesium it’s toted to have? Very little is left. The sweet flavor becomes extremely bitter. Raw cacao powder, on the other hand, is rich in magnesium, calcium, sulfur, zinc, iron, copper, potassium, manganese, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B9 and E, and flavonoids which have antioxidant properties. Pretty awesome stuff.

Honey: Raw honey is really amazing stuff. It is loaded with many vitamins and minerals including magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, sulfur, zinc, and phosphate. Honey helps promote a healthy gut but supporting good bacteria for improved digestion, helps increase the absorption of calcium and can help increase hemoglobin count. It contains pre and probiotics and is an alkalizing food. Local raw honey can help ease seasonal allergies. It has powerful anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties as well. It also helps support our immune system to help fight bacterial and viral diseases.

Salt: Pink Himalayan Sea Salt has many health benefits. We actually do need salt. The problem is too much salt in processed foods. When you remove processed foods from your diet you need to add in a high-quality salt. It gives food flavor, is an electrolyte, it promotes a healthy pH balance in our cells, actually reduces the signs of aging, can help stabilize blood sugar, help promote the absorption of nutrients in our intestinal tract, prevents muscle cramping, helps regulate our sleep and so much more. Salt isn’t bad for you, processed salt is bad for you.

So, now you know why it’s good for you. Go whip some up and enjoy some amazing, healthy fudge knowing how it’s benefiting your body and completely guilt free.