Raw Carrot Cake Balls (Paleo)

Easter recipe- carrot cake bites on the go!

Raw Carrot Cake Balls (Paleo)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup nut butter of choice

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 dried ginger

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup carrot chunks* + extra for garnish (optional)

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra for garnish (optional)

3 tbsp raisins

Directions:

In a bowl, stir together the nut butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix VERY well (the mixture will seem dry at first, but it all comes together once the carrots get mixed in well). Roll your carrot cake dough into balls.

Optional: Place the extra carrot chunks and coconut into 2 separate shallow dishes. Roll your carrot cake balls into one of the toppings

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Peanut Butter Tomato Soup

It’s not intentional, but I’ve got another peanut butter combo for this week’s recipe. Tomatoes and peanut butter. Mixed together to make comfort soup. Sooooo good. After a hectic week working with 1st graders, it was exactly what I needed 🙂

Peanut Butter Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 tbsp avocado oil

1 onion, chopped

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 (28oz) cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes

2 cups vegetable broth

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the oil. Add in onions and nutmeg and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender until at the desired consistency. Stir in peanut butter until melted. Note: In my opinion, this soup tastes best after to has cooled down and is just warm or even cold (you taste the peanut butter best this way!)

Peanut Lime Dip

Last week I was listening to a radio station where they were talking about food combos that sound weird, but taste good together. Somebody called in and said that they like vanilla ice cream and hot sauce together…interesting…

So I started thinking of combos that I like together or might like to try. Immediately I thought of one of my favorites- pickles and peanut butter. Totally a combo that seems so wrong, yet works so well (dare you to try it). If anyone has any other unique combos they like, please let me know! I’m willing to try!

Now this dip does not feature pickles and peanut butter, but it does combine broccoli, lime, and peanut butter. What can I say, peanut butter makes the world go round. And so does almond butter. Oh, I could survive on those two alone… Anyways, this dip is packed with broccoli, making it filling and good to eat. Dare you to try! 

Peanut Lime Dip

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli

3 tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce)

3 tbsp peanut butter (or almond butter)

2 tbsp minced ginger

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

Juice from 1 lime

Directions:

Chop the broccoli into florets and place in boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Afterward, drain and place into a food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and place into the fridge until cool (it tastes the best as a chilled dip!). Serve!

Peanut Butter “Ice Cream” (NO frozen bananas!)

Not to toot my own horn here or anything, but I have to say, this is an ice cream recipe that I am extremely proud to have developed. Why?

-It uses no bananas. Yes, I am a banana “nice cream” lover, but sometimes I just want something with no trace of bananas in it.

-It contains peanut butter. Enough said. (Those with nut allergies can use an allergy-free alternative instead!)

-It yields a whole pint of ice cream while only using 2 tbsp of sugar!

-It actually has the consistency of regular ice cream and never gets spoon-bending block hard.

-It uses aquafaba, which is the water liquid from a can of beans. Yes, you heard right! And no, no taste of bean at all in the final product! Pinky promise. With the multiple people I have tested this recipe on, NOBODY could detect anything off.

Seriously, do a quick google search of aquafaba if you haven’t heard of it. This is a vegan option for those who need a replacement for egg whites. However, I have found that when whipped and frozen, it mimics the texture of ice cream.

With my unhealthy love of ice cream, this has been a game changer for the better. I STRONGLY recommend trying aquafaba. Plus, since it’s coming from a can of beans, no special purchases are required- just save the bean liquid the next time you go to make hummus!

Peanut Butter “Ice Cream”

Ingredients:

Liquid from 1 can of chickpeas or a similar type bean (keep the chickpeas for another recipe!)

1/ 8 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of stevia

3 tbsp melted peanut butter

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the bean liquid and cream of tartar. With a hand mixture, whip together on high until white, fluffy, and peaks form (about 6 minutes).

Add in your sugar, vanilla extract, salt and stevia and whip altogether.

Next, slowly add in your melted peanut butter. This will deflate your mixture, but just keep whipping!

Transfer mixture into a contain and place in the freezer until frozen (about 4-5 hours).

Serve!

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

I probably shouldn’t be posting this recipe right now. 1) It was 70 degrees out today. Not necessarily hot chocolate weather… 2) I shouldn’t have even played around with this recipe today as I’m supposed to be studying for finals.

But in my defense, 1) peanut butter and chocolate conquers all and should be enjoyed in any weather and 2) I needed to make this today precisely because it’s finals time. Plus I’ve just finished my seminar paper. I feel a tiny celebration is in order. 3) I just dug out my holiday mug this weekend, so it was begging to be filled.

There. 3 reasons why I should bets 2 reasons why I shouldn’t. I’m clearly in the right 😉

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Directions:

1 and 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

1 and 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp coconut sugar, honey, or pure maple syrup

1/2 tbsp peanut butter

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp cinnamon

pinch of stevia

pinch of salt

Directions:

Whisk all ingredients together in a small pot. Place over low heat until peanut butter is melted throughout and cocoa powder is no longer clumping.