simple chewy granola bars

i'll say it, i'm not afraid - i have a pretty serious thing for granola bars. for as long as i can remember, they've been a go-to staple in my life. it started when i was young with old school chewy bars, nutri-grain bars, and those super crunchy nature's valley bars. always there for a pick-me-up when hanger pangs are coming on strong. 

i've since gone through a number of granola bar stages, the most memorable of which has been an obsession with lara bars for their simplicity in ingredients. but, paying one dollar or more for each little snack left me knowing there was a better way... so i started doing some research, and landed on these little wonders. 

i first made these as a treat for some of my indiegogo supporters... they were so good that within a week, i was throwing together a second batch (one i could keep all to myself!). i have a feeling i'll be coming back to this one over and over again. sometimes i get hungry out of nowhere, and this is the perfect thing to have on hand for a quick snack. these should freeze well, and keep in the refrigerator for two weeks... now i just have to test how possible it is to actually keep them that long! 

i would try this recipe as is to start with, then feel free to get creative with your mix-ins and type of nut butter used. the trick to them turning out well is two fold: first, using quick oats, or thick rolled oats pulsed in your blender which can more easily absorb moisture. second, gaining the perfect balance of moisture to dry ingredients will lead to the perfect texture in your bar. too moist and they'll be sticky. too dry and they'll fall apart. take this into account if you decide to start making substitutions! 

these were adapted from the minimalist baker. 

ingredients:

1 cup pitted dates

1/4 cup maple syrup 

1/4 cup peanut butter 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

1/2 cup chocolate chips or cacao nibs 

1.5 cups rolled oats, pulsed in blender (or quick oats) 

instructions: 

first, you want to create a paste with your dates by pureeing them with a food processor or a blender. be careful doing this, stopping the machine frequently, as it can be really hard on the motor (there may or may not have been some troubles in that department the first time i made these!). you want to make the puree with no added liquid if you have moist dates. i've yet to try this with dry dates, but you can soak dry dates in hot water for ten minutes to soften them if needed! 

place date puree, walnuts, and oats in a big mixing bowl. 

in a small saucepan, bring syrup to a gentle bowl over medium-high heat. add peanut butter and whisk to combine into a smooth mixture. 

pour the maple-peanut liquid over the rest of the ingredients, and stir until thoroughly combined. i do this in my stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but you can also do it with a strong arm and a wooden spoon. 

stir in chocolate chips (if you're using nibs, you can add them with the rest of the ingredients. the chocolate might melt if you add it then!). 

pour the mixture into an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment paper. using your hands, firmly press the mixture until it evenly covers the pan. place the pan in the fridge for about an hour. once your bars have hardened a bit, lift the sling of parchment to remove them from the pan and slice into bars. store, with parchment separating layers, in the fridge or freezer - depending how fast you plan to eat them! 

you can also double the recipe to fill a 9 x 13 pan for a bigger batch (yes, this is the way you should do it every time!). 

key lime pie

i couldn't help but nerd out a bit! 

as i'm sure you're all aware, it was a pi day of epic proportions over the weekend. of course i planned on making a pie to celebrate, because really, who does't love an excuse for pie? seeing as we were set to attend a margaritaville party, i knew it had to be key lime pie. i always loved the rare occasion my mom would make key lime pie as a child, and couldn't help but wonder why i'd never made one myself. 

and wonder i still do! this pie came together in a breeze, and was absolutely delicious. just tart enough, and perfectly creamy. whip this one up, then sit yourself down with a slice of pie and a margarita - you deserve it! 

this recipe was adapted from the smitten kitchen. 

ingredients: 

crust 

about 10 graham crackers 

1/4 cup walnuts 

3 Tbsp sugar 

1/4 tsp salt 

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 

filling

2 Tbsp lime zest, finely grated 

1 whole egg + 2 egg yolks 

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk 

2/3 cup fresh lime juice (i used 4.5 regular limes, you would need abut 10 key limes)

instructions: 

first, we create a flour with the graham crackers and walnuts. i did this in my vitamix, but you could use a food processor or other blender. if you don't have one of those things, swap the walnuts for a few more graham crackers, put them in a ziplock bag and smash with a rolling pin. there might be a few visible pieces, but everything should be pulverized. 

now, mix 1 2/3 cups of the graham and walnut flour with the sugar and salt, stirring to combine. drizzle in the melted butter, and stir until fully combined. dump your bowl out into a 9-inch pie dish and use your fingers or a measuring cup to press the crust into the dish. make sure your crust comes all the way up the edges of your pie dish! 

bake the crust at 350 for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned. remove from oven and set aside. if your crust has risen a lot and there won't be space for the filling, feel free to gently press it back down with a spoon - just be careful! 

now, for the filling! zest your limes into the bottom of a mixing bowl. using a mixer or a whole lot of muscle, beat the zest with the eggs until the mixture thickens slightly and becomes pale, about 5 minutes. add the sweetened condensed milk, and beat until the mixture thickens again, about 3 minutes. add lime juice, and whisk until fully combined. 

pour the filling into the prepared crust, and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until a little shake reveals a solid filling. if you have any extra filling (a shallow 9-inch pan probably won't fit it all), feel free to make a little extra crust and bake yourself a mini-pie. i love doing this when i'm taking the pie to an event, so i can taste test it first! 

allow the pie to cool completely in the fridge before serving. 

quick & easy kale salad with tempeh

there are two different sauces that hold crack status in my kitchen. the first is a miso and tahini dressing from the smitten kitchen cookbook, which is actually labeled "crack" whenever i have a jar in the fridge. it's that good, and i put it on everything! the second is peanut sauce, always made without measuring. i start with peanut butter, and pour an array of ingredients directly into the bowl, tasting and adjusting as i go. 

but today, for the benefit of mankind, i carefully measured and added up the additions of various ingredients to arrive at the below recipe. this kale and tempeh salad is the most common use of this dressing in my kitchen, but it makes a mean rice noodle salad, dipping sauce for spring rolls, and so much more. 

i suggest using clancy's fancy in the recipe to add a little spice. clancy's is a heavenly blend of flavors, and a go to hot sauce in my house. next time you're in southeast Michigan, pick up a jar or five (you won't be sorry!).  it's been an ann arbor classic since 1979 for a reason. in my opinion, the blend of spices in this hot sauce totally ties together the peanut dressing. that said, using sriracha will definitely create a dressing that still tastes amazing!  

now - for the salad. i've written the recipe as simple as it gets, because on those days when i've forgotten to plan for a meal and feel the hanger pangs coming, this is the meal i throw together in fifteen minutes and never fail to be satisfied by. a heaping bowl of kale for plenty of nutrition, my favorite peanut dressing, and warm crispy cubes of tempeh for protein and tummy happiness. if you want to get crazy, you can add any veggies you have in the fridge to build it out! 

now, go make yourself a big bowl of salad - just like this one! 

recipe serves 2 as a main course, and 4 or more as a side. 

ingredients: 

1 bunch of lacinato kale (you can use any variety, but this is my favorite for salads!)

4 oz of tempeh

1 Tbsp coconut oil (or bacon fat, if you want an extra boost of delicious!)

any other salad veggies you please

for the dressing: 

3 Tbsp smooth peanut butter 

2 Tbsp soy sauce 

2 Tbsp rice vinegar 

1 Tbsp sesame oil 

1 Tbsp honey 

1 small clove garlic, minced very finely if you're not pureeing the dressing

2 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger in a pinch) 

a squirt of clancy's fancy, or sriracha (to your preferred spice level) 

instructions: 

first, make your dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a bowl or small container. you can use a whisk, fork, or immersion blender to really emulsify the mixture - any of the options will work just fine, but it will be the smoothest using a blender. you want it to be as smooth and emulsified as you can get it!

next, slice your tempeh into 1 inch cubes (this can be roughly done, just make them bite size!). heat a medium to large skillet over medium heat (large enough for all the tempeh cubes to touch the bottom) and add the coconut oil once the pan is hot. when your oil is hot, add your tempeh and pan fry, slowly rotating each cube as they brown. if the tempeh soaks up all your oil, add a little more to prevent sticking. once the tempeh is golden on all sides, remove the pan from heat. 

while the tempeh is cooking, prep your veggies (but make sure to check on the tempeh frequently!). remove the ribs from your kale leaves, and cut the leaves into small pieces. i like to use a chiffonade technique to do this, rolling the leaves and cutting them into thin strips (though not as thin as an actual chiffonade!). place just the kale in a big bowl, sprinkle it with a little salt, and start to massage the leaves with your hands until the leaves turn a darker green and look almost cooked. this friction will tenderize the leaves and make for a much more pleasant eating experience! 

next, prepare any other veggies you want to include in your salad. i often eat this with just the kale as a quick and nutritious meal, but thin slices of carrots or peppers are an awesome addition! just use whatever you have in the fridge! 

toss your additional veggies and dressing into the big bowl with the kale, stirring to combine. i like to start with a drizzle of dressing, and slowly add more to taste. everyone has a different preference when it comes to how dressed a salad is, and there is little worse than an overdressed salad! 

toss in your tempeh, and you're ready to eat! bing, bang, boom!