Nut butter cups are the ubiquitous paleo snack - after all it's hard to resist something so smooth and creamy which also satisfies those sweet cravings but doesn't contain the junk that Reese's put into theirs.
There are a million variations of these on the internet but another version can't hurt, am I right?
I love the cashew butter and vanilla combo with the blueberry jam and if you're trying to increase your protein intake, as I am, you can't go wrong with adding nut butters to your diet. For a slightly higher protein source, swap the cashew butter for almond butter. Although cashew butter is lower in protein than other nut butters, it's richer in other nutrients, including iron, copper, and phosphorus… and it's sodelicious.
Purchasing nut butters can be expensive, so I recommend making your own in a good quality food processor if you are on a budget (simply Googling how to make your own nut butter will yield numerous blogs with easy instructions). If you have leftover jam, I highly recommend mixing it with some coconut cream for an easy dessert. Or you could just eat it straight from the jar with a spoon…
Blueberry vanilla cashew butter cups
Makes 8-10
Ingredients
For the jam filling:
1 cup blueberries
1½ tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp honey
For the cashew butter:
½ cup cashew butter
½ cup coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
1.5 tsp vanilla essence
Method
1 To make the jam: place the blueberries in a pan with a small amount of water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once they are soft, remove from heat and mash the berries with a fork. Stir in 1 tbsp honey to the cooked berries then stir in the chia seeds. Place in a container then put in the fridge or freezer to set.
2 Melt the coconut oil. Stir 1 tbsp honey and the cashew butter into the melted coconut oil.
3 Arrange 8-10 small cupcake liners on a pan. Spoon a thin layer of the cashew butter mixture into the liners. Place in the freezer for a few minutes or until they have set.
4 Once set, spoon a bit of the jam into the centre of each of the cups, leaving a bit of space around the edges. Then spoon more of the cashew butter mixture into each of the cups, covering the tops and all round the sides of the jam.
5 Place in freezer to set for at least 15 minutes.
6 Store in the fridge or freezer.
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