Peanut Butter Noodles (vegan)

Recipe from From My Bowl  
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 servings

The sauce for this dish is spot on. It tastes fabulous in this dish, but would also make a nice dip for spring rolls or drizzled over nourish bowls. 

 
8 ounces dried udon noodles or 12 ounces fresh or other pasta (I used rice noodles.)
¼ cup creamy natural peanut butter (I used a Tablespoon of natural peanut butter and then I made up the rest using PB2 and water.)
1 clove garlic crushed (optional)
1 Tablespoon low sodium tamari or soy sauce plus more to taste
1 Tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar agave, or maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce sambal oelek or sriracha
2-3 Tablespoons hot water

Prep: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions; dried noodles will take around 8-12 minutes while fresh noodles take 1-2 minutes. Drain, but do not rinse.

Make the Sauce: In a small bowl combine the peanut butter, garlic, tamari, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and chili garlic sauce. Whisk together until a thick paste forms, then add 2 tablespoons of hot water and whisk until a thick sauce forms and the sugar has dissolved. Add more water if necessary, but keep in mind that the sauce will thin out more when combined with the noodles.

Combine: Return to the pot or a shallow pan. Pour the peanut sauce over the noodles and use tongs to mix well, until every noodle is coated. The residual heat left from cooking the noodles usually warms them up enough for me, but you can also gently heat the noodles over medium low heat if desired. Add additional soy sauce to taste, as necessary.

Serve: Top with green onion, crushed peanuts, and/or chili oil and serve warm. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and are best reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water to help thin the sauce out again.

Notes: Gluten-Free: Udon noodles are not gluten-free but you can easily substitute them with rice noodles! Use tamari instead of soy sauce to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Additions: edamame; mushrooms; scallions; tofu; broccoli; red bell pepper, etc…

Nutrition
Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1315mg | Potassium: 117mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

Peanuty Coconut Noodles (vegan)

Recipe from bosh.tv
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 2 generous servings

There's something about this peanuty coconut sauce, creamy and rich with a little heat from the sriracha and a pop of lime, that just hits the spot and makes the hubster very happy. This comes together in about 30 minutes and the whole thing feels way more impressive than the effort involved. The sauce keeps well for 3 days in the fridge. The sauce can be frozen. Next time I make this, I’ll prep several batches of the sauce, use one batch and freeze the other batches for quick busy-night meals. 

50 g peanut butter (about 3 Tablespoons)
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 Tablespoons coconut milk
1-2 Tablespoons Sriracha
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 lime, juiced
2 portions of rice noodles**
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cm piece of fresh gingered, julienned
3 spring onions, sliced or 1 small shallot, minced
1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
3 heads of bok choy
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, coconut milk, sriracha, maple syrup, and juice from the lime. Stir until you have a velvety sauce.
Cook the noodles as per instructions on the packet. Rinse and set aside.
While the noodles are cooking, prepare the vegetables.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Peel the ginger and slice in matchsticks. Trim the spring onions and finely slice. Slice the red pepper and cut the bok choy in half lengthwise and then cut into large slices.
In a large pan over medium to low heat, add the oil. Once hot, gently fry the garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes, taking care not to burn it. Increase the heat, add the spring onions and red pepper and bok choy and cook for another minute. Tip in the cooked noodles into the pan then stir through the sauce. Allow the sauce to bubble.
Divide the noodles, vegetables and sauce into two bowls, top each bowl with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Notes:
**Swap the noodles: Rice noodles work brilliantly here for a gluten-free version, and soba noodles give it a slightly nuttier flavor that works really well with the peanut sauce. 
Bulk it up: Add in some crispy baked tofu or a handful of edamame to make it a bit more substantial. Just toss the tofu in a bit of soy and bake at 200C for 20 minutes while you get everything else ready.
 

The Husband’s Lunchtime Peanut Butter Sandwich (vegan)

He has eaten a peanut butter sandwich every day since I’ve known him.  He now eats a much healthier version, using whole wheat tortillas, natural peanut butter and blueberries rather than white bread, Jif or Skippy and sugar laden jelly. It will be a somewhat messy affair.  The husband loves licking his plate which always has a bit of warm peanut butter and blueberry juice on it.  He never fails to get a bit of blueberry on his nose.  It makes him happy.

½ cup frozen blueberries (We buy these in big bags at Costco.)
1 whole wheat tortilla (We buy these at Trader Joes.)
2 heaping Tablespoons peanut butter (Trader Joe’s sells unsalted peanut butter with roasted peanuts being the only ingredient)

1. Put the blueberries in a small microwave save bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until they completely thaw with juices running a bit. Set aside.
2. Cut the tortilla in half.  Bend each half so that they fit in the toaster.  Toast on the light setting.
3. Carefully remove the tortilla halves.
4. Spread the peanut butter on the toasted tortilla.  (The peanut butter will soften.)
5. Spoon the blueberries with their juices over the peanut butter. 
6. Fold the tortilla halves in half and enjoy.

Nut Butter Banana Breakfast Muffins (Vegan)

Recipe from Julia Maiten (She also has a fabulous YouTube channel.)
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 11-12 standard size muffins

These tender, fluffy muffins are perfect to prep ahead and keep in the freezer for a quick breakfast or snack. I did use a scale to make these instead of using measuring cups.  

The original recipe said it yielded 8 muffins, but I think she used a jumbo sized muffin tin.  I was able to make 11 muffins in a standard muffin tin.  I did fill the muffin tins a bit over the top, so I’m thinking if you filled the tins to the rim, you could get a dozen lovely muffins.  The original recipe called for peanut butter, but I had a partial jar of almond butter and a partial jar of cashew butter and wanted to use them up.  I’m thinking that if you can’t have nuts, you could use seed butter as well, such as sunflower seed butter or even tahini. I used some spelt flour along with all-purpose flour to make these a bit more healthful. I will definitely make them on repeat!

Ingredients:

3 large bananas, mashed (My bananas were huge, so I used 2½ huge bananas.)
2 Tablespoons flax meal 
2 Tablespoons water
90g nut butter (I used a mixture of cashew and almond butter.)
70g maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
200g flour, or a mix of oat flour & flour (I used 100 g spelt flour + 100 g all-purpose flour.)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of kosher salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips, plus more for optional topping
Toppings: rolled oats, dark chocolate chips, optional

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180°C/360°F.  Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.  (You can use oil spray if you wish.)
In a small bowl, mix the flax meal and the water and set aside. (This will become thick and will serve as the “egg.”)
Measure the flour(s), the baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk until blended well.
Mash the bananas on a dinner plate and set aside.
In a large bowl, measure out the nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.  Add in the mashed bananas and the flax meal “egg.”  Stir well until all the wet ingredients are well mixed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.  Gently stir in the chocolate chips.  
Scoop the batter into the muffin lined tin.  Top each muffin with a sprinkle of dry oats (I used quick oats.) and a few dark chocolate chips for garnish, if you wish.
Bake at 180°C/360°F for 25 minutes.  
Allow the muffins to cool just a bit before serving right away. 
They should cool completely before storing or freezing.
For a full meal, serve with yogurt, fresh seasonal fruit and/or berries and seeds.

Nutritional Information: (1 of 12 muffins) 160 calories; 5 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 183 mg sodium; 25 g carbohydrates; 8 g sugars; 3 g fiber; 4 g protein; 4 mg calcium

Peanut Miso Cucumber Crunch Sandwich

Recipe from Plant Based RD
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 sandwiches

I’m not a huge fan of sandwiches, but this one is quite delish.  I love that you can make the components in advance and then, come lunch time, place them on your favorite whole grain bread and enjoy. Easy peasy, tasty, tasty.

1 English cucumber, thinly sliced 
Pinch of kosher salt 
¼ cup cilantro leaves, minced 
1 scallion, thinly sliced 
3 Tablespoon finely chopped peanuts 
Zest and juice of 1 lime 
1 heaping Tablespoon natural unsalted peanut butter 
2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1 teaspoon sriracha 
1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)

1 (15 oz can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
2 teaspoons white miso paste 
2 scallions, thinly sliced ,
1 clove garlic, grated 
2 Tablespoons natural unsalted peanut butter
Pinch of salt 
1 Tablespoon sriracha 
2 teaspoon maple syrup 
2 teaspoon rice wine or brown rice vinegar 

Slices of whole grain sourdough bread or whole wheat bread or whole wheat lavash or whole wheat pita

Add the cucumbers to a medium bowl and top with a pinch of salt, cilantro, scallions, peanuts and lime zest. To a separate small bowl add the lime juice, peanut butter, soy sauce, sriracha and maple syrup and whisk together until evenly mixed. Pour the mix overtop the bowl of cucumbers then toss everything to combine and place in the fridge.

To a separate medium bowl, add your chickpeas and miso then use a fork to mash them together. When mashing, mash as much of the chickpeas as you personally like.

Add the scallions, garlic, peanut butter, sriracha, maple syrup, and rice wine vinegar then stir together well to combine into a uniform mixture. Refrigerate the mixture until ready to enjoy.

To assemble a sandwich, add a few spoons of the peanut miso chickpeas onto a slice of bread and spread it out evenly. Then layer the cucumbers on top. Cover with the other slice of bread then enjoy! (I would recommend adding some of your favorite greens to your sandwich as well.) Serve with some seasonal fruit or berries for a wholesome lunch.

Nutrition: (1 of 4 servings) 360 calories; 14g fat; 3g saturated fat; 0g trans-fat; 0mg cholesterol; 700mg sodium (This could be reduced by using tamari in place of soy sauce); 50g carbohydrates; 10g fiber; 3g sugars; 12g protein 

Spicy Thai Salad with Tempeh (Vegan)

Recipe from http://www.picklesnhoney.com
Husband-Tested  in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 servings

This is a beautiful, delicious salad worthy of your best company, meat eaters and/or vegans.  Many of the components can be prepared well in advance, making this party perfect. This colorful salad is loaded with protein too. Make the dressing, the tempeh, the quinoa and edamame as much as a day ahead and then it’ll be a cinch to layer the salad on a large platter for dinner.

For the Peanut Dressing:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup low-sodium tamari sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons (or to taste) Sriracha sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh, peeled ginger (I use minced ginger from a jar.)

For the Tempeh:
1 (8 oz.) block of tempeh, steamed* and crumbled
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Juice of 1 orange
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (I used several leaves of red leaf lettuce plus several leaves of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced.)
2 cups cooked quinoa, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
1 heaping cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced carrot 
½ cup cooked edamame 
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional for garnish
Lime wedges, optional for serving
Sriracha sauce, optional for serving
 
Instructions:  
Place all the dressing ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until the dressing is smooth.  Set aside.  (This can be made in advance.). Heat a non-stick skillet.  Add the toasted sesame to the skillet.  Add the crumbled tempeh.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add the orange juice.  Stir until the tempeh is coated with the oil and juice. Cook, stirring every so often, until the tempeh is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.  Set aside.  To assemble the salad, toss together the tempeh, lettuce, quinoa, cabbage, carrots, edamame, chopped peanuts, and green onions.  Divide between four bowls.  Garnish with the sesame seeds (if using) and drizzle the salad with the peanut dressing.  Serve with lime wedges and sriracha, if desired.

*How to Steam Tempeh:  After opening the package of tempeh, cut it into 4 sections.  Place it in a steamer basket.  Bring water to a boil in a pot that has a lid.  The water level should not come up above the holes of the steamer basket.  When the water comes to the boil, place the steamer basket in the pot and put on the lid.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the timer beeps, remove the tempeh pieces to a clean towel.  Pat the tempeh dry.  When the tempeh is cool enough to handle, crumble it up and proceed with the above recipe. 

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings)  
Calories 617
Total Fat 29g
Saturated Fat 4.4g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 627mg
Total Carbohydrate 72.7g
Dietary Fiber 7.9g
Total Sugars 30.8g  
Protein 23.3g  
Vitamin D 0mcg
Calcium 163mg
Iron 18mg
Potassium 848mg

Best Peanut Butter Cookies Ever

Recipe from Fifteen Spatulas
Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Makes about 24 cookies

These fabulous peanut butter cookies are dangerous.  You will need major will power to keep from eating them all at once.  Absolutely scrumptious!!!

7.5 ounces by weight all-purpose flour (1.5 cups measured) 
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar* (I used dark brown sugar, but light will work too.)
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter**
Flaky sea salt, optional for sprinkling over the top

Preheat the oven to 350F.
(I highly recommend weighing out the flour before using.) 
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. 
In another medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar, for about 60 seconds, until fluffy and light.
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds, until combined.
Mix in the peanut butter for an additional 30 seconds, until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then mix just until the flour is incorporated. Take care not to over mix.
Using a medium cookie scoop, portion out scoops of dough directly onto a baking sheet. (Try not to smooth out the cookies.  What makes these especially nice, is the texture of the "rough ridges" you get when scooping out the dough.) You should get about 24 scoops of dough total (split them between two baking sheets).  If desired, sprinkle each cookie with flakey sea salt.
Bake*** for 13 minutes, until the edges are golden, but the middle is still soft. Let them cool for a couple minutes before eating. They are especially fantastic enjoyed warm out of the oven. 

Notes
*I've used both light and dark brown sugar and each works well. Use whichever you have.
**While you may have happy results using a natural peanut butter, using the creamy variety will make for a better texture. When using natural peanut butter, the cookies may be more crumbly and dry, with an inferior texture. Brands like Skippy, Jif, organic Whole Foods Brand etc. make peanut butters that are very creamy and spreadable. 
***Do not over bake these. Keep in mind that when you take the cookies out of the oven, they should seem excessively soft. There will be a little bit of carryover cooking, and the cookies will firm up as they cool, so you want to err on the side of underbaking. If the cookies turn out dry, simply put, they were over baked. They should be moist and gooey on the inside.

Freezing:
Completely Baked Cookies: Complete the recipe start to finish, then let the cookies cool completely. Place the cookies in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. To enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature, for about 30 minutes.
Unbaked Dough: You can also freeze these unbaked. Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet, then freezing completely. Then remove the frozen dough balls from the tray and place in a bag to save space. For this recipe, thaw the dough back to room temperature before baking, which should take about an hour. If bake these straight from frozen, they won't bake quite as evenly.

Storage: Make sure to store these in an airtight container, or they will dry out. These cookies will last about two days at room temperature before losing too much flavor and freshness. Technically they will keep longer than this, but I think the taste is too inferior, and at that point you’d be better off freezing them. See the freezing instructions above.

Make-ahead instructions: After making the dough, scoop it while it's still at room temperature, then keep those dough scoops in the fridge on a sheet pan. Otherwise, you'll need to bring the dough to room temperature in order to scoop again. Make ahead up to 2 days in advance. 

Double-batch: You can absolutely double or triple this recipe with no problem.

Nutritional Info: Calories: 166.09kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.6g, Protein: 3.89g, Fat: 9.51g, Saturated Fat: 3.63g, Cholesterol: 16.99mg, Sodium: 172.33mg, Potassium: 96.29mg, Fiber: 0.88g, Sugar: 9.65g, Vitamin A: 128.08IU, Calcium: 15.53mg, Iron: 0.68mg

No-Bake Peanut Butter & Jelly Bars (Vegan)

Recipe from Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes about 24 servings

These are tremendously easy to make and tremendously delicious to eat!  They look quite fancy.   These little treats would make a great make-ahead dessert for a party. 

1 packed cup soft Medjool dates, pitted

2 3/4 cup rolled oats (I use gluten free oats)

1/2 cup drippy peanut butter (no sugar added)

3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4-6 ounces raspberry or strawberry jam (or Homemade Chia Jam)

If the Medjool dates are not very soft, cover them with hot water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.  

Place the oats in the bowl of the food processor and process until you have a fine oat flour.

Add the pitted dates, peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to the oat flour.  Pulse until the mixture forms into a sticky dough.  (If it feels too dry, add a spoon of plant-based milk or more maple syrup, a teaspoon at a time until the dough just sticks together when pressed.  If the dough is too sticky to handle, place the dough in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up a bit.)

Line a 9” X 5” loaf pan with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling.  Spread the dough into the pan and smooth with top out evenly, pressing all the way into the corners with your fingers.  Use a flat bottomed glass to get the mixture even on top.  Place the pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to set.

Warm up the jam in a saucepan or in the microwave to make it easy to spread.  Remove the dough from the freezer and spread the jam in an even layer over top.  Top with berries. Return to the freezer to set.  Then slice into bars or squares and serve.  Store leftovers in the freezer.  

Strawberry Banana Peanut Butter Smoothie (Vegan)

Recipe from The Conscious Plant Kitchen

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 1 generous smoothie

This smoothie makes a yummy healthful snack or quick breakfast.  

1 cup unsweetened almond milk or other plant based milk

1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted natural peanut butter

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 small frozen ripe banana

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon chia seeds (optional)

Notes:

You can replace the almond milk with other non-dairy milks such as oat milk or coconut milk.  

You can replace the peanut butter with other nut or seed butters such as almond butter or sunflower butter.

You can add some plant based yogurt.

You can make it even more sweet by adding just a touch maple syrup, but we think this is plenty sweet because we use very spotty bananas.

You can boost the flavor a bit by adding 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or a smidgeon of nutmeg.

You can thin it out by adding more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

You can thicken it by adding more banana, a bit of yogurt or a few cashews.

You can reduce the fat content by using powdered peanut butter (PB2).

 

Peanut (or Almond) Coated Tofu (vegan)

Recipe from Avant Garde Vegan

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 3-4 servings

This is actually one component of a recipe from Avant Garde Vegan, but it was so darn good that I thought I should make a record of it to use for lots of other dishes. The original recipe did not include any marinating time at all.  It just called for coating the tofu with the sauce and crumbs and baking the tofu right away, but when I prepared this it was in the morning and so I let the sauce covered tofu hang out in the fridge until dinner time, coated it with the nut crumbs and then baked it. And it was delish.  By the way, the husband asked after tasting it, “Is this chicken?”  Ha!  I didn’t think it tasted so much like chicken, but it certainly had a “meaty” quality to it.  Make up a batch and serve it in your favorite Buddha bowl.  I think it would make a mean sandwich when the local tomatoes are ripe.

1 block extra firm tofu

1 Tablespoon peanut butter or almond butter

2 Tablespoons soy sauce or tamari

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of dried red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¾ cup toasted* peanuts or almonds

Tamari or soy sauce, for serving

Drain the tofu and then cut it into 4 slabs.  Place them on one end of a clean towel and fold the other end of the towel over the tofu to cover.  Place a baking sheet on top of the towel-covered tofu and place a heavy pot or book on top of that.  Set aside to dry while you make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the peanut (or almond) butter, 2 Tablespoons soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper flakes and garlic powder until smooth. Set aside.  Remove the tofu from the towel and cut the tofu slabs in half so that you now have 8 pieces.  Place the pieces into a shallow dish and pour the sauce over the tofu.  Flip the tofu pieces over to coat all the sides.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Meanwhile, roast the peanuts (or almonds) and process in a blender or food processor until you have fine crumbs.  (Do not over process or you will end up with peanut (or almond) butter!) Place the nut crumbs in a shallow dish. 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Carefully place each piece of sauce-covered tofu into the crumbs and flip to coat all the sides.  Put the crumb-coated tofu pieces on a parchment lined baking sheet.  (The original recipe suggested placing the tofu in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat on the stove top for 2 minutes on each side to lightly color them before baking, but I didn’t follow the directions and they turned out just fine.) Bake for 15 to 25 minutes or so until toasty brown, flipping halfway through the cooking time.  Drizzle with a little tamari before serving.

*To toast the peanuts or almonds: Preheat the oven to 325F.  Spread them out on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.

Notes:  You can make this dish even easier on a weeknight if you make a double batch of the peanut/almond crumbs.  Store them in the fridge and then all that needs to be done is prep the tofu and bake.

Sweet Potato Brownies (Vegan)

Recipe from SammyandSarahCook YouTube Channel

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 16 brownies

If you are wanting a little hit of chocolate and just a smidgeon of sweetness, these brownies will satisfy.  You will see only wholesome ingredients in this treat and so guilt can be kept at bay ;-) While waiting for the brownies to bake, you might enjoy watching more of the videos of little Sammy and Sarah (and now Abby), three darling children who show us how easy it is to make vegan meals and treats.

Cooking spray

1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato

¼ cup peanut butter or almond butter

¼ cup agave syrup or maple syrup

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

¾ cup oat flour

¼ cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare an 8” X 8” baking pan by lining it with parchment paper with a little overhang for easy removal of the brownies.  Spray the parchment paper with the cooking spray.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potato, the nut butter, the syrup, and vanilla extract.

In medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. 

Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well.  The dough/batter will be very thick and somewhat dry.

Press the dough into the parchment lined baking pan.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.  Remove the brownies from the pan by carefully lifting them out with the parchment paper overhang.  Place on a cooling rack.  Cool to room temperature before cutting them into 16 squares.  Serve.

Marinated Peanut Tempeh

Recipe from Minimalist Baker

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

Well, this was just beyond good.  It was a big hit with the husband too.  I served this with Buffalo Cauliflower Salad, but now that I’ve made it, I’m excited to try it in other dishes, like spring rolls.

Tempeh:

8 ounces tempeh

Marinade:

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 fresh or dried bird’s eye chili, minced

1 ½ Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter or almond butter or cashew butter

2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (plus more, if desired*)

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

To remove bitterness from the tempeh, add to a rimmed skillet or saucepan filled with 1 inch of water and bring to a low boil over medium heat.  Cover the pan and steam the tempeh for a total of 10-12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.  Then rinse, pat dry on a clean towel, and cut into thin, bite-size pieces.  (I cut the tempeh in half lengthwise and then cut it into small triangles. The smaller the pieces, the better they can soak up the marinade.)

Mix the marinade ingredients with a whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Taste and adjust the flavor as needed, adding more red pepper flakes for heat, maple syrup for sweetness, lime juice for acidity, or tamari for saltiness. 

Put the tempeh in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the tempeh.  Flip the tempeh pieces to ensure each piece is coated with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably for 24 hours.  While marinating, carefully flip the tempeh over to ensure even coating. 

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the tempeh on the parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little room between the pieces.  There should be some marinade left in the shallow dish.  Add about 1 Tablespoon tamari* to what’s left of the marinade and stir.  Brush this over the top of each tempeh piece. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 22 to 30 minutes or until caramelized and deep golden brown. 

Serve this tempeh as the protein for a meal or add it to spring rolls, salads, stir-fry, and noodle dishes.  Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, up to 3 days.

Nutritional Info: 250 calories; 15.2 g fat (2.8 g sat. fat); 463 mg sodium; 19.3 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 10.2 g sugars; 13.4 g protein