Foodie Friday: White Chocolate Peppermint Peanut Butter Cups {Giveaway}

Every year for the holidays, I make my “famous” peanut butter cups. It all started when my mom found a recipe 100 years ago [ok, maybe 20 years ago.. holy crap, has it been that long?!] and we decided to try them out for Thanksgiving. I mean, come on. It’s chocolate and peanut butter.. what could be bad? Over the years, I’ve continued to make them for Thanksgiving, New Years, and sometimes other occasions too.

My peanut butter cups have become more and more refined. I’ve tried adding a bit of sea salt and cinnamon to the tops, some extra chocolate and PB chips, I’ve swapped out the milk chocolate for dark, and the list goes on. When Peanut Butter & Co. contacted me about creating a recipe with their peanut butter and some candy canes, I knew exactly what I wanted to make.

White Chocolate Peppermint Peanut Butter Cups

Makes 12 cups

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp white chocolate chips
• 3 candy canes
• 3-4 tbsp Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful

Will also need 12 mini muffin cups.

Directions

1. Place your candy canes into a blender or food processor and blend until they’re in very small pieces—almost dust!
2. In a small microwave-safe bowl, add 1/4 cup white chocolate chips and microwave for 30 seconds. Give it a mix and microwave for another 10-15 seconds. Mix again and add additional 2 tbsp of white chocolate chips and about 1/3 of the crushed candy canes. Mix well until all of the chips are melted.
3. Spoon about 1/2 tbsp of the white chocolate peppermint mix into the bottom of each of the cups. Shake to flatten and place in the freezer to setup.
4. While the first layer is cooler, in another small microwave-safe bowl, add 2 tbsp White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter and microwave 10-15 seconds until the peanut butter is melty.
5. Take the cups out of the freezer and carefully spoon on layer of peanut butter on top, doing your best to not let it touch any edges! Place the cups back in the freezer.
6. Once the peanut butter sets up, repeat with another layer of peanut butter, sprinkle with a pinch of your peppermint dust, and place back in the freezer.
7. Melt your remaining white chocolate and add in another 1/3 of the peppermint dust.
8. Spoon your white chocolate peppermint mix on top of the peanut butter layers and sprinkle with even more peppermint. Place back in the freezer and let the cups setup completely.

To store, keep the cups in the fridge so they don’t get too soft. When you’re ready to serve, remove the cups from the fridge and let them warm up for about 5 minutes. I promise you, these peanut butter cups won’t last long!

Giveaway Time!

Want to win a jar of the White Chocolate Wonderful AND the Old Fashioned Crunchy? Click here to enter the giveaway today!

Food for Thought

What would you make with the 2 jars of peanut butter?

Minty Irish Powerballs

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I had to take advantage and make something green. And because my original powerballs were such a hit [read: gone in an instant], why not play with that recipe? These new “Irish” powerballs are fun and delicious.

Makes 15 balls

Ingredients
– 1/3 cup homemade cashew butter [I chose cashew butter over other nut butters because of the lighter flavor, but any nut butter will work!]
– 1 tbsp coconut oil*
– 1/3 cup rolled oats
– 3 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
– 1 tbsp ground flax*
– 1 tbsp chia seed*
– 1 tbsp hemp seed*
– 2 tbsp cacao nibs
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/4 tsp mint extract [adjust according to taste]
– 30 drops green food coloring

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Directions
Scoop cashew butter and coconut oil into a medium bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Add your green food coloring to this mixture and mix until fully incorporated. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined. Refrigerate the mix for 10-15 minutes until it hardens up a bit. This will make it easier to roll the balls.

After refrigerating, measure out 1 tbsp per ball and roll to shape. Store in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer and hide from everyone else in the house 😉

Nutritional Information
Per 1 tbsp powerball

117 Calories  /  9g Fat  /  6g Carbs  /  2g Fiber  /  1g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Food for Thought

Do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Do you have any favorite St. Patty’s Day foods?

What I Ate Wednesday #37: Powerbowl A Day Challenge

I think I’m beginning to see the end in sight! Weekend wedding errands have slowed down and the little pieces are finally falling into place. It’s such a relief to know that all of this crazy is, in fact, coming together. It’s going to be an awesome wedding, if I do say so myself!

In the meantime, last week finished up another #plantPOWER challenge hosted by the wonderful Kasey of Powercakes and Heather of For the Love of Kale. I really enjoyed this challenge the first time around, and while I didn’t participate quite as much this time, I enjoyed it just as much. It really has introduced me to so many options in the world of plant-based food! And since Kasey can’t sit still ;), she’s started another challenge which I am equally in love with; Powerbowl a Day! This challenge just started on Monday, so there’s still plenty of time to join and I would highly recommend you do. [Don’t know what a powerbowl is? Check out Kasey’s tutorial!]

And it happens to go perfectly with this month’s WIAW theme.. go figure! 😉

[Breakfast]
Slimmed down sweet scramble.. gasp! But I do have a little surprise for you.. I’ve been topping my scrambles with homemade cashew butter. Look for the recipe this Foodie Friday!

[Lunch]
Powerbowl #1: spinach base with beets, green pepper, cucumber, carrots, tomato, 2 veggie patch falafel, 1/2 avocado, roasted garlic hummus, and baba ghanoush. It was awesome. And it was devoured!

[Dinner]
I was definitely feeling a big bowl of veggies for dinner so I knew a warm kale salad would be perfect! Enter powerbowl #2: kale base with sweet potato, roasted broccoli, beets, and Kasey’s creamy tahini nooch sauce. It was epic. And I had leftovers for lunch yesterday too!

[Snacks]
– Key lime pie greek yogurt [more green!!] with coconut.. I’m thinking tropical. Take me somewhere warm!
– Good N Natural Peanut Butter bar. I believe my tweet said something along the lines of “natural and SO good!” Thanks for the insight.. happens to be the name of the bar. Duh. But definitely check these out!
– Peanut butter. Yep. I mixed a little old fashioned smooth with a little white chocolate wonderful and popped it in the microwave for 10 seconds for dessert! I added a few blueberries and some dark and white chocolate chips too 🙂

Food for Thought

Are you a powerbowl eater? What are your favorite toppings?

Foodie Friday: National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day!

Let’s be honest, I celebrate peanut butter everyday. Personally, I think everyone should. Peanut butter is delicious and nutritious and should be a balance part of every diet; and by balanced, I mean feel free to replace meals with jars of peanut butter. [I wish I could!]

I want you to celebrate National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day the right way, so I’ve compiled a list of sweet and savory peanut butter recipes. Enjoy!

Sweet

Hail Merry Peanut Butter Coconut Banana Bites

Healthy Banana Peanut Butter Cups*

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake*

Peanut Butter Wonderful Powerballs

Sweet Potato Dippers

Savory

Buddha’s Feast with Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce*

Peanut Chili Baked Tofu*

Tilapia Stir-Fry with Chili Peanut Sauce*

And of course, don’t forget to top any of your favorite oatmeals or sweet scrambles with peanut butter. It’s just wrong not to! 😉

*These recipes were made using peanut flour, but you can substitute regular peanut butter.

Food for Thought

What is your number one go-to peanut butter? Do you prefer other nut or seed butters over peanut butter?

Foodie Friday: Superbowl Recipe Roundup & a Winner!

Are you ready for Superbowl Sunday?! You may not be as psyched as I am, but I guess that’s because my Ravens are playing!

Even before I knew they would be playing, I already started planning what I could make for the big game. Shocking, right? I knew I wanted to have some healthy options available and because the game is at 6:30pm, I also knew I didn’t just want snacky foods. So I started making a list..

Dips/Snacks

Beet / Walnut Dip [Healthy. Happy. Life.]
Clearly this one is happening. I mean, it’s pretty close to purple so that was a given. Not to mention, it sounds fantastic!

Spicy Sriracha White Bean Dip [White on Rice Couple]
I love this dip; it’s like a spicy hummus! I made it for a New Years Eve party and it was devoured.

Lemony Baked Feta Artichoke Dip [A Bubbly Life]
This looks like a fun twist on a regular spinach artichoke dip.

Cauliflower Bread Sticks [Mama Grubbs Grub]
At this point, many of you have seen the cauliflower pizza crust recipes going around. This is essentially the same idea, but just cut up into dippers. Perfect for a healthier option than a typical cheesy bread.

Proteins

Buffalo Chicken Rolls [Can You Stay for Dinner?]
A great option if you’re looking to do something outside of the normal wings n things.

Reuben Rolls
One of my must-makes from my Pinterest obsession. This might just be the weekend for them!

Butternut Squash & Chipotle Chili [Cookie + kate]
This is another definite. I’ve made this chili a few times before and absolutely love it. And you can’t go wrong with football and chili!

Peanut Butter & Co. Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Debbie, the lucky winner of the Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway!

Debbie says :
oh gosh. i have a serious peanut butter addiction and i actually haven’t tried this brand!
the dark chocolate dreams sounds AMAZING!!

Please email me at Brittany@BarrAndTable.com with your shipping address by Sunday, February 3rd at 11:59 PM EST to claim your prize!

Food for Thought

Are you making any special recipes this weekend for the big game?

What I Ate Wednesday #32: Groupon Date Night

Have you entered my Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway yet?

I don’t know about you, but for me, sometimes Groupon is wayyy off on their deals for months, and sometimes they’re spot on. For months. Which means we end up with a ton of deals! On Saturday, we decided to cash in. Impromptu date night courtesy of Groupon? Sure!

[Breakfast]
Oh, like you really expected to see something other than a sweet breakfast scramble? Of course, my lightened version of it..

I also snuck a Powerball before my workout 🙂 Have you tried them yet? So tasty!

[Lunch]
I had planned on meeting my brother at Panera and devouring another Power Chicken Hummus Bowl [so good!] from their hidden menu, but when I walked around the place for 10 minutes without finding a single seat open, I decided to hit the road!

Off to Cosi! I always like to pretend like I’ll try something new there, but their Asian Salmon Salad is so delicious that I just stick to that. Creature of habit? Me? 😉

[Dinner]
We braved the cold and headed out, Groupon in hand, to Blue Hill Tavern. We started off with some hot, fresh rolls. I snagged the walnut raisin before Nathan even had a chance! I was feeling awfully fancy so I ordered myself an elderflower white cosmopolitan. Sounds fancy, tasted like a cosmo.

Appetizer
Garde Manger – Chicken and pork terrine with spicy homemade ketchup & smoked duck breast with candied orange jam and walnut raisin crostini.

Entree
Seared blackened tuna with grilled baby bok choy, rice, and butternut squash puree. Do you see the size of those pieces of tuna?! Fabulous. I ate it all!

Nathan ordered a rabbit and dumpling stew. It was so full of flavor and definitely very filling! He was lucky enough to end up with some leftover.

Dessert
I really had no choice in the matter. It was being ordered whether I liked it or not! [Spoiler alert: I liked it!] Really though, what’s not to like about a cinnamon butter tart with homemade cinnamon ice cream? Exactly. There is nothing to not like!

[Snacks]
– Carrots & a Laughing Cow veggie wedge
– A piece of black bean powerbake mixed with some coconut peanut spread. It was heavenly!

Food for Thought

Do you make my purchases on Groupon or other similar websites?

Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Wonderful Powerballs

Have you entered my Peanut Butter & Co. giveaway yet?

Unfortunately, these are not the kinds of powerballs that will win you money. They are, however, delicious and nutritious! And rather addicting..

I knew I was going to have to come up with some fun recipes with my Peanut Butter & Co. treats, so why not make something that packs a little extra protein punch?

Peanut Butter Wonderful Powerballs

Makes 11 balls

Ingredients
– 1/4 cup White Chocolate Wonderful peanut butter
– 1 tbsp coconut oil*
– 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp rolled oats
– 3 tbsp Perfect Fit Protein
– 1 tbsp ground flax*
– 1 tbsp chia seed*
– 1 tbsp hemp seed*
– 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; toasted
– 1 tsp ground cinnamon
– 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Optional Mix-ins
– Dried fruit [raisins, cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, etc.]
– Chocolate chips
– Peanut butter chips

*These ingredients can be found on iHerb.com. Use code ZAF482 to receive $5 off of your first order.

Directions
Scoop peanut butter and coconut oil into a medium bowl and microwave for 20 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well until combined. Refrigerate the mix for 10-15 minutes until it hardens up a bit. This will make it easier to roll the balls.

After refrigerating, measure out 1 tbsp per ball and roll to shape. Store in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer until ready to snack devour.

Nutritional Information
Per 1 tbsp powerball, without any mix-ins

83 Calories  /  6g Fat  /  5g Carbs  /  1g Fiber  /  1g Sugar  /  4g Protein

Don’t forget to enter my giveaway so you can make these treats!

Food for Thought

What is your favorite way to eat peanut butter?

National Peanut Butter Day {Giveaway!}

Today might just be my most favorite day of the year; National Peanut Butter Day. There’s nothing I love more than opening a fresh jar of peanut butter and, of course, grabbing a spoon for that very first bite. Ok, maybe first few bites.. thanks, Mom 😉

There actually was a time that I sent my mom this picture. She totally understood and I’m sure her response was something along the lines of “mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!” So you see, peanut butter has always had a special place in my heart. And not only is it delicious, it’s also quite good for you!

In honor of National Peanut Butter Day, I have not only compiled a list of peanut butter delicious recipes from my blog for your quick browsing pleasure, but I also have a very special giveaway! First things first.

Peanut Butter Recipes

• Hail Merry Peanut Butter Coconut Banana Bites
• Healthy Banana Peanut Butter Cups*
• Peanut Chili Baked Tofu*
• Tilapia Stir-Fry with Chili Peanut Sauce*
• Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake*

And don’t forget to top all of your oatmeal with a deliciously large scoop of peanut butter for maximum dining pleasure! You know I added a little extra to my breakfast this morning.. it’s only right.

*These recipes use peanut flour, but that can be substituted with peanut butter.

And now for the giveaway! Peanut Butter & Co. was kind enough to send me a few samples to review [practically a dream come true!] and offer one lucky reader the chance to win 3 jars! It was a tough choice, but in the end, I went for White Chocolate Wonderful, Mighty Maple, and Old Fashioned Smooth. These proved to be fantastic choices!

I started out trying the White Chocolate Wonderful, which happens to be very appropriately named; it was absolutely wonderful! Next I tried the Mighty Maple, and while I didn’t think it would be able to get better than the White Chocolate Wonderful, it did! Holy moly, this one is so good! Finally, the Old Fashioned Smooth; full of peanuty flavor as the only two ingredients are peanuts and salt. I love that! And now I’m offering one of you the chance to try all of these fantastic flavors!

Peanut Butter & Co. Giveaway

How to Enter

You have up to 5 chances to enter! Be sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Entries will be accepted through Thursday, January 31st, 11:59 pm EST. A winner will be chosen on Friday, February 1st.

1. Leave a comment telling me which flavor you’re most excited to try. (Mandatory)

2. Follow @PeanutButterCo and @BarrAndTable on Twitter and leave a comment telling me. (Optional)

3. Like Peanut Butter & Co. and Barr & Table on Facebook and leave a comment telling me. (Optional)

4. Follow Peanut Butter & Co. and Barr & Table on Pinterest and leave a separate comment telling me. (Optional)

5. Tweet “I entered to win some @PeanutButterCo from @BarrAndTable and you can too! http://wp.me/p2mo7x-g2” and leave a separate comment with a link to your tweet. (Optional)

*Giveaway is only open to U.S. residents. Winner has 48 hours to contact me and claim prize, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

Happy National Peanut Butter Day! Eat up! 😉

What I Ate Wednesday #31: A Working Holiday

Somehow it seems like the weekends fly by and then all of the sudden it’s time for another WIAW! I tell ya, it sneaks up on me every week.

Monday was MLK Jr. Day and I know many of you were lucky enough to have off of work, including Nathan. I, however, was not, but I definitely took advantage of his day off as much as I could.

[Breakfast]
Back to the norm for me. My lightened up sweet breakfast scramble topped with some White Chocolate Wonderful and a little Love Grown Foods apple walnut delight granola. My fave!

[Lunch]
Since Nathan wasn’t working, we got to have lunch together which is extremely rare on weekdays! And not only that, but his sister came too. It was a family affair 🙂

We decided to try a new-to-us restaurant, Ten Ten, and it was definitely a hit. I got the Roasted Vegetable Powerhouse sandwich which consisted of greens, avocado, and white bean hummus on house-baked multigrain bread. Yum! The hummus had so much flavor and the veggies were so packed in there that they were falling off!

[Dinner]
Like I said, taking advantage of Nathan’s day off is what I did best. I convinced him that he should make dinner so I was treated to a delicious dish of homemade Mongolian beef and stir-fry veggies over spinach. [There are 2 pictures of it because it was that tasty!] He done good 😉

[Snacks]
Mid-morning: Grapefruit
Mid-afternoon: Cashew and ginger spice KIND bar [if you haven’t tried this, do it!]
Dessert: Looks funny, tastes awesome!

I love having an apple every night for dessert and sometimes I prefer to dip it. I microwaved a piece of my black bean powerbake with a touch of Mighty Maple Peanut Butter and added a splash of almond milk. It was the perfect chocolately dip for my apple!

Food for Thought

Did you have off of work for the holiday? How do you make the most of your time off?