Great Dane Inner Warmth Stew

The Great Dane is a Madison institution both for its delicious brews and its fantastic food. Although my tastes tend toward the carnivorous when I'm dining out, it's also a fantastic place to eat vegetarian if you're so inclined. I can't recall a dish of the herbivorous or omnivorous variety that I've been disappointed with. My home cooking trends toward the plant-centered, so I couldn't pass up trying out a recipe from a favorite restaurant when my CSA farm suggested it in one of the latest newsletters.

There's no ingredients in this dish that's unexpected, but they just couldn't make a better family of flavors. This stew is both boldly garlic-y and ginger-y, bought into silky harmony with squash and tomatoes by the rich and creamy peanut butter. Timid taste buds may want to stop there, but I can't resist heating with up with generous amounts of spicy peppers or hot sauce, cooled perfectly by tangy yogurt and fresh cilantro. This is great on its own, over rice, or scooped up by naan or pita, a wonderfully satisfying vegetarian main even for the meat-eating set. Accompanied by a starch, this recipe fills four bellies generously, but can easily be scaled up to feed a ravenous (holiday?) crowd.

Great Dane Inner Warmth Stew
adapted from Crossroads Community Farm
serves 4

¼ cup of olive oil
½ of a medium onion diced
4 tbsp minced garlic
4 tbsp minced ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
16 ounce tomato juice or one 8-ounce can tomato sauce plus 8 ounces water
14.5 ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1-1 ½ pounds squash such as acorn or butternut, peeled and cubed into 2″ pieces
½ cup of peanut butter
Hot peppers, optional
½ bunch of cilantro chopped, plus more for serving
Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Hot sauce, for serving (optional)

1. Sauté onions, garlic, ginger, black pepper and squash in oil until they start to soften.

2. Add tomato juice, tomato strips and salt.Simmer until the squash is tender. Add peanut butterand hot peppers, if using. Mix well and simmer until a thick stew is formed.

3. Serve over steamed rice with additional cilantro, yogurt, and hot sauce, if desired.

Cold Veggie Noodle Salad with Creamy Peanut Sauce

Although this recipe is extremely portable, I made it when I actually had time to prepare myself a lunch right before eating it. With a little time off from work over the 4th of July holiday, I took the time to treat myself. Part of that indulgence was grilling some ribs and ordering pizza, but I also took the time to make myself healthy and delicious lunches that felt like treats in themselves and loaded my body with enough nutrients to withstand the caloric onslaught to come. I love Asian-inspired noodle bowls partly for the wonderful palate of flavors they draw from but also because you can throw in almost any veggie, a particular asset when the farmers' market is overflowing. I used bell peppers, scallions, cucumbers, and carrots, eagerly gathering up little bits of a host of vegetables in my fridge, but I was most happy with my use of broccoli stems. They occasionally get made into slaws, but that delicious part of the plant all too often goes to waste when they merely need to have their tough outer peel removed. This garden bounty is accompanied by simple peanut sauce that strikes a masterful balance of richness, acidity, and spiciness, generously flavoring the fresh vegetables and nutty whole wheat noodles without burying them. Whether it's a leisurely day at home or you need to pack a meal-on-the-go, this meal will satisfy your needs in delicious and nutritious fashion.

Cold Veggie Noodle Salad with Creamy Peanut Sauce
adapted from The Kitchn
serves 1 to 2

3 ounces whole wheat linguine or Chinese wheat noodles, rice noodles, or udon noodles
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
3/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)

4 ounces mixed vegetables, cut into matchsticks (carrots, bell peppers, scallions, cucumbers, broccoli stems, etc.)
2 tablespoons roughly chopped roasted salted peanuts, divided
Cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and Sriracha, for garnish

1. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking broth before straining. Run the noodles under cold water and shake to remove excess liquid before returning them to the empty pot.

2. In another bowl, combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and 1 tablespoonshot cooking broth and whisk vigorously until mixed. (It will be quite thick.) Toss the peanut sauce with the noodles until coated. Stir in additional hot cooking broth — a few splashes at a time — until the dish is smooth and creamy. (You will probably not need all of the reserved broth.) Taste and season with red pepper, additional soy sauce, and rice vinegar if desired.

3. Fold in 2/3 of the veggies and half of the peanuts. Transfer noodles to serving dish and garnish with remaining veggies and peanuts. Garnish with cilantro leaves, lime wedges, and Sriracha, if desired. This can be served warm, cold, or at room temperature.

Peanut Butter and Cacao Nib Quinoa Cookies

There's not all that big a gap between granola bars and healthy cookies, so I've decided to transfer my DIY granola bar efforts to back to healthy cookies. A quick search for healthy cookie recipes reveals myriad sources, but these quinoa cookies immediately stood out to me since I had just purchased a bag of cacao nibs. Cacao nibs are raw, unsweetened chocolate, so if you're looking for a Hershey bar fix, they are not the snack for you. But if you blend them with rich nut butter and coconut, sweet honey, and whole grains, they come out tasting like a peanut butter version of a Mounds bar with a nutritional bonus. They bake low and slow, drying out just slightly to help bind all the ingredients together and end up much like a no-bake cookie. I made a full batch and froze the extras, and although I ate most at room temperature, these cookies are a wonderful warm weather treat when still slightly frozen. A couple of these portable little nuggets are packed with enough whole grains, protein, and healthy fats to fuel you for a few hours on a long hike, but are also the perfect way treat yourself with zero guilt.

Peanut Butter and Cacao Nib Quinoa Cookies

adapted from Shape

makes about 24 cookies

2 c. cooked quinoa, cooled
1/2 c. natural salted peanut or almond butter
1/3 c. raw honey
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. dried, unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 c. raw cacao nibs

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Flatten tablespoons of the mixture onto parchment paper and bake for approximately one hour.

Peanut Butter Victory Bars

Sometimes my do-it-yourself attitude can get a little exhausting. Most of the time I love my devotion to doing things myself, especially when it comes to cooking from scratch, but sometimes I'm so busy and exhausted I just want to throw up my hands and buy what I need. And I almost did with these granola bars. After spending the entire weekend working outside and running errands, I was very close to abandoning my Sunday afternoon snack-making plan. Now that I've tasted this delicious granola bars, I can't believe I almost missed out on these super-easy and almost no-bake bars. For just the time to it takes to mix a couple of bowls of ingredients together and then combine them, I was rewarded with two weeks of scrumptious work snacks. 

In my opinion, there's practically no way to go wrong with peanut butter and honey, and this perfect pair blends all my other nutritious ingredients together in a perfect balance of richness and sweetness. They perhaps have a bit more sugar that I'd typically go for in an AM snack, but at least I'm treating myself with plenty of whole grains, nuts, and omega-3s in the mix as well. For an extra-special touch, spread a thin layer of melted dark chocolate over the bars before putting them in the fridge. 

Peanut Butter Victory Bars

adapted from CHOW

makes 10 bars

Oil, for coating the pan
1 1/2 cups crispy brown rice cereal
1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
2 tablespoons unsweetened, untoasted, dried coconut flakes
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1/2 cup honey or brown rice syrup
3 tablespoons natural smooth unsalted peanut or almond butter
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 plus 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with butter; set aside.

2. Place rice cereal, oats, almonds, wheat germ, coconut, and flax seed meal on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with your hands to combine, and spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring halfway through, until almonds are light golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.

3. Place rice syrup or honey, peanut or almond butter, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until mixture is combined and brown sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat, immediately add cereal mixture, and stir until combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking pan and, using a spoon, spread it evenly, pushing it into the corners.

4. When the mixture is cool enough to handle but is still warm, evenly and firmly press it into the pan with your hands. Place it in the refrigerator until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

5. Remove the nutty oat slab from the pan (you may need to run a knife around the perimeter to loosen it). Cut it in half to form two rectangles, then cut each rectangle width-wise into 5 bars to form 10 bars total. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks; let frozen bars come to room temperature before eating.

Superseed Bar

I'm no paragon of health and fitness, but even still I have a few coworkers who like to give me crap about my healthy diet. Although it wasn't always the case, I have no problem passing up the many mass-produced "treats" that show up at my workplace on a regular basis. There is a time I would have just mindlessly chowed down, but now I actually far prefer foods like this snack bar, which satisfies my sweet tooth (and chocolate tooth!) but is still packed with whole grains, nuts, and seeds. I love the deep chocolate flavor with only a mild sweetness, allowing the nuances of the chocolate flavor to shine without being buried in saccharinity. Given my propensity for making granola and granola bars I always have lots of nuts and seeds in my pantry, but feel free to swap in whatever you'd like for what I have listed here. These bars are dense bites of energy, and although I used them to fuel my all-too-stationary laboratory workday, they would be perfect to take along on a hike, bike ride, or canoe trip. To form perfect squares I used my individual brownie pan, but I've included the original directions for shaping and cutting the bars since it's an uncommon piece of bakeware. One batch makes enough work snacks for two weeks and the extras hold up splendidly in the freezer. With spring fully in swing and dreams of spending the days outside a reality, a few minutes in the kitchen aren't too much to ask to fuel up for the day.

Superseed Bar
adapted from CHOW
makes 10 bars

Oil, for coating the pan
1 1/2 cups crispy brown rice cereal
1/2 cup raw sliced almonds
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw wheat germ
2 tablespoons whole sesame or chia seeds
2 tablespoons flax seed meal
1 cup dried Medjool dates (about 6 ounces), pitted
1/4 cup natural smooth unsalted peanut or almond butter
1/4 cup honey or brown rice syrup
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup high quality natural unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with butter; set aside.

2. Place rice cereal, almonds, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sesame or chia seeds, and flax seed meal on a rimmed baking sheet, toss with your hands to combine, and spread in an even layer. Bake, stirring halfway through, until almonds are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

3. Place cereal mixture in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse until the mixture is broken up and the largest pieces are about the size of uncooked grains of rice, about 5 (1-second) pulses. Transfer to a medium bowl; set aside.

4. Place dates in the food processor and process until finely chopped and a ball forms, about 15 seconds; set aside.

5. Place peanut butter, honey rice syrup, salt, and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until mixture is combined and runs like slow-moving lava, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, immediately add reserved dates and cocoa powder, and, using a wooden spoon, stir, smashing down on the dates, until well combined and no streaks of cocoa remain. Add reserved cereal mixture and stir, pressing as you do, until evenly combined. (This takes some muscle and time, about 5 minutes.) Transfer to the prepared baking pan and, using your hands, spread and firmly press the mixture into the pan. Let cool completely.

6. Remove the date-seed slab from the pan. Cut it in half to form two rectangles, then cut each rectangle widthwise into 5 bars to form 10 bars total. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 weeks; let frozen bars come to room temperature before eating.

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque

With very few exceptions, sweet potatoes are better than potatoes in my book. Not only do sweet potatoes nail the savory options, they also get to participate in the worlds of sweets and baked goods, a feat potatoes don't dare fathom. When presented with the option, I'll always choose the sweet potato option for fries, hashes or almost any other dish you can think of. And if presented with a potato soup or sweet potato soup, I'll choose the sweet potato option. Sweet potatoes can take on many flavors that potatoes can't, like the rich and creamy peanut butter that features so prominently in this soup. The sweet potato and peanut combination has a distinctly African feel to me, creating a heartiness than feels appropriate even in the warmer months. That deep comfort is contrasted perfectly by the spice of the chiles, brightness of the garlic and ginger, and freshness of the cilantro. I love these bold flavors in my food, but you may want to hold back on the chiles and cilantro for those with less adventurous palates or those you're slowly trying to introduce to a wider experience of flavor. Although unintentional on my part, this recipe has the added bonus of being both vegan and gluten-free, allowing you to accommodate adventurous eaters with all sorts of dietary restrictions (my apologies to those with peanut allergies) in fabulous fashion.

Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque
adapted from Eating Well
serves 2

1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1/4 cup diced green chiles (about half of a 4-ounce can)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (10-12 ounces total), peeled and diced
3 cups reduced-sodium tomato-vegetable juice blend or tomato juice
1 cup vegetable broth or water, plus additional for thinning
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (optional)
Chopped salted peanuts, for garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over mediumheat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until it just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chiles, and allspice and cook, stirring, until mixture is fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add diced sweet potatoes to the pot and stir to thoroughly coat with the onion mixture. Add tomato juice and water and bring mixture to a simmer. Cook, covered, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove pot from heat, add peanut butter, and stir. Puree with an immersion blender to desired consistency, thiining the bisque with additional broth or water, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, if desired.

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

After how much I enjoyed Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars from America's Test Kitchen, I felt it only natural to try out the chewy version. While this recipe requires a bit more finesse because you're making a caramel to bind the bars together, it is most assuredly worth the effort. A candy thermometer makes the process a lot easier, but I still think it's best to judge when the caramel is done by smell and appearance. Caramel can go from beautifully caramelized to irrecoverably burnt in just a moment, so it's critical to pay close attention, especially in the final stages. But if you trust yourself and have enough patience, you'll be rewarded with a big pan of chewy, sweet, salty, and healthy granola bars. I've been happily munching away on these for a few weeks now, and even though the extras I froze don't have quite as delightful texture as freshly prepared ones, all the flavor is still there. If you've got a bit of extra time this weekend, I hope you'll take the opportunity to whip up a big batch of these delicious granola bars for healthy snacks at your fingertips any time.

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
makes 16 bars

2/3 cup unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups (6 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups Multigrain Cheerios
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup water
1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter

1. Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with an aluminum foil sling and coat lightly with vegetable oil spray. Toast the peanuts and pumpkin seeds in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and golgen brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the toasted nuts and seeds to a large bowl.

2. Add the butter to the skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in the oats and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the toasted oats to the bowl with the toasted nuts and seeds and stir in the Cheerios and salt.

3. Pour the water into a clean heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Pour the sugar into the center of the pan (don't let it hit the pan sides) and gently stir with a clean heatproof spatula to wet it throroughly.

4. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, without stirring, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the caramel has a faint golden color (about 300 degrees on a candy thermometer), 4 to 8 minutes.

5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring only as needed, until the caramel has a dark amber color (about 350 degrees on a candy thermometer), 1 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the half-and-half (the caramel with steam and bubble vigorously) until smooth and just barely bubbling, 30 to 60 seconds. Whisk in the vanilla and peanut butter.

6. Working quickly, stir the hot caramel into the nut-oat mixture until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and pack very firmly into an even layer. Let the granola cool completely, about 30 minutes. Remove the granola from the pan using the foil, cut into 16 bars, and serve.

Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

About a month ago, I found my new favorite snack. And just last weekend, I found my new second favorite snack. Although I'm not at all surprised that the gods of precision cooking at America's Test Kitchen have created this fantastic recipe, I just can't get enough of these delicious granola bars. The best way I can describe them is like Nature Valley peanut butter crunchy granola bars, but much better. When I'm short on time, I won't hesitate to reach for one of the Nature Valley variety, but if I can spare an hour or so, I'll be going straight for this recipe. Just one batch of these granola bars will provide me with enough mid-morning work snacks for a couple of weeks (if I don't have to share), which is well worth the couple of minutes invested for each. These granola bars are just the right combination of saltiness and sweetness, with each carefully chosen ingredient contributing something to these perfect little squares of happiness. Once I finish making my way through this initial batch, I already have plans to swap out the almonds for the peanuts and almond butter for the peanut butter for what I think will be a different, but equally tasty, riff on these granola bars. That is, if I can resist the urge to try out their chewy granola bars first...

Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
from the America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook
makes 16 bars

3/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
3 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup honey
1/2 packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons peanut butter

1. Adjust an oven rack tot he middle position and heat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a 13 by 9-inch baking pan with an aluminum foil sling and coat lightly with vegetable oil spray.

2. Toast the peanuts in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the oats and oil to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer the toasted oats to the bowl with the peanuts and stir in the salt.

3. Add the honey and brown sugar to the skillet and simmer gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, until sugar is fully dissolved, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and peanut butter.

4. Working quickly, stir the hot honey mixture into the peanut-oat mixture until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and pack very firmly into an oven layer. Bake the granola until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

5. Let the granola cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the dish using the foil and cut into 16 bars. Let the bars cool completely before serving.

Red Curry Peanut Noodles

I often get very specific food cravings, and I've had a cold peanut noodle bowl on my mind for a while, so I went searching for a recipe, thinking it might make a nice Packer snack to go with the NFC Championship game. It took a lot of self control to wait until 2:00pm to eat lunch for me, but along with a couple of mini spring rolls, this made a delicious accompaniment to the Packers defeat of the Bears. While these noodles are good, they aren't a standout dish in my mind, the lack of heat being one of the key reasons. But it is a good solid dish that is easy and quick to make, healthy, and makes great leftovers for lunch the following day. If I make this again, I'll add a minced jalapeno or Thai chile for heat and more vegetables because I prefer a higher vegetable to noodle ratio in my noodle dishes (although most restaurants and recipes don't agree). Peppers or broccoli would be excellent in this noodle bowl, as would tofu or grilled chicken. This is another one of these recipes I really love because it is so customizable and adaptable, so you can find a combination to please almost anyone.

Red Curry Peanut Noodles
from Food and Wine
serves 4

3/4 pound whole-wheat spaghetti
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/3 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed cilantro leaves
Kosher salt
1 cup mung bean sprouts (2 1/2 ounces)
2 scallions, white and green parts quartered and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 carrot, coarsely grated
1/3 cup salted, roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Lime wedges, for serving

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the spaghetti until it is al dente. Drain the spaghetti and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain very well.

2. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the peanut butter with the lime juice, red curry paste, stock and 1/4 cup of the cilantro leaves and puree. Season the sauce with salt.

3. In a large bowl, toss the spaghetti with the peanut sauce, bean sprouts, scallions and carrot until well coated. Season with salt. Transfer to bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro leaves and the peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Puree

While waiting for my parents to arrive for a visit last weekend, I saw the basis for this recipe on Five Ingredient Fix, a show on Food Network that can be either hit or miss with me. My ears definitely perked up when I heard this recipe because I had a bunch of bananas that needed to be used up and I'm always in the market for a healthy and easy-to-prepare dessert. It drove me nuts that she kept referring to this as ice cream, which I define by inclusion of milk/dairy (or milk substitute like soy, hemp, or almond milk, although I also don't think of that as real ice cream either), but it's also not quite technically a sorbet either. Whatever you call it, it's a pretty healthy and tasty dessert for all the banana lovers out there. I made the banana puree and froze it separately from the walnuts and chocolate chips so they could be incorporated according to each person's preference, but you could also stir them in after the banana, peanut butter, and honey are pureed together. While it isn't a substitute for Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream, this can definitely satisfy a craving for a frozen dessert and make for a sweet, but healthy, treat.

Frozen Peanut Butter Banana Puree
serves 3 to 4
adapted from Food Network

4 medium ripe bananas
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 to 2 tablespoons
Chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (optional)
Chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

1. Slice bananas into 1-inch pieces and freeze. Place frozen bananas chunks in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add peanut butter and honey and process until thoroughly combined. Serve immediately or freeze until ready to eat. Top with chocolate and enjoy!

Baked Apple and Peanut Butter Steel Cut Oats

I love steel cut oats, but they require significantly more time and effort to prepare than rolled oats or quick oats, so I don't have them very often. (If you've never had steel cut oats before, they are well worth the extra expense over rolled or quick oats.) I've considered making a big batch on the weekend and freezing the rest, but it's just not the same as a steaming bowl of oatmeal fresh off the stove. I was excited to find this recipe because not only was it for individual portions, but it cooks in the oven, freeing me up to make a mocha latte while my breakfast was cooking.

This stick-to-your-ribs breakfast is full of healthy ingredients, but delicious enough that I almost felt like I was getting away with eating a dessert for breakfast. The second I found this recipe my mind already began dreaming up other combinations, so you can be sure you'll see more recipes of this type from me soon. If you've made a New Year's resolution to eat healthier, this is a great recipe to kick off the new year.

Baked Apple and Peanut Butter Steel Cut Oats
from The Tasty Kitchen
serves 1

1/2 whole apple
1/4 cups steel cut oats
1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 pinch ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut apple into small pieces and place in the bottom of an individual-sized oven proof dish.

3. Pour steel cut oats over the apple, then pour milk over.

4. Bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and top with peanut butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Since we have enough leftover Barbecue Pork with Mop Sauce and Parmesan Potato Wedges for dinner tonight (and maybe lunch tomorrow too), I decided that I should dedicate my cooking efforts to a sweet treat, since we don't have any Cocoa Fudge Cookies left. Since I'd just made a chocolaty cookie, I knew I didn't anything with chocolate so I decided on peanut butter cookies, since I haven't made them in a long time and they're quick and delicious. I looked at couple peanut butter cookie recipes, but decided to go with my favorite from The Joy of Cooking because it had more peanut butter and less butter than other recipes, and I already know my husband and I adore these cookies. They are rich, crumbly, and wonderful.

Peanut Butter Cookies
from The Joy of Cooking

1.5 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 c. peanut butter (smooth or chunky)
1/2 t. vanilla

1. Whisk together flour and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together until well blended. Beat in egg, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture until blended.

3. Shape into 1-inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Press flat with a fork to form classic crosshatch pattern in the cookies. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let stand briefly, then remove to a rack to cool.