Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark

/
halloween-bark-title.jpg

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark, Say What? Yes. It's happening.

Can I (Emily, here!) get a woot woot for easy, fast, and absolutely amazing recipes? This bark is going to make you want to do the happy dance. No lies. I included it in the Halloween Recipe series because a) cravings hit when handing out candy to trick-or-treaters so better entertain your tastebuds with something fabulous, b) if you're going to a party - read: not a frat party - and want something sweet & savory to bring along that's not the norm, these are perfect, and c) I'm eating this during Halloween time, and therefore it belongs in the Halloween Recipe series. Plus, if you've ever had chocolate spiders or haystacks, these taste like the deconstructed version (with an addition of popcorn of course, because really, why not?).

halloween-bark-side-view.jpg

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

5 ingredients
ready to eat in under 30 minutes
sweet
savory
crunchy
rich
decadent
versatile

Why love bark? Sometimes yumminess doesn't have to be complicated. Chocolate bark as a base sets you up for recipe success every time. Think of the options: nuts & seeds, dried fruit, other types of chocolate, peppermint for the holidays, etc.

Ingredients & steps after the jump ... 

halloween-bark-close-up.jpg

Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Pretzel, Popcorn Bark

Ingredients ::

+ Pretzels (gf, v)
+ Popcorn (homemade with olive oil)
+ Peanut Butter (unsalted, organic)
+ 1 bag of Chocolate Chips (gf, v)
+ Salt (Pink Himalayan Sea Salt) 

Recipe ::

  1. Make popcorn - follow instructions on the bag or microwave 2 tbsp - 1/4 cup organic popcorn kernels with 1 tbsp olive oil in a glass container with vented lid until it is more than 5 seconds between popping (about 4-5 minutes, depends on microwave; you can also do this on the stove).

  2. Melt chocolate in a bowl, in a double broiler or microwaving on high for 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until all of the chips have melted.

  3. Spread melted chocolate evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicon mat.

  4. Cover with crushed pretzels & popcorn.

  5. Drizzle with peanut butter.

  6. Place in refrigerator or freezer to harden.

  7. Break into pieces, and enjoy! Xx.

Notes::

Stores well in the refrigerator or freezer. Will be more melty in a warm room.

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 taste buds will still have a party. Promise!

+ What are your favorite bark toppings?

P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.

P.S.S. Did you know you get a free Great Vibes Guide & grocery store printable when you sign up for The Newsletter? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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

Monday Vibes

/

Obedient women do not make history.
F*** diets, fall in love with your body instead.

Have you read how Emily can help you eat whatever you want,
feel sexy in your body, and know your worth? She'll tell you how here ...

P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.

P.S.S. Did you know you get a free free Great Vibes Guide & grocery store printable when you sign up for The Newsletter? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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

Toasted Coconut Butter

/
layout-coconut-and-coconut-butter-with-text.jpg


You guys. I (Emily, here!) LOVE this recipe. I used to spend 10 dollars plus on jars of this stuff from *those who take whole paychecks* and would go through it within a couple days - cue the bank robbery. It took me such a long time, even after reading recipes (!) to finally make it for myself. Thank goodness I finally did, because let's talk about a bang for your buck. Now, I spend a fifth of the price and get fresh, homemade coconut butter that takes less than 15 minutes to make and requires only one ingredient. Can I get a booyah? Too lame? Alright ... we'll move on.

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

ONLY one ingredient
a perfect base recipe
done in under 15 minutes
creamy
rich
decadent
versatile

I put this yummy goodness on basically everything. A couple weeks ago, it was featured in it's non-toasted variation in my Mexican Cold Chocolate recipe. I've been known to eat it by the spoonful, drizzle it over sweet potatoes with a little bit of cinnamon, stir it into a can of pumpkin with honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and tumeric, or mix it with maple syrup and a little lemon juice to make a yummy frosting for cinnamon rolls. *cravings beginning now*.

Note: 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!

toasted-coconut-bowl.jpg

What is it we love so much about coconut? I spent all day Monday, chatting up my favorite healthy fat, coconut, over on twitter - follow me here -, because why not? Coconut is amazing and it comes in so many different forms... flaked, whole, liquid, butter, oil, the list is endless! Okay, not endless, but definitely a lot of options from which to choose. Coconuts are made up of 90% fat, which has most people gasping and pinching their waistlines, but 65% are medium-chain fatty acids. These guys are absorbed by our body in a way that fuels us, not fattens us, and have been known to boost our metabolism, slim our waistlines, help moisturize our skin and boost it's integrity, aids in gut and digestive health, and may even have antimicrobial power. Hot dammmnnnnnn. So many benefits thanks to the nutritional profile (I'll just mention a few...) boasting of vitamins E & C, sterols, fiber, and electrolytes - i.e. potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium.

Ingredients & steps after the jump ... 

half-bowl-toasted-coconut.JPG
close-up-toasted-coconut-butter.jpg
layout-coconut-and-coconut-butter.JPG

Toasted Coconut Butter

Ingredients ::

+ 1 bag of unsweetened flake coconut
(organic, nothing added - I use Trader Joe's brand)

Recipe ::

  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees.

  2. Spread unsweetened flake coconut onto a baking tray.

  3. Toast coconut in the oven for about 5 (maybe more) minutes, until lightly golden brown, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.

  4. Remove from oven and let cool.

  5. Place cooled, toasted coconut flakes into blender or Nutribullet (if using Nutribullet, using milling attachment, not blender attachment).

  6. Blend coconut, scraping down the sides or shaking the coconut back down, until fully blended and creamy. You'll know it's done when it's the same, even consistency of peanut or almond butter.

  7. Top on smoothies or oatmeal, eat by the spoonful, or drizzle over sweet potatoes with cinnamon for a decadent treat packed with nutrients. The options are endless. Enjoy! Xx.

Notes:: Store in a sealed, glass container. Will be solid in rooms cooler than about 75 degrees. To remelt, sit in a bowl of hot water, or if you're short on time (like me, always), pop in the microwave for about a minute, stirring every 15 seconds.

+ do you ever make homemade nut butters or coconut butters? Let me know in the comments or on Facebook!

[recipe inspired by Tenacious Acorn]

P.S. Use the hashtag #thegreatvibesguide for anything that makes you feel like doing the happy dance or expressing your imperfectly perfect self.

P.S.S. Did you know that when 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?