The recipe calls these marshmallow puffs, but, according to Reiver, these are basically rocky road. Whatever you call them, they make a surprisingly tasty low-effort dessert.

Marshmallow Puffs

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 27-36 marshmallows
• 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions

1. Line a 23cm (9") square tin with baking paper and grease the paper.
2. Arrange the marshmallows in the prepared tin.
3. Combine the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat gently, stirring periodically, until melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt over low heat, stirring, until smooth.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture over the marshmallows and allow to cool until set.
5. Remove from tin, cut into squares, and serve.

I've been hesitating on making the rest of the waffles in the waffle book because they're all meant to be dessert waffles rather than breakfast options. And I have so many other desserts to make. And most of them call for ingredients that I don't typically have on hand anyway. So, I've been making other desserts instead and the waffle recipes have just been sitting there. Staring at me.

But we needed something for breakfast this morning. And we had all the bits for these s'mores-inspired waffles. They're pretty sweet and rich. But, honestly, they're no worse than most of the things in the "pastries" section of the Breakfast Bible. So, I figured I'd just roll with it and give 'em a try!

They were pretty good. Although, even with a reduced quantity of chocolate (~75% of what the recipe called for), we all still found them very rich and excessively chocolate-y. I think next time I'd probably go with half chocolate. I also had a bit of trouble getting the somewhat unusual, watered down Swiss meringue to whip up nicely. It still worked. And the finished texture was actually quite nice. It just wouldn't hold a peak. Maybe that was just down to my impatience with the double boiler though. I may not have let it cook enough before transferring it to the stand mixer. Either way, it was still pretty good. Just a bit tricky to work with.

The recipe suggested making these with either malted or peanut butter waffles. I decided that peanut butter waffles (with some of the AP flour swapped out for whole wheat) sounded like a nice combo, so I went with those. That said, I do think that the malt waffles would have also been very nice. As would whole wheat. I might actually try 100% whole wheat peanut butter (or malted) waffles next time. I think the whole grain would be a nice way to evoke a bit more of the graham cracker character that I normally associate with s'mores.

S'mores Waffles

Slightly adapted from Waffles: Sweet, Savory, Simple by Dawn Yanagihara

Ingredients

• 1 batch (6-7) peanut butter or malted waffles (preferably made with whole wheat flour)
• ~180g dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
• 6 Tbsp. warm water
• 1 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract¹

Directions

1. Make waffles as directed and preheat oven to 220°C (425°F).
2. Place the waffles on baking sheets and top each one with ~30g of the chocolate.
3. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for ~2 minutes to melt the chocolate and crisp the waffles.
4. Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a simmer and place a heatproof bowl over it.
5. Add the egg whites, cream of tartar, and water to the bowl.
6. Gradually add the sugar while whisking vigorously.
7. Keep whisking until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mergine is opaque and warm to the touch.
8. Transfer to a stand mixer and beat on high speed until soft peaks form (3-5 minutes).
9. Beat in vanilla.
10. Spoon the meringe into the waffles and return to oven until meringue is lightly browned on top and cooked through (4-6 minutes).
11. Serve with a glass of milk on the side.

¹ Oh no! I just realized that I completely forgot to add the vanilla to my meringue! That would have made it so much nicer! Whoops. Oh well... not much I can do about it now. :( ^Back

The Kidlet and I made this cake to take to Thanksgiving. It is a very rich, dense cake full of oatmeal and chocolate. And the peanut butter icing adds even more decadence.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Slightly adapted from C&C Cakery

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 c. rolled oats
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 c. boiling water
• 225g dark chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped dark chocolate)
• 1 1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. sugar¹
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Frosting

• 1 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 200g icing (powdered/confectioners') sugar²
• 3/4 c. heavy (35%) cream, whipped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a 23x33cm (9x13") cake tin/baking dish.
2. Place the stick of butter with the oats, pour over the boiling water, and let stand for 1 minute.
3. Stir the oat mixture to thoroughly combine and let stand until cooled.
4. Meanwhile, toss the chocolate with 2 Tbsp. of the flour and set aside.
5. Beat the eggs with the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla.
6. Add the oat mixture once cooled and stir to combine.
7. Mix in the remaining 1 1/2 c. of flour.
8. Stir in the flour-coated chocolate chips.
9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
10. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 35-45 minutes.
11. Allow to cool completely before icing.
12. Beat the peanut butter with the butter until light and fluffy.
13. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
14. Gradually sift in the icing sugar while continuing to beat vigorously.
15. Fold in the whipped cream.
16. Spread the icing evenly over the cooled cake.

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¹ The original recipe called for 3/4 c. sugar and 1 1/4 c. brown sugar. I used the full amount of granulated sugar, but only 1 c. of brown sugar this time around. The cake came out great, but I'd be tempted to try it with slightly less sugar next time. Maybe just 1/2 of granualted and 1 c. of brown. And, if that works well, I'd be tempted to omit the granulated sugar altogether on future attempts and just roll with 1 1/4 c. of brown sugar. That said, I didn't want to adjust things too much too fast. Hence the incremental approach. ^Back
2 The original recipe called for 2 c. of icing sugar. I weighed my sugar and found it came in at ~125g/cup. So I used ~250g of icing sugar for my frosting. That said, I found it a little sweeter and stiffer than I'd ideally like, so I think I'd aim for closer to 200g of sugar next time. ^Back

I've been working my way through all the suggested mix-in and topping combinations for pancakes in The Breakfast Bible. In retrospect I think that maybe the peanut butter and bacon would have been a better match for the banana pancakes, but I think it still worked reasonably well with the nuts and seeds used here.

Nutty Sourdough Pancakes with Bacon

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

Pancakes

• 1 batch sourdough pancake batter
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans
• 1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Toppings

• peanut butter
• maple syrup
• bacon

Directions

1. Make your pancake batter as directed.
2. Add the pecans, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds and stir to combine.
3. Cook the pancakes as usual, using ~1/4 c. of batter for each.
4. Top pancakes with peanut butter, maple syrup, and bacon.
5. Optionally serve with fried eggs.

I'm digging pretty deep into my backlog again with this one. I can't even remember exactly when I made this. But it's in my notes and it does sound at least vaguely familiar. So I'm going to do a write-up for it before it gets lost entirely.

I have been doing better at not letting recipes slip through the cracks the last couple of years. But that still doesn't mean that I always write them up promptly. I'm now just getting to them eventually rather than not at all. (And I am at least getting to most of them somewhat promptly.) It's a definitely improvement. It's just not completely consistent yet. Even so... I feel pretty good about the effort we've put in the last couple years! Over 340 posts last year and, while I don't think we're on track to beat that this year, we might manage to break 300, which is still pretty darn good.

And here is a soba noodle salad recipe from who-knows-when to help get us there.

Soba Noodle Salad with Sugar Snap Peas

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g soba noodles or whole wheat spaghetti
• 150g sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved diagonally
• 3-4 small carrots, julienned
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 3cm piece of ginger, minced
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 4 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/3 c. natural peanut butter (preferably chunky)
• 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 1-2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions adding carrots and peas ~2 minutes before they're done.
2. Drain noodles and vegetables and add cilantro and mint.
3. Heat oil over medium heat.
4. Add ginger and garlic and cook for ~1 minute.
5. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, pepper flakes, peanut butter, and stock and stir to combine.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick (5-7 minutes).
8. Pour dressing over noodle mixture and toss to coat.
9. Allow to cool, sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion (if using), then serve.

I decided to make parfaits for breakfast this morning and figured it'd be nice to make my own granola for them. I was initially thinking of doing a chocolate-cherry granola, but I wasn't sure that would complement the nectarine parfait I had in mind as well. So, in the end, I opted for this peanut-y granola instead.

Blueberry-Peanut Butter Granola

Slightly adapted from The Breakfast Bible by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 c. slivered almonds
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/4 c. coconut oil¹
• 1/4 c. peanut butter
• 1/4 c. maple syrup
• 1/2 c. dried blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C (300°F) and lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Combine oats, almonds, and salt in a bowl and mix well.
3. In a small pot, combine the oil, peanut butter, and maple syrup and gently warm over low heat until oil is melted and ingredients mix easily.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir to combine.
5. Dump the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and spread out into an even layer.
6. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and mix in dried blueberries.

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¹ I was running a bit low on coconut oil, so I actually ended up using only 2 Tbsp. of oil + an extra Tbsp. of peanut butter, which actually seemed to work out fine. ^Back

The waffle-fest continues! Today was peanut butter waffles with maple cream cheese. Very nice. The Kidlet rated them quite highly. Personally, I thought they were nice, but not a stand-out. The maple cream cheese did complement them quite nicely though!

Peanut Butter Waffles

Slightly adapted from Waffles: Sweet, Savory, Simple by Dawn Yanagihara

Ingredients

• 235g all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1/2 c. natural peanut butter
• 2 large eggs¹
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. Mix in the salt.
4. Warm the peanut butter up in the microwave for ~30 seconds to soften it and make it easier to mix.
5. In a large measuring cup, beat the eggs into the peanut butter.
6. Beat in the buttermilk, followed by the sugar.
7. Mix the butter into the wet ingredients.
8. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until just combined.
9. Pour a portion of batter into the waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's directions. If you like your waffles extra-crisp, leave them in for an extra 10-20 seconds. Repeat until all batter has been used.
10. Serve with maple syrup, maple cream cheese, and/or jam. Alternatively, serve with vanilla ice cream and strawberries for dessert.

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¹ My eggs were pretty small so I added an extra. This was definitely the right call as the batter was still quite thick even with the extra eggs. ^Back

I snagged some snow peas on sale the other day so this simple Asian-inspired noodle dish made sense as an easy dinner option.

I opted to quickly fry my tofu before adding the sauce, but the original recipe calls for adding the sauce to the pan/wok first and then simmering the tofu in it. Either is a perfectly acceptable option.

I just used tofu and snow peas in my rendition of these noodles, which is exactly what the recipe called for. But I felt they could have done with a few more veggies, so I've written them up with optional onion and bell peppers here. I can vouch for this turning out a perfectly serviceable dish even without the extra veg, but I do with it would have been nicer and tasted a little more balanced with them in. I also added some lime zest, green onion, and parsley to mine (although cilantro would have been preferable). I quite liked these additions and would definitely make it that way in the future.

Noodles with Tofu and Peanut Sauce

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 170g snow peas
• 180g dried Chinese egg noodles (or 250g fresh)
• 1 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil
• 1 onion, halved and sliced lengthwise (optional)
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced (optional)
• 450g extra-firm tofu, cubed and patted dry
• 1/2 c. coconut milk
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp. red Thai curry paste¹
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 c. vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 1-2 green onions, chopped
• 2-3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the snow peas.
2. Cook for 1 minute, then strain out the peas (reserving the hot water).
3. Shock the peas in cold water, drain, and set aside.
4. Return the pot with the cooking water to the heat and bring back up to a boil.
5. Add the noodles and cook for 1 minute (or until desired doneness).
6. Drain and shock in cold water to stop cooking. Drain again and set aside.
7. Heat a wok over medium-high heat.
8. Drizzle in the oil and swirl to coat.
9. Add the onion (if using), bell pepper (if using), and tofu and stir-fry for a couple minutes.
10. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, curry paste, sugar, broth, light soy, and dark soy and reduce heat to medium-low.
11. Simmer for ~5 minutes.
12. Stir in lime juice, lime zest, and green onions.
13. Add noodles and snow peas and toss to combine.
14. Cook until heated through (2-3 minutes).
15. Sprinkle with cilantro (if using) and serve.

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¹ For a different taste, try experimenting with different types of curry/chile paste: green, yellow, Paneng, gouchujang, doubanjiang (豆瓣酱)... so many possibilities! ^Back

I think this is my favourite of the cottage cheese bowl variations so far. I liked the savoury one with the tomatoes and cucumbers, but I liked this one even better. In fact, it's the only one that I've ended up having two days in a row so far!

The peanut butter is fairly calorically dense, but if you pair it with a low-sugar jam, it actually makes a reasonably healthy (and low-Point) breakfast. The original recipe calls for 1/4 c. of rolled oats, but I had a little bit of chocolate granola left, so I had it with that instead and quite liked it. I might try it with plain oats at some point, but I'm really liking the granola with it so far!

PB&J Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl

Slightly adapted from Budget Bytes

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. cottage cheese (fat-free to keep the calorie/Points count low)
• 1 Tbsp. jam (preferably a low-sugar or reduced-calorie variety)
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 2 Tbsp. granola

Directions

1. Combine everything in a bowl.
2. Mix, eat, enjoy!

This was meant to be a cottage cheese breakfast bowl but, after giving it some thought, I decided that I would probably like it better as a Greek yogurt breakfast bowl, so I swapped out the cheese for yogurt.

The original recipe called for 1/2 c. of the cottage cheese mixture to be topped with 1 Tbsp. of peanut butter and 1/4 c. of granola. Looking at the 1/2 c. of yogurt sitting in my bowl, I felt like those proportions were a bit off. So I doubled the yogurt, but left the topping quantities the same (although I did add a few strawberries because I thought they'd be nice with it).

The original recipe also called for sweetening the cheese mixture with a small amount of brown sugar. I did this for the first quantity of yogurt, but then didn't want to add any additional sugar when I increased the yogurt, so I opted to switch to a "no sugar added" syrup instead. If you're not counting calories, feel free to go with the sugar. If you are, then you can shave a few by using something like the diet syrup I used or a monk-fruit or stevia-based sweetener.

You could also shave some calories/fat buy replacing the peanut butter with peanut butter powder (defatted peanut flour). You still get the peanut flavour and the protein, but without the oil. However, I find that peanut flour often tends to give smoothies a somewhat gritty texture, so just be aware of that. Also, sometimes I just want to treat enjoy the luxuriousness of real, full-fat, freshly ground, delicious peanut butter. So that's what I went for today.

I've included a couple variants of this recipe below. Make whichever one suits you depending on what your goals are or what you have on hand.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Breakfast Bowl

Adapted from Budget Bytes

Ingredients

• 1 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1-2 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-4 strawberries, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• 1/4 c. granola

Directions

1. Add the cocoa, sugar, and vanilla to the yogurt and mix to combine.
2. Top with strawberries, peanut butter, and granola.

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Variations

Lower-Calorie Version

Ingredients

• 1 c. fat-free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp. cocoa powder
• 1-2 Tbsp. no sugar added syrup or a low-calorie sweetener of your choice
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-4 strawberries, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. peanut butter powder (defatted peanut flour)
• 3 Tbsp. granola

I'm still experimenting with various "healthy" and low-calorie recipes. I was still hungry after dinner tonight and wanted a treat, but I didn't quite have enough Points left for a slice of apple-cinnamon bread. (And I knew that I wouldn't be satisfied with half a slice.) So I went in search of ideas for something tasty I could make for not too many Points.

I'd seen a few variants of chickpea cookie dough kicking around the Internet, so I figured I'd give one of those a go. The recipe author claimed that the dough tasted "INCREDIBLE" and that you couldn't taste the beans at all. She said that she used to bring chickpea-based cookies and treats into work all the time and no one could ever guess what her "secret ingredient" was.¹

I made this according to the recipe. It was... not good. It was not sweet. It was not peanut butter-y. And it did, in fact, taste of beans.

After adding more sweetener and more peanut butter it was passable. Still not great, but at least okay. I think with some more adjustments it might be possible to make this dough actually good, but it's definitely not there yet. Below are my, as yet untested, suggestions for what to do next time.

Chickpea Cookie Dough

Adapted from Well Plated

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 c. cooked chickpeas or white kidney beans
• 1 medium banana
• 6 Tbsp. maple syrup (or a "no-sugar added" pancake syrup)
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 c. peanut butter powder² (de-fatted peanut flour)
• 20-25g oat flour
• 65g dark chocolate, chopped

Directions

1. Rinse chickpeas (or beans) very well and place them in a blender along with the banana, syrup, vanilla, baking powder, and cinnamon.
2. Purée until smooth.
3. Pour mixture out into a bowl and stir in peanut flour and enough oat flour the make a dough of your preferred consistency.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.

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¹ I would just like to point out, that not being able to guess the secret ingredient does not necessarily mean they were good, just that the ingredients were unexpected. ^Back
2 I may revisit using peanut butter either instead of or as well as the peanut flour, but I'm going to try it this way for now and see how it goes. I'd love to just use all peanut butter, but I don't think I'd have the Points budget for it. ^Back

Got this as an extra Hello Fresh inclusion and it was delicious, and also really quick and easy to put together. Based on personal experience I recommend doubling the recipe and making it in a larger pan because once made it goes fast.

Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ C bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 C cornflakes
• 4 tbsp chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Initialize a double boiler.
2. Add butter, chocolate chips, honey, peanut butter, and salt. Whisk together until chips melt and mixture is smooth.
3. Gently stir in cornflakes.
4. Line an 8" loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour in chocolate-cornflake mix.
5. Sprinkle peanuts overtop.
6. Refrigerate until set, ~2 hours.

More Aaron & Claire Korean ramen recipes. This is a nice simple one, minimal ingredients, comes together fast. The original recipe called for peanut butter, but we have mixed peanut/sesame paste in the fridge and used that instead.

Tantanmen Ramen

Aaron & Claire

Ingredients

• 1 packet korean ramen
• 1 tbsp peanut-sesame paste
• ½ tbsp gochugaru
• 1 green onion, sliced
• bean sprouts, carrot, cucumber, or other vegetable(s) for garnishing

Directions

1. Boil ramen noodles and drain, reserving a bit of liquid.
2. Add flakes, seasoning, gochugaru, and sesame paste.
3. Garnish with green onion and other vegetables.

I've made a few differen mug cakes over the years, but it never really occurred to me to try a mug cookie before. I'm actually pretty pleased with how this one turned out. It's especially good with a square of chocolate plopped on top to get all melty and delicious during the last minute or so of cooking.

The original recipe called for 3 Tbsp. of smooth peanut butter + 1 Tbsp. of chopped peanuts. I only had crunchy peanut butter on hand, so I decided to just go with 1/4 c. of crunchy and that worked out great. I like using a "natural", just-peanuts-style peanut butter. It should work fine with sweetened (and salted) peanut butters as well, but I would be inclined to cut back on the sugar slightly if using one of those.

Peanut Butter Mug Cookie

Slightly adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. butter¹
• 1/4 c. crunchy peanut butter (preferably "natural")
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 large egg yolk²
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 square of chocolate (optional)

Directions

1. Place the butter and peanut butter in a large mug and microwave for 30-60 seconds to soften.
2. Mix to combine.
3. Stir in sugar.
4. Add egg yolk and mix well.
5. Stir in flour.
6. Now add the milk and vanilla and mix well.
7. Microwave for 1-3 minutes in 1-minute bursts. The exact amount of time needed will depend on the mug and the microwave being used. Microwave until set and cooked through.
8. If desired, once the cookie is almost done, add a square of chocolate on top before putting it in for the last 1-minute burst.

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¹ I used unsalted butter. I think salted would also be okay for this application. ^Back
2 In future, I'd be inclined to try making this with a whole egg. I suspect 1 medium egg would work in place of the large egg yolk. It'd be a little less rich, of course, but I think it'd still work. ^Back

I could not get over how incredibly odd this recipe sounded. The authors swore it was delicious and an especially big hit with kids. I wasn't entirely sold, but I was curious.

The peanuts and the corn both came through nicely. I don't think they really complement each other, but they don't clash either. I feel like maybe they need another element to tie them together. I think adding a few blueberries might make the peanuts feel a little more harmonious and like they're actually meant to be there. Overall, I can't say that I think this will become a new favourite, but the muffins were tasty enough. I might try them again sometime. Especially if I have blueberries to use up.

Peanut-Corn Muffins

Slightly adapted from the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book

Ingredients

• 3/4 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 3/4 c. cornmeal
• 1/4 c. roasted, unsalted peanuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. oil
• 1/4 c. natural (no salt or sugar added) peanut butter
• 2-3 Tbsp. honey
• 1 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 c. blueberries, tossed in 1-2 tsp. of additional flour (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a muffin tin.
2. Sift baking powder into flour.
3. Add salt, cornmeal, and peanuts.
4. Whisk oil and honey into the peanut butter.
5. Add buttermilk and egg and mix thoroughly.
6. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
7. Stir in blueberries (if using).
8. Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin.
9. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18-20 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and let cool in tin for 5-10 minutes.
11. Turn muffins out onto wire rack to finish cooling.

We cooked this half a year ago, so I remember very little about it except that it was tasty.

Vegetarian West African Peanut Soup

Cookie and Kate

Ingredients

• 4 C low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 C water
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp minced fresh ginger or ginger paste
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ C unsalted peanut butter (chunky or smooth)
• ½ C tomato paste
• 1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into strips
• 1 brick methi
  
• sriracha to taste
  
• ¼ C roughly chopped peanuts, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine broth and water in a dutch oven. Bring to a boil.
   
2. Add the onion, ginger, garlic, and salt. Reduce heat to medium low and cook, uncovered, for ~20 minutes.
3. In a heat-safe mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, tomato paste, and 1-2 cups of the stock mix. When smooth, pour back into the dutch oven.
4. Add the kale and methi and simmer, uncovered, for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often.
   
5. Season with sriracha to taste, garnish with peanuts, and serve over rice.

I've been looking for a good way to use up an extra daikon and hit upon this recipe. It's a bit lacking in protein, so I made a simple picadillo (Filipino ground beef stew) to go with it. You could also cook up a few shrimp or maybe some tilapia or sole to go in the crêpes themselves if you wanted to add protien without having to make a separate dish.

Filipino-Style Salad-Crêpes

Slightly adapted from Food & Wine

Ingredients

Crêpes

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 1/2 c. water
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. oil

Dressing

• 1/2 c. lite coconut milk
• 1/2 c. natural peanut butter (no added sugar or salt)
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. cane or coconut vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Filling

• 1 c. julienned daikon
• 1 c. julienned carrot
• 1 c. julienned cucumber
• 1/2 c. julienned unripe (green) mango
• 1/4-1/2 c. chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Assembly

• 2-3 Tbsp. unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
• butter lettuce, separated into leaves

Directions

Crêpes

1. Beat egg with salt and water.
2. Gradually whisk in flour.
3. Mix in oil.
4. Heat pan over medium heat and brush lightly with oil.
5. Pour a very thin layer of batter into the pan, swriling the pan around to spread the batter.
6. Cook until lightly browned on one side, then flip and cook until other side begins to brown.
7. Repeat cooking process with remaining batter.

Dressing

1. Combine all dressing components and mix well.

Filling

1. Combine all filling components and toss to mix.

Assembly

1. Place a crêpe on a plate and top with a lettuce leaf.
2. Pile some of the veggie filling onto the lettuce.
3. Top with chopped peanuts and dressing.

TF and I both agreed that these cookies came out a bit fluffier than we would've liked. I like my peanut butter cookies to be rich and a bit chewey, not light and fluffy. I do like that they're not too sweet though. And TM pointed out that they'd be excellent made with hazelnut butter in place of the peanut butter and a little chocolate ganache on top. I may have to give that a try next time!

Sourdough Nut Butter Cookies

Slightly adapted from Cultures for Health

Ingredients

• 250g unfed (100% hydration) sourdough starter
• 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. nut butter of choice
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 300g flour¹
• 1 tsp. baking powder² (optional)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt, ground
• 1 c. chocolate chips or chunks (optional)

Directions

1. Combine starter, butter, sugar, nut butter, eggs, vanilla and mix thoroughly.
2. Add flour, baking powder (if using), baking soda, and salt on top of wet ingredients and stir to combine.
3. Stir in chocolate chips (if using).
4. Form into balls and press flat with a fork dipped in granulated sugar.
5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 8-10 minutes.
6. Once cooled, glaze with ganache if desired or enjoy them just as they are.

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¹ Type of flour is not super important here. I used a mix of hard and soft flour. I think next time I'll try adding a bit of whole wheat flour to the mix. ^Back
2 Omit baking powder for denser cookies. Include for fluffier cookies. ^Back

I picked up a couple bags of dried seitan/gluten the last time I was at the Asian grocery. Of course, I could just use them as a meat substitute the next time I'm making soup or curry or something, but I thought it'd be nice to find some seitan-specific recipes. And I found a whole treasure trove of delicious-looking dishes! But they all use home-made/fresh seitan, not the dried stuff. This recipe for barbecue "ribs" looked so good that I couldn't resist giving it a try. It's lovely with a bit of grilled corn and/or creamed kale.

Barbecue Seitan Ribs with Sticky Tamarind Sauce

Slightly adapted from Sunny Side Hanne

Ingredients

Seitan

• 1/4 c. tahini or peanut butter
• 1 tsp. liquid smoke
• 2 tsp. sweet or smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/2 c. chickpea flour
• 1 1/2 c. hot vegetable broth¹
• 1 1/2 c. + 2 Tbsp. gluten flour

Sticky Tamarind Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. tamarind concentrate
• 1/2 c. hoisin sauce
• 1/4 c. sambal olek (or chili sauce of your choice)
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 2 Tbsp. garlic paste
• 1 Tbsp. mirin
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Directions

Seitan

1. Combine tahini/peanut butter, liquid smoke, paprika, tomato paste, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and chickpea flour and mix well.
2. Pour in hot broth and stir to form a homogeneous mixture.
3. Add gluten flour and stir to combine.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-6 minutes. You may need to add an extra Tbsp. or two of gluten, but be conservative; don't add too much.
5. Lightly oil a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and place the seitan on it.
6. Press the seitan into a large flat slab.
7. Score the seitan to make it easier to separate into "ribs" once cooked.
8. Fold the foil over and seal to form a tight packet.
9. Grill over indirect heat for 30 minutes. (Aim for a grill temperature of 180°C/350°F.)
10. Meanwhile, prepare the barbecue sauce. (See below for instructions.)
11. Open the packet and brush the ribs with barbecue sauce. Flip them over and coat the other side with sauce as well.
12. Cook for another 15 minutes being sure to keep the ribs over indirect heat!
13. Serve with coleslaw, grilled corn, fries, or other side(s) of your choice.

Sticky Tamarind Sauce

1. Combine all sauce ingredients and mix well.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

NB: The original recipe billed these as "BBQ Vegan Ribs", but I'm not confident in calling the recipe vegan as written. I think it would be appropriate for a "strict vegetarian" (ie. someone who doesn't directly eat animal products, but doesn't necessarily avoid animal products elsewhere), but not necessarily a vegan. Hoisin sauce and mirin both contain sugar which often uses bone char in its production. As such, unless you can find sauces that use some sort of vegan sweetener, this recipe wouldn't actually be vegan, but it's still a great egg-and-dairy-free vegetarian offering!

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¹ I used a 2:1 mix of vegetable broth and mushroom stock for mine. ^Back

Steel-Cut Oatmeal

I've posted recipes for both baked and stove-top steel-cut oatmeal before. It's been a while though and I've tweaked some of the recipes. I figured it'd probably be good to write an updated post and try to collect all the various flavours and variations in one place.

Peaches and Cream Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 1 (3") cinnamon stick
• 3 c. water
• 1 c. milk
• 1/4 c. vanilla sugar + a few empty vanilla pods
• 1 c. diced peaches

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add the oats and cinnamon and toast for a few minutes.
3. Add water and milk and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in sugar, vanilla pods, and peaches.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until desired consistency. (It will thicken slightly as it cools.)
6. Serve topped with peach jam and heavy cream.

Cherry-Almond Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. slivered almonds
• 1 (3") cinnamon stick
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 4 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon sugar
• 1 c. sweet cherries, pitted and quartered

Directions

1. Toast almonds and cinnamon stick over medium heat until almonds are just starting to get a bit of colour.
2. Add butter.
3. Once butter is melted, add oats and increase heat to medium-high. Toast oats for a few minutes until they begin to smell nutty.
4. Add water.
5. Stir in honey, cinnamon sugar, and cherries.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until desired consistency. (It will thicken slightly as it cools.)

Cherry-Coconut Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. sliced almonds
• 2 Tbsp. unsweetened dried coconut
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 4 c. water
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. sweet cherries, pitted and quartered
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract

Directions

1. As above, but wait until oatmeal is off heat to stir in extracts.
2. Serve as is or topped with a few squares of dark chocolate.

Apple-Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 apples, diced
• 2 (3") cinnamon sticks
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 4 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/3 c. raisins

Directions

1. As above, adding the apples and cinnamon sticks along with the oatmeal.
2. Serve sprinkled topped with heavy cream and a little cinnamon sugar or a touch of extra brown sugar.

Peanut Butter and Jam Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 4 c. water
• 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. peanut flour
• 1 c. sliced strawberries
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. As above, stirring in the vanilla after the oatmeal is off heat.
2. Serve topped with a little peanut butter and strawberry jam.

Tropical Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. unsweetened dried coconut
• 1 (3") cinnamon stick
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 3 c. water
• 1 c. coconut milk
• 1/3 c. sweetened condensed coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/16 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. As above, stirring in vanilla extract once oatmeal is off heat.
2. Serve topped with cinnamon sugar and pineapple and/or extra mango.

Mulled Apple Cider Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 apple, diced
• 3 (3") cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 star anise
• 5 cloves
• 1/4 tsp. coriander seeds, ground
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 blade of mace
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 3 c. water
• 1 c. apple cider
• 2 Tbsp. chopped prunes
• 1 Tbsp. candied orange peel
• 3 Tbsp. jaggery

Directions

1. Follow the usual procedure of toasting the oats in the butter, adding the spices along with the oats.
2. Add the water, fruit, and jaggery and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Serve topped with apple pie filling or, if you have some cider left over, make a reduction, stirring in a bit of butter and sugar at the end of cooking and top your oatmeal with that!

Banana Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 4 c. water
• 2 Tbsp. spiced rum
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Melt butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add oats and toast for a few minutes.
3. Add banana and brown sugar and cook for a minute or two.
4. Add water and rum and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes or until desired consistency is reached.
6. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
7. Serve topped with crushed banana chips and caramel sauce or dulce de leche.

Cranberry-Orange Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 (3") cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 c. steel-cut oats
• 3 c. water
• 1 c. orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. candied orange peel
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1/3 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/4 c. vanilla sugar

Directions

1. Follow the usual procedure.
2. Serve topped with cranberry sauce and/or marmalade.