Happy Monday Bloggie Friends! How are you today? How was your weekend? Mine was great! Let me count the ways. Some of the cool things included getting together with fellow blogger Madeline, like I mentioned I would be. Here’s a few pics from our coffee outing.
Skylar with me today and 2 year olds generally last about 3.478 minutes in coffee shops. Skylar lasted over an hour which was great, but Madeline was awesome with her and humored Skylar by drawing and playing along with Skylar’s “artwork”.
She even let Skylar try on her cool yellow shades.
During the rest of the weekend, I whipped up a few creative vegan chocolate treats, and taught yoga, which still has me grinning from ear to ear! Tell me about how your weekend unfolded and what kinda trouble you got into stayed out of.
Thanks for the great feedback on enjoying my Weekly Highlights & Recap post that I did. I’m glad you liked everything from Dark Chocolate Fudge Balls
To Kale Salads
And a big Congrats to the Winner of the $25 EcoStore USA Gift Certificate…Enjoy it, Sweetie!
But it’s a new week and time to start fresh, so here’s a few things I made this weekend…
Butterfinger Oats
1/3 c dry oats, 2/3 c water (could use almond milk but I didn’t have any open), and then added cinnamon, brown sugar, butterscotch chips, and a smashed mini-Butterfinger (we’re slowly making our way through the excess Halloween candy I purchased. At this rate we should have it done by Halloween 2010.)
For one of our din-dins I took some of the never-ending bounty of potatoes that I bought on my TJ’s Grocery Haul and cut up some red potatoes + yukon golds, mini-carrots, doused with EVOO, S & P, 1 Tsp Ground Ginger(ginger is a great tenderizer and flavor booster)
Roasted at 400F for about 40 minutes
And served the roasted veggies along side a Hugh Jass Pea kinda Salad of greens, cukes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers with some of my Homemade High Raw Vegan Slaw Dressing
So after all those taters and green goodness, it was time for dessert. Enter my newest, super easy, 3-ingredient (raw) vegan dessert. No fancy appliances needed. A spoon will do. Curious?
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Averie’s (Raw if You Want) 3-Ingredient, 10-Minute Vegan Peanut Butter Cups
Yields: 2 Peanut Butter Cups. Intentionally a very small recipe, feel free to mass-produce.
1/2 cup melted chocolate (i.e. 2 Full-Size Squares of Melted Baker’s Brand Chocolate because it’s dairy-free, or melt 1/2 c Chocolate Chips, or a Cocoa Powder/Agave/Coconut Oil Mix)
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Nutritional Yeast, optional
In a microwave-safe bowl melt the chocolate and spoon a thin chocolate layer into paper muffin liners (two). Allow chocolate to cool in the liners. While it is cooling, prepare the peanut butter and nutritional yeast mixture by stirring to combine it in a small bowl. If you don’t have nutritional yeast, omit it. It simply gives a slightly salty, cheezy, “gritty” and more authentic texture to the filling (similar to the Reese’s filling) but is not essential. Spoon the mixture on top of the cooled chocolate base layer. Melt additional chocolate and spoon melted chocolate over the top to completely cover the peanut butter. Allow cups to set up fully before eating, at least 5 to 10 minutes in the freezer if you are in a hurry.
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First, melt your chocolate (Raw Foodies, use whatever ratios of raw cocoa powder, agave, & coconut oil suits you to keep it raw). I use the 45 seconds in the microwave trick and melted about 1/4 c worth, which is 1 Baker’s Chocolate Full-Sized Square. (You’ll melt the other square later).
Then, take paper muffin liners and Pour the Melted Chocolate in, just coating the bottom of the liners.
Mix up the Filling
2 Tbsp PB + 1/2 Tsp Nooch
Optional: Dash of Salt, Dash of Agave, Dash of Vanilla Extract. This is to your taste and highly subjective, so do as you wish friends, but I think my version is quite Reese’s-like.
If you’re having a hard time getting your nooch well-incorporated into your PB, zap in the micro for 15 seconds.
I love how the nooch actually gives the PB that barely there, ever-so-slight chunky factor like the filling in Reese’s Cupsis.
Spoon the Filling into the now-hardened (or somewhat hardened) Chocolate Layer
Transfer your cups carefully to a plate
Put them in the Fridge to Harden Fully
And look at how chilly & yummy that looks!
Unwrap & Notice the rippled or ruffled Reese’s-like edges.
I normally would just make teeth marks, but I used a knife to show you the inner workings of my Vegan PB Cups.
Kinda Highly Addictive. But the fun stuff usually is. Feel free to make a larger batch. There are lots of pics, but the whole thing took less than 10 minutes of active cooking time. You just have to let them firm up, and I bet that could happen in 15 minutes in the freezer. So, you’re less than a half hour away from homemade vegan PB Cups!! What are you waiting for?
They are rich, smooth, and even more satisfying because you made them yourself. And, you can feel awesome knowing there are no yucky ingredients in them. And did I mention the pretty rippled edges. Love those.
Do you like peanut butter cups?
Have you ever made them at home?
Those Nutridel cookies look so good. I love that they are sweetened with a touch of molasses and don't contain any preservatives or artificial anything,
hahahah Skylar's plate.
Awesome.
:)
oh, and its settled: if my only reason for coming up to Phoenix is meeting up with you and going to Lululemon, I am SO DOWN. I was not aware Phoenix had one!
That is one fancy coffee machine! That caramel looks delish swirled in your cup. What a treat!
On your recommendation, I am now hoarding those 20% off coupons. And maybe the Coffee Gods will smile upon me too when I use my coupons :)
Skylar's art work is precious and I'll bet your snackie tasted even better on her special plates.
Very groovy yoga clothes! The pants look soft and comfy…just right for twisting yourself into all those amazing and impressive poses :)
Sheri
Love your take on the coffee! For some reason (laugh away) I had never thought to steam almond milk! Partly because I don't have a steamer, but that's because I don't drink milk – D'uh! :))) *giggle*
Totally agree about what you say about putting out different energy. You totally receive it back. Barristas who are vacant for the person in front of me have a chat with me, because I smile and say good morning and actually connect to them energetically, rather than be on auto-pilot. I also think it's why when I left London 4 years ago I couldn't see that much good in it. Now I'm back and I'm amazed at how different I see it. I feel blessed every day to live here and feel so supported. People say Londonders are rude, but I beg to differ, as they've been lovely to me. Same went for Paris the other weekend. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Sorry for the long comment ~ you hit on something I've been considering lately :)
Have a beautiful day! em.
Love your last little bit regarding having an open mind. More of us need to remember that! Thanks for reminding. And loving your new yoga gear :) looking uber comfy too xx
hello shopping trip!!! you are a freakin' baller :) the espresso machine, im sure, is way better than my frother. but im hoping to score big time in the wedding registry, so keep the reviews coming of such products. still on the to-get list: food processor, juicer, dehydrator, ok, im getting carried away. i live in an apartment the size of my bedroom back in ca, so ill just have to wait on some of the gadgets for now…
anyways, im dying over the lulu gear. love that stuff, but alas, its out of my $$$ range (sale rack or not). ill enjoy through you, k?
woohoo for PINK!!!
WOW!! So many things to comment on…I hope I remember!
First of all – that yoga pose is absolutely beautiful. There is just something about the way your body looks that is so graceful – I absolutey love it.
Second – I am becoming a Lululemon whore…maybe that doesn't sound right, but I bought THREE pairs of their Groove pants and I practically live in them. They are so freaking comfy! I also have 2 cropped pants for Jazzercise and a new top I bought in Houston. Did you know you get a 15% discount if you are an instructor?? Only in the stores, but hey – 15% is 15%!
That Espresso machine is soooooo cool!!
Love you Averie – have a wonderful Friday!!
I love all your workout clothing – especially the cropped pants…I always have a hard time with cropped because my legs are rather long – with my thighs being far longer than my lower leg, it's incredibly bizarre!
As for staying sane in the holiday season? I'm 100% sure that I can't stay sane…I let the crazy sweep me away!
xxx
holy raw vegan turtles! seriously. i dont know how i missed those because they look so dang fabulous!
i LOVE your lululemon goods – they are adorable! seriously. i cannot let myself go in that store, otherwise i would go broke.
love skylar's paintings and love your advice – you just gotta take things as they come!
1. LOVE the Nutridel cookies but had to order them online as I have yet to find any in the stores (and I even looked in CA when I was there last week).
2. I'm up to my ears in 20% coupons from my hoardy mother so if you run out, let me know. I just don't shop there often enough to use all of these and rumor they NEVER expire. True?
Hi . I love your blog and pictures. You are one neat chickie :)
I like to listen to music and bake to stay sane at holidays.
I love those pants. I know what you mean about too much fabric at the ankles, those look perfect! And majorly cute too.
DROOL over the macchiato. I find that myself, I fare better if I don't drink my calories. So I treat coffees the same as desserts. But OOOOH so delicious.
i really enjoyed your 'have an open mind' peptalk. A lot of times I feel like the 'odd one out' at family functions. I needed that encouragement!
Love the Lulu stuff!
I have seen those Nutridel cookies but they are not gluten free correct? They look so darn yummy.
:-(
Your raw vegan treats are just hopelessly enticing! And I like seeing the variety of yoga wear. I have yet to buy shorts, but I'm sick of sweating in long pants and heated rooms, so I may have to give them a shot.
fun new machine! Kinda funny cause I totally just walked in the door from BB&B! I used my stack of coupons on a beautiful new hand blender
Just catching up on your life now (my apolgoies for my absence.. my profs decided to pile it on as of late) but oh my goodness, CONGRATU-FREAKIN-LATIONS on the job front, Averie! I am ridiculously excited for you. It's so beautiful you are able to make a career out of something your so passionate about. You really inspire me and I hope one day I can achieve the same for myself :) Who knows, maybe we can teach classes together ;) partner yoga!!
love the yoga swag as well.. I was going to ask for a pair of LuLulemon pants for christmas but had no idea it was so expensive!! sheeeesh!
Lots of love to you on this beautiful Friday, hun :)