Sugarfree Protein Rocky Road

If you try one recipe from my blog, it has to be this one, especially if you love chocolate. This rocky road is so good, you will happily replace fat and sugar laden chocolate nibbles with this healthy alternative. Made with toasted raw peanuts, sugar-free marshmallows and unsweetened dried cranberries to complete the flavour jumble.

Apart from the special added ingredients, this recipe uses what most health nuts will have in their pantry. I found sugar-free marshmallows at the pharmacy, but you can also source them in speciality sweet shops and health food stores.

Sugar-free Protein Rocky Road

Ingredients:

• 4 scoops of protein powder in vanilla or chocolate (I used vegan Sunwarrior rice protein)
• 1/4 cup of softened coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons of cacao powder
• 2 tablespoon of Vitarium sugar free chocolate drinking mix
• 3 tablespoons of Natvia sweetener
• 2 packets of sugar free marshmallows (you can find these at health food stores or pharmacies)
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened dried cranberries
• 100 grams of raw shelled peanuts
• 2 pinches of Himalayan pink salt 
• 1 pinch of cinnamon

Method:

1. Spray a fry pan with coconut oil and toss in the raw peanuts. Add a pinch of Himalayan salt and a pinch of cinnamon and fry until toasted. Set aside.
2. Microwave the coconut oil for 20 seconds until melted. 
3. Transfer the coconut oil to a large mixing bowl and add in the stevia, chocolate drinking mix, cacao powder and a pinch of salt. Mix until the sugar crystals are dissolved.
4. Add in the protein powder, cranberries, and peanuts and mix together. Add in one packet of the marshmallows and stir to incorporate. 
5. Transfer the second packet of marshmallows to a small bowl and microwave on low heat until melted. Scoop out the melted marshmallows and stir into the chocolate mixture. The melted marshmallows help the mixture to stick together and add a delicious crunch when set.
6. Add the almond milk to help the ingredients stick together. You may need to add a touch more if the mixture seems a little dry. 
7. Spray a silicone loaf tin or silicone muffin tin with coconut oil. Transfer the mixture to the tin by either spreading it out into the loaf shape or placing a few tablespoons in each muffin hole.
8. Leave to set in the fridge or freezer.
9. Take out from the tin and slice or leave as muffin shapes. Store in a plastic sealed bag or container in the fridge or freezer.

*You could also add shredded coconut and change the peanuts to hazelnuts, walnuts or pecans. Mix the cranberries up to by swapping with sultanas or dried blueberries.