Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips

More and more Ava wants to help me in the kitchen as much as possible. I try to think of things we can make together that are easy for her, safe for her to eat raw, and otherwise kid friendly. Rice crispy treats seemed to be the obvious way to go. Since I try to make vegan treats and meals AJ and Ava can enjoy as often as possible, I decided this should be no different. I found a great ricemallow marshmallow creme at Healthy Life Market today, but after reading a recipe in The Kind Diet, I decided to try a more unconventional approach. I admit they are not as sugary sweet as the traditional rice crispy, but they are not as greasy either. Besides, anytime I hear Ava say "yummy" after tasting a new recipe, I know it is a keeper!


Find more great vegan treats in The Kind Diet.






Crispy Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips

1 box brown rice crisps cereal
1 3/4 cups brown rice syrup
fine sea salt
3/4 cups peanut butter or almond butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
1/2 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate chips or carob chips


Pour the rice cereal into a large bowl. Heat the syrup with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat. When the rice syrup liquefies, add the peanut butter and stir until well combined. Pour over the rice cereal. Mix well with a wooden spoon.




Once thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, stir in the chocolate chips. Make sure the mixture is cool, or you will end up with melted chocolate instead of chocolate chips in your treats.




Turn the mixture out into a 8"x8" or 9"x13" baking dish. Wet your wooden spoon lightly and press the mixture evenly into the pan. Let cool for 1 hour...before cutting into squares or bars.

Recipe excerpt from The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone, p. 184

Buy The Kind Diet on Amazon.com

Root Beer Float Cupcakes

During Brett and Amy's visit, Amy came across a recipe for Root Beer Float Cupcakes online. The recipe caught her attention due to Brett's taste for root beer. We decided to make a memory of it and make a batch of the cupcakes. We settled on the recipe below. We bought the root beer at Frostop Drive Inn in Huntington. They make their own root beer and it is the best we've ever had. Unfortunately we had a hard time finding the root beer extract at the local grocery store. The cupcakes were still amazing, but lacked much of the root beer flavor. I went hunting for the extract immediately after their visit and bought some for the next time. I can't wait to make these again!




Batter:
1 Cup Root Beer Soda
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Teaspoons Root Beer Extract
1 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
3/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
Pinch of Salt

Chocolate Ganache:
5 Ounces Dark Chocolate, Chopped
1/4 Cup Plain Soy milk
1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup

Vanilla Frosting:
1 Cup Vegetable Shortening
3 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar
2 Tablespoons Plain Soy milk
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a dozen muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, combine the soda and vinegar and let stand for a few minutes. Add in the sugar and oil, whisking vigorously until slightly frothy. Integrate your extracts. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently introduce this dry mixture into your large bowl, being careful not to over mix. Distribute the batter evenly between the prepared tins, filling the cupcake liners approximately ¾ of the way to the top. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until evenly browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. After letting the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, remove them to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before preparing the ganache. When the cupcakes are ready, combine all of the ingredients for the ganache in a microwave-safe container and microwave for about 60 seconds. Stir thoroughly to help incorporate the melting chocolate. If the chocolate is not yet entirely smooth, return the sauce to the microwave for 15 to 30 second intervals, stirring between each heating and watching carefully to ensure that it doesn’t burn. Drizzle the ganache in squiggles over the tops of the cupcakes. You will probably have plenty of leftover ganache, but I don’t see that as a particularly bad thing. Allow the ganache squiggles to fully cool and dry before preparing the frosting.

With your stand mixer, beat the shortening thoroughly, until creamed. Add in the confectioner’s sugar, and beat on a low speed, so as not to spray powder everywhere. Incorporate the soy milk and vanilla, and combine thoroughly, until the frosting is thick and creamy. Apply to your cupcakes and enjoy.

Yield: 12 Cupcakes

Pictures by Amy Boleski
Learn more about this recipe, the author, and buy My Sweet Vegan, by Hannah Kaminsky

Granola

Last week Brett and Amy came for a visit. For those of you who don't know, Brett and Amy left San Francisco, moved their things to Denver, and took a 5 month trip to Australia and Southeast Asia. Recently they returned and are making the rounds visiting family and friends before settling in Denver. Luckily they took a long weekend trip to see us. I was very excited to have a reason to cook and took the opportunity to make homemade granola. I had never made it before and was surprised at how easy it was. I made my first batch on Sunday and haven't been able to stop making/eating it the entire week. I think it is quickly becoming a staple in the Boleski home.

Granola

3 c. rolled oats
3/4 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. pecan halves or pieces
1/2 c. coconut
1-2 T. cinnamon (to taste)
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. wheat germ (to taste)
2 T. sesame oil (other neutral oils like grapeseed or canola, or unsalted butter may be substituted)
1/2 c. Grade A Dark Amber pure maple syrup
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 c. currants
(any dried fruit may be substituted or added)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and place rack in center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, seeds, wheat germ, cinnamon, coconut, and salt.

In a small bowl, stir together the oil (or melted butter), and maple syrup. Pour this mixture over the dry mixture and toss together, making sure all the dry ingredients are coated with the liquid. Spread onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes - stirring every 10 minutes - until golden brown. Place on a wire rack to cool. The granola may still be sticky when it is removed from the oven, but it will become crisp and dry as it cools. Make sure to break up any large clumps of granola while the mixture is still warm. Once the granola has completely cooled, add the dried fruit and store in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks.

Makes 5-6 cups.

Recipe altered from original. To find original recipe, visit The Joy of Baking.