While I don’t take a HUGE interest in football, kind of hard when your team is the Bears…. but I do enjoy watching games and I really like watching the big game.  Ok, ok, I’m mostly watching for the commercials and the halftime performance, BUT I still like to watch.

I’m also in it for the food.  Come on, does that one shock you?  Chips and dip, pizza, wings, snacks of all shapes and size, the Superbowl isn’t just super because of the football players.  The Superbowl comes right at a time when you have been working hard to make eating healthy a habit.  It feels like it’s there to test your willpower and you’re a horrible human being if you slip up and eat a chicken wing…. or fifty.

You should never feel guilty for eating food, even if it isn’t the healthiest.  You made a choice and that’s fine.  Eat the food and move on.  To help yourself feel a little better of eating a super bowl during the Superbowl (see what I did there?), try making real food snacks and appetizers for your party.  Instead of buying your chips and dip, make your own.  Create a build your own pizza bar and provide plenty of fresh vegetables for toppings.  Or do a taco bar!  Mmmmmm tacos….. There are plenty of ways that you can make your party food taste indulgent and healthy.

Which is why I made this treat for you guys!  I love my salted caramel chocolate swirl bars from Christmas and I wanted to see if I could make something with my favorite combo: chocolate and peanut butter.  I mean really, is there anything better than chocolate and peanut butter?  No.  The answer is no.  

These are gluten, dairy, and egg free so they can cover a variety of diets, allergies, and intolerances.  If you can’t or don’t do peanut butter just sub in your favorite nut or seed butter, crunchy almond butter works really well!  You can also make these a few days in advance and that is one less thing you have to prepare.

So make these and be the hit of the party and enjoy the comm… I mean the game!

Chocolate PB Bars

Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 6 tbsp solid coconut oil

1. Preheat oven to 350.  If your coconut oil isn’t solid, measure it out and then stick it in the freezer for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender and pulse until fully combined.
2. Add in the coconut oil and pulse until the mixture is all crumbly.  Lightly oil an 8 x 8 pan with some coconut oil and line with parchment paper with a little hanging over the sides.  Press the cookie crust into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes.  It will look like it isn’t set, but don’t freak out. It will all be ok!
3. Once it’s done let it cool for a few minutes and then place it in the freezer to harden while you get the filling together.

Peanut Butter Filling

• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seed and 3 tbsp water mixed together)
• 1 tsp baking soda combined with 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp chunky peanut butter or almond butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds
• 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks

1. In a medium bowl, mix flax egg, baking soda mixture, peanut butter, vanilla, and coconut sugar together.  Make sure it is really well combined.
2. Stir in the coconut shreds and spread the filling on the cookie crust.  Bake for about 8 minutes.
3. Pull it out and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top and then bake for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let it cool completely before you cut them into bars.  The bars may seem a little gooey, but they will firm up as they cool.  Keep them stored in the fridge or the freezer until you’re ready to eat them.