Busy Week but Still Experimenting!

I Haven't had too much time to get creative with recipes and new foods this week. I did make a large purchase at Whole Foods on Sunday and have been quite content on legumes, beans, and quinoa these past few days. I have discovered that quinoa is WONDERFUL with warm maple syrup on top for breakfast. Yummy!

I am currently in the middle of the Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone (I can't get enough of it) and I have two more exciting vegan lifestyle/cookbooks on the way from Amazon. I have successfully avoided meat and dairy for the past 8 days. My next transition is to move away from my normal 4-6 cups of coffee every day and towards more organic teas and natural energy foods.

Still no comments?

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups ★★★★

★★★★

These chocolatey (not) things were one of the first vegan recipes I tried out because I need a very convincing alternative to living without Reese's PB Cups. I used Alecia Silvertsone's recipe which I first read in the November 2009 issue of Women's Health magazine. It seems to be everywhere now; in her new book, "The Kind Diet", on The View and various other websites.

I used Smart Balance instead of Earth Balance; they are both Vegan friendly, but Smart Balance has less fat, calories, and sodium... and it's generally less expensive. I also didn't add the nuts on top for 2 reasons a) I didn't have any b) I don't like raw nuts much - but my cups probably would've looked more visually appealing if I had added nuts on top.


Alicia's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

1/2 c Earth Balance natural spread (dairy-free butter)
3/4 c crunchy peanut butter (preferably natural, unsweetened, and unsalted)
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares, crushed
1/4 c maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
1 c grain-sweetened nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1/4 c soy, rice, or nut milk
1/4 c chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts

1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (Find out where to buy unbleached liners at ifyoucare.com.) Set the tin aside.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar; mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Divide mixture evenly (about 2 tablespoons per cup) among the muffin cups.

3. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.

Makes 12.

The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide To Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving The Planet, by Alicia Silverstone, Rodale, 2009. Available wherever books are sold.



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