Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Hummus

I am a lover of peanut butter, especially with chocolate.  So, the other day when I was in the mood for a healthy snack that would satisfy my sweet tooth - I came up with this dip for my sliced apples.  This tastes especially good with graham crackers also.  I am thinking I might try celery next!  Garbanzo beans/chickpeas are a good source of fiber, folate, protein and iron, among other things.  And as I have discovered in the last couple of years, they don't have to be used in just savory dishes.  They are delicious when used in a sweet (or desert) dish.  If you have kids - this is a great way to put something healthy into a fun and sweet snack. 

P.S.  You don't have to be a kid to enjoy this!  In fact you might want to ditch the apple slices and just eat this with a spoon!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Hummus
Prep Time:  10 minutes
Makes: 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp agave syrup or maple syrup
1/2 cup vegan miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
a pinch of salt

Directions:
Place the chickpeas, peanut butter, agave syrup and salt in a food processor;  blend until creamy and smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in chocolate chips.  Serve with apple slices, crackers, cookies, etc.

Cake Batter Dip

 

Ok, This recipe might sound strange because of the ingredients, but it is ohhhh...soooo....goooood! 

 

I can't take the credit for this one though.  One of my favorite recipe creators (Chocolate Covered Katie http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/07/12/healthy-cake-batter-cookie-dough-dip/) came up with this one!  However, I tweaked it a little.  I was having a hard time coming up with a thick dip, so I changed it a little for may taste. 

 

I am telling you this girl is a GENIUS (Katie - not me)!  Who can say "no" to ANYTHING with SPRINKLES!  This dip is especially good with little sugar cookies or animal cookies - and I love apples with it, especially tart ones. 

 

The chickpeas might worry you a bit, but I'm telling you this dip is delicious and has a lot of yummy protein for your kids who are hungry for an after school snack!  I also like to use the cake mix to give it an extra cakey taste, but oatmeal is yummy too.

 

P.S.  Good luck trying not to eat this all with just a spoon! 

 

 

Cake Batter Dip

Makes: approx. 3 1/2 cups

Ingredients

3 cups chickpeas or white beans (1 can)
3 tbsp cashew butter or a butter-type spread like Earth Balance
1 tbsp applesauce (or omit and increase cashew butter to 1/4c)
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/8 tsp baking soda (for flavor)
heaping 1/8 tsp salt
3/4 cup xylitol or sugar
1/4 tsp butter extract
1/2 cup quick oats (or ground flax or rolled oats, or even 1/2c cake mix)
optional: sprinkles!

Directions

Drain and rinse beans very well. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until very, very smooth and creamy.  I sprinkle some sprinkles into the dip and pulse quickly a couple of times to sort of stir them in.  I then put it in a bowl and add more sprinkles on top to make it look pretty!

Dip apple slices or crackers or pretzels, spread on a banana or toast or pancakes or cookies, or eat with a spoon!  Anything your heart desires!

Zucchini Bread

Riddle:  What do you do when you have zucchini coming out of your ears?  (Not literally of course!)

Answer:  You make zucchini bread!

I am a sucker for all breads myself, but zucchini bread is like the dessert version. I am also a big fan of banana bread.  When I have a lot of zucchini coming out of my garden I tend to make a bunch of bread and muffins with it.  It makes a healthier snack or a yummy breakfast.  This zucchini bread recipe has a lot of healthy ingredients, except for the sugar.  Maybe someday I will figure out a good substitute for that.  I do like to use organic cane sugar though, so I like to tell myself that isn't so bad.  Also this recipe will make 2 loaves (or I believe 6 mini loaves), so you can eat one now and freeze the rest for later!  YAY!

FYI my neighbor gave me a big shopping bag full of crook neck sqash the other day and I ended up using it in place of zucchini.  I made her a loaf as a thank you and she asked if I'd make her 5 more for her to freeze and give out as christmas gifts!  So something to think about if you have a lot of squash in your garden!

Zucchini Bread
Cook time:  1 hour
Makes:  2 loaves

Ingredients
 
3 Tbsp ground flax seed
½ cup plus 1 Tbsp water
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
¾ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup applesauce
2 Tbsp vanilla
2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
½ cup raisins (optional)

Directions

Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.

Whisk the flax seed and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
Drain the pineapple.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Beat the sugar, applesauce, vanilla, and flax mixture until blended and thick.

Stir in pineapple and zucchini.  Stir in dry ingredients.  Stir in nuts and raisins if using.

Pour into loaf pans and cook for 1 hour.  Test with a toothpick to check if it is done cooking.

 

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie Larabars

I have discovered something I am totally excited about.  Recipes for homemade Larabars.  I don't think I have even tried a Larabar, although I have seen them at the store. I was craving something that felt a little naughty yet healthy.  One of my favorite blogs these days is Chocolate Covered Katie http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/   I love her blog!  She has a fun vegan blog full of recipes that are naughty but much healthier for you.  Anyway, I decided I would look for something on her blog to make yesterday and decided to make her Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Larabars. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/11/14/oatmeal-raisin-cookie-larabars/  I didn't have raisins however so I decided to use blueberry flavored craisins.  OH MY........ .it was SO delicious, I decided to make up some more batches and play around with the ingredients.  I tried new flavors and made them into double batches.  All of them turned out very yummy!  I tried orange flavor craisins with pecans, and papaya with cashews.  I was having so much fun I decided to try another one of her recipes, Chocolate PB Cookie Laura bars. http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/10/02/chocolate-peanut-butter-no-bake-cookies/  I substituted my blueberry craisins for the raisins again. 

Everything was so good....I am in love.  The coolest thing is - NO ADDED SUGAR!!  When I told my husband, he was shocked.  The raisins (or craisins in my case) sweeten it up.  They taste a little like eating cookie dough.  I am going to be have fun playing around with the recipe more.  I'm thinking coconut would be SO good!

So anyway try these and have fun getting creative with your flavors too.  You might surprise yourself.  Also be sure to check out Chocolate Covered Katie - she especially likes to make things with chocolate.  Can't go wrong there!   Oh, and FYI, my pictures show the four different versions I made, incase you were wondering about the different colors.

Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie Larabars

1/2 cup raisins
6 T quick oats
1/2 cup walnuts
1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Pulverize the oats in a food processor, then add all other ingredients and blend very well. Form into balls or bars. (If you want, you can portion the dough into plastic bags before smushing the bars, so your hands don’t get sticky.)

This recipe makes a little over three Larabar-sized bars.  The bars last at least two weeks in the fridge. They can also be frozen.

Apple Nachos

It is apple season time and my family loves apples.  This year I spotted a recipe for some apple nachos and just had to try them!  My family kept having me repeat that I was going to make them "apple" nachos.  They thought they must be hearing me wrong.  Anyway it was a big hit!  You really can't go wrong making these - and the fun thing is you can really get creative with what you put on these.  You definitely want crispy apples and the slightly tart goes really well with all the sweet things you put on them - so keep that in mind.  This is what I did with my nachos - but feel free to be creative and put your favorite things on it.

Apple Nachos

3 crispy and slightly tart apples
3 tbsp creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 chopped pecans
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Slice the apples thin enough so it would be easy to eat the slice in one or two bites.
Then melt the peanut butter, until it is runny, and drizzle it all over the apples. Next, top the apples and peanut butter with sliced almonds, chopped pecans, coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Then go nuts!