Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

May 13, 2014
by Stephanie Pellett
1 min read
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I’m over at Guinea Pigging Green today sharing the recipe for this absolutely delicious, healthy, sweet treat. How did it take me so long to try making banana ice cream? The texture is exactly like soft serve, and it doesn’t even taste that much like bananas! I’ve been craving ice cream so much lately, and eating this feels like I’m tricking myself. It’s an absolutely perfect, no-guilt-needed dessert. And the best part? It couldn’t be easier! It takes about two minutes to make (not counting the time needed to freeze the bananas, of course) and I can make it in my tiny little kitchen using my hard-working little immersion blender. Check plus.

It’s been kind of fun to try to make new recipes in a new space with less equipment than I’m used to having. I created a Pinterest board for things I want to try to cook this year without an oven, food processor or even a proper mixing bowl, and it’s really been inspiring me. I’ve been learning lately that having restrictions actually makes me more creative. It’s funny how that works.

You can find the “recipe” here!

Vegan Peanut Butter Cups

April 15, 2014
by Stephanie Pellett
2 min read
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20140415-152642.jpgI’m over at Guinea Pigging Green today sharing a recipe for homemade, raw, and vegan peanut butter cups! I’ve already eaten four from the batch today, so it’s lucky they’re rather small.

These peanut butter cups are pillowy, naturally sweetened, nutty, and delicious. They’re a great little sweet treat and miraculously I was able to make them in my tiny Korean apartment without a real mixing bowl (I used a shallow bowl I got when I bought strawberries off the street), or a muffin tin (I used an empty plastic egg carton), or an oven (they’re raw)!

It felt good to mix ingredients up in a bowl, to use strong cinnamon, and to take food photos in a new space with new light. Baking while photographing the process is one of my favourite things to do but I always seem to forget how much I love it until I’m doing it again. Today I was reminded that I can always make good things happen for myself, even in a small space in a foreign country. It comforts me to think that as long as I have peanut butter and a wooden spoon, I can feel like I’m home. 

Check out the recipe here!

Peanut Butter Balls

December 11, 2013
by Stephanie Pellett
2 min read
1 Comment

pbbThe holiday baking is officially in full swing! These little guys have always been a favourite, but for my first vegan holiday season, they’re looking even better since they are so easy to veganize.

Our family always makes big trays of assorted holiday sweets, full of our favourite recipes that we’ve accumulated over the years. There are always peanut butter balls, butter tart squares, shortbread cookies, raspberry-coconut bars, “secrets” bars and decorated sugar cookies. This year I plan to make a few switcharoos to some of our favourite sweet treats to make them vegan-friendly, and hopefully nobody will be able to tell the difference!

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Ingredients:

Makes 24 balls

  • 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 3 tablespoons “buttery” spread (I used Becel’s Vegan margarine)
  • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk (I used plain almond milk)
  • 3-4 oz vegan chocolate (I used Enjoy Life chocolate)

Mix together the peanut butter, buttery spread, icing sugar and non-dairy milk. You’re looking for it to be fully incorporated with no lumps, in a consistency that holds together if you squeeze it.

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Form the mix into small balls, about a teaspoon each, rolling them between your palms. Place on wax paper on a cookie sheet and put them in the refrigerator to harden for at least an hour.

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Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave. If you want the chocolate to be glossier, you can add about a teaspoon of vegetable shortening. I chose not to and am happy with my results.

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Roll the balls in the melted chocolate until fully coated. This works well with a fork. Shake off the excess a little and replace them on the cookie sheet. Let the chocolate harden, then enjoy!

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Stay tuned for more vegan adventures this holiday season. I’m already on the lookout for more sweet things I can make vegan-friendly!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

October 20, 2011
by Stephanie Pellett
3 min read
5 Comments

Things I dislike: plug-ins that screw up my website, having to get my wisdom teeth out, waking up tired, mushy bananas. Yuck yuck and double yuck.

Things I like: dancing around to this video, late-night walks around the sparkling city, getting inspiration for my NaNo novel, repurposing mushy bananas into something magical.

This is Real Life people, and it’s happening all the time. No more nestling up in the high school cocoon of comfort. It’s the time for strangers telling you they’re going to cut your teeth in half, long walks during which you talk about your feelings, and phone calls from your Mom instead of hugs. It’s also the time for watching too much tv and eating as many sea-salt sprinkled chocolate chip cookies as you want, so I guess it’s okay. (Don’t worry Mom, I didn’t eat that many.)

You know what else Real Life means? It means you should learn to make banana bread. Why? I don’t know. It seems like a grown-up skill. It seems like you’re saying “Look at me! I can use ingredients up! I am not wasteful. I am resourceful.” Also banana bread is delicious, so you might just want to put it in your mouth. Who am I to question your motives?

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