Homemade Laräbar: Peanut Butter Cookie

//this post has been moved to the new blog! //

After reading about Laräbars on various food blogs I went and bought one about a month ago. The cringe worth $2 price tag for the little tiny bar was worth it, and I was especially excited to see ingredients list! (Or lack there of!) I tried the Peanut Butter Cookie flavor, which only has Dates, Peanuts and Salt. I had seen a few Larabar recipes on some of my favorite healthy food blogs, like Chocolate Covered Katie, and set out to make some for myself. I am going on vacation in just over a week, and have been making healthy snacks for the trip.

I kept it super simple and stuck with the original ingredients: Dates and Peanuts! My mom ordered Date Paste from our co-op, which is perfect for this because it’s already ground up. If you don’t have date paste, just use the same weight of regular dates. I did a 1:1 weight ratio of dates to peanuts, and didn’t add any salt, because: a) It didn’t taste like it needed salt, the peanuts were already a little salty, and b) I forgot to!

Homemade Laräbar: Peanut Butter Cookie 

• 11 oz Salted Peanuts
• 11 oz Date Paste

The measurements are irrelevant as long as you have a weight ratio of 1:1. Process the paste and peanuts in your food processor until they are the consistency of coarse sand. Line a shallow pan with tin foil and firmly press the dough into it. Refrigerate until firm, then cut into bars with a sharp knife. Wrap them in foil and store in the fridge or freezer.

Yield: 14 (~1.5) ounce bars with the pan I used, I had enough dough left on the edges to make #15 but that was a taste-test =)

Date Paste.

Peanuts.

Not fine enough yet…

Perfect!

Press dough into a foil-lined pan.

Smooth top and fold foil over, refrigerate until firm.

Wrap them in foil.

Creative labeling. Oh yes.

Tomato Soup, not the Campbell kind.

Tomato soup and a grilled cheese on hearty bread is one of my go-to meals when I want something simple but tasty. It’s easy to mix it up. Grilled cheese can be made in so many fun combinations. A great place to look is Closet Cooking- the jalepeño popper grilled cheese is on my to-try list! Some of my favorites are…

• Apple and Cheddar
• Brie, Ham and Cranberry Sauce (A great after Thanksgiving option!)
• Using a leftover warm cheese spread… Vidala Onion is delicious!

Tomato soup…. First thing: forget Campbell’s and other canned varieties. Eeewww. Sweet, sickly, over-processed, with a shelf life longer your lifetime. You can make a wonderful and easy tomato soup with only a few common pantry ingredients.

• Pureed Tomatoes
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper
• Thyme and Basil
• White Wine
• Chicken Broth or Bullion
• Water
• Onions
• Garlic
• Chili Flakes

Start with a few tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a saucepan. Chop up half an onion and

a few cloves of garlic. Sauté them until soft and fragrant. Add a sprinkle of thyme and basil, along with a little more oil if needed. Let them cook in the oil, but only for a few moments otherwise they will burn! This is called “blooming” the spices. Season with salt and pepper. Add a can pureed tomatoes or unflavored tomato sauce. You can puree diced tomatoes in the food processor or blender if you don’t have any pureed on hand. Add a cup or so of chicken broth to thin the tomatoes and add flavor, if needed. For a vegan/vegetarian option use simply water or vegetable broth. Season this layer with salt and pepper, along with a pinch or so of chili flakes for a little heat. Add about a 1/4c. of white wine for flavor. Simmer on low for a few minutes then enjoy!

Options…

• Blend low-fat cottage cheese in the blender and enjoy a spoonful on top of your soup. A great low-fat alternative to ricotta, and also adds some protein to your meal!
• Add about a 1/4c of heavy cream for a rich and elegant flavor.
• Top with fresh Basil, Thyme or Oregano
• Sauté seasonal vegetables with the onions… Zucchini, Kale, Peppers…
• If they are in season, use fresh tomatoes!
• Top with freshly grated Asiago Cheese
• Spice it up with Tony’s Creole Seasoning! This is a favorite seasoning at my house, we use it daily on everything from eggs to soups!
• For a Mexican twist top your soup with tortilla chips, avocado, sour cream or plain yogurt, queso blanco and cilantro. This would be similar to a soup called “Sopa Azteca” that I consumed in large quantities while living in México. ( ;

I had so much fun taking these pictures, and like the way they turned out… The black and the red? Yes please!

Now, go make yourself some REAL tomato soup!

This recipe has been published to Taste Spotting!

Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers

// please come check out the new site //

In one of many trips to the lovely town of Grand Rapids with family and friends, I was introduced to Marie Catrib’s restaurant in Eastown. With a wide menu ranging from thick, meaty sandwiches to vegan fare it is always packed full of people. Everything is homemade, and it shows. The food is fresh and packed full of flavor. Now that this little commercial is over, let me tell you about the Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers.

My last trip to Marie Catrib’s I tried one of these delicious burgers. As the menu describes it, “Our darling of the restaurant!”. I looked it up on the website and it is made with “sweet potatoes, quinoa, onions, cilantro, almonds and spices. Served with fresh greens, ginger-tomato chutney and curried veganaise on your choice of bread.” Since a 3 hour trip to GR isn’t practical every week for some wonderful Marie fare, (Although can be done…. ;) ) the at home method was required. I set out on google to find a comparable recipe.

To my delighted surprise, I found an exact replica recipe on Ready Prep Go from a fellow Marie-admirer. I adapted it to fit my tastes, but you can see the original recipe here. Thanks to Jill at Ready Prep Go for the great recipe!!!

{the menu}

{dining room}{outside}

{freshly baked bread}

{my version}{laaame pictures. sorry. i was hungry.}

Marie Catrib’s-Inspired Sweet Potato Quinoa Burgers

Cook Ahead of time:

2 cups cooked lentils (about 1c. uncooked)
2 cups cooked quinoa (about 1 c. uncooked)
1 ½ cups cooked, mashed sweet potato

Sauté with a little olive oil and salt: 

2 cups finely chopped Sweet Onion

Add:

1 cup carrot, finely grated
1 cup kale, finely grated
(I put both through the food processor)
1 ½ cups Oats
½ teaspoon ground Cumin
½ teaspoon ground Coriander
1 tablespoon Curry Powder
1 tablespoon Ketchup
Salt and Pepper to taste

This will make a nice, thick “dough” to work with. Form 14-15 patties. Cook them in a fry-pan with a little bit of  extra virgin olive oil.

I served mine with a curry mayonnaise and a ginger ketchup.

Curry Mayonnaise

Whisk together:

1 large Egg Yolk
1 teaspoon Rice Vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Salt

Sllllooowly beat in 3/4 c. oil (1/4 c. Canola, 1/2c. EVOO) in a blender or with a hand mixer. Whatever you do, do it slowlllllly. That’s the key to making a good, creamy mayonnaise. Add ground curry and a little paprika to taste. I used about 1 1/2 teaspoons curry and 1/4 teaspoon paprika.

Ginger Ketchup

Add dried ground ginger to store bought ketchup to taste. I used about 1/4c. Ketchup to 1/2 teaspoon ginger.

Enjoy!!!