It’s time we all got healthy clever with our choice of desserts. As if the recent Jamie Oliver documentary ‘Sugar Rush’ is anything to go by – we are all consuming far too much sugar, with some horrific consequences to our health and the already over drained NHS. And this recipe will show you how to enjoy desserts in a totally new way! (Including how you make it!)
Why Do We Eat So Much Sugar?
A main drive for people eating too much sugar, in my opinion, is because of four things:
- Hunger – A lot of people start eating sugary snacks when they are hungry. So if people went about having a substantial meal first, and then their sugary snack, they would be less inclined to eat so much of any sugary snack if they always approached it in this way. I always advise my clients that the best substantial meal contains a little animal protein as it is this that will help slowdown the digestion of natural sugars found in any carbohydrates you eat alongside it (including your sweet snack afterwards), keeping your blood sugar levels (and moods) more stable.
- Thirst – Many people are not just hungry when they snack on sweet delights, they are also thirsty. So it is advisable to approach your need for food by first addressing any thirst you may have, then addressing the need to eat a substantial meal before snacking on anything rich in sugar.
- Busy Lifestyles – We live in a fast paced world, which is why convenience foods of all kinds appeal to everyone at some stage. Sugary snacks appeal to a lot of people because they seem to give them the energy they need to keep going until they have time to eat a substantial meal, but in reality this is just not worth it because it is often sugar in these snacks that give you the boost, often followed by a major crash in mood and energy levels which makes a person feel they need more to keep going. When again, it would be better to make a substantial meal the night before (even if you make an extra dinner portion each night) to take to work with you and snack on that when any kind of hunger strikes.
- Sugar is Addictive – A Princeton University scientist in 2008, presented evidence at a conference demonstrating just how addictive sugar can be. In his talk, Professor Bart Hoebel linked its power over the brains of lab animals in a manner similar to many drugs of abuse.
So, today’s recipe aims to show you how you can still make an energy boosting dessert/snack but do not need to load up on so much sugar to enjoy it, as it only uses a tiny bit of coconut syrup. Coconut syrup is heathier than white refined table sugar as it has a lower glycaemic load, meaning it will not cause your blood sugar levels to rise too quickly like with white sugar and it also means it may not be as addictive. When your blood sugar levels rise too quickly and too often, this it was increases your risk of developing pre-diabetes and full blown type 2 diabetes.
This healthy dessert recipe also contains protein powder and coconut oil to help leave you feeling full and to give you an extra boost of energy the right way.
Asides from the health benefits, this unusual frozen dessert recipe will introduce you to some lovely ingredients out there that are crying out to be used in more of your dishes to help you gain a bigger variety of nutrients as many of us get stuck eating the same old same old ingredients day in day out, even when it comes to making our desserts.
This recipe is a copy cat version of the classic American snack that is even popular with us Brits, the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, but with a healthy twist. It is dairy free, gluten free, and refined sugar free. Plus, for this recipe I swapped out peanut butter for tahini (calcium rich) and pumpkin seed butter (zinc rich) to show you the other healthy options out there you could use in its place. Also, this recipe is caffeine free as instead of using cacao powder I used carob flour instead (a gut health boosting favourite!) and also requires no baking, only freezing. Making it a great healthy dessert recipe to make when time is short.
Nut Butter Cups No Bake Dessert Recipe
Time to Make: 5 minutes Cooking / Freezer Time: 20 minutes
To make this frozen delight, you will need:
- 4 tablespoons melted organic coconut oil
- 1/2 cup organic pumpkin seed butter
- 1/2 cup organic white tahini
- 1/4 cup organic carob powder
- 2 tablespoons organic coconut syrup
- 1 teaspoon organic vanilla powder
- 1 scoop protein powder (I use sprouted brown rice protein powder)
How to Make:
Take all the ingredients and mix together in a bowl. Then pour the mix into 8 paper muffin cases, half filling them only each time as this way you will make more. Freeze for about 20 minutes, after which they will be ready to enjoy.
Tip: Only take them out of the freezer when you are ready to eat them as they melt quickly!
Did you find this recipe gave you an energy boost without a big crash? Did it work well in place of other sugary snacks and desserts?
