Fresh out of the brain box

Soooo... this happened

It's Tuesday, November 8th. Surprisingly, it's a stunning day here in Vancouver as I glance out my window watching the Sky Train whip by. I find myself calm and humbled today... I threw on some old school Snow Patrol to get this post going with a little fire. Being that I don't have to work until later this afternoon, I had the morning to myself and to let my busy brain do its thing.
With the Popeyes Fall Classic coming up, I got into the spirit of treat making this morning, as I have a few teammates competing in the show this Saturday.
I know for a fact that my protein ball recipe is mastered. No... I still won't share my secret. Sorry folks. So taking it to the next level, I thought, how hard can it be to make sugar-free chocolate? Even further, sugar-free chocolate truffles? 
The answer is: Not hard, but you need to be very patient and get ready for a tummy ache from all the taste-testing hehe.
This is also why I am back in bed digesting before I go to the gym to hit some cardio and upper-body this afternoon before I start my shift. #fitgoals.

PROTEIN ALMOND BUTTER TRUFFLES

Time to get whitegirlWHEYsted. Makes 10 truffles.

​For the chocolate outer layer:

• 4 tbsp cacao powder
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp stevia (to taste, add more/less depending on sweetness preference)

Mix ingredients together and put in microwave for 15 seconds. Stir well, then an additional 10 seconds. Make sure the taste is to your liking. For me, I prefer a darker chocolate flavour so this works great for my taste. If you're more of a milk chocolate fan, you could always add a little reduced-fat coconut milk to the mix (just a tad). If you do that make sure that the coconut milk is the same temperature as the initial chocolate mix... So you'd want to add it in the beginning or it will curdle. 

For the protein almond butter fluff:

• 1/2 scoop Magnum Quattro Chocolate Peanut Butter Addiction protein
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• Splash water (makes it fluffy)

Mix together the protein and almond butter until combined. Add a splash of water at the end and mix quickly, because if you let it sit then it will settle into the mix and make a goo, we don't want goo. We want fluff! So mix it well and set aside.

THE WORKOUT - NO TIME WHEY-STED
Get ready to super-speed your baking... It's like cardio with supersets. Using a silicone mold with shapes of your choice (I chose flowers), pour 1 tsp of chocolate mix in each shape. Using a small baking brush, brush the chocolate mixture up onto the sides of the mold to create the outer layer of the chocolate. Set in freezer for 3 minutes. While it's setting, make your protein almond butter filling. Take mold out of freezer, refresh your chocolate mixture with a good stir, and brush the edges with more chocolate sauce mixture. Set back in freezer for another 2 minutes, and repeat this step one more time. The reason why you want to do it a few times is to make sure the outer shell is hard enough to hold the middle. The homemade chocolate sauce is more fragile than traditional chocolate being that it does not use any additional fillers, and that everything is a natural product. So we must treat it with care!
Using the protein almond butter fluff that you made, roll a small ball (about 1/2 tsp worth) and press into each chocolate mold. You'll probably have leftovers (guilt free - add to lactose-free greek yogurt for homemade proyo as an idea).
Refresh that chocolate sauce again and carefully top off each little chocolate with enough chocolate sauce to cover the filling I used a teaspoon to ensure that equal amounts were distributed. Set back into the freezer for about 5-10 minutes to make sure they're super hard. Remove and crack each chocolate out of the mold, and set onto a plate to get ready for the protein almond butter SAUCE that is about to go on top. 
​
For the protein almond butter drizzle:

• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 1/3 scoop Magnum Quattro Vanilla Ice Cream protein
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp stevia

Mix 2 tbsp almond butter and 1 tbsp coconut oil together and melt for 15 seconds. Add in the protein, and melt the last tbsp of coconut oil alone and add into the mixture. Mix ingredients well. Pour into a plastic ziploc bag and seal tightly. Cut a VERY small tip into the end of it and drizzle onto truffles. Set back into the freezer until you're ready to eat them. When you are, take them out and allow a few minutes for them to adjust to room temperature. They are more receptive to oxygen than other chocolate, again being that it is a more fragile chocolate sauce used.
Can't wait for my #teamRAMFIT to try these bad boys! 
That's it, that's all friends. Time for this girl to get her butt outside and head to the gym! Have a beautiful Tuesday xo.

<3