Chow Vegan

After a prolonged hunt for Cleo’s Peanut Butter Cups and a comment about making homemade ones from Jes over at Eating Appalachia (one of my favorite blogs), I turned the kitchen into a little candy workshop.

Ever since I made the Chocolate Candy Cups from Raw for Dessert by Jennifer Cornbleet, I like the raw version of chocolate better than regular candy chocolate. And since I’m making my own, I also tried other nut butters.

And not just any ol’ nut butter but Justin’s Chocolate Hazelnut Butter and Maple Almond Butter. They’re both really good on their own but super good inside of a chocolate covering.

Easy enough to make but sadly, I had a casualty early on. I had filled the silicone cups to the brim. On some of them, I had a heck of a time popping the candy cup out. I stupidly used a knife and accidentally sliced one of the silicone cups in half. It was a blue one. I would not recommend this method of extraction.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
Makes about 16 candy cups
Adapted from the Chocolate Candy Cups recipe in Raw for Dessert

4 large medjool dates
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil, melted
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup barley syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
Peanut butter or other nut butter (chilled for easier handling)

Pit and chop the dates, place in a bowl. Add the coconut oil and soak for 30 minutes.

In a blender or food processor, add the soaked dates, cocoa powder, maple syrup, barley syrup and salt. Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary.

Set out 16 silicone or foil baking cups on plates or a baking pan. It’s easiest to put the chocolate mixture into a sandwich baggie and cut off a bottom corner. Pipe the bottom layer of chocolate into each of the cups.

Place a hunk of peanut butter or other nut butter in the middle of each cup. Try not to have the peanut butter touch the sides, you’ll want the chocolate to enclose the peanut butter. Pipe the chocolate on top to cover but do not fill to the brim.

Chill the cups in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator where they’ll keep for a few days.

Disclosure: This post contains an Amazon link, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

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Cleo’s Peanut Butter Cups
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For the last couple of years, I’ve managed to find something new and different to try for my holiday meal. It’s usually some sort of heat-and-eat thing as the kitchen as always busy.

Last year it was Gardein Savory Stuffed Turk’y, the year before it was Smoked Vegetarian Goose from Sogo Tofu, a small, local deli/shop that makes all sorts of vegetarian meat and soy products in San Jose.

This year I swung by Sogo Tofu and picked up gluten rolls that look vaguely like roasted chicken. They don’t particularly taste like poultry but they do have a nice flavor and a firm, chewy texture.

I prefer the gluten rolls to any of the store bought stuff, probably because it’s freshly made and closer to something homemade (if you knew how to make those sorts of things). Still, I’m thankful that there are so many yummy and easy options nowadays. And extra thankful for all of you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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With the end of fresh summer fruits, I’ve been wondering what to put on top of my oatmeal. I can’t eat it plain. I had heard about savory oatmeal being similar to jook (also known as congee or rice porridge), and with cooler weather finally setting in, it’s time to give it a whirl.

But it’s going to have to be something very simple, super quick, and easy enough make half-awake. I’m thinking leftovers.

I had extra roasted trumpet mushrooms and carrots. There was red potatoes too but I ate them while waiting for the oatmeal to cook. It wasn’t even a long wait – 8 minutes, using Trader Joe’s Quick Cook Steel Cut Oats.

Warm and tasty for wintery mornings, savory oatmeal beats out the sweet version, at least until summer rolls around again. I’m already thinking ahead to other toppings like leftover Chinese take-out, especially those dishes with a lot of sauce. Savory oatmeal with Kung Pao Tofu, anyone?

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Welcome to Chow Vegan! Now serving for an unlimited time, the Veggie McRiblet.

A MorningStar Farms hickory BBQ veggie riblet in a sweet and smoky sauce on a lightly toasted, freshly baked vegan hoagie roll from Zest Bakery. Topped with sautéed onions and bread n’ butter pickles that cover the entire riblet (not just the stingy two you normally get at other places).

Substitutions available, swap out the veggie riblet for another sort of patty. Of course, it wouldn’t be a vegan McRib anymore. But it’s really the flavor combination of the BBQ sauce with the onions and pickles on a bun that makes the sandwich so tasty.

Extra napkins upon request. Thank you and please come again.

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DIY Vegan Japadog

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