Tag Archives: peanut butter

Cold Sesame Peanut Zoodles

August 10, 2016Nutritioneasy dinner, light, low-carb, peanut butter, quick, sesame, summer, zoodles, zucchiniSara Sullivan

This, friends, is a ridiculously delicious and insanely nutritious bowl of “pasta.”

As you may have noticed, I’m really into my spiralizer right now and I can’t get enough of zucchini noodles. They’re a lighter, low-carb version of traditional pasta, and I love that they play well with just about any sauce. In this case, I tossed my noodles with a thick and intensely satisfying sesame peanut sauce, thinly sliced green onions, and just enough crushed red pepper to give each bite a little kick. Best of all, these noodles are shockingly hearty thanks to the rich & creamy dressing and they make the perfect lunch or dinner when you just don’t feel like cooking.

Feel good comfort food at its finest.

*If you don’t have a spiralizer, don’t worry. You can use a vegetable peeler to shave your zucchini into ribbons.

Cold Sesame Peanut Zoodles

Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 large zucchini, spiralized or shaved into ribbons
¼ cup creamy organic peanut butter (or almond butter)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 small minced garlic clove (optional)
scallions, chopped peanuts & sesame seeds – optional garnish

In a large bowl, whisk together sesame peanut dressing (peanut butter through garlic) and check for seasoning; adjust accordingly and add small amounts of water at a time until you reached your desired consistency (I used about 3 tablespoons). Add zucchini noodles to the bowl and toss well. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Garnish with scallions, crushed red pepper, chopped peanuts and sesame seeds to serve.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Bars

April 27, 2016Nutritionbars, chia seeds, chocolate, dessert, healthy, peanut butter, quick snackSara Sullivan

They’re really just kind of perfect.

There are lots of reasons to obsess over these bars, friends. First and foremost, it’s peanut butter and chocolate, which is obviously delightful. They are sweet (but not too sweet) and surprisingly rich, so a little goes a long way when it comes to satisfying a chocolate craving.

But wait, there’s more!

They contain chia seeds which are the best plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids on the planet plus they’re extremely filling and provide sustained energy for hours at a time. On top of their insane deliciousness and health benefits, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Bars are also incredibly simple to make—I’m talking 10 minutes of hands-on prep, tops and there’s a fighting chance that you already have most of the ingredients for them in your kitchen.

Get on board.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chia Bars
Yields: 12 squares

1 packed cup pitted, whole dates (about 14)
1/3 cup organic peanut butter (I used creamy)
1/4 cup organic peanuts
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

Place all the ingredients in your food processor and process until the ingredients break down and become a cohesive mixture. The consistency of the mixture should hold together when you press it together. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and press mixture onto it, leaving your desired thickness. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. Store bars in the refrigerator.

Peanut Butter Cookies

May 27, 2015Nutrition, Recipescookies, delicious, easy, fast, four ingredients, peanut butter, raw foodSara Sullivan

Thought you said goodbye to soft, chewy cookies when you switched to a wholefood lifestyle?

Think again! These cookies are healthy little bites of heaven. First of all, nuts are all kinds of wonderful for you. They stabilize your blood sugar, aid in weight control, lower cholesterol and reduce your risk of several forms of cancer, and they’re loaded with antioxidants.

This raw peanut butter cookie only has 4 ingredients!

These bites of gorgeousness are far more delicious than cookies full of refined sugar, wheat, oils and additives! Raw, grain-free and full of flavor, it’s never been healthier or more delicious to get your peanut butter cookie fix. For this recipe, I swapped out the white flour for almond meal to give these babies a nutritional boost, and I used dates in place of refined sugar. What’s better is that they take less than 15 minutes to make.

Shazam.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup of almond meal (I use Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal)

1/2 cup of organic creamy peanut butter

1 cup pitted medjool dates

1 1/4 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Combine almond flour, peanut butter, dates and vanilla in a food processor and blend until a dough-like texture is achieved (a couple of minutes). Add more peanut butter if necessary to make the dough stickier. Form into small balls and use a fork to press down and create a crisscross pattern. Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Eggs

March 25, 2015Nutrition, Recipesdark chocolate, dates, dessert, easter, easter basket, easy, eggs, peanut butter, peanut butter eggs, quickSara Sullivan

Since Easter is right around the corner, I couldn’t resist posting this. This recipe is no joke friends. When I first discovered it, I knew there was only one thing to do: Whip them up right away.

Chocolate + peanut butter = the best combo ever.

At first you get mostly peanut butter on your taste buds, but then you’re hit with the delicious crunch & richness of dark chocolate and the result is nothing short of glorious. Yes, everyone can feel good about eating these since dark chocolate is practically a health food based on its antioxidant content and fabulous mood-boosting properties.

And they couldn’t be easier to make. Really.

Shall we?

*Tune into Good Day Maine on April 1st and watch as I make these live for the fabulous WGME crew!

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER EASTER EGGS

2 pitted medjool dates
½ cup raw almonds
1 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/2 cup roasted, salted creamy organic peanut butter
1 cup (about 8 ounces) dark chocolate
1 tbsp. coconut oil

Add dates to a food processor and process until only small bits remain. Next add almonds and peanuts to the food processor and mix until they turn to meal.

Next add peanut butter in a few tbsp. at a time until the mixture forms a loose dough. If it seems too wet to handle, add more peanuts. If it seems too dry, add more peanut butter. Refrigerate for 5 minutes so it’s super easy to shape.

Scoop out large rounds of dough (about 1 tbsp.) and form into an “egg” shape. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and pop in the freezer to harden for about 15 minutes.
In the meantime, melt your dark chocolate with the coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Then work in small batches to coat the “eggs.”
To dip, drop eggs one at a time into the chocolate, flip once, pick up with a fork and gently tap on the rim of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.

Place back on the parchment-lined baking sheet and pop back in the freezer to set.
Repeat until all eggs are dipped.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

November 19, 2014Nutrition, Recipeschocolate, dessert, peanut butter, pie, thanksgivingSara Sullivan

This pie is insane.

First of all, a good pie is a thing of beauty, and the peanut butter filling for this recipe is amazing. In addition, the crust is moist and slightly dense while the chocolate drizzle topping adds a perfect finishing touch.

Most peanut butter pies are fat and calorie bombs, as they involve large quantities of confectioner’s sugar, cream cheese and Cool Whip, but not this bad boy. Instead of all the excess hydrogenated fats, I used only raw coconut oil in this masterpiece. This is wonderful news for several reasons. The fat in coconut oil is a healthy fat that actually reduces cholesterol, boosts immunity, and helps you balance your weight. It’s also packed with antioxidants that protect your skin from aging.

Coconut oil consumption= healthier and youthful you.

Needless to say, this pie was a huge hit with my family. They raved about it. I even received two hugs and one high five. I highly suggest that you bring this to your next winter extravaganza. You can make it ahead of time and it is perfectly portable!

You definitely want to be the person that shows up with the pie. Trust me.

*Tune in! I will be making this pie live on Fox Good Day Maine (7am-8am) on Friday, November 21st.

No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Crust:
1½ cups almond meal
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons coconut oil
Pinch of salt

Filling:
1 cup creamy all-natural peanut butter
¾ cup water
½ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Chocolate Topping:
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, at room temperature
3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Line an 8-inch springform pan or pie dish with parchment paper and set aside. (Note: This pan size is smaller than a traditional 9-inch pie plate. If you use a traditional pie dish, the resulting pie will be thinner than what you see in these photos.)
To prepare the crust, combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to create a uniform dough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined pan and set aside.

To prepare the filling, combine the four ingredients in a blender, and blend until completely smooth and silky. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times to get the batter very smooth and evenly mixed. (Alternatively, you could probably use a hand mixer to combine these ingredients, as long as they get whipped together very well– mixing by hand doesn’t work as well.) Pour the filling over the top of the crust, and use a spatula to smooth the top. Place the pie in the freezer to set until firm, about 4 to 6 hours.

Once the pie is firm, prepare the chocolate topping. Combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, and cocoa powder in a small bowl and whisk well to combine, creating a smooth chocolate sauce. (If your ingredients are cold, this mixture will clump, but it will become smooth again when gently warmed.) Use the parchment paper to easily remove the pie from the pan, then drizzle the chocolate over the top. When the chocolate touches the cold pie, it should solidify pretty quickly– like a “magic shell” topping you’d use on ice cream. Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, to make it easier to slice and serve. Store any remaining pie in the refrigerator for up to one week. (If you freeze the pie, it will be too firm to serve right away.)

This recipe is courtesy of The Detoxinista.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

October 15, 2014Nutrition, Recipesalmonds, chocolate, dates, dessert, peanut butter, walnutsSara Sullivan

I am elated to uncover this recipe.

They’re sweet, and chewy, and nutty, and chocolatey, and they taste remarkably like real brownies, no joke. In short, each perfect bite is super indulgent satisfaction in your mouth, and I’m obsessed.

You will be too…

And as far as easy recipes go, this one’s a total winner. You just throw the ingredients in the food processor and pulse a few times, melt the chocolate, drizzle, then freeze. There’s maybe 10 minutes hands-on time, and you’re left with 10 little squares of heaven that will keep for a while in your fridge or freezer.

Hallelujah.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

2 cups walnuts
2 cups Medjool dates (pits removed)
½ cup almonds (raw and whole)
½ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder (or cacao)
3 tbs. honey
2 tbs. creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

In a food processor, add the walnuts and almonds and blend together until they form a flour-like consistency. Add the dark chocolate pieces and pulse together about 6-7 times. Add the dates, cocoa powder and honey. Pulse together until a dough-like consistency forms. At this point, the mixture should be slightly wet. Give it a pinch and if your mixture isn’t binding, you can add a bit more honey.

Pack the mixture down in a small brownie pan that is lined with parchment paper. Place in the fridge or freezer for about 5-10 minutes. Melt the dark chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Simply drizzle with peanut butter and the melted chocolate and enjoy!