Layered Coconut Protein Bites

Written by Lydia Marshall

These YUMMO little bites of "peanut butter cup" type candy are the BOMB!! Well, the bomb for you healthier minded foodies out there for sure. These little bites are being featured for Wellness Wednesday today.

My focus when creating these delights was on the following:

1) Using healthier fat from highly digestible coconut oil
2) Making them worthwhile nutritionally by using antioxidant rich dark chocolate and whey protein powder
3) Keeping the sugar content lower
4) Making them delicious for kids and adults alike (while testing this recipe, the final product was kid approved!)


Why Coconut Oil? 
The fats from coconut oil, that are healthy for us, do not come from omegas that most of us are familiar with. The fat is a medium chain fatty acid that is really good for us also, is easily digested and not stored as fat, but rather converted by the liver in to energy. Coconut oil helps with mental benefits and is considered food for the brain (see below).  Cultures all over the world have used it for centuries to eat and use for medicinal, and also as skin care. From the liquid inside, it's meat, it's milk made from the flesh, it's oil, and the butter that can be made with the meat...similar to how peanut butter is made, it has many uses. Many modern health experts refer to this oil as a "Superfood" and suggest regular consumption of it.

A few benefits of Coconut Oil:

1) Has medium chain fatty acids that are highly digestible and used as energy in the body.

2) About 50% of its fatty acids are Lauric Acid which is beneficial to kill bacteria & viruses to ward off infections. Coconut oil has the highest amount of this acid than all other foods. 

3) May increase energy expenditure which can help to burn more fat, and will stave off hunger that can help make you eat less.

4) The fat in it when turned in to energy, produces Ketones that are like food for the brain and highly beneficial. Studies are now being done to show just how effective coconut oil is as a food for the brain.

For more information on the benefits of coconut oil, you can click here.

Grocery Outlet carries coconut oil in the store regularly from $4.99 and up, and for those of you who shop around for this healthy fat...you know this is a good price for the value!

Read here about the benefits of whey protein powder, and don't forget we carry Body Fortress Whey Protein Powder at a great price of $17.99...come on in and get some!

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Layered Coconut Protein Bites

Makes 24 Single Servings

3/4 cup coconut oil

3 ounces dark chocolate - roughly chopped

1/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter (smooth)

1 1/2 scoops vanilla protein powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

20 drops or so liquid Stevia

Pinch sea salt

Melt coconut oil and put 1/4 cup of it in 3 separate bowls. 1) In the first bowl, add 10 to 15 drops of Stevia and set aside. 2) In the second bowl add protein powder, peanut butter & salt and mix, almost whip it with your spoon to incorporate well. 3) In the third bowl add the dark chocolate and heat to melt. Mix well to incorporate and taste chocolate to see if it needs a 5 to 10 drops of Stevia to sweeten it to your liking. 

Step 1:  

Put a full teaspoon of the melted chocolate in the bottom of a mini muffin pan (a little bit of a healthy spray oil would help with lifting these little one's out of the pan also). If you have leftover after filling each spot, distribute the rest evenly. Place pan in freezer for 10 min.

Step 2:  
Put a large teaspoon of the prepared coconut oil over the chocolate next. Place pan back in freezer for 10 min.

Step 3:  
Put about a teaspoon and half of the peanut butter mixture in next. Place in freezer one more time for 10 min.

Finally...Gently slide a pairing knife around the edges and slip these bites of heaven out. Keep in a container in the fridge and enjoy when you need a sweet treat, without the guilt =)