A 5 Ingredient Vegan Dessert Recipe: Coconut Butter + Tahini Cups With Coffee Creme Filling

Avoiding processed sugars and things like high fructose corn syrup has become second nature to me, but even natural sweeteners need to be consumed in moderation. I developed this recipe as a (mostly) guilt-free option for satisfying my sweet tooth in the afternoon.

The original recipe uses coconut oil and tahini as the base, and while coconut oil has a myriad of health benefits, I found the resulting cups were too rich tasting and oily, and there was too much filling, making them very sweet. I instead used coconut butter and in much larger quantities, along with vanilla for flavour, so there are more cups, with the fibre that coconut meat contains, with less sugar in them. While dates are high in natural sugars, they also contain fibre and essential minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, and accordingly are anti-inflammatory and can aid digestion and reduce blood pressure. And since they are spread out in this recipe, each serving contains only a moderate amount of sugar.

The rest of the ingredients are pretty fantastic, too. Here are just a few of the health benefits they offer. Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is an excellent source of fibre, and a good source of minerals such as copper, manganese, calcium, and iron, among many others. Sesame seeds are also an incredible plant-based source of protein.

They also contain two unique substances — sesamin and sesamolin — both of which belong to a special group of fibers called lignans, which help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Sesame seeds also help to protect the liver from oxidative damage. Made from ground coconut, coconut butter is a healthy source of fat in the diet, providing the body with sustained energy throughout the day. Also high in fiber, it helps to keep you feeling full and accordingly can help with weight loss. Rich in lauric acid, coconuts have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties as well. Last but not least, coffee, when consumed in moderation, offers a wide range of health benefits. It is massively high in antioxidants and can improve energy levels and enhance mental focus and physical performance. It may also help with fat loss, and several studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. It is important to remember, however, that not everyone tolerates caffeine as well as others. Listen to what your body tells you and then determine whether caffeine consumption is right for you. It is also important, for a number of reasons, to buy organic coffee, as conventionally grown coffee beans (aside from wreaking havoc on the environment) are heavily sprayed with pesticides, consumption of which may well mitigate its health benefits. This recipe offers a perfect balance of bitter and sweet, and the result is a dessert which leaves you feeling satisfied, not craving more sugar (I promise!). They are also really cute, and easy + fun to make! Give the puree a little pat with your fingers to ensure it fills the cups evenly. Recipe comes from my blog, The Healthful Hoard, and was adapted from a recipe by Emily Von Euw in her book Rawsome Vegan Baking. 5 Ingredient Coconut Butter and Tahini Cups with Coffee Crème Filling (makes 24 mini cups) ~ gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free, grain free, nut free, soy free ~ Ingredients Directions Notes .

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References:

• http://www.amazon.ca/Rawsome-Vegan-Baking-Un-cookbook-Gluten-Free/dp/1624140556/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1422804991&sr=1-1&keywords=rawsome+vegan+baking
• http://naturalsociety.com/health-benefits-of-dates-7-reasons-eat-date-fruit/
• http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=84
• http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2004/03/10/coconuts.aspx
• http://authoritynutrition.com/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee/
• http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1468-1331.2002.00421.x/abstract
• https://thehealthfulhoard.wordpress.com/