Paleo Candy Bars

I wanted to find a treat I could enjoy while eating paleo. My nutritionist wants me to eat some coconut oil and some raw organic chocolate every day, so I figured I could start with that.

The base of this candy is just that - equal parts raw, organic cocoa and coconut oil. You could just mix the two together and have a tasty candy (add a few drops of liquid stevia to your taste). I did just that for awhile. I mixed it in an old coconut oil jar, left it in the fridge and grabbed a spoonful (with a clean spoon, of course!) whenever I had a sweet tooth.

I got the idea to step it up a notch when I found similar items for sale online, for a hefty price. "I can do that!" I said, so I did!

I can think of tons of variations. Stir in a little nut butter, dried fruits, your favorite extract. I don't really taste the coconut from just the coconut oil, but you might, so plan your flavors around that. You can certainly leave out or vary any of the nuts, seeds, coconut etc. Remember, it's a very tasty just with the cocoa, oil and sweetener.

Virgin coconut oil's melting point is 78 degrees F, and it's soft below for a few degrees below that. Chilling will make it candy bar consistency. You will want to store these in the fridge or freezer and eat it immediately.

I have oval shaped molds, and put 2 Tbsp for each serving. An ice cube tray or mini muffin tin would work great, or you could spoon out onto tray. Refrigerate until solid, then pop out and store in a ziploc bag. As far as I know, they keep indefinitely. It's a great treat when you're craving something you shouldn't be eating!

Here are some of my favorites:

Spicy (or not!) Dark Chocolate

1 cup coconut oil
1 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper (leave out if you don't want spicy)
1/2 cup each: sunflower seeds, pepitas, coconut
1/4 cup chopped almonds
30 drops liquid stevia

Melt coconut oil over low heat. Remove from heat when melted. Add other ingredients, mix well. Pour into molds and chill until firm.


Cinnamon-Vanilla

1 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup almond flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
40 drops liquid stevia
1/2 cup each: coconut, sunflower seeds, pepitas, chopped almonds

Stir 1 tsp raw cocoa nibs into each mold if desired.