Raw Almond Chocolate Fudge

There are times where chocolate just hits a good spot. There are some pantry staples that I always stock up. The are almond butter, coconut oil, nuts and definitely chocolate.

An offer came up recently with Mayver's super spread nut butter. It's a mix of peanut, chia and almond. There were going for half price! What a treat. So I grabbed 2 bottles to give treats a go.

Mixing them up with some coconut oil and more nuts plus cacao powder, I placed it in the fridge and tadah, a protein enriched chocolate treat that is refined sugar free and good for us. They are freezer friendly as well which gives it a gorgeous crunch when you are ready to bite into them.

Raw Almond Chocolate Fudge (24 small pieces)
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1/2 cup of nut butter
1/3 cup of cacao powder
1 tsp of vanilla paste
1 tablespoon of honey
1/3 cup of silvered almonds

Beat or mix oil and butter together. Mix through vanilla, honey and cacao powder till smooth. Lastly add nuts. Pour into a lined brownie tray and freeze it for 2 hours. Slice and eat!

Blessed and Lucky Peanut Butter: A Crispy Salted Dark Choc Peanut Butter Cookies

Warning: This is not exactly the "cleanest" or "paleo" post.

My confession of the day is that we still have peanut butter from time to time. Yes, we ALWAYS have almond butter but there are some mornings when we just want a treat, mix into a salad dressing or even in cooking.

Blessed and Lucky sent me 3 generous jars of their peanut butter for reviews. I have to say their flavours did make me sit up. Cinnamon Spice, Maple Syrup and Sweet Honey. YUM!

Tasting them, I realised how much my taste buds have changed. The sweet honey and maple syrup was way to sweet for me. I can taste the granules of sugar. However, I really like the subtle maple syrup taste in nut butter. It's also quite smooth and I can see it will be a hit in the mornings or in between waffles. My favourite I would say would be the Cinnamon Spice. It's less sweet and I think it's pretty unique to add cinnamon to peanut butter. It works though. Certainly not a everyday spread- not even every other day, but it's a nice treat from time to time.

I decided to make a big batch of cookies for hubby. This turned out crispy on the outside, and a little chewy with the right crunch through it. Like most cookies, they are a treat food. This is particular a treat because the nut butter has sugar added to it already! So less is more when adding any sort of sweetener to the batter. The pinch of salt also balanced out the sweetness.

So when Asher is asleep at 10pm, I have a warm cup of almond milk with chia tea leaves and savour one cookie... and think about how sweet life is at times.

Salted Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Spice Peanut Butter Cookies (adapted from Slim Palate)
1 cup of Blessed and Lucky Cinnamon Spice Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons of coconut sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla paste
1 tsp baking soda
50 grams of dark chocolate chopped (I used 85%lindt)
pinch of sea salt.

Preheat Oven 180C. Line cookie trays with baking paper. In a mixer, whisk peanut butter, sugar and eggs till well mixed. Then add in vanilla, baking soda. Fold in dark chocolate. Place teaspoon on baking tray.  Sprinkle sea salt on each cookie. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool.

Note: I received these jars as a gift from Blessed and Lucky but views are entirely of my own!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Slice

When I'm standing in front of a counter of a cafe, trying to decide if I want a cake, slice, tart or cookie, my choices are often down to either a slice or a tart. For some odd reason, they seem to look more appealing. I glance at the pastry, and the filling and conclude that anything with different texture will make my money more worth it than a cake with a single flavour.

There is also something about a slice that makes it ok to have a small piece. Nothing says that about a cake. You just have to have a large slice right? Well, that's the deceiving factor of a slice- we usually have more than just a small bite.

I came across this peanut butter and jelly slice and know I just have to make it. Not many people can resist that combination- myself included. I did not grow up with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches though- being in an Asian household, sandwiches are more often made out of Kaya (coconut jam) or pork floss (dehydrated pork) with butter- kinda like a fairy bread except it's more savoury than sweet.  In fact, at one point, I was puzzled by why jam is called "jelly"- before I realised they meant the same thing in the context of a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

I was invited to a housewarming party and packed these little babies in a box with a  ribbon as part of our gift to the new home owner. It was sticky, warm and sweet- just what we need on a cold winter night.

Peanut Butter and Jam Slice (Source from Taste.com)
100 grams butter melted
1/3 brown sugar
1 cup of plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of strawberry jam
a tin of condensed milk (I used 97% fat free)
1/3 cup peanut butter with no sugar and salt
3/4 cup toasted peanuts

Preheat Oven to 180C and line a slice pan.

Make base- mix butter, brown sugar, plain flour and baking powder together. Press mixture into tin and bake for around 15 minutes till brown. Cool

Topping- mix condense milk, peanut butter and toasted peanuts together.

Spread strawberry jam/jelly on to the base. Then top it with the condense milk/peanut butter mixture. Return to oven and bake for further 30 mins. Slice, lick fingers and serve.

Peanut Chunky Noodles

About a year ago, I wrote about my love for peanut butter and how I used it in my stir fry and noodles. My reasoning is that a tablespoon of peanut butter spread over a few meals isn't that bad for you.. I even resisted licking the spoon!

That aside, I tried these noodles out again. This time, with alot less chicken and more veges and tossed in even some peanuts itself (hence less of the peanut butter). The result still has that creamy taste but with added crunch from fresh nuts. Instead of soft noodles, I used the "maggie mee" or instant noodles that have been air dried. I love the texture of those noodles!

Peanut Chunky Noodles (Serves 6- good for freezing)

5 noodle cakes cooked and drained.
2 chicken breast diced
1/4 cup of peanut butter
3 tablespoon of oyster sauce
3 tsp of fish sauce
dash sesame oil
2 eggs

garlic
1 red onion sliced
mixed veges I used 1 green capsicum, 1 red chilli sliced, 2 carrots sliced, 1 cup of mushrooms and baby corn.
1 cup of peanuts roasted

Saute garlic and onion. add chicken and cook till nearly done. Toss veges through it and all the sauces and peanut butter till it becomes creamy. Add 1/2 cup of water if needed. Toss through veges. Taste and season. Serve with some peanuts on it.



Sharing my dish with presto pasta love! This week Ruth from Once Upon a Feast is hosting again.

ps- 24 more days to CHRISTMAS!

Chicken Stir Fry Noodles in Peanut Sauce

The humble peanut butter is sooo much more than a spread on our breakfast toast. Some things I can think of include....

1) A dip for veges
2) Muffins and cupcakes!
3) Can't forget it can be used to bake a cake too
4) Oh, what about a sauce for satay chicken skewers?
5) Brownies?
6) Peanut butter sauce on ice-cream?
7) AH! Peanut butter ice-cream?
8) Eat from the jar?

Inspired by Good Taste magazine recently, I used chunky peanut butter as a sauce in my stir fry noodle dish. It was sooo good that I freeze a batch and made another batch a few weeks later. Kraft has a low fat peanut butter version which is less smooth than their usual one but I love it all the same.


Chicken Stir Fry Noodles in Peanut Sauce (Serves 4-6)
1 packet of noodles of your choice ( I bought skinny yellow noodles which is named "Singapore noodles-even though there is really no such noodles named after Singapore IN Singapore)
500 grams of chicken thigh meat diced
half a cabbage shreddedd
1 carrot diced
1 chilli chopped
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 cup of chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1 tablespoon of soya sauce

In a jar, whisk peanut butter till smooth.

Cook noodles per directions of your pack (I blanched mine). In a wok or deep pan, fry garlic and chilli till it smells oh so good. Then brown chicken. Toss in the veges. After around 4 minutes, or when veges are nearly cooked, toss noodles through. Add peanut paste and soya. Taste to see if it requires more seasoning.

If you like, toss some peanuts through. I served with with a sprinkle of sesame seed.


If you haven't guessed it, I'm submitting this to this week's Presto Pasta! All thanks to Ruth form Once Upon a Feast who founded this event. This week's host is Helen from Fuss Free Flavours

ps- perve at more peanut butter creations at The Peanut Butter Boy.

15 Days to Christmas- Peanut Butter Oaty Choc Chips Cookies

How can anyone resist the combination of peanut butter and chocolate? This recipe was adapted some time ago from various bloggers participating in TWD. Certainly the use of peanut butter and chocolate caught my attention.

I was expecting these little babies to be a little more fudgey. Still, I love how it crumbles in my mouth. Once you start eating it, it's hard to stop.

The other thing I did was to shape it in tinier portions. That may be a mistakes because I probably ended up eating a few more than I should!!!

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
From Dorie Greenspan
3 Cups of old fashioned oats
1 cup of flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp of mixed spice (or nutmeg)
1/4 tsp salt
260 grams of butter
1 cup of chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups of dark choc chips

1) Preheat oven to 180C. Line baking trays.

2) Mix flour, oats, baking soda, spices and salt.

3) Whisk butter, peanut butter, sugar till smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Fold in flour. Mix in choc chips.

4) Chill dough for around 2 hrs.

5) Roll dough into small balls, flatten it with your palm and place them on the baking trays. Bake 15 minutes. Cool and lift them onto baking racks.

Creamy Peanut Chicken Stew

What else can you do with a jar of peanut butter?

Recently, I attended a talk on Generation Y. Contrary to what the media portray Generation Y to be (i.e. spoilt brat, wasteful..etc), the seminar spoke about how we are shaped by our environment and Gen Y shouldn't be pointed out as "impatient/selfish ones".

For instance, if you are born in born as part of Generation Y, you probably would have chuck the jar of peanut butter when u r done with it.

BUT, your grandmother/grandfather, would probably pick the jar up, scrap ALL the peanut butter out (like at least 3 more spreads) and then.....

wash the jar out to use it as a container/vase/cup...

Is it because they are environmentally friendly?

Maybe.. but most likely it's because as they were growing up, it was war time! And you HAVE to learn to be careful with what you have during war time. The Y-generations however, were brought up in a disposable culture-hence their behaviours were shaped by their environment. Same thing as why Gen Ys are more tech savy than the baby boomers or builders.

As for me.... well, I'm definately scrapping the end of my jar to make this creamy stew!



Creamy Peanut Chicken Stew (Serves 5)
500 grams of diced chicken thigh
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 cup of snow peas
1/2 a sweet potato peel and chopped
1 cup of chopped button mushrooms
1 cup of nutty peanut butter
1/4 cup of chicken stock

Heat wok or pan till very hot. Add chicken and stir fry quickly till brown. Lower heat and add veges and stock. Cook till done. Add creamy peanut butter and stir will well combined. Taste to see of require seasoning. Serve with hot rice!

Dark Choc Peanut Butter Bread

A classic breakfast would have to be bacon and eggs. Well, not in my books. I enjoy a toasted nutella/banana slices or a peanut butter/banana sandwich. Not the healthiest but certainly a good pick-me-up in the morning.

It is difficult to resist The Peanut Butter Boy's recipe on Dark Choc Peanut Butter Bread. It's lovely to have a few recipes in your file that requires minimum effort but impressive results. This is one of them.

It does not require a handmixer. Just a good jug and a handy fork. The end result is the house smelling wonderfully inviting and slices of bread to boot. It's quite dense-and sort of in between a cake and a bread but certainly lovely to munch on.

I halved this recipe as the original one was for 2. However, I kept the quantity of mashed banana as it was. I love a good bread with a strong banana taste.

Dark Choc Peanut Butter Bread

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups plain flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4tsp cinnamon
2 medium mashed bananas
1 cup skim milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup of dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a loaf pan.

2. In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. In a medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, milk, peanut butter, vanilla and egg.

3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.

4. Bake for around 40-45 minutes.

Peanut Butter Pistachio Choc Chip Cookies

Two of my favourite spreads are nutella and peanut butter. (A close third is kaya). When The peanut butter boy announced the first great peanut butter exhibition featuring cookies, how can I resist participating?

I remembered the first time I baked cookies. It was in my home economics class. I was 14 then. I believe those were butter cookies. Encouragingly, the boy sitting in front of me in class ate it all up (and didn't die of food poisoning). Total random note-10 years later, we realized that we had a crush on each other that time...and no! we didn't tell each other. Might explain why he decided to eat those cookies though-despite them being rock hard...

The 2nd time I baked cookies were flourless peanut butter ones. They were burnt (Lemongrass-yup.that was one of my baking disasters) . I refused to give up and tried another batch. Those turned out golden brown and had a beautiful crunch to it.

Fast forward 7 years later, I decided to combine three of my favourite ingredients. Peanut butter, pistachios and chocolate chips. These cookies were crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. They were also flourless. I started with a tablespoon but these babies spread like wildfire so resist the temptation of rolling more than 1/2 a tablespoon of dough per cookie onto the tray. When they are done, be careful- They are very addictive. Oh! and I really enjoyed the wonderful peanut butter aroma lingering in the house after. Yum Yum.




Peanut Butter Pistachio Choc Chip Cookies (makes around 24 cookies)
Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

1 cup super chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup pistachios shelled

Preheat oven to 180C. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Mix in chocolate chips and pistachios. Using moistened hands, form 1/2 tablespoon of dough for each cookie into ball. Arrange on 2 lined baking trays, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until puffed, golden on bottom and still soft to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to racks; cool completely.

These babies are going into


Check out The peanut butter boy's blog for more peanut butter inspiration. I can't wait to see what the other bloggers have baked for this event!