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no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars with rice krispies

Grandma’s Peanut Butter Bars

February 3, 2012 ·

In several posts I have talked about my grandma. I have shared about her love of baking (and her grandchildrens’ love of her baking!) I have shared one of her recipes. I have also shared that these Peanut Butter Bars are my favorite of her recipes, which is a bold statement considering all of her ‘Grandma Goodies’ were superb!

Many years before she died, my grandma wrote out several of her recipes and gifted recipe boxes to my brother and to me. I am so grateful she included the recipe for these bars. As a child, little did I realize how quick and easy these are to make. These delicious bars have a simple ingredient list and require no baking. A reason to love them even more!

If you’re looking for a last minute treat to whip together for the Super Bowl, these couldn’t be any easier. And your friends will love you!

Grandma’s Peanut Butter Bars

Easy, no-bake peanut butter bars made with Rice Krispies and topped with chocolate. This is one of my favorite recipes that my grandma used to make.

Yields: 16 bars

Ingredients

1 cup natural peanut butter, chunky
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar
1½ cups Rice Krispies cereal (or other puffed rice cereal)
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

In a large bowl, beat peanut butter and melted butter until fluffy.
Add powdered sugar, beating until blended.
By hand, stir in cereal.
Put mixture in 8" or 9" square baking pan and use waxed paper to press mixture to fill out pan. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Melt chocolate chips (in microwave or stovetop) and pour over peanut butter mixture. Spread until evenly covered. Refrigerate until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.

Filed Under: dessert, Favorites, gluten free, Recipes Tagged With: bars, cereal, chocolate, holiday, peanut butter, rice krispies, snack

healthy cheesy potato soup with broccoli

Lighter Cheesy Potato Soup with Broccoli

January 31, 2012 ·

So I just logged in to do a final proofread of this Cheesy Potato Soup recipe, and my post was gone. Blank. Nothing. It was my best post ever. It was witty and insightful, delivered a life-changing message – all. gone. Seriously folks…my mommy brain cannot recreate the greatness of that post, so I will simply cut to the chase and get to the real reason why you’re here…the soup!

Lighter Cheesy Potato Soup is one of the tastiest soups I’ve ever had and is also very easy to make. Win-win if you ask me! I decided to add some broccoli for color and to bump up the nutrition level. I also added more cheese than called for in the original recipe. For the love of cheese, it’s a ‘cheesy’ soup! We’re using reduced-fat cheese here, so this only adds 45 calories per serving. It is worth every bit, trust me.

The result is a light and healthy soup, filled with perfectly tender potatoes, vitamin-packed broccoli and calcium-rich cheese. Mike noted the consistency was just perfect for a cheese soup – not heavy, drips off the spoon nicely. I’d say this is a keeper for sure!

Lighter Cheesy Potato Soup with Broccoli

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups chopped red potato (about 1 pound)
3-4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 stalk)
1¼ cups skim milk (or 1%)
¾ cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
½ cup water
1 cup (4 ounces) reduced fat (2%) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons chopped green onions (optional)

Instructions

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring onion mixture constantly.
Add potato, broccoli, milk, broth and water to pan; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
Add cheese, cayenne pepper, cook 2 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat immediately once cheese has melted. Top each serving with chopped green onions, if desired.

Adapted from Cooking Light, Jan/Feb, 2012

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, Recipes, soup, vegetarian Tagged With: broccoli, cheddar, cheese, cooking light, easy, potatoes, quick

mixed green salad with roasted sweet potatoes and tangy yogurt dressing

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

January 17, 2012 ·

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes is all things good wrapped up in a salad. You have your roasted sweet potatoes and red onion, green beans and pepitas, all on a bed of red leaf lettuce and topped with a tangy yogurt dressing. Sound good? Umm..yeah, I thought so too! Mike and I don’t typically put dressing on our salads, but the first thing that he commented about this dish was ‘how good is that dressing!’ The dressing has some zip, so a little goes a long way. It goes perfectly with the sweetness of the roasted sweet potato and onion. There are so many yummy vegetables in this dish, I would happily eat it every day of the week.

I made a couple changes of note from the original recipe. First, I used nonfat Greek yogurt instead of low fat regular yogurt. The Greek yogurt adds a nice little protein boost, and frankly is what I always have on hand. I’m sure regular yogurt would work just fine. The other change I made was using pepitas, in lieu of walnuts, due to my tree nut allergy. Pepitas are always tasty and added a nice little crunch. However if you are a walnut fan, I suspect they would also be quite delicious in this dish. Frozen green beans worked really well, but I look forward to using fresh green beans when the season hits.

Mike and I were talking in terms of ‘next time we have this’…which tells me there will definitely be a next time. This salad is a keeper!

Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

3-4 cups sweet potato, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 red onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper
10 ounces frozen cut green beans, thawed (or 1½ cups green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces)
⅓ cup pepitas
½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 head (10 ounces) red leaf lettuce (or spinach or mixed greens)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Place sweet potato and onion on baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, approximately 30 minutes. Add green beans and pepitas and roast another 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, vinegar and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Place lettuce on bowl and top with sweet potato mixture. Drizzle dressing on as desired and serve.

Slightly adapted from Everyday Food Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, salad, vegetarian Tagged With: dressing, green beans, light, meatless monday, olive oil, onion, roasted, sweet potato, vegan, vegetable, yogurt

vegetarian black bean tortilla soup with corn that is vegan and gluten free

Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

January 12, 2012 ·

We have had the good fortune of enjoying unseasonably warm weather over the past few weeks, and it has been fabulous. In fact, I even considered firing up the grill. Of course a brisk, windy day, along with temperatures in the single digits, set me straight. I went back to craving wintery comfort foods, and this Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is the epitome of wintery comfort food. It’s warm, a little spicy and filled with vegetables.

From the original recipe, I used tomatoes with chiles, added more vegetables and increased the chili powder. This soup reheats beautifully, though over time the broth gets absorbed making it almost like a chili. I like it that way, but if you prefer your soup more soupy, I recommend adding some broth or water when reheating. Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans is a healthy and delicious soup, and perfect to enjoy this winter!

Chunky Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced (or grated)
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 cans (14½ ounces each) diced tomates with green chiles, including juices
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
4-6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
10 ounces frozen corn
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup crushed tortilla chips, plus more for serving (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
Add tomatoes (with juice), beans, broth, spinach and corn; season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add tortilla chips, cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice. Serve soup with lime wedges and more chips.

Notes

Adapted from Everyday Food Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, soup, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: beans, black beans, chili, corn, dinner, easy, garlic, lime, low fat, lunch, onion, quick, vegan

Apple Cheddar Frittata

November 1, 2011 ·

Since last week ended up being pumpkin week, I thought it would be fun to give a nod to another fall classic this week – the apple. I enjoy an apple for lunch nearly every day and love using them in new recipes. This Apple Cheddar Frittata was new to us and will definitely be making a recurring appearance. The sweetness of the apple pairs beautifully with the sharp cheddar and the red onion balances nicely with the two.

Mike told me this is the best frittata I have made yet, though I’m noticing a trend. He seems to say ‘this is the best yet’ with everything I make. Hmm… 🙂

Apple Cheddar Frittata
Yields 4 servings

1 medium red onion, sliced
Cooking spray
8 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
1 cup (4 ounces) white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon light butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large (or 2 small) Gala apples, thinly sliced (peeling is optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees with oven rack set to the top third.
In a medium nonstick ovensafe pan sprayed with cooking spray, cook red onions over medium heat until softened (about 7 minutes). Put the onions in a separate bowl and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg whites, 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in onions.
In the same pan used for the onions, heat butter over medium. Add egg mixture, and after 1 to 2 minutes once the eggs have set, arrange the apples on top in a circular pattern, starting from the outside edge. Sprinkle with remaining.
Transfer skillet to oven. Bake until frittata is set in the center, about 20 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, release frittata from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Let sit for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Filed Under: gluten free, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: apple, cheddar, cheese, easy, eggs, fall, frittata, onion

Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone

October 7, 2011 ·

Years ago, I aspired to make risotto for the first time. But I hesitated, because it was a little intimidating and seemed quite difficult. Coincidentially, around the same time, I happened to catch a cooking show about risotto. The chef explained step-by-step how to make it and alleviated any uncertainty I had. Armed with a recipe from Cooking Light, I was bound and determined to perfect the art of making risotto!

Fortunately, risotto was just as easy to make as the professionals on television led me to believe. Years later, we are still enjoying that same recipe, however since then I have incorporated a few changes to the original recipe. I swapped oregano for thyme, added lots of fresh spinach and used vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian dish.

While we enjoy this risotto as a vegetarian entree, it of course makes for a wonderful side dish. Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone is a household favorite, suitable for company, and a definite crowd pleaser.

Porcini Mushroom and Spinach Risotto with Mascarpone

Ingredients

1½ cups boiling water
½ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
14 ounces vegetable broth
Cooking spray
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice (or other short-grain rice)
¾ cup chopped shallots
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup white wine
¼ cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Combine boiling water and mushrooms; let stand for 10 minutes. Drain through colander over a bowl. Reserve 1¼ cups soaking liquid, and chop mushrooms.
In a small sauce pan, bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer (do not boil), keeping mixture warm over low heat.
Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots and garlic; saute 5 minutes, or until the rice gets browned and toasted.
Add wine and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture and cook until liquid is nearly absorbed (about 5 minutes); stirring frequently.
Add remaining broth mixture ½ cup at a time, stirring frequently, until each portion of the broth mixture is nearly absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
Remove pan from heat. Add mushrooms, cheeses, oregano, spinach, salt and pepper, stirring gently until combined and cheese melts. Serve warm.

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 4 servings

Adapted from Cooking Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, sides Tagged With: cheese, cooking light, dinner, italian, light, mascarpone, mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, rice, risotto, spinach

healthy chocolate peanut butter oat coconut bites

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

October 5, 2011 ·

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are an addictive, no-bake snack, made from simple ingredients found in your pantry.

It is no secret that I love peanut butter. So you can imagine my excitement when I was selected to participate in the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program with the National Peanut Board. The task was to create a snack recipe using peanut butter and incorporating other ingredients found in most homes. Easy enough!

I wanted to make something healthy, convenient and easy. I also wanted to make something with oats. It was time to roll up my sleeves, grab ingredients from the pantry and experiment.

healthy chocolate peanut butter oatmeal coconut bites

After adding a little here, a touch there,…voila! I finally got the results I was looking for, using simple wholesome ingredients found in my pantry.

This healthy snack could not be any easier to make. The recipe requires no baking; simply measure, mix, roll and chill. The mixture may seem a little dry at first, but as you continue to mix it comes together (or add a little more honey or peanut butter to moisten the mixture to a consistency that works for you). Rolling the balls in a coating as optional. It makes the balls a little less sticky on the fingers, and also is a fun way to vary the flavors, but it is not necessary.

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls are a healthy and delicious snack, or even a quick breakfast on-the-go, featuring one of my favorite foods of all time…peanut butter!

Healthy Peanut Butter Balls

Print

Yields: 16-18 balls

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter, natural is preferred (chunky or creamy)

2 tablespoons honey (or agave nectar)

1 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed or wheat germ

2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

cocoa powder, wheat germ, powdered sugar, chopped peanuts, (optional) – for coating

Instructions

Heat peanut butter and honey in the microwave until easily mixed, about 15-20 seconds. Stir until blended.

In a separate bowl, mix oats, flaxseed and coconut (if using) until combined.

Add peanut butter mixture to oat mixture and stir until incorporated. (Mixture may seem a little dry at first…just keep mixing).

Form a rounded tablespoonful of the combined mixture into a ball and place on a plate. Repeat until all mixture is used. Now, if you do not want to coat the balls, skip to step 6.

Roll each ball in whatever coating suits your preference. Cocoa powder, powdered sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon sugar and chopped peanuts are some ideas.

3.5.3251

Disclaimer: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program, I was provided with 2 jars of Planters peanut butter, from the National Peanut Board, for free. The details of my experience are exclusively my opinion, and I was not otherwise influenced or compensated.

Filed Under: dessert, gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, Popular, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: chocolate, coconut, flaxseed, honey, oats, peanut butter, product review, snack, tastemaker

Mushroom and Spinach Frittata with Smoked Gouda

August 17, 2011 ·

On Monday, I shared with you a summery dessert that uses 4 egg yolks. I also promised you a healthy way to use up those remaining egg whites. A promise is a promise! This Mushroom Spinach Frittata with Smoked Gouda uses exactly 4 egg whites. How is that for even-steven!

Now I’m not normally a ‘smoked’ fan, but smoked gouda is truly the perfect complement to the earthy mushrooms in this frittata. The spinach gives beautiful color and flavor to the dish as well. From the original recipe, I increased the onion and added garlic. To compensate for these additions, I increased the olive oil by 1 teaspoon.

The result is a delicious protein-packed veggie-filled dish that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a light dinner served with a side salad (saving room for Lime Tart for dessert, of course).

Mushroom and Spinach Frittata with Smoked Gouda

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
8 ounces sliced mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups packed baby spinach leaves
2 large eggs
4 large egg whites
½ cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese, divided
Pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, cook 2 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring frequently, until tender (approximately 5 minutes). Add spinach, cover and cook until wilted (1 minute).
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, ¼ cup cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture to egg mixture, mix well.
Pour mixture into cake pan and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese.
Bake 30 minutes or until eggs have set. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.

Nutrition Information per Serving (1/4 frittata)

Calories = 177 ~ Fat = 9.6g ~ Carbs = 8.8g ~ Fiber = 1.5g ~ Protein = 13.5g

Adapted from Health Magazine, March 2007

Filed Under: breakfast, gluten free, healthy, main dishes, Recipes, vegetarian Tagged With: cheese, eggs, frittata, mushrooms, spinach

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos

August 1, 2011 ·

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos are a delicious meatless taco recipe filled with black beans and vegetables. {gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, depending on toppings}

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos | alidaskitchen.com

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos are my favorite dish for meatless Monday, taco Tuesday or any day. They are fabulous! These tacos are made with mashed black beans, onions, peppers, chipotle peppers, spices, salsa, some broth, and then topped with any of your favorite taco toppings. The taco filling reheats well, and I often enjoy leftovers for lunches throughout the week (that is if there are any leftovers).

These Chipotle Black Bean Tacos can be vegan and gluten free, depending on the tortillas and/or toppings. I enjoy them as a vegetarian options, since I like to add a bit of cheese. The taco filling reheats well, and I often enjoy leftovers for lunches throughout the week (that is if there are any leftovers).

Chipotle Black Bean Tacos

Author: Alida Fischbach

Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
⅓ cup vegetable broth
2 15 ounce cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup salsa
6 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
Topping ideas for serving: spinach or lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt or sour cream, chopped green onions, salsa

Instructions

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and peppers to pan and saute for 3-5 minutes, until crisp-tender.
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and chipotle chilis, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat until medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, until mixture has thickened.
Remove from heat and stir in salsa. Mash lightly using a potato masher (or fork).
Stack tortillas, wrap in damp paper towel and microwave for 45-60 seconds.
Serve ⅓ cup filling for each tortilla along with desired toppings.

Notes

Adapted from Pink Parsley, originally from Cooking Light

Filed Under: gluten free, healthy, kid-friendly, main dishes, Recipes, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: beans, black beans, dinner, easy, Mexican, quick, vegan, vegetable

Grilled Chicken Caprese

July 29, 2011 ·

Happy Friday everyone! I hate to the be the bearer of bad news, but can you believe the end of July is upon us? Summer is whizzing by in the blink of an eye. We are trying to take advantage of all that summer has to offer, though a few activities still remain on our ‘to do’ list. On the other hand, we certainly are taking every opportunity to grill (something we did not do once last summer, back when I was still working, and we were stuck in our pizza/pasta/p’eggs routine).

In any case, we are having a great summer here at Alida’s Kitchen, and I hope you are too!

After making Herbed-Grilled Tomatoes, I developed an appreciation for the delicious flavor of grilled tomatoes. So when I saw a Caprese Chicken recipe that grilled the chicken AND the tomatoes, it went on my ‘must make’ list immediately!

Grilled Chicken Caprese is a simple weeknight (or quick weekend meal) that takes little effort and yields an impressive result. First you make the marinade. Then marinate slices of the fresh mozzarella (yum!). While the cheese is marinating, you grill the tomato slices and chicken cutlets, which takes about 5 minutes. Last, simply put everything together, let it sit a little bit if you can, and then eat!

The result is a delicious Caprese-inspired grilled chicken dish that is quick and easy to make. The original recipe states it takes 30 minutes, which sounds about right…but that includes eating time! 🙂 Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

Grilled Chicken Caprese
Yields 4 servings

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vingar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/4-inch slices, halved and patted
4 chicken breast cutlets (or butterflied chicken breast halves)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
8 tomato slices (2-3 tomatoes), cored and cut into 1/2-inch slices

Make marinade/dressing: whisk together basil, vinegar, garlic and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to your taste preference.
Take 2 tablespoons of the marinade and pour over mozzarella slices, turning the slices to make sure cheese is coated. Set aside.
Pat chicken dry and then drizzle about a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil on each side of chicken cutlet and season with pepper.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat and spray grates with cooking spray or rub with oil.
Grill chicken and tomatoes until chicken is thoroughly cooked and browned and tomatoes are slighly charred (about 2 minutes per side).
Transfer chicken to platter and top each cutlet with 2 tomato slices. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and top with mozzarella. Cover with an inverted plate or tented foil and let sit for 5 minutes (up to 10 minutes, if you can wait that long). Serve.

Adapted from Cook’s Country, August/September, 2011