Tag Archives: peanut

Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Posted on April 8, 2011 | Leave a comment

Oh that classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing. It calls to us like a siren in the night…the day…after dinner…ok she’s always there. Stupid stalking craving siren. Now, I’m not going to be strapping myself to the mast of a ship anytime soon (oh yay, I knew that classics degree would come in handy eventually). It’s time to look this siren in the face and get the flock out of here (see? See what I did there? Yyyeah. *proud*). Cupcakes are so trendy right now, I’m simply not willing to spend so much on something I can make at home and healthier too! Have you seen the prices on these things? Pfft. Maybe on the go the temptation may be greater but right now these are much better and easy! They are just as cute too. I couldn’t find my awesome frosting tips at the time. This was done with a plastic baggie with the corner snipped off. This recipe is similar to my mexican brownies just slight differences and ofcourse a much smaller pan.

3/4 cup flour (whole wheat can work here too!)
1 1/2 tbl brown sugar
3 tbl unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp light cooking margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup fat free cool whip, defrosted
1 tbl whipped peanut butter

Combine the flour, brown sugar, cocoa, and baking soda in a bowl. In a second bowl combine the water, applesauce, vinegar, margarine, and vanilla. Pour the wet mix into the dry and stir until the batter is smooth.
Fill each cup in a 12 count mini muffin tin about half full. Bake at 350F for 13-15 minutes. Cool.
Combine the defrosted cool whip and peanut butter in a bowl. Fill a frosting bag or even a small plastic baggy with the end snipped off. Frost the cupcake mini’s when they have cooled completely. Serve.

Makes 28 mini cupcakes. Each serving contains 22 calories, .4 gram of fat, 4.2 carbs, .3 gram of fiber (based on regular flour), and .6 gram of protein. They look so adorable when brought out on a tray to serve to folks or even for just a night in with something special. I found that this recipe makes more frosting than I actually used. So, you can go really nuts with these things just like the ones you see in the shops. Another fun idea is to cut those bites in half and fill them with the frosting to create a whoopie pie style cupcake. Num!

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Posted on December 31, 2010 | 1 comment

Yes…I sang that song that Chef from South Park sings while making these. Goodtimes, granted these aren’t salty. I learned a version of this recipe from a lovely lady my parents knew back when I was a kid. So yes, they are so easy even a kid can make them. Assuming like my parents you trust said kid around the stove….or have no choice since the kid made them when you went out. Ha. Oh yes, it has been a confection filled winter’s night at the hungry hobbit household this year.

1/2 cup light peanut butter
1/4 cup pitted dates
2 tbl icing sugar
1/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped

Combine grind the dates in a blender until broken into really small bits. Add the peanut butter and icing sugar. Blend until fairly smooth.
Using a tbl measure out the amount for each ball. Form the mixture into balls, place on a plastic wrap covered sheet and place in the freezer to firm up. Atleast 2 hours.
Melt the chocolate using the method from the tortoises recipe. Cover each ball in chocolate and return them to the plastic covered sheet. Allow to cool, serve or keep in a sealed container for later.

Makes 12 chocolate not so salty balls. Each ball contains 75 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fibre.

Enjoy, and have a happy new year everyone!

Next week I will weigh in and see if any damage from the holidays has been done. The goal was to maintain but enjoy over the holidays. So, I figured with tasty but healthy treats like these and using proper judgment maintenance should be achieved. Stay tuned! I’ll be stepping on the scale just like everyone at the end of this weekend.

1 Comment

Posted in Dessert, Snack

Tagged chocolate, Date, peanut, vegetarian

Super Salad Spring Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Posted on May 7, 2010 | 1 comment

These little rolls are great on those warm days because you barely have to do any cooking at all! They are also great for using whatever fruits and veggies are in season in your area at the time you make them. You can always mix and match! The peanut spicy sauce is also very tasty and easy. I love that sauce so much I practically lick the bowl…alrght I’ll be honest. I did. You caught me, so naughty. These also make a great meal or an appetizer.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

6 tbl light peanut butter
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce (this makes a tingly spice, add more for serious hotness)
1/2 cup water
1 tbl soy sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbl hoisin sauce

Add the ingredients to a small saucepan.
Heat on low and stir until combined and smooth.
Serve either warm or cold.

This recipe makes 1 cup of sauce approximately. Each serving is 2 tbl and contains 63 calories, 4.5 grams of fat and 0.8 grams of fiber.

Super Salad Rolls

1 mango, peeled, pitted and sliced into thin sticks
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced thinly
3/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded carrot
a few leaves of red cabbage for colour, sliced
1/2 shallot, sliced thinly
basil leaves (optional)
pea shoots
6 rice papers

Run a sheet of rice paper under some hot water and place on the cutting board. I only do each sheet one at a time as I’m ready for them.
Assemble your filling near the bottom of your circle of rice paper.
Fold in the sides and roll up from the bottom of the paper. Tucking the filling in so it is packed tight.
Cut the roll in half and serve with dipping sauce. Repeat for the remaining papers. Garnish with any remaining pea shoots.

This recipe makes 6 rolls. Each roll is 105 calories, 4.6 grams of fat and 3 gram of fiber. This roll is also very delicious with grilled shrimp or chicken stuffed in the roll with the salad. I found that three rolls is enough for a meal and half a roll is an amazing snack. The remaining sauce will keep in the fridge for about a week and is great in other recipes or for dipping veggies.