Peppermint Dreams

 

Peppermint Patties are popular in this house.  We all love the whole chocolate and peppermint combo.  Actually, Adam used to eat like 2-3 of the York ones a day and the girls quickly developed a liking of them too.  More recently he has tried to cut down his consumption as he has become increasingly careful about his diet. 

I've been wanting to create a healthier version for a while now.  Many healthy food blogs have whole food recipes that look great, but they usually still use sweeteners that raise blood sugar, and are generally made with gobs of nut or coconut products, which although nutritious, are seriously calorie-dense.  And the truth is, most of us DO have to consider calories because too many can lead to weight gain and health problems, even if they come from healthy sources.  Particularly if you, like all the folks in this family, have difficulty with portion control, its important not to overdo it when it comes to fats and oils.

In this version, I use a wee bit of coconut oil in the fondant middle and a wee bit in the chocolate coating.  But these are definitely going to be lighter in calories than the commercial kind and most whole food versions filled with nut or coconut butter.  Oh, and they are vegan and sugar-free too!

Even my Peppermint Patty connoisseurs loved these.  After letting them all sample some, I quickly hid them away.  I'm not sure how willing I am to share!

Peppermint Dreams

Filling

2 tbls melted coconut oil
1 tsp pure peppermint extract
2 droppers full of peppermint stevia liquid (optional)
1.5+ cups powdered erythritol (or other powdered calorie-free, low-glycemic sweetener)*
2 tbls non-dairy milk

Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a bowl.  After adding the milk, if it is too runny, add additional powdered sweetener.  It should be stiff enough to form into disks.  You can chill for a bit first as well, if needed.  Take any leftover fondant, roll into a ball and freeze or refrigerate for future use.

Coating

175g unsweetened chocolate
2 tbls coconut oil
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 droppers full of plain stevia liquid (or to taste)

Melt chocolate with oil over simmering water.  Add remaining ingredients.  Pour small amount of chocolate into molds or candy liners.  Place a small disk of fondant in the centre and pour more chocolate over top.  Chill until set.  Makes 24 chocolates.

 

 

*If you have a high power blender, you can pretty much powder any sweetener.  Note that erythritol is a safe, natural sugar alcohol that, unlike more commonly used sugar alcohols like maltitol, is not likely to cause stomach upset.

Today I am grateful that I had a good morning with the girls.  It wasn't perfect, but they weren't fighting and were generally behaving, which does not always happen.  They are sweet, adorable girls.  I know I'm lucky to have them, but parenting is so challenging its easy to forget...even though I do infertility counselling and hear the painful journeys people go through in their quest to have a family.  I really am grateful for mine!!

This recipe has been shared with Gluten-Free Friday, Wellness Weekend and Urban Natural's Pot-Luck Party Link-Up.