bridal shower

PB&J Mini Muffins

Posted on by theserialbakist

These muffins are made with peanut/almond butter and fruit, so they taste like a bite-sized peanut butter and jelly sandwich 🙂 They are gluten free, paleo and refined sugar free too. Great for kids!!

RECIPE:

* 3/4 cup peanut or almond or peanut butter (I use creamy all natural unsalted Trader Joe’s almond butter)
* 1 cup of almond meal/flour – best if sifted first but will work great either way (Bob’s Red Mill blanched almond flour is awesome and less gritty than the regular almond flour)
* 3 eggs whisked
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/3 cup room temp coconut oil
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
* pinch of cinnamon
* 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce
* frozen strawberries or blueberries for the filling

Mix the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls and then combine.

I coat the mini muffin pan with a bit of coconut oil spray instead of using muffin papers. Pour mix into muffin tins and top with frozen fruit and a pinch more cinnamon. I slice the strawberries and stick them all the way through the muffin batter, so the fruit gets baked into the center.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes (for muffins) or 20-30 minutes (for bread).

These are great with butter, jam or both! I keep in the fridge to help it stay fresher longer.

photo by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com/

(super healthy) Peanut Butter Cups

Posted on by theserialbakist

You don’t have to wait until cheat day for these sweet treats! They are vegan, raw, organic, gluten free, refined sugar free peanut butter cups! Completely from scratch, but so simple to make! Let me know what you think of them!

PEANUT BUTTER CREAM FILLING:

  • 3 tablespoons peanut BUTTER (raw and unsalted)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut BUTTER (I use Nutiva – can usually be found in the peanut butter aisle at any health food store)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil (I use Nutiva – should be room temperature, not liquid)
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey (the creamy spun kind)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 soft pitted dates
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder (ground vanilla bean – also found at any health food store)

Blitz all ingredients in a food processor until completely incorporated. You may need to scrape down the sides of your food processor a few times. Store in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes – the longer they are refrigerated, the easier to handle.

CHOCOLATE:

  • 1/2 cup vegan/refined sugar free chocolate cacao chips (I use allergen fee Pascha – the higher the percentage of cacao, the better)
  • If you are using 70 to 100% cacao, you can sweeten with 1 or 2 tablespoons raw honey until desired sweetness. Semi sweet cacao chips will not need to be sweetened.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted, or in a stovetop double broiler. Once melted, add in the honey and stir until incorporated.

(If you are following a fully raw diet – you can also mix 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil with 2 tablespoons of cacao powder and 2 tablespoons of honey and stir)

Fill a candy/silicone mold with half of the chocolate mixture (only fill each HALFWAY).

Take the peanut butter cream mixture out of the refrigerator, roll dime sized amounts into balls, then flatten the balls with the palm of your hands. Drop into each half-filled mold. Continue filling each mold with the rest of the melted chocolate until level with the top of the mold. Refrigerate for approx 2 hours or until solidified.

tip: if you added honey to your chocolate chips or use coconut oil and cocao powder, the chocolate will melt pretty quickly and best served right out of the fridge.

 

photo by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com/

Apple “Persinnamon” Holiday Sangria

Posted on by theserialbakist

Apple “Persinnamon” Holiday Sangria…my favorite thing to bring to holiday parties, and takes 10 minutes to make.

  • 2 bottles of dry red wine (I like a good quality French pinot noir)
  • 1 bottle of sparkling apple cider
  • 1 cup of club soda or sparkling water
  • 1 apple sliced
  • 1 persimmon sliced
  • 1 orange sliced
  • 1/4 cup of whole cranberries
  • 1 cup of whole cherries (stems and pits removed)
  • 3 cinnamon sticks

Pour the wine, cider and club soda into a large pitcher. Crush the cranberries and cherries with your hands and add to the pitcher. Then add the cinnamon sticks and sliced fruit (you want to keep the rind on the fruit – don’t peel).

Best when made the night before serving, so the wine can soak up all the juices!

Serve cold.

 

Photo as always by http://www.kyleespeletaphotography.com

Glitter Champagne Bottles

Posted on by theserialbakist

For the ladies (or men) who love glitter!!! Shimmer up your favorite drinks to make them shine 🙂

I did these champagne bottles for a bachelorette weekend for a girlfriend who loves champagne and glitter. You can also use the same process to glitter candles or vases.

Tip: I would not recommend doing this with drinking glasses that will be used. The glitter stays on the glass pretty well, but there is a bit of residual glitter left on your hands when holding.

Here’s what you need:

  • Glass bottle or candle of your choice (I did empty mason jars to hold flowers, and full champagne bottles with matching foil – no need to remove any labels, just use as they are)!
  • Spray adhesive glue that dries CLEAR (I used the nontoxic kind from E6000)
  • Loose glitter of your choice
  • Ribbon (optional)
  • Box or newspaper to cover the floor

*This has to be done outside (preferably on a non-windy day), it can be a little messy but you also need to make sure you have lots of ventilation when you’re using the glue.

Cover the ground or table with newspaper or get a large box to place under the bottles while glittering them.

Spray the bottle with the glue one area a time. Roll the bottle in the glitter, or you can also pour the glitter over the bottle (pour it back in the bottle to reuse!). Make sure to tap the bottle to get rid of any loose glitter. Continue this spray and glitter process until the bottle is covered. Repeat in any sparse areas.

When done – spray the bottle again with the glue to help keep the glitter from being brushed off the bottle.

Finish with a ribbon of your choice! (I use a glue gun to secure the ribbon – just a dab in the front and back is all you need)

Tip: when transferring these from your house to the party, use a paper bag and fold over at the top so the glitter doesn’t get everywhere on the way. You want to place these at the party and not move them around too much to avoid them glittering your party guests 🙂