Chubby Checkers™ - The Fun & Easy SIBO Treat

In search of the ultimate, easy-to-make SIBO-safe sweet treat? This is it. I call them Chubby Checkers™ because of their shape, and also, it makes me think of the great Chubby Checker himself, not to mention his big hit The Twist. Who doesn't love to TWIST?

Anyway, to make Chubby Checkers™ all you need is a silicone mini-muffin mold*. I got my red, 1-dozen count mold, pictured here, for $10 at Bed, Bath & Beyond. Later, I ordered a double batch 2-dozen mold, pictured further below, from Amazon. Generally, I'm not a fan of using synthetic materials for food preparation or food storage, but silicone does have its advantages when making something special such as these candy-like, SIBO-safe treats!

Besides a mold, the main ingredients needed to make Chubby Checkers™ are raw cacao butter and whey protein powder.

I prefer Select Whey® from Moss Nutrition—the super high quality, practitioner-only supplement brand where I just happen to be the Product Development Manager (which is how I KNOW the quality is top notch).

Select Whey® is an awesome product. First of all, the whey itself is sourced from New Zealand grass-fed cows—producers of, arguably, the cleanest cow dairy on the planet.

Second, Select Whey® Chocolate and Vanilla flavors, are sweetened with SIBO-safe monk fruit extract, a natural, non-fermenting sweetener that, unlike stevia, actually tastes delicious! Other monk fruit bonuses are: zero calories and zero impact on blood sugar. Love it!

Once they are made, it's best to store Chubby Checkers in the fridge, in or out of the mold. You can store them at room temperature in an airtight container, too. Cacao butter is solid at room temperature, so these won't melt like those fat bombs made with coconut oil. However, I find refrigeration is ideal for preserving the freshest flavor and texture.

*Please note, if you don't have a silicone mini-muffin mold, you can still make these treats—they just won't look like checkers. Use a shallow flat dish lined with waxed paper, and after the batter cools, cut into squares with a knife. On the other hand, I'd say the silicone mini-muffin mold is worth the $10 investment. Those checkers are awfully cute.

INGREDIENTS 

Each recipe below makes 1 dozen Chubby Checkers™.

Chocolate Chubby Checkers™

2 oz raw cacao butter

1/3 cup Select Whey Chocolate protein powder

pinch of Himalayan pink salt

1 Tbs cacao nibs (optional)

Vanilla Chubby Checkers™

2 oz raw cacao butter

1/3 cup Select Whey Vanilla protein powder

pinch of Himalayan pink salt

1 Tbs ground vanilla bean (optional)

Variations: To make Mint-Chocolate Chubby Checkers, add 12 drops peppermint essential oil to the melted cacao butter. For Lemon-Vanilla Chubby Checkers, add 12 drops lemon essential oil to melted cacao butter. Or try Orange-Vanilla, by adding 12 drops orange essential oil. You can also experiment with lavender and rose. Have fun making up your own flavors! ❤︎


DIRECTIONS

Start by weighing out 2 ounces of raw cacao butter. You don't need a fancy digital scale with pinpoint accuracy, you just need to be in the ballpark.

Put the cacao butter in a pyrex bowl, place it in a low oven or toaster oven set to 200 degrees and allow the cacao butter to melt. Keep your eye on it—no need to overheat!

As soon as the cacao butter is melted, remove from oven and let the liquid cacao butter cool down a little, say, 10 minutes or so. This is important because you don't want to scorch the whey protein when you stir it in.

If you are doing a flavor variation with essential oils, add them into the cooled but still liquid cacao butter. Then add your Select Whey® protein powder. I generally use a miniature wire wisk for this part, but a fork works too. Stir well until the mixture of melted cacao and whey is smooth and uniform.

Finally, add pinch of salt and any optional ingredient you are using, again stirring well to combine. Alternately the optional ingredients can be sprinkled on top after completing the next step, transfer.

Use a clean tablespoon to transfer batter into the silicone mold cups, distributing evenly. Place filled mold in refrigerator and wait an hour to set the Chubby Checkers™. Then pop 'em out—so fun!