Strawberry Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I am all about creating healthy desserts - I definitely have a sweet tooth, but a few years ago, I completely cut refined sugar out of my diet.  Now, I'm always finding ways to create sweet treats that are both tasty and nutritious :)  These bad boys were no exception - I created them for the 2nd Vancity Virtual Potluck, which was put on by Piquant Marketing, and I'm so happy with how they turned out!  Think swirls of strawberry, coconut, and cashew cream enveloped in two layers of nutty, antioxidant rich dark chocolate - the best part is, they're gluten-free, refined sugar free, vegan, and full of nutrients :)

For chocolate layers:
4 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
1/2 cup smooth all natural peanut butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
Maple syrup, to taste (I used 2 tbsp)

For pink layer, blend:
1/2 cup coconut butter, room temperature or slightly melted (coconut oil will not work as a substitute)
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
8 tbsp unsweetened coconut milk
2-3 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp cashew butter

Directions:
Mix ingredients for chocolate layer together in a bowl, until smooth.  Divide half of mixture into 4-6 muffin tin wells (depends on the size of your tin - I used 4 wells) - ensure they are lined with paper or silicone liners (for the ones I made in the above picture, I didn't use any sort of liner, and they were NOT easy to remove!).  Place in freezer for 10 mins to set.

Once pink layer is blended (I used my Vitamix - ensure you use a decent blender), pour evenly into muffin tin wells, and place back in freezer for 15- 20 mins, until set.  Pour remainder of chocolate mixture on top, and freeze for another 5-10 minutes.

These treats store best in the freezer - let them sit out at room temperature for 5-7 minutes before eating.  Enjoy!