Easy (Sugar Free) Nutella Recipe

I loooove Nutella. The classic chocolate and hazelnut spread you can use on any fruit or pastry. I used to beg my mom to buy it when I was a kid. Nutella is a food I thought I would always buy as an adult but it turns out my mom was right to limit this treat- Nutella is packed with ingredients that don't support healthy bodies. Just take a look at this ingredient ratio: fifty percent of Nutella is SUGAR. And not cane sugar: Nutella primarily uses sugar made from genetically modified beet sugar. The second ingredient is palm oil, which is a carcinogenic when heated, making it a hazard to human health. Palm oil production is a huge part of deforestation and is a direct threat to rainforest ecosystems. Other ingredients include milk powder, hazelnuts, cocoa, soy lecithin, and vanillin.

When I started cleaning up my diet I thought I would have to give up Nutella for good. Nothing with pesticides, GMOs, and carcinogenic ingredients is worth indulging in, in my opinion. I can feel the affects of these ingredients in my energy, digestion, cravings, and hormone regulation. And yes, there are (expensive) versions of Nutella to buy, which are great for busier seasons of life. But for a quick fix I’ve found this simple combination of super foods hits that nutty craving for me. The best part is how my stomach feels after eating. There are no added sugars, no highly processed oils, no dairy.

Here’s what I like to mix together:

• 2 tablespoons natural almond butter OR natural peanut butter (Great source of healthy fats)

• 1 teaspoon ground flax seed (good for digestion and hormone health)

• 1 teaspoon cacao powder (not cocoa- cacao is raw chocolate and gives us immunity boosting antioxidants!)

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (metabolism/blood sugar stabilizer)

What would you add to this nut butter combo?