Vegan and Flourless Peanut Butter Fudge Bars

Remember these cookies?

I loved them so much, I made them into bars.  And I doubled the chocolate.


You are welcome.

 

 

I've been a major peanut butter and chocolate kick recently.  I think it is all I have been eating.

Oh yeah, there is spinach too, but chocolate and peanut butter have taken over.

If you have to ask why, then go and bake a batch of these and then we can talk. 

Good deal?

 

 

I made my Healthy Reese's Fudge which was arguably much healthier than an actual Reese's, but it still wasn't quite what I wanted in a "creatively healthy" chocolate peanut butter dessert.  Ever since I made those aforementioned peanut butter cookies from chickpeas (and had success!) I couldn't get them out of my mind. 

Beans + peanut butter + sweetener = shockingly good.

So this time, I added a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder and spread a dairy-free-from-scratch-chocolate on top.  Peanut butter fudge cookie bars meets super smooth chocolate.

I'm good at this pairing up thing, huh?

 

 

 

 

Speaking of cocoa powder, I about had withdrawals the other day.  Since I can't have regular chocolate chips, I've been using cocoa powder and sweetener all.the.time.  I told one of my friends I eat 1/2 cup a day.  That might be an exaggeration, but only slightly. 

 

When I got out my cocoa powder container and had to bang it on the counter to get the last teaspoon out (note: don't try this at home - cocoa powder blows everywhere!) it ranked as one of my top cooking crisis's.  I live, sleep, breathe chocolate (NOT cocoa powder, already tried that.  Doesn't work) and besides, peanut butter needs a friend.

 

My awesome Dad went to the store and bought me a can of cocoa powder. 

 

{He's pretty awesome.  He doesn't even like chocolate.}

 

 

 

My cocoa powder is well loved and is used twice in this recipe.  First, in the base, but the dominant flavor is still peanut butter.  Don't worry, there are undertones of cocoa throughout every bite.

 

And then there is my favorite part!  That topping tastes like I melted chocolate chips and poured it over the top.  But it is only coconut oil, honey, and (yep) cocoa powder.

 

Are you mind blown?  I still am!  I think it is the coolest thing!  Because of the coconut oil, it solidifies at room temp and becomes like a slab of chocolate.  On top of a slab of peanut butter fudge bar.  You can store these at room temp, but I highly recommend refrigerating them.  It guarantees that the peanut butter layer stays moist and fudgy and the top layer remains smooth and firm. 

 

Please believe me when I tell you that this doesn't taste like beans.  It tastes like peanut butter and chocolate fudge.  You do bake the base, but it remains so fudgy that we can safely call it fudge.  The beans and peanut butter combine to create a filling and satisfying dessert that tastes like dessert!

 

 

 

Vegan and Flourless Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life
Yield: 12-16 servings

Peanut Butter Bars:
1 can (15.25) fully cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey *maple syrup for strict vegans*
1/4 teaspoon each, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Chocolate Topping:
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey

Preheat oven to 350.
Rinse chickpeas in cold water.
Blend in a food processor until mostly smooth.
Add honey and blend again.
Add peanut butter and pulse a few times.  Don't blend too much or your peanut butter will seize up.
Remove blade and stir in baking powder, soda, salt, and cocoa powder.
Spread into a lightly greased 9x9 pan.
Bake for 12-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cool.

Related Recipes:

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Healthy Reeses Fudge

 

 

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

 

 

This post might be linked up at any of these parties.

 

 

Healthy Reeses Fudge

It's Thursday and I need some motivation to finish the week out!  Are you in the same boat?

How does a Reeses sounds?

How does a HEALTHY Reeses sound?  Now we are getting somewhere, eh? ;)

 

Did you know I didn't like peanut butter for the first 11-12 years of my life?  I think it was from one too many peanut butter sandwiches  (I also don't like grape jelly.  Never have, never will as far as I'm concerned.)

 

So, since I didn't like peanut butter, I obviously didn't like Reeses.  I began playing volleyball my 7th grade year and in junior high, we did a thing called "secret sisters."  You got a girl on the volleyball team and you secretly encouraged her with small gifts and notes throughout the year.  It was really fun!  Well, my secret sister (hi Anna M.!) chose Reeses as her favorite candy (we all filled out a questionnaire so as to be accurate with our gifts) and so I went out and bought one of those eight packs at Wal-Mart.  After a couple games, and giving her three or four of them, I still had half the container in my dresser.  One morning, I was hungry, and was like, hey, I'll try one of these!

 

Oh.my.gosh.  Love at first bite.

 

(I still love anything that involves peanut butter being mixed with sugar.  Sweetened peanut butter is the bomb.)

 

I then ate the remaining four Reeses.  Yes, I ate all of my secret sister's candy.  Now that I say that out loud, it sounds bad.  I wish I had been introduced to Reeses in an admirable way.  Unless you eat this  Reeses, your friend will die!  It is your choice!

 

Er, no, we'll just stick with the real story.

 

 

Notes:  The chocolate topping is dairy free and only needs three ingredients!  The coconut oil solidifies at cold temperatures, so you cannot sub another oil for it.  Oh, and this does have sugar in it, but there is only a heaping 1/2 cup for 12 servings.  I think that is pretty good!  The graham cracker crumbs may be subbed for GF graham cracker crumbs, if you want.  Finally, healthy doesn't mean low calorie. :)

 

This has a stronger peanut butter flavor than a normal Reeses, but other than that, the texture and flavor are spot on!

 

Healthy Reeses Fudge

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

Yield: 16 pieces

 

Peanut Butter Fudge:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2/3 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup powdered sugar

 

Chocolate Topping:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

 

Line a 9x9 pan with foil.  Lightly grease foil and set aside.

For the peanut butter fudge: Melt the coconut oil in a medium sized microwave safe bowl.

Stir in peanut butter and vanilla.

Add graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar.

Stir until combined (mixture will be a little grainy, that is ok)

Spread into prepared pan.  Set aside.

For the chocolate topping: melt coconut oil.

Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar.  Whisk until smooth.

Pour over peanut butter fudge, spreading if necessary.

Freeze for a couple hours before serving.

 

 

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

IIIIIIIIIIII'm back!

 

And I brought cookies!
 

Oh, and I also changed the commenting system - let me know what you think PLEASE.  I won't mind if you hate it, it is still growing on me ;)
 

(Crazy long weekends call for enormous amounts of cookies.  Goes without saying.)

 

And not just any cookies - these are intensely peanut butter-y and studded with smooth dark chocolate.  Although they are small, they pack a powerful punch of the world's best combo - chocolate and peanut butter! 

 

Ever since I tried chickpeas in raw cookie dough, I couldn't wait to try a peanut butter version.  Now, I've attempted beans in baking before and it didn't work.  At all.  So I was a little hesitant to try again.  But these cookies are incredible - they might just be my all time favorite peanut butter cookies.  They are thick, but not fluffy, like some bean based cookies are.  These are dense and a little crumbly.  Each bite tastes buttery, without the annoying greasiness of oil.  And there is nothing in the way of the peanut butter flavor; oh, except for the bites of chocolate, but I can't complain there.  I'll let you in on a little secret -

 

these have no butter

 

or oil

 

or flour

 

and, even though I love eggs, there aren't on the list either. 

 

Vegan chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.  That taste like chocolate chip peanut butter cookies.

 

Totally and completely true.

 

I love mini things and I wish I could say it was for the cute factor.  I'm pretty sure I like them because I can eat three or four or ten.  I'm pretty sure I did just that with these.

 

They are that good.

 

No one will guess they are healthy.  You could eat them for breakfast!  But I really don't like the title breakfast cookies - it makes me think of oat and banana and applesauce.  Don't get me wrong, I really like all of those ingredients, but not when I want something for dessert. 

 

These are healthy enough for breakfast but really and truly taste like dessert. 

 

Vegan Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Source: My Whole Food Life
Yield: 16 cookies

1-1/4 cup chickpeas, cooked
1/2 cup peanut butter + 2 tablespoons
1/3 cup honey *maple syrup for strict vegans*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.
Drain chickpeas and rinse well with cold water.
Blend chickpeas in a good food processor.  (I used my Ninja)
Add peanut butter and honey and blend a couple times until smooth.  (Don't overblend or you'll "burn" your peanut butter)
Stir in baking powder.
Roll into balls; dough will be sticky, but that's okay.
Place on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Press chocolate chips on top of cookie dough.
Bake for 12-14 minutes (mine were done at 12 minutes)
Let cool for a couple minutes.
Serve warm (amazing!) or let cool completely (also really good!)

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake

I recently discovered something even better than peanut butter.

 

 

I really didn't think that was possible. 

Skippy's chocolate peanut butter was one of my favorite discoveries of 2013!  Speaking of years, I was looking through my most recent journal and Bible study notebook and every.single.one had "1/2/13" or "1/7/13" in the corner.  I do this every year; I think it deserves its own resolution.  Thank goodness the blog automatically changes the date header because you all would still think I was living in '13.  Ugg. 

I made Nutella and banana sandwiches for Abigail and Elizabeth one time, with leftover Nutella from a recipe.  They started asking for it all the time!  Nutella is really good, but it isn't necessarily good for you. Skippy's Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread is an excellent substitute for Nutella and is way better for you.  Elizabeth didn't like how peanut butter-y it was, but is slowly being converted. Me and Abigail only needed one spoonful to be hooked.

This milkshake is super thick and creamy thanks to the combination of frozen banana and Greek yogurt. It gets the chocolate kick from the cocoa powder and the tablespoon of chocolate peanut butter gives it three different things - more creaminess (really, it's amazing how much a tablespoon adds!) more chocolate flavor and, of course, the peanut butter flavor.  It's sweet and rich and satisfying.  This at least makes my jar last longer!

 

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Milkshake 

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life 

Yield: 1 serving 

1 frozen banana 

1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt 

3 tablespoon cocoa powder 

1 tablespoon Skippy's chocolate peanut butter 

1/4 cup milk

Blend all the ingredients in a blender. Aaaand that's it!  Enjoy!

Now, if I can find something better than this chocolate peanut butter, then I'll be set! 

Hey, one more thing.  I've been having a little trouble with my commenting system and I was wondering if you could answer a couple questions to help me figure out what's up?  When you comment, what ID do you use?  Google, Wordpress, open?  Also, I was wondering if you have a comment system you use or have used on other blogs that you've really liked?  I'd like to change mine, but haven't quite committed yet.  Thanks! 

Homemade Healthy Butterfingers

So New Years is coming up and along with it are lots of resolutions.  So I decided to post a healthy recipe to help us all out.

Oh my gosh, there are absolutely incredible.  Like, I literally made three pans of this in three weeks and I ate all three pans.

I think I negated all the healthiness with all that peanut butter!  I cannot get enough of the combo of peanut butter and chocolate.  I had six Reeses peanut butter cups for breakfast the morning after Christmas.

You think I'm kidding.

Anyways, these are incredible.  I didn't expect much from these, but these are so good.  Who would have thought bran flakes with peanut butter and molasses and chocolate would make a very realistic copycat???  Granted, it may not taste exactly like the real thing, but it is pretty darn close.  So don't eat this and then take a bite of a real Butterfinger because it will taste a little different.  The molasses is key. It's not a dominant flavor, but it helps create the Butterfinger flavor.

This recipe is from Chocolate Covered Katie and the first time I followed the recipe as followed, using corn flakes instead of bran flakes.  The second time, I used bran flakes.  The third time, I subbed a scant 3/4 cup dates for the 1/2 cup honey and used bran flakes and honestly, there really wasn't a noticeable difference. 

The peanut butter flavor is the strongest and the bran flakes add that crunch.  They are mixed with the peanut butter and soften into a chewy and dense texture.  I was wary that freezing them wouldn't have the authentic flavor, but lo and behold, it works!  I hope you try these, they are easy, done in five minutes, and are delicious and healthy.

Homemade Healthy Butterfingers

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life.  Adapted slightly from Chocolate Covered Katie

Yield: 8-10 bars

2 cup bran flakes (you can also use corn flakes)

scant 3/4 cup pitted dates

1 tablespoon molasses

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Soak dates in water for 15-30 minutes.  Drain and blend in a food processor until smooth.  Add peanut butter and molasses and blend again.  Heat in a small pot for a couple minutes or until smooth and slightly runny.  Lightly crush bran flakes and add to peanut butter mixture.  Press into a lightly greased 9x9 pan and freeze.  Cut into 8-10 bars.  Melt chocolate chips.  Dip bars in melted chocolate and freeze again.  Enjoy!

 

Related Recipes:

 

Low Fat Peanut Butter

 

 

No Bake Peanut Butter Cereal Crack Bars {Gluten Free}

 

 

 

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bites

 

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Honey Gingerbread Muffins

I haven't made muffins in forever.  I had the same revelation with cookies last week, too.  So cookies and muffins were my top two priorities this week.

These muffins.  Seriously, honest to goodness, best muffins I've had. 

Best peanut butter honey muffins anyways.



But seriously.  These rank high among my muffins.  It is the texture that makes these so good.  They are dense, yet fluffy (don't ask how that works.)  They are soft, but definitely not gooey.  They're sweet, but also heavily spiced.  They're amazing, but also healthy. 

Oh yeah, these have no white flour, no butter or oil, and no refined sugars.  And they are just incredible. 

You definitely taste the peanut butter first.  And then you can taste the honey and as you chew and swallow, the gingerbread spices kick in.  Thanks to the molasses, honey, and spices, these are not lacking in flavor.  I have a thing for peanut butter right now.  I have another recipe coming up that uses peanut butter and honey.  I am all about sweet peanut butter - in everything! :)  And the peanut butter honey combo tastes so good with the gingerbread spices. 

Let's talk texture real quick.  Whole wheat goods often have the reputation for dry and bland.

Not these.

Any good muffin has to have the perfect fluffy, yet sustaining texture and these nailed it.  The peanut butter provides the fat needed to make them moist and the buttermilk adds the slight fluffy factor. 

Can you say no to a healthy and delicious flavor packed muffin?  I sure can't.  Empty muffin tin as evidence.



Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Gingerbread Muffins
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life.  Adapted from Heather's French Press
Yield: 16 muffins

1 egg

1/2 cup honey

1 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole wheat flour

1-1/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons baking soda

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 16 cupcake tins. 

Beat egg and honey together.  Add peanut butter, molasses, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, and stir.  Alternate flour and buttermilk, stirring after each addition.  Stir in baking soda.  Divide between lined cupcake tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Cake Bars

If you need something to make your Monday better, look no further than these bars! 

Nathan and I helped with Bethlehem Revisited the last three days and I loved it as much as I did last year! 

(Bethlehem Revisited is a reenactment of the story of Jesus' birth.  There are a dozen different "stations" you go through, where you listen to different Bible characters and stories leading up to and after Jesus' birth.  We decided it really should be called Bethlehem, brr, and Beyond.  You are in a group with a  guide and you get to walk all through this farm, basically, with forests and barns, and a marketplace! :)  That's where I helped out.)

Last year's temperatures were really nice, like never below freezing.  This year, well, we got to stand outside for five hours in 20 degree weather.  Everyone had so many layers on!  Nathan let me borrow a pair of his over the knee wool socks.  Totally stylish and totally warm.  I fell in love with Hot Hands and fires, even though the smoke was pretty bad.  Poor Mom driving us home!  Honestly, Bethlehem Revisited is so much fun because of all the social time.  You get to hang out and talk with all these people!  And in the marketplace, you get to eat the warm cinnamon bread this kind lady makes every year (you're technically supposed to be selling it:) and you also get to yell at people, trying to sell your stuff.  It is super fun.

Guys, I am done with chapped faces.   Why is this necessary in order to have fun outside?  Why is it inevitable?  It is painful!  Putting lotion on that night and then the next morning - so much fun.  And I am done with being sick.  I went home after the last night of Bethlehem Revisited and just lay on the floor and was like, "Ok, whatever stomach, you don't want me to move?  Fine."  I offended my stomach sometime throughout the night and it decided to argue with me -  a lot.  I'm good now though!

Guys, I am NOT done with gooey bars!  And I'll never be done with chocolate and peanut butter.  The bars let both of those flavors shine and are rich and decadent to a "T."  They should be a necessity.  There is nothing painful about them (unless you count cardio ... pfft.)  You press a cake layer that, starts with a box mix, into a 9x13 pan and then sprinkle chocolate chips, peanuts, and peanut butter over the top.  This is really easy and the bars are thick and fudgy.  There is also bites of crunchy peanuts and smooth chocolate chips to balance out the rich smoothness of the peanut butter.

When you are spreading the second layer of cake mixture on top, I recommend dividing it into about 1/4 cup pieces of dough and flattening them out in your hand before putting them on top of the first layer of peanuts and chocolate chips.  This way, the second layer of cake mixture is more even.

Same with the peanut butter.  I recommend heating it up in the microwave for 15or more seconds, until runny.  Then, drop tablespoon amounts over the chocolate chips and peanut butter before spreading it out, so that it spreads more evenly. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Gooey Cake Bars
Recipe Source: Kraft
Yield: 36 servings

1 box (double layer) fudge cake mix
1 box (3.9 oz.)  chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup dry roasted peanuts (I used party peanuts)
1 cup peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, butter and milk together until combined.  Mixture will be thick.  Spread 1/2 of cake mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.  Spread out until the thickness is even.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and 1/2 cup peanuts over first cake mix layer.  Spread 1/2 cup peanut butter over peanuts and chocolate chips.  Repeat layers with remaining ingredients.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool for one hour and then refrigerate for four hours before serving.

Notes:
When you are spreading the second layer of cake mixture on top, I recommend dividing it into about 1/4 cup pieces of dough and flattening them out in your hand before putting them on top of the first layer of peanuts and chocolate chips.  This way, the second layer of cake mixture is more even.

Same with the peanut butter.  I recommend heating it up in the microwave for 15or more seconds, until runny.  Then, drop tablespoon amounts over the chocolate chips and peanut butter before spreading it out, so that it spreads more evenly.

Related Recipes:

Mint n' Oreo Chocolate Chip Chess Squares

Double Fudge Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Buckeye Hand Pies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake





Banana Butter {and the healthiest peanut butter banana sandwich ever}

Remember thelow fat peanut butter I posted?  Today we slather it with homemade banana butter on whole wheat bread for a delicious spin off of the peanut butter sandwich.

Since there is apple butter and pumpkin butter, I thought, why not banana?  Granted, real fruit butters are sugars and the fruit cooked down, so this probably doesn't qualify as real fruit butter BUT we can pretend, right?  Make sure to use your banana butter as soon as its blended. It doesn't taste very good after a day in the fridge. It has a hint of cream cheese, an unrivaled creaminess, and a bunch of banana flavor.  I added a drop of yellow good coloring to boost the yellowness, but it isn't necessary for flavor. Paired with the peanut butter, this is a winner. 

My sandwich choices depend on my mood. If I'm in a sweet frame of mind, I go for the peanut butter/chocolate/banana sandwiches. But I love my savory sandwiches; wraps usually; and my all time favorite has pesto, mozzarella cheese, hummus, turkey, and the some tomato and lettuce. I love grilled chicken wraps, too (oh my, love them.). What's your favorite sandwich?

Banana Butter

Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life 

2-3 ripe bananas, mashed 

4 oz. cream cheese 

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 

1 drop yellow fool coloring 

1 teaspoon banana extract

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor. Serve immediately. 

For sandwich: 

Low Fat Peanut Butter

Banana Butter

Whole wheat bread  

Spread peanut butter and banana butter on wheat bread. Serve immediately. 

Low Fat Peanut Butter

I KNOW some of my friends are going to start worrying about me. 

Don't.  I'm not supporting low fat diets or cutting out healthy fats.  No.

I'm just having way too much experimenting and playing around with my Ninja. Okay?  Just playing mad scientist since its Halloween and all! (actually, I can't stand Halloween ... I'm such a party crasher, I know!)

I was afraid it wouldn't taste like peanut butter.  There are a lot of peanut butter cookie dough recipes that look like this, so I was curious as to how it tasted.  I thought it tasted great, but the real test came at lunch. Stephen has made a batch of eggless cookie dough and had it in the fridge. Luke was getting it out for dessert, but accidentally got out my peanut butter. He tried some, thinking it was Stephen's cookie dough and made a face. "This tastes just like plain peanut butter, Stephen!"

Confession time.  "That's mine!"

"Oh," he puts the lid on and nods. "That explains it."

Yeah. Mad scientist. 

This stuff is awesome. I eat it by itself, spread on apples, pita chips (yes, I'm weird. It's official) and on a sandwich I'll post tomorrow. That's really good, too.  Don't worry, I haven't baked with it and don't plan on it.  I won't abandon good 'ole Jif for all my baking needs!  This peanut butter is incredible for snacking.  You can trust me on this one, even if I don't like Halloween (except for the mini Snicker's Bars!!!) and put it on my pita chips.

Low Fat Peanut Butter
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life

1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1-2 tablespoons milk

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor.  Store in the refrigerator.

P.S.  I had a really hard time titling this post, because its not homemade peanut butter nor is it cookie dough. If you have a better title, let me know because this was all I could come up with. 

Double Fudge Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Happy Monday everyone!

I'm so glad we have nothing on Mondays.  No volleyball, no co-op classes, no football, no doctor appointments, just school.  It's so nice to start the week off slow and have a day to finish everything from the weekend and begin everything for the week. 

If you need a smile this morning, make these cookies. They're incredible. I've made the cookie base before, but instead of chocolate chips, I wanted to use peanut butter chips. 

Guess what. We were out. 

So, I remembered this recipe from Heather's French Press for homemade peanut butter chips!  I froze peanut butter and stuffed it into these cookies, but this time, I followed her recipe, which adds coconut oil and sugar and milk, and froze them in chips. They were a tad bit more difficult to work with because they had to be frozen and stirred in quickly, but they melted into the batter more than store bought chips and packed more of a peanut butter flavor. Totally a win and if you have more time on your hands, use the homemade on chips. They make these cookies even better.

So often, I feel like I'm one thing short. One package of peanut butter chips. Or one point short in a game. Our world offers so many of those situations. For example, one compliment short of popularity. One size short of fulfillment.  One iPhone too late. One thing, one thing. 

But really, how important is that one thing?  I think our world places so much emphasis on the short term, in the moment things. We forget the big picture. In 20 years, will I really care if I had the bag of peanut butter chips or not?  Will I really care whether I could fit into size 4 or 10?  Will I really care if so and so liked my hair?  Is that what I want to matter, that one thing that I made a big deal about in the moment?  I don't think so.

The things that last, the relationships, are the things to focus on. Those kinds of things take time, lots of little "one things" and they last and they will be something I care about. I often sucked into the little picture, me only, mindset that is so prevalent. And honestly, I feel worse about myself and life when I focus on them. One award, one game, one word, one follow ... the list goes on and on. Wouldn't it be nicer if I invested my time in spending time with people, enjoying rather than worrying or envying?  It is so much better!

So if you're a bag of peanut butter chips short, don't sweat it. Use whatever baking chip you want!  And share them with someone ... (you don't need two dozen cookies laying around *cough*) and someone, somewhere, needs their Monday brightened.  

Double Fudge Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Recipe Source: The Sweet {Tooth} Life. Adapted from this recipe.  Peanut Butter Chips from Heather's French Press

Yield: 2 dozen

1/2 cup butter 

1/4 cup coconut oil

2 eggs 

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cocoa powder 

1 (4 serving pck.) instant chocolate fudge pudding 

1-1/2 cups peanut butter chips

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease cookie sheet.

Soften coconut oil and butter; beat with sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Stir in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, and chocolate pudding mix until incorporated.  Add peatnu butter chips and stir.

Drop by rounded tablespoon on prepared baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.   

Related Recipes: 

Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

 

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies 

Double Dark Chocolate Pudding Cookies