Summer Fridays!: Frozen Chia Seed Peanut Butter Cups | V / August 26, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

Summer Fridays!: Frozen Chia Seed Peanut Butter Cups | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

happy summer friday, friends! it's also the last friday of august which means that these summer friday posts are sadly coming to an end. as someone who's birthday is september 17th and is adamant that it still falls within the confines of summer, i'm keenly aware that summer doesn't officially end until september 21st. but with our babe coming in just over 3 weeks (his due date is actually my birthday!) and other work needing to get done, i figured this would be an appropriate time.

i hope you've liked these little posts, because goodness knows i have loved creating them! especially this acai bowl, one of my favorite peachy breakfasts, these spicy hummus fries from last week's post, and if this summer had an anthem in the form of a beverage this would be it! i've been so very grateful for your feedback and enthusiasm for the summer friday posts, and for your well wishes as i've babbled on about pregnancy and crying and all the cravings i've had! and i know i'll look back at this summer and these posts in particular with the fullest heart, and i have you all to thank!

but for today i'm sharing these homemade chia seed peanut butter cups that are frozen because summer temps are so high this week, that even with the AC on chocolate be melting! these PB cups are just like your typical cups, but with high-vibe chia seeds mixed into the the creamy peanut butter center. not only do these super seeds provide some added health (like major omega-3's) but they also give them a crunchy center that's totally unexpected and super fun :)

i'll still be around during the week on my regular wednesday/thursday schedule, and i'm cooking up some other ideas i have swirling around for after the baby is born and life gets into somewhat of a rhythym. big hugs! XO

frozen chia seed peanut butter cups | v

| makes 12 large cups |

1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter
3 tablespoons powdered coconut sugar*
2 tablespoons chia seeds
9 ounces dark chocolate (i use this brand)
2 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
chopped peanuts & flaky sea salt to top

method

mix together the peanut butter, sugar, and chia seeds. refrigerate for 1 hour (this makes it easier to form into balls. if you're in a hurry skip this step, but the peanut butter balls will be sticky.)
while the peanut butter is chilling, line a muffin tin with 12 liners, set aside. melt the chocolate and oil in a heat proof bowl over simmering water until melted. set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. scoop a heaping teaspoon of the peanut butter mix and use your hands to form 12 balls, then flatten a bit with your palm.
pour 1 1/2 teaspoons of the chocolate mix into the bottom of each liner, then place a peanut butter disk on top. cover with another 1 1/2 teaspoons of chocolate. freeze until solid but surface is still a bit wet, about 10-15 minutes. then remove and sprinkle with chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt. place back in the freezer for another 20 minutes. place the peanut butter cups in a lidded container and store in the freezer.

*to make powdered coconut sugar, blend 1/2 cup coconut sugar in a high speed blender on high for 1 minute. transfer to a lidded jar and store at room temperature.

similar recipes:

(no-bake) peanut butter & cacao nib cereal bars

breakfast-y blueberry chocolate chip cookies

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate / February 11, 2016 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate | dolly and oatmeal #vegan

while i love a good reason to eat the not-so-good things for you, i generally prefer to keep things clean. i can confidently say, however, that if certain foods didn't affect me in such negative ways, i would totally find it a lot harder from staying away from them. but in the spirit of health/well being/taking care, i decided to change the pace a bit for a ordinarily over-indulgent valentine's holiday. last year i started the tradition with this dish, and so this year i'm continuing the notion of a vibrant and wholesome valentine's day with a souped-up hot chocolate!

i've been adding additional nutrients into my diet: flax oil, chia seeds, chlorella, spirulina, hemp seeds, basically all those fundamental super foods. i try sneaking a higher ratio of leafy greens and chlorella into daily smoothies, and green juices. more flax oil and hemp seeds into salad dressings, and sometimes sauces. so a while back when laura mentioned that adding coconut oil to warm vegan beverages delivers some major froth (!), i started adding a good dose of flax oil to coffee blends, tea lattes, and hot chocolates. but to make this hot chocolate more lush, and deserving of a valentine's goody, i added just enough ground chia seeds to give it a dense, velvety texture without that thick gloppy consistency that adding too many chia seeds could definitely offer. adding almond butter and almond extract just give it another flavor element that i really enjoy, and makes mathematical sense in my mind - almonds + chocolate = bliss.

wishing you all love in whatever form and scope that comes in, xo <3

vibrant valentine's part II: almond chia seed hot chocolate

almond chia seed hot chocolate | vegan

i love using almond butter here, but you can certainly substitute it for any nut or seed butter - hazelnut butter, peanut butter, or tahini (sesame butter). there are so many different flavor profiles to go with. the portion below serves two, but if you're wanting a single serve just halve the ingredient list below.

| serves 2 |

4 teaspoons chia seeds
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1 cup water
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 teaspoons flax oil
pinch of salt

method

using a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) set on a fine powder, grind the chia seeds and set aside.
in small pot whisk together the cacao powder, water, and milk; once it's mixed, whisk in the maple syrup and almond extract. turn heat to medium and continue whisking until the mixture is steaming and hot, then add the powdered chia seeds. whisk occasionally until the mixture has thickened up a bit, about 5 minutes.
carefully add the hot chocolate mixture to a blender along with the almond butter, and flax oil, blend on high for 30-45 seconds, until frothy.
divide the almond hot chocolate between 2 large mugs and dust with extra cacao powder.

enjoy!

more festive recipes:

valentine cakes w/ blood orange cream filling

pink quinoa salad w/ beets, blood orange + chimichurri

coconut citrus sunshine smoothie / February 24, 2015 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

coconut citrus smoothie | dolly and oatmeal

the last few weeks of winter are here and they're not letting up around these parts. it's bitter cold, icy sidewalks, dirty snow, and wind that hurts your face and makes you want to cry. sunshine in all and any form is needed...desperately. while i'm usually sipping on hot tea, warm lemon water, or bits of coffee here and there, i've been opting for a cooler, citrusy beverage as of late perhaps to summon a brighter perspective.

my husband isn't the biggest fruit consumer, so when i had a boat ton of citrus leftover from a project, i went to making my favorite juice this time of year, as well as develop a more substantial variety in the form of a creamy smoothie. i wanted something texturally thick, but fluid; slightly sweet, and creamy - almost like a childhood creamsicle, but more nutritionally sound. while i was going for more of a breakfast-y dessert smoothie, than a traditional greens 'n fruit smoothie, you can surely partake in this drink and still feel light and invigorated. in went my fave, fave, fave coconut yogurt (full of probiotics ---> happy belly!), hydrating coconut water, various citrus fruits for color and flavor, some warming nuggets of fresh ginger, a bit of maple syrup to round out the acidity; some chia seeds, bee pollen, and turmeric for their lovely anti-inflammatory properties and amino acids. basically a super high-vibe, slurp-able creamiscle! (and bonus, if you want to make your own coconut milk yogurt, izy's got you covered in a recent article on the kitchn!)

warmth, sunshine + smoothies! xo

coconut citrus sunshine smoothie (gf + v)

usually when i make smoothies i add as i go, which is really what i did here - there's no real math to it, so feel free to start with less and add more as you go. the result of the ingredient amounts below is a fairly fluid smoothie that thickens over time as the chia seeds activate, about 10 minutes.

| makes 4 servings |

1 cup coconut water, cold
1 cup coconut yogurt (or preferred yogurt)
1 navel orange, peeled, cut, and seeds removed
1 ruby red grapefruit, peeled, cut, and seeds removed
1 blood orange, peeled, cut, and seeds removed
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, extra to top (1 teaspoon fresh turmeric)
1 teaspoon chia seeds, extra to top
1 teaspoon bee pollen, extra to top

instructions

place all ingredients into a high-speed blender; blend on high until smooth and bubbly. taste and adjust, adding more syrup or turmeric. you can serve immediately, or wait 5-10 minutes for the chia seeds to activate, resulting in a thicker smoothie. serve, and sprinkle tops with some more chia seeds, bee pollen, and turmeric