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SERIOUSLY FUDGY VEGAN & GRAIN-FREE BROWNIES WITH PEANUT BUTTER

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Chocolate on Halloween is key and nothing beats these peanut butter-swirled grain-free brownies. We’re away at Disney World on this most spooky of days this year. I loaded this post up ahead of time for you, but I have no doubt that I’ll be stuffing my face with all manners of Mickey Mouse-shaped treats today.

These brownies are a gentle riff on the mega fudgy ones from my cookbook. They’re almost TOO fudgy at times, which is a strange selling point, but let’s just go with it. Once these are thoroughly cooled, I like to keep them in the fridge. Perfectly chilled wine and equally exquisitely chilled brownies is a good way to live.

We use peanut butter as our nut butter of choice for this version of grain-free brownies, and we’ve locked down a more streamlined cooking process! I’m not much of a baker–I know, I say this ALL the time. I don’t have the patience and I just don’t particularly enjoy doing it for some reason, but healthy-ish and easy treats like this with less than 10 ingredients? I can get down.

When my friend Lily shared her version of this recipe a while back, I noticed that she heated all of the liquid ingredients in a saucepan and just melted the chocolate in the warm goo (so appetizing lol) before adding the dry ingredients. In my cookbook, I have you melt the chocolate separately in a double boiler. The saucepan method is a crucial time/extra dishes saver and is most definitely reflected here.

Hope you have a great Halloween! If I wasn’t at the happiest place on earth, I’d be at home watching The Love Witch and handing out cute little bags of chips to trick or treaters (and probably eating many bags myself hehe). I love eating and creating high vibe vegan food/recipes, but I go with full-on treats on this holiday–no seaweed snack or apples at my place 😉

SERIOUSLY FUDGY VEGAN & GRAIN-FREE BROWNIES WITH PEANUT BUTTER

SERVES: Makes 9 large, square brownies or 12 medium-ish, rectangular brownies 🙂
NOTES:
You can use any nut or seed butter in place of the peanut butter!
-The batter is quite stiff, but if you’d like to make swirls of peanut butter on the top, just make sure that your peanut butter is quite drippy/runny. Drizzle a bit on top and then drag a paring knife through the peanut butter and the brownie batter before baking.
-These brownies are naturally oil-free minus the parchment paper greasing at the beginning. I imagine you can get away with not greasing the paper though. Might just stick a tiny bit.

¾ cup natural, smooth peanut butter, plus extra
¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ cup dairy free chocolate chunks/chips, divided
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3 tablespoons coconut flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8x2 baking pan with parchment paper “slings” going both ways. There should be overhang on both sides. Grease the parchment paper thoroughly with oil.

In a medium saucepan, combine the peanut butter, applesauce, maple syrup, and all but 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chunks. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir with a spatula until all of the chocolate is melted, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract and remove the saucepan from the heat. Let the peanut butter mixture cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.

Once the peanut butter mixture is slightly cooled, add the cocoa powder mixture to the saucepan. Using the spatula, mix everything to combine.

Scrape the grain-free brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly, smoothing the top with your spatula. Then, drizzle some drippy peanut butter on top and drag a paring knife through the top of the brownies to create a swirl effect. The batter is quite thick, so you have to be quite deliberate. Press the remaining chocolate chunks into the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt if you like.

Bake the brownies until firm and slightly dry on top, about 27-30 minutes. Let them cool completely, for at least 2 hours, before slicing into squares. Store brownies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

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Vegetarian Research

Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad

This Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad is light, refreshing, and super versatile! Enjoy it as a veggie side dish, or use it as a topping for tacos, salads, sandwiches, and more. This healthy salad comes together quickly and requires just a few ingredients. It’s great for hot summer picnics and cold winter afternoons.

cilantro lime cabbage salad in a serving bowl

I know coleslaw is typically a dish served in the summertime, but cabbage and limes are in season this month! I’m calling this recipe a Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad, although it’s similar to a slaw. This zesty winter salad will brighten up any meal you add it to. It’s great by itself as a snack or side dish and can also be enjoyed as a topping for all your Mexican-inspired meals.

Why You’ll Love This Refreshing Cabbage Salad Recipe

  • It’s easy to make – The dressing comes together quickly in the blender, and if you have a food processor or mandolin, the cabbage can also be shredded quickly. I like to let my salad sit for a bit in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to develop, but you can also enjoy it right away.
  • It’s flavorful and refreshing – Cabbage is already cool and refreshing, but adding the cilantro and lime flavors takes it to the next level. I enjoy this salad anytime, but it’s especially great for a summer BBQ.
  • It’s versatile – This cabbage salad is similar to a slaw and can be used similarly. I enjoy this salad as a side dish, but I also like to eat it on tacos or with beans and rice. It adds a cool and refreshing bite to everything you add it to.

showing how to make the cilantro lime dressing in a blender

Why Your Body Will Love This Recipe

  • Reduced Inflammation – Cabbage is high in antioxidants, which are substances that can help delay or prevent cell damage. Antioxidants are important because they help reduce inflammation inside the body and improve the immune system. Excess inflammation in the body can be responsible for all kinds of sicknesses, including cancer and heart disease.
  • Digestive Health – Cabbage is in the Crusifers family, along with broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Some people are extra sensitive to these veggies and develop gas and bloating after eating them. However, they’re full of fiber, which really helps digestion run smoothly. Cabbage is also a low-calorie food, but a little goes a long way toward helping our bodies feel full for longer.
  • Diabetes Management – Please check with your doctor before adding cilantro to your diet if you have diabetes or low blood sugar levels.  Cilantro, or coriander, can help reduce blood sugar by stimulating an enzyme that removes sugar from the blood.

green cabbage shredded in a bowl

Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad Recipe Ingredients

  • Cabbage – I used one medium-sized head of green cabbage for this recipe. I love cabbage because it’s crunchy and refreshing. You could also use purple or napa cabbage. Of course, if you go the purple route, it will change the look of this salad.
  • Cilantro Lime Dressing – This homemade dressing is packed full of flavor and takes no time to whip together. It uses cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, dijon mustard, maple syrup, cumin and salt. If you don’t like cilantro, I suggest using parsley in its place.

mixing the cilantro lime dressing into the shredded cabbage

How To Make This Crunchy Cabbage Salad

  1. Cut the stalk of the cabbage off and peel off a few of the outer layers. Thinly shred the entire head of cabbage and add it to a large bowl. You can shred your cabbage using a sharp knife, mandolin, or food processor.
  2. Add all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and completely combined, 30 seconds – 1 minute. Pour the dressing over the shredded cabbage and mix together well until the cabbage is completely coated with the dressing.
  3. Add in about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and mix well. You can enjoy salad immediately or store it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow the flavors to develop. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Enjoy as a side salad, as a topping for tacos, or with tortilla chips.

close up of a bowl of cilantro lime coleslaw

Recipe Frequently Asked Questions

  • This recipe is already vegan and gluten-free.
  • Can I use a substitute in place of cilantro? Yes, if you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley instead.
  • What is the best type of cabbage for this recipe? I used green cabbage, which worked great, but you can also use napa or purple cabbage if you like.
  • How long do leftovers last? If stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator, leftovers should last about 4-5 days.
  • How should this recipe be enjoyed? I like to eat this cabbage salad as a side dish or afternoon snack. You can also use it like you would any kind of slaw (tacos, sandwiches, salads, and more).

Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will reply ASAP!

close up of this refreshing cilantro lime slaw in a serving bowl

Looking For More Hearty Cabbage Recipes?

Fried Cabbage and Noodles with Tofu

Chickpea Salad with Cucumber and Cabbage

Noodles with Cabbage and Carrots

Asian Inspired Crunchy Cabbage Salad

Creamy Southwestern Chopped Cabbage Salad,

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Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad


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  • Author:
    She Likes Food


  • Total Time:
    20 minutes


  • Yield:
    6-8
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad is light, refreshing and super versatile! Enjoy as a veggie side dish, or use it as a topping for tacos, salads, sandwiches and more. This healthy salad comes together quickly and only requires a few ingredients. It’s great for hot summer picnics, as well as cold winter afternoons.


Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized head green cabbage, about 68 cups once shredded

Cilantro Lime Dressing

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/2 cup packed cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper



Instructions

  1. Cut the stalk of the cabbage off and then peel a few of the outer layers off.  Thinly shred the entire head of cabbage and then add to a large bowl.  You can shred your cabbage using a sharp knife, mandolin or food processor.
  2. Add all of the dressing ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and completely combined, 30 seconds – 1 minute.  Pour the dressing over the shredded cabbage and mix together well, until cabbage is completely coated with dressing.
  3. Add in about 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro and mix well.  You can enjoy salad immediately, or store in the refrigerator for a couple hours to allow the flavors to develop.  Store in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator, for 4-5 days.  Enjoy as a side salad, as a topping for tacos or enjoy with tortilla chips.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 0 mins
  • Category: Side, Vegan
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: American

The post Cilantro Lime Cabbage Salad appeared first on She Likes Food.

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