From reading Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet, she gave a ton of recipes in the back of the book! I baked two dessert recipes; they are called: Peanut Butter Chocolate Crips and Coffee Fudge Brownies!In the Prudential Office where I work I’ve noticed the main form of liquid everyone drinks is gourmet coffees. My first caffeinated drink at age 13 was tea! I feel in love with tea! I loved adding the milk and as much sugar as I’d like. We always used Lipton in my house. Being married to a Brit for almost 16 yrs, you would imagine Tea is the hot liquid of choice each morning. Of course for the past 3 yrs now I have conjured up my own concoction of tea. It’s hot water, a tsp. or 2 of Agave Syrup or Honey, lemon and some cinnamon.
I know Honey is not a true vegan's choice but it's healthy for you and its awesome effects in our bodies or mine for that matter as well as on my face as a facial out way the "in my opinon" any concerns about honey not being Vegan. To be honest I am not sure how collecting honey from bee's is a bad thing. We do not hurt the bee's and they make it anyway right. Maybe I am wrong and if you have an opinion about it please feel free to comment. Out of all the things I do not eat to protect animals etc. Honey is not one of them. It was at first but then I realized I was not benefiting by adding more Corn Syrup to my body. Corn syrup seems to be the main ingredeient for all things these days and that's so bad for you!
I can honestly say I do not get sick anymore and I do believe it’s from eating quite well and having “my tea” in the morning or as often through the day as I like.
Coffee and I do not get along. But I thought I’d try a couple flavors out of curiosity. I do not like any of them even though they sound delicious. For example; Spice Pumpkin Caramel etc. They are all the same tasting and produce bad breathe and a headache for me! That is why I thought the Coffee Fudge Brownies would be a hit and it was! I made both recipes Thursday night and the Peanut Butter Chocolate Crips were dead easy! So much fun and beyond delicious! The recipe calls for a box of brown rice cereal, brown rice syrup, peanut butter, and non-dairy soy chocolate chips! Complete recipes with pictures below.
Crisp Peanut Butter Treats with Chocolate Chips:
Makes 9 to 12 squares
1 box brown rice crisps cereal
1 3/4 cups brown rice syrup
fine sea salt
3/4 cup peanut butter or almond butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
1/2 cup grain-sweetened, nondairy chocolate or carob chips
Directions:
Pour the rice into a large bowl. heat the syrup with pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat. When the rice syrup liquefies add the peanut butter and stir until well combined. Pour over the rice cereal. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
Once thoroughly mixed and cooled to room temperature, stir in the chocolate chips. Make sure the mixture is cool, or you will end up with melted chocolate instead of chocolate chips in your treats.
Turn the mixture out into an 8"X8" or 9"x13" baking dish. Wet your wooden spoon lightly and press the mixture evenly into the pan. let cool for 1 hour - if you can - before cutting into squares or bars.
Variation:
Almond Raisin Bars
Substitute 3/4 cup almond butter for peanut butter and 1/2 cup dark or golden raisins for the chocolate chips (or use both chips and raisins...go crazy!).
Got to work to find a lovely gift of Strawberry Smoothie from Starbucks from Eileen our Office Manager and a beautiful card that was signed by my new friends! Set up the desserts on the desk behind mine and handed out some motivational books “millionaire mind” by T. Harv Eker! It’s fun to share your special day with yummy desserts and prezzies too! I only handed out 4 to my closest friends that I’ve made at Prudential! They are new agents like me.It was a great day over all!! Fun conversations, tons of hugs and well wishes! For those who chose to stop and eat my desserts, would swallow and say “OMG this is soooooooo good, delicious, what is it!?” I would inform them they are eating my delicious Vegan Deserts! They would be in shock! I was asked for the recipes by 3 people and that made my day! I got home about 2 pm to find my 3 gorgeous kids had a cd player ready to play and sing “Mom it’s your birthday by Candice from Phineas and Ferb the Disney Cartoon”. I was given homemade cards, posters and tons of hugs and kisses! The kids and I had some movie time watching “Water for Elephants with Robert Patterson (our heart throb from the Twilight Series” Later when Trevor came home we packed our cooler full of healthy vegan snacks for our 10 hour drive to both Savannah Georgia (half way) for our first stop and then carrying on to Orlando Florida to Disney’s Animal Kingdom the following day! Overall I can say I’ve made a great decision to go Vegan, I’ve never felt healthier in my now 38 yrs!
Recipe for the Coffee Fudge Brownies!
Makes 12 Brownies
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups maple sugar
3/4 cup soy/rice milk blend (or any nondairy milk)
3/4 cup brewed decaf coffee
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
Glaze:
1 1/2 cups of grain-sweetened, non diary chocolate or carob chips
1/2 cup Earth Balance Butter
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Oil an 8" or 9" sq baking pan.
Directions:
Sift together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. In a separate bowl, stir together the milk, coffee, and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to mix well. Stir in the walnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 25 to 30 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Place the pan on wire rack to cool completely.
Once the brownies have cooled, prepare the glaze. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a double boiler until well combined and completely smooth. If you don't have a double boiler, place the stainless steel bowl over boiling water and melt the ingredients in it. Pour the warm glaze over the entire pan of brownies, smoothing it out over the surface. Chill in the fridge until the glaze has set, about 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.
Both desserts where such a huge hit!! Enjoy!!
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