PB and Chocolate: A Tribute to Nasty Nate

Peanut butter and chocolate has got to be one of the closest things to Heaven we can experience in this earthly life.

Agree? Good. Because there is no argument.

I have oft had this conversation with my dear friend, Nasty Nate, as he waxes poetic about his love for peanut butter M&M's, and I proceed to tell him eating those will kill him, and he accuses me of ruining everything he ever loved.

I told him I would come up with a healthy (-er) alternative for him, and had yet to really get anything good.

Until today. Today...I made...Heaven. And as I was pulling Heaven out of the oven, I thought of Nasty Nate. So here's to you, Nasty - a healthy, low-carb, gluten-free, high-protein alternative to your peanut butter M&M's:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mini Cupcakes. *insert oooing, aaahing, and stomach growling*

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mini Cupcakes
adapted from Elana's Pantry

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• In a 1/4 cup measure:
  
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 10 drops liquid stevia
• fill the rest with coconut milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup peanuts (I used raw, but she originally called for roasted)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (65% or more)

Frosting (prepare while cupcakes are cooling SLIGHTLY)

1. In a double boiler over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Stir until well melted.

Directions:

1. In a vitamix, or in a medium bowl with a hand mixer, blend peanut butter, sweetener mixture (honey, stevia, coconut milk), and eggs until creamy.
2. Add salt and baking soda and mix in.
3. Pour into a bowl and clean out vitamix and dry well.
4. In vitamix or food processor, pulse peanuts and chocolate chips until they are broken into small chunks.
5. Add to batter and fold in.
6. Pour into greased mini-muffin tins.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and firm on the top . ***This baking time will vary! I'm in Colorado, where things take FOR-ever to cook, so just keep an eye on them. I'd try 10 minutes and check them. Also, my oven here is retarded, sooo...I don't know if it was actually 400 degrees lol. Elana called for 350, BUT she also said hers sunk, which mine DIDN'T!! :-D So. Try 400, and keep a close eye on them!***
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, if you CAN....but they are sooo amazing warm! The frosting is really more of a chocolate drizzle and kinda messy, but I was too impatient to make a more complicated frosting, although a true frosting would be delish.
9. Be a total glutton and eat 4 cupcakes immediately like I did. Hey, I had to take pictures of them, so clearly I had to eat that many........don't judge me.

So there you have it!! These are SO GOOD. Very fluffy and yum! My roommate just walked in and ate one, shoved the entire thing in her mouth, and said "Fthefse awre fsoo gvood!" I then informed her they were healthy and gluten free and her eyes popped open huge and she exclaimed "Really?! These are EPIC!"

So there ya have it, folks...another healthy, gluten free version of junk food that "normal" people even think is delish!

Let me know what you think of it if you make them!

And next on my to-do list....take a photography class. Or just read the manual for my camera so I know how the frick to make it actually FOCUS on what I'm trying to take a picture of.