Love the ingredients, not the food.

Popular Recipes With Fresh New Looks

Written on June 24, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

Anyone who’s been blogging for a while will tell you they cringe a little when they go look through old posts. Often when I go through the archives I find the photos aren’t great, the writing is awkward, and the recipe is poorly explained.

As much as I want to keep putting out new content, I also feel obligated to go back from time to time and put everything I’ve learned from years of food blogging back into those old recipes. So far I’ve started with some of my most pinned and shared recipes to freshen up and I thought I’d share them again since these are too good to sit in the archives and gather dust.

These chocolate peanut butter bars are one of my favorite desserts ever to throw together. With just 4 ingredients, it’s no hassle either. The last time I made these I used the banana peanut butter I made earlier in the month. I didn’t think it could get better than chocolate and peanut butter but it certainly can.

The healthy frozen s’mores parfait recipe was a Summer favorite last year and it’s already picking up steam again. Using banana “ice cream” as the base drastically cuts down added sugar and makes it great for the whole family. If gluten-free graham crackers weren’t so expensive, I’m sure I’d be eating these every night.

Last but certainly not least, paleo mug cakes never go out of stile. I thought I’d be eating less of them when the weather was warmer and hot desserts are less appetizing but I was very wrong. Again, with bananas as the sweetener and a good serving of protein and healthy fat, this isn’t a bad thing to be eating, either.

I hope sharing these helped someone find a new favorite. Hopefully I’ll continue digging through old posts and sprucing them up and one day I might even find a recipe that doesn’t use chocolate. Maybe.

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Peanut Butter Corn Flakes Cookies

Written on June 22, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

When you start baking gluten-free, one thing you get used to is using anything for a flour-substitute. Gluten-free cereals are one of my favorites since you can use them in baked or no-bake desserts and the flavor’s always familiar.

Good ol’ fashioned corn flakes add a nice crunch and chewiness to traditional peanut butter cookies. The flavor is better than any bowl of cereal I’ve ever had.

If you don’t have powdered sugar but still want to give these cookies a special feel to them, drizzle melted chocolate on instead.

Peanut Butter Corn Flakes Cookies

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 12 large cookies):

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cup corn flakes(I used Erewhon brand)
Powdered sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, and baking powder.
Add in the corn flakes and continue mixing until the dough forms one large ball.
Drop mounds of dough onto a greased baking tray(I used an ice cream scoop to form the mounds).
Bake for 15-18 minutes until the cookies are firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

These cookies beg to be eaten with a cold glass of milk or almond milk.

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Lightened Up White Sauce

Written on June 20, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Sauce

This recipe was one happy accident and a good reminder that not everything that doesn’t turned out as planned isn’t great.

I started out trying to make a white bean dip since hummus hasn’t been appetizing at all lately. As soon as I whirled these ingredients in the food processor and tasted it, I could tell it was delicious but not quite a “dip”. This definitely couldn’t go to waste.

The great thing about pasta is that it takes on all the flavors of the sauce on it making it the perfect canvas for the basil, spicy black pepper, and tangy rich goat cheese. The beans cut out half the fat but don’t sacrifice flavor or texture. You’d never even guess they were there!

Lightened Up White Sauce

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 4 servings):

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
4oz creamy goat cheese*
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Small handful basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon zest to finish

*You could also use 4oz neufchatel cream cheese for a less tangy flavor.

Method:

Combine the beans, goat cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and basil in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Cook your pasta until al dente. Drain the water from the pot and toss each serving of pasta with 1/4 cup of sauce. Add in extra vegetables if desired.
Serve hot and finish with lemon zest and extra black pepper.
Store leftover sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Definitely a happy accident.

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Elvis Granola

Written on June 18, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

First granola bars, now granola; I’m on an oaty roll.

I’ve never been particularly fond of granola until I had Love Grown Foods’ cocoa granola last Summer. I didn’t realize something could be so chocolaty and also healthy. Every time I’ve made granola myself in the past it never clumped; this recipe clumps. The banana chips and peanut butter naturally pair with the chocolate. It’s really a winner.

Want to make it a little more delicious? Add in 1/3 cup of chocolate chips after the granola has cooled. This recipe is also vegan as is but I didn’t want to call it that because I ate mine with a big bowl of cow’s milk yogurt.

Elvis Granola

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 3 1/2 cups):

2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats*
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons oil
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup banana chips, crushed

*To make this gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free oats.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
In a bowl, mix together the oats, maple syrup, oil, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt thoroughly.
Lay the oats out on baking tray and press down until the oats are about 1/2 an inch thick.
Bake for 25 minutes, gently shaking the tray every 5 minutes or so.
Remove from the oven and let the granola cool.
Once cool, break the granola up and mix with the peanuts and banana chips. Store in a sealed container for up to a week.

I can’t understand people who eat granola with milk. Yogurt is granola’s best friend; you can’t break them up.

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Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Truffles

Written on June 15, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

I tried to hold out on the cookie dough truffle craze. I really did. But all the cookie dough recipes floating around blogs these days and now a whole cookie dough cookbook wore me down.

Anyone who’s tried gluten-free baking knows that—while the baked result may be delicious—gluten-free flours make the raw dough taste horrible. That’s a problem for truffles where the whole point is to be eating raw dough. Thankfully, almond flour has virtually no flavor and works perfectly in this recipe.

You can use almond flour or almond meal interchangeably in this recipe. You could even get away with 1 cup of almond butter in a pinch if it’s not too oily.

Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Truffles

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 24 truffles):

For the dough:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups almond flour or almond meal
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or chocolate shavings

For the coating:

1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons coconut oil(butter or shortening would work, too)

Method:

Cream together the butter, brown and powdered sugars.
Mix in the vanilla, salt, and almond flour.
Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
Roll ounces of dough into 1-inch balls and put them into the refrigerator or freezer to chill.
Melt the chocolate chips for the coating in your microwave or over a burner.
Add in the coconut oil and stir until smooth and runny.
One by one, dip the chilled dough balls into the melted chocolate and turn them to coat.
Place the truffles onto a non-stick surface to cool.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Serve at room temperature.

Now I get what all the fuss is about.

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Perfect Grilled Potatoes

Written on June 13, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I don’t like to throw around the word “perfect”, but some occasions just beg for it. If you’re looking for a grilled potato recipe, look no further. This is the best there is.

These potatoes are soft and starchy on the inside with a crunchy, crispy, slightly smoky crust. The hint of rosemary along with the salt and pepper brings out a softer flavor in the potato. The result isn’t too oily or too dry, too herby or too charred—it’s just perfect.

The one piece of equipment you need to make these is a mesh wire vegetable grilling rack. It’s a great addition for any griller that quickly pays off. You can grill any vegetables from potatoes to peppers to asparagus with it and it keeps them all contained so you’re not reaching around the whole surface or losing any through the grills while you’re cooking them.

Russet, red, or sweet potatoes will best stand up to the heat of grilling. Something fluffier like golden or yellow potatoes would not, so make sure you’re starting out with the right kind of potato.

Perfect Grilled Potatoes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

4 russet potatoes, washed
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 sprigs of rosemary

Method:

Heat your grill up to around 350 to 400 degrees.
Cut the potatoes into quarters or eighths depending on how thick you want them to be.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and rosemary.
Dump the potatoes into a vegetable rack and place them on the grill.
Toss the rack to turn the vegetables around every 10 minutes. Cook for 40-50 minutes until the potatoes are soft and the outside is crispy.
Plate and serve hot.

See? Perfect.

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Chocolate Almond Granola Bars

Written on June 11, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Snack

I’ve never had much luck making granola bars until now. They usually turn out caky or crumbly and never hold together; I was just about ready to give up on making granola bars. This recipe has completely changed that around for me.

Not only are these delicious and gluten-free, they’re also no-bake and come together in about 10 minutes. I couldn’t think of anything more to ask for. The ingredients are simple, organic, and whole grain. It could easily be made vegan by swapping out the honey.

For the “dried fruit” we were out of the standard raisins or craisins, so I improvised and used chopped candied ginger. The flavor could not have been more spectacular. I generally love ginger and chocolate and the added bite held its own to the nuttiness of the bars.

Chocolate Almond Granola Bars

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 8 bars):

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup almond butter
1/4 cup honey**
1 cup oats*
1 1/2 cups chocolate rice crisps cereal(I used Erewhon Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal)*
1/2 cup almonds, whole or crushed
1/2 cup dried fruit
1/4 teaspoon salt

*To make these granola bars gluten-free, make sure these two ingredients are certified gluten-free.

**Use 3 Tablespoons of agave to make these vegan.

Method:

In a microwave or over a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips.
Stir in the almond butter and honey until smooth.
Add in the oats, cereal, almonds, dried fruit, and salt and mix until everything is completely covered.
Line an 8 x 8 baking tray with wax paper. Dump the batter into the pan and press down into an even layer.
Refrigerate the bars until they’ve hardened—about 20-30 minutes.
With a sharp knife, cut the bars in half horizontally and into quarters vertically into 8 2 x 4 bars.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I don’t see myself ever paying for granola bars again.

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Banana Peanut Butter

Written on June 8, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Uncategorized

I’ve always wanted to make a banana flavored peanut butter. It’s no secret bananas and peanut butter go well together. But one of the problems of a banana flavored peanut butter has always been that bananas just don’t last once you peel them. What you need is a shelf-stable banana—something like banana chips!

This was a lot easier to make than I thought it would be. Both the banana chips and the peanuts pureed quickly. The flavor isn’t quite as banana-y as if you took a banana and mixed it up with some peanut butter, but for the convenience of having this in your pantry and ready to eat with a spoon at any time it’s plenty delicious.

After I made these I found out banana extract exists. If you can track that down in a local store, I would suggest using that in place of the vanilla extract. If not, don’t worry; the vanilla adds a subtle flavor that only enhances the banana without drawing too much attention to itself.

Banana Peanut Butter

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes about 1lb 2 ounces):

1 cup banana chips
1-2 Tablespoons oil
3 cups roasted peanuts
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Blend the banana chips in a food processor until they turn into a smooth puree. Slowly add in small amounts of oil to help them move along.
Once the chips are pulverized, add in the peanuts, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt and continue blending for 5-10 minutes until it forms a butter-like texture.
Add in extra crushed peanuts or banana chips if desired and fold them in.
Move the peanut butter into a sealable jar. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

If you’re thinking this would be good on banana bread, I’m right there with you.

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Almond Puppy Chow

Written on June 6, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Dessert

One of my favorite Trader Joe’s products is their chocolate covered almonds; once I start eating those, it’s hard to stop. Chocolate and almonds just go so well together. Just as good are their chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and tubinado sugar. Again, there’s no way you can have just one handful.

I’ve tried to make chocolate covered almonds before and they never come out as good as the ones from Trader Joe’s. But then I figured if you could make peanut puppy chow, who says you can’t do the same with almonds?!

A touch of salt really makes the flavor of these. If(but really “when”) I make these again, I plan on using a higher quality baking chocolate rather than Trader Joe’s chocolate chips since it really makes a difference in the flavor.

Almond Puppy Chow

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups roasted almonds
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup almond butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2-1/4 teaspoon sea salt(depending on how salty you want these)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar(optional)

Method:

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or over a double boiler.
Stir the almond butter into the melted chocolate to make a smooth and uniform coating.
Pour in the almonds. Move them around to coat them completely in the peanut butter and chocolate.
Scoop the almonds into a large sealable bag. Add in the powdered sugar and shake the bag until the almonds are completely covered.
Add in the salt/brown sugar if using and shake again for 10 seconds
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

If you like this recipe, you might like puppy chow peanuts, too. When I made these I made another batch of those and gave the recipe page a much needed face lift.

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Almond Flour Banana Bread

Written on June 4, 2012 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

The last time I was looking through my recipe pages, one thing really struck me: I had no recipe for gluten-free banana bread. I thought that couldn’t be. If that was the case, it meant I hadn’t made banana bread in over 2 years, which seemed ridiculous because I can still clearly remember how soft and sweet and spicy and moist good banana bread should taste.

Somehow that was true and I realized I really needed to get with the program. As soon as some bananas turned brown, I mashed them up and made them into banana bread. Even without the gluten, this bread holds its shape with each thick, dense, moist and chewy slice and the flavor has just the right amount of spice and sweetness.

While I think coconut flour could make a texture slightly similar to regular banana bread, I used only almond flour in this loaf because I know what a hassle it is to go out and have to buy 15 different kinds of flour. I used vegetable oil but melted coconut oil would add a great boost of flavor and be slightly more healthy.

Almond Flour Banana Bread

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 55 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 loaf):

1 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour
4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
3 medium bananas, mashed(about 3/4 cup banana puree)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup walnuts(optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips(optional)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together the almond flour, eggs, oil, sugar, mashed bananas, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt until there are no clumps.
Fold the walnuts, chocolate chips, or any other mix-ins you might want into the batter.
Lightly grease a 5 x 10 or similar sized loaf pan and pour in the batter.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing.

This is really great with butter, peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, or even all on its own. You should keep it wrapped up in the refrigerator in between meals so it lasts longer.

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