Puffed Quinoa and Pumpkin Peanut Butter Cups

For 12 cups

INGREDIENTS

• 250g dark chocolate, about 3 bars of chocolate (70% cocoa)
• 6 tbsp puffed quinoa
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• Pinch of pink Andean salt
• 2 tsp coconut flour (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Put 12 paper muffin cups in a muffin pan. Set aside.
2. Chop half of the chocolate (1 1/2 bars) into small pieces and add to a small glass bowl.
3. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler on the stove: Heat about 2 cups of water in a small saucepot and bring to a rolling boil. Put a glass bowl with chocolate on top of the saucepot. It should touch the rims of the pot but not the water. Stir gently every minute or so, making sure not to stir too much and create air bubbles.
4. Once the chocolate is melted, remove it from the stove and stir in 3 tablespoons of puffed quinoa.
5. Put 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup and gently spread so it covers the bottom. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, mix the pumpkin puree, peanut butter, pumpkin pie spice, sweeteners and salt in a bowl. If you prefer a thicker filling, add the coconut flour, otherwise, leave it as is.
7. Repeat steps 2-4 with remaining chocolate and quinoa puffs.
8. Remove muffin tin from the refrigerator. Put 1 heaping teaspoon of peanut butter-pumpkin mixture into each cup. Spread filling so there is just a thin border around it. You don’t want it to touch the edge of the muffin cup.
9. Put another 1/2 tablespoon or so of chocolate mixture on top of filling and gently spread so it goes down the sides and lays flat on the top. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour.