Heaven on Earth
Most people would agree that the marriage of chocolate and peanut butter was one of the best unions in modern history. I’ve heard the sentiment several times from all kinds of people: if stranded on a deserted island and allowed one thing, it would be this delectable combination. Sweet, fat and salt is the trifecta that is programmed in our DNA as our hunter gatherer ancestors had to seek these flavors out. They were not plentiful, yet our bodies need them (in natural form, of course) to live. Sweet is energy. And when we’re running down gazelles for our next week’s supply of food, we need a lot of energy.
And if we don’t get that gazelle and need to subside on vegetation for another week, we need that stored energy from our fat to get through that week. Of course, for our muscles to work to run down that gazelle or to gather that vegetation, we need sodium (salt), which also helps us to maintain hydration and keeps our blood’s pH balanced.
So, this is ultimately why we are so in love with the iconic combination of chocolate and peanut butter. And there are lots and lots of commercially produced versions of this, most of which are highly processed and usually not made with real, whole food ingredients.
One way to insure that you’re getting the best quality is to make it yourself, and there’s also a satisfaction in doing that, especially if you share.
This recipe is very simple (otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it), and you can alter it to your tastes. Organic ingredients are preferred and, of course, taste best.
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder (plus more to roll finished balls)
- 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 oz dark chocolate bar, melted
Combine all ingredients in a bowl mixing together with a wooden spoon until incorporated. The consistency should be one that would form a solid ball when rolled. You may have to adjust the amount of oats if it is too wet. If consistency is too dry, add more peanut butter. Once balls are formed, roll in cacao powder.
