Paleo Candy: Chocolate Coconut Fudge with ANYTHING YOU WANT Inside

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I know what you're thinking. Girl couldn't even go two weeks enduring the paleo diet without making some fake candy. What can I say? It was the weekend, I had time on my hands, and I figured pre-making some health-ified desserts for post-meal satisfaction couldn't hurt.

I was only partly right. Unfortunately, my husband is not into nuts (don't get me started...), so I was eating these all alone. And I. Could. Not. Stop.

I tried putting them in the freezer to make them so hard I wouldn't be able to have any instant gratification. Didn't work. I just dug right in and ate them frozen.

This stuff is that good. It's like crack or something (I wouldn't know first hand on that one, I'm just saying, it's addicting).

You can pretty much do whatever add-ins and toppings you want once you get the fudge base right. I went with roughly chopped walnuts and almonds, coconut flakes, and cranberries inside and some almond butter topping on top of half of my batch. I have to say, the dried cranberries were amazing and I wished I had thrown more in. 

Other ideas: any dried fruit (dried cherries? yumz), any nuts (pecans? PISTACHIOS? oh my gosh), fresh fruit (obviously this would limit its shelf life, but I think it would be amazing with some fresh strawberries and raspberries in the summer time), cooked unflavored quinoa (crunchy!)... the possibilities are kind of endless, and I can't wait to see what you guys come up with.

Chocolate Coconut Fudge with ANYTHING YOU WANT Inside

Adapted from: This Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups coconut oil
• 1 cup cacao powder
• 1.5 tbsp stevia or sugar substitute (Note: If your palate is used to natural sweetness as opposed to artificial, you will probably enjoy this treat with even less sweetness. If that's you, start with 1 tbsp and see how it tastes!)
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (OPTIONAL)
• Any add ins you want! Nuts, fruits, etc. 

Directions:

• Melt coconut oil in the microwave (60 seconds, then stir, and nuke for another 30 if not dissolved entirely).
• Stir in cacao, stevia, salt, and cayenne pepper (optional). Whisk until well combined. Taste test to ensure you like the balance, and adjust cacao/stevia/salt balance as you desire.
• Stir in your add-ins, like nuts, syrups, fruits, etc.
• Pour into a cake pan lined with aluminum foil, and fold back the foil to make this the desired thickness you want (you can just fold it and it will stay put!).
• Put in the freezer for 2 hours.
• To serve, let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes for best texture... but let's be real, it tastes good no matter what (and it never freezes completely, so it won't break your teeth!).

Cake Batter Fudge w ViSalus Protein Powder

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I really don't even feel like I have to say a whole lot in this post. I'm pretty sure the images speak for themselves.

Yes, I made fudge. Yes, it tastes like cake batter. Ooey, gooey, melty-in-your-mouthey, sweet, smooth, fudgey cake batter.

But, honestly, that's not even the best part. The best part is that these little devils are secretly well-meaning and surprisingly healthy angels. The kind of snack that will give you a burst of energy without the crash. The kind of snack that you don't have to kick yourself for eating.

The magic is tri-fold. First, instead of butter, this recipe uses coconut oil. That means it's got this delicious, sweet, coconut-ey tinge to its flavor. But only a little. Because we all know subtle is best.

Second, instead of a heaping, crashing amount of sugar, we use very little. In fact, almost all (or all if you're me) of the sugar in this recipe is replaced by Stevia. That means, first of all, there are significantly less calories in each bite. And, second, it won't leave you crashing and burning an hour later. It will not... er... desert you.

Third, that amazing cake batter flavor that reminds you of sneaking some of mom's uncooked batter for your sister's birthday cake? Well, it comes from something very healthy. ViSalus makes a "Sweet Cream" flavored powder that is packed with fiber and protein, and, guess what, it tastes like freaking cake batter.

So... go ahead. Take a bite.

Cake Batter Fudge w ViSalus Protein Powder

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup ViSalus Sweet Cream powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients and stir well.
2. Pour into a baking mold lined with parchment paper and spread to make it approximately 1/2 inch to 1 inch thick, depending on preference. I did it in a bread loaf pan and bent the parchment paper back to make sure it stayed the shape I wanted.
3. Put in the freezer for 1 hour.
4. Remove from freezer, let thaw for 10 minutes, then cut.

Notes

**These do not need to be refrigerated, but they do taste mighty good cold!