Mambo Sprouts

Light Peanut Butter Eco-Pie

We couldn’t stop eating this decadently delicious, dollar-disciplined dessert! Chocolate and peanut butter combine in a way that you would never guess was low-fat.

Submitted by Diana L. of Carlsbad, CA, for the Mambolicious Recipe Contest 2009; Honorable Mention.

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared graham cracker pie crust
• 1 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
• 3 bars (200 g.) Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp. peanuts, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 8 oz. fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 8 oz. frozen, lowfat all-natural whipped topping, slightly thawed
• 2 Tbsp. strong, brewed coffee

Directions:

1. Melt 2/3 of the Equal Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate in the microwave on low power, just until softened.

2. Distribute the melted chocolate on top of graham cracker crust. Chill in freezer until chocolate is solidified.

3. Using an electric mixer, combine the peanut butter, vanilla and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cream cheese and blend well. Fold in 1/3 of the whipped topping until blended. Fold in the remaining whipped topping.

4. Remove pie pan from the freezer, and spoon the peanut butter mixture in to cover the crust and the chocolate. Place pie back in freezer.

5. Meanwhile, brew the coffee, and fill a zip-top bag with the remaining Exchange Organic Very Dark Chocolate. Pour 2 Tbsp. hot coffee into the bag, and squeeze the bag to combine chocolate and coffee.

6. Remove pie from freezer again. Snip one corner of the zip-top bag, and squeeze chocolate mixture in a criss-cross pattern over the pie’s surface. Keep in freezer; thaw at room temperature when ready to serve.

Servings: 8 slices

Cook’s Note: For a richer version of this pie, you can use peanut butter cookie dough for the crust (baked into a 9-inch pie pan).