Clean Eating Cashew Butter Fudge Cups

I mentioned in my last post that I am currently partaking in a clean eating challenge through the end of this month. I find this challenge to be pretty easy except for the fact that I miss chocolate so much. I am a definite chocoholic and crave at least a small piece of dark chocolate on a daily basis. Because this challenge refrains from eating processed sugar, it's been hard to find my fix.

I saw a recipe for clean eating almond butter cups that I decided to recreate using cashew butter because it's what I had in my house. The result is AMAZING. These cashew cups are creamy and decadent and best of all clean and free of anything processed. They are also vegan, paleo and gluten free so they can be enjoyed by almost anyone.

I'm pretty sure they would be delicious with any kind of nut butter so play around and use whatever you have on hand. I would however, recommend the salted variety as it creates that delicious salty/sweet thing that we all love. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

Coconut oil is my superfood of the week. To find out about its health benefits click here!

Ingredients: 

2/3 cup coconut oil- melted

2/3 cup cocoa powder

1 cup cashew butter (or whatever nut butter you want)

1/3 cup maple syrup

3/4 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1) Combine all of the above ingredients in a food processor.

2) Line a mini muffin tin with 12 liners.

3) Pour "batter" into the liners and place tray in freezer for an hour.

4) Store in the refrigerator for up to a month!

Balsamic Chicken Caprese Salad

Happy New Year everyone! It is hard to believe it's January already! For the start of the new year I decided to challenge myself to do a 4 week clean eating cleanse. I definitely overindulged this holiday season, and I needed a push to get back on the healthy eating wagon. 

This "cleanse" is really safe, healthy, and actually pretty easy. The main rules are to avoid processed food, white sugars and white flours. Other than that you can pretty much eat whatever wholesome foods you want. 

My husband agreed to do this challenge with me. That being said I knew I needed to come up with something delicious for him to take to work this week. His typical lunch consists of a turkey and cheese sandwich which does not fit into this clean eating challenge. I came up with this salad because it's light and flavorful but also extremely hearty, so I knew it would satisfy him.

My favorite part about this meal is the dressing- it's a creamy balsamic vinaigrette made with Greek Yogurt. Not only is it delicious, but it also provides an extra dose of protein!

My superfood of the week is tomatoes. Check out the health benefits here.

Ingredients for Chicken:

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Ingredients for Salad:

Cooked balsamic chicken (above)- sliced

4 cups arugula

2 cups spring mix

1 pint cherry tomatoes- sliced

8 oz. fresh mozzarella- cubed

1 avocado- sliced

Ingredients for Dressing:

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/8 cup olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Place chicken breasts in a zip-top bag and add olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Marinate overnight.

2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a piece of foil sprayed with non-stick cooking spray in a 9x13 pan. Place chicken on the pan and bake for 25-35 minutes or until cooked through.

3) When chicken is finished cooking let it cool for 10 minutes. Then place on cutting board and slice into thin pieces.

4) While chicken is cooling, add dressing ingredients to a mason jar and shake vigorously until well blended.

5) Assemble salad by combining all of the salad ingredients together along with the chicken slices. Add into individual bowls and top with dressing.

*This recipe makes about 4 salads