Easy Vegan Mug Cake

     Mug cakes are great for those late night cravings , or when you want a sweet treat but not the whole cake! Finding a good recipe can be tricky though. A lot of them can have an eggy taste..but not this one! There are no eggs in sight of this mug cake..and guess what? Its delicious!

Vegan Oatmeal "Pantry" Cookies

     Oatmeal cookies aren't usually everyone's favorite cookies.....that is, until now! These are not your basic, run of the mill oatmeal cookies! They are packed full of flavor, bursting with deliciousness....oh and their vegan, dairy and egg free! How cool is that!?

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

     Its hard not to love peanut butter cookies. They're gooey and crunchy, sweet and salty....a perfect balance! Peanut Butter cookies have always been a favorite in our house and we've tried several recipes, but by far this one is my favorite!

Vegan Apple Crumble Muffins - Recipe

Muffins are the perfect breakfast, snack or even dessert for just about anytime of the year! These muffins are full of fruity flavor, cinnamon-y spice, perfect sweetness and topped with a delicious crumble!

Vegan Puppy Chow

Puppy Chow or Muddy Buddies is the Perfect Holiday Treat!

     I don't know anything two things that go together as well as peanut butter and chocolate! Its a perfect blend of nuttiness, sweetness, and richness! Puppy Chow (or Muddy Buddies) pairs these two amazing ingredients together to make a delicious snack, treat or simple dessert for the holidays or anytime of the year!

     Who knew that 4 simple and easy-to-find items could come together to make such a delicious and addictive treat! I made these to take with us to our cousin's house and it was gone in a day! Thanksgiving weekend I made it for some different cousins and it was a huge hit! Needless to say, no matter where you bring it, who you serve it to, or how much you make, you probably won't have any leftover!

     This recipe is vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and super easy to make! Just make sure the chocolate chips and cereal you buy is dairy/egg/gluten free if you are worried about that!

Ingredients

12 cups Chex Mix Cereal (I have used both the corn and rice and both work well)

2 cups Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips

2 cups Peanut Butter

3-4 cups Powdered Sugar

     For this recipe I used Trader Joe's Semi-Sweet chocolate chips (they are dairy-free) and I have also used a brand from Kroger's Grocery Store. Just read the labels and you should be able to find a brand that works for you! Usually semi-sweet and darker are dairy-free!

    Start by pouring your cereal into a large bowl. I was lucky enough to have a huge bowl, but if you don't, just split the cereal between as many bowls as you need!

     Next, mix together the chocolate chips and peanut butter. If you are having trouble getting the peanut butter out of the container, try warming it in the microwave for a few seconds first!

     Melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until it melts completely and mixes together.

     Just give me a spoon and I could eat this whole bowl! I would probably have a huge stomach ache afterwards, but oh well! You only live once, right? :)

     Pour the melted chocolate/peanut butter mix over your cereal and use a spatula for large spoon to mix it until all of the cereal is coated.

     Then, add one cup of powdered sugar at a time, stirring in between, until all the cereal is fully coated by the sugar.

     And we are done! See how easy and simple that was? No heating up the kitchen with the oven, or slaving away for hours to have a delicious treat! Just writing this post makes me want to make more!

     Store it in an air-tight container for a few days.......if it really lasts that long! I know at our house it never lasts more than 24 hours!

     I really hope you try this recipe out and see how delicious and addictive it is! I know that you and your family will love it as much as my family and I do! Its the perfect thing to make for a holiday party, potluck, or snack! Pair it with some dairy-free ice cream, hot cocoa, or coffee and you have yourself a perfect dessert!

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I post every Friday! Check back every week for a new post on all things healthy living!

Stay healthy, happy and laughing!

Happy Holidays!

Hannah

Brownie Batter Balls

   Everyone loves brownies and brownie batter is almost as good (if not better!)! Its gooey, sweet, and most importantly, chocolate! You can never go wrong with chocolate and you can never have to much of it! Finding new ways to have chocolate is always fun, and finding a healthy way to have chocolate is even better!

     Dates are a fairly new food in my diet. I had never really heard of them or tried them up until a few months ago, but now I don't know how I lived without them! They are super sweet, creamy, gooey and delicious! Add some cocoa powder and some coconut to the mix and you have yourself a winner!

     These Brownie Batter Date Balls are going to become a favorite of anyone who loves chocolate, brownies, and yummy snacks! They are completely vegan, dairy-free, oil-free, gluten-free( as long as you have gluten free oats) and refined sugar free! Also, they are super amazingly delicious and I want to eat the whole batch right now!


Ingredients:
12-13 Mejool dates, pitted
2 TBS Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup Rolled Oats
1 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1/2 cup Shredded Coconut ( Sweetened or Unsweetened is fine!)

Start by pitting your dates and adding them to a food processor.

Process them until you get a creamy texture. You might need to add some warm water a TBS at a time if your dates were on the dry side.

Not a very pretty picture, but we'll change by adding in the cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and oats. Processes until well combined and the oats are a chopped up a bit.

And there is your brownie batter dough! Taste it to make sure its good! :) Then pour your coconut into a bowl, ready for rolling.

 

Then start rolling your dough into balls. You can make them as big or as small as you like! I got around 16 in my batch. If the dough is sticking your hands, dip your hands in some water every once in a while. This will prevent the sticking!

 

 

And there you go! Healthy Brownie Batter Date Balls! Let them sit in the fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm up a bit before snacking on! Store them in the fridge to keep them fresh longer!

 

 

Not only are these little treats delicious but they are packed full of fiber, protein, and healthy fats! Perfect for a snack or little dessert to satisfy a sweet tooth! Make them for yourself or share them with your friends and family. You will suddenly become very popular! :)

 

 

If you make this recipe, please let me know what you thought! I hope you like this post and it has given you inspiration to live a healthier lifestyle!

 

Please share this recipe and my blog with your friends and family to spread the love of healthy living!

 

You can follow the blog via email, Google, Twitter @ SpinachisGood, Tumblr @ justrunningforfood, Pinterest @ Hannah Plunkett, and on Instagram @ the_vegan_runner. Follow on social media for more Spinachisgoodforyou content!

 

I post every Friday!

 

Stay Healthy, Happy, and Laughing!

H. Banana

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Muffins

Chocolate and peanut butter is a match made in heaven in these muffins! They are the perfect blend of the rich cocoa and nutty peanut butter flavors. Even though they have bold flavors, the muffins are light and fluffy for a great, healthy breakfast, snack or dessert!

The other day Mom was wanting some muffins for breakfast the following morning, and like usual I jumped to make some for her! They problem was that there are so many flavor combos to chose from! How do you chose between apple and cinnamon, lemon and blueberry, oatmeal raisin, etc. ? My family loves chocolate  no matter what, and peanut butter is a great partner for it, so I went with that and the result was pretty delicious , if I do say so myself!

So, let's get on with the recipe, shall we?

Ingredients:
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1/2 cup Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Honey
1 Egg
1/2 cup Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
1/3 cup PB2 ( You can also just use regular peanut butter and use a little less coconut oil.)

Preheat your oven to 400 F. Beat together the honey and coconut oil. You want the oil to be soft but not liquid. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Next, add the yogurt, almond milk, vanilla and flours. Mix until combined. Add in the baking powder, salt, and baking soda along with the cocoa powder and PB2(or regular peanut butter if that is what you're using). Mix this together until the mixture is lump free and smooth.  Grease or line a muffin tin and spoon in the batter. I filled mine about 3/4 of the way full. This is enough for 12 muffins. Bake for 15 mins. or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 10 mins. and then remove them and let them completely cool on a wire rack.

These muffins smell so good while baking and they taste just as delicious! Enjoy them for breakfast with some fresh fruit, as a snack or even a dessert! They are the perfect thing to grab for a quick bite to eat, or enjoying with a nice cup of coffee!

You can also make a pile of mini muffins like I did here! They are perfect for little hands and they're super cute!

I hope you enjoy this post, and if you make these muffins, please let me know what you think! Share this post with a friend and don't forget to check back for more healthy recipes like this one!

Keep healthy and Safe!
H.Banana

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