Food Rules by Michael Pollan

Hubby’s company is having a holiday bake off next week. I am going to do my part to make sure the Rubin Rodeo wins bragging rights. It gives me a great excuse to play around with some new recipes. This afternoon, I’m experimenting with home made peanut butter cups. The ingredients are way better than Reese’s Peanut Butter cups which contain TBHQ, an ingredient I like to stay away from. What is TBHQ? Heck if I know!

Michael Pollan has a rule in his book,Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
that says

“Don’t eat anything that your grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food”  TBHQ definitely falls into that category.

Another rule:

“Eat all the junk you want,as long as you cook it yourself”

By making peanut butter cups yourself, you have the opportunity to improve the quality of ingredients. I wouldn’t even call this “junk”, it’s a treat. I use organic peanut butter that contains one ingredient: peanuts. When it comes to chocolate chips, I look for fair trade, organic and soy free when ever possible.

Another Pollan rule in his book:

“Treat teats as treats”

Peanut Butter Cups made from scratch

This treat is special because you make it yourself. And no doubt, you’re not doing this every day. It’s special. It’s a treat!

Buying Reese’s or any other cheapie peanut butter cup at the store is not a treat, its just junk! Now that I’ve justified making these and explained my ingredient philosophy, let’s get to work!

Here’s the recipe:

Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons coconut oil

10 graham crackers, ground into fine crumbs

2 cups chocolate chips

Put cupcake liners in  muffin tins
Over low heat stir the peanut butter, sugar and 1 TBSP of coconut oil together in a small sauce pan until melted and smooth
Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs
Divide evenly between the 18 (or so) cupcake liners
Pop in the freezer while you melt the chocolate chips and remaining 1 TBSP of coconut oil in a double boiler, stir occasionally
When melted remove the peanut butter cups from the freezer and spoon chocolate evenly between the 18 cups
Place in refrigerator until 1/2 hour before serving, let them warm up to room temperature so you can bite through the chocolate.

Enjoy!