Healthy Fudge?

Oh my.  I have been meaning to start this blog for a very long time.  So....for my first post I think I will start with the recipe that is requested most often --my healthy fudge recipe!  Here ya go!

Well, as some of you know, I love to make sweets.  But for a long time I have not been at peace, let alone joy, with my baking and candymaking.  The reason is that I truly care about healthy eating and I very much care about the health of all of my friends and family.  I am not okay with the standard American diet and I am determined to be a part of the revolution against processed, chemically treated, genetically modified, disease and cancer causing foods---if one can even call such abominations 'food'.

Because of all of this I have been doing a lot of research on raw, organic, TRULY natural sweets that can be made inexpensively.  I was not looking for something that was almost as good as store bought sweets--I wanted to make treats that would make store bought stuff taste like the crap they are.  I want to use ingredients of such purity and goodness that, after sampling the divine euphoria that God intended the cocao bean to be used for, one would never again settle for a lower, lesser imitation.  I remember reading stories of mortals who had wandered into faerie rings and partaken of faerie foods.  After tasting the peerless perfection of such blissful morsels, said mortals could never abide normal human food again.  I was looking for recipes for chocolates that would have a similar effect.

Finding such a recipe proved difficult. Most called for agave, which I am not a fan of.  Some recipes called for too many ingredients or very hard to find/ expensive ingredients.  I was left with no choice but to experiment and see what I could come up with on my own.

Here is the first in what I hope will be a series of indescribably yummy, healthy, raw, vegan treats.

But first, a note about coconut oil. (Get it? A note inside of a note.  How very Geo.MacD of me, no?  :)
Coconut oil is awesome stuff.  I'll not waste time or cyber-space repeating what has been better said elsewhere, but trust me--coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils available.  It is solid below 74 degrees, gloopy between 74 and 76 degrees and liquid above 76 degrees.  In order to mix the coconut oil in with the other ingredients, the oil needs to be either gloopy or liquid.  If the coconut oil is too solid, you can just put the container in a larger container of hot water till the oil is melted enough to pour or spoon into a measuring cup.  And I know that honey is technically not vegan, but I think that's stupid.  If a member of the Fae would eat it, then that is vegan enough for me.

Now for the recipe:

In a mixing bowl (or stationary mixer) mix together

1 cup raw cacao powder
1 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup raw honey (set the jar in hot water to melt honey if it is too solid to scoop)
1 jar natural peanut butter (I mean natural, not what Skippy calls natural)

Pour into a parchment paper lined pan ( I use a 7 x 11 pan, but you could also use an 8x8 or 9x9).  Place in fridge or freezer until set (about an hour in the freezer and a few hours in the fridge).  Holding the parchment, lift the fudge out of the pan and place the parchment and fudge on the counter.  Cut fudge into (roughly) 1 inch squares.  Then try one!  Keep the chocolates in the fridge or freezer.  Remember the coconut oil will will be gloopy if too warm--so kept in the fridge or freezer, these chocolates are amazing. Yield: about 60-70 chocolates.


Sometimes I add raw, flaked coconut to the mixture or sprinkle on top. You don't have to add any peanut butter at all if you just want a plain chocolate--or you can use a cup of nuts instead of the peanut butter.  Or if you like your chocolate spicy, you can add cinnamon or cayenne.  Use your imagination, this recipe is hard to mess up!

Why raw?  As for the honey--the taste is amazing.  There is nothing like raw honey.  It is delicious.  And because it is unheated it is loaded with enzymes that support the immune system.

Raw cacao powder is far, far superior to regular cocoa powder because it has over 300 vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are still potent because they have not been damaged or destroyed by heat processing.

Okay, this is where I get the ingredients:

I buy the raw cacao powder from Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Superfood-16-Ounce/dp/B001E5E0Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299569173&sr=8-1.http://www.amazon.com/Navitas-Naturals-Organic-Superfood-16-Ounce/dp/B001E5E0Y2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299569173&sr=8-1.

You can get the almond meal (bulk section) and raw honey at Sprouts or Whole Foods.

The best place I know of to order the coconut oil is:  http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/expeller-pressed_coconut_oil.htm

I hope you give it a try and that you enjoy it!  Imagine: A delicious chocolate which is so good for you that you are actually healthier AFTER you eat it than you were before you ate it!  That something like this even exists is pure Grace.

Happy Unbaking!