Tag Archives: shredded coconut

PEANUT BUTTER CRISP BARS

Peanut Butter Crisp Bars

Peanut Butter Crisp Bars

These bars are favorites in our house for the occasional treat…my nephew ate three of them the last time I made them and was going for a fourth when I had to rain on his parade and say “NO MORE” (while inside I was secretly jumping for joy that they were such a hit!).  Since they are sweetened with brown rice syrup, they are technically healthier than other bars, but please remember that they are still treats.

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup brown rice syrup

2/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

2 Tbs. coconut oil

4 cups Arrowhead Mills puffed cereal (I used puffed millet and rice)

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup carob chips (or vegan chocolate chips)

1/3 cup chopped nuts

cinnamon to taste (optional…I left it out this time)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Lightly grease a bread pan or casserole.  You can really use any pan you’d like.  If you like to have thicker bars, use a smaller pan.  I chose to use a large casserole so I would have thinner bars.

Grease the Dish

Grease the Dish

Pour the puffed cereal into a large mixing bowl.

In a saucepan combine the rice syrup, nut butter, coconut oil, and cinnamon (if using).  Whisk the ingredients together on low-medium heat until everything melts together to form a sauce.  You do not need to bring the sauce to a boil, simply warm it.

Coconut Oil, Nut Butter, & Brown Rice Syrup

Coconut Oil, Nut Butter, & Brown Rice Syrup

Sauce

Sauce

Pour the sauce over the puffed cereal and stir to combine.

Pour Sauce into Puffed Cereal

Pour Sauce into Puffed Cereal

Mix to Combine

Mix to Combine

Once evenly combined, add the shredded coconut and combine well.

Add Coconut & Mix

Add Coconut & Mix

Next, add the nuts and do the same.

Add Nuts & Mix

Add Nuts & Mix

Finally, add the carob chips and combine well (the mixture should be cooled enough by this point to prevent the carob chips from melting).

Add Carob Chips & Mix

Add Carob Chips & Mix

Pour the mixture into the greased casserole and press firmly to pack it in evenly throughout the casserole.

Pour into Casserole

Pour into Casserole

Press Firmly & Evenly

Press Firmly & Evenly

Place the casserole into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm-up.

Refrigerate to Firm

Refrigerate to Firm

Once firm, cut into bars.  I often make a large batch and wrap each bar separately for storage in the freezer.

Peanut Butter Crisp Bars

Peanut Butter Crisp Bars

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

1 Comment

Filed under Dessert, Gluten Free, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

CRUNCHY CANDIED NUTS

Crunchy Candied Nuts

Crunchy Candied Nuts

These are the candied nuts that I use in my kale salad recipe.  The other night I ran out of candied nuts and put roasted nuts in the kale salad we were having with dinner…my family made it very clear to me that the candied nuts are an integral part of the kale salad!  So, today I needed to make some more candied nuts.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups assorted raw nuts

1/3 cup coconut sugar

1/3 cup shredded coconut

2-3 Tbs water

1 tsp cinnamon

~

First measure out the raw nuts. 

Raw Nuts

Raw Nuts

In a separate bowl put the coconut sugar, shredded coconut, cinnamon, and water.  Mix well.

Sweet Coating Pre-Mix

Sweet Coating Pre-Mix

Mixed Sweet Coating

Mixed Sweet Coating

Combine the sweet coating with the raw nuts.  Mix well to coat.

Sweet Coating on the Raw Nuts

Sweet Coating on the Raw Nuts

Place the nuts on either a cookie sheet (I also use a silpat) or on a dehydrator tray with a ParaFlexx lining.

Place On A Baking Sheet

Place On A Baking Sheet

Or a Dehydrator Tray

Or a Dehydrator Tray

If you plan on baking the nuts, put them in the oven at 200 degrees.  You will need to watch the nuts carefully to make sure they do not burn.  The candied nuts will be done when the coating is no longer wet.  When you take them out of the oven to cool they will harden.  If they are not crunchy enough for you, return them to the oven for some additional baking time. 

If you will be using the dehydrator (I used my Excalibur), put the tray of nuts in the dehydrator at 115 degrees for 8-10 hours. Check the nuts after about 3-4 hours, take them off of the Paraflexx, and place them directly on the Polyscreen tray.  Once you remove the nuts from the dehydrator they will crisp as they cool. 

Into the Dehydrator

Into the Dehydrator

When the nuts have cooled, put them in a bag and store them in the freezer.

For a printable version of this recipe click here.

10 Comments

Filed under Gluten Free, Nuts, Raw, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian