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Peanut Butter & Chocolate Expresso Zombie Bars

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It’s all about cardio!  When the zombie’s come to take over, you’ll need the stamina and energy this bar can provide to fight them off. They’ll want some too; they’re so delicious.

ZOMBIE BARS

(yield: 6 bars)

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. chunky salted peanut butter (I’m partial to Trader Joe’s)

6 tsp. filtered water

2 oz. dark chocolate chips, lightly ground

4 tsp. organic cane sugar

2 tsp. safflower oil

1 Tbsp. ground flax meal, heaping

1 pinch sea salt

1 tsp. vanilla powder

1 oz. gluten free oats

1 tsp. arrowroot powder

1 Tbsp. expresso beans, grind well

1 Tbsp. chia seeds, heaping

2 oz. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. You’ll need lined parchment and a sheet pan.

1. Two bowls. One wet & one dry. Whisk together pb, water, and oil in one bowl.  In another, mix together remaining ingredients, except for the 2 oz. of chocolate chips.  Combine wet to dry, and mix thoroughly.

2. Place bar mixture onto parchment and with your hands, flatten to 1/2 inch in height and form a rectangle.  I like to use a bread loaf pan, if it’s available.

3. Bake them at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool on the parchment, on a cooling rack.  While they are cooling, melt the 2 oz. of dark chocolate chips.  With a spatula, spread on top of cooled bar.  Allow this to cool for another 15, and then refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.  Once the chocolate has hardened, you can leave them in a covered tupperware and they will last for 5-7 days, unrefrigerated.

 

 

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Ricotta & Lentil Phyllo Triangles

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This was a total experiment gone right.  These Ricotta & Lentil Phyllo Triangles are wonderful alongside Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Grilled Polenta with a light Coconut Curry Sauce.

RICOTTA

(yield: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

4 oz. extra firm tofu.

1/2 Tbsp. yellow miso

1/2 Tbsp. tahini paste

1/2 tsp. umeboshi paste

1/8 cup nutritional yeast

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl and mash with a potato masher until lightly chunky and the ingredients are well mixed. Set aside.

LENTILS

(yield: 2 cups)

Ingredients:

1 cup dried lentils

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 cups water

Directions:

1. Pick through and wash lentils before cooking. Place lentils and bouillon cube into a pot along with water.  Boil for 5 minutes and them simmer until tender; about 25 minutes.

TRIANGLES

(yield: 12 triangles)

Ingredients:

parchment paper

1 1/2 rolls of phyllo dough, room temp.

1/2 cup olive oil + 1/2 cup more for brushing on phyllo

1/4 of a white onion, diced

1 Tbsp. dried basil

2 cloves garlic, diced

2 Tbsp. crushed walnuts

1 Tbsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Saute onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp of olive oil until tender.  Add basil, crushed walnuts, and sea salt. Saute for 5 more minutes.  Add ricotta to this mix along with cooked lentils.

2. If you have never used phyllo, you want to make sure you keep it covered while working with it, with a piece of parchment or plastic wrap so that it does not dry out.  I like to take the 1 roll and unroll it completely flat.  I then cut it horizontally in half so that I have two halves to work with . I keep the one half covered while working with the first half.

3.  Take 2 layers of phyllo and brush with olive oil. Take 1 1/2 Tbsp of lentil mix and then begin to fold like you might an american flag, constantly forming a triangle as you go. If there are pieces not completely fitting, it is forgiving. Just tuck those in the best you can and then lay the completed triangle on a piece of parchment on a sheet pan with the fold side down. Lightly brush the triangle with olive oil with a pastry brush and a sprinkle of salt. Repeat this 11 more times.

4. Bake on a parchment lined sheet pan for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown in color.

* I mentioned that I served this with curried coconut sauce.  It also goes well with pesto.