Disclosure: I was not paid to create this recipe, nor did I receive any free product from Nuts.com. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
Are you ready for some football? As people around the world are getting ready to bring out the jerseys and pigskin, I’ve come to a realization. I think I like the “idea” of watching football more than I actually enjoy the sunday ritual. I’ll watch a few games with my hubby here and there, but I just get so frustrated when there’s five minutes left on the clock but the game is still going strong 20 minutes later. Way too many flags on each play for my attention span.
That being said, tailgates are my jam! People supporting their teams while enjoying beer, brats, and bacon-covered anything. Now that I can get onboard with. However, most tailgating treats tend to be heavy on the fried foods or creamy dips. While I support eating anything in moderation, indulging in fried or fatty foods week after week is not the way to a healthy lifestyle.
Needless to say I was excited to hear about Nuts.com‘s tailgating snacks contest featuring ingredients that are new to me. I couldn’t wait to get into the kitchen and create a fun game day treat.
Since tailgating treats tend to be full of savory-type dishes, I knew I wanted to create a sweet dessert that still utilizes some healthier ingredients. These Almond Butter Chocolate Covered Espresso Bars are perfect!
I used cacao nibs in place of standard chocolate to provide healthy antioxidants, as well as fiber, iron and magnesium. I also tried organic, raw cacao butter for the first time and loved the product. I used it in place of butter/oil in the chocolate crust and it gave the dish such a creamy chocolate flavor. These Almond Butter Chocolate Covered Espresso Bars also use unsweetened cocoa powder in the crust in place of regular chocolate to cut back on sugar and almond flour to make it gluten free.
As an extra special treat, I used Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans in the almond butter filling. I think they give the bars a little extra pop! This can come in real handy when the game goes into double overtime!! You can easily omit these to make the recipe Gluten Free. One of the best parts…no baking required!
What’s your game day go to? Have you tried any of these new ingredients before?
Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation or product for this post. All thoughts, recipes and images are completely my own.
