When the new year is upon us it gives us this little extra incentive to better the places in our lives where we can improve. For some of us that might be traveling more, taking more time for ourselves, and maybe possibly eating better. I bet it’s safe to say that eating right is the number one place in our lives we resolve to be better. That’s what happened at our house this year, for the most part we do really well, but my sweet loving man has a major sweet tooth. So much so that if I ask him to run to the store he can’t help but stop by the bulk candy section, and then tries to unwrap the candies in the pocket of his sweat shirt to not get caught. Seriously. I finally had a come to Jesus talk with him and my mom about there love affair with Red Vines, these two were like animals when it came to this crap, double fisting it. Sorry but candy is not supposed to be an everyday treat, and my sweet husband was partaking in the candy dish at work EVERYDAY! So when January 1 rolled around I asked him to give up sugar for thirty days. I wasn’t sure if he could do it the first week he came home with a headache, damn withdrawals. He stayed strong and as far as I know he’s been on the straight and narrow. But I didn’t want him to feel deprived, all things in moderation, so I thought I would offer him some healthy, creative, responsible alternatives, after all I love that man of mine and I want him to remember where the sweet love resides… at home! So this next is one of the alternatives we have been enjoying.

This first one comes from one of the new cookbooks I got for Christmas,’The Kind Diet’, by Alicia Silverstone. I was so impressed with this cookbook, it gives options for where ever you are on you conscious eating journey. Billy can’t keep his hands off these. Enjoy.

-Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups- a.k.a. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 c. Earth Balance butter

3/4 c. crunchy peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)

3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares

1/4 c. maple sugar, (I used agave nectar)

1 c. grain sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips

1/4 c. soy, rice or nut milk (I used soymilk)

1/4 c. chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

1. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners, set aside.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar or agave, mix well and remove from the heat.

3. Divide the mixture, about 2 T. per cup among the muffin cups.

4. Combine the chocolate and milk in a small saucepan over low-med heat, stir until chocolate starts to melt. Turn off heat and continue to stir until completely melted.

5. Spoon chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture and top with chopped nuts.

6. Place in the fridge to set for at least two hours before serving.