School Muffins -- The Cacao Variations

My son has been eating lunch at home lately, but we persist in our nut-free muffins all the same. Just in case. Now, let me advise you that cacao has a dark and dirty flavour that sucks all the sweetness out of the universe, sort of like a black hole. But in a good way. To balance this harmony crushing flavour trump, I've added some stevia in addition to the date, but this is entirely optional, and sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. My son is very fond of the bitter dark and dirty taste of true chocolate, so  he's equally happy with it either way. He-who-used-to-eat-raw-cacao-nibs-as-a-toddler ... I, not being a true chocolate lover, can't quite distinguish between the taste of dirt and the taste of cacao nibs, but with the right flavour combination do find cacao to be ... compelling. For me, the chocolate and peppermint energy bars are just the bees knees ...

ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin coconut oil (organic and unrefined)

1 cup pitted honey dates

2 cups hot water

1/2 cup raw cacao

1 tbsp ground vanilla bean

1 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp stevia powder (optional)
2 tbsp carob

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 eggs

1 cup shredded coconut -- ground
1/2 cup hemp seeds

4 tbsp ground chia seeds
1/4 cup ground flax

1/2  cup ground sunflower seeds

directions:

1. combine the dates, coconut oil, and hot water. Let sit for 10 minutes. Then, puree with an immersion blender. 

2. add the cacao, vanilla, salt, stevia, hemp seeds, shredded coconut, and carob powder and blend again

3. add the baking soda and blend

4. add the eggs and blend

4. stir in the ground chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and ground sunflower seeds

5. scoop into prepare muffin cups and bake at 345 for 40 minutes