The popularity of the keto diet means that we are lucky to now have lots of healthy recipes that are low carb but high in healthy fats. These healthy treats fill in a gap as it can be hard to find snacks and desserts that satisfy your sweet tooth without thwarting your getting into ‘better-shape’ efforts.
It’s no wonder that fat bombs are all the rage on Instagram these days. This is another fabulous snack recipe doing the rounds of social media. You might have even seen them yourself as they are trending ALL over the internet becoming viral.
Here’s the best part: You don’t even have to be on a full-blown keto diet to enjoy these healthy treats. You can share with anyone who wants a more nutritious version of a truffle, fudge, or even a peanut butter cup. How sweet is that?
This layered Chocolate Coconut Protein Fudge is to die for. This recipe is perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth cravings while still being super healthy! This recipe makes one of my most cherished low carb snacks of all time. It is sweet, creamy, decadent and delightful.
It is made with a bottom layer of chocolate ganache, the middle layer is a creamy coconut filling that melts in your mouth. Then more chocolate, yessss, a drizzled layer on top of melted chocolate. Oh my!
Bursting with deliciousness, this recipe not only gives you the extra healthy fat your body craves, they also make desserts and snacks the whole family will love. After all, who doesn’t love the combination of chocolate and coconut?! Each is great, but they are better together. They are a match made in heaven, and you can still enjoy the marriage without all of those pesky carbs getting in the way.
As a long term fitness professional who is immersed in the health and wellness field, it’s fun to keep tabs on the latest trends. Traditionally, many trends over the last decade or more have (unfortunately) revolved around elimination diets in which certain foods or food groups are restricted or eliminated entirely. Think grains, dairy, carbs, fats, meat and so on.
In their place came foods marketed as low-calorie, low-fat, low-this, low-that were usually interpreted by novice consumers to mean “healthy”, right? However, we are now finally starting to see a paradigm shift. People are beginning to change their mindset around food and paying closer attention to not only the nutrition label, but also the ingredients.
Consumers are becoming more interested in ADDING more nutritious ingredients to their diet, as opposed to eliminating foods or entire food groups. What perhaps is even more exciting is that fat is no longer demonized. Items like coconut butter and oil, avocado oil, and nut flours are being used more widely for their nutritional benefits with less emphasis on their caloric value.
Healthy fats are in and the demon sugar is out due to sending your blood sugar levels on an unhealthy roller coaster ride every time you eat it. This is one of the most important things causing an epidemic of obesity and “lifestyle” preventable diseases.
Low carb, keto, healthy, no-bake treats such as creamy fudge is typically made with ingredients such as nut/seed butters, coconut cream, coconut butter or oil, cream cheese, butter, heavy cream, mascarpone cheese, olive oil, dark chocolate, avocado and little to no sugar to name a few.
These higher fat recipes will keep you satiated between meals. They are easily portion controlled, and the richness of the healthy fats is very satiating to the taste buds. Oh, and did I mention they are easy to make? They only take a few minutes, so they are great to keep in mind for those times when you need a really fast dessert or sweet healthy treat.
Are higher fat snacks and treats considered healthy? I know people have very different views on how much fat to eat in a day, so while my own diet is pretty high in healthy fat it will of course depend on your own personal views and dietary needs.
Unlike many other fruits that are high in carbs, coconuts are mostly fiber and fat. Even better, the fat found in coconuts is MCT (medium-chain-triglycerides), which promotes a feeling of fullness and has been linked to other healthy benefits
These treats are not only high in heart-healthy fat, they are also low in sugar, and the fat helps you to feel full and satisfied with just a small amount. So it’s not like cookies or candy where you could eat a ton and yet somehow still be just as hungry as before you started.
People trying to reduce their sugar intake often complain about the lack of sweets in their quest to get healthier. That’s because a low-carb way of eating is very focused on eliminating harmful sugar from your diet. But there are options for that lingering sweet tooth in your life.
You will discover this delightful fudge is BURSTING with flavor! The way the chocolate blends so perfectly with the coconut makes it taste like something really naughty. Except it will fill you up and satisfy you without making your blood sugar levels go wacko!
As with anything, moderation is key for this fudge, but it is so filling that it’s much easier to feel satisfied even after just a small amount. They are the perfect little craving busters and sweet tooth tamers. Enjoy a square or two after dinner or lunch to lessen your chance of succumbing to that bag of chocolate chips that has been sitting in the pantry (or the tub of ice cream in the freezer that is calling you!)
So, to conclude, I just went on and on and told you basically nothing except that I like chocolate and coconut – oops. How can I make this up to you? By giving you the recipe! Okay, here it goes:
Chocolate Coconut Protein Fudge
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup almond or coconut flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons thick creamy coconut milk * see note below
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coconut Layer
- 1 1/3 cups desiccated coconut
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup thick creamy coconut milk* see note below
- 1/4 cup protein or collagen peptides powder. plain or vanilla
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a 8 x 8-inch baking pan or dish with parchment paper on the bottom and sides leaving some overhanging to act as a handle to get the bars out easier for cutting.
Base Chocolate Layer
- In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil while stirring continuously. Stir in coconut milk, remove from heat, then stir in the almond flour, protein powder, honey and vanilla extract.Spread the chocolate mixture in the parchment lined dish using a spatula or back of a spoon. Chill in the freezer while you make the coconut layer.
Coconut Layer
- Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl until fully combined, Spoon out the coconut layer evenly over the base chocolate layer, (shouldn't be completely set or the two layers will separate as they cool) spreading it out evenly with a spatula or back of a spoon.
Chocolate Topping
- Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in small dish and microwave with 15 second bursts stirring between each one until melted and smooth.Or use double boiler method - (pot of boiling water with a bowl resting on top) melt the chocolate chips and the coconut oil together.Once melted ,pour the chocolate/coconut oil over the top of the coconut layer.Put in the freezer for 10 minutes to set and then cut into 16 squares to serve!Store leftovers in either the freezer or refrigerator. The freezer will give it more of a candy bar consistency while the fridge will make it more like fudge.
Recipe Notes
- *I refrigerated my can of coconut milk so the water and cream separate, then discarded half the water and blended the rest together for a thick, creamy coconut milk.
If you are looking for more delicious, healthy, protein-rich, no bake desserts and treats to help you reach your health, wellness and fitness goals, you will love my collection here: Blended Bites
