so i've been asked this question a lot...

View fullsize

"is almond butter better than peanut butter?"

View fullsize

and i say,

"well…"

and they say,

"well what?"

and then...

"well… it's different."

"different???"

"yeah, it's more… almond-y."

"what's that supposed to mean?"

"it's better than peanut butter. that's it."

and then they yell at me and exclaim that it could never be better than skippy peanut butter. but let me assure you. it CAN. 

especially when it is paired with maple syrup, a large dash of salt, and nutmeg.

(woohoo for nutmeg! bringing christmas to spring!!)

(plus it is super easy, and is probably 99.999999% better for you…)

maple + nutmeg almond butter

---

16oz raw almonds (or roasted)

1 tbs maple syrup

2 tsp ground nutmeg (you could also do cinnamon!)

1/2+ tsp salt

00. (if your almonds are not already pre-roasted) in a pan over medium heat, toast almonds until they begin to brown and turn golden, (and they don't taste like water as much)

01. blend almonds in a vitamix or powerful food processor for 10-20 minutes until it turns into a butter - there is the four stages: the flour stage, the paste stage, the ball stage, and then the butter stage… be patient!

02. add in nutmeg, maple syrup, and salt, and blend again. it will cease up into a paste ball and eventually turn into a spread stage… do not fear!

03. enjoy on a large slab of warm banana bread

and i'm back from spring break! hoora- NO. 

back from break means back to school.

which means a lot less time to do things...

like baking stuff...

like baking granola...

so of course, the night before returning back to the school morning routine, i whipped up a batch of chunky fig, hazelnut butter, & quinoa granola. super good i must say. super DUPER good.

like so good that you will just scoop handfuls of this granola into your mouth kind-of good.

**slightly sweet, salty, crunchy – the whole SHEBANG. 

it's pretty awesome.

**just a side note: when i say slightly sweet, i mean not really sweet at all. if you'd like it to be sweeter, just add more honey/agave/maple syrup.

***adapted loosely from this recipe

---

View fullsize

1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds (unroasted)

2 tbs homemade hazelnut butter (or other nut butter)

1/2 tbs olive oil (doesn't have to be exact)

1/2 tbs coconut oil

1 tbs agave/maple syrup/honey (any would work)

1 tsp+ salt 

5 large dried figs

1/3 cup flame raisins

00. preheat the oven to 350 degrees F + line a baking sheet with parchment paper

01. rinse quinoa in a fine mesh-strainer until water runs clear 

02. in a large bowl, combine quinoa, oats, and chopped almonds

03. in a small saucepan, melt together coconut oil, olive oil, hazelnut butter, and agave

04. once melted together, pour over quinoa/oats/almonds, add salt, and fold together until combined

05. in one layer, spread out the un-toasted granola onto the baking sheet

06. bake for 20 minutes, flipping granola about half way

07. for the last 5 minutes, add figs and raisins, and lower oven heat to 275 degrees F

08. once done, let cool, and store in an airtight container

---

ENJOY!

P.S. and maybe sometime next week i'll post the photographs i took in santa fe! have a great end of the week!

** i do realize that the photo above reads "flourESS zucchini brownies". my apologies for my error.

but anyways,

you heard me.

View fullsize

zucchini brownies.

like there are green vegetables in these brownies.

but can you taste it? no.

but does it make these brownies totally delicious, and moist, and amazing, and absolutely scrumptious??

you guessed it!

View fullsize

IT DOES. and LOOK at the drizzle of coconut whip cream on that brownie. 

it's almost like they were made for each other. i ship it.

i'm suspecting that the majority of you will just end up closing the tab to these brilliant brownies, because it contains green things.

but to the few of you who a reading on… i congratulate you. you will be able to make awesome zucchini brownies after this.

(i forgot to mention that these brownies are vegan, gluten-free, flourless, and awesome)

brownies:

1/2 cup nut butter (i used leftover homemade cashew butter and hazelnut butter)

1/4 cup agave

1/2 cup finely smashed banana (about 1 large)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup cocoa/cacao powder

1 1/2 cup shredded zucchini (from 1 medium-large zucchini)

3/4 cup oats (gf if desired)

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

coconut whip cream:

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 tbs sugar (or other granulated sugar)

for the whip cream:

01. the night before you make the brownies, or eat the brownies, place a can in your fridge.

02. the next day, gently take out the can, *do not shake it*

03. carefully turn the can upside-down and take off the top of the can using a can-opener.

04. in your sink, drain out the liquid at the top.

05. empty the dense coconut cream at the bottom of the can into a bowl, and whip it with sugar in an electric mixer, or by hand — (which is what i do to get those muscles pumpin')

for the brownies:

00. preheat oven to 350 degrees F

01. grind oats until ground into a fine flour (i used a bullet smoothie maker)

02. in a large bowl with a whisk, mix together nut butter, agave, the smashed banana, and vanilla. vigorously mix, until smooth. (optionally, you can use a standard mixer)

03. add in cocoa, oat flour, zucchini, and baking soda, salt, and mix again until well combined. it's okay if the shredded zucchini breaks up!

04. pour brownie batter into 9" x 9" pan (or close) and bake for 25-30 minutes. mine were perfect at 25, but my oven is ancient.

05. let brownies cool & top with coconut whip cream

---

have a fantastic weekend! (and a lovely spring break to all of you public school-ers!)