I still had some rather large dark chocolate bars on hand (when your local store is blowing out 1 lb bars of Callebaut chocolate for $.50 a piece, you stock up!), so I stayed with the choco-mallow theme and made some simple fudgie crispy treats. I known, nothing fancy, but when you have a chocolate craving, and want something the size of a chocolate bar (not simply a little square) without causing too much damage to your waistline, these will do the trick. Just a warning though, they may be ugly, but they are rather addictive!

Easy Fudge Crispies

This recipe is optionally Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, and Nut-Free, depending on the ingredients you choose. Both the marshmallow creme and vegan ricemellow cream work quite well. The latter produces slightly softer results, which I actually preferred.

• 2 Ounces Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
• 1 to 2 Teaspoons Coconut Oil (pretty sure I used 2 teaspoons for best results)
• 6 Tablespoons Marshmallow Creme, Fluff, or Vegan Ricemellow Creme
• 1-1/2 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal (I used gluten-free brown rice crispies)

Melt the chocolate in a small to medium bowl - I did this in the microwave. I heated  it for 1 minute and stirred it vigorously. If there are any big chunks left, return it to the microwave for 15 seconds, and stir again.

Stir in the coconut oil and marshmallow creme / fluff until smooth. Add the cereal, and gently stir to combine. Plop equal amounts into 6 muffin cups (I used silicone ones, and didn’t need to grease them). Press the mixture into the cups - I use a little piece of saran wrap over my fingers as I press down to keep them from sticking. If using the ricemellow creme, you may find that the mixture is much stickier. I put them in the fridge for 5 minutes, pulled them out and then pressed them in to combat this issue.

Place the crispy treats in the freezer for 15 minutes. Pop them out and enjoy! Keep in mind, these will get very, tooth-breaking firm if stored in the freezer for more than the 15 minutes. Move them to the fridge for prolonged storage.

Options: Add in some vanilla extract, peppermint extract, chili powder, ginger, chopped dried fruit, nuts, or cinnamon to customize your own Fudge Crispies.

Yields 3 treat-like snacks (2 crispies each)

Also, I do love oats, but I find a bowl of oatmeal weighs really heavy on my stomach as the first meal of the day … and though I can see how many bloggers love putting nut butter in their oats, the resulting texture is not pleasing to my palate. But, when I did some experimenting with my trusted blender waffle recipe, injecting it with some naturally healthy nut butter, I ended up with amazingly quick and easy waffles that don’t weigh you down. Yet, they are rich in fiber, and have just enough healthy fats and protein to keep me satiated.  Usually, I avoid sugar in the morning, but that hint of dark brown sugar makes these wonderfully noshable on their own. Of course, my sugar-addicted husband still tops them with maple syrup!

Nutty Oatmeal Blender Waffles

Recipe adapted from Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook

This recipe is Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Wheat-Free, Low in Sugar, optionally Gluten-Free, and optionally Nut-Free. Plus, you can literally make these with 100% everyday pantry supplies!

• 2 Cups Plain or Vanilla Milk Alternative of Choice (I use unsweetened rice milk, but you can even sub in water in a pinch)
• 2-1/4 Cup Oats (use certified gluten-free oats for gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter, Sunbutter (for nut-free), or your favorite Nut Butter (can use just 1/4 to 1/3 cup if you want lower fat or less nutty)
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, Sucanat, Maple Syrup, or Sweetener of Choice (I like the TJ’s Organic Brown Sugar best with the peanut butter)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt (omit if using salted nut or seed butter)
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

Okay, are you ready? Throw all ingredients in your blender, and let ‘er rip for about a minute. The batter may be hearty looking, but that is all good. Now, preheat your waffle iron and coat it with cooking spray (baked goods with nuts tend to like to stick). This will give your batter about 10 minutes to thicken. The thicker the batter, the more bready the waffles. I like the batter really thick, but if it gets too thick to pour at any point, blend in some more milk alternative or water a tablespoon at a time. Make waffles according to the instructions with your waffle iron. Eat waffles.

Tip #1: If you have a cheapy waffle iron like myself, you may not want to follow the little “all done” light. I usually let them cook until I can visibly see little to no steam emerging.

Tip #2: These freeze beautifully. Let them cool on a wire rack and then fire them in a freezer bag. If you put them in the freezer bag while still warm, steam from the waffles will cause them to stick more once frozen (yeah, learned that the heard way). Pop them apart and toast when hungry.

Optional Ad-Ins:

• 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon 
• 2 Tablespoons Protein Powder of Choice

Peanut Butter & Jelly-Filled Waffles: Fill those little waffle holes with your favorite jam/jelly (homemade, organic, all-fruit, etc) or two …

Yields 4 to 5 breakfasts-on-the-go

Happy Monday,

Things have been insanely busy lately as you may have guessed from my very slow posting. And to be quite honest, I haven’t had much time for creating, or at least documenting, new recipes. My husband and I have been in throw-it-together mode. The results have beeen delicious (a dairy-free/gluten-free eggplant lasagna that I created and a spicy mushroom pepper pork stir fry courtesy of my husband), but alas, they really were using up the fridge meals that I just didn’t have the energy to measure and write down. I will see if we can’t repeat those when things settle down though.

But in the spirit of things, I thought I would share one of my quick lunch meals. It is truly a speedy endeavor, flavorful, and quite versatile. The recipe, as I have made it numerous times for myself and a ravenous husband, is below. However, I tend to fiddle with the seasoning amounts often, so feel free to adjust to your own tastes.

I am planning on attempting a vegetarian / vegan version of it using lightly smashed chickpeas and a sheet of nori seaweed (cut into small pieces) in place of the tuna. Nori seems to have that great “from the sea” taste and I thought it might compliment chickpeas/garbanzo beans well.

Though I find this version quite tasty, I would love to hear ideas from you. Do you have any suggestions for modifying it to create a new dish or flavor?

Ten-Minute Tuna Couscous

This recipe is Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, and optionally Egg-Free (use that vegan mayo – I am a fan of Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise). See below for a Gluten-Free option, and the post above for my idea on making this Vegan / Vegetarian.

• ½ Cup Uncooked Whole Wheat Couscous
• 1 Cup Frozen Peas, thawed
• 1 Can Tuna, drained (I use solid white in olive oil, and save the oil for another use, or I even use some of the oil in place of the mayo on occasion)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise (regular, light, or vegan – I have tried them all)
• 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 3/8 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Dill
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 Teaspoon Sugar (or sweetener of your choice)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Water
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste (optional)

Cook the couscous according to the package directions. This literally takes just 5 minutes.

While that is cooking, I run the peas under some warm water to quickly thaw them (this isn’t a plan ahead kind of meal!).

Then, I combine the mayo, mustard, onion powder, dill, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small dish.

Take the lid off of the couscous, give it a quick fluff with a fork, and stir in the peas and mayo mixture. Using your fork, crumble the tuna in and give everything another stir to combine. Dish up into two bowls and serve!

Gluten-Free Option: I haven’t tried it as of yet, but Lundberg has a new brown rice couscous. It looks like it will make this a 15-minute dish instead of ten, but will probably yield excellent results.

Yields 2 very fast lunches

But, what he emphasizes most is that people need to take an active role in managing their own healthcare. When they rely too much on doctors, that is when things go wrong. His wisdom feeds my desire to learn, which led me to discovering the most awesome deal on a book that I must share.

Last week I ordered “New Medicine: Complete Family Health Guide” for $3.18. This is a $25 book that was published in April of 2009 and it was just $3! I wanted to make sure it was okay before suggesting it, and wow, it is better than okay.

This is a BIG book that gently covers so many different health topics, concerns, and diseases / disease prevention in an encyclopedia-type format. It explains each topic (in layman’s terms) along with treatments using diet, herbs, alternative medicine, prescriptions, and/or surgeries. Whatever is effective and available. The authors don’t instill their opinions, rather they give you a good baseline of information to help you understand all of your options (whether Eastern, Western, or plain old diet) and feel knowledgeable enough to manage your own health. I am impressed. Of course, I have only had time to skim it since my husband has already swiped it to read himself, but at $3, I really don’ think you can go wrong.

Honestly, I have no idea why such a new and thorough book has been marked down so dramatically – we are not talking out-dated material here! I am also not sure if the price is temporary, so if you are interested, I would jump on it.

What does this have to do with a food blog? Well, not a lot. But I have noticed that most of us foodies seem to take a higher than average interest in health, and really, where else could I share such a good deal?

So, while we are on the topics of food and health, are there any books you recommend?

Yes, I confess, I watched that bright red bulb shrivel and dull … my creative juices just weren’t flowing and I truly had no idea what to do with the thing. But last night, as I finally cleaned out the fridge, I knew that fruit could stay in there no longer. Expecting the worst, I cut into it, only to discover brilliant bright red seeds inside that decrepit peel.

Now that is a protective coating! I had not expected to blog about the pomegranate here as it is a rather pricey fruit, but when I discovered how many of those wonderful fruity seeds lie within a single pomegranate, it looked like a deal! I did get mine on sale for $1.50, and they seem to more often be $2 or $2.5o, but even so, the seeds add such delight to recipes (seriously, have you ever had pomegranate champagne with those seeds? OMG!) and so little is needed that a single pomegranate goes a longs ways.

If you do purchase one (trust me, they are much less intimidating than they seem!), definitely read some instructions on how to cut them open – it will make your life easier trust me. I couldn’t find the instructions I used again (lost in the internet somewhere!) but here is Elise’s over at Simply Recipes.  I actually deseeded them in the bowl of water, which kept me from getting squirted with any of the bright red juice (yes, no stained clothes!). I noticed Elise doesn’t do this, but I recommend it.

My first pomegranate seed dish wasn’t adventurous to say the least, but it was delicious. I actually threw the seeds right into my blender – it isn’t a powerful one, so I was left with very crunchy seeds in my smoothie, which I liked but want to warn you about – with my simple favorite breakfast blend, a banana smoothie/shake.  

If you like your smoothies drinkable rather than spoonable (I like them thick!) then I recommend using pomegranate juice (bottled, or squeezed from your little seeds), so that you don’t end up with crunch little seeds. Maybe you Vitamix people can pulverize the seeds, but my $15 hamilton beach can’t!

Either way, the seeds taste very similar to sweetened cranberry juice to my taste buds, and make a perfect addition to the ordinary breakfast smoothie for a sweet (yet unsweetened) treat that goes down easy!

Good Morning Pom-Banana Smoothie

• 1/4 Cup Pomegranate Seeds or Pomegranate Juice, plus additiona pom seeds for topping
• 1 Large Frozen, Ripe Banana
• Vanilla Milk Alternative (I usually start with about 3/4 cup and add more as needed; I used unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze)
• 2 Tablespoons Protein Powder (unflavored or vanilla – I used plain, unflavored egg white protein powder, which makes it nice and creamy)

Blend the 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds or juice and all remaining ingredients in your blender until nice and smooth. I use a lesser amount of milk alternative for a thick spoonable shake-style smoothie, but you can add more. Just note that those uber-crunch seeds may not fully blend! Top with some additional seeds for taste and asthetics.

Yields 1 easy-on-the-early-morning-tummy breakfast

And these aren’t just any jams …

Is she amazing or what? Of course, I am not going to leave you all hanging. Though I don’t yet have my own recipes for preserves, Maggie can definitely tell you how to do it. See her posts on:

“The nitty gritty of making grape jelly“

“Autumn olive jam and leather“

Thanks Maggie!!

Thankfully, ”healthy” treats can be every bit as (if not more) delicious and satisfying … and such is the case for these simple no bake bites that can be whipped up in mere minutes. The recipe is short, sweet, and quite forgiving, allowing you to make substitutions for your special diet wherever needed.

No Bake PB & J Thumbprint Cookie Bites

This is a mini-recipe, making just 6 cookie bites, a generous little snack for two people. Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe if you want some chillin’ in the fridge on demand. They should keep for a few days in the refrigerator, and for several months in the freezer.

This recipe is Dairy-Free and Egg-Free, and it can be Vegan, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, and/or Soy-Free.

• 2 Graham Cracker Sheets (I used New Morning Cinnamon Grahams, but you can use your favorite brand, which may be vegan, gluten-free, or both!)
• 2 Tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter (I use creamy, unsalted; you can substitute another nut butter or even Sunbutter for nut-free)
• 1 Teaspoon Coconut or Palm Oil, melted (This helps it to firm-up when chilled)
• 2 Teaspoons Maple Syrup, Honey, Agave Nectar, or Brown Rice Syrup (I used maple)
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons of Jam, divided (your choice, I used raspberry; all-fruit spread would be the most virtuous choice)

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs or a powder. You can do this with the old ziploc and mallet method, or as I prefer, pop them in one of those cheap little spice grinders, and whiz away. You will get about 1/4 cup of fine crumbs/graham powder.

In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the nut (or seed) butter, oil, and sweetener, until a nice thick paste forms. Divide it into six portions and roll each into a ball. Using the back of a measuring teaspoon, press an indentation in the top of each ball, causing them to flatten on the bottom, and form your thumbprint shape on top. If the mixture is too sticky to handle, toss it in your fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up a bit.

Once shaped, place the cookie dough thumbprints in the refrigerator or freezer (if you are impatient like me) for 15 minutes or longer to firm up. Place a dollop of jam in the depression of each cookie bite (I used about 1/2 teaspoon per cookie) and serve.

Yields 6 no bake treats

Giveaways and Notes:

Wildbars from Chocolate-Covered Healthy – These bars cost a small fortune (definitely worth winning!), but are so good.

You see, it was my first time experimenting with Marshmallow Fluff (the brand), and boy was it a gooey mess! As a kid I did use mashmallows and even Jet-Puffed Marshamallow Creme, but never remembered it being quite so glue-like.

Regardless, this recipe turns out delicious, and the crispy treats are even better after a day, as the peppermint flavor infuses itself throughout the treats upon sitting. I like to stash the bars in the freezer, where they stay nice, cool, and crispy … but that’s just me. Also, since I made this recipe, (ahem) just a few times, I did some experimentation and even made a vegan version with Susan’s Ricemellow Creme (a gift from Dairy Free Market!), experimented with coconut oil, and mixed up the chocolate for dark loving fans.

This is a bit of a seasonal delight, since minty Oreos are not usually sold year-round. I used the Peppermint (Candy Cane) Joe Joe’s from Trader Joes, which are incredible, and I have a little secret. Last year those cookies went on clearance after the holiday for a $1 a box, so I kept the holiday love going for months! Keep an eye out and stock up if you like these beauties!

No minty sandwich cookies? You can stick with regular Oreo-type cookies too, and if you still like that minty taste, add some extract! I haven’t trialed the extract as of yet, but have included a general amount as a suggestion in the recipe.

Chocolate Peppermint “Oreo” Crispy Treats

This recipe is Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, and optionally Gluten-Free, Egg-Free, and Vegan.

• 14 to 15 Peppermint-Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Candy Cane Joe Joe’s, Mint Oreos, etc.) or Regular Chocolate Sandwich Cookies + 1 to 1-1/2 Teaspoons Peppermint Extract (to taste)
• 10 Ounces Chocolate Chips or your favorite Chocolate Cut into Chunks (I used 1 bag (about 1.5 cups) of Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips – love that they are mini and free from dairy, soy, gluten, etc.!)
• 1/3 Cup Dairy-Free Margarine (I used Earth Balance Soy-Free) or 1/4 Cup Coconut Oil
• 10 Ounces Marshmallows or Ricemellow Creme (for vegan), or a 7 to 7.5 Ounce Jar of Marshmallow Creme or Fluff
• 4 to 5 Cups Crispy Rice Cereal (I used Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal)

Gently crush the cookies. I placed them in a baggie, and firmly pressed down on each cookie to break them into chunks sized to my liking, without making a mess! Set aside.

Melt the chocolate – I do this in a bowl in the microwave in about two 30 second intervals, stirring vigorously after each heating to get those last chips melted. Do not overcook your chocolate! Set aside.

Place your margarine or coconut oil in a medium to large saucepan, and melt over low to medium-low heat (my stove doesn’t even function at low heat).  Add the marshmallows or creme and continue to stir as they melt in. This will take about 5 minutes to get a nice smooth mixture. Stir in the chocolate until smooth.

Add the crispy rice creal and sandwich cookies, stirring until thoroughly combined. I start with 4 cups, but ended up using the full 5 cups with the Ricemellow Creme and marshmallows.

Press firmly into a greased baking dish. An 8 x 8 dish will make taller, full-sized crispy treats, while a 9 x 13 will make thinner, bite-sized crispy treats. Allow to cool before cutting into squares – I fridge (or freeze) them, especially when using the coconut oil, which makes for a firmer, crunchier, crispy treat and helps the chocolate to quickly set up.

Note: The chocolate gives these a different texture than your traditional rice crispy treat. I like it this way, but if you want that gooey crispy treat texture with a chocolatey taste, skip the chocolate chips, but add in 2 to 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder (to taste) and/or use cocoa crispy rice cereal. Adjust cereal amount up if needed.

Gluten-Free: Erewhon offers gluten-free crispy brown rice cereal (which I used), and I believe there are some other brands. Though I haven’t found minty GF chocolate sandwich cookies, there are some great chocolate sandwich cookies (sans mint) that are great from companies like Kinnikinnick, Mi-Del, and Josef’s.

Yields, oh I don’t know, a pan full of crispy treats cut to the size you are craving

My current favorite recipe is still this Crumbly Maple Apple Crisp as I like to call it (I think this is one of the most under-recognized recipes on this blog – trust me, the maple seals the deal!). I made it for my Uncle’s birthday (he too prefers to forgo the pie crust) and everyone raved, even though I snuck in whole wheat flour, unpeeled fiber-rich apples, and oats on them!

But, when grandma later requested a “traditional” apple crisp … well, I can never disappoint my sweets loving grandma …

Grandma’s Easy Apple Crisp

This recipe is Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, and Soy-Free. You can also sub in your favorite All-purpose gluten-free flour blend for a Gluten-Free Crisp.

• 5 to 6 Medium-sized Apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness)
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice 
• 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional, I just love cinnamon)
• 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar, divided (can sub granulated sugar in a pinch)
• 3/4 Cup All-Purpose or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1/4 Cup Dairy-Free Margarine (I used Earth Balance Soy-Free)

Preheat your oven to 350ºF.

Prepare the apples and toss with the lemon juice and cinnamon, if using. Evenly distribute 1/2 of the apples in an 8 x 8 baking dish, evenly sprinkle with roughly half of the powdered sugar (6 tablespoons for those of us who are precise!), and top with the remaining apples. Briefly set aside.

In a small bowl, sift together the remaining powdered sugar and the flour. With a fork, pastry blender, or your fingers, blend in the margarine until you get what resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over your apples, and bake for about 55 minutes. If the topping isn’t crisp enough for your liking, feel free to broil it for 1 to 2 minutes to brown it up a bit.

Yields 6 to 8 sweet servings

They offer you the chance to “donate” a portion of your coupon to the Jaguar Conservation Fund. Yeah, I know, playing the guilt on us foodies trying to save a nickel during these hard economic times … while supporting organic sugar nonetheless! But it does look worthwhile, and it got me to thinking about my “sugar” choices (which seem to be evolving in recent years), and curious about yours and any insight you might have.

This week was the first time all year that I bought white sugar (to top these awesome Snickerdoodle Blondies, after all, who could resist?), but my husband was grateful. It is still the only sweetener he really likes in his coffee. It was organic, but still white sugar no matter  how you rationalize it. I do often keep a bag of Trader Joe’s organic brown sugar on hand, and use it in small amounts when needed (it is so frickin’ good!).

In all cases, I do choose organic sugar, and for the longest time I couldn’t remember why. But the other day, while in the grocery store, I saw a small reminder - pesticides and genetic modification. Sugar is a top pesticide crop, and it is increasingly being added to the GMO list. While I do my best to minimize our pesticide load, I am firmly against GMO’s, and work oh-so-hard to avoid them. Luckily, since we use sugar (I am including evaporated cane juice/sucanat in this term) so seldom, it doesn’t eat into my budget.

The three sweeteners we use most often in my house are honey, maple syrup, and fruit. In our day to day lives, I really prefer just making fruit-sweetened goodies, like our favorite Banana Bread and our breakfast smoothies. But, here and there I use a little honey or maple syrup to jazz up a salad dressing, make a sweeter treat, for a recovery drink or bar, or simply to mellow out a sauce. As you probably already know, I mostly buy honey and maple syrup on Amazon when the deals pop up, and I certainly don’t use these by the glug, so again, not a problem using these slightly higher end natural foods without breaking the bank.

I do have some pure stevia on hand, which I got for an insanely good price on clearance, that I use very, very sparingly. If the fruit in my smoothie isn’t quite sweet enough, a very small dash of stevia brightens it up. Otherwise, I really don’t like the stuff. It is used so much in natural foods these days, and both my husband and I can really taste it no matter the medium. Does it taste funny to anyone else?

Many people love agave, and while I have used it in the past, it was only to use up the quantities I purchased for such a good price. Again, we aren’t big fans; and yes, we have tried a few different brands. Raw honey still wins hands down for us any day.

So what about you? Are you a sugar-aholic (like my husband) or weening yourself off (like me)? What types of sweeteners do you use and why? Is there a perfect recipe that you have discovered/created for your favorite sweetener?

Oh, and in case you were wondering, I took the middle ground – 25 cents for me, 25 cents for the Jaguars. It seemed fair.