Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Eggs

This year for Easter, I wanted to make a sweet treat I could feel good about eating and still feel as if I was participating in the food festivities. There are plenty of gluten-free, sugar-free candy options in the stores these days, but they all have fillers and by-products. Then I stumbled upon an Instagram post where someone was making chocolate peanut butter eggs. So I thought to myself, I can come up with a simple recipe that's also on the healthy side. And I did just that!

Four ingredients, not counting the optional sea salt I put on top, make up these decadent treats. And they are rich, so you'll probably want to have one at a sitting and possibly share them. These chocolate peanut butter eggs are gluten-free, vegan friendly, and only have 0.3 grams of sugar per serving. I'm not even sure the sugar counts, but I always like to mention it to be on the safe side.

Ingredients:

1 cup PB Fit (this is a pulverized peanut powder, great in shakes and smoothies and protein bars. Costco carries it.)

1 scoop Epicure Vanilla Protein Powder or a variety of your choice

3/4 cup Lilly's Dark Chocolate sugar-free baking chips or similar brand

3 teaspoons organic coconut oil

Optional sea salt for topping chocolate

Wax paper

Directions (see corresponding pictures below):

1. Line a medium-size cookie sheet with wax paper.

2. Place the PBfit powder, protein powder, and a little bit of filtered water into a medium-sized bowl. Mix and add a little water at a time to achieve a doughlike consistency as seen in picture three. If you add too much water, add a little more PBfit.

3. Roll out 18 balls, as seen in picture two, about one inch in size.

4. Shape them into eggs using your thumb.

5. Place the eggs on the cookie sheet lined with the wax paper flat side down.

6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

7. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl with the coconut oil and microwave on high for 30 seconds, then stir. Repeat a second time and stir until all the chocolate is melted. Microwave ovens vary in temperature, so keep an eye on the chocolate when melting.

8. Take the peanut butter eggs out of the fridge and begin dipping them one at a time, then place them back onto the wax paper.

9. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

10. Refrigerate to harden the chocolate, and enjoy!

Makes 18 servings.

Chocolate Handling Tips: You can freeze the eggs for a more rigid chocolate shell.

Using chocolate chips and coconut oil together creates the perfect consistency for dipping but melts easier when at room temperature. Freezing them will prolong the melting process once at room temperature. You're not going to have a mess if they are left at room temperature; they will melt in your hand faster when picked up and not have that crunchy chocolate outer shell.

If you are bringing them somewhere, place them in a container, preferably not on top of one another, then use a cooler to transport them with an ice pack on the bottom.

You don't need to deprive yourself of these treats and only eat them over Easter. Enjoy them year-round. They make a great snack and hit the spot when you are craving something sweet. You can shape them any way you'd like, add chopped nuts to the top, put a whole peanut or other healthy treat on the inside of the dough, or use chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla. The possibilities are limitless.