planetdanika

Three Potatoes for Danika
We must be on holiday in Scotland.

Aghast, it must be photos.

I’ve been eating gluten free (by choice) for a little over a month now. I’ve found myself in Flying Apron Bakery quite a few times- as they have an all gluten-free, vegan and organic bakery and the goods are pretty tasty. One of my favorite things there is the Morning Peanut Butter Bar. But at $3.50 each, it was developing into an expensive habit. So I set out to make them myself. A quick google brought me to another blog where the author was attempting the same thing and had already found a pretty good approximation. I made them, and proceeded to eat almost the entire batch by myself (over a period of several days). They’re really tasty and are open to endless variations. They make a great post-workout snack. They also remind me of a similar treat my mom and I used to make when I was younger. I may try that version again too, although it’s not vegan. In any case, here it is. You can also see the original version here.

Peanut Butter [Sticky] Balls
Source: Conviviality [blog]
Makes: 18 balls

1 cup crunchy salted peanut butter (I used creamy)
1 cup gluten free rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
3/4 cup raisins or golden raisins
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 Tbsp brown rice syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Put oatmeal and coconut in the blender to chop up a bit finer. You might want to chop the sunflower seeds a tad as well. Dump and scoop everything into a medium bowl, stir and mix, and then roll into little balls. Place in the fridge and let sit for half a day so the oatmeal absorbs some of the moisture of the peanut butter. (I skipped this step). Also, you might prefer to store them in the fridge depending on the season and how warm it is where you are.

What’s this? A blog post??? Something other than photos? Yes, friends. I am here. Don’t expect a huge revival here, but I have a few new recipes to share and frankly, this is an easy way of keeping them bookmarked for myself. The first, this sweet potato & black bean chili is easy, filling and healthy. Plus it’s perfect food for the cold, February weather we’ve been having. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Source: Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2011
Makes 4 servings, about 2 cups each

Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Nutrition, Per serving: 307 calories; 8 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 51 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 12 g protein; 14 g fiber; 494 mg sodium; 947 mg potassium.