Chocolate Peanut Butter Keto Balls

These chocolate peanut butter  keto treats really satisfy a sweets craving while providing MCT fats to fuel your metabolism and curb appetite!   Also known as “fat bombs” these are perfect as an afternoon snack on low-carb or intermittent fasting days, and  for anyone following a keto diet. Replacing sugar in our diet with healthy fats prevents insulin surges – the hormone responsible for fat storage, cravings and insatiable hunger!

This is my first attempt at making a “fat bombs”, the result were pretty good but the process was a bit tricky, basically the coconut butter needs to be softened first (I used a microwave) in order for the other ingredients to mix well into it.  The chocolate dip should not be omitted as it creates a hard chocolate shell around the ball which gives a nice crunch and hold the contents within.  The more chocolate the better, right!

I highly recommend Lily’s Dark Chocolate 55% Cacao Stevia-Sweetened – delicious and creamy, Lily’s Chocolates are suitable for a low-carb diet since stevia rather than sugar is used as the sweetener.

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut butter (this is different from coconut oil, sometimes it’s called coconut manna)

1 cup peanut butter (I used smooth but this could also work with crunchy)

1/3 cup chocolate protein powder (this adds protein plus helps bind the ingredients)

1/3 cup cacao powder (this adds more chocolately taste + magnesium, plus also helps bind the ingredients)

½ tsp. of stevia (this is optional since the chocolate protein powder already has stevia for sweetness, I just like it a tad sweeter)

1 Lily’s Chocolate bar (these are low-carb, sugar-free, sweetened with stevia chocolates, comes in many flavours.) divided into 1/3 bar and 2/3 bar

Directions:

1. Melt coconut butter, only until softened,  like soft butter not liquid!  microwave for 15 second at a time until you get the right consistency.
2. Mix the peanut butter into the softened coconut butter. Microwave a little more if needed. The consistency should be a soft paste, not liquid!
3. Add 1/3 cup of chocolate protein powder into the coconut/peanut butter mixture. (using your baking cups and not the scoop that comes with the container). Next add 1/3 cup cacao powder.  Mix until well combined. Taste and if needed add some stevia drops for more sweetness.
4. Chop up 1/3 of lily bar into very small chunks, add to the mixture.
5. Place mixture in the fridge for about 20 minutes to get harder again slightly so it becomes easier to handle.
6. When ready, use a spoon or little melon scoop to scoop up some “dough” shape into a ball, work quickly or the ball will start melting in your palms!   the recipe should make about 10 balls.  Place the balls on a parchment paper on a plate, return to the fridge to hard.
7. While the balls are hardening in the fridge, in a glass bowl, melt the remaining 2/3 Lily’s Chocolate bar broken into small pieces in the microwave.  Chocolate burns easily so heat by 15 second increments and then stir and return to microwave for another 15 seconds, it should take around 1 minute or less to melt.
8. Once balls are hardened, take one ball at a time and drop into the melted chocolate.  Roll them around with a fork to ensure ball is enrobed with melted chocolate.  With the fork, carefully place dipped ball on parchment paper on a plate, return to the fridge to harden for at least ½ hour.  These balls needs to be kept in the fridge or frozen until ready to serve.

NOTE: *Coconut oil is simply the oil that’s been extracted from the coconut meat, while coconut butter is made from coconut flesh that’s been ground into a spreadable paste

 **Unlike cacoa, raw cacao is a pure, unprocessed and nutrient dense superfood that’s rich in antioxidants, fibre and magnesium.