Almond Joy Granola

When I was a kid, I thought Almond Joy candy bars were gross. Who would put coconut and almonds in chocolate? These days, while I still prefer a candy bar that combines chocolate with peanut butter in any way, shape, or form, I have come to enjoy Almond Joy, too! When I came across a recipe for Almond Joy granola on Pinterest, I decided to give it a try. I haven't made granola in a while, and wanted to try something new anyway. Even though Joel thought it was a bit too sweet, I think the flavor of this granola is perfect. I have been enjoying it for breakfast, and by the handful as a snack!

2 cups Oats
1 cup Unsweetened Coconut
1/4 cup Almonds, coarsely chopped (my addition)
3/4 cup Applesauce
1/4 cup Pure Maple Syrup
1/2-1 teaspoon Almond Extract
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil, melted
2 tablespoons Milk
2 tablespoons Chocolate Chips 

In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, almonds, and chocolate chips. In a medium bowl, mix the applesauce, maple syrup, almond extract, coconut oil, and milk. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and toss to coat. Spread the granola onto a baking sheet that has been lined with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Pull the pan out of the oven, stir the granola around, and return it to the oven for another 15-17 minutes. At this point, the granola was still soft, so I turned the heat down to 300 degrees and continued to bake for about 30 more minutes until it became golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool and place in an air-tight container. 

SOURCE: My Whole Food Life

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana Smoothie

My blender spends most of it's life in a cabinet in our kitchen, but this month, it has found a permanent spot on the counter top. I've been going smoothie crazy, thanks to a little help from Laura at A Healthy Jalapeño, my assignment for this month's Secret Recipe Club! Laura is an Army wife who likes to live a healthy lifestyle. She has tons of delicious smoothie recipes on her site, and while I planned to try them all, I fell in love with the first one I tried and have been enjoying it regularly ever since! Now that the weather is warmer, a hot mug of tea doesn't sound appetizing in the morning. This smoothie is such an easy grab-and-go breakfast that keeps you full until lunch. I look forward to trying many more of Laura's appetizing flavor combinations in my morning smoothies throughout the spring and summer! Thanks for getting me out of my breakfast rut, Laura!!

1 cup Chocolate Almond Milk
2 tablespoons Peanut Butter
1 Banana
1/4 cup Ground Flax Seet
Handful of Ice Cubes

Put all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Makes one large or 2 small smoothie. 

SOURCE: A Healthy Jalapeno

*Sorry my posting time was a bit off. I apparantly had a few glitches with my scheduling.

Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles

Peanut butter and chocolate is my all time favorite flavor combination. Add in pretzels and you have a sweet and salty combination that can't be beat. Today, we had a pot-luck style salad bar lunch at work. As soon as the sign up sheet was put out, I signed up for dessert…mostly because it is far more fun to bring dessert than it is to bring a bag of lettuce or a bottle of dressing! I wanted something that was individual and easily able to be picked up without cutting or eaten without a fork. These were a hit! Two dozen truffles disappeared before everybody had the chance to come down for lunch. Next time, I'll have to double the recipe, and maybe leave a few at home for Joel and I to enjoy!

For the Filling:
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Powdered Sugar
2 tablespoons Butter, at room temperature
2 cups Crushed Pretzels

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until evenly combined and all ingredients are incorporated (I used a stand mixer). Roll the mixture into small balls, about 2-3 teaspoons each in size. (Tip: you may have to clean your hands between batches to keep the mixture from sticking to your palms.) Place the balls onto a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Transfer to the freezer to chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the Coating:
12 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped (I used semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave (in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate has completely melted). Dip the chilled peanut butter-pretzel balls in the chocolate, gently shaking off the excess. Transfer back to the lined baking sheet. Chill to let the chocolate fully set. (I did this in the freezer)

For the Drizzle:
1 tablespoon Creamy Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon Milk (I used Chocolate Soy Milk, and ended up using 2 tablespoons)
4-6 tablespoons Powdered Sugar (I used 5 tablespoons)

Combine the peanut butter and milk in a small bowl and microwave for about 15 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed with additional powdered sugar. Drizzle over the chocolate coated truffles. Let set before packaging or serving. (Again, I did this in the freezer) 

SOURCE: Annie's Eats

Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day. How has it been a month already? This past month, I was assigned to Jane's wonderful blog, The Healthy Beehive.  I enjoyed reading about her healthy way of life up in the mountains of Colorado, and her cheese making skills! While I would have loved to make a cheese recipe, I wasn't sure where I could find the ingredients around here, so I started searching for something else to try. I ended up choosing these jalapeños because we tend to eat a lot of Mexican food, and I thought it would be a great added touch to those dishes. A great added touch is quite the understatement! These jalapeños took about 10 minutes to throw together and cost about $1 to make! That's my kind of recipe! SInce making these, we have enjoyed them on burgers, tacos, on top of nachos, and even just out of the jar. When I get an overabundance of jalapeño peppers from my garden this summer, I am coming right back to this recipe so I can enjoy it again! Thanks for sharing, Jane!

8-10 Jalapeño Peppers, sliced
1/2 Red Onion, cut into slices
5-10 Garlic Cloves, depending on your tastes
2 cups White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 tablespoons Salt

Mix the vinegar, oregano, and salt in a pan over medium heat. Cook until the salt dissolves, then let it cool. Meanwhile, layer the jalapeños, onion, and garlic in a quart-sized jar. Pour the cooled vinegar over the top, cover the jar, and put it in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Enjoy!  (I successfully halved the recipe and it fit perfectly in a 12 ounce jar)

SOURCE: The Healthy Beehive

Peanut Butter Bars

Happy Fat Tuesday! While I wanted to go the traditional route and pig out all day, Joel and I both opted to eat healthy today. Neither of us have really felt like ourselves lately, so we are trying to adjust our eating habits and diet to combat that. However, in the spirit of Fat Tuesday, I wanted to share a sweet treat with you today. This is actually something I made way back in the summer that I am just now getting around to posting. I made these for dessert on a day that I had a friend over for lunch. She only ate a couple, and since Joel doesn't have a sweet tooth, who do you think ate the rest? Yep, guilty as charged. For somebody who loves the peanut buttter-chocolate combination as much as I do, these were a dangerous treat to have in the house. Let's just say that they didn't last very long...

1 cup Butter, melted
2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 cups Confectioners' Sugar
1 cup + 4 tablespoons Smooth Peanut Butter
1 1/2 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips

Using a food processor, pulverize the graham crackers into a fine powder. In a medium bowl, mix the butter, graham cracker crumbs, confectioner' sugar, and 1 cup of peanut butter until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an un-greased 9x9-inch pan. In a metal bowl over simmering water (or in the microwave), melt the chocolate chips with the 4 remaining tablespoons of peanut butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Spread the chocolate mixture over the crust. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

SOURCE: Bakerlady