made at home: banana date bars

Banana Date Bars

• 1 1/2 cups of pitted dates
• 1/4 cup of coconut 
• 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
• 1 ripe banana, mashed 
• 2/3 cups of oats
• 1 1/4 cup of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 
• 1 cup of brown sugar 
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 
• 1/2 teaspoon of ginger 
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/4 cup of coconut oil, melted 

    In a large bowl mix shift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and oats. On the stove top, bring the dates and water to a boil. After coming to a boil, add in half of the brown sugar, and let the mixture sit to thicken. Mix the mashed banana, coconut oil, and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Add the coconut and walnuts into the dry mixture bowl, then add in the wet mixture and use the fingertips to mix together. Pour the date mixture into the bottom of a greased square baking dish, then crumble the dry mixture over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve cooled, and topped with honey. 

    I was at Costco the other week with my parents, and I saw a huge box of dates that I just couldn't leave without. When it actually came down to eating the dates at home, I usually just snacked on them throughout the day, and then I decided I needed to bake something with them. Date bars have always been one of my favorite desserts, and this was my first time baking them myself. I snacked on these on my car rides to school.. because in some way they remind me of a breakfast treat. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe, and think of this next time you have too many dates from a Costco trip. 

made at home: quinoa peanut butter cookies

Quinoa Peanut Butter Cookies

• 1 cup of cooked & cooled quinoa
• 1 cup of oats
• 1/3 cup of peanut butter
• 1/4 cup of honey 
• 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips 

    After the quinoa is cooked and sat to cool, combine it with the oats, peanut butter, coconut oil, and honey. This process is easier to mold with your hands (be prepared to get sticky though), but a fork works fine as well. Add in the cinnamon and sea salt to the mixture. Fold in the white chocolate chips, and roll the dough into about a tablespoon sized ball. Bake at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes. When pulled out from the oven, press down the cookies with a flat bottomed object to create a flat cookie, then let cool for serving. 

      I'm not going to lie, this recipe took me twice to create the perfect cookie. The first time I tried to make it more of a "salted" peanut butter cookie... and well, it was way too salty. They were also seeming a bit too dry, which surprised me because there was peanut butter in the recipe, so I added a bit of coconut oil to do the trick.

    Quinoa is something I usually have a lot of in my kitchen cabinet (thanks to Costco trips!), and I love baking with it. I also realized that I hardly bake cookies, so I figured it was about time to make some in my own kitchen again. Also, anything with peanut butter is a wonderful dessert in my book. Enjoy!

made at home: spiced peppermint white hot chocolate

Spiced Peppermint White Hot Chocolate

• 1 cup of white chocolate chips
• 10-12 peppermints 
• 3 cups of coconut milk (or other desired milk)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla abstract
• 3 teaspoons of sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper 

  Bring the milk, peppermints, and spices over medium-high heat on the stove top. Take off the heat right before it is about to boil, then stir in the white chocolate chips until fully melted. Pour into a mug, top with whipped cream and crushed peppermints. 

  I have never really been the biggest fan of hot chocolate. It was always one of those "a couple times in the season" sort of drinks for me, but then I realized all of the spices and flavors I could develop to make a hot chocolate "my own". With Christmas right around the corner, I decided to go for a seasonal flavor, peppermint (and mixed with some sea salt and a bit of spice). Not only is this drink rich and wintery, but it's also the prettiest shade of pink, which won me over for this recipe even more.  

made at home: vegan "eggnog" mini-muffins

"Eggnog" Mini-Muffins

• 1 cup of soynog (or other non-dairy eggnog)
• 2 teaspoons of vinegar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla abstract
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup of wheat germ
• 3/4 cup of raw sugar
• 1/4 tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg

"Eggnog" Ganache 

• 10 oz. vegan chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup soynog 

   Whisk soynog with vinegar and set aside. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add maple syrup and vanilla to soynog mixture. Take the liquid mixture and quickly mix with the dry ingredients, just until fully combined. Grease a mini-muffin pan and spoon in mixture into the sections. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes. 

     For the ganache, bring the soynog to almost a boil on the stove top. Bring off the heat and whisk in the chocolate chips until melted. Let cool slightly, then dip the mini-muffins into the ganache to top. 

    So, I haven't posted a vegan recipe in awhile since becoming a vegetarian, so I decided to bake without dairy for this recipe. Even in my earlier years of eating dairy and eggs, I have never been a fan of actual eggnog, so soynog has always been my go-to. These muffins are so moist, full of spices and flavor, and even sweeter with the eggnog ganache. This would be a perfect holiday party snack to bring, or even to enjoy at home. 

made at home: pumpkin coconut blondies

Pumpkin Coconut Blondies 

1 can of organic pure pumpkin puree
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
1/2 cups of dark chocolate chips
1 cup of coconut 
2 cups of flour
1 1/4 cup of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of sea salt 
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 teaspoon of ginger 
*Spiced glaze

  Combine all dry ingredients (besides sugar) into a medium sized bowl and set aside. Whisk the softened butter, sugar, and egg. Add in the pumpkin puree to the wet mixture, then stir in the dry ingredients. Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30-35 minutes in a greased square pan. Let cool, then enjoy. 

  *Optional glaze using powered sugar and milk, adding cinnamon and cloves. Drizzle over the cut blondies to serve. 

  So, Thanksgiving and (almost) Fall has come and gone, but that doesn't mean pumpkin treats need to be placed on the back-burner. I mean, Fall is still here for a little bit, right?! This is the dessert I made to take to a family Thanksgiving this year, which was a huge hit. I tried to create an idea that wasn't the typical pumpkin spice sweet, so adding coconut made all the difference. I would suggest eating a small slice at a time, they are very sweet.... but I didn't follow that rule. 

made at home: chocolate avocado kiwi pudding

Chocolate Avocado Kiwi Pudding

• 2 ripe and peeled avocados 
• 3 peeled and cut kiwis (1 for garnish) 
• 1/3 cup of agave nectar (or honey)
• 1/2 cup of coco powder
• 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk (I used almond)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla abstract  

   Peel and slice the avocados and kiwis, and place them into a blender. Add the agave nectar, coco powder, vanilla abstract, and milk into the blender with the fruits. Blend ingredients until mixture is smooth and no lumps, then serve in a small bowl or refrigerate until desired coldness. 

   So, I know this whole avocado chocolate pudding is not a new adventure for anyone to create, but I had the sudden urge to put a little spin on this today. Whenever I had used a recipe in the past, it would always still taste like avocado and not nearly sweet enough for my liking.  I am beyond happy with this simple, fruity chocolate pudding I blended up today, and it makes for a perfect summery snack. The extra kiwi I sliced up to add in the pudding made this even more tasty.  I think I might have a new obsession with pudding...

made at home: vegan chocolate coconut bars

Vegan Chocolate Coconut Nut Bars

Graham Cracker Crust

• 6 cups of crusted graham crackers
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt

Toppings

• 1 cup of shredded sweetened coconut
• 1 cup of chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips
• 1 cup of non-dairy milk (I used coconut)
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of maple syrup

   On medium heat, mix together the milk with the sugar and syrup. After all is combined, let the mixture set for about five minutes until slightly cooler. While cooling, mix the graham cracker crumbs, oil, and salt together in a medium bowl. Press the crust mixture into a medium sized cake pan, that is sprayed with cooking oil. Add the cooled milk mixture to the crust, then add the chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes and let cool for two hours in the fridge before eating. 

   This is a recipe I have tried many different ways, and seen many different places. I love the mixture of coconut and chocolate  as many people adore as well, and I can't get enough of it. The best thing about these bars is how simple they are to make, the most of the waiting is just the baking in the oven part. Also, most of these ingredients can always been found in your kitchen (well, at least in mine at all times!). Enjoy! 

made at home: vegan peanut butter brownies

Vegan Peanut Butter Brownies 

• 1/3 cup of non-dairy milk (I used almond milk) 
• 4 oz of silken tofu
• 1/3 cup of canola oil
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened coca power
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 
• 4 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons of powered sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water  

   Whisk the milk, canola oil, vanilla and tofu together in a medium sized bowl until tofu has become almost unnoticeable  Whisk the coca power, flour, sugar, and cornstarch in another bowl, then ad to the dry mixture. Soften the peanut butter, powered sugar, and water in a microwave or stove top. Spread the brownie mixture in a 8x8 cake pan. Add the peanut butter on top of the brownies, swirl into the batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  

   Yes, it snowed in Kansas City again.. in the spring! Just when I thought this coldness was leaving until the next winter season, but cold weather is always meant for baking sweets. I decided on these brownies because I was craving peanut butter, and I needed to use the rest of my tofu quickly. This recipe turned out great and I reccomend putting these in the fridge before eating. Readers, what have you been baking up lately? 

deer at the brook

(what's in my bag today) 

(vegan/gluten-free peanut butter brownies i baked this evening, recipe here & i veganized it) 

   the dress i am wearing here was actually a nightgown from my grandma. it's been sitting on my shelf of "to- do" for hemming up and sewing for such a long time (everyone knows that shelf, all of the items you get excited to fit up and then you get busy and forget). i was deicing whether or not to send her a picture of the fixed item, but i was not sure if she meant for me to fix it up! anyways, lately i have been on a sewing kick and many of my daily outfits have consisted of hand-made or re-touched items, and i could not be happier about that. 

   for an early christmas present, i received a samsung galaxy s3 from my parents today. so, even though i told myself i would not, i caved in and got istagram. you can follow me here or under "hellomrrabbit", if you would like! i am very new to this, but i take so many daily photos with my phone, it would be nice to have somewhere to share them. 

peanut butter pie

i was suddenly in the mood for a peanut butter pie this evening, so i decided to make one! i don't believe i have ever made one before, so i looked at a few recipes online and put my own together. the chocolate was a bit too runny (as hints the globs in the corners! it was still so tasty though, just not as pretty). 

vegan peanut butter pie

1 pre-made oreo pie crust (i got mine for $2.50!)

1 1/4 cups of peanut butter

2 teas of vanilla extract

1/4 cup of powder sugar

1/8 tea of salt 

3 medium-sized ripe bananas

1/4 cup of oil 

1/4 cup of melted vegan chocolate chips or gauche*

*my chocolate chips were too runny and they should be thicker! i just wanted my pie too much to go back and thicken it.. next time!  

combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. then fill the pie pan and let chill in the fridge for at least a few hours (overnight might be better for a thicker pie) and then enjoy!