Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

/

It's going to be Halloween in 17 days (!!!!!!!)! If you can't tell, I'm (Emily, here!) beyond excited. Not only is Halloween my favorite holiday, but it's also the eve of my birthday ... and this birthday is a big deal. Woot woot! Since my sugar detox a few weeks ago, I've been introducing sugar back into my diet. I'm fortunate enough to have access to natural sweeteners and fruits, so I've been consuming sugar, all natural to processed, about 90/10 (I have no way to prove this, so I'm just estimating here ... remember what we said about being Superwoman). It's been amazing to see the large effects on my mental state even in small doses. Not seeing how sugar affects your body? I've got you covered.

But let's get back to Halloween. Here's the thing...

I don't believe in Halloween without candy.

I just don't.

It seems cruel to the tastebuds - and the soul - not to drop some sweetness on there in the months leadingup to the beloved holiday season. I've written before on my feelings of foods called "cheats" -- ugh what a hard way to live life -- so today's recipe comes from a place of Good Vibe-ing TREATS! They said trick or treat, and I'd much rather have a yummy-in-my-tummy treat than deception, thank you very much ;) .

Peanut butter cups are beyond nostalgic for me; the amount I've eaten is a testament to the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate being a winning one. I've plans to turn them on their heads over the next several months, but for now, we begin with the base recipe.

This recipe brings all of the Great Vibes because it's ...

less than 5 ingredients
easy peasy to make
features the classic pb & chocolate combo
rich
chocolatey
sweet
filling

The best part is it's functionality. Don't have a full bag of chocolate chips? Melt what you have and adjust the number you make. Not into using the microwave? Use a double broiler to melt your chocolate. Not a fan of or allergic to peanuts? Swap it out for any other nut butter or coconut butter if allergic to all. Not supposed to or don't want to eat sugar? Leave it out. Yes, there will be differences in flavors or consistency with some of the above changes, but I promise you won't be sacrificing the Great Vibes with those changes.

Notice in my ingredients where I've written organic and where I've written vegan. If these things are important to you, I encourage you to do the same. Finances, availability, and personal consumer choice can impact purchase decisions. My hope is that you closely follow the recipe, but make allowances where necessary -- my feelings won't be hurt and your tastebuds will still have a party. Promise!

What is it we love so much about this recipe? Chocolate is good for the soul, and if it's high quality chocolate, can pack a punch in regards to antioxidants and illness fighting power. Peanuts can get a bad rep, but they are high in protein, stocked with Vitamin E and B6, help you lose weight, and loaded with heart-healthy, waist-line-friendly, monounsaturated fats. Don't fear fats, babes. It's not the 80s. Here at The Great Vibes Guide, we choose all natural pb (aka nothing in it but peanuts) to maximize the bennies and yum factor. If you're using sea salt at the end, get ready for the blissful joy that is balancing pH levels, stabilizing blood sugar, getting a complex, sweet flavor, as well as getting a healthy dose of sodium - which is a necessary mineral for sustaining life.

Ingredients & steps after the jump ... 

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
the below amounts are estimates, adjust where necessary

Ingredients ::

+ 1 bag Chocolate Chips (vegan, gf)
+ 1/2 cup Peanut Butter (made only of peanuts, no extras)
+ 1/2 cup + Powdered Sugar (vegan)
+ Optional: Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Recipe ::

  1. Pour about half of the chocolate chips into a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until all of the chips have melted.

  2. Place about 1/4 cup of peanut butter into a bowl.

  3. Add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time to the peanut butter, stirring until the peanut butter can be rolled between your fingers and is no longer runny (like the inside of a store-bought peanut butter cup).

  4. Line a mini muffin tin with cupcake liners.

  5. Pour chocolate onto the liner until the bottom is completely covered.

  6. Scoop a heaping teaspoon (and more if desired) of the peanut butter mixture onto the chocolate base.

  7. Repeat step 1 if running low on chocolate.

  8. Completely cover peanut butter with chocolate.

  9. Sparingly crack salt, if using, over the still slightly melted tops.

  10. Place into refrigerator (or freezer, if you're impatient like me) to set.

  11. Pull from the refrigerator once set -- your finger no longer gets covered in chocolate when you touch the top.

  12. Grab one, tear off the wrapper, pop in mouth, and enjoy! Xx.

  13. Keeps well in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.

+ what's your favorite Halloween candy? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook, and we just might make it for a feature :)

P.S. While you're curious about all things Great Vibes, I invite you to use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect selves.

P.S.S. Did you know if you sign up for the newsletter you get a free Great Vibes Guide & grocery store printable of the dirty dozen and clean fifteen? Yeah ... we're going there.

P.S.S.S. Have you checked out all of the
other places Emily's spreading the Great Vibes?

Mexican Cold Chocolate

/

Chocolate with a bit of a twist courtesy of yours truly (Emily, here!). I've been free from sugar for the last couple of weeks (read here, here, & sign up for the free teleseminar here), and man oh man, were the cravings hitting me hard for delicious chocolate. But, nixing the sugar habit has brought on a desire for richer, more complex flavors, and I wanted something yummy that still made me do a happy dance around my room. So I started mixing a little of this and a little of that, added a dash of this, messed up the recipe, started all over again too many times, and was left with a creation that filled all of my requirements.

The recipe is worthy of honor because it's ...

less than 10 ingredients
rich
chocolatey
high in nutritional goodness
sweet
spicy
filling

With a frosty-like consistency, this is spoonable greatness. In only the best way possible, spices take over the initial sweet spoonful with enough of a kick to keep you coming back for more. The high nutritional profile gives you all of the body-revving benefits within a sinfully delicious bite of chocolate. Really, could it get any better? I've really outdone myself with this one - see my smoothie of love, the training wheels smoothie, & smoothie bowls - so take down the ingredients & get to whirling this goodness up. If you don't, I promise you'll be missing out. Why take that chance?

What is it we love so much about this recipe? There are so many bennies, it would be exhausting, so a quick recap. Bananas are added for potassium, fiber, and the sweetness addition. Mangos are high in vitamins A, B6, C, E, and K, a great source of others minerals like thiamine and magnesium, and contain antioxidant phenols and beta-carotene. Cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, and cayenne come together in a sickness-fighting power team. Cinnamon is a great manganese source and good holder of calcium, contains antioxidant anthocyanidins and is no stranger to cold and flu remedies all over the world. Tumeric is high in manganese, iron, a good source of vitamin B6, potassium, and has been attributed to it's antiseptic and antibacterial, medicinal properties. Since turmeric has been touted for it's efficacy in helping digestive disorders, I pop it into a lot of my recipes - more to come to the site - and it has been a surprising yet awesome find. Cayenne comes in for the one-two punch, neutralizing acidity in the body, stimulating circulation, and acting as a great anti-agent for inflammation, colds, and other illnesses, besides just adding a whole other dimension to my new favorite recipe.

Recipe and steps after the jump ... 

Mexican Cold Chocolate

+ 1 Banana (frozen)
+ 1/3 c. Mango (frozen)
+ Almond Milk (1/2 c. +)
+ 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder (to taste)
+ 2-3 Dashes of Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Tumeric
+ 1 Dash of Cayenne (a little goes a long way)
+ Featured: Coconut Butter (recipe coming next week) and Hulled Hemp Seeds
+ Optional: replace part of liquid with coconut water or if neither is on hand, just use water; add 1/3-1/2 c. of spinach; if you need more sweetness, try adding honey or maple syrup

Throw all of your ingredients, minus the liquid, into a blender. Fill with your choice of liquid to just below your ingredients - this helps with the frosty consistency, but if you accidentally add too much liquid, just toss in more frozen banana or mangoes, and it's all fixed. Give it a whirl, pour it into a bowl or big mug, and top with your choice of additions. Some that I like that aren't featured above: granola, toasted buckwheat groats, chocolate brown rice cereal, i.e. the options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.

+ what's your take on spicy foods that are 'supposed' to be sweet?
Tell me your thoughts in the comments below or on Facebook. 

P.S. Want easy recipes & tips for
a vibrant glow powered by greens style?
Join the newsletter.

P.S.S. Be sure to tune into my snapchat (@efriend216)
or follow me on instagram or twitter (both @yourfriend_em)
for my adventures and foodie finds! xx

Foods I Take to Wake: Third Edition

/

Spinach, Bananas, & Almond Milk

 Welcome back to Foods I Take to Wake. I’ve (Emily, here!) received a lot of questions around how I eat on campus and survive my days of being a gluten-free vegan without dying of lack of protein (doesn’t happen, folks) or only eating cardboard-flavored foods. I promise it’s not impossible. The food I eat is tasty, delicious, and absolutely INCREDIBLE. I love food, and I love sharing my passions with you. Every other week, I’ll be dishing out three of my go-to foods for everyday life, especially when I’m away at school. Let’s get to it!

Note: I am not affiliated with Trader Joe’s & as such, my words reflect my love for the product, for my health, & not at all about money. I must really love them…

P.S. Today’s foods are my favorite. Without them, I wouldn’t survive on campus. Seriously. As long as I have these three ingredients, I’m never hungry or nutrient deprived. See my training wheels smoothie to build the base!

P.S.S. If you haven't already, check out post I & post II.

SPINACH

Spinach blows my mind sometimes. Besides helping pregnant woman have enough folate in their diets, it’s a superfood with a lot of amazing benefits. It helps regulate blood sugar, can help with asthma, as been linked with cancer prevention, packs  a punch with vitamin K for strong bones, gives you healthy skin and hair, keeps you regular, and is packed with fiber, phosphorous, is a great source for non-heme iron, and is high in beta-carotene. Raise the roof! Woot woot. Okay, that’s lame. I’m still a foodie geek through and through.

BANANAS

B-a-n-a-n-a-s … had to go there. The whole banana is a magical entity, curing indigestion for some and acting as a shoe polish for others. The banana wears many hats. I’m serious about that polish trick. All jokes aside though, bananas are awesome. They help stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the body, while also helping to guard the sensitive lining of the stomach i.e. for ulcers. Bananas are full of fiber and help poor digestion. They control blood sugar and help stave off cravings. They’re great in smoothies, brownies, as ice cream splits, eaten with almond butter slathered on top, or baked with a little almond milk for a creamy sugar-craving elixir. They were my best friend when I was training for a half marathon, and they’re still #1 in my life helping me kick bad habits as well as not starve on campus. Love them!

ALMOND MILK

Ahhhh Almond Beverage. How can I explain my feelings quite so productively. First of all, it ROCKs. Thank god Almond milk exists. Let me just celebrate Trader Joe’s though. Finally a non-dairy milk that isn’t chock full of quite so many impossible to pronounce ingredients. One day, I’ll be able to make my own almond milk, but until then, she’ll have to do and boy is she a star. Almond milk is the perfect liquid for my smoothies, it’s excellent as the base for my oatmeal, chia seed pudding, added for corn bread or used to dip cookies in. But why do we love almond milk? It packs 30% DV of calcium (vegan = not hard to get nutrients). It’s packed with vitamin E — hello, glow. It keeps your digestion on track, supports healthy blood sugar, and helps with muscle strength and restoration. You know how good chocolate milk is for you? It actually is I swear. Imagine cacao almond milk as being the best cure-all for recovering athletes, healthy adults, and women on lady’s holiday. Food for the win.

+ what are your favorite foods that you couldn’t live without? share below or on facebook!

Be sure to tune into my snapchat (@efriend216) or follow me on instagram or twitter (both @yourfriend_em) for my adventures and foodie finds! xx